Merry Christmas All!

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had a beautiful holiday with lots of food and family! Mine was actually fairly quiet. We spent most of the day at my house with just my parents and brother. It kind of made me sad, because I remember how it was when I was younger...a party at my house packed with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Oh, how things have changed over the years. It was still nice...just in a different way. We spent the evening at my grandma's house, and Buster's family stopped by. His daughter and son-in-law arrived and seemed to be bursting at the seams with excitement when they walked through the door. They dropped this huge, heavy package in my lab and told me to open it, guiding me the whole way on how to properly remove the bow, and cut of the tape, and open the lid to the box. Inside, was a homeade jewlery box the Wally had created. It was so moving to me. I have never really considered Buster's family to be my family, but for Wally to spend months (literally) creating this intricate piece of furniture meant so much. He made 3, one for each of the neices (Buster's 2 granddaughters and myself). That was probably the best and most beautiful gift that I have ever received, just wanted to share. I'll have to show if off when you all come to visit my new pad!

On another note, Maria, I am so excited for you and Kev, and I can't wait to hold baby Richards! I hope that your "morning" sickness is fading fast and that the rest of your pregancy is as comfortable as it possibly can be. I know some mothers out there who say that they love being preganant...let's hope that you end up falling into that category of moms! Please keep us updated on any new developments.

Lauren, in regards to meeting people in a new city, I think that it's just something that takes time. When I look back on any point in my life, it has usually taken about 6 months for me to get used to my current situation. I'm hoping that when I move, I will put myself out there as much as possible, but also realize that great friendships (or any friendships) don't develop over night. We are all pretty cool people if I do say so myself, and we will meet new friends in no time! Everything will fall into place, we just have to have patience.

MJ, Amy, and LC...I hope all is going well with you. Amy, I hope your job isn't working you to the bone! LC, I am so excited for this new position where you will really be able to put all of your positive enery into helping those kids! MJ, kick butt at school like we know you will!

This year sure has been filled with ENORMOUS changes for all of us. Here's hoping that in 2011 we can be flexible and positive thorughout all of the craziness and wonderful adjustments of our lives.

<3 always

Erin

Time for the new year!

Hey girls,

Maria I am soo sooo happy for you! That's incredible! And luckily all the nasty side effects should be gone in about a month :) I can't even begin to imagine how beautiful your baby is going to be!

LP, it is soo tough moving to another city, especially one you aren't really working or going to school in. I tried it for about 5 months. Finally, in late December I started to feel attached to Memphis. I did go to the dog parks, like maria said, and met a few people there. None that I really did anything with, it was just nice for the 20 minute social interaction. The best thing I came up with was volunteering at the YMCA. You can work with children or do office work. It is great though because everyone is so excited to see you (because you are working for free and youre awesome) and it's a nice way to get out of the house for an hour or so. Plus, you get a free YMCA membership! So, you can meet people at the gym and at classes (yoga, pilates, etc.). Whatever you do, don't always do your work in the apt. go to starbucks or some place. Those little 20 minutes of socializing go a long way. It is very difficult moving to another city and relying on one person for all the different types of human interactions necessary. Eric and I are dealing with that right now. But you an alex are strong, hang in there. It does get better. I hated memphis the first few months. I think your situation will be better because Lexington isn't such a poor city. Also, another way to meet people is to offer to babysit if you know of a young couple with a tiny child. It adds fun to your day and you never know if you may be the people they start to go out with!

Right now, I am trying desperately to find a pediatrician/np in ohio to be my preceptor starting Jan 5th. I know that I am not going to be able to start clinicals on time, I only hope that I can start soon enough to where I can finish on time... How stressful!!! I don't even know if they will let me find another site in Cincy, or if they will make me do my clinicals in memphis. That would really suck. I would either try to live with Carmen, my friend from school, or live in an extended stay hotel. I really want eric and I to have our own space so we can find out if we want a future together and if moving has just worn on us, or if we need to take our own paths in life. I know you guys probably think I am crazy for even considering a future with him possible, and I probably will think I'm crazy when I look back in about 5 months. But that is just where I am right now. I am just praying this quarter goes well, I can finish on time, and I don't let my personal life interfere with 50000$+ of learning.

I can't wait to see everyone, especially now that I am closer in proximity to all my friends! :)

LOVE YOU ALL!

MJ

New edition to the Richards family

And it's not a dog this time!

Kev and I had a visit to the OBGYN today and confirmed our suspicions that I am pregnant! We had an ultrasound and got to hear the baby's heartbeat. To be honest I was so nervous that they whole thing was in my head I started sobbing as soon as we heard the heartbeat. The baby is about an inch long in it's crown to rump measurement. I am about 9 weeks along, and they calculated the babies due date to be July 23.

I actually had the suspicions that I was pregnant right after I got back from LC's birthday in Columbus. The day after I drove back I felt a little sick and slept for about 14 hours. I took a pregnancy test the next day and it was positive. I called Kev at work and he asked that I take the other test in the box and came home with two more for me to take. Ahh men, so thorough when it's important.

So far this pregnancy and I have been off to a rough start. I get sick at least once a day and am experiencing exhaustion in a whole new way. But, luckily that is a good sign for the baby. It mean's my body is producing lots of hormones to protect the baby and that I am exhausted because my body is preparing to host this little creature for the next 7 months.

The physician's assistant I saw today recommended we not spread the word too far about the pregnancy. Although everything looks good so far we aren't out of the woods for risk of a miscarriage. We still have about a month until we are into the 2nd trimester, when likelihood of a miscarriage drastically decreases. But I didn't want to wait one more month to tell you guys! Until the 2nd trimester I just ask that we keep discussion of the pregnancy off of facebook and try not to spread the word too far.

Love you guys and hope you will enjoy being aunts soon!

Maria R

I feel ya!

Hello lovely ladies,

I feel for you too, Laur and Maria! It seems like we are all slightly uneasy with our new situations! It is so much easier to find your “niche”, as Maria said, in school.

It does seem impossible to make new friends when you aren’t in school. I thought I might meet people at a new job but now that I’m there everyone seems to be older with kids and families and no interest in hanging out with a 23 year old. It is possible though- take John for example. John made friends with 2 girls at work Kristin and Katie who friend introduced him to some guy he met at the gym who ended up being John’s new roommate, Sam. Then Sam introduced them to his friends from home who just moved out there, too. Now many months later they have a group of pretty close friends. You’re right- it just takes time. He’s been in California for a year and a half! Something or someone will start opening doors. In the meantime, volunteering seems like a wonderful place to meet people, too. I know when I volunteer I always meet wonderful people. Although not always our age, it’s just good to meet new people. What about finding a church? That always seems like a good place for finding welcoming people, too.

So my issue is that I’m very happy that John has made friends and all but I want to be making friends WITH him and starting OUR life instead of hearing about his life and telling him about mine. Good news though, he has applied for one job, redone he resume (Thanks, Laur ;) ), and been researching transportation companies in Cincinnati. So I feel like we are making progress but I think I wont feel like this is all over until he’s here for good with all of his stuff and a new job. Soon enough, I know.

John will actually be there for 10 days around Christmas! He’s coming in on the 23^rd and staying until the 3^rd! Whoever is in Cincinnati around the holidays- we’d love to see you! Let me know!

So, maybe, if nothing else, take comfort in the fact that while we are all in very different positions in our life we are all kind of in the same boat! I really hope we can all see each other soon- let's plan that get together. I sooooo miss and love you all!

Amy

Changes...

Laur it was so good to hear from you!

I definitely feel you with all the changes. It's been an adjustment moving to Syracuse. Not only with the change in weather (we've already had a storm of 3 ft of snow and we're supposed to get another 2 ft today), but Kev has been traveling all the time and I don't have a job to help get to know people.

I think it's probably a little different for me because I was never as involved as you are (not many of us are):0). But I have all the faith that you will find your new niche when you least expect it. I think an important thing to remember is that you've only been in this new chapter of your life for a couple months, although you've crammed a lot of things into this short period of time. And it sounds like you are on the right track to feeling at home. Dodgeball sounds like an awesome thing to get involved in and totally sounds like the kind of event that will have beer drinking at the end. And that, in my opinion, sounds like a great place to make friends. I know when I moved to Albany Kev and I would make friends with people at the dog park (another solid reason to get a puppy).

Kev's parents moved around a lot in their young married life, all four of their kids were born in different states I think. Their rule of thumb is that it takes about 3 years to really love where you live and develop the kind of friendships that you have now. I don't mean that to be depressing, just a reminder that it is a process. And they remind me of you and Alex, always willing to try something new and to be involved. So with you two it will definitely be a fun process. You are awesome and you and Alex are a very charismatic couple, it's only a matter of time before the puzzle pieces fall into place. And remember, if you start to feel down, call one of us up and we can start to brainstorm our next get together! :o)

Love and miss everyone, hope you are all doing well!

Maria R

Lots and lots of changes!

So I just realized, each of us has been undergoing some major changes lately!

I've been traveling back and forth to Columbus quite and bit and now I'm finally back to Lexington for the long haul. I'll be stopping in Columbus a couple times a month, but will be working from home 95% of the time. Last night I had a minor breakdown over all of this because I set the expectation that it would all be soo easy, when in reality it takes time to get used to things!

My job situation has changed, we know only a few people in Lexington, I'm living in a new apartment away from my roommates in Columbus, and I'm living with Alex day in and day out! There isn't really anything that hasn't changed!

As I was talking to Alex last night, I realized that many of you may fit into one of those categories as well. Amy, Erin and LC, with your new jobs, and Maria and Maria you've moved to new cities like me!

Any advice? Alex and I will be seeing a lot of family for the holiday so that should break up all the time at home. We're also playing dodgeball starting in January and hopefully by then we'll be doing some other volunteering or something to meet people!

The biggest challenge I've seen is how the heck do you make friends outside of college?

Lauren