Well we just finished another great trip to Utah, and one to San Francisco without the kids and I am sure Mel will blog all about that. We returned to Bloomington a week ago, moved Saturday and Chloe had her tonsils out yesterday. The last post was a nice poem about medical school and I am sure some graduation pictures may make the blog here shortly. But before all of that gets posted I thought I would take a minute to thank someone who didn't graduate medical school but probably should get a lot more credit than she has. I am not as good with words as Mel so this may be a short post, but how grateful I am for her. Her willingness to be a great mother, to give service to others and especially to laugh when life doesn't always work out the way we thought. Not sure where this journey will take us but I am so glad to be on it with you. Thanks for all your help, love and support, I couldn't have done it without you.

Becoming a Doctor...a poem.

B-rad is officially a doctor.
We've been partying in up in Kirksville, Utah, San Francisco, and Utah so I don't have any pictures of the doctor yet but here is a lovely poem...(it's long but it covers 4 years so I did the breifest version I could:))

Med school is starting, it's finally here.
Not sure whether to laugh, cry, or cheer.

The midwest heat welcomed us with fury.
Those first days and weeks seem kinda blurry.

Where are the fallen power lines, we can't see 'em?
The 7 year secadas are buzzing, someone please free 'em.

Your first day of class, we sent you off feeling so proud.
Here goes the next four years we said aloud.

Studying and stuggling at first was how it went.
Every Sunday with family, no books, is how they were spent.

We loved to walk up the sidewalk and see you coming down the road.
At 5'ock our hugs and kisses helped you release the days load.

Exercised when we could, gotta make it count.
I almost froze in negative temps to an icey cold mount.

Our second year we did the St. Louis half.
When our luggage rack fell of the car we had to laugh.

Chloe waited to crawl for you.
And waited to take her first step for you, too.

Our early riser singing in the moring to Curious George.
Seeing you start the day with scriptures helped you spitually forge.

Driving to Utah, flying to Utah, lots of traveling time.
Seems we make it there everytime just fine.

Estes Park, Lake of the Ozark, we've covered the atlas.
A crazy winter drive in Colorado..glad we got you back to us.

Showing family the anatomy lab with all its weirdness and gore.
Sliding to home on your watch-your wrist must be sore.

The hoedown, the winterformal all the SAA functions we went to.
My SAA fun and memories I couldn't have had without you.

Starsky liked to run the neighborhood
Judge said, "did you have him on a leash like you should?"

Riding your bike to Troy and Mills and up,over, and beyond
TCC daily with friends and exercises so fond.

Once or twice we walked all the way to church.
Stepped over a bat, it squaked, made me lurch.

TO the park, to the park, to the park we go.
Brad's test taking confidence started to grow.

Spending time and dinner at our good friends house.
Babysat on weekends to go out with a spouse.

4 years, 2 kids only paid for a babysitter one time.
10 bucks for her to watch tv seemed like a crime.

You have a day off, lets drive to Nauvoo.
The spirit of the temple, peaceful times helped us through.

We got a condo in Branson and took some friends along.
playing games, eating treats, relaxing times is where we belong.

Bikes? Bikes? Brad excited so many guys.
With this common like you created great ties.

Chloe came with us, we had Ezra along the way.
"Family comes first," that's what we always say.

You studied and studied and studied some more.
I baked, crafted, top-modeled, life was never a bore.

Institute Thursdays brought persepctive to life.
Look at challenges with optism and try not to strife.

Dr. Ionas and Soloviva ,liked one more than the other.
But witthout that one Chloe may not have a brother.

That first winter Chloe seized for the very first time.
We saw in one second how life can go to hell from sublime.

Fever seizures happen and all is well.
3 more for her, one for him, they have the "fever spell."

Still testing, and learning, and discovering the doctor in you.
What you got done made me think there was not one of
you but two.

Mock match? Please, what're you so worried about.
"It doesn't even matter!" I wanted to shout.

But then we didn't match to Michigan and ended up in Normal I-L.
THe Lord's hand is in all is what we soon got to tell.

A Tornado in K-ville the first of its kind
all the flooding in our basement I'd like to rewind.

So now we're in Illinois in a house on front street.
The midwest heat, brown pee, it just can't be beat.

OUr ward in Bloomington was one of a kind
professor, statefarmer, doctor, all these we could find.

Bromenn hospital a fine place to train.
We loved visiting and using the valet lane.

Chocolate shake please,- and escalator ride.
Brad's rotations refined his doctor side.

"I went to the Cancer Center today, " on a whim
The doctor said there was reserach I could do for him

So we learned about Rad-onc and saw glimpes of our future.
March 17th slashed the dream but we're rebuilding suture by suture.

August in Cincinnati, Septemeber in dreamy Seattle.
Interview season was long but we couldn't be re-attled.

A paper route or research that pays

We made some money to spend on fun days.

On to Peoria for our internship year.
1-2-3-4 each day brings us near.

To Brad, who is the hardest worker I know,
Dream Big, work hard, impress everywhere you go.

This 4 year journey is over, the school part is done.
This journey, this adventure; the 3 of us plus one.

The future is shiny, it's bright and so starry.
The med school journey is over and there's not reason to be sorry.

We've had you to ourselves from march to end of June
Playing, Traveling, relaxing but working for you soon.

June 18th starts some adventures new
Brad, we 3 couldn't be prouder of you!!!

A happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day 2011.

I love being a mom. I love looking at these two little mugs every day of my life. They are perfect. They are my happiness.

I had my first "mothers day tear" when Chloe brought this home from Home Depot project day. She walked up behind Brad with her arms behind her back and then produced this. I was so pleased. She told me she chose the flowers herself. So so sweet.
And Ezra..just playing all day, every day, in the dirt in the back yard. Tonight he gave me kisses and a high five and hugs his little body right into my arms.
I'm lucky to have my sweet mom here this year. We're packing up for our move. I lost my voice, again, and have been kind of sick and she's just been a helper bee and so wonderful. I love her.

And i'm glad to have a sweet sweet Mother in law who is such a support

to us.
And this little mother at our local zoo. This is the first time i've ever seen her towing her babe around.
Happy Mother's Day to you all. Love, Mel

Some Easter tonsils.

This picture makes me laugh. Alot of times we give EZ things to keep him happy till the next destination or activity and so here he is. Can you tell he'd been eating m and m's. Such a sweet boy.

We went to an Easter Egg hunt...in a parking lot. Not what we'd expected but fun to pick up eggs in exchange for a huge bag of yummy candy. See picture above!
I love how you can see her bright yellow.
And Chloe. She loved Easter. She loved every single thing about Easter. We took her to the doctor because we were referred there because of her large tonsils. After about 2 hours we left with a surgery date. Chloe has to have her tonsils out. While we were there they discovered she has some fluid issues in her ears and so why not put tubes in too and heck, take the adnoids out while you're at it. She's being very brave and kind of excited about the whole thing. Surgery is set for when we get back from Utah and her dad is officially a doctor!

At home.

My Brad and little EZ are in Utah for a funeral of a very amazing grandpa (Brad's grandpa) Chambers.

So...it's a girls weekend plus a couple days. We went to the zoo in St. Louis. My attention was 100% devoted to this little girl and have i mentioned she really likes my attention:)

I'm glad we have this time together. She wanted to take breaks at all the benches and for me to take pictures of her. We just wandered the zoo and laughed and had a great day. We also took pictures of the animals.

She took this picture and then I thought to myself, don't let her take pictures with your nice camera. So, this was the one and only picture she took but I really like it.

This was Chloe's requested birthday cake. I tried "the Barbie cake". We went to the store, picked out the barbie (I steered her to one that was in plastic clothes thankfully), she helped me mix the batter (and then she and EZ ate the batter. Mmmmm...) Then she supervised the decorating of the cake.

Note: this cake is possible to make without the actual "Barbie cake" pan. I used a 9 inch round, topped with a small bowl used as a pan and then a small bowl used as a pan and topped with an inverted cupcake (Barbie has those hips!) We all liked how it turned out.

More pictures of the zoo.

We are having so much fun with the "girls and the girls and the boys and the boys" as Chloe says. We've got a McDonald's visit, some cuddling, some movie watching and projects to do plus games and books and fingernail painting and conference watching. We miss our Brad and EZmice but know they are having a great time with family in Utah.

4!

We welcomed this beautiful girl into our lives 4 years ago today.

She fills my heart with happiness. She loves for me to read her books and then nap right next to her daily. Today, we went swimming and she just started swimming next to me and taking breaths and swimming some more. She's fearless but still so sensitive and wants confirmation that she's doing the right thing or doing a good job.

She is so inquisitive. We talked about not saying "why?" when someone asks her to do something. She said, "okay mom." Later that day she said, "but if you ask me to build a bird house then could I say 'why' because I don't know what you mean?" She is so smart and constantly leaves us looking at each other in amazement. She is the best big sister. She loves Friday night movie night. She loves attention. She loves family night (and really gets on us if we don't have an activity or treat:) And...and...and...and...! We love this girl forever. More birthday pics to come.

Who wouldn't love waking up to a room full of balloons. Credit for balloon blowing to Brad. I had to get that 4 shirt done and wrap some gifts. We started this at 9:45 pm!

Lately, well for a while now, Chloe is obsessed with dance. She takes a free zumba class at our gym and did gymnastics but she has this concept of "ballet" really in her head. So I am teaching her (Thanks Barbie for teaching me the ballet positions and terms) some sweet moves and she teaches me. This day was so funny I had to video it. Somehow she conveyed to me that she wanted to learn a dance and then she kept practicing the dance. She even told me to show it to her a couple of times and then she would do it by herself. See for yourself. I love the curtsey and kisses at the end.

Chicago

What a birthday to remember forever. On Wednesday we went to the airport to pick my mom up for the weekend. Brad and I drove seperate cars because he said he had to go run some errands after we went to dinner and I didn't think anything of it. We got to Steak and Shake and were just ordering when I turned around and saw these two pretty faces. I shrieked with delight, i'm sure. My two cute sisters (wish our Mandy could've come too) came with my mom to give me the ultimate surprise and then during dinner they surprised me again. I was told we would be spending two nights in Chicago together. This was quite the shocker and pleaser to me. I haven't been away from Ezra since he was born and only been away from Chloe once since she was born. Pure awesomeness.

So we spent a couple of days in Bloomington. I think Chloe would've died if she didn't get some Grandma Ruthie time. This way she was the center of attention for two days and then she got all of her dad's attention for the whole weekend.

I really think Chicago is such a fun place to go. And the people are really friendly.

We had to experience a subway ride. And I think I laughed a little too hard when we took a cab and 3 of us jumped in the back and emily had to ride in the front seat. I'm so immature.
We walked and shopped and didn't have a schedule at all.
The view of us and the city in the Bean.
Weber Grill.
We saw a show. This show was awesome. I've been listening to the music on itunes.Another fun restaurant.

I'm glad we got to go to the art museum. Art History was one of my favorite classes I've ever taken.

Love this VanGogh.
I've always loved this painting. And now I have been inspired to start reading Agony and the Ecstacy. It's a big big book about Michelangelo one of my favs.
And then they had to go home and I drove the 2 hours back to Bloomington alone. It was so fun to be with my mom and two wonderful sisters. It meant soooooooooooooo much to me that they would come all this way to spend some time with us. I love when people get to see "our life over here" for a day or a week. Thanks again guys. And my Brad. What a guy. They were walking up the path holding hands when I came home. I met them and saw them holding hands and Chloe skipping and laughing. When she saw me she ran, fast, straight into my hugs.