Dum, Dum, Da-Dum

Wedding bells were ringing this summer. The happy couple (drum roll please): My baby brother and his adorable bride. I'm pretty excited to have another sister-in-law since I don't have any sisters of my own, but I don't think my excitement comes anywhere near Elena's excitement over being the flower girl. I don't even know if the bride's compares. You'll have to let me know, Wy.
The wedding was perfect. Seriously, perfect. Like from a movie perfect. The flower girl and ring bearer were especially adorable. We tied a couple of Lucas's little toy guys to the ring pillow to help hold his attention down the aisle. It worked. Thank goodness. Of course his shepherd/sister made sure he didn't miss a step and posed for her close-up the whole way down to the front.
I didn't get a lot of pictures (attn family: if you have pictures-please send/email them to me), but I get a few that paint the picture.

My favorite photo of the day. Lucas's ring bearer outfit lasted about 2.7 seconds after the "I-dos" and into the "soccer ball" shirt he changed.

We had a lot of fun spending time with the family! We love you, Uncle Trenton.

The best man and the flower girl.

The lone picture of Lucas. He liked the big dance floor. Not to dance, but to be swung around by Grandpa Lee. I think Grandpa enjoyed himself as well.

Speaking of the dance floor-I should mention that we practically had to tear Elena off of it around 11:00 pm. She would not stop. Maybe once, for the cake.

Political Tirade

I saw this link on Facebook and decided to post it here as well. Government safety nets (medicaid, food stamps, welfare, etc.) and this health care reform insanity are two areas that I have significant interest in. I pay taxes and I'm married to a doctor. This letter, although I don't know the authenticity or if ever made it to the White House, sums up my thoughts pretty well. Read on:

Dr. Roger Starner Jones' short two-paragraph letter to the White House accurately puts the blame on a "Culture Crisis" instead of a "Health Care Crisis."
It's worth a quick read:

Dear Mr. President:
During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.
While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that her payer status was listed as "Medicaid"! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one pack of cigarettes every day, eats only at fast-food take-outs, and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer. And, you and our Congress expect me to pay for this woman's health care?
I contend that our nation's "health care crisis" is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a "crisis of culture" a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance. It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me". Once you fix this "culture crisis" that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you'll be amazed at how quickly our nation's health care difficulties will disappear.
Respectfully, ROGER STARNER JONES, MD

I try to avoid being judgemental at every turn, but I feel if I am going to be paying for safety nets and their abuse then I reserve the right to judge on how people spend their (my) money and how they approach their own health. Don't get me wrong, I understand their place, purpose and the help that they give many people. It's just my opinion that if you are going to use these services it should be because you truly can't afford another option - not so you can, as the lady in the ER demonstrates, spend your money on luxuries like tattoos or cable TV. When I see people pay for their cart full of soda, chips and candy with food stamps I get a little frustrated. When Drew gets medicaid/care patients who smoke $5/pack cigarettes and then expect me to pay for their neck dissection and tounge removal I get a little frustrated.

Blah. Rant over.

Preschool times two

For six hours each week I will be a free lady. I pay for this privilege in the form of a tuition check to St. Francis preschool, but it is worth it. Every dollar. Since this will be Elena's third year in preschool, I figured she was ready for a five day (8-1) program and Lucas will be going two mornings a week.
Don't get me wrong, I miss these guys when they're not around but it is so nice to get a few things done (or nothing) while they're having fun with other kids and their fantastic teachers. Elena is doing great so far, and I think/hope Lucas is adjusting to his new found structure. Elena was a little nervous about making new friends since all of her friends from the last two years went on to Kindergarten, but her fears were quelled when she met some of the new girls. Lucas has accepted the fact that his army of little guys cannot come with him to school, but they will instead wait patiently in the car until he comes back.
Here are pictures from the first day (complete with Elena's pillow pet for nap time) and as you can see Lucas (recovering from a run in with the brick walkway in front of our house) was oh-so excited to go to school. The third picture is usually what Lucas looks like upon his return from school. From the looks of it, I think he has an OK time.

Stuck in the past

This summer's trip home was so fun it still brings smiles to my face. Now that the kids are old enough to entertain themselves, life has become a lot more enjoyable and vacationing a lot more relaxing. The majority of the kids' time was spent jumping on the trampoline, swimming, riding bikes, going to the park, you name it-we tried to do it. My parents transformed their backyard into a little oasis for the kids, and they even tried to keep them contained by putting in a temproary fence. (Nice try, Dad)

To West Virginia's credit, it is sure a lot easier to go down a Slip n' Slide when you actually have a hill.

Summer, I will be sad to see you go.

It's amazing how life kind of works its own kinks out. After we left Indiana, my dad, mom, me and the kids headed to North Dakota. It was about Beloit, WI when we ran into car problems. A strange rattle we heard in Indiana turned out to be a big clunk in Wisconsin. If you have ever tried to find a mechanic on a holiday (Sunday and the Fourth of July) in the middle of nowhere - you'll understand the mild stress and tension hovering over us. We were stuck there for a couple of days, but it turned out to be one of the best parts of our vacation.

We found a hotel with a pool, the town had a beautiful park, and grandpa couldn't sneak away to go to work while we were stuck. The kids were great, we just played and had fun, and eventually we made it to our destination.

The rest of our trip was smooth. We got up to Minot and spent a few days with the great grandmas. It was fun to see them and spend time with my cousins' kids, whatever that relation is. The pictures above were taken at my Grandma Elaine's house. The trees they're climbing were the ones we climbed as kids. My grandpa would chase us down so no one would get hurt. Now that he's gone, the torch has been passed to my generation as we were all out back telling the kids to get down and be careful. The circle of life I guess.

(the next couple of entries will continue to be a vacation log. more for my purposes than yours. Remember-patience is a virtue.)

The Fourth - Just the beginning

Drew was done with his Martinsburgh rotation for three whole days before the kids and I left for three weeks. Nice, I know. We did get to have a day in Indiana to spend together with his family. The Swindell family 4th of July is not one to be missed. The three "Fs" were in full force this year. Food, Family and FIREWORKS.

This is the stash of fireworks that Drew's Uncle Mark brings to the party. He puts on such a great show cars stop on the road.

Blessed

Over the past year I have really worked to make scripture study a priority. I must admit that my motives were purely selfish. I need blessings, and I wanted to win the race. Four years ago Drew and I set the goal of reading the Old Testament cover to cover. We wanted to be finished before he graduated medical school (in 2007). Well, needless to say the task proved to be a little daunting given the two kids we were about to have, the Book of Mormon challenge issued by President Hinckley, the tendency to put scripture reading off in favor of sleep, etc.
So Graduation came and went, the first couple years of residency came and went (again sleep proved to be too powerful of an alternative) and my progress in the Old Testament amounted to having meandered my way through less than the first half by this winter (2009). Then it happened.
I have never been one to stick to the goals I set for myself, especially not ones that take too long. This effort was falling into that category, but I persevered. Drew told me how far along he was and I decided I better get into gear if I was going to beat him. When I hunkered down and dug into my scriptures, a change came to my reading. I loved and devoured the words on the pages. I began to pray more earnestly for understanding of words that had always seemed over my head. Before I knew it I was almost finished. This May, I read the last words of Malachi and began to sob. Not because I was finally finished or because I won the race or because the kids were pounding on my door for breakfast. I was so touched by the spirit and by the testimony I had received that these ancient records are true and relevant. There are lessons pure and priceless tucked away between the historical lineages and time lines that fill the Old Testament. I have gained an appreciation for this (big) book that I had put off reading because every time I tried I couldn't get over the hump I refer to as "The Book of Numbers."
Our Bishop has issued a challenge that our ward read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. I am excited to move on to the "plain and precious" truths found in this record and to share the experience with my ward family. Any of you can join with us! It can't hurt, right? And if you need a Book of Mormon, I know a couple of young men who can get you one. ;)