Mr. & Mrs. Phillips

Well, it's official....Bill and Amanda are officially Mr. and Mrs. William Phillips.



I'm not saying anything, but please check for other signs of the apocalypse as you have time....





It was a good weekend. We saw alot of family that we haven't seen in a while, probably since Julie & I got married 7 years ago. The ceremony was nice and the reception was fun. My best man speech went off without a hitch and I don't think I insulted any family, so all is well. This being my second "best man" speech (and hopefully last) you can't go wrong just complementing the bride and telling her how good she is for the groom. It also helps if you mean it (which I did).



So it was an exhausting weekend, but fun. All was well. I don't have any pictures of the happy couple (it's hard to snap photos when you're both in the wedding) but I do have a picture of the other Phillips' couple. Boy, we sure do look cute when we clean up, don't we?

Julie's first post

This is Julie typing, my very first post! It's Father's Day, which we decided means Jim gets to pick the TV shows, and he's watching baseball, so I am posting to entertain myself. Feels a little weird, not used to keeping a public diary, but Jim and I thought it would be fun to turn it into a family blog. Besides, we're pretty sure no one really reads this thing anyway.

What else do I have to talk about but Elizabeth? I have now been a stay-at-home mom for exactly one month. I have to say, I'm really enjoying it. There's a small part of me that misses going to work every day, hanging out with colleagues, seeing patients... but it's a very small part. Taking care of this little baby is messy, monotonous, and emotionally and physically challenging... but also fun and very satisfying. Besides, although I'm a bit sleep-deprived, it's nothing compared to being on call - more sleep, more fun and way less stress. It's probably a good thing I had such an uncomfortable pregnancy, otherwise I would want another one right away!

There is one other thing happening in my life, which is that I graduated from residency last night. AND, I won a research award! We're not making too big a deal of this graduation, since I've already graduated a lot of times, but I have to toot my own horn a little. For those who don't know, I've accepted a faculty position at MSU's medical school. It's a fantastic job, but the commute will be a challenge for all of us for a little while. I'll be working part-time, which will be a really nice change; this year will be about figuring out how to balance being a mom with all the other stuff I've got going on.

OK, baby's crying, must go...
Julie

Changes

Ok, maybe it’s a little cliché to say, but it’s amazing how your life can change when a baby comes home. Your time is no longer your own. Whereas before you would just jump into the car and head out, you now have to plan your trip, estimate the number of supplies necessary to keep the Princess happy, content and dry, as well as factor in an estimate of where you are on the Princess fussiness scale. Then, and only then, is it possible that you might be able to go out…provided the Princess allows it. Otherwise Plan B is you hand Princess Fuss-a-lot to your spouse and you run through the door as though Satan himself is on your tail. Sure, there might be a bit of guilt associated with that method, but never discount the pragmatic approach to getting things done. Besides, you’ll be too tired to feel guilty for long.

You’ll also find yourself an indentured servant to one whose entire existence revolves around eating, burping and messing their diaper. The funny part is that while a few weeks ago I would have found this idea slightly…um…undesirable, now I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than take care of this little person. It’s amazing how your life can take on a totally new significance centered on someone else’s bowel movements.

There are fun changes too. Sitting in the evenings watching television with the baby sleeping on your chest is an experience that just can’t be described. The little hands that just keep pulling on your chest hair (painful, but cute), or the little blue/gray eyes that look up into yours as we try to hold our head up…

And there are all the dreams we have to look forward to. Just this past weekend Elizabeth and I spent some time watching the NCAA Women’s Softball finals on ESPN (tv at 3:30am is fun). Daddy imparted some of his softball wisdom and explained most of the rules as we tried to determine if she'd be better as an infielder or outfielder. At three weeks old, I imagine she’s still got time to figure out what she wants to do, but I plan on giving her plenty of choices.

Yes, Daddy’s Little Girl has me totally wrapped around her finger. Sigh.

In keeping with the theme, look for changes on this blog as well. I’m giving Julie write access so we can write as a family about all that’s going on. I’ll be redesigning the blog a little. I’ve got a couple of other things in the works, but we’ll see if they come to fruition.