When I disappear from my blog, it can only mean one thing...

...I had an exam.  And it was rough.  Luckily, though, it was rough for everyone in my class, and as a result there was a low average, so I passed.  YAY!

In my absence, a few additional things happened.

1.  Andrew stalked a a priest.
2.  I looked at lots of houses/condos to buy in the Pittsburgh area.
3.  I went skiing, and did not sustain injuries. (Snaps for Britt!)
4.  I + a group of my med school friends + Andrew went to Grand Concourse and had the best brunch that I have ever eaten.  Pictures will come soon - they are on Andrew's camera, and not mine.

I think that based on the above list, the most intriguing is probably number 1, so let me take the time to explain.  Last week was not a good week.  I already mentioned that I had an exam.  As you can imagine, leading up to the exam, I settled into panic mode.  Andrew even has a name for it - "Test-time-Britt."

On top of the test panic, I also was dealing with physical pain - I pulled a muscle in my face, likely one of my pterygoids.  You can see them labeled in this picture:



As a result, my face and neck swelled up severely.  We're talking to the point where people look at you and go "What's wrong with your face?"

If that was not enough, I was also struggling to get information on having a wedding at a church in Grandview that I absolutely love.  I had called early in the week and was told that I would need to speak to the priest before they would give me any information about having a wedding there, but the priest was out of town until the weekend.  I waited patiently and called back on Saturday to speak to him.  Here's how that conversation went.

Me - Hello, Father, I am calling to get some information about holding a wedding at your church.
Father - Are you a member?
Me - No, I am not.  I currently live in Pittsburgh where I am a medical student.
Father - Do you ever come back to Columbus?
Me - Yes, my family and fiancee live there.
Father - OK, then come to mass some time, and we can talk then.  Good-bye.

Test-time-Britt + Swollen Face + No information on the church of my dreams without a 6 hour trip home that I couldn't make for at least 3 weeks = CATASTROPHIC IMPLOSION

Just when I was convinced that the universe desperately wanted to see me fail a test, adopt a physical deformity, and never make any progress on the wedding planning, Andrew told me that he would go to mass on his own to speak to the priest.  What a relief!

Keep in mind that the information I have on the subject is all second hand, but here is how it went down:

Andrew went to mass.  The priest who said mass was a retired visiting priest and not the one that we needed to speak to, so Andrew went on a mission after mass to find the right priest.  In the mean time, he came across another couple looking to speak to the priest about their wedding.  Andrew and the other couple headed over to the rectory (or in Andrew's words, "the little house by the church where the priest lives").  After they had attempted to bang on the door and get in touch with the priest for some time, the other couple gave up and left.  Andrew did not.  Instead, he waited in his car "playing Angry Birds and looking for signs of movement."  Eventually, he could tell that priest was awake (I really do not know how, nor am I sure that I want to know), and he managed to have lovely conversation with him in which the priest granted us permission to get married there.

Now really, how many girls can say that their fiancee would stalk a priest for them?  I must have landed a serious catch.

Also, my face is back to normal.  The universe and I are peace once more.

Until next time!
Britt