August 2015

August 2015 was a pretty difficult month work-wise. I was on my second (and final!) month of PICU, and Aaron was on teaching service, so we were both working long hours. I had to be in to work at 6 am, and had several long call shifts throughout the month where I'd work until 10 am (or longer, truth be told) the next day. My PICU rotations, while important in my education, were certainly not my favorite, since the patients were so sick, which made everything very high stakes and very stressful. I was glad to be on the rotation with a couple good friends of mine, so the team made the month much more fun and the experience and hours more bearable. Aaron worked long hours too, that month, but he was enjoying being a third year resident since he didn't always have to stay for checkout in the evenings. He enjoyed teaching and mentoring the new interns that month.

We managed to have some fun as a family as Julia finished up her summer break and started pre-K. We also received the mind-blowingly awesome news that Julia's spinal curvature had markedly improved and was only ~10 degrees, down from 31 degrees in January. Her new orthopedist was flabbergasted to see such amazing progress, and Julia got to stop wearing the brace. It was the best news, and we knew it was a miracle and such an answer to prayer. Julia had been such a trooper throughout those months in the brace, even in the summer heat, and we were so proud of her and so grateful to God for this new development.

Aaron wearing Julia's little pink brace as a hat after work one day.

Post-call at the mall on the carousel.

Family pool fun!

I love all the different expressions here X-D

My beautiful girl. 

On a rare day off for both of us at second Saturday at the local art museum.

Princess Minnie Mouse and Darkwing Duck.

The best Kermit is baby Kermit... amiright?

Enjoying an afternoon of painting together. Julia painted a canvas and I was "writing" an icon of St. Julia Billiart for Julia's room. Julia was named for my confirmation saint, but she's not well known in the U.S. so it's hard to find any images... so I made my own! I'll have to post a photo of the finished product sometime :-)

Julia had to bring a picture of something she did over the summer to the first day of pre-K. She drew this picture of her swimming.

First day of pre-K! This was prior to the good news about her back, so as you can see, she's got her brace shirt and brace on under her uniform shirt. 

We bought Julia a bike with training wheels since she'd outgrown her tricycle. This bike provided lots of entertainment and exercise that summer and fall!

After school treat :-)

My friends and fellow PICU residents. 

My parents made Julia this cake... I think it may have been to celebrate the good news about her back?

Julia's first pair of lace up sneakers (with orthodics for her flat feet... courtesy of my genes ;-)

February 2015 Photos

I already wrote about February 2015. As I said in my prior post, Aaron was on teaching service, which has ridiculously long hours, especially in the wintertime. We missed him and often didn't see him until late, late at night. I was on PICU, which was hard in so many ways. There are long call shifts that last ~30 hours (6 am to 12 pm), which is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. In the PICU, some of the kids are so, so sick, and it's sad to see them suffering and the pain their family endures. Julia got sick at the end of January with the flu, and honestly spent the rest of the month gaining back her strength and energy. We also had the stress of learning the severity of her scoliosis and the start of her months in a Boston brace. And, worst of all, one of my fellow residents, a good friend of mine, died unexpectedly. To put it mildly, February 2015 was full of heartbreak and stress, illness and despair. But, you know what? God is good. Even in our darkest times, He is a light. He gives us each other to have and to hold. He gives us times of laughter and affection. He makes His presence known.

Here are some of the photos from February 2015. May they serve as a testament to the presence of Christ even in the midst of pain and suffering.

From the end of January - Julia's visit to pre-op prior to her MRI with anesthesia. She was so brave and good!

Waiting for her MRI. Such a trooper. 

A rare smile from my sick baby during her long illness. 

One evening between fevers, I took Julia to the school park in our neighborhood for some fresh air on an unusually warm day in January.  

Kids are so resilient.

My dad came to bring the little patient some ice cream. She hardly ate any... which is super unusual for her (she is Aaron's daughter, after all!). 

I found some flower Aaron's mom sent me in Julia's room one evening... she took them for her own! 

Finally feeling better! Playing Barbies on February 8th. 

We went out one day to play with silly string. We needed some silly times that month!

A glorious day off for both Aaron and me. We took Julia to the family free day at the local art museum. This was definitely a highlight of the month. 

These two. <3 

My little Valentine, proud of her Valentine. 

Praise God for sunshine.

Aaron's family came to visit one weekend, which was a nice lift to our spirits. 

Fooling around at a Mexican restaurant. 

The cousins always wanted to be sitting on the same lap! :-)

Chocolate taste testing one evening with friends. Delicious. 

Such love and affection <3 

Silly goose!

Fun times at the movies with Papa and Gee! We went to see Paddington Bear, which was really great. 

Enjoying some time at one of our favorite parks!

I am so blessed to be this girl's mama. What would I do without her? Such a ray of sunshine and goodness in my life.

My view from the PICU one day as it started snowing!

Lacy lady!

My awesome PICU team with the mail my teammate's mom sent us. 

We were all so tickled!

Before the tears started... this was when Julia got her brace. She was so brave throughout the whole ordeal. 

Enjoying some brace-free time in the snow the weekend Julia got her brace.

These two always have such fun!

Trying to get me!

Pure joy.

Get that hood up, girl!

Our attempts at using the lid of the sandbox for a sled were largely unsuccessful... haha!