DPP 2016 - Day 16 - Let It Be

Today was a hard day.  Perhaps why this post has taken me so long to finally sit down and write.  I feel like I would be doing 2016 a disservice to not write this post but finding the right words will be  a challenge.  Feel free to stop here and move to the next post which will likely be a bit lighter or scroll down to the first photo.

Today was graduation day for my students.  The class of 2016 walked across the stage after so much blood, sweat and tears.  There is such a sense of pride I have for them knowing the transformation that occurred from uncertain student to polished professional.  They worked so hard to achieve that.  I considered my small role in that process to be such a privilege.  Hard work but a job that is fulfilling and satisfying.  It was bittersweet but I am so glad I could be there for their day.  It was also a joy to have lunch with all my former coworkers too.  Hearing about all of their new jobs and catching up on their families. 

Today's song choice was picked for its message that sometimes you can't change the world but only your reaction to it.  2016 presented me with some hard choices.  For the first time in my life, at least to this magnitude, I was faced with doing what was right, resulting in personal and professional sacrifice, or doing what was easier.   Making that choice was long deliberated and a hard choice but at the end of the day, it was the right one.  I continue to feel the sacrifice I made but I do not regret it.   But as the song says, I doubt I changed anything for the better but it was important that I change how I reacted to it.  Don't we all wonder how we would react in times of stress?  Would we run into the burning building or stand in harms way to help others?  I am still not sure I would do either of those though I would like to believe I would.  There is pride knowing that, in this time of stress, the choice was made for principle over selfish ambition.  Now, onto 2017, where I can tackle the results of turning to chocolate for stress instead of exercise.  No one said I handled the above perfectly - far from it -  and chocolate is always there for you.  ;)

There is good news in this.  While I loved education, returning to clinical practice has been a complete joy.  I am working for a wonderful organization committed to the the well being of  their patients, always looking to improve, and committed to quality.  So refreshing.  I have such a heart for pediatrics and for working with families.  Working with a new group of amazing people is just the icing on the cake.

Speaking of icing. . . . we had a Christmas party get cancelled tonight due to the icy weather and had to miss out on some graduation parties as well.  So to ease our disappointment, we had a serious gingerbread house decorating contest.  It was nice way to end on a sweet and happy note.  My pic for the photo today was only because I love everything about it.  You have to smooth out your spackle somehow. . . . The girl just can't resist. . . .

Here they are, working away.  K is ahead because she started with a pre-assembled house. E has a furrowed brow because one side of the roof won't stay up.  If you look in the first picture, I bet you can guess which side!  Big and Lil B surprised me.  I thought they would eat more than they worked but they were both all in. This was a really fun Friday night unwind.

 Detail work is not usually his thing but he made it his thing tonight.  He was taking great care to get everything together and lined up just so.

Yes - this is more what I expected.  But don't get me wrong, they were all on a pretty big sugar high by the time the project was done.  Two candies for the house, one for the kid was the standard ratio.  Perhaps that explains the crazed look in his eye?

I am in love with this picture.  Rich's face though.  Oh that big 'ol belly laugh of his is infectious.  Even E who is majorly annoyed because the roof just fell off again, can't help but start to smile at her dad's amusement of the situation.  I love that laugh.  It is really annoying when I want to be irritated with him for saying something inappropriate but he cracks himself up.  Then, I can't help but laugh.  Admittedly, one of my favorite things about us.

Here is little miss last woman standing.  Look at that focus.  I think her house may have also been the most neatly decorated.  I think Rich may have helped a little with some roof frosting, but not all of it.  She did the rest.  Slow and deliberate.  She was at the table almost a full hour after everyone else had gone off to watch a movie.    My hope is that this blog post will remind me how much I loved this so that we do it again next year.  Worth every penny of those $10 kits.