Reflections

It's Dec. 30th, there are less than 32 hours left of 2005, um, wow. So let's reflect.

A year ago I was 15 pounds heavier than I am right now, however, I'm 15 pounds heavier than I was 7 months ago...still -15lbs total.

Match Day came and changed my life. It was settled that Beth and I would spend 4 more years in Houston while I completed a residency in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics.

I graduated medical school and went gambling with my friend Billy. I bet $5 on black 11, minimum bet was $15, he gave me $10 and yup, it hit. $540 and ONE HUGE MISUNDERSTANDING later and Billy and I are forever friends.


Beth and I moved the burbs and have part of the white picket fence scenario (no 2.5 children...yet...unless you count Dante and Picasso). The house is GREAT and when they get done building the one next door (and STOP hammering at 6:30 in the morning) it will be even better.


I was not an MD a year ago and I didn't have the power to write prescriptions. Since then, I have I written orders in the hospital for everything from tylenol to OxyContin, morphine, and Levophed (a medicine to raise blood pressure when it's dangerously low).

I was reminded how fragile life is and how it changes in an instant. Kyle Lake was a guy I knew from Tyler, I wouldn't call us friends because we didn't really hang out and he was about 4 years older than I, but his parents were my Sunday School teachers and we had several conversations over a couple of years and Kyle never met a stranger and was always kind. Kyle was electrocuted and died in Waco seconds before he was to baptize a women into Christ. He left a wife, a daughter (5) and twins sons (3). The world has a little less light in it with him gone.

On a much happier note, I was honored to take part in the marriage of my good friends Vanessa and Jeremy Dalton. Dalton (to keep the Jeremy confusion to a minimum) was my resident when I was an RA in Wall/Gates and Texas Tech. After my taking 2 years to get into medical school, we ended up in the same med school class. His wife is in the year behind us. He's a Peds resident at UT-Houston and Vanessa is going through the match to be a pediatrician as well. Beth and I love us some Drs. Dalton. They are true friends and fellow dachshund lovers.

Christmas was spent at our house and most of our families got to come. We missed Scott, Kristina, Tori and Eric, and Beth's aunts and their families, but we got to spend time with Grandma Shirley, Grandpa Henry, Laura, Will and Alana, my Mom (Frances) and brother L.D., and my Dad even came for a few days. I wish my Granny and Grandmother had been able to make the trip, but much love to them both.

To 2006:

I'm sure you will be filled with love. Sadly, there most certainly will be loss as well. Lessons to be learned and patients to see. Memories to make and pictures to take. The road will be rough, smooth, steep, and have too many forks with too many decisions. Laughter and tears, making new friends and saying good-bye to old ones. There are songs to be sung, and blogs to type. Resolutions to make. And what would those resolutions be if there weren't a few to break. Is this the year the Lord grants us a child? Or are there roads yet to travel and lessons yet to be learned?

May the year be full of health. May the Lord have mercy on us and guide us with His love. May we stand firm in His grace when trials come and rest in His Strength knowing that His will is perfect and there is peace to be found in it. May we have the courage to make the right decisions even when they hurt and aren't easy or safe. May we hold our head high and be proud of what is good. May our dreams come true.

To you and yours,

Happy New Year!