On June 20th Andy and I celebrated two wonderful milestones...

#3 Our 11th Anniversary and
#4 Andy's Graduation from residency training

We were so busy with the move, getting ready for the baptism, coordinating family stuff with lots of visitors, graduation activities, etc...that it wasn't until the afternoon of the 20th that it dawned on either one of us that it was our anniversary...things were THAT crazy. I mean I had known for a long time the night of the official graduation was the same day as our anniversary, we had talked about it several times and all that we would have to celebrate, but we both totally forgot because there was SO much going on! Oh well, at least the forgetfulness was mutual, we just felt really dumb by the time we remembered.


Here we are with Kaalan and Gretchen, (Kaalan and Andy were the two graduating), they are such wonderful friends and always will be considering we all went through it together. Obviously, we are all, VERY HAPPY!!!

Most of the pictures from graduation turned out too dark, but we took lots and had a wonderful time reminiscing the five years of Andy's training. I have to say, I had been to several other graduations and by far enjoyed this one the most, not just for the OBVIOUS reason (it was Andy's turn), but that night I got to hear countless stories and memories that were such a tribute to who Andy is and his outstanding character, it was amazing as his wife. I mean it's not like Andy came home from work and told me all the wonderful things he did and all the people's lives he affected. His fellow residents and attendings were so sincere and obviously hold him in high regard for who he is, what he believes, and how he treats others. I left in awe of the impact for good he had, both on those who he worked with and the people he cared for! It made all of the tough, tough times when he wasn't there seem all completely worth it. His residency was such a hard time in so many ways, for me, for him, for the kids...but we are all so grateful for the whole experience. It's hard to explain, but that night it was like I got to see all that my husband has become these last eleven years, nine of them in schooling for medicine, and I was AMAZED! It feels incredible to get through something that TOUGH and LONG and know it's over and you made it through...we are so GRATEFUL!


Andy with his Dad, I love this picture.


Andy with his wonderful and supportive, Mom and Dad!


The actual "document" that officially means, it is over!!!


He recieved, the coveted, temporal bone dissection award this year and his fellow residents sent in a picture of him and had this bobble-head M.D. made up...ha, ha.


This is from the Department and his attendings (bosses), it's a tradition to recieve one of these beautiful chairs for your office, love it!

Part 1: The LONG of it...saying goodbye to VA!

Our last week before we moved was bitter-sweet...it seemed packed full of farewells and by adding as many VA memories as we could! This post is WAY long, so you don't have to read it...it's for our family's record more than anything else!

The girls and I met up for lunch at Panera with the sweet women I have served with in YW for the last seven years, I will miss them all very much!

On, Sunday, June 14th, some very thoughtful friends of ours organized a farewell get together for our family. This sweet friend, Helena, was so generous to host it in her lovely backyard. The weather was just beautiful that evening and we had so much fun visiting with many that we love, there are so many people in Norfolk that we will NEVER forget! Our family's opportunity to have nine years in Norfolk, will always be one of our greatest blessings!

Amazing women...

Holly and I.

Jonah, Nathan, and Marshall.

Michael, Heidi, and Harley.

Nathan took these...

We even got to visit with a lot of our friends from the 1st ward, it is crazy how just splitting the ward made it harder to see people.

Gotta love Nathan's talent for photography...

All the kiddos had fun too...




Thanks so much we'll never forget that evening!!!

On June 15th, I got together for brunch with these six gals! These are the dear friends I saw everyday, when we picked up our kids from elementary school. They have, every one of them, become some of my favorite women and I admire each one of them very much. It was so refreshing to be able to visit with them everyday and it helped us all stay SANE!!! Miss you guys so much!

These are all of our kids combined, 19 in this picture + 5 that weren't + 1 on its way! Needless to say, all the kids are friends too!

June 16th, was the LAST day of SCHOOL! The kids go in for not even two hours and basically pick up their final report card and say their summer goodbyes. So, to celebrate, we went up to BUSCH GARDENS with all of our friends who had summer passes, and spent the rest of the day having lots of fun, when we should have been home packing boxes!

Had to include these first two, Tara and I were B.G. best buds and took our kids up lots together, since neither one of our hubby's could go...she is an incredible person and friend to me! She had already headed off on her summer road trip, so we were very sad she wasn't with us on the 16th!

Tara and Kenzie on the new Sesame roller coaster!

Nate, Jonah, Marshall, and Jonas after riding Escape from Pompeii.

Elisabeth's favorite, The Balloons in Italy.

Riding with Eliza.

Holly, Annie, and Marshall on the Battering Ram.

Jared, Jonah, and Nathan on same ride.

Top 2 rows from left to right: Shelby, Savannah, Harley, Harley's friend, Josh, Caleb, and Alec.

Marshall, Jonah, and Nathan.

Twins.

We'll just call them the 3 Musketters.

Annie and I on the flying swings.

Eliza and Deborah before take off.

Gracie and Heidi ready to fly.

Gracie and Annie on the airplanes (are those gang signs?)

Jenn, making Alec get wet, he kept wimpin out, thanks, hon!

Alec and Nate on teacups.

My girlies love this ride!

THANKS to wonderful friends for the great MEMORIES!!!

On June 18, we headed up to GREAT WOLF LODGE (hotel with indoor/outdoor waterpark) in Williamsburg one last time, THANK YOU Grandma and Grandpa for the very FUN break from packing! Only regret, Andy couldn't come with us this time, he had his last night of call and last day of work, BUMMER! Obviously, we were not too bummed to go have fun anyway...thus was our way of life during residency, may seem horrible, but we couldn't let his schedule stop us and he didn't want it to either!

Grandma took all of these pictures, bless her heart, so we have no photographic evidence of it, but she sure knows how to have fun at a water park, for certain.

The kids and I after the GIANORMOURS tube slide!

Elisabeth hung out with G&G a lot (she is our only cautious child)

Annie is almost too confident in the water...

Alec loves this place!

These floating logs are tougher than they look...

The boys got better everytime we took a trip there.

Annie and I in the lazy river.

Good buds...

All packed up and ready to come home.

We made sure we were home before our resident-HERO came home from his last day of work!!! Goodbye FOREVER ugly, aqua green SCRUBS!

The kids ambushed him with silly string to celebrate!