Goodbye Dr. D

Today, I took Allie to what will most probably be one of our family's last visit to our pediatrician of 7+ years. Although we have not seen her much lately, she has been a life-saver for our family at different points in those 7 years. She has taken exceptional care of my kids' health, she has advised me when I questioned immunizations and let me make decisions with no negative judgement, she has given me her honest opinion when I have asked her, "What would you do if they were your babies?", she has prayed over my kids, she has prayed with me about my kids, she has met with me when I was flailing as a mom and didn't know what to do next, she came to see my baby in the NICU and was the one that rolled him to me (along with his daddy and his VERY excited siblings) for the first time in the hospital, she stood beside me as I nursed him for the first time, and she laughed with us as little Jack took an unexpected close up of the first-time event with his new "big-brother camera". There is a bond that I feel with her because of the shared care that we have had of my children. I will miss her terribly as she moves on to a new part of her life as a missionary doctor in Africa, and I will never forget our pediatrician and friend.