Merry, Merry Christmas

Hello all from Rio Rancho, New Mexico! Well, it's my first married Christmas, and I must say that I'm enjoying it. We just got done with a fantastic Christmas dinner (very yummy), and the next step is deciding what movie to watch. There are a couple things I've missed being away from home: delivering presents, seeing the snow (there's none here), eating Mom's stuffing, and of course spending many hours playing and enjoying my family. Obviously there are many more things, but that is a start to the list. However, I'm excited to see many of you at the fondue spectacular known as New Year's Eve. Love you all and Merry Christmas!!

Hmmmmm....perhaps this is not the silliness Kate had in mind, but I'm full of good food, which makes it very hard to be silly.

Merry Christmas to all!

A brief note:

Here's to treasure hunts, captain crunch, parties with the Wittkes, ugly green dishes,  talent shows, delivering baskets, singing to widows, decorating Christmas Cookies,  Santa, stinky fish, turkey, Rudolph, Star Bright,  endless opening of numbered presents,  giddy countdowns to Christmas Eve, and most of all to LOVE !

I am thinking of you all,  I love you, miss you and hope you remember the joy of Christmases past.  I pray for all of you and hope to giggle one more time with each of you.  Each one of you has brought joy, fun and , of course, some obnoxiousness to my life.  Hope you are recreating these moments of gratitude with each of yours.  Love, Kate

(You English majors, just read this and move on with your life :)

God Rest Ye Merry Michael Man!

Dear Michael,

I was so caught up in the notion of having a laid-back Christmas, I am late in giving you a Christmas present. But, there is no time like the present to celebrate you! So, without more further silliness, here is our list o' love:

• You paid for my college books when I was broke
• You housed many of us
• You put up with our teasing
• You are kind and hard-working
• You are an amazing competitor
• You are good-natured
• You are an involved and loving father
• You are humble
• You are a good -example
• You let me borrow your cool, fancy car when I was a young, inexperienced girl
  
• You taught us the art of the treasure hunt

I love you!










Merry Christmas Michael !


Love, Kate (and fam)

Yup, they are late.

So, I meant to publish these photos a long time ago. Oops. I really wish everyone would join this silliness. I am going to send a pleading email again. Here are some halloween shots. But, here is Jam. Anyone guess where she is? Come on, what is her favorite movie?


Isaac also has his heroes. I'm sure everyone knows who they are. Drum roll please....





What did you think his hero would be? Post-graduate heroes do not start until one is in the school system, I think.

A Little Jazz In The Air

Just another story from SA. Last Friday, I got off early and had Saturday off so what does a un-married but not quite single guy do with a Friday night off? Why, he goes to a Jazz game! I called up one of the medical students in the ward and luckily for me, his wife was out of town back in Utah visiting family so off we went to watch the Jazz battle the defending World Champs. I know it's not Stockton and Malone but they're still my Jazz and afterall, I am loyal. The game was great, especially considering we were perhaps the only Jazz fans in the building. Jazz played a great game - led the entire game in fact. And then in classic Jazz fashion, they choked throughout the 4th quarter to lose a heart-breaker. Oh well.... There's always the Huskers! Oh, wait, maybe not....

GO JAZZ GO!

Boozer goes for the Dunk!!

Another dunk by the Jazz!!!

Utah Trip

Well some of you know that I was out in Utah for an interview with their anesthesia program there. This will be short. Weird interview in my opinion. Every experience with the U has been like this. There is a palpable stand-off-ishness (is that a word?) regarding the Church or anything/anyone Mormon when it comes to the U. So weird. Overall, I was very impressed with their program (I expected that). There were a few cons to the program but nothing big enough to even mention. I did not get a huge feeling like they were really interested in me. I was open about finding a 2008 position - instead of a 2009 position told them about my offered spot already. They understood and informed me that they would know at the latest in January. I am in no hurry.

In the meantime, I spent two nights with Kate and Paul. Awesome hosts! I very much appreciate their help and everything in picking me up to/from the airport and everything in between. They have - by far - the best shower. Luke/Mary's shower in their old KC place was probably as good, but now that they've moved.... It was fun seeing JAM, Isaac, and Gabby. After the last few months of my life, it is always wonderful to see family, if only for a short period of time.

Utah took us interviewers out to dinner the night before the interview at Cucina Toscana in downtown SLC. It was the most amazing Italian food I've ever had. Seriously, if any of you are in SLC and want to go to a VERY HIGH CLASS resturant for some amazing food - check it out. It was served as full-on multiple courses (I think 4 or 5) - including dessert hot cocoa (made with 8 flavors of chocolate) which was absolutely amazing! Let's just say I felt like I didn't belong there - far too high class for this Husker boy.

The best part of the trip was I "popped-in" to see Anna and was able to spend a good 4-5 hours with her playing games, drawing, etc. I showed up with some surprise Birthday gifts (her Birthday is 12/6) - including a pink Husker shirt I felt I needed to get for her. We had fun playing with the toys I bought her. Overall, the visit made the whole trip worth it. Below is a photo of her with the new shirt I got for her. This is my Husker Cutie!