Back it up

I feel terrible, but keep forgetting to post about our ever so exciting trip to Chicago and Des Moines for Easter!! I got 1 week vacation during internship and it was so much fun to go see our friends and family in Chicago and then Alahna and I took a side trip to Des Moines to see our friends and all their growing children (Alahna's friends)! Alahna had a great time with her cousins! Here are some pictures of them all enjoying eachother... (Donny 10, Allison 8, Annalisa 5, James 2)




A trip to the Brookfield Zoo


Alahna had a great time with the girls. She loved all the necklaces!

Alahna got new rainboots for Easter and had to "try" them out =)

Easter is always a very special time of year. We have had the pleasure of attending the easter vigil at the church that Eric grew up in the past few years. It is an amazing composition of acting, singing, worship, scripture, and pure love/joy for what Christ did for us. It brings me goosebumps every year. We love it and were so glad to be able to come out. We didn't get many pictures, but Eric snapped this one of Alahna and I dancing in the aisle to celebrate the Risen King. This was Alahna's favorite part! We also got a good one of all the kids Easter morning. (Mind you this was after they were up until 1130 the night before at the vigil, pretty good!) Also a couple good ones of just Alahna and the easter bunny, of course...







Some of our great friends, Guy and Lisa Merker, bought a gym and are starting a power tumbling and cheerleading buisness! We had a great time letting the kids play at their gym one of the days. I have a feeling Alahna is going to want to be a gymnast like her daddy!


We got a chance to spend some time with the newest Phantavong. John and Christy's precious Jacquelline was 4 months old and sooo cute!



I got away for a few days and went to stay with Adam, Nichole and Haven Cline. Nichole and I were pregnant at the same time (Haven and Alahna are 2 months apart). I developed a wonderful friendship with her. It is so hard moving to a new place where you don't know anyone. I was very thankful for the opportunity to spend time with some of my good friends in Des Moines. Haven and Alahna had a great time playing together. We went to a music class that a lot of the moms/kids from The Downtown Church go to and then our friend Tammy was nice enough to host a little lunch play date so we could all catch up. I truely miss this fellowship that I had with these girls. Unfortunately the East coast has a quite different attitude toward having children (in general) and there aren't as many younger couples with kids. We are starting to develop some friends through a new church that we are going to and I am thankful for that. I'm excited to see the changes in my life and whom God places in my life over the next 3 years while in Philly. I am also excited to stay in touch with the Des Moines crew and see our kids grow up together! Here are a few pics from that trip...






It was a wonderful trip and we hope that some of our friends/family will be able to make a trek out East sometime in the next 3 years so that we don't have to go too long without seeing everyone!

Changes

Lots of changes are going on in the Higginson household!
Change #1: I officially finished my internship on June 23. That was quite the exciting event!! I made lots of good friends and had a full year of testing my patience, compassion, determination, and time management. I would have to say that it was a tough year, but all in all, not as bad as I expected. I think what made it bareable was that Eric is able to stay home with Alahna and they came to visit me often! I don't know how I would have made it through all those sleepless nights without my wonderful family.

We went on a mini-tour of New England during my week break between internship and residency. It was a GREAT trip. We went up to Boston, Portland, New Harbor, Pemaquid, and Boothbay Harbor, Maine and then back down through Conneticut. My mom was able to come out to spend a portion of the trip with us, so that was a lot of fun. Alahna always loves spending time with her grammy and we sure do love the help. We stayed with my mom's cousins (that own a house in Pemaquid, Maine) for the first weekend and then were lucky enough to stay there the rest of the week. Making day trips here and there. They are wonderful people and great hosts. We actually stopped at their house in CT on the way back down too. Here are just a few pictures to capture what we did on our trip...

Boston Public Garden

Portland, Maine (Alahna was too busy wanting to run down the dock to pose)

Lobster picinic: You bring the sides and order the lobster right on the dock (caught that day)! It was our favorite part of the trip

Whale watching boat trip out of Boothbay Harbor. Yes we actually saw whales! And dolphins and seals!!

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

A rainbow over the harbor after a light rain during our lobster picinic. Picture compliments of my talented mother

A stop at the beach in Conneticut before heading back home.

Change #2: July 1 I started my ophthalmology residency! I am finally doing what I want to do with my life and am so excited. It's very intense and intimating at this point but I feel blessed to be here in Philadelphia doing it. I couldn't ask for a better learning environment (Wills Eye lectures every day!) and my senior residents and attendings are very helpful. I know it's going to be a tough year, but I'm excited to continue toward my goal and learn as much as I can.

Change #3: Eric and I have become very fond of dessert and it is finally catching up to us! For about 2 years I was either pregnant or breastfeeding and my body (and me) was used to consuming more calories than normal to keep up with the demands for my baby. Well now that that's been over for 6 months now and my pants/shorts aren't fitting anymore, Eric and I decided to start a work out program together. We are going to walk and do the P90X videos along with 100 sit ups a night and only dessert once or twice a week! I think it will be a wonderful and encouraging way to strenghten our relationship. I'm excited to tone up and get back to the old me. (before another little one comes along and we have to go through the whole thing again =)

Change #4 (and 5,6,etc): Alahna is constantly changing so I should always include her. She is now 19 months and is growing up so fast. Everytime I look at her, I just can't believe how fast it has gone and wonder where my baby is. She runs, climbs, talks, plays, and loves lots. She is a constant joy (unless it's during the minute temper tantrum =) and we are so blessed to have her as our child. I thank God for giving me such a wonderful child and am excited to continue to see her grow!

I used to hate change. I was very black and white, but have allowed more grays in my life as changes continue to happen. I'm excited for all these changes in our lives and to begin to reset my priorities, including God, Family/Friends, Education,and Health/Fitness.

Camp Higginson

I have a lot to catch up on over the past few months! We finally went on a family vacation where Eric, Alahna and I could relax and enjoy eachothers company. Since we are not fortunate enough to live close to most of our friends and family, all our vacations have been spent visiting people. Those types of vacations are great too, but it is nice to spend undivided time as a family. We went up to Northeastern Pennsylvania to go camping at Digmans Ferry for Memorial Day weekend. It was SOOOO beautiful. Everyone had a GREAT time. Alahna actually slept really well on a mat next to us in the tent! She had a great time in the water, playing in the dirt, running around and enjoying God's beauty.

Here are some pictures:

Family picture! (Alahna 18 months, Isa 4, Malakai 3)


Beautiful Waterfall: Bushkill Falls


Alahna loved the dirt!


Alahna "flying"


The next champion rock skipper!


True family relaxation! The dogs we super tired from a long hike, so Eric and Alahna took advantage of that during the memorial day concert at the campground.


Fun in the river


Learning about fire


Happy camper.


Daredevil Alahna



Beauty in the ferns


Marshmello face


My mom upgraded us from the small 2 person tent that Eric had, to a huge family sized one. It is sooo nice. This is the front section that we zipped off for the dogs. They loved it!

We had a really wonderful time. Alahna is becoming so much fun. She's really got quite the personality! Its fun to see her growing and discovering. We hope to have a few more weekends this summer that we can go again! Who would have known that Pennsylvania was so pretty!!

Alahna's first "conversation"

Well, as we thought, but never knew when it would happen, Alahna broke out in a full sentence today! Eric and her were in the elevator and she was fussing. This was their conversation.

Dad: "I know you are hungry. I will get a banana soon."
Alahna: "don't want a nana"
Dad (in shock): "You don't want a banana?"
Alahna (firmly): "No"
Dad: "What's wrong?"
Alahna (pointing at her mouth): "My teeth. Owie"

How funny!! It's so fun to see her putting words together and communicating with us. I have yet to see this, but she does say "My da" pointing at Eric often. She was babbling on in her own lingo tonight. I can't believe how fast she is growing up!

We had a wonderful month in April. Lots of fun things and pictures to report from our trip to Chicago and Des Moines for Easter week, we found a house to rent, and I finally took my 3rd set of board exams. I promise I will stop procrastinating and post pictures and more updates soon.

Baptism

Today I got baptized as an adult!! Baptism literally means immersion. Our pastor put it very clearly by stating that it is a "watery grave", that once you are immersed publically proclaiming your life for Christ, that you are reborn into a new and everlasting life. I have been a Christian for many years, but have never made this public profession as an adult. It was fun to proclaim Christ fully in charge of my life in front of others. I have always been intimated to share my faith with others. Before the baptism, we had video tape interviews on what your life was like before Christ, how your life has changed since you decided to follow Christ and what baptism means to you. This was very anxiety provoking for me, but I made it through and hope that God uses my words to speak to others next year that are concidering baptism. Eric was able to help baptize me along with our pastor. That was special because Eric and I actually met through mutual friends at church. I'm sure he enjoyed being "allowed" to dunk me! We have both grown from the college "sunday morning Christians" to knowing how rich our lives have been blessed by God and working toward the "everyday Christian". With each struggle in my life, I am more and more reminded on how important it is to give my life up to God and fully trust His plan. Before I was a parent, I didn't know the capacity I had to love another human being. I can't even begin to describe how much I love Alahna. To know that God has that same love for all of us is so amazing. Praise God for all His love and blessings in my life!

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
Romans 12:1

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinte value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.
Philippians 3:8

Ouch!

Alahna had her first offical bad fall a couple weeks ago. I was on call and imagine the call I get from Eric after she fell on the cement and tore up her face! I felt horrible for not being able to be there. I was glad to hear that he didn't think she needed stiches and that she was happy after he put her in the bath to clean up. With the running toddler comes all the bumps and scrapes. I think that most of the time it's harder on the parents than the kids =) I forgot to take a picture the first day, but just imagine bright purple underneath all the red scrapes. Amazingly she healed quickly and is almost back to herself now.

Spring fun- March update

March was a busy month for us. I had evening board review lectures at Wills Eye 2-3 nights a week, so unfortunately I wasn't home much. In the midst of the business we got to have some fun with Grammy Sulli. We are always so thankful to have our family members come visit. Alahna and Grammy had a great time together. Eventhough it was rainy for the first part of the visit, we still made the most of it.
Rainy fun!



Grammy brought Alahna a new purse to carry her toys in. She loved it!

On one of the rainy days we decided to build a fort.
Alahna was more interested in climbing on the chairs than in the fort!


Dont' get in the middle of Alahna's strawberries and her lucky bear! Ha!


This is one of my favorite ones of Alahna. She looks so grown up! I can't believe she is almost 16 months already!!


New shades. So cute!


St. Patrick's day is a big deal at the (Sullivan) Higginson house. Eric made a wonderful corned beef and cabbage. Alahna really enjoyed it.


I think that with the hair and eye color, Alahna looks more like my mom than me!


Eric started taking Alahna to a tumbling for tots class once a week. Alahna LOVES it! She is the youngest one in the class, but can keep up with everyone just fine. She loves to run, jump and climb. I wish we would have known about this during the winter!






I love her soooo much.


Riding her rocking horse is one of her favorite things to do.

Alahna loves to dance. She can twirl around in circles all day!




Alahna loves having Grammy read to her.

I finally got off before it was dark, thanks to daylight savings time, so we decided to go down to the river and see the ducks and take the dogs for a walk. It was a beautiful day to enjoy God's beauty!





We are looking forward to the weather warming up and getting to be more active. We are currently searching for a house/townhouse to rent. Please pray for us. We are looking forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for us. We would love a place with a yard for the dogs and Alahna to enjoy and for us to be able to grow as a family. Alahna can't be an only child forever! This spring has a lot of fun in store. We are going to Chicago and Des Moines to see some of our friends that we miss so much the first week of April. We can't wait!!