Life

I know I promised more photos wonderful xanga friends...but I still haven't uploaded them to my computer and so ... they are not to be posted today. However, I think an update is in order.

Novemeber was a great month -- I had 2 sets of visitors. First Jami and Clinton Beachy came and I got to see Graceland, eat BBQ (I only eat it when company is in town), and play Pente while hanging out with friends. Then my brother, Patrick, came over Thanksgiving and we ate with friends and had a very international meal.It was lots of fun.

December was a crazy month. My Dad's Mom died 2 days after Thanksgiving so I flew in for that funeral. Praise God for Southwest, because I was flying on the weekend after Thanksgiving and they got my cheap flights and corrected my error when I booked the wrong day -- for FREE! I got to go home for Christmas which was great fun. 10 days of hanging out with family and friends!! My Dad's Dad then died 4 weeks and 13 hours after my Grandma (they would have been married 63 years if Nana had lived 2 more weeks) so it was in for another funeral. It was hard losing both of them so fast, but I'm glad neither of them suffered!

January has been good as I settle more into a routine here. I've finally got my flower beds ready for winter (that's right I finished pruning in 50 degree weather the beginning of January), have had some company, been sorting thru the last boxes. Its been good. It has gotten colder here -- but when I called Mom to complain about the 10 degree weather I didn't get much sympathy since it was under zero there. Emily and her sisters also visited and that was fun.

February goals are to get more involved here in the community -- so I'm starting to help at Girl's club tomorrow night. We'll see...but I think it will be good because I miss Peacemaker's.

Blessings to all!

New House

I have moved into my new location. It is a 2 bedroom, 1bath house. I"m still looking for a roommate if you know anyone who wants to live in Memphis.   Mom and Dad came down to help me move and surprised me by bringing my cousins, Maria and Larisa. I had such a good time with them! 

Maria and Larisa setting up the living room.

Dad faithfully setting up my bed again. Dear Dad has set up and taken down this bed 3 times in various setups because of all my moves. Mom did so much cleaning, organzing and set-up. I couldn't do it without them.

I also had great lifting help from some of the guys from work (old and new). It went really smoothly and that night I had a block party at my house with the neighbors/work people coming so Mom and Dad could meet them all. It turned out well! Thanks for all the help Mom and Dad and everyone.

More house pics:

Front Outside of house. Jami helped me put up the birdfeeder. Anyone have flower suggestsion...I think it needs some color.

The view from the laundry room of my backyard.

My kitchen -- finally cabinet space. The microwave is still leaving (its the previous owners) and mine is in a different space, so I'll have counter space too!

okay, so I can't get this to rotate but it is standing in the doorway of the livingroom to kitchen and looking down the hall to the back room. The door in the hallway on the right is the bathroom.

THe back room the hallway leads too. Currently just a spare room. (Dad, this is where I put Nana's sewing machine and it fits well).

The living room my cousins set up so well! I love the hardwood floors.

My bedroom adn the spare bedroom (potential roommate space) pics will come later...they have to finish getting set up first.

Then this past weekend (8th-10th), Jami and Clinton came down to visit and help.

They helped me set up this wall in my dining room. The corner cupboard is on loan from the previous occupants as is the dining room table the fern is sitting on. Very nice for company. This room comes off the living room.

Clinton installed this programable thermostat for me as my other one wasn't working. It's been really great to have a warm house at night while saving money during the day!

 We also went to Graceland...That was INTERESTING! Wow and how sad at the same time. All that energy for what?

This room uses 350 yards of fabric to cover the walls and floors....There's an idea for all your fabric Crystal.   It was enough to make one dizzy.

Nope I couldn't catch it with the "S" lit up too...Oh well.

Sorry this is so long.....Have a great week!

To Ohio -- and back again

   Well since I was last blogging on Xanga I have been to Ohio and back again and believe it or not, all my flights went smoothly. That was a FABULOUS answer to prayer as I wasn' t in the mood for problems.

I was headed back for my friend Crystal Gingerich's wedding to Travis Miller (also a good friend of mine) and it was a wonderful time at home. They were so prepared we had good times of just hanging out and relaxing even the day before the wedding. It was also fun to work together.

The day of the wedding was a beautiful day and we were able to get some nice pictures outside -- even if this Memphian girl was freezing. I was GLAD for my brother's leather jacket. Its still hitting 80's -90's every day here. The service was beautiful and the reception was fun -- visiting and laughing.

My brother Kris was home from Houston as well and so we had some time together too. So it was a great weekend together.

Now that I'm back home I spent last week trying to catch  up from being gone and --- getting ready to move. I'm moving to a house that's closer to the hospital I'll be working at. It's also next to other Dr.s from Christ Community and is in the city. Its part of the community development they are involved in. I'm excited and packing is much easier this time with more time and having just moved last year. One way to keep cluttur to a minimum is to move every 18 months.

Have a great fall!

Below are some pics from the wedding.

Bridal Party: Front L-R Wendell Gingerich, Rodney Miller, Sheryl Hooley, Caitlin Miller

Back: L-R: Roger, Zach, Travis, Crystal, Me, Jami Beachy

Lonnie Miller Family

Crystal with her 10 nieces -- nope I'm not going to try to get all the names in the right order

All the nieces and Brandon, Travis' nephew walked down the aisle after the family and before the Bridal Party. The 3 youngest (minus Shawna who is only 3 months and was carried down) were pulled by Courtney and Vanya in this wagon. they did well. 

Roxanne Yoder (one of the personal assistants and a great friend) with Crystal

The reception area

"The 4 Musketeers"

Isn't she BEAUTIFUL?

Back in Memphis

So...to finish the update.....

I've taken a job here in Memphis for a group called Christ Community (website http://www.christcommunityhealth.org/ ) . It was started in the mid 90's by a group of Christian docs and is now up to 4 clinics. They also do hospital work and OB work at the local hospital. The focus is community development and evangelism.

Anyway, I've been at the job now for 1 1/2 weeks and I really, really like it. The hours are much more reasonable than any of my last training jobs and so I've had time to actually do some things like read, have company, and clean the house without staying up 1/2 the night. Its wonderful!!! I also really like the docs and nurses I work with. Its soooo nice to be in a Christian environment and talk to another medical provider about how to provide care for a patient in a Christian way. I've only been there 10 days and am already starting to develop deeper relationships than I had previously in Memphis.

So that's life..... hope you all are doing well too.

Michele

Update -- finally

OKAY.... I knew it had been a while, but didn't think it was actually 3 months since I updated. SORRY!

Quick update on life:

The last 2 months of fellowship training were CRAZY. I had only thought I was busy before. Without my friends and family I would NEVER have made it and I'm not exaggerating. It was affecting my health -- emotionally, physically and spiritually. Thankfully, I finished on July 31st!

That's right -- I am now officially finished with my training and am a board-certified, licensed family physician who has done an OB fellowship. That's my title after being in post-secondary (after high school) training since June of 1997. It is a GOOD feeling and I'm very grateful to God for how He has led, cared for and directed me during this journey.

I'm off the month of August and enjoying time in Plain City with my family. Just hanging out and doing "normal" things -- gardening, canning applesauce and tomatoes, going to Cedar Point with my brother, hanging out with good friends. Another highlight was going to Colorado with my youth group. Despite painting for 4 days ( I actually like to paint so it wasn't too bad), it was a good trip! Unfortunately, I had to "play" Dr. a little, but thankfully all "patients" are on the mend.

Well -- the tomatoes need attention or they will burn.....more info on future plans in another post (I'll try to get it up within 3 weeks -- not 3 months. )