Miscommunication

Miscommunication.  I have been learning a TON about this in many different areas in my life.  It’s just better to get rid of it.  Ask for prayer when you need prayer, and share the reasons/circumstances if necessary.  Ask for help (something God’s been teaching me lots since 2011, I think.)  Don’t just talk louder than the other person when you don’t like what they are saying.  Tell them you don’t like all that negativity or (insert whatever here), and why.

The miscommunication between my mind and my body is super-duper annoying.  Sometimes, I feel that if my body could keep up with my brain, I’d have to be a super-energetic child with no “off” switch. Other times, my body feels like it’s an old lady that should be in a nursing home but is really too stubborn for her own good. When my body keeps up with my brain, it can last like, and hour, tops. The miscommunication is not only the maturity or energy of either body or brain.  (I’m told that I have a “childlike” spirit….and yet, an “old soul.”  Figure that out.)  My body doesn’t tell my brain that it’s getting tired until after the fact.  I did physical therapy for, like, a month or two—twice a week!  It was awesome.  Until we realized that the PT was doing more harm than good.  I AM getting stronger, but I’m having a harder time than EVER with the body/brain communication thing.  Like last Monday.  The air wasn’t on in our house, and when I got up to walk around and do things, I was real weak.  Well, looking at the thermostat, it said 78 degrees.  In the HOUSE!  (Heat is an energy-sucker, too.)  So I turned the air on, and chillaxed for a while until I felt I had enough energy to do more chores.  Bleh.

I have also been working on the miscommunication that comes with two very different people being married and living together.  I don’t always tell Doug when I need help, or would like him to do something FOR me.  I would wear myself out until he notices.  (But, I AM getting better at telling him when I shouldn’t be doing things—it’s that bodily communication verbalizing and the whole pride thing of asking for help that I’ve been learning since I started this blog.)  And now, when Doug notices something needs to be cleaned or laundry needs to be done, he tells me instead of leaving the laundry room door open or setting out the broom (that I would put away because I thought he left it out after using it).  See?  We’re getting better at that.  We’re also getting better at telling each other our expectations of events or the rest of the day.  Communication is really cool.  I think what has also helped Doug and I be overcoming this stuff so quick is that we were long distance until we got married.  And I’m still not afraid to tell him my thoughts.

Doug and I have both (separately) been doing this Bible study through the YouVersion Bible App called “Lord, Hear Our Cry.”  It is all about prayer.  I have been realizing that there’s a lot of miscommunication on my part when it comes to prayer.  It’s okay to ask for things, but don’t get discouraged! Sometimes, when there is no answer, I assume it’s a “no.” Sometimes, that “no” may just be a “not now.” So don’t lose hope when God doesn’t answer us right away! It’s not miscommunication, really. It’s not that we’re not communicating. Maybe it’s because we’re not listening (receiving communication). Or the answer doesn’t come as soon as we want it to. That is our fault. God hasn’t answered me about healing me of MS. Maybe he won’t ever heal me or any of my family members who have also been diagnosed with this icky disease. But it doesn’t mean I’ll stop asking. This is one area that I feel like I know the least about. Why am I writing about it? Probably because God wants to tell me or one of you readers something.

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ ⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8, emphasis mine)

Now. Going back to previous topics in this post, don’t be a nagging spouse. But maybe if you tell your spouse something a few times, it’s okay. I feel like my body has been trying to learn the same lesson f-o-r-e-v-e-r. But persistence isn’t bad. Okay, like many of my posts, I have plunged into a topic and have since left it behind. Maybe it’s been too long since I’ve blogged. Maybe I’m having more miscommunication troubles with the world than I even thought. But, maybe not.

Be blessed, everyone!

Anna E. Meyer

Where in your life do you see miscommunication? What can you do about it?

It’s a Love Story: Part VII (Honeymoon)

The next late-morning, family who was still around, a few friends, and Dr. Wile E. Coyote and I met at the Olson Farm for brunch. Delish. I like breakfast foods anytime of the day. Especially if there’s egg bake. Or bacon. Bacon is good. Anyway, Dr. Coyote and I opened our wedding gifts. We sent a bunch of bigger stuff with Jim and Karen as they headed back home, and we took a few things with us. The plan was that in two weeks, Jim, Karen, and Beth would come down to Pikeville with a U-Haul and the rest of our stuff. (And they did, in fact. It was great seeing them and hanging out with them, even though we were still in an un-scheduled, sleep-in type of rhythm at the time!)

Anyway, we hung out the whole day with family who was still there. I think most of them left that day, but maybe a few stayed? Anyway, Doug and I left the next morning to begin our honeymoon. We still had the Cottonwood bank account open, so we deposited all our wedding money (so we wouldn’t have to carry it around) and signed Dr. Coyote on for a joint account. We closed it later, but Dr. Coyote did all that stuff, because it was a joint account now. He was a math minor in undergrad. Yeah, he’s smart.

Rochester, MN

At a diner in Indianapolis.

Drove past the speedway both to & from the diner. Maybe I’ll go back and watch a NASCAR race there someday?

Anyhoo, our first night brought us to La Crosse. Dr. Coyote planned the trip so that there were things we could do on the way if we wanted to or just not. So we stopped in Rochester, MN on our way. La Crosse is his college town. Of course he knew the receptionist at the hotel, a college student a class or two under him. The next morning, we went to Fayze’s, AKA La Crosse’s best, especially for breakfast! The next night brought us to McFarland, WI. It wasn’t very far, but it left wiggle room for what we wanted to do that day. We stayed at “The Parsonage,” an adorable little bed & breakfast owned by an older gentleman and his wife. We visited with the owner at breakfast the next morning. His wife has ALS, and he looked at the B&B as his ministry. He was telling us about how he came to own the B&B, and just his story. It was awesome. We told him our story, as well! The room we stayed in had a hot tub in it! It was awesome, and I would definitely recommend The Parsonage B&B to anyone! The next night, I believe we made it all the way to Indianapolis. The B&B we stayed in that night was downtown and difficult to find with all the one ways and such. I think we were both a little crabby by time we found it. The next morning in conversation, the owner was like, “So, here is your halfway point? So perhaps I’ll see you again?” Yeah, maybe not. Downtown Indianapolis is a headache when you’re from a town of 1200. Anyhoo, we drove by the Indianapolis Speedway that day. Dr. Coyote asked if I wanted to stop there, and we could go on the tour, but I decided against it. It was at this time in the trip when exhaustion caught up with us. But we still had a ways to go! And our trip was not over yet!

Our new home state! (We were texting parentals each new state we got to!)

Happy 4th from the Meyer’s!

That night, we got to Lexington, KY. It was the weekend of July 4^th! So we were going to spend two nights there. We asked a bunch of people where the fireworks were, and finally someone told us. But by time it was to leave to get a spot, I was just tired. So we ordered pizza and watched “The Wolverine.” (What? What did you do on the 4^th?) Although we did drive around Lexington a bunch, I would almost guaranteed-ly get lost if I tried it without directions again. The next day, we made it to our new home in Pikeville, KY.

We tried a few southern diners, and made it most of the way on gift cards. We even had to do a midnight Wal-Mart run (they don’t have Target here, sadly) that night, and we had a gift card for there, too! When we got to our house and started unpacking what we had, we realized that the little we had brought….wasn’t gonna last us. Because although we had a bunch of necessities, we’d sent everything else with Jim & Karen. Like our sheets and blanket. Our awesome landlords tried to help, though! They left us some toilet paper and hand soap (much appreciated, Workmans!). Our midnight Wal-Mart run included sheets, blankets, pillows (because who remembers their pillow?), some command strips (because one thing we did have was most of our signs!), and food for the weekend, among other things I don’t remember but we needed.

The honeymoon was great, although I wouldn’t necessarily repeat it. All that driving and bed-hopping? Tiring. We did have a few weeks after we got to Pikeville before anything started, though, so we kind of used that time for relaxation and rejuvenation before life started in Pikeville. As I said, Jim, Karen, and Beth came down with a U-Haul about a week later, and Dr. Wile E. Coyote and I had all our stuff set up and tucked away before orientation started, one month after our wedding. We did forget a couple of things that were kind of needed, but looking back, I am surprised we didn’t forget more. Planning a wedding, a huge move across the states, and our new lives together? While I was living at home in Cottonwood and at my apartment in Sioux Falls and both Dr. Coyote and I were working? We are both so thankful for all the family support we have gotten, just figuring this all out.

And although this is the last post of this series, it is by no means the end of our love story. As is the case with weddings and such: this is just the beginning.

 

Anna E. Meyer

It’s a Love Story: Part V

It was the case that I possibly suffered from “love brain” since probably this time. It just kept getting worse. And by “worse” I mean “awesomer.” For everyone who was worried that I would one day be a bridezilla, I was not. Stress about my upcoming wedding? Not me!

Dr. Wile E. Coyote and I had talked about colors a little, where I wanted to get married, etc, before he even proposed. I think the conversation happened in October or something. We had decided from the time that we were engaged until our wedding, we would not kiss. Every couple is different, and we didn’t have to do that, but we mutually agreed that among other things, it would make our marriage kiss sweeter.

Nobody I asked to be a bridesmaid had any reaction.

Christina: “Yeah, I thought that was the plan.”

Beth: “Well, I don’t like dressing up and stuff, but I will.”

Laura was in bed and playing on her phone when I asked her. She did smile big when I asked her to be MOH. I liked that. By the way, I took advantage of Laura being my MOH. I was her Barbie doll, after all. I thought she could come up with better church decorations than I could (I was right). In return, she threatened to make me do all these things for her wedding someday. We’ll see, Laura. We will see.

Everyone else I asked was a little more enthusiastic. (Notice all caps and/or exclamation points.)

Emily (personal attendant): “YES.” (No questions.)

Megan (usher): “Yeah!”

Berit (flute): “Yes!”

Jenni (usher): “Sure!”

Basically, people that I love, I wanted involved in my wedding. So I gave out a lot of jobs to many people. I wish I had more to give out, but it was fun. I actually asked my sisters to be in my wedding even before Dr. Wile E. Coyote proposed to me. And I asked Beth (his sister) as soon as we got back to Peshtigo, hehe. Because I had asked so many people to do things, I was like a conductor of a band or orchestra. “Ready, you do this. . . . And you do that!”

Being engaged is really fun. It’s more fun, for instance, to introduce your significant other as your fiancé instead of your boyfriend. We chose a general date (my parents said “no” to May because that was planting). We had friends getting married at the beginning of the month, so we were looking at a few options toward the end. Did you know that my birthday is November 28, and his is January 28? So it worked out perfectly that June 28^th was available at the church. Who would have thought that farmers in the area wouldn’t be all done planting by then? It was an odd spring, weather-wise. Also, I told people that my wedding day would be the first Saturday in June where it didn’t rain. And I think I was right!

Anyway, I had a to-do list, so every time I went home or there, or Dr, Wile E. Coyote came to where I was, we would check something off our list. And we did still try to get together every month or so. At the beginning of February, Doug came to Sioux Falls to visit. He stayed at Pastor Jason’s house. He met my roommates, and I got to show him around Sioux Falls, which was my stomping grounds during college. I remember that he was stressed that he was late, and I was stressed because I was cooking supper and it was not done when I thought it would be. But it all turned out for the best, really. He got to our apartment with 10 minutes left on supper (and I had to really scrub out that pan after he left again). We did cupcake taste-tests that visit, because we had decided on cupcakes for our wedding. I think I had to work a half day or something while he was in Sioux Falls, so he got his car worked on because it needed to be before he went back home. Anyway, he got me a rose, because Valentine’s day was coming up soon! I was touched, and it graced our table until the day it wilted.

It’s sad, that I don’t remember everything of those six months of being engaged. I do remember that Dr. Coyote came to Sioux Falls at least one other time. I remember that Dr. Coyote and his mom, Karen, came to Cottonwood so that Karen could see where the wedding and reception would be. I remember that we needed to meet with Pastor Jim for 3 in-person pre-marital counseling and we did. I remember slowly checking things off and not being stressed, much to my surprise and the surprise of a few others. I do remember other things, though:

In March, my parents and Dr. Coyote and I went to Pikeville, Kentucky to check out where we were going to be the next few years. Dr. Wile E. and I had already signed a lease after just seeing pictures, but we got an actual tour. And I went job searching like crazy. I had my resume, and I tried to hand it out to people, but nobody would even look at it. I had heard that I wouldn’t be able to get into the Pike County school system because I wasn’t related to anyone, but I didn’t know that that was such a true statement! The very last place I went in to ask about a job was a music store—Sound House Music. I think Dwain, the owner, liked my credentials and me in general, because he held the job for me until I got there in July! Simply wonderful, and a huge blessing I didn’t realize that the Lord was giving to us. My uncle Brian was concerned about me not having a purpose, or a job in KY. But boy, oh boy! That was like the cherry on the sundae of all the arrows God was pointing toward Kentucky. I felt better about moving all the way to Kentucky after that, for sure!

In April, I went to Peshtigo for Easter. Karen attempted to gather a bunch of the extended family so that they could meet me, and I them. Well, that probably wasn’t the sole reason they all came, but I did enjoy meeting them all immensely. I, unlike Dr. Coyote, did not have all names down after a weekend. (But they are mostly down now.) We had an Easter-egg hunt, and everything! It was a great weekend.

We didn’t get together in May, because at the very beginning of June, we were going to go to our best man’s wedding. But I couldn’t make it there! So we actually didn’t see each other until wedding week. Wedding week? I think that, and wedding, will be Part VI, appearing on Friday! I might have seven or eight parts to this story. You are still interested, right? Besides, someday, I’ll make this into a book or something or generations after us will read this and be like, “Aww. How cute! They used to plan everything in their weddings, themselves!” or something like that. 🙂

 

Until next time,

Anna

Poem: Marriage is Sandpaper

Today marks the day that I have been married two months.  Two months is such a short little time, but I wanted to share that Dr. Wile E. Coyote and I have already been growing tons.  We are two individual people, with two personalities, two sets of habits and ways to do things.  But marriage is sandpaper.  That, I’ve already experienced.  The sanding and refining has just been started, and I know that there is a journey ahead of us, as there is in any marriage.  But I rejoice because this sanding has been bringing us closer to Jesus– and I think that may be what’s supposed to happen.  Enjoy the poem.

 

Anna

 

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

 

I have been married so short a time,

But one thing I found right away:

Marriage is sandpaper.

 

 

Marriage is sandpaper.

It has a way of showing you sin,

Sin that has been hidden in your life

Longer than you realized.

 

Marriage is sandpaper.

It will show you the faults of your spouse

But be slow to judge—

Get that plank out of your own eye first.

 

Marriage is sandpaper.

It refines you to look more like Jesus.

Something that all Christians

Should strive for.

 

Marriage is sandpaper.

It prepares a project

For its finishing touches—

The marriage feast of the Lamb.

 

And if marriage is sandpaper,

What a perfect bridegroom Christ is,

Even before marriage to you.

Because he loves you.

 

Marriage is sandpaper.

But if it were not,

There’d be no way two individuals

Could make it work.

 

I am so glad

Marriage is sandpaper.

While it can grate harshly at times,

You and your spouse will shine.

 

Let your light shine in your marriage,

In your church,

And in the world.

Because marriage is sandpaper.

 

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7

 

In what ways has marriage been like sandpaper in your life?  How have you grown with your spouse over time? 

The First Week of Classes Complete: Update on Life of the Meyers

Books, books, books. I love reading. I love writing. I love having them on my bookshelf, even if I haven’t had TIME to read them yet. I finished writing my query today, and after I finish a synopsis, I shall start sending in my query and proposal (each agent calls for a different type of submission). Everything has been working out (again). I have had trouble with motivation and with writing just the right words in the past, but it has come together. Maybe it is because Dr. Wile E. Coyote has found his own niche for studying and has been at the library most of the weekend. Goodness, if this keeps up, I could have another three novels written before we get to clinicals! I have a list of things that I want to write but I have to take it one at a time. As I am working on the query and synopsis of my completed novel, I feel a push to begin the sequel. I have been learning so much about writing styles and writing in general from resources that I have been diving into! Also, I have found this whole new genre of books out there that fit mine completely: Christian urban-fiction. I’ve been reading reviews on Goodreads and going to websites and I just want to read all these books now, too! But of course, I don’t have time. I’ve discovered that this genre has been growing a lot since the late 80s, but I didn’t even know that until after I finished my book. And I’m just so excited about it, that I want to talk about it with people, but of course, they have not read it yet, because I am not yet published. *sigh* I’ll get there. (smiley face)

And THAT leads me to the totally awesome job I have at Sound House Music: teaching music lessons to students who are paying me for lessons and are excited because they WANT to learn. In public schools, you get those students that are just going through the motions because band is an “easy A” or their parents want them to play in band. I haven’t figured out how the music lessons and writing exactly will work hand-in-hand, but I have such a passion for both of them that is just erupting from my soul right now. I currently have 3 students, but another wants to get started when school starts up for him (public schools have already started here in Kentucky! Is that early or what?). And when word gets out that I can give lessons in more than just drums and piano, I will hopefully have even MORE students! I am so excited. I may have talked about all this here before, but I don’t care, because I’m just excited. Kind of like I’m excited to start sending my query in. I KNOW I’m going to get a lot of rejection before I will get a book published, and I KNOW that I beat myself up about music stuff too often. Which is great that God has been giving me such encouragement lately! – next paragraph –

I have talked about the friends that Doug and I have been making here, even before school started. Well, us and some friends I’ve mentioned here before, who I’ll call the “Bang!ers” because Bang! is the only game that is played when these particular people gather and play a game, met for a prayer night the Friday before classes started for our students. We first went around sharing prayer requests, and I shared how I didn’t feel “good enough” for my job at times. Among so much more prayer, that lie and those self-esteem issues were attacked. And I have been feeling the prayers. Much more, I can feel when those lies creep in and I throw them away, because God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). He has also given us authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19), so we can command it away. And this week, the small group I am in began going through Ephesians. We read Ephesians 1 for this weekend, and in our discussion Sunday morning, we talked all about our identity and how Paul tells us over and over of the many spiritual blessings we have received in Christ (it’s every spiritual blessing, actually!). The Lord has been attacking lies before The Student, as well, so we’ve been able to encourage each other. I am continually amazed by God’s incomparable love and blessings, his grace and his peace, and his constancy through EVERYTHING.

How is Dr. Coyote doing after this first week of classes? Well, he was at the library for hours at a time this weekend. It has been a roller coaster. Some days, it’s like, “Uuuuuugh,” and other days , it’s like, “This is the best ever!” Apparently, life of a med student. He has already been changing his study strategies until he found something that helps him study a lot better than his undergrad studying technique. His studying is like a roller coaster, as well. Sometimes, it’s like, “I was just plowin’ through!” and other times, it’s like, “I had to push to get it done.” Doug received his iPad keyboard today in the mail, and is currently geeking out about it. Maybe after supper, he’ll be done geeking out about the iPad, and be ready to geek out about anatomy? 😉

 

Adapting to this Kentucky resident/med schooler/spouse life! 🙂

 

Anna (AKA the native Minnesotan/music teacher/writer and science is like, whaaa?)

Things in Lists

Things I Find Easy:
– Being happy when Dr. Wile E. Coyote comes home for lunch and seeing him when we’re both at home in the evening (which, such as last night, was 9pm. Other times I’m home.  Other times I’m at work and it’s like 6 or 7).
– Writing Christian-based stories, poems, and blogs (and, if you’ve been following my blog here for awhile, may have seen a few stories and poems here and there, also! Feel free to check out the archives).
– Sleeping in our super-duper comfy bed (thanks, Papa Meyer!).

Things I Find Difficult:
– Remembering that my husband loves cell biology and is also a neat freak because of it (thus, the farm girl in me who doesn’t mind dirt and fat in meats gets only a tad annoyed).
– Researching agents who represent christian authors (and trying to figure out how to go about this whole “publishing” thing).
– Being a morning person after much disrupted sleep (because the whole symptom thing kind of stinks).

Things I Find Often:
– That I like to pray for my husband because God is super faithful.
– That I  looooove to write (and make lists, apparently) — I can’t stop, even if I tried.
– That I notice the MS, especially when I forget about a few of the exercises.

Things I Find Sometimes:
– A crabby husband (but don’t worry, he’s usually good at letting me in on why he’s stressed and a little….uncooperative?  Then I can help).
– An empty notebook (you know, the college-ruled kind that is on sale right now for back to school stuff.  *cough*).
– Stretching works!

Things I Find More Often Than I Thought I Would:
– An Anna hug when needed eases some stress and brings comfort; a Doug hug when needed is a release of tension and anxiety and no-more-words-just-ahhh.
– More than one book on our bookshelf by one author.
– Stretching works.

Things I Plan on Finding:
– Date night every week (smiley face).
– A whole lot of students that I can teach something at my music lesson job!
– A helpful exercise routine that my PTs keep telling me about..

Things I Hope to Find:
– Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment is amazing!
– An agent who is interested in selling my book!?
– What? Not even strangers notice the MS?

 

Other Things to Update You With:

– Dr. Wile E. Coyote is adapting to this med-student thing, and by next year, he’ll have it down.

– Work for me at Sound House Music has picked up a bit (and we expect it to pick up more with school starting and word getting out that I can teach all percussion, brass, woodwind, and piano).

– I have an infusion scheduled for Friday because THE ORDERS FOR MY MEDS CAME IN (after three weeks to a month of this hassle, mind you, but it did come!).

 

Sign-Offs:

– Peace out.

– Love you all!

– I like lists.

Anna

Cloud 9 has just landed in the real world. Gulp.

Today, it hit us.  All these changes?  Everything that’s going on?  Here is what we’re dealing with this year: first year of marriage, first year in a new culture, first year of med school, first year of my job.  New friends, new church family, new place to live.  All of this is catching up and trying to drag us down.  We’re not used to being married yet.  We’ve been married for a little over a month.  We broke down Dr. Wile E. Coyote’s schedule yesterday, and it looked great on paper.  But today, the FIRST day, it is a whole lot harder than it first seemed.  I don’t like when Dr. Coyote puts so much pressure on himself, and is that normal for med students?  And the headache that always comes with switching infusion sites, sending orders, and getting authorization AND insurance right where they are supposed to be has arrived.  I have gone more than two weeks past the last time I was supposed to recieve my medicine, and my symptoms are getting worse.  I have to be extra careful now.
But you know what?  It wasn’t long after we got here that we found friends and a church family.  They already love us and lift us up in prayer– I’m speechless.  And all the people at home that are praying for us?  We are so blessed.  I feel like that has been the theme of my life as of late: seeing all of God’s blessings in my life.  And, to top it all off, I started reading Ephesians today.  God chose us and predestined us as his adopted children.  He lavishes his grace upon us all, and we, his children, have access to his mighty power!  God takes every trial or bad thing that happens to us and uses it for his glory!  Not even the best author ever could do that!  Just God.  God, who loved us so much that he sent his son, who came to us and taught us and DIED for us.  When I love someone and I don’t see them for awhile, I might send them a Christmas card, but this?  Unheard of.  Everything God’s about is totally opposite of this world, and it’s quite amazing.
I have been warned by Dr. Wile E. Coyote himself that his appetite will be going through the roof (make four servings of every meal- two for Dr. Coyote during dinner, one for me during dinner, and one for my lunch the next day.  Got it!).  I have also been noticing that he is the best procrastinator ever (he is currently running a neck ahead of one of my sisters, who won’t read this blog post anyway).  Reason numero uno why he left his video game systems at home.  My husband is going to be an awesome doctor once he finishes up this adventure that he just began.  He is the only one I know that tells me excitedly, “I love this.  It’s biology all the time! Woo!”  He came home for lunch today, and I didn’t even get a chance to say much, because he was excitedly telling me what he had been learning that morning.  Everyone nerds out about something.  (What do YOU nerd out about?)
Prayers would be much appreciated for Dr. Wile E. Coyote and his studying, my MS, and my job.  We are trying to be spouses to each other at the same time as encourage one another and get things done.

I love you all, my readers!
Anna

An Update: Orientation Week Has Begun!

On Monday, Dr. Wile E. Coyote began orientation for med school! He has met his classmates and professors, has sat through tiring shpeals (is that a word?), and been pretty tired the whole day through. Everyone from home asks me “How’s married life?” as if that is a valid question. HELLO! I’VE BEEN MARRIED FOR A MONTH! HOW COULD IT NOT BE AWESOME!? Ahem. Yeah, it’s been going great. Now that I’m a distance away from everyone, I feel more of a need to keep “y’all” up to date on what has been going on in our lives!

My job at Sound House Music: I am the new lessons coordinator. After The Student came home on Monday, we went into SHM together, and he helped me move heavy stuff and decorate 2/4 lesson rooms that were not being used for lessons that night. I met 2/3 existing lesson instructors, also. So, two of the rooms we got vacuumed out and a little more than just posters up on the wall. I plan to go back more this week. It’s been a lot of background and behind-the-scenes stuff, and I’m kind of at a standstill until some more people get back to me. I’ll start getting paid when I start giving lessons. SHM has never had band lessons given through them before, so hopefully, there will be a lot of people jumping at it (even though I’m a little inexperienced, teaching music is one of my faves). And maybe, I’ll even get to give lessons pretty much full time (which would be awesome!). We’re looking for a guitar instructor now, because there is a waiting list of guitar students. And I’m trying to get ahold of some band teachers to discuss this new lesson thing with! And they were in need of a percussion instructor, too—good thing that’s my forte!

Dr. Wile E. Coyote and Med School: As I mentioned, this week has been orientation week. Earlier this month, the First Year and I were trying to get plugged into a church and into whatever else.   We met a few people for lunch or drinks (sweet tea and pop…which they call soda here). So, we’ve talked with a lot of second years already. Doug told me after the first day of orientation that he feels so much more prepared than so many of the other first years seem to be. And I think he is! If I can be so vulnerable as to say that there’s been some stress already at the thought of constant studying, prioritizing, and getting everything done well? On both of our parts. We’d much appreciate some prayer. But it’s exciting, and Dr. Coyote is excited to be a student again! He LIKES learning, which is good for him at this point in life. So, him and a bunch of other med students or healthcare professionals or students are talking about something and I just shrug. I’M A MUSIC TEACHER. I don’t really care about some of the things they discuss sometimes. It’s interesting. Last night, we had a church meeting thing—the pastor’s wife got up and spoke about whenever her husband asks for testimonies, it reminds her of her grandma. “Don’t you have something to share for Jesus?” she’d ask. And as a girl, she didn’t. All this avoiding doing things for Jesus, and now she’s a pastor’s wife. I can relate. I would always tune out when someone would tell me why something happened or what was going on inside my body. I still have troubles listening when they tell me to stretch or exercise. And now I’m married to a man who will be a doctor! Irony? Nah. Go back to this post. God totally knows what he’s doing. Anyway, for classes, the students have to dress up professionally, so that’s another point of this week. Getting them used to getting dressed up and sitting in a classroom for hours of lecture. But hey—my husband looks good when he’s leaving for classes and coming home.

The Culture: I have been asked many times about this from folk back home. Nothing strange finds its way to OUR table, because I’m the one cooking. And I’m a Scandinavian and also a farm girl who grew up on a diet of steak and potatoes. And I haven’t had too much practice in cooking except for scrambled eggs and toast. And Minnesota’s infamous “hamburger rice hotdish.” You know, one of those meals where there IS no recipe, everyone just knows it? So, I’ve been beginning to go through cookbooks and following most of the directions and trying things out. (Thanks, Karen and Pam for the cookbooks, and everyone else who gave me fun new recipes to try!) I’ve been learning a lot. I learn by DOING, which is why this is good. The culture! That’s what this paragraph is about. I love the three-part harmonies that are so rich. Every Sunday, we can sing a contemporary song, but with the harmonies, it sounds totally different! And, I don’t know what’s in the water here, but there are so many people who, music just comes naturally to them. I was talking to my boss at SHM, and he said that he doesn’t like it, either. I mean, it’s cool, but we’ve both put in HOURS of practice, and those kind of people can just pick up a new instrument and play beautifully. Music is big around here. And I rather like it. The driving—apparently it’s only here in Pikeville where there seem to be no rules, but one must be careful and not too slow. Just go with the speed of traffic, because they don’t necessarily always follow the road signs. Just an observation.

Everything else: Wonderful. Our house is all set up, and kept tidy for the most part. It’s not big, but it’s home and it’s OURS. It’s been unseasonably cool this summer, and I am NOT complaining. We are making friends and hanging out with them a bunch. I have been learning to slow the speed of my speech. Even though I still have to repeat things a lot of the time and need them to repeat things at times. Also, I wouldn’t mind picking up an accent. It would be fun. However, my accent is unique, as well. I met someone who knew a Minnesotan years ago and was fascinated with the accent of the drawn-out “ooh”s. I guess I just have to meet in the middle or something. I’m a good mimicker, though. Just ask for an accent and I’ll try my best! 🙂

 

Keepin’ it real while living in this brand new state of Kentucky!

Anna

Prayer Really Is Powerful.

I have started reading this book that I received at one of my wedding showers from my aunt Sheryl. It is a book by Stormie Omartian called “The Power of a Praying Wife,” and I highly recommend it for any Christian wife, no matter her stage in life. Anyway, through it, God has been showing me the kind of wife that he wants me to be. He keeps leading me back to scripture, showing me what all exactly I am called to do to be Dr. Wile E. Coyote’s wife. “How can I be the wife of a med student?” I have been praying for a month now. “Everyone says I need to be his support, but I don’t know how to do it!” Fervently, I have prayed for his help. But, you know, I didn’t really know how he’d answer. OH MY GOODNESS. Ask God for something specifically and expect an answer, and HE WILL GIVE IT! All you have to do is give him the opportunity.

Last night, Dr. Wile E. Coyote and I were invited over for a game night with some other Christian med students and their wives/families. Scott and Tammy, we had met in church on Sunday. And then we also met Andy and Sarah, John and Leslie, as well as the adorable children of John and Leslie (John’s a fourth year) and Scott and Tammy (Scott’s a second year), who were already friends with each other. We were playing this game called “Bang!” and Doug asked, “So, what is the best and worst part of being married to a med student?” That is all he asked, and he told me the next day that he had no idea where that question came from. But, alas, it led to some amazing conversation and advice from the wives of those students! Who did some OMT on The First Year. J According to all the wives, being practiced on for OMT (which I think stands for Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment? Correct me if I’m wrong) is one of the best things about being married to the student of an osteopathic med school. Especially this one! ‘Cuz they push OMT here in Pikeville a lot. And, it is a little known fact that KYCOM is one of the best schools for osteopathy. But boy, are they proud of it in this town! Plus, if you need a chiropractor or have pain in some muscle, there are a bunch of students who need practice, anyway.

God has specifically been answering so many prayers for this big faith step taken by Dr. Coyote and I. I just can’t get over it! I have a job, a great place to live, and FRIENDS. I have a purpose here in this town, and a reason for doing what I’m doing (being a teacher, the wife of a med student, etc). And here’s a prayer that wasn’t even prayed by us—John and Leslie dated long-distance, as well, so they were telling us how hard the first year was for them, because they never went through that “dating normally” stage. Like today, when Pre-Doc Wile E was looking everywhere for the scissors we used yesterday. I can misplace my phone after 45 seconds of being in the house. It’s one of those things that many couples get over while dating. It’s whatever.

Dr. Wile E. Coyote and I have been appreciating all of the prayers that have been coming our way. We are SO blessed to know all of you! We are getting plugged in here and acclimated to the culture that is so not like that of the Upper Midwest. Next week will be a transition week, as Dr. Coyote begins orientation and I do more at Sound House Music. I’ve already been meeting people (okay, one person) who wants their child to take lessons from me!

So blessed.

So thankful.

Praising God for his mercies and grace,

Anna

God is SO Stinkin’ Faithful

He knows me too well. I mean, I married the man, but I didn’t know how quick he’d notice things. Then again, Dr. Wile E. Coyote (my HUSBAND for almost three weeks now!) is very observant. Only when he wants to be observant, I guess. Considerate. That’s a good word. So, we’re almost done unpacking. He even grouped what’s left to go through: my stuff in a corner, his stuff is pretty much gone through, these over there, those over here, etc. So I knew that he’d be going to a men’s bible study on Thursday night. I came up with all these ideas in my head: D is going to be so happily surprised! ‘Cuz we’re newlyweds, and we like surprising each other. I’ve even been cooking! Before Dr. Coyote walked out the door, however, he told me: “As soon as you’re done hanging this up, I want you to sit down. I cleared a spot for you in the office, with a computer and your chair. I don’t want you unpacking your stuff or doing dishes or anything. Just sit down and rest.” UGH! How did he KNOW that I was going to do that? He continued: “I notice you’re having trouble today, and I think it’s because you’ve been on your feet and doing things for most of the day. So just go in and WRITE.” Okay. So, it took my mother a while to see when things are happening. But that’s because when I was diagnosed, we all were learning about this MS. But seriously. It hasn’t even been three weeks, and my husband notices when I’m having troubles with this symptom or that?

Then it kind of just came to me. I’m ALWAYS on the go. At least until I crash and am way too tired to do anything. I guess when I met this awesome man who wanted to marry me, MS and all, I didn’t know how much of a help he’d be. In the guest blog post he wrote, “Dating Someone with MS,” he mentioned that sometimes God may use him. HE HAS. Goodness. The other day, we were reading some of my old journals where I kind of gushed about The Med Student, and then in the journals, I’d pray for the guy I was crushing on, because I wanted the best for him. And I still do. There actually came a point (this was in the two years of not knowing how he felt), where I prayed that he’d meet someone he needed; someone that would be good for him, who loved him as he deserved. Little did I know at the time that it would be me. Anyway, looking at those prayers I wrote out for D in my journals, I can see now how they have been answered. And I’ve been surrendering the MS to God and asking for help. So what does God do? Decide that I should get married to the man who will notice my left foot slapping or my knee not bending or extra trips to the bathroom because of bladder issues. Dang it, God! You are SO faithful! And sovereign and perfect and the most creative author of life EVER! Seriously.

Today, I read Proverbs 13. Verse 12 reads, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” And then verse 19, “A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.” A longing fulfilled? I thought of D’s and my story. And God’s just been so FAITHFUL and ENCOURAGING. I see “a longing fulfilled” as “a prayer answered.” It is the presence of God, when prayers are being said from across the nation for a person or throughout the world for an issue. When prayers are being said as I’m writing them in my journal, God is there. Sometimes he tells me “not now,” even though I can’t always hear that very clearly. (It took Dr. Wile E. Coyote to tell me that he was interested in me to realize that God had been saying “not now” to a few of my earlier prayers.) Sometimes he tells me “no,” by circumstances or a changing of my still-stubborn mind. But in the last…year, especially, he has been answering “yes” so much. At last. Things are falling into place. I have a job lined up (and apparently it’s pretty hard to find a job here…unless God orchestrates the perfect job for you and you didn’t realize it until you met with your future boss and he tells you what’s up…), Dr. Coyote and I have a beautiful place to live (with AWESOME landlords), four parents who know that D and I are starting out paying for med school and are so very helpful (I love you, all our parents!), D is connecting with med students the month before school starts, and we found a church home and have been making friends through it since the very first day we were in Pikeville, Kentucky. It makes me sigh in contentment. See? Even though I may have been…irritated when I started writing, it only took seeing God and all he’s been doing to let me relax.

I am kind of scared about when The Student starts med school. I have been told that my support will be huge, but how? I have never been the wife of a med student before. I have a job lined up, but there are so many dang unknowns. There are so many unknowns when it comes to Dr. Coyote, as well. He has never been a med student before. He doesn’t know what it’ll be like! But in the meantime, we are enjoying our time together. We are making this place our home, and getting to know the community. With my name change, I’ll be getting a Kentucky ID, for goodness sake! But I KNOW, that no matter what, God’s presence is with me. He is my longing fulfilled. And I trust him with the unknowns. I trust him to be a good wife, and a favorite music teacher. I trust him to be a published author. I TRUST.

How are we doing, you ask? Well. What is the best part about being married? Not being nine hours away and seeing my honey every day. How are our thank yous coming? ….you’ll get them. Don’t worry! 😉

 

Keepin’ it real,

Anna E. Meyer