We are home owners!!

It's official! We closed on our house yesterday! We are officially homeowners! It was a memorable day! The closing went great and it feels so good to have the keys now! Attached are some pictures of the house! Some TLC is needed and we can't wait to start working on it!

Other news with the Smiths-I'm still working and really enjoying my job. Michael completed his first solo surgery last weekend and did it so well! He placed a nail through a broken femur (insert some medical terms) I am such a proud wife...the x-rays are on our fridge!

All visitors are welcome to our new home!

Welcome Home!

Living Room Sun Room

I

Finally settled in...with a job!

Michael and I feel so blessed that I finally got a job! I know it's only been a few weeks, but it's so nice to feel finally settled in. We are still house hunting and me having a job makes things a bit easier. I will continue to work in HR for a great financial company outside of Atlanta. I start Monday so my days of relaxing are limited! I feel so blessed and we are very excited about our new stages in our lives.

It sure is hot in HOTlanta....

Now I know why they call it HOTlanta...it is so hot! I know I grew up in the south, but it is just so dang hot here!

We are finally settled and moved in! YAY! The past few weeks have been busy visiting family and friends and getting settled. We have been to Charlotte to see our new niece-Mary Ella. My brother and his wife came to Atlanta to visit. We went to the aquarium and Braves game. My fabulous friends had a welcome back south party for us! And we attended another Braves game! We went to Savannah for the night. I went to New Orleans this past weekend for my cousin's wedding...congratulations Ben & Jess! We are just been busy busy busy!

Charlotte was tons of fun! Mary Ella is just beautiful!

We had a blast with Jason and Lauren coming to visit!

Savannah was gorgeous....ate at Lady & Sons (Paula Deen's restaurant) and went on a scary ghost tour!

Michael begins his first day of residency tomorrow...good luck! It's been so great to have him around these past few months, but we are both excited for him to get back in the hospitals. He will be busy!

Enjoy the pictures of what we have been doing this past month!

Things are quiet on my end so visitors are always welcome :)

Last night in Boston

Well-this is it. 3 years later and we are heading back down south. I cannot believe how fast the time flew by! Today was my last day at work too...very bittersweet. Although I am sad to leave Boston and my amazing job, I am very happy to get back south. I miss my family and friends very much. Work was great today-my boss gave me a framed picture of the Garden with the signatures of all my co-workers as well as a signed hockey stick from the team! I love it! I am truly going to miss Boston so much. But I can't wait to see what our next chapter in life unfolds!

See you in Atlanta!

Congratulations Dr Smith!!!

It's official-Michael has graduated from Harvard Medical School and is now Dr. Michael Smith! Words cannot describe how proud I am of him. What an emotional day yesterday! The weather was beautiful and perfect for graduation. Michael and I feel very blessed that all of his family and mine were able to make it up for the big day. We are now celebrating in Newport, RI with our families for the long weekend. Tuesday is back to work for the last week then off to the land of sweet tea and grits!

Also this week, Michael and I became an aunt and uncle to a BEAUTIFUL niece-Mary Ella Faith Smith! I cannot WAIT to meet her! My brother and sister in law are doing great!

Happy Memorial Day!

The final days...

Michael graduates on Thursday....congratulations Michael! I am so proud of him! We are officially less than 2 weeks away from leaving Boston. Very bittersweet. I have loved my time up here, but am excited to get back closer to home. Our families come in on Tuesday and stay until early next week. After graduation,we are going to Newport, Rhode Island for a few days. Then my last day of work is June 4th and we leave June 5th! We are in the middle of packing-but everyone knows how that goes.....slow and long process!

Next time I update-Michael will officially be a Doctor!

I'm back!

Lauren & Jason's wedding-April 10th, 2010

It's been a long time! And so much as been happening here-it's one thing after another! Jason and Lauren were married on April 10th in a beautiful ceremony...pictures below! The weather was perfect and Lauren was gorgeous! What a perfect weekend! It was so great to see family and friends and to finally get back South!

Singapore/Thailand

A week later, Michael and I headed to Singapore to see Michael's parents. What an awesome experience! We had never been to Asia before, and had been dying to visit Sue and Phil. Singapore was so clean and HOT! We were only in Singapore a few days as we spent most of the time in Thailand. In Singapore, we rode bikes, did do some souvenir shopping and walked around town. We also got the famous Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotel.

We then headed on to Thailand. Thailand was amazing and hot too! Everybody in Thailand was so friendly! Sue and I went on a sea kayak inside lagoons and caves...very cool! Michael and Phil went scuba diving and saw a manta ray! We also did a dinner cruise one night...beautiful. It was such a great and relaxing week and very nice to spend time with Sue and Phil.

After Singapore, we are back in town for our last month in Boston. We have truly had an amazing time here, and I get very sad thinking that we have to leave. I am very excited about starting a new chapter in Atlanta, but have made some really great lifelong friends up here that will be missed. These next few weeks are packed with dinners, movies, drinks, and overall good times with good friends. One of Michael's med school friend got married this past weekend in Groton, Massachusetts and below are some pictures of her beautiful wedding day.

Wedding Weekend!

We are in Prattville this weekend for Jason and Laurens wedding! The weather should be perfect and the garden will be beautiful! So great to be with family! I'll post some pictures soon!

Congratulations Jason and Lauren!

Easter 2010

We have a very busy spring coming up, but I am just so excited for everything! On Easter Vigil last night, Michael was confirmed in becoming a Catholic! I am so proud of him and it was a great service! Easter morning we had brunch with his friends and one of my great friends up here. The weather is amazing up here, and its days like this that I know I will miss Boston! Michael is now in Miami getting his scuba certification, then meeting me Thursday in Atlanta and we are driving to Prattville for my brother, Jason and Laurens wedding! And then in a week or so, we leave for Singapore!!

I feel so blessed these last few weeks, and we are trying to cherish our time here in Boston with great friends. I am looking forward to starting a new chapter in our lives in Atlanta, but have really enjoyed our time here. These past 3 years have flown by, and I just think back to when I first moved here in 2007 and did not like it one bit. I couldn't believe I was here, and wanted to get back South ASAP! How time has changed!

Attached are some pictures of Michael and I last night at Easter Vigil. Also, our sweet 1st graders in Sunday School made Michael "Congratulations" cards on joining the Catholic church and they are displayed here along with our other Easter cards! They are so cute!!

And Happy Easter!!

Mission Accomplished

Michael and I headed down to Atlanta this weekend to find a place to live in June...and we were successful! We found a place in North Druid Hills which is close to Emory so that was perfect. I forgot how nice Southern living is! Each apartment complex has a pool, fitness center, parking, etc! We were just shocked! I do love our place, and we have an extra bedroom so visitors are always welcome! We also went to Charlotte this weekend for my sister-in-law's baby shower! Great weekend with great friends and family!

Atlanta Bound!

Kenny, Michael and Neal before Match Time in front of Harvard Med

Michael matched at Emory in Atlanta! We are SO excited to be back South and closer to home! It was a bittersweet day, as I have absolutely LOVED my time in Boston, and am very sad to leave. But I am just so happy for warmer weather and being close to family and friends. Match Day was such a whirlwind of a day...thats why it has taken me a few days to post! We started off the day with brunch here with some of Michaels good med school friends, then headed to the school. You get the envelope and open it up in front of your friends...exciting! Then we hung out with his friends that day and into the night...lots of fun and good times. We also celebrated last night with our good friends Hilary and Adam at Ruth's Chris..always yummy!

I've attached some pictures of Match Day....the calendar has been completed but still hanging up! Whew...what a relief to finally know where we will be for the next 5 years! We will probably move in early June so its right around the corner!!

Brunch at our place

2 more days!

We matched!! YAY! Monday was the biggest day, as that was the day we find out if we matched...which I had no doubt Michael would. But the reassurance is nice! Thursday is Match Day and I am getting very excited! I will definitely post our new home location!!

One Week!

One week until Match Day! YIKES :) We are getting VERY excited and nervous! I am just ready to know! These past few weeks have actually flown by, and now is when I am starting to stress! I am going to New Orleans this weekend for my brothers wedding shower and Michael is heading to Arizona for his cousins wedding so we both will be hanging out with family and hopefully not thinking too much about the Big Day! But I know we will be! I feel like these next few weeks will be very stressful, but so fun! Again, very few things in life are 100% surprises and this is definitely one of them!

When I post again...we will have hopefully matched!!!!

Busy spring!

As if we don't have enough going on...graduation, Match Day, weddings, becoming aunts and uncles...Michael has decided to join the Catholic faith. During Lent, he is going to his RCIA classes, and will be confirmed Easter weekend. Today he had a small ceremony at Mass celebrating his Rites. I am so excited and am looking forward to both of us growing stronger in the Catholic faith together.

Match Day is 25 days away....so ready for it to be here! As we anxiously await, Michael has decided to keep himself busy with scuba lessons so he can become scuba certified for when we go to Singapore and Thailand in April to visit his parents. Also in April, my brother is getting married and in May, Michaels brother and wife are expecting their first baby! Busy busy spring!

One month!

We are officially one month until Match Day! So close! We had a wonderful weekend skiing in Okemo, VT with Hilary and Adam. I've attached a few pictures! Luckily, Adam and Michael are on the same ski level and so are Hilary and I...so it made for the perfect ski partner day! The guys had loads of fun! Valentines Day was fun too and of course Mardi Gras! We received a yummy King Cake from Haydels Bakery in New Orleans and it was delicious!

One of my good friends, Elizabeth, gave me the best idea 2 years ago. She made her husband a calendar to count down to Match Day..almost like an Advent calendar. I've been thinking about this for 2 years now and the time has come to make it! I gave it to Michael last week! I've attached a picture of him holding it...mind you I'm not that great with arts and crafts! But each day has a saying, either a bible verse or pictures of where we could possibly be. So every morning open each day together!

Winding down the interviews....and Who Dat?!?

Who Dat?! I am SO excited to see my Saints FINALLY win a Super Bowl...and what a great game!!! I just love Drew Brees :)

Michael is officially done with interviews...wahoo!! He is heading back to the cold weather now. Last weekend, I went down to Nashville with him...what a fun city! We stayed with our good friend Allison and had a great weekend. Funny thing, Nashville got slammed with snow! And they don't know what to do with all the snow so things were shut down! But it was so fun to play in it! I've attached some pictures of Allison and me in the snow.

As for the interviews, thank goodness they are done! Match Day is quickly approaching! There are very few things in life that are TRUE surprises, and I have to say Match Day is one of them. I didn't think about it like that, but I am excited to see what God has in store for us the next 5 years!!

Keep you posted!

It's been a while....

I'm back! I can't believe it is almost February...I'm excited because winter here is just too cold. Michael now has 2 interviews left...whew! January has been a busy month with Harvard, Brown, UAB, Greenville, Wash U and Memphis. He really enjoyed each program, which makes the process so much harder! We are going to Nashville this week for Vandy and I am really looking forward to tagging along. Some programs invite spouses to the reception before the interview so that is why I'm accompanying Michael to Vandy. After Vandy, he is heading to the warm weather again to go to Florida and that wraps up the interviews! I have been keeping myself busy while he has been gone. My work had a skate night at Fenway while the ice was still up from the Winter Classic, and although I'm not a skater, I did do a few laps around the ice and was quite proud of myself! Last weekend, 3 of my high school friends came to town. We had SO much fun! I just love familiar faces and just to act like I'm in high school again. I ordered some "warmer" weather that weekend so these poor girls wouldn't freeze and they didn't....they even experienced some snow! I've added some pictures of our girls weekend. My two great friends up here came out with us as well, so that just made a perfect night with all my friends!

We are officially less than 2 months away from Match Day (March 18th) and we are getting anxious! It's such a huge decision, but we are also very thankful that it's not entirely our choice. We really need to sit down and have a discussion about ranks...the million dollar question everyone asks is "what are your top 3"...we don't know! So much to factor in like the training, location, program, residents, etc. I just cannot believe med school is almost done for Michael. Our time in Boston has flown by, but we both have really enjoyed ourselves up here. And have gotten used to the cold!

Hope all is well with you, and I promise I won't go so long without an update!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 2009 was such a great year, and I am really excited to see what 2010 brings! Possible new city, graduation, new niece/nephew, new sister-in-law, Singapore...so many new things! Christmas was a blast, although too short as usual. We went to Hoover, New Orleans, Loudon, TN, then flew out of Atlanta....pretty much hit all the Southeast! Had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. We stayed in Boston for NYE, and celebrated the new year with our good friends Hil and Adam.



On Jan 1st, we cheered on Auburn (WDE!) and then the Bruins at Fenway Park for the Winter Classic! SO FUN! I added some pics so you can see the full effect but it was awesome to watch the Bruins play at Fenway! And today we went to Fenway for the Legends Classic, and it was snowing...so perfect. It's been such a great few weeks seeing family and friends. I hate I missed out on the annual Rome New Years Eve but it sounded like a great time as usual! Michael starts the interview trail back this week with Harvard, Brown, then heading South to UAB, Greenville, SC, Wash U, Memphis, Vandy then Florida...whew! Hope everyone had a great New Years and a wonderful 2010!