Cardiology - Check

Jim finished his cardiology rotation at Ingham Regional Hospital in Lansing, MI. He LOVED it, and this is a field he is seriously considering. I am so proud of him. He did really well and he enjoyed every minute of it. He came home on the weekends to help me out with Samantha and let me sleep on the weekends because she was pretty sick for two weeks. She got some viral infection that seemed to last FOREVER! Then Samantha and I drove up to Lansing to visit Jim. One of Jim's professors at LMU-DCOM let him live in his house during the month, so Samantha and I could come up and visit. It was such a great time. Samantha and I drove up on Friday, so we got there just after Jim got home from the hospital and then went out to dinner. Then on Saturday we drove up to Frankenmuth, MI. This was great! There was a Christmas store that we spent 3 hours in!!! We got some great ornaments and Samantha her Christmas stocking! After that we walked around the city...it was beautiful. It was already decorated for Christmas and Samantha just loved looking at the lights and the people around. We had such a good time. On Sunday we just relaxed at the house let Samantha play all day and then on Monday morning Samantha and I drove back to Chicago. So all in all it was a great rotation for Jim, and I think he is getting a better understanding of what type of doctor he wants to be. He really enjoyed this rotation and everyone was so helpful and wanted to help Jim. I am so thankful for everyone that is helping Jim make his dream come true.

Happy Halloween!!!

Our little Tigger was sick on Halloween, so my mom, dad and Auntie Julie and (soon to be )Uncle Matt stopped by to see her in her costume! Samantha wore her costume all day and enjoyed as Trick or Treaters came to the door!

Samantha and Auntie Julie in her Tigger costume!

Where has the time gone???

Baby Girl (Super Sammie)

I can't believe my baby girl is 1! It just seems like yesterday we found out I was pregnant and I can't believe it has been a year that God blessed us with you. Your smiles fill our morning, your laughs fill our afternoons and your hugs and kisses fill our evening. It's so hard to remember what life was like without you in it. You continued to bless your daddy and I every day. We love watching you learn and explore new things.
Some things just make us laugh. You love to give both Ernie and Reese kisses and you love to sit by the dog bowls and give them their food and you love to play in it.

Here are just some of your accomplishments in just this first year of life
smile
roll over
crawl
sleep through the night at just 4 weeks
your first word was mama
you were pulling yourself up on things at 7 months
you took your first steps on papa's birthday Aug 30
you learned to shake your head yes and no
you learned to love your babies
you love to give hugs and kisses
you love to watch Uncle Alec play football, baseketball and baseball
you love to go for walks with Auntie Julie
you have learned to bark like a dog and moo like a cow
you mock someone when they cough or sneeze...its so cute!

These are just a few things that you do. I am sure I am missing things. You have traveled more in the first year of your life then some people do in a lifetime. You and I had many plane rides back and forth to Chicago and Tenneessee. Oma and papa watched you during tax season and you guys had a blast! You are such a happy baby.


your vocabulary consists of
mama
dada
papa
up
baby
mimi
no
hi

Samantha you are such a happy baby. Words can't describe the amount of love your daddy and I have for you. You make us laugh and smile everyday. I can't see what God has in store for you in this next year.
Love
Mommy & Daddy

She's getting so big

I can't believe how much my little girl learns in a week. Two weeks ago she learned how to walk and crawl to pull her self up to walk again. Over these last couple of weeks, she has learned to keep her balance, walk a little more steady and not so much like "walking on eggshells", and today she has learned to stand up without pulling herself up on anything. She has been saying "da da" a lot more and pointing to Jim when she sees him.
She is such a lovebug. She loves to cuddle when she is tired and in the morning when she wakes up. I can't believe in just a few weeks she will be a year old. Where has this year gone.

Orthopedic Surgery - Completed

Another one bites the dust! Jim has completed Orthopedic Surgery rotation at St. James in Olympia Fields, IL. This was a long rotation. I am so glad we were up in Chicago for this one. Jim was up every morning at 4 am and not getting home until 6 or 7pm. He has learned a lot and was "pimped" everyday and did a good job at getting the answers correct. I am so proud of him. He has also made some good contacts with the hospital as it is one of the hosptial he is looking into for residency after graduation! It would be such a blessing if Jim could get his residency here. Samantha would go to the Christian school we want her to grow up in and we would be here with all our family and friends!

This has been such a fun month. During the days, Samantha and I spend time with my sister, mom and dad, and my brother and then at night we come back to Jim's parents house and spend time with them. I have had some good girls nights, Aunite Julie and I went to the zoo with Samantha, and I have watched Samantha grow up this past month

Samantha has gotten 2 more teeth, so we have 8 now. She has learned to walk, and she is doing really well. She is walking from one side of the room to another. She has learned to go from a sitting position to a standing postion. She has learned to give kisses and she knows where her eyes are. I can't believe she is almost a year old. She has so much love here with all of our family.

Next month is going to be even better. Jim is on VACATION!!! We have so many things planned. The zoo, pumpkin patch, corn maze, and her 1st birthday party, and her 1st year doctor's appointment.

First Steps!!!

Today was an exciting day! Not only was it papa's birthday, but Samantha took her first steps! Let the fun begin now!

Anesthesiology - Completed

I am so proud of my husband. He is doing such a great job and is really enjoying each rotation. He just completed anesthesiology. He enjoyed and was glad he did it because it's going to help him with his next rotation of orthopedic surgery. Although I don't think he is going to make anesthesiology his choice of profession he really enjoyed all of the experiences and has learned a lot and will only help him in his journey. We also found out during this rotation that Jim has passed STEP 1 of the COMLEX!

Now we are off to Chicago. We are headed up there for the next four months! I am so excited to be around family again. It is getting lonely here in Morristown so it will be nice to be around friends and family again :) We have many things planned when we go back. Jim's brother Alec is in his senior year so we will see many football games and some basketball games. Samantha will be celebrating her 1st birthday as well.

Well onto orthopedic surgery...Jim needs to be at St. James Hosptial at 5 am. If you know Jim, you know he is NOT a morning person, so this is going to be interesting. He will be getting up at 3:30 am!