Will I Ever get Used to this?

SOME THINGS I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET USED TO...

- The relatively short lines at Wal-mart (due to the small population of our town) but the long wait due to the cashier catching up on the latest gossip.
- Drivers slowing down to a complete stop before turning into their chosen destination.
- Drivers merging into traffic only to slam on their brakes
- Big huge loud trucks that like to ride on my bumper!
- Extremely slow drivers
- Hitch hikers...I watch way too much CSI to pick up random strangers
- One lane windy, curvy roads always that make me so nauseous
- Creepy crawling pests in my house! If it's not the mice, it's the fleas, if its not the fleas, its the meal worms that have invaded my cupboards!. Yesterday i spent the majority of the day cleaning...this morning i woke up to more. Can anyone give me advice as to how to eliminate these pantry pests? I found them in my flower, rice, pasta and I've thrown it all out. What more can I do?

SOME THINGS I Love ABOUT OUR HOME (away from home of course!)...

- The misty early morning and fresh unpolluted air
- The hospitality of the majority of the people here
- The great friends that surround us
- Drivers who yield and let me through when they don't have to

HYSTERIA...well almost!

This is mi madre (my mom) Cindy for all those who have never met her, here she is:)I couldn't find a picture of her with out sun glasses on, this is one of the most recent picture I took during the summer. I'm sure I have other pictures in my blog somewhere if you really want to see her with out sun glasses.


Last week my mom called me one last time before she departed on her flight booked with Air New Zealand heading to American Samoa for a 5 day vacation (why Samoa you might ask when she is of Tongan decent? She claims that Samoa is much more beautiful than Tonga and Samoa is a bit more modernized than Tonga). Since I've moved to West Virgina, I talk to mom once sometimes twice a day. So you might understand why this week seemed like the longest week of my life, we swap recipes and talk about the latest contestants on the Biggest Loser sometimes mom calls just to tell me what she's eating (it's usually fish which we crave since moving here, we no longer get coolers of fresh fish shipped from San Fransisco).

When I asked my mom to leave me a number to reach her she said she'd be too busy having fun and seeing the sights. She said five days is not too long and not to worry. I called her Thursday and left a message, I was anxious to see how her trip was(and of course what she brought back for me:). She was scheduled to return home on Tuesday. I still hadn't heard from her by lunch time on Tuesday so I decided to call her again, I had no luck so I left her another message. In the evening, while returning home from the gym I heard via radio that Samoa was being evacuated due to an earthquake.

I quickly called my brother who advised me to calm down and that mom should be OK. Less than an hour later my brother called to inform me of a Tsunami and the 37 and counting deaths. We were both freaking out so we continued to try contacting mom with no luck. By 10pm my brother decided to contact the Red Cross and I decided to call the Air port (the news reported that many had gone to the air port seeking emergency shelter). Before I called the airport, I called mom one last time and to my surprise she picked up. It sounded as if she had been sleeping, I was so relieved to hear her voice I nearly cried. She informed me that they had barley missed the earthquake, their flight arrived at 2pm. Mom said many of the sights that she had visited are completely destroyed. We're so relieved that you are o.k mom and we are still praying for the families who continue to be affected by the adverse weather conditions especially our family in Tonga.

Pocahantas County Treasures...

We actually did more than attend the White Coat Ceremony when my father-in-law was here. Thanks to our adventurous friends (the Norths), they suggested we visit a few parks that they had enjoyed. I of course had my camera and I wanted to test out different settings on my camera, I love taking great shots. I would have taken a lot more if I didn't feel like I was slowing others down. Here are few pictures from our trip to Bear Town and the Falls of Hills Creek.



Bear Town, it was neat to see all the rock formations. I don't have many pics of Skofeild because he was driving us nuts!...me particularly because he whines during the whole car trip, it was like driving to West Virginia from Utah all over again.





My handsome honey:)



Can you tell these two were DONE with me acting like the paparazzi?



Derek is on his last stretch to completing Anatomy. His last test, the Head and Neck is scheduled on October 5Th 2009 (we plan a big celebration that day!). We keep thinking that after Anatomy, things will get easier because Derek constantly talks about his brain being filled to its maximum capacity. Realistically, we know school will get a lot harder. Derek has learned SO much in just the first two months of school, I'm excited for him to learn about nutrition and embryology, I love to learn from what he is learning.

I continue to be amazed at how keeping up the household responsibilities takes up the majority of my time. I started volunteering for the Gateway three times a week. I tutor a young gal with her drivers ed material. Thankfully, I don't have to assist her in the actually driving because we all know how startled I get in a car when I'm not the one behind the wheel! I was also nominated as the Historian for the SAA Student Advocate Association group. I have a conference scheduled in New Orleans in November so I have a fun girls trip to look forward to.

White Coat Ceremony

I do hereby affirm my loyalty to the profession I am about to enter. I will be mindful always of my great responsibility to preserve the health and life of my patients, to retain their confidence and respect both as a physician and a friend who will guard their secrets with scrupulous honor and fidelity, to perform faithfully my professional duties, to employ only those recognized methods of treatment consistent with good judgment and with my skill and ability, keeping in mind always nature's laws and the body's inherent capacity for recovery.

I will be ever vigilant in aiding in the general welfare of the community, sustaining its laws and institutions, not engaging in those practices which will in any way bring shame or discredit upon myself or my profession. I will give no drugs for deadly purposes to any person, though it be asked of me.

I will endeavor to work in accord with my colleagues in a spirit of progressive cooperation and never by word or by act cast imputations upon them or their rightful practices.

I will look with respect and esteem upon all those who have taught me my art. To my college I will be loyal and strive always for its best interests and for the interests of the students who will come after me. I will be ever alert to further the application of basic biologic truths to the healing arts and to develop the principles of osteopathy which were first enunciated by Andrew Taylor Still.


On Saturday West Virginia's College of Osteopathic Medicine held their White Coat Ceremony for the class of 2013.Derek and his classmates recited the Osteopathic Oath together as part of the ceremony. My father-in-law David flew out from Utah for the occasion and stayed for a few days to visit.



Mom sent us these beautiful leis from Hawaii,she was so worried that we wouldn't get them on time. Thanks mom we loved them!




Derek and his father, they are so much a like it's fun to watch them. We'll miss him, this weekend has gone by way too fast.



Mormon Mafia crew, we couldn't find Jonathan Lewis and his family anywhere.


I'm so proud of my husband, he is doing well and he is enjoying himself while learning so much material.



Touring the school with David, this is the Osteopathic Manipulation Clinical room (Derek has since become great at giving his wife massages!) He also got a chance to tour the Anatomy lab,it's a high quality lab so we like to show it off.



...More about our tour of West Virginia, To Be Continued...

Happy 14th Birthday Siloni Moriah!

I had to hold Loni's hands down, she was too impatient to wait for the cake so she ran her little hand across the frosting and tried to put it in her mouth!

It's Loni Baloni's birthday today. I called her first this morning to sing her happy birthday but her friends had kidnapped her and took her out to breakfast. My friends did the same thing for me when I was a little younger than her and I remember how exciting it was. I'm glad that she has great friends who care about her.

Siloni is my youngest sister, my Mom let me give her a middle name so of course I chose Moriah after my favorite singer Mariah Carey (she still is my favorite singer!)Today I was looking through my box of pictures and I have so many pictures, it was pretty difficult to select only a few to show off. One of the reasons for my elaborate collection of Loni pictures is because I was her babysitter 24/7. I'm not even exaggerating. I remember being resentful as a teen because I couldn't hang out my friends, I had Loni to tend to. All my high school friends remember her as my constant companion, wherever I went, she went. My mother was working so much so I had to tend to a lot of loni's basic needs like baths, diaper changes and feedings. We had a good time, I learned a lot from Loni. She was a curious but, shy child and full of affection for the people around her. I remember blasting my radio (as a teen) and she'd stun me by saying "Tiva turn it down, I wanna talk". She was only 4 years old at the time. We had great times together and my resentment turned into gradtitud for such an amazing sister.



Loni was happiest after a warm bath and a bottle.



Loni started dancing at a very young age, she started dancing before she could walk. We have footage of her pulling her self up to standing positon by the couch and shaking her little diapered bum:) Over the years, through many performances her shyness has turned into confidence.



Loni has taught herself how to play Piano, Guitar, Ukulele and to Sing. She continues to dance, anywhere and everywhere. My friends still call me to request a performance from her. She is definitely the one who posses all the talent in our family. Loni is excelling in school and has a supportive network great friends, which I hope doesn't change Lon! She is a light in our family, my brother is lucky to have her in his home, she gladly helps him out with my nephews.





Loni thank you for your consistent phone calls and sweet messages. We love and miss you, give yourself a hug from us!

Road Trip to Washington D.C

Last week, we (the Relief Society sisters in my ward and I) took a road trip to the temple in Washington D.C.. The drive to our destination and back is about 9 hours. It took me a while to recover from it, I guess every since we moved here to West Virginia road trips just haven't been the same for me. I've lived in many places, but never has a temple been so far away. Even when I lived in Costa Rica the temple was only 30 minutes away. I was grateful for the opportunity to get to know the sisters in my ward better and thankful for the time I was able to spend in the temple.








On Sunday Derek was called to serve in the Bishopric. He accepted the call to serve as the Executive Secretary. We no longer get to be complacent and just attend church. Alot is expected of us and we are happy to serve. I've had so much fun teaching the children, they always surprise me with how much they know. Derek is trying to plan his time more effieciently now that he has meetings on Wednsdays and early Sunday mornings. Overall, we feel blessed and we are thankful for the opportunity we have both been given to serve the Lord.

As for secular matters, Derek has just completed and tested on the Somatic Body...which encompasses a whole lot of information. Whenever he studies at home he paces around the house stopping occasionally to explain how various body parts functions, what their connections on and so forth. It really is like another language, so Derek is not surprised when I have a glazed over look on my face because my mind is obviously off somewhere else. He has done very well so far on his written tests. The practical exams are a bit more difficult but I know with time he will get used to identifying parts on the cadavers. We celebrate after each test, thanks again to the Sorber family for letting us grill at their home once again.


I love this man!
Last week I met up with Derek for lunch just shortly after he had completed his lab. I try to provide a variety of foods for lunch and on this particular day I packed coconut cream pudding with banana slices and coconut flakes in it. The conversation went like this, at the time I was a bit offended but it's humorous now that I look back on it.

Derek: He proceeds to open the Tupperware container and spoons out some pudding. He takes one look, seals it back up and says, "I can't eat that!"

Me: I respond, "why?" (keep in mind, cooking and cleaning is my only job and has been since we arrived here. I get a little sensitive when my husband doesn't like the food I prepare for him)

Derek: "It looks like Coagulated Blood!"

Nativa: "What's Coagulated Blood?...and do I want to know what it is?"

Derek goes on to explain that in lab, he had been extracting the Heart out of the Chest cavity. It's been over a month since school has started and he hasn't had any problems with cadavers but now that they're digging into the cavities the smell has worsened. Coagulated blood is when the blood has transformed from liquid to a soft semi solid mass that looks very similar to curdled milk and pudding . There are four students to every cadaver and typically the stronger students are doing the extracting. Derek never imagined how difficult it would be to peel back skin and remove body organs.It's a good thing he explained why he didn't want to eat the pudding, I simply responded, "no more pudding for the remainder of Anatomy?" In relief Derek sighs, "Yes, please!"

This week we look forward to Derek's White Coat Ceremony on Saturday. My father-in-law (Derek's Dad) will be visiting for the occasion. We're really excited to introduce him to our friends, take him on a tour of the school (Derek really wants to show him the body he has been working on eh!) and go on a few hikes to see the water falls out here. We're so excited to see family, we miss them so much!

Only in West Virginia

Saturday morning I met up with several women in my ward (their husbands are 2nd year in medical students). It was pouring rain but we all wanted yummy rasberries and I had never been berry picking before.



Left to Right: Me, Sammy Fredricks,Emily Loder-holding Benjamin Fredricks(Derek served his mission with her husband Bryce Loder),Lisa Fredricks-Micheal, Racheal Lewis and Arianna.



Racheal & Becki in the backround, don't they look so happy picking fresh rasberries?



Yum! 1 lb rasberries $3.00, I thought the price was a bit much at first but I ended up getting a lot for my money.

I forgot to mention that I recieved a calling at church, I am the 2nd Counselor in the Primary for children. The kids are great,I look forward to teaching them and participating in all the activities that we have planned for the year. I took several pictures of the children, they were having so much fun. The Fredricks brothers are the best behaved in class so naturally I favor them.









West Virginia State Fair August 15-22,2009


Joey and Kathyrn were quiet excited to ride on the elephants. I told Derek that we should invest in an elephant. We would make millions charging $5/person x 5 persons per ride. The ride only lasts less than 2 minutes.




We weren't very interested in riding the over priced calapsable rides ($6 and up per ride), but we were excited to try all the deep fried goodies! We stood in lines that lasted forever just to try all the deep fried calorie rich food.



This line was over an hour but we were told that we had to try a cinnimon roll if we went to the fair. It was well worth the wait, it was delicious. Derek and I shared a roll.



I've heard about the battered dipped deep fried candy bar but I'd never purchase one and eat it. Our friend James has a sweet tooth sweeter than Dereks, he bought a fried Milky Way and we all tried it. It taste like a mixture of grease and chocolate...gross. And we wonder why obesity is pandemic in America!


and last but not least, a few of my favorite girls!