Of late...

This month has been a very full one for us.

- Noelle and I went to Tennessee for the CMDA Board meeting (Christian Medical and Dental Associations). Serving on the board is a unique and special experience. My mom came to watch Noelle during the meetings and we had a wonderful time. (Noelle's first tooth came in on my mom's birthday.) :-) Then we took one extra day to visit our dear friends Kyle and Alison Mezger in Winston-Salem. What fun! We're looking forward to the arrival of their little one in October!

- Noelle has been making a valiant effort to increase the variety of foods she will eat. So far rice, pureed prunes, and rye crackers are the favorites.

- Nathan has been improving his vocabulary daily. It's amazing to listen to him. He was gazing out our kitchen window the other night and saw the beautiful almost-full moon and said, "I like the moon!". His first sentence.

- Jason continues to work hard taking care of all the "trauma" folks. Nathan is beginning to understand what Dad does.

"Ambulance. Sick people. Hospital. Dad work."
"Right, Nathan. The ambulance takes sick people to the hospital and Dad works to help them get better."
"Help better."
"Right."

- I have been working with several other moms at church to make some much needed improvements in our nursery. In the process, we have found a wonderful children's curriculum by Great Commission publications. I'm excited to get it to use at home too!

- After struggling to be a part of the home group ministry at our church (due to difficulty finding a good time/ place/ day/ etc.), we have joined several other couples to start a new group which we are super excited about. And not surprisingly, each couple has some connection to a hospital. Also, tonight is the launch of a new CMDA year for the students - lots to look forward to.

Good News!

We received our acceptance with World Medical Misson last week! (I would have shared the news sooner but we've been sick, sick, sick.)

World Medical Mission is a ministry through Samaritan's Purse which focuses on mostly short-term medical mission trips. They have a unique program that places residents who have just graduated on the mission field for a two-year term and that covers the associated costs of the physician. Our responsibility is to raise support for me (right, I'm a physician too but I'm not committing to full-time at the hospital) and the kids. After two years, we will choose a different sending agency and raise all our support, but this will equip us with two years of field training (and proof of commitment) before taking on that extra responsibility.

After being accepted, WMM surveys the hospitals that they networks with (about 35 around the world) to see who has a need for our specialty and where might be a good fit. Then, they will suggest 3-4 places that they want us to prayerfully consider. Wow, I can hardly believe that we're really finally at this point. Thank you all for your prayers and support thus far. The best is yet to come!

If you'd like to find out more about Samaritan's Purse and World Medical Mission, please visit-

Samaritan's Purse

World Medical Mission


(And if you have the opportunity to participate in Operation Christmas Child, don't miss it! It's a wonderful way to celebrate Christ at Christmas.)

ps- Thank you Ellen for the excellent technical support! :-)

Family Reunion

Early in August, we had the pleasure of being with the extended Dodds family (Jason's mom's side) for a big reunion. About 60 family members of which 49 were able to attend. That is four siblings and all their families. It was great fun and a real gift. I have not felt so encouraged in a long time. We fellowshipped in every sense of the word. Ate together, shared living spaces (and bathrooms), sang hymns for hours one night, played outside, ate some more, took naps, looked at pictures, laughed and worshiped. A tiny glimpse of how God works in and through families. And what a GIFT! children are from the Lord.

Life on Trauma

Rarely do I get to blog about Jason, but his trauma rotations always give us more than enough to talk about.

Last week, a gentleman arrived in the ED with a tongue so swollen he could hardly breathe... Shortly before, the aforementioned had been at his home showing off his newly captured rattlesnake to his girlfriend. (For those of you wondering where he caught a rattlesnake in our parts, it was in the eastern part of the state.) Perhaps trying to be macho or in a moment of insanity or something (one just never knows), this gentleman decided to kiss the rattlesnake. At the opportune time, the rattlesnake retaliated and bit the macho/crazy/ or otherwise gentleman on the tongue.

Fortunately for the gentleman, he was able to make it to the ED before completely losing his airway. And fortunately again, there was a trauma surgeon in the ED who did an emergency "cric" (said - krike like strike, short for cricothyroidotomy). Unfortunately, the aforementioned trauma surgeon was not Jason... but he did assume care for this particular fellow the following morning. And unfortunately for the snake, the first thing the gentleman wrote was "kill the snake".

Cousins

The kids and I enjoyed a second trip to the zoo this summer with the Thomas cousins and Lattin grandparents. A few more pictures...
(Click on the picture to view a larger image.)

Cozy Coupe

We now have a third vehicle in the family. The Cozy Coupe. Need I say more?? Nathan's favorite co-pilot frequently gets to ride with him. They love it!





Thank you Dad! :-)

Birthday

Nathan's birthday was almost a month ago! Yikes. We had a great afternoon at the farm with the Thomas cousins, Lattin grandparents and the Wonnacotts. We picked blackberries (from the scoop on the tractor), rode four wheelers, ate pizza and cake, and opened gifts (a few of them until the birthday boy was too tired for any more fun). It was a special day and a wonderful celebration of two years (since birth that is).