"If I Have to See This One More Time..." by Jill Hasselbring

Warning: The pictures you are about to see are not for the weak stomached. There is potential for gagging to occur. Viewer discretion is advised.

I seriously could write a book with a "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" feel. It might go something like this...

DISCLAIMER: To Stephen’s defense, we have a friend staying with us. He is occupying Stephen’s study room/PA material storage space. Therefore, it has all been moved to our kitchen table.

If I have to see picture A one more time, I might stick my tongue back out at him!

Yes, this picture among many others sit on our kitchen table ALL THE TIME. Every time I go to the kitchen I bypass the rude man who can’t keep his oversized tongue in his mouth. Yes, people that is a real condition. He literally cannot put his tongue in his mouth. It is absolutely appetizing!

If I have to see picture B again, I might make a billboard that says “SAY NO to lip augmentations!” with this guy’s picture smack dab in the middle.

Stephen told me that what this guy has is what I had on our honeymoon. AWESOME!

Can you see the resemblence?

Every time I pile more papers and books on our kitchen chairs, I think “I can’t wait until I have my own custom built in bookshelves in a house one day – Stephen will love paying for that lovely upgrade! Revenge is sweet!

Kitchen Chair #1

Kitchen Chair #2

Here is an added bonus of our kitchen table - this is on a good day!

If I have to keep piling things up, I might just go mad. End of discussion.

These are some decorations that were on our kitchen table that got kicked to the curb.

And when you are free from the pressures of studying, we will spend quality time together organizing all this stuff.

I forgot to take a picture of the cabinet/bookshelf next to this pile, which is also filled with all sorts of goodies.

You will probably complain and say that you just want to play golf with the guys, but I will sweetly reply, "You are the one who created this monster!"

But when you finish these next nine days and pass all your classes, we will be flying out to the beautiful Malibu, California to see our niece, Katie Grace, and NEW nephew, Caleb, just a few short hours after your last final!

In 9 days, YES, NINE days, Stephen will be done with the academic portion of PA school. Then, 10 days from now, it will be one year until he is officially finished with PA school altogether (August 5, 2011). Can you believe it? There is an end in sight.

In his last year, he will complete eight clinical rotations. We found out this past week where he is going. Good News: He will only be out of town for one rotation – Cookeville. It is an ER rotation, so it will probably be 3 x 12 hour shifts. Only three days out of the week he will be gone – not bad.

Even though next year will be a little more relaxed, it will not be a walk in the park. He will still have studying to do to prepare for clinicals. He will have to log in patients he sees, complete hours online, work on a big research project, and study for his PA exam. I'm sure I'm missing things. But hopefully, he will be able to enjoy the football season a little more this year.

FUNNY STORY (to me at least): Stephen found out about two weeks ago when he would be going to Elite. He is going to get to go twice for his elective and surgical rotations. When I found out, I called my sister to tell her, but told her not to say anything to anyone (it wasn’t official enough yet). She works at Elite as a nurse practitioner. Stephen called Dr. Elrod last week to ask him about ideas for his research project. He did not mention his rotations because the official schedule had yet to come out. The next day Dr. Elrod mentioned to Joce in conversation that he talked to Stephen. Joce responds by saying, “Oh, did he tell you…” She immediately stops, remembering she wasn’t supposed to say anything. Of course, she quickly says “never mind.” Dr. Elrod asks what she was about to say. When Joce wouldn’t say anything, he says: “Oh, I know, Jill is pregnant.” He thought Joce was hiding some HUGE secret. When Joce was over at our house yesterday, she nonchalantly says to Stephen: “So, Dr. Elrod might ask you if you and Jill are pregnant!” Exactly how rumors begin… But I will be the first to stop this rumor dead in its track – WE ARE NOT PREGNANT.

So here's to nine more days of perseverance - you can do it Stephen (and Stacy, Maci, and Greg - and the PA Class of 2011)!