On to 4th year!

Cheers...Cheers to the 4th years!!!

You have made it through another year Jim. Samantha and I couldn't be more proud of you. Just one year left and you will offically be Dr. James Kowalczyk!
Jim has finished his 3rd year and again, did very well! All of his 4 year rotations are set up and the light at the end of the tunnel keeps getting brighter and brighter! Jim is still deciding if he wants to do EM or IM/cardiology or a EM/IM residency. He has various rotations setup in both of those fields, so hopefully he can decide which of these he likes better. We have offically left TN and are back in Palos Heights, living with Jim's parents for the next year. God Bless both of our families as we have invaded both houses with our stuff and Samantha's toys. I know they all couldn't be happier that we are back home, as I am, but I also feel bad that we have taken over! We will be here for the next year until we know where we are going to be at for residency...hopefully we can just stay put in our little suburb of Chicago. All in all the move went well. Jim and I loaded the truck ourselves...yes ourselves...our movers NEVER showed up. Thank God for Nick coming over and helping Jim move the big stuff on the truck! It took Jim and I about 8 hours to load the truck...it was a very LONG night. We drove the truck in on Saturday and then on Sunday we had a TON of help from family unloading the truck into our storage unit. Everything we need is unpacked and put into its place. I just keep telling myself this is only temporary and next year we will have our own house again. We are VERY grateful for our families and for them to allow for us to do this. It's going to be a great year! Onto EM Jim goes :)

Packing...Packing...Packing

So our plans have changed once again thanks to LMU-DCOM. At the last minute, Jim's ER Core rotaion at Morristown-Hamblen Hospital fell through. So Jim had to find a new rotation ASAP. Luckily, the school was letting him pick where he wanted to do it and he found out that St. James in Olympia Fields, IL, which is like 25 minutes from where our parents live, has not one student rotating during that time! It was like God telling us this is where you need to be!! This is also Jim's #1 spot for residency! Therefore, since we now have to move back to Chicago a month early, I had to fly down one way and get the entire house packed up! It has been a crazy week! Also, my parents are wonderful and offered to keep Samantha with them for the week! So Samantha has had plenty of time with Oma, Papa, Auntie Ju Ju & Uncle Jeff! She has been so good all week...although the first night was pretty bad...she was looking for me all night! Makes me so sad. I miss her running around all over, but I know it was the best thing. I was able to get the house packed up and not have to worry about her getting hurt! So we have the house packed, the moving truck is coming and we are heading back to Chicago tomorrow for good...hopefully!

Let the Countdown Begin

One year from today LMU-DCOM will have their first graduating class!!! Jim will then be Dr. Jim Kowalczyk!!!! So excited to see what God has in store for us in this next year!

19 months

Over this last month, Samantha has been talking more and more and even starting to put sentences together. She is always so polite saying please and thank you. She is still siging for things even though she knows how to speak them now. Her sleep patterns are still irregular at night, but we have been traveling a lot now so I don't mind her sleeping with me anymore. She is such a cuddle bug and sleeps well. She really is such a happy baby and a good baby. She adapts to anything and everything! There were even a few days that we were really busy that she didn't even nap and she just kept going with the flow. Over the last month, she has almost learned how to ride her tricycle. It's almsot there. A little more practice and I'm sure she has it! Some of her new phrases include:
- i don't know

- where she/he go?

- i know

- bath please

- fishy eat

- no thank you

On other news, Jim is almost done with his 3rd year!!! So exciting! He has one more rotation in TN and at the end of June we officially make the move back to Chicago! I'm so excited. We will be living with my in-laws for the next year as Jim does various rotations in Chicago and in Michigan and then he will be back in TN next year for a couple of rotations. The end is almost near and the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter each day! We are so proud of him.

Samantha & Uncle Jeff on his graduation day

My brother Jeff graduated this past weekend from Olivet Nazerne University with his degree in Criminal Justice. He is still in the process of looking for a job, but I know God has something wonderful in store for him. The perfect job will come along. My sister's wedding is getting close only a few more months away. She has picked up her dress and the bridesmaid dresses are now in too! She has almost finished registering. This summer is going to be CRAZY, but it is going to be so much fun!!!

18 months

Happy 18 month birthday baby girl! Where has 18 months gone? You make me laugh everyday!Here are some things you have learned over the last 6 months

- learned to eat by yourself with a fork & spoon although every once in a while you still want mommy's help
- eating more table food than baby food
- you know what sounds a cow, horse,sheep, cat, monkey, dog & cat make
- your favorite meal of the day is breakfast - you love pancakes and french toast
- you love to cuddle with Oma
- you love to play with your babies
- you love to be outside
- you love to feed Uncle Jeff's fish with Papa
- you have learned how to go up and down stairs
- you know sign lanugage for "more" "i love you" "milk" "please" and "help" and Auntie Ju Ju has been trying to teach you more
- your favorite TV show by far is The Wonder Pets
- you love to dance to music
- you have all of your teeth in and your 2 yr molars are coming in already
- you watch races with grandpa
- you love to hug and kiss
- you know where your eyes, nose, mouth, hair , head, arms, legs and ears are
- you have attempted, and almost succeeded in getting out of your crib
- you love to pretend to talk on the phone
- your vocabulary consists of
mama
dada
oma
papa
mimi
bob (this is what you call grandpa)
Ju Ju (this is Auntie Julie)
yes
no
up
baby
i don't know
nite nite
nose
eye
thanks
hi
bye-bye
fish
doggie

I'm sure there are more that I'm missing, but I think that is a good list

Samantha you have been such a trooper over these last 18 months. We have moved once and we have traveled many times back and forth from Tenneessee to Chicago. You do great in the car. Although sleeping hasn't been your thing for the last few months, its ok. I love waking up to you kissing me and saying "up mama". You are such a lovie. You have been going to bed about 8:30 pm and waking at 3:00 am to come in bed with me and then sleeping until 7:30. You also are taking a 2 hour nap still in the afternoon (please don't stop this...mommy LOVES this time).

What more can I say Samantha, you are the center of our world and we love every minute of it. You have so much love. These next 6 months are going to be so much fun. You are learning something new everyday. Samantha we love you more than words can say! Happy 18 month birthday baby girl!

Easter

He is Risen...He is Risen Indeed!!
This Easter was different than the others. It was Samantha and I up in Chicago. Jim had just finished a rotation and couldn't come up becuase the next one started on Monday. So I wasn't sure what Easter was going to entail for me. I usually go to Good Friday service, but this year I opted out. I didn't want to put Samantha in nursery, as she doesn't do very well in there, and I stayed and spent time with my brother, Jeff and his girlfriend Allison and we made the desserts for Easter. I did go Easter morning with Samantha. It was a wonderful service. I always feel uplifted everytime I leave. The rest of the day consisted of being at my in-laws and everyone was over for dinner and then we had the annual Easter Egg Hunt with the entire Kiers family! What a blast that is. Since Jim wasn't there, Auntie Ju Ju helped Samantha find eggs. There were hundreds of eggs. Some with candy and some with notes to get prizes that didn't fit. Samantha got, bubbles, princess pillow, Easter beenie baby, some DVD's & books.

Spring is in the Air

The weather over the last week has been great! Samantha has enjoyed the outdoors all week and has had so much fun. We have spent time outside by Oma & Papa's, she has gone for many walks in her wagon, she has gone to the pond to feed the fish, and has watched many of Uncle Alec's baseball games. We have enjoyed the last 2 months in Chicago so much. Here are a few pictures of this past week

Uncle Alec playing baseball