So much to do! :)

The last couple weeks have been busy -- I have been able to get home twice in the last month or so (I think first time ever since moving away), and we will be having quite a bit of company in the coming weeks! :) I am so looking forward to that!

However, holidays away are certainly different than holidays near family... Last year, for instance... Pete and I had Christmas dinner in the hospital cafeteria, and New Year's feast as well. I was working both days, and they provided meal tickets to those who had to work. The food was not bad, but the ambiance of the hospital cafeteria left much to be desired. This year, I will be working on Christmas as well... it is what it is! And I know I am not the only one who has to do this!

Fall in our area! :) We still have some leaves on trees... 

 Headed out to a Halloween party a few weeks back... we do what we can to mark our time while we're here! :)

Living away

More than a year has past since I last wrote anything... The last year and couple months has been crazy... All the things they say about residency are true, at least in my experience which is limited to my current program here... I work long hours. I am away from home a lot (and at times feel for Pete, because many days I see him for only minutes between coming home and going to bed!). I don't always have a chance to eat or rest, so when I do... I take full advantage of it! And time off is precious, as it does not come at regular intervals (i.e. I can't just look forward to the weekend), so whatever I get... I treasure...

And through it all, I have learned so much. I still find it a privilege to be able to help patients. I am gaining more independence with time, and find small thrills when I do something independently and it turns out well! :)

Anyway, I have decided to restart writing on the blog because although life where we are living is not horrible (and sometimes I even enjoy it), living away from the people you have known all your life at times gets lonely. Having a blog is certainly no substitute for calling up old friends on a random Tuesday and meeting for coffee, but it helps to share the experience, process whats going on through the writing, and having the occasional comment at times begins to feel like a long drawn out conversation.

So here it goes...