Four years ago a year-in-review blog link-up got me started blogging and I was immediately hooked! I love blogging and documenting life (obviously), but this review
might just be my favorite post of the year. I love seeing everything neat and tidy and summarized. Seeing my babies and family grow and change right before my eyes. An an entire year dwindled down to the biggest and best moments. And so I'm at it again. For each month I will include: 1 picture, a brief summary of the happenings, and a link (or two) to my top posts of the month. And by top posts I mean most visited. Not necessarily my best writing or most meaningful posts. But before I begin this year's review here are the reviews of the years past:
January
And so began the second half of the first year of residency. Blech. Joe was on trauma rotation for the entire month. Also known as the rotation in which the resident + the resident's family are traumatized by the relentless hours. And in this particular residency the rotation in which the residents aren't allowed to shave so my husband turned into a grizzly man. (So not my favorite!) My parents were staying with us for the entire month and I owe every ounce of sanity I had at the end of this particular month to them. The highlight of the month was by far OUR BABY TURNING ONE!! Joe missed Levi's actual birthday so we saved the cake for the day after his birthday. It was a short but lovely family celebration. Oh I guess I also finally documented
my doctor visit from the fall.
February
Trauma dragged on for the first two and half weeks of February. But with my parent's help we survived! And then we celebrated...by lighting an old Christmas tree on fire. The kids and I thought this was a great celebration. Joe on the other hand thought it was a lot of work for a very short celebration. By the end of this month I was starting to get my feet back under me (because the first 6 months of residency had really knocked me down) and
I started blogging again. Life here in Texas was falling into a manageable rhythm.
March
Joe was on his OB rotation which was just the breather we needed as a family. His work schedule relented a little and he was even able to take an entire week off for the kids' Spring Break. The week started out lovely. Quality family time together at home + getting a few small projects done around the house. Charlotte learned to ride her bike without training wheels and we finally were able to enjoy bike rides as a family of 6. We decided to go camping for the second half of Joe's week off and it was
THE WORST camping trip ever. So much vomit!!! Also. Um...we never did
pack that hurricane box. Oops. But I'm happy to say this school year I know without a doubt we are doing the right thing for each of our children. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
April
Life plugged along. Isaiah enjoyed participating in 5Ks with his school's running club. (He somehow even convinced
me to do a race with him. It nearly killed me.) Hannah started her first soccer season and despite her
REALLY wanting to join a soccer team it was somewhat tortuous for all involved because we quickly discovered she doesn't actually like playing soccer. Lesson learned. I learned
I PASSED my PA re-certification exam and no one was more surprised than yours truly!
May
Levi decided to finally start walking at 15 months old. And while it was super exciting and we all cheered along his efforts to wobble-walk, it was bittersweet for me. My baby was less of baby and suddenly more of a toddler. This was also the month of visitors. Joe's mom and sister came at the beginning of the month and my parent's came at the end. Charlotte danced in her second recital and LOVED it. And Joe and I celebrated our
13th wedding anniversary - which unfortunately ended in an argument and him leaving to work a night shift in the ER. Such is life.
June
June is our month of celebrations. My birthday. End of another school year. Charlotte's 6th (Shopkin's themed) birthday. Isaiah's 9th birthday. And the most exciting celebration this year...the
end of intern year!! We survived. And we celebrated all of these events accordingly. We enjoyed a little bit of Texas summer (ie at the pool!) and then the kids and I got out of dodge! I drove solo with the kids 1400 miles to spend a month "back home" with family and friends. And while traveling with my crew cross-country was daunting, it was completely worth it.
July
This may have been our best month yet. Being away from residency and surrounded by family and friends that love and support us was
exactly what the kids and I needed. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy traveling alone with the kids. We visited dozens of friends' and families' homes. These visits were absolutely a blessing to us, but also challenging at times with small children who are reluctant to eat "strange meals" and sleep in "strange beds". But I preserved and we had THE BEST time. We all
missed Joe terribly, but knowing he was on a month of night shifts while we were away made it easier as well. Highlights of the month include: Isaiah & Charlotte going to summer camp with cousins, visiting my Grandparent's home "Up North", spending
a week with our best friends, and just relaxing at my parent's house. I also started a blog
house tour this month despite not being home:)
August
Leaving Minnesota to
return to Texas was one of the hardest things I've done - emotionally and physically. The kids and I made the drive in two days with very few stops with one feverish child. Never again. To add insult to injury we arrived home and our A/C died. August in Texas is miserable without central air. We had to postpone Hannah's 4th birthday party due to our lack of a comfortable environment. Then I learned Hannah wouldn't be attending
public preschool so I took the plunge and started homeschooling the girls while Isaiah continued at his public school. It was a whirlwind month. Lots of tears and frustration. But also exciting new beginnings. Beginnings like focusing my efforts on pouring my energy into
residency people.
Oh and Hannah started gymnastics (pictured above) - which seems to be a much better fit for her than soccer.
September
This picture is completely unrelated to our month. Other than it happened in
September. Joe and the three big kids were playing in the boys' room when the
kids came out and told me "Daddy's asleep. I don't know how he can sleep
on the floor like that! It doesn't look comfortable." So I had to go take
a peak and a picture:) And they are right. Doesn't look comfortable. Poor guy
is exhausted. September...Charlotte lost her
first tooth, Levi lost his
beloved pacifier, the girls and I were trying to find our
rhythm with
homeschooling (some days were better than others!) and
lastly I started
exercising...for
the first time in my life (basically).
October
We attempted once again to all things "
Fall" in Texas's very un-autumn-like weather. Yuck.
The "pumpkin patch" is miserable at 90+ degrees. And trick or
treating in costumes is quite uncomfortable. The lack of actual Fall makes me a
little homesick each year. Good thing Joe had a couple weekends off and we were
able to go on a few family adventures...the zoo, a HUGE flea market, a night
away at a hotel, exploring new towns and parks. Nothing extravagant, but still
super fun. And this was the year I finally convinced my family to do themed
costumes. Isaiah chose
STAR WARS so while Joe was away at a conference in Las
Vegas I kept busy creating our costumes. All in all a good month.
November
Gosh this was a busy month. We hosted Friendsgiving again this year for the
residents. Instead of our modest 30-40 guests we had last year 70+ people
showed up. Our house isn't THAT big, but we made it work and everyone had
fun...I think:) The very next week we hosted a family reunion with cousins and
aunts and uncles from all over the country! It was so much fun having family
here. Especially because were able to celebrate Thanksgiving together as a
family...after a lovely day at the beach boogie boarding of course. Somehow I
neglected to blog the fact that Isaiah qualified for the State Mathlete
competition (which will be in May). Oh and some other regular
life stuff happened too! Like family pictures for our
Christmas card (taken by another resident wife). That picture is probably my
all time favorite!
December
And just like that it was the end of the year. Which means I spent too many
hours cramming in all my required CME hours. I made it. We also had many
parties and holiday festivities. But the best was Christmas week having my
brother and his family with us ALL WEEK. We have been spoiled with family time
this winter. Joe had the week off too so he actually was able to join in the
fun as well. Levi also decided to take off with his talking this month. He now
repeats everything and speaks in command form. His favorite command is "No
do that!" (in regards to diaper changes).