2008 in Review: Annual Letter

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Greetings! This past year has been quite eventful for Lindsay and me, and we would love to share some brief updates with you as we enter the New Year. We have graduated from medical school, moved to Denver, Colorado where we are six months into our three-year pediatrics training program, have traveled around the globe both in a medical capacity and as tourists, and have made countless memories with dear family and friends. It is incredible to look back on the year and see how God has orchestrated our each and every move, and it gives us great hope for the coming year to know that He will once again guide and direct our steps.
In February of 2008 – about six months after returning from our Central & South American excursion – we were back at it, this time working on a public health project in Juventino Rosas, Mexico. Juventino is a wonderful city of about 70,000 people located about three hours northwest of Mexico City. The University of North Carolina has formed a bond with this small city in large part because there are many transplants from Juventino that now live in the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area. We joined up with the local Catholic church and government officials in Juventino in an effort to discover local health needs and stimulate economic development for the underserved through microenterprise projects. It was an incredible experience and we were blessed to make so many new friends. We hope to return sometime soon.
In March of 2008, we went through the much-anticipated Match – whereby all medical students discover where they will be spending the next 3-7 years of their lives. We were thrilled to match here in Denver, Colorado at The Children's Hospital that serves patients from the greater Midwest area. By June, we had managed the move by driving cross-country, twice, and we are thrilled to finally be settled in our home.
Before making the long journey from Durham to Denver, we were afforded the remarkable opportunity to vacation with two of our good friends, Chuck & Angela (who are second-year residents at Vanderbilt), in Kauai, Hawaii. It was a perfect celebration of the Match and wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends who had left the year before and started their own residency journey.
Medical school graduation finally arrived, and shortly thereafter we were blessed with the opportunity to experience the thrill of a lifetime, traveling to Kenya with Mom & Dad, and Lindsay's sister, Rory as a celebration of the long-awaited graduation (and earning of a PhD – Rory). We had planned to work in Ethiopia prior to our grand adventures in Kenya, but unfortunately that portion of the trip didn’t work out this time. Kenya was incredible, and such an amazing opportunity to see the world through a different set of eyes, to enjoy God's creation, and to fellowship with family and friends. Pristine views of Mt Kilimanjaro and a pride of lions lazily enjoying the last rays of the setting sun; visiting a Maasai tribe and seeing first-hand their proud and yet simple ways of life; a mighty leopard gracefully stretching and flaunting its fangs, and the sheer power of a white rhino as it sauntered through the brush; a mother cheetah and her two cubs, and a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Maasai Mara.... Pictures indelibly etched into our minds, and memories that will never be forgotten.
Once we landed back in the U.S. and our hearts and minds returned to the present, we geared up for our move to Colorado, trying our best to spend time with family and friends before making the daunting trip. Lindsay moved out to Denver with a little trepidation, having never lived so far away from family. I had a slightly easier time moving away having grown up separated from my family for the majority of my adult life; but it has been difficult for us both to leave our parents and wonderful friends behind. However, frequent visits from family and friends have made the transition much easier and have allowed us to keep our hearts and minds attuned to life back home while we eagerly begin our new life here in Denver.
Life is moving at a new pace, but despite long hours at work, we have been able to spend good time together and make the most of our free moments. We have found a great church located only four blocks north of our home with a nice southern flare to it – the pastor is from South Carolina! Denver has been an incredible place to live as well, and we have thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor opportunities – overnight camping, hiking in the Rocky Mountains, and skiing at Arapahoe Basin and Breckenridge. All in all, we have been truly blessed this past year. Our move to Colorado has been a big life change, but we have felt supported and encouraged throughout it all. Thank you for your prayers, phone calls, and visits. We look forward to 2009 and what it will bring; and we hope that it brings you out to Denver to visit!
God Bless, Merry Christmas, & Happy New Year!
JR & Lindsay