Bits and Pieces at 34

So I've got to say that my 34th year was the best year of my life and that makes me happy.

I read a tidbit on Erica's blog this morning about something Marie Osmond said when she was on Oprah; "You marry at the level of your self worth".  That's an interesting concept.  I wonder if that applies to men and women or just women.  I'm gonna say for the purpose of this post that it applies to both.  If that is, in fact, the case then I have a whole lot more self worth than I thought.  My wife is an amazing person and her only fault is that I think sometimes she thinks too little of herself (what does that say about her marrying me?.....).

I wear a suit to clinic.  My dad has always worn a suit or sport coat to work and so maybe it's because I grew up with it.  It's old school.  There used to be a day when doctors always wore suits to the office.  I don't do it because I think I'm better than other physicians.  In actuality I often think I am dumber than many other physicians, but my patients don't know that.  I believe that the majority of the patient's I see each day will be healthier if they believe the things I tell them and wearing a suit makes me more credible to them.  I don't demand respect from my patients (maybe I should) but those patients who do respect me seem to do better and wearing a suit makes it easier for them to do just that.  So for the time being I will continue to wear a suit to work.  Heck, it's only 4 days a week for the next 30 years anyway.

I hope the Miller family sells the Jazz and they move.  Life would be so much easier if I could pick and choose which NBA teams to like, but that can't happen as long as Utah has a team.  Lets face it, all that is good with the Jazz is gone.  Stockton to Malone seems like a dream.  Sloan was pushed out by somebody and Deron already has his bags packed.  Just move the team to Vancouver and trade for Nash and Yao so the Chinese can give Canadians an all star in a sport where people keep their teeth.  When that happens I can root for Derrick Rose and the Bulls (even if they employ that Loozer guy) with a clear conscience.  Oh well at least I can still hate Lebum.

Melissa is pregnant, due in September.  I thought this pregnancy might be a bit harder psychologically than the previous 5, but I had no idea it would be this much of a roller coaster.  Every day we are faced with the what ifs.  Anytime Melissa feels slightly different she starts worrying about the baby.  Every day we wonder, mostly to ourselves as it seems like tempting fate to talk about it, if we should try again if things don't go as planned.  The bright side is that every day I also look at our 4 healthy children and almost cry at how lucky we are to have 4 perfectly healthy, happy children.

I love sunshine.  Someday when we move to our almost final resting place it is going to cost an arm and a leg to heat because the whole place is going to be windows.  We'll have to replace the furniture on a regular basis as it will surely become sun bleached because the curtains will always be open.  I hope by then I'm not too old to lay on the carpeted floor, read a book, and feel the sun on my back in the middle of the winter because in the promised land the sun shines 310 days out of the year as compared to 173 here in the Bend.