5 Years.....

 Years

The time goes by so fast.  Sometimes I feel like we haven't got to do much together because of school, kids, and work and the never ending responsibilities that go with that.  Then I have to just think about everything and realize we have accomplished so much in the short time that we have been together.  I am grateful for all that we have been through.  It has made us who we are today.  

I put this in the video I made for Sampson

The Smoky Mountains

Camping with a Black Bear!

After a week and half of medical school Sampson surprises me with a camping reservation.  I was completely shocked that Sampson actually wanted to be with us! Haha It was just what we needed though.  We headed out after his last class ended at noon.  We camped in the most beautiful area.  We found this creek for the girls to play in.  These girls definitely love the water and of course after I told them to try not to get wet, Eva just sits down in the water to pick up a rock.  We found these sweet neon orange mushrooms.  I had never seen anything like this before.  After we started hiking towards a waterfall that was about 2 miles from our camp.  Without kid carriers, hiking is slow moving, especially when Eva wants to walk the whole way.  After about a mile it started to sprinkle and we were hearing lots of thunder.  Sampson decided we should head back even though I wanted to go all the way (more for pride reasons :).  So we each took a kid and headed back.  After about 5 minutes I heard a twig snap and turned around to see a black bear walking across the trail about 10 ft away from me and Phoenix.  I was like, "Bear.....BEAR!" and quickly caught up with Sampson (who must always hike at least 20 feet ahead of me) who had a knife.  We had just been discussing before we came, how it wasn't very likely that we would see a bear and we decided to not bring the gun.  Luckily, it had just started to rain pretty hard and the bear just kept on walking past us.  Nevertheless, I was freaked out because I thought it was a baby and the the mom must be close by and I really didn't want to stay and say hi.  We got back to camp in about 10 minutes in the pouring rain.  Sampson said, "Wow Britt, you really hike fast when you are motivated".  I just didn't feel like fighting a bear to the death to protect the family :)  Once we got back to camp we were soaked.  We didn't get to dry off because it just kept raining, raining, and raining some more.  We managed to find a pavilion to cook the steak for fajitas, which were amazing by the way.  Then we drove over to Gatlinburg and went to the Aquarium that night to try and warm up a little bit.  The girls, of course, had the time of their life.  Phoenix ran to each exhibit....she loves that place.  That night it continued to rain and I kept thinking a bear was coming to get me....I didn't get much sleep :)  We had a great trip despite the rain and being way to close to a bear for my comfort.

Summer 12'

The Summer of Sampson's Life

May - June

After the recital and Sampson's final we headed down to Houston for a few days.  Of course we went out on the boat.  Sampson wakeboarded and showed off his mad barefooting skills.  I was actually really impressed.  Then we headed back to Sampson's parents for Relay for Life.  It is so awesome to be there to support Tim and see all of the cancer survivors.  Phoenix loved hanging out at the farm with Emma and her "cousins".  Hopefully one day she learns to tell the twins apart so they will no longer be the "cousins".  One of the doctors told Sampson that he needed to have the Summer of his life, because this will be his last summer he will ever have.  I laughed because I knew that no matter what we did, as long as it didn't involve studying, we would have a great summer.

After so much time with extended family, we needed a vacation of our own.  After a civil war reenactment (which the girls loved, although Phoenix was very concerned for the soldier who was holding his own bloody arm that had been blown off), we headed to Myrtle Beach for a few days.  We floated around the lazy river for hours...Phoenix hates the ocean, but love the pool.  Good thing our hotel had over 15 different pools and mini golf!

July 

After 2 weeks of dance camp, we headed to the lake house for the next month.  I forgot my camera and the lake house doesn't have internet or cable and I don't get cell phone reception.  I was truly cut off from the world!  Surprisingly it was refreshing and I enjoyed it.  We spent the 4th with Haley and Aaron's family.  We spent days on the boat, exploring caves, and watching fire works.  It is always so good to be with family.  While Sampson shadowed some of the doctors in the ward, the girls and I hung out at the farm eating peaches and berries or we went swimming in the river.  I loved taking them out in the paddle boat to go see the cows.  Phoenix always wanted to get in and swim up to them in the water.  She sure does love the water.  She will just sit and float in the water for hours.  She also loved going wake boarding with Sampson and Aaron.  The kid has no fear.  Sampson got to scrub in on some pretty sweet surgeries and got a good feel for what surgeons do during clinic hours as he sat in on 50-60 patients a day.  It was intense, but he loved it.  Even after all that he still wants to be a doctor....glad we aren't wasting our time ; ) While Sampson had to drive home for a scout camp, the girls and I headed to Texas.  We got to stay at Houston and Nate's new place which is 1 block from the ocean!  It is sweet!  I loved walking to the beach.  It was an awesome summer.  I had no idea what it was like to have a husband around with no distractions! It was a once in a life time experience that has sadly ended.  As we hit the second week of school, I hope that this year won't be quite so hard as the last.

 

Random pictures of Phoenix...

(she is always wanting me to take a picture of her)

"A Dance with the Stars"

Dance Recital 2012

I have been stressed, nervous, and excited planning and waiting for the recital.  After 5 months of preparations and practicing the day finally came.  I had only planned for a few other people than the parents of the 56 dancers (about 175-200 people).  I was completely shocked when we packed the entire high school auditorium.  There was standing room only! It was amazing! All the dances were great. I couldn't believe how far the girls had come in such a short amount of time.  They worked so hard and I was so proud of them.  I could've never done it without my family.  Everybody flew in to help out.  I can always count on my family for everything...they always have my back.  That is the best feeling the world.  I also loved seeing the community come together and supporting my dancers.  It was truly amazing.  I never even dreamed that this would turn into something this big, but it has and I am so blessed and grateful for the opportunities I have been given here.

Phoenix and Eva's Recital Pictures

Here are the dances my girls and I were in during the Recital:

Phoenix, Eva, and Brooke were Rapunzel from Tangled 

(Eva is only 18 months...the youngest of the whole class)

This is a dance I did with the high school girls.

When I was in 4th grade my mom choreographed a lyrical solo for me that I won first place with.  I made up this dance (with a similar costume and some of the same moves) for her as a surprise for Mother's Day.  All my dancing I owe to my mom.  She started me dancing at 3 and I have been dancing ever since.