Intern Year STINKS but Surprises are FUN!

As most of you know, intern year of a medical residency is EXHAUSTING.  Jimmy basically lives at the hospital and when he does get to come home he is either eating, sleeping or playing with Grace if she is still awake.  Every now and then he and I will have the occasional few minutes of snuggle time watching some TV on the couch. 

Now, Jimmy and I have always agreed that our marriage comes first but we also understand the season of life he is in and I have tried my best to make home a peaceful getaway for him.   Well, I am just going to be real honest here; it has been a rough couple of months.  Intern year started out well but the past few rotations have been hard physically and emotionally.  Since Grace and I don't see Jimmy all day we are just so excited when he gets home that we are both hyper and excited whereas he is the opposite, haha.  We are working to give him some "chill" time when he gets home but he usually has to play with Grace as soon as possible before she goes to bed and those are the weeks when he isn't on nights.  Jimmy and I understand this is a temporary lifestyle but it has still been difficult.  I have been completely understanding of his schedule/state of mind but am sinful as well and am pretty good at losing my cool.  This is where the story gets happy :)

Last Wednesday night Jimmy got home early from work.  He told me that he wanted to do something nice for me to show me he loves me (of course I always know this!).  He also said that David and Lindsay were coming over to put Grace to bed and that he and I were going on a surprise shopping trip to the mall.  I was EXCITED!  We had fun walking around the mall able to do whatever we wanted.  I was rushing to try on a few things in the dressing room because I knew we had to be at fellowship group by 7.  As we were headed to fellowship group Jimmy turned into the parking lot of a fancy restaurant called Bleu!  I was confused...I remember saying "What are you doing, this isn't the way to the Watkins' house?". 

Surprise #2!  He said we weren't going to fellowship group and he had emailed everyone to apologize but he wanted to take me out to a nice dinner.  I didn't even have to order...I was "forced" to get lobster :)  The dinner was fabulous and my favorite part was the conversation Jimmy and I were able to have.  We sat there talking about when Grace was born...when we were dating...the good ole times!  It is always nice to talk about past memories but I always love looking forward to the future and that dinner was a blessing!  It was JUST what we both needed.  Jimmy has always been a wonderful husband and I never expect things from him but it sure was nice to be spoiled even when I KNOW he was probably so tired he would have been better off going to sleep.  God has a way of breathing life into us, doesn't He?  I am incredibly thankful for this man God has put me with :)

Surprise #3 On Friday night Lindsay said I needed to be ready to leave at 7:30.  I had no idea where she was driving until she pulled in front of a nail salon.  We got a mani and pedi together and BOY was it a treat!  I can count on one hand the number of mani/pedis I have had in my life.  The last time I had one with Gretchen as we treated ourselves before both of our babies came into this world.  Ironically Lindsay took me to this same place and she didn't even know it!  No one was in the salon so it was super nice to be able to sit in that massage chair and just chat away with Lindsay.  My nail/toenails sure do look fabulous.  Of course, we treated ourselves to some icecream on the way home.  We came home to find the boys playing video games with the baby monitor playing "Twinkle Twinkle" and that is just the way things are!  I am completely humbled and grateful for the people God has placed in my life.  Not deserving but sure thankful!