The Nashville cats

Highlights from our trip to visit the Funks:

Loveless cafe - the food: school lunch fries, flavorless, but juicy chicken, and great biscuits. the experience: couldn't be better! (and that's saying a lot for taking three kids out to dinner)

Caroline's soccer game: the photos tell it all




I'm not sure they were aware that they "lost" the game.

Cheekwood - a beautiful place, the kids were even excited about going through the museum. I loved every minute of it.


Here's how we occupied ourselves during Devin's surgery:



Poor little post-op Devin: hungry. drugged. hurting, but not knowing why.
The only things he said: to me "I want more crackers (or donuts, or . . .)", to Caroline - "stop looking at me!" (she was very interested in why his eyes looked "different.") Poor baby!
We can't wait to visit again!

Ladrones!

I'm working in Spring, Texas, which is a very nice suburb in north Houston. I've found, though that even in nice suburbs there can be a little rifraf.

Yesterday when I arrived at the office the electricity was out. This time we couldn't blame a nasty hurricane or the power company. Apparently, the night before, a couple of thieves decided to steal some copper wiring behind the shopping center. The cut the large cable containing copper, hooked it up to their truck, and drove away, ripping the copper-filled cable out of the ground. And with it - all of the electric wiring. Although our office had power the next am, the power company shut off power to the entire shopping center due to the live wires.

So, for the small gain of about $50 worth of copper for the thieves, five businesses were shut down for several days, at a cost of thousands to each business. Our business was the only one that stayed open, thanks to Tad, my partner and the owner. Within a couple of hours he had a generator hooked up, fans throughout the office, lamps in every room, and sheets printed out to replace our computer system. Given the humidity from the tropical storm and lack of A/C, we looked pretty frizzed by the end of the day.

JERKS!

A Few Good Women

This weekend I ran the Provo River Half Marathon with some chilanga friends from Mexico City.
These ladies can take on anything
and still keep smiling.
I'm proud to call them my friends.

Fun with Poodle

Poodle was here last weekend and we had so much fun:

Yep, everybody loves Poodle! Thanks for coming!

Happy Birthday, America!

Oh thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes, and the war's desolation,
Blessed with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just
And this be our motto, "In God is our Trust."
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

Francis Scott Key - 4th verse

Thank you to our troops!

Love/Hate

I love getting my hair cut and styled into a cute hairdo.
I hate getting caught in a flash flood without an umbrella 15 minutes afterward.

to my favorite son . . .

Happy Birthday!

You're the best son a mom could ask for.

The big 80th birthday bash

Mom's birthday bash was lots of fun. It was great to see everyone again.

Matt and Vanessa with all their kids . . .
Dave and Marla with Stephie and Jackie - such cute girls!

"the cousins"- Matt and Paul (although it is a bit disappointing that they don't run to us and jump into our arms anymore)

Tiffany and Brian - they had an exciting announcement to share!

Aunt Ashley flew in from California and Bethany's family flew in from Houston. Here is Ashley trying to be the favorite aunt.

David and Alissa made it after an adventuresome day packing an entire apartment into a single axle U-haul trailer. Strong work, guys!

Bethy and Annie
Cindy was there with her entire family, looking beautiful, as always.

and, of course, the special attraction and guest of honor: mom. Happy 80th Birthday, Mom!

Congratulations, Dr. Funk!

It's quite an accomplishment and we couldn't be prouder. Since you were occupied getting your diploma, I thought I'd give you a perspective of the process through the eyes of your 4-year-old.

Conversations with Caroline

Heard during the commencement exercises:

(as the band began to play Pomp and Circumstance)
Caroline: "Grandma, this is the music they play just before all the princesses come out."
Me: "So your daddy is a princess?"

(explaining to me the purpose of the event)
Caroline: "Now my daddy doesn't have to be a pretend doctor. He can be a real engineer and fix people's bones." - actually very intuitive.

(as the students were receiving diplomas)
Caroline (in her biggest outdoor voice): "YEAH!!! WAHOO!! WAY TO GO, DADDY!!!"
Carrie: "Caroline, shhhh. That's not Daddy."
(laughter all around us )

(as the program dragged on)
Caroline: "Grandma, how much longer until my daddy gets his scarf?"

He finally got it.

Congratulations to the entire family! Job well done!

and this is how Papa entertained himself during the program.

Happy Birthday, Shady!

Happy Birthday to my baby . . .


who now has her own baby

Wow! That went by fast! I love you both.

what is this, Arizona?

So last week Shady and I were driving on the Westpark Tollway when I was pulled over by a cop. Why, you might ask?

• speeding? nope. I was well within the speed limit
• driving without a license? nope. I had my valid Texas license
• expired registration? nope. Registration valid, as was the insurance and state inspection.
• driving on the tollway without a toll tag? wrong again. tag was clearly visible
  

He pulled me over because of my Mexican plates - plain and simple. Being frustrated that he could find no law broken he did give me a "preemptive" ticket - since my registration will expire in a month or two, he said, this ticket will become valid when it does. Then he told me he would be watching for me, and would pull me over again if he saw me on the tollway.
So, I didn't know you could give someone a ticket for something that hasn't happened yet. "Ma'am, you weren't speeding now, but I'm sure you will be in the future, so this ticket will become valid when you do. Please go turn yourself in."
Profiling? I may not look Mexican, but clearly - this is profiling.

Happy Birthday, Bethy!

To the woman who can do it all:
Great mom!Fabulous cook
Amazing OB/GYN
Devoted wife
Wonderful daughter
Fun sister

You amaze me! Happy Birthday -(a day late)

Riddle:

Q: What is more difficult than balancing the national deficit?



A: Getting a picture of eight children ages four and under - all looking at the camera at the same time. (These were the two best of around 50 shots)

what makes the perfect long run?

beautiful, overcast skies

a cool breeze

winding trails through the forest

delicious wild dewberries flanking the paths

low humidity (well, relatively)

a "runner's high"

Oh yeah, baby!

The Graduates

We celebrated the graduation of the Harpers this weekend

by going to Arches National Park -
where Violet graduated to solid food.

She had a great time

until she ran out of gas. (It's a tough job keeping Papa in line)

Our last stop - delicate arch.
So beautiful!



Congratulations!

Bluebonnets and more

Some of the things I missed in Mexico . . .

the pretty bluebonnets
the beautiful parks

This park is in the center of downtown and is supplied with policemen on horseback, plenty of playground equipment, and a huge splash pad for the kids. Also - Mike and I saw Cats this week at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

and especially - my family!

Great Weekend!

First up - asher's birthday party - all I can say is WOW!

Horseshoes, cotton candy, great food, stick-horse races, horse roping, and much more.

The cousins loved it . . . especially the cotton candy (pictures to come)

and Asher was adorable!

Match Day

Carrie's reaction to Match results . . .

Happy Birthday Carrie!

This says it better than I could.

Price list

• moving my things to Katy - $1,250.00
  
• "repairs" to my car that worked perfectly in Mexico - $1,535.00 and counting
  
• apartment - $813.00 per month
  
• prescription pads with my name and the address of the pediatric office - $19.00
• utilities for new apartment - $185.00 per month
  
• new computer with appropriate software compatible with their office system - $899.00
  
• start up fee for malpractice insurance - $250.00
• applications for hospital privileges - $25.00 each
• being told (after having the agreed-upon start date pushed back four times) that they didn't have enough money to hire me - PRICELESS!
  

It's official

I'm TICKED!

El Lago de los Cisnes (Swan Lake)

This weekend I took Dad-the-bad to El Lago de los Cisnes in Mexico City for his birthday. (I know, every man's dream.) It is performed outside in Chapultapec Park on the lake in front of Chapultapec Castle. The night was starry, the weather was perfect, the performance was enchanting, and dad even pretended to enjoy it. (Don't worry, I have a great present waiting for him in Houston that he's going to love.)

Since photos were "absolutamente prohibido," I snatched these off the web. Too bad, too, because they just don't capture the magic of the evening.

Thanks for being such a good sport, sweetie!

Mi Guapo

Feliz cumpleaños, mi amor!

weekend

Last weekend Brandon was in town being recruited by Rice University, where he is considering doing graduate work. We couldn't resist the chance to get together at a churrascaria, but then dad will use pretty much any excuse to go to a Brazilian restaurant. It was great seeing Brandon. Wish Lindsey and Violet could have joined him.