reflecting...

I cannot believe that the year 2007 is almost gone. This has been quite a year and full of new challenges for me. I think it has been a good year.

I have been thinking back to this time last year and I was preparing to begin teaching, that was a big step for me and I am so happy to say that I really enjoy it and I think that I am good at it. I am looking forward to the next semester and getting to know a new group of students.

I have continued to do women's health care and feel that what I do at that job is filling an important need in the community. I am still driving to Paris one Tuesday a month to do colposcopy and will admit that I don't always enjoy the drive but I do enjoy the clinic. I spend the other Tuesdays at a clinic in Dallas providing colposcopy services.

Although it only was for a short time I learned allot while working for the family practice. I wish that things had worked out differently there but I try hard to never look back and stay focused on today and the future.

I have really been enjoying my new position with the Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. I am learning many new things and meeting new people. I think I make a difference in the office there and I know that the Dr. is happy that I am there to help lighten his load a bit. I am focusing allot of CEU's on mental health management and find that I am really fascinated by it all. I just never even considered this as a career path for myself in the past.

My family is doing well. The boys are turning into such nice young men. I am learning to appreciate that more each day as I watch them grow. S will be 11 years old in February,when did I get so old? A is now nine and J will be 7 in March. In November we had a photographer do portraits of the family just hanging out at the park. I am stunned at how handsome my boys are. The photographer thinks that my oldest should get into modeling, I asked S what he thought and he is considering his options for now. He thinks it would be fun to a point but not if they make him wear weird clothes...

As I look forward to the new year I have a few goals. The first is to enjoy my family and make sure to have more family time. I need to learn how to carve out special time with each one of my boys as well as my husband. Second, I think I also need to look at my career goals and decide what I really want to do. Three jobs is getting to be allot to keep up with even though they are only part time and I love each one. Third, I really want to get back to TKD regularly and work on my 2ND degree black belt. I have spent the last year poking along with out really devoting the time and effort to achieving that next milestone. Not lofty goals but ones that have significant meaning to me. I suppose I could set a goal to write more too, probably the hardest goal to meet.

Distractions...

I really should be finishing grades for the semester. I have many things that I should make priorities other than writing her. It is so easy to put that off. It is a beautiful fall day here.

I was out running a few errands this morning and was struck by the colors on the trees. North Texas is not known for its colorful fall foliage but this year I am certainly enjoying many shades of red, orange, yellow and green, everywhere I look!

I had to get out the camera and catch a few leaves while in their brilliant display. These are in my backyard, a few roses thrown in for good measure today. My "Old Blush" is still blooming and is full of buds. The weather is predicted to hold. I may have roses for Christmas!