Emptying the Camera....

So I finally found the camera cord to dump all of my pictures from the last few months. There are not many but I thought I could share them....Going to bed so I will add more about JT's Melting Pot birthday dinner!

Enjoy....

Our Apartment just before the move home from NYC

My friend Laurel and JT at Mesa Grille while still in NYC
JT and I at the Melting Pot this weekend for JT's birthday
JT's friends Phillip and Abby at his birthday dinner
Me with my baby Asia, man I miss her.....

I am thankful for......

~ A loving husband, who is organized (a bit anal), handsome, lots of fun, and a strong Christian man... He is everything I am not.

~ Family. I am blessed with so much family, from my immediate family to my step parents and siblings. I also am grateful for wonderful in laws that treat me as a daughter... JT even thinks they love me more...(I doubt that)

~ Friends... new ones from the last year, friends from medical school (too many to name), the few I keep up with from college (Emily, Dana...), fewer that I keep in touch with from high school (Sarah, Allison...), and childhood friends. I have noticed that most will come and most will go. But I am thankful for what each person has done for me.

~ Education....I feel blessed to have the ability, drive and determination to take my education to the highest level. Not everyone is so blessed. And though, often I get frustrated that I went to a Carribean school and not UK or UofL or Tennessee, I realize God has a hand in everything and a plan for us which I can not see...I have faith that Ross University is part of it.

~ Health... Luckily for me I have been blessed with great health this far in my life. I see my sister's struggles with seizures and others who struggles with addiction and health related issues, and I realize I need to thank God daily for my lack of struggle in my health!

~ A forgiving God... With every passing day, I am very thankful for a God who loves me despite myself, a God who loved me when I was still in my mother's womb before I had the chance to mess up, a God who gave me the perfect man to spend a lifetime with, and a God who will hopefully bless me with loving children and a prosperous career...

These are just the basics. But it is important to be thankful. It is humbling and expected of us.
~nat

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. JT and I went to three different places from Wednesday night through Thursday night. First we went to my uncle Dean's and aunt Carol's home (my dad's brother's). It was great to see five of my nine aunts and uncles on my dad's side of the family. My aunt Carol is a wonderful cook and my uncle Dean always does something ridiculous to make us all laugh...usually unintentionally.

Then, Thursday morning, my aunt Libby and uncle David (my mom's brother) had us over for lunch. It was nice to see my cousin Stevie and her new baby boy, Bradley! He is adorable. Plus, I was able to spend time with my my and Bob. Later yesterday evening, JT, Gretchen and I rode with my step brother Craig to my step-mom's family's dinner....I know, it is complicated. Terri's (my step mom) family had another traditional dinner. So far, this dinner is the only where I have pictures from. I did not take pictures at any of the meals, but hopefully I will collect them over the next few days. The picture below is of Gretch, JT, Me, Terri, Dad, Cassi (step sister), and Craig.

This afternoon when JT gets off of work we are first heading to Bowling Green, KY. We are meeting JT's friend Paul to sign some life insurance papers and catch up quickly. Most importantly, JT and I are eating at Mariah's, our favorite restaurant from when we were in college. We can't wait. From there, we are heading to Louisville to spend some time with JT's parents, Mamaw and family. I also might get to see my friend Sarah and her boyfriend Zach. Either way, I am happy to be visiting his family.

On Monday, I start with the neurosurgeons for four weeks.... However, this means that I only have four weeks left of surgery and thus, four weeks left of my core rotations. I can't believe that because it was just yesterday I was in Dominica going crazy. Speaking of which, this year is my first T-giving at home since 2005...Crazy, huh?

I am very much looking forward to the holiday season. I love Christmas. Anyone who knows me, should at the very least know that. We are not doing a big gift giving thing this year because we are trying to pay off debt and save as we get closer to my going into residency and having to pay back the $$$$$$ of student loans. Nevertheless, I can't wait for the cheesy movies and fudge (despite my diet), and music and parties and family and friends....I love every bit of it!!!!!!!!!!

Well have a great weekend!
~nat

Some more pics from Paige's visit...will post more later

One of the house boats....look at the crazy slide!!!
JT doing what he does best...using that BLACKBERRY...and me thinking, "why is she taking this picture?"
Just at sunset....

Catching Up....

JT and I had a great weekend! Friday afternoon we drove to Tennessee to visit my mom and Bob. We had a yummy dinner at Red Lobster (a place I would never eat at in NYC and a place we do not have in Somerset...what a dichotomy). On Saturday, Mom and I went to Knoxville to enjoy a few sales at Steinmart and ate Fried Greens Tomatoes at Conner's. It was so cold by the time we got home... JT and I then drove back last night so we could make church this morning. We had a lot of fun and were glad to spend time with them.

Last week we started going to FBC2. It is a new contemporary service started by First Baptist Church here in Somerset. We went to their traditional service two weeks ago and were very disappointed, realizing what a struggle it would be if we could not find a church that met our needs. So we were very excited at the prospect of a more praise-geared service. We were pleasantly surprised last week at the great music and band. This week, my dad and Terri even went with us. The first song was a great rock song but hard as a praise song...However, the rest of the service was refreshing....three of my favorite songs.... Also, he spoke on Love. Love, I know, such a played topic. But, it was, as I said, refreshing to re-visit a topic that we often take for granted. Loving others because God first loved us and also that loving others is impossible if we don't first love God. He also focused on the fact it is easy to love those that love us, but that loving difficult people and those that frustrate us is the real test of our faith and love of God. Anyways, I just wanted to share that and express my gratitude that we have found somewhere.

Here are some pictures from two weeks ago when my friend Paige came to visit at Dad's boat. I think they are funny and cute.

Me and Paige on the upper deck
Me and JT on the deck
Us sitting on Dad's fishing boat
Me holding the catfish dad caught!!! I am silly

Sorry it has been awhile. For those of you that know me, you understand what the last week has been like. For everyone else, I apologize.

Today was somewhat of a melancholy today. The colorful leaves are slowly disappearing and the perpetual drizzle is gloomy. Sadder even was the fact that we removed a mass/knot/lump, whichever you want to call it, from a lady's breast today. Though we do not have the pathology report yet, it is quite suspicious of cancer on ultrasound and post-operative inspection. I have never had any one close to me with breast cancer, but the tech in the OR had it herself.... It is a bit staggering to see this when removing benign lumps is usually a weekly occurrence. But to have to tell a lady's family that she likely has breast cancer and a radical mastectomy is the next logical step....it is hard. Fortunately for me as a student, the doctor does that and I watch. Fortunately for the surgeon, the family was well-informed and educated on breast cancer and suspicious themselves, making the burden of delivering the news much less traumatic.

On a brighter note, I am off this weekend. JT and I are going to visit my mom and Bob in Tennessee on Friday and Saturday then back to Somerset on Sunday for church. We are really hoping the church we have been visiting works out. I will keep you posted!

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

FIREPROOF

Last night JT and I went with our dear friends Jason and Emily to see the movie Fireproof. It is not movie produced by some big Hollywood company but rather by an Atlanta church as an outreach. The movie focused on a young couple in a struggling marriage, Jesus' role in their lives, and overcoming of the problems in their marriage. It highlighted a book called The Love Dare, a forty day devotional/dare in which you do something each day for your spouse. For example, the first day was to Not say anything negative to your spouse while day 2 was to continue day one while doing something kind and unasked for. Each day compounded on the previous day, and it insisted on following through despite your spouse's reaction. It is late so my writing and reflection is not adequate to describe how the movie actually made me feel. However, it made me look at my own marriage, see my flaws in it, and also remind me of my deep appreciation for JT, where we are currently and the many struggles that have gotten us here. I feel we have dealt with enough struggles and change and growth in our five years...more than many marriages endure in ten or twenty...Yet, I love him and who I am because of him and who I am when I am with him. Seeing this movie helped to reiterate these feelings and certainties I have. I encourage anyone who would be interested to see the movie or look into the book, either of which will be of benefit to both strong and struggling relationships.