And the Winner is...

UTAH!!

Yeah - I'm as surprised as the rest of you...I really thought it would be Ann Arbor, but after interviewing, weighing the pros and cons, and much thought and prayers, it was clearly Utah. I actually laughed out loud on the flight home as all the thoughts were coming to me and I realized the answer.

I laughed because there is a trend in my life where when I say never, Heavenly Father makes almost a game of making me eat my words...

For example:

1) I will never go to Ricks College (BYU-I): fortunately my dad was inspired and suggested I apply anyway, which I did and got a full ride scholarship. There was no way we could have paid for college otherwise, plus it was there I took anatomy and physiology from one of my most inspiring professors, Dr/Bro. Larry Hibbert and was first introduced and considered the profession of a PA.

2) I will never be one of those Ricks to BYU people: again, fortunately my dad suggested I apply to transfer and was given another scholarship, which, although I lost after the first semester (from enjoying the social life too much), I made wonderful friends, got to be near family, and was started on the path to perhaps go on a mission...

3) I will never be able to go on a mission: Finances were tight and I wondered if I would be able to cut the stresses and strains of mission life and actually contribute to the Lord's work rather than be a liability. Fortunately, I was at BYU, was working as a courier between BYU and SLC and had TONS of time to myself to sit and think, which led to my decision and opened the doors for me to be able to go

4) I will never go to graduate school: Marriage and family were my priority and I wondered if I could cut graduate school. I didn't want a career. But again, fortunately, the Lord gently steered me in the right direction, got me thinking realistically about it, and although there were lots of obstacles in the way, helped me through and opened the door

5) I will never do emergency medicine: Again, I didn't think I was cut out for it and that I wouldn't be able to handle the blood and gore, the past four years prove that one wrong.

6) I will never live in the central US: As graduation from PA school was fast approaching, people frequently would ask, "Where do you want to work when you finish?" I wouldn't have to think long before I could say with confidence, "Anywhere but the central US." So it was shocking to me when Dean Carr from Tulsa, OK called and said he got my resume and they would like to interview me. When did I send my resume to OK?? Best I could figure was that during one of two nights of panic realizing I didn't have a job lined up after graduation, I performed my internet search based on specialty rather than geography and sent it out. I went to interview just as practice. They were paying for it after all. I was offered the job, but told them I was looking at some others, and shortly thereafter was offered two more jobs, one of which I had thought was my dream job in cardiothoracic surgery at Emory Hospital... But then I pulled out a list of things I was looking for in a job I had written months earlier during a late night alone in a German hotel while visiting my parents and the OK job matched every single point. I prayed and the answer was OK. I fasted and the answer was OK. I cried. But I went to OK. It wasn't an easy transition, but it has been a great 4 years of not only professional growth, but also personal growth, and dear friendships.

So...now you can see why, on my flight home late at night from Ann Arbor, MI, I laughed out loud as I remembered stating as I left UT seven years ago..., "I am never moving back to UT...unless the Lord wants me to."

So to all my Utah friends and family, I will see you in 3 weeks! My head is spinning right now since I made the decision just 4 days ago, but they want me to start May 2nd, so it's time to get crackin'!

Analee, one of the biggest pros to Ann Arbor was getting to live close to you and your kiddos, but I figure I'll have a good 6+ months with you in Idaho, so plan on a visit soon!

To those not of UT, I expect you to visit. You have a place to crash anytime :)

Update...

No exciting stories...

No pictures...

Just a big decision...

I will soon be required to change my blog title from "Not in Kansas Anymore" to "Not in Oklahoma" anymore...

Yes ladies and gentleman...after a little over 4 years, the time has come to leave Middle Earth (or at least Middle USA) and venture out.

I have two currently options:

1) Provo, UT - trauma surgery or...

2) Ann Arbor, MI - emergency medicine with UofM

Cast your votes one and all! UT or MI? (Don't worry - your comments won't actually determine the course of my life. I will restrict the burden of that responsibility to myself. This is all for fun)

Who Knew My State Was So Interesting...?

Here Are Some Little Known But Very Interesting Facts About Oklahoma. 1. The bread twist tie was invented in Maysville. 2. The shopping cart was invented in Ardmore in 1936. 3. The nation's first parking meter was intalled in Oklahoma City in 1935. 4. The first Girl Scout Cookie was sold in Muskogee in 1917. 5. Cimarron County, located in the Oklahoma Panhandle, is the only county in the U.S. bordered by 4 separate states...Texas, New Mexico, Colorado & Kansas. 6. The Oklahoma State Capital is the only capital in the U.S. with working oil wells on its grounds. 7. Boise City, Oklahoma was the only city in the United States to be bombed during World War II. On Monday night, July 5, 1943, at 12:30 a.m., a B-17 Bomber based at Dalhart Army Air Base, Texas, dropped six practice bombs on the sleeping town, mistaking the city lights as target lights. 8. WKY Radio in Oklahoma City was the first radio station transmitting west of the Mississippi River. 9. The nation's first 'Tornado Warning' was issued on March 25, 1948 in Oklahoma City minutes before a devastating tornado. Because of the warning, no lives were lost. 10. Oklahoma has the largest Native American population of any state in the U.S. 11. The name 'Oklahoma' comes from two Choctaw words...okla meaning 'people' andhumma meaning 'red'. So the name means, 'Red People.' The name was approved in 1890. 12. Oklahoma produced more astronauts than any other state. 13. Oklahoma has more man made lakes than any other state. 14. During the 'Land Rush', Oklahoma City went from a vast, open prairie to a city of over 10,000 in a single day. 15. The nation's first traffic 'Yield' sign was erected in Tulsa on a trial basis. 16. Pensacola Dam is the longest multi-arched dam in the world at 6,565 feet. 17. The 'Port of Catoosa' (just north of Tulsa) is the largest inland port in America. 18. The aerosol can was invented in Bartlesville. 19. Per square mile, Oklahoma has more tornadoes than any other place in the world. 20. The highest wind speed ever recorded on earth was in Moore, Oklahoma on May 3rd. 1999 during the Oklahoma City F-5 tornado. Wind speed was clocked at 318 mph. 21. The 'Will Rogers World Airport' and the 'Wiley Post Airport' are both named after two famous Okies....both killed in an airplane crash!!!

And I Thought Idaho Weather Was Bad...

A week ago Saturday, it was 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and I wore shorts...48 hours later, I awoke to this...

My escape path dug by my Erich

And a day later...my roommate and I awoke to this:

They had initially set out to answer a 911 call at the retirement center across the street for someone with right arm weakness. Fortunately for the patient, a backup ambulance was able to pick them up...

Pre-shoveling conditions

On the way to the snowdrift...In my Dorothy boots...

And my roommate and me at the snowdrift...

Since it supposedly doesn't snow in Oklahoma, I was only equipped with a flat edged garden shovel, which was no match for the many inches of powder in the drive. So I put on my Dorothy Ahlborn thinking-cap and converted my recycling bins to giant scoops!

After 1 hour...

After 2 hours...Mission accomplished!

Sweden

So in October, I hopped the pond over to Stockholm, Sweden for a week long conference in disaster medicine/graduation from my master's program in disaster medicine.

Stockholm was very cold...
Fortunately, I discovered serendipitously, the most delicious hot chocolate in the ENTIRE world! It comes in a small package as you can see, but is so potent they call it chocospresso...
I loved it so much...I had to go every day. Fortunately, I did limit myself to only one a day...
This is the genius behind the dream. It only took two visits till he knew I was a regular. The only question he'd ask was: to stay or to go?
At the end of each day, my brain would remember the luciousness of it all. My forgetful tastebuds, however, would be shocked into full recollection with the first sip of each day...

I even got my friend Cristina to partake, and successfully hooked two others who we would stumble into at the shop frequently
Yes, I did more than just drink hot chocolate. I received a very colorful diploma...
The final seal of completion!
And got to see a few sights: here is an island called Sigtuna, home to the first organized city in Sweden.
Ancient Viking runes are scattered across the island. This one was incorporated into one of the many churches, most of which now stand in ruInes...
I love random pictures of flowers growing out of rocks...
View from a hill on the island
Cheesy touristy picture with a Viking rune...
More cheesy touristy pictures...
As morbid as it may seem, I loved the cemetaries for the reason displayed below. They were beautiful and cheery because each grave had a small planter built into the headstone, all of which contained colorful flowers...
Beautiful fall colors in a church ruin...
More fall...
View from the shore..
A little bit of Stockholm..

The narrowest staircase in the city...or was it the oldest...?

View from a globe shaped auditorium...
More of the city from above...
The Goonies ship! Just kidding...not really. This is the Vasa - a 16th century ship that capsized in the bay killing just about everyone on board. It was recovered and restored in the 1950's. I sure felt like I was on Goonies when I walked in and saw this thing looming over me though...


Diving suit used to retrieve the Vasa...
And just beautiful!

Dear Aunt Kathy...

Dear Aunt Kathy...

When I was about 3 or 4 years old (probably closer to 3 because I don't think my little sister was born yet) you made a very special pillow case...and not just any pillow case...a Strawberry Shortcake pillow case complete with my name. I have loved this pillow case for almost 18 years...

I have used this pillow for so long that when I take it out of the dryer and have to pull my long hairs out from the thread bare fibers...Sounds gross, I know...but it's lasted this long...and still no huge holes. The thought occurred to me that I should celebrate my 31st birthday by getting rid of it...

Did I mention it was thread bare...?

But 31 came and went...and it still sits on my bed...making me feel 3 (or 4) years old again.

Thanks Aunt Kathy!

Happy 31st!!!!!!!!!

Three days before my birthday, a white USPS package was waiting on the doorstep direct from my sister Lorraine. I called to let her know as she had been anxious to make sure I would be home and not out of town when it arrived. She was shocked it got there so quickly and insisted I put it in the fridge...

My initial inclination had been to wait until my birthday to open it, but at the hint of something perishable inside, decided to open it then. This is what I found inside...

A number of fun surprises picked out by Hayley...plus a mysterious tupperware container

That looked like this when I opened it...
Now for the close-up...

According to Lorraine, it originally was decorated with "Happy Birthday Leslie," and had

pretty flowers made with oversided candy wafers.

Too bad she picked yellow and green as the icing colors...they strangely resemble not-so-

pleasant sights and smells I frequently encounter in the emergency department

But a birthday cake was in order! So on August 9th, my friend Mandy came over to celebrate

with me. The following pictures are courtesy of her...

The cake tasted deceivingly delicious! In fact...it was perhaps one of the best homemade from scratch German chocolate cake with coconut-pecan icing! I'll just have to remember next time in the directions to add after taking it out of the oven and decorating: ship 1,000 miles in mid-summer in tupperware container, periodically flipping box upside down. It was like a big ooey-gooey brownie...yum!