Introducing Scout!

We've expanded the Merriman family by adding a cute new puppy! She is a 7 week old yellow lab. So far Bailey has accepted her into the household but not quite as a friend. There has been a lot of growling but Scout heeds the warnings. She is very curious and puts everything in her mouth. David and I think that she may be a genius. Yesterday she used the dog door (without being shown how) to go outside to potty. We've only had a couple of puddles in the house since Sunday! And she has shown lots of interest in the duck wing that David has been tossing to her. Aside from the loss of sleep, things are going great!

Picking up the puppy!

Happy Dog

I can't seem to keep her off of the coffee table. I finally gave up but am wondering how long before she won't fit in there?!?

This is about as close as Bailey will get to her. Bailey's doing much better than I thought she would!!

New Deck Photos

We went back and forth over whether or not to rebuild the deck and in the end decided that we should. My parents (Rick and Sandi) were coming to Galveston to bring Bailey home and volunteered to help tear up the old deck. They didn't realize how much they were going to sweat! David and I worked on it throughout the week and it is complete! And it looks great!

We have been busy (as always) since April. David was half of a team that won the Quiz Bowl at the Annual Texas Orthopaedics Association Meeting. The Quiz Bowl is a jeopardy style game that each Texas Ortho residency competes in. We also went to Nashville to watch Sarah graduate with her MBA from Vanderbilt University. It was great to see her and John. We had Chris & LK and James down to visit over Memorial Weekend. And we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on June 5th. We are going on vacation in one week. I think that David is truly looking forward to some time away that doesn't include a conference. We are meeting Chris & LK in San Francisco for a couple days and then heading to Napa to spend some time with Uncle Dan and Aunt Barbara. It is going to be wonderful!

Well, here are some pictures of some recent projects that we have been working on!

David created window sills and finished the trim around all of our windows!

The bathroom cabinet was installed. Today I am finishing the sheetrock around it and touching up the paint. The bathroom should be complete soon!

We purchased a china cabinet for the dining room.

For our anniversary, we bought ourselves a patio umbrella. And because the 4th anniversary is the fruit and flower anniversary, I got David an orange tree. It has one small orange that is coming out!

And this morning the gas company came by and installed a shiny, new gas meter!

I hope that all is well with each of you!

I'm Back!

You know how sometimes you get busy and you have to put some things on the back burner.  Well, let's just say that blogging was not a top priority.  But I have gotten a lot of comments about not writing, so I am going to try and make a better effort to keep it up to date.  (Warning: This first post may be pretty long!  We've been busy!!)

The last post was right before Thanksgiving.  We ended up having family in Galveston for the holiday.  The Andersons were represented by Rick & Sandi and Brandy.  And the Merrimans were represented by Richard & Barb, Sarah & John, Aunt Ann, Aunt Ruth, Scott, Richard, & Deb.  We rented a house on the west end of the island and most people were here for the week.  We had a blast.  (Just looked and I don't have any pictures.)

A couple weeks later, we were off to the US Virgin Islands.  David and I drove to Dallas, dropped Bailey off with my parents, and flew to St. John with Richard and Barb.  Sarah and John were already there along John's parents and sister.  While we were there, we laid on the beach, drank some fruity cocktails, and played in the ocean.  One day, Sarah, John, David , and I went on a scuba diving trip.  Neither Sarah or I had ever tried it before, but we picked it up pretty quickly.  The next day the 4 of us rented a dinghy and drove it around to a few of the other beaches.  Needless to say, there is a learning curve with the dinghy and I think we are all a little better prepared for the next time!

The beach on our last morning in St. John

Shannon, David, John, and Sarah after scuba diving

After the trip to St. John was Christmas.  I stayed in Dallas and David came back to Galveston to work for a few days.  Mom, Barb, Brandy, Carolyn, and I went to see the Nutcracker at the Bass Performance Hall.  We all loved it.  David and I were able to arrange a limousine Christmas Light Tour with some of our friends.  Everyone had a great time.  On Christmas Eve we went with Mom, Dad, and Brandy to Grandpa & Grandma's house.  We always enjoy being with all of the family!  Christmas Day was at Richard and Barb's house.  

Brandy and I on our way to The Nutcracker

New Year's was very low key.  James and Veronica came down to Galveston and stayed a couple of days.  On January 15th, we found out that we will be moving to St. Louis, Missouri for David to complete a trauma fellowship!  It will start August 1, 2010.  David's parents came to visit.  LK came to visit.  At the end of January, we went to Austin for an ortho meeting. 

We had a couple weeks of down time and the came Mardi Gras!  David joined a krewe, The Knights of Momus.  So we were able to ride on one of the floats (and toss beads) in the big parade.  The newspaper photographer rode with us and the next day my picture was front page!  It wasn't a great picture so I am going to include the one that we took that looks prettier.

The boys (Rob, David, Chris, & Miguel)

Bailey got dressed up too!

Then we were off to Vegas!!  The annual meeting for the Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery was there and as the department's liaison to the Academy, David got a free trip.  So I bought a ticket and we spent a week in Vegas.  (Which I now know is too long!)  There is so much to see and do that I was completely overwhelmed.  Because David had to go to some of the lectures I spent the first couple days by myself (exploring, shopping, gambling).  Then Ashley and Veronica got there and we had some GREAT girl time!  We saw a couple shows, ate a lot of great food, and stayed at the beautiful Wynn Las Vegas.

The boys packed into the cab  (it was too funny!)

After Vegas, David took 2 weeks of call and I was off to Dallas.  Brandy and I threw a wedding shower for Cousin and Katrina and her now-husband Chris.  It was a lot of fun.  

Katrina with one of their presents!

Then our friends, Chris and LK bought a house.  So, I stayed to help with a few repairs.  The master bedroom was the ugliest color I have ever seen!  And it took 3 coats of primer to cover!  It was truly awful.  But now they are moved in and making into their home.  Its looking better everyday!

The next weekend was Chris and Katrina's wedding.  The ceremony was beautiful and then came the dancing...  I'm sure that Chris's family had no idea what to do with all of the Andersons on the dance floor!  It was great!

Ian, Uncle Mike, Katrina, Grandma, and Grandpa

There are plenty of pictures of dancing but this video says it all!  (Side note:  All but one person in this video are Andersons!)

The next morning there was a surprise brunch for Uncle Jeff's 50th birthday.  One poor waiter was trying so hard to keep everyone happy.

Family picture

At the beginning of April, David got a few unexpected days off.  So we hit the road and headed to Dallas.  We got 4 days with friends and family.  Aunt Ann, Marilyn, and Deb drove down from Michigan for their Spring Break.  Seeing them was a nice treat!  For now we are home, but next weekend David is heading to Austin and I am going to see Aunt Cindy and Uncle Mark.  The following week David will be in Birmingham and then we will be traveling to Nashville to watch Sarah graduate with her Masters.  

Even though we have been traveling A LOT, the house has still been getting her fair share of attention.  We are working on the trim.  Then there will need to be some touch ups but it is a whole lot better than it was!

Hope that everyone is well!  Lots of Love!

I am thankful...

...that David and I (and Bailey and Rascal) have one another during all of this chaos!

...that my teachers are letting me take my exams a week early so that I can go to St. John with the family!

...that we have some furniture!  (Pictures below!)

...that both of our families are coming in one week to spend Thanksgiving with us!

All of that being said, I think that I am going a little crazy!  I would like for the house to be somewhat organized before everyone gets here.  And I would like to be able to put out some of the fall decorations that I love so much.  And I would like to have all of my school work done so that I can focus on having fun with everyone.  But more than anything else, I am remembering to be thankful for each day!

I have had several requests for pictures of what has been going on so here are a few.  With most of the big stuff done, things seem to moving a little slower.  The best thing right now is that David installed the kitchen cabinets and appliances.  So that we have a working kitchen!!

On to the pictures:

Coming Together

Paint is on the walls and tile in the bathroom!  And we have some furniture being delivered tomorrow and Monday!  I am heading to Dallas this weekend to see some friends and pick up the things that we have left at our parents' houses.  David will be here in Galveston taking the annual Orthopaedics-in-Training Exam!  So wish him luck!

Here are some pictures of the progress:

Wishing everyone well!

Bailey's Tough Life

While David and I (and numerous family members) were in Galveston working to restore things to normal, Bailey was being graciously hosted by my parents.  My mom sent these photos so that everyone could see how hard things have been on Bailey as well!

Now that she is back in Galveston, things are quite as cozy as they were in Rockwall.  But she does have a new dog bed that she loves!

Hangin' Tough

Sunday I went to the New Kids on the Block concert with Lisa-Kay, Kaila, and Veronica.  We had a blast!  The concert goers were probably 98% female and most were late 20s-early 30s.  The day was mine to do what I pleased.  So, I slept in, got a manicure and pedicure, put on make-up and heels, and started to feel like Shannon again!

Here are some pictures from the evening:

Veronica and I during dinner at Uptown Grill & Bar.

New Kids on the stage for the first time.

Kaila and Lisa-Kay

Kaila, Lisa-Kay, and I  (Thanks for taking the pic, V!)

The concert is coming to a close.

One of a handful of seemingly straight guys getting into the concert!

Things are looking up!

(I wrote this on Sunday but had trouble uploading the photos.  Just got back around to blogging.  Hope that all is well!)

This weekend David and I met in Dallas.  He finished his interviews in Denver yesterday and flew in and I drove up late last night.  I am looking forward to the concert tonight with the girls.  David is going to meet some friends for dinner.  Just like things are normal, right?

Before I left, the guys that I hired finished taping the seams of the drywall and textured the entire house.  When we get back, it will be time to prime and paint.  We have had several inspectors and engineers from FEMA to stop by the house to do various things, but each of them have been amazed at the amount of work that has been accomplished.  We are clearly farther along than most.  And while I have been exhausted for the past few weeks, it makes me happy to know that things are moving along.  Oh, and some of our new appliances came in!!