Graduation Dinner

After 26 years in school, Kevin is finally finished! Last night, the department of surgery hosted a graduation dinner for all the chief residents. Our parents came for the occasion, as everyone is so proud of Kevin and all that he has accomplished. The dinner was fun with yummy food and funny speeches by the attending doctors, and the view (from the 36th floor!) was stunning.

Kevin, I don't have words to express how proud I am of you for your hard work and dedication towards becoming a surgeon. When I think about where we've come from (our first date in high school!), I'm awed by what God has done in you. I love you, Baby!

Sleepy Baby

Bryson was a little overdue for his nap this afternoon, but he was playing so quietly that we let him stay up just a little later than normal. When I finally went to get him to take him to bed, this is how I found him. :-)

Super Heroes, "Super Powders"

Carter & Bryson have been pretending to be super heroes lately. They wear safety goggles and run around asking everyone if they have any emergencies. Tonight in the tub, they brought their measuring spoons so they could pour their "super powders" into the water! Love my boys!

A New, Old Friend

Casey & Justin and their girls were friends of ours from church in our last city. They moved away and came here about 6 months ahead of us. We were able to get together and catch up with Casey & the girls this week. I'm so excited to have at least one friend here, and I'm thrilled that they'll be launching their new church soon. Carter remembered his old friend Charli and was so excited to see her. They picked right up where they left off!

Fireman Flies

Our new house is a little more

"woodsy" than the last one. It's a lot of fun for the boys to experience all the new creatures that live in our backyard! After dark, fireflies light up the yard like fireworks. Usually the boys are in bed before dark, but they've stayed up late a couple of times to see the fireflies. They're both fascinated by them - Bryson calls them "fireman flies" and Carter can actually catch them! Other fun creatures we've discovered in our yard include a turtle (pictured here with Carter) and a racoon (we didn't actually see the racoon, just its paw prints)!

Moving In

We moved into our new house almost 2 weeks ago, and we love it. The boys are thrilled to be sharing a room and to have new bunk beds. They even (sort of) have a new kitty cat! It hangs around our cul-de-sac and sleeps on our patio furniture. We've started feeding it, so now it almost never leaves. Our neighborhood is very peaceful, and we love spending time in our big backyard (when it's not raining!). We've even had family and a few friends come to visit already.

Although we love our new house, I'm having some trouble with the city. I don't know where anything is, but everything seems to be so far away! I've been lost at least a half dozen times, and I haven't found many fun places to take the kids yet. I know it will take time to fall in love with my new city, but I'm finding myself a little homesick. I'm looking forward to getting plugged into a great new church and meeting some friends!

Forever Friends

We have the most amazing friends. Tonight, they threw us a going-away party at the park. I didn't cry (as much as I thought I might) because I know I'll see them all again soon. We'll still be close enough to visit for birthday parties and special events. Although we'll no longer share a city, a home church, or daily trips to the park, these ladies will always be my friends. They gave me a scrapbook today, and I've already gone through it at least a dozen times (it's late, but I'm having trouble sleeping tonight!).

Miss Mandi, you always make me smile. I love hanging out with you. Whenever we get together, I find myself laughing! Thank you for your energy!

Amy, you're so much fun. I love that you're on the go (almost) as much as I am. I know I can always count on you when I need to vent about life as a "work widow"! Thank you for your dedication to our moms' group; you're such a blessing!

Alicia, I'm always learning from you. You have such a peace about you. I admire the quiet manner in which you raise your kids, your beautiful voice in worship, and your fashion sense! Thanks for your friendship.

Tiffany (A.K.A. Superwoman), you're an awesome girl. I'm always amazed at how much you can accomplish -- with your (almost) 4 wonderful kids, your role as a pastor's wife, and all that you do for your friends. I think the world of you.

Janet, you were my first friend here. I will always cherish the many dinners and conversations we shared. We'll have to get together and shop again soon!

Gaylee, I can hardly believe we've only been friends for a year now! I feel like I've known you my whole life. I love your optimism and your ability to see the best in people. I know I can always count on you to hang out at Chuck E. Cheese or just to listen to me rant over the phone. You're one in a million!

Lesley, what can I say? You & Greg introduced us to our church almost 5 years ago. I don't want to think about where we'd be without you! We've grown so much in our walk with Christ, because you were brave enough to invite us to church! Thank you. In the years since, you've become one of my very closest friends. I know I can always count on you for anything.

Ladies, I love you! I have been so blessed by your friendships! I won't say "goodbye"; I'll just say, "See ya soon!"

Fun at the Sprayground

Today we went with good friends to a nearby spraygound. It was windy and overcast, so the boys and their friends were freezing but they loved it anyway! Afterward, we all went for pizza. We had a great time hanging out and visiting. We're going to miss these friends so much when we move!

Arts & Crafts

Today the boys & I checked out a great new place. It was an enormous arts & crafts warehouse with an indoor playground. They have every kind of craft you could dream up - including painting, playdough, jewelry making, and ceramics (just to name a few!). They also had a huge play area with park-sized playground equipment, a pirates' ship, a sand table, a train table, and a funny little parrot that repeats everything you say. The boys had so much fun! Bryson painted for the first time and did really well. It was nice to let them get creative without worrying about carpet and furniture! Bryson adored the parrot and the sand table. Carter's favorites were the slides and making his own toy snake. We all had a great time!

Baby Birds

Recently, a bird made its nest in the bushes next to our house. Last week, we saw that it had eggs, and they have finally hatched! The two fuzzy little baby birds were born a few days ago, and already they have grown and changed so much. They remind me of my own little ones!

Baby's Sleepin'

Bryson has started rocking his animals to sleep.
"Baby's sleepin'", he tells us. On this particular morning, Bryson pretended to read his frog a bedtime story, then rocked him to sleep. When he decided that the frog was sleeping, he placed it on its tummy on the bed. How precious!