Happy Leap Day Post :o)

Hope you are having a happy leap day! I thought I'd post because you can only have a leap post every 4 years!

There is no new news here. I have Spring Break this next week, so I plan on relaxing. Interesting though because it is definitely NOT spring here! March brings visitors for us, which is very exciting, and will be a great break from the blah for us!

In news for us, I'll be interning at the big children's hospital here, Children's Hospital Boston, next year! I've told many of you but can think of several of you that I haven't. I'll be working on a medical surgical unit doing mostly family counseling/crisis intervention for children who are hospitalized and protective work for child abuse cases. It seems like the happy mix of everything that I love doing. I'm very excited, Jeremy's very excited, and I'm guessing that Jackson and Billy would be too if they could express it.

Interesting how your hometown makes the Boston local news...

Ok, so this didn't just make the Boston news, but it made it everywhere... including here. So the refinery exploded in Big Spring today. My mom got evacuated from her classroom and then sent home. Their home (my parents) is just over a mile from the refinery, so we'll pray that nothing further happens....
http://wbztv.com/national/Big.Spring.Explosion.2.656722.html

Wild Weather Day

Today is the wildest weather I think either Jeremy or I have experienced in our entire lives. Woke up to sun and about 40 degree temperatures (this is considered "warm" here). Then in the afternoon there was a series of sun, then dark clouds, snow with thunder, wicked winds blowing snow everywhere, and sleet. Then, 15 minutes later it was sunny again. This whole process repeated itself several times this afternoon. Billy was standing out on the porch during one of these wild snow squall things and he looked like a reverse dalmatian in just a few seconds (black with white spots).

Just for the current picture... the cold won out. Vicious winds, 21 degrees and a zero degree (or maybe less now) windchill. Goodnight.

God doesn't go bowling very often in New England...

I know a funny title. I was telling the girls that I'm doing this Beth Moore study with today that I was going to make this post. Last night I laid awake in bed listening to a low rumble of thunder, the soft flash of lightening, and the heavy rain.... and then I found myself remembering my childhood and my intense fear of thunderstorms. I'd burst into my parent's room and jump onto the bed in tears. In response, my parents told me that thunder was God bowling.

Needless to say, last night was only the second time in over 8 months that God went bowling here. Thunder is a rare occurrence here... something I've grown to miss.

No new news to report here... it is STILL winter. :o) The snow had finally all melted... then rain last night and snow flurries this morning. Here is a picture of Jeremy STANDING on the frozen reservoir by our house.

Hello again!

Today is the rest of the update that I never finished several weeks ago. Here are the promised pictures of Jeremy on his baby, and a video taken by Jeremy's brother Ben of both of us on our motor vehicles:



Life is back in full swing here at the Reddin residence. Jeremy has FINALLY gotten his clearance at work and I'm back in classes. In the coming weeks, I'll be interviewing for my final year internship.... I won't say too much about where I think I'm headed right now (I heard good news just now :0)...), but you can just keep me in your prayers that I would end up where I need to be as I'm looking at hospitals and they are looking at me.

Post Christmas/New Year's Update

Well, we survived the 2nd snowiest December on record and are quickly becoming pros on negotiating parking, shoveling, and driving. The dogs also survived being boarded in the kennel and Billy did a mid-air flip when I came to pick them up. Today it is supposed to be 60 degrees and I plan on meeting a friend for a walk after a haircut (I'm going short) and an adjustment on my new glasses.

Jeremy still hasn't gotten his security clearance, and he's not sure what is up with that, so keep him in your prayers. He wants to meet expectations to the best of his ability, but is at a loss without a the clearance to work on a project. This week though he is moving to a new desk area in the office and is working under this other guy... so hopefully that will help during this waiting time.

Here are some pictures from our five days in Nederland....
We made this gingerbread house together.... this little kit was only $6 at Trader Joe's. What a steal! It came complete with the people too!
Here we have Jeremy's aunt, uncle, cousin-in-law Nelda (far right), and her and Jerod's (cousin) new baby Emyle.
Me and Grandma... aren't we a pair? She's such a doll, and still has quite a since of humor!
Jeremy, Emyle, and Grandma... Fatherhood suits him well. But don't get all excited friends... no planned cooking in the factory anytime soon.
Left to right.... Jeremy's mom, dad, Audrey (cousin), grandpa, and Jeremy (Audrey's husband). All these pictures are at Jeremy and Audrey's house.
Ode to Jeremy's cats. We'll pay tribute to them here, but they are my allergy nemesis, so you won't ever find them in our house. Left to right.... Domino, KC (for KittyCat.... but I call him Slinger cause he slings snot), and Sheba.
Jeremy's Dot and Bop. Dot was so excited about the Christmas outfit she was wearing. They are awesome grandparents and very generous people.
And finally.... priorities are priorities folks. And a sonic stop in the south is one of them. A lemon berry slush went well with my sore throat and stuffy nose. I have videos of Jeremy on his baby (his dirt bike) but that will wait until later today. Gotta go get my haircut!

And it is snowing again......

Oops.... they got the weather forecast wrong again... 6 inches came today. So far we are up to the fourth snowiest December on record and we are only 2/3 through the month. Needless to say, we will be glad to have a short break from the shoveling over Christmas. Here are some pictures from our neighborhood and Boston over the past week.
Jack isn't very fond of the snow.... he just trudges around and leaves deep trails where he has drug his body through the deep snow. Most of these pictures are after the first of our three major snows... so just imagine this times 3 minus very little melting.
Rain, snow, shine, or sleet... Billy still has to watch over the parking lot each day. Snow makes him VERY hyper. And.... he has figured out that it is edible.
Those big fluffy white things aren't lifesize marshmellows.... they are cars.
This is my best Will Ferrell (Elf) impression. We got out after storm number 1 and before the Nor'easter to go to the Cheesecake Factory and see the Boston Ballet perform The Nutcracker. I got my picture with one of the mice (lifesize and in the show). It was lots of fun. Jeremy found his favorite cheesecake of all time (White Chocolate Caramel Latte) and I was sad that they were out of pumpkin cheesecake.
The big Christmas Tree in the Boston Common. We had a few minutes between dinner and the Nutcracker.
Aren't we cute?
People ice skating at the Frog Pond.

Well, last Thursday I was told to leave work early cause the snow was coming down super fast (like 2 inches per hour). So, I left at 1:30 thinking I'd be home in after the normal 45 minute, 2 different bus commute. Well, the first bus went without incident and dropped me off in Roslindale Sq. for the next. Well, an hour later, I'm still there and noticed that it was 22 degrees. I couldn't cry because my tears would freeze! So, the bus finally came, but then it took that bus more than 2 more hours to get me home. It got stuck on the way and the driver told the men to get out and help him get it unstuck. Interesting and exhausting day.

Jeremy's war story is even worse. He didn't get home until about 10:15 that night after leaving work early at 4. He was stuck on one short stretch of road by the Charles for four hours and was worried about running out of gas. The news called it the worst commute in Boston's history.

Thanks for listening to our stories.... I guess we will be those old people that talk about the "Bad commute during a snowstorm in 2007" to our kids when they complain about traffic.

Amusing Commercial

I don't know if yall are getting this outside of New England but I just had to post this commercial. It makes me want to wet my pants. Well, I guess not "want to", but as an involuntary reaction resulting from extreme humor.

Happy Six Month-a-versary to us!

Well, as of the 1st, we've reached the 6 months in Boston mark. Can you believe it? And wow, what an adventurous time it has been....

Quit a job in Waco (Chels)
Graduation from Baylor (Jeremy)
1969 miles
Moved up to a fourth floor apartment (with no elevator mind you!)
Six weeks of unemployment......twice.
Dealing with medicaid (for unemployment) and the registry of motor vehicles...my favorite activities. not.
Starting grad school... and being just a few days from being done with one quarter of it.
Surviving our first "snowy" commute....(only a couple inches earlier this week).
Working on gas-turbine engines for helicopters.
Building relationships.

I think we are just starting to feel we are settling in.... hopefully a few months of calm now. :0)

3-2-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy day after Thanksgiving!! So, with Jeremy being off from work and me avoiding my paper writing, we managed to wonder downtown for the Christmas tree lighting at Macy's. Here's the video so you can share in the experience.



Today has been one of the colder days since we've been here. It was in the 30's all day and is 26 as I'm writing this. We gave our hats, scarves, boots, socks, and gloves a good test drive today while we stood outside of Macy's for well over an hour. Interesting, because Thanksgiving here was about 60. What a change! To close, I'll post another clip taken after the tree was lit. After this, we walked down to Quincy and had some clam chowda :) and then some hot chocolate (coffee for me) to close out our night.... yay!