6 Years Later…

Six years ago, our family of 4 embarked on an adventure that took a lot of faith and a little bit of courage.  When my husband got accepted to medical school, we were living a comfortable life. But looking back, we would do it again (but I’m glad we don’t have to! )

So many things fell in place on this journey, it truly has made us realize that this was part of the plan.

In 2010, we moved to Quispamsis, into the perfect home (after several coats of paint and lots of scrubbing – thank you Mom, Dad, Beth, and Mark) We bought the house for one main reason, when I walked into the backyard I saw girls playing next door. That’s what sold the house, I could care less about the inside of the home. But I cared a whole lot about providing a happy place for our girls. This house was meant to be our home, and boy oh boy did our girls enjoy their time there! It still brings me tears of joy when I think about the 4 of them playing countless hours together. Instant and forever friends.

Our daughters were so brave to start a new school and persevere through their fears. It wasn’t easy for them. Our oldest had fainted days before she started school and had quite a concussion. So that added to her stress. Thankfully she made some great friends at school who made her feel very welcome.

I remember going to a Halloween concert for our middle daughter. She had gone as Raggedy Ann with this adorable red yarn wig, but kids in her class had laughed at her; she cried and so did I. She didn’t want to go on stage after that, but through the work of her amazing teacher, she got through it and wore the wig ;-) It’s funny the memories that stick in your mind.

As we wind down this chapter of our lives, I can’t help but be in awe of my husband. He has worked relentlessly for 6+ years to achieve this designation. He has had to work harder than many that were half his age. While working 12-24hr days, he’s also a Dad to 3 girls who demand and need his attention, and a caring and supportive husband. He has had a ton on his plate and he handles it in a calm cool manner.  Some may have thought these years could tear a family apart, but in our case it made us closer, stronger, tougher, and more appreciative of each other.

We are ready for the next chapter to begin though! We know it will not be easy but compared to the last 6 years, I think we can manage. We are looking forward to having a little control of our schedule, we literally go day to day, hour to hour, sometimes not knowing where or when he will be home.  Residency has been a crazy ride. He has learned so much but the demand of time and effort has been tough. I complain but he just pushes through without complaint but with complete focus. My superhero.

Thank you to all of our amazing family who have been there for us through all of these years. Moving us, taking care of our girls and dog, helping with anything we need, and being there when we just needed you.

Thank you to our new and old friends who have welcomed us and supported us. Another bonus of this adventure has been the new friends we have made along the way!

Thank you to my running buddies for keeping me sane (for the most part) and good laughs! 

We are blessed to have so many special people in our lives!

Bye bye exam time…I liked you the least!

Summer Adventure

It's been well over a year since I've blogged. But I'm hoping to capture the memories of our newest adventure.

The Wood's are on beautiful Grand Manan Island for the summer!  Since I was a little girl I remember traveling over to the island with my parents and loving it! During my school years I traveled on not so calm waters to come play basketball.  It was a lot of fun, we'd sleep at the school, the islanders always made us feel welcomed!  Many years later my brother met a wonderful girl from the island and she's been my sister-in-law for over 20 years! So I have many reasons to be thankful for this gem of an island.

My husband is now in his 2nd and final (Yay!!) year of family medicine residency. In his final year, he is required to complete a 3 month rural medicine block.  We discussed the idea of going to Grand Manan for it. We thought it would be a great learning experience for him and for us. Once the request was approved we sat down with our daughters to discuss yet another change in their life but also a fun adventure. We received mixed emotions but for the most part they were on board.  They truly have been so supportive of their Dad through this journey. It is their summer and we understood it was asking a lot to take them away from their friends and activities but we felt this move would be well worth it for our entire family.

We put forward the search of a home to house our family of 5 and dog! So blessed to have my sister-in-law's family here to help with the search and advise us. The pieces began to come together when a lovely lady on the island, who we are so grateful for, offered her home to us!

We moved here last Monday July 7th. It took 3 vehicles(Thanks Mom and Dad) to get all of our stuff here but we made it. The first few days were a little stressful to be honest. Not because of anything specific just the fact that reality had hit us and thoughts of "did we make the right decision?" loomed. But as each day passed it became more evident that this was the right decision - Sheldon loved his new work, the kids and I were finding lots of great things to do and we are all much more relaxed and happy.  Just what we needed. So very thankful for my sister-in-law's family as they have been very welcoming and helpful. So nice to see familiar caring faces when you are feeling a bit lost <3

This island is beautiful and I will be sure to write more entries about the beauty of the island. But for now I'll leave you with this beautiful sunrise taken from our porch!

Grand Manan Sunrise July, 2015

New Chapter

Our medical school chapter has come to an end and we couldn't be more proud of my husband's success!  We are very much looking forward to what the future has to bring for the Wood family!  The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of celebrations and we concluded it with the most meaningful one for our family by celebrating with some close family and friends that helped us along our journey.

Many say how tough this road must have been for me but I loved seeing my husband succeed in something he was put on this earth to do. He will be an amazing physician and will help so many and I am so glad to have been able to help him reach his goals.

The only way I was able to get through these last few years was the relentless support from my truly wonderful Mom and Dad, it brings tears to my eyes thinking of the hours and days  of time they have dedicated to me and our family! You truly have taught me the true meaning of family and love! I hope you know just how much we appreciate the constant support you have given us and more specifically me. The daily phone calls of me going on and on..., the distances you have travelled to be there when we needed you most. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts we are forever thankful!!

I have been blessed with some wonderful inlaws that have been there for us through thick and thin. Always checking in and helping with whatever they could. I know I'm not the easiest person to help, I'm a bit of an independent soul (thank my parents for that :-)) You love and care for all of us so much and I know how proud you are of that smart son of yours! You've done an awesome job raising a respectful, solid, smart, caring, and of course handsome son! Thank you for all the love and support!

Our girls have done so well through all these years of change and challenges. It hasn't been easy and we've certainly had some hard times to get through but you have grown so strong and make us so very proud to see each of you grow into lovely little ladies! Keep moving forward and remember to be kind, thankful, and love yourself because you certainly are loved by all of us!

I just wanted to end with this poem the girls and I put together for their Dad. They read it at the celebration and did such a great job! We love you girls so much!

Our Journey
Four years ago, when we started this journey
I was nine, and Hannah was six
Ava, wasn't yet in the mix

We left our home on Milky Way
Even though we wanted to stay

Our sad times were short
Once we got to twelve Azalea court

Two new friends right next door
We couldn't have asked for more

Even though we didn't know it yet,
More friends were soon to come
And the future held lots of fun

Meanwhile, Daddy was starting medical school
He was the oldest in the pool

He jumped in with both feet
Ready to treat

The next fall, SURPRISE!
A new baby arrived
Ava made us, a family of five

Life didn't go by very slow
We were always on the go

Daddy studied day and night
To get it right

Spring came and the decision was reached
To head back to Freddy Beach

We moved back to the hood
We knew it would be good

We missed our friends so much
But we definitely stayed in touch

New schools for us
We hopped onto the bus

Daddy had to really work
As he was a first year clerk

The finish line was now in sight
We gave it all of our might

Fredericton was his match
They must have thought he was a great catch

On convocation day as our dad stood in the crowd
He couldn't have had a family more proud

Daddy we are so proud of you
You've showed us that dreams can really come true






Remember that "Dreams really can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

Update...(not a very creative title but it's been a long time!)

Well it's been over a year since I've blogged! Time has flown by so quickly it feels like I just posted my last entry a week ago! Phew! It's been a year of treading water so to speak and I'm wiped from the process to be brutally honest.

I understand everyone is busy these days, in fact it almost seems like it's a competition in society to see who can be the busiest. But not for this gal, I truly enjoy some downtime and am very thankful for those rare mornings I can get up and enjoy a quiet coffee. I've learned that my daughters love their downtime as well, so we have been taking some much needed rest time here and there this summer. Even if it's just letting the kids stay in their pjs until noon and hang out, it's quite alright because we know soon enough they'll be racing around come September.

Since my last blog entry we have moved back to Fredericton because my husband was entering his 3^rd year of medicine. In 3^rd year he became a clerk which essentially means he works in the hospital setting in various locations from now on. We felt that moving back was the best decision for our family and if it was meant to be things would work out. On July 31^st at 11 pm we accepted the offer on the sale of our home (We had previously decided if we didn't sell the house by August 1^st we would take the house of the market and not move!), that quickly sent us on a house hunt in the capital city. Within 1 week we found our new home and moved within 3 weeks. I was able to find childcare and a job within a week of moving back, things all just fell into place. The girls transitioned very well although it was tough saying goodbye to such an awesome bunch of friends. They have managed to keep in touch which warms my heart! We have been truly blessed along this journey in so many ways!

Third year has been the toughest year of medical school so far on all of us (in my opinion). My husband works long hours at the hospital plus has to study during any free time as expected. I've adjusted to the fact that we can't rely on him for any day to day responsibilities and it's tough on all of us. He is such a hands on Dad, so losing his help has been tough on the girls and I but it's also been very hard on him to miss out. He helps where or when he can but these days it's pretty minimal. He's doing extremely well in school and we are counting down the months until graduation (9 months now). Speaking of 9 months, he's been working labour and delivery and really enjoying his time there!

Our oldest daughter completed her first year of middle school and survived! She did so well and I am so proud of her, she also played competitive basketball for the first time and has become quite a good little point guard! She's not so excited to start grade 7 but I am sure she'll be happy to get back into a routine! Our middle daughter completed grade 4 and eased back into her old school and hooked up with her super bunch of friends! She's a social butterfly and brings us so many laughs! She is looking forward to her last year of elementary school and hopes to play some volleyball and basketball this fall. Our youngest will be turning 2 years old in September, she's a ball full of energy and seems to be pretty determined. She has had an amazing year of growing, and had a rough winter that gave her parents a few scares but she is healthy now and growing like a bad weed! We absolutely adore our girls and I am so very thankful for the joy they bring us!

So here's to blogging a bit more in the near future, I have some organizing projects planned so maybe I'll share them here or who knows it might be another year before I post a thing....we'll see. Thanks for checking in!

Living in Limbo

We are currently living in limbo and it's becoming more and more difficult as the weeks pass by. We have yet to sell the house, therefore everything is on hold. We knew this could happen but living it and thinking about going through it are two totally different worlds and it's not fun. Trying to manage through plan A, B, C and D are tough so I'm going with the “one day at a time” outlook. There really isn't much we can do at this point, just wait and see what is meant to be. (I'm just really hoping that “what is meant to be” and “what I want to happen” align this time) For now I'm probably going to be a bit cranky and stressed out until things get settled so bear with me everyone.

My husband is officially halfway through medical school! He has been getting adjusted to being on vacation, by reading lots of non-medical books, helping around the house, and getting things fixed that have been a bit neglected. I've also managed to get him out running with me a few times! It's nice to have him around again, the first week we had an adjustment period....it was a bit annoying as he was kind of in the way but we're doing better now.

The kids have 2 weeks left of school and they are ready to be done. Hoping the weather will improve soon as it's been wet and chilly lately. The baby is growing and changing daily, she's started trying to crawl and pull herself up on everything! The last couple of nights she's been in bed by 6pm and sleeps until 7am! Such a good little girl!

On Mother's day I was honoured to run a 10km race with my Dad! He did so well and I was so proud to run with him and accomplish the run with him. It will be a memory I'll cherish forever and to have my mom, 3 girls, and husband to be cheering us on at the finish line was icing on the cake! Thank you so much!

We celebrated our 13^th wedding anniversary this week! It's amazing to look at what has happened in those 13 years - 3 children, 1 dog, several fish, 3 houses, a couple new careers, etc. I consider myself the luckiest girl ever to have such a solid, caring, loving, funny and handsome husband. I remember my dear friends' mom wrote in a wedding card to us that our love will grow stronger as the years go by, and back then I couldn't imagine loving him more than I did at the time, but I now know what she meant and it's so true! Every year and every hurdle we get over our love just becomes stronger and deeper. Thank you for being my best friend and going through life by my side, I look forward to the rest of our lifetime together!

The Light at the End of the Tunnel...

We are anxiously waiting for May 18^th, as this is the day my husband completes his last exam to finalize his 2^nd year of medical school!  Yay and it so happens to be my brother’s birthday as well J Not that we are just sitting idly around wishing time to fly by, oh we have lots going on, as most people do lately. That is how life goes now and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

I must say that I am glad to have the month of April over with!  It was filled with flu bugs, a  lice infestation,  a fainting episode,   preparing our home for the market , having a man take out his road rage at me….agh the list goes on. You know how you just have one of those days? I had one of those months.  

I took my oldest daughter out for a shopping spree and dinner for her 11^th birthday celebration last week. We had so much fun! It’s so nice to get time one on one with her, we try to do this with our daughters as it gives you a chance to really enjoy each other.  We made our way to the mall and got some great outfits for her and then headed to the Wok Box for a late supper. We opened our fortune cookies and my daughter’s was “You will be successful in whatever you do.” I love that and this is so true, I am so proud of her and her accomplishments already but lookout world she has so much more to offer.  My fortune was a little unsettling “Be prepared to modify your plan.” Eek! 

We just listed our home and made the final decision to move back to Fredericton. I am really hoping this works out for us.  It’s been a great 2 years living here and we’ve met some wonderful friends and I’d highly recommend this lovely town to anyone but home is where the heart is and I miss it so much. I miss my family, my neighbourhood and friends, the familiarity of everything etc.  We spent many years making Fredericton our home and I hope we can ease back into it again.  I know that we will stay in touch with the close friends we’ve made here and I’m positive our girls will keep in touch with their sweet friends as well.  It will be OK. Who knows what is really in store for us? Some things are not 100% in our control and it is tough managing through that sometimes.

I am running a 10KM race on Mother’s Day with my Dad (and some of my running buddies will be there as well). Last week my hip gave out and I’ve been in pain ever since. For now I’m just going to keep at it and hope for the best. 

Hoping for a happy month of May filled with fun times!!  

Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful Moms out there!!!

Happy Spring!!

I have never been more poked and prodded than I have in the last few months! Geesh, I can be sitting minding my own business when along comes my husband with his little Doctor hammer and asking me to relax! Ha…have you seen the new hammers? It is this long knitting needle stick with a small “tire like” thing on the end of it. Seriously how am I supposed to relax when I know he’s going to whack my funny bones with that thing! Luckily I have passed all the neuro assessments with flying colours, I am becoming more and more used to being a patient. He’s doing great by the way, working his butt off day and night but it’s absolutely paying off in his marks and his knowledge, this boy will be a wonderful, intelligent, and caring Doctor (not to mention handsome too ;-) )

We’ve begun the process of preparing to move back home. We’ve met with the realtor to list our home and have a few details to finish up on our home before we list it. Luckily my Mom and Dad are able to help get these things finished up as my husband is very busy studying for another exam coming this week. He also has his Objective Structured Clinical Examination(OSCE) coming up in mid May which is another pile of work to prep for(plus more poking and prodding of me and the kids). He really doesn’t like to miss out on doing our house projects but time is of the essence.

I’ve started coaching two of girls basketball spring league teams, it’s fun to get out with them. I haven’t had to drag our littlest with us yet but I’m sure there will be a couple of games that she’ll have to join us. She’s so easy I’m sure she’d love to come along with us. I’m also training for an upcoming 10KM run on Mother’s Day and I hope to run it with my Dad! I have a few weeks left to get my training in so hopefully I can do it. Not much else going on in our life , we had a wonderful trip to Florida in March to visit my parents. What a great time we had and it was so relaxing!

Our girls are all doing well and they are so much fun. They give us our fair share of difficult moments but it’s expected at their ages…so people tell me. But I cherish our happy moments much more than ever. I know we have good kids but wow they can be challenging to say the least. Our realtor who met with us last week commented on how calm and quiet our home was at the time and I informed her that this was not the norm and she replied “oh so you have a normal family too! “ oh do we ever!!

Two Thirds Through 2nd Year!

In less than 2 weeks my husband writes his big exam and his bell ringer exam (well that’s what I call it anyway) this signifies being 2/3 done his 2^nd year! Yay! While he slaves away at studying and “freaking out”, I’ve been busy packing and preparing for our muchly needed vacation south. I used to get all caught up in his stress and anxiety over exams but I’ve recently learned to not get so involved in that part of his life. It’s hard enough to have one parent in the house stressed and overwhelmed but to have 2 is not very helpful. Not that I don’t care but I know he will do well as he’s proven this to me several times over our life together and my time can be better spent in a supporting role instead. Still it’s not fun even thinking about the amount of pressure he has on him, blah.

We just found out that his first 8 weeks of his clerkship will be in Fredericton. So that is a big relief for us. To have our family unit all together when school starts will be a big help, seeing as we’ll be going through enough transitions at the time. Our oldest daughter will be starting middle school in a new school and our middle child will hopefully be starting back at her old school but it will be a new adjustment. So much has to happen between now and then though….baby steps, Christa, baby steps.

Speaking of baby, our little Ava is doing very well. She’s a little over 5 months old and smiling all the time. She has been making strange with many people but this seems to be getting better lately. She’s coming down with her first cold, thanks to me. We’re hoping to get her on the mend before we head south.

Our 2 older girls are growing up so quickly and I just can’t believe how fast things change. While they can both be a handful a lot of the time; I am so proud of them for who they are. They are both involved in helping out in various activities at school, have made such great friends, help out a lot in the house, and take such good care of their little sister. They so enjoy having a baby sister around and it has allowed us to see another side of our daughters. Having a third child was one of the best things that ever happened to this family. She’s taught us a whole new level of love and I am so thankful for all my girls. Now if I can just figure out how to get through the preteen attitudes and the sibling fighting it will be a perfect household. Ha…some things get easier while others get more complex and difficult.

I recently found an exercise routine online and it was called “Fab Ab February” It started with 10 second plank, 4 pushups and 10 situps, and it builds everyday (with Sun off) ending on Feb 29 with 2 min plank, 25 pushups and 100 situps. When I started this I was weak…very weak. The first night I thought I’d never make it through but I stuck to it and by golly today is the last day and I know I will do it. I liked it so much I’m going to build a calendar for the month of March to keep adding to it. I may not have great looking abs (remember I’m 5 months postpartum…yes I’ll use that excuse) but I am stronger. I’ve never been able to do 25 proper pushups in my life and now I can!! Lookout Michelle Obama… So if you’re looking to build your core strength just take a look below or checkout my workout board on Pinterest to get the plan. Stick to it and I know you’ll succeed!

Source: imgfave.com via Christa on Pinterest

Happy 2012 all!

I am really looking forward to what this year brings...more change and adjustment in life ahead. We are beginning to lift our heads and look at the near future, for the last 18 months I feel like we have been getting through life day by day with our heads down full steam ahead.

My husband just got his track selection confirmed. What does this mean? Well not a lot, yet (in my perspective...but apparently it is) It basically tells us which specialties he'll be rotating to over the next year. He got his first track selection and will be starting in Internal Medicine in September for a 12 week block. As to where he will do this, we're not sure yet...hopefully we'll know this by March.

So begins the process of "attempting" to move back "home". Since he will be on 6-12 week rotations, we've decided that it works best for us to be closer to our family as we will need a support system closer to home when he's in and out of rotations here and there. We are very hopeful that he can get some of these rotation placements in Fredericton but we have to wait and see. For now we will be preparing our house for the market and hoping we can sell our home by summer and move back.

We have lots of mixed emotions while going through this process. It's something I've been counting down since the day we moved here. But we have met so many wonderful families here that it's not going to be as easy as I anticipated. I know the girls are going to have a very difficult transition back, although they are excited to be moving back, they too have met some pretty amazing friends. But I know they will stay in touch with them and it will be OK. We've learned and grown so much from this move. We've also had our share of tough moments since we moved.

For the next couple of months we're focussing on the road ahead and enjoying the time we have here. As we have very well learned what we plan and what actually happens are two entirely different outcomes and we'll take whatever we are dealt. I've finally got back to a little bit of running but hopefully the short distances will soon turn into longer easier distances. But it feels good both mentally and physically to be on the move again and winter running is awesome (especially this winter)!

2011 Reflection

I am reflecting on the past year of our life. Considering last year's changes, I really thought it was not to be outdone but looking back on this year we have had some significant hurdles and amazing changes. Life sure does throw you some curve balls but how boring would life be if it didn't.

In January of 2011 I started into the year very energetically, signing myself up for the 100 day fitness challenge and looking forward to the year ahead. By mid January we found out that we were expecting our third child! While some may refer to this as a “mistake” or a “surprise” I like to refer to it as the “best gift since 2003”!! We always planned to have 3 children but after being sick for 3 years it became obvious that another child was not in the plans. Just another lesson in my “Never say Never” post :-)

In February my morning, noon, and night nausea kicked in. By mid February we told the girls the baby news and let them deliver the news to the rest of the family shortly after. It was a very exciting time in our household. By the end of February I started a job at a local elementary school working with kindergarten children. By the first of March I picked up every flu bug going at the school, it was like living in a cesspool of germs. March was a rough month of sinus colds and flu...blah.

My husband's dear Grandmother passed away in May. What a precious soul, she always had a smile and a quick witted remark. We all adore her and the girls have a special place in their heart for her. We wish our youngest child could have met her.

In the summer we took a trip to Boston and Maine. It was a fun trip but my husband stated he wouldn't vacation again with me while pregnant. It was really hot in Boston and we must have walked 20 miles in the heat and I was 7 months pregnant at the time so go figure. The rest of the summer was spent going back and forth to Doctor appointments and scans. I think I had 10 or 11 ultrasounds of this baby, every time they'd find something to bring me back the next week. It was concerning as there had been issues with amniotic fluid levels, breach, and heartbeat issues. But nothing that resulted to anything in the end, thank goodness.

September came upon us quite quickly and we eagerly anticipated the baby's due date of September 12th. Well that day came and went with no sign of Baby Wood. But a couple days later our youngest baby girl became part of our family and we became a family of 5. What an amazing experience and we just can't imagine our family without her.

As 2011 comes to an end I am thankful for all the changes life has given us and take them at stride. I am looking forward to what 2012 will bring, as I know we have even more challenges and changes ahead.

One never knows what truly lies ahead, so enjoy every moment as much as you possibly can and hug the ones you love just a little more often because we only get to do this thing called “life” once. I wish you a very Happy Healthy and Safe New Year!! May 2012 be filled with good health and happiness.

Three more sleeps...

Here we are mid-November already. Life in the Wood household is getting as close to normal as it will ever be. We are all finding our way in our new family unit. I'd be lying if I said it was an easy adjustment for all of us. Things are getting smoothed out but not without a few tough moments (or sometimes hours or days).

Our girls are managing well and they are in love with their baby sister. They both have their specialities when it comes to helping out and cheering her up. Recently she has started smiling and cooing and it is such a treat to watch her older sisters make her smile. It has been a huge adjustment for them in so many ways and we've had some hurdles to get over but I'm amazed at their love and support for this new little sweetheart. Our baby girl has been extremely good; she sleeps well and fusses very seldom. The first 6 weeks were very exhausting for me as anyone would expect. But I'm certainly not complaining. I've just felt the tiredness more this time around, I'm sure it has to do with having to go full steam ahead to make sure the rest of the family gets taken care of.

My husband is in full study mode. He writes his first exam of year two in 3 sleeps. We are all just as anxious as him to get it over with. This block has been on Neuro and I've heard more than I'll ever want to know about the brain in the last 12 weeks! He’s amazingly focussed and puts in such long hours of studying, we know he’ll do great. We’ve also been learning more about how things will work when he goes into Clerkship rounds next fall. So basically, next fall he will be working/learning in various hospitals around the province in 6-12 week blocks. Each block being a predetermined speciality/area for example: 12 weeks of surgery, 6 weeks of family medicine etc. This will continue on for 2 years until graduation. But for now we just need to get next 3 days over with :-)

The girls are enjoying their extra-curriculars both are in dance and basketball this year. We're only out 3 nights of the week and then again on Saturdays for games. So far so good.

That’s all for now folks, I’m going to go enjoy this snow day with my girls and we have an extra special guest with us for a couple of days…my mom J Today we have some Christmas baking in store!

It's a Girl!!

On September 15^th, we were blessed with the birth of our 3^rd daughter and we have been on cloud nine ever since. For 9 months we anxiously waited to meet this little child, we had some minor health concerns along the way, but to date she appears to be a healthy little girl.

This experience has been extra special because we have been able to share it with our 2 daughters. It’s been amazing to watch them love this new child. As a parent most of us experience that instant love for our child when he or she arrives into the world but for a 10 and 8 year old to get to experience this love is a precious treat. As our oldest daughter was getting ready for bed the other night she said “Isn’t it amazing that we didn’t even know Baby Ava before and now we love her so much.” And that they do, the girls cannot get enough of her. I know this will change as time goes on but the love won’t, it will just be stronger.

How is my husband managing through all of this? As always he’s my rock and we are a strong team. He is juggling things the best he can, which is pretty darn good I must say. He’s very tired but also focused on his studies while getting special moments in with all of his girls. Thank you for being the amazing husband and Dad that you are…this I am thankful for every day!

I must say how thankful we are to our parents for all the support they have given us along the way. Not only over the last couple of weeks but really our lifetime, you are the ones who have given us the love and support to get us to where we are today! Thank you, we all love you!

As for me, I am feeling great although I’m a little more tired than usual, life is good. We are adjusting well and taking things day by day with some easy ones and some tough ones. I am so very thankful for what we have been blessed with.

Back to school…

I am now 38 weeks and 3 days into this pregnancy so hopefully no more than 2 weeks until we get to meet Baby Wood!! We have been to so many appointments we’ve practically gotten to watch the baby grow each week with all of the ultrasounds. Our girls have been so good about attending these appointment; for the last 5 weeks they have had to sit in the waiting area for at least 2 hours at a time waiting for us. They have not complained or whined about it either (don’t get me wrong they whine and complain at many other events in our life ) but they’ve been super about this baby stuff. They are getting super excited to meet their little brother or sister!

Last weekend we hosted a BBQ and Corn Boil at our house for the Med 1s and Med 2s. Luckily we had perfect weather to host the 60 plus people that came. We had lots of food and I think everyone had a good time. Thankfully we have very understanding neighbours…we live in a court and parking for 60 people is quite a task and inconvenience to others...

My husband went back to school this week to begin Year 2 of Medical School and he’s already spending lots of study time in the dungeon. He’s trying to keep ahead as much as possible so when the baby does arrive he’ll hopefully have a little time with us.

The girls are back to school next week and are getting excited. Our oldest will be starting her final year of elementary school and our youngest starts French immersion. We have them signed up for their extracurricular activities for the year. Here’s to hoping I can fulfill my motherly duties of getting them to all of their activities on time with Baby in tow…I’m sure we’ll make it!

Let 2011-2012 be a fun filled, happy, bully free school year!!

Happy Summer Vacation Everyone!!

Apologies for not posting all summer but we've been busy just like everyone else. We went on vacation as soon as school was out for a week and had a lovely time. The girls and I spent 3 weeks in my hometown so they could attend various basketball camps in the area. We enjoyed time with my parents and got visits in with some good friends and family. My husband lived the bachelor life at home with the dog for those 3 weeks, we missed him and I’m pretty sure his eating habits included a few more drive thrus than usual!

We’re all back as one family now and enjoying our first summer in this house. We love the community life here and have made some great friends. So the transition is going well….yes, we’re still transitioning…it’s a much longer process than I ever anticipated.

My husband’s job is going well but I think it’s getting to him a bit, as it would with any humane person. He’s working in the anatomy lab daily on cadavers, learning amazing things and building his knowledge but at the same time it’s tough. I think he’s looking forward to a little break before school starts at the end of August.

We’re all anxiously looking forward to Baby Wood’s arrival. I’ve been feeling great with just a few rough days. We have to go to lots of appointments lately as they are keeping a close eye on things. The girls have been very understanding and well behaved- not having family around means we drag them to all appts. Last week they got to go on the hospital tour with us and it was so nice to have them there. We have 6 weeks left until this little one will arrive. We’re slowly getting prepared we have the crib setup and the girls have painted pictures for the babe. Also some great friends have given and leant us some great items to help out (Thank you!!). The latest debate is deciding on some names for him or her…I’m sure this debate will continue for the next 6 weeks.

Hello June!!

We have finally started to see some sun; I think we are all appreciating it just a little more this year since we’ve had such a cold wet spring. The Wood family has been enjoying some downtime and attempting to regroup after a busy first year in our new home.

My husband has officially completed his first year of medicine and has enjoyed a couple weeks off. He started his summer job this week at the Anatomy Lab. He is really looking forward to learning lots this summer. It’s so nice to have him around again…not only to get the ‘To Do list’ done.

The girls and I are winding down our school year in 2 weeks and we are all ready for the break. We’re planning a summer vacation somewhere and hope to get a few camping trips in. Last summer was spent packing, moving, painting, cleaning and unpacking, so we really hope to squeeze in some relaxing time this summer.

I am now heading into my 27th week of pregnancy, the 3rd trimester! I am feeling great and the baby appears to be healthy. We’re all getting more excited about the arrival of this little one. Lately the focus has been on narrowing down names and figuring out just how this baby will fit into our home logistically speaking. This is so different from our first 2 children, as we had the room all set up and we had every gadget out there for babies, this time around will be different. We’ll be keeping it simple.

Last month, my husband’s dear grandmother passed away. She was a sweet, kind, proud, and very talented lady who will be cherished in our hearts forever. I am so thankful that our girls got to know her and make memories with her. On June 1st she would have celebrated her 91st birthday, our daughters decided to sing happy birthday to her out on our porch that morning. At the end of the song our youngest daughter said “Ok Nanny you can blow out the candles now!” and a gust of wind blew. The girls came running in to tell us that Nanny just blew out her candles .This is just another sweet memory given to us by Nanny. We love you and think of you often Nanny.

Growing up...

Wow, where did April go? We’ve had a busy month of celebrating and getting ready for Spring! On the weekend we held a BBQ for my husband’s med class and also celebrated our oldest daughter’s 10th birthday. I can’t believe she is ten years old, although I can’t really remember life without her.

I’ve watched many of my little cousins and friends’ children grow through the awkward preteen years of 9 through 12. Now I’m right in the middle of it with my own daughter. She is becoming more independent and hopefully more confident in herself. Which are excellent qualities to be building and I am so happy to see her grow into a strong girl. But with this comes stubbornness, moodiness, strong opinions, and attitudes; this has been a hard battle for us to get through. I know this is “just” the beginning, I can’t even allow myself to think of the teenage years but I believe we are in training now. Some days I have no idea where my sweet little girl went but the next day (or minute) we are back to normal and moving on.

The hardest part for me has been the decreasing time she spends with me (selfish of me, eh!). It seems like I see her at meals, when we are driving somewhere, and when I tuck her in at night. We don’t have as many quiet times together doing crafts or reading together anymore. We do get our moments but not as often. I knew these times were coming but when you are faced with them head on it kind of hits harder. I’m sure we all go through it many times in our children’s lives. It’s just not easy to take some days.

I am so proud of our daughters and hope that we’ve done a good job raising them so far and that they will make their good choices as they become more independent in this big world. There will still be moments when I just want to sit and snuggle them and pretend that they aren’t really growing up.

The storybook “Love You Forever” makes more and more sense as your child grows up ( I remember the first time I read this book I thought it was one of the nuttiest stories but it’s one of our favourite stories now).

Cherish every special moment with your little ones (and big ones!) because they will grow up in the blink of an eye!

“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always
As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be.” Robert Munsch

Love you my sweet girls!

Life So Far Being Married to a Med Student

So we are 7 months into our adventure of Medical School. Notice I stated “our” since it really has been a family adventure in all aspects. Our lives have all changed in some way or another and we have adjusted well, with a few bumps along the way. I thought I’d make this post about what life has been like since my husband started med school. I haven’t really taken the time to think much about it since we are always running full tilt ahead, so this will be interesting for me to take a minute to reflect.

The first few months are now a blur for all of us. One thing I do distinctly remember is eagerly waiting to hear about his day and the exciting things he learned. He works with a Doctor each week for 4 hours (electives) and it is always interesting to hear where he has worked each time; without the “confidential” details of course. In the fall he did some interesting rounds in the OR, paediatrics, psychiatry (eye opener for him), and obstetrics. It was a great way for him to really get to see different areas of medicine. Then came the 1st exam and the preparation for it, he began studying for the exam 4 weeks before! It was a tremendous amount of information to study and I was overwhelmed with the amount of knowledge one has to cram in…and this is just the beginning. But he pulled it off and did very well!

After Christmas we all began to get into a better routine, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights we never saw much of him as he was in the “dungeon” preparing for his week’s work. By Wednesday night he’s wiped out and exhausted and needs to take a break, which we all welcome. Friday nights are our family nights typically when he is home. We get to enjoy a movie or games on the wii with pizza and popcorn! We may have less time as a unit but we still really enjoy those times and cherish them.

Now (after 7 months of studies) when I ask about what he learned each day or for an explanation about various medical issues, I am reminded that he is definitely absorbing and learning from all the hard work because I have a hard time pronouncing let alone understanding some of the things he tells me. I’m sure that will make him smirk just a little.

As for his recent elective he’s been working in the ER department and he loves it. He gets to learn and see so much there. In school part of this semester he’s learning about human reproduction. How convenient is that? Recently I’ve also been his mock patient for various things, the latest one was gathering patient information (which was simply annoying) and getting a physical done. After hearing what next month’s lessons will be I’ve informed him he’ll have to find someone else to be his mock patient!

All in all life has been great being married to my med student and I couldn’t be more proud of his hard work and dedication. I know busier, tougher times lie ahead. I miss him sometimes but know that he’s working hard to become the best physician he can be. I have no doubt that he will be amazing just as he has been as a husband and a Dad to our children.

We just take things one day at a time and keep trucking!

Decisions, Decisions

We make them every day, little and big ones. Sometimes we don’t even have to think about it. We’re constantly making decisions that may not feel like a big deal at the time but some have a huge effect on our life! Lately my husband and I have been facing more tedious decision making with the upcoming new addition to our family and all the changes involved.

Due to my “age” I am considered on the cusp of being a high-risk pregnancy which opens the door to additional testing and increased complications. One decision we both agree on so far is that we don’t want to know the sex of the baby until he/she is born. I always thought I’d want to know when having a third child but after a very short discussion we both wanted to keep it a surprise, call us old fashion.

The latest upcoming decision is whether or not to have an amniocentesis test done. We’re leaning away from it as I don’t like the idea of sticking a needle near my baby and the fact that it really won’t change the outcome. We’ll have this baby no matter what issues he/she may have. But the question I have is, if we do have it done and an issue is diagnosed, is there something that can be done in utero to help improve the child’s life/outcome? We will be meeting with our new prenatal Doctor this week and hoping she can provide and guide us with some more information. We put so much trust in these professionals.

In writing this entry I had a discussion with my daughters about decision making and it was interesting to hear their responses to my question of “When you are faced with a decision how to you decide what to do?” Both responded similarly saying they think about what will happen, how they will feel, and how it will affect others. One also said they make some decisions with their heart. I think those are reasonably good responses for 7 and 9 year olds.

For now we’ll just do our research and keep moving forward as usual and hope for the best.

Parenting is one of the most difficult jobs in the world! But the most rewarding job ever!!

March here we come...

The countdowns are on…none to a great southern warm destination though. We are looking forward to a March break for the three Wood girls. We have no major plans but do plan to relax and have some fun. My husband has another major exam coming up that week too. So he will be studying pretty intensely, and unfortunately his break is the following week.

We’ve had a couple major snowstorms over the last week and ended up with an early school closure today. The girls are still enjoying the outdoors sliding and playing with our neighbours. I haven’t ventured outside too much over the last few weeks and am ready for Spring!

We wrapped up basketball last weekend, well I thought we did. The girls are starting a 5-week clinic with the local premier basketball team Mill Rats starting this week. They both plan on playing in the local Spring League too. This makes me so happy to have 2 girls that love my favourite sport!

I’m starting to feel better pregnancy wise…but have been battling an annoying sinus infection that’s wearing me down. Hoping that I beat this soon so we can move forward and get feeling great! I am so fortunate to have such an amazing sweet family to help me out. My husband is buried in school work but has been helping when he can and the girls have been sweet and understanding about my newfound low energy lifestyle, not the norm for me!! Each week I have to let the girls know what size the baby is in comparison of a fruit…this week it’s the size of a large peach!

Well well it’s been too long since I’ve made a post but I truly don’t think there is anyone out there checking daily to see my latest news : ) So I think I’m safe.

It’s been a blurry last month and a half, everyone is back to school including me! I am working at a local elementary school until June. It’s nice to finally get out of the house and be with people every day even if they are children!

We found out in early January that we are expecting our third child!! And a few weeks later I began to get pretty sick as expected. My other two pregnancies I was extremely nauseated and sick for months so it’s only fair that this one gets the same entrance! I’ve been extra exhausted but I’m hoping I’ll be feeling better in weeks to come so I can begin to look forward to these exciting times.

We waited a few weeks to tell people including the girls. The girls were getting worried about their mom constantly resting and feeling sick since typically I don’t stop running around all day. My oldest was worried that my Lyme disease was coming back or something so it was more important for them to understand the cause. We told them by playing a game of hangman…”We’re having a baby” They were pretty shocked but very excited. That pretty much sums up everyone’s reaction so far.

While this is a surprise to our family we know we are very fortunate and are cherishing the fact that we have been blessed with another child. Times will be busy as I’m due shortly after the girls go back to school and my husband begins his 2nd year of Medical School!

So my apologies for no entries lately but hopefully in future months my energy will increase and my nausea will decrease. For now though it’s getting late and I must get some rest.

Night night!