Bball and Bowling

Yesterday, Aaron and two friends met up in the afternoon to play a little basketball. I created Aaron's packing list for his trip to Chicago next month and snapped a few photos from the shade.

What a team!

Dylan going for the shot...

Aaron trying to bounce and kick the ball in the net during the Slam Dunk Contest

 At some point the boys attempted a slam dunk contest. Bias aside, I believe Aaron was the most creative. He even threw in some dance moves at one point. I don't think anyone actually got the ball in the net. "A" for effort, guys!

Sean putting his new kicks to the test!

Sean got new basketball shoes, and I think it's safe to say from the above picture that they deliver on their promise. Are those Air Jordans?!
Today we tried a new place downtown, "The Dust Bowl." It's a retro-inspired bowling alley from the same mastermind behind McNellie's, El Guapo's, Yokozuna, Dilly Deli, and the other half of downtown Tulsa. The guy is an entrepreneurial genius!

Frands...

This guy has his own bowling shoes, bowling ball, and spare ball, complete with carrying case.

 Jason has quite a bit of experience and has the same form as a lot of the pros I've seen as I've flipped through ESPN channels...crazy spin! I, however, walk up to the line and chunk it towards the pins. I know I've hit my correct form when the ball hits the lane with a thud and slowly rolls. There will be no pictures of that shame. I did end on a strike, though. Fluke or not, it still counts!

It's not clear at this size, but we used professors as our bowling names. Sean = Dr. Sanford. Feel free to call him that; he considers it the highest compliment ;)

Jason took the first game, and Aaron dominated the second. I gracefully finished out last place both times.

Basketball one day and bowling the next makes me think of summer day camp. Someone should create one for adults. How about it, Elliott Nelson? I'd enroll without hesitation...

To Daddy

Although I wrote my daddy a card for Father's Day, there just wasn't enough room to fully express how much I love him. My daddy's primary love language is words of affirmation, so a card alone won't suffice...and today is one of the few days I can brag about him without feeling conceited.
As I mentioned on Mother's Day, one of the greatest privileges of growing up is getting to know your parents outside the bounds of their parental roles - as people and as friends. As a teenager, I found it difficult to live with my father...because we are by and large the same person. It so irritated me when others brought that to my attention at the time, but I've grown to realize that it's one of the greatest compliments anyone can pay me.
My father is a pastor, but we like to say that he doesn't "preach," he "teaches." He has the courage to tackle any subject that the Bible addresses, and is the first to use himself as an example in front of the congregation. He truly practices what he preaches; the rarity of that quality is one of the greatest reasons behind my admiration of him.
Daddy is down to earth and treats everyone with the same respect. It's a running joke that we can't go anywhere without him making a friend. He truly has a heart for others, and has sacrificed so much of himself for the church, his friends, and his loved ones. There's a private side to being a pastor that no one but the family sees, and it's his attitude and actions there that are the most inspiring. I can't tell you the number of people that have told me how he has influenced their lives in some way or how much they respect him. He is leaving a legacy.
My father, as many fathers do, looks back and wishes he would have done more in regards to my sister and me. He doesn't realize that any missed opportunities in his mind don't register in ours. Our memories consist of tickle monster, spend the night nights (slumber parties with mom and dad!), story time, and countless other moments spent knowing that our daddy loved us more than life. I am so blessed to have had a storybook childhood, and now to have a wonderful friendship with my father. I look to him for advice, my husband looks to him as an example of a godly husband and father, and we both look to him for a good time and laughs. :)
One of my favorite memories is a date night with daddy in which we traveled to Arkansas for a basketball game and ate at the Venetian Inn in Tontitown - just the two of us. I felt so special and adored by father. Thank you, daddy, for always making me feel that way. Happy Father's Day!
Love,
Your little girl...always

Tea Party!

Wednesday was my mother's birthday, and we celebrated both that occasion and Father's Day yesterday here in Tulsa. Aaron had been introduced to a new pizza place on Cherry Street earlier this week and gave it rave reviews, so we decided to try it out. If you ask my mother, I'm betting she would say it was the best decision we made all day - it was delicious! Andolini's is officially one of our favorite restaurants in Tulsa, and definitely takes the top spot for pizza.

She's so excited! Birthdays are for splurging!

Great vibe, friendly service, and scrumptious food from a mile-long menu. Try it!

After lunch and a matinee viewing of Super 8, we had the boys distract Mom while we finished preparation for her birthday tea party!

Macee crafted these cute pinwheels, which we strung on ribbon and used as chair sashes

We served antipasto pasta salad, sandwich pinwheels, chicken salad sandwiches on sourdough, and hummus. Ribbon strands were used as a table runner.

I made Mom a "Happy Birthday Lisa" bunting and draped it over the arched dining room entrance

Cupcakes from our favorite - Kupcakes! Lemon, Red Velvet, Banana Caramel, White w/ Pink Buttercream, Carrot, and White with Chocolate Cream Cheese icing. Sinful.

Aaron made Strawberry Lemonade and Blueberry Iced Teas that we served instead of hot tea due to the 90 degree weather. So refreshing!

My mother takes a few of these home nearly every time she visits Tulsa. Don't judge until you try one!

Beautiful birthday girl!

We had such a lovely time celebrating Mom, and it was a blast to create all the little details that made the party special for a special mother and friend. Love you, Mom!

THIS is why I want to be a doctor

I happened upon a blog written by my cousin-in-law this afternoon, and one of her posts caught my eye. Her family is very close to an incredible soldier that was severely wounded overseas. He was the first patient of Operation Mend, a partnership between several hospitals that serves to treat the debilitating injuries faced by our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. They focus on plastic surgery and hand surgery.
In the video below, the young man explains his experience and how the surgeries - a total of 60 so far - have impacted his life and livelihood.

I can't help but hear about these programs and be anxious to be able to serve such deserving people as these doctors are able to do. I can think of no greater privilege than to use my training to improve lives in the U.S. and abroad.
The opportunities are endless. I can't wait for what God has in store for me!

Birthday(s)!

Yesterday was a busy day, full of birthday celebrations and big changes. The morning began when my parents picked Aaron and I up and we headed down the road to Stillwater. My sister's masters program begins in the fall, but she got a head start to becoming familiar with the town as we moved her in to her new apartment yesterday.

 Aaron treating my mom for the sciatica she developed on the long plane ride home from Germany. It only took me 5 minutes to position her correctly when I had my turn...she's one of those patients. She worried it would be awkward for Aaron. We laughed, thinking about all of the awkward positions we had to put our classmates in and be put into ourselves this year.

 This is what Aaron and dad did all afternoon...

 And this is pretty much what we did all afternoon!

It was also Dad's 51st birthday, so we ate some delicious Mexican at El Guapo's downtown when we got back to Tulsa. I asked my father for what he wished this year, and he responded that he was content. I can't help but think how rarely people find themselves in that position, and it blesses my heart that he loves his family and job so much. According to him, life truly does get better every year!

Another special person, Miss Kyrah, had her first birthday party yesterday in Arkansas. Unfortunately, we were unable to make it, but her mom posted pictures last night and I have to share a few to show off our beautiful nieces. 

Rihanna's 3rd birthday party earlier this year. She did not like Elmo in person!

Birthday girl!

I adore this picture. I believe it's obvious that this baby doll is her favorite present by far. She's in awe!

 To cap off the day, I baked some Funfetti cupcakes in honor of birthday memories in my past. While they were in the oven, Aaron and I swayed on the front porch swing, watching the rain and taking in the scents of summer. I never want it to end.

Happy birthday, Kyrah and Daddy!

Summer Reading

Many physicians say that after medical school they no longer read for pleasure, despite being avid readers before. After experiencing my first year, I can see the reason behind this and the possibility of joining the club after graduation. Therefore, one of my summer goals is to devour as many books as I please. I've been averaging about one novel every two days, so it was time to replenish my unread stash.

 

One of the reasons I love to read is to escape my thoughts for awhile. My favorite genre of books is thrillers. They can be a little graphic, but I love the suspense and the many twists and turns authors like John Sandford and James Patterson incorporate. I've read 17 of the current 21 books in the Prey series, and I can't wait to get my hands on these and reintroduce myself to Lucas Davenport and other characters. 

I'm taking a chance on this series, which I hope will resemble my favorite television show, Criminal Minds. They sound goosebump-inducing and will hopefully keep me up late into the night. That's the mark of a good thriller - swearing you'll read only one more chapter, discovering the details in the last paragraph (or sentence), and feverishly flipping the page to find out what happens next. Here's to many 2 a.m. bedtimes!

What a Weekend!

The past week has been saturated with family, just as I'd hoped this summer would be. Macee stays with us often, and we've formed our own miniature family unit. While her visits are frequent, it's very rare that we see Aaron's family. They've only been to Tulsa once, for our White Coat Ceremony last August, so my husband was very excited when he learned they were coming up for the weekend. We had a wonderful time catching up with them, and I know it meant a lot to Aaron to spend quality time with his parents.

Aaron with his dad, King, and his mom, Laura

My parents returned from their two week tour of Turkey and Greece on Saturday evening. I've been dying to post some of the details of their fascinating trip; unfortunately, I don't trust people enough to announce to the public when they're not home. Isn't that sad?
As soon as we finished lunch with Aaron's parents on Sunday, we drove down to Tahlequah to hear about their travels... so many stories, laughs, and tidbits to share. My mom emailed us nearly every day, and I'll share bits of those emails with you along with their tales and some pictures next week. While they were definitely already on our travel list, Turkey and Greece have now moved up in priority!
After returning home, Aaron and I cuddled up on the new couch and watched The Voice, one of our new favorite shows. It's so refreshing to hear people that can actually sing! If you haven't been tuning in, make sure to do so next week. It's highly entertaining.
After a busy week with family, I need some alone time with the hubs!