Some of June

Some random pictures from June... I'm really working hard on catching up!

And I'm trying not to get sad while looking at all these dear faces we miss so much! 

Miss Alice so much!

Swim lessons!

MG had a rough start- would scream her head off at the instructor. 

Told me she was cold.... which really, it was. 

After about the 3rd lesson she "warmed up" and has become a good little swimmer.

Cute

The weekend Tom went up to Kentucky for his board examination, I took the kids over to Abilene for Brinley's Princess Party.

We needed to say "goodbye" to our dear friends and had a great time, so it worked out well.

Birthday girl Brinley and brother, Cason.

This picture gets me every time! ha.

Ava and Kristen made trip too, so Margaret had fun playing with 2 sweet friends.

Henry was happy to be along for the ride.

MG was in heaven with Princess Aurora

Miss these sweet friends of mine!!!!!!!

Simon so proud of himself for picking up a dead roach.

(This was back at our house.... not at Amy's. ha)

Celebrated cousin Thomas' birthday at a Ranger game.

Our 1st and last game of the season :(

Buds

The Whitesides were in town.

MG lovin' on Gwen.

Henry rocked a headlamp as a sweatband.

The whole crew of kids!

Visited the Delaneys before we left :(

Good thing Liz and I talk almost every day... miss this special family! 

Can't wait to return to Dallas with another kid and she and I can take our 8 kids someplace and get lots of stares. 

On our way out of town, we stopped by my grandparents...

 Kids love playing my Papaw's slot machine!

 And Mamaw brought out some old records.

Margaret Gray loves this music box as much as I did as a little girl.

Always a special time visiting my grandparents.

And that's where my June ends... cause I lost my camera charger and my ipod touch and couldn't document our time in Shreveport and our move to Birmingham....

Wait- I just remembered I have packing/ loading up the truck pictures to post. Whew- I knew you were worried.

Finishing up 5 years

June was filled with Tom wrapping up 5 years of residency.

One evening, we went to a dinner at the Dallas Aquarium for his graduation ceremony that the hospital put on. Good times.... no pictures.

Then another graduation dinner that the Radiology group hosted at Matitos. 

We made this evening into a get away and spent the night out in Dallas. 

It was super nice to spend some one on one time with my guy... since our lives were spinning back at home... with packing craziness.

Casey, Billy's (one of Tom's co residents) wife.

Really enjoyed getting to know her the past 5 years.

So they roast each other.

The graduating class roasts the attendings. 

And the program director, Dr. Oza, roasts the graduates.

There were lots of laughs.

Dr. Oza pulled line from their residency applications.

Somewhere in Tom's, he mentioned that he worked various jobs in high school and college.

What kind of jobs were they? Dr. Oza wondered..... 

Baker?

Sweat shop worker?

Rodeo clown?

Mall Santa?

Or Nail Salon owner????

Pretty clever. Pretty funny. Great photoshopping.

Graduates with their Program Director

Jason, Billy, Lauren, Thomas, Tom, Sara, David, and Dr. Oza

Great group of people.

Great doctors.

It was a fun evening!

Earlier that month, Tom flew to Kentucky for his oral boards....

Where he defended his competency in various hotel rooms... so weird.

Anyway, he rocked the exam. So proud of him!

Before he returned the kids made him a congratulations sign...

And baked him some brownies.

5 years seems like a long time, but it really went by fast!

We are thankful for the training he received and are excited Tom will be returning to the group as an attending next July!

Last Day of School

It was a " take 2" from last year's end of the year teacher gifts....

This time we did them before the last day and it was a lot less stressful.... I think the Kinkos people appreciated me not begging for the notepads to be finished in a hour.

 Our church friends Haedyn and Auriana. We sure do miss the Smiths!

Don't they look thrilled :)

 MG with Mrs. Erica. 

Sad I didn't get a picture with Mrs. Nelda.

I couldn't have asked for a better year for Margaret. 

She sure did bloom in her class. 

I was thankful for they way MG's teachers pointed out qualities in her that I don't necessarily notice at home.

Who knew she loved art?  Now we have her crafting much more!

 Her friend, Liam.
Just noticed her Papa Murphy's tat. Nice.

And sweet Ruby... who was also a church friend, so they have known each other since they were babies!

Henry's class created this and they drew a name to see who got to take it home.

We did not win :( 

Since I was a ding dong and scheduled swim lessons for the last week of school, I picked up Margaret early from her class and took her to Henry's end of the year Luau so we could leave early from there.

I'll just go ahead and say it.... Mrs. Blackstone adored Henry. 

It made this momma so proud of him. 

We loved Mrs. Davis too! 

Henry's buddy, Max.... checking out their party gift bag goodies.

Really?!?! Can you really grow that much in a school year???

 We had a great experience at our church's ECC and are thankful for the friends we made there!

Now to send Henry off to Kinder........ 

BOOOO HOOOO!