Year End Summary

Year End Wrap Up!

Helaman and Midland Mayor Jerry Morales

This year Helaman took and passed the written portion of his board exams, and eagerly awaits the oral portion in February. He works very hard and at the time of this blog entry is removing a record setting 10 sets of wisdom teeth in one day. He continues to hone his culinary skills at home, as there are not that many places to eat out here. Recent favorites include homemade Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a Thanksgiving fried turkey, and bagels. He puts hot sauce on everything, and has spread that habit to Elliott. We met the mayor at a Medical Society dinner.

This year on Charlotte's birthday we went to LegoLand in Carlsbad, California, and ran into some wonderful friends we knew as a young couple in Tempe, Arizona some 12 years ago. I was elected (unopposed) President of the Midland Medical Alliance, which is an organization for physician wives. We hold various social gatherings and service opportunities for members and are frequently asked to accompany hospital recruiters as they entertain potential employees' wives so we can convince them Midland is a super fun place! I've also enjoyed getting to know the great families in our neighborhood at block parties, neighborhood events and mom's night at the clubhouse once a month. In August, I went back to Dallas for a fun girls' weekend at the Gaylord Texan resort with ten friends (five of whom were pregnant!) I decided having a fall baby was not my favorite time of year, as I had to spend the largest part of the pregnancy in a very hot summer. I recommend early summer babies to anyone.

 

Charlotte had a big year. She was baptized in April, and started a new school in the fall. She had some problems hearing, so we had her checked and ended up getting tubes in her ears as well as an adenoid removal surgery. She was a champ through it all. She is also the proud owner of a new pair of glasses. She loves reading, and is in the top 5 kids in her school (of all grades) in a program where you take tests based on the books you read. She continues to excel at piano lessons though it is a struggle to get up at 6 am sometimes! This year she also organized a street children's choir (complete with practices, photocopied music, schedules - the works), and recently led them on a Christmas caroling outing that everyone enjoyed.

Olivia started kindergarten this year. She has always been a big napper so I thought it would be tough for her to go to school all day, but she enjoys it and is proud of her perfect attendance and good citizen awards. She also takes early morning piano lessons, and has done gymnastics once a week. She also enjoys her art class at school and is often found drawing and crafting.

Elliott enjoys going to his school twice a week, and is usually too busy to say goodbye to me when I drop him off. He has started talking a lot, and though I can't understand all of it, his sisters can and are happy to translate. He is love with all things truck and car, happily plays with his sisters and currently charms everyone when he asks each day, "Baby Gwam are?"

Graham arrived on November 21 this year. He thought he would make the perfect anniversary gift. I was supposed to be induced early on Nov 20, but the hospital L&D was full and I wasn't able to go in until 2pm. Which was actually perfect timing, since Helaman didn't get done with his patient load for the day until 1. Labor started around 4 and progressed steadily until 1:30am when he popped out. I can't believe he was stuffed inside me. He was big then and has been growing at a good rate since. He is a sweet little guy and we are so happy to have him join us.

2015 Travel Log:

Feburary: Great Wolf Lodge in Dallas
March: Scottsdale, Arizona at the Fairmont Princess and Carlsbad, California at LegoLand
June: Dallas (Arboretum, Torchy's, temple, Northpark, OMS grad night), Buchanan Dam for family reunion
July: Cruise to St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados out of Puerto Rico.
October: Jackson Hole, Wyoming