Ups and Downs

Life is a series of triumphs and losses. Success and failure. Health and sickness. Fulfillment and discontent. Happiness and grief. Rainy days and clear skies. Sometimes, it feels like all your low points seem to happen at once. As you may have guessed from my last post, the last week or so has been punctuated by some not so happy moments (and perhaps a few tears), but that's not to say that there weren't good times as well! Let me just recap a bit of what life has been like over the last week or so...
-Work can be rough sometimes. When someone is sick or stuck in a rehab program for weeks, they aren't always the happiest campers.Too often, I somehow become a target for frustrations as I try to deal with kitchen errors or distaste for certain dishes.These days, I just try to look at it as a way to "toughen up" or "get a thick skin".
-Thanksgiving was out of the ordinary for Will and I this year. Instead of turkey and the usual sides we cooked up some authentic New Mexican red chili enchiladas. Definitely not for those who don't have a tolerance for spicy dishes!

Enchilada assembly

-I was still feeling a bit nostalgic about Thanksgiving however, so we did have traditional pumpkin pie for dessert. :-) Not as good as my Grandma's though. I remember when she would cook up so many tasty treats during the holidays! Pies, poppy seed and pumpkin rolls, dozens of Christmas cookies.  Sigh. I miss her.

I'm totally going to devour this pie!

-Precepting interns has been such a game changer at work. At first I was totally freaking out because I felt like I didn't have anything to offer. Just a year and a half ago I was in their shoes! A few of them are my age or older! Almost everyday I have to give myself a little pep-talk and convince myself that yes, I do have some things I can teach them. I really have learned quite a bit in the last 2 1/2 years! That's not to say I that don't still have a LOT to learn!
-On Thanksgiving, Will and I drove to a local park to do a little hiking only to be shooed away by the terrible smell... we were thinking there must be a sewage plant in the area. :-( After we jumped in the car, I noticed a tick on Honey... so we quickly evacuated the car and did a rapid tick search! Honey was covered! (But luckily, no bites!) So much for a leisurely fall walk!
-I mentioned earlier that I did something to tweak my knee on a long run and have been out of commission for the last 2 weeks to rest. I thought that perhaps I was really babying it too much and tried to go for an easy run this afternoon. I made it about two blocks before this searing knee pain came back and I had to limp it right on back home. (Grr.) I think it's time to get a second opinion and see the doc - because Mr. WebMD just didn't cut it! This also means, I'm probably going to be sidelined for the St. Jude Half on Saturday. :-( I'm so disappointed!
It's days/weeks like these when I have to remind myself....

Even if it is rainy and my hair will be a hot mess all day at work!
I have plenty to be grateful for!