300 Days of Sunshine

Christmas tree in Sayulita, Mexico This Christmas felt different.  In true pandemic fashion, I found myself languishing through much of the regular holiday activities, questioning whether all of my time-consuming, elaborate traditions were really worth the time, and asking myself which activities would truly bring joy to my family and which would just add unnecessary stress or expectation.  This Christmas I thought a lot about my triggers and was keenly aware of the holiday atmosphere I was creating for my children.  I reflected on Christmases past and the moments that were most memorable, and my mantra became being present with my children and laughing off the things that didn't go as planned. This Christmas felt different because we also celebrated Jaycob's 40th birthday with a trip to Sayulita the week before Christmas.  Also in true pandemic fashion, the trip I had envisioned for years did not come to fruition, but instead we found the perfect little gem of a destination fo

Here we are again, right back to eerily similar circumstances to a year ago when we were mobilizing all resources to manage a winter COVID surge that was so much more devastating than anyone had anticipated.  This past week as we expanded the walls of the COVID unit yet again, cramming two beds into private rooms, counting the crash carts and oxygen tanks and N95s, transferring nurses from the orthopedic unit and ICU to cover the steady flow of COVID admissions, and making plans for allocation of resources under New Mexico's crisis standards of care, the thought on everyone's mind was, "Again?!"  How can we possibly be doing this all over again?  I don’t even know what to say. I don’t think anyone in healthcare right now knows what to say.  We’ve done so many things right with scientific research, controlled studies, developing treatment protocols, practicing collaborative care, rolling out the vaccine (and boosters), securing PPE, slowly opening and encouraging ongoi

Happy last day of August!  Where the heck did summer go?  (Ady has started saying "What the heck?", but she thinks that it is a very naughty word that she is only allowed to say in the car and not at school.  Lol!) When does summer end for you?  Back to school (which was August 16ht for us)?  Labor Day?  Fall Equinox?  More importantly, when do I have to stop wearing my white pants, and when can I get a pumpkin spice latte? Summer babes A few tidbits about life during the past few weeks: 1. The Olympics are usually my favorite event of the summer every four years, but they seemed to get lost in the shuffle a bit this year.  I'm still sort of in disbelief that we actually pulled off a worldwide gathering in the midst of a global pandemic, but it sure was a nice break from the regular depressing news stories and COVID positivity rates.  My family liked watching the gymnastics, swimming, running, and volleyball, and how cool was it to see skateboarding and surfing in the Oly

Now that most of the country is fully open and many aspects of life are returning to normalcy, I'm so thankful to be able to travel again and to see family and friends.  I just returned from a trip with the girls to Virginia Beach, where we met up with my mother and sister for a week of fun in the sun.  Our family has been vacationing at the Boardwalk resort on the Virginia Beach shore for the past 14 years, and this year I had a renewed appreciation for this little gem of a location after a long year without vacations.  I was in absolute paradise to walk out onto my balcony and see the expansive ocean, hear the waves crashing, and smell the salt in the air. There are many beaches to choose from along the Atlantic Coast, but Virginia Beach has a lot to offer, with miles of shoreline, a wide, paved boardwalk, and lots of restaurants and family fun.  It's generally a really clean and safe beach.  The city organizes a variety of events for families, like concerts, entertainers, an

Happy summer!  A few tidbits about life lately... 1. Our state just entered the next phase of reopening and I have such mixed feelings.  After waiting over a year for "normalcy," I find that I'm not actually ready for things to return to normal.  Outdoor events have been great but I'm uncomfortable seeing people unmasked in public, and I grapple with how I'm perceived by others when wearing a mask versus not wearing a mask.  How do I send the message, "I'm fully vaccinated but I still care about other people?"  I would feel a lot better if a significantly higher percentage of the population was fully vaccinated.  Every phase of this year comes with its own unique challenges! 2. A few years ago I vowed to stop buying shorts (besides athletic wear) because everything was just horribly unflattering, but now that denim shorts are making a comeback, I decided to give them another try.  I just bought new shorts that are literally called the Momjean .  Thin