Shaving with Daddy

Every little kid is fascinated by shaving, right? It just seems so fun and so adult. I used to let some of my toothpaste foam dribble onto my face like faux shaving cream, onto to wick it away with the plastic bottom of my toothbrush.

One day in June, Julia convinced Aaron to let her shave with him. We let her use the plastic end of her toothbrush as a "razor" and let her use a little actual shaving cream on her face. She had a blast!

Like father, like daughter ;-)

Being taught by shaving expert Daddy.

Yes! Doesn't Julia have the perfect concentrated shaving face?

Dutifully rinsing her toothbrush "blade."

First Time Bowling!

We tried to pack as much fun into June as possible before starting residency. One day, we took Julia bowling for the first time! A local bowling alley had a summer kids program where each kid could bowl twice daily for free. Pair that with the fact that we went on a weekday, so our games were cheap, and we only had to rent shoes for Julia, and it was a great deal. The reason we only had to rent shoes for Julia is that Aaron and I both have bowling shoes. (Cue tangential story...)

A few years ago, we decided to buy some bowling shoes, not because we were bowling so frequently back then to really need them, but simply because we thought they could save us money in the long run by purchasing some. This was during our phase of investing in items that could save us money long term (i.e. our home hair cutting kit - I watched online videos for how to do a man haircut and have cut Aaron's hair intermittently ever since = definite savings). We figured we could recover our cost of the shoes if we bowled at least five or six times in our lifetime (we're almost there, I think) and would save a lot if we bowled more than five or six times (which I'm sure we will). We would also have the added benefit of being able to skip wearing the dirty, likely fungal infested rental shoes. And the benefit of wearing shoes that are comfortable and fit well. Oh, and did I mention that we look pretty baller in our shoes? It makes us look pretty serious about bowling, even though neither of us are. Nothing says, "Be intimated... I know what I'm doing" on the lanes like non-rental bowling shoes... well, until the gig is up when we throw our first gutter balls.

Julia had a lot of fun during the first game. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of going before lunch, after an early breakfast, and during the second game, Julia got really hangry (hungry + angry) and refused to bowl. Aaron and I bowled her frames, and rather rushed through the whole second game to get our cranky lady out of there. Neither of us did particularly well, but I doubt we would have done much better even if we weren't rushing. We're just not that good. Despite the shoes.

Still it was a fun morning!

Toddler in bowling shoes? Adorable.

Julia can actually make these rental shoes look cute!

Our matching awesome bowling shoes. Be jealous.

With the help of this ramp, Julia actually did really well.

Strike! Our bowling shoes are big shoes to fill, but we occasionally live up to them.

"Just get me out of here and feed me, Mom!"

Fourth Anniversary

In June, we celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary! Fourth! And our fifth anniversary is just around the corner! Is that crazy or what?! Time sure flies when you're having fun! And, oh, the fun we've had!

We were actually blessed to celebrate twice! My mom watched Julia one night before our actual anniversary, since we weren't sure whether or not we'd get to with residency orientation stuff. We went out to dinner and saw The Hunger Games. Then, on the day of, Aaron's mom and sister were actually in town, so they watched Julia while we went out to dinner again, and saw the movie Now You See Me. Both evenings were such treats! It's not too often that we get to go out just the two of us, and we really relished it.

Our delicious steak dinners.

Love him.

Outside after the movie!

I feel so blessed to be in such an incredibly happy marriage. We had a pretty smooth, happy dating relationship and engagement, but, honestly, once we got married, everything became a million times easier. Any struggles that we had in our relationship seemed to melt away and stay away. We were finally free to totally pour ourselves out for one another, and it was bliss. No more trying to juggle our separate lives, separate homes. No more stress in trying to discern God's will for our vocations (since even engagement, we felt, was a final time of openness to God's will for our relationship). No more saying good night or goodbye (we hardly ever had to say goodbye for 2 years, actually, since we spent pretty much all day, every day together for the first two years of marriage). Finally, our life together WAS our life.

We are so blessed that, for us, marriage has been easy. Of course, life has its challenges. We've had crazy times, and we've had sad times. But, our relationship is a constant, a rock. Aaron's love and support helps me through the crazy times, and bears me up through the sad times. I am constantly amazed that God has chosen such a perfect helpmate for me in Aaron, and such a perfect helpmate for Aaron in me. Where he is weak, I am strong, and where he is strong, I am weak. This complementarity is so good for our souls. I marvel at the ways God is using each of us to become better versions of ourselves by being schooled in each others' virtues. Our daily prayer for our marriage is that God will help us grow together toward Him.

Aaron is such an amazing husband. He always makes me feel like the most beautiful person on earth. He cares for me with so much tenderness. He is so patient with all my shortcomings, and builds me up when I am down. Aaron is incredibly supportive of me in all aspects of my life. He encourages me in my faith and is my partner in prayer, my accountability in my spiritual life. He supports me in my parenting by being the most wonderful, involved, present father, and by being on the same page with me for our goals in raising Julia. Aaron also supports me in my call to medicine. It would be so much easier for him if I stayed home with Julia or had a less demanding job. Since Aaron's job, too, is so demanding, I could do more for him and for our home if I weren't stretched so thin. However, Aaron believes God has called me to medicine, too, and wants me to continue on the path God has laid out for me. He is proud of me in my work, believing that I make a difference in my ministry to patients through my compassion, enthusiasm, and intellect. I can't tell you how much knowing that gives me confidence to continue on this long, difficult career path. The support we lend each other is so crucial to our happiness in our marriage.

And marriage is also just so incredibly fun. We've had so much joy. Our children, of course, are the crown jewels of our marriage. We have a saint in heaven who prays for us, and a beautiful, spirited child on earth who fills our days with so much love and laughter. We've traveled together and had so many crazy adventures together. We talk about books, movies, news, ethics, medicine, art, religion, life. We read together, play board games and video games together, watch TV shows together, cook meals and eat together. We go to events, stores, museums, parks. We build community with friends together. We pray and worship together. There's nothing we love better than spending time with one another. I still feel like a kid in a candy shop that I get to live with my best friend in the whole wide world and spend every day of my life with him! When I stop and think about it, it still feels like the unbelievable (almost guilty) pleasure it was when we first got married. How did we get so lucky? Of course, the answer is that it isn't luck. It's God's will. God's holy, perfect will. What a beautiful plan God had, and continues to have, for us! We are incredibly blessed.

Thank you, God, for these past four years of marriage! I pray that we are blessed with many, many more!

Fathers' Day 2013

In June, we also celebrated Father's Day! We enjoyed going to mass together, going to lunch together, and, in the afternoon, cooling off at the splash pad at our favorite park near our house.

Aaron is an amazing father. He genuinely delights in Julia, loving nothing more than to spend time with her. He is such a good sport, and playing everything with her from Barbies to board games. He has always been a wonderful teacher for Julia, reading to her and pointing out things in the world around her since she was a newborn. Aaron is so consistently fully present to Julia in a way that constantly amazes me. He can ignore housework (for better or worse... haha!) that is looming all around, and just focus on Julia, playing with her for long stretches of time. He can come home from a 13+ hour shift and immediately engage with her. What a gift. Aaron is so patient, so loving, so affectionate, and Julia is so crazy about him. I'm so glad Aaron's dream came true of being a dad because he is the best :-)

We also celebrated our own wonderful fathers - my dad over dinner, Aaron's dad over skype. We wouldn't be who we are today without their love and support. I still constantly rely on my dad for his prayers, his wisdom and insight, his home and car repair skills, his willingness to do anything for me and my family, no matter the personal cost. I am especially grateful for his friendship and constant presence in my life and in the life of my family. We are blessed by our fathers, and Julia is blessed to be growing up in close relationships to her grandfathers, too.

Julia and I made these for her daddy as well as her papas.

Father and daughter after church.

We were good sports.

Like, really good sports.

Haha! Really, really good sports.

Eww.

There are few things sweeter than summer berries eaten outdoors with ones you love.

Of course, I didn't manage to get a photo of Julia with my dad for Father's Day... just one with her aunt... haha!

Alex and Blake's Wedding

In June, we were blessed to celebrate the wedding of one of our dearest friends from medical school and her fiancee. I was honored to be asked to be a lector, and Julia was thrilled to be asked to be a flower girl! The wedding was at Alex's beautiful home parish. We stayed at the hotel where the reception was held, which was fun and made logistics blessedly easier (especially when Julia's full diaper leaked at the reception - poor thing!).

We had a wonderful trip sharing Alex and Blake's joy with them and their family and other friends as they began their married life together!

At the rehearsal. Julia STILL talks about the ring bearer, Barrett. He made *quite* the impression.

Blake's mom had the wonderful idea of having those of us coming to the rehearsal decorate a blank puzzle piece for Alex and Blake. She mailed them out, and had us send them back to her. She then put it together and set it out at the dinner. It was fun to see what everyone came up with! I had fun decorating our piece!

Rehearsal dinner

Alex gave us gifts for being in her wedding. Julia got wedding Barbie! What an adorable gift, huh? Julia was thrilled! She still plays with this Barbie almost daily.

Arriving at the church for the big day!

Receiving her beautiful (real) flower crown!

Alex is one the most beautiful people I know, inside and out! She made SUCH a beautiful bride!

This photo was taken within the last few minutes before Alex became a Mrs!

They did so well!

Cuteness.

Alex's family is the sweetest. They got a kick out of Julia!

Alex, Blake, and their tiniest attendants!

Alex with her sweet flower girls.

The whole wedding party.

Alex's Aunt Debbie and I were honored to lector at the wedding.

Our little flower girl.

We weren't quite ready for this picture! Haha!

That's better!

I *love* this photo! What a proud daddy with his little princess.

It was great to see some wonderful friends from med school at the wedding! Aaron with Elliot.

Sarah and Elliot

Sarah and me

Julia didn't take a nap (although we tried to get her to) in the afternoon. Finally, in the evening, she was so tuckered out that she fell asleep during the cocktail hour. We put her on some chairs when we went in to eat. Poor thing was startled awake by applause! Haha!

Beautiful ice sculpture

I loved the centerpieces!

Alex had even planned "kids' meals" for the wee ones. How sweet!

Gorgeous cake

Cutting the cake!

What a wonderful day!

Julia dancing with the mother of the bride. She is such a lovely, lovely woman.

And dancing with cousins of the bride. Love this whole family!

We danced a lot, too!

Alex dancing with her grandfather! How adorable is this?! In the background, you can see her grandmother is enjoying the dance, too.

With the radiant bride and groom! So happy for them!!

Precious.

What a night! Recovering from the evening's excitement the next morning in the hotel with some water and a sausage biscuit!