Conference etc

I realize that we haven't posted for a while. You'll just have to accept that. For one thing, at least be grateful that I'm a more consistent blogger than journal writer. For another, this semester has been pretty crazy so far. Erik gets up around 5:30 so he can be at school and studying before 7:00. I have to leave the house before 6:45 or I won't make it to school by 7:30. When we get home, we still have a ton of studying to do, along with the laundry, cooking, and cleaning. I don't know how mothers do it sometimes - I guess I'll find out eventually. The last thing I want to be doing in my few minutes at home with Erik is blogging.

Here's an interesting side effect of medical school: Erik will be giving me a nice backrub or neck massage, and then I'll feel his fingers starting to measure off my spine or other body parts. Before I know it, I've turned into anatomy practice. Erik gets all excited and wants to tell me about every vein and artery in my body, and all I want is a little more rubbing. I've been told it gets worse, though; my mother-in-law related the time that she was stuck in a dark bathroom for hours while her husband practiced checking her ears, throat, etc. I guess I should be glad for the checkup - there will come a time when the last thing he wants to do is examine his own family.

Erik's probably got it worse, though. He gets to come home and hear about high school and history, two things he gladly left behind many years ago. I really love high school kids, and I'll tell you why.

• No matter what, I'm cooler than them. I no longer live with my parents, I have a car, I have a husband, and I'm done with high school. They just can't compete.
• Because of this, I get to tease them all the time. It's like having a lot of little insecure siblings in class all day that I get to mess with.
  
• I'm also smarter than them. Unlike college, where I may be only average, I'm the teacher and know what's on the test. I know, I know, it's not that impressive to be smarter than a high schooler, but hey, it's a self-esteem boost every day.
  
• They think you're not going to catch on if they are texting in the middle of a test, or writing a note when they should be working on homework. Come on kids, as you've frequently pointed out, I'm young. I remember. Give me your phone.
• They always suprise you. The tough kid is the one who comes and hangs out with you at lunch, and the jock aces the test. Sometimes when you think someone totally slept through your class, they recite your lecture back at you word for word on a test.
• And even though they try so hard to look and act grown up, they still care about doing well and gaining my respect. That's worth going back for, even if the money isn't.

I hope that didn't give you any painful flashbacks. I wish all high school students could see school from my perspective - maybe then it wouldn't be such a traumatic experience for some.

It was nice to relax this weekend at the Merkley house and watch the LDS General Conference. We were really struck by how focused the conference was on how to deal with stress, trials and difficult times. It sure sounds like things in this world are just going to get harder and more insecure, but we're grateful to have the guidance of modern-day apostles and prophets. Even if things keep getting worse, we know that God will take care of us as long as we do what we know is right. What a blessing to have the gospel in our lives.