Another February birthday!

AND Happy 5th Birthday Cason Brett!! Cason turned 5 on the 19th, so we got to have MORE cake and MORE presents. I tried my not so awesome cake making skills and tried to give him the sports cake he wanted. Cason seemed happy about it, so I am once again glad about that. He has turned into quite the sports enthusiast lately, MUCH to daddy's delight and excitement. Football season was a  beast with both of these boys wanting to watch all day everyday. And when the games were too late or after bedtime, you better believe it would be the FIRST thing he would ask for every morning after dad would record it for him. and he watches the WHOLE game.

 Cason is our Daddy's boy and what I would definitely classify as a middle child. He and I seem to be going through a rough patch...I think we spend WAY to much time together. Her in NOLA preschool is SO expensive, so we don't get much of a break from each other, which I think we both might need....he gets to start school this next fall, which I know will be very exciting for him. He is always super busy and constantly wants to be engaged in something. This kid is SUPER smart and very hands on...constantly wanting to learn and do new things. His recent obsession is games. ALL KINDS - board games, wii games, card games, puzzles...he LOVES them all. Dad is even trying to teach him checkers - which he will need to learn that daddy NEVER loses to checkers and should probably just give up now - but this kid is determined, so who knows. Brett actually might have some competition on his hands one day.

We got to have Grandmamma here too and also skype again with Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen. He got a 2 new games and a new movie, and of course the tramp. He seemed like a pretty happy kid on his day....except he kept telling everyone he was king and got to tell everyone what to do on HIS day. Ya, had to work that fun fact of the day....

Oh, and Adalie wrote him a sweet little note and picture...."you are the best brother and you are my best friend. you are always there for me, So I wish you a happy, happy birthday - love Adalie"



Cason, you're spunky little attitude keeps us constantly on our toes. You're picky and strong willed which I hope one day makes you into quite the go getter!! You are so sweet, when you want to be, and are always looking for the fun in everything. Happy Birthday buddy, We love you so incredibly much and we are SO HAPPY you're our little boy - picky eater and all =)

Brody's 3rd Birthday!!

Let's post about this one before it gets too crazy and doesn't happen.

Brody Vance turned 3!! WooHoo!! This kid..man, this kid is quickly discovering how to push buttons and make this life his own. I can only remember terrible 2's with Adalie, but both Brody and Cason it has hit a little closer to the 3 yr old mark for sure..it's more terrible 3's for us here.

He is in love with ALL the typical boy things....dirt, cars, trains, and food. Brody LOVES his food. He is our biggest and stalkiest kid yet, pretty much the same size as his older brother Cason - 2 yrs apart from one another. It doesn't help though that Cason eats like a bird and Brody is our human trash can and is CONSTANTLY hungry for something....good things though like his obsession with strawberries, oranges, and bananas - so can't complain too much on that one. This kid will be the one to eat us out of house and home one day. We call him our "line backer" baby, while Cason sees to be taking on the role of more of a "kicker".

My mom joined us last Thursday to come and help out while we wait around for Baby Girl, so it was fun to have her here for a little party with Brody. We also got to skype with Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen - which is always so fun to feel like they're apart of things here with us too. He wanted a batman cake, so I tried my best. He seemed happy so I guess I can't complain too much there. We also got the boys a combined gift this year they were pretty exited about - a trampoline!! Our tax returns have come in, so we feel momentarily rich and got one for the kiddos.It will be good though, my kids are outside kids and need ways to burn energy - fast. So, it seems like a good investment for now. Plus, we have the perfect yard for it at the moment and a sliding screen door I can just watch them from the living room and not have to be outside the whole time. Super nice perk.

Brody seemed pretty happy with his day. Since it's just been us on our own pretty much for years and years, it's a;ways a short little family affair. He got a Dr's kit from Grandmamma and Grandpa and a new game and movie from Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen. Happy 3rd Birthday Brod-ster. We love you bunches and we are so glad you joined our crazy little family - you make things fun. You think you are the funniest thing on Earth, and we are starting to agree. I see class clown in your future for sure...and I hope you always love to snuggle.

Somewhat of an Update...

Ya, well let's see...It's been a while - yes. Well, lots has happened so I guess I should update things a little.
1. We moved. We're now in New Orleans LA where Brett has started his residency program here with Ochsner. So far things are going good. Brett keeps himself busy at the hospital and has a new rotation every month in a different field. He longs for the day of just podiatry though, but has gotta pay his dues like every other MED student that first intern year. He still can't beleive he is a Dr though and thinks it sounds funny hearing people call him Dr Sorensen in the hospital all the time. We're all still so proud of him of course =)

2. We're having another baby!! Sooner than later now - but we're having another little girl who is due March 12th. However, I have been having some preterm labor issues and considering my baby having history (Adalie 39wks, Cason 37 1/2, Brody 35wks6days) we're thinking she will be here in the next week or two. I am 35 weeks tomorrow actually, and hope she stays in there at least one more week. My Dr. has me on some medicine to help slow things down a bit and my mom is here and trying to get me to rest and slow down too. Who knows, maybe in the end she will decide to wait and I will actually have to be induced!! I am terrible pregnant, as always, so my body hurts all the time - but I wouldn't mind her waiting 3 or 4 more weeks if I had a choice. The other kiddos are sick with coughs and nasty noses so I would rather not bring her into a germ infested environment and also, 4 kids is a scary thought....so I wouldn't mind a few more weeks to try and get used to the idea of it all. The kids all seem so excited, especially Adalie. She is over the moon about having a baby sister. Me too...I am excited to end things with another sweet little girl and lots of pink things =). We're having a little trouble narrowing down an exact name. We have 2 or 3 in the running but nothing solid. I don't really know what we're waiting for - I'm not a big believer in the "wait to see what they look like" thing. I think for me, it's mostly the pressure of thinking this is our last and I really need to get it right haha

3. Kids seem to be adjusting well to NOLA. Though Brett and I are NOT big fans of "city-ish" life, we're makin it work. I hate all the concrete. I hate the schools here and I always feel SO bad for Adalie. Uniforms, no art or music, and ONE recess a day pretty much just combined with their P.E. time...it's a terrible school system here. That's why we're thinking about movin up to the North Shore when our contract is through. For where we are living, it is WAY to expensive and the house is old and terrible.The kids are all getting SO big...I cannot beleive Adalie will be 8, and Cason is turing 5 and Brody 3!!! It all seems to be going by in a flash when I actually stop and think about it.

Anywho...still have lot to catch up on - but lets just let this do for now I suppose!! It's at least something...

We moved...just to move again.

It has occurred to me so many, many times I should be writing everything down. Something I felt I used to be extremely good at, I have become very negligent. I don't know why - i really do love writing, even if you don't love what I write about. It is a way to express myself that no one else really needs to understand and is sometimes a very welcomed break from the screaming and yelling and fighting and craziness that is my life right now with 3 little children. Being a mom is hard, especially right now as a medical wife/residency mom, in a new place, only to be in a new place again in a few weeks. There's no time to make friends. My social life consists of a 2 yr old, a 4 yr old, and a 7 yr old, with a hubby home for a few hours a day if I am lucky. But during those few hours we all seem to be fighting for his attention. So the hour, maybe 2, I get to spend with him at night are usually accompanied by physical exhaustion on both our parts. Sorry, I'm complaining - but that's the whole reason i am writing....well not to complain, but to help me get out the story to feel a little less....stressed is the word I'm looking for I think.

So, we left you hanging. We made it out to St. George. The whole truck and packing and traveling was a fiasco. The company we hired turned out to be crooks. Brett's mom and dad came to the rescue at the last minute with the truck and tailor. Brett's sister came to help with kids and packing (huge relief). Lots of money spent that we didn't really have...all to get us to a preceptor-ship in St. George Ut that really wasn't EXACTLY what we wanted, but a better opportunity than most. Oh, and our bank account and credit card info were stolen. 2 weeks after we got here, Brett flew out to New Orleans to an interview for a new residency program starting there in Louisiana. They were interviewing 12, so Brett didn't think he had much of a chance. This was the absolute last spot even available to be a resident for this year. 70 students left who wanted it....bad. But, Brett felt like St. George was it and we were both feeling really good about the place. It's a great program to be in with LOTS and LOTS of stuff to do. Basically, a resident without a credit of residency.....confusing, but it works. I however, wasn't unpacking until I new for SURE he didn't get New Orleans. He felt good about the interview, but still didn't think it was the answer. St. George just kinda felt right. So after almost 2 weeks without a word from the program, Brett finally convinced me to start making a home and unpack. I decorated. I threw away so many boxes. I hung up and washed so many clothes and found spots to put all of our crap. There were piles and piles of trash. I was literally hanging up our last photo frame when Brett called one day from Work...."I got New Orleans"
What!?! A million emotions running through both our heads. Gratitude, frustration, excitement, nervousness, overwhelming stress to only name a few. I new it. I NEW it would happen. We would move out to St. George JUST to move again...I totally called it from the first phone call about Nola.

So, here we are in a new kind of wonderful stress. Moving....again. When I think about all the money and time we will have spent moving and driving in that stupid car in less than 3 months, I want to vomit - everywhere. That's 2 uhaul truck rentals with a trailer for the car. Gas for said uhauls and a minivan for over 2200 miles. Hotel stays x 4. And AT LEAST 50 hours in the car....with 3 littlies and a dog. Oh, and it's me in the car with the kiddos the whole time while Brett drives the uhaul. i had mom and Monica helping on the way to Ut which is I am sure, where they saw the absolute worst side of me. A 7 yr old, 4 yr old, and 2 yr old. On the same row of seats, all in reach of one another, in a minivan stuffed to the brims. That was for 20 hours. Now, I get to do 28 all by myself with the same kiddos and dog in a minivan one time more stuffed to the brims. I can't say I am honestly all to exited about the whole situation. Our kids already dread car rides form our last trio we JUST finished.

I LONG for the day to have stability in my life. I want to be in one place, to know whats coming next, and to stop thinking about everything else I still have to do for the next episode in our lives. I have, however, noticed in our past experience that you can't always count on stability. I have my kids, my husband, and my faith which are the closest things to any sort of solid factor in my life. And that's probably the closest we'll ever get to something firm and unmoving in our life....ever.

So almost $10,00 later and we are moving to New Orleans. We're searching for a home and starting yet another new chapter. We have 3 weeks. Lord help us it's gunna be a doozie.

And so it goes on...

Well, that's enough of that. We're still on "the Journey" with a little ore changes. Since that latter day, I have had my good days and bad. My grateful and my angry. I still know in the back of my head that everything is going to be fine, work our like it should. I know the Lord knows what He is doing, but, it takes constant effort and reassurance to have faith in something. Even though I know the feelings Ive felt and the answers I receive, Satan takes FULL advantage of my hints of doubt and anger....he knows his stuff.

So, present day happenings again. Brett got a preceptor offer in St. George for the year. Basically, a paid internship kind of offer so that he is current on his surgeries and keeps up with all of the medical mumbo jumbo of the podiatry world. We feel really good about it. Its a wonderful area, with so much to do and just a few hours down the road from his parents and some family. Its a great place to work with so much learning opportunities. Its a way better option than just being here for a year waiting and wondering. It will still be a hard year of wondering and preparing for the next match interviews, but it really is a great option for us in so many ways to be in St. George Ut. These last 2 weeks have been a little hectic with moving prep....moving is never fun. We are finally settled with an apt that took forever to find, moving trucks that are way to expensive, and kids that are excited/scared to leave. All the little details are all in place. Brett flew out to St. George on Wednesday to hash out dealings with the new work there and shadow the guy who is currently working. Thursday, his first day of orientation for his new job, he gets an e mail. New Orleans, LA is offering him an interview for a new residency program opening up in July. They want him to come and interview on the 27th of June....ya, that's 2 weeks after we have moved into a new place in St. George and have started a new job.

Not that we're not grateful. A residency is what we want, and Louisiana would be an awesome opportunity...but couldn't this have happened like 2 weeks ago?? A week ago even?? Alas, that is how the Lord works right? I have seen and am learning that in the moments your except it all and like to think you have everything figured out and all your ducks in a row, the Lord swoops in again with a bigger plan than yours. Either way, I am so thankful for either opportunity. Either of these situations are a win win for us. There's pros and cons to both. We're leaving it in His hands again and this time, we're ready for whatever we hear!!

Just Tuning in....

If you're just tuning into this, not even sure if anyone but myself and hubby read it, but you'll be a little confused. I have been playing catch up with whats been going on the last few months here in the Sorensen house....

March 31^st 2014 Part II My reaction caught me completely off guard. Brett had to get back to work, so the 2 second bad news phone call took a few minutes’ to process. Well, I processed it and a whole slew of emotions attacked in one terrible moment. I was so completely and utterly…confused. Up until this moment I had felt nothing but hope and confidence about everything. Not for one single moment had I been worried about anything. I had felt in my head, and in my heart, that everything was going to be just fine, over and over again. I was even ok about the answer being no to North Carolina, and I still felt ok about being here in Des Moines for another year – I always new that was a very real outcome and I was totally ok and FINE with that. So why was a bawling and freaking out!?! What the heck was going on with me!? I was seriously inconsolable! I just did not understand. I felt SO good about NC, about there being a solution solved that day to the worry and disappointment my husband had been feeling. And THAT is why I was so incredibly sad. I couldn’t believe the world was doing this to Brett! This man who is so smart, and gracious, and kind, and hard working – and I felt like NO ONE else was seeing that. It wasn’t fair that such a good man got nothing. I felt like it was all a stupid game of cheaters who were manipulating the system and not getting caught, but getting everything they wanted. Seriously, not fair AT ALL. I felt like such an idiot. Yesterday, Sunday I had felt so wonderful that morning. I stood up in church and bared my testimony, which I felt so strongly about, how the Lord is so ready and willing to run our lives…to lead us where He wants us to be. To give us bigger and better things than we ever thought possible if we only let Him take control and have faith and full trust in Him to let it all work out. And I had that faith. Well, now I felt like a goof for saying all those things because I was so beyond confused at my reactions to it all today. I had felt so worry free and wonderful about everything. I had spent the last week, trying to lift my husband’s spirits with words of peace and comfort I felt about the whole situation. But now, at this moment, and I felt was muddled…and even a little, rightfully I think, pissed off. I called my dad. Sent out text to friends and family who were all waiting to hear good news….and I cried like a baby the whole time. Brett called and said he was coming home…and he could tell I had been crying. I was trying really, really hard not to, but I just didn’t know why, why, WHY I was acting this way!!

Brett came home, held me in his arms and let me cry and be angry. And I felt bad and terrible because I was the one who was trying so hard and had said nothing but positive things to him about everything for almost 2 weeks about ALL of this. And now, he was looking at me and I was losing it…like everything I said seemed like a lie and I felt ashamed and so, so silly. But it hadn’t when I said it, and felt it…but now, I just seemed so incredibly stupid in front of him. But, he reminded me of one of the many conversations we had had this last week. I had said, when he would be down – I would be up…and vise versa. Never would we both be sad at the same time. He told me he felt like he was going to be devastated if he heard it was no, but he wasn’t. He felt ok about it all, had already kinda moved on from it. He was up and I was down. For some strange reason, this was my down moment. My terrible, rotten, awful moment that Brett said I had been holding in for 2 weeks now. In my mind, I felt like everything was my fault in some way. It was my fault the Lord was making us stick in Des Moines for another year. I was holding my husband back because I was dishonest. I was selfish. I was just not being the person I was supposed to be. So, this no residency possibility situation was MY fault – the Lord wanted to make ME good enough so we could move on. I felt so many un-named emotions, I felt like I made no sense to anyone, most of all myself. I told him about my horrible day, how I had lost my ring, which was also adding to my sorrow. Brett told me he said a prayer in the moments we were frantically looking for it together. He asked the Lord in frustration, seriously – please show me that you still care about us and haven’t forgotten us and let my wife find her ring!  Not 2 seconds after, I emptied a small trash bag on our kitchen floor and found my wedding ring inside.

Well, the day went on. My husband let me be sad. He let me be mad at the world. I probably took more frustration out on my kids and him than deserved. I kept thinking about more words I had offered my husband over the weekend. I told him about a talk I had heard about it being ok to be sad for a moment. That even the Lord, when he went to raise Lazareth from the dead, knowing of the great miracle He was about to do, cried for his friends. He was sad for a moment, when everyone else was sad for a moment. So, this helped me feel entitled to be sad and angry. I was taking my moment.