Littlest Sister is 21

On Monday, my babyest sister Anna turned 21 years old.  I can't believe the last Fairman child is now 21!  It was a rare weekend where all four of us were in town and so we wanted to do something extra special for Anna.  Rachel had to leave Monday afternoon to head back to Santa Barbara for work and so we decided to celebrate Anna's birthday on Sunday.  However, this posed some problems for us because she wouldn't technically be 21 until midnight and since it was a Sunday, most bars weren't opened much past that. 

But, Bert, Rachel, and I devised a suprise plan.  We had Anna and a few friends meet at my brother's house around 9:00pm with the intention of "hanging out."

Me, Anna, and Rachel

All four of the Fairman siblings

At 9:30pm, the SURPRISE showed up!

Her chariot for the evening!

We decided the best way to take her out for her special eveing since she couldn't buy a drink until midnight was to drive around in a limo for a few hours.  We had so much fun.

Katie and Anna: BFF's since they were like 2!

Bert and Jake: BFF's since they were like 4!

At midnight, we had the driver stop at a bar in Bakersfield so that Anna could order her first drink ever!  There weren't many people there, but the ones that were made her night extra special and helped contribute to her hangover the next morning. :)

The Gang plus Artie...our limo driver

We had SUCH a fun night.  And Anna's 21st birthday ended just the way it should have, with her older brother practically carrying her into the house. :)

Love ya sis!

Studying Commences...AGAIN

It's been a little over a week since I last blogged.  So much has changed in just over 7 days and yet it's still the same, because Josh is still studying.  Josh and I are home.  Home as in Bakersfield, CA, not Grenada.  So much of me still feels like Grenada is home, I suppose it always will be in a way. 

Getting ready to board the plane.

Last picture in Grenada.

We flew out Monday morning and I really wanted to yell at the sleeping student in the window seat next to me.  She never opened her window shade so that I could catch one last glimpse of my island as we took off into the clouds.  I almost woke her up to ask her to open the window for me...almost.  But as the wife of a medical student, I figured she'd had a rough week of late night studying and needed the rest.  Now that we are back in California, I wish I'd just asked.


Josh only took two days off once we got home to relax before studying for the Step 1 commenced.  He began Thursday morning and has 12 hour study days planned from now until July 18th.  No Joke.  He is locked in his Californian "mancave" only to take breaks when he's in need of food or a little exercise.

"Mancave" study station

Hard at work.

This book is like his bible for the USMLE.

  Only 52 days more to go. God help us. 

A Mixture of Emotions

Yesterday was such a strange day.  My emotions have been on a roller coaster ride full of ups and downs and loop-the-loops. 

On one hand, I am so thrilled for Josh.  He has successfully completed his first two years of medical school and it's impossible not to be proud of all of his hard work and dedication to his studies.  There have been many nights where I have peeked into his "mancave" at an ungodly hour of the night as he slaves over his books and his computer and thought  I seriously don't know if I could ever do this.  I am so excited for his future as a doctor and I know that he will be the kind of caring, compassionate, knowledgeable, and empathetic doctor that we all want to go to.  He's excited for clinical rotations, heck he's even excited to study and take the Step 1 because that means that he's this much closer to being an M.D. and all of his excitement makes it impossible not to be excited for him, for us.

But the other side of the coin is the fact that we are leaving Grenada.  Three days is all that we have left on this little island and while his emotions about being done with school and moving forward are all positive, he knows that my heart is heavy.  Even yesterday, when many of his classmates were celebrating immediately post-finals, jumping on cars, taking shots in the student center, and clinking champagne glasses (yes this was all happening on campus), my amazing husband came to Limes with me for the last day of class.  He was there to support me and to love on the children that he knows hold such a huge place in my heart. 

Love

Our little Grenadian Family

Kyla and Mr. Josh

Little Sassy

Helping BJ with his worksheets

Miguel

Dede passed out mid-class

This child is so wild!

Jade's smile lights up the camera

Oh Miss Kat!

Little Duck

It poured rain yesterday, like buckets.  Probably the most rain in a single two hours that we've had this term. And it started right when we got to Limes.  Maybe it was God's way of telling me that he knows.  He knows how sad my heart is and He was crying for me too.

The Coutain Family got me some going away gifts.

A picture of Dede, Briana, and Jivona.

A keychain, so that every time I look at my keys, I will remember them.

Momma Jill and I

My friend Amy sent something to me that touched my heart and helps make it slightly easier to leave.  She said "Remember that they are God's kids and that He will continue to love them and care for them after I am gone."

It's not goodbye.  I know I will be back someday.  So for now it's see ya later Grenada. 

Ohhh We're HALF Way There...

...Ohhh oh! Livin' on a prayer!

Josh finished his last final of Term 5 today.

Meaning he's 50% done with medical school.

A brand new MSIII (Medical Student, 3rd year).

Heading to clinical rotations in August.

How are we half way done with medical school?!?

This year has flown by.

Next up, studying for and taking the Step I.

But first things first.

Now, we celebrate!

White Coat Ceremony. Newcastle, England. August 2010.

So very proud of you soon-to-be Dr. Joshua Scurlock.

One last day...

...with my beautiful Limes babies. 

My heart breaks just thinking about tomorrow.  I don't have any children of my own yet, but I feel like these are my kids.  I would do just about anything for most of them. 

I know I have to look at the brightside of things.  I was given the opportunity to love on these children for a year.  And for the life of me, I can't figure out why there aren't more people on this island out at the Limes Field every week loving on them. If there is any advice I could give to current or future SO's, it would be to go out to Limes, love on these children for me.  You will be a superstar in their eyes and there is nothing more rewarding than having 50 little bodies run to you every day for hugs the moment they see your car pull up.  I consider myself the lucky one because I got to be a little part of their lives.  I am FOREVER CHANGED because of it.

The only thing that is keeping me from being utterly distraught about leaving is the fact that I have to believe I will see these babies again someday.  I can only hope they will still remember me.

I'm going to attempt to hold it together tomorrow for our last day of class. I want to be strong for these kids but, I'm not making any promises.