An end to 2017

2017, what a year! I remember when Lyle started med school, I can't up all the years of training he had in front of us and thought 2017 was so far away. Now it has come and gone. I always try to wrap up the year listing the most exciting/important things that happened that year to each of us so here it goes:
AB: The biggest thing for her without a doubt was that she started school full time. She has been home with me for the past 3 years. Definitely bittersweet. I miss getting to snuggle with her and watch cartoons but so happy she is thriving in school. I think it was time for her to go. Time for her to start making friends and learning new things. She is doing so so great! She will say every now and then that she missed SF but I know she loves it here too. She also transitioned to a big girl room with a big girl bed too! She has no problem sleeping in her room, doesn't even want a night light. Although she still makes her way down to my bed 5 out of the 7 nights she is very content in her big room. I love this little girl so much!

Luke: 2017 was a great year for Luke! He received first Holy Communion this year! Such a wonderful day! Really hard to beat that! Luke also got really bit by the football bug. He played his first real flag football league and LOVED every minute of it! He is dying to play tackle football but that makes me a bit nervous! I don't think I have a choice but to let him though:) Luke made lots of good friends in SF that I know he misses but is making new ones here as well. School is going great as well. That kid is super duper smart!

Ella: She had a great 2017 as well. She ran her first 10K in 2017 and found her love for running. She ran on the cross country team at CTK and LOVED it! I'm so happy so found something that makes her happy and keeps her healthy at the same time! She is also continuing her love of baking and is actually doing really well. She has so much more patience for it than I do! Ella hated leaving SF but I think she is warming up to Little Rock again. School is great for her and she has become quite the book worm which I love!

Mom: Definitely the biggest change for me is moving back to Little Rock and starting my new job as an Assistant Professor in the Surgery Department at UAMS. I am running the Division of Surgical Research and at the moment it is going so so well. I didn't think I would love it as much as I do. I am doing things that I thought I could never do. Plus Lyle and I finally get to run our own lab together and do our own research. I can't believe we are actually doing it. We are having such a fun time with it too!

Lyle: HE FINISHED TRAINING!!! Still can't believe it sometimes! He is finally an attending and UAMS and actually has moved into the Director of the Transplant Program here. It happened fairly quickly when the last director decided he wanted to move to Chicago. It is great because he gets to set things up the way he wants to some extent but hard because it means a lot more admin stuff that he really hates dealing with. But things are going well for him right now. Staying busy but finally having more time with us which we all enjoy!

So, to wrap up 2017 was an exciting year. Moving back home from SF was bittersweet for all of us but we are so happy to be settled and a little closer to family. As always, we are so appreciative of the great year our Lord gave to us and try to not take it for granted. We know how lucky we are and always feel little Eve watching over us. But we are excited to see where 2018 takes us!