Monday

We watched Boyhood this weekend, and while it wasn't my favorite film, the soundtrack was completely on point. This song resonates with me in a lot of ways right now.

Being your own person in a place like the one I grew up in is hard; and being back here after years somewhere else is strange. College was a really freeing time for me, like it is for a lot of people; with 40,000 students, you're bound time find a niche. Coming back home, I've found things to be a little more narrow, a little more confining. Here's a reminder not to worry about it- these things are so small in the scheme of things. 

Well, I'm back.

Hello Everyone (or anyone- Peter? Dad?)!

Not to worry, my absence was simply one of bad (horrible) timing. Between Orthodox Christian Easter (Christ is Risen!), parading around Florida with my English in-laws, and attempting to complete about twenty written assignments in one week, I got a bit overwhelmed and sort of decided I'd rather read the blogs of others for a few weeks than share my own thoughts. I guess my FOMO extends to blog-reading, because I just couldn't let myself miss a single post from my favorite London expat, inspiring single Mom-slash-maker, or New York Momma.  Priorities, man.

The past few weeks have been a beautiful, wild, emotional whirlwind. Peter carried the epitaphio around our church for the first time this year, I cried; I found out people very near and dear to me weren't coming to wedding, I cried; rang in Christ's resurrection with the whole family, cried some more. Other than that, we've been trying to keep up with packing and moving and organizing the wedding, and in spite of all the stress, there's a great deal of excitement about it all. In a few short weeks I will be a physician, and married to my best friend. We've already decided to visit a new country every year, and I've found myself with a renewed passion in my profession through this incredible documentary and some serious, late-night talks with Peter about actually doing it- taking the leap and applying to work for Doctors Without Borders after residency. I really won the lottery with that guy- he's supported me all through medical school, and when he has every right to have misgivings about such a long time away, he doesn't. It's been an arduous, challenging, sometimes painful journey to get where I am, and I'm humbled and thankful to have had his support.

In other news, it's apparently Fashion Revolution Day, and while it might sound a bit gimicky, I'm grateful the Bangladesh Factory Collapse hasn't completely fallen into obscurity. I'm not quite sure why US media didn't seem to care about this event 2 years ago; perhaps it was the nearby Boston Bombings that took American lives, or perhaps it was that it's hard to take a look in the mirror and realize that we are part of the problem (I'm wearing a diamond ring and Old Navy pjs as I type this.) Nevertheless I'm thankful that the industry is attempting to hold itself and consumers more accountable. It's a baby step, but it's better than silence. Does anyone have any ethically made clothing sites or brands to recommend? I'm still hooked on The Reformation, but I'm sure there's tons more out there waiting to be discovered.

Holy Monday

In lieu of a music video, here's the link to our church's livestream. If you're Orthodox, Christian, or just curious, you can see how our church prepares for the resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

For those who celebrated Easter yesterday, Happy Easter!

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