Trying to Keep Up.

I usually try to keep an eternal perspective about this stage of my life, but my kiddos have been driving me CRAZY these last couple of weeks, my white carpet is driving me bonkers and the fact that I don't have a yard to just let my kids play in is making feel so anxious for a change...I think blogging in so many ways, helps me keep an eternal perspective...when I gather my pictures and see what we've been doing and sharing together, I realize that we do have a great life...and I really shouldn't complain when my kids are acting like monkeys, I can't keep my white carpet clean and we don't have a yard...but sometimes it just feels good to complain! After all, life is not a walk in the park all the time and those little inner battles to keep positive are what keep life real.

You really wouldn't know how nuts my children have been driving me when you look at these pictures though...

We got some pink and blue nail polish, I painted Brielle's nails and she thought she was so cool!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the doctor to get a yearly physical. I found out that my cholesterol is borderline, I'm pretty close to being pre-diabetic, my white count was low and I'm still vitamin D deficient...GRRREAT...I think all of that just made me feel so depressed! I'm telling you, 30 is NOT a good number...the doctor said, I need to cut down on carbs...really? I try so hard to make balanced, healthy meals for our family...now, I almost have this love-hate relationship with food...what the heck can I eat? It's SO annoying! (The doctor re-checked my white count a second time though, and it came back normal...so that's good, at least I'm not anemic.)

Scott has made me feel better about the whole thing, saying that I probably don't need to change my diet too much but I do NEED and MUST be more active! You would think that chasing after two kids would count as being active...it seems like since this last winter came, I've just become this sedentary human being...it's horrible...so I have to go back to my old ways before the winter started, and go on a long walk almost every day.

We've been doing it...

Even though, it's challenging with the kiddos because they get tired and they stop often, it's been fun.

They love exploring and being outside...

I sure made them walk, that day we probably walked for about 2 miles...they were tired and took their sweet time.

One of the things I LOVE about Virginia is all the walking trails they have...half the time you wouldn't know it though because they are hidden by the trees...there seriously is so much to discover behind all of the trees...I found the most amazing trail only about a 5 minute drive from our house. You seriously feel like you are in the middle of the forest, away from the city.

What's a post without Brielle's sass?

So, the kids were playing by this little bridge over the cutest little creek, when all a sudden, we turn around to head back to the trail and Brielle says:

"Look! Look at the snake!"

Oh my heck! My heart! It started beating really, really fast and it went even faster when Brielle started walking towards it with the intention of grabbing the ugly reptile!!!! I freaked out! I couldn't believe she was about to go grab that thing! Braden was a lot more timid about it, he kind of just grabbed my leg and stayed close to me.

I am definitely NOT a fan of snakes!

It was such a hot day that day, when we got back the kids wanted me to go spray them with the hose outside, they were so excited about it. When we got there, the water was turned off...

They were devastated...but at least I got these cute pictures of them in their swimming suits!

Last Saturday, our ward's primary had a temple trip planned for the children. I couldn't pass the opportunity to take my children to the temple...and I think I needed to go the most...at least to be there and walk around the grounds.

It was such a blessing to be there! The only thing that could have made this visit better, was if Scott could have made it. (He's been going to an intense Kaplan course to get him ready for boards, they've been having class even on Sunday!...poor guy, but I think it's going to be worth it, he's been loving the teachers and the information that they're giving him.)

After the planned activity, the kids and I weren't quite ready to go home, so we walked around the temple grounds a little longer and found the most beautiful nature trail.

I was wearing heels but it was worth it! It was perfect!

Later that day, we went out again and had a little photo session with me.

Even though, these two keep me on my toes, they are sure cute and I love them.

Last Wednesday, Brielle had a field trip to the farm. Braden and I joined her class and it was fun to be there and watch Brielle with her little friends.

It was a fun field trip.

The next day, my dear husband forgot his book for his class, so we drove to D.C. to drop it off. Since we were already there, we decided to stick around and wait for his lunch break. While we waited, the kids and I headed to the National Cathedral, one of my FAVORITE places here...

We walked around for just a little bit and then realized that we needed to get back to meet up with Scott at G.W...I was bummed because we didn't make it around to the entrance where they have these beautiful doors that I wanted to take pictures of...there's always next time...

I guess, after all, it has been a great couple of weeks...blogging is good for me...it helps me keep an eternal perspective.

Remember the caterpillar Brielle caught a few weeks ago that made a cocoon? Well...it hatched!

Pictures to come...

Officially a Third Year.

I'm happy to report that my husband is no longer a second year medical student. He finished his second year last week and although it has not been an easy road, he made it. I'm so grateful to everyone who warned us about this second year...because even though there is really nothing that can prepare you to go through it, at least we had an idea of what Scott was going to go through...They say that if you endure through the first two years, you are for sure on the road of really becoming a doctor. Now, it is becoming more real, for all of us...and this makes me proud and grateful. The other day, I got the General Conference Ensign in the mail. I came across Elder Uchtdorf's Priesthood session talk called "Continue in Patience." It couldn't have been better timing...I felt like that talk was given just for us.

"...patience [is] far more than simply waiting for something to happen-patience require[s] actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results [don't] appear instantly or without effort."

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

{He did it!}

I'm grateful to Scott for enduring through these first two years of medical school. He has worked hard. He had last weekend off and now he is off studying for boards, which he will take June 28th. He will start his first rotation (OBGYN) July 1st.

No breaks.

The kiddos and I will be heading to Utah and Idaho next month for a month to visit family and let Scott focus 100% on studying to take the boards...we will miss him so much...

But like Elder Uchtdorf said:

"Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can-working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"

Scott can't wait for his first rotation in July! He will finally be in the hospitals helping people! The thought motivates him and makes him happy and it makes me happy to know that he will be doing something he loves!

After June 28th, no more sitting in a classroom, no more studying in a cubicle living a sedentary life...{well, at least until the second part of boards come around} ha!:)

We are proud of you Scottie!

We are part of the GWU Med-Families Association and we had our closing social on Saturday.

These guys and their wives are awesome!

{Erick , Scott, Mike, Rob, Jared & Ryan}

We missed you Tyson and family, Cory and family!!! and both of our first years and their wives!

{I wish I had a picture with all of the girls, this is Val and she is just awesome! She's about to have a little girl.}

Thanks for everything Val, Alyson, Linzie and Alyssa! You will definitely be missed!

We also have a Med-Wives group, we meet once a month to chat about what is like to be wives to medical students. I LOVE getting together with everyone because it is SUCH a support. Everyone is so helpful and encouraging. It's a blessing to have a listening ear and encouraging words, especially from the families that have gone before us, their advice is always invaluable.

We are going to miss our 4th years but we are so happy for you and your families!:)

Be Glad of Life.

Back in my former life, of a single woman, I LOVED collecting quotes.

{I found this one that I feel fits this post.}

Sick boy starts to feel better and this is what happens...Do I even have to explain?

Naughty, naughty children...and these things happen in a matter of seconds...

These two are definitely partners in crime.

As you can see Mr. Braden is over his sickness...We've been enjoying A LOT of time outside.

The other day we went to one of my favorite places here in Virginia, Frying Pan Park.

As always, the kids had a blast seeing the animals and running around.

These little yellow wild flowers are so cute.

Frying Pan Park is seriously my favorite! I love it because it's so fun to see the animals...we saw little baby pigs this time...they were busy drinking from their mommy...I wish I would have taken pictures...another reason I love going there so much is because it's a big wide open space! No trees just field...I miss that...

While Brielle was in preschool last week, Braden and I went to a Spring Fun Run they had with our ward. He was a little shy...it's amazing how much my kids rely on each other at social things...Braden didn't quite know what to do without Brielle...I think we need to work on doing things individually...

But nonetheless, it was a fun outing and I think Braden enjoyed himself, even though he was clingy the whole time!

Brielle got invited to her little friend Michael's birthday party, the other day. Brielle and Michael really like each other. They play so well together and when I ask Brielle who her favorite boy in preschool is she ALWAYS answers Michael! and according to Michael's mom, he says the same thing about Brielle! It's funny!

They had his little party at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. It's SUCH a BEAUTIFUL place! They had so much fun exploring...we went around the gardens looking for things that Michael's mom had printed on a paper, when the kids found the thing they'd put a star next to it. It was fun even though it was so hot that day!

Her little friend Jessica was there too.

Here they were feeding the fish, huge catfish.

Braden LOVED those binoculars! This is toward the end of our long walk through the park and the kiddos were starting to get really tired!

It was so fun to go and be outside!

After the party, one of our favorite little boys came to visit us for a few hours...

My kids seriously LOVE this little boy so much! He is Preston, my friend Holly's little boy. He was so good and I just wanted to squeeze him the whole time he was here!

Yesterday, we went to the park for a little bit and Brielle found a caterpillar.

She BEGGED me to bring it home...she begged so much I just had to let her.

When we got home she said:

"Welcome to your new home little one!"

It was hilarious!

I personally, could NOT make myself touch the little creature...Brielle and Braden on the other hand, were all over it...Brielle even put it close to her face!!! She was giving it love!!!:) Oh my goodness! It gave me the heebie-jeebies!!!!

They played with it for a good while, until we had to go to the store...we were probably gone for about an hour. When we got home the caterpillar looked like this:

It made a cocoon!!!!!! Isn't that amazing??? I am in awe. I've never seen metamorphosis happening right before my eyes. It made me happy that I let Brielle bring it home because now we get to see the process. It's been so fun talking about it with the kids and teaching them about metamorphosis. They are so intrigued by the whole thing!!! I did some research and I wish I could say that it'll turn into a beautiful butterfly but it's an eastern tent moth...and it's a super ugly one...Brielle keeps saying that it'll turn into a BEAUTIFUL butterfly...I'm afraid she will be disappointed....oh well...

Random funny things I've heard my children say:

Brielle: Braden, come here!

Braden: I'm not Braden, I'm Batman!

Brielle: You are not Batman!

Braden: Yes, I am! I'm Batman, my name is Batman!

At dinner tonight, we were having organic mushroom and olive pizza from Whole Foods (I highly recommended! It was almost as good as a homemade pizza). Brielle is not a fan of mushrooms.

She said:

Brielle: "Mom, can you take the marshmallows off my pizza?"

Me: What marshmallows?

Brielle: These ones (pointing at the mushrooms).

Me: You mean mushrooms?

Sickness.

Last Sunday, we were walking into the chapel ON TIME, (that VERY SELDOM happens in this family), when all of the sudden Mr. Braden acts like he's about to throw up! Thank goodness he warned us, I grabbed a garbage can that so happened to be right next to me and he puked all of his breakfast. My poor little man! Scott took him home and Brielle and I stayed, since I was in charge of running things in nursery that Sunday. He slept pretty much the whole day and had a fever. We gave him Motrin and his fever was kept under control. On Monday he woke up and was pretty energetic...I thought that it might just have been a 24-hour bug...he was a little hoarse but I didn't think it was much of a big deal...

Scott had school that day and the kids and I got ready and decided to take him all the way to D.C., generally, there is hardly any traffic going to D.C. on Mondays...since we were already in D.C., the kiddos and I headed to the Marine Corps War Memorial, they also call it the Iwo Jima Memorial...I have been wanting to go there since we moved here and I never could figure out how to get there and I didn't know what it was called. But somehow, I figured out the name of the place, I plugged it into GPS and made it!

That statue is so INCREDIBLY HUGE and it captivates so much emotion. I've always seen it in pictures but seeing it in person was just amazing!

It is such a beautiful big open area, the kids ran around and explored for a while...

It was the perfect day to just be outside...

Braden was enjoying it too...until he started to complain that he wasn't feeling well and that he was thirsty...he started to tell me, "hold me, hold me mom. I don't feel good."

I picked him up and he was so hot...right then, I decided that I had probably pushed my little boy too hard...what a terrible mommy...I just didn't want to waste such a beautiful day inside the house...

We headed home right away, I had him on fluids the rest of the day. I kept checking his temperature and by 4 it had reached 104.4...and he was also coughing, it sounded like a croupy kind of cough...you know those barking kind of coughs? That's how it sounded...I didn't want to freak out, so I gave him some Motrin and called the pediatrician to see if I could get him in but they were about to close, so I made an appointment for the next day, hoping that his fever would get under control with the Motrin...I gave it about an hour and a half and by 5:30pm. his fever had gone up to 104.8!!! Almost 105!!! That's when I called Scott and told him that I was headed to the ER. Scott told me that was probably a good idea, since 105 is pretty bad...

We got there and they tried to give him Tylenol (cherry flavored) which he HATES! He would not take it, I tried and tried...got Tylenol all over my hands because he'd spit out any that would get in this mouth...finally the nurse brought a suppository! My poor boy! He cried so hard...but by the time the actual doctor came by, his fever had come down to 103.

Thank goodness.

The doctor ordered tests for RSV, strep and pneumonia. He was a trooper through it all...he even got a rectal reading of his temperature!!! It was so sad!!! I felt so bad for him! He was so cute though when he had to go get x-rays of his chest...he did everything the radiologist told him to do...while we waited for results we watched movies and ate popsicles...he was acting a lot happier than he had been before...

Two and a half hours later...every test came back negative!

What a relief!

By the time of discharge, his temperature was down to 100.5...It sure scared me though, when I saw 104.8 in the thermometer at home!!! The doctor diagnosed him with bronchiolitis, which is basically a virus.

For the rest of the week, we just took it easy at home. He had hardly any appetite but was willing to drink fluids. He has been so needy and cuddly...more than usual!:) By Friday, he was acting more like his usual self...it was so interesting throughout the whole week to watch Brielle...she seriously did NOT know what to do without her healthy little brother to play with...she'd go to his bedroom and try to get him to play with her but he was so sick, he did a lot of sleeping...Brielle missed him. They are such good friends...

When my kids get sick like Braden did last week, I feel grateful for modern medicine and the accessibility that we have to it...and for the blessing that overall I have two healthy children.

{Today, I feel thankful.}