Well, stick a fork in me because I'm through! Yes, ladies and gentlemen 6th quarter is done with. "So what," you may say, "we've been through this several times, what's so special about this one?" A rather bold question that was. The difference, concerned viewer, is that I have now completed 1/2 of my requirements to graduate. I'm half way done with school. If school were a pie, I'd have eaten one half of it. Not only that, but I completed part I of national boards. Hmm, how do you cram two years worth of intense schooling into a 15 hour 660 question test? Well for the National Board of Chiropractic Educators (NBCE) you are as technical and specific as you could possibly be! Needless to say, I were all a bit thrown by their (the NBCE) brazen expectations of us, but hopefully I performed well. Honestly, I don't see how I could have passed the thing, but apparently that's how everyone feels after it. We'll find out at the end of April. If I didn't pass, I'll have to take it again in September! I HAVE to pass that one or else I can't take part II and III next March, and if I can't take II and III in March, I can't take IV next September and then I can't get my license... and if I can't get my license then I'll be breaking the law when I practice, and if I break the law when I practice I'll feel morally reprehensible. And you wouldn't like me when I'm morally reprehensible.
Ahem. So, Challene and I did a little dance when I got home today. I passed all my classes despite the two weeks of utter H-E-double-hockey-sticks that I had to go through. Fortunately for me, however, I happen to have the e'er constant support and love of a wonderful woman. Who, in a moment of extraordinary foresight, set up a "Mother's Without Husbands" group designed to be a temporary family while we husbands were out studying. Each night they would gather at another's house and enjoy delightful conversation, wonderful food, and the ever pleasant romping of the children. Hmm, perhaps it wasn't exactly that smooth going, but it did it's job. I was gone from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm most days these last two weeks, so the group really kept her sane. Which is good for me. Sane Wife = Happy Husband
Here is a couple of pictures of the event when it was at Chateau De' Verde
Here Gwen, Ethan and Jessica (left to right) enjoy frosting and sprinkles as they decorate their very own sugar cookies. Liza (not pictured) wasn't feeling to festive that day, I suppose.
Gathered to watch a movie, Gwen, Ethan, and Jessica are overcome with emotion! Notice how Ethan always finds his way between the two girls. A boy after my own heart. *OW, Challene just hit me*
As long as we've got the photos going, let's continue shall we?
After bathtime, Ethan found Challene's shower cap. He paraded around in that thing, struttin' his stuff like he was... someone famous who wears a shower cap. This is all hearsay for me anyways, I was in the library reviewing Pathology. *shudders* just typing that word gives me the heeby-jeebies.
Ethan talking to "Ga-Ga" Colleen. I think he's taking some lessons from Mommy. As an aside, he plays really well with Joshy. He's such a good big brother. He makes me very proud.
In proud Capulet form, Ethan bites his thumb at me, a Montague. If only I had my long-sword!
Joshua has really been curios lately. He examines every little thing he can get his hands on. This night, he got his hands on his feet. Gosh, he looked at those things for nearly 3 1/2 minutes. For me was 3 1/2 minutes of history in the making. I'm blowing this out of proportion you say? Eh, probably.
Ooo, ooo. Here's another of Joshy. He's chillin' in his saucer. "Where's Joshy?" we'd ask, and the answer invariably, "Oh, he's on the sauce again." Say, that's two posts in a row where I refer to my infant children as booze hounds. That what living in the most liberal state will do to you, I guess.
Hey, who's that guy? Well, it aint me that's for sure. That there is Sir Daniel David Titensor Esquire III. His acapella group had an award cerimony to host up in Washington so they stopped by for a night. Check them out at tonguetiedmusic.com. It sure was good to see them. The kid there is... Danny, and the other one is... Ethan, but that OTHER one is Danny and Melissa's son Dallen (Dallan?, Dalen?, Dahlin?). He should be out of that cumbersome helmet by now, so that's got to be great for them. You know, I've never seen such upbeat optimistic-ness from anyone quite like the Danny Titensor family. Just there being there that night sure gave me a slap in the face to keep priorities where they should be: on the family.
Another of the kids. Dallen looks like little Scotty Titensor did when he was 6 months. (I've heard)
This kid has sure started to like his legos lately. He's started to build them up quite a bit, and is very systematical about the whole thing.
Ol' Double Thumbed Joshua.
Jessica brought over some fruit snacks one day while we were tending her. She graciously shared with Ethan who enjoyed the "fruits" of the snacks by showing us all his blue tongue
This is at the Children's museum downtown. At first, I thought he was standing in a big pile of the "Indian Candy Corns" -- You know, the ones with the chocolate on the bottom. I was mad that he didn't fill that bucket fuller. Then, I realized that it was just a bunch of inedible bits of rubber. I then praised him for not bringing any home.
Still at the children's museum. The redhead on the left is some kid who we don't know, but if you look closely he kind of looks like Danny Bonaduce from The Partridge Family.
I suppose the posterior of my offspring is about as good a way to wrap up the photo section as any. They still look nothing alike IMHO (look at me, I'm talking text! -- Gosh, I hope that means what I think it means!)
Needless to say, we have been looking forward to Spring break. We were planning on going to the coast for a few days to see the whales migrate and take Ethan through the world famous aquarium, but due to some unforeseen IRS issues (thank you very much E*Trade) it looks like we will have to forego that idea and settle for a movie night.
On an equi-dismal note (for some) I have a question to pose for everyone out in .com land. As you know, I've been going to chiropractic school for two academic years now (whew!) and am loving every bit of it. I'm 100% sure that chiropractic is what I want to do professionally. Recently, however, I have been considering expanding my educational base (and thus my future practice base) to include Naturpathic Medicine. Truly, there are two things about it that capture my attention: #1. With an ND license on top of my DC license I will be able to perform minor surgeries at my disposal. Though I'll be trained in all the surgeries here at WSCC, I can't legally do them in Utah. It's not within the DC scope of practice. Having had my dermatology class and being exposed to what this entails, I've only grown more and more excited for this option personally and professionally. As far as the business aspect of it, it's a win-win. The things that I would be doing (lots of cosmetics -- wart, moles, melanoma, lipoma, telangiectasia (spider veins) to name a few, also biopsies, and a bunch of other stuff I can't think of right now) would normally cost thousands of dollars at an MD dermatologists, where I can charge a measly $300 an hour! Word of mouth would be my advertising and insurances (upon realizing my lower rates) would send me patients. Business would be booming, on top of my regular practice. #2 benefit would be my legal right to prescribe certain medications. It's a limited right to only those found to be based on a natural origin... and that's quite a list. What does that mean for me? It means that the acute motor vehicle accident patient who comes in with a neck the size of a Christmas ham can have a strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic before I get in there and fix what modern day ergonomics has otherwise ruined (use your headrests people!). It opens up so many other doors for me, it's incredible. It sets me apart from the others and let's me fill a niche that people just aren't that aware of.
It would, however, be an extra two years of school (at least)! That also means an extra $65,000 in school loans (sheesh!). I would just like all of your input/opinions on the matter. What do you think? The market for this is a lot bigger here in Oregon than it is in Utah, so it will take some time for people to open up to it. I'm not trying to justify my career decisions to anyone, I'm just trying to justify the extra 65k it's going to take. So release the hounds, let me know what you think about the whole deal!
What an end to a long, long post. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
Warmly,
Will, Challene, Ethan, and Joshua.
