By Faith

Moses has been on my mind a lot lately. At the burning bush, what must have been going through his mind as God called him to go back to the land he had fled from (because he killed an Egyptian) and save the Israelites from whose slavery he and the only family he had really ever known had benefitted greatly? Oh, to top it off, he was slow of speech (Exodus chapters 3 and 4).

Yet despite weakness and everything that could possibly go against him, he went on to accomplish one of the most marked miracles contained in the Bible: 

24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dryland: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. (Hebrews 11: 24-29)

This med school thing seems very do-able in comparison.

Baby Brother

Deep down at the heart of embryology lies a simple, elegant realization that life is a miracle. It is a miracle with intricacies we do not fully contemplate or even recognize and many of us take it for granted.

As Adi has grown, many have asked when we were going to have another. To be honest, it took about two years to get over the trauma of being first-time parents to a sweet, colicky baby while in grad school. But when we decided we did want to brave parenthood again, pregnancy was elusive. Then, after several years we found out we were expecting but soon after announcing (after 12 weeks) the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. 

Sometimes God has a different plan that stretches us and tries our faith. But in following His plan we have the opportunity to witness His merciful hand in our lives. In Isaiah (55: 8-9) the Lord reminds us, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For was the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

So, yes, our children may be nearly 6 years apart. And while we don't claim to have tasted the suffering or longing of infertility that so many confront daily, we certainly have come to better realize and appreciate the miracle of life and are all (especially Adi) excited to meet baby brother at the end of December.

Life Lately

Yep, we're still alive and enjoying this island more than ever! Term II is officially underway (it starts out a little slow with two two-week courses in community medicine and bioethics) and and so we're all busy and settling back into "real life" here. 

Kenz and Adi went on a field trip for school to Grand Etang and Belmont Estate.

Adi celebrated National Colours Day at school by wearing Grenada's national colors and taking some coconut bake to share with her class.

We started filming House Hunters yesterday and saw the island by sailboat. (This was Adi and Kenz's third boat ride while here on the island -- lucky girls.)

 

Adi adapted from ship captain to filmographer and then to audio specialist pretty quickly.

She even made a few EC helping the crew put equipment together. 

We feel lucky that we have had such a good experience with the director and crew and they've all been great with Adi.

Anyway, we're here enjoying it but are busy as always!

Caribbean Cold Front

Apparently there is an arctic blast hitting the U.S. right now. 

I think some of that cold air may have made it all the way down here because the other day I had to wear a sweater. It was gray, cloudy, and rainy all day.

When I found out the temperature had dropped to 75 F, I decided to enjoy every one of those degrees (still in my sweater of course because I figure I've done plenty of sweating to acclimate and to believe that 75 F is cold).

Not to rub it in or anything, but when I see others posting about freezing weather I'm glad that my days look like this (when I actually get to go outside).

Favorite spot on campus to eat lunch.

While I'm here doing this, I might as well document a few things and get some pictures off of my phone. 

After midterms we went to La Sagesse. It's about a 25 minute drive (9 miles) from home and the drive takes us through some beautiful country.

As we got to the turnoff to La Sagesse, which happens to be located in a nature reserve, we both couldn't help expressing that we felt like we were in Jurassic Park.

Just exchange the Escudo for a Ford and I think you pretty much have a JP ride.

La Sagesse is one of my favorite beaches on the island. The water is calm (and warm), you can rent a kayak and take it out in the cove, and the water is pretty shallow for a long way out (great for the kids).

Kenz's birthday happened to fall on the weekend of Grenadian Thanksgiving and I had two whole days without classes. So we went into town to get a birthday gift and explored a little. We stumbled into the national museum located in a building built in the late 1700's and had once been used as a prison. They were remodeling, but the curator and others were quick to take us around and teach us about Grenada's rich history.

Binx was obsessed with the little cannons.

Here are a few other random pictures from the visit ...

We learned all about migration and the real James Bond ...

touched rocks and stuff ...

appreciated some large spinous processes on these whale vertebrae ...

checked out the large caldrons used for rum distillation ...

were a little creeped out by the jail recreation ...

and saw a large wooden bathtub used for bathing prisoners.

St. George is such an interesting city. It is surprisingly underdeveloped for a capital city, but I love the bustle, hills, color, and craziness.

Kenz is an amazing city driver. She owns left-lane driving and one-way streets packed with parked cars, people, potholes, and traffic.

Adi saw me taking pictures and asked if she could see my phone for a minute. When I got it back I discovered she had taken a few pictures of her own.

In other news, I can't get enough of this view at church.

And this little girl is a good sport to let me talk her into painting her face every once in a while.

It rains here. Sometimes it's a light rain and sometimes (like last night) it pours hard and fast.

Goats frequent our street and keep the grass down. 

This one made me think about indirect inguinal hernias.

Some friends had family visit and they were more than generous to bring down two bags of Hot Tamales sent by Kenz's dad.

These bags just might make it to Christmas.

And with that, I'll get rid of this last photo from my phone and review head and neck anatomy.

This Girl

The other night (like last week) Kenz and I were talking and I said, "I can't believe you will be 27 soon!" She looked at me smiling and said, "I'm 27 now!" Then we busted up laughing at ourselves.

In my mind, Kenz is that spunky 20-year-old I met in English 315. In so many ways she is that girl I met 8-ish years ago, but now she is also so much more. She is my sweetheart, my confidant and greatest support. She effortlessly juggles the never-ending and ever-changing tasks of our little family and is a good mother and example to the Binx. She is without guile and I cherish her kind and generous heart, her smile, cleverness, charm, patience, sense of adventure, zest for life, and love for God and others.

So happy 28th to this girl who brightens every day and is the love of my life. 

I honestly don't know how I got her or how she just becomes more beautiful as time goes by.

The Definition of Home

Over the past six and a half years of our marriage, Ryan and I have moved nine times. It's a lot if you think about it, but in that nine moves we have learned an important and life-long lesson: "home" is an ever-changing location because home is where we are together. 

We've shed tears over leaving and reminisced through stories about our various homes; our newlywed home in our charming basement apartment, our almost-to-have-been, not-so-charming basement room at my parents', our elegant studio on Capitol Hill (with bunk beds and all), our tiny Wymount apartment where we brought home our little person, our incredible Park Fairfax colonial, our Country Woods Garden-level condo, and our very first home purchase, the townhouse.

The common factor in all of them was us; we were together. While some families build a "stick" house; the house that sticks, where they spend their entire lives, our story will be different. Full of change, full of adventure. 

The next chapter of that adventure is Grenada; we are looking forward to building our home together in a beautiful paradise with new friends, experiences, and cultures. 

Best Friends

Some days I can't help feeling so grateful that I have these two beauties in my life.

They are my best friends and I can't wait until I see them on Saturday!

Friday Letters

Dear Ryan, I miss you. The last forty-four days have at times felt like an eternity. I can't wait to see you, and am counting down the days and hours until I get to hug and kiss you, and even start life as a med-student widow. I am so incredibly proud of you and have been impressed at your dedication to your studies and leading our family. I am so grateful I get to spend eternity with my best friend and the person I love most; you just get me. Only two more weeks. Only two more weeks. I love you.

Love, Kenz

Dear Adrielle, I miss you! FaceTime just isn't the same when I'm pretending to be one of your little dolls. I love your imagination and spunk; the next two years are going to be so incredibly wonderful. I can't wait to explore learning with you and discovering the wonders of the ocean! I feel so incredibly lucky to be your mom; you are my mini me, and whether a blessing or a curse, I hope your vivacious nature never changes. I love you.

Love, Mama

Dear Self, Take a deep breath. The next two weeks are going to fly by--just focus on one thing at a time. Everything will work out and that ever-shrinking, to-do list will soon be a thing of the past. Don't mourn the past. Revel in change; change might be far better than what's at present. Now is the chance to change for the better. Wear your sunscreen, Chapstick, and bug spray. Give that hot man of yours a hug and kiss and have fun with that little girl. Only 14 days! 

Optimistically, Self

Dear BYU Football, It meant a lot to me that yesterday you commemorated September 11th. The helmets, field, and hand-held signs in the East stands we're great ways to show that we will. never. forget. Also, thank you for winning three in a row--despite the less-than -stellar second half of the second quarter. This team is always special, but I hope this is a special year. (We all hope.)

A big fan, McKenzie 

The Silver Lining

I’m pretty sure that in life, when we look back, we’ll see the silver lining that sometimes evaded us. But, life is good, and often in retrospect things make a little bit more sense. 

I’ve thought a lot about this lately as we’ve embarked on a new adventure, started blogging again, and as new friends have commented on old blog posts here and there. 

In particular, I’ve thought about buying our home, our road to medical school, and the loss of my second pregnancy last winter. All three have been crazy, emotional whirlwinds. They were trails and blessings. They are all gifts for which I am grateful. Each of them reminds me of my favorite scripture from the Book of Mormon:

Alma 26:12 "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.”

Through God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, we can do anything. He truly lifts us up. 

Acknowledging the blessings that come through trials is often one of the ways I recognize the hand of The Lord in our lives and grow in the realization that I am weak. This is especially true now.

Two and a half years ago when we debated about buying a house it was frustrating, exciting, exasperating, and thrilling all at the same time. We didn't want to move AGAIN, but were excited about the prospect of earning equity while we prepared for med school. 

Looking back it is one of the many miracles. We had no idea when we purchased our home that it would be a small source of income to us during the transition from two incomes to none. We are grateful. 

In addition to our home, the path to medical school has been challenging yet rewarding. We experienced the excitement of secondaries and interviews as well as the frustration of rejection and waitlists, but looking back, it has been right for us. I will have the opportunity (because of Visa laws) to be a stay-at-home mom which is both incredibly exciting and positively nerve wrecking. I have the opportunity to serve Ryan as he prepares to be a physician and provide for our futures. I have a lot of emotions about leaving my career, but have learned so much over the past ten years about who I am, who I want to be, and the abilities that make me unique. (Who knew that after four years at BYU, I would decide to start my won consulting firm!? More on that to come…) Looking back, our road to medical school has been one of the many miracles. We are grateful. 

Finally, in retrospect, we look back on the loss of my second pregnancy as a beautiful growing point in our relationship together, as a family, and with our Savior. I recently re-read my post about it, and it’s incredible to see how the hand of the Lord is ever present in our lives. He knew that we wanted to know we could have another baby, but that it wasn’t the right time for that little spirit. And we are grateful that He knew better. We were already crazed in July. I cannot. imagine. what life would have been like with the a newborn and trying to recover while moving, sending Ryan off, finishing up my job, etc. We aren’t worried about infertility, we know that when the time is right we will be blessed with more children—I think heading to Grenada with one is just fine. She’s seriously the best thing that has ever happened to us. Looking back, this has been one of the many miracles, and we are grateful. 

Ryan has been in Grenada alone for 22 days. It has been challenging, but we have consecrated ourselves to this path to medicine and have chosen an attitude of gratitude. We know it is not an easy path and not for the faint at heart. We have been richly blessed to be where we are and want to make sure that we acknowledge the silver lining as it happens. 

Life is good. 

Life in the Middle of the Ocean

It's hard to believe that I live on a 12 x 21 island in the middle of the ocean.

But it sure is beautiful.

I spent the day snorkeling on Grand Anse beach ...

with these champs (so glad to have great friends here) ...

But the highlight was face-timing with my girls at home.

Just counting down the days until they're here with me. 

Our Caribbean Canvas

It's officially time to revive the blog. Life is changing rapidly and I want to document as much as I can now and in the future!

For those of you who were wondering about that last post, Ryan and I are moving to Grenada, West Indies for him to attend St. George's University School of Medicine! Ryan has his place ticket in hand, so it. is. official.

I am so proud of him. Over the past four years he has worked incredibly hard on pre-requisites, MCAT prep, applications, volunteering, shadowing, and being a great husband and father.

Simply put, we are ecstatic for this new adventure.

St. George's offers a great medical education with an excellent track record and reputation in an idyllic location.

Wouldn't you agree? 

Our decision has been a few years coming, and after weighing all of the pros and cons, we are embarking on the 3,594 mile adventure to the Southern Caribbean.

(Just to give you an idea of where Grenada is...)

(In the Southern Caribbean...)

Grenada is a tiny island. It is 132.8 square miles. That is exponentially smaller than Puerto Rico (3,515 sq miles) and Delaware (2,491 sq miles), and even still smaller than New York City (469 sq miles) and Chicago (234 sq miles). It is however bigger than the city of Salt Lake proper (109.1 sq miles).

It is known for it's spices and most recently it's Gold medal in the 2012 games secured by Kirani James in the Men's 400M.

---

The neat thing about St. George's is that you do five terms (equivalent of four semesters) of scientific coursework in Grenada and then go back to the States to do clinical rotations at various locations. One of the large partnerships is with hospitals in New York City.

Which. Would. Be. Awesome.

Then after that you do residencies or fellowships in your specialized fields.

We thought long and hard about this decision, and although more difficult logistically speaking and thousands of miles away from friends and family (whom we will miss like crazy), it is exactly where we are supposed to be for the next two years.

Here's to our next to years which we have dubbed "Our Caribbean Canvas". Please feel free to follow along.

Oh, and come visit!

Going to St. George is a Thing ...

I had a meeting in St. George last week and so we decided to make a weekend of it.

Kenz and Binx went to a splash pad, where Binx immediately made friends.

Evidence? Kenz texted me these pictures while I was still in my meeting ...

At the splash pad!

Picnicking with new friends. 

Meanwhile, my view from my meeting at Dixie State University looked a lot like this ...

We had plans that really didn't involve plans other than to chill out, which ended up being to our advantage because we met up with so many friends who had also decided to spend the weekend in St. George. (We guess that going to St. George is a thing?)

It was so great to discover that friends who currently live in LA were in town for the weekend!

And the next day Binx ran into her friends (who happen to live next door at home) at the splash pad!

Great weekend! We may even have to do the St. George thing again (especially since I had a breathtakingly amazing run along the Virgin River Trail on Saturday morning).