Before it gets any later, I've got to try and write down all of our adventures from the past month! We've been so busy with everything from traveling to Joel's preceptorship to packing and moving and living out of suitcases for the next month! Eeeek! I knew my first problem with writing this post is that I have no pictures!!! The camera died, of course, and the battery and any other cords I would need are packed away in who knows which box, in the middle of a giant trailer out in the middle of nowhere. That pretty much sums up our life right now. :)
Well, it's been a fun month! Joel has finished his preceptorship in Parkston and has come away thinking rural medicine is just perfect. He had a fantastic experience, but I have to say I'm awfully glad he's living in the same zip code as Benjamin and me again! There's no rest for the weary, though. The minute he came back, he threw himself into studying for his first set of boards coming up in June. These are a pretty big deal, so his life is consumed with his incredibly extensive study schedule! I'm happy to say the stress level in the house will be a whole lot better come June 17th. :) Please wish him the best of luck!!!
I did a pretty good job keeping myself busy the last month, with all the packing that had to be done. After a long and very discouraging search for an apartment in Sioux Falls for this summer, we had a total miracle happen and found the most perfect place for our family in Tea. It's being built right now, so our move-in date is July 1st. We're so excited, we'll probably be there at the crack of dawn! My feelings on this whole moving business have been pretty conflicted. On one hand, it's so exciting and a huge relief to check off two years of this medical school journey. It's such a long haul that it feels really nice to finally progress on to the next part. However, we absolutely LOVED living in Vermillion. I miss it so much - our home, our friends, our life there... My heart is still a little sore from leaving it behind. I don't think I've ever felt that way about leaving anywhere. Certainly not our last move from Provo, UT!!! :) But I'm excited to see what Sioux Falls has in store for us! In the meantime, we're waiting very patiently in Mitchell. It is nice to have family around to hang out with... Benjamin especially enjoys it! He's getting a love overload here! I think we'll find lots of fun things to do around here for the next month! The downside to living in transition is that nothing is where we need it. I can't count how many times I've wanted something and thought, oh man....... RRGG it's packed in the trailer. How annoying. :)
Anyway, besides moving day, Benjamin has been having a good old time. He's so nice and sweet, and it's fun to see him build relationships with his grandparents while we're here. He's talking like crazy now, which is so fun. He has such a bright and fun personality! He does this silly little scowl face to most all strangers he sees, but he warms up after a little while! He is totally a Mama's boy, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll keep him as long as I possibly can. He still loves anything to do with trucks, cars, or trains. That pretty much consumes his day. :) He has found some new friends in Ruby and Bailey, the dogs. It's taken a couple weeks for him to get brave around them, but now all I hear is "Mama! Dog!" and he's yanking my arm toward the garage to catch a glimpse of those two. Within the last couple days he doesn't waste any time climbing down the stairs to go pet their ears, give them kisses, and snuggle into their bellies. He loves to feed them their food, throwing it into their dishes one pellet at a time. :) The only downside to this sweet new friendship is all the dog hair that comes with it!!!
Benjamin has been doing a really great job learning all sorts of things this month. I think he's known a lot of these for a little while now, but we can officially say he knows and can recognize all the colors (blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and purple), some simple shapes (triangle, square, circle, heart, and star), and he can count from 1 - 10 completely on his own. Well, he often skips 8, but we're not too hard on him!!! He also can recognize the numbers 1, 2 and 3 when written down. He's doing so great and growing up so quickly. I can't believe it.
He does so many things that make me laugh. The other day he sat on the floor in front of Susan and I with his head looking down. Then slowly, he would bring it up with this big scowl on his face. By the time he lifted his head all the way up, he would crack and break into a grin and a big jolly chuckle! Then he'd promptly snap his head back down and repeat the process! What a little actor. He gets a kick out of himself. Since it's gardening season, he's been having a great time helping Grandpa water the plants. He even gets to hold the hose and splash a little water! He also goes out to the farm with Papa and LOVES to sit on the tractor. While it might seem kind of demanding, I sort of love this new sense of urgency he's developed. If there's something really important to see or do, he makes it known with seven or eight very urgent "Mama! Mama! Mamas!!!" His eyes get so big and wide, and he's so excited about life. I love that he's quick to smile and laugh. His face showcases every emotion he feels. Benjamin is a complete joy to be around. I hope I'm not the only one that thinks it! :)
Well, a month from now we'll still be in the same living situation but Joel's big test will be over with, so I can't wait to share that good news! :) Until next time...
