I still have yet to get out our Christmas Cards this year. Now it's going to be more like New Year or January card. But I thought I'd include the letter we wrote here. So if you eventually get one in the mail, look at the picture and know you've already read our update.
December 2007
Hello again parents, siblings, friends, aunts, uncles, far-off friends, pets, and plants (well, maybe not the last two, but you get the drift)-
Yep, “It’s” upon us again, probably the opening for many Christmas letters, but definitely rings true with all of us. So much happens each year! The theme for this year and several years to come of Christmas letters should and will be “Continual Change.” This year commenced by spending time with family for The Holidays. Since I (Christy) had just started a new job I worked Christmas; then for New Years, we flew up to Portland to visit family and a few friends for a 6-day vacation.
Spring came, and we began finding out the plans for our future. Tobin was accepted to be part of the school’s “Teaching Fellowship.” This means, an additional year of medical school as Tobin is Junior Faculty for 3 extra semesters. For our Spring Break, we got to go to Colorado Springs for an Osteopathic Convention. We stayed in a very fancy hotel, “The Broadmoor.” Tobin went to some learning sessions; I was able to get osteopathic treatments from some of the best; and we spent an entire day and night skiing in Breckenridge and Keystone. We suffered some sunburns (me the worst), but it was worth it because the Colorado Rockies are incredible!!!
In May, Tobin finished his second year of medical school and began studying practically 24/7 for Step One of the National Osteopathic Medical Board Examination. We also made a glorious exodus out of the ghetto—Pomona, though the experiences we take from there will never be forgotten, and moved to the Beach—Long Beach!!! Tobin then took his board exam and passed in June!!!! Yay!!! The day after the exam, he flew to Portland for his first medical school rotation with an osteopathic physician in Portland. He was gone a month; I then flew up to meet him; and we spent some more great time with family. One highlight from the weekend was our family playing the Wii video game together. It was fun and a good time of laughter as we played tennis, and successfully suffered “Wii injuries!” We also got to see the cute nieces (Grace and the new little one-Zoey) and nephew (Benjamin)! After visiting family, we celebrated our 1st Anniversary!! We did this by driving our two new cars (a Subaru Outback and Toyota Corolla) from Portland to Long Beach. On our way down, we camped in a state park near San Francisco. Even though we drove in separate cars, we had lots of fun with the two-way radios my brother let us borrow. It made the drive a lot more fun!
Summer ended with Tobin starting his first semester of the Fellowship. He has since been enjoying teaching, organizing meetings, directing practical exams, etc. Since he works eight hours, five days a week, that leaves our weekends free. So any weekend I’ve had off we’ve been able to enjoy together and with friends. We’ve gone rock climbing several times, near Malibu Beach and Malibu State Park. They are both beautiful areas! We’ve gone mountain biking, running on the beach, surfing, boogie boarding, kayaking and snorkeling in La Jolla, camping on the beach, and a little hiking. It’s been wonderful to actually enjoy this beautiful state that we live in—basically once you get AWAY from the freeways, So Cal is beautiful!
This fall, we survived the “Big Fires.” All we really suffered was some smoke-filled lungs, sore throat, and watery eyes. And in perspective of what other families suffered, this was nothing. Our hearts and prayers have gone out to those that have struggled and lost, that they might see the Lord and realize this material world is NOT what we are living for.
As I write this, it is actually barely November, but once I send this out, we will be moving or already relocated to Medford, Oregon. This coming move, we are completely depending on the Lord to find a place. Tobin’s parents are graciously going to drive down here with a covered snow-mobile trailer (from his uncle), and we are going to caravan up to Medford together. Once we are there we will begin looking for places to land our stuff. We know and trust the Lord will provide just what we need. Besides, it’s more exciting this way!
As we look forward to next year, 2008, we continue to trust in the Lord as He provides a new job for me (Christy) and for good and understanding teachers during all of Tobin’s medical school rotations (Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, OB/Gyn, Family Practice, Psychiatry, etc). Our prayer and prayer for others is that though this life can be “busy, full, daunting, tiring,” we would instead live each day with Purpose to Glorify the Lord, and to continually, “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:12-14
Hello again parents, siblings, friends, aunts, uncles, far-off friends, pets, and plants (well, maybe not the last two, but you get the drift)-
Yep, “It’s” upon us again, probably the opening for many Christmas letters, but definitely rings true with all of us. So much happens each year! The theme for this year and several years to come of Christmas letters should and will be “Continual Change.” This year commenced by spending time with family for The Holidays. Since I (Christy) had just started a new job I worked Christmas; then for New Years, we flew up to Portland to visit family and a few friends for a 6-day vacation.
Spring came, and we began finding out the plans for our future. Tobin was accepted to be part of the school’s “Teaching Fellowship.” This means, an additional year of medical school as Tobin is Junior Faculty for 3 extra semesters. For our Spring Break, we got to go to Colorado Springs for an Osteopathic Convention. We stayed in a very fancy hotel, “The Broadmoor.” Tobin went to some learning sessions; I was able to get osteopathic treatments from some of the best; and we spent an entire day and night skiing in Breckenridge and Keystone. We suffered some sunburns (me the worst), but it was worth it because the Colorado Rockies are incredible!!!
In May, Tobin finished his second year of medical school and began studying practically 24/7 for Step One of the National Osteopathic Medical Board Examination. We also made a glorious exodus out of the ghetto—Pomona, though the experiences we take from there will never be forgotten, and moved to the Beach—Long Beach!!! Tobin then took his board exam and passed in June!!!! Yay!!! The day after the exam, he flew to Portland for his first medical school rotation with an osteopathic physician in Portland. He was gone a month; I then flew up to meet him; and we spent some more great time with family. One highlight from the weekend was our family playing the Wii video game together. It was fun and a good time of laughter as we played tennis, and successfully suffered “Wii injuries!” We also got to see the cute nieces (Grace and the new little one-Zoey) and nephew (Benjamin)! After visiting family, we celebrated our 1st Anniversary!! We did this by driving our two new cars (a Subaru Outback and Toyota Corolla) from Portland to Long Beach. On our way down, we camped in a state park near San Francisco. Even though we drove in separate cars, we had lots of fun with the two-way radios my brother let us borrow. It made the drive a lot more fun!
Summer ended with Tobin starting his first semester of the Fellowship. He has since been enjoying teaching, organizing meetings, directing practical exams, etc. Since he works eight hours, five days a week, that leaves our weekends free. So any weekend I’ve had off we’ve been able to enjoy together and with friends. We’ve gone rock climbing several times, near Malibu Beach and Malibu State Park. They are both beautiful areas! We’ve gone mountain biking, running on the beach, surfing, boogie boarding, kayaking and snorkeling in La Jolla, camping on the beach, and a little hiking. It’s been wonderful to actually enjoy this beautiful state that we live in—basically once you get AWAY from the freeways, So Cal is beautiful!
This fall, we survived the “Big Fires.” All we really suffered was some smoke-filled lungs, sore throat, and watery eyes. And in perspective of what other families suffered, this was nothing. Our hearts and prayers have gone out to those that have struggled and lost, that they might see the Lord and realize this material world is NOT what we are living for.
As I write this, it is actually barely November, but once I send this out, we will be moving or already relocated to Medford, Oregon. This coming move, we are completely depending on the Lord to find a place. Tobin’s parents are graciously going to drive down here with a covered snow-mobile trailer (from his uncle), and we are going to caravan up to Medford together. Once we are there we will begin looking for places to land our stuff. We know and trust the Lord will provide just what we need. Besides, it’s more exciting this way!
As we look forward to next year, 2008, we continue to trust in the Lord as He provides a new job for me (Christy) and for good and understanding teachers during all of Tobin’s medical school rotations (Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, OB/Gyn, Family Practice, Psychiatry, etc). Our prayer and prayer for others is that though this life can be “busy, full, daunting, tiring,” we would instead live each day with Purpose to Glorify the Lord, and to continually, “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:12-14
Mani (one of our roomates), me, and Tobin
