Krazy Kate!

Ever wonder why Kate always has a bruise on her forehead or why we don't have 3 kids yet? Wonder no more! Cute little girls aren't always innocent.

Crab Feast!

As a welcoming event David's radiology program hosted a Crab Feast at a nearby restaurant located in Baltimore's inner harbor. It was quite the experience. At the end of the meal the waiters brought out trays loaded full of crabs and dumped them onto the tables. Fellow residents quickly taught David the tricks to getting the meat off of the crabs, but in the process he cut his finger and got slimed from the waiter's tray. Ben was horrified by the crabs. We aren't sure if he thought we were going to make him eat one or if he was just scared of them. He never took his eyes off of the pile and even teared up looking at them. Since I do not like seafood of any form, David tried to blame Ben's response on me. But, I quickly reminded him of a similar story Rob and Di have shared many times about David when he traveled to Thailand at a MUCH older age then Ben. He cried at a Thai restaurant when they brought a large fish out to the table. Before we moved out here, David made me promise to try the crab at least once while we lived here, since Baltimore is known for its crabs. I decided to get it over with and....I still don't like Seafood!

MVA

It's official. I am now a Maryland Resident. It was NOT an easy process. Last Saturday, our whole family arrived at the MVA (30 minute drive) at 8:30 am in hopes of beating the rush. Saturday was the only day David could go. We stood in line for 45 minutes only to be told that we didn't have enough information to get our licenses. I had previously checked out the website on-line and brought everything that it said we needed. When I asked about the website directions she said, "Oh, yeah sometimes its just not accurate!" I would have thought that a social security card, 2 proofs of address, a valid OK license, proof of insurance, safety inspection certificate (which we had to replace the windshield to pass), OK title and proof of insurance would have been enough. Nope...they also wanted a marriage license and a passport! So today I went back by myself to get my license and the title/registration. I had been waiting for about 30 minutes with my number when they announced that the computer system had shut down! Great...I decided to stick it out when I saw others dropping like flies. I had dropped off the kids at a friend's house and I was determined to get it done while I was alone! The computers finally came back on and I was able to get my license. Next...the car title and registration. At first they tried to tell me I couldn't do it without David because the title had both of our names on it. I pointed out the big fat OR between our names and explained that was different than AND! I requested a supervisor and in the end (3 hours later) I finally got everything I came for. The sour lady at the counter said, "You are all set. You don't have to come back until 2014." To which I replied, "Great, that means I will NEVER have to come back." Oh and I forgot to mention you have to pay an outrageous 6% of the value of your car just to register it...EVERY 2 YEARS! Today I miss Oklahoma. It brought back distant memories of waiting in the DMV lines with my mother when I was little. I am sure it was just as painful for her...I only hope my presence didn't make it harder on her.

Happy Birthday Kate!

On friday, July 17th Kate turned 2! Sometimes its hard to believe, but other times its hard for me to even remember life without her. I took the kids to a nearby nature center that morning and then when David got home from work we went to Red Robin for dinner. Kate loved it when they sang to her and brought her a little sundae. She finished off nearly the entire thing all by herself. She held her little chin up so proudly and smiled so big while they sang to her. She got a baby for her birthday and she carries her everywhere. She has really turned into a little girly girl just since we moved. Don't be mistaken....she hasn't lost that non-stop, mischievous side to her we all know as evidenced from the fresh shiner on her forehead. Kate is one of a kind. Although she doesn't talk much, she manages to let us all know exactly what she wants. She loves Ben and wants to do EVERYTHING that he does. And boy does she know how to push his bottons. She is very independent and would not allow me to do a single thing for her if she had it her way. She is beautiful...big blue eyes...golden curls...continuous smiles. We all adore Kate and wouldn't trade her for the world!

The Star-Spangled Banner

On July 3rd, we ventured to Fort McHenry, for our first American History lesson since moving to the East Coast. For those of you who need a quick refresher (like I did) Fort McHenry is the birthplace of our National Anthem. Francis Scott Key, a young poet-lawyer, witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry while under British guard on an American truce ship in the Patapsco River. Seeing his country's flag still flying over the Fort the next morning, he was moved to pen the Star-Spangled Banner. The words have much greater meaning to me now.

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rockets's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the mornings' first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation
Then conquer we must when our cause it is just
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

We had a great time visiting the Fort. While listening to the Anthem, I was reminded of the first time I heard the National Anthem after returning from a 6 week study abroad in Argentina. I was at Rob's medical school graduation and I cried the entire song. I love America! Ben and Kate loved playing in the prison and looking at the cannons....at least until Kate got bit by a wasp.