In the Navy!

For those of my loyal readers that don't know, over the course of the past five weeks I have enjoyed an all-expense paid vacation in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island. It was quite the experience! I awoke every day at the luxuriously late hour of 5:30 am to a screaming Senior Chief Petty Officer who enjoyed torturing new Naval officers. I then conducted physical training in goose poop encrusted fields, attended mind numbing classes, and attempted to save the USS Buttercup from our clumsy ship saving efforts! Overall, my experience at Officer Development School was a blast, and it was well worth the wait. At the end of the ordeal, I marched my company onto the field and graduated in a uniform that can make the nerdiest of us look hot! I was even able to wear a sword for the ceremony. The only thing that would have made it better was if they had announced my entrance with the phrase, "Future Surgeon General, arriving"! I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm actually appointed for that ;)

This is a picture of me immediately following the presentation of the Leadership Award. I must say that I cut a rather dashing figure!

My beautiful wife made it to my graduation. She wanted me to let everyone know that the sun was in her eyes. I like to think that she was so overwhelmed by my good looks that she couldn't look at me anymore!

My good friends from medical school, David, Jana, and Breyton Badger, also made it up to see me graduate. I'm currently trying to convince David that he should sign up and get a sweet uniform as well. Come on, David; you know you want to!

Your So Vain... You Probably Thing This Song is About You

I never thought of myself as a vain person. Even when in high school my sisters sang the "your so vain" song to me. I have recently come to the realization that I am vain. When I started receiving requests to see pictures showing my belly. I thought it would be no big deal. I love to look at my belly in the mirror, and to feel little Andy move around and I want to share that with my family and friends.

I do my best to look like a cute pregnant lady, and I think I am doing an okay job when I look in the mirror. Yet it never fails that when I look at myself in pictures I can't help feeling like I am not doing a good job. It maybe because I have gained about 12 pounds, which does not seem like very much but if it is true that the camera puts on 10 pounds that makes me look like I've gained 22 pounds. Now maybe I am holding on to that false mirror image of myself but I would really like to believe that I am not as big as I look in pictures. Even thought I know that I am pregnant and I am suppose to look big it has taken me a while to take a picture that I at least feel somewhat okay in. So I am sorry it took me so long to post a picture, but what can I say...I am vain, and I am working to overcome it.

The Ever Changing Facial Hair

Patrick spent most of his first year of medical school with his stunning goatee. As finals came to an end he promptly shaved the goatee and moved on to his next look...the ruggedly handsome mountain man(see picture below).

The Mountain man look was only a step to his next adventure. Shortly after arriving in California Patrick shaved his whiskers in to the Wastache. For those of you who have never seen a Wastache before there is a good reason, few can pull it off. I maybe bias but I think Patrick is one who can, even if it is a little silly. (Patrick insisted that we go to old Sacramento just to have this picture done. The Wastache doesn't look so silly with old western clothing on and a gun in your hand.)
Now that Patrick is in the Navy the Wastache is gone and according to Patrick so is his hair. I have not received a picture of this new look, but rest assure that as soon as I do I will post it. Patrick buzzed with out facial hair...I am not sure what to think.