A new car!!

Ok, this is an exciting post for me (Austin). We have been sharing one car, and with my schedule at school, we decided that we could either have Pam take Makenna to day care at 6:30 every morning and keep her until 4:00 every afternoon, or we could get another vehicle and on the days when I get done early (I am done at noon on Wednesdays and 2:00 a couple of other days) I could pick Makenna up. This means that Makenna will get to be with either Pam or I or both of us for several more hours a week. So, we decided getting another vehicle was worth it. We went to visit my cousin Abby, who just had a baby, and on our way home, stopped by a used car lot. We test drove a couple of vehicles and decided that this is the one that we liked best. Ok, it was really just my decision, and Pam just gave me permission to do it, but I think we both like it!

Let me be the first to say that I know that it is bigger than we need and probably cost more than we should have spent. It is a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab. The tires that are on there right now are being changed, so it will ride a little lower to the ground. The only thing that I didn't like was the fact that it is only 2-wheel drive, but in reality, I doubt that the need for 4-wheel drive will come up too often here in Arizona, and if it does, Pam's Explorer is 4-wheel drive. I am really excited about the truck since it has been my wish to have a truck ever since I learned how to drive Dad's old '85 Ford.

On another note, my orientation for school was this past week. The last two days were great and I am really excited about starting classes. I hope that I can really push myself and get good grades and really learn what I need to. It puts it in another frame of mind when I realize that I will be using this knowledge as a base for treating patients.

Also, the other big news around the Matthews family is that Makenna had 2 teeth poke through this past week! She is asleep right now, but I will try to take some pictures later and post them up. All in all, life is good for us!

Video of Makenna

Hello everyone! Pam and I wanted to post a video of Makenna that we took yesterday before church in the yellow dress that used to be Alexa's. We also took a video of a tour of our apartment, but that appears to be too big to post here, so we will post that later. But here is Makenna!

This is Kimberly's new baby. Also, I don't think it's fair, but Kim looks pretty good for just having a baby!



Look at these pouty lips!

I think this is such an adorable baby! Also, I got her weight wrong. She actually weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz. Mom and baby should come home from the hospital tomorrow or Monday.

The first week is over

What a week! (This is Pamela again by the way) I started work on Monday. I was so nervous about things. The school looked like an absolute wreck! There were holes in my wall, stains on my carpet, and I have such a tiny classroom! But on Monday we had a faculty meeting and everyone was so nice to me. On Tuesday I moved things around and started making it more of a classroom. On Wednesday we had meetings all day, but it was nice to get to spend a little more time with my fellow staff members. I'm really excited about them because they are all so friendly. It's going to be a great work environment I think. And then yesterday I finished my classroom. I covered the walls with paper to make them look like bulletin boards. I got rid of several of the desks, and all of the big desks. I am so proud of how the classroom looks now! It looks like a real elementary school and not a hole in the wall! I guess all elementary schools probably look like that; I had just never seen very many classrooms in the summer I guess! I also had my open house last night. All of the parents and students showed up for my class except for four. That made me more excited too. I have very cute kids! It will be a challenge, however, because I have several special needs students. But apparently they are all very well-behaved students. So that's a plus! So I am super excited about school now! I will have tons of work to do this weekend to get ready for Monday!

Other news--my sister had her baby yesterday! She had to have a C-Section because the baby was "too big." I'm sorry, Makenna was 71bs, 10 oz and 19 pounds. KD Jo is 7,2 and 19 1/2 inches. If I had to do it... ha ha. But it sounds like everyone is doing well. My mom says the baby looks just like her daddy... why is it that Kim and I both seem to have such weak genes? Both of our babies didn't get anything from us!

Gordon started Kindergarten yesterday. I asked him how it was. He said, "We have recess! In the gym!" Ha ha, that's all school is about all right! He also said he got to ride the bus and eat in the lunchroom. Now I know for a fact that Gordon's teacher spent countless hours preparing for school (we all do). And he didn't mention anything but the gym, bus, and lunchroom. I had to pull all other details out of him. How is that fair?

I think that's about it for right now. Austin is still enjoying being mommy for a while. And Makenna is being just as much of a rat as ever before. She was actually throwing fits today! Stiffening out her legs when she didn't want to get in her seat, clenching up her fists at me (and I know she was probably saying swear words!)... did you know 5 month old babies could throw fits? But I have to admit I just encouraged her... I couldn't help but laugh! But anyway, I think we are doing just fine. I can't believe we have only lived here a week!

The move is done!

Well everyone, we are here in Arizona! And this is Austin posting. Crazy stuff. We got down here last Wednesday night after Trevor, Cody, and I drove all day. Pam and Makenna got to fly (lucky). We took a day to rest and goof off a bit, then we moved in on Friday. During the middle of the day. On the hottest day of the week (it was 114 F). I nearly killed both Cody and Trevor with that trick! Cody and Trevor were a great deal of help to us. They flew off Saturday, and we set to work setting our new apartment up. Finally, things are starting to look like a real place without a bunch of boxes all over. I finally got the new TV hooked up, and we got the cable, internet, and a new phone line installed. Things are falling together nicely (the TV looks great mounted on the wall - 42" of HD fun!!) Pam has been at school the last two days and I have been Daddy Daycare. Makenna and I have had fun in between setting up the bookcases and table. It makes me really sad that I have to go to school and don't get to stay at home with her; it makes me more sad that Pam has to work too. But it will work out for the best. Well, that is enough from me tonight!!

I got the job!

Woo hoo! I got the job! Well, I expected to hear from the principal on Wednesday. It was time to go for visiting teaching, and he had never called. I was way bummed! When I got home I checked my e-mail. Mr. Palmer said he hadn't been able to get in touch with Mr. England, please have patience. So I tried calling Mr. England myself. His wife answered--they were on vacation in Las Vegas! So I told Mr. Palmer. All day Thursday I went with my phone in my pocket. Nothing. Then that night (like at 6:30), I was giving Makenna a bath when I thought I heard my phone ring. I ran in the bedroom and found that I had a miss call. It was him! He told me he had some exciting news; call him in the morning. Well he had just called three minutes ago so I went ahead and called him right then. And I had the job! I'm so excited! I can't wait!

Woo hoo

Woo hoo! My little husband graduated on Friday! Actually, Friday was a very up and down day for us. On Thursday, Austin took his organic chemistry final. For podiatry school, you have certain prereqs you have to take and make a C in. Organic chemistry is one of them. For some reason (and it's weird because Austin is so smart), Austin has really struggled with this class. But he figured he had to make like a 60 or something like that on the final to make a C in the class. So he took the final... and bombed it! It was horrible. So we went to bed Thursday night not knowing what our future would hold. He went to meet with his professor on Friday and she said, "Sorry. You have a C- and I will not raise the grade for you. I do not believe in giving extra points. But I know you know the material so if you want me to write a letter to your medical school I will." So we were so bummed out. Now what? So Austin called the school. They said, "Oh wow. You have to have a C! Don't know what to tell you... you'd better call the guy in charge." Oh crap! So he e-mails this guy. And he said, "You know, you've already been accepted. It'd be a big headache to not let you in now. I'll accept your C-." Woo hoo! This was like the most excitement for us! Austin said he had thought his life was pretty much over. But it is now all taken care of! Obviously, Heavenly Father is looking out for the Matthew's family!

Friday was also a bit crazy because Austin's mom, sister, her three kids, and brother were all here. While Austin was finishing finals, they and Makenna and me met up and went to Bear World. Makenna has been having some stranger anxiety lately... and the whole time we were with the family, she screamed and cried! It was a miserable outing! And because we were with them in Melissa's car, we couldn't leave. It was horrible! She was fine when she and I were off by ourselves, but whenever Becky or anyone came close she would cry like she was being killed! It was nuts! Also, while we were at Bear World I left my car parked at the gas station. And the Sheriff's office called and told Austin it was about to be towed... Because although there was no "No Parking" sign, apparently it was bugging the owner by being parked there. Good grief! So all of this was definitely a down...

But I did have an up! The superintendent of the school district called! We had an interview while I was sitting at Bear World, lol. We talked for about 30 minutes. He made me even more exited about the school. He told me that they had it narrowed down to three candidates for the job. He said pretty much my only negative was that I'm in Idaho right now and not Arizona. But he said they would call my references on Monday and then I should be a key runner for the job! A possible up! Woo hoo! Keep your fingers crossed and pray for me! Mama wants to eat! Ha ha.

And then we had Austin's graduation on Friday. Commencement was at 6:30 and Convocation at 8:00. It was super hard because Makenna usually goes to bed at about 6:30. So she was super cranky! But I did get to see Austin when he marched in in commencement and when he walked across the stage at convocation. But the rest of the time I was having to be outside with a crying, cranky baby! But still, I'm so proud of him! Graduating college is such a big accomplishment. Now we have two college grads in the family!

But another downer... at Bear World I bought a little bear in a graduation costume for Makenna. And walking to graduation, I dropped the bear out of Makenna's diaper bag. And although I traced my whole route back about ten minutes later, it was gone. So if anyone out there has my bear, give it back! I'm so bummed I lost it!