For the past eight years, we've lived in a series of transitions, being told by institutions and hospitals where we would spend certain years of our lives. Four of those were in Birmingham for medical school, one was in Chattanooga for residency, and the final three were back in Birmingham to finish residency.
Eight. Years. All we ever wanted was to settle down and be done with others telling us where to live and for how long.
But I forget how nice it is to have someone else tell you those things, to take on that ultimate responsibility of
deciding. Not to mention having someone to blame
if when you're unhappy with life.
Here we are, though, at the end of that eight-year journey. We're settling now--not compromising, but putting down roots. For the first time in our married lives (or really our memories), we're living in a place for the foreseeable future with no definite end in sight.
And we love it. Roots? Community? Familiarity? Yes, please. But we're also feeling the weightiness that
we made the decision to live here, a decision that will affect us and our children for years to come.
Mostly, after eight grueling years of med school and residency, we're just excited and relieved to be on the other side, not as an arrival point, but as a new beginning. Last Monday Phil started his REAL JOB, and it's gone about as well as a new job can go. For the way my man has worked diligently and humbly, struggling and triumphing with equal vision over the last eight years, I'm grateful and so, so very proud. Mostly, we're grateful to our Emmanuel--God WITH us--for leading us through this season, down to details we didn't even knew mattered.
And just for funsies, here's a little photo trip down memory lane from this journey. Wish I had Phil with a backpack on for his first day of each year, but I'm not that forward-thinking or sentimental, so what you see is what you get. Enjoy!
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| 2005--Phil's 1st year in med school |
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| 2006 |
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| 2007 |
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| 2008 |
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| Match Day 2009 |
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| Med school graduation 2009 |
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| 2009/2010 |
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| 2010 |
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| 2011 |
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| 2012 |
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| 2013 |
4 comments:
Oh how this post resonates with us!
So excited to see how life continues to unfold for you all. Congratulations to you, Skuppie, Moo, and Baby Johnson -- this whole journey is most certainly a team effort! :)
Love you guys!
P.S. I got sad seeing your wedding photo...why did we wait so long to become friends?! You were a breath-taking bride, by the way.
8 years totally resonates with us too!! and I am quite jealous that you are laying your roots in Birmingham...are you sure you don't want to lay them in Bundibugyo?
Secondly, I was trying to decide when Phil started looking like he was older than 18. I'm pretty certain it was after Moo came along... :) Which is hilarious- that several years of med school didn't age him, but throw a kid in the mix & boom, he now looks 25 :) YOU, on the other hand looked 25 at the beginning, and still look the same age with #2 on the way :)
Aww! Loved the photo documentation of all those years. So thankful to have been friends you through them all and even before!
AHH! This is too precious. I love the photos. and the people in them for that matter. Can't wait to see this beautiful fam tomorrow. Love y'all
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