Lots of big news

The Mellen family has lots of big announcements to make and we'll make them all at once. First, we got the results of Chad's residency match. Chad matched at the VA here in Tucson. We are staying in Tucson one more year for sure. We are very happy. Tucson was Chad's second choice, just under Milwaukee. He liked the teaching opportunities provided there. Ultimately though, Tucson is a harder program and is a better program. I am just thrilled not to have to move in June.

The reason I'm thrilled not to have to move in June leads me to our next big announcement, which is that we are going to have another baby. I am due on or about September 21, 2008. We are excited. I am pretty sick with this pregnancy but not near as bad as I was with Grant. I am able to keep food down but I'm pretty nauseous all day long. I feel more tired this time around too. I think I'm just getting too old for this child bearing thing.

The other big news is that I'm finally quitting, well phasing out, my job. I have given my notice at work. I am no longer taking new ccases. I've gotten out of the new cases I just took that hadn't gotten started and now I just need to finish the cases I have. I thought about just quitting but I feel too bad about just dropping my clients so I'll finish their cases and then be done. I will be done before the baby is born for sure but hopefully sooner.

We are very excited about these changes coming up in our lives. Grant has hit the terrible twos a couple of months early and needs to be home more so he will benefit from this as well. When we know what we are having we will let you all know.

Spring Training

One of our favorite things about living in Arizona is the month of March because it brings Spring Training. Chad is a huge Giants fan and they train in Phoenix, which means that they come to Tucson a few times during the month to play some games against the D-backs, White Sox and Rockies. Yesterday they were here to play the White Sox so we took the afternoon to watch a baseball game (well, in theory anyway). We had a great time, other than Grant's numerous tantrums over who knows what (he's almost 2, does he have to have a reason?). We all ate too much overpriced, greasy food and loved it. We sat on the grass behind the foul pole at 3rd base. I have never watched so little of a game as I did yesterday. Grant made sure of that. He finally warmed up to running up and down the grass hill we were sitting on and enjoyed the food. Overall, it was a really fun afternoon. While Chicago was enjoying a snowstorm and San Francisco had a foggy 50 degree day, we had lots of sun and mid-70's. We all got a little sunburned even.

In other Grant news, his new obsession is The Jungle Book. I bought it because I was so tired of Classical Baby but now it's all he wants to watch morning, noon and night. As soon as he wakes up every morning he asks to go downstairs and asks for waffles, couch and "bear" (Grant speak for Jungle Book). He also now walks around the house be-bopping to himself and playing whatever he can that sounds like a drum, just like Baloo and King Louie do in the ancient ruins scene of the Jungle Book.
Chad is presently half way through his six week rotation in Flagstaff. We all hate having him gone. He's not enjoying the rotation much because it is a lot of pill counting and retail type stuff, which is not what he likes. He comes home on the weekends but we will be glad when it's over. We'll all be even happier when he is done with school entirely. Just two months until that. Yeah!!!!!
While Chad is off in Flagstaff and Grant is watching Jungle Book, I am doing my ususal working and trying to keep the household together and running.