TORNADO!!!! On April 4th we had quite a frightful experience when a tornado appeared out of nowhere just after I picked up Hannah from ballet. We just happened to have gone in Blockbuster before going home when the siren sounded and the trees started to bend with the wind and rain. We decided to stay in the storage room of Blockbuster until it was over and the girls did not like this at all. Hannah was particularly scared and we said several prayers that we would be safe while her legs were shaking the entire time. I was able to entertain Hailey by asking her to count all of the drinks that were in the crates on the floor. When all was finally clear we emerged to find trees and power lines down everywhere. It actually took us more than 20 minutes to make what is usually a 3 minute drive home. We had to take several back roads and do some backtracking after we discovered how bad the damage was and how many trees and powerlines had the roads blocked. I became more and more nervous as we approached our house, scared of what I would find after seeing so many houses with trees on top of them. We were very blessed and fortunate that we only had a few limbs knocked down and our trampoline had been blown all the way to the back of the yard with only the fence to keep it from going farther. About 10 minutes after we got home Hannah was looking out the window and said “Mommy look at our car”. What I found totally freaked me out. The window that she had been sitting near had completely shattered. There was nothing laying on the ground or in the car that suggested it had been hit by something but instead that it had been the wind pressure. There had been several cars with the winds shattered in the parking lot of Blockbuster and I was so thankful that one of them had not been mine. After this happened I knew that our prayers had been answered and we had been kept safe. The window could have so easily shattered while we were driving home with Hannah sitting right next to it. There was glass all in her carseat and what was left in the window looked like sharp daggers. The night of the tornado while I was laying with Hannah she asked me why the tornado did not take us to Munchkin Land like it did Dorothy. I tried to explain that our tornado was not quite as big as the one that Dorothy was in. Looking back I wonder if she thought we were in the air spinning around and such while we were in Blockbuster during the tornado. We were very fortunate that we did not have more damage. Although we were without power for 5 days, we were able to go and stay with my sister which was such a relief. And of course the girls did not mind a bit. They had TV, air conditioning, and their cousins to play with. It turned out to be a very nice visit. Now, almost 2 weeks later, our cable still goes off and on and we still do not have our phone working or internet service, but with so many other people not even able to go into their homes I really can’t complain

Easter

Easter was great although Jason did have to start his week of working the 7 to 7 night shift Easter night. After church we had my sister and mother over and let the kids play outside on Easter day. The night before the girls dyed their eggs and put them in their baskets for the Easter Bunny to find. When Hannah woke up that morning it took her a few minutes to remember that the Easter Bunny was supposed to come. However, when she did she rushed out of the room and was thrilled to find that he had actually been there and left gifts as well as hidden her eggs. Hailey was surprised and could not quite understand that the Easter Bunny had brought her all this stuff. She kept saying “the Easter Bunny give it to me?” They had a great time finding all of their eggs that he had hidden in the backyard. A few weeks earlier we had breakfast with the Easter Bunny at the mall and while Hailey was a little shy at first it only took her a few minutes of watching Hannah to warm up. Now she is constantly asking about both him and Santa Claus and when they will be coming again. Hannah had an Easter party at school and we made Easter Bunny cupcakes to take. She had a great time helping and was so excited to tell her friends how we made them.

Spring Break

Spring Break was lots of fun. Well, most of it. Jason did spend a few days painting and sanding some of our house to get it ready to put on the market. We met my sister and her family at my parents’ house and the kids had a BLAST!! At Nana’s house they decided to swim in the FREEZING cold water of the pool. Jason took the kids for a ride on a little motorcycle. And they of course had an endless supply of bubble gum and sweets. At Poppy’s house they were greeted by a turtle Poppy had found for them along with a lizard in a jar. Hannah and Hailey were brave enough to pet it but Mommy was not!! They went to the “beach” near his house and again could not resist the icy cold water, played on the playground, made sandcastles and collected seashells. They went to Monkey Island (this is just the name of this particular island) and could not understand why they could not find any monkeys. Casey and I were even allowed to take a quick shopping trip while the guys and Nana watched the kids. We all had a great time.

Feeling great in 2008

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
from Lord Alfred Tennyson's "In Memoriam":

Things are going swell here in Smithville. The girls are growing and learning so much everyday. Hannah is still busy with pre-school 3 days/week, gymnastics, and ballet. Meanwhile, Hailey is the reincarnation of Curious George. Christy is super busy as all you moms out there are acutely aware. She's also become a Home and Garden Party designer, and does that when she has time. I am finishing my first month of medicine at the VA hospital. I have learned alot this month (I had a patient pass away this month). I am debating about what residency to pick. My top two right now are Emergency Medicine and Radiation Oncology. To those of you who are medical buffs, those two fields seem very different from each other, but there are things that I love about both of them. I beat my head against the wall on a daily basis trying to figure it out.

On another note, we got snow in Mississippi this year!!! It's been the first time since January of 2000 that I have had the chance to build a snowman, and I did it this year (he was about 1 1/2 foot tall). We hope all is going well with all of our friends and family. I have included some pictures randomly over the past several months. Here is the link: pics...

Sweet November

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

Medical school rotations are going well. I am almost finished with my psychiatry rotation and I have learned alot about mental disorders. I have a favorite patient who has schizophrenia. It's such a debilitating disease. I start a Neurology, Oncology, and Medicine rotation for the next 12 weeks soon.

The girls are doing great. Hannah and Hailey are so lively. We roasted marshmallows in the backyard tonight. Hannah has a rope swing in the back yard that she loves to swing on.

Christy is doing well and has started working in her "free" time as a designer for a company called Home and Garden Party. She seems to be liking it well.

Here are some relatively new pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/bioengineer03/FallPics

The fall season is upon us.

Summer has flown by, and we have enjoyed it. Even though I was on a busy surgery rotation schedule for 12 weeks (long hours, but was involved in some cool procedures), we were able to spend some quality time together. We went to the beach and discovered that our youngest daughter Hailey is a fish in the water. Hannah had her 4th birthday party, and the theme was Wizard of Oz. Christy has been busy redecorating practically every room in our house. We went to the Georgia mountains and saw some friends from North Carolina. We saw lots of deer that came right up to the car! I have included a few pictures from summer here: http://picasaweb.google.com/bioengineer03

FREEDOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!

The first two years of medical school are over!!! I can't believe it's finally over, but I'm glad it is...I will start my 3rd year rotations this June. My first rotation is a twelve week block of surgery. I will start on otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat doctor), then trauma surgery, plastic surgery, and general surgery. Our family is doing well, and just happy that we've made it this far. will write more later...

Super Hannah

I just had to post this. This morning Hannah came running up to me with a blanket draped over her shoulders as a "cape". She said she was a superhero. When I asked her what her superpower was she said, "Love". Now isn't that just too cute.

Feb '07

The last update was in October, so here are a few pics from November until now.

I am inserting these pictures randomly. Hannah wanted to play Little Red Riding Hood, so Hannah and Hailey both acted out the part of Little Red, while Mom acted out the part of grandma. I was the big bad wolf of course. Somehow, we were able to teach Hannah about stranger safety while we played (the wolf was the stranger, duh). There is a picture of Christy and I in Cozumel during a much needed and well planned out trip by Christy. We had a great time together. During the Christmas break, we went to Gatlinburg where Hannah was able to go ice-skating for the first time! She made a few snowballs while we were there too. We saw family during the holidays as well. I've included a picture of Hailey and Nana while we visited her home in Alabama. Poppy is included here too with all his grandkids. There is also a picture of Hannah and Hailey on Christmas morning in Hannah's new Barbie Jeep.

School is going well. In just 3.5 months I'll be on the wards of the hospital full-time. I'll take the board exam just prior to that. Keeping my fingers crossed on that one. We are excited for the spring weather and all the colors and smells of the season. The girls are doing well and are so fun. Hannah acts out Wizard of Oz scenes and comes up with all kinds of funny sayings and makes her own jokes (that only she gets the punchline to, but we amuse her anyway by telling her we get it). Hailey is climbing, running, jumping, and constantly mimicking everything her sister does. She's saying 3 word sentences and sings Elmos World constantly, even after I put her to bed.

adieu,
jason.