Trust Me, I'm a Dr... Pepper :)

We live less than an hour from the Dr Pepper factory. the place Dr Pepper was created! How lucky can we be?! Seriously! So one day when Seth was off work, we went and visited. Did you know Dr Pepper used to be named "Waco"? after the city it was born in... :)

After our fun tour through the factory, we got Frosty-Pepper's from the soda fountain! Blew.My.Mind! I love Dr Pepper floats and I love Dr Pepper and I love blue bell vanilla ice cream, but you haven't lived til you try FRESh Dr Pepper in a float... FAB.u.LOUS!!!

Felt-Faces and Pudding-Painting!!!

Seth's been driving the Saturn for the past 4 years of Medical School. When we moved here we weren't able to bring my Saturn though; It just wouldn't make it. So since we got here Seth's been driving the Xterra and I've been staying home almost all day. Every day. The first couple weeks weren't so bad but then I think we all started getting sick of spending the day reading books, riding bikes, and reading more books. So I had to get creative. I think the kids were more relieved than I was when Seth got a car. Hahaha!

But here were some of the funner creative ideas I did for them...

Felt Faces!

Rocco made himself first.

 Zeegan made Aurora.

 Then Rocco made Daddy.

 Then he made Grammy.

 Zeegan became Bat-girl! She'd rather be that in real life than on felt...

 Then Zeegan made the Little Mermaid- Ariel.

 Then Rocco made Mommy and Zeegan made Snow White.

 When Rocco made Grampa, he became a little bit sad after that one and gave his felt-face Grampa kisses! He sure misses Grampa...

 Zeegan made Aurora again...

 Rocco made Uncle Sammy...

 The kids love the felt faces and now I bring them to church each week and they keep them busy and quiet for a great part of Sacrament meeting.


Another-Fun-Creative Idea: Pudding Painting...
It was a mess! But the kids LOVED it!!!

Thank Heavens Seth has a car now cuz honestly I'm not creative enough to keep coming up with fun ideas to last all day long every day!

Brotherly Love...

Rocco had a doctor's appointment recently. He needed to get shots. The paper I had been given said he would be getting 4 shots. So, before the nurse brought in all her gear I talked it over with Rocco so he'd be prepared and not so freaked out by the needles when the nurse came back. I told Rocco that he would be getting 4 shots because he was 4 years old. I said he needed to try really hard to be brave and try to not cry in front of ZeeZee so that he could show her how to be brave when she gets her shots. He was really scared but he said he'd be brave so she wouldn't be scared when it was her turn.

When the nurse came back she had 5 needles, not 4. Turns out he was getting 4 shots and a TB test. Rocco quickly counted the long needles and said "There are 4 shots for me cuz I'm 4 years old and one for ZeeZee cuz she is just 1 year old." I didn't say anything. I was hoping he wouldn't notice how many shots she put in his leg and would just think that the number 5 shot was only the number 4 shot. Does that makes sense?

Well, it doesn't matter what I was hoping, because he did notice. He held my hands and he cried and he screamed! Then he saw Zeegan's scared face (she was scared for her "Gocco"), and he started to be as quiet as he could and he bit his lip and he had silent tears streaming down his small face as the nurse put one huge shot after another into his tiny little legs. It was so hard to see him in so much pain, I wanted to cry right along with him. Shots are the worst part of being a parent.

When the nurse finished with the leg shots she let him take a minute to catch his breath.

Rocco looked at that one remaining needle in the basket and did the sweetest thing any big brother could ever do. He whimpered to me "Mommy, that shot will really hurt ZeeZee. I don't want her to hurt. I will have her shot instead."

Even as I'm retelling this story I am crying. It was one of the most wonderful moments of my life as a mother. Rocco had just experienced so much pain he was screaming, and then he offered to do it again so his baby sister wouldn't have to. He was willing to experience that agony for Zeegan. Zeegan! The one who teases him mercilessly at home. The one who steals his beloved batman toys all the time. ZeeZee, the one who bullies him like no little sister can! (Don't read this wrong; ZeeZee is my little princess and she loves her big brother like CRAZY!!!, she's just a bit of a rascal and knows exactly what buttons to push to get the biggest reactions from Rocco...). He was willing to take that shot for her.

I'm not sure why, but this experience got me to thinking about the atonement. I've always known Jesus is my older brother. I've always known him taking on our sins was painful. But I just never thought about it in depth I guess, or maybe I've just always thought that since he was doing such a great thing for all of us it wasn't so horrible for him? Or maybe I was thinking it wasn't so bad for him because he was only half mortal? I'm not sure what I always thought about it. To be honest, I'm not sure if I ever though about the pain part of Jesus' sacrifice. But you know, now that I've thought about it, I realize it WAS so horrible. After seeing my little Rocco in all his fear make his sacrifice, I couldn't help but wonder; Was he terrified? Was it such a hard decision that he whimpered? I'm sure it was more awful than I've ever spent time thinking about. Maybe he did whimper, maybe he was even crying from fear? We know that he threw himself on the ground in the garden of Gethsemane and begged the Father that if was possible, if there was any other way to save us, please let the cup pass from him.

And after realizing that it really was such an awful experience for Him, I couldn't help but wonder; why? Why did He do it for me? Why did He do it for everyone? Don't get me wrong, there are definitely some people out there that are wonderful enough that I can see Him being willing to die for them. But why me? Why would I, and Why did I matter to Him? I can be a really terrible and awful person sometimes!!! Ya know?

But I think I finally understand. I think he loves me no matter what. Because he's my older brother. And I'm sure that's not the only reason, but I bet it was reason enough. And I am do grateful...

And I am so grateful I have such a sweet and wonderful little boy for my son! I don't know how or why I was blessed with such an amazing little man, but I am so thankful I was. I'm so glad I got to witness such a beautiful showing of his love for his sister, and that I was able to learn what I did to from that experience.

Match Day Y'all!

Well Match Day finally came! And after what felt like years, but was in fact only months, of waiting; we found out where we are headed for the next 5 years!!!

It was an exciting day. Originally we thought only the medical student was allowed to be there and I was a little ticked about it because I felt like we had been supporting Seth through the past 4 years and we had the right to find out at the same time as he did. I decided I was going anyway. Then I decided the kids were going anyway too. Then we found out (a little last minute albeit) that all the family was invited if they want to come. Seth's mom ran over between surgery cases and got there just in time to see Seth open his envelope. Seth's Dad, Sisters and Grandparents were able to come too. It was great having family surrounding Seth as he opened such an important letter...

So they started the ceremony off with a breakfast, but I was WAY to nervous to eat anything (now that's a first!). And then some peoples gave speeches, but I don't remember a word that was said. And finally they started calling out names, and people started going to the front of the room and getting their envelopes and finding out where they were going. And it seriously felt like an eternity before Seth's name was finally called. Then He and ZZ went and got his envelope, and he came back and he opened it, and (drumroll please!)...

We're headed to TEXAS A&M!!!

We are SOOOOOOO happy! You may or may not recall, but that is where we did our away rotation last september, and we LOVED it! It will be wonderful place to live for the next 5 years! and Seth LOVED that hospital!!!

There was hugging and crying and laughing and a lot of other emotions being expressed that morning. But mostly I just remember feeling happy and relieved...

THanks to everyone who has been part of our support system for the past 4 years! We only have 7 more to go!!! Yipee-kay-a and Yeehaw!!!!

Between the match ceremony and the other events taking place that day; We took the kids to Chuck-E-Cheese to celebrate! The Chamberlin's, who also recently matched, joined us and we were able to celebrate our excitements together! Then we played games and had fun and made it a day we will (hopefully) remember.

Late that night after everyone finished work and their other responsibilities for the day. We went out for a late dinner with most of Seth's immediate family (Jade's family wasn't able to be there). We all went and had some southern style BBQ. It as fantastic! I will probably get fat in the next 5 years because the food is soooo good that I can't seem to stop eating even when I know I am full to the bursting point! LOL. And to be honest it is SOOOO worth every calorie!

Yay! Texas look out; here we come!!!

(PS- you may remember from my previous post about Seth's bday that I said we got him two hats but only one came before his birthday. They both should have come before his Bday because I ordered them in advance and got Amazon's free two day shipping on them. But for some reason the USC hat showed up the day before his birthday, and the Texas A&M hat showed up 3 days after his birthday, and was waiting in a box on our front door step when we got home from the match ceremony. LOL. How's that for timing?!)