Speaking of coming back home, and also Praising the Lord, Andee and I were able to head home a few weeks ago for a "surprise" week off! Let me explain. A mere 2 days before we headed back to Canada, Andee was a day away from finishing his last core rotation, and had no elective rotations booked for the following week or for the rest of his schooling. He needed all of his rotations to be back to back in order to get a week off at Christmas and still be able to graduate before June. As we were getting a little concerned about how the next few weeks would pan out, that is when God worked a miracle. Actually, a series of little miracles that made the next week possible! Within the span of literally under an hour, everything just fell into place in God's perfect timing! As Andee was making a series of calls to UMHS to sort out the rotations, he received his MCCEE (Canadian Licensing exam) grade, which was well above the average, and even above the average CSA (Canadian Studying Abroad) acceptance grade for a Canadian Residency! PRAISE THE LORD! This grade will significantly improve Andee's opportunities for landing a Canadian Residency for next year! How great is our God!?! Also within the hour, Andee received an interview invite for a Family Residency program in Rockford, Illinois, which is under an hour and a half from where we are living now! PRAISE THE LORD! In addition (as if it couldn't get any better) Andee was given a 4 week radiology rotation here in Illinois that started the Monday coming - but here is the kicker. The radiologist that Andee would be rotating with was taking that first week off - and therefore giving her students the week off too! Which meant that Andee would be given credit for the week, and also that we would be able to take the week off to head back to Canada!!! PRAISE THE LORD!! Which also meant that we were able to (just barely!) make it to April and Darryl's Wedding back in Canada!!! PRAISE THE LORD!! Andee was also able to book 2 time sensitive exams that he was having trouble booking at a testing center in Toronto, allowing us to spend the entire week back home! And all along I had started a 21 day fast that was convicting me of unbelief and focusing on prayer! God is faithful!! We are so blessed!!
We headed back to Canada on Saturday, which was the same day as April and Darryl's wedding! We woke up early and drove through the day in order to make it just in time for the reception!! We had a great time seeing our wonderful Canadian friends, and we were so glad to be in attendance for this wonderful day after giving this wonderfully understanding couple only 2 days notice that we were coming! What a great way to start a week back home!
We spent most of the impromptu week hanging out with our family and friends with dinners, lunches, hot tubbing, and lots of relaxing after Andee's hectic 6 week rotation in Psychiatry. We had a wonderful time visiting with our favourite Canadians, and were so blessed to get this "surprise" week off! We did have some trouble at the US border, in which we were treated unfairly, but God is merciful and faithful and we are putting our trust in Him that we will both be back in Illinois come the new year! He is good!!
When we returned back to Illinois, we decided it was time to put up our Christmas tree! Halloween was over, and since we Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, the only thing left to do was to start celebrating Christmas early! We were a little concerned as to how our Aloe Cat would react to such a strange new object in the apartment. It turns out, he loves the tree! He has spent much of the last few weeks sleeping and relaxing underneath it! And all was well with our Aloe Cat and the Christmas tree. Well, there was one exception. We woke up one morning to find that something was a little off - there was a Christmas tree on the ground, and a very guilty kitty beside it! Good thing all of our ornaments are plastic! Since the tree incident, it has been smooth sailing ever since! Oh kitties, always good for a laugh!
Just before winter weather hit in full force, Andee was able to get one last fish in for the year - with the lakes freezing over only a few days later. He caught one last monster bass to close out this fishing season! I suppose we will have to start skiing season soon!
Andee's interview in Rockford also went very well, and we are hopeful and confident in what and where it is that God has next for us! We also got to stay a night at a really nice hotel with sleep number beds! So fun!
Once all the craziness of traveling home, interviewing, and exams started to wind down, Andee and I have enjoyed a lot of time together hanging out due to Andee's much light rotation schedule than his core rotations. Even though it has been cold outside, it has been really great spending time with the Hubby! In addition to this, I was able to spend some time with Naomi and family (and new member, baby Anna!), who surprised us by arriving in Illinois recently! We were able to spend a day at the Cosley Zoo, and are planning more hangouts to come! Also, Kristen and family have just arrived in Illinois for a 4 week rotation in the city! After over 2 years since we were both on the Island, we get to hang out tomorrow morning!! I also get to meet her new little baby, Brylee!!
It's the most wonderful time of the year! It's going to be a great Christmas season!! And let's not forget the reason for the season - our Saviour! Happy Holidays!!
