The Hazard Chronicles

According to Rachel, this week we were "lame-o" picture takers. Sorry.

But it was still a great week (we just don't have any proof). There are three major things/events that happened this week.

First of all, our house is finally starting to look like we are getting ready to move out. Although we still have about three weeks before we actually drive away from Cleveland, we are trying to get an early start on packing to make things easier for us. Also, we are selling a bunch of our stuff on Craigslist. Consequentially, our furniture is slowly being replaced by boxes of stuff and our basement is filling up with already-packed items. It is an exciting time.

The second big thing was my Senior dinner. This is a big "we-did-it" celebration where we get to dress up and go hang out with all our future doctor friends and commemorate a great four years together. Besides the food, there is also a video that the class put together to remember some of the highlights of being a dental student. It was fun to be there and to be able to bring Rachel to see this other side of my life that she isn't super involved with. It was a little weird for me to think that she didn't even know the majority of these people, some of whom had become close friends of mine, and that they hadn't really seen her either.

There was also an award ceremony at the dinner where I was presented with an award from the American Osseointegration Society for outstanding achievement in the field of dental implants. I didn't know this was coming and I was sort of surprised, but I am also excited because I have done a lot of extra work in this area and it's good to see some recognition for it. I also set up my first appointment as a real dentist this week to place an implant as soon as I receive my dental license. This is all pretty crazy. And really cool.

The third noteworthy event this week, of course, was Easter. On Saturday we went to a big community Easter egg hunt. It lasted a total of 15 seconds and was possibly the scariest thing I have ever been a part of. Kids can be crazy. It was sad too, because after all was said and done, Addy, Jack, and Eva were just standing there looking a little bit shell-shocked and wondering what had happened. They had no eggs in their baskets.

They weren't the only disappointed children, so the organizers agreed to have a second "egg hunt," and this time, we got to be in the front of the stampede. Great. Now, besides being sad about not having any eggs, my kids are going to be trampled by their own kind. Awesome.

But Rachel had things totally under control. As soon as the announcer said "Go," she was running full-speed onto the field with a kid bouncing and dangling under each arm. It was really impressive, and I can tell she had been working out. She then started scooping up piles of eggs and guarding them with the tenacity of a mother bear protecting her cubs. I think she even made one little girl cry by growling at her. But it was all worth it because in the end she had created a "safe harbor" for our kids to pick the eggs up and put them in their baskets without running the risk of certain death at the hands of a greedy 5-year-old. By the way, we usually don't believe in sheltering our children, but desperate times call for desperate measures and in the end we came out unscathed and, believe it or not, smiling.

So, that was our week. Like I said before, no pictures. We do, however, have one movie to show you. These are Addy and Jackson's "exercises." They are going to be in great shape if they keep this up! Next Easter they will be ready!

-Movie coming soon. Check back later if it isn't up yet. We'll get to it. I promise.-