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A Wild Soul

Personal Blog

4 January 1, 2017 Michigan

2016 Review

Greetings from Detroit, Michigan!

I am super lucky to be here celebrating the holidays with Matt’s family. The past week has been full of restful sleep, yummy food, good conversations, and adventures around the state.

Yesterday we went to Point Pelee in Canada for the final sunset of 2016.

It was really cold and windy and looked like the arctic.

As always, the new year inspires reflection and dreaming and so Matt and I are taking a few hours this morning to reflect.

On 2016…

What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

Ah! So many good things happened this year. Two big ones include living and traveling around the South Pacific and getting accepted to medical school!

But! If I have to choose one single best thing — well, our wedding!

On October 29th, Matt and I said “I do!” surrounded by many of our closest family and friends.

We are so grateful to everyone who helped make the weekend a success.

Thank you!!

We could not have done it without the help of our family, especially aunts, uncles and best friends!

We are also so thankful to one of my mom’s bestest friends who gifted the flowers for the day.

WOW!! They were the most beautiful flower arrangements I have ever seen.

In a future post, I will share more about the magical weekend.

The next three photos are courtesy of our magnificent photographers Nina & Wes Mullins.

What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

The death of someone way too young. The election. And a legal case involving one of my former youth pastors sexually assaulting underage girls in his care in youth group.

It’s been a challenging year.

What was an unexpected joy this past year?

My students! Oh, my! How I loved my students.

I often had to put on a tough face as a young looking teacher which probably fooled no one, but I loved getting to know my students as individuals.

Here are two of my classes (I taught five and loved them all).

What was an unexpected obstacle?

Fighting off packs of dogs regularly.

Pick three words to describe this past year.

Challenging. Exciting. Scary.

What were the best books you read this year?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

“You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone’s soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose.

That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.”

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

“The brain-disease model overlooks four fundamental truths:

(1) our capacity to destroy one another is matched by our capacity to heal one another. Restoring relationships and community is central to restoring well-being;

(2) language gives us the power to change ourselves and others by communicating our experiences, helping us to define what we know, and finding a common sense of meaning;

(3) we have the ability to regulate our own physiology, including some of the so-called involuntary functions of the body and brain, through such basic activities as breathing, moving, and touching; and

(4) we can change social conditions to create environments in which children and adults can feel safe and where they can thrive.”

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

“Don’t be afraid. There’s the two of us now.”

In what way(s) did you grow physically?

I got more fit than ever before! But I lost my muscles over the past two months of holidays, travel, and cold weather. I find it especially hard to eat well and exercise when not following a schedule. And in the winter, I just want to snuggle inside with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book!

In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

I think I am more resilient and better at setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care. I take things a lot less personally than before. My time as the leader in a high school classroom helped a lot. I had students cus’ me out, make sexual gestures behind my back, threaten me physically, and push every button they could find. And all while I was intentionally trying to create a safe space of unconditional love! 😉

Also, this past election seemed to bring out the worst (and best!) in people. Taking things less personally allowed me to continue loving people even when they said offensive and factually incorrect things. Don’t get me wrong. It’s hard. Sometimes it’s really hard to keep loving and communicating with those who dismiss sexual assault as “just talk”, and those who vote for politicians who are actively trying to take away my rights to my own body, and those who are xenophobic, racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic—you name it. It is difficult to keep communicating, and sometimes I take breaks to protect myself, but it is the only way forward as far as I can tell and I owe it to my friends and neighbors more vulnerable than I (and future generations of course).

Which leads me to one of my goals for 2017!

I want to share more of myself more consistently—especially more of my words and my photographs even when they are not perfect.

This first post is an effort to start 2017 off on the right foot.

The last sunset of 2016 was truly amazing. This is a photo of the sun setting over Lake Erie from National Park Point Pelee in Ontaria, Canada. The photo above was edited a little heavier because I want to be able to see our faces.

But the photo below is with minimal editing. IT REALLY WAS THAT PINK!

It was unlike any sunset I had ever seen!

4

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From earlier this summer when we tried to camp in From earlier this summer when we tried to camp in the back yard, but then the neighbor set off fireworks. 😁🥳🏕🎆
🌻🌻🌻 🌻🌻🌻
A few more 🥰 A few more 🥰
About to send a bunch of film off to get developed About to send a bunch of film off to get developed for the first time in years 🥳🤞. Cannot wait to see what comes back! The box will consist of photos I I have taken over the last 6 months so I am a little nervous to part with it. But I haven’t had time to develop myself (something I want to do whenever I have time again lol). These photos are some of my favorites — before the pandemic, medical school and motherhood.
One year ago. If you have any questions or concern One year ago. If you have any questions or concerns about the vaccine please feel free to DM me anytime. We are all in this together. 🌎🌍🌏✨🌈🌿
Trying to study for my last big medical school exa Trying to study for my last big medical school exam — an exam that has an enormous impact on where we live next year and what I will do for the rest of my life — and the birds and the flowers and the light are so damn distracting. At least after being in school for 20 something years I can confidently say I study best outside where I can appreciate nature’s beauty in my peripheral vision (as opposed to being inside where I would surely just sit and daydream all day). ☺️
I keep meaning to get back on here and post again I keep meaning to get back on here and post again and today seems like a good day to start because I can brag about @mattmaiorana being the sweetest, gentlest dada a mama could ever want. Our darling little one just turned 3 and she says the funniest things including “dada are you sad? Why are you sad dada?” when he tries to brush her teeth. I guess his focused face worries her so he now brushes her teeth with a smile (last pic) — usually after a long day of work, a few hours of play and exploring outside, cooking dinner, and getting her cleaned up and ready for bed (all of which she resists with stern faces, pouts and giggles). Lol and after all that when she finallyyyy agrees to brushing her teeth, “don’t be sad” 😂👼🏻😂. This pandemic has been hard, but at least I’ve had the continual joy of watching these two love each other and play day in and day out and I go to bed most days eager to do it again 🥰
I will miss you sweet Banjo 💔😭 I will miss you sweet Banjo 💔😭
4 years ago and still so grateful ✨🌚🍃 4 years ago and still so grateful ✨🌚🍃
Happiest of birthdays to my Yanzi I am blessed To Happiest of birthdays to my Yanzi
I am blessed
To love you
To hold you 
To know you.
Your brilliant mind
and fiercely kind spirit. 

Thankful for all you give, all you are, all you do, all you dream.
for your musical laugh and wide smile
I want to climb inside and curl up and call home.

Last night, you danced
standing in a lake so great it’s an ocean, and 
I watched
from the clifftop above
as the sky painted its beauty around you.
I marveled 
at you at the water at the sky.

Someone nearby lit a floating lantern 
and the baby on my back said
more more more!!

 “the sand is thirsty” you said 
while laughing and peeing and 
effortlessly holding my gaze 

the earth is thirsty
for you, for us, for this
And she’s TWO!! I want to say it’s going way t And she’s TWO!! I want to say it’s going way too fast.  Every minute with her is magic! Also these last 3 years have been the longest years of my life 😅. But slow down sweet baby slow down. Little one loves watermelon and blueberries. She likes to ride around on her dada’s back, make bubbles in the bath, wash dishes, move furniture, collect rocks, and help build things. She packs up her backpack for adventures and will wear it while running all over the place, and if you chase her she gets so excited she collapses in a fit of laughter. She likes to sing and read from any piece of paper that has words on it “wa-wa-wa-wa.” She likes to snuggle in bed all night and does not want her own big kid bed. When we ask she points to the bed and says “no! Mama... Dada... and Baby!” She loves the dogs and likes to get in their beds and pretend she’s a dog too. She calls all crayons “lellow”, and has started saying “huh?” Her favorite books are my med school books, Goodnight Moon, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? Favorite movies are The Tale or Princess Kaguya, My Neighbor Totoro, and Moana. She still sleeps on me for most naps and nights, but at least she sleeps for 6 hours at a time most nights (finally!), but she always wants to stay up to play until 11pm or later. When it is finally time for bed, she manages to say “byeee.. byeeee... byeee” while blowing kisses and waving and crying all at the same time. 🌻
Happy, happy birthday sister 😘😍 Happy, happy birthday sister 😘😍
Kisses 😘 Kisses 😘
Reflecting on my immense love for this little one Reflecting on my immense love for this little one who made me a mother 🥰
I want to think again of dangerous and noble thing I want to think again of dangerous and noble things. I want to be light and frolicsome. I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing, as though I had wings. - Mary Oliver
More 🐮 More 🐮
🐮 🐮
Spring 🥳 Spring 🥳
“For every atom belonging to me as good Belongs “For every atom belonging to me as good Belongs to you. Remember?” - Marie Howe
Two more 🌬☃️ Two more 🌬☃️
Last few pics of winter! ❄️ Someone in my fami Last few pics of winter! ❄️ Someone in my family threw this pink wool onesie in the dryer 🤷‍♀️ so it will now only (maybe) fit a newborn... ahh... good thing spring is here!
This sweet baby loves to visit all the statues in This sweet baby loves to visit all the statues in the park. There’s a big horse and quite a few lions and we go say hi to them (and roar at them!) every chance we get. Today @ya.n.zi joined us and we played hide and seek among the trees and walked down to the lake and it was so, so wonderful and I didn’t take any pictures so instead I am sharing this one from a few weeks ago 😍.
More snow tomorrow 😍 More snow tomorrow 😍
This tree. This tree.
Matt and Isla in the snow ❄️ Matt and Isla in the snow ❄️
Her face every time she sees the ocean 😍 Her face every time she sees the ocean 😍
I spend way too much time on here passively consum I spend way too much time on here passively consuming other’s creativity and lives... so I am gonna try to force myself to post something every time I open Instagram 😂. Quick update from me (bc I also use this as my journal 😌). A lot has happened these last few weeks! I finished (and passed 🙏✨) all my exams for phase 1 and am now onto the next phase where I get to see patients everyday! We  moved to Milwaukee where I’ll be rotating through various clinics and hospitals for the next few years with my amazing TRIUMPH cohort (training in urban medicine and public health). I had two weeks off for the holidays and we visited family in Detroit and Florida. We were pretty sick for the whole two weeks (flu maybe idk!) and that put a bit of a damper on things, but it was still wonderful to get in some family time and sun. We returned to Milwaukee exhausted and still recovering from our illnesses, but I think now I can officially say I am better! Yay! Happy new year!! #medicalschool #womeninmedicine
Said I would get out and challenge myself w my cam Said I would get out and challenge myself w my camera and share more photos here and then promptly disappeared! Sorry about that! I will be using (friends only) instastories for most phone pics and then using my wall for more intentional photography. First snow of the year.. Isla was wary! — October 29, 2019
“November’s a burn and an ache.” - Charles W “November’s a burn and an ache.” - Charles Wright
☃️ ☃️
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