Saying Goodbye

Well, I never never expected to meet so many great people and make such wonderful friends in one short year in a "spacey" little town in New Mexico. We were surprised to have so many sad goodbyes to extend before we left. I will fondly remember and miss the good men and women in the ward like John and Shirley Anderson, Pat Galea, Joyce Nielsen and Heather Spotts. Scott will really miss his buddies John Anderson and Loren Spencer and Jake Mackey. Alamogordo taught me that there are A LOT of great families in the military and I will miss the awesome example of several brave and faithful wives such as Amy Boyden, Cherisse Miller, Stacey Culver, Megen Westwood and Krista Waggoner. I'll miss my walking buddy Ashlee Roush and her cute kids. I'll also miss all the fun girls from volleyball...especially Claire Spencer and Rindy Mackey and Lisa Westover. And I'm so sad to have left behind the world's best neighbor and my unexpected best Alamogordo friend from France...SOFIA (we love her husband John, too)! Goodbye Alamogordo...thanks for the wonderful memories!

Doctor Scott

Scott's fellowship director was kind enough to invite me down to the surgery center to observe one of his surgery cases. The thought never would have crossed my mind since I am very squeamish at the thought of blood and knives and needles, but I have always wondered what he's like in his element and I didn't want to miss the chance. I'm so glad I went...it was amazing. HE was amazing. I got a little choked up with pride in my smart, handsome, talented husband. He's come a long way from golf course attendant and satellite dish installer and insurance salesman. I couldn't stop wishing that his dad was here to see this :)

Little Brothers' Visit

Eric and Mark are my littlest brothers (#7 and #8 in a line-up of ten) and they are the only ones out of all of our siblings on both sides of the family that paid us a visit while we lived in Alamogordo. I was so pleased and flattered that they would go to all the trouble it required, just to spend some time with boring, old us! I was worried that our house would be too small and our town would be too lame, but they came anyway and it was SO fun. I was so happy to have my house full of people I love, including my two little baby nephews. Sadly, at the end of the week, we all came down with the stomach flu and it was a huge puke-fest. But before that happened, we made lots of fun memories, and I hope the drive was worth it for them...it sure was for me! Here are some pictures of us at white sands and at the space museum and the kids playing dress up and hiking in Cloudcroft. My favorite part was one morning when Nolan was refusing to do something I asked, and I was losing my patience, and Eric and Mark stepped in, and boy did they take care of business. I wish there were two tough uncles living in my house at all times!