Petersons Never Give Up: The last graduation hopefully!

Our neighborhood continues to be built up at astonishing speeds. It is so fun to watch and imagine what it will look like in a year.

Alana has recently become obsessed with The Hungry Caterpillar book, she has most of it memorized. She just mostly needs help with remembering the days of the week and has some fun phrases that she has made up like "he was a full and fat caterpillar".

I have recently started sewing again and have really been enjoying it. I made Lizzie an Elsa apron and Alana a mermaid apron and Brett a penguin apron. I also made a 4th of July banner for our dining room and have plans for more banners, more aprons, and some simple stuffed animals for a Christmas service project we are doing with Mom and Dad Z.

On the last Friday in June we had Sean's official graduation dinner. Mom and Dad P, Mom and Dad Z, Uncle Brian, Neil, Rebecca, Sam, Jared, BreAnna, Steffan, and Rowan all came to support Sean. They served some amazing appetizers that included deep fried macaroni, then we had a delicious buffet with asparagus, salad, rice, chicken, salmon, roast beef, and rolls. So yummy! For dessert they made ice cream cookie sandwiches. Sean and his fellow graduates presented some awards to different community providers who allow the residents to come and learn with them.

We have attended this event for the past 3 years and each year the director of the program has given a tribute to each resident. Sean likes change and likes to make things better which didn't always go over well with the director who likes the "don't fix it if it ain't broken" mentality. Allison is the therapist in the residency and has been a huge support and help to both Sean and our whole family. When graduation started drawing close Allison suggested that the tributes be split up so that she could do Sean's. It was by far the most kind, sincere, and wonderful tribute. She mentioned all kinds of wonderful things that Sean did for the program including a green binder for provider information, a new sign out program, ultrasound training, and nalaxone training. I was so so proud of Sean as I listened to both Allison and one of his jr co-workers Brent express such sincere praise and admiration. Sean has worked so hard and it was a joy to celebrate that evening with him! I was grateful to our neighbor Kari who watched our kids along with Kaity too!

We have both worked hard over the last 7!! years and it has been fun to reflect on the fun times and the hard times and the sacrifices and the generous emotional and financial help from our families. There are countless instances of help we've received, but a few are sticking out in my mind right now. Mom P dropped everything to be with me when Brett was born to make sure I wouldn't be alone when Sean had to leave me in labor to go take a test. Then her and Dad P dropped everything to care for Brett while I was in the hospital with Alana. Darrell and Carol paid for a medical bill that came through right after Brett was born while we were switching Medicaid providers. It was a smallish amount but we didn't have the money and they paid it without blinking when we asked! They were always willing to watch Brett and then both Brett and Alana when she came along even though they lived an hour and a half away! We decided to do cloth diapers to try and save money when Brett was a baby, but we still really liked to use disposables when traveling and overnight. Every time I saw my parents they would get us a giant case of expensive diapers and my mom often sent random amounts of Kohles cash for me to get a new shirt or something since most of our small clothes budget was eaten up with baby clothes and work clothes. Mom Z used up her precious vacation time to come visit us and Mom and Dad Z put up with sleeping in our super hot Albuquerque apartment on a blow up mattress. My mom also coached and comforted me through some major depression and anxiety when I was pregnant with Alana and wondering how I was going to make it as a mom. These things are just a drop in the bucket of all the help we have been given.

Neil and Rebecca have been a huge support to us always. They were the first of Sean's brothers that I met and I especially remember Rebecca being so so friendly and nice.

Here is Sean with Sarah, Diantha, and Jordan. They are all very different people with very different ways of practicing medicine, but they have worked so well together and have learned a lot from each other.

Here is Sean with his Mom and Dad! I just can't say enough about how supportive they have been!

It was a happy surprise that Uncle Brian was visiting from France and we were able to get him an extra ticket! He understood a lot of the inside jokes and medical references because of his experience as an ENT.

Here is Sean with Allison! I know Sean spent countless hours in her office chatting about frustrations and triumphs. She helped me through some really hard times with Brett's anxiety and referred us to both his therapist last summer and his new pediatrician. She even encouraged Sean to make a counter offer for a higher salary with Foothill! Thanks to her we will get an extra 15k this next year =)

All the residents and faculty in attendance.

The new interns made this awesome card for all the graduating seniors:

Since Kaity came to play with our kids while we went to the graduation, she wanted to sleep over. We agreed and she and Brett stayed up till at least 11:30 listening to the Greatest Showman and being silly! Kaity woke up early the next morning with the girls and Brett slept in. They were so cute all lined up eating their breakfast.

We hosted a graduation BBQ for Sean the next day and I found these cute print outs for a graduation candy bar. I think this was Brett, Alana, Lizzie, Kaden, and Lexi's favorite part of the whole party!

The most popular item was the student loan 100 grands =)

My mom was the one who insisted we do the BBQ and I am so glad she did! She really wanted to celebrate Sean and planned it all out! She brought the cake and the salad and the pasta salad. My dad smoked a brisquit which turned out spectacular! Sam and Jared came at about 3 and visited with us for the afternoon then everyone else showed up around 5:30. Mom and Dad P, Mom and Dad Z, Neil, Rebecca, Kaden, Lexi, Sam, Jared, Kaity, Aunt Linda and Aunt Lucille came.

The chocolate mousse cake from Costco was SOOOO good!

I gave Sean a photograph on canvas of a starry night with a storm in Cochiti Canyon. You can see a bit of it in the upper left hand of the picture below. He really loves it (as do I) and plans to take it to work, which means I plan to purchase more photographs from this photographer! My parents and Sean's parents went in together to get a sound bar and surround sound speakers. They sound awesome and we are all enjoying them! He got many other nice cards as well!