Graduation!!!

Finally, the Mr's LONG-anticipated graduation from Medical School! (Unfortunately my camera wasn't having the best day ever and many of my pictures of the actual ceremony did not turn out.) But, the children did an amazing job sitting through much of the ceremony, and thankfully Uncle Daniel came to the rescue when they were no longer willing to sit still, so that I could sit and listen (and cry ). Tears of gratitude that we've made it this far, tears of pride (the good kind) at all that my sweet husband has sacrificed and done to earn his degree, and even a few tears of sadness that we are leaving this wonderful phase of our lives.

Despite being financially "poor", these past four years as a medical student family have truly been some of the best days of my life! We started out with an 19 month old Angel, 1 week old Grins, managing the Ronald McDonald House apartments. The Mr. was First Counselor in the Bishopric, I was First Counselor in the Relief Society, and while the Mr. put the kids to bed and maintained the apartments, I worked 3 nights a week as a PA at WorkCare. Second year found me nannying full-time, expecting Wiggles, and looking for a larger place to call home. After moving into University of Utah Student Housing (on the first week of 3rd year rotations!) for just a couple of months, we moved to a MUCH larger home to house-sit for a year (just in time for Wiggles' birth - phew!) One final move back to University Student Apartments during Fourth Year brought us so many wonderful friends and fellow student families with whom life-long friendships and memories were made. We have searched under couch cushions and behind bookshelves for spare change to rent a movie. We have stood in line for hours for free tickets to Disney on Ice. We have sold our plasma to get money for ice cream. And we have loved (almost) every minute of it.

So, to you medical student families out there: enjoy these precious moments. I wish I had spent less time worrying about how I'd pay the rent and more time enjoying student life. It has been a good four years.

To the Mr: I'm so proud of you. You have served an honorable four years. I know you may not get the glory of all your classmates who have 'offered medical relief work in other countries' or 'pioneered new student associations' - but, to me, you have done far more. Not only have you studied, performed well on exams, served as AMA President, completed medical school and been accepted into residency, but you have done so while putting the Lord and your family first. Not a day has gone by where I didn't know that our family was your first priority. I know you sacrificed many extra-curricular activities and other opportunities, and even your 'most exciting' profession choice, to leave time for our children and me. And that means more than any award or public accolade.

To our family: thank you for your endless support these past four years (and even now!) It has been noticed and appreciated more than we can ever say. I truly don't know where we would be without you.

To the Lord: thank you for the many, MANY blessings which You have so abundantly poured out upon us; we have not room enough to receive them. We owe everything to You!

Flashback - Mountain Cabin

While in Oregon, we had the privilege of spending the weekend at my grandparents' cabin in the mountains. This cabin has been in the family for several generations and was my favorite place to go as a child - I have SO many wonderful memories there! But the Mr. and I realized we hadn't been there since I was pregnant with Angel! And, given that we were moving several thousand miles away and wouldn't likely have another opportunity for awhile, we decided to take advantage of this chance and head up the mountain!

It was SO beautiful! There is nothing like losing cell phone reception and your internet connection to bring you together as a family! We just enjoyed nature; hikes, exploring, building forts, wading in the creek, and hanging out in the hammock with Grandpa! We all enjoyed it and I hope we'll be able to visit again sometime soon!

Flashback - A.C. Gilbert Children's Museum

If you live in SLC, Utah and you visit Oregon frequently, you should definitely invest in a Discovery Gateway Museum Pass! My Mom got us one for Christmas last year and we LOVED using it at the Discovery Gateway Museum in SLC! When we got to Oregon, we were THRILLED to learn that our pass also got us in to OMSI and A.C. Gilbert Children's Museum for FREE! We couldn't believe it! Needless to say, we had LOTS of (FREE!) fun in Oregon!

If you've never been to the A.C. Gilbert Museum, you are missing out! They have an entire room devoted to making bubbles....you can build a bubble around yourself (as shown below), make a bubble connecting you and another person, build a tunnel bubble over your head....and more!

One of my favorite rooms was the "BODY" room - you enter through the mouth! You get to experience how different parts of the body work - joints, ears, stomach, etc! Very fun way to learn!

Tea in Asia is always fun!
And three aspiring actors (dressed as toucans) put on a lovely show....with the assistance of their crazy uncle, of course!
For some reason, sitting on the GIANT chair terrified Wiggles - though she is usually clamoring out of reach to the highest height she can find...

Of course, after a long day of fun, the kids were WORN OUT! At least we were channeling their energy into productive activities!! :)

Flashback - OMSI

OMSI is seriously one of my FAVORITE places on earth! (And they aren't even paying me to say that!) If you ever go to Oregon, CHECK IT OUT!!! It has MORE than you could ever see in one day - and the kids section alone is enough to entertain all 3 of my children for an entire day!

We thoroughly enjoyed the insect and reptile lab, making crafts, playing in the sand, the huge 'miracle of life' display which shows the progression of an embryo to fetus to birth, the dementia/alzheimers display, the dinosaur section....and then we parked ourselves in the 'kidzone' for the rest of the trip! (Next time we'll go downtstairs or across the hall...)


Wiggles could not figure out how this ball was "floating"! She would put the ball on the tube, watch (mouth gaping open) as it "floated", then try to grab it quickly, as if to 'trick' it into giving up it's secret. For the life of her, she could not figure it out! It was hilarious to watch her stew over it - it's the longest I've ever seen her stand in one place (honestly!), she went back several times, and she spent longer at that one exhibit than any other place in the museum!
All the kids enjoyed the water table! It's amazing how long it holds their attention - I would get SO much done if I had one of these at my house!

























I watched the cutest little chipmunks gathering acorns for the winter! :)




And, of course, this little gal drove off with my heart! How did I come to be so lucky, to be the mother of such beautiful children?

Flashback - Mother's Day 2 - The Pani Popo Thief

Our Mother's Day dinner featured "Pani Popo" - a Samoan treat that has become a family favorite. While dishing up a plate for him, Grins surprised me by saying "No, thanks" to a pani popo - something I've never before known him to turn down! I wondered if he was feeling ok but he ate everything else on his plate so I assumed he just wasn't in the mood for the sweet gooey deliciousness and didn't give it another thought.

Until later. I noticed there were only 5 pani popo left (down from 2 pans!) and decided I'd better act quickly if I wanted another one. So I went to get my plate, got momentarily sidetracked, and when I took my plate over to the serving table, was shocked at what I saw. NO PANI POPO LEFT!! In their place: 10 gooey little fingers (almost as delicious....)





Apparently, he saw everyone else enjoying them and could resist no longer!!! Honestly, even if he didn't have coconut milk all over him, I could just eat him up!

Flashback - Playing with Nani

While in Oregon, the kids thoroughly enjoyed Nani, the family dog! (Since she was Wiggles' first real experience with dogs, Wiggles called all dogs "Na-eee" for several weeks afterwards!)

Seeing how much fun they have with Nani almost makes me want to get a dog. Almost.

Flashback - Mother's Day in Oregon featuring Grandma & Grandpa

We were fortunate enough to spend this past Mother's Day in Oregon - I can't remember the last time I was with my Mom on Mother's Day, it was so fun!

Dad treated us all to a most scrumptious meal of grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, stuffed mushrooms, pani popos (coconut milk-soaked rolls; a Polynesian tradition and family favorite!), fresh fruit, and scrumptious chocolate dessert. But even better than the food was the company! Six of our seven siblings were present together (we missed you, Daniel!) and in addition to Mom, we even got to spend some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa!

Angel and her aunt sang "The Grandmother Song" for "GG" - ADORABLE!! I have to say that, though my dear Grandmother's memory is fading as her Alzheimer's disease progresses, she is becoming more sweet and endearing than I could ever have imagined. She is SO thoughtful, so kind, so grateful and so sweet. Her fun sense of humor even pops out to surprise us every once in awhile! :) While I dearly miss her sharp mind and vibrant personality, I truly cherish and enjoy her pleasant disposition. And it is so precious to see how patient and loving my sweet Grandfather is with her. I know 'growing old' has been very difficult on both of them these past several years, but they are truly examples to me of aging with dignity and grace. I love them both so very much and long for the day when I can spend time with them more consistently! I was SO blessed while in Oregon to spend an entire day with just them....unfortunately Grandma, suddenly, fell very ill. I went over during the wee hours of the morning to stay with her - sitting with her, tending to her every need, cleaning up after her, and, while she slept, enjoying quality time with Grandpa (without my kids bouncing off the walls!) It was one of the best days of my entire trip! Grandpa and I enjoyed some wonderful conversation, and Grandma was so sweet...every time I would bring her something she was SO appreciative, and saying "You don't need to treat me like a queen, I'm fine!" or "Why are you doing so much for me? You must be one of my daughters to treat me so well." Fortunately, most of the time (except while she was vomiting) she forgot she was sick - one of the perks of Alzheimer's! :)

Since we left the following morning, Mother's Day was the last time I was able to spend with my dear Grandparents. Grandpa realized this and, as we said our goodbyes, it made for a very tearful farewell. It touched me so much.

It is true - I have been raised of Goodly Parents...and Grandparents.

Flashback - Temple Square

Since my camera battery is "lost" (still packed), I'm going to flashback to our final days with family and friends before our move to New England.

First stop on Memory Lane: Temple Square


After returning from Oregon, we intended to go to church at our "old" Ward - Arlington Hills - one last time, in order to give our final farewell to the many dear friends we made there (in addition to worshipping, of course!) We even stayed up late Saturday night writing cards and getting 'farewell' gifts together. As luck would have it, that week happened to be Stake Conference (which we didn't realize, having been in Oregon for several weeks previous.) So, we briefly visited with some of our friends before heading down to the Assembly Hall at Temple Square. Initially I was disappointed at missing a proper goodbye with so many dear friends, but in the end I was grateful for the precious opportunity to enjoy Temple Square with my beautiful family! Stake Conference was, of course, rich and fulfilling on its own. Afterward we were able to visit the Visitor's Center, Tabernacle, Reflection Pond, and fountain. Obviously the high noon day sun was less than ideal for photography, but it did make for a warm and lovely day!







We have truly been blessed, living so close to SO many temples, and especially the amazing Temple Square! We will miss it dearly!

Likening the Scriptures

A few days ago in our daily family scripture study we read the story of Alma the Younger's rebellion, encounter with an angel, and repentance and conversion. I often wonder if our scripture reading is even worth it because, despite our many efforts, the kids seem to be uninterested and focused on other things. (They generally do an OK job sitting, listening and reading, but sometimes they lose interest or fights ensue.)

Yesterday we did a lot of moving of furniture and, as a result, my arms were so tired I could barely lift them and found using my hands very difficult. I mentioned it to the Mr. and a few minutes later Grins said "Mommy, you're like Alma." Confused, I asked "How so?" "Because you can't use your hands!" he explained. I recalled our earlier reading of the story where it states "..and (Alma) became weak, even that he could not move his hands..." (Mosiah 27:19). I started laughing but it was such a precious moment where I realized that, even while pulling his sister's hair or trying to stand on his head, my son is, in fact, listening to the scriptures - and even "likening" them to our life and family. I guess we'll our daily devotionals aren't completely fruitless after all. :)

Memorization before Dictation

One of Wiggles' first words was "Men" (meaning "amen"). At about 8 months of age, she would fold her arms whenever we said "Let's pray" and, shortly thereafter, she would state "men" when the prayer was finished (or slightly before, if she was particularly hungry).

At our morning family devotional each day, we recite this little poem:

"Read the Book of Mormon, read it every day;

Before you start to study, don't forget to pray!"

One day (before she turned 1....yes, I'm behind in my posts!), as we began reciting it together, we said "Read the Book of Mormon, read it every..." and Wiggles suddenly surprised us by shouting out "DAY!" We all laughed and, thinking it was a coincidence, continued with the poem. "Before you start to study, don't forget..." "PAY!" Wiggles shouted before we even said "to", and had folded her little arms before we realized what was happening. Our sweet little baby, who has yet to put two words together, has apparently already memorized our little ditty. Hmmmm, maybe we should start reciting the Pledge of Allegiance? :)

(By the way, Wiggles is now speaking much better....I wrote this post a few months ago but didn't have access to my pictures until now. And most of the time I refuse to post without a picture because, IMO, the picture makes the post. Especially when it's one of my adorable children. :) )

We've been busy...

To be fair, we did warn you in advance that posts would be few and far between during this transitional period in our little family's life. Just a quick update. During the past week, we:

~Moved everything out of our apartment into storage
~Cleaned our apartment until it shined
~Moved out of our apartment (somewhat tearfully), knowing we will dearly miss many friends we made there!
~Looked at houses, houses, and more houses in Maine, and finally decided we got the best deal in the state on a house (my wife loves to shop around to be sure....no one can ever pull something over on her, that's for sure!)
~Drove 12 hours to Oregon (where we are now)
~Cleaned up Grins' dinner which he shared with us twice while he had the stomach flu
~I flew to and from Maine to look at our new house (details to come)
~The females of the family somehow managed to get CHICKEN POX and ERYTHEMA NODOSUM - a very painful autoimmune disease which has precipitated multiple doctor visits and is preventing my wife from even walking.

So, we are just a little tired, and now on Quarantine due to this bizarre illness. Not quite the vacation we had hoped for, but it's giving us a much-needed break!

LAST DAY!!!!!

Today is the Mr.'s LAST DAY of MEDICAL SCHOOL! WOO-HOO! If this doesn't seem like a big deal to you, keep in mind that the Mr. has been IN SCHOOL since he was 5 years old! So, in his life, he has attended:

Kindergarten

1st grade

2nd grade

3rd grade

4th grade

5th grade

6th grade

7th grade

8th grade

9th grade

10th grade

11th grade

12th grade

Then college:

Freshman

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

Then MBA school:

Year 1

Year 2

Then Medical School:

MS1

MS2

MS3

MS4

That's 23 years of school! AND NOW HE IS DONE!!!! We are just a little proud of him! And now we're off to find someplace to party! :)

Together

Today has been full of frustration and disappointment on the "home front". We began the day by accepting the homeowner's offer and signing papers to 'seal' the contract. Assuming we were under contract, we began looking through the pictures we had taken, measuring out where we planned to place furniture, etc. Shortly thereafter, our realtor called with the bad news; the seller had retracted her offer. We made two additional counter offers, the final one offering the amount she had originally asked for, but she refused and has now withdrawn her home from the market.

We had loved the home and it's location and had easily imagined our family there from the first time we walked through it. So this news was somewhat discouraging. But we had seen several other houses we had also really liked, so we decided to put an offer on our second choice. Moments later we received the call: our second choice was already under contract (after 3 offers!). Not to be discouraged, we moved on to our third....also under contract after 3 offers. Apparently we know a good deal when we see one! Our fourth choice was - you guessed it - under contract. (Interestingly, three of these four had been on the market for several weeks - some even months - before we saw them last weekend! So we hadn't felt much pressure to make any immediate offers, and didn't realize they were such hot properties!)

At this point, I broke down in despair. We had returned home from Maine feeling blessed that we'd been able to view so many great options, all of which were in our price range, and all of which we felt would be great places for our family to live (and we are fairly particular, so this is saying something!) We have really felt impressed that buying a home rather than renting would be a wise investment, as we were able to get an outstanding interest rate, some great prices on homes (cheaper than rent!), and we were hoping to cash in on the $8000 first time homebuyer tax credit.

My patient and loving husband held me as I sobbed and, as we stood there in the kitchen in one another's arms, I suddenly realized: Wherever we are together, that is home. If we didn't find the perfect home - or any home at all, for that matter, as long as we have each other, we will be happy wherever we are. We have spent the last several years in old and crowded apartments, but these have been some of the best days of our lives. Our children don't notice the cinderblock walls or the tacky carpet; they remember the time we spend together and love we share. Perhaps we aren't building equity or itemizing deductions....but we are making memories which are more precious and will last far longer than anything money can buy.

(Match Day, March 18th, 2010)

Our search for homes is far from over. We still have several more properties on our list which, though slightly less desirable than our first four, would suit our family just fine for a few years. And I am sure we will be happy wherever we end up. But fortunately, I am learning to let go of the stress and disappointment and, instead, expend my energy on "being together" as a family.

(Post edit: This song has been running through my head since I wrote this. If you aren't familiar with it, click the link below to listen; it's a beautiful song!)

"Home Can Be a Heaven On Earth" (LDS Hymn #298)

"Home can be a heav’n on earth

When we are filled with love, Bringing happiness and joy, Rich blessings from above— Warmth and kindness, charity, Safety and security— Making home a part of heaven, Where we want to be.

Drawing fam’ly near each week, We’ll keep love burning bright. Serving Him with cheerful hearts, We’ll grow in truth and light. Parents teach and lead the way, Children honor and obey, Reaching for our home in heaven, Where we want to stay.

Praying daily in our home, We’ll feel His love divine; Searching scriptures faithfully, We’ll nourish heart and mind. Singing hymns of thanks, we’ll say, “Father, help us find the way Leading to our home in heaven, Where we long to stay.”

Text: Carolyn Hamilton Klopfer, b. 1936. © 1985 IRI

Music: W. Herbert Klopfer, b. 1936. © 1985 IRI

Maine

Forgive my recent (and coming) lack of posts. The Mr. and I just took a trip (sans kids!!! THANK YOU MOM & DAD B!) to Maine to feel out the area and find a home for our family. We worked hard and were so blessed to find some beautiful options and put an offer on a home (in the #1 School District in the State) in just 2 days! It is not a done deal yet, of course, but here is the home we are looking at (it may not look like much from the outside but it's on .8 of an acre with a stream, and is beautiful inside!). More details to come when we have a moment. :)