This American Life in Pictures: Powered by love.

Martin Luther King Day.  I was driving the carpool after our service project and paused to get a selfie.

Or two.

Isaiah is a huge Cam Newton fan. His auntie JoLai sent him a jersey and wanted to know if he liked it.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

That would be a yes.

And OMG this:

One of my former students from Small Group Alpha, Alanna S.,  INTERVIEWED for a faculty position at GRADY last week. So she could end up working along the very same halls shoulder to shoulder with you. . .the same ones you took her to as a first year student to place her stethoscope on a real person for the first time.

Here she is as an intern. . .just a few months after graduating from Emory. How sweet is this?

So very, right? Oh and this:

This is the resident conference that has become my baby. Instead of one 50 minute lecture, we have five 8 minute mini lectures from resident physicians. It has been absolutely amazing. We call it "BST Mode" for "bite sized teaching" mode. Go ahead. You can say it. "Damn that's clever."

Here's the video message I had my resident show to Sweetie before he left the hospital. I was so happy to see him when he came to his follow up appointment. He's doing great. I'm realizing that little things that show people we care and are thinking of them can go a long way. I'm SO proud to be a part of his care and in awe of the bravery of him and so many of our patients at Grady.

What else? Oh. This:

My yummy rigatoni carbload before the most recent race. Light with lots of bright colors like the location of this destination half marathon. . . 

. . .Miami! Can you believe that this was the view from our hotel balcony? This photo was literally taken over the weekend. Blasphemy considering the wintry blast going on up north.

So much fun to travel and run with The BFF Lisa and Free-Free for this one. Those two are loads of laughs and great at motivating you on the tenth mile on.

We call ourselves "The Beastie Girls." Even had shirts made for this one. Ha.

This was my 6th half marathon. 6TH!! Can you believe that? All I kept thinking was, "I can do anything, man." I love knowing that my running is powered by love. Love for my sissy and my fight against heart disease.

I did my mile dedications as always. They were as follows:

Miami Half Marathon 1/25/15

1. Me
2. Harry
3. Deanna
4. Zachary
5. Jackson, my godson
6. My patients at Grady
7. Poopdeck
8. Isaiah
9. My sorors of Delta Sigma Theta
10. Tounces aka my mama
11. JoLai
12. Will
13. Deanna 

Oh, and the last 0.1 is for ME. I always type them into my notes on my phone and memorize the list. I kid you not, I talk to the person whose mile it is when I get tired (which is a lot.) And I always cry when I cross the 12 mile marker because that last one is "The Deanna Mile." I tear up every single time and I ask her to loan me her angel wings so that I can fly.

And she always does.

She loaned them to my fellow Beastie Girls, too. How awesome are these beach jump pics? 

And this pic of my friend Tamika is from another race here in Atlanta. The jump pic tradition has gone viral. When I look at them, I'm always reminded that I can do anything if I can leap like that after running that far. I love feeling strong!

This was our situation after running 13.1 miles in Miami. Not a bad deal, man.

Not to mention some awesome time yucking it up with my girls. Can't beat that.

Oh! And this. Some snaps from this INSANELY amazing evening I had a couple of weeks ago. 

I was awarded this really cool award called The Clutchwoman of the Year given by P.Sherrod and Co. As a part of the awards reception, I was asked to invite 6 of my "clutch women" from different aspects of my life. 

I invited Lisa, Ebony, Joy, Marra, Frieda, and Shaton. I got to sit at a table with them and hear kind words from them--but also tell each of them why I thought of them as women I turn to in the "clutch" situations. 

It was so cool to have a "mash up" of my Ruths who normally aren't all in one place at one time like this.  

P. Sherrod and Co. is a fine handbag and accessories designer. Would you believe that they gifted me with this insanely awesome collection of clutches and handbags? It felt like it was my birthday even though it wasn't. 

We had a great time celebrating together. And can you believe that I got up the next morning and ran ten miles?

I would not recommend that to anyone. Especially after the night we had. Talk about the LONGEST long run EVER.

Ugh.

Oh. And speaking of "ugh." . . . 

This was the look on my face when the person right by me on the plane to Miami had air sickness and kept-kept-kept upchucking into that little bag they furnish you with behind the seat in front of you. And can I just say that I think there needs to be some rule on how many times you can vomit into the same bag. Or at least open the bag once you've vomited in it. 

Sorry for my non-doctorly empathy. I just don't do well with vomitus. 

To get us off of that, here's a snapshot with one of my new clutches in Miami. Was feeling pretty swanky and Miami-ish.

And lastly this. . . Zachary in the jacket he received at the end of his football season that he has not taken off since getting it last weekend. . . . followed by another snap with one of his number one fans--his brother.

Lots going on in this American life. . . . lots. Exhausting? You bet. But good. . .and all of it powered by love.

Yes indeed.

***

Happy Tuesday morning. Missed y'all.