Head, Shoulders, Knees and Souls

       A week ago, I celebrated my 39th birthday. Some days I look back on the life I have lived and feel very blessed and complete. Many days (like today when I spent the whole day cleaning out my pantry while jamming to 90s music and getting way too excited over my label-maker...), I feel like I'm hurtling toward middle age and the peak of my millennial mom moments. Most days, I feel like my life is only just beginning, and that I can't possibly be an adult with a real grown-up job and the responsibility for others' lives. I suppose that's where many of us fall as we near our 5th decade in life. Although I am grateful for where my life has taken me up to this point, I wanted to take this year before I turn forty to evaluate my goals and stop sitting passively while I let life pass by, thinking I'll have time to accomplish my goals "later." Life is happening now, and to celebrate that fact, I have created a list of things I hope to accomplish in the next ...

It has been one month. That's far less time than my inspiration spent in a shopping ban (see prior post with book link – 12 months…and then another 12 months). I feel like in some ways I succeeded and in other ways I must confess that I did not. However, I did learn a few things. Here are my takeaways from the last month and some inspiration to keep going:   1. Starting a shopping ban during the same month as “prime day” is a bad idea. – I will admit that in the past, prime day at our house was a whole event. There were years that I took off work and sat up shop at a desk near Scott’s office and we would work together to get the best deals possible all day…just to see if we could. It was a game for us to get the best bargain out there. But I’m learning that just because something is on sale, does not mean you need it. This year was vastly different. I did have an item I wanted to get my daughter for a birthday present, and we did purchase a smart screen we had been wanting for...

January 17, 2019—7 months ago this was a date earmarked in my mind as the day we would count down to, the day we would expect to meet our new sweet baby face to face. However, on June 1, 2018 our worst fears were confirmed when the doctor informed us that this hoped for child, the one we held with excitement in our hearts had no beating in his own little heart. That day we sat in a dark exam room staring at a screen with no movement as the world crashed down around us. So many questions raced through my mind as the doctor gave us statistics about 1 out of every 4 pregnancies ending in a similar fashion. As a medical professional, I see these women and know these stories firsthand, but I never imagined becoming one of the statistics myself. Going through the pain of such a loss, I realized anew that the way we deal with miscarriage and infant loss as a society has much to be desired. Though our child was far from entering this external world, he had already been born in our hearts. ...

Preparing for my daughter to make her debut 2 years ago was completely overwhelming. I’m sure all first-time moms out there can relate. However, as someone completing a pediatrics residency and as a perfectionist INTJ who must research everything, picking out a car seat suddenly felt like climbing Mt Everest. Of course, MY CHILD deserved the best of the best. How would I dig through the parenting blogs and reviews while keeping practicality and cost in mind to sort out the RIGHT ONE? Even after the hours of scouring the internet, polling friends, and reading Consumer Reports to settle on the seat we ended up with 2 years ago, I went through the whole process again earlier this week while picking out an extra seat to avoid daily car switches.   …And stayed up until 2am. So, to multiply my efforts and make the time worth it, I thought I would share with you my list of parenting game changers: the items that after nearly 2 years we can confidently say are worth it. So without furthe...

What is life but a journey of learning to trust? When we are born, we have no choice. Trust seems to be a default position. As an infant, my daughter had to trust that I would feed her because without someone to help, she would starve. She trusts that when she cries I’ll be right there to pick her up, or when she wants something, if she brings it to me and grunts, I’ll automatically read her mind and take care of the issue. However, as we grow older and more experienced, we learn that not everyone can be trusted. Sometimes those trustworthy place other requirements on you (now my daughter has to say “please” if she wants something…grunts no longer cut it). With time, trust becomes a precious commodity that is earned rather than doled out without regard to anyone around. Hardships in life and self-help books at Barnes and Noble teach you that you can only trust yourself. “You are in control of your own destiny.” “Don’t let anyone else distract you from finding your own path.” In ou...

“Head, shoulders, knees and toes…” This is a song I have sung to my daughter many times in an effort as both her mother and a pediatrician to teach her the importance of the body that our Lord created for each of us. At 15 months, she is not yet able to sing along, or even understand what it means to be blessed with eyes to see a world that is in need, ears to hear cries out to the Lord, a mouth to speak His truth, or a nose to smell the fear of those living life without Him. However, she can smile and point along, and it makes her laugh to hear her mommy try silly voices or to go as fast as possible. I know one day we’ll be able to sing together, and later to discuss the deeper meaning of our “fearfully and wonderfully made” bodies for His purpose; but presently, I’m content with these brief moments where our immature communication consists of grunts and grins. I know for now she is faking it, but one day we will speak the same language and truly understand one another. I realize...