We (I) Needed a Little Christmas...

This year, our home hosted the last interview dinner again. We LOVE hosting anything, and it gave me huge motivation to get our Christmas decorations up earlier (i.e. a whopping three weeks before Christmas). It was no small feat as this was our biggest tree yet! Shout out to my mom the OG of "I decorate my tree with a ladder". 

After filling our home with more poinsettias and pine than should be allowed, rearranging the ornaments that the kids placed on the lower branches, and deflecting snow-globe sabotage (I'm looking at you, Natey)...my heart was overflowing with holiday joy. 

Finished!! I told Little Nate the snow globe wasn’t going on the tree and then he tried to sabotage my mantle. #YouTriedIt #JohnsonChristmas 😂🎄🎅🏾

A post shared by Jasmine Johnson, MD (@mrsmommymd) on Dec 9, 2017 at 12:53pm PST

All of the decorations even transformed Isabelle into a Nutcracker ballerina...

I think I know what her new activity will be in 2018 ;-) 

Later that night, we headed to the home of two of my co-residents for our resident holiday party. This was actually the first one I made it to because we either didn't have a babysitter or were out of town. It was a lot of fun!

The found the desserts!

Also, 6 of the 7 members of my class were there, which NEVER happens since one of us is always on call.

Class of 2018, minus one (home sick with her little)

Fast forward to Christmas Eve....

I mentioned in my last post, on the 23rd my parents AND Grammy made the drive down (!!!).  This was a big deal because this was her first Christmas since my Grandaddy died. We knew she would be sad, but didn't want her to be alone. She can be stubborn, but she agreed this time. My little bro also flew in from Chicago - the other two had a wedding and had to work back at home so they could not make it. Missed you guys!

I was feeling under the weather and kind of like a Scrooge all week because I had been working a ton. When I got home on Christmas Eve, it was around 9PM. The cookies were already made and Nate had gotten all of the gifts ready the day prior without me - also because I was working.

I stayed up to set out the presents. I think this may be our Natey's last Christmas believing in Santa. He wrote him a letter saying he still believed even though a lot of his friends didn't. Be still my heart....

Uncle Carey wrote a letter back to Natey - because he would recognize his parents' handwriting, obviously...

No one got dressed until dinner, and then I went right to bed. I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked, but man, nothing beats having family around for the holidays. My heart was so full.

Tuesday, it was back to the Onc service for me. It was a bummer to work Christmas week, but being at work also put things into major perspective. Some of our sweet patients could not go home for Christmas, despite this, they were grateful to be alive, and some knew they were spending their last Christmas here on Earth.

This year was rough, but it's important that I don't let being tired push me away from seeing opportunity for gratitude in all things, choosing compassion, remembering my purpose, and seeing the good in all people.

It may be January tomorrow, but I'm going to keep the Christmas Spirit going a little while longer...

 

Johnson 2017 Recap: Updates & Pictures!

I think the person most in shock of the fact that it is almost 2018 is me. Remember that time I had that really cute thing called a blog? I think in my last post I said I wouldn't stay away too long...lies. Wondering what have I been doing all this time? Well friends, besides working, not much...

I am now 6 months into my final year of residency. In October, by the grace of God, I matched into Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellowship at my number one program (UNC!!!). That is a testimony in itself. I have been dreaming about this since med school and I cannot believe I am almost there! The interview process was expensive and stressful, but it all paid off. Nate is happy, the kids are happy, and we are so excited to enter this next, and FINAL chapter of my medical training. But before I get to that, I have to graduate. I feel like I have handled the stress of being a resident quite well, but in full disclosure, this year has tested me on all levels...

First of all, I am an administrative chief resident. My role is Scheduling Chief, and sure, it sounds benign... Just scheduling things... Welp, imagine being the point person responsible for the vacations, calls, interviews, board exams, administrative meetings, maternity leaves, and any other thing that could arise FOR 28 PEOPLE. I know more about where my co-residents are on any given day than my own children. 

Then, because I am a scheduling chief, when one of my classmates needed to take an emergency leave, the whole schedule had to be re-arranged. So I handled it. And as a result, front-loaded my whole year. I interviewed for fellowship, and for four months straight I was overloaded with the most administrative rotations, rotations that required 80-hour work weeks, weekend rounding, bi-weekly calls, late night M&M prep, and the least amount of sleep I had in a while. 

This fall, I missed all my kids' daytime presentations, friends' birthday parties, concerts, and it hurt. When I picked my kiddos up for the first time this school year IN LATE NOVEMBER, teachers and after school program staff said things like, "You must be Nathan/Isabelle's mom! We only ever see Dad." :crickets: and I followed it up with things like, "Yea I have been working late for 6 months..." :sigh:

I know what I signed up for. I know there are seasons of being more or less present. I know that this year was uncharacteristically more stressful. But in my four years as a resident, this has been an extreme. I was mentally, emotionally, and physically drained. I stayed on the Struggle Bus. But we made it. 

Ya'll the devil tried it. 

But we made it. 

I'd like to think there was a lesson in this. A silver lining. I think, the biggest lesson I learned is that you cannot keep falling on the sword to try and keep everyone comfortable. You have to protect yourself too. It is not sustainable. It is NOT sustainable. 

I am looking forward to a MUCH easier second half of the year. I am looking forward to making tons of memories in 2018. I am on my first vacation since August, and I am going to soak up every. sweet. second. 

Ok, enough about me. Here is a recap of the rest of the Johnson happenings since August: 

Nate...

Continues to work his tail off at work and at home. He would never tell you, but he is getting more and more leadership responsibility at work because he is great at what he does. He also does all that while keeping our home running - no matter my level of engagement - as stated previously, it's been pretty low level engagement ;-) God bless him. 

Nate says that his favorite memory of 2017 was "Racing"

For Father's Day, the kids and I gifted him a ride in a stock car! Which was pretty awesome, I have to give myself props for this one, because I was able to get that scheduled while I was on Onc...

Swoon...

Nate II (8 years old)...

Natey has taken on 3rd grade by storm. He continues to thrive on trying new things, reads without being told, write and illustrate his own stories, and is growing so much!! He is such a caring soul and even at eight, loves family time.

If you follow me on The Gram, you have probably noticed he has been sporting a fro this year. All his own idea, and it is so cool to see how he is using his new style as a way to express himself. Love this fearless kid!

Nate says that his favorite memory of 2017 was "having all of our family over for Christmas".

He's almost as tall as me!

Isabelle (4 years old)...

This year Izza has ventured out of the comfort of her brother's shadow to blaze her own trails. She loves to play superheroes with her big bro, but has also learned to write her name, started Spanish classes, enjoys mani-pedi sessions (thanks to her father), and is a budding artist - frequently drawing our family portraits on various mediums :-D 

Belle says her favorite 2017 memory was, "getting her new dolls".... -_-

Natey didn't want to go Trick-or-Treating, that didn't stop Izza!

Our Family by Isabelle "Nate with a haircut"

I hope you are all having an amazing holiday season. Talk to you soon!

Happy New Year!