Our journey begins...

Well, we finally did it. We left Arizona Saturday, April 25th and headed to Texas to see my family and say our goodbyes. We were scheduled to leave AZ on the 23rd, but after a very hectic time trying to sell, store, sort, and donate, we just couldn't do it. We actually decided at 12:30 am on the 23rd that with a few more hours of stuff to do and aching backs, making a 7:00 am flight wasn't the best plan. Man, we're getting old. Anyway, we stopped in Texas for a short but good visit. Played the usual card games, ate good food, and felt lucky that we got to stop on our way out and give hugs and kisses to my dear family.
The flights for Monday out of TX were completely booked, oversold actually. But with only one flight to St. Maarten everyday out of Charlotte, we had to try it. So we headed over to the airport early in the morning and were able to catch the 7:00 flight to Charlotte which we couldn't believe. We landed in Charlotte at 10:35 and ran over to the 11:30 St. Maarten flight and made that flight too. Couldn't believe it again. Heavenly Father's richest blessings have been pouring abundently over us for some time. In St. Maarten, we had a 6 hour layover. Mimi was a trooper, she was excellent, and we couldn't have asked for a better little traveler.



We were scheduled for the 8:45 pm flight from St. Maarten to St. Kitts...but again that flight was oversold, and we were really worried because that was the last flight out of St. Maarten and we sure didn't want to get stuck there. When the prop plane came in, everyone started herding like cattle over to this loading area. I had no idea what was going on (we've never flown Liat airlines before), and so I told Dave to hurry and go ask the lady what we were supposed to do. He did, and she just said, get in the square. So we did, and right when we were in the square, she said, "That's it. No more." There were five other people waiting at the counter to get on the plane. I had no idea how that worked, but we got on, and that's all I can say. It was a crazy flight. It was only 20 minutes, but it was crazy. Scary, bumpy, loud, and crazy. We landed in St. Kitts at 9:00 pm, missing the last ferry out to Nevis, so we stayed at the Bird Rock Beach Hotel. It was lovely, affordable, and welcome because we were exhausted from our long travel day. Doesn't Mimi look especially beautiful in the Caribbean sun? I think it's going to suit her just fine.

The Monday before we left Arizona, we had a few of our closest friends meet at Joe's BBQ in Gilbert to give hugs and say goodbyes (and eat some yummy BBQ too). It was a gorgeous night and we had a great time seeing so many of our dearest friends that we've known for some time. A lot of our friends that came out are friends that have been there through our courtship, wedding, and beyond, and it was so fun to see everyone and I started thinking of how much we've all changed over time. Kids have come by the bunches, and there are more on the way, marriages have happened, careers have changed, but most of all I had the feeling that life is good and people are happy. That was a perfect way to say goodbyes for now and head onto our new adventure away from Arizona for the time being. Knowing that life is good and people are happy is comforting when you know you're going to be far away for some time. We are thankful for our good friends that love us and are such huge supporters!

San Francisco

Old friends and San Francisco, what could go wrong? Dave relived some of the old days with his buddy Jon Baker and Rhiannon in San Fran in April and had a blast. He ate at Rhiannon's restaurant, took a tour of her new restaurant she's opening with her hubby, and did a little Cinnamon Toast Studios business with his partner Jon. Where does he find the time?

Bed For Sale

I sold almost all of our big items for our move on Craigslist. I posted our bed and needed a pic, and took this one. I wonder why it didn't sell.
Siiikkkee...I really didn't use this pic, and we did sell it. What would you do if you saw some groggy guy laying in a bed (in a room that's a mess from obvious moving) with someone trying to sell it? I'd probably buy it...

Red Woods

Dave took Organic Chemistry II in San Jose, CA for four weekends in April, so Mia and I decided to join him one weekend for fun. We headed over to Saratoga to see some of the redwoods...these aren't the biggest there are, but we loved the gorgeous views and amazing weather.

She's obsessed

Years ago we were at my brother Rob's house hanging out. My little niece Megan was wondering around the house talking on her toy cell phone. Dave asked her who she was talking to, and she said matter-of-factly-you-should-know-duh "I'm talking to my cell phone." We should have known. Ya. Well Mia is following in those same footsteps as her cousin and is obsessed with sunglasses and cell phones. She wants to wear my sunglasses any chance she gets, and if she has her way, she's holding, playing with, and calling China on my cell phone. We had to disconnect service from AT&T because they don't provide service down here, and so Mia's in heaven now using my old cell phone whenever she wants. She'll walk around the house holding it on her shoulder talking and talking away. If she can reach me, she'll put it up to my ear to have me talk and laugh pretending to talk on the phone too. She is too much.


I feel so lucky that I get to stay home with her. It is the best decision I have ever made...ever. Don't get me wrong...this is by far the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, yet I can't imagine having someone else take care of her and enjoy all of her cuteness while I went to work or did something that took me away from her at such an incredible time in her life that will be a flash. Not for a second. The sacrifice would be way too great and I would miss out on so much. She will be in school in no time, friends soon after, and off involved and busy like that and I'd wonder why I didn't make sure I could have her all to myself while I had the chance. I am grateful!

My Parents!! - Married in the Mesa Arizona Temple - April 21, 2009

My Parents were recently married in the Mesa Arizona Temple on Tuesday, April 21, 2009...Me and Becky, Wes and Mary, (of course) my parents, and some of their closest friends were in attendance. It was one of the best experiences ever! It was exquisite.

God is Good

With so many changes happening lately with our big move, Dave and I keep talking every day about the blessings that are pouring out so abundantly on us that we really have nothing more to hold them with. Is there a word for more than a miracle? So I decided that I was going to journal a list of all of our blessings. It's really for me, because right now, I am thinking about them all the time. But I know as time passes, these memories will fade into the background and I will possibly forget some of them, and I don't want to. These are not coincidences, or happen stance. These are pure blessings from a Father in Heaven that loves us very much and has heard our MANY heart-felt prayers.
*Nothing working out. What a blessing. Dave is a creative, talented little bugger, but none of his ideas or projects seemed to work out over the last few years. We ran into road block after road block. What a blessing. That was Heavenly Father's way of saying NO, GO TO MED SCHOOL!
* Dave taking the MCAT in January. HUGE accomplishment for him after years of "wanting" to take it. Getting registered, having the money to pay for it, doing well, everything working out. Blessing.
* Dave applying for Med School. Again, money to do so, letters of recommendation coming through, paperwork good. Blessing.
*Getting med school interviews. Just because you apply doesn't guarantee you an interview. Dave's charm and excellent interviewing skills impressed the admissions committees of two schools and granted him admission for the May start date. Wow.
*Having a truly Christ-like landlord. We were totally sad to leave our little place in Mesa, Arizona. It was our little bubble that was our safe haven away from the world. Our landlords were amazing, totally patient with us, and the best examples. We only truly gave them about a 10 day notice that we were moving and they were okay with it and were gracious and kind. We want to be like them someday.
*Getting packed and organized in a week and a half. Very stressful and hectic especially towards the end with all of us sick, but getting it done nonetheless. We really have increased our abilities to depend on each other, and that will build our marriage even more. That's a great thing.
*Being able to visit and enjoy both of our families before headed out. That is a blessing that not everyone gets to have and we feel lucky.
*Making every single flight, even the oversold ones. That was huge. We didn't get stuck once, and we made our way to everywhere we needed to get to with no problem whatsoever. As Dave says, nothing in his life has ever fallen into place this well before. We feel incredibly loved and lucky.
*Getting our cute little apartment in Nevis. It was a huge blessing. It's pretty affordable (it IS on a tropical island, so everything's going to be expensive. ) An LDS family lived here before, so they totally hooked us up with tons of stuff, and we feel really taken care of. There were only two LDS students here before, so what are the odds? Heavenly Father provided a way again.
*All of our boxes that we shipped (22 in all) got here undisturbed, intact, and DUTY FREE!!! Dave went down with some people from the school today to pick them up from customs (where we were expecting to pay anywhere in the neighborhood of $300-$1000 in customs), and they loaded all the boxes in the school van and told Dave don't worry about it when he asked about duties. Holy cow. Can't believe it, that is HUGE.
I know that Heavenly Father loves us. I know that He hears prayers, I know that He answers them. I can literally see His hand in all that has transpired the last 3 months especially. He has taken care of us, and I know we wouldn't be as happy and calm half way around the world if we didn't have these (and other) constant confirmations that this is the right decision and that He loves us and wants to provide a way for us. God is Good!!

YAY!!!! We get to go!!

Dave and I have been agonizing for the last 6 weeks. We found out February 20th that he was accepted to MUA, but that didn't mean we get to go. With THOUSANDS of dollars required for tuition/fees/living each semester, there was NO WAY we were going to actually get to go if we couldn't get loans. Loans...uggh. Right now. Recession. No one lending. Right.
So we did everything we could to get our paperwork in quickly, but it has been a nightmare waiting and waiting, knowing that Dave's classes start May 4th and we have a family to move! We have been so impatient, really. We've had faith that Heavenly Father will take care of us (whether it means we go or stay), but this has been a very difficult waiting period because I like to PLAN and ORGANIZE.
So after completely annoying the loan office, and the school office for that matter, we finally decided to sit back the last couple of days and check Dave's email oh every 10 minutes instead hoping for an email confirmation. At 4:00 today I checked Dave's email while he was at the library and there it was...our confirmation saying that we're approved, the funds are being disbursed. HALLELUJAH!!!! I think I scared Mimi because I was dancing and screaming around the house because we finally got an answer for crying out loud.
We are hoping to leave AZ on the 22nd, head to TX for a couple of days, and then head out to the island. We are completely excited, terrified, hopeful, nervous, and most of all grateful for the blessings that Heavenly Father literally POURS out over us constantly. I have no idea how I ever got so so lucky to have an honorable man for a husband, and beautifully FUN daughter, and most of all the gospel. This is going to probably be the hardest road we'll ever go down, but we've got each other, and we're ready as we'll ever be. So YES...you're invited, start saving and come and visit. We'll have extra room in our cute 2 bedroom apartment that's awaiting us:).

BECKY HAD A BIRTHDAY - I LOVE YOU BABY XOXOXO!!!

Yes, my Dear, Sweet Wife Becky had her Big 3-0 last month (Feb 05, 2009)! It was a grand day full of fun and excitement! She is a darn good girl, and I LOVE her dearly. Thanks for everything Becky! For any interested onlookers, here is a smattering of happenings that transpired:
1. We woke up quick, at about 9:30a
2. Had fresh fruit breakfast vittles from the AZ Farmer's Market (yummy).
3. Hiked Camelback Mountain (again).
4. Went to the legendary Joe's BBQ in Gilbert, AZ for lunch (free lunch for good little birthday girls)!
5. Came home, napped.
6. Dropped the Mimi off and Grandma and Grandpa's for babysitting!
7. Had Romantic dinner at Pizzeria Bianco.
8. Came home and....had ice cream!

It was really a lot of fun for me, and I hope it was fun for the Beckster. She is truly the love of my life, and I am so glad that we chose each other.













March 14, 2009

Dearest Becky,
I am grateful that we waited for each other and that we didn't settle for less. I am so grateful that we were married in the Arizona Temple, so that our little family can be together forever. I am so grateful that we get to go to Church together and go through this high adventure of life together, and that our love will continue throughout all Eternity. Because of you I am truly happy and feel a sense of peace inside, and my cup of joy is overfilled. No matter what happens, you are mine, and I am yours. Thanks for sharing your life with me. I know that whatever the ups and downs are, it doesn't matter, with our love and the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives, we'll be fine. Thank you Becky, for everything, and Happy Birthday Darling! Here's to a long and happy life, Sweetheart! I love you, so much.
XOXOXOXOXO
love,
Dave

p.s. BECKY, YOU ARE SO HOT!!!!!

Love Hate Relationship

I love milk.
1. It is way CHEAPER than formula, and I think the whole milk is putting a little meat on Mia's bones.
2. It is easy and accessible. I don't have to cart around a little can of formula everywhere we go now.
3. Dave is really happy because I am buying whole milk for Mia, but somehow our 1% milk stays full, and our whole milk goes really fast...hum.
I HATE milk.
1. I can't figure out why all of Mia's bottles/sippy cups started leaking recently. Every single one leaks now that they have milk in them. I don't get it.
2. Everything stinks. Somehow Mia manages to spill (and leak as mentioned before) milk down into the couch, the ottoman, the carpet, etc. We got into the car the other day and it stunk soooooo bad. We had to pull over and look under everything, trunk included wondering if we had left a diaper (gross) or a bottle somewhere. Nasty. We couldn't find anything. So when we got to where we were going, Dave took Mia's car seat out of her base and there it was. Milk had somehow leaked into the crevasses of her car seat base and dried. So so nasty. With a good soak and scrub, we are back in business.

I still think I hate milk more than I love it though.

Just chill

Did I mention she is the pickiest, most opinionated eater ever? She also likes to lounge and kick-back (with her leg out) while she eats, in the stroller, and in her car seat...okay basically any and everywhere. Just like her daddy!

Office Skills 101

I can't wait until she can really understand directions. Then I'll have a nice little assistant. Hum...

Great Grandparents

I am a little behind on posts. With getting ready to move, I came across a whole bunch of pictures that I realized I hadn't blogged about. So here's to catching up.
My Dad's parents live in Sierra Vista which is a little town in Southeast Arizona. It's about a 3 hour drive from us, and we picked a nice sunny day in February to drive down and have lunch. My grandparents were beside themselves that we came to visit, as my Nana had recently had back surgery followed by an infection that has really set her back. My grandpa is 88 years old and my Nana is 86, and they are still going strong. They went on a seven day white water rafting tour down the Colorado River about 5 years ago, and every year they go on at least one 2-3 week vacation somewhere foreign. So my Nana being sick has put a damper on their adventurous spirits and it was good for us to stop by and cheer them up. I can only hope I have their stamina when I'm old so Dave and I can go on adventures like they do!

Yes, she's talking

Everyone's been asking the usual questions, is she walking? Is she talking? Is she eating solid foods? Walking-kind of. She totally can, but she's a total scaredy cat. Talking-yes, baby talk. She talks ALL DAY LONG. I often hear her talking in the morning in her bed, and usually at nap time too. The other night I had church, and I brought Mia with me because they had nursery that night. When I got home, Dave was sitting on the couch and immediately Mia started pulling down to get to Dave. I put her down to stand and hold on to the couch and she started babbling away at Dave. Dave just kept saying, "a-huh. And what else, tell me all about it...etc." I put a few things away and a few minutes later, I went to pick her up to put her in her bath, and she started SCREAMING. She never does this. She is a mama's girl through and through. I couldn't figure out what her problem was, so I put her back down where she was standing talking to Dave, and she stopped crying and started talking away again. I guess I interrupted her conversation with her dad...oops.
Oh ya, solid foods..yes, but she is the pickiest, most opinionated eater I've ever come across. Boy, she sure is cute though...
p.s. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Mia had to wear her green shamrock outfit for good luck!

1st Birthday in 3 States

Our little is not so little anymore. Can you believe Mia Jane is already ONE??!!!?? To celebrate her birthday, we went to Texas, Michigan, and back home in Arizona where she had birthday cake, a candle, and presents galore in each place. She decided to stay awake on the plane now, and discovered a new game. It's called pull, kick, and punch the chair in front of you. I'm pretty sure that game is only fun to the one playing it though. We are spoiled too because we have a seat for her, and she still managed to be a little nuts on the flights.
Anyway...she was terribly cute at her birthday party in Texas. Our camera ran out of batteries (okay, I miss my old camera that just used AA batteries, easy to fix in a pinch), so her big first birthday extravaganza was not caught on tape. Bad parents, bad. She devoured her little personal cake, even down to the plate in was on licking every last crumb. She just sat by and watched as the older kids beat the pretty unicorn pinata to shreds, and then slept like a little baby that night. I just love her so much. She is the yummiest piece of chocolate ever.
We also went to Michigan to visit Dave's sister Karrie and her husband Dave. They live in the cutest little house that was built in the early 1900's in downtown Clarkston, which is a charming little village. I loved every minute of it. I felt like we were in a little doll house. Karrie surprised us with a birthday cake and presents for Mia the first night we were there. The weather was chilly, but it was a charming visit that was very relaxing and enjoyable.
Then we headed home to Arizona for a party with Dave's family at Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa. That place is so fun. It's packed with old-timers, but Mia didn't mind. We ate greasy pizza and ice cold rootbeer and listened to a fabulous organ show. We finished off the night with pink cake and thus ended our celebrating little Mia's first birthday. I personally like her first birthday WAY better than last year's "birthday!"
(p.s.-I just noticed that in both pics she's holding my cell phone. Yes...she is obsessed!!! My parents bought her a little fake cell phone for her birthday, which she loves, but if she happens to see mine...it's over. ahhhh it begins...)

With one week left...

This is before the race...bright-eyed, excited, and pre...well, just read how below to see how it all went.

I had a goal to run a half marathon within a year of having Mia, and with one week left, I finally did it! I ran my first half marathon on Saturday, February 28, 2009 in Ft. Worth, Texas. I met my sister Heather and her fiance Shaman to do it with them. It was freezing cold, and very windy!!! It was one of those chill to the bones day...but I must be a glutton for punishment because I actually had a lot of fun! It must have been 35 degrees that morning with 25 mph wind gusts. The first five miles were great-I did them in 50 minutes, which might be slow for some runners, but it was great time for me. Then the hills started. Miles 6-9 were one hill after another, and that was really tough on my right ankle. I wear an ankle brace, and those hills really did a number on my ankle and my time. When I hit mile 9, I wanted to just plow through because I only had 4 more to go, but then the cobblestone brick pavers started. Cracked, old cobblestone brick pavers. My ankle just couldn't take it. From mile 9-10.5 it was really difficult to run on an uneven surface, so between slowing down, stopping to readjust my shoes, to finally taking my ankle brace off, I really slowed down. The last two miles were okay (with one kick in the pants hill right about 1/2 mile before the finish line), and my official finish time was 2:44:35. My original goal was under 2 1/2 hrs., so I guess 14 extra minutes isn't too bad, but I was really kind of bummed when the last half didn't go my way. I will definitely do another half marathon. It was great to train for-hard at times, but the first time I ran 4 miles, then 6 miles, then 8 miles, then 10 miles in training, I felt so proud and amazed that I could do this! ANYONE can run if I can run! It was awesome. I am so glad Mia and Dave were there to cheer me on this silly little goal of mine. So get out and find yourself some windy freezing weather, brick cobblestone, hilly terrain and RUN!!


The finishers! Here we are with our cute little finisher COWTOWN Marathon medals
p.s. Mia was exhausted after the race...it's tough being a diva in a suade pink furry coat all morning.

And we're off!!!!!!!

Well this week sure had it's share of ups and downs. Putting Blitzer down at the beginning of the week was extremely hard. The mood was pretty gloomy around the house. When Friday rolled around, we were all looking forward to date night and finding a way to lift our spirits a bit. The phone started ringing early Friday morning from Dave's Cinnamon Toast Studios clients (his creative productions and web design business), and the day started off to it's usual routine . Dave put four medical school applications in about two weeks ago, and we've been anxiously awaiting...well the unknown really. Neither of us have been through this process before, and we didn't know how long everything would end up taking. Dave had two interviews (one for St. Matthew's University on The Grand Cayman Islands, and one for The Medical University of the Americas (MUA) on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean). He felt great about both interviews, however the Dean of Admissions from MUA informed Dave on the spot that he was granting him admission for the May '09 start date immediately. That's right... DAVE GOT INTO MED SCHOOL!!!!! I am so stinkin' proud of him, I can't express it adequately. What I am proud of is that he is chasing a goal and dream that he's had for years, and he's doing and is willing to do the hard work it is going to take to achieve it.
His first day of classes start May 4, 2009, so we only have a few short months to get everything in order. Good thing we already have all of our passports! We also need to insure financing in order to go, so that is one of our top priorities in the next week or two. We will be on the island for 20 months (until January of '11) for coursework, and then come back to the U.S. for 2 years of clinical rotations probably in the Northeastern states. We are thrilled, humbled, grateful, and excited for this new adventure that awaits us. So get ready to come and visit us on St. Kitts and Nevis...the island of rainforests, reefs, and ruins!

So long ole' boy

Yesterday was a sad day. Dave had to put his family's dog Blitzer down. He had a good run, though. He was a "German Shepard" (or so they were told, but he really didn't look like a German Shepard), and he was almost 11 years old. I'd say that was pretty good. We miss him terribly. He was the most gentle dog I have ever seen. He was so good with the grand kids, and I always trusted him around Mia, and that's a good feeling for a mother to have. Dave's nephew Steele would even ride him like a horse around his parent's house and poke is eye almost out and Blitzer wouldn't do a thing about it.
Some of my favorite memories are:
-When Dave and I were dating, we'd take Blitzer on Sunday walks down to Mesa High School and let him run free in the baseball fields. He loved running and feeling the wind in his fur.
-We took Blitzer hiking with us around Arizona. He did an awesome job climbing the rocks and getting around the mountain. He left tons of hair in my car from that day and I kept finding Blitzer hair on my clothing at work for weeks after that. It brought a smile to my face every time.
-He was a good listener. He would just stay right there and listen to whatever you wanted to say. He never offered advice, gave his opinion, or interrupted you with an experience he could relate to. He just listened and sat by you.
-He loved food. Just like me. You could get him to do anything by saying, "Blitzer!!! Hot Dog!!!"
-He was a good swimmer and he and Mia got to have swimming days together last summer.
-He just wanted to sit and be with you wherever you were. He would quietly sit in the room you were in and just be. It was nice to feel like someone wanted to be around you just because.
-He was a good camping buddy. One time when we took him camping with us, it started raining in the middle of the night. He was sleeping outside our tent protecting us (ha) and started jumping on the tent...on my side!!! I was 4 months pregnant and it was an unpleasant way to wake up in the middle of the night. He was just scared of the weather, I can't blame him. We let him in and he slept great.
-Even though he got some flack for his common sense from some members in the family, we think he is the one having the last laugh. He knew how to get what he wanted, and he wasn't easily deceived. When he'd stand by the door to go out, you could say "Macaroni. Monkey. Pool." and he wouldn't move. But you'd say "Out!" and he was out the door. Same with "load!" to get in the car, or "go to the bathroom!" and he'd do it. We think he was pretty smart after all.
-Our last favorite memory was his sleeping patterns. He spent his days going from room to room around the house trying to experiment with different sleeping positions. It was comical to walk in a room and see his legs up in the air and be totally out.
We sure will miss him, but we know he's in a better place now having all the hot dogs he can handle.

There's still some cowboys out there

Last weekend my sister Heather got engaged to her sweetheart Shaman. He is a sweet, kind, fun guy that will fit in beautifully with our family. Our family actually met his family in 1991 while stationed in Hawaii!
Anyway...my favorite part about their engagement story is actually from the night before they were engaged. Shaman drove over to my parent's house to talk to them and ask permission to marry Heather. He was so dazed (as MOST men are when they are going through this weighty process of proposing) that he didn't pay attention to his speed as he left my parents and headed to Heather's house. While driving through a little town that pulls you over for literally going 1 or 2 miles over the 30 mph speed limit, there was no hope for Shaman as he raced to Heather's going 50 mph. The cop did his cop thing and finally came back to Shaman's car to hand him his ticket. As he did so, Shaman profusely apologized and said, "I'm really sorry officer. I just got done talking to my girlfriend's parents about us getting married and I'm proposing tomorrow." With that, the cop said, "Well in that case..." and tore up the ticket. That's good stuff.

My name is Mia, but you can call me Ms. Filhart

Mia has begun copying a lot of what Dave and I do. I guess you can tell that we are on the computer in the Family Room quite often. She was all over the computer when I had left it for a second, and this is what I came back to when I returned. She happened to wear a little blazer and skirt that day, and she looked like she was prepping for a business meeting or something. She already started dusting (stay tuned for footage on that!!!!), and I'm working on her learning to mop. Hey-she's almost a year old, and she initiated earning her keep. I'm just facilitating it.

MCAT Tackled

Dave is a stud!!! He finally took the MCAT for medical school this morning. This has been years in the making, and he finally did it!! Yeeeooowww!!!! I am so proud of him for overcoming his anxiety and taking the test. I got up extra early to make him a big breakfast and pack lots of snacks, and while we were sitting there at the table I asked him what time it was. He said "quarter to 7." For a split second I panicked because he needed to be on the road by 6:30 to be safe. I quickly looked for a clock and saw that it was 6:15, not 6:45. I looked at Dave and he says "Crap. I'm gonna fail this thing." Good thing telling time isn't on the MCAT.