Coming Up for Air

Well, we have arrived in Gainesville! We had a terrible time getting our internet hooked up, but we're back online now. Here's a quick update for anyone interested.

The house is unpacked, except for the garage. The boys' rooms are done, and the playroom is done for now. Our living room furniture is being shipped any day. The kitchen and our bedroom/bath should be finished tomorrow. They are operational, but will be decorated tonight and tomorrow.

Andrew and Coleman have been back and forth from our home to their grandparents' homes several times. They have really had a lot of fun while we have gotten a lot of work done. Brent has been back in NC for a few days working at the VA, and will get home tomorrow. My parents have been here for a couple of days to help me decorate and shop (like I really need help with that). We'll have ongoing projects for a while, and a list of stuff to do forever. We're already really enjoying our new home, and I can't wait to get us all back together under one roof! We should be able to start getting out and exploring our new town later this week, so I'll post some pictures then.

If you need a vacation spot or just a quick getaway, our floor is available! We'd love to see you and show you around our new hometown. So as my sweet grandmother used to say, "Come to see us when you can!"

Leaving Winston Tomorrow

I do not want to talk about it.

The Movies

A theater in town is having summer movie days for kids. For $3, you get movie admission, a popcorn, and a drink. What a deal! Today they were showing Curious George, so we took the boys to their first movie. They did great! They both watched and even remembered to talk quietly, mostly. It was a fun activity. Here are a few pics from the morning.



This was their first time to have popcorn. Andrew wasn't crazy about it, but Cole would have eaten it the whole movie if I'd let him.

Teenagers Again

Sometime between 4:00 and 4:45 today, Brent and I will have been married 13 years! What a fun weekend that was. It was absolutely one of the three happiest days of our lives so far. Here are just a couple of pictures from that fun day. And I don't know why they scanned in the way they did.

He's still the most handsome man I've ever seen. A blonde Rhett Butler, if you will.



with the 1929 Rolls Royce Phantom II Towncar we left in

Daddy's Helpers

Saturday Brent was cutting the grass when the lawnmower broke. He and the boys worked on it for a good while. They finally figured a way to "redneck it" (Brent's term) using duct tape and twine. We are currently in the market for a new mower. Anyway, here are some pics from the repair session.







Cole was fairly certain the problem lay with the wheels. He worked on all four with that wrench.

Boys and Boats

When we were in Georgia in May, we made a stop at the boat shop Brent's dad works in. It's run by Brent's great uncle, and is a big part of the family history. Brent and his brother used to play in the boats when they were small. Andrew and Coleman got that chance while we were there. They had a blast!




Cole got spooked by something and wouldn't let go of Pop-O's neck. It was the first time any of us had seen him scared.

Another Milestone

Last Thursday morning, we did something we'd been waiting to do for nine years. Brent graduated from residency! The ceremony was at the hospital, and thanks to Hilary who kept the boys, I was able to go. There were various awards given, attending physicians recognized, and each third year resident was given a diploma. Dr. Lichstein, the program chair, had nice things to say about each resident. I felt a little conspicuous taking pictures, but after nine years, I decided it didn't matter. I did stop short of getting Brent to pose with his attendings though. I thought that might be a little over the top.

Here's Brent's slide as Dr. Lichstein introduced him.


Dr. Lichstein, Dr. DuBose (Internal Medicine Chair), and Dr. Archer.

It was a really special morning, and I'm so glad I got to go. And yes, I cried a little. It was very overwhelming to sit there and remember all the way back to Tuscaloosa in May of 2000 when we started this journey. All the friends we've made and left behind on the way. All the encouragement we've received. All the sacrifices and struggles. All the call nights, exams, and tough schedules. All the hilarioius medical stories we've heard and experienced. All the incredible ways God has shown Himself to us throughout this journey. And now it's over. So I cried a little. But just a little. :)

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Well, I seem to be having trouble with blogger today. Earlier, it wouldn't upload my pictures. Now, I can upload pictures, but I can't rearrange them. So here is my birthday celebration in reverse order.

Andrew helping me open gifts.

Brent and the boys gave me a new ice cream/frozen yogurt/sorbet maker. I am very excited about it, really, but I was apparently feeling every bit of 12 weeks pregnant by this point.

my birthday cake with the confetti sprinkles - or as Andrew called it, "renpetti"

Andrew helped Gigi make the cake. He was very proud of his work and could not wait to sample it!

The boys got to lick the beaters after Gigi finished the icing.