2010 has flown by! I swear it seems to have gone faster than any other year! There is a good chance I say that every year!
Ethan finished a season of basketball in February and hasn't played another sport. He spent a lot of time skateboarding and riding Roby's old Mongoose. With some birthday money he was able to buy some pegs and Roby got him some new brakes for it. Uncle Nathan was kind enough to send Ethan one of his old boards. I think that was one of Ethan's best gifts ever! He had his first injury ER visit. It wasn't very bad, just a thorough cleaning of the wound and they sent us on our way. Ethan is for sure growing into a young man. He is choosing his friends more carefully, just a couple weeks ago he even started thinking girls were kind-of-not-so-bad. (He's been texting a girl, but doesn't want her to be his girlfriend. I'm ok with that!) He's pushing his limits all the time, but that's to be expected...and I know it will get worse. He's in his last year of elementary school. Back home he would already be in middle school, but I've been thankful for one more year of him being in the same school as Nat. I just asked him if he wanted to share anything about what he did this year and he said, "I built a huge Lego tower with you and Natalie...ummmm...I did my first ollie!" Yes, that is the extent of what an 11 year old thinks is cool.
Natalie has enjoyed another year of Girl Scouts. This is her last year as a Brownie. They have gone to many places including a pumpkin patch, a play at the theater, a museum, and a rollerskating rink. They have created several projects and sold cookies. She looks forward to participating the rest of this school year and next year as well. She has found quite a bit of confidence in herself, and branched out with her friends. She has discovered that the "popular girls" aren't always nice and sometimes its better to be friends with people who aren't worried about clothes, makeup (seriously!), and boys. She got braces on to fix three cross-bites and help her palate grow so it will have enough room for all her teeth. She is excited that she should be getting them off in about four months! (Until another round when she's a teenager!) When I just asked Natalie what she did this year she said, "We learned about Jame's Town and Native Americans...we learned some times (multiplication)...and me and Ethan built a snow fort and had a snowball fight."
Roby is always busy with work. He seems to either be gone or working, often on having to go in on the weekends. I know he's not, but that's what it feels like to me. He has gone around the world and spent Christmas in Hawaii for the second year in a row. He started playing hockey again. We are only able to watch a few games because they all seem to be late on Sunday nights. He passed his physical test which he was really worried about. That relieved a lot of stress for him! (Now we're hoping he can make rank when he tests in a couple months!)
I have been crazy busy with school. Its hard to believe I saw my first patient just under a year ago. Poor Roby has literally been my patient for almost everything I've learned. He's even going to be my patient in June when I take a local anesthesia board exam in Washington (I love him!). I have grown a lot as a clinician and almost feel ready to work. I'm just extremely nervous about finding a job as the job market around here is really tight. In a couple days I start my last semester of the dental hygiene program at IWCC. I have applied to UMKC to get my bachelors in dental hygiene. I'm now waiting for a phone interview, then to see if I get accepted. I volunteered for a day teaching four groups of middle school kids about teeth and how to keep them clean. I started donating blood and try to every chance I can. I don't know why, but I feel good, hopefully, helping someone that really needs it. Roby got me my first bicycle. My very own! I love it, but wish there were more areas around here that weren't quite so hilly...I don't have the leg muscles for that yet! I was lucky enough to meet the guru of dental hygiene, Esther Wilkins. I spoke with her briefly and she signed my book. I thoroughly enjoy all of my breaks from school and try to make the best of them by spending time with the kids and Roby (who seems to be gone most of all my breaks).
As a family we went camping and rafting, went to the base airshow, went to a couple baseball games, a hockey game or two, and have tried to do various other things to keep us connected. In July we got a new car which I still love. It gets great gas mileage and is in great condition. We had to find Max a new home. This still breaks my heart, but I also feel that it was the best decision for our family and him. Grandma Nan and GiGi visited us at the beginning of October. We all had a blast and we can't wait until our trip to Washington in June. Roby and I celebrated our TENTH wedding anniversary! Again, where has the time gone?! I'm sure there was a ton more, but I can't think of anything else right now.
Tonight I told the kids they could each invite whoever they wanted to spend the night. Natalie has two friends coming over in a few hours and is really excited. Both of the friends Ethan invited can't come. One because he's at his dad's for the holidays, the other because his mom is in town who he only sees a few times a year (she's in a nursing program in Texas). I feel bad for him, and he seems a bit bummed, but I'm sure he'll be fine. Roby is four hours behind us, so I told him that he can call me to wish me a Happy New Year, but not to call me when its midnight there! :-)
Natalie has enjoyed another year of Girl Scouts. This is her last year as a Brownie. They have gone to many places including a pumpkin patch, a play at the theater, a museum, and a rollerskating rink. They have created several projects and sold cookies. She looks forward to participating the rest of this school year and next year as well. She has found quite a bit of confidence in herself, and branched out with her friends. She has discovered that the "popular girls" aren't always nice and sometimes its better to be friends with people who aren't worried about clothes, makeup (seriously!), and boys. She got braces on to fix three cross-bites and help her palate grow so it will have enough room for all her teeth. She is excited that she should be getting them off in about four months! (Until another round when she's a teenager!) When I just asked Natalie what she did this year she said, "We learned about Jame's Town and Native Americans...we learned some times (multiplication)...and me and Ethan built a snow fort and had a snowball fight."
Roby is always busy with work. He seems to either be gone or working, often on having to go in on the weekends. I know he's not, but that's what it feels like to me. He has gone around the world and spent Christmas in Hawaii for the second year in a row. He started playing hockey again. We are only able to watch a few games because they all seem to be late on Sunday nights. He passed his physical test which he was really worried about. That relieved a lot of stress for him! (Now we're hoping he can make rank when he tests in a couple months!)
I have been crazy busy with school. Its hard to believe I saw my first patient just under a year ago. Poor Roby has literally been my patient for almost everything I've learned. He's even going to be my patient in June when I take a local anesthesia board exam in Washington (I love him!). I have grown a lot as a clinician and almost feel ready to work. I'm just extremely nervous about finding a job as the job market around here is really tight. In a couple days I start my last semester of the dental hygiene program at IWCC. I have applied to UMKC to get my bachelors in dental hygiene. I'm now waiting for a phone interview, then to see if I get accepted. I volunteered for a day teaching four groups of middle school kids about teeth and how to keep them clean. I started donating blood and try to every chance I can. I don't know why, but I feel good, hopefully, helping someone that really needs it. Roby got me my first bicycle. My very own! I love it, but wish there were more areas around here that weren't quite so hilly...I don't have the leg muscles for that yet! I was lucky enough to meet the guru of dental hygiene, Esther Wilkins. I spoke with her briefly and she signed my book. I thoroughly enjoy all of my breaks from school and try to make the best of them by spending time with the kids and Roby (who seems to be gone most of all my breaks).
As a family we went camping and rafting, went to the base airshow, went to a couple baseball games, a hockey game or two, and have tried to do various other things to keep us connected. In July we got a new car which I still love. It gets great gas mileage and is in great condition. We had to find Max a new home. This still breaks my heart, but I also feel that it was the best decision for our family and him. Grandma Nan and GiGi visited us at the beginning of October. We all had a blast and we can't wait until our trip to Washington in June. Roby and I celebrated our TENTH wedding anniversary! Again, where has the time gone?! I'm sure there was a ton more, but I can't think of anything else right now.
Tonight I told the kids they could each invite whoever they wanted to spend the night. Natalie has two friends coming over in a few hours and is really excited. Both of the friends Ethan invited can't come. One because he's at his dad's for the holidays, the other because his mom is in town who he only sees a few times a year (she's in a nursing program in Texas). I feel bad for him, and he seems a bit bummed, but I'm sure he'll be fine. Roby is four hours behind us, so I told him that he can call me to wish me a Happy New Year, but not to call me when its midnight there! :-)
We hope everyone has had a wonderful year and we wish you a safe and HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
134 days until I graduate!
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