On our last full day in Williamsburg, VA, we drove half an hour away to visit Yorktown, where the final battle of the American Revolution occurred. Of course we listened to, and sang at the top of our lungs, select Hamilton songs on the way. Guys, this place is so beautiful that it's hard to imagine the violent siege that once took place.
That's the American Revolution River Cruise ship in the background.
Yorktown has free trolleys with lots of stops where you can get off and on to see all the sights!
Phil's always creating races or obstacle courses for the kids:
We ended up back at the beach area to have a picnic lunch, play frisbee, and explore for awhile.
JP didn't come with us to Yorktown because he had a medical school interview via zoom, and stayed back at the quiet hotel room to take care of business. He said it went well but doesn't want to attend that particular school in Kansas if he gets in.
We drove back to Maryland on Friday, after spending the morning working out and swimming for a couple hours. Our Lucy Doodle girl was very happy to see us (thanks Nana and Gramps for dogsitting)!
On Saturday morning, Phil, Maggie, JP and I headed out to take a tour of a medical school he has been accepted to in Hagerstown, MD. They were so nice to come in on a Saturday morning to give us this private tour and make JP feel welcomed!
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| Getting sized for his white coat |
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| Touring the brand new apartments, which are still under construction (hence the hardhats) |
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| Gross Anatomy |
Maggie was very interested in the tour, and says she "definitely wants to do something medical, just not sure what yet." I think she would make a lovely PA or doctor. The Stim Labs were so cool and new and kind of blew our minds. They have multiple mannequins that can do things like give birth, sweat, bleed, etc. It's wild.
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| Push! |
There was a huge section of rooms, where a paid actor enters as patient, and the med school students enter from the other side, acting as the doctor. The patient acts sick and the student has to diagnose them. The whole thing is recorded on camera and they review their steps and missteps after. JP was so excited about his future after this tour, even if he attends another school. He has his last (in-person, all day) interview tomorrow at Duquesne, so please say a prayer for God's Will :)
After the tour, Maggie and I attended my niece's baby shower. I can't believe in July our titles will be Great Aunt and Great Uncle...we're too young! It's so exciting and the start of many, many more babies of the next generation to come. Phil and I have 32 nephews and nieces, so our family lines should live on for a long time.
We hung out with Phil's side of the family on Saturday night, went to Mass, packed up Vanna White and drove back to MA early on Sunday morning, arriving home before noon. It was a great vacation, just the right amounts of relaxing and exciting and I'm always beyond grateful when I can share these experiences with all of my wee ones, because I realize the days are fleeting.
What a great vacation - family, fun, and pools!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about JP and school- which ever school gets him will be lucky! Maryland is closer to MA than the west side of PA - would that be your preference? Don't worry about the money - have him go to the best fit.
MD is about 8 hours away from us, and only 45 minutes from his grandparents. It's a new school, which worries me but he got a nice scholarship there and they are really looking to this inaugural class to help them get roots planted, so JP would have lots of opportunities and was encouraged to take a leadership role, start a club, etc. Pittsburgh is about 11 hours away but only 45 minutes from Franciscan's campus where Andrew and Eamon will be (and probably Maggie in another year). Plus Duquesne is slightly more established as a med school, and has a law school and university so it's set up as an academic atmosphere and they have some great partnerships for internships, including a derm one that JP was really interested in, and maybe a study abroad in Ireland program? He says it's his first choice but it will be hard to pass up the scholarship from MD. I'm just praying hard that God makes it clear!
DeleteI think we went to Yorktown, but after seeing your pictures maybe we didn't? Hmm. It looks great. I don't remember trolleys, etc. The weather looks outstanding and now I vote that we do something on the east coast for spring break next year. Visiting med schools - wow, so exciting. I hope that the decision on where to go is a clear one. Curly is considering being a nurse or a PA. When we visited St. Mary's at Notre Dame, (where I went) the state of the art lab with the mannequins was mind blowing. And, sort of creepy. Thanks for sharing. Looks like a great visit. Dang, you packed in a ton.
ReplyDeleteJamestown is a popular place down there too, with ships you can tour...maybe you went there? And yes the dummies were very creepy! Especially because some parts were still in boxes - eek!
Delete32 nieces and nephews, and now a grand-nibling! How exciting! I love hearing about families that are bigger than my own. My husband and I each have one sibling, and we have only one niece. Doesn't take much to get bigger than that, I suppose!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting for JP. Your description of his medical school interviews takes me back to when my husband was interviewing! What an exciting, challenging, fulfilling (and long) journey JP is embarking on!!!
Such a looooong journey ahead! My doctor siblings keep reminding him that getting into/choosing med school is a hard step but then you're a med school student and the journey flows. They all loved med school, so JP (who also loves school) is really excited for it all.
DeleteWhat a nice trip and how cool for JP to have so many choices. You must be so proud and it truly must have been such a gift to have this time together as a family (even with Andrew for a bit!) before Ice Cream Cottage season kicks off.
ReplyDeleteThank you, we are proud of him for sure!
DeleteI haven’t commented in ages because I couldn’t, fit done reason—now suddenly it works! Huzzah!
ReplyDeleteLove keeping up with your family’s news. And I pray that God makes JP’s choice easy!
Technology! Thank you for your prayers, they mean a lot to me!
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ReplyDeleteWow, Yorktown is absolutely gorgeous!! And looks like you had perfect weather for it. The race up the hill is totally something my own dad would make us do (even now as full grown adults).
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, the simulation models are something else. When I was at PA school (at Duquesne!! So I'm very curious how his interview went and what he thought of it -- and -- are you all in Pittsburgh right now!?! If so we should absolutely meet up!!) anyway, we had Sim Man and Sim Woman so we could practice CPR, draw "blood", lance "abscesses", insert catheters, and all kinds of things. The professors could control the mannequin's movements and would read off scripts. I can only imagine how much more advanced things are almost *cough cough* 20 years later!
You know I love your dad :) JP flew out to PIT by himself, and I'm recapping on tomorrow's post!
DeleteBeautiful photos! Warm greetings from Montreal, Canada.
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