Amanda + James: A Christmas Letter (2014)

I know it's "traditional" to type and print something like this and send it in an envelope to our 100 closest family members and friends, but this year we skipped the whole letter thing because we didn't feel there was anything worthy to force in front of you regarding our 2014.  But the more I think about it, the more I realize 2014 was a remarkable year for us and is definitely something worth documenting.  (Granted, I don't feel like paying the postage to send this to everyone in my address book, but it's here if you so desire to read it.)

As you probably already know, we ended 2013 on a somber note--my mom had just been diagnosed with breast cancer, and after James was laid off in November we were looking for a solution to our financial woes which resulted in us relocating to San Diego to live with my parents.  The plan was short-term; it wasn't supposed to last for any longer than it would take for my mom to heal from her surgery and for James to find a new job, but you know what they say about the best laid plans... So here we are, in December, still living at home and trying to figure out the next steps.  I guess I shouldn't say "we" are living at home, but more on that later.

I like to refer to 2014 as "the lost year," because it was really one big blur that kind of got lost in all the drama going on in our personal lives.  For those following along, my mom was diagnosed last December and underwent a double mastectomy with reconstruction on the last day of February.  Praise be to God that she was only Stage 2 and did not require any chemotherapy or radiation, but that shouldn't discredit the recovery that she did undergo.  I stayed home to help take care of her and bring her to all of her doctors appointments and as difficult as it was to be the caretaker, I know it was much more difficult for my mom.  She is back at work now and doing great; she is cancer free and has also become a vegetarian.

I purchased my first DSLR camera in March and began shooting everyone and anything, knowing I would be shooting my friend's wedding come September.  What I didn't know at the time was how transformative this whole experience would be.  What started out as a photoshoot here or there to test out new techniques soon became a profitable side-business that has kept me busy all year.  I believe I have truly found my passion in life--both photography and graphic design bring me so much joy it doesn't even feel like work.  I ended the year shooting 4 weddings and countless family portrait sessions, not to mention the engagement shoots to go along with the weddings and also a few newborn baby shoots!  I can honestly say creating DOSKOFOTO has been the highlight of 2014, and something I plan to pursue more professionally in 2015 and years to come.  While I have been shooting away, pouring over photography blogs and tutorials, making business cards and shaping my vision, James has been behind the scenes helping make everything possible.  He has taken over the accounting side of our business, built me a website, and is learning code for future DOSKOFOTO expansion.  I could not be doing what I'm doing if it were not for his constant support and encouragement.

Following her surgery, as soon as my mom was healed and back at work, the job hunt began in full-force, for both James and myself.  I started working a temporary office job for a soccer camp--the Berkshire Soccer Academy--whose office is located here in San Diego though the camp officially takes place in East Otis, Massachusetts (in the beautiful Berkshires).  What I thought was a two-month assignment soon turned into a full-time job that then led to the adventure that was our Summer on the East Coast.  After turning down the opportunity quite a few times, I eventually decided to accept a summer position as the camp photographer, so long as I could bring James along with me.  He worked at the camp doing odd jobs, but primarily working as the official camp Driver.  I accepted the position knowing it would give me exposure to a new field--sports photography--and it would also give me the opportunity to meet soccer celebrities from the USWNT like Mia Hamm and Heather O'Reilly.  It was truly amazing to watch (and photograph) them, but the best part of our summer was making new friends and getting away from home and the rut we were in.  We capped off the summer with a trip to New York City for our second wedding anniversary and we had an amazing time.  It was an unforgettable trip, filled with touristy stuff and plenty of new experiences.  I think we would be fine living there if we could afford it, but maybe only for a year or so as it is quite a busy place.

Heather O'Reilly, USWNT

Tisha Venturini-Hoch, Ange Kelly, Mia Hamm, Me, Kristine Lilly

Coming home from camp was like clearing the slate.  We were both unemployed all over again but with so many new experiences under our belt.  During the summer I had been having a lot of pain in my hips (note: I have chronic hip pain and had surgery last March to fix the right side, but it is/was still very painful from time-to-time) so I went to see my hip doctor who confirmed my fears--I would be having surgery again to fix the left side.  What a damper!  So there we were, in the middle of August, both ready to get jobs and move out just as soon as we could, but then being told I would be having surgery October 1st and would be laid up for about six weeks after.  As you can imagine, no one wanted to hire me knowing I would only be able to work for a month, and not again until December, so my job prospects were slim.  A month and a half later I had a left hip arthroscopy and femoroplasty with a little work done on my labrum.  While the surgery was a great success, I have learned that rehabilitation and recovery are no joke.  I should have learned this the last time but instead I overdid it and denied my body the recovery it needed.  This time around I made an earnest effort to take things more seriously with an intensive physical therapy routine 3-4 days a week, home and occupational therapy exercises, and many trips to the doctor to check that healing was going as it should be.  There are so many things I'd rather be doing but I have to constantly remind myself that this will benefit me the most in the future if I can be patient and disciplined now.

In October we had a lot of things happening apart from me having surgery.  Early in the month two of our friends from camp relocated to San Diego to work full time for BSA.  We've had fun helping them settle in and experience San Diego, and it's also been nice having some friends down here for the time we have left.  On October 21st my younger sister, Kayla, gave birth to their first child and my newest nephew, Bradley Shayne Boelter, who is an adorable addition to their family.

In November, James began working in Long Beach as the office manager for his fathers new accounting firm, Doskocil Accountancy.  As you might have guessed, and for those still following along, this means we are officially moving back to Long Beach in the very near future!  James is actually already living there (remember when I said "we" aren't living at home anymore?), and I will be joining him very soon as I finish up my physical therapy program here in San Diego.  On New Year's Eve we signed the lease on our new place and we couldn't be more excited to be moving back and living together again.  What a way to end the year!

So that was our 2014.  It wasn't the most exciting year of our lives, but it also wasn't the worst.  I've gained a lot of perspective this year and have come to value time with family much more than I ever did before.  While a lot of this year felt like a step backward, I know it was more like a springboard for greater things to come in 2015, even if those things are small.  In 2015 I look forward to a healthier year for myself and my family, a new home and new job in Long Beach, and continued pursuit of my passions in photo and design.  For anyone who has stuck with me through this longer-than-anticipated letter, I hope 2015 is a year filled with growth and blessings for you and yours!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

What a Difference a Month Can Make

Here we are, over a month since my last post, and I can't believe how much has changed.  At the beginning of this year I was really motivated to make 2014 count.  I wanted it to be better than 2013 and I wanted to achieve that by making conscious decisions to better myself inside and out.  The year has started off pretty rough so far, and at times I feel like I've already failed to accomplish my goal, but at the same time there has been so much good, especially in the little things.

In January my husband James and I moved out of our beloved first apartment and relocated to San Diego.  It was one of the hardest decisions we've made together and it was definitely bittersweet.  In November, after having been laid off for the second time in a year, the Christmas season found us in a tight place financially, and also a little low in spirits.  On Christmas Eve my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and found out that she would be undergoing major surgeries early in 2014.  My head was spinning as I tried to remain in control of my life and emotions but I was ultimately reminded again at how little we can really control, apart from God.  After many tears and prayers and days spent sick to my stomach, I agreed to quit my job so that we could move down to San Diego to be closer to my family, and to help us save up and pay off our debts.  Leaving our home, our church, and our family and friends was one of the hardest things I've ever done.  The last few days in our apartment I could hardly walk through the door without crying over losing our first place, our little corner of the world where our marriage started and so many great memories were made.  Long Beach is only about an hour and a half by car but it feels so much farther when you have no friends in your same zip code.

During late February and early March most of my time was concentrated on my mom.  She had a double mastectomy and tram-reconstruction (where they take your stomach muscles out to form new breast mounds) and was in the hospital for almost a week.  When she got home she could do very little by herself and needed a lot of personal care.  Two nights after we brought her home from the hospital my dad came down with a fever that required an overnight stay for us in the emergency room, only to find that he had contracted diverticulitis and would be dealing with that for likely the rest of his life.  To make matters worse, my kitty cat was acting very unusual and after a handful of visits to our [amazing] vet, she's better now but only after learning that she has a heart condition that will follow her the rest of her days.  I have to forcefully administer her medicine twice a day and three times on Wednesdays and Sundays, and her discomfort just breaks my heart.  Needless to say, I felt like I was playing nurse for everyone in our house this month and often times I was so burned out the days just blended together.  My dad is back at work now and my mom is doing amazingly well--she might even go back to work next week.  She is cancer free and doesn't even need chemotherapy--praise the Lord!  During this whole time I have been taking video clips of her progress and I put them together in a family documentary.  I'm so excited to put in the finishing touches and show it off...but maybe not here, as the subject material is a bit personal!

These past three months at home have been a bigger blessing than I anticipated.  I have really enjoyed spending all this time with my family, getting closer with my parents and Kayla & Shayne, and just being back in my hometown has been refreshing.  I can't lie and say that unemployment has been a walk in the park... there are definitely downsides, like having no income, and feeling like a bum, but it has also allowed me time to slow down and reprioritize the things that matter to me.  It's also nice to just take a breather and step off the "treadmill" that is life, to stop and smell the flowers.  It's harder for James who didn't grow up here, and who is suffering through the experience that is living with your in-laws, but I think he's managing well.

My absolute favorite part of 2014 so far has been my time invested in Photography.  If you will recall, last September I was offered the opportunity of a lifetime, to study photography and apprentice under a good friend of mine who has been shooting for years.  She lent me her Nikon dslr and gave me regular photo assignments to start learning the art and the industry.  We had a few practice shoots together and I've been shooting a bit down here in San Diego too.  I invested in my first dslr camera, my Canon EOS 60D, and I am in love.  Come February I settled on a name and started up my official "business" (how fancy schmansy that sounds!) and thus became Doskofoto.  Our last name, Doskocil, is Czech and in the Czech language, photography is written "fotografování."  I figured the name would not only sound cool, but it would subtly incorporate a bit of our heritage to merge the two Czech words.  In March I bought my first domain, created my own website, and now am officially in business, pending my small business license.  I don't have as much professional experience as I'd like to have had by now, but it's coming, little by little.  This year I already booked five weddings and countless photoshoots, and I couldn't be more excited.  To think I could one day make a living off of doing something I truly enjoy has been nothing but a pipe dream these past few years, but now it is becoming reality.

On a more personal note I have had quite a slew of health complications myself, ranging from my ongoing hip problems, to random bouts of gastritis, heartburn, and waking up covered in hives.  I seriously can't catch a break.  I know the inside of my doctor's office better than most people know their own workplace, as I'm there at least three times a week (for physical therapy amongst everything else).  After undergoing an MRI, CT scan, arthritis bloodwork, and after receiving a cortisone steroid injection, I think we are nearing the diagnosis of whether or not I will have hip surgery again this year to correct my hip dysplasia.  While I don't relish the thought of another surgery plus the recovery, if there was ever a perfect time to do it, it would be now while I'm out of work and living with multiple caregivers.  So I guess the next 3-6 weeks will tell all..

So 2014 has surely been off to a loaded start, but like I said, there has been so much good.  I look forward to the next few months (sans the reality of hip surgery) and I am truly thankful for all the prayers and support that have gotten us this far.  Thank you!

While perusing the fabulous internet app that is Pinterest I recently found a cool little article on women's health and a few habits that each woman should have.  I thought I would share it on here for anyone to read, so if you have a minute, check it out: