News at Last

After a long spell of mundane and less than noteworthy days in our lives (ok, that sounded really depressing; things are good, but unchanging) we are back with another post.

I (Sterling) applied to the three 4th year externships for my program in the past two months. I noted in a previous post that I was going to apply to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, and a children's hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. These ended up being the only places I applied.

I sent in my application to Cincinnati in the middle of October and the one to the hospital in Omaha on November 1. This week I was offered an interview in Cincinnati for the middle of January. I have not yet heard from the hospital in Omaha and have been struggling to wait patiently for news. In contrast, I sent my application to the Mayo Clinic on November 13th, and received a call the next day offering a phone interview. The phone interview was the following week and two days later I received a call offering an onsite interview for December. I was very grateful for the speed with which they were conducting the application process, not to mention impressed with the program.

Through an amazing set of circumstances, I heard from my mother that one of my second cousins, Katie, I knew well from years past lived in Rochester, Minnesota. Even more ironically, her husband Doug, whom I had met once, works at the Mayo Clinic as an Audiologist. Needless to say, I called them after receiving an offer for the phone interview and asked about Rochester and the Mayo Clinic. Doug helped me to learn about the Mayo Clinic and their externship in order to decide whether it was the right fit for me. What a blessing it was to know someone working there and in the city.

The phone interview was twenty minutes long. Questions regarding Audiology were fired at me by six committee members. Luckily, I was forewarned by previous students who had applied there and was not surprised by the structure of the interview. I thought the interview went well and was pleased to find out two days later that I was being offered an onsite interview.

The onsite interview was rescheduled due to midwest weather, big surprise, for a week later than the original date. I went to the interview on Tuesday this week, December 15th. I was able to have dinner and family night with Doug and Katie on Monday. It was fun to spend time with their family. Katie was her optimistic self and talked as though I had already received the externship. I was not so sure. They have three wonderful and rambunctious children; therefore, family night was a new but fun experience for me.

Onsite interviews were conducted with two other students and myself for one position. The interview began at 8:30 Tuesday morning and ended at 3:00. I met with the heads of each division of Audiology separately and had time to observe shortly in the diagnostics clinic. The clinic was state of the art in my mind compared to what I have experienced. Although, that was not very unexpected as it was brand new. The first day in the new clinic was Monday. I did not know what to expect, but was surprised by the structure of this interview. The purpose seemed only to be to get to know me. They were all very kind and I was impressed with the calibre of the people working there. At the end of the day I felt I would consider myself blessed to have the opportunity to work there.

Surprisingly, I had the opportunity of meeting the other two students interviewing. We had lunch together and talked for a short time. They both seemed great. At the end of the interview I felt that it had gone well, but I could not imagine that the other students did not do well also.

Two days later I received a call from the Mayo Clinic offering me the externship position. I felt really blessed. I feel really blessed. It is hard to ignore the Lord's blessings in my life when I receive such an outstanding position at the start of my career. I hope I can take advantage of the opportunity and learn all I can.

So we will be in Rochester Minnesota come next June, 2010-May, 2011. It is great to have friends in the city already and we are excited to live near Doug and Katie and their family.

Stiff Competition

I never thought I would have to compete for Sterling's love, especially not with a 5 year old! While we were on vacation, I quickly learned that I am not the only one with an eye for Sterling. I have a niece that decided Sterling was her "honey" (as she called him often) and nothing I could say or do was going to change her mind.

If I sat next to him on the couch, she would jump on his lap, nestle her head in his neck and say, "Hey! that's my honey." If I gave him a hug...same reaction.

Let's be honest people, I couldn't just break it to her harshly, I tried to ease her into the idea that he was my husband. I tried a bunch of different tactics, none of them worked, and in the end I had to let another girl have the love and affection of my husband for a day.

Take a look for yourselves, it doesn't look like she is going to give me any room to step in. Oh well, it makes Sterling feel good that his nieces and nephews love him.

BBE or Best Burger Ever

My nephew, Clark Kent, as he likes to be called these days, really enjoys watching TV shows about cooking. Evidently he watched an episode of some show where they made hamburgers that are large enough to feed a family of four and just as filling. He calls them BBE's and if you simply call them a hamburger he acts as though he doesn't know to what you are referring.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the BBE's from start to finish, pre-digestion.

Chef Kent showing off his stuff

Chef Kent cookin' it up on the grill

Sterling and Clark opening wide for the first bit

Me mid first bite

Mom trying to smash the burger and bite at the same time

The BBE's were really good and consisted of at least 1/4 lb of burger, roast beef, turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, mushrooms, ketchup, mustard and of course the buns.

Clark Kent is willing to talk to any and everyone about the burgers so if you are interested, just let me know!

Go West Young Man

Our latest vacation consisted of lots of driving, a little bit of family and tons of fun. I learned a couple of things while we were gone.

1. The drive from Iowa to Wyoming is not fun! We've made the drive three times now and it seems like each time I learn the same thing, 16 hours in the car is not fun.

2. Spoiling nieces and nephews is awesome because you don't have to deal with their tantrums later.


3. Family really is the most important thing in my life.



Unfortunately we didn't take a picture with my entire family and so you get a picture of Sterling and I with some of our nieces and nephews. Sometimes you just don't think of the family picture thing until it's too late.

Anyway, we spent time in Wyoming, Montana and Arizona. We attended baseball games, county fairs, we went horseback riding, we went to a play and so many more things. I can hardly wait to tell the stories of our fun and post the pictures.

Stay posted, there is more to come.

Future Plans

It is funny to look back and realize that we have been in Iowa for two years now. I am half way done with my Doctor of Audiology (AuD), and some exciting parts are coming up. We have really enjoyed our time here in Iowa. However, I have to admit that I am becoming anxious to move on to some place new and exciting. I have become accustom to moving frequently and have come to enjoy it. I had not lived in the same place for more than one straight year for six years before we moved to Iowa. These past two years in Iowa now seem like a long time even though they have been great.

I thought that I would let everyone know about what may be coming in the next few years of our lives. I am currently preparing to apply for placements for the last year of my doctoral program. The last year is a full-year externship in which I work full-time. I can complete that externship anywhere in the United States. It is exciting to consider all of the possible places we may be living in one year and the possible externships I could obtain. Most of the externships begin during the summer months. I will start my externship in the summer of 2010, in less than one year. I am considering placements in Minnesota, Nebraska, Arizona, Oregon, Ohio and Massachusetts. Those of you who know how indecisive I am will appreciate the magnitude of the difficulties I will face in making the decision. Cylynn is willing to move anywhere. She claims to be so impartial or apathetic to where I decide to go that it is sometimes frustrating. Sometimes I wish she would make the decision for me so that I do not have to make it myself. Stay tuned to hear where we will be in a year. I will find out early next year (February or March).

I will also be doing some traveling as part of my program for conferences and humanitarian work. I will be in China for a couple of weeks in May next year providing hearing aids to orphans and educating doctors on Audiology. I will also travel to Arizona and possibly California for conferences. This year will be full of traveling for interviews and school. Luckily I like to travel.

Following the AuD degree, I have the option of working as an Audiologist or continuing for a PhD in Audiology. Another decision to be made. Unfortunately, I seem to have a change of heart or mind every other day. The PhD would be an extra two years following the end of the AuD and would be back here in Iowa.

Anyway, just thought I would give an update on the current and future plans for our family.