The weekend before your arrival:

Your incredibly thoughtful Daddy planned a surprise dinner for me at one of my favorite restaurants, Satterfields in Cahaba Heights.  I had been getting anxious, awaiting your arrival, and he knew just what I needed.  Some of our closest friends and my family met us there and it really was a wonderful surprise!

This year our lives have changed forever!  December 17, 2012, we found out we were expecting our first child!  We would soon name him Jacob Lance, call him Jake, and be head over heels in love....

True friendship

Here are my beautiful friends and co-workers at school.  This group of girls have become a refuge for me this year!  We have walked through some dark times together but also some exciting ones! Blessed....

Surprise Party- 25 years old!

 

 

So we threw Brad a surprise birthday party for his 25th birthday!  I think we actually pulled off the surprise!  We really had a great time with the people that love him most :-)

Two women I love....

This year has been tough for our family. We lost both of our grandmothers, 6 months apart. Death is hard for anyone at anytime in life. When it effects you, it hurts on such a different level. Losing my Granny in August was one of the toughest things I've experienced and am still working through. I miss her daily. To get the call in early January that my Honey was not going to make it through the week hit so hard. My first comment to my dad when he called at school was, "two in one year, thats not fair". Just being honest, but thats what I thought.
The beauty in their death is that I have NEVER met two women closer to God than those to. Devoted, faithful, loving, graceful and diligent are just a few of the words that come to my mind. How blessed are we to have had two women of God such as Granny and Honey praying for us throughout our lives. Granny always called Dusty my prince and man did she love he and his dad like they had been hers all along. My Honey could sit in her favorite chair and read scripture all day long and truly live it out. Amazing.
I miss them painfully, but I know they are healed and rejoicing with Jesus in heaven and at the end of my day, I have to rest in that hope!

Life stays busy :-)

So to say I have not updated our blog recently is a huge understatement! Man does life get busy as you "grow up". Maybe I can keep it going at least weekly?
So, my handsome and hard working husband is now officially an M.D. and finishing up his first year of Residency. Forgive him if you can never get in contact with him, I don't get to see him that much myself. Let me tell you though, he has a work ethic that is nothing short of inspiring, he never complains, and he is so extremely smart! It is absolutely amazing to know that his life long dream is being fulfilled. Four years ago, this point seemed barely visible to us. The journey seemed so long. Dusty never wavered and never slowed down in pursuing this dream. Dreams do come true!
For me, I am now teaching Kindergarten and have started Graduate School at UAB. A lot on my plate....you could say so :-). Kindergarten has definitely been an adjustment for me and I do have a class that challenges me daily. I am studying to become a school counselor and hope to finish within the next year and a half. Oh, and I am also helping my dad with wedding photography full-time.

So maybe an ulterior motive in starting our blog back up is for me to "vent", of course to update anyone that wants to read about The Millicans and our ever on the go lives, but yes a place for me to express the emotion through our journey. Let's see how I do :-)

Update with Dusty and School

I apologize to those reading this that have not heard from Dusty and I in awhile. Life gets busy and it seems theres not enough time to update the blog like I so desire to do. Some of us stay in touch from seeing each other at our jobs, others of us stay connected through texting and emails, others we haven't seen since Cayman or Baltimore, and some of you reading this are in the same boat as Dusty.....about to take your Board exams. Most all of you though have been our backbone through this entire medical school journey! You have been the ones praying for us and being patient with us through the confusion and lack of communication on our part. We have been discussing lately with friends (and some of my coworkers) just how much God has guided this entire process. Though every step hasn't been easy and Dusty has spent many sleepless nights staring through books and the computer screen, there have been many days and many moments with Jesus, being reassured that this is HIS calling for Dusty and that HE would not have continued to bring us to this step if He did not have some sort of plan to finish what He has started in and through Dusty. My prayer is that we don't take one day for granted or hesitate to hit our knees and thank Him for his guidance when most days it seems like we don't deserve even half of it. He is good. He is faithful. He is gracious. He is our Provider. And, He is the Ultimate Healer. Dusty will just be an earthly vessel that demonstrates that love and healing.

Dusty takes his Step 2 CK exam tomorrow (Friday, 10/1/10) here in Birmingham. This exam confirms his graduation in December which will then lead us to the Match in March 2011. This is where he will get placed for Residency ( which will then start in June ). His exam starts at 8:00 a.m. and will last for 9 hours.

Like I have always said, I understand that we are all busy and have our own individual prayer requests and concerns. If you get even just a moment to lift him up tomorrow, I would be so honored. I know our Creator hears the prayers of his children. My prayer will be that he combines all these wonderful things he has been studying and experiencing in the hospitals and that they would come rushing back to him as he sees them on this test; that he would be confident, well rested, and stress-free :-).

Thank you from the fullness of my heart! You are the people that make us who we are and that we are so so incredibly thankful for!!

Humbly,

Leigh-Anne

P.S. God has ALWAYS provided for me along this journey as well. I am teaching 2nd grade in Birmingham and am loving it!! I am inspired more and more as I work with this staff because they truly care about these kids. I am blessed to have such a rewarding profession!