Short update...

Well, we are here in Flagstaff, Arizona, and we really like it.  We like it even more after spending a day in Phoenix, which was painfully hot!

On Monday, Mark took the NAPLEX, the North American Pharmacy License Exam, and his score was posted today, and he passed!  Next step, tomorrow Mark will take the MPJE, Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination, and if he passes, he will be a pharmacist!  We are so excited!

And no more of this!

Saying goodbye to Omaha

Before leaving Omaha, we decided to go to our favorite restaurant, California Tacos.  I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but part of the reason that Mark really likes it is because it used to be California Street Pharmacy.  The story goes, so the owner told us, that his family had owned and operated California Street Pharmacy for many generations.  When it passed to him, he didn't want to be a pharmacist, so he decided to turn it into a Taco shop.  He kept many of the old, (and I mean REALLY old), pharmacy equipmenton display in the restaurant.  The tacos and other menu items are actually pretty good. 

So after a day of packing, we went to say good bye.

This was after a day of packing, so that is why I look so terrible!  But the chips were yummy!

Before we moved we got rid of the couch, and were reduced to the futon.  Whenever I would lay on it, Polly thought she had to join me.  The futon eventually went too.

As we cleaned out the top floor, we moved our desk downstairs.  So Polly then thought she had to be involved in anything we were doing at the desk since it was in the kitchen.

Mark's Graduation

It's all over!  Doctor Mark graduated today!  Mark is now a PharmD.  It was actually a shorter ceremony than the hooding ceremony, even though there were 4 times as many people.  It was neat that he was able to graduate with two other people from our branch, Brandon Snedeger, PharmD, and Josh Wood, M.D.  Here are the few pictures that we were able to take.  I forgot my camera, so all I had to use was the video recorder to take pictures.  Because I only had the one camera, I decided to video Mark walking across the stage since they had professional photograpers, and so don't have pictures of him receiving his diploma.  We are going to be buying the professional pictures once they are available, and then post them on here.  Here are the ones I have right now...

Mark headed to the stand to have his name read.

This was the scroll sign they had in the Qwest Center, which is an awesome arena, by the way...

more scrolliness...

and more scrolliness.

Mark walking back to his seat after receiving his diploma

Josh Wood.  From where I was sitting, this was the best picture that I could get.

Brandon Snedeger, sorry it is blurry!

Hooding

The big day has arrived, and gone.  Now we have another big day.  But back to the first big day.  Yesterday was Mark's PharmD hooding ceremony.  Talk about exciting!  I filmed almost the whole thing for my parents who are serving a mission in Hawaii (and so couldn't make it) so I didn't get many pictures because I was filming.  But my brother Richard was kind enough to take pictures for me, and we will hopefully get them from him when we stop in Utah.  My brothers, Richard, Darron, and Jared, all made the long drive out from Utah to support Mark.  Here are the few that I took from the event. 

Mark's Cap and Gown hanging on the wall, waiting for its debut.

Mark's hood

Mark, reading over the instructions, again, for the hooding ceremony.

Mark enjoying the ceremony.

Mark waiting in line to be hooded.

and waiting...

and waiting...

and waiting...

and waiting some more.

Commencement photos to come soon!

Mark's Last Scout Meeting for Conestoga Branch

Mark has been serving as the Webelos leader for the 4 wards/branch that meet in our building for more than a year now, and had his last pack meeting tonight.  One of the boys from our Branch, Jeshua, finished all of the requirements to receive his arrow of light, so Mark wanted to do something special for him.  He really likes sci-fi so he made a replica of the time machine, the TARDIS, from Doctor Who.

The who group had a lot of fun with it, and once we came down off the high from the spray paint, we were glad we made it for him.  We made it from an old cabinet that we had in the garage that we were going to get rid of, and a lantern, which we were also going to get rid of.  We painted everything, added letter stickers, and added sound effects and called it a TARDIS. 

Mark giving awards to his scouts.

We had Jeshua step into the TARDIS, then a younger boy came out.

Then a boy a little older came out

Then a little older,

Mark and the TARDIS

Then Jeshua's father, as the future Jeshua

and finally the presentation of the Arrow of Light.

Jeshua in the TARDIS

Jeshua, Mark, and the TARDIS