A year ago.....

It was a year ago at this time that we found out that we matched to St. Louis University for Anesthesia.  For both of us there was a mixture of emotions. We knew without a doubt that matching to an MD program was a miracle for our little family and we were so grateful. But we both struggled with not matching to where WE wanted. Mike wanted Texas and I really wanted to stay in Ohio. It took me awhile to get excited. I knew that if we matched to St. Louis it was where we were suppose to be....but I just didn't know why yet. Now a year later, I have a much better idea as to WHY we are here-- and not in the other places that we both wanted to be. I am SO grateful for a wise, loving, patient Heavenly Father who has countless times shown me that I don't always know what it right for me. 

We are in a place where we are very happy. We are blessed with incredible friends. The type who very quickly become close friends, the type that really do feel like family. Mike is in a program that he really likes. He is so happy with the other residents in his group, they all get along great- which isn't always the case.

We really like our ward--- there are just enough other resident families who can be a support to each other--- but also a great mix of others who are at different stages of life.

I am continually humbled and grateful for where we ended up. This adventure of medical school and residency has been extremely challenging--- but also extremely wonderful.With each stage- Kirksville, Dublin and now St.Louis I have seen the hand of the Lord in our lives. I have seen that we were just where we needed to be, meeting friends and experiencing exactly what we needed most at that time and stage. 

Here's what we've been up to the past little while.....

Mike turned 33! We are so blessed to have such a loving, hardworking dad and husband.

 Our weather has been awesome. The boys have been on countless treasure hunts and expeditions

and a little  Kite Flying

We also had a visit from our Leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day who sent the kids on a little Shamrock hunt.

Kids

I just wanted to quickly write down a couple of things that have happened over the past few weeks. I don't want to forget them--

#1  Mike has currently been on a rotation which allows him to leave later than usual---(yay)--which means he leaves the same time I leave to take Samantha to school. Samantha all the sudden-- all on her own began making her dads lunches. Which consisted of a peanut butter sandwich, chips, smarties and a sweet little note telling him that she loved him. Doing kind and thoughtful things for others is pretty consistent action for Samantha.
#2 This past weekend, Samantha was supposed to clean her bedroom before she could do anything else-- this of course wasn't something that she was too happy about. As she is being her very dramatic little self-- Collin spoke up and said that he would help her. He then stood on a chair and Samantha would hand him her clothes and he would hang them up. As they finished I expressed to Collin that I was very proud of how he was willing to help Samantha. His response was "Thanks, Mom--- that's just what brothers are suppose to do"

"There's NoBuddy Like a Brother"

 One of the most fun things as a mom is to watch these 2 little guys become the best of friends. None of these pictures were staged---- this is how I find them all the time. Collin is so great at including Owen in just about everything...he always has his arm around him---always looking out for him and Owen ADORES Collin. I often hear Owen saying "and me too" after Collin says or does something--
We've made sure to explain to Collin about just how important it is that he is a good example to Owen-- because Owen wants to be just like him. There is going to be one lost little 2 year old when Collin starts preschool in March and Kindergarten in August!

Valentines

Our Pink Breakfast 

 Mike and I gave the kids each a book (Samantha is so excited to read chapter books on her own--she wants to start the Magic Treehouse series)

 Pictures for Grandparent Valentines Cards

 Our "Romantic" Family dinner

TWO

My mom bought some cupcakes for Samantha so that we could sing to her too-- since her birthday was just a couple weeks before

We celebrated Owen's birthday in Utah on the 28th (we were driving home on his actual birthday). Of course it was ALL things CARS2. We LOVE our little Owee. He is a very sweet little boy who LOVES to play with his older brother and sister. He loves to play Kung Fu and dance (he is quite the break dancer) He loves going to nursery and apparently likes to dance during singing time- Head Shoulder Knees and Toes really gets him going :)  Happy 2nd Birthday Owen Robert!

Our first (and so far ONLY snow)

The kids were so excited-- but it was WAY too cold to actually play in it-- and it really didn't hang around for too long.

Christmas

 This year we had decided that we were going to stay in St. Louis. There was no way we could afford to fly and driving in the winter is always risky- especially if it's a 20 hr drive. Mike really lucked out and got the week of Christmas off as part of his 3 weeks of vacation. We know that this will NOT be the case for the last 3 years of his residency. One day Mike threw out the idea of driving home for Christmas. BIG mistake- because from that point on all I could think about was the possibility of being with our families for Christmas. We decided to wait and see what the weather was going to be and then we'd make the final decision. At last the final decision was made-- we were going to do it. Like I said before-- in the next few years we'll be lucky if Mike has those days off, let alone the whole week-- so why not take advantage of the blessing it was to have that time off and just do it!
We were incredibly blessed to have great weather (only a few little spots of concern) and our kids are traveling rockstars- ZERO complaints or whining during the whole 20 hrs. They were just so dang excited to see their grandparents and aunts and uncles- which made the miserable drive worth it for both Mike and I.
We loved being with our loved ones, and we feel like although we were only there for 6 days and drove roughly 40 hours round trip, it was WORTH IT.

Just like so many other times, I did horrible with our camera(Especially in Centerville-- where I completely forgot to bring it). Thank goodness for camera phones and grandparents stepping in and taking the pictures.-

Decorating cookies for Santa 

(and ourselves-I may have a minor weakness for my moms sugarcookies)

Christmas Eve

We had my Grandparents (my moms parents) and Uncle Paul, Aunt Marianne, Alix and Sarah over for dinner and visiting. Later on we had my moms spiritual message and sat around and talked WAY too late.

We are missing 4 very important Floridian faces in this picture! (Jonathan, Bree Addison and Halle---My brother Jonathan and his family were in the middle of moving to Orlando(luckies)--Jonathan got an incredible job-so as much as we missed them--we are SO happy for them)

My grandparents, Mom and Uncle Paul (her only living sibling)

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning is always a little chaotic- I never got a shot of all the kids--oh well!

My parents got a steal of a deal on this little red car-- which the kids loved.

 In the background of  few of the pictures you can see the felt house that I made for the kids. It took too many hours to count- but they love it- which made it worth it(barely). I did it in the colors of our house in Dublin, that little house will ALWAYS hold a special place in all of our hearts.

 Christmas Day

As I mentioned before, I left my camera in South Jordan, so I didn't get ANY pictures of Christmas Day :(
We started the day off a little rocky-- our van's battery died-- so it took awhile to get it going again. We met Mike's family at church a little late-- but atleast we made it! It was the perfect way to spend Christmas Day. We played games, napped, talked, and had a delicious turkey dinner.

Luckily Mike snapped a few pictures with his phone of the kids bowling on the day after Christmas.

A few other memories that weren't documented on film:

-Playing with cousins and favorite uncles and aunts

-Shopping with Mom and sisters (LOVED that day)

-Mike went shooting with his dad and Stephen

-Seeing our grandparents and extended families

 After the whirlwind of Holiday parties and family time and ALL the driving, we felt a little like this in the end:

Exhausted-- (BUT very happy)