300 Days of Sunshine

This morning we experienced our second snowfall of the season in Santa Fe.  While the fluffy white flakes are beautiful and I look forward to wintertime, I can't help but feel cheated out of the final weeks of fall.  I planted my bulbs a few days ago, and I guess I was just in time before the first freeze!  I'm hopeful that my gardening efforts will come to fruition and that I'll have a garden full of tulips and daffodils come springtime.   Today also marks three months until our due date with Baby Girl!  With every milestone we grow more confident and excited to meet her.  T here's nothing like waiting for the arrival of a baby that makes one contemplate the importance of hope.  Working in acute care, I encounter hope (and lack thereof) in my work everyday, and I have had many discussions with colleagues on what hope means to a patient's survival and outcomes.  In today's political and social climate, hope can seem like a lost cause, and yet history demon

October has become my favorite month, especially since moving to New Mexico.  The vibrant yellow aspen trees are breathtaking in mid-October, the scent of roasting green chile fills the air, and people come from all over the world to the ABQ International Balloon Fiesta.   It's hard to believe that this is our ninth autumn in the Land of Enchantment!    The temperature is cooling off and the days are getting shorter, calling us to center ourselves and direct energy inward in preparation for the months ahead.  Here are a few things keeping me busy during my favorite time of year: Aspen Vista 1.  One of my favorite fall traditions in Santa Fe is hiking Aspen Vista.  Ady is in that "in-between" stage of wanting to walk and then wanting to be carried, changing her mind every few minutes, which makes long hikes impossible right now.  Our hikes have become more like casual nature strolls, which is good practice in being present and letting go of expectations.  I took her

We have some big changes coming our way as Ady prepares to be a big sister!  Baby Girl #2 is due January 28th!  Ady is over the moon about her new important role, telling all her friends and teachers the news.  She is such a helper and so compassionate, and we think she's well-prepared to look out for her future little sis.  I can't wait to see their relationship develop once Baby Girl arrives. I found out that I was pregnant in May and I had my first ultrasound just before going to Alaska in June.  We had a healthy baby with a beating heart!  I told Jaycob the news as an early Father's Day gift before we departed on our trip.  We were excited to share our joy with close friends and family members over the summer, either in person when visiting, or over Skype with family across the miles, but we decided to wait as long as possible before going public.  It was really special to be able to keep Baby's existence to ourselves and just be present with her, knowing th