Checking In Again

Hello; anyone there? I have to confess I almost forgot this blog existed until someone I hadn’t met before told me tonight that she reads it. D mentioned this later and said I should start writing again, now that I have more time.

A lot has happened in the past year: we moved three times, bought a house. We had a second baby; went through the death of D’s dad and two funerals. I started a new job; D started two new jobs. We both went through intense studying to take the boards; he took the written one last fall, and I just finished dragging the family to San Francisco in what was the most harrowing trip ever so I could take my oral boards. Most of the above was happening at the same time.

We’re finally at a place where things are not so crazy. Dee-dee is at that age where they get easier and you can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He sat in a grocery cart seat for the first time today; the two of them sat side-by-side, and D and I strolled beside them like normal people. I didn’t have to strap on the Bjorn or lug in a stroller. E remains genuinely fond of him, and has gotten old enough to do stuff like run upstairs to grab diaper and wipes, give him toys and read books to him while I’m busy, and stuff his mouth with Cheerios. Unfortunately she’s also old enough to unlock the front door when no one’s looking, which explains why I sometimes find the door swinging open on windy days.

Work is settling down too. It’s such a huge relief to be done with the last big test—that is, if I find out I pass. I’ve been cramming the same facts so many years in a row I won’t know what to do with myself. I’ve settled more into work and almost feel guilty enjoying private practice this much so far—it’s efficient, I have the flexibility to do the clinical work and procedures that I like, and am getting paid more than I ever have for working the least that I ever have. There are people who take notes for me, write scripts, field calls, schedule procedures, even walk patients from room to room.

What I haven’t done a lot of lately is process. A friend asked me recently, what has God been showing you? and I drew a blank. So maybe it’ll be good for me to try to write more. We’ll see.