Time for a Change :)

Well, just because we like to keep things exciting around here we thought we would
1. Schedule our son's transplant for the spring
2. Graduate Medical School (well, one of us at least)
3. Move
4. Start Residency (one of us, again)
4. Find new doctors (for the pregnant wife)
5. Have a baby (that will be 2 under 2 for a short time)
6. Move again in a year

Needless to say, things are going to be hoppin in The Daugherty household for the next year!

Last Friday we celebrated Match Day. For those that do not know, this is what 4 long years of blood, sweat, tears, late night studying, early morning surgeries and little sleep lead up to in your 4th year of medical school. This past year Michael decided that he would pursue a career in radiology and spent the majority of is first semester travelling to over 20 cities for different interviews. After the interviewing season was over, he ranked his top programs in which he felt our family would benefit from and he would get the best training. Among some of these programs were University of South Florida (Tampa), UK, Louisville, West Virgina, Virginia Beach, Toledo, Memphis, and Knoxville.

Match Day is the day in which you find out where you will be completing the rest of your training (only as an actual MD this time!). Michael's list is only half-the programs he chooses must also rank him. So, it's a big, confusing game, in which all  knew was he ranked Tampa #1 and UK #2. Although it was a tough decision, he really felt as if he fit in with the program and residents at Tampa and that Owen would actually benefit from the warmer climate, rather than our current option of quarantining him through the winter months. Not to mention the close proximity to the beach and Disney! :)

Of course we wore matching attire...it was Match Day, after all! :)

So, for match day there are a few options. You can have your envelope handed to you at your table and you may open it at your leisure, you can not go at all and get your envelope later, or you can go on stage and reveal (for the 1st time) where you matched. For those of you that know Michael well, you would find it to be of no surprise that Michael (public speaker extraordinaire) chose to go on stage, in front of 300 or so people and announce our family's plans for the next 5-6 years.

Owen decided he would go with Daddy on stage. Like his father, there isn't a shy bone in his body! He made a bit of a speech of his own, just to get the crowd going. :)

After what seemed like a million minutes, Michael revealed our family will be relocating to TAMPA, FLORIDA! Although the excitement of the beach, Disney, Sea World, the beach, Lego Land, Animal Kingdom and of course, the beach is very enticing. It is very bittersweet to leave our family and friends in Kentucky. However, I feel like we may get a few visitors, did I mention we will be near the beach? :) And in case anyone was panicking, we will still be True Blue Fans while living in the Sunshine State, go CATS!

**Side note, we actually won't be moving to Tampa until next summer, he has a preliminary year in Cincinnati, which will require a move up north just a tad, but still holding on to our Kentucky roots.**

I am so, so proud of Michael and what he has achieved. As if medical school isn't hard enough he has endured the stresses of having a child with many medical needs and being a steady rock and Godly leader of our family. I could brag on him all day, but you should know that for Tampa position he received he was competing with other students from all over the nation, for only 3 spots. What an achievement! :)

                                                           He was very, very excited!

So all in all, things are going to be changing around here, but we welcome this new season in our lives. We are excited to start this new chapter in our lives and can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for our family!

Since this post is incredibly long (thank you to the faithful readers who have made it this far!) I'll just do a quick picture re-cap of Owen's first trip to the Zoo. We celebrated going to Owen's LAST dialysis clinic appointment by greeting the animals, making monkey noises and getting dizzy on the carousal. It was a blast, a very hot, hot day, but still a blast!

 His favorite way to walk with Daddy. :) We were looking for jungle animals, Owen was more interested in pulling Dad's hair. :)

                                     Looking like a very big boy waiting for the train ride to start.

On a bit of a sugar high, from his Cherry Icee. :)

                                                    First Movie! (and a 3D/4D one at that!)

                                                Such a big boy, he loved the Merry Go Round!

                                                   After a few spins, this boy was pooped!

He was out before we made it to the interstate! :) A sticky, sweaty, mess, isn't that what summer time boy is made of? :)