Cute little fuzzy boy

 
 

Ashley McMillan wedding

 
 

Ada-Hi Falls and Helen

 
 
 
 

We have made in through 2 days of vacation, with lots of fun times. We've seen at least 5 waterfalls up close, plus several more from a distance. We went 300 feet underground at a gold mine in Dahlonega, and panned for gold and brought home some leaf as souvenirs. We pretended we were Bavarian for a day in Helen, GA.

Daniel has been wonderful, sleeping at all the right times and looking extremely cute throughout all of it. We've got lots of great pics and a few videos. Zak and Shelby have had lots of fun as well. Great meal at the Dillard House. 2 more days till work begins!!! But first, some blueberry picking in Travelers Rest, SC first.

Gold mining in Dahlonega

 
 
 
 

Shots from Toccoa and Tallulah

 
 
 
 

Last days of vacation

Well, I've been off for almost 3 weeks now, and its been a sweet time. I've enjoyed spending more time with my family, watching Daniel grow, enabling Sarah to do some more things, traveling, and sleeping in (as far as he lets me anyway). Alas, all good things...Monday is my first day of REAL work. Probably I will be doing less posting given that, although I'm not really sure what to expect.

I'll be working about 50 hrs/week the for the next couple, trying to learn a new hospital and system and colleagues and patients. It's going to be a great challenge (primarily being the one responsible with nobody to run to when things get hairy), but I'm looking forward to it, and and excited about how the Lord is going to use it. I've been doing a lot of praying and thinking about who I am and whose I am as I start this. Its an opportunity to start over, to find out the sins in my life that persist and interfere with my relationships with others (staff, patients, etc.), and to repent and turn from those and live the life I'm called to, for the benefit of everybody and for the glory of God. I've always wanted to be a different kind of doctor, to not resemble the usual worldly cynical self-centered people in medicine, but I've had such a hard time being obviously different during residency. Well, I'm now hitting the reset button (is it obvious I grew up in the Nintendo age?). Ask me next month how God is accomplishing this in and through me.

Sarah, Daniel, Zak, and Shelby and I are leaving tomorrow for 3 days of exploring the towns, waterfalls, and good meals of North Georgia and upstate SC. Hopefully we'll get lots of sweet pictures to put up soon. Peace. God bless.

a few more lake pics

  I'm just SO UPSET!!!
  I'm absolutely fascinated by every word that comes from your mouth Nana.
 Will my hair look like Pop's? Waaahhh!!!
 Sweet family

text on the lake.

So, as you can see from the pics, we had an excellent time at the lake. Unfortunately, a few members of the extended family couldn't make the trip (or slept through the picture (despite warnings in advance Steph!)), and they were missed, but overall was still successful. All the McMillan's ended up with minor colds afterwards, but hopefully the Wilk's/Tep's avoided that.

Lots of skiing and wakeboarding. 4 year old Michael Teply skiied like a seasoned champ. Lots of excellent food. Not enough naps. Great weather. Inflatable beds. Successful hybrid fishing and grilling. Pontoon rides at dusk. Not working a real job! Non-crying baby...

All in all, a sweet time, hopefully to be repeated in the not too distant future.

I've now had the initial orientation at my new job, and all is still looking well for it. I don't start seeing patients until the week after next.

The Lake

 Aunt Courtney and nephew
 He's not exactly loving swimming yet, but I'm holding out hope
 Swingin'
 The extended family on the Wilkowske side