Supermen

Last weekend Zach and Squareknot did a triathlon at Lake Powell. It was awesome! They both did such a great job and didn't even finish last. Mom and I were there the whole time watching, running back and forth from the swimming station to the biking station to the running station. Then there was a lot of standing around which would have been wonderful...except that it was pouring rain almost the entire time we were out there. I think I shivered so much that I burned as many calories as the men did throughout the triathlon.

Mom and I had planned on casually watching as we sipped our hot chocolate by the fire but that was not going to happen. Who knew triathlon spectating was such hard work!

Zach and Squareknot before the race.

Squareknot as he finished the swim. He wasn't last! He was only 4th to last.

Zach sticking out his tongue at the end of the bike. You may think he's doing that because he's tired but really he's drinking the rain water that is coming down. He doesn't want to have to stop to hydrate!

Squareknot racing to the finish!

Really, it was an awesome trip and I'm so proud of these Supermen for doing so well in really awful conditions! They've inspired me to do another one!

The National

Concerts in our family are kind of a tradition, except not. I guess you could just say that we really like them. I'm sure my brother, Preston, lost count of how many he's been to long ago. I love them because there's just nothing like hearing an artist perform live. There really isn't. There is so much energy and excitement and it's makes you have to move and dance (even if you don't know how to, like me).

Anyway, last night Zach and I went with some good friends (John, Stephanie and Travis Nunley) to see The National. It was a great show! I learned long ago that if you try to hard to take pictures and video, you miss the songs. I did, however, manage to snap a few for Tessa's sake.

This is Zach, Travis and John. It was Travis's first concert!

A small portion of my favorite song that they played, Fake Empire.

Crafties

This was my craft project over the weekend. It was lots of fun and I think they turned out great. I love to use lots of bright colors and these blocks have lots of pretty bright colored paper. I hope Stephanie likes them!

Midterms and Mi Comida

I had midterms this week. Six of them. Let's just say that whoever came up with the idea that graduate programs, especially medical ones, should have one week where every class has a test, is an idiot. Why we can't spread this out a little more, I'll never know. Anyway, with that little thought I'll just tell you that is was a difficult week. But, I got through it and did pretty well.

My reward was a sweet little Ecuadorean/Peruvian restaurant in Phoenix. A few weeks ago, Zach came home telling me about this restaurant he had found. The article said they cooked authentic Ecuadorean and Peruvian food. What could be better? (For those of you who may not know, Zach served his mission in Peru and I served in Ecuador.) So Friday after Zach got off work we headed out.

This place was amazing! It was a little hole in the wall with Ecuadorean banners etc all over. The family is from Ecuador and grandma is the cook. She prepares the food when you order it and it is very authentic!

Inka Cola! (Zach's favorite South American drink.)

Yes. Those are giant patacones! (One of my very favorite Ecuadorean foods.)

Zach had lomo saltado, which is his favorite Peruvian dish.

I had seco de pollo, which is very, very common in Ecuador. It was just as good as if my Ecuadorean mamita had made it, only better because the chicken didn't have any bones! (And yes, that is fried maduro on the side.)

It was a wonderful reward. Dessert was Cold Stone ice cream and then we went and visited Mindi and Preston and Jude until about 2:00 am. It's been so long since I've been able to sit and chat and not feel bad that I wasn't studying. I loved it!

My Kitchen Table

Ladies and gentlemen, meet my kitchen table. I've been trying to find a way to convey what I've been up to lately and I think the chaos that is my table does a pretty good job. This is PA grad school in a nutshell. The majority of the table is covered in notes, books, diagrams, computer, highlighters, 3 hold puncher, backpack etc. That is symbolizing how the majority of my life is taken up by studying, learning, and other such activities. You'll notice, however, that there is a small corner taken up by Zach. He and the rest of my family pretty much take up the rest of my life. For the next 2 years at least.

Some interesting things about being in PA school:

I remember every disorder or disease by tagging them to someone I know who has it.

I found myself describing the crap you sometimes have in your eye when you wake up as mucopurulent discharge and I actually know what that means.

I have to look into noses and ears and I like it.

Last Tuesday my day consisted of a lecture on suicide and another one on cancer and I wasn't that depressed about it. This Tuesday it consisted of a lecture on death and dying and another one on cancer and I still wasn't that depressed.

To put it simply, life in the Brown house is a little bit different and a lot more stressful but despite all that, I love what I'm learning. There isn't much else I'd rather be doing...except maybe traveling the world but that will come later and by then I'll be able to save your life if you happen to go into shock while traveling with me!