New beginning

We're not in Kansas anymore. We're in Texas. Houston, Texas. 

During the biggest covid surge in the WORLD. In the middle of summer. 

I didn't see that coming when I thought about fellowship four years ago when I started as an intern at Women & Infants. And as I left my last shift it was definitely surreal. 

And, as luck would have it... since I haven’t  imported photos from my phone or blogged in over a month and a half *with a lot of photo worthy events in that time span* I'm stuck. My computer won't load my photo files from my iphone because there are close to a 1000 of them.....

So, I've been trying to write this post through the blogger app on my phone, only to have it freeze, not save, or delete my post 3 times now. This, of course, is a shame because there's been a lot of good photos along the way since finishing residency. 

Suffice it to say this is less enthusiastic of a post than my first 3 attempts :) 

As a family we said a lot of goodbyes this month. Goodbyes to residency family: 

Including our closest family that we will DEFINITELY miss being within walking distance from!!

Goodbye to my amazing mentor who brought me to tears with her presentation of me at graduation 

Goodbye to my PAGER! 

Truly, we’ve become a big family with lots of kiddos to show for it too 

With all the goodbyes there came some nice hello’s too. Like to this bunch of Glassmans :) 

Who spoiled me at an amazing dinner at cafe Nuevo, a dinner experience I will cherish for quite some time. 

Adler got to experience her first ice cream truck with Pappa too! 

And I got some much needed laughs with my co residents at the annual “roast” where the younger residents get to air their grievances and make fun of all of our quirks. After so much covid talk it was so nice to gather and laugh. Now, don’t tell the governor we gathered, but we all lived together (basically) in our call rooms so we shared all our covid-ness :) 

We had lots of impromptu ice cream dates 

And soaked in the last moments of the ocean front town we called home for the past 4 years before the real goodbye came at graduation. 

It was zoom like everything  is these days. But getting to be in person with the 7 people I have grown to know so well was absolutely wonderful. 

We packed up our lives and said goodbye to little rhody in some of the nicest weather we’ve seen! 

And tried to delay our goodbyes to Ali for as long as we could 

When it came to packing up, I think I forgot how exhausting it is!! 

By the time it was time to load the truck we were on the floor eating ice cream with what was left of our freezer stash. 


Tom, Tom (Pappa) and uncle Paul took off in the UHaul with our whole world of belongings and Addie and I spent time with nanna for a few days in Providence. 

That meant We got to sneak in a bit more ice cream w Ali. 

Adler did well overall w the adjustment but we had some bumpy days there for a while when we were trying to get it all done. She even spent her first night in bed with me EVER—that was a hard line we’ve drawn in residency so I could maintain sleep. Even as an infant she never got in my bed, but I caved with what seemed like a night terror. With how cute she was in the morning can you blame me?

When it came time to fly to our new home she was all smiles. 



Almost. ....

Seeing the big billboard when we landed made it all feel real. This is really a dream to come and work at the #1 cancer center in the world. Me. How crazy is that? 

Adler has since settled into her new home quite well. 

And got to spend some nice quality time with uncle Paul (yes she’s wearing a beanie and yes it’s 90 degrees

outside) 

We found some amazing food in Houston, not the least of which included these amazing pastries. 

Good snacks are important when you’re busy doing housework!

As are games :) boys will be boys playing in Addis’s new play room off of the kitchen 

It is HOT and we’re working on cooling off in our pool 

Mixed in with some cookies for an adorable cookie shop called Tony’s milk and cookies 



Adler even got to see the outdoor zoo exhibits where we can keep our distance (and stay out of the heat). 

Adler isn’t the only one that loves our new pantry 

It’s the perfect set up for some amazing cooking! 

It’s a huge transition to move during a pandemic. In summer. To Texas. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t homesick for the northwest and honestly even the northeast because at least we’d get to see the ocean. But here we are. It’s four years. It’s temporary. And in the mean time the opportunities i have ahead of me at this institution are incredible. I cannot express enough how grateful I am for everyone in supporting me along this very long road. 

Now it’s time to settle into my new office and get some research done on the resistance mechanisms of ovarian cancer and how we can combat them! 

Happy belated 4th from Houston!