There are somethings that I have not really included in the blog. Most of what is on here is focused on our girls and things we do as a family. Rarely is there much about Tristan or myself directly, since I'm not sure I want to share our issues with the whole world. We've left most of the stressful things in life off. I also have neglected some of our triumphs.
Dental school was challenging. Very challenging. Somedays Tristan would say that after knowing what he was going to go through, he's not sure he would have done it again. Now that we have cleared that obstacle, it's easier to say you'd do it again when you look at the potential you have as dentist verses just a biology grad.
The second year of dental school Tristan buddied up with his now closest friends for study groups. This started us on our current path. Through school and clinic Tristan teamed up with his friend Brendon and began cooking up some big dreams. The two of them are so similar in nature and habit. They understand one another in ways that no one else can. They've had similar experiences and childhoods. They enjoy so many of the same things. I believe it was during third year that they began talking about partnering up for business after graduation. We started narrowing down locations to try and ease the planning. It takes a long time to get things set, so we started pretty early. In May of 2011 we took a tour of the Carolinas together and discovered the gem that is Charleston. It was by far the highlight of the trip. We loved it and felt fantastic about pursuing careers there. Summer ended and the boys entered into a contest to create a business plan. They visited the area to get connections in the dental world. They talked to contractors, bankers, brokers, real estate agents, the works to make their plan. They paid for demographics to find the perfect spot since they needed specific numbers to create the plan. The contest ended and the were awarded 3rd place. This seemed to be a very real possibility.
Fourth year dental students are assigned different locations around the state to provide care to those in need to gain more real- life clinical experience beyond just the dental school's clinics where they would only be allowed to see two patients a day. Ohio project would give them the opportunity to increase their exposer and get a taste of what life would be like after graduation. Brendon and Tristan saw it as an opportunity to test run their compatibility working together. They requested to be in the same locations and were able to see. All was well.
December comes around and financially it looks like the loans to start up won't be available right out of school. After working for a few years, they might get the financing but the Plan would have to be put on hold. Tristan maintains his contacts in Charleston but tells them to switch the focus to find him an associateship somewhere near West Ashley where we'd determined the best area for opening a new practice. We hear things now and then but nothing concrete.
Suddenly its February and Spring Break is around the corner and we start panicking that nothing has turned up. Tristan scrounges around for interview during the break and we plan a family trip with both families sharing a beach house on Isle of Palms. It's a busy week with lots of interviews. Most aren't very productive but they do contact and meet with a man starting up new practices in the area we're interested in. Since it's a new chain (corporate) the CEO is hiring lots of dentist and promises both Tristan and Brendon jobs. The offer is good, everything we were looking for. They are even going to be in the same practice! We start making firm plans. I find an apartment. It's all going according to plan. They work out the kinks in the contract and sign them. We have a three bedroom apartment in a brand new complex that is smoke free and within our budget (barely). We figure that an upgrade in living should come in the form of a new apartment since we are no longer students. We plan to continue living like students since our loans will be coming due, but allow ourselves the luxury of an upgrade in living quarters. The apartment is nearly 1500 square feet with an enormous kitchen. I am so excited!
Tristan has completed all of his requirements (as of the end of February) and is anxious to finish his time. He takes as many opportunities out of the school's clinic as he can. He does an externship with the perio department. Just biding his time until clinic's over. He schedules a hernia surgery the Monday following the first day of checkout. Checkout is delayed and he has to return to the school for checkout but that is the only hiccup in the smooth plan. He's essentially out of school starting the 18th of May. Graduation is June 4th. Tristan's parents come to town May 31st and stay until the 6th. We enjoy time as a family preparing for the move (Tristan's on a weight restriction and cannot life more than 25 pounds). Things are stressful but exciting. We worry about the Prestwich's selling there house and graduation. We stress about fitting in the truck and in a panic reserve the largest truck. Move day arrives and we end up splitting the truck, due to unforeseen circumstances. I'm grateful to that panic as it gives us an opportunity to help out our friends and cut some of the travel costs including towing a car.
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