New Years Resolution

I've always been a sucker for New Year's Resolutions. I love setting goals and seeing how much stronger I can grow as a person in just one year. Sometimes my resolutions are silly, sometimes they're adventurous (like running a marathon!), and sometimes they're quite challenging. As my spiritual journey with the Lord has been growing deeper, I can’t think of a better goal this year than to focus on my walk with the Lord. To help achieve this goal, I decided to read the Bible in 2009. I also went out and got a journal and a lot of bright sharpie pens so that I can write down my thoughts and prayers.

I’ve been reflecting a lot recently about where I am with the Lord, and yearn to be closer. I definitely think that reading the Bible and having quiet time with God each day will be wonderful. I also have been praying over the past few months and feel the Lord calling me to do a mission trip, so that I can immerse myself in Him and share my faith with others. As this new year begins, I am nothing but excited to leave an old, sinful life behind. I am so thankful for God's grace and love.

I’d like to share this video with you (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4). Please take a few minutes to hear this amazing message, one that brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it. God is truly amazing, and I am so excited to grow in Him.

Merry Christmas!

This Christmas morning I awoke to the squeals of Kaitlyn and Austin, who were surveying the evidence of Santa's arrival. With a plate of cookie crumbs and an empty glass of milk, they were certain that Santa was pleased. Even the reindeer ate all of their carrots! As we made our way to the Christmas tree, the kids ran to their presents, wrapped in Tinkerbell and Pooh. The most magical moment occurred when Kaitlyn unwrapped her big gift from Santa. As she pulled back the wrapping paper to reveal a Pottery Barn dollhouse, she threw her hands on her cheeks and screamed!! I had so much fun playing with the kids and feeling the spirit of a home full of Christmas joy!



While the kids played, we took a break from presents to enjoy a delicious breakfast, my famous Christmas strata that I learned how to make at a cooking demo in Colonial Williamsburg. It didn't take long to return to the excitement of opening gifts, this time for the adults! I most certainly was spoiled this year, getting lots of gifts to include a much needed navigation system! Andrea's big gift was a beautiful pair of Chestnut Uggs, in which she will be absolutely stylin'. Santa is always way to generous to us!!

After Andrea packed up the kids to spend the day with her in-laws, I fell asleep for a three hour nap! I guess I'm hardly used to little kids waking up before 7 ;). Once I was well rested, I took off to run my second annual Christmas ten miler! I definitely worked up an appetite for our delicious Christmas dinner, which we savored once Andrea and the kids returned. We spent the evening playing with the kids, and enjoying our time together. Christmas was truly magical this year, and I am so blessed to be able to share it with such a loving family.

Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve!! I'm excited to steal some time away from the festivities to write about what I've been up to this holiday season. I spent last month doing a pediatric cardiology rotation in Charlottesville, Virginia. I had so much fun being at UVA again, catching up with old friends and being back on grounds. I think that Charlottesville is one of the most amazing places in the entire world. It has so much local charm, so many unique little local favorites and a certain spirit in the air. I definitely had my fair share of Bodos, my favorite bagel shop in town. I can ramble off "smoked turkey, muenster, on an everything bagel, hot, for here" like nobody's business :). I lived with my college roommate's sister and her family. It was great to be in such a lively house for the month, and they truly made me feel like one of the family. I don't think anything could replace the excitement of living with two little kids at Christmas time. We had so much fun eating chocolate out of Advent calendars, making gingerbread men, and watching Christmas movies with big mugs of hot chocolate and marshmallows!

My rotation ended mid-December, giving me three entire weeks of Christmas vacation. I spent the first weekend celebrating Andrea's graduation!! I am so proud of my sister, who is 26 and juggles being a full time mom, full time nurse, and full time student (not to mention that her husband is deployed). She amazes me and is my inspiration.

I spent last week traveling throughout North Carolina and Virginia, visiting friends from college and PA school. The week was filled with Christmas festivities to include holiday charades, Christmas movies, peppermint mochas, church concerts, lots of baking, holiday parties, shopping, wrapping gifts, and listening to endless Christmas songs on the radio.

While these adventures have all been fun, I know that my favorite part will be tonight, when my family goes to the Christmas eve service. I have always savored that magical feeling that comes with hearing the Christmas story and reflecting on the birth of Jesus. The beauty of a church decorated with poinsettias, and the delightment that comes from lighting a candle and singing Silent Night is unparalleled. I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas eve, and a very very Merry Christmas!

Luke 2: 10-14
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Pearls

I once heard a quote that said "When life throws you lemons, you throw them in your iced tea and thank God you're a southern girl." That quote definitely brings a smile to my face and makes me love the south even more. Ever since I've moved to Carolina, I'm embracing the south more and more. I absolutely love their silly words for things (ie "buggy" for shopping cart). And the infamous "Bless their heart," to preface anything not so nice.

I was raised in a southern household. With a mom from Alabama and a dad from Kentucky, I definitely have had my fair share of good cookin' and proper manners. Virginia's kind of funny. Even though it's technically the south, it sure doesn't compare to Carolina. I'll spend the month of January in Alabama, and can't wait to immerse myself in their unique version of "southern." My cousins add an extra syllable onto every word.. so cute!

In my opinion, the south is the best place to be. I love everything southern- pearls to go with every outfit, bright red lipstick, sundresses, Lilly Pulitzer, grits, and pitchers of sweet iced tea! In the words of Al Green ""All I can say is that there's a sweetness here, a Southern sweetness, that makes sweet music. . . . If I had to tell somebody who had never been to the South, who had never heard of soul music, what it was, I'd just have to tell him that it's music from the heart, from the pulse, from the innermost feeling. That's my soul; that's how I sing. And that's the South."

My New Blog!

I'm so excited about starting my very own blog!! In my family of four, I'm usually the one who's on the cutting edge of technology. So my hope in creating a blog is that it will inspire my family and friends to create one as well! What better way to keep up with loved ones than to read stories from their lives on a daily basis :) Well since I'm going first, I guess I'll start sharing my thoughts.

Yesterday, Kristin and I went to a yoga class in Charlotte. We were resting in a seated posture in the beginning of class, preparing for our practice. With our eyes closed, our teacher was coaching us to clear our minds and ease ourselves of all of the stress that the holidays bring. Those words instantly resonated with me, and the mere statement sounded completely contradictory. I had never before associated the words holidays and stress with any negative connotation. I started to reflect on this thought, and realized that we do, indeed, live in a society that places demands on us to the degree that even a simple pleasure can be turned into a stressful situation. After class, Kristin and I talked about how the holidays to us are nothing but pure relaxation; stress-relievers rather than stress-inducers. We wondered if this was because we're still in school and the holidays come with a break from the books. Whatever the reason, we vowed to always keep things in perspective. When I can't find a parking spot in a shopping center full of traffic, when I rack up hundreds of dollars on my student loans, and even when that chipmunk song comes on the radio, I'd like to take myself back to that seated yoga posture. The holidays are all about Him. A time to reflect on the gifts the Lord has given us- our family, our friends, our health. I thought it was only appropriate that the class ended in savasana, with this song, "Heavenly Day" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWzuLAHnGBQ). Namaste and Merry Christmas!