Update Time! August-October 2014

Alright, so I keep avoiding updating this thing, because I don't know how to edit pictures (I really wish I did!), and because I feel like there are other things I should be doing (there are), and because I have so much I want to put on here that I don't know where to begin so.... that needs to end.  Here we go! The last six months, in pictures, starting with August-October


 We got to know Missouri better!

Country Club Plaza

 This is the view out our back window. (I miss the green, now that its winter!)

 We went on lots of adventures.  Basically every weekend, we tried to get out and explore something around town.  This is Zona Rosa, a cute outdoor mall...

 Cute teenagers at a fun art festival...

 We went to a Royals game with Matt's school! We left after the 5th inning, while we were losing, and then apparently it was really exciting after that and the Royals ended up winning.  Oops!  Still fun to see the team that ended up going to the World Series! (EVERYONE was talking about it at the hospital when Clara was born.)

 We did a little exploring of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art! We've since been back twice, and haven't even gotten close to seeing it all.  Really really cool place.

 We went and ate yummy food and watched some fun dancing at a Culture Festival.  So many cool things happen in Kansas City.  There is always something interesting to do or see. (Especially in the summer.)

 And I got really pregnant.  This last picture was sometime near the end, after church (our church is on the same property as the Kansas City Temple.  Love it!)  I felt humongous, but I told Matt I wanted a picture of my hugeness so that my daughter could look at it when she was pregnant, and realize that hugeness is normal. :)

We had a really great time together those few months.  It was so nice to have time together before Clara was born.  The thing I don't have pictures of though, might have meant the most.  We made some really great friends here in Kansas City.  There are so many people in our ward and through Matt's school that are in the same "place" as us, and they have been so good to us.  I am so glad we chose to come here.

Next time, what you all really want to see... A MILLION PICTURES OF CLARA! And maybe a bit of the story of her birth.

Travels: May 2014 DC, NJ, and NYC {Part 1: The Wedding}

You know what one of the best things about having your own blog is?  You can do whatever you want!  (Like have a really long post title and...) We had an awesome summer full of traveling, and I want to document it.  So, let's begin in May, with our trip Back East to DC, New Jersey, and New York City.

I was still teaching, but I took a couple of days off so that Matt and I could go to Matt's cousin's wedding.  It was so nice to get away from the grind, and it seriously was one of the prettiest weddings I've ever been to.

How adorable are Matt's lil cousins?

Look at the way he looks at her!

Pretty Bridal Party

Matt and I

I LOVE the Washington D.C. temple.  When you are driving along on the freeway, it all-of-the-sudden just pops up out of nowhere and is beautiful.  It was fun to go inside too- it's huge! 7+ levels!  The wedding was at the perfect time of year, with gorgeous tulips blooming everywhere.

We loved spending time with family at the yummy luncheon.

Kevin, Leila, and Nikki

Hopping over to the reception the next night....  Can you believe this was in the Stake center?  It was absolutely gorgeous.  They put in a ton of work to transform it, and it was amazing.

HER MOM MADE THE TEMPLE CAKE!!!

This is what happens when I make Matt take a picture with me.

Such a pretty wedding.  Jamie and Laura are the cutest.

The First Day of Medical School

Written Monday August 4, 2014

After Matt's White Coat Ceremony

Today is the first day of medical school for Matt.  I'm so so proud of him. He's upstairs studying right now. Its 10:34. Its the first day.  I don't know if I should be scared that this is what's to come now, but mostly I just feel immensely proud of him.  He really does want to do well.  The road to get there is probably not something he or I would choose, but we both believe it is going to be worth it.  There's a part of me that wants to give him a really huge hug, and just do it for him, but I know I should probably just let him keep working away in that baby room to be/ office without being a distraction. (Plus, there is no way ON EARTH that I could "do it for him".  He was explaining to me, at dinner, what he was studying, and even just that explanation went over my head.)

I really hope that I can be the supportive force that he needs, that I can hold our home together, that I can give him love and cheerleading in ways that work for him. I hope I can continue to feel positive, and avoid resentment.  I hope I can be what he seems to think I am.  I know I'll try, and that I sure do love him.

Last night, we watched Music and the Spoken Word.  The message was so perfect for us, as we embark on this journey.  I'll copy it here:

"When a young family moved into their first home, they decided to build a playhouse for the kids in the backyard. The parents and children threw their hearts into the project, carefully selecting the wood, the shingles, and all the supplies. Great pride and satisfaction swelled in their hearts as it took shape. When friends came to play, the children would proudly show them how the playhouse was coming along. And the first thing they said to Dad when he came home from work was, “When can we work on our playhouse?”

But when the playhouse was finished, the parents noticed that the children rarely played in it. They discovered “that having the house wasn’t really what motivated them. It was thebuilding of it, and how they felt about their own contribution, that they found satisfying.”1Turns out it was the process that was important, not the finished product.

You’ve probably experienced this yourself. It’s a common phenomenon: A championship team rejoices when they raise the trophy, but they also cherish the smaller victories and defeats throughout the season. Parents feel proud on their son’s wedding day, but the memories that persist are of the smaller, simpler moments of his childhood. A college graduate is grateful for the diploma she receives, but what she’ll long remember are the long nights studying for finals, the professors who inspired her, and the excitement she felt every time she learned something new. It seems that getting there is indeed half the fun—and almost all of the memories.

So instead of waiting only for something to end, try to enjoy the moments along the way. Though there may be difficulties and wearisome effort, don’t be so eager for the destination that you miss the simple joys of the journey. Remember what the family learned from their playhouse—real growth and bonding and learning come in all of life’s ages and stages, not just at the end."

- Lloyd D. Newell

1. See Clayton Christensen and others, How Will You Measure Your Life? (2012), 37–38.

Welcome!

Matt and Mikell (we) recently moved to Kansas City, Missouri so that Matt could attend medical school at KCUMB.  We wanted to create this blog to keep in touch with family and friends and have a little creative outlet for our little fam.  Thanks for following along!