It has been a heavy couple of days. News of the earthquake outside of Port Au Prince was especially disturbing considering that my brother had returned from doing medical work in that city just two days before it hit and Anna, his girl:), was still stationed at the clinic. We all felt helpless as we made a multitude of desparate attempts to track Anna's whereabouts. After 7 anxious hours, Pat finally got through to her cell phone for just a couple of seconds but long enough to know that she had made it through. Although we rejoice with Anna's safe return, it is hard to form a proper response to the terror and despair that has filled Port Au Prince.

Partners in Health

World Health Organization

Doctors Without Borders

Here's to 2010 and Semester 2

Tomorrow morning at 5:45 am I will wake up to my second semester of graduate school. I continue to be thankful for the program that I am a part of, the information I am learning, the friends I am making, etc. Though I lose sight of this truth more often than I care to admit, I am richly blessed by a Lord that continues to provide for me in ways that I don't deserve.

May 2010 be a year that brings new mercies to each of you.

Holiday 2009

The past two weeks have flown by but this holiday season has been a blast. it seems like time with family becomes that much more precious as each year passes. We spent the first week with my wonderfully enormous family down in sarasota, fl and are now finishing up our last couple of days relaxing in dallas with the richards.

The make shift santa setup.

Pre-run warmup on siesta key. Enjoyed several of these family runs.

Lunch at La Americana

Spent an afternoon at the Sarasota Succulent Garden

Mom and Dad dancing up a storm to "Goodbye Eddie".

Love these girls. Becca and Ryan (two of my fabulous cousins)

My 103 year old great grandmother made a surprise appearance at our Christmas dinner.

Annual poker game.

4 crazy kids, very happy to be reunited.

Afternoon at the Selby Botanical Gardens.

think before you speak...

It is hard to believe, but tomorrow morning will mark the end of my first semester as a PT student. The semester has been very challenging, but it has absolutely flown by. Last week held the much anticipated Standard Patient Interaction (SPI) that serves as a cumulative practical for all that we have learned this semester. I had the chance to perform an initial evaluation on a very sweet man who was quite patient with me as I fumbled through the encounter. The highlight of the interview, was when I asked what he did for a living.

Patient replied, "I manage an Apple store in Georgetown."

I enthusiastically responded, "That's fantastic! I love apples. They are so delicious!"

His response was to give me a look of bewilderment.

In that brief awkward moment, I relieved that this was not the manager of the quaint, country orchard I had somehow been picturing. This was the manager of the world's most popular brand of electronics.

"Oh, you work for the Apple computer store. I love those too!"

Then he just chuckled and we went on with the exam.

It is the simple joys that keep me going.

Turkey Day 2009

We had yet another wonderful Thanksgiving in Salt Lake City this year. In addition to spending time with dear family, we were thankful to have some precious time in the west again. We love our new home in DC, but the beauty of the snow peaked mountains is hard not to miss.

One of the highlights of the trip was our Turkey Day hike up to the radio towers, two giant sheets of metal that sit atop a neighboring mountain/large hillside, providing a good destination for motivated hikers. A highlight of the hike, was seeing our ironwoman friend who is probably in her mid 60's and finds it enjoyable to run up the mountainside, leaving us in her dust every year. Who knows how often she takes this route, but for us, she is someone we look forward to seeing each year.

Making our way back down to a delicious feast.

The yummy place settings we had, compliments of Annie! Needless-to-say they did not last very long.

I can't believe I get to walk by this every day. We live in a very beautiful country.

Harvest Reunion

I love October! This past weekend we drove 2.5 hours south to spend a couple of days with the LaRochelle family in Charlottesville, VA. My dad and little siblings were on fall break, so we opted to spend time together picking apples, ice skating, bottling cider, etc. in celebration of the harvest season.

I have been sick with some kind of chest cold, which was disappointing for the much anticipated weekend, but there is something so healing about things like my mom making me tea and rubbing my shoulders. Being babied is the best medicine sometimes.

I am amazed every time my family reunites because my little brother is always not-so-little anymore and my sister is like a little version of me. Our precious time together is always a little bit chaotic, but it is what makes every minute so damn fun.

We headed up to Carter's Mountain on Saturday for a little apple picking. We probably spent more time napping and enjoying the view than we did actually picking but we left with 4 hefty bags of crisp, delicious apples.

Joseph and Susanna made two fabulous batches of applesauce, both very different, but both very good. All of us seem to have a thing for being creative with food.

We spent Sunday afternoon tearing up the ice skating rink. We may be chaotic but we sure know how to have a good time.