Graduation with Dr. Morgan Ball

This week has sure been exciting! For us it started on Wednesday at the Senior Awards Luncheon. Morgan got a Horace Wells award for Anesthesiology. A professor came up after the awards and told Morgan that he always asked the most questions and would often stick around after class to discuss more of the lecture. Well, if that's the case, he should have gotten some more awards because he does that all of the time. Ha ha. Seriously though, when we were both attending Nova together, I would be waiting for him outside of a classroom sometimes and wonder, how come I've seen pretty much his whole class come out, but not him? He would always be talking with a Professor and asking more questions :)

Friday night was the Graduation Dinner and Dance. The dinner started at 8pm.... Perfect. Just in time for Carly's bedtime. We haven't done the whole babysitter thing yet and we didn't feel comfortable leaving her with anyone (except Bethany but she was sitting at our table at the dinner lol). Thus, she went to the dinner with us. I'm surprised she lasted as long as she did! She actually fell asleep 2 different times on my lap (only lasting like 10 min at a time) but it was enough to rejuvinate her and keep her happy. She fell asleep in my arms again while we waited for the valet and slept the whole way home (11pm). It was a long night and I'm surprised she made it so long!

Graduation was on Sunday, May 27th. I hung out with Bethany while our husbands went early, then we drove over together. We were hurrying in because we were afraid we were going to miss them! Imagine two women running - each holding a child and bags. Yeah, I wish someone from candid camera was filming us so I could watch it later and laugh. Poor Bethany was wearing heels and carrying a heavier baby than me. Then there was an older man that went through our bags and here I am thinking "hurry up, hurry up!" A lady at the door in asked us if the girls were sisters or cousins. No, they are just best friends :) As we approached the first gate, the man told us there weren't any seats and that we'd actually have to go down to gate 114/115 for seating. Yikes, and continue the running/speed walking. And it looked equally packed, we really had to look around to find empty seats. We were lucky to find 2 seats together because the Bank Atlantic Center was packed and the few seats that were available were being saved for others.

It was a good thing we were in the very back because Carly was not a happy camper. I was glad I was able to stand up and know I wasn't in anybody's way. The man next to us ended up letting us have an extra seat and Lucy was able to sit on her own chair. Good & bad because she wasn't really heavy enough to keep the chair down, but I guess that meant she couldn't fall out of it. She had a book and stickers to keep her entertained and she kept putting the stickers in her mouth to eat them. I don't know why, but I thought this was hilarious. It reminded me of the movie Elf, where he's at the doctor's office and won't stop eating cotton balls. Carly actually stayed calm for a little while looking at her little Colors book. I was surprised.

We made it for the end of the Chancellor speaking and heard the whole commencement speech - which I really enjoyed. A small physical therapy class walked and then the dental class walked. Of course I knew Morgan would be one of the first since his last name starts with B, but it still caught me by surprise. I got a picture of him being "hooded" or "caped" as I would call it (just because it seems cooler - he's gonna save the world one cavity at a time!) but it was so far away and our camera is not the best. Carly had a royal meltdown right after his class walked. One of the people walking had a lot of support from family & started yelling and clapping. Poor Carly was so tired and she just started crying so loud. I grabbed my bag and got out of there, with a screaming crying Carly for dramatic effect of course. I know how to make an exit. Morgan & Mark met us out front so we could snap some pictures of them in their graduation attire before returning it onsite.

On the drive home, Carly was starting to fuss a little, but I think that Lucy was keeping her entertained by her made up words and funny actions. Pretty soon, Carly was asleep, then Lucy. It was the sweetest ending to our stressful adventure to graduation. We were joking on the way home because we felt so accomplished making it there - "We did it!" Then thought, that's what the graduates are saying about making it 4 years through school, and yet we feel so accomplished lasting 1 1/2 hrs at commencement.

We went back to Mark & Bethany's and had an amazing steak & ribs dinner. I must admit, I am a sucker for rolls and that was one of my favorite parts. We are really going to miss Mark & Bethany! Yesterday was a crazy, long, fun day with way too many funny moments that I don't want to forget.

T minus 7 days

Wow. Time is flying. Carly had her 6 month appointment and weighed in at 15 lb, 26 1/2 in long, and her head circ is 16 1/4 in. Average for her weight and above average for her length. We have begun the food adventure! Unfortunately, after some different attempts, we have discovered that her tummy isn't ready for baby cereal just yet and so we're anxious to find things that she likes that will also give her the iron that she needs. What she likes so far, drum roll please.... strawberries, avocado, and possibly sweet potatoes. Yes, and that is all. One day I thought maybe she liked bananas, but she hasn't eaten any since. One day she ate pinto beans but again, hasn't eaten them since. But she has been offered quite a few different things and has refused most things. I'm discovering that she doesn't like baby food. She likes the real thing. Tonight we were at Sean & Amy's and she was VERY interested in my food. This was the 2nd time she had sweet potatoes. The first time was from a baby food jar and she wasn't interested at all. Tonight, she was loving it and begging for more. I didn't give her too much in case it didn't set well but am hoping she will eat it again soon. Like tomorrow. 

Carly likes to chill a lot of the time. Although she is very alert and has to know what's going on, she doesn't seem to be too adventurous. She still isn't a big fan of tummy time. She will scoot around on her back a little, but hasn't been doing much rolling lately either. Maybe partly because we have hardwood floors and anytime she gets set down, it's on a blanket. She LOVES standing up and looking around. She loves being outside. Anytime she fusses or is having a rough time, I usually just have to walk outside and she is a happy girl. She likes the windchime in the backyard and likes to watch the boats going by on the water. And if everything else fails, we give her a bath. In her saddest and maddest moments, a bath can ALWAYS put a smile on her face. 

Big changes have been happening in our house in preparation for the big move. Today we went to Morgan's award ceremony & luncheon at the school, sold the Honda and transported all of our boxes that are now Washington-bound. Our house is so empty. I'm hating it and loving it. Hating all the good things we'll be leaving behind, hating living in an empty house with no furniture, and hating all this rain that's keeping me from my final days at the beach. Loving the closure I'm feeling as we prepare for this next phase of our lives, loving the anticipation of starting fresh and loving that we get to spend the next while with our family back in the northwest. 

There are things I will not miss. 

• Such as the terrible customer service the first days of our arrival here the summer of 2008, realizing that people here don't stalk you in the store and make sure you doing alright, but rather avoid eye contact all together. 
• The cockroaches that seem to find their way into our home and the fight or flight response that finds me chasing them around with a shoe. There are too many cockroach stories and I wish to have no more in my memories, thank you. 
• The hot, Hot, HOT and humid weather. Yes I will miss the warm weather, but not this hurricane season weather. 
• Not having a dishwasher, garbage disposal, limited 3 prong plugs, etc. Well I guess the nice thing about living in a home built in the early 1900's is that you realize what you will be looking for in your next place. We have a definite list and amazingly we didn't have to write any of it down lol. 
• Crazy Florida Drivers. Don't get me wrong - I love the speed limits and how many lanes are on the roads and freeways. But I will not miss all the crazy drivers who never use blinkers, change 3-4 lanes at a time, yield when no one is in a round about, stop in the right lane just to jump out and grab a newspaper or drop someone off, and ride your bumper when you're going 5-10 over because they want to go faster. 

There are things I will definitely miss. 

• All of my TMC buddies that we met as soon as we moved out here. Wow, 6 members of the church in Morgan's dental class and we've had quite a few get-togethers over the years down here. I've been visiting teaching companions with 2 out of 4 of the wives. Heidi in Plantation ward and Amy in Davie ward. 
• I will miss all my young women. Man, I had some really awesome young women :) 
• The riverwalk. We go on a walk every day (sometimes twice a day) to the riverwalk. It's part of my daily routine and it's part of our family nightly routine. It is gorgeous. The last few months, the weather cools down in the evening and has a beautiful breeze. We go on our walk and find a place to sit by the water & watch the boats go by. 
• I have loved living so close to a library. We walk there every 1-2 wks and check out movies. It's great. 
• Las Olas and Kilwin's ice cream (las olas mud). Yumm! Love walking on las olas and seeing all their great little stores. My favorites are the art stores - I love looking at all the paintings. And I love smelling Kilwin's ice cream store. Las Olas mud is my favorite ice cream flavor. 
• Lizards. That may sound strange but I don't mind having them in my house because I know they eat bugs. Enough said. 
• Swimming pools galore. I am beginning to realize that I have taken the amount of swimming pools for granted down here. As I have been scouting out Tacoma and looking for a place to live, I am realizing that I may not find the perfect house that's walking distance to a pool & a library...
• Applebee's Girl's Night Out. Those have been some good times. I am always down for a good girls night out. 
• Being 10 min from the beach.

 Once upon a time, Morgan was doing laundry while baby was sleeping. He thought he would put all of her laundry on her & in her bed with her while she was sleeping. 

 Mom! Look what I can do!

 More strawberries please.

 Do I like avocados? Is my mustache green? What else is about it?

 Don't bother me. I'm on my phone ordering some take out strawberries.

 Go Cougars!

 I didn't get the perfect picture, but she was loving this apple slice. She loved holding it in her hand herself, sucking and chewing on it. Homemade teether? Yes!

Today we went in the backyard to watch the boats go by and saw a giant iguana (can you see it?). It was in the backyard, but as we came back it hurried through the gap to sit on the cement wall. There's actually 3 sitting on the wall. The big gray one and two small green ones.

Grandma, Grandpa, the keys and orlando to come

 Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk. Note the shark trying to eat our heads.

 Southernmost Point in Key West. This is where Carly discovered she could throw her binky out of the stroller and onto the sidewalk. Luckily we found it on the way back to the van.

We found a sweet ocean spot to fish and chill in the water with no one around. Wow our own secluded ocean spot with complementary shade. 

Family picture in the ocean :)

She was praying for all the fishes in the ocean since Daddy was trying to catch them. All of them. 

Ask me if I like sitting with mom on this chair with my legs dangling in the water. Life is good. Real good. 

Smiling at Grandma Diane in the car. Officially sick of her carseat? I think yes! Uncle Jordan was great and helped to keep her entertained by shaking a water bottle. She loved it and had quite a few episodes of giggling. Never knew water could be so funny. Grandma Diane shook around a map and Carly loved that too. Oh the things we do to entertain and distract a baby on a long car ride. It was good practice since we'll be doing even longer stretches of driving once we're back in the northwest.

Sweet little baby face.

Now are you ready to drive to Orlando? Yes! Pics to come.