It's a Family Affair

So Mr. MedSchool and I were invited to a Couples Pumpkin Carving party put on by members of the Wives Club.  We enjoy holiday festivities like pumpkin carving, dying Easter eggs, and other  fun stuff (1).

So we toted our pumpkins and potluck dish over to a fellow Wife's house so that Mr. Medschool could use his new dissection skills on the pumpkin.  We showed up on time (2) and as the other couples began to arrive, I noticed that they both had kids with them.  Then another couple came with their baby.  Awesome. I know that the invite said families were invited but I still don't think about people our age having kids.  In Big City, South, we had lots of single friends and some married friends but none of them had kids.  After moving to Small Town, South, everyone we know is married and most of them are starting families or have little ones (3).  So having kids at every event that we go to is new to us.

Don't get me wrong, I like kids and I want to have kids some day (4).   However, Mr. MedSchool and I are smart enough to know that if we were to raise a child at this juncture in our lives... we would screw it up (5).  Not that we aren't responsible, caring people (6), we're just not ready to raise another human being.

So as we helped 4 year olds carve jackolanterns (7), we continued to adjust to our newfound friends and their families (8).  Maybe it will be good practice for some day done the road (9).

Most importantly we did find time to actually carve our own pumpkins.

1. Yeah I know we can be lame sometimes but this didn't just start when we got married.. apparently, we have always been lame.  
2. I have a thing with being prompt
3. Little ones with big voices
4. Probably... maybe ... I think
5. Yeah, I just referred to a child as "it"
6. Not that we are, either 
7. 4 year olds with knives... even I know that's a bad idea
8. and holding newborn babies without freaking out
9. Like miles and miles and miles down the road

Wives Club

So after the first week of parties and orientation, I find myself a little on the bored side. I left my great job in Big City, South, and I am finding it difficult to find a marketing job in Small Town, South. There aren’t many industries or even large companies for that matter which means there aren’t many positions in the marketing world which means I am often sitting at home during the day. For a past workaholic, doing basically nothing all day is a tough challenge. So I decided to get involved and go to a Wives Club meeting.

I didn’t really know what to expect from Wives Club the first time I went. There were about 13 wives of first years there, and everyone was instructed to bring a finger food (1). I knew a few of the wives but hadn’t met many of them. We had a good time meeting and greeting and eating.  However, the thing that struck me was that all of the conversations centered on our husbands: their test schedules, their study habits, and what specialty they were interested in. Soon, the conversation switched from our husband’s schooling to how we “take care” of our husbands (2). I mean our husbands were our common thread but we have lives too, and after sitting through a 15 minute conversation about what The Wives pack in their husband’s lunch box, I was done. I know that it is nice to do something special for your significant other, and I often do make cookies or give back rubs when Mr. Med School is having a bad day. However, when you make the comment “I feel guilty for coming to these Wives Club Meetings because Aaron (3)  won’t know what to eat,” I feel that you are underestimating your husband’s ability to… well… live without your assistance.  I mean..he did get into Medical School, how helpless could he be.

After wrapping up the night and heading back to our place, I find Mr. Med School wallowing on the couch.  First words out of his mouth: "What's for dinner?"  Ugh...whatever's in the fridge.

1 Cake Balls, big hit http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2007/12/red-velvet-cake-balls.html

2. Because it's 1952 ?

3. Helpless Med School Husband