My Husband "The Master"!

So it isn't "official" yet, but this past weekend Mike returned to Ohio State to defend his thesis and he passed, so he is on his way to receiving his Masters Degree. It is incredible all the blessing we have been receiving. Mike has had to really put a lot of extra effort into finishing his research early and also completing his thesis while working 50 hour weeks. At first it seemed like such a daunting task, but I know that he has been helped and blessed throughout the whole process, which has made it really not too bad. There have been a couple stressful days for him, but on the whole things have gone really smoothly. I guess his "defense" went really well. The professors on his committee were very complimentary and Mike commented that it was actually "fun" to present his research and to discuss it with his committee members. It was just such a relief to feel pretty much finished. He only has a couple minor formatting corrections to make to his paper and he will be on his way to graduating. Woo Hoo! So, just when Mike thought that he was going to have more time, today he was called as the ward executive secretary. It will be nice to be able to serve in our new ward. I'm grateful for my husbands example of working hard at whatever he's asked to do.

We are slowly, but surely working on moving into the new house. I had high hopes and ambitions of getting everything put away and ready for when Mike got back from Ohio this weekend, (Ha Ha) but of course my ambitions were unrealistic. It will be nice when we are not driving back and forth from the house to the apartment, but we are really blessed to be able to have our temporary housing for another week and so we are taking full advantage of this time. For my sister who is anxious to see the "slightly finished" paint job, don't worry photos are on the way.

I also have to mention how funny Emma is getting. She is at the point where she can, and will, grab anything within, and without her reaching distance. She gets bored so quickly of her old toys and wants whatever she is not supposed to be getting into. She can't quite crawl yet, but she does roll and scoot herself backwards pretty well. She is so close to crawling even though her dad keeps telling her that she is not allowed to get mobile until she is 2. Sometimes I wish that were the case because I am realizing what a handful she is going to be once she starts moving even more. Oh, the things you take for granted before you have kids. All of you mothers out there are SAINTS! It really is a lot of fun though so I can't complain too much although at dinner last night we went out to eat and she had her hands in daddy's pasta, water and she was bound and determined to get at the Sprite as well. We are going to have to really keep and eye on that one. She makes us laugh.