Happy 2011

Around this time last year I wrote a blog saying my only resolution for 2010 was to stay flexible. I forgot that I said that until today, when I was reading through some of my old ramblings.

What an appropriate resolution that turned out to be. It was a big year for us. Anyone following along already knows that we lived in two different countries, three different states, four different homes. We got everything we own down to almost nothing and then built it back up again. 

Classroom to hospital rotations. No job to full time. Hot to cold. South to North. Infant to toddler. F150 to Volvo. Crawling to walking. Flip flops to neck ties. Shorts to down coats. We mixed it up in 2010.

Grenada sunset in May

 Last walk on the beach

Rockefeller Center in December

A long way from the island

Looking back, I'm relieved we made it, and I'm glad it's over. I welcome 2011. I can go back to mundane and predictable resolutions like 1) blog more 2) read more 3) eat less dessert.  

I'm thankful that we survived the turmoil and still have our health, each other and family and friends who support us. There are some big things happening in the new year such as planning fourth year electives, applying for residencies, two more board exams and interviews. But I feel like it couldn't be any crazier than the year that just passed (I know this is naive, but can't a girl dream?).

Since we no longer have a sense of what is reasonable or sane, we of course went to The City for New Year's Eve. If it's good enough for a million people, it's good enough for us. 

Just so you know, TV makes it look easy. Getting anywhere near Times Square on the evening of December 31 is actually next to impossible. C.J. and I saw the ball drop in 1998 and therefore a) knew what to expect and b) thankfully have already crossed it off of our list of things to do only once in our lives.

But C.J.'s sister is in town visiting, and we could not live with ourselves if we forced her to spend her holiday in Hackensack while staying only 10 miles from the biggest party in the world. That would just be cruel to her and embarrassing for us. 

So we took a night-time ferry ride into the epicenter, walked with the rambunctious crowds along the barricaded blocks, soaked up some of the festive energy and had a lovely Italian dinner in Midtown.

At the appropriate hour, when the hoards of revelers really started getting thick, we slipped back to Jersey to put a toddler to bed and make a champagne toast to the ball dropping via Web cast. 

It was a happy ending to an eventful year. Here's to starting fresh on another 365 days of adventures.

Happy 2011 from NYC!