Give and Take

"...the Lord gives and the Lord takes away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21

The Lord gives us multiple blessings each day, each year.  Having moved so much in my life....from Kentucky to Tennessee to Georgia to the Caribbean for medical school then to NYC and to Somerset, KY and now to Louisville....  I have learned that people come and go from your life and if you are truly seeking His direction for your life, He plants the right people for the right times.  Despite this, it still really stinks when you move or those close to you move.... It stinks regardless of the call, the job, the life change.  Really it sucks.... pardon my language.... Despite knowing the benefits, I am a selfish creature and want those that I love to stay close.  Yes.  I said it.  I am selfish.  I. Love. My. Friends. 

Well, in the last bit, God is paving the way for new entrances and tough exits.  I needed to write about them....I needed to acknowledge them...

Meet Whitney.  Isn't she beautiful? Our regular sitter, who we have for the summer and loves Tedi more than anyone else in the world, has busy fall as she finishes college, so we had been praying for a nanny/babysitter for Tedi and Chernet this coming school year after school for many complicated reasons.  That sounds fancy "nanny"..... what it means us: someone to love our boys, play with them, and accept the fact we are not rich but will treat them like family and not be scared by HIV.... So if that is "fancy", so be it.  After a recommendation from a work friend, we posted a wanted ad in the local seminary bulletin.  Whitney responded... we spoke at length, called all of her references, spoke again, and well, we picked her.... okay, not really.  We believe no meetings are coincidental. 

Whitney is marrying that handsome boy, Layne, on June 9 (that is next week, by the way) and shortly thereafter will be moving to Louisville where they will be getting masters degrees at Southern Seminary.  She just finished up at Baylor and loved flag football (plus).  We have not met face to face (this will happen in July), but she did not balk at Chernet's HIV or the thought of two 5year old boys.  We can not wait to have her here and get to know her more! 

Erica and I have been friends since we started residency.  She had a huge life accomplishment today when she matched into a Pediatric Pulmonology fellowship in Cleveland, Ohio.  We celebrated tonight with pizza, Comfy Cow ice cream, flowers, sweat pants on the couch....the best kind of celebration.  What an exciting accomplishment!  Though she won't be moving for one year, it is still starting to cause little pangs of sadness.... Despite my knowledge of persisting friendship, it is tough.  I won't lie.  That is all.

I can not really write about this.... not yet.  But my nearest and dearest, my hero, my lovely friend with a huge heart and diva daughters and devoted husband are moving.... moving FAR....not out of the country but Phoenix is pretty darn close.  And because we have had the luxury of 2 years of living within 2 hours of each other, and now God is deciding to use them elsewhere.... because of that I will employ immature coping skills and not think about it this until it happens too soon.  That is all about that...

I write this to celebrate... to celebrate that in the loss there is gain.... others will meet these fabulous people, to celebrate that my life is better while they are here and remind me to celebrate each minute with them.  I write this to thank God for the additions and coming attractions He is providing.  In addition to Whitney, there are other friendships and relationships that He is growing and strengthening, and for that I am thankful.