Christmas 2011

Just a few random pictures from the crazy fun that was yesterday.

Under Where?

We have been listening to 2 new music albums. One is pretty and edifying and one is just pretty fun.

The beautiful one is "Psalm 119 In Song", written and composed by Susie Kimbrough.

We love it, it is easy to listen to and maybe by next year we will have the whole Psalm memorized without even working on it!

The other CD we got in the mail today and we have spent the afternoon laughing our way through it. Before I tell the name of the CD Iwill say that a couple of years ago some friends bought the kids the album called "Slugs, Bugs and Lullabies"They loved it . Then they received  "A Slugs and Bugs Christmas". Loved that one too. They are on the silly side, but my kids are just the right age for this music. Close to Thanksgiving  the Christmas CD died a terrible death and while we were looking online for how to reorder it we saw that there was a new album. Called "Under Where?"  We could not believe it. My kids thought they invented that game! Where they tell someone to look under something but mumble at the end of their sentence so the person says, "Under WHERE?" And then everyone explodes with laughter except for the sheepish person who said it, who then immediately begins his own quest to make someone else accidentally say "Under WHERE"? Hilarious. Close relative to but a little more grown up than the game where poop, potty, bathroom and bottom are inserted randomly into conversation and everyone laughs like hyenas.  Nice to find a songwriter who gets their sense of humor. So we ordered "Under Where". Please note that it really isn't about underwear.  That song is just a little piece of it. All three of these CD's are a good mixture of pointing kids to the Lord and good family fun.

Ice cream is good

Supporting the local businesses is something that I have dedicated myself to since moving to Prineville. Has been pretty rough, and usually means an exercise program and a good stain removal system is needed. Have really enjoyed getting settled in to Central Oregon. The children have jumped right in to school, doing work every Tuesday with a group in Redmond, about 30 min west from us. They have lots of work during the week to prepare for these sessions. They also are attending a Friday local co-op with Science and Music training.
  They all played AYSO soccer this summer, have been busy riding bikes, fishing the creek across the street, hiking local trails, and of course the local obligatory trips to local culinary businesses to help stimulate the economy. We are on call a lot here, but the call that we are on is much less taxing than any I have imagined. I am helping cover another local hospital, in Madras, about 40 min to the northeast where I take call every Friday, and one weekend a month.
  Passing my written board exam was definitely the highlight of my summer, much more so than graduating from residency, and I look forward to my shot at the oral exam in March. Have definitely enjoyed hiking, a short camping trip, riding bikes, running on trails and with a local weekly running group, tackling some world-class mountain biking trails, teaching Alec how to fish, and seeing the sunshine every day!  In addition, we were able to take in several OSU football games (THE Oregon State University, for all of my midwest buddies) with my dad and Maria, as well as with Grandma and Grandpa Seppa.  Kristi and I even got to go to an outdoor Alison Krauss concert in Bend, which was really fun.
  We look forward to being able to continue to explore the amazing outdoor activities here, get to know our families again, and make new friends and become more involved in the local community and church. We have been very blessed with quick friendships with a couple of families at the church we are attending, with the job I have, being close to family, and the smooth transition we have enjoyed so far. Our home in Ohio is possibly sold, which is yet another reason to be grateful. We have much for which to be thankful, and for this we truly give thanks to God for so much that we have been given, that we enjoy, and that has been promised to us.

From Fall/Winter 2011

Kristi and the kids belly up to the bar at Goody's Ice Cream Parlor in Prineville

From Fall/Winter 2011

Alec tries out the licorice ice cream, white shirt and all. Talk about living on the edge! Nobody said it would be easy supporting the local community, but with lots of practice with more neutral colors and similarly colored upper apparel, one can then graduate on to more senior moves like this one.

End Of Summer Pictures

The kids new favorite place to spend some change on treats is on the main street in Prineville: "Goody's"!

It is always so hard to decide, but they let you get a few cents of this and a few cents of that.

We went for a walk down by the Crooked River at the tail end of summer. Made the kids wash up before we did it so we could take some pictures.

They wanted to be in the river, or fishing in the river, not walking beside it, but they humored us.

Took these pictures right before we started school for the year. We are now into week ten of school, so these picture are pretty outdated :) All the kids are probably wearing different sizes now than they were then!

It has been a busy fall for our family, but we are really grateful for the new people and places God has put into our lives. We are learning new things and especially enjoying getting to see David more.

Soccer Tournament and Horse Camp

We had to join in soccer late this year, but it was just nice that they made room for us. It has been the best part of the summer for the kids. We have spent most of the evenings for the last two weeks out at the Les Schwab fields watching kids practice or play a game. Jan and Alec got put on the same team and it has been nice to have them on the same schedule.

This past Saturday was in the 90's and we spent all day watching soccer. Pati played four games (5 minute quarters), Anne played 3 games (10 minute quarters) and Jan and Alec played four games also. Jan and Alec's team went undefeated and won the tournament. The most exciting thing was that their team really worked hard to play as a team, to learn how to set up and pass better. It was a great day even though it was so hot.

Monday morning, early, Jan set out for River Run Christian Horse Camp. Just three days this year, since it is her first year of being old enough and I think it would be better to save the longer camp for when she is older. This is really a dream come true for her and we were excited that she had the opportunity to go and do this. The younger kids are really happy for her, and are looking forward to being old enough to go do it too. This afternoon they were supposed to go float in the Crooked River which runs through the ranch. We can't wait to hear all about it when she gets home. Maybe I will ask her to write the next post !

New Pets

The girls got tired of waiting for us to live in a neighborhood where we could have real living pets, so they tore apart some cardboard boxes, designed some saddles and horses and set up a barn on the front porch. There are three horses out there so far and they all have spent hours out there riding and taking care of them. I like these horses. For now, they are just right.

Camping

David took his boards last week and we scheduled a camping trip at Tumalo State Park to celebrate that this test, for this year, is over. We hope that he never has to take it again….he will find out in September, but for a few days he is taking a study break and we really enjoyed being together outside. We only had time to go for one night, and it was so much fun! We made hobo stew and roasted marshmallows and rode bikes and did part of the junior ranger program and floated in the Deschutes….and got marshmallow in our hair and came home really dirty and smelling like smoke. It was great. We can't wait to go again.

New Neighborhood

Been a busy month with some big changes for our family. It has been nice to be back in the NW - the air is so fresh. That seems like a funny thing to say, but I think it every time I open a window or go out the door.

We left our house in Akron with some sadness and the kids have been pretty open about their gratefulness for our home there, their familiar neighborhood and neighbors, our good routine and some special family friends. Most nights there are tears from somebody, remembering good times and special people and struggling a little with the unfamiliar.

We had a difficult time finding a rental here and the house we are in did not open up until two or three days before our moving truck arrived. It is near the hospital where David will work and close enough in town to ride our bikes to the store, the library, the park or the swimming pool. Across the street and through a vacant lot there is a beautiful creek and the kids have been swimming or fishing in it nearly every day. David is working hard at studying for his boards in the middle of August and the kids and I have been unpacking and exploring.

Every joy or trial falleth from above;

Traced upon our dial by the Son of Love.

We may trust him fully, all for us to do

They who trust Him wholly,

Find Him wholly true.

Staid upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed

Finding as He promised perfect peace and rest.

Goodbye Tiny Tim

Well, we have begun the process of saying goodbye to Ohio and we started with Tiny Tim, our pet turtle.

The thought was that T-squared would have the best chance if we sent him to Turtle Nirvana well-nourished and still moving around. I figured we would be making him a spot in the flower bed next to Spike the fish, but the kids did a great job figuring out that these little guys need to have little live worms, and they won't eat unless they are under water, but not too much water.

We are down to the last few weeks here in Ohio, and have enjoyed being here. The kids seem to be just starting to settle in and make some friends, have been quite involved with activities and sports, and the weather is finally reasonable after 6-7 months of nastiness.

We still have to put a few final touches on things here, such as packing, selling our house, finding a place to live in Oregon, and such but I am looking at only 4 more calls left at the hospital, and most likely one about 2 more weeks of real work.

Have been using all of my "spare" time studying for my upcoming board exam in August, as well as putting the finishing touches on 3 different research projects.

Seems like it has been much longer than 5 years to me, but I suppose there are those who didn't even know we were even gone from Oregon. The children really don't have too many memories except here, so that part will be rough for them for a bit, but they will adjust well I am sure.

The training seems like it could go on forever before I am really "comfortable" doing things by myself, but on the other hand I am feeling safe enough to do large cases and even difficult ones on my own. Fortunately there have been all types of attendings here to train under. Some of the attendings always scrub in with me on all of my own cases, which is nice. Other attendings don't scrub in at all, and just call in to ask how I am doing, or if I have a question I call them in. At first that is a little nerve-wracking, but after the first case or two I actually appreciated that supervision, as it really gave me confidence that when I leave here and do my own cases by myself, I will have no problem, because I have actually been doing my own cases for many months now, and even some large complex cases.

Really happy about not having to take any more trauma call pretty soon. Really happy that I won't be up all night ever 4th night, pulling 30+ hour shifts and just getting farther and farther behind in my rest and out of contact with my family. Will really be glad to be busy, but I would much rather be really busy with my own patients, and not doing all of the mundane residency stuff, ICU coverage, trauma call, backing up all of the neurosurgeons, vascular surgeons and in-house residents.

Have enjoyed many things of the training process, and have been able to work with some great surgeons, but am really glad it is coming to an end soon.

Well, good bye Tiny Tim. We hope you are swimming around in Frog Pond where the worms fall into your path, the sun shines on your log, and you find other turtles to play with.

Suppose we will have to get a pet lizard or something that the girls aren't allergic to when we move out to Oregon next month.

Tiny Tim

From Spring 2011

This little fellow is cute. (Alec is too, but he hates it when we say that.)

The turtle is a Midland Painted Turtle. Very common in Ohio. Probably not more than two weeks from hatching. About the size of a quarter.

Our children have wanted a pet so badly. In the midst of this time of upheaval and change I think it is a marvelous gift from the Lord that he would provide this tiny creature for the kids to dig worms for and laugh and coo at. I read once in a good book that children need three things every day: Something to DO. Something to THINK ABOUT. Something to LOVE.

They really do love that little thing. Anne has allergies to dogs and cats (and probably to other hairy creatures, but no one has ever offered to test her for allergies to horse or cat or gerbil :)). Although the kids know that it will be difficult for us to ever have the kind of pet they long for, they still hope for it and talk about it and ask about it. Often.

So I feel especially blessed by God that He has provided this very real pet for us to enjoy for a few days/weeks.

We have been worried since we had read that it is very difficult to get hatchlings to eat. The plan was to keep the turtle a day or two and then let him go quickly if we couldn't get him to eat anything. This morning, Tiny Tim sat in the old fish tank (with a little bit of water and some rocks in it) in the middle of breakfast table so the kids could watch him while we ate. He started to pull on the worm that the kids had picked up off the pavement. They were delighted to see him pull off a big piece and chomp away on it. "He's eating! He is happy with us!" I don't know about that, but it is good that he is eating and it will make me comfortable letting them keep him for a couple more days.

X

Hard to believe it, but ten years ago today, Kristi and I were wed. Seems like just a few days ago in some ways. Seems like a distant memory in others. I was asked by many staff I was working with today as to what my grand plans were to commemorate such a grand occasion. They weren't too impressed that I was going to study a bit, and find a place to go have dinner as a sitter was coming over for the evening. One of them suggested that I needed to further increase my current debt by throwing jewels at my bride. I quickly vetoed that suggestion. Not because I don't have a great desire to shower my lovely lady with expensive items that will make other marrieds wish they had just been so luck to have "caught" me, or give the fair maidens hope that there may be hope yet. I think it was somehow related to the natural progression of the conversation in the OR, which had me doing my own case, hip deep in a 330# gallbladder case, and the staff filling me in on all of the current events; namely, just how many wives Elizabeth Taylor had been, how many children she had had, whether or not her eyes really were purple, and just how big her ring really was.

They took ET out of the google que and put in 10 year wedding anniversary, to see which one it was. I told them I hoped it was rice, or beans, or something. They seemed to think it was Diamond. Well, it originally was aluminum. Perfect, I figured we could go to Chipotle and get a foil-wrapped burrito, and that would count. Then they said the more modern 10 year anniversary is diamond... I figure it should be 75 years or something, but most likely that one isn't very popular in the commercial world because nobody stays married that long anymore. Sell lots more jewels if you move it up a few decades... Don't go from tin to Gold, and then Diamond, just get the diamond out of the way while you still have a chance.

Seems pretty ridiculous to me that everyone expected me to have these amazing plans of driving home from work in a limo, picking up my wife with flowers in hand, ring in the box, and whisking her off to the most expensive eatery in Ohio. I suppose anything less would be a sign that I don't really love my wife, right?

Well, she had to settle with me coming home a few minutes early so I could stay with the little kids while she went to pick up Jan from her running class, and swing by and pick up the sitter on her way home. Then we went off to a romantic appointment in our 14-year old car (that works perfectly well, by the way) where I dropped her off at the salon to get her hair done for about 2 hours (have to take advantage of a sitter when you can get one). I spent the time studying for an exam I have here in a few days, and then we went out to one of our favorite restaurants and had a wonderful time talking about stuff and things (something we hardly ever get a chance to do).

On our way home we went to Barnes & Noble to look at books, never bought anything, and came home. We had a wonderful time, I think, and I didn't have to go into debt. We have one of the best relationships I have ever seen, or been around as far as I can tell. I am continually amazed by how wonderful my wife and best friend is, and do my best to help when I can, talk and listen when I am awake, and tell her how much I love her as often as I can. She does an amazing job of never criticizing me, helping me, protecting me, and keeping an amazingly good attitude in spite of a horrific schedule, 4 young children to rear, and a challenging income and environment with few real friends or family readily available.

Not sure what the next 10 years will bring, but if I get to spend any part of them with her, it will not matter. How did I ever get so blessed to be married to her for 10 years? She said "sure," when I asked her.

More Beaver Signs

Ice Cream

From Spring 2011

This post isn't really about ice cream. The weather has given a break for a few days. Warm enough to be outside without snowsuits, hike without sleds and make the kids ask if we can go swimming in the lake (I said "no", it really isn't that warm). We got some good work done on the outside of the house and we celebrated with ICE CREAM! We love Strickland's.

Last night, in our sleep deprived state, David and I took the kids up to Cleveland to participate in much anticipated Girl's Craft Night and Boy's Game Night at our church. We had a good time in many ways. At Girl's Craft Night the three girls and I found a table, set about trying to make some friends, went to find the restrooms while waiting for the activities to begin. I watched Jan attempt to make some friends, watched her watch girls play together, run across the church screaming each other's names and end up in a bear hug and squealing, jumping up and down, reveling in the pleasure of each other's company. I watched her hopeful smile become fixed and fake, her shoulders slump. Tears welled in my eyes. It has been a discouraging five years in terms of relationships, especially for Jan. I think that she notices it more than anyone else because she is so relational and because she is older than the other kids.

My first clue should have been that first summer we lived here. I signed Jan up for the ballet class for 4 year olds at the community center near our house. As the little girls would file into class she would sit there, hopeful that someone would want to sit by her. When someone did she was so happy! And then, the child's mother would intervene. "Oh, honey, don't sit there, come sit by YOUR FRIEND!" And she would bodily pick her child up and move her over to sit with HER FRIEND. After watching this for a few months we stopped going to ballet.

I used to think that maybe it was her imagination. That she was too sensitive. That it was just a particular group of kids. But I have come to realize that it isn't that at all. Somehow the children here have no room for an outsider. I have observed it in churches, in Sunday School, at neighborhood gatherings, at homeschool gatherings, at Friday co-op. Sometimes it is a thoughtless accident. Sometimes my kids are left out because other kids just don't realize, or notice them. I don't mind that so much. But too often it is a deliberate and purposeful act. Not just ignoring the "outsider" but picking on them and putting pressure on your friends to not sit by them or associate with them. I used to think it was because we were new. Well, we aren't new anymore. I wondered if it was our fault. I have carefully observed and come to know that it isn't. The other kids already have friends, and don't want new ones. No room at the inn. They are not encouraged by their parents to make new friends, just encouraged to be with the ones they already have.

I hurt for Jan last night, because I can't fix it for her. Ice cream doesn't even help anymore :)

We talk about what we can learn from this, and I hope that we never forget the lesson. I hope that we can be good friends to people who need it, not overlook people because they are outside our circle, reach out to people we aren't friends with YET. Maybe someday we can drive into church and somebody will smile and wave back at her. Maybe even yell her name and give her a hug! I am hopeful.

Beaver Hike

Kids are learning about beavers and went in search of evidence of beaver logging activity.

From Spring 2011

From Spring 2011

Birthday Girl!

This is a picture of Jan with Baby Elena taken about a week before Jan's birthday. Wow the kids sure loved having a baby around for a few days and I hear the lament "I wish we could see Baby Elena!" often.

Jan's birthday was on Saturday and David got to be home for the day. He took Jan out to breakfast and then stopped by the pet shelter near our house so that she could show him the dogs that live there. Just waiting for a home. Hint, hint. I was prety proud of Jan this year. She is a social person and really loves people. The last several years she has wanted to have a birthday party and it has not worked out. People don't show up, or there just isn't anybody to invite. This year we had plans made in advance with a dear family who are missionaries to Ukraine and are just in the area for a few months. So much excitement, looking forward to a birthday spent with some special friends since there are five children, all close in age to ours. But those plans had to be canceled because of sickness. Jan took it with a great attitude and just enjoyed the day in spite of the disappointment.

Jan's birthday was also the day for our home school group's Art and Talent show. All the children entered paintings/drawings and the three oldest played the piano in the recital. They all did great and handled pressure and being in front of people alot better than I did when I was their age.

Sure glad that God sent Jan to live with us 9 years ago. She is such an important person in our family and this last year has really grown up in many ways, always looking for ways to help me and make my load easier. She really loves the Lord and has made it a priority to spend time in the Word every day, without any prompting from me. She got glasses a few months ago and it has been an adjustment to try to wear them in all of her day to day adventures, but it has been worth it since she really was not seeing well without them.

We are talking more and more about moving and looking forward to it, but Jan has mixed feelings about it. Glad to go, but finding it hard to leave the familiar and start over again. Jan's birthday was the last Carne family birthday in Ohio!

Friends

Still don't have pictures to post, but thinking tonight about a family that is very dear to us, on a plane right now to London Heathrow. It is nowhere near their first step in their journey toward a life of sharing Jesus Christ at the CMA Women's and Children's Hospital in Mali, Africa. That started quite awhile ago. In this past year they have sold their house, dispersed their possessions, quit their jobs and pursued what they would need to be useful as Christians and physicians in Mali. Tonight they are on the plane most of the night with their 4 month old daughter and more backpacks than anyone should have to carry around!
It was a wrenching good-bye for us Carnes because the Holsenbacks have been true friends to us. In the five years we have lived here they have become like our family. They have given fellowship and laughter and shared with us in happy and sad things. In a time of life where we have had no one to call on but the Lord, He brought Steve and Heather to us, to be His hands. They reached out and took responsibility for us. They have come over in the middle of the night to listen to wheezing, met me at the ER to deal with breathing problems, nursed us through a terrible flu (and any mother who has had to deal with vomiting and crying children while vomiting and crying herself will understand what this means), taken our children under their wings and loved them, pumped 20,000 gallons of water out of our backyard when it flooded....too many things to tell about. The neighborhood is empty without them.
In a sad way, we were happy to see them take off for this part of their journey. Glad to have their example in front of us. Praying that we will be just as faithful to go where God asks us to go. Because I believe that we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works which God has prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." I also belive that we can say "No, I won't walk there." And they haven't said that.
This friendship is one part of residency I will be forever grateful for.

Christmas and now Pati is four.

When we moved to Akron I remember thinking, "When we are done here, Jan will be 9 and our baby (not born yet) will be 4." Unbelievable. Jan will be 9 in March and Pati turned four two days after Christmas.

I have several good pictures that I am trying to post but suddenly my computer will no longer give me the option for pasting pictures in. Really, the reason I don't update this site very often is that there is always something that goes haywire. I can't tell all the times that I have written a post, attempted to put up pictures and it simply will not work.

Shucks. It just isn't as much fun to tell the story without them.

Christmas was wonderful. David was home. We stayed home all day and friends that are like family, Steve and Heather Holsenback and their new baby, came and spent the day with us. I didn't make a big dinner we just ate easy good things and didn't worry about food and dishes. We played games and with a few new toys and just enjoyed each other. We saved the last night of Advent for Christmas night and that is always a special thing for us to do together.

Pati is four now! She was born two days after Christmas. She wanted to have a spa for her birthday. Facial masks and makeovers, footbaths and toenail paint. So the girls and I fixed up their bedroom and it was a beautiful and fun way to spend some time...getting beautiful. A family that came to Akron for residency the same year we did, and a resident from the hospital that Pati thinks is pretty special came for cake and a pinata. It was a fun party even though her day follows Christmas so closely.

Sally, a special friend of ours from Akron, invited us to go with her to Akron's First Night, a New Year's party that covers much of downtown and involves music and crafts and buses and fireworks. The kids loved it.

Now we are into 2011, the year that we are done with residency. Looking forward to the change and moving, but appreciating this place that we have lived for nearly five years. I think the kids are excited about moving, but sad to think about leaving. Change is difficult. It is hard to visualize what it will be like. Whatever changes, they are looking forward to the change in David's schedule, and I hear them talking about when we move, when Dad can come home more.
We are looking forward to that most of all.