Motor City, here we come!

So, Josh has been rotating in Detroit, MI for the past two weeks in a urology program into which he was hoping to be accepted. He has really enjoyed the program and it has been a good experience for him. Josh was offered the spot in the program today and will be starting on July 1. We are very excited because it is a specialty he actually really enjoys. Urology allows Josh to do surgery as well as office and he really likes the patient population. The hours will be significantly more family-friendly than general surgery, which is a huge benefit to switching specialties. They are talking about bringing Josh in as 3rd year, which means we would only have 3 more years to go of residency. (No longer than general surgery) There is a slight chance he will have to come in as a second year if the program director can't get a 3rd year spot approved. But either way, it will be great and we feel good about it and how this change will improve our quality of life as a family both now and in the future. He will also be able to do quite a bit more moonlighting, which will be huge for us financially. But now we have to get busy selling our house and packing and all that miserable stuff that goes along with moving. And I will admit the whole move will be very bittersweet as we will sincerely miss our friends in Columbus. My heart is already starting to ache at the thought of saying goodbye in a few months. As difficult as residency is... this has been a cherished time for me as I have really enjoyed making the journey and facing the challenges alongside other incredible women who are going through the same thing. The support has been priceless to me and I recognize the rarity of having a group of friends like I have in Columbus. My typical, cynical way of thinking doubts that I will find such a gem (the Doctors support group for spouses) in Detroit. I might have to come back every once in a while for a playgroup now and then. =)

The kids are starting to really miss Josh as they have not seen him in two weeks. Last night Seth came downstairs at like 1am. I sent him back to bed and then went up to check on him in a few minutes. He was crying, so I asked him why he was upset. He said "I miss daddy." I said, "I know, I miss daddy too. But daddy will be home in a couple days. Daddy went to Michigan a couple hours away to get a new job that will let him be home more. So, in a few months, we'll move and daddy will still go to work every day, but he will get to come home earlier every night and play with you and read books. Won't that be fun?" Seth said yes. So I tucked him back into bed and got ready to leave the room and Seth stopped me and said, "mommy, tell me that story again. The one where daddy gets to come home early and play with me." Isn't it sad that the idea of daddy being home in time to play at night seems like a fairy tale to my children? lol

Glorious Prevacid

We started Isaac on Prevacid for his reflux 2 nights ago. He slept 3-6 hours straight the last 2 nights and then goes back to sleep for 2-3 hour chunks after he eats. It has been glorious getting to sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time. We are just praying that this trend continues and that our baby can become a happy, comfortable baby. yay for sleep!!!!

holidays

Well, the holiday madness is finally almost over (I say "almost" because I still have to put away all of my Christmas decorations and take down the tree). I love Christmas and always wish the holiday season lasted longer. Everything about Christmas feels so comfy and warm. I find that I feel the need to burn a holiday scented candle during the months of November and December just to complete the utopic feeling of "cozy." We had a good Christmas this year. It was obviously special since we got to welcome our newest addition to the family, Isaac, just before Thanksgiving and enjoy our new family of five for the Christmas season. We also had a great family Christmas with the Newman side of the family at mom and dad's house. It was important because we had to say goodbye to my brother, Dan, and his wife, Lauren, for a while as they have now moved to Virginia beach to finish school. We will miss having them around and the kids will really miss them. Josh had to work the week of Christmas but he did have Christmas day off, so that was wonderful. Josh's sister, Vanessa, is in town this week from Tulsa, which has been great because the kids don't get to play with cousin Tori very much. Christmas was really fun this year because it was the first year that the kids were really old enough to understand everything about Christmas. They set out cookies for Santa and were really enchanted by the "magic" of Christmas and Santa Claus and all that goes with it. I think I found this especially amusing because I did not grow up doing the Santa thing and really don't know what I missed. But I'm glad my kids are enjoying it. Christmas morning was a lot of fun. We are also trying to teach the kids about the meaning of Christmas, which is that it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and that we celebrate because Jesus was born to bring salvation to us. Seth thought it was awesome that whole world has a giant birthday party for Jesus. He thought it was especially awesome that Santa brings presents in honor of Jesus' birth and that WE get to open them. We even had a birthday cake and sang happy birthday. We managed to get out and do some fun holiday stuff, even with the new baby. We saw Santa at the mall and the kids sat on his lap and asked for coloring stuff and Lilah wanted a sucker. (yay for easy gift requests!) We went to the Wildlights at the Zoo with grandma, Vanessa and Tori and then again with my brother, Ben and the Newman cousins. It was so much fun, although very cold! We are very thankful for all of God's blessings this past year. And as we head into the new year, we are looking forward to all that God has for us for 2009.