Stella's 4th Birthday

My dear friend Emily has a special and very girly daughter Stella who celebrated her fourth birthday on October 26. JT and I feel like family with Emily and Jason so we attended the "family only" birthday party. I think I invited myself but oh well. It was a blast. (I will post pictures from our cruise soon.)

Gatlinburg 2009

We traveled to G-burg at the end of September with our friends. We stayed in Justin's parent's cabin for the weekend. Unfortunately it rained most of the weekend so we stayed in most of the time. This does not mean that fun was not had by all! Here are some pictures!


Me and Caroline, Jacqueline's teacup "shit-zoo"

Me, Jacqueline and Caroline

Jac and Caroline

Ashli and Ryan
JT with his beer sampler....and he does not even like beer

David & Sarah Hafley's Wedding

One of my dearest friends from childhood and high school, David Hafley, got married on August 8 in Indianapolis. JT and I felt it was important to make the trip in support of JT. It was also great to see friends from my past. It was very hot so if in the pictures we look sweaty, we were!!! The wedding was gorgeous, and probably one of the nicest I have been to.

JT & I at the wedding

Morgan Pence & I, one my closest friends growing up


Me with the groom, David


Morgan, David, & me


Me and Daniel Renner


The Reception


Jonathan Hart, David and Sarah Hafley


David & Sarah


The two younger Hart brothers on the left, Chris and Brody, and Jared Long


Me and Marilyn Hafley, David's aunt and my previous stepmom

Jimmy's Retirement Party

My father-in-law, Jimmy, retired from Bell South two weeks after working there for 36 years. People in my generation just don't work at the same place for the many years. My mother in law had a fabulous retirement party for him last Sunday. I took quite a few pictures and here are just few of them

Jimmy with seven of his Eagle Scouts, including JT and Daniel


The Henderson Family (JT, me, Jimmy, Sharon, Denise, Daniel)


JT, Phillip, and Phillip's daughter Annie


Jimmy with his cake


Sharon and her niece, Rhonda


JT and I (it was also our anniversary)


JT and his brother Daniel


Me and JT's mamaw


Denise and Daniel


JT and his father

"Life is partly what we make it, and partly what is made by the friends whom we choose."
- Tehyi Hsieh

Yesterday I was able to spend the afternoon visiting with some friends I had not seen in awhile. My friends Jacqueline, Cassandra, and I drove to Taylorsville, KY to see our friend Melissa and her one year old son, Lincoln. We had not spent time together in several years, and it was very good to be together again! We took a few pictures, and like old times, could not get Melissa to be serious long enough to get many good shots! I love these girls and it was great to be together again.

Jacqueline and I

Cassandra, me and Melissa (she could not keep a straight face)

Cassandra, Jacqueline, and Melissa

Cassandra, Jacqueline, and Melissa ( Jac is holding Melissa's son Lincoln....and you can tell she likes it)
Cassandra, Lincoln and I

(It took three tries to get the next picture right)



Cassandra and Jacqueline being silly

Melissa's son, Lincoln

I am a firm believer in the notion that you should not wish away your life.... For example when I was in Dominica, I would think "This time in 24 days I will be at home in Kentucky." Then those 24 days happened so fast and I wanted little moments of them back (even though I was happy to be home). However, now my thoughts are doing that very thing... I find myself wishing my residency was decided for me, and I had settled on going somewhere. Yet in hoping for that, I also realize that leaves me missing the small, intricate moments between then and now... like lazy Sundays with my husband, everyday conversations with friends, seeing crazy patients, and such. The overwhelming wave of change often makes me feel this way so hoping for security and "knowing" helps.... Oh well, no more lamenting my situation... It could be worse.
`nat

Step 2

So for those of you I have not told, I passed my board exam that I have studied for like crazy over the last three months. I did surprisingly well, actually. It was not without suffering...time, lack of money because I studied rather than working.... But today, it pays off. Now I will just have to work like crazy to make up for the weeks lost. In addition to working full time, I have nine weeks of rotations left. They are spread over the next few months... so that should not be too bad. Other than those nine weeks, I am done with medical school. Graduation will be next spring but for me, it is almost over!!!!!!

I thought this picture was appropriate because it was my white coat ceremony my first week of medical school... in front of campus...