Match Day

From the FIRST day of medical school........


(Yes, Camden WAS born on the first day of medical school while Brooks sat studying in the chair next to me afterwards)

The Biggest Day you look forward to is Match Day.

It comes during your 4th year and tells you WHERE you will go for residency.

And each med school makes a HUGE GIGANTIC deal out of it. It's a WHOLE day thing w/ sometimes family in town, a big fancy shmancy luncheon where everyone opens up their letters all together.

(the only picture I can find from Brooks' match day @ ETSU, I had to borrow it from our friend Elizabeth.....and yes, that's baby Aleeya)

It was SO fun to find out where we were going and you end up being on cloud 9 all day long.

Since Brooks is doing ANOTHER residency come this fall, he had to enter the Match again, and yesterday happened to be Match Day.

Let's just say it was a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittle different then the first time around.

Brooks went to work

I stayed home

He said he would get an email around noon (AN EMAIL??!?!?!?! Whatever.)

Then I get an email from him saying he has a Pathology conference @ noon so he'll call me after. (CLEARLY the Pathology department could give a RAT'S BEHIND about his Match Day)

I went outside w/ the girls and we manually stabbed the grass around the mailbox to aerate for a good 45 minutes

(a glamorous thing to do on Match Day, might I add)

During my lawncare episode Brooks happened to call, but I was outside and missed it (seriously, I have a life!)

So he forwarded the "EXCITING" email to me and this is what it was:

Congratulations, you have matched!

Program Code: 1683120CDX
Program Name: Family Medicine
Institution Name: (yadda yadda this is a public blog), So Carolina

I was THRILLED obviously because it's where we wanted and then I just started laughing.

4 years ago this was the biggest day EVER EVER and this time around he gets a 4 lined email.

The kids were glad to know as well because they like change/moving (like their mom), but that was it.

So there you have it, we're moving to South Carolina (can you tell we like this part of the country?)

Oh wait, the day WASN'T a totally normal day w/ a 4-lined email. We DID have something EXTRA happen to make it memorable. Camden caught a lizard!

Wait, now that I think about it, Camden catching ANYTHING really DOES mean it's a normal day around here........... Oh well.

Restful Perfection

We (and the kids especially) are super excited to announce #7 coming early October!!!!!!

(and I know some of you will NOT believe me that I went to the doctor during 1st trimester, but I really needed some meds people, and you can SEE my name up at the top! So there is your proof that I occasionally will suck it up and go to the doctor!!! )

Brooks' reaction was priceless. I don't remember him looking that excited for the others as he was this time. When I showed him the test when we brought him lunch @ work he was all smiles and then said to me,

"You know, in the Bible the number 7 is a symbol of PERFECTION!"

To which I replied,

"Huh, that's weird because the only thing I remember about the number 7 in the Bible is that someone GOT SOME REST!!!!!!"

So here's to some perfect rest.

Here. Here.

Family Love

Sunday morning love..........it was ever-abounding yesterday.

I was in the computer room getting things ready for church on a chair and Brooks was in the kitchen by the dining room......when we HEARD the conversation from the dining room.

It went something like, "I don't want you sitting by me." "I want to." "I don't want you to." or something like that. Then I heard Aleeya ask "Why?" And Emerson told her,

"BECAUSE I HATE YOU!"

(words from the song "Love at Home" came to mind at this point)

Before I could say anything Brooks got there, talked about never using that word and sent Emerson to his bedroom until he could come up w/ 5 things to say to Aleeya that he LOVES about her.

Aleeya couldn't WAIT for him to get back!!!!!

So I decided just to stay on my chair there and try to act invisible while I documented the whole thing. Emerson came back in and said he was ready to tell Aleeya the 5 things (her face in priceless in all these pictures. She just looooooooooved hearing what someone loves about her!)

#1- I love when you go on adventures with me.

(good, I thought, he's got this, but then he stopped and thought and couldn't think of the next one forever)

#2- I love it when you let me "oompa" you

(which I wasn't going to let slide because "oompa-ing" is when they stand in front and push back their bum to knock you over. But Aleeya giggled like she LOVED that compliment so I let him go on.)

#3- I love it when you stay away from me

HOLD ON EMERSON! That won't work, try again.

#3- I love it when you sit by the fire with me and Camden

(giggles from the couch)

#4- I love it when you don't sit by me

Sorry buddy, NOT going to fly....isn't that what GOT him in this situation to BEGIN WITH?!?!

#4- I love it when I pick you up and spin

#5- I love it when you don't go pee

(which I ALMOST made him try again, but that is SORT of a compliment because if she DOES go pee then she goes in the "baby's" room in the toddler bed and doesn't get to sleep in the room w/ her brothers. And since she loved that one, I'm assuming she took it as, "He likes it when I get to sleep in the same room as him." BABY STEPS PEOPLE!!!!)

Then from the other room Brooks said, and give each other a BIG HUG!!!!-

(which just Aleeya did, while Emerson's hands stayed in his pockets) So once again we parents intervened and told him HE had to give HER a big hug.

Which as you can see, she seemed to enjoy more then anything.

Yes, I feel the love around here!

THANK GOODNESS

for THIS snowsuit!!!!!!! We had another showing today (she emailed last night and wanted to know if she could come today....um, okay) and I had been cleaning, taking stuff out to the Yeti all day. But this is good because we have a few more next week, so I'm getting the routine down.

Why is this snowsuit so awesome you ask?!?!!? Well, I had ALL the beds made up, rooms cleaned, etc. before naptime. The couple called while they were still sleeping and said they were in town and on their way. Perfect, I thought, because I just finished the last spot on the ground to clean. Then I went into Aleeya's room (who was sleeping in the snowsuit.........not sure why), and she was standing up by her bed and said, "I PEED THE BED!"

My first thought was, "How does it smell in here?" because they were within a mile or two of our house. It was fine and still smelled like the plug-in I had in the wall......hmmmm, then I inspected her sheets/blankets and they were crisp/clean and dry. I thought she really didn't pee at this point, but she took off her snowsuit and she was soaked, and that BLESSED SNOWSUIT KEPT ALL THE PEE IN AND SAVED THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey, maybe this could be a good marketing idea.......

Rank list is in........

And I guess because it's a public blog, I won't specifically say where....... but Brooks' rank list is officially submitted and now we wait until March's "Match Day" to find which state we'll live in:

#1- SOUTH CAROLINA

#2- Somewhere here in NORTH CAROLINA (this state rocks!)

or will it be our #3 ranking in VIRGINIA??!!?!?

(can you tell we love the South east?)

Because of Brooks' unique situation he only ended up interviewing/narrowing down to these 3 programs and that's it. He DID like them all and each had their pros, professionally speaking, but it was probably me that pushed the hardest for SC to be the #1 after I did some research on the schools (I DEFINITELY found one I fell in love with....w/ SPANISH!) there for the kids/cost of living, etc. (which is ironic because of all the programs SC gives the LEAST amount of benefits and money.....) But there were fun things about each place and thankfully there's not a "Oh no, I hope we don't get there!"-place on our list.

Change is exciting and it's HEADIN' OUR WAY!!!!!!!!!

Snow-day

Sunday is started snowing a little.........first snow of the year here! (which is weird)

I took this picture Monday morning, and I would have to say, that is an adult's perfect snow.....

NOTHING TO SHOVEL ON THE SIDEWALKS, DRIVEWAYS OR ROADS!

And considering the weather is supposed to be in the high 60s this week, I REALLY hope the kids liked it while they had it.

For some reason, snowing makes them all break out in a dance party. Who knows why. (I love this picture of the girls shaking their "boo-tays", and Royce, the innocent by-stander.

Since it WAS snowing, they dressed in snow suits to dance in (when they went outside I found them STILL w/o shirts on, a jacket and flip flops. Clearly, I haven't taught them the right snow attire)

Breakin' into the splits (I couldn't stop laughing over the snow suits....and how seriously they were taking their dancing)

and in case you were EVER wondering..........snow suits do absolutely NOTHING for your figure. hahaha.

Parenting Question

So Ariel has REALLY helped my parenting lately w/ my girls. She's kinda "it" around here right now, so I've used her quite a bit to help me out.

Example #1:

Parenting MAJOR Problem- Iris ALWAYS picks her nose

Ariel Solution- Instead of me reminding her to stop picking her nose (which has never worked), all I have to say is, "Iris, mermaids DON'T pick their nose!"

Result- SUCCESS. She immediately stops.

Example #2:

Parenting MAJOR Problem- Aleeya (like her brothers) thinks it's REALLY funny to........eh........."pass gas" or however you word it.

So once again I turned to Ariel and mermaids in general to help me out, because she's worked everytime. I went up to Aleeya and said, "Aleeya, you HAVE to stop tooting while we're here.....(here is comes).......because MERMAIDS don't toot, Aleeya."

Then she looked at me and said,

"I KNOW!!!!!!!! Because they don't even have bums!"

So my parenting question for you is, do mermaids have bums or not? Because it would REALLY help me out if Aleeya THOUGHT they had one.

Oh the joy.....

Brooks told me earlier in the last week that he was going to take the girls out on Saturday night on a daddy-daughter date. He also told me to get them dressed up........but wouldn't tell me where they were going. He assured me though he would bring the camera so he could explain it to me later. To say the girls were excited beyond all words to describe would STILL be an understatement!!!!!!!

Here they are ready to go:

Turns out good ol' Chick-Fil-A (which is the best!) was sponsoring a daddy-daughter date night. They roped off part of the restaurant and had it all fancy w/ candles, flowers and the works.

Iris drank so much pop she kept going to the bathroom. Brooks said one time she was coming out and these old ladies thought Iris was just so cute that they kept taking pictures of her. So funny.

And they EVEN rented a limo for them to ride quickly around in (all the people that went there as a daddy/daughter date). How cool is that?!?!?!

Inside the limo (for the record, I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A LIMO!!!!!)

To say it was the most "magical night" for my girls would probably be a pretty accurate statement. Talk about pure joy. I'm so glad he took the camera, their faces are priceless.

Christmas countdown

Let me introduce you to a new obsession around the ladies here in my church:

We went over to our friend's house to clean it in November and my friend Jenny brought this steam cleaner thing. If anyone knows me, I don't do extra bulky things....... but this thing was amazing w/ baseboards, walls, sticky dining room chairs, wood floors, kitchen cupboards.....need I go on?

So I sat there............coveting the whole time.

Then I got my break. She let me borrow it. YIPPEE!!!

So you see that little lever thing on the top? Good ol' Royce just put all his weight on it and cracked the thing so it didn't work. UGH!!!!! (I got the comment from Brooks, "and THIS is why we don't have nice things".....like we usually say). I got online and ordered Jenny and new one.

I had to be extra creative to fit that in the December/Christmas budget.....to be honest, it made me sick. Then Brooks came home and saw the crack, and bought this glue that seals water/steam things, and GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?

IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!! (and it's name is Sabastian, in case you were wondering) So I got to KEEP the original one from Jenny!!!! Happy Day!

I gave Brooks a BIG smack-er-oo and told him, "Merry Christmas to me! Now you don't have to worry about getting me something, because I want this anyway". :) (We women can be so weird sometimes on what we want)

So Christmas I was expected to get a nice stocking from "Santa" and that's about it. Well, I DID get a REALLY nice stocking. Along w/ treats, I got a mystery date (that was AWESOME beyond words), and a paper that sent me on a little hunt for clues. I followed the clues until I came upon this pile of papers. Hmmmmmmmm, what would PAPERS have on them? (Then I thought of last year how there was a picture of a beach house for my Christmas present in my stocking, so I started thinking along those lines.)

I opened up the papers to find a FLIGHT ITINERARY!!!!!!

Brooks and I leave for HERE towards the end of March:

No, that's not one big hotel, that's the

Missionary Training Center IN SAO PAULO, BRAZIL WHERE MY PARENTS ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I lived in Sao Paulo (ages 12-15) this MTC was just being built! I have YET to see it in person! AND I get to show Brooks around my old school, home, church, and a city I love more then almost any other.......SAO PAULO!!!! I can't wait.

And now that we've bought Brooks' mom's ticket out here (to watch the kids) and passports updated, it's finally official and I can start counting down!!!!!!!! YIPEE!!!!!

Commence operation Embarrass-myself-beyond-words-with-my-lack-of-fluency-in-Portuguese. Ready? GO.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!

I spent the whole naptime getting the kids' Valentine's stuff ready for tonight.

Ever since I could remember, my parents.....eh hem, the "Valentine Vulture" (yes I realize that was a stretch, but we needed a "v") would hide our Valentines gifts from Mom and Dad. The vulture would ring the door and run (faster then I thought my parents were capable....then again, maybe it WAS a vulture that flew away....) leaving behind some hearts w/ a poem for us to help find our things. Some poems would take us a good 45 minutes to find our stash, but I always appreciate a good poem. I used to write poems for my kids but I sat around reading the poems to them over and over and.........well, since they couldn't read it didn't really work. So UNTIL more of them can read and I feel like putting my kids through the torture of looking 6 different places before they actually find their presents through a VERY clever poem, I've opted for pictures the past 2 years. And I am NOT an artist. (but I DID overhear the boys talking in their beds the other night saying, I can't wait to see the pictures mom draws on our hearts this year!) The younger ones, have more obvious pictures..........obviously. And since we have a FEW chest of drawers with 3 drawers, I decided to put Bronson through a little chase.......

But the tricky part is HOPING that the kids don't run across their prizes between after school and after dinner. The bathroom and broom places worry me.......but they can hold it for a few hours, right? ;) (don't worry, I threw something over Aleeya's gifts)

But there are two places I don't think I have to worry about them finding..........

#1

#2

Then again, Sally might try........hmmmmmm. Oh well. I'll be crossing my fingers.

UPDATE: it is now 4:30 and Iris' under the crib HAS BEEN FOUND (as Aleeya was shoving all her clothes under there "cleaning" her room...........she thought it was her lucky day.....only to find out she had been caught for stuffing things under there!) :)

And for YOU all for Valentine's Day............and treat of my favorite hymn.......along w/ the true meaning of LOVE. Luvs to all.