Sunday, June 19, 2011

Visiting the Mainland: An Essay by Avril Zickgraf

I found this crumpled up somewhere. I'm so glad I did.


final draft

by Avril                                                                                                                                       5-16-11

Visiting The MainLand

Have you ever been to the mainland? I have. And it was really really fun. When I was visiting Bosie (sic) we went to Mariteen to see my Grama and Grampa Zickgraf for half a week and I had a sleepover. Then we visited Logon and my old firend alena and I played with her for 3 whole hours and Then went to Travis to visit my great Grampa and Grama Zickgraf and Then we flew for 10 hours and 3 flites and on the end of the 3rd flite my dad picked us up

I hope we can do that agen some day. And I wish we could live on the main land so we could visit Grampaes and Garamaes and cousins and firends. And I hope if my wish comes true I hope we visit the MainLand for 40 days insted of two weeks.

Intern Graduation

He- we-- did it! We've all survived intern year! 

The first year is officially over and Derek has graduated from intern to 2nd year resident. It's a good feeling. 


The ceremony was long and graduation-like. This was particularly annoying to me since I did not receive an invitation or even a definite time or place of where it would take place or who would be involved or how to dress until the day of. From the piece-meal information I gathered, it could have been anything from a small little ceremony involving the 5 interns in the family practice program to all the interns hospital-wide. 

As it turned out, I even underestimated there-- it was all interns, graduating residents and fellows hospital-wide! The ceremony had the classic speakers as well as a seemingly endless line of graduates receiving their diplomas and leis. 

Why would this bother me so much? Well, the moms out there don't need to ask. Just picture- one water bottle between the four of us- that's me being "prepared"; no snacks; hot tent; no entertainment for bored kids. And no end in sight. 


Thank you, Avril, my thoughtful and prepared daughter, for remembering to bring a lei for Daddy. Mom ran out of time/spaced it. 


Surprisingly well-behaved.... for being bored out of their minds, thirsty, hot and hungry! 


Fortunately, it was only distracting to me-- or so I assumed after receiving compliments from strangers about the excellent behavior of the midgets!


Congratulations, hon! We're so proud of you- and I'm sorry if I was cranky there at the end.... the kids sure were happy to see you! 

I'm proud of you for not only surviving, but thriving- and still managing to be an amazing husband and father through it all. Here's to year two-- let it be better than year one!