Fall into October

When the trees begin to get that brown sugar and cinnamon look to them, that's when you know that fall has arrived. Breaking out the boots and the sweatshirts in the crisp cool air while sipping on marshmallow laden hot chocolate after a long walk through a park bursting with deep pumpkin oranges, ruby apple reds, and sunshine yellows of the surrounding leaves is enough to make anyone long for this season.

Fall in Chicago is what first helped me fall in love with this place that we have called home for 3 and a half years and it will be one things I will dearly miss. 

Some of my favorite fall activities here have been apple picking at Elegant Farmer in Wisconsin and downing an entire peck of apples while you pick. Then polishing off the tart sweetness with a apple cider donut on the way home.

Raspberry picking at Thompson Strawberry farm and then making homemade raspberry jam afterwards. Then going to Jerry Smith farms to go pumpkin picking and Krolls Farm for a fun cornmaze.

And then there are all the leaves here.. sooo many leaves in sooo many colors. We have loved taking our bikes around the different little towns and riding around looking at the houses perfectly framed with flames of color. We also have enjoyed walking along Lake Michigan with the bright blue on one side of you and the fiery trees on the other.

Fall has always been my favorite season. It's where the world practically bursts with it's last beauty of the year.. I have the hardest time staying in the house when I know all this gorgeousness is just outside our door.

If you are wondering why Lydia's mouth is black above.. yes we are those parents who let our child eat dirt.. but only sometimes Ha, sometimes I wonder how we make it through the days alive with this little girl. She keeps me in a half sitting/standing position all day because she is always trying to get into something. But boy, oh boy.. is she a beauty.

This picture overload is my way of preserving this fleeting but wonderful fall. I am so grateful for photos and how they allow us to preserve moments and memories in this extremely fast-paced world. It allows me to love this season just a little bit longer while I'm glancing through photos on my phone laying in bed at night just listening to the breathing (or Lydia's midnight teething cries) of my family around me. 

Goodbye Fall.. Who knows where we will be when we meet again.

] Anna

First Residency Interview... or something like that

Today Brian has his first interview for residency.

And from now until the end of January he will drive and fly up and down the West coast and Midwest telling everyone why he wants to go their residency program.. or something like that.

His suit will be freshly dry-cleaned, his hair neatly trimmed, face smoothly shaved and he will try to convince these programs why they want to choose him for a resident.

Well.. kind of choose him... rank him on their list of top residents is a better explanation.

And then come January when all smiles have been shown and questions asked and answered, and with interviews completed. We will compile the list of our top programs.

And then our list of desired residency programs and each program's list of desired students gets plugged into a computer that uses a mathematical algorithm to calculate where we best match and wallah!! It's a MATCH! Or.. something like that.

We leave our fate to a computer that assigns one person to go here.. and another here. We could stay in Illinois, we could move North to Wisconsin, or East to Ohio.. or South to Texas.. or West to California.. or let my heart hope.. Utah.

So let's take a look at our current and future to do list.. ✓

→ spend life savings (or more loans) on applications, interviews, flights, rental cars, gas and an interview wardrobe.
→ match day (3rd Friday in March)
→ move in April to residency location (we've set up our schedule to move earlier than graduation to have more time to get settled and take a graduation vacation)
→ graduate (First weekend of June)
→ work, work, work, cat nap, work, work, work, cat nap, repeat for first year of residency
→ 3 years of Internal Medicine residency
→ 2-3 years of a fellowship (yet to be determined)
→ get first paycheck to pay off $300,00+ loans... or.. something like that.

It truly is exciting.. and scary to be at this point of the medical school process. There are so many unknowns and new opportunities just around the corner.

Match day will come. I will wait anxiously like a kid on Christmas wondering if I'll get a sack of coal for calling my brother names or if I sneaked by with the barbie doll I wanted.

Brian will come home tonight from MCW and tell me all about his first interview and then we'll prep him for the next one this time next week.

Things are really hopping around here.. or something like that.

] Anna

Chicago Lovin'

Chicago... my current mountains..

We have wanted to go to the Shedd Aquiriam for a while, but call us cheap (actually, just call us medical students) and you'll understand why we waited for the museum free day to go.

Fish are amazing.. the sea/amazon/ocean/fresh water creatures are incredible and mysterious. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a God who created all these creatures. They are beautiful and I'm grateful we had the chance to admire them.

For date night, Brian and I boarded The Spirit of Chicago cruise and boated along the skyline of Chicago. It was GORGEOUS.. or let's be honest.. We made it that way. 

What we didn't know when we got on the boat was that 90% of the people were there for a booze cruise.. And the music was horrible. I must be getting old because I did not want to spend my date night among sweaty flirty scantly dressed people singing along to music whose lyrics were completely full of swear words and nastiness..

So.. we went outside on the deck (though it was cold) and I turned on Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin from my phone and we spent the night dancing. THAT is my kind of date night and cruise. We even had some people jump in on the dancing.

We are lovin' our Chicago experience. 

] Anna

Lydia's 1st Year Journal

Putting these all together has me holding my breath to get the tears to go away that are threatening to spill. I have enjoyed this last year so much with this girl. She doesn't even look like the same baby as she did a year ago.. and truth is. I'm not the same person either.

I've grown so much as a person and a mother. I am so grateful for every moment (even the hard ones) with my little family.

Isn't she a beauty?!

One

Every baby deserves to wake up with a crib full of balloons. This little girl had no idea why mommy and daddy were so excited, but it sure made her excited!

This last year has been so special and yet so challenging. Being a parent is so rewarding and yet half the time I have no idea what we are doing. I feel like once we would learn how to respond to one situation, she would move on to something new.

I made her a cake which she had zero interest in besides squeezing the frosting between her fingers. She preferred an otter pop but only sucked on it for a few minutes. My odd child ha.. She has not inherited my sweet tooth!

My Dearest Lydia,

Happy Birthday sweet Lydia! This past year has been a year of growth and more joy than I ever thought possible. You have been a ray of sunshine to your daddy and me constantly throughout this year.

It is amazing to think that the little girl I held in my arms a year ago is so grown and so beautiful. You amaze me with your trust and curiosity in this world. You love to explore and check everything out. 

We've entered the toddler years more than ever-this month you twisted an ankle which landed us in the urgency care. You split your lip falling down the stairs which was your first real blood, and you have gotten so sick that you've had diarrhea for days. (Going on 5 days today). Through it all you still remain a little positive influence on your daddy and me. 

You love being around people-older kids especially. You think they are sooo funny whenever they do anything-including just looking at you. You have a big bright smile that you give easily. And you are amazing at stealing hearts. 

You sleep 12 hours a night. You take 2 naps a day that are roughly 2 hours each though the last nap is getting shorter and I could see us cutting it out in the near future. You usually eat anything and everything and love your vegetables. You used to love bananas but absolutely refuse to eat one since about 2 weeks ago now. 

You love to have something in your hand at all times-whether that is your puzzle piece of a number 1, a hot wheel car, or a piece of paper you have found-something is always in that fist. You love to chase the cat around and pull on her tail but dogs are your favorite. Whenever you hear one bark you usually try to respond with "uh uh". You can say "uh oh", "hi","mama","dada","kitty", and baba for bottle. You also can say bye as well. You don't always say them with their meaning but you sometimes get it right. 

You still love to sleep on your stomach at night and during naps, but you can usually fall asleep in your car seat just fine and even give us some great snores. You have discovered what your voice can do and will scream every now and then-sometimes with a whine in there and it drives daddy crazy. 

You are speedy at the stairs and if the gate isn't up then you are usually climbing them and hoping we won't catch you-or maybe you are hoping we will chase you since you love to be chased. The silly thing is, whenever we chase you, you will turn around and run right back to us.

Baby girl, as I have thought long and hard about what I want you to know and remember from this life, my mind has been overflowing with emotions. I have adored this first year with you. That first day with you I was amazed that I was holding such a beautiful infant in my arms, but the truth is, I had no idea what I was doing or what the next year would be like.

I want you to always remember that you are a beautiful daughter of a Heavenly Father and Mother. And that you are also the daughter of Brian and Anna Larson. You are of noble birthright and a divine heritage. I hope you come to really understand what it means to be our daughter.

I want you to always remember the testimony that your family has of this gospel and to seek your own. Come to know for yourself about our Savior Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice for you as well as his love. I hope you'll learn and understand your part and purpose in the Plan of Happiness.

I want you to always remember your love for life that I have seen this first year. You enjoy and love the little things. Happiness can be found every day and in every step we take if we but look for it and open our hearts to it. You've taught me that. I hope you'll take a page from your own book and have joy in this journey.

I want you to always remember to learn and seek knowledge. You are curious about the world and the workings of every day things. Don't lose that curiosity and instead let it be a drive to learn all you can and seek the best education.

I want you to always remember how to comfort, uplift, and love others as I have seen you do through your instant acceptance and love for anyone anywhere. You seem to understand that it doesn't matter what someone looks like or acts like-you love them unconditionally.

I want you to always remember that you are beautiful. The beauty inside you is far more important than the beauty the world feels we should be. Your inner beauty will reflect in all areas of your life. Be the little beauty that I see daily.

I want you to always remember that you are loved. No matter how many goofy disagreements and craziness that happens throughout life, I never ever, ever, EVER want you to forget that you are loved.

Happy 1st Birthday love bug.

]  Mommy 
   & Daddy



You were born on your Grandma Larson's birthday. You two share a very special bond already. I hope you will take after your grandmothers and all the great women in your life. You are surrounded by wonderful examples of righteous women and I hope you will always look up to them and take after them.