Quick Update

So.... YES I have been a huge slacker when it comes to my blog but all for good reason! Lots of new and exciting things are in store for us this year. There are some really exciting things I wanted to post and share with our family and friends:

First- Joey and I are FINALLY graduating in 37 days!!!! Joey with his degree in Biology with a minor in German and mine in English Literature. It feels like its been a long road, but well worth it:)

Second- We are expecting another little GIRL in July! I think Joey was crossing his fingers for a boy, but we are both excited for Avery to have a sister; hopefully they'll be the best of friends:)

Lastly- Joey has been accepted to a Ph.D. program in Microbiology at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences in Little Rock, AR! He makes a trip out there in a few weeks to take a tour of the campus and meet with the Professor(s) he'll be working with. If all goes well and he decides this is the program for him, we will be relocating to Little Rock the beginning of June! I am so proud of him :)

Lots of exciting changes and lots more work to do before graduation. Hopefully I can get on here very soon and update pictures of our growing family. (I only have 3 more papers and 4 tests left... not that I'm counting)

Thank you to all our friends and family who have helped get us to this point! & A SPECIAL THANKS TO DR. (Bro) BECKSTEAD FOR HIS ADVICE AND ALL HIS HELP (from taking Joey into his research lab for 3 semesters now, a letter of recommendation, help on his application and in preparing for his interview!) We feel so blessed :)
( I wanted to throw in a pic of Avery and the most recent one I have uploaded is this one from New Years... that just shows you how far behind school has put me!) I love this picture because as much as Joey hates to hear it, he is the perfect daddy for little girls! (& of course I'm a little biased)

Family Pictures

Here are some of my favorites from the family pictures Joey's Dad took for us! We are so spoiled to have such a talented photographer so close and willing to do pictures for us:) In the beginning Avery was not cooperative and refused to wear her shoes. Desperate for some good pictures I said, "ok, fine she doesn't have to wear her shoes." (Independent 2 year olds...)

While Avery was calming down we got a shot of just the two of us

Not a perfect picture, but definitely an honest one...here is Avery's ok fine I'll take a picture face

Such a cutie!

I love the scenery!

My little dare devil

The one below is my favorite... the reversal of what people do for pictures---Everybody frown... hahaha :)

I loved this bridge

& another of my FAVORITES!!! ....Daddy's little girl!

THANKS GARY FOR THE PICTURES!

JOEY

Joey has been extremely busy these past few months as I have been way more sick and tired with this pregnancy than the last. (Luckily I was the sickest after finals/ during the break and it hasn't affected me in my schooling) I am so grateful for him and his willingness to just take Avery out for a few hours so I can get some rest in a quiet house, he is always cleaning and picking up so I don't have to, and other various things I would regularly do! He is the BEST! Here is Avery at Kaden's birthday party. (Joey took her for me... she had been looking forward to it, as the invitation was on the fridge and she kept asking everyday, "Kaden birthday party today?") Two of my friends in the ward and myself had our first baby girls just within months of each other and it is so fun to watch them play together!
Along with pulling Mr. Mom duty Joey has still been able to enjoy his hobbies of golfing and fishing with his lab buddies. He has also taken up a new interest in woodworking. He made a really nice wooden pen for his dad. It turned out nicely!
Also during the semester he was able to travel with his marine biology class on a field trip down to Sapelo Island where UGA has a research facility.

We missed him but he was full of so many fun stories about his trip when he returned I was so glad that he was able to go!

Here is the facility where they stayed

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving "Grandma and Grandpa Scruffy" (I think I have mentioned before Avery distinguishes her grandparents by their dogs) came from TX to visit along with my brothers. It was an eventful weekend:) I don't know why we didn't get more pictures but here are a few...
I convinced Robert to go on what he thought was a 2 mile run with me cause he kept talking trash that he could beat me... well, I tricked him and took him on a 4 mile route and I smoked him. He would have beat me had we only done 2 miles (I am not a short distance runner but I knew I could beat him if I added some length, plus he didn't pace himself since he thought he was only running two miles). He wasn't too happy with me that night but he was the next morning:) What are big sisters for?!?!
We made a deal that if Joey would start running with me, I would go golfing with him. Joey has been doing some running lately, even if he has to bundle up Avery and take her along. Guess I better get ready to go golfing...maybe I can just drive the golf cart?!?!
It is so fun for me to watch my younger siblings interact with Avery. Ryan changed one of Avery's overnight diapers and that was hilarious! I'm just helping prepare them to be good daddies one day. Their future wives will thank me:) Avery has definitely hit the terrible twos and I think that she may have irritated them a little, but I just tell them Rose and I had to put up with you them when they were younger!!!
My mom took these pics as this is a daily routine of mine and Avery's. While mommy is putting on makeup, Avery thinks she needs to be too. Her #1 item she wanted for Christmas was chapstick, "chapstick like mommy's makeup!"
I know I am biased but I think Avery looks absolutely beautiful in this picture even with her crazy morning hair:) & Drumroll please.... Some exciting news was divulged Thanksgiving and we got a video of Rose's announcement that her and Bryan are expecting a baby June 14! Be sure to watch my dad; he is the funniest.

Halloween

Avery had so much fun this year for Halloween. She loved the idea of getting lots of candy. Joey and I ran to the thrift store and picked out costumes that totaled $11 for the both of us! I was D.J. Shockley and Joey was an old school golfer (The Legend of Bagger Vance). The night of Halloween we headed out in the rain to take Avery trick or treating in Marietta. We did a quick practice round at Grandma and Grandpa's and it didn't take long for Avery to figure out that all she had to say was trick or treat and she got candy! We are still trying to teach her what the "Good Candy" is...Why is it when kids get to pick out the candy they reach for the dum-dums, candy corn or taffy? CHOCOLATE is the stuff to pick!!!
There is a family in Joey's parents ward that we have become good friends with and they have a little girl just a few weeks older than Avery. We went trick or treating with them in the rain!

Avery and Finley...SO CUTE!

Avery's favorite activity at our ward trunk or treat. She could have cared less about the candy at this station. She just wanted to play in the water and keep the rubber duckies.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN (Only a month late)

13.1

**This may be a little lengthy (but it is fun for me to reflect on everything that got me to this point!) So back in March a group of us from our stake got together and trained for a marathon relay. At this point running more than the 4.3 miles had never crossed my mind and I was content until... Tenille became my full time running partner/one of my most fav friends ever and as we ran more, she'd casually mention she'd like to add a mile to our route. Eventually we were running 10 miles. We would begin our runs at 5:30am to beat the GA summer heat, and 4-6 mile runs, we referred to as "short runs!" Never in my life did I think I could ever run that far without walking! Unfortunately, Tenille and her family moved to Delaware in June, but before she moved I promised we would do a 13.1 mile run. We did it but it took me 2 hours and 25 min. (Tenille just finished running the Baltimore Marathon with an AMAZING time & she is pretty much my hero!) I thought that I might slack off after she moved, but after 4 months of a consistent running schedule, I am addicted to running and in July I signed up for the Silver Comet half marathon 10/31/09. A group of us began training. Because of my school schedule I was only able to do 3 days a week but my running schedule looked like this, Tues: 4 mile run Thurs: 6-8 mile run and Sat: 10-12 mile run. So if you don't already run or like to, this is why you should... Its a great way to start the day, you have more energy, its healthy, and it helps and carries over into other aspects of life. For example, whenever I am thinking I can't fill up 2 more pages of a 10 page paper assignment I think, you can run 10 miles and at mile 8 you're so close to finishing, just tough it out and finish strong! Running is such a mental game, so if you can beat it, you can beat so many of life's obstacles!!! Enough of that, here is SILVER COMET RACE DAY!!!
My racing buddies and running partners. Emily (in the blue jeans) she trained with us and was my main running partner until she got a stress fracture in her foot 4 weeks before the race:( She gave her spot to her husband and came to cheer us on!

Here we are anxiously anticipating the start

It rained (downpour)on us the first 2-3 miles, but the rest was just a light mist which was perfect for the remainder of the race. I had been reading lots of runners blogs before the race trying to find the best source of energy snack to use during the race. Unfortunately, most people said to use the GU gels (which I had previously tried and made me want to vomit), so I went to buy some Cliff Shot Blocks instead. While I was there a worker was putting out these new GU chomps, (which are the same consistency as the shot blocks but provide the same energy of the GU packs). I used these and loved them!
Here comes Amie and I heading down the home stretch! So remember back when I first ran 13.1 miles and it took me 2 hours and 25 min. I was shooting for a goal time of 2:11 (averaging a 10 min. mile) Well, I looked at the clock and it read 2:04. I started to tear up (partly because I could not believe it and partly a fulfilling feeling to see the finish of something you've worked so hard for), but it made it hard to breathe. I choked back the tears as I saw Avery and Joey and gave all I had left to sprint to the finish line with a time of 2 hours 5 minutes and 24 seconds!!!
My in-laws were so sweet they were holding this sign for me at the finish line and cheering me on with Avery and Joey! The sign was in pink and green which ironically matched us so we got a picture!
My biggest fans:) Joey was such a trooper and so supportive of all the time (Sat. mornings) I put into this. He stood in the rain from start to finish of my race having to hold Avery the whole time because I thought her shoes were in the car and they weren't:( I love them so much!

Uga VII: 2008-2009

Yesterday was a sad day in the Bulldog Nation as we mourned the passing of Uga VII. He was four years old and died of a heart attack:( This one was special for us because it is the one that Avery got to meet! In case you didn't know Uga comes from a prestigious line of English Bulldogs and any puppy that comes from this line is sold at a minimum of $10,000. Inside Sanford Stadium is the grave where all previous Ugas have been buried. RIP Uga VII!