Looking back 2013 was a year of celebrating 30 years.  The year started with spending time with my family in Birmingham the first week of January.  I caught up with two of my college friends and founding members of our chapter of Delta Sigma Theta on our Campus at the University of Montevallo.  Of course, I spent time with my family. I love driving to each aunt’s home and sitting and talking.

In March, I hosted the family Easter dinner at my home.  For years we traveled to Baltimore for dinner and church service. When we lived on the Eastern Shore, we had several dinners at the home of my friend Ann. This year we are hosting again.  The Baltimore family is traveling to NJ again.

In May, I attended the annual Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Meeting in Baltimore MD.  I had the honor of introducing the keynote speaker and moderating the Q&A session.  This year, I am doing the same but the meeting is in San Antonio.  May was my 30th Medical School Class Reunion.  I did not attend but it is hard to believe that I graduated from medical school in 1983. I feel like it was yesterday. Since graduation, I have spent 30 years as an MD.  I have practiced in New Jersey, Maryland and Tennessee.

June was a spectacular month. I started my blog and posted a short story I wrote. We traveled back to Birmingham for the first Annual Giddens Family Reunion. It was attended by over 200 members of my grandmother’s family.    This year we will have another reunion in Birmingham and then start every two years.  We have a Facebook page.  It is used to announce birthdays and unfortunately update us on illness and loss.  My grandmother was from a large family.  We lost her brother (last surviving sibling) this year.  They were a remarkable group of people and we all hope to live up to the high standards they set for us.  The first is to keep getting together to celebrate our family.

In October, my stepdaughter was married in DC at the home of her new husband.  It was 30 years ago that I met my husband (her dad) and she and her brother became a part of my life. We spent a lovely few days in DC during the government shutdown.  All the monuments and museums were closed so we walked around and took pictures.

In December, we spent a few days in Ocean City Maryland.  It was 30 years of celebrating birthdays as a family. The weather was beautiful.

I saw the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall and waded through the crowds to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. We made it to Baltimore for Christmas Dinner and the drive down was delightful.  This year there was no snow or blinding-rain.

We have celebrated 30 New Year’s Eves together.  We spent a quiet evening at home and watched “Casablanca” and “Foyle’s War.”  We received greetings from friends and family on Facebook and by text message.

Here’s to 2014.  I am going to work very hard the first few months because of projects I need to complete but I do plan to spend time catching up with old friends. I do not make resolutions but if I chose a theme or a word, it would be “Gratitude.”