The A Family Est. 1996: Change/Girls Weekend May 2012

I'll be honest, this past winter was a doozy for me. I can't pinpoint it on one thing, just an accumulation of all sorts of things I guess. I think work was a huge stressor. After holding 2 jobs for over a year, it has come time to say adios to one of them. Medical dictation/transcription is fading in the professional world anyway, so I have decided to give that one the boot. Lots of time and energy have been put into that job, but I don't regret for one minute my pursuing it. I have learned so much and it really was fun to get to "know" some of the doctors as I listened to their voices on a daily basis and the fun things they would throw in there from time to time. It was very interesting hearing the nitty gritty details of people's medical problems, better helping me understand ones that come my way. It has given me and Ryan a common link as he is studying medicine, and we could often talk about things and know what each other were talking about. He would even help me if I couldn't understand a certain word the doc was saying. My transcription job has also been a huge blessing in that it was the only way we could buy a house here in Virginia. With Ryan not working, we had to have some type of income besides school loans. We realize everyday what a miracle it is that we were approved for a loan on my meager income. So it is just housecleaning for me now, and I am perfectly content with that. It is nice to only work 4 days a week, be home when the kids get home, and not be working into the evening on the computer when my kids need me most. I can leave work each day and have the rest of the day to do as I wish. What freedom! It has been so nice, I can't even tell you. My stress level has gone down a ton, and with our increase in clients and me being my boss's "right-hand man" I don't think we'll even miss my income from transcription. So that is the CHANGE.

As for the GIRLS WEEKEND, my mom, sister Heather, sister Holly, and niece Bailey all flew out in May for a fabulously long weekend of fun! It was exactly what I needed to help me get out of my funk and wake up a little. It was nice to have some girl time with my favorite girls in the whole wide world. It was therapeutic to be able to converse with them about raising children and all of life's little challenges and joys. The weather was great and we were able to enjoy eating out on the deck, having a BBQ, having a low-country boil with hushpuppies, coleslaw, and newspaper to boot, going to the beach, going on a sailboat ride down the Elizabeth River, spending a whole day in Washington DC (we covered the Smithsonian, National Archives, White House (outside only), Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, National World War II Memorial, Washington Monument, and Arlington Cemetery. Not bad for one day. We got lots of walking in and had sore feet by the end of the day, but it was well worth it. We had fun singing in the car. "Glad You Came" by The Wanted was our theme song for the weekend, thanks to Holly. Kinda funny. (HINT: If you look at my MixPod video down at the bottom, the main guy in the Glee Chorus singing this song is from Gwen's Governor's School! We saw him at her Messiah concert and everyone was looking at him. We even dared her friend to go up to him and get her picture with him, so she did!). We also could be heard singing the "Instrument Song" from time to time as we walked around or rode in the car, each of us being a different instrument and being silly with our harmonization. We also went to Colonial Williamsburg and spent a day shopping. It was hard to say goodbye. There's nothing I hate more than saying goodbye. After I dropped them off at the airport I seriously could not breathe knowing it would be a year until I see them again.

Life goes on. School is almost out...next week. Ryan also takes his boards next week. He is so ready, as we all are, to have them done. He gets to breathe for a couple weeks and then it is time for him to start 3rd year rotations! Good stuff.