Match day feels like yesterday!
I can't believe that some of our friends (and some of you!) will soon be gathering in an auditorium, hearing their name announced and opening a letter that will change their life. It seems so close that it still gives me goose bumps thinking about it.
The morning of Match, a lot of our friends gathered together, cooked a huge breakfast and chatted. Anything to ease the tension of the looming ceremony just hours away. A ceremony that from that day forward, would determine not only where we were going to live, but also the program that my husband would receive his medical training at, my career, our church home, community, and where we would potentially begin a family. I took a long run that morning, and I remember running through every scenario in my head. Each program we ranked, how our lives may look there, what that would mean for us - like taking mini-snapshots of out future based on what was in that little white envelope. I lived on zillow.com, having houses picked out in the cities of our top five choices. So much time, money and energy invested in the past four years- all to arrive at that point.
The pictures from match day make me laugh, we both look like we've gotten such little sleep. Somehow the worry inside crept to the surface and is all over my face. (As well as the bet Kyle made about having a disgusting looking beard. Promise he doesn't always look like a creeper!)
The best advice I could give a couple who is currently marking off the calender until March 15th is this:
Regardless of if you are overly ecstatic about where you land or if you are incredibly disappointed, it's where you will be. Period. At this point, it's 99.9% out of your control. It's you're new home to thrive in! It's a new opportunity!! Discover a new city, settle where you already are, meet new friends or connect with old ones. To have this mindset will completely change your approach to the upcoming months of change. I wish I had reminded myself of this more often!
Although we landed where we wanted, we still miss being in Charlottesville. Everyday. Want to know a secret? I wasn't ready to leave. But, there was no more waiting, no delaying the process. Life and career choices were moving us north and there was no stopping that freight train. There may always be somewhere else that you could see yourself or your spouse, circling the what if's or if onlys. At the end of the day, I've learned that you have to dig in and dig deep where you are.
I look back on the run that I took the morning of our Match Day, and smirk to myself at my worries. My nerves were on edge, my heart beat faster than normal. There is only so much you can control in life, and this process is a good preview of what residency looks like: we don't have control.
Match Day is just the beginning of a tremendous amount of decisions and change, probably some shock too! You're settling together, building a life together, and encouraging one another to get through a HUGE new chapter. LIVE IT UP.
If you are visiting from Medical Monday's Blog Hop, Hello!
Comment, email or follow so I can connect with you :)
If you have never joined the blog hop, it's amazing...so go here and join!
Match Day... it is in 11 days!! I am definitely a mix of emotions. I hope our pictures from Match Day turn out as good as yours!!
ReplyDeleteExcited for you, Elizabeth! Have someone take your camera and take pictures while you open your letter so you'll always have those memories :)
DeleteOMG! I love those pictures!!! Thanks for joining in on Med Monday and giving us a HUGE shout out!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThose pictures are priceless! The only thing I can remember about Match day was knowing that it happened around our son's first birthday and that my husbands school didn't pass out envelopes. He got an email. And we waited, and waited for that email to arrive. Thanks for linking up today, and aren't you glad you don't have to do the match again:-)
ReplyDeleteFound you on the blog hop. That's pictures are great!! And I totally agree, "you have to dig in and dig in deep where you are."
ReplyDeleteI got teary eyed at that first pic! I don't blame you for not wanting to leave c-ville :) being from va I get it!
ReplyDeleteWow! Love the pictures and your recall of the memory. What a great attitude.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Lisa @ Ray Doc WIfe
Cannot believe that we'll be doing this crazy match day thing in just ONE year! It makes me feel excited and anxious and like I might throw up, all at the same time :)
ReplyDeleteJust enjoy life where are you now. I wish I would have done that more! You'll be distracted anyway with the little babes on the way ;)!!
Deletelove your pictures and know exactly what you mean - Match Day is a day that no one else can really 'get' unless they are going through it themselves!
ReplyDeleteLove the post! Just found you through Medical Mondays- I absolutely cannot wait for match day but I still have a loooong way to go!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah! Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy and take advantage of those med school years, with the little bits of flexibility and vacation time :)!
DeleteThose pictures may be blurry but they are priceless. Taken by an amateur. Thank you for leaving out some of the story about celebrating! Miss you guys, wish we were back on Cleveland Ave! Intern year is almost over, give Kyle our best as well.
ReplyDeleteWE MISS OUR NEIGHBORS!!! Seriously. Could you convince Em to move to Michigan?! I'll give Kyle a big hug from you too.
DeleteThanks for this reminder about Match Day- we're matching this year and I am a bundle of nerves. I'm going to try to relax a little bit! It's out of my control, right?
ReplyDeleteGreat post. We match next week. I'm freaking out. So did you all end up buying a house? Its what we really want to do but keep hearing conflicting views on that choice. Sorry not to have stopped by on Medical Monday. Will be following you.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless,
hillary
homegrowninky.blogspot.com
Eee..so exciting Hillary! We did end up buying a house, since we will be here for at least five years. I've blogged quite a bit about the experience, but not necessarily the reasons why we decided to. The length of your SO's residency + location is what is comes down to. If you want to email me, I'm definitely happy to talk with you about our experience and how we decided to buy vs. rent.
DeleteGood luck next week!!!
Can you believe how fast that year goes?! The other amazing thing is how right you realize your life is now - after spending so much time beforehand fretting about where we'd be or how it would all go, it almost seems silly now that I'm settled in my life and love it. (Also weird to think that I would have these friends, or this house, or this dog if we'd matched elsewhere!) And that's some excellent advice - I needed it three years ago :)
ReplyDeleteIt does seem silly doesn't it? But no one could have told me that at this time last year ;) It's a growing experience on many levels!
DeleteWhat a fun recap of Match Day :) Love hearing other people's stories! xo
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post! Just reading it made me relive our Match Day all over again. :o)
ReplyDeleteI remember praying and praying up to that day that God would put us where he needed to be. And guess what! He did! Looking back now on how nervous I was about the match and how much I thought about it makes me smile. I did just what you did, looking at houses and trying to imagine our lives in each place (some were way easier than others). I probably lost so much sleep and gained a few wrinkles during those months. But in the end everything turned out amazing!
Also, I think that you gave such great advice for anyone getting ready for the big day! When it comes down to it, it is a brand new chapter - so why not have fun and enjoy it!
Hey Meredith! 7 days for us to find out where we're headed. We're having a baby at the beginning of June (due June 8) and the combination of having the baby, moving, and starting residency within one month is going to be an adventure for sure. We'll be sure to take a camera. Hoping to see you in the Mitten! :)
ReplyDelete