New Traditions

These boots were kinda meant for walkin'.

I admit to feeling a bit goofy when I'm on a hiking trail in my Sunday clothes, especially when I see sweaty athletes in their gear pass me by. And yet, this is going to be a regular occurrence!

Tim and I decided to take walks as a family after church each week. (I don't know how this will work in the dead of winter, but I'm sure we'll come up with something.) It has been SO nice to get out in nature with the kids, enjoy this beautiful earth we've been given, and talk without interruptions. All too often we're distracted at home with phone calls, Facebook status updates, and chores. Getting outdoors does away with such things. The exercise is a nice bonus, too. Before we leave the house, we try to get something cooking in the crock-pot so that when we return we can have something hearty waiting for us. (Coq-au-vin is a favorite here.)

And to think these moments were few and far between when I was a resident. Have you heard of the term 'Golden Weekend'? In the medical world, that means you have Saturday AND Sunday off. Yes, you read that correctly, a Golden Weekend is what nearly everyone else would consider a regular ol' weekend. As a resident, however, it was the thing of folklore and akin to winning the jackpot.

These days I work weekends on-call about once a month. And when I miss out on our Sunday traditions it leaves a space in my heart that I can't wait to fill in. It's the simple things.