Feast for Doctor Emily

This spring our friend Emily finished veterinary school.  After years of study, hassles, automotive disasters, inconvenient illnesses and just plain hard work, she's a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

On Saturday, we celebrated her graduation with a gigantic brunch under our carport.  Thanks so much to all who brought delicious food, and thanks to Emily for giving us such a great excuse to gather.

Emily dressed the hammerhead with her cap & gown

Reading her cards.

Curtis' heroic plate of food.

My heroic plate of food

Emily's dogs got gifts, too.

T-bear

Charlotte

This is the screaming tree.  It's really a sequoia, but on Saturday it got this new name.  The kids - mine included - climbed up inside and all yelled at the same time.  There were about ten of them in the tree when I took this photo, but they were heard and not seen.

We're thrilled for Emily, and excited to watch this next phase of her life.  If you're in the area an your pet's feeling low, go to the Banfield Pet Hospital on Vancouver Plaza Drive.  Ask for Doctor Amsler.  :-)

I apologize in advance

It's possible I've used that title before.  I'm not saying sorry for the poor photo quality in this post, although the pictures are cruddy.  All too soon, you'll learn what I'm apologizing for.

Obligatory photo #1:

Obligatory photo #2:

Our subject today is uncontrollable, silent laughter during Bible study.  Not home Bible study, but in public, in a room with thirty other people.  If you haven't experienced it, I can say it's oddly...cleansing.

Last month, Sharpshooter passed a note to his brother during Bible study.  Happy Meal read the note and started giggling, so I confiscated it.

May 5, 2014

Dear Stinky,

As the government we fell the need to consult you about three things, your butt, your breath and your feet in Wyoming, Oregon, Idaho, California, Arizona and Nevada people (everyone) have been complaining about smells.  We traced the source of the odor and IT SEEMS to be you.  We are taking dramatic steps to help.  Do these orders or we will send someone down to shoot you.
1. WASH YOUR FEET
2. WASH YOUR BUTT
3. BRUSH YOUR TEETH
Also, we have noticed that if a person walking down the street five miles away if they see you they are temporarily blinded.  Get plastic surgery.

Signed,
Government

I leaned forward, hiding my face, trying to look like I was meditating especially hard on Paul's epistle to Philemon.  Several tears splashed to the floor.  In a wonderful moment of poetic justice, Sharpshooter became worried.

"Are you all right, Mom?"

I couldn't answer.