We’ve hit two minor milestones as of today…I’m exactly two weeks away from exam day and I am 20 weeks to my due date (aka, half the way there).  I honestly can’t believe it, on either milestone.  Time is sure flying and I’m not crazy about that at the moment.  I feel like I need more time.  Plus this week has kind of turned me upside down and I’m still not sure what direction I am heading…let me explain.

This week was strong on many levels.  I had to accomplish a lot at work, and I did, without having interruptions from internship interviews and whatnot.  I had to spend time focusing on the lateral portion of the exam, day 2 of the exam, and I did.  I still feel light years behind where I should be for day 2 but I’ll keep chugging away.  And I managed to get in a bit of non-work/study items to round out the week.  I attended the last free Monday class at Riot Cycle for the month of March, feeling very good while donning my Michigan gear in all ways to gloat, I got back to the pilates studio on Queen Anne for some muscle-quaking exercises, we had our usual FareStart night with Chan Seattle for some Korean-inspired eats, I enjoyed a delicious Halal Guy platter while studying and Bryan and I are going to a Good Friday experience thing at Church tonight.

Our last of the three Home Chef boxes was a warming bowl of cod chowder with croutons for a rather chilly Monday.

No smiling in the locker room but feeling good post workout and with my Michigan Alumni shirt on

Got back to Halal Guys for a Middleeastern bowl of goodness to consume while studying hard on Tuesday night.

I’m still feeling really good with lots of energy.  If I honestly can just keep that energy up for the next two weeks I don’t really care all that much what happens to it after that.  Trying to focus on keeping my body hydrated, taking my nasty pills, and eating balanced and healthy meals.  Considering the circumstances of my schedule these past few months I think I have been doing a pretty good job!

Bryan got to go on a rare work trip for less than 48 hours to sunny Southern California.  He left early Tuesday morning to fly to Palm Springs with another three guys from work and then drove to San Bernadino to inspect and take note of a decommissioned Airbus (A320) plane, before coming back home around midnight on Wednesday night.  He wasn’t keen on going or seeing value in the trip but the reverse-engineering did pay off in some respects and he at least got out of the office and got some sunshine for a few days.  I didn’t get much chance to miss him this time with the studying and the stress that consumed me midweek (still getting there) but of course I’m glad it wasn’t any longer than it was.

So what has completely unraveled me the past few days?  Well, I received the standard email on Wednesday that my exam authorization was ready for my test.  I was directed to sign in to print it out, double check that it is correct, and bring it to the exam with me.  Sign in I did but the first thing that I see is that it has me signed up to take SE Bridges not SE Buildings.  I don’t design bridges, I don’t know bridges, there is no reason in the whole wide world that I would have ever signed up for bridges.  I’m not concerned initially, thinking this is an easy fix.  I write to the exam administration and hear back from them hours later that, “That’s what you signed up for and it’s too late to switch.”  Excuse me, what?!?

Panic mode ensues.  They don’t provide a number to call, they are in EST so by the time I can write them back they are already closed for the day.  I tell them that 1.) this is not my fault and 2.) this is extremely important to me and all of my efforts and finances ($1,000 + for the stupid exam) and that this needs to be changed.  I ask them in email to call me.  Bryan comes home, consoles me, reassures me it will be fine…I don’t sleep.

Thursday morning I get a call at 7:30 am by the most inconsiderate man who from the beginning is adamant that there is nothing they can do about it.  I’m obviously upset over the phone to him and ask him a lot of questions as to why this change happened and why fixing it can’t be done and I get bogus answers.  He doesn’t care about me and my situation…he already has my money.  I ask him what he would do if he were me and his answer was, “Honestly, I don’t know.”  Thanks buddy.  He said he was going to double check but really doubted anything could be done.  That was where I was left.  I was so upset Thursday morning, and still am but now more pissed than hopeless.  I still have not gotten another response so I’m trying to take as many actions as I can on my part to get this straightened out and going to pretend like I am still gearing up for the exam in two weeks, meaning I will put in another 8 hours plus doing a practice exam this holiday weekend.

I’m not in a great mood but I am at least feeling better than I did two days ago and thankfully we have a holiday weekend this weekend full of hope and prayer.  So I’m hoping and I’m praying!

Chelsea

Whoever said weekends are worse than weeks?  Yeah, I am saying that this spring.  After the doldrum and study fest of last weekend the past week felt like a genuine party.  I had something fun to look forward to each and every day.

Monday:

The free cycle class at Riot Cycle at noon followed by an amazing leisurely lunch with Polly at the Bookstore Bar and Cafe thanks to mystery shopping.  Short day at work with a refresh mani-pedi session after work.    Then Bryan came home at the early hour of 1 am and we were both happy to see one another.

Tuesday:

Busy day at work but also the tail end of the sunny weather we have been having so I stole away for a quick 40 minute jog along the waterfront around 4 pm.  Met Bryan, Billy, Val and Ainsley at Ivar’s Salmon House in North Lake Union for their annual birthday celebration with buy one get one entrees.  I think Bryan and I have managed to make it to this event most of the years we have been in Seattle and it really is a good deal and a nice treat.  Plus the sunny skies remained for the afternoon and led to a great sunset from our window-side table.  We both pretty much were exhausted after dinner though after having such a short night the night before.

Wednesday:

First of four interviews for the intern that I am handpicking for the office in the morning.  A (cooked) sushi dinner my lonesome after some time studying after Girls Night was cancelled but then eager to spend the remainder of the evening with Bryan who I hadn’t gotten to spend solo time with in a while.

Thursday:

Another interview for the intern and then the usual FareStart night.  However, my main duties for the first half of the night involved watching the Michigan basketball Sweet Sixteen game against Texas A&M on my phone at the hostess stand.  It was a busy night but we had a lot of volunteers to help out, plus it helped that Michigan handedly won the game so I didn’t need to be so uber focused on the score and what was happening.  I stepped up my level of effort after the sweet victory and got back to work to finish out a smooth night with Rays Boathouse.  Bryan stayed late at work to finish up a presentation he had for work Friday morning but he came just before 9 pm to buy a dinner and eat with the rest of us.  It was a great dinner of curried mussels, beet salad with goat cheese, a delicious and unique take on surf and turf of panko breaded arctic char with pork belly with Asian greens and rice, and the densest chocolate flourless cake ever.

Friday:

We didn’t have any real plans for Friday night which I honestly always look forward to.  Last round of interviews with two very strong candidates and my voice starting to go raspy.  Relaxing night at home with a Home Chef box dinner before starting the fun which is the weekend all over again.

Saturday:

Another 4-hour practice exam greeted me first thing in the morning while Bryan went to his men’s group at church.  I finished the exam around 2 pm with very mixed feelings on how the questions went.  Somber, Bryan was waking up from a nap and I was trying to shake off my nerves about the test.  We had a few hours before game time and we both needed some exercise so we did a 45-minute interval session together with the rowing machine and arm exercises.  After that and a shower we were ready for the Michigan vs. Florida State game with a snack of more spring rolls and a new-found energy.  It was an intense game and I was nervous the whole way through.  We struggled shooting but our defense was on their game.  We pulled out the victory, sending our team to the Final Four!  We made a late dinner after the game of another delicious Home Chef box meal of Korean pork noodles and watched Bladerunner.  Apparently my energy from the day was spent because I fell asleep pretty quick.

Sunday:

I at least had the morning off from studying.  We went to church, finishing off Colossians with table talk discussions.  After church we had a mystery shop lunch at Din Tai Fung, where we caught the Texas Tech game over dumplings.  Great lunch, unfortunate outcome of the game.  After lunch I had to perk up for another 4-hour practice exam.  I retreated with my books to the desk in the workout room this time.  While I spent 4-hours studying Bryan got so much stuff done around the house.  He started putting together the new dresser in the nursery around 5:30 pm and continued working on the elaborate construction of the dresser until 9 pm.  I was excited after doing fairly well on the practice exam to do some household chores myself and also kept myself busy until 9 pm.  We made another late dinner and spent the last hour of our weekend relaxing.  I was really proud of what all we got accomplished around the house this weekend and putting in another 10 hours or so of studying and practice exams.  I’ll be taking pictures of the progress we are making around the house when I get around to it (i.e. after my exam).

I love me some shu mai!

Trying their pork ribs for the first time.

Another week and a countdown of just 2.5 weeks before the test.

Chelsea  

Oh what fun there is to have…when you spend 15 hours studying on the weekend.  While Bryan spent Friday through Monday in Vail, Colorado with Mark and Kim, skiing, hiking, listening to bands, soaking in some hot springs, I literally spent most of the whole weekend studying.  And it was brutal, mind-numbing.  And my schedule has me doing it again the remaining three weekends before my exam.  Help!

The entire weekend was sunny skies and warmer weather, but instead of outside enjoying it I was sitting in the sun at the dining room table working on practice exams.  I did get in a glorious slow jog along the waterfront Friday afternoon before leaving work.  I got a great solo dinner at Veggie Grill before heading home, watching basketball and relaxing on Friday night.

Saturday and Sunday looked a lot like each other though:

Wake up

Do a few things around the house/continue to wake up

Make breakfast and coffee for study fuel

4 hour timed practice exam (well, small portion of a practice exam)

Snack/sit there with eyes glazed over and brain wracked

Go over answers to problems, realize sadly I’ve boo-booed many of the questions (this took me roughly another 2 hours)

Contemplate life for a while

Remember there is basketball, turn that on and turn off brain

Dinner

Sleep

I did get to a Hipcooks class to assist on Sunday night which I was looking forward to until the time came to go to it and it was gloriously warm and sunny out and all I wanted to do was stretch my legs outside and get some fresh air.  But alas, I did the class on Persian food.  I think my total step count for the weekend was around 4,000 (that’s for two days, not one).

But I put in the hours and that’s what matters.  I still have some work to go and really haven’t spent much time on the lateral/seismic portion of the exam which is the entire second day.  Honestly at this point, after how I felt after each four hour segment, I don’t know how anyone can even begin the second day with a fresh and accurate mind ready to work another 8 hours.  But I’m trying to be positive because if I only have to do this one time that would be literally the best thing ever.

Chelsea

We’ve had our first bout of warm and sunny spring weather and even though we still have much time to go before it is here consistently in all of its grandeur, the brief time we have gotten has sent me and everyone else in this city into positive vibes, hope and renewal.  I’ve captured some of these things in photos.

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Chelsea

This past month has been smooth sailing in terms of baby making.  We just checked in with our doctor for the monthly appointment and essentially a summary of the past month is:

• Babies heartbeat is still pounding fierce at around 145 bpm
• My weight is up by about 2-3 pounds which doctors seemed to indicate as good
• Blood pressure still low
• My energy has been up and steady
• I’ve felt pretty darn normal in all my normal activities
• Heartburn and indigestion still definitely there after large and/or late in the evening dinners
• Appetite is slowly increasing
• Have had occasional head aches early in the morning that I attribute to baby (or studying I don’t know)
• Belly is just beginning to round and is noticeable if wearing tight clothes
• Slight aches in my lower and side abdomen region which I am attributing to stretching of those muscles
• Middle region is feeling tighter in clothes
• No noticeable movements from baby yet
• Some lower back pain during long periods of sitting (could also be attributed to how frequently my neck is bent from studying)

We keep on rolling, this week moving into Week 18 and going in for our 20-week ultrasound for baby parts (but not gender) in 2 weeks or so.  In the meantime we continue talking names we like, we have started gathering ideas and goods for the nursery (I have picked out some crib bedding) and started rearranging the nursery, we sold the tall wardrobe in the guest room to make more room, and we are doing research on childbirth classes to sign up for.

Chelsea

With the never ending fun I am experiencing in the study world continuing, the little indulgences I do get are just so good.  Those being, mostly, long walks with Bryan, exercise classes, nice dinners or meals of any kind, FareStart, Girls Group/yoga, basketball games, church and a considerable amount of TV.  My brain doesn’t really have the capacity to focus on much of anything else right now.

So how have I indulged in the past week?  Well, I got to watch Michigan play basketball four days straight over the weekend (and with it playing on my phone next to me at work).  We had two Michigan State fans over for snacks and to watch the defeat on Saturday, nothing better when you have to hide that you are gloating…I’ve been on the opposite end of the spectrum too many times.  Bryan and I went for a nice long walk through Leschi and the Central District on Saturday, stopping for the views and conversation on a park bench overlooking the city.

Sunday we had church, more basketball, then indulged in a fancy “four” course feast at Tavolata for their monthly Sunday Feast with our friends Tim and Jason.  This month’s theme was seafood and everything was delicious and executed perfectly.  It even got Bryan and I out of our small comfort zones for a few items that turned out to be great decisions.  We both ate the oysters!  And Bryan’s favorite dish of the night was the squid ink pasta with squid and uni butter, which was amazing but way too difficult for me to pick a favorite of the night.  Though, the pastas were both amazing and comforting.  Fortunately portions were just right so after so many dishes we were left feeling comfortable and not completely over the top (which is essentially me post dinner every day of the week currently).

The Menu

FIRST COURSE

Shigoku Oysters with Champagne Mignonette and Cucumber Granita
Octopus Carpaccio with Taggiasca Olives, Mint, and Bottarga
Lobster Bisque with Poached Lobster, Fennel Sofrito, and Basil
Grilled Spot Prawns with Wild Watercress, Fennel, and Salsa Verde

Amazingly tender octopus carpaccio

Lobster bisque with chunks of lobster

PASTA

Conchiglie Nero with Grilled Squid, Uni, Pickled Fresno Chili, and Colatura di Alici
Linguini Aglio e Olio with Dungeness Crab, Garlic, and Chili

ENTRÉE

Scallops with Sunchokes, Applewood Bacon, and Brussels Sprouts
King Salmon with Asparagus, Pearl Onion, and Black Trumpet Vinaigrette

Lobster Risotto with Parmesan, Lemon, and Chive
Roasted Cauliflower with Bagna Cauda and Pangrattato

DESSERT

Lemon Meringue Tart

I’ve managed to get in a fill of food, fun and exercise this week.  I attended the theme cycle ride at Live, Love Flow for Odeza vs. The Chainsmokers which was a good sweaty class.  I filled up with soul-soothing calliloo stew afterwards.  I was treated to dinner at FareStart’s Community Dinner for the month of March on Wednesday after my Girls Night was cancelled.  Community Dinner’s lasagna bolognese was again a comforting plate of happiness that I needed mid week.  Back at FareStart on Thursday for 2016’s Restaurant of the Year chef and James Beard Award nominee from Salare and JuneBaby for a Southern-inspired dinner expedited by your very own Bryan.  Bryan ran the restaurant super smoothly and soon enough we were all dining on the delicious dishes of roasted beets with walnuts, tangerines and buttermilk sauce, oxtails with peas, rice and carrots, smoked carrots and collard greens and pineapple upside down cake with caramel ice cream.  Heavenly all around!

TGIF!  And starting the weekend off well with the company’s monthly staff meeting followed by a night at the Seattle Rep with Club 20s/30s for their hosted pre-show food and drink for the latest play Ibsen in Chicago.  Looking forward to the weekend and the sunny and warmer weather we are expecting.  Studying may or may not pay a price because of it.

Chelsea

We continue to move forward with the year and what it brings with every new week and month.  Enter March.  February is always so short, it just seems to fly by.  Certainly as we approach March we are getting a bit more sun, there are more buds and blossoms blooming and the birds are out there chirping.  We are now only exactly 6 weeks from the first day of my exam.  Eeek.

Our weekend came and went as they all do.  We had a great dinner at Din Tai Fung in Bellevue before catching the highly-rated Black Panther movie at Cinemark.  We were battling the pesky little ants when we returned home and a good portion of Saturday.  Saturday was mostly spent studying and cleaning for me while Bryan was out wine tasting with the FareStart crew.  And Sunday we took a long walk to get lunch at Araya Thai in Madison Valley before continuing on through Madison Park and back.  We concluded the weekend with an impromptu bake of what came out as an exceptional apple pie with inspiration coming from the granny smith apples we have had on hand and watching a few episodes of the Great British Baking Show.

The week, like usual, was quite packed with activities.  I managed to get my fifth class in on ClassPass before the month of February ended with a good barre class Monday night.  We had tickets to see Hamilton with Karen and Holly (from FareStart) at the Paramount on Tuesday night and loved it!  We met at FareStart beforehand for the hosted happy hour for the outgoing CEO at FareStart for the past 18 years before getting more snacks at Market Hall before heading to the theater at 7:30 pm.  Late night for us and I’ve been singing the tunes and thinking about the play ever since.

Wednesday I managed to study a bit before heading over with the newly engaged Polly to a Yelp preview event of a new event space in Belltown called Vue Lounge.  We got to sample some drinks and food (well Polly got to sample my drink portions for me) and enjoyed the karaoke machine, DJ, and blackjack tables.  It was a fun night that got my head out of the study grind.

Thursday was your typical FareStart but with an outstanding Japanese-inspired bento dinner creation from one of the chefs from Tulalip Casino.  And we have hit another Friday and don’t have too much on the agenda for the weekend…said me every Friday for the past two months.

Chelsea