Residency Match

Well today was a major day for our little family. Probably the biggest since we've been married. I matched into a residency program today. Around 11:30 Kenta and I walked quietly from the parking lot into the med school portion of the hospital. The air was thick with anxiety and anticipation. I felt as though we were walking to our doom. For those of you less familiar with the matching process, I ranked all the programs I liked (that I had interviewed at) and all the programs across the country rank all their applicants. Then a mystical and magical match takes place and everyone is assigned to a program -- no choices, no questions. So today we really were walking to our destiny; we no longer had any say in where we would live for the next four years. As we walked into the room there was a long table in front with the destinies of about 100 future doctors sitting on it.

The room was full, and everyone was excited and anxious about what those envelopes held.

For quite some time we have loved living in Rochester and that has always been our first choice of all the programs. BUT, we will be leaving.

WE'RE GOING TO INDIANAPOLIS!!!!!

Both of us were surprised by this; we had both felt like we were going to stay. However, I really liked the program in Indianapolis. It was our second choice of programs. Plus, it will allow Kenta a lot of new career opportunities that he wouldn't have in Rochester. So, although we will be leaving many good friends and our beautiful little house, we feel like this is what the Lord wants us to do and it will be good for us.

After the match, we jumped on our phones to call our family. Then the school provided us all with lunch and my parents surprised us by ordering (weeks ahead of time) some sparkling cider to celebrate.

K&V toasting our destiny

Hannah Sears joining in a toast.

Virginia, Alan Sears, Hannah Sears, and Lesa Sears toasting our good fortune

(all the chairs were full, so we took the floor)

Before I was noting that I had a lot of spare time on my hands. With this move you will not find such comments coming from me anymore. If any of you know good places in live in Indianapolis, let us know. We're looking both at buying a house (my preference) and renting (Kenta's preference).

More to come later on our moving and preparations.

So Virginia, what have you been doing with your spare time?

Well this last month has had several changes for the Takagis.


First, four weeks ago our church stake was reorganized pretty extensively. For nearly 2 1/2 years Kenta and I have been serving in a small inner city branch while living in a much larger ward. During this time I held 5 or 6 different callings, maxing out at 4 at one time. As we left Rochester 4th Branch I was in the Primary presidency, and Kenta was the Elders Quorum President. Our branch had an average attendance of 50-60 people each week. Now we attend the ward we live in with a couple hundred other people, most of whom we don't know. Everything has had to be reorganized with this new ward. Kenta and I, as newcomers to a congregation where a lot of people already knew each other, thought we might blend into the crowd and avoid responsibility for a while.... such was not the case. Not even the possibility that we might move in 3 months helped us out. (Just kidding, of course) So now I'm serving in the Young Women presidency and Kenta is serving in the Elders Quorum presidency. So much for having free time. :)

The other big change we've had recently is that my schedule has been pretty lax. I've had 10 times more free time than I've had for the last 3 1/2 years. It's great. So I've been working on a few different projects. Here's the pictures of a couple projects.

Kenta cuddling in my "crochet mosaic"

I made this blanket out of dozens of random rectangles and squares that I made the same way I make potholders, so Kenta calls it the "potholder blanket." I think "crochet mosaic" sounds better. Let me know what you think or if you have any better suggestions.

This is the quilt with matching pillow and pillow rattle I made for Kenta's sister Emi who is expecting in the end of April. I was very proud of how well it turned out as it was my first pieced quilt in several years.

There are other less pretty projects I've been working on (cleaning, organizing, etc.), and a few other pretty ones that are still surprises. Maybe I'll add some of those pictures later. :)

Lastly, the countdown in on for Match Day. I will find out on March 20th (16 days) where I will be for the next four years for my residency training. I'll make sure to take some pictures and make a new post soon after I find out, so watch for that.