California

We're in California, enjoying our summer at my parents' house until we decide where we're moving to next and when.  Our lives hang in the balance.  Ha ha!

But have no fear, we will decide soon and be on our way.

Meanwhile, we're going to the park every day and enjoying the gorgeous weather and beautiful surroundings, and lots and lots of cozy grandparents time.

I took these last two pictures of my lovely Texas surroundings the morning we left for California.  It was such a gorgeous morning and I was in "mourning" while driving away, leaving our home in Texas ... a place I will always love and hold dear in my heart.

Beautiful Texas.  Beautiful Hill Country.  We were so blessed and lucky to have lived in such a wonderful place.

Residency Graduation

Finally.

Three years ago we moved here to San Antonio to begin a dermatology residency that I in no way had any idea and/or firm grasp on how difficult, arduous, and tested-to-our-limits it would be.

Looking back, I am proud to say that nobody died.  It was quite a journey.

I am beyond thrilled and proud of Jason.  He graduated!  He worked so hard.  I can't even tell you how hard he worked.  My words and my expression of them would be at a 1st grade level compared to the enormity of Jason's accomplishments.  Find a toddler to tell you about the science behind how the universe works and that would be exactly my answer. 

Jason will take his dermatology boards in July which will make him a triple-boarded physician in dermatology, dermatopathology, and pathology.

 These group of doctors have been like family these past years.  It was a bittersweet farewell to all of them but no doubt we will keep in touch through the years wherever we end up.  Above are all the residents and staff of the dermatology department at UTHSCSA - University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio.

 These physicians above are all the residents in the programs.  1st, 2nd, and 3rd years.

 Above is just Jason's "class":  Wenhong Zhou, Emily Becker, and Tim Straight.  I'm ten years old around these people.  Amazingly talented doctors.

 After pictures, Jason was the first to tear that white coat off.  ha ha!  It was so hot, but not only that, Jason doesn't care at all for the stuffiness and the recognition.  This is a perfect description, actually, of Jason when it comes to the past three years.  Release me!  Release me!

 Jason with his close friend/colleague, Tim Straight.

 Dr. Kraus, the head of the department, handing Jason his diploma and certificate.

 Good job, Jason.  Take a breath.  Or a vacation.

The happy couple.

Boxes

We're having fun our last final days here in the house.  It's weird to see the pictures come down off the walls and get packed.  That always makes me sad.  I don't know why.

 The boys are so cute to involve Christie in their "wrestling" and playing.  She's getting to be pretty tough.  She absolutely adores her brothers and it warms my heart.

Swimming

We are having a blast these last few days in our home and in our pool!  We had our friends over today for swimming and ice cream cones.  Jason came home early from work, came outside and asked, "What is this?  Summer vacation??"

 Jimmy was killing me with all of his posing on the rocks!

Ryan and Owen are good friends with Jacob and Jimmy.

Christiana looks so cute in her rashguard and swim shorts. 

End of School

We've had a lot of fun celebrating the end of the school year and the beginning of summer.

We went to McKenna Children's Museum in New Braunfels.  Probably my kids' favorite place.

We celebrated the last day of school with friends and teachers.

And Amy and Will came down from Dallas to go to the Alamo and play for a couple of days.

And last but not least, we headed to our favorite town...Fredericksburg!

It's been a fun-filled couple of days.  We loved having our cousin Will here.  Now we are busy packing boxes and getting ready for our move to Idaho.  I am sad/happy.  More sad than happy, I guess, if you want the truth.

"We Have Gone Nuts With the Phones"

I love Jerry Seinfeld's comic bit about phones.  It is hilarious and I laugh every time I listen to it.  "We have gone nuts with the phones!"  And it's true.  Remember growing up how we had phones that were plugged into the wall and you had to talk to people in the kitchen in front of your family while your mom was making dinner and your brothers were doing their homework one inch away from you?  Well, I do.  And remember the humongous ultra-long telephone cord that could stretch ten miles through the house so you could talk behind a closed door, if need be? 

And how embarrassing was it to have your dad answer the phone if a boy called and he had to yell throughout the house looking for you?  So many phone mishaps, I can't even tell you!

My mom would be trying to hide while talking on the phone and I would sometimes just head into the other room and carefully and quietly pick up the receiver and listen in.  Rude!  Don't worry.  I never heard any juicy gossip.  It was always having to do with visiting teaching or something Relief Society-ish.

And before answering machines, phones would just ring 96 times before you had the good sense to hang up.  Just making sure no one's there!  Certainly somebody would have picked up by the 25th ring.

And don't even get me started on the crank-calling my friends and I would do.  You could never get away with anything like that now-a-days.  In 8th grade, my best friend, Lisa, and I used to call up Bobby Holmes on a daily basis and when he answered, we'd play Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say 'I Love You.'"  I'm sure he figured out eventually it was us.  But we were so in love with him, this was the only appropriate and obvious thing to do.

Ah, so many memories of the phone!

If I showed a picture of this phone to my kids now, they would not know what this is.

 In contrast, today I showed a picture of a xylophone to Christiana today and she takes the picture and holds it up to her ear and says, "Hello?"  No, this is a musical instrument; not a phone!

We have gone nuts with the phones!