Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone!

Things the Season Brings

I spent the morning in the Emergency Room with my niece and my sister-in-law, more out of curiosity than support. The Christmas season brings so many wonderful traditions and memories, some of which involve crafts (for ambitious moms like my sister-in-law). Thus the 3 cornered beads that you string on pipe cleaners come out in red and green to create beautiful ornaments. Hannah, my niece, decided to decorate her nose this morning and forced one of these oddly shaped beads up her nose so far it was hardly visible. No amount of blowing would budge it and when the pediatrician said it was too risky for them to dislodge it, we were off to the hospital. I really wondered how they would manage to free this tiny piece of Christmas cheer, so I had to go along. Plus, someone needed to take the pictures for posterity's sake. It took quite a few tries for the PA, with a nurse, a tech, and my sister-in-law restraining the 3 year old. Tis the season to make new promises, and she faithfully promised all involved she would never stick anything up her nose again. :)

Is There A Dr. In The House?

Well, I have to say that my hiding under a bushel for my fears of not being able to control my future are finally over. In the past months that I have neglected this poor blog I have re-taken the MCAT, finished my medical school applications including what seemed like hundreds of entrance essays. I have had 2 interviews so far, and today I got a phone call with my second acceptance. Thus, I can now come back out of my hiding space and tell you all of the happenings in the Sowby household. Dr. Sowby will be in the house.... just give it quite a few years for me to finish up :) The important thing is that I am finally on my way! Move over House, Dr. Sowby is on the way up. So far my acceptances are to a school in NYC (HARLEM) and one in the sticks of Tennessee. I'm not sure how I feel about living in the city of cement in a tiny apartment, but Craig hasn't decided yet which he prefers. NY would definitely do well for his line of work, but the school in Tenn. is in the middle of the mountains with great hiking trails. It's a tough call for him :) Anyway, I have fully repented of my folly and will keep up with the updates.

P.S. On other big news, baby #2 is on it's way at the end of May. Man do we have some changes coming to us! I obviously think this is not merely news for a Post Script, but am always unsure on how to break such news. Thus, I have resorted to the PS. Plus, those that get bored up top won't have patients (like my Dr. joke?) to find out the exciting news thus entered:) haha!

Brian May Remembered

This week is the one year mark of my cousin-in-law Brian May's death. He was/is an awesome guy and I can't remember back to when he and my cousin Stacey weren't married. He was a VERY large man and I remember as a child being nervous at his towering above me, but it always wore off after his friendliness came through.

I loved hearing about the way they met and fell in love. Stacey was an early morning custodian on campus at BYU and Brian was at her apartment (visiting her roommate) when she came home looking lovely from the early morning cleaning. I might not be remembering it completely accurately, but it seems that he made some smart comment, she returned one, and she wasn't much impressed with him. Needless to say they later fell in love.

Brian was a BYU football starter and so this past weekend my cousin Stacey was in Provo for a fundraiser etc. She and another BYU football widow were interviewed and carried the alumni flag onto the field at the game.

Here is the clip.



We love you May family and we miss Brian.

Snaggle Tooth

It was getting to Suede's 16 month birthday and I was getting extremely anxious about the fact that no teeth had yet popped into her gum filled mouth.

Web MD says, "Usually, the first primary tooth comes in (erupts) at about 6 months of age, although it can be as early as 3 months or as late as 1 year of age. In rare cases, a baby gets a first tooth after his or her first birthday."

Thus, Suede was EXTREMELY RARE being 4 months past her first birthday. Finally, just as I was getting ready to schedule an appointment with her Doctor (a day after her 16 mo. birthday) a tooth popped in. YEAH!

Again she is unusual in that it wasn't the bottom 2 teeth (that usually come in first), but her top front right tooth. I'm excited that the time of breaking food up in extremely small pieces is almost over. I had to get a picture, but as you can see, she wasn't the happiest about it at the time.


I was told that our friend Brad didn't get his teeth until really late as well, and he seems to have a good brain, so lets hope there's a correlation there :)

Hawaiian in the blood

It all started back in Utah when my Ward (church congregation) was having a Luau. A member of our ward was an AMAZING Polynesian dancer and teacher and she taught us a Tahitian dance and a Hula. It was so much fun I couldn't stop. I started taking Tahitian but soon got pregnant and my expanding hips couldn't take it. Here's a picture of my awesomeness (OK Maybe it's not me. I wish. I'm really white when it comes to this stuff. Someday I'll be able to shake like this).

Thus, I switched to Hula and the same dancer in my ward came over and gave me private Hula lessons right up until I delivered. Let me tell you, it is an amazing leg and hip workout.
Here's a taste of what it supposed to look like

After visiting Hawaii and hearing the music, my Dad became convinced that he was supposed to have Hawaiian blood running through his veins. Now I think I agree.

Anyway, all of this to say that I have once again started taking Hula lessons. I found a Halau in Stafford, Va. (Hoku Hula) and am really loving it. Someday I'll be good enough to share :) As of now I'll just continue to be extremely sore every Saturday afternoon.

Rambo vs. Black Ninja

Those of you who have spent even a short amount of time with me and Craig have inevitably seen us have it out at one point or another. Don't get me wrong, we are madly in love, but what else could happen with two extremely stubborn people. Heads collide and we let them roll. They are (mostly) stupid things that have no relevance to our lives together and we end up laughing at them mere hours later. Yesterday was such a day as we were leaving stake conference (for you non-Mormons that is when a bunch of congregations in the area meet together to listen to the area leaders). We had just left a meeting in which we learned to be more charitable and more Christlike and as we entered the car, exploded into one of these wonderful battles. I argue like this....

With bazookas and machine guns and all out explosions. Craig on the other hand argues like this....

With stealth modes an untrained eye cannot recognize.

Thus commenced our argument. I blowing up the car with yelling and Craig sneakily taking out my feet. It's quite a site if you are ever fortunate enough to observe this theatrical event. Thus brings me to a jewel of a quote provided by my dear husband.

Speaking of our "spiritual meeting" we had just left he replied with a calm voice, "Well I am glad that you felt the spirit...(big pause)... of contention."
This was was followed by some great explosions on my part of course.

Now it is a wonderful laughing matter :)