Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!! Chris said both Ella and Cade managed to make it until midnight to watch the ball drop, but were asleep just minutes later. I love the last couple pictures of Cade, so determined to blow that horn, but struggling to keep those eyes open! Just precious.

I have to admit I hated leaving my family to go to work on New Year's Eve. I felt the same way Christmas Eve. I just wanted nothing more than to be home with them and share the special holiday time. However, God never lets me sulk in self pity for long. He usually manages to hit me over the head with a new perspective pretty quickly. That night was no different. While I was feeling sorry for myself that I was separated from my family for that one short night, many of my patients and families were sharing their last holidays on this earth together. While I wanted nothing more than to be home with my husband and kiddos, many families were trying to prepare themselves for the fact that their loved one would never be coming home again. After a few short hours, I didn't care that I was working. That the ball dropped while I was giving pain medication and trying to make a dying woman more comfortable. That my New Year's celebration consisted of my coworkers and I high-fiving and yelling Happy New Year in the hallway as we hurried to take care of our next patient. All that really mattered was the knowledge that I would get to go home in the morning to kiss my healthy husband, hug my healthy kids and, God-willing, share many more healthy days with them in the coming new year.