I feel like I am always saying, “Marit is my most beautiful friend.” (My husband is cringing as he reads that sentance because of my poor grammar. I like to say things that don’t make sense like: “most beautiful”).
I remember the exact moment that I met Marit. It was at Match Day in 2006 at the University of Minnesota.
For those of you that aren’t familiar with medical training, you start off by doing four years of undergraduate college. Most people major in science or math (I studied Spanish). Then you go to medical school for 4 years. Are you done yet? Nope. Then you do a residency for a minimum of another 3 years. Residency is the time when you are learning your speciality and working crazy, long shifts (think medical TV shows).
Match Day is one of those old medical school traditions, that seems absolutely crazy if you think about it too much. During the fourth year of medical school, each student submits a rank list of their choices for where they want to do their residency. And, each program also sumbits their own list. Then, a computer does some sort of algorthrithmic magic and spits out a giant “MATCH LIST” which decides where each medical school student will be spending the next 3+ years of their life doing their residency training. And, of course (I mean, why not?), when the computer does this magic, it turns into a binding contract that you have to honor.
Our school has a big party on Match Day and each person is called up to the podium to receive an envelope with their fate inside. Then we all open them up at the same time. It’s a bit nerve racking. I mean, what if the computer didn’t “match” you where you wanted to go… (binding contract, remember)?
So, back to Marit, I met her on Match Day in 2006. We found out we were both going to be spending the next three years at HCMC [Hennepin County Medical Center] doing our residencies in Internal Medicine. And I’m so glad. Thank you giant computer.
This picture is actually from our graduation party in 2009. Marit is on the left, I’m in the middle and Michelle (one of our staff) is on the right. Don’t we look happy?
These are some of the amazing, beautiful, smart, wonderful girls that were in my residency class with me. I could not have asked for a better bunch of girls.
This is Marit’s 30th birthday. There really isn’t anything better than 80′s parties.
And of course, here she is in my wedding! After arriving jetlagged from Australia, she rocked the high heels (while 5 months pregnant).
Anika was born in July (yes, almost a year ago now). We were back in town last August and I got to meet her. So adorable! She’s so tiny!
I wish I lived closer so I could see Anika more. Luckily for me, Marit sends me photos that always make me smile.
I bought this Kate Spain material before Anika was born (when we didn’t know if she was a boy or girl yet, because Marit didn’t find out). I think it actually looks pretty girly, so lucky thing she’s a girl.
This is round two of the quilt. I like the diagonal quilting better than the straight line quilting here.
The quilt pattern is from Camille Roskelley’s book: simplify. The pattern is “coming home”. The fabric is Kate Spain, Fandango.
- erica
ps. Did I mention it’s also great to have a friend who is a cardiologist who can help answer your questions about the effects lupus has had on your heart? (My newly discovered heart issues might be a later post)