Year in Review

Last New Year's Eve, we looked at each other and faced 2005 with dread. "I hope 2005 goes by fast," Brian said, "because it is going to suck." We knew how much we had in front of us, and it was frightening just to think about. Here's how this year went down:

In January, Brian was flying all over the country (spending a lot of money) interviewing for residency positions. He was granted something like 30+ interviews in various places nationwide, from Miami to New Hampshire, from Nashville to Chicago, to Los Angeles. He interviewed at nearly all of them. Sherry was holding down the homefront, working in only her seventh month at her new job for a Silicon Valley law firm. By February, we were forced to commit to a ranking list, by which the match system would magically "match" residents with a program (based on applicant and hospital preferences). We agonized over where we wanted to go, which programs to rank, and what order to rank them in. We even took a trip to Tahoe to talk it over. We submitted our rank list after a tortured night of changing the order of programs many times over.We went to Sand Mountain with Eric and Kristen that month, too. We teased Kristen on that trip that we thought she was pregnant again, even though dear Lucas was only nine months old. She laughed at us. She called us a week later, shocked to have just found out that she was, in fact, expecting #2. In March, we attended the Match Day ceremony (right), and celebrated that Brian had been accepted to Harvard's program. We then got on a plane and flew to Puerto Vallarta for a few days for some R&R (below left). When we returned, we would have 8 weeks in April and May, in which: (1) Brian had to take the medical boards exam (a very big test), finish his graduation requirements, and complete all of his papers for publication, rotations and research projects; (2) We had to find a new place to live in Massachusetts, which ended up requiring two (expensive!) separate trips to Boston; (3) Sherry had to inform her employer that she was leaving after only a year with them, get a headhunter, submit resumes, interview at 10 firms in Boston in 7 days and commit to a new job; (4) We had to sell one of our cars; and (5) We had to tie up loose ends, pack all of our belongings, and move to Boston. We drove cross-country with all of our belongings in 3.5 days in the first week of June. Yes, movers would have been nice, but we couldn't get any, because Brian's final rotation would not allow him to finish early. The cross-country move was done on approximately 8 hours sleep over 3.5 days. We drove from western Wyoming to upstate New York without even stopping to nap. We arrived to Boston, hallucinating, and moved in on June 9. The next DAY, we flew back to California (June 10), then attended Brian's graduation on June 11 (above right and below left), flew back to Boston on June 12, and Brian started residency on June 13. Sherry unpacked our stuff and started work a week later, and her bar classes had already started three weeks before, so she had to play catch up. (And you all wonder why we seemed to have disappeared over the summer.) Brian's first rotation, the last two weeks of June, was the hardest rotation in the hospital. But we survived. And the year was only half over.

In July, Sherry studied like mad for the Massachusetts bar exam. We did get out to see the Pops at the July 4th festival. Sherry took the bar at the end of July and went back to work two days later, at the beginning of August. Brian's family visited in August, and August and September were very heavy work months for both of us. There were weeks when we were both working 100+ hours. In October, we worked a lot, took a great weekend trip to Montreal, and celebrated Sherry's birthday in New York (right). Our nephew Tanner was born. In November, we finally got a weeklong vacation together-- to Italy (below left), followed by a whirlwind Thanksgiving trip to California. In December, Brian attended Ted's bachelor party in Vegas (below right), Brian's scary hospital incident happened, and Sherry's mom Pat and sister Stacy visited, and we were househunting. Between September and December, we've both been sick four times, probably from the stress, major life changes, and weather adjustments. Adding up the changes in our lives-- from interviewing for residency and jobs, to looking for a new place to live (hotels and flights add up quickly), to moving expenses, to bar exam expenses... We spent tens of thousands of dollars this year for the pleasure of all this stress, which makes it that much crazier to fathom.

Looking back, it has just been way too much in one year. Any one of the major life changes or decisions that we were forced to make this year would have defined our year in most years, but we were making those decisions and changes at the speed of light. And we would be lying to say that the stress of the situation had not taken a toll. But when we look at each other this New Year's, at least we can say that we did what had to be done, and came out of it okay, and with our marriage stronger than ever. People don't know this, but we get very down on ourselves when we forget to call this or that person back, that we probably forgot 86 birthdays this year and we sent a couple Christmas gifts late, that we sometimes have a disorganized apartment, generally don't return our rental movies on time (though we now have Netflix), sometimes take too long to take care of certain chores, and so on. But the other night, while thinking about everything we did this year, we realized we did our very best, and we made it. So, the important thing about 2005 is that we survived it. (That's not to say that our brand of survival is the heartiest-- our hearts go out to the true survivors of 2005-- the tsunami, quake and hurricane victims, the survivors of this war, the survivors of poverty in our own country and abroad . . . millions worldwide make us look like sissies!) But we not only survived 2005; we came away with wonderful memories-- Brian's dreams coming true and hard work finally paying off; celebrating Sherry's birthday with wonderful lifelong friends in New York City; sharing Brian's birthday in Rome and Florence together. This year may have had too much packed into it, but it is a year we will never forget.

Now on to 2006 . . . Brian's first year ends in June, and we hear that second year in Ortho is actually the hardest. Still, without the rest of our world changing, we should be able to handle it!

We wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne!
For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

"Auld lang syne" means "times gone by" or "former days and friends,"
and those, we think, are worth toasting
(even if Brian will be working)!

Congratulations to Ted and Jody, and Farewell to Family

Our friends Ted and Jody tie the knot tonight out in California! We miss them very much and wish we could be there. Ted is a resident in Opthamology (and a Stanford Med classmate of Brian's) and Jody is a med student at UCI, so they understand Brian's inability to get days off . . . but we still feel terribly about not being there for them! Ted and Jody are wonderful friends, and a hilarious pair. They attended Stanford for undergrad together, and next year will be moving to Miami, where Ted will begin the rest of his residency (he's in his transitional year now at UCLA) and Jody will switch medical schools. We look forward to making the pilgrimage down to Miami when Boston gets too cold! We wish them a wonderful New Year's wedding, a happy honeymoon, and a lifetime of perfect New Years to come.

In other news, Sherry's family returned to California yesterday. We are hoping for a speedy recovery for Sherry's mom, Pat, who is still sick. As for Stacy, we just want to give her our sincerest thanks. She basically served as the family nurse-maid while everyone was ill over the holidays-- from cleaning up after everyone, to cooking, she was as sweet and generous a sister as anyone could have asked for.

Kleenex Christmas

Sherry's mom, Pat and sister, Stacy (right), have been in town since the evening of the 22nd. Pat was already feeling ill by the time she woke on the 23rd, and she felt horribly all day. Nevertheless, she managed to spend the day with her daughters. We walked through the festively-decorated Boston Common, watched the ice skaters on Frog Pond, went to lunch on Newbury Street, and later went to see The Family Stone. On Christmas Eve, we saw Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Wang Center, which was a lot of fun, but Pat was feeling progressively worse during the day, so later she did not partake of our yummy Christmas Eve dinner-- fondue! She also stayed home while we celebrated Christmas Eve. The three of us spent the evening with Stacy and our friends Sherry and Jens, first at Sherry and Jens' cozy place in the South End (see left), and then at midnight mass at Trinity Church (see below right) a large, famous church in Copley Square. We all particularly enjoyed the church's rendition of "Silent Night," sung by the congregation in the dark by candlelight only. On Christmas Day, it became readily apparent that Sherry had caught Pat's flu-like virus. We had planned for our family to meet up with Sherry and Jens for Christmas dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, which is supposed to be simply magical during the holidays, with great food and entertainment. However, shortly before we were to leave, we heard from Sherry and Jens that Sherry (Hsieh) was also ill. So, Pat and both Sherrys had a virus, Brian was not feeling very well from his medicine, and Stacy and Jens had very little desire to go to dinner with four sick people. With that, we cancelled Christmas dinner. It was sad, particularly since Pat and Stacy flew 3,000 miles for this Christmas, and Brian actually got three days off for Christmas at the last minute. We did manage to exchange gifts, though, and everyone made out very well. Our wish lists (both Brian's and Sherry's) consisted primarily of needed cold-weather clothing and favorite entertainment (books/CDs/DVDs), and we both received those items, and a number of other nice things as well! Later in the evening, desperate to get out of the house and get some fresh air, Brian and Sherry and Stacy went to see King Kong, which was a great movie! On the 26th, we were worried that Pat and Stacy were beginning to think that New England consisted solely of our apartment and the theater, so we all packed up our medicines, tissues, and water, and went for a scenic drive up to Portland, Maine. It poured down snow the whole way back, and Stacy was glad to experience a real New England "White Christmas"-- even if the snow did not stick in Boston! Today, Sherry went to work for a short day (brought work home early, since she isn't feeling well), and Brian and Stacy went to lunch in the South End and for a walk along the waterfront. Tonight, Brian is working, and Sherry and Stacy are going to dinner in the North End. Pat is too sick to go out, but Sherry is feeling slightly better. Here are a few pictures from Christmas Eve and from the 26th. Sorry there are not very many-- no one likes to take pictures when ill. We'll probably get some more from both Stacy and Jens and Sherry, and we'll post those when we get them.

Season's Greetings

Season's Greetings!

Brian's mom emailed this adorable photo of Eric and Brian, Christmas 1976. This is Sherry writing, and I just want to point out what a cute baby Brian was. Or is. ;) Eric too!

As we all rush around trying to get things done at the last minute, it is nice to remember the magic of what Christmas was like when we were children. It is also nice to remember the reason for the season. We are so thankful for our friends and family, our careers, the amazing opportunity for Brian to train with the best surgeons, our freedoms and wealth of resources that so many worldwide do not have, and how fortunate we are to have one another. The list could go on for miles. Please do remember us in your Christmas prayers for Brian's good health (see below).

Thank you all for being a part of our lives. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Weekend update

Our weekend was not so hot. Brian was exposed to an infectious disease while working on a patient on Friday night, and is now on some pretty powerful drugs to make sure he does not catch the infection himself. We ask for the prayers of our friends and family for Brian's health. The drugs he is taking to make sure he stays healthy make him feel very ill, so he camped out on the couch all weekend, though he managed to make it to the Department of Surgery Christmas Party at the Top of the Hub (a restaurant with great views of Boston) for a couple hours (click for link). Sherry mostly did chores and ran errands all weekend, in addition to worrying incessantly about her husband. On a positive note, we've been receiving a lot of Christmas cards from friends and family, and are filling our refrigerator with photos of their adorable children. So far, we have pictures of Kayla Petry, Madeline Regnier, Autumn Long, and Verity and Annelise Williams gracing the good ol' GE fridge. Those who haven't sent pics of your little darlings need to send some our way. They cheer us up. Our cards started going out today. We have additional stragglers that will come in waves as we get new addresses. If you've moved in the past year or two, you could send us your new address and save us the trouble... To this post we're attaching a precious new "brothers" photo of our dear nephews (Lucas and Tanner), and two pics of our friends Polly and John's little girl Lily, which we just received by email. They are all so cute!

Family Ties

The holidays are around the corner, and we're starting to get excited about Sherry's mom and sister coming out to visit! It will be so nice to see them. Boston is decorated and ready for the holidays, but we still have quite a few chores to take care of in that department! In the meantime, we feel compelled to post, for absolutely no reason whatsoever, a couple of favorite pictures of our nephews. Because babies are cute. Far left and bottom right are Lucas in August and November, respectively. Top right is Tanner in October.

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

Forget that cute little snow you see below in our December 5th post. Boston had its first real storm of the season on Friday. You could not even see across the street, and even more bizarre, the blizzard was accompanied by thunder and lightning! It made for some interesting sights. (Click on words in red to see photos and news story.) The city was still digging itself out on Saturday. Sunday dawned beautifully-- cold but sunny-- though the snow is now just slushy and gross. It's a trade-off. It does not seem to be cold enough to freeze the puddles over, so we're crossing our fingers. Frozen snow equals broken butts, if our memory from our pre-2001 Boston winters serves us. The photo to the left was taken during the storm (though not the worst part of the storm) about a block from our place. The photo at the right was taken as the storm tapered off in the evening in the same area.

Brian went to our friend Ted's bachelor party in Las Vegas this weekend. His flight was scheduled to leave mid-storm on Friday, but Delta Airlines juggled him onto a direct Song flight five hours later and his weekend with the buddies remained intact. We'll post photos from his weekend on our photo site soon (see link to right).

First Snow

Boston had its first snow of the season! To the left is the view of the rooftops below from one of our apartment windows on Sunday morning. (You could not see the Charles River or the Boston Common on Sunday morning because it was snowing so much.) To the right is the view on Comm. Ave. (a.k.a. Commonwealth Avenue), which is not far from where we live, on Sunday afternoon.

Thanksgiving 2005

We've been pretty bummed recently about the fact that, over the Christmas and New Year's holiday week, Brian will not get any days off, and in fact only gets one day off in mid-December. So on the day before Thanksgiving, when things miraculously worked out such that Brian would be able to take some time away from the hospital over Thanksgiving weekend, he called Sherry at work and we decided to visit our family in California. We booked tickets for 7 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving at about 1 p.m. the same day. In case you were ever wondering what kind of crazy people do such a thing, now you know. It was worth every penny, we might add. We called our parents from Boston Logan Airport to tell them-- surprise!-- we'd be home in some hours. We flew into Oakland, rented a car, and made our way to the Sacramento area. We stayed with Sherry's mom Wednesday night, and she was so excited to see usthat she barely slept. On Thanksgiving, our sister-in-law Kristen's sister Cindy and her husband Joe had a whole crowd for Thanksgiving dinner--their own children; Eric, Kristen and the boys; all of Kristen's siblings and their spouses and children; Kristen's mom Gail and stepdad Dwight; Sherry's mom Pat; Brian's dad John, and the two of us! It was a lovely dinner and we all had a great time catching up, stuffing ourselves, and watching football. We stayed with Sherry's mom, Pat, Thursday night. On Friday, we met up with a group of high school friends (Maya, Julie, Liz and Liz's fiance Phil) for lunch (Mexican...mmmm). We then had a nice visit with Brian's dad, John, and dinner with John, Eric, Kristen and the boys. We stayed with Eric and Kristen at their place in Placerville. The next day (Saturday), we went wine tasting with Eric and Kristen in the Sierra foothills near their home, and had a blast. The weather was perfect and we were very lucky to be wine-tasting in California with family in great weather rather than slogging around in the cold by ourselves on a holiday weekend in Boston! We stayed with E & K Saturday night and had a great Mexican dinner (we really miss Mexican food!). Sunday, Sherry's mom took us out for lunch at Brian's favorite pizza place of all time (Round Table) before we got on the road. We tried to give ourselves extra time to get to the Bay Area, and realized that we had some time to spare, so we gave our old junior high/high school friend Jason Bromley a call. It turned out he was getting together for dinner with some college friends of ours who did not know we were in California for the weekend. We drove to the home of our friends Bill and Rowena (and their darling twins), and were able to have dinner with them, Jason, and our friends Shanti and Jessica-- all together! It was a great send-off! For pictures from our great holiday weekend, click here.

Our trip to Rome and Florence

We spent a week in Rome and Florence, and returned on this past Sunday. One of Brian's "assigned" vacation weeks fell over his birthday, so we flew to Rome! Here is a synopsis of our trip: Saturday/Sunday-- We flew out on Air France Saturday night (immediately after Brian finished a 36 hour shift), arriving in Paris on Sunday morning, and then rushed to our connecting flightto Rome. After checking into our hotel, we took a very long (and needed) nap, then went to the city center for dinner and some walking around. We walked up the very busy Via del Corso, which is the main "strolling and shopping" street in Rome. In the evenings, both weekdays and weekends, the primary source of entertainment for Romans seems to be eating dinner, visiting a cafe, then "strolling" the streets, chatting and having fun with one another. It was a very lively scene. Monday-- We woke late on Monday, then took the Metro to the Colosseum (see photos left above and right below). It was amazing to actually stand in such a famous ancient ruin, straight out of every child's history book teachings. It was gruesome to imagine the happenings there, though. We then took a walk and headed over to the Piazza Venezia (a piazza is what Americans call a "Square") and the Pantheon. The Pantheon is the most well-preserved ancient temple in the world, and an architectural marvel. It was one of our favorite sights in Rome. We had dinner in a trattoria and explored the Campo di Fiori area at night. The Campo di Fiori is the site of Ceasar's assasination, the neighborhood from which Rome sprang from near extinction in the 14th century. Despite its significant history, it now houses a lot of touristy restaurants, cafes, and bars where a lot of young people hang out. Tuesday-- We woke up early to get in line for the Vatican. The Vatican Museum was simply wondrous, and we saw so little of it! One could literally spend a week exploring that museum alone. The corridor ceiling alone was awe-inspiring, let alone the other major works of art (many Raphaels and Caravaggios, da Vincis, etc)... and then you finally reach the Sistine Chapel. Sherry had tears in her eyes, it was so awe-inspiring. Michelangelo's ceiling is one of the most spectacular works of art in the world, for very good reason. We stood there, looking at the ceiling and the walls, for a very long time. It was then out to the Vatican's St. Peter's Square (Piazza St. Pietre), where thousands recently thronged to see the announcement of the new Pope, and St. Peter's Basilica, the cathedral. Bernini designed the semi-elipptical colonnades approaching the basilica to emulate welcoming arms embracing the faithful. We went to the top of the dome of St. Peter's, designed by Michelangelo, which boasts the most beautiful views of St. Peter's Square, the Vatican, the Tiber River, and all of Rome. The interior of St. Peter's is equally magnificent; our favorite features were Michelangelo's dome interior, and Michelangelo's Pieta-- a sculpture of Mary and Jesus that was so masterful it gave Brian the chills! We then checked out the famous Trevi Fountain (above left) as well as the Victor Emmanuel Monument (right), and had a very late lunch at a pizzeria. For dinner that night, we found a tiny little restaurant with very good food. Wednesday-- Brian's birthday! We slept in very late, went shopping in Rome for Brian's birthday presents (some winter clothes) and then got ready for dinner. We went to a very modern restaurant (right), complete with changing lights, a wall of video images, a DJ, a guitarist, waitresses with crazy makeup. The seating was all couches. You had to take off your shoes, and climb up on the couches to sit. It was fun. There was even a roaming masseuse-- Brian got a birthday back massage! We had a fun time. Thursday-- Thursday we visited the Roman Forum, which is basically Ancient Rome (left). It was the place for religious porcessions, political demonstrations, elections, speeches and parades. As the Roman empire expanded, it was the center of the civilized world, in just a few acres of land. Of most interest to us were the Temple of Julius Caesar (the place where Caesar's body was burned after his assasination), the Curia (Senate House), and the remaining columns of all the various temples and palaces. We also visited the Campidoglio (capital), the Victor Emmanuel Monument, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is on the monument itself and protected by many Italian soldiers wielding serious weapons. We still had some daylight left, so we headed over to the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome (see right), on the other side of the Tiber River, and toured around a bit. We came back and checked out the night views of the Castel Sant'Angelo (Hadrian's tomb turned castle, prison, papal refuge, and now musuem) and Vatican. We had a not-so-good dinner that we'd rather not recount. Friday-- Friday was so relaxing! We took a train from Rome to Florence and toured the city. The Tuscan countryside reminded us very much of our Northern California home, and Florence was an amazingly beautiful city. We found it much more relaxing than Rome, and Sherry actually preferred it to Rome. We only spent a day there, so we will have to go back! While there we saw Michelangelo's David and other of his sculptures at the Galleria Dell'Accademia. Michelangelo was only 25 years old and already immensely famous when he carved David. We stood there for so long, looking at it. "The grace of this figure and serenity of its pose have never been surpassed ... To be sure, anyone who has seen Michelangelo's David has no need to see anything else by any other sculptor, living or dead," the 16th century painter and art historian Giorgio Vasari wrote in Lives of the Artists. It is so true: the towering sculpture is acclaimed for its depiction of male physical perfection, and came from immense anatomy studies. It is a piece equally amazing to Sherry's love of art, and Brian's love of medical science. We then headed over to Piazza del Duomo, home of one of the largest cathedrals in the world. We viewed the city from the top of the bell tower (called the "Campinile" Cal fans!) and fell in love with it immediately. Florence is set in the heart of beautiful countryside, and is bathed in a soft, amber light. Florence emerged in the 11th Century as a cultural centre. Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael all made their debuts at Florence. The Florentine architecture is unparalleled in its beauty. We made our way to the Galleria Degli Uffuzi, one of the most renowned art musuems in the world and checked out works by Michelangelo, Botticelli, and others. As the afternoon waned we wandered over to the Ponte Vecchio (the Old Bridge) area (right), where there are quaint shops and cafes lining the Arno River. It was relaxing and fun, and we found ourselves having a glass of wine at a beautiful hotel with a view of the river, next to a fireplace. We then headed to a restaurant that the Michelin guidebook rated "2 coins" (out of 3) for price, meaning mid-level price. After sitting down, realizing there were no menus, and noticing the gorgeous silver place settings and candlelight, as well as the international staff (we heard waiters speaking English, Italian, Japanese and German), who simply "told" patrons the menu (sans price), Sherry began to suspect that we thought we were going to Nola's but had been sent to Spago. When the bill came, it confirmed that she was right. Don't buy Michelin guidebooks. Saturday-- was also relaxing. We checked out the Villa Borghese, which is Rome's "Central Park" complete with a lake, many fountains, multiple art galleries and museums, a zoo, soccer fields, horse-jumping grounds, et. The best feature was the Galleria Borghese, a beautiful villa sitting in the greenery of surrounding gardens, that holds art commissioned by the luxury-loving Borghese family displayed in the very rooms they were created for. It is a gorgeous museum. Our favorite pieces by far were the many Bernini sculptures. We've never seen anything like them, and any attempt to describe them here would be futile. We walked around the Villa Borghese, rented a rowboat and took it around the lake (see right), enjoyed some gelato, and generally enjoyed our final day together in Rome. We ended it with very good pizza at a pizzeria packed with Italian locals, grabbed our final gelatos in the Campo di Fiori, and went back to our hotel to pack. You can see all the pictures from our trip by clicking here.

Happy 30th Birthdays to Eric and Shannon!

We have not posted for a week or so, as we were celebrating Brian's birthday with a vacation! We'll report on our Roman Holiday soon, when we recover from jet lag and have time to upload photos and such. In the meantime, we want to wish a belated Happy Birthday to two very special people whoturned 30 while we were away-- on November 16th, in fact, which is Brian's birthday, too!

Happy 30th Birthday to Eric! , Brian's twin brother, on November 16th! Eric went on a camping/ATV trip with his buddies to celebrate, and we hope he had a great time! Here he is on an ATV with his older son, Lucas.

Our friend Shannon also turned 3-0 on November 16th! Happy Birthday Shannon! Shannon (shown here on the left with our other friend Becky and Becky's daughter Kayla) lives in Dallas and is a hilarious Southern Belle. Hope you had fun, Shannon!

Happy 30th Sherry Hsieh!

Happy 30th Birthday to our dear friend Sherry Hsieh (shown with Brian at Sherry & Jens' wedding reception in 2004)! We love you, Sherry, and can't wait to celebrate with you today/tonight! Sherry has been a close friend of Brian's since college. She and Sherry have been friends since then, too, but now that we all live in the same city, the Sherrys have a lot of fun together, and generally engage in crazy conversations and activities that make Brian and Jens laugh and/or roll their eyes. (Shirts below are an example.) We'll post pictures from celebratory activities soon!

Sherry H- Squared

This is Sherry writing again-- In fulfillment of my wish to stretch my birthday well past a week this year, I got some beautiful flowers from my friend Becky this week. Then, I went to lunch with my friend Sherry Hsieh, who gave me birthday gifts of some delicious chocolates she brought back from the south of France a couple weeks ago, a guidebook for our upcoming vacation (a place she's visited twice, and can thus provide some good insight) and -- the coolest gift-- a t-shirt she had made that says "Sherry H2" (the 2 is in superscript, as in "Sherry H-squared" which is what we've taken to calling ourselves). When I opened it, she took off her sweater to reveal her own shirt. So fun. We took pictures in our shirts on Saturday, when she and her husband Jens (click Jens' name for picture) came over for fondue. We enjoyed some truly wonderful wine (a gift I forgot to mention in my birthday post below!) given to me by Emily, who lived for some time in the Sonoma area. Sunday, Sherry and Jens made us a pizza dinner at their place, and we all celebrated when Mom called to tell me I passed the Massachusetts bar. (Yes, it takes four months to find out!) I hope I never have to take another bar exam again-- ever.

Happy Birthday to John, Kathi and Hannah!

Happy Birthday John! Brian's Dad celebrated a birthday on November 4th! We miss you very much Dad, and wish we weren't 3,000 miles away.

Also we neglected to post Happy Birthday to Kathi for Brian's sister! She celebrated a big birthday on October 16. We wish we could have been there!

Finally, Happy *Birth*day to Hannah Katherine, newborn daughter of our friends Amy and Jason. Hannah was born on October 26th, and she's cute as a button. Congratulations A&J!

My Super-Sweet 30th Birthday

This is Sherry writing, to report on my 30th birthday! My birthday is on October 29th, but it lasted a whole week this year. Brian told me well before my birthday that he was scheduled to work that weekend. He is on ortho trauma, working 110+ hrs/week, so I understood. To make up for it, though, he said, some friends had decided to come visit and have a girls' weekend in Manhattan. He wouldn't tell me which friends (or how many) were coming, when, if they were coming to Boston or NYC, where we would stay or what was planned. On Tuesday night (10/25), he told me, "Person #1 is arriving tomorrow," and so it began.

Wednesday (10/26): The concierge rang our apartment at 7:30 a.m. to tell me that Emily had arrived. Emily has been our friend since age 15 or so, and I was thrilled to see her. I had to work, but she took a nap, explored the city and we met up for lunch in the Fanueil Hall area near my work. That night, she, Brian and I enjoyed dinner at the yummy East Coast Grill in Cambridge, and beers at one of our favorite bars since grad school, Grendel's in Harvard Square. The whole time, Em and B chatted about the arrival of "Person #2" the next day.

Thursday (10/27): When I came home from work, Person #2 was waiting. My sister, Stacy, had been let in by the concierge, and had an entire scavenger hunt filled with gifts in my apartment when I walked in. It was so sweet, and I was ecstatic to see her. I also received a beautiful vase of flowers from my in-laws that day and a great card and gift from Mom! Brian, Stacy and I went to dinner at another of my favorite spots-- Metropolis Cafe in the South End. We then met up with Emily and her friend David for drinks at the Bell in Hand Tavern, the oldest bar in the U.S., near our apartment. We had a good time.

Friday (10/28): I took the day off, and Emily, Stacy and I drove to Manhattan, where I was told Person #3 and Person #4 were already waiting. When we arrived at our hotel (the W), we checked into one of the very nice, large suites Brian had booked (with views of the Empire State building from our rooms). Then there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, there stood Liz and Julie, friends since I was 11 and 12, repsectively. I was speechless. I could not believe all these girls had flown in from California for my birthday. We all went down to the gorgeous lounge in the hotel and had cocktails and caught up on each other's lives. The entire time, I couldn't help thinking how lucky I am. (A sweet phone call from my friend Erin in San Francisco to, and wish me a good time made it even nicer.) We all went back up to the room, made cocktails, and got ready for dinner. Brian had made dinner reservations for us all at a a surprise location-- Manhattan's hip Butter restaurant and lounge in Greenwich Village. It was really fun, with beautiful decor, good food and even better people-watching. Then it was off to the chic Hotel Gansevoort rooftop pool bar in Soho, with eye-popping views of the night skyline. We had some drinks, and then moved on to another bar in the meat-packing district for a little dancing. So much fun!

Saturday (10/29), my actual birthday: When I awoke and went into the living room area, my jaw almost hit the floor when the elusive "Person #5" (about whom everyone had been talking, but who had not yet appeared) popped out from under a blanket. My friend Maya (a friend since age 14 or so) had flown the red-eye in the night before and arrived without me even waking. (Every single person that came out for my birthday went WAY out of their way to make time in busy schedules to be there, but Maya coming was a huge shock. She is a medicine resident at UCSF, and her hours are crazy. She basically flew out for a little over 24 hours, just to be there. I cannot begin to fathom what a selfless friend that makes her.)

We grabbed a quick bite (complete with my Mom singing to me on my cell phone) and then went to the top of the Empire State Building-- a first for both Maya and Jules. While I have come to NY a number of times since 9/11, I had not been to the top since before then, and I was humbled and quieted by the absence of the World Trade Center towers. It is truly a different skyline now. Nevertheless we all enjoyed the views that only NY can provide. I got a birthday text message from my friend Tina while I was at the top; the girl has great timing! Afterwards, per my request, it was off to my favorite spot in the city-- the Met. I got to see my favorite painting again (Figure 5 in Gold by Demuth), so that made me even happier. (A Happy Birthday phone call from my friend Karen while at my favorite place was also well-timed!) We then cabbed it back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.

When we arrived, we had just begun to get ready for dinner when there was a knock at the door. I was closest to the door, and someone casually asked, "Sherry can you get that? We ordered some extra towels." I opened the door, and there stood "Person #6"-- Brian: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY!" I just stood there staring at him, confused, and so surprised I was momentarily stressed. [He had worked the entire night before, gone directly to the airport in the morning, taken a plane to JFK, napped at the hotel in the other suite while we were out sightseeing, and joined us for the rest of the weekend (Saturday night and all day Sunday) before returning to work Monday morning.] I finally hugged him long and hard, with tears in my eyes. I thought it would be a girls' weekend, and had been happy with that, never suspecting that my wonderful husband, who had planned everything so meticulously, would make it even more. I was elated as all got ready for dinner together, alternating between the two suites, and snacking on chocolate dipped strawberries and cookies (sent by Kristen and Eric, along with another nice gift) and champagne from the girls. Maya and Liz gave me some beautiful earrings, and we all toasted each other.

Then we were off to dinner, at the fabulous Asia de Cuba. The only way I can describe the decor is "dreamy"-- billowy white curtains, perfect splashes of color, modern and chic in a warm, inviting, lovely way. To my surprise, we were joined at dinner by "Persons #7 and #8"-- Shanti, a friend since college and gastroenterology fellow at Columbia, and her boyfriend Rachdish, both of whom live on the Upper East Side. Asia de Cuba was simply beautiful, and the food and cocktails were delicious and flowing. It truly *felt* like a very special birthday, and I was aware the entire time of how quickly it was passing by. After dinner, we cabbed to my next surprise-- the Broadway show, "The Producers." I love musicals, love live shows, love Broadway, and loved every minute of "The Producers." When the curtain came down, I did not want to get up and leave. But I did.

We then walked our way through Times Square, and as I looked around me, surrounded by all those lights and my childhood friends, it was magical. I could not believe what a lucky, blessed woman I am. After some indecision about where to dance away the night, we ended up at a super-fun dance club, where we partied like rock stars. (Daylight Savings Time began that night, so when we left at 3 a.m., it was actually 4 a.m.)

Sunday (10/30): My birthday was over, but the surprises were not. Brian had arranged for us all to go to breakfast at Asiate, an absolutely stunning restaurant on the 35th floor of the Manadarin Oriental in Columbus Circle on the Upper West Side. The restaurant offers breathtaking views of Central Park and the city's skyscrapers through 16 foot windows. We were treated to the only private dining room (with the same to-die-for views). After lounging over a scrumptious breakfast in such luxurious surroundings (we were the last of the breakfast crowd to leave the restaurant), we headed for more sightseeing, on what was a very warm autumn day in NY, including a ferry ride so that the NY virgins could see the Statue of Liberty and trips to the Stock Exchange and the World Trade Center site. After a quick dinner, it was time for the girls to head to the airport, and the weekend was over. We had an amazing time. Stacy, Brian and I headed to Washington Square for coffee and then home to Boston.

Monday (10/31) (Halloween): I returned to wonderful birthday cards, e-cards and voice mails from friends and family alike, and received a beautiful autumn flower arrangement from my friend Erin. That night Stacy, Brian and I enjoyed walking around Beacon Hill (a cute neighborhood which starts about a block from our place in the financial district), and experiencing all the Halloween festivities there (including tiny goblins trick-or-treating Senator Kerry's place and adult residents walking down the cozy streets with cider [the weather was perfect, despite the linked pic]). We had dinner at Figs, a cute pizza place on Charles Street. I worked Monday and Tuesday, while Stacy did sightseeing, but we met up for lunches (Union Oyster House, the oldest restaurant in the U.S., and a great hamburger place on the waterfront that Brian and I really like).

Tuesday (11/1): Stacy left in the evening.

A seriously great time was had by all, especially me, and my birthday had managed to stretch itself to a week! It was a dream come true. For pics from the weekend, click here.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, Everyone!
(Here is our nephew Lucas in his costume! Cutest cow ever.)

And here is new baby nephew Tanner, too! So sweet. For more pictures of Tanner from his birthday, courtesy of his Mommy and Daddy (Kristen and Eric), click here.

Stay tuned to this blog for a fun update about Sherry's birthday weekend and a whole gaggle of pictures from the festivities. We're waiting for pics from friends, and time to sit and, as Liz puts it, "blog it out."

Welcome, Tanner Eric!

Welcome to the world our new nephew,
Tanner Eric Haus,
born to Brian's twin brother Eric and his wife Kristen
on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 26.
He is 7 lbs. 13 oz., and 20" long.
He joins big brother Lucas Brian, age 17 months.
We love him already.
We will post a picture when we get one!

Happy News . . .

I (Sherry) attended an amazing Women's Breakfast this morning for a terrific organization called Horizons for Homeless Children. The testimonials about what this organization has done in Massachusetts to help women with children get back on their feet by providing resources and childcare, so that women can get jobs and retain housing, were truly inspiring. Over 800 women from the city of Boston attended; the huge ballroom was packed to the gills and vibrating with life from all these wonderful and accomplished women coming together for a good cause. As one of the women who had been helped by the organization so eloquently put it in her speech, "Women are strong." So true. The keynote speaker was Rory Kennedy, a documentary filmmaker whose work was unfamiliar to me. If the clips shown are any indication, her body of work is socially conscious, daring, moving and inspiring. I truly look forward to seeing more of it.

Also, some nice happy news about our dear friends Chris and Anne and their baby Madeline! Their offer was accepted on their first home this afternoon (see right)! Isn't it perfect? We're so excited for them. Congrats, A&C! It's the second bit of good news for these great friends this month. Little Maddie recently had surgery, and she has being doing wonderfully since coming home and is making a full recovery! She's a cute little trooper.

Pretty good weekend

We had a pretty good final weekend before Brian heads into a very intense ortho trauma month. Friday night we went to a wonderful performance of the Boston Chamber Music Society, then met up with our friend Sherry for a couple drinks and some fun conversation. Sherry had a great time hanging with Sherry and Jens at their place in the South End on Saturday night, while Brian attended a resident social event across town.

Happy Birthday to Adrian!!

Happy Birthday to our dear friend Adrian!

Adrian and Sherry were sorority sisters at UCLA. They were roommates in the Chi-O house, where Adrian now serves as social advisor. She is one of Sherry's closest girlfriends who will always be an important part of her life. Always one for a crazy story or a long talk, she means so much to both of us. Have a great birthday, A! We miss you! (Here she is catching a break at her wedding.)

Adrian recently moved from sunny Hollywood to just-as-sunny Pacific Palisades, and boy do we wish we were there to celebrate this weekend with her (and with Stacy, who lives in sunny Long Beach). It has been pouring down rain in the Northeast for nine days straight and it is supposed to continue for days more. We're drenched!

Happy Birthday, Stacy!

Happy Birthday, Stacy!!!

-- my baby sister and dear friend . . .

(here at a friend's wedding)

We love you so very much. Your smile is radiant and gorgeous, and you become more beautiful, inside and out, every year. You change the world for the better every day in your job, and in the lives of your friends and family. Your heart is enormous and your spirit is young (even if you are a year older!).

Love so very much, Sherry and Brian

(P.S. Check back later for an audio blog that will be added to this post!)