Headed Out West

This Saturday we set off on our long awaited trip out West! We have been praying for the chance to take this trip for several years now. Just a few more days and we will be on I-40 headed to Southern California to rendezvous with the Medina family for as long as they can stand us.

Then we head north along the Pacific Coast Highway to the beautiful state of Oregon to scope out one of the potential places we could be setting up house for the next five or six years. We plan to soak up the gorgeous scenery and the sound of the crashing waves. Those who know us well know how much we LOVE the ocean. If this is even a halfway decent program, it will be hard to convince us not to rank it very high on our list!

We have so many things to be grateful for even in the midst of a crazy schedule and lonely nights. We are grateful for the time that we do have together and that our time apart is only temporary. We are grateful for this trip we have planned and the amazing friends that we will have the opportunity to finally see after three long years. We are grateful to have the chance to see the beauty of God's creation as we travel. And we are so very grateful that the Lord is directing our steps. We may think we know where we want to move for Brian's residency, but what peace we have knowing that it's all in God's hands. There is truly no better place to be!

Elisabeth and I will be back the beginning of October and I will have much to share about our trip! I'll also be sharing the gender of our baby as we find out on the 2nd! Right now Baby is starting to make a show at about 18 weeks, along with a few kicks. No more sleeping on my stomach around here. But while my preferred sleeping position is no longer possible, I am grateful to have more energy...just in time for our trip! So until then, I'm off to use some of this energy on cleaning house, pool, and yard, washing clothes, and packing! See you in three weeks!

Over the Hump

We are officially halfway through Brian's rotations. Six weeks down, six to go. This weekend was a wonderful way to celebrate the halfway point, being home together as a family. Elisabeth and I had so much fun getting ready for Brian to come home. We decorated and bought all of his favorite food and drinks. We couldn't wait to spoil him!

I let Elisabeth stay up until Brian got in on Friday night. He made it home around 10:30pm, and she couldn't have been more excited to see her Daddy! She was a little overstimulated and rambunctious, but I just didn't have it in me to make her go to sleep before she got to see Brian. We finally got her settled down and asleep around 11:30pm...three and a half hours after her bedtime!

The decorations didn't last long, as I suspected. The minute I started blowing them up, Elisabeth would take off with them to stash them like a squirrel and her acorns. She kept saying, "My balloons," as she would run off with the next one. So I promised that she could have them after breakfast the next morning...they are still bouncing around our house as I type this.

It was a wonderfully restful, somewhat normal weekend for a change...except that Elisabeth wanted nothing to do with me! She actually told me on Saturday, "Mommy, you can take a nap if you want to." She was all about Daddy, but I didn't mind! I slept a lot better than I have in a long time just having the peace of mind that Brian was home. It was a wonderful blessing and we cannot wait to officially get back to normal. Until then, we continue to make our calendars and mark off the days.

This separation will thankfully be a short one. Elisabeth and I are happy to keep busy in the meantime by continuing to visit family. We head tomorrow to see my Mom and Dad in the beautiful Hill Country for a few days, one of which has already been designated as a Girls' Night with my dear friend and former college roommate, Lauren! Once Elisabeth and I make it back home it will be time to start gearing up for our big trip to California and Oregon! We will be attempting a stunt that most parents dare not attempt...we will be DRIVING the entire trip with a two and a half year old strapped into the backseat! Elisabeth is great in the car, but 10 hours has been our record so far. We'll see how days of travel wears on all of us! Either way, we can't wait...we've already waited for three years for this trip! So much to look forward to on this side of the hump!

Home

Elisabeth and I are now home from a wonderful little vacation to see the Hodges family. Actually we were home on Tuesday, but you know how it can be after being away from home for a while. Our trip was great, consisting of airplane rides,

horse rides,

Riding Joker with Uncle Jerry.

Seasoned rider, riding Joker by herself.


Cowgirl

goats,

Leading the goat around like a pro.

roping lessons,

Cousin Bronc teaching Elisabeth to rope.


Subsequently trying to rope the cat...who didn't seem to mind.

splashing in puddles,

With Poppa.


Good thing we remembered to bring her boots.


A flower for you...

and running around with a beagle with reckless abandon.

I didn't have a picture from this trip...Elisabeth and Dixie last July 4th...what a difference a year makes! Dixie is still just as fun!

Elisabeth showed her tolerance for pain as she spent the majority of the week with fever, strep, and the mess that can come with carsickness, all without so much as showing a sign of ever feeling bad to begin with. We discovered her strep completely by accident (or divine intervention!)...she was playing with a flashlight, pretending to shine it in her mouth and ears as the doctor does, and Nanna played along to discover a red, swollen throat. But not letting her sickness hinder her, Elisabeth took advantage of every minute of being outside in a pool-less backyard and the open spaces of the Hodges farm. I was so very grateful for the extra sets of hands, the fantastic company, and the luxury of sleep. I feel like a new woman after having such a break from the norm! Life around the house just seems more peaceful since we've been home.

And speaking of home...Brian will be home in approximately 24 hours! How excited we all are to be together in our own house after six long weeks of Brian being gone. We were so grateful to see him in Oklahoma City four weeks ago, but it's just so much better to look forward to being together in our own home. Elisabeth is so excited that she couldn't fall asleep tonight. I went in to check on her and she was laying in her bed smiling. When I sat down by her bed to give her a kiss she looked at me and said, "We colored all our squares. Daddy be home tomorrow." That's right, sweet girl. Daddy will be home tomorrow!

From the Mouth of a Two Year Old...

As Elisabeth and I were running errands a couple of days ago, she was talking on her play phone that she carries in her purse (Yes, she is a true girl. She insists on taking her purse any time we leave the house!). Her "conversation" went as follows:

She laughs.

"Oh, that's funny!"

Pause.

"I know!"

Pause.

"Exactly."

I know that she absorbs everything that we say, but I couldn't help but laugh at her ability to form her own conversation out of the things she hears us say. It's such a blessing and a joy to have her around. She never ceases to make me smile!

Miniature Train Ride

Last week we had a great time with our friend, Stacy, and her two nieces riding the Miniature Train Ride that follows the river here in town. It was about a 45 minute trek start to finish, one that we had never taken. Elisabeth had a great time and was unusually still and quiet as she took in the sights. The train followed the river and went over a couple of bridges before continuing on through the nearby parks. Elisabeth kept wanting to get off every time we passed a play scape, warranty future promises of a morning in the park. The train ride came to an end just as the temperature was heating up beyond comfort, and we finished our time together with a yummy meal at Chick-Fil-A. We were so grateful for the new adventure!

Emery, Stacy, Elisabeth, and Avery
(I apologize for the "back of the head" shots!)

Emery and Elisabeth

This is the face Elisabeth makes when you ask her to smile...just a squinted face!

Happy Birthday Gramma!

Happy Birthday Gramma! We love you!

Sassy...

There's just not much else I can say about this picture! I love this girl!

Bittersweet

So we made it through round one of Brian being out of state!! Elisabeth loved getting to color in a "square" each night to help get us a little closer to seeing Daddy!

After all of our "squares" were colored in it was time for us to head to Oklahoma City. One of the residents that Brian had been working with left town for the weekend with his own family and offered us their home while they were away. What a blessing it was to have such a warm and comfortable place to stay for the weekend. The family has three little girls so there were plenty of "new" toys for Elisabeth to play with. It made my job of keeping her busy much easier. Much better than a hotel! We are so grateful for their kindness! We made it there Thursday afternoon and kept ourselves occupied until Brian got off around 9:30pm that night. Elisabeth was so excited when she heard him come in the door that she could hardly contain herself! It was so precious to see her so excited! We weren't sure how she would react after being away from him for a while, but it was like they had never been apart!

We couldn't have been more excited and grateful to be together again!

Brian had to work until about 9:00pm on Friday night, but we had him all to ourselves Saturday and until noon on Sunday. We enjoyed a little bit of being lazy and little bit of seeing the sights since there is a chance we might be moving there. Mostly, we just enjoyed being together. We treated ourselves to dinner a couple of times and took Elisabeth out for coffee, aka chocolate milk, on Saturday. She thought that was just about the greatest thing ever! She was very attached to her daddy all weekend and it was great to see them having so much fun together!

It was a bittersweet weekend being able to spend a couple of days together, yet knowing we would be leaving each other again. It was a tearful good-bye, but we know this is part of the process and a very temporary sacrifice we have to make for Brian to be able to pursue Orthopedics. We are so proud of him for working so hard and know that the Lord already has a residency spot waiting for him somewhere. Now he just does his part and waits to see what happens!

In the meantime, we are already counting down the days until we see each other again...

Sweet Baby

Our first midwives appointment was this past Friday, and I was so thankful to have Elisabeth and my sister, Abbey, there with me. We were so blessed to hear the heartbeat and get an unexpected sonogram. What a joy it was to hear that tiny heart beating so fast, to know that the Lord has put a new life inside of me, a son or a daughter to join our family! And then to be able to see such a beautiful sweet baby so amazingly formed and dancing around was a joy I cannot fully explain.

Although I am 11 weeks along, the baby is measuring at 12 weeks (about the size of a lime - very technical, I know!), so my due date may be moved up to the first week of February. All the sooner to hold this sweet baby!

Did I mention that we waited 19 months for this?! The Lord is so faithful!

For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my Mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well. Psalm 139: 13,14

We were able to record the heartbeat for Brian and send it to him with the sonogram pictures. It was a wonderful surprise for him at the end of a long day. Elisabeth, being the lover of babies that she is, was so excited to see the "baby in Mommy's tummy" and hear his or her heartbeat. Her face lit up at the sight of her baby brother or sister. So did mine.

We love you sweet Baby! We cannot wait to see your beautiful face!

Only For a Season

Brian left for his out of state rotations today, and a part of my heart went with him. I know it's only for a time, but I miss him terribly. My eyes well up with tears every time Elisabeth asks for her Daddy, but I try to stay lighthearted for her.

We made a little calender to keep track of how many days until we see him again.

She gets to color in one box each night before bedtime,

and when all the boxes are colored we get to see Daddy again.

I don't know if she quite understands, but I figured it was better than saying, "We'll get to see Daddy on the 31st" or "We'll see Daddy in a couple of weeks." I know she definitely doesn't understand that. Colored boxes, maybe. Time, no.

We plan on keeping very busy the next four months, so hopefully the time will pass quickly. We have a couple of trips planned to spend with Brian's family, and we'll have the chance to see my family a couple of times. We'll be visiting friends and having plenty of midwives' appointments to check on the baby (My first appointment to hear the heart beat is this Friday! I'll be almost 11 weeks!). Really cute side note: Elisabeth came up to me this morning totally unprompted and said, "Baby in Mommy's tummy" and then proceeded to rub my belly! It was really precious!

The time should go quickly, and we are blessed that we will be able to see each other here and there throughout the four months of his rotations.

Our schedule:

*Brian in Oklahoma for two weeks.
*Elisabeth and I drive to Oklahoma to spend the weekend with Brian.
*Brian in Missouri for four weeks.
*We all meet back in Oklahoma to spend the weekend together.
*Brian in Oklahoma for another two weeks.
*Family vacation to California and Oregon for two weeks; Elisabeth and I fly back at the end of two weeks (Ty and Stacy, we already have our plane tickets, so we are definitely coming!!!).
*Brian in Oregon for four weeks.

Our reason for these crazy few months? As Brian has decided to do Orthopedic Surgery, he is rotating with the three Orthopedic residency programs that he is most interested in...they call them interview or audition rotations...the program checks Brian out and vice versa. This helps him to determine if he feels like one or more of the programs is a fit for him and how he wants to rank them in the application process. He will apply to many programs and wait to see if he is extended an interview. Of the programs he interviews with, these are the ones that he has a chance of being accepted to...no interview, no chance of being accepted. He will then rank the programs in order of his preference and see which one he matches to (Match for Brian is in February....same time Baby is due...many reasons to look forward to the Spring!)...for example, if he ranks Oklahoma first, Oregon second, and Missouri third (these are totally random...he has no idea how he will rank anything at this point) and Oklahoma chooses him for their program, then he matches there and we move to Oklahoma. If Oklahoma doesn't choose him but Oregon does, then he matches to Oregon and off we head to the Northwest....and so on and so forth down the line. He could match to his eighth (depending on the number of interviews he gets) choice and we end up somewhere totally random like Ohio or Florida. It's all in God's hands and we are grateful for that!...probably as grateful as you are for this incredibly long detailed description! But seriously, the Lord knows much better than we do where we need to go next.

After Brian gets home from his out of state rotations we are looking at a fabulous schedule to finish out his fourth and final year of medical school.
*6 months of easy rotations (all within a few miles of home) and no tests (That means no studying. Once he's home, we can do whatever we want. We haven't done that in three years!)!!
*Match to residency program in February.
*Graduation in May...Brian officially becomes Dr. Hodges!
*We move for residency.

It's been a long hard road for all of us, but we know that this is what Brian was called to do. We know that we have to make some sacrifices to complete this journey, and our temporary situation is one of them. We will make it through and get to see the rewards in February. We are so incredibly proud of all that Brian has done over the last three years and is doing during his time away.

Brian, we are here praying for you and cheering you on! Until we get to see you again...

Family Medicine Vacation...Umm...I Mean...Rotation

Brian just finished up his third year of medical school...meaning we only have one more year left until Mr. Hodges officially becomes Dr. Hodges! He finished up his third year with his Family Medicine Rotation, although I liked to call it his Family Medicine Vacation! Compared to all of Brian's other rotations during the year, this one was by far the biggest blessing with the most time off! And we took full advantage of it! We were busy with all things NOT related to med school for a change...and it was fabulous!

We spent many a day swimming and laying out (Brian and I would lay out while Elisabeth would take her nap). Brian got off most Mondays at noon and every Friday at noon, so we took full advantage of that time to enjoy the not-so-hot beginning of summer.

Swimming is often tiring, so Elisabeth was generally very ready to go bed after a long day in the sun. One night, after a full day of swimming, I was finishing up laundry and she was very adamant about wearing Brian's socks to bed...it's so sweet to see her want to be like him...



We had a pretty rainy Memorial Day weekend. We grilled out one evening while Elisabeth enjoyed running through this puddle for at least 30 minutes. Brian eventually joined her for some fun!







Here is Elisabeth helping to skim the pool. Don't worry Nanna/Gramma. She was very good about staying on the "little rocks" and not the "big rocks" closest to the pool.

Brian's last week of his Family Medicine Rotation we took Elisabeth to the zoo. She loved every minute of it! It was so much fun to take her at this age. More zoo pictures to come...







We are incredibly thankful for this time together as a family. Brian will be leaving in about three and a half weeks to do his rotations in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Oregon. We will be able to see him a little bit in between rotations, but he will be gone most of the first four months of fourth year. We will, however, be taking a wonderful family vacation to see our beloved friends in California to take a break in the middle of his rotations. We will be driving out to California and then up the coast to Oregon before Elisabeth and I fly back and Brian starts his rotation there. We can't wait to see our friends and enjoy many beautiful stops up the California and Oregon coasts. We are so grateful to be able to look forward to this...it will be our first family vacation...even though we have certainly enjoyed the last two months as such!