End of the Year
Well, it seems we have made it through another year in the Great Midwest.
We are all a year older. We are all (except Kristi) a bit more gravitational. We have all increased our acquired immunity against various pathogens.
Jan is enjoying dance classes at the local community center again this year. She also has weekly horse lessons at a local Christian stables (I say Horse lessons, because they teach her care and grooming of the horse, not just riding on it's back). I don't know if she has been taught falling lessons yet, but I would have benefited from those more than the riding part when I was her age... We will see if we can include that. Jan is quite the reader now, devouring all sorts of literary works and classics. Usually we have to separate her from the pages in order to have anything that resembles meaningful conversation with her. She is quite helpful and responsive, and we are scheming on how to distill this quality and put it in the Carne water.
Alec is now about 6 and a half. He is pretty much living from weekend to weekend these days, and whenever I get home from work, I feel like a sportscaster getting the show prep from his personal assistant. Typical interaction when I walk in the door is something like the following: "Hi Alec, how are you?" "Good, hey Dad, did you know the Saints lost to the Cowboys?" "The Cowboys weren't supposed to win, but they did. I think the Saints aren't as good as they were before. Do you think the Vikings will win tonight? The Carolina Panthers only lost to the Patriots by 3 points last week, so they are a pretty tough team..." If I ever go to a sports bar, I will make sure I spend some time with my son first, so I can talk intelligently to "the guys." He is still a pretty funny guy, and seems to be quick to see the humor in circumstances. He is much more interested in reading now, and I think it is only so he can read the Box Score for weekend football games, but I guess that works for now. He had a good year playing flag football, and did quite well. He enjoys doing school, like Jan does, and is really looking forward to a good layer of snow. I have a feeling we will be playing football in the snow this year.
Anne is much more of a warm weather girl. Her eczema is much better during the summer months. She looked really good a week or so ago, when she had been vomiting and not eating for a few days.... Cleared right up. At least we are not having to refill our prescription for the Epi Pen, so that is good. She is still very much the loner, and although she does enjoy "playing" with Pati, she mostly prefers to do her own thing. She is a big helper in the Kitchen, and very detail oriented (compared with the rest of us). She likes horses, cowboys, indians, and eating the really yummy gluten-free scones that Kristi makes for her. She also really enjoys Friday School, and does well.
Pati "goanya" is the Mommy Princess. She is the star of her Sunday School class (I think because she is the only 2 year old who can hold an intelligent conversation with the workers there), thorn in her siblings' sides, constant cheerful and persistent presence in our lives. She loves to dress up. She is incredibly opinionated, and seems to have somewhat expensive tastes. School is also a highlight for her, and like Alec she seems to have a pretty good sense of humor. If we would just get out of her way, she would completely remodel our lives into something Disney, I am sure.
Kristi is still working magic. Somehow she keeps the house in working order, the kids learning and looking well-kept, and seems to be able to smile when I see her every once in a while... I think if I was her I would have no hair left, be well known to CSD, and most likely on some SSRI for depression. She is in the thick of Christmas, with her much anticipated Christmas Bread being distributed to my attendings at the hospital, Tomato Juice Bread is currently in the oven, and everyone has way too many Christmas presents as she has been responsibly getting deals for everyone's Christmas since last Christmas.
I have been pretty busy still... But at least I am closer to something, I suppose, or at least that is what I tell myself. I have a year an a half remaining in residency here. I am finishing up about 7 or 8 months of being on the Vascular and Thoracic Surgery service, where I have been doing lots of operating, and lots of the operations I am more and more involved in, to the point that if I had to, I could complete most of the surgeries myself... Good thing I don't have to, eh? I am pretty fed up with Trauma now, and am daily more and more appreciative that I did not choose Emergency Medicine as my chosen specialty (no offense colleagues). I guess I just don't appreciate drunken, naked, combative citizens cussing me out, bleeding on me, and swearing they will do bad things to me and my professional colleagues for trying to help them; well, not at 2am anyhow. I guess if was during business hours I might have a bit more tolerance. We are thinking of moving back to Oregon when we are done here, but I haven't really started searching places in earnest... Ohio is great an all, but we really miss the friendliness, efficiency, and diversity in both people and scenery that Oregon provides us. Oh, I suppose we would like to be closer to family and friends, as well. I will start the process of looking for a real job this coming Spring and Summer, most likely. Spare time is more and more spent studying as I have been feeling a lot of pressure to get smarter so I can pass my boards coming up here in a bit less than two years.
Overall, we are satisfied with where we are at the moment. We are very grateful to the Lord for putting us here, and allowing us to know wonderful Christian people here like the Holsenbacks (Emergency Room Physicians who are in the process of going to Mali to be missionary medics). Our spiritual teaching at our current church (Parkside) is fantastic. Our family back home are incredibly supportive and spoil us rotten, and even visit once in a while.
We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and are encouraged to do right this coming year. We hope to see and or hear from you as well. I will do my best to keep a few pictures coming your way, and look forward to hearing what you all are up to and learning.
David
ps. go ducks.
