Finishing Houston

If you've sent me a message asking for a blog post....  thank you!  I appreciate you wanting to keep up with us.  I'm so behind, that I don't even know what to post!?  My camera and phone are full of pictures that are now months old : (

But I have a good excuse....

In the last three months, we've moved from Houston to Louisville... Troy kicked off his career with a private pathology group....we introduced everyone to our new Juliet....Walt turned two......we searched and searched and finally bought a home! ..... we hugged our friends, visited our favorite and missed Louisville spots, did all of the fun summer things, and enjoyed every familiar sight that is home.  But most of all... we spent a wonderful summer with my family.  We've been busy...  but are loving every minute of being here.

It seems silly to post pictures from a few months ago...  but I know I'll want to look back on them.  So here are some of our last few images from Houston!

I think I'll always remember the end of Houston as a time when we discovered what being a family of four was all about.

Walt learned about being a big brother...

and about having to share his Momma. 

I quickly learned how to do lunch dates with two babies instead of one.... navigate the double stroller in and out of stores, how to push a riding toy while carrying an infant....

....and how to make trips to the pool with two.

I  loved everything about having two under two.  Two in strollers, two in car seats, two in diapers, two baby monitors, two cribs.... they make me want a dozen more.

And introducing Juliet to all of the fun things we do during the day, was memorable.  Trips to the zoo.....

....and to the museums...

....the park, the bay, and for ice cream...

I already can't remember what it was like to take only one.

And have you ever seen anything so sweet?

Our last part in Houston also included a visit from Grandmom and Aunt Kandice...

...an attempted Memorial Day weekend trip to Louisville to house hunt .......

which never happened.  

We spent 8 hours in the airport, and never made it out of Houston.

Lots of packing....

(and trying to prepare a toddler)...

....and so much crazy sickness.

We made it 11 months in Houston on our own okay, but in that last month, we desperately needed family.  Bronchitis, sinus infections, two rounds of the stomach bug... all in 3 weeks.... (while trying to pack)..

it was terrible.  

Trying to care for two babies while vomiting non stop was my least favorite Houston memory.  If you are raising babies without a family support system (or even worse....  as a single parent).... my heart aches for you.  I thought of you so many times during these few weeks.

Only I would take photos of such things...  but I wanted to remember the craziness of this last month in Houston.  Though I don't think I could ever really forget driving to meet Troy at his graduation, when Walt covered my back seat in vomit.

What a memorable way to end the year!

A few images from our last day in Houston and the trip home..

As I uploaded my last few Houston photos and memories, I couldn't help but to think of the huge impact that this last year has left on us.  One itty bitty short year.....  but a lifetime of lessons, that we'll keep forever.

We learned what the word home truly means for us.  And of how much it defines who we are, and what we want to be.

We learned that home is a feeling of belonging...  being needed, wanted, loved and missed...

And we learned that even though it wasn't our favorite place to be....Houston will always be a part of us.  A very special part of us.  

Houston gave us a sense of pride for our hometown.  A feeling of belonging, a feeling of having roots.... strong roots.... roots that we're now extremely proud of.  We now have something to compare our home to....  and compare we will always do.  Houston may have more opportunities, more experiences, more to do, more to see.... it may be warmer, and more integrated and maybe even a little more advanced...  okay a lot more advanced.  But Louisville sure wins when it comes to heart.  The next time a cashier wishes you a good day.... or a stranger holds a door open for you....or someone just smiles in passing... know that it doesn't happen in every city.  Louisville's small(er) town ways are such a treasure to me now.  We may have a slower pace here, but with that comes a warmer spirit, a since of belonging and a bit more compassion.  And the next time you drive across I-265 and see miles of green trees...  or as you watch autumn colors explode and hear the leaves crunch under your boots, remind yourself of what a treat this is.  Our city isn't perfect, but I quickly learned last year, that our city is exceptionally beautiful.  It's lush and green in the summer, and chilly and colorful in the fall, and our winters give us just enough snow to enjoy.  

Maybe it is perfect.

It will always be perfect to me.

But that doesn't mean that we will not always claim to be a smidge Houstonian...

.....after all....  we did bring home the SWEETEST souvenir... and the Magnolia City will always be a part of her story.

A short video clip for Troy and I.  So we can always remember the "home" in which Walt took his first steps...   and where we brought our daughter....where our marriage grew stronger, our dependence on the Lord even deeper and our need to be with family took number one priority. 

It will always be a special place to us.

  Houston, TX from Kristin Davis on Vimeo.

Finished

Troy came home from work today and said "I need to sit down for a minute and take a break.....  it's been a long...

10 years."

Friends, today was his very last day of training.

HIS VERY LAST DAY!

Four years of medical school.

Four years of residency.

Two years of fellowship.

10 years.

Not to mention undergrad.

And today, it ended.

I think we're both still in disbelief.  

So much of life has happened during these ten years.  

Professionally, it's been a busy but very successful ride for him. His accomplishments are too numerous to name.  Awards, publications, presentations, AOA inducted, a year as Cheif, and countless other feats.  He also prepared for and passed THREE board exams. Each exam took a year to prepare for, but he is Board Certified in Anatomical Pathology, Board Certified in Clinical Pathology & Board Certified in Transfusion Medicine. And today, he completed his last day of a Surgical Pathology Fellowship at Methodist Hospital, Houston. And though I know that it wasn't.....  he made all of this look so easy.

I'm truly bursting with pride for him.

But the last ten years haven't been all about medicine.  They've also been the years that we began our life together.  We got married, we traveled, we bought a home.... we made a cross country move.  We gained new life long friendships through medicine (we love you Heather, Adam, Mona, Silvia, Martin!)..

we were given two sister-in-laws...

we lost a father.

We became parents.

So much life.

It's no secret that our year here in Houston has been a hard one.  It's been very difficult for us to be away from home.  

But I remind myself often to not let that overshadow what a major accomplishment and gift this year has been. The fact that Troy obtained a fellowship with this top notch program speaks volumes of his success.  Here, he trained with the best of the best, and will walk away better in so many ways.  Coming to Houston Methodist was not something that we had to do.  Though some days it felt like it, it wasn't a misfortune or a mishap.  It was an achievement.

A huge achievement.

So tonight we celebrate!  We celebrate a huge chapter of our lives... a 10 year chapter...  coming to a successful close!

But that break that my husband wants to sit down and take tonight....  it can't happen yet.

Because we have an apartment to pack.

Because these 10 years are finished.

And we're going home.

Lovely

If you watched Juliet's introduction video....  or received a birth announcement by mail.... you'll want to skip these.

You're sick of looking at us.

For anyone else.....enjoy!


We think she's so lovely...

A very special thanks to Kelli of Kelli Nicole Photography in Houston, Texas!  Kelli, your talent is big, but your heart (and special way with little ones) is even bigger!  Thank you for being so good to us.  You will always be one of my favorite people in Texas!

Bringing Home Baby

Taking a break from packing, to share a few photos!

These are all from Juliet's first week home!

Getting ready to leave the hospital...

And a few photos from the first few days at home.  We have swollen tired eyes, and lived in pajamas all week....  but I cherish the photos.  I even snapped one (for my memory) during a 3am feeding.

Juliet couldn't be any sweeter.  She's made going from one baby to two, quite simple.  She sleeps through the night, rarely cries... truly a joy.

The only thing that makes her unhappy is the car seat.  These sleepy car seat days didn't last long.  She now often screams....  quite loudly....  until she is freed!

  

Walt welcomed Juliet home with a gift and note of "Baby sister, I can't wait to show you the elephants at the zoo!"

;)

I wasn't able to get a photo of every gift, but family and friends spoiled us with their deliveries!

I did get out of my robe a couple of times that first week.  We took Juliet to a doctor's appointment, and to her first photo shoot. 

And Aunt Kandice flew in to meet her new niece!

My parents stayed with us for two weeks and we loved every minute of it.  They fed us, did our laundry, let us nap, and entertained Walt around the clock.  We could never thank them enough for all they did for us.

And now sadly, those early newborn days are officially behind us.

More soon!

Thanks for reading :)