Happy Anniversary

Sam and I were able to celebrate our anniversary this week. This is a quick look at the past years. I realized that Sam and I need more pictures of us together.

2000-Here is our 3rd date. We borrowed my Dad's SUV and went up Fairview Canyon along Skyline Drive. One reason we were so compatible was that we were able to be our true selves around each other. Sam's family thought a third day was significant. When I went to pick him up they were all waiting, Scott and Maggie had even stayed later than they meant so they could meet me.



2001-March 3rd, Manti Temple.



2002-Yes this is a spliced picture, If you'll notice Sam doesn't have any legs in the picture. You'll also notice that I am 8 1/2 months pregnant



2003-Here is Sams graduation from BYU.



2004-no pictures of us together but this was a life changing year for us. Sam joined the army, got accepted to med school and we moved to Maryland, Charlotte joined us that year also.



2005-Sam had to go do army stuff this summer so I went to Utah. We were able to meet up in Cedar City at Chelle's house, but we didn't get a picture of us together.




2006-This year our big trip was to New York to see Sams mission, which includes the church history sites. They are in front of the Palmyra Temple



2007-This year our anniversary present was our family trip to Hawaii (Sam did a medical rotation here). It is my favorite place



2008-This year is marked by the birth of Samantha and by Sam graduating from med school.



2009-Okay so there is no picture here yet. Who knows what 2009 will bring us.

A Dr. comes in handy once in awhile

Well he is handy all of the time, we just don't get to take advantage of his medical skills that often. Sam can listen to their lungs and tell me when to worry when your kid is sick, but I usually have to rely on a pediatrician to help with the sick kids. He came in handy last Saturday. I rolled my foot walking down the stairs, he was able to examine my foot and concluded I had a high ankle sprain. He was happy when he did research and found that he was right. Of course I wish he hadn't been right because it is a big pain.

A Day in the Life. . .

Your local pathologist is spending a wonderful week being on call. At any moment the pager will beep and I will be required to save a life with the volumes of medical knowledge that I have acquired over the past years.

Alas my time has come. The pager screeches and I have to run to the phone to here the emergency. Alas it is specimen receiving wanting to know if a blood clot needed some formalin. Not the life saving call. Maybe the next call will be more exciting.

When it comes to being a doctor, being a pathologist is pretty good. At BAMC we have to take a bus from Fort Sam to the hospital. I have seen many of my former classmates who are shells of their former selves. They don't smile, and look like they have been 8 months without sleep. They have saved many a life and have learned the ins and outs of working in the hospital.

For me it is different. I save a life by making a correct diagnosis. For instance, we get breast biopsies to help rule out cancer. When we find a small focus of cancer the patient will be treated and most likely be cured. Before this type of surveillance the cancer would have smoldered until it was symptomatic. At that point a cure would be very unlikely.

Good thing these biopsies don't come in at 3 O'clock in the morning. I will take my call and enjoy my family and I will let my friends in the other medical specialties save a life today.

Sam's Turn

We did Samanthas post first because it was her first birthday. Sam turned THIRTY on Valentines day(Samantha and Sam sharing a birthday is getting complicated).

This year, since Samantha isn't old enough to talk, Sam got to pick the food and the cake. Luckily for Sam, Samantha liked the Grindstaff Tacos. I can't do a full thirty year review, but I thought I would review the highlights.

Here is Sam with his Mom. This is one of the few baby pictures we have



This picture includes his Mom, Dad, Chelle, Scott, Sam and Matthew. Sam and Matthew are 18 months apart and Matthew is the baby, so He is somewhere around two years old.



Here he is on his mission . He went to Rochester New York. I don't know how he took this picture but it is really cool. He was actually caught arguing with himself. He was somewhere between 19-21 in this picture.



Here is Sam on the most important day of his life, March 3rd 2001. He was 22.



Here is Sam at 23, with Caleb



Here is Sam with Charlotte, he spent his 25th birthday welcoming her home.



Here is Sams 29th birthday. He was dissappointed that I didn't get him out of work that day. I didn't go to the Hospital until 4 p.m



May of 2008 Sam graduated from medical school.

Samantha is One

February-Here I am with Dad. He'll never get a better birthday present than me.



March-Even in Texas I loved being swaddled



April-Capturing some of my first smiles



May-Here I am with Mom at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. It is never to early for culture



June-Aren't these fat rolls amazing



July-Went camping with all of Mom's family. Don't ask me how I got so dirty.



August-Again I had to show off my fat rolls.





September-yep I'm only 7 months old, but I can stand up to things now




October-Who cares that I'm only 8 months old, I'm going to try walking




November-Who cares about Thanksgiving dinner, just give me some Legos




Getting ready for Christmas is very exhausting



Ha Ha grilled cheese sandwich, you are mine, all mine




One year and now I'm big enough to drive.

Our New FIVE Year Old

It's February 10th and here's the Birthday outfit. Just in time to run the air-conditioner for the first time this year. As an encore we'll go outside and run through the sprinklers!


The party theme was "Fairy's," so as part of the fun we gave the kids a bat to beat on the fairy. This may traumatize some, and lead to counseling for others (you know, support our local psychiatrist). In the end whenever you wack something and candy comes out it has to be a good thing.


Here comes the cake! Here comes the cake! Lets all sing 'cause here comes the cake.


There is nothing like the icing on the candles (It is even better then the icing on the cake.) (where's the ice cream?)


Here she is with her brand new scooter! It is just like Caleb's, but different.


We all love getting presents. Especially princess or fairy things.

Charlotte memories cont. 5th year

Here is Princess Charlotte celebrating her 4th b-day



Four days later she was able to welcome baby sister.



Here she is at Padre Island. We went camping for a couple of days. This is the closest to the water she would get. Most of the time she didn't want to see the ocean



She is back in Maryland again. This is at the DAR building (daughters of the american revolution) this is where Sams graduation was held



At the Moroni 4th of July parade. We were able to go back to Utah for a short visit.



Here is Charlotte at six flags. We enjoyed a good family trip there