My American Dog

October is arguably my favorite month of the year. The leaves begin to orange and the weather starts to cool- bringing some much needed relief from the smoldering TX summers. Halloween celebrations begin with ghoulish and goose-bump-raising frights, and it is also (as I recently learned) Pitbull Awareness Month.

Just over a year and a half ago, K and I adopted a charming, 3 year old Chinese Shar-Pei, Pit-mix named Rosalind. Of course, the only thing people see in her is the ladder "breed" specification. When I found her, I had been volunteering at the SPCA for almost a full year, and there she was, curled up in her kennel looking very sad and small. She had recently been transferred in from another shelter, depressed and underweight. However, when I took her out to socialize, I could not understand why she didn't have a forever home yet. Less than a week later, she was in our home. Now, Ros is affectionately referred to as our Boo Bear; she's afraid of thunder and running water. She loves cuddling on the couch with mommy and playing tug-of-war with daddy. She is friendly around strangers and playful with other dogs, which is no surprise to me knowing that the American Pitbull Terrier is ranked as the fourth best breed in temperament tests, scoring "better than Collies, Golden Retrievers, and Beagles."¹ Yet still, it breaks my heart that some people see her and think she is a vicious monster that they need to go out of their way to avoid. Although the notion takes me aback, it isn't surprising. "Pitbulls are condemned by the general public and vilified in the media. When a Cocker Spaniel, [Chihuahua, or Labrador] bites, it does so as a member of its species; it is never anything but a dog. When a pitbull bites, it does so as a member of its breed. A pitbull is never anything but a pitbull."²

It's funny just how much raw emotion and power is behind the word pitbull when they're not actually a breed. Pitbull is, in fact, a loose term for many distinct bully breed dogs"³ which include "12 different breeds... from Boston Terriers to Neopolitan Mastiffs."¹ Since the characteristics of a pitbull are found across such a large spectrum, pits can be seen in an abundance of dogs, and those shared "traits are reshaping what we think of as the American dog, which is to say the American mutt. A few generations ago, the typical mutt was a rangy dog with a long snout and pricked ears- a shepherd mix. Now it looks like a pitbull,"² and Rosalind, for all intents and purposes, is a mutt. She has that broad, muscular chest and wide smile of the bully breeds, but she also has half floppy ears, and the coat of a labrador. At 42 lbs, she could be described a "pocket pit," which essentially means she has some smaller, unidentifiable breed(s) coded into her genome. It's not like Shar-pei's are little dogs!

Pitbull is such a powerful word, and it tends to elicit diametric emotions. "There are their fearful detractors, those who would have them demonized, having fallen prey to the dogs’ misrepresentation in the media. And then there are their champions, who are struggling to change the tide of public opinion. "³ This disparity is evident in the fact that I have had an instructor at school feel the need to educate me on the dangers and unpredictability of pitbulls, ending his lecture by simply stating: "I'm not saying you should put your dog down, but I wouldn't put my face next to it's face." On the other hand, the love for pits is easily seen by the countless Instagram accounts and TV shows dedicated to their lives and rescue stories (Rosalind is no exception; you can follow her @stardustbabey). Those who know pitties and pit-mixes will protest to their haters that "bully breeds are goofy, loyal, [loving] dogs, by and large fantastic with children. In the UK, they were known as 'nanny' dogs, and many Victorian illustrations of family life portray a sweet Pit Bull-type dog overseeing his chubby,"³ little human pack members.

Pit bulls are more than the myths spread about them. They are more than stocky bodies and heart shaped heads. They are more than their devotion and gentle nature. I LOVE my dog. I can't even remember what my life was like before she was a normal fixture in our daily routine. I can't help but smile when I imagine her growing old as our future children grow up, and I get a lump in my throat when I think about how her short life will end and one day she will leave my side. Rosalind is a great ambassador for the bully breeds; yes, she is a pit-mix, but she is also so much more than that, and she is so much more than just our dog. The fact of the matter is "30% of the total dogs admitted to U.S. animal shelters are labeled as pitpulls [and] 86.7% of pitbulls admitted to shelters end up being killed."¹ This means that "anywhere from 800,000 to nearly 1 million"¹ pits and pit-mixes are euthanized each year. When you take a second to think about it, Rosalind has beat overwhelming odds just to stay alive, and if you have any doubts as to why she's stolen our hearts all you have to do is meet her- my American dog.


1. visualizing.org/full-screen/51374
2. esquire.com/features/american-dog-0814
3. moderndogmagazine.com/articles/what-it-about-pit-bulls/17294

Mr. & Mrs. LaRosa

It's hard to believe that only a mere week has passed since our wedding. After all the planning, and the expenses, and the family and friends that journeyed out to California to cerebrate with us... it went by in the blink of an eye. Now, I've been told by both my parents and the in-laws that everyone enjoyed themselves. And, I've been told by numerous guests that the whole event was beautiful- by the way, I could not believe how many people told us they had no intentions of crying, only to find themselves holding back tears when we read our vows. It's reassuring to know that my vision for our wedding came together as I'd hoped, and I can barely wait the allotted 4-6 weeks to see the professional photos! For those who were unable to join us for our wedding, here is the ceremony script (including our heartfelt, self-written vows) and several photos taken by guests throughout the event; hopefully it'll feel as real to you as it did to those who were there!

THE QUESTION
Officiant: Who brings this bride to be married today?

F: Her mother and I do.

WELCOME
Officiant: Let us begin. Welcome family, friends, and loved ones. We gather here today to witness one of life's greatest moments. In their love for one another, K and S wish to unite in the bonds of marriage, and to dedicate themselves to each other’s happiness and well-being as husband and wife. On behalf of the Bride and Groom, I welcome you all.

FOUNDATION
Officiant: Marriage is a supreme sharing, and perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure in the closest of human relationships. It is a bold step and a promise taken together into an unknown future; it is risking who we are for the sake of who we can be.

That is because in marrying we promise to love not just as we feel right now, but also as we intend to feel in the future. In marriage we not only say, “I love you today,” but also “I promise to love you tomorrow.” Marriage symbolizes the intimate sharing of two lives, but this sharing must not diminish the uniqueness of each partner. It should enhance it and allow each person to grow as an individual as well as together; for by growing together in love, it is possible to share both the joys of life and the burdens of sorrow.

In marriage, we give ourselves freely and generously into the hands of the one we love, and in doing so, each of us receives the dedication and trust of the other in return. This wedding is more than a celebration of the love which lives in K and S's hearts today; even as the gift of love is shared by these two people, it knows no bounds. The devotion they have to one another also touches the friends and family members who support and contribute to their relationship in various ways. 

OFFICIANT’S ADDRESS
Officiant: And so, we are all present in this moment to witness a marriage that began with friendship, and from that beginning, has grown to love; it is a love so deep

that it has inspired these two people to unite and spend the remainder of their lives together. Although this is their day, the wedding of K and S is also a tribute to every one of you. All of you are present in this moment because, in one way or another, you have been a part of their lives, and by knowing and interacting with you, each person here has helped to make them who they needed to be to find one another.

You have all traveled from near and far, to share in the formal commitment they make today, to cherish the words which join them, and to allow K and S to start their married life surrounded by the people most important to them. As such, I encourage you all to celebrate their marriage; dance, eat, laugh, drink, and be glad as they begin this journey together. 

PARENTAL/FAMILY & FRIENDS HONORING
Officiant: Today represents not only the joining of K and S, but also the joining of their families, and so they want to take this time to acknowledge their parents on this occasion. R & K LaRosa and F Vera & S Ross, K and S offer their profound gratitude to you all for the care you have shown in raising them. As you continually watched, guided, and encouraged them through childhood, so too were you there when they found each other, and the unconditional love and support that you have given has inspired them to offer the same to one another. Without you, this day would not be possible, and it is fitting that today they are here before you, as they have always been, to ask you to witness their joining.

Today, as their lives, which began on separate paths, unite as one, they request that you will still be there to support them. To be present in joyous and difficult times, and to be there for your future grand-children, who will need your guidance as well. And truly, they thank you from the bottom of their hearts. 

READINGS
Officiant: In the spirit of family, K and S have asked K's sister, to read a poem about love by James Kavanaugh.

N:
To love is not to possess,
To own or imprison,
Nor to lose one's self in another.
Love is to join and separate,
To walk alone and together,
To find a laughing freedom
That lonely isolation does not permit.
It is finally to be able
To be who we really are
No longer clinging in childish dependency
Nor docilely living separate lives in silence,
It is to be perfectly one's self
And perfectly joined in permanent commitment
To another--and to one's inner self.
Love only endures when it moves like waves,
Receding and returning gently or passionately,
Or moving lovingly like the tide
In the moon's own predictable harmony,
Because finally, despite a child's scars
Or an adult's deepest wounds,
They are openly free to be
Who they really are--and always secretly were,
In the very core of their being
Where true and lasting love can alone abide.

Officiant: We will now have S's brother read a quote about love by Bob Marley.

T: “Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say- and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved, and the many disappointments that life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy, or competition, but only a quiet calmness when you are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they think of you, because they love you for who you are… You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting, and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.”
DECLARATION OF INTENT
Officiant: At this time, K and S will make public their intention to marry. K and S, you have both freely and deliberately chosen each other as partners, and so I ask:

Will you, K, receive this woman to be your wedded wife, beloved spouse and partner? Will you pledge your devotion and tenderness, cherishing her as your wife as long as you both shall live?

K: I will (To the Crowd: I will).

Officiant: Will you, S, take this man to be your wedded husband, beloved spouse and partner? Will you pledge your devotion and tenderness, cherishing him as your husband as long as you both shall live?

S: I will (To the Crowd: Samesies).

HANDS CEREMONY
Officiant: K and S, please face each. Take each other’s hands and clasp them tightly, so that you may know their true meaning.

K,
These are the hands of your friend, holding yours on your wedding day.
Smooth, young and carefree, these are the hands that will hold you tight and give you strength when you need it.
These are the hands that will hold and comfort you when sickness, fear or grief may find you.
These are the hands that will love you, support and encourage you for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your newborn children, soothing them, nurturing them, and encouraging them as they grow.
These are the hands that will work with yours as you chase down the dreams you share together.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours.

S,
These are the hands of your friend, holding yours on your wedding day.
Young, strong and vibrant, these are the hands that will hold you tight and give you strength when you need it.
These are the hands that countless times, will wipe the tears of joy and sorrow from your eyes.
These are the hands that will love you, and with the slightest touch will comfort you.
These are the hands that you will place with joy against your stomach, until he too feels his child stir from within you.
These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as you build a future together.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours.

May the hands that you both hold now have strength to hold on through life’s hardships. May they be kind and gentle as they nurture each other in love. May these hands build a marriage founded in caring, respect, and admiration, reaching together to bring forth the very best in you both. May they build a loving relationship that lasts a lifetime.

As you promise to love each other all the days of your life, may these hands always be held by one another.

VOWS & EXCHANGE OF RINGS
Officiant: And so we come to the presentation of rings by which you symbolize and bind your love. May I have the rings, please?

The wedding ring is a symbol of unity, an everlasting circle without beginning or end. And today, K and S give and receive these rings as a demonstration of their vows to make a single life together, to work at all times to create a love that is whole and unbroken, and to love each other infinitely. This ring is a symbol of your marriage and a symbol of the life you will share as one.

K and S, please turn to each other and share the vows you have written.

K:
S,
This is the happiest moment of my life.
I could not ask for a better woman to stand with me tonight.
You are the love of my life.
You always cheer me up when I am feeling down.
You calm my nerves when I am feeling anxious
(To the Crowd: except for this moment, right now).
And you tell me to eat when I am feeling grumpy.
I cannot imagine my life without you.

I know that life is not easy and that we will face hardships.
Sleepless nights and stressful days are in our future.
I vow to always work with you to overcome these obstacles.
I vow to always be there to support you as you will be there to support me.
And I vow to always put away the dishes.

I look forward to the years ahead of us,
To the places we will go together,
To the memories we will have together,
And to the life we will make together.
I love you S, and always will.

I give you this ring as a daily reminder of my love, and with it I pledge my faithfulness to you. From this day forward, I promise to honor and treasure you: today, tomorrow, and always.

S:
K,
I love you with everything I am, and everything I hope to be.
I love you because you put others ahead of yourself and because you hold me close and dance with me in the kitchen. I love you because you kiss me good-bye in the morning- even if I’m still asleep, and because you can reach things on the high shelves I can’t.

You make me believe in us and you make me believe in myself.

I know sometimes its hard being with me- I know that. But I’m a better person because I am with you. This is why I offer you everything- because without you I am nothing.

And so today, and forever, I promise to look after you and up to you, to hold you tight but not hold you back, to pick you up when you fall, and to remind you who you are when you’ve forgotten. And I promise to stay by your side as you stay by mine.

So, I give you this ring as a daily reminder of my love and with it I pledge my faithfulness to you. From this day forward, I promise to honor and treasure you: Today, tomorrow, and always.

CONSECRATION
Officiant: Now, may the love that has brought you together continue to grow. May today’s celebration remain with you as a sign of the partnership you have formed. May the love and happiness that you feel in this moment continue to grow deeper and stronger, and may every word you have spoken here be a living truth in your life together.

PROCLAMATION & KISS
Officiant: K and , in the presence of your family and friends, today you have vowed to share your lives through marriage. And so, in accordance with the laws of the state of California, it is my legal right and privilege to declare you husband and wife.

K, you may now kiss the bride.

CONCLUSION
Officiant: Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I present to you, for the first time as husband and wife, Mr. & Mrs. K and S LaRosa.

Springtime Smiles

Spring officially arrived at the end of March, but of course, in classic North Texas fashion, we still had the occasional winter weather sprinkled in with torrential rain and terrible humidity. Lucky for us though, the Springtime weather seems like it's finally sticking around; I can't even remember the last time it wasn't sunny, breezy, and in the mid 70's! I mean, if there is one thing Texas gets right, it's the amazing April weather. Honestly, it almost makes up for it being too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, and this past week K and I got to take full advantage of the season and all of the wonders that come with it; it was by far the most eventful week we've had this year!

On Saturday, we spontaneously jumped at the chance to snag an extra pair of FC Dallas Soccer tickets being offered by one of K's coworkers/slow pitch softball teammates. Did you read that sentence carefully? Notice anything strange? I'm talking about the word "spontaneous," which no one would ever use to describe me. Nonetheless, we truly enjoyed ourselves as we munched on tasty/terrible for you stadium food, as we rocked the FC Dallas jerseys we borrowed from my younger brother, and as we watched FC Dallas beat up on the Canadians (they did win 2-1 over Toronto, after all).
Monday night, after a long day in the clinic for me, and an even longer day of class and research for K, we hopped on the DART to watch Game 3 in the Dallas Stars vs Anaheim Ducks Stanley Cup Playoff series. This past hockey season K and I kept saying "We should get tickets to a Stars game," but it never actually happened. Once I realized that the playoffs had already started- lucky for us, the Stars made it to the playoffs this year- I spontaneously bought tickets to Mondays game so that we could finally make good on our plans to see the Stars play at the American Airlines Center (there’s that word again- spontaneous. I guess the weather isn’t the only thing changing this season). I’d forgotten just how exciting hockey games are; prior to Monday, I don’t think I’d been to a game since 1999 when we went to Game 7 of the Western Conference final the year the Stars won the Stanley Cup. It was nice to yell “Stars” during the National Anthem, swing the rally towel, and share in K’s first Dallas Stars experience with a win at home during the playoffs. Hopefully next year we won't have to wait until playoffs to go see them!

In what could end up being the coincidence of the year, my younger brother was also at the game, and ended up sitting just 3 rows in front of us in the same section. We also both ended up wearing the jerseys of two different 1999 Stars players; throw back Monday is a thing, right?

The Vera siblings proudly representing Jamie Langenbrunner and Derian Hatcher.

Tuesday night, K had a co-ed slow pitch softball game, but I won't go into that. This season is kind of a touchy subject given the fact they have yet to win a game...

Rosalind has become quite the softball fan.

Wednesday night, while K was slaving away as a PhD student researcher, I got to get dressed up and dine at Maggiano's with the Texas Association of Women Dentists. Our end of the year banquet is always such an awesome event. Aside from the super delicious multi-course dinner, it's always fun to see everyone OUT of school and OUT of scrubs. Although, even if you take the dental students out of dental school... we don't have anything else to talk about!

The D3 TAWD girls enjoying a night out.

Thursday, K and I found ourselves at the Dallas Arboretum with a bunch of BCD people to watch The Molly Ringwalds (they're an 80's cover band, get it?) perform as part of the Thursday Night Concert Series. We laid on our blanket, eating dinner, sipping wine, and watching the sun set over White Rock Lake- all while rockin' out to classic 80's songs. The company was good and the weather was fantastic. It could not have been a better night!
Friday was basically our "night off," and it was a much needed break after all the previous events of the week. That night, K and I stayed in, we cooked dinner and watched Game 5 of the Stars vs Ducks as we cuddled with the pup on the couch. It was a really relaxing night, but about half way through the game, things got a little more exciting when K and I both got a very important email from 23andMe with some really big news; the results from our DNA tests were in! Now, I realize that the idea of a "DNA test" is a little strange, but I promise there's a perfectly good reason we had our genetic ancestry tested... Really, the ONLY reason was to determine if K is actually Italian (his great-grandfather, Vito LaRosa, was adopted and his birth mother's last name was O'Flannahan or McGrady or something equally and clearly Irish.) And since I like looking at family trees and other similar things pertaining to family heritage, I got my ancestral DNA tested for kicks. All-in-all, I think our money was well spent; the results from our tests were fantastic (it's pretty amazing what information you can get from just a saliva sample)! The preliminary results that we got about a week ago showed us what percentage of our DNA is Neanderthal DNA- that was a surprise to both of us when we learned I have MORE Neanderthal DNA than K... I mean, have you seen that kid's brow line?! Anyway, the main results are what arrived Friday and if you take a look below, you're in for quite a treat.

As you can see from the picture above, the information we got is super interesting; for starters, K is ZERO percent Italian (he's not even a little bit Southern European, for that matter), he's predominantly British/Irish (it seems mama LaRosa's suspicions were dead on), and he's as much Ashkenazi Jewish as I am Iberian! It's pretty funny, because K is as much of a white person as someone can possibly get; my results, however, are little more exotic. I'll let you take a moment to get a closer look at that; try not to be alarmed when your mind is totally blown away by my genetic ancestry...

Following some pretty in depth discussions about our DNA results, I turned in early (while K stayed up and witnessed the super depressing results of the Stars game), and for good reason because Saturday was my BACHELORETTE PARTY!!! I can't believe how quick it came- it seems like just yesterday we were trying to set a date for it! Saturday morning, K and I ran a bunch of errands and did a bunch of chores, finishing just in time for my lovely Matron of Honor and Bridesmaids to come over and do my hair and make-up before they had to run to our hotel to set up for the night's festivities. Now, while the first half of the day was pretty mundane, the night was anything but boring. We started the festivities at the Hilton Anatole, followed by a ride in a stretch limo to dinner at Dee Lincoln's (which also doubles as a champagne bar), followed by stops at the Round Up Saloon, and S4 (pictures not included)!

Even K got to join us at the hotel before we got our "twerk" on.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to have such wonderful friends!!! The girls who planned the night, I've known for over 10 years; the girls who joined us from BCD, truly make dental school bearable. I love those ladies to death, and I'm so glad they got to be apart of such a memorable night!

Another One Bites the Dust

Trust me, I know that this blog entry is LONG overdue. I had good intentions to fill you in on what's been going on in my life at the end of summer break, during fall break, again over winter break, and even at the end of our first week back to school this semester; unfortunately things didn't quite work out the way I'd intended. Things like meeting my Matron of Honor and her husband in New Orleans for a weekend getaway, going to California to see Kevin's cousin get married, celebrating my five year anniversary with Kevin, delivering my first official gold crown and full set of dentures, spending Christmas and New Year's Eve in Southern California, and turning a quarter of a century old all required me to be present in their respective moments, so blogging just fell to the wayside. Is it too cliché to say that I was too busy living life to write about it?

Nonetheless, my sincerest apologies to you all. But, fear not, because I. AM. BACK. And, I'm here to fill you in on all those little moments that have been occurring in my life over the last six months. Are you ready? I promise I'll try to keep it short...

JULY
New Orleans, LA

After mentioning to Kevin about how ridiculous it was that I'd grown up in Texas, but somehow never managed to visit Louisiana, we decided that at the end of summer clinic we would take a weekend to go to New Orleans. Kevin and I made plans to drive the 7 hours from Dallas to NOLA and meet my life-long friend and Matron of Honor, Ashley, and her husband, Josh, for a couples' vacation. We felt very adult! We left a little after lunch on Thursday, but due to some unforeseen traffic at the Texas-Louisiana border, we didn't make it to our hotel until almost midnight (we barely beat Ashley and Josh, despite the fact that their drive from San Antonio was longer than ours and they left after work).

St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. Crossing the TX-LA border. The St.Charles Street Car.

It took a lot of research and asking around, but thanks to Frommer's Guide to New Orleans and one of my lovely classmates, Vivi, Ashley and I created a very manageable itinerary for our 2 days of sight seeing.

FRIDAY:
Jazz Brunch at Court of Two Sisters
Walking Tour of the French Quarter
Lunch at Central Grocery
Ride the Canal St./Algiers Ferry
Dinner at the Acme Oyster House

SATURDAY:
Breakfast at Cafe du Monde
Walking Tour of Garden District
Lunch at Tracy's
WWII Museum
Dinner at Vincent's Italian Restaurant
Dessert at Creole Creamery

Architecture of the French Quarter and the Garden District.

Despite all of our planning, things didn't really go according to plan (which we should have expected after the fiasco Kevin and I went through trying to get to Seattle last Spring Break). Friday morning, the Court of Two Sisters was closed for a private event during brunch. Friday afternoon the St. Charles Street Car seemed to stop running, leaving us at the stop we were at, and Friday at dinner time, the wait for the Acme Oyster house produced a line that went down the block. But, we made the best of it. We skipped brunch and jumped right into our walking tour of the French Quarter (but, we did it in reverse so that we could get lunch before the humidity and hunger made us all crabby and mean). We soaked up the eclectic NOLA culture by browsing the street art surrounding Jackson Square and listening to Jazz bands playing on the street corners, we tried the original muffuletta at Central Grocery, we drank Hurricanes and Mint Julips on the patio of Pat O'Briens after strolling down Bourbon Street, we escaped from the sun and heat and rode the ferry across the Mississippi River (doesn't it remind you of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?), and at the end of our long first day of vacation, we let our exhaustion take over and grabbed a deck of cards, drinks, snacks, and aloe vera from the Walgreens across the street and had a relaxing night in Ashley and Josh's hotel room.


Since we'd missed out the day before, Saturday morning we woke up early to guarantee a table at the Court of Two Sisters, and we gorged ourselves on their amazing buffet (Ashley was the only one brave enough to try their turtle soup. Although now that I think about it, she might have succeeded in convincing a very reluctant Josh to taste it as well...). With our bellies full, we hopped on a street car and rode to the Garden District where we did another walking tour. This time we wandered around the graves and mausoleums of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, grabbed a Po' Boy at Tracy's for lunch, and stopped for coffee and a snack to escape the occasional rain at The Rink. We completed our lazy Saturday afternoon at the World War II Museum before heading back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Our last night in New Orleans, we treated ourselves to a nice dinner at Vincent's Italian Restaurant and sampled exotic ice cream flavors at the Creole Creamery. Sunday morning arrived way to soon for all four of us, but before we headed out on the long drive back to Texas, we made our way to the French Quarter one last time for coffee and beignets at the ever popular Cafe du Monde.

AUGUST
San Luis Obispo, CA

As the fall semester crept closer and closer, Kevin and I found ourselves traveling one more time before school started again. This time, to see his cousin get married. We flew from Dallas to the cursed San Francisco airport where we changed planes to fly into San Luis Obispo. Lucky for us, there were no major complications with our travels. My only complaint was that the plane we took to SLO was so small that it had PROPELLERS. Now, many of you may not know, but I am a bit of a nervous flyer- the fact that I am putting my life in someone else's hands and that I have no idea what the pilots are doing up in the cockpit stresses me out. I might have some control issues.

How do planes with propellers still exist? That can't be safe.

This trip to CA was really short, but I don't think we could really complain since it was our second trip to CA during summer break, and the third weekend getaway of the season. The brevity of our stay didn't stop us from enjoying our time with Kevin's family, though. As usual, everyone was amazing and weddings are always such a fun and happy time (at least for the guests who are ignorant of the hard work going on behind the scenes- which we' have come to appreciate as we are in the midst of planning our own wedding). Of course, leave it to me to be more interested in befriending the cats that roam the wedding venue than socializing with the other guests!


SEPTEMBER
Anniversary Celebration

A little over a month into the semester, Kevin and I made quite the milestone in our relationship. Although already engaged, as September 27th rolled around we were still very happy to celebrate the five year anniversary of our first date. It was almost bitter sweet knowing that come May 30th, our "anniversary clock" will restart itself back at zero. Since it was our last first date anniversary, we treated ourselves to some delicious Mexican food at Pepe & Mito's in Deep Ellum, and then headed downtown for drinks and dessert at the top of Reunion Tower at 560 by Wolfgang Puck; we finished the night off watching Imagine Dragons perform at the South Side Ballroom. It really was an unforgettable night.

OCTOBER
School, School, School

October is notoriously bad as far as school is concerned. It's the month of midterms and its right in the middle of the semester when you desperately want a break. It also happened to be the busiest month for me in regards to treating patients. I officially delivered my first set of dentures and cemented my first gold crown!

Any dental student will tell you it's no surprise I almost threw these things across the room while making them.

NOVEMBER
Engagement Photos

The highlight of November was getting our engagement photos and sending out our "Save-the-Dates." It felt like we were finally making some progress on wedding planning. After all, with November, came the 6 month mark until the big day! Words cannot express how grateful Kevin and I were that my classmate Spencer was willing to not only take our photos for us, but drive all the way to downtown to do it on a Saturday morning. He is so talented- and humble. And of course, one of the best parts of taking our engagement photos was getting to bring Rosalind along to one of the locations. The photo of our little family at Klyde Warren Park was my absolute favorite; you can see how cute it is down below! And, just in case you haven't had the chance to browse our wedding website, you can take a look at it here: Stephanie & Kevin's Wedding Website

One thing I was certainly thankful for this Thanksgiving season was an ENTIRE week off from school. It was so glorious, and much needed! Of course, since we spent Thanksgiving in Texas with my family, it meant we'd be in California for Christmas, which my dad was not totally thrilled about since we spent Christmas with Kevin's family last year. But, it just made sense. There was no way we'd be able to take care of all of the wedding necessities in 1 week, especially when things are closed for the holiday! I guess we already know where we'll be spending Christmas the next two years...

Kevin and I with our baby dog, Rosalind.

DECEMBER
Finals & Wedding Planning

I had been warned long ago that the fall semester of D3 year was the worst semester in all of dental school; I have to disagree. Nothing comes close to the hell of first year (although the D1 curriculum got changed this year and it seems like it's much better now; those D1s don't even know how lucky they are). I'd also been told that the finals week of D3 fall semester was an absolute killer, and that was absolutely true. We had ELEVEN finals in 5 days. Eleven. Now, when I told people who weren't in dental school that we had that many finals, they were really confused. I guess it's hard to believe that we're taking eleven different classes in a single semester (we actually took 12 classes, but 1 of them didn't have a final because it continues into the Spring semester, but that's just semantics at this point). And really, eleven classes is nothing compared to what our schedules looked like the last 2 years. I mean, we only spend 9 hours in class a week as D3's, but we spent nearly 40 hours in class a week first and second year. Needless to say, anyone who complains on Facebook about their meager 3-5 undergrad finals gets no sympathy and an angry glare from me. Luckily though, the rest of dental school is supposed to be smooth sailing. We recently got our exam schedule for the Spring semester, and we only have eleven exams the entire semester!

The weekend after finals, Kevin and I were on our way to California. Again. We spent the entire 3 week winter break in sunny SoCal, and I was so happy that my mom got to join us for a week to help with wedding details. Even though it was her first trip to California, she was not in the mood to do much sight-seeing. Mama bear was on a wedding planning rampage, and it was a good thing, because we got a ton done. We finalized our contract with the venue, planned the dinner menu, met with the florist, found an officiant, picked out paper for the invitations, picked out the suits and ties for the groomsmen, went cake tasting, and did a bunch of wedding crafting. It was a very productive three weeks, and we even managed to go wine tasting, squeeze in a trip to San Luis Obispo, and visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library before my mom left.

JANUARY
Quarter Life Crisis

As the clock struck midnight and the calender rolled over to January first, another year bit the dust. It was hard to imagine how 2014 could possibly top 2013... in the last year, I got engaged to the love of my life, received my white coat, went to Seattle for the first time, adopted a beautiful dog, started treating patients in the dental clinic, went to New Orleans for the first time, and rang in the new year in Los Angeles! Of course, 2014 isn't off to a bad start; the first month of the new year included my "golden birthday," and I turned 25 on the 25th. I guess you could say that my reckless and impulsive quarter life crisis behavior is to get married this year; only 115 more days until we say "I do!"

Other than the wedding and honeymoon trip to Grand Cayman Island, I can hardly wait to see what the rest of the year will bring... And despite the fact that we have done a fair amount of traveling together over the last 5 and a half years, hopefully I can convince Kevin to squeeze in a few more places before 2015! 

Vacation Destinations:

Seattle, WA
Los Angeles, CA
San Luis Obispo, CA
San Jose, CA
San Francisco, CA
Phoenix, AZ
Flagstaff, AZ
Albuquerque, NM
Carlsbad, NM
Oklahoma City, OK
Abilene, TX
Dallas, TX
Houston, TX
Galveston, TX
Austin, TX
San Antonio, TX
New Orleans, LA
Atlanta, GA
Jacksonville, FL
Charleston, SC
Portland, OR
New York City, NY
Boston, MA
The Keys, FL