Well, we moved into our new home, officially, on June 28th, 2013. It was, coincidentally, the hottest day of the year. 118 degrees, in fact. We kept the A/C off because we had the doors open most of the day, moving our things from the truck. Fortunately, we had been able to move in over the previous two weeks, and I already had my kitchen unpacked, as well as closets filled. So, the job wasn't too terrible. But, boy was it hot. The house reached 99 degrees....and I think it only said that because the thermostat won't go any higher than that.
Our good friends, the Randall's, had us over for dinner that Sunday since they knew we had pretty much zero food. While we were there, we decided to have an impromptu trip to Puerto Penasco, Mexico for the 4th of July. It's about four hours away from us and it was amazing! We only had a week off for "summer" and we really should have unpacked...but it was SO worth it. We really needed that vacation as a family. We played at the beach everyday. We caught crabs and found sea horses. We ate at the same place. Every day. Eating delicious bean and cheese burritos and fish tacos. Drinking Mexican Cokes and shopping at the market place. It was so much fun. We can't wait to go back again!
Andy started a new school year shortly after we moved in. He is now in his THIRD year of medical school, which means he is doing what they call "rotations". He works with different specialties for about a month at a time, trying to figure out what kind of specialty he wants to be when he graduates. Well, he has worked in Family Practice, Pediatrics, Dermatology and General Surgery. He really found his passion in General Surgery. Anyone as NOT surprised as I was? It's so his personality, I can't even stand it. We have decided to pursue this specialty for residency (That is, basically, on the job training. It begins July 1, 2015. About a month after graduation. It's a five year residency, in which he will be working with more experienced surgeons, learning his trade.) This school year has gone fairly well. He did spend the month of September in Sierra Vista, Arizona working with a dermatologist. We were able to go visit him one weekend and go to Bisbee, Arizona. An old mining town turned hippy/antique shopping Mecca. With a really yummy Olive Oil company (we purchased 18 year old Balsamic Vinegar. It's like syrup. So yum!) and a delicious Mexican restaurant called Santiago's. For the month of October, Andy had another out of town rotation in Cottonwood, Arizona near Sedona. We were able to visit him for a weekend there as well and we decided to go into Sedona, Arizona. As it turned out, it was during the government shutdown. They had "closed" the hiking paths, so we got to hike and park for free! Let me just say- WE LOVE SEDONA! We also went to Jerome, Arizona which is an old mining town and ate at the Hunted Hamburger. It was...good...but we were pretty disappointed with our service, so it doesn't stand out as much. They do have a delicious GIANT chocolate cake, though! Before we left Cottonwood, we also ate at .15 Quince. It's a New Mexican restaurant. That is one of our favorite places to eat. And any time we can come up with an excuse to go, we do. We are now at the point of sending out applications for audition rotations. That is when Andy will go to different hospitals throughout the country and "audition" to be a resident. So far, we know he will spend the month of November in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It's weird to feel like we felt when we were first applying for medical school- we know there is a high chance we will be moving...we just have no idea where we will end up!
Chase had his tonsils and adenoids removed in July, just a few weeks after we moved here. My Grandmother knew I would need some help, so she come out from North Carolina and spent a week with us- and I am so glad she did! It was so nerve racking for me. I went alone because Andy had to be at school. The day before the surgery, the hospital called and said they still had not received approval from the insurance for Chase to have the surgery. They said I could either come in anyway and wait or we could reschedule. Well, Andy was going to be out of town for two months and the boys and I had a two week trip to Georgia planned- it was now or never! So, I went in and waited that morning and waited for the approval. A nurse came in and started the vitals on Chase. I asked about the insurance and she said "Oh, yes! We have the approval right here. It was approved last week." I was slightly annoyed, but at least we weren't going to spend all morning waiting for an insurance approval. The ENT came in to tell me about the surgery. He said it would take about 20 minutes and they would come and get me as soon as they were finished so I could be there when he woke up. They wheeled him back and sent me to the waiting room- it is really hard to watch your baby go into an operating room while you are sent to the waiting room. My Grandma called me and needed me to walk her through turning on Netflix for Will. That took about 8 minutes. As soon as I hung up, the nurse came and got me, saying Chase was all finished! EIGHT minutes. It was so fast. I got to the "wake up" area and a nurse was holding Chase...who was screaming for his life. They had awoken him before I was back there. He was terrified and aggressive, crying for me. I took him from the nurse and tried calming him down, but he was just too upset. I was upset, too. I should have been there when he woke up. He was still so drugged up, he didn't recognize me and kept crying and yelling for me. It was really hard. We were taken to a recovery room, because he was under two years old, we had to stay over night for observation. It took a good two hours to get him to calm down again- we had to take off the blood pressure cuff because he would calm down and then it would go off and he'd start crying again. I was finally able to get him to relax and sleep. Once he woke up, he was much more happy. He recovered really well and he sleeps better than he did...but still not wonderfully!
As I mentioned, the boys and I had a two week trip to Georgia planned. We hadn't been to Georgia since 2011 and I was in some desperate need of a visit. We went the first two weeks of August and it was the best. We were able to spend time with my parents and siblings, grandparents and Aunt. Mimi and Papa Dave put a tire swing up in their backyard and the boys just loved to play on it! Grandpa Smith and Ms. Angela took us to the Yellow River Game Ranch where we fed the deer and rabbits. We just had a great time visiting. I got to ride on Papa Dave's motorcycle clear up to the Tallulah Gorge. It was so relaxing and it was really great to see the boys playing with my siblings. I wish we could see them more often. Mimi and Papa Dave and Uncle Andy are coming to Arizona in April and we are so excited!
We spent Thanksgiving here in Arizona. The week before, my cousin Krickett and her family came, along with my Aunt LoraLee and Uncle Mike. We love when they come to visit us! Granny and Gramps came to visit from Utah! I made my first Thanksgiving meal, ever! And it was the bomb.com! We had turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls, yams, mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts and cranberry jello salad. And pumpkin pie. It was a lot of work...I'll make sure we spend more than 30 minutes at the table eating after I spend the entire day cooking! While Granny and Gramps were here, we went to see Catching Fire and went up to Jerome, Arizona. Andy's Grandpa Fraser had lived in Jerome for a bit as a boy, so it was fun to go back and have that perspective on the town. We also ate again at Quince!
Christmas was spent here in Arizona. We had a wonderful time! Will got a bike! Which he rides every day. One of the nice things about Arizona- when you get a bike for Christmas, you can immediately go outside and learn to ride it! Chase got a scooter, which he loves to ride! It's fun to sit in our circle and watch the boys playing outside. We just love it here! We decided to go to Utah as a surprise to all of Andy's family. Andy hadn't been to Utah in a year, so we thought it would be fun to show up before all the family parties started! It was a grand surprise and everyone was shocked! We enjoyed about a week in Utah- freezing. But, Will and Chase got to play in the snow, so it was worth it! We also went and saw The Hobbit. We ate at a Chinese restaurant for New Years' Eve. I was actually sick the entire time we were there, but I did manage to stay up until Midnight, playing games with the family.
The new year has been spent enjoying getting to know more people in our ward and neighborhood. Will also turned FIVE in January. I just can't believe he is FIVE YEARS OLD! It's just so crazy to me. We're almost finished with the enrollment process for Kindergarten. He will attend a charter school here. He'll be going to all day kindergarten. I think Chase and I will be pretty bored once he starts up! It will be so weird not having him here all day. Will and Chase are just the best of friends. Sure, they can annoy each other, but we're pretty blessed by the fact that they actually like each other and like to play together. We attended the Glibert LDS Temple Open House. It was wonderful to take our boys to see that amazing House of The Lord.We're just living life and enjoying it as we go. We're really learning to love it here in Arizona and to be grateful for all the blessings The Lord has given us.
(Though...I could always go for another trip to Mexico......)
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