...and now USC!

Just as we had been settling into the idea of living in Syracuse, NY, for the next for years for Andy's medical school, we were given a new opportunity! While teaching on Wednesday afternoon, Andy picked up a call from the Dean of USC's Keck School of Medicine. He was so giddy and happy in front his Biology students and even called me on speaker phone immediately to tell me the good news. I was overjoyed and overwhelmed almost to the point of tears (as I was picking up car from the mechanic). It was rather unexpected, although we had hoped that the Lord would open that door.

We're now changing gears and working on undoing some of the details that we had planned for NY and starting to plan for the move to Los Angeles in late July now (instead of late June). I imagine life in So Cal to be quite out of our comfort zone, but I am reassured that God will provide for all of our family's needs. Please join me in praying that all the details would work out, especially our first item of business... where to live! Hopefully we'll get to go down right after Memorial Day to check things out.

Go Trojans!!!!

Annaliese & Ellyann

These two little munchkins are great little friends... and have grown up and changed a lot since last summer!

Little BROTHER!

Last Friday, I had my first ultrasound of this little one at 19 weeks and it was amazing to get a peak inside at what God is knitting together in my womb! And after a long wait at the office and at the end of the exam, we found out we're having a little boy! We are both so excited to have a son (but I think especially Andy)!

Chocolate Lover (just like her Mama)

Our Visit with the 5 Dauphins (+1 in the oven)

I wish I had the gift of words and writing like my dear friend Nikki Dauphin (as well as my husband), but I don't. Hence, most of my posts are pictures with captions. I know I've used the phrase on my blog before, that words fail me. Well, I suppose it is not their fault. I just can't fully describe the unique and lovely friendship that we share with the Dauphins.

The kind of friendship I'm talking about is something you've either experienced or you haven't. I pray that you have or that you will. I'm talking about when there is not only deep underlying love and commitment to one another, but also to God first and foremost and then to uplifting each other through our lives on earth, as well as just true enjoyment of each other. Beside the uncommon friendship that Nikki and I share, amazingly, our husbands Steve and Andy also experience the same kind of deep friendship. Truthfully, it makes me feel choked up, just typing about it. I know that God has used each of us in each other's lives at various times to sharpen, encourage and enjoy life together. And I know that even though the physical distance between our families will drastically increase in a couple of months, I know that our friendships with the Dauphins will become only more close-knit over the coming years.

We were so blessed that they carted their 3 boys (Isaac, 4 1/2 years old; Caleb, 3; Josh, 1 1/2) to visit us here at our home in Dinuba for the weekend a couple of weeks ago. They sacrificially packed up and made the drive from Watsonville (over 3 hours) after Steve had taught high school all week and Nikki was closing in on her 32nd week of her 4th pregnancy. We had a fantastic time playing with the kids, eating, walking/biking to the park, chatting and just soaking it all up.

Our little Annaliese is just 7 weeks younger than Josh (above) and we hereby publicly announce their betrothal! :0) At 1 1/2 years old, they weren't too into each other yet, but it will come in time! Although I didn't get a pic of the two together, Nikki did and posted it on her blog. I can see it now, in their wedding slide show! Ha ha!

Dauphin Family, we love you and thank you so much for being our sweet friends. We're so glad that all 5 of you came to see us. Know that you are so tenderly cherished in our hearts. We plan on seeing you once more this summer and meeting Baby Girl Dauphin before we leave!

What's up with us?

Here's the update for our future:

My handsome and intelligent husband has gotten into two medical schools, SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, and Eastern Virigina Medical School in Norfolk, VA. Of our two available choices, we choose Syracuse (for several reasons, cost being a major factor). While we make plans to move to Syracuse, we will continue to hope to hear positively from either UT Houston in Texas or USC in Los Angles, CA.

For now, though, our best option remains Syracuse. We found a wonderful place to live when we took a trip there almost 2 weeks ago - God really blessed us with a fruitful, quick, last-minute trip. It was a bit emotional for me, reality beginning to hit that we really are moving. It is going to be tough at times, but I know that we'll be joyful overall.

So the current plan for the move is that we pack up and have our stuff shipped just before we go to the 40th Annual Up Yonder Alston/Dollahite Family Reunion on Pickwick Lake in Alabama (at the tri-state area of Mississippi, Tennessee & Alabama) for the Fourth of July and the week following. Then we'll travel up to Syracuse where our stuff will be delivered with about a month before Andy's program starts to get situated, do a little sight-seeing and prepare for Baby #2!

Today, I am 17 weeks and will hopefully find out boy/girl at my 19-week ultrasound. So far I am doing really well and have gotten to hear the baby's heartbeat three times so far. I haven't been sick, mainly just tired, but has not been bad. God has really been faithful to remind me, often through Andy's gentle reassurance, that He (God) will take care of our needs, even when I feel like I don't know all the details... Thank you, Lord!

Annaliese is currently under the weather and was very attached to me today. I pray that for a quick recovery for her! Recently though she is quite a ham. She scrunches up her nose and makes funny noises to make us laugh. She has learned a lot of new words and uses them frequently to tell us what she wants. My favorite new word is "Mae" which refers to her two blankies. I'm not sure how she got that one. She loves patting and carrying around her dolly, giving her kisses, putting her in and out of the dolly stroller, and putting her dolly "Nigh Nigh." She has also started pretending or joking with us, when she sometimes will lay her head down at random times and say "Nigh Nigh... shhhhhh!" and then pop her head up with a smile, as if to say "Just kidding!" She continues to be a great sleeper, napper and milk-drinker, but is fairly particular when it comes to food. She occasionally has a difficult time when we don't understand her or when things don't go exactly her way, but for the most part she is a very happy and obedient toddler. She just moved over from the infant (0-18mo) to the toddler (18mo - 3 years) side of the church nursery and she absolutely loves to play with all the big kid toys. I realized I could go on and on, but I should really get to bed now, so I'll just say that she loves to play with crayons (mainly putting them into and out of the box) and get to bed.

I love my family and I'm learning to embrace this adventure that we're on!

Muddy girl

Classic. Yes, there was originally a shirt on this child. Then she got dirty and I took it off before taking her inside. When she escaped and began to rub mud on herself, I had to grab the camera!