Hi, friends!! You guys have been such an important source of support and community for me over the last two years…I am continually amazed at how people on this forum come alongside each other and comfort, encourage, and advise–even though everyone is clearly busy and stretched to the limits. I LOVE this community!
So of course, when I think of all the major transitions coming up in my life, I feel like I just have to update my peeps. LOL
Tomorrow is my last day of work! I can hardly believe this time has come. Making the transition from full time career mom to full time student mom just doesn’t seem real to me… but here we go! I will spend next week enjoying time with my husband (who just got home from Afghanistan on Sunday), and preparing our home for a newborn… My kindergartner is turning 6 on Valentine’s Day, so we’ll fuss over her and have her big ole’ birthday party.
Then, if all goes according to plan, we will be enjoying the birth of our THIRD daughter on Monday, 2/18 (scheduled C-Section). I am so excited to meet her, I can’t even stand it! As with my other pregnancy, I have enjoyed every second of the prego-journey, and it further proves to me that my medical training will most likely bend towards OBGYN…or it will at least be an incredibly strong competitor. I am in awe of every step of this process.
My husband and I plan to take the next 3 months off enjoying our girls, the new baby, and each other. We feel really blessed to have the chance to make some wonderful memories before the chaos of our next chapter begins! Then, he’ll head back to Afghanistan in May, and I’ll start getting ready for Medical School! Looks like I’ll be starting the last week of July or the middle of August…depending on how the final decisions come down. So lots to do before then, but for now? We’re just going to enjoy our family and be ‘in the moment.’
I’ll pop in here once in awhile to check on you guys…I love keeping up with everyone’s stories! And I hope to see each of you at the annual OPM conference in June! Good times ahead, for sure!
For those of you in school this semester, best of luck… take it one day at a time, and just press on. You can do it!
You guys take care… I think you are all amazing!!! 
Congratulations! Just remember that it is a journey …and we are all here to help!
Marcia
So happy for you!
Thank you for the update, Carrieliz!! So glad to hear your (no doubt eagerly awaited) husband is home for a little while. Wow, your journey is heating up to pretty exciting! Best of luck with your upcoming birth! (and with starting med school!).
Kate
Good luck carrieliz! Congrats on the new baby!
Good riddance! Ummm…I mean happy trails…no…I mean… 
Enjoy your time off with your huzben and new chillen! Cuz after that it’s all work baby! Keep us posted…
…but I suspect like most OMS (old med students) you’ll forget us…which I ain’t mad at cha cuz once I’m accepted to med school I’m gonna be like OPM?!? What disease is that?! Forum? Internet? You do realize I is a med student right! Who has time for the interweb?! You youngins and your new fangled contraptions! 
Great update!
Enjoy this time with hubby and the soon-to-arrive new little one! Congratulations!
Deb
Only great things happening. Enjoy.
Thanks for the update, carrieliz! Congrats to you on all your successes and best wishes on the upcoming birth! You are in a truly exciting time and you deserve all the blessings you have been given. So nice to hear how much you are enjoying them also!
Cheers!!!