Leaving 2010

Hello to friends and family,

Today marks the beginning of this new blog. It is the perfect time to write the first post.

I was supposed to study the Ear, Nose and Throat system today in preparation for my boards on January 19th but I've decided that spending some time away from the books with my mom and even writing this blog post was a better way to spend this morning.

I am sitting in Charlotte, about to leave for Lake James where I will be able to spend sweet time with some of my friends from college who are near and dear to me, more like sisters than friends really. I love and deeply value my time with them.... it is always rich and deep but also incredibly fun, I also plan on winning the tetherball tournament this year.

I spent the past 3 weeks with family and old friends. First, my family, they love so well and care so deeply that it is often messy, hard, and challenging, but there is never a lack of love and concern for eachother's well being in this family. Even though I do a poor job of showing them, they are and will always be my first priority, and time with them is precious to me. Unless some man wants to show up in my life and show them up, I am convinced no one loves me more on this earth than my parents. Further, I always cherish time with my grandparents, I am convinced I have the best grandparents in the world..... I know all yall out there love your grandparents, and I'm sure they are cool too, but mine are so special to me :) Aunts, uncles, cousins galore, such a joy these people are.

I went to Chapel-Hill and Durham and saw people at The Family Doctor. I spent time at Duke visiting with my professional mentor and friend Peggy, then over to the office and was able to hug, visit with and share meals with people that are so dear to me. The Family Doctor is truly a family of medical professionals who taught me good medicine, life lessons and that your colleagues can and should be a part of your family. I was a medical assistant for a PA named Bruce, if you know me you know of Bruce...... I enter into my medical practice with aspirations to be at least 1/2 of the PA he is.

Was able to share time and conversation with three past spiritual mentors in my life who live in Miami, Seattle and Charlotte. I am so grateful for these ladies, who each have had a significant role in who I am and walked through life with me through various seasons of my life. I wasn't able to see Kalle this break and havn't seen Ashley O'steen in a while (partly bc she resides in Nicaragua) but these 5 women (Claire, Beth, Kelly, Ashley and Kalle) would comprise the McDonalds All-American first string all-star team... Its not because they are awesome (which they are) but they each walk closely with Jesus.

And then, Atlanta. I know when I leave Lake James on Sunday I head to Atlanta to finish my chapter of life there. A lot of it will be spent in the school of medicine, preparing for boards, but I am determined to spend as much time as possible with the people near and dear to my heart that are still there (and haven't left to scatter across the United States). I get sad thinking about the people I am heading home to, sad because I know in less than a month I have to say goodbye. I have developed rich friendships with these Emory PA friends, the roots grow deep when you are put through such an intense academic curriculum :) I was placed in a class with these people, and as a result I get to take them with me for the rest of life as friends. Leaving them is going to be so hard but I will do all I can to stay in touch, this blog is my first effort.

And then I move forward, to Chicago. I begin a new chapter of life. I am 100% convinced I am called to be in Chicago, in the neighborhood called Little Village and serving at the Farragut site of Lawndale Christian Health Center. Yes, it is that specific of a calling :) I have two roomates already that I can't wait to get to know and a whole community of people I am excited to live life with.

I carry with me a deep love for my family, my high school friends, my Family Doctor friends, my college friends, my Emory PA friends and my heart is filled with amazing memories, my mind full of knowledge and wisdom shared and my spirit edified. I take a bit of each of you with me as I begin this next chapter, and I am thankful for that.