Match Day

I think most of you have heard by now the official results of Match Day 2011...Lance matched at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida for Internal Medicine Residency! We are headed back to Gator country! :) We are thrilled with matching at his first choice. It is a great program and it keeps us nice and close to friends and family. Match Day coincided with St. Patrick's Day, so it colored the tone of the ceremony--very fun. Pretty much everyone there was sporting their green to some degree. The ceremony took about an hour--the kids were AWESOME. It took place from 12-1 which is usually the tail end of lunch/going into nap time. They snacked before, during, and after. Needless to say, we didn't stay for the little reception afterwards.

These are the Deans of each Regional Campus. They really went all out with the St. Patty's Day theme. :) They drew numbers to see which campus would be announcing their matches first. Our campus, Tallahassee, ended up going first, so we were one of the first to go up on stage. Oh-and I forgot to mention...all students picked up their envelopes prior to being seated. After a brief welcome, the students were given permission to open their envelopes in their seats if they desired. Most folks did so, but a handful--including Lance--chose to wait until going onstage to find out and make the big announcement. We felt that it was somewhat anticlimactic to the purpose of the ceremony to open it early, so we waited! Lance let me open the envelope--I was shaking--we were so anxious to know!

This is the microphone where we stood to open the results and make our announcement. I didn't have anyone take a picture of us up there...I didn't think to do that. Oh well! --It was neat, though because we had both kids with us (again, they were AWESOME) and garnered some oohs, ahs, and how cutes. :) Gotta love showing off the babies!

My handsome men waiting for things to get started.

The girls (Maddy still insists the baby is a girl, btw.)

Cuties

Yes, Maddy is sitting on my belly. No, it did not feel nice. :)

My pretty little princess

We tried for a cute pictures with the flowers in front of the Ruby Diamond auditorium, but darn it, they just wouldn't look at the camera!

Not sure what they were looking at, but it made for a cute pic!

I think this is the best picture we got from the day :)

We drove down to Crystal River that night, left the kids w/ the Tegens on Friday while we started some house hunting in Gainesville, and then went to Leesburg on Saturday to visit with my grandparents (a very busy weekend!). These next pictures are from our visit with them.

Tommy enjoyed hanging out in the little rocking chair

Maddy warmed right up to Great-Grandma Powell even though she hadn't seen her in a while. She also enjoyed hanging out with Trouble the cat. :)

Great-Grandpa Powell joined in the fun on the floor. Tommy had a ball playing with him!

Tommy wasn't so sure about the cat...

After visiting at their house, we went for lunch at Bob Evan's. The kids had some fun with daddy's hat while waiting for their food.

What?

Go Gators!

Of course, Maddy needed her fair share of the attention...

...and who can argue with her cuteness?

Tommy started playing this game with Grandpa Tegen the day before. He puts his arms up and then wants you to do the same. (I have a video I'll try to post in a bit.) I love how Tommy is looking up and over to see if Lance is following his lead. :)

Driving home Sunday morning. Maddy didn't fall asleep right away, but she did sit like this for a few minutes...just wanted to be covered up. Who knows?

Tommy, on the other hand, he took full advantage of some primo nap time. :)