What It's Like...

So, I've been the wife of an "official" practicing doctor for 2 1/2 months now. Here are a few things I've learned in the past six weeks or so:

1. E-mail can sometimes be the best way to communicate with each other, especially when it's about something important or something that needs to be remembered by one of us.
2. Sometimes, it's best to just go ahead and start eating dinner, even though he isn't home yet. Office hours are constant. Actual work hours are not, especially if patients and/or the doctor runs late.
3. The leaves on the front lawn really can be raked at 8:00 in the evening. The motion detecting light on the garage helps a lot.
4. Post call days are sometimes days to spend with the family and sometimes, just days to catch up on sleep.
5. It's even more important now to find interests we have in common, like certain television shows; video, board, and role-playing games; books; and recreational activities, like working out together. Though we've had more time together since residency, his hours of freedom are still precious and few.
6. Caffeine is really not my friend. I've survived a whole week without coffee and about four days without caffeinated soda. I still drink hot tea in the morning, but otherwise, the withdrawal symptoms have seemed to dissipate, and I'm feeling so much better physically, mentally, and emotionally.
7. As Wil Wheaton would say, there's no way I can say the following without sounding like a jerk, but I'm just going to say it anyway. I'm really happy we don't have to worry about money anymore, or at least, for the time being. Who knows what the future may hold with the flux of today's economy?
8. We have the ability now to be philanthropists, and I really like that feeling. The charity dinner for WonderLab was only the beginning.
9. Family is the most important thing in life right now, especially with our son growing up and living closer to grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. It's been nice to be able to talk to and visit with my parents and in-laws more often.
10. If call at the hospital happens to get busy, there's always the option to eat dinner with him there. Especially on nights when the cafeteria has a "create-your-own-pasta" station. Yum!!!

That's it for now. I'm sure I'll learn more as the months and years go by, but so far, I think this is a pretty comprehensive list.
Best to you all,
Amanda