we're back (with a baby)!

Well, I've decided that I'm not *really* a blogger, but so many things have happened in our life recently that I am having trouble keeping up!  Sometimes I think that these days are probably going to be the very, very best of my life (because gosh, these past three years have just been so very sweet), and I don't want to look back trying to remember and it all be a blur.  So, this space will hopefully become a much-visited home for my family's memories of this sweet season.  And if you're interested in following along, by all means, join me!

In March 2012, Stuart was about to be finished with medical school, and we learned that he would be joining the fabulous OB/GYN residency program at UNC in Chapel Hill, NC (turns out, that was his first choice for several professional & personal reasons).  At the end of March, we found out that we were going to have a tiny babe join our family (on Good Friday - I'll never forget spending the Easter weekend with family and friends and having to keep it a secret! I was about to burst!).  In April we visited Durham, NC and bought our first house in anticipation of our move there from Little Rock for residency. May was full of graduation celebrations for Stuart, a surprise baby shower given by my darling co-workers at UAMS (who, now a year later, I still miss very, very much), lots of quality time spent with friends & family, and learning how to say good-bye to so many things that we love in Little Rock. June 2, we hopped in the car and drove to NC!  June 4, we closed on our first home (what a great experience, with the help of our wonderful realtor). Late June, Stuart officially became an intern at UNC, and this would utterly consume him (it's ok though, because he LOVES it).

Fast forward a bit: Wednesday, December 12, 2012 our tiny little boy (surprise!) was delivered at UNC by our lovely midwife, Meg, at 5:58am after 12 hours of labor and 45 minutes of pushing.  We named him James Younger Pierce, after his great-grandfathers, and he is the sweetest, silliest, smartest tiny boy. In March 2013, I started a per-diem RN position at UNC on a surgical oncology floor, and it is so good (challenging, fun, new & different - I'm learning a lot!).

Stay tuned!