Virginia Zoo

While in Virginia, we also drove over to Norfolk and Virginia Beach to see the zoo and a lighthouse. Here is a picture of Dustin in his element with the Praire Dogs.

Thanksgiving in Jamestown, VA

Dustin and I took a few days during the Thanksgiving break to visit and explore Jamestown, VA, which is the first permanent English settlement in the U.S. This is the 400th anniversary after the three ships landed in May of 1607. It was amazing how authentic they have recreated every detail. The clothes they wear they have made from deer skin there. They cook their food over a fire. They make sausage from a pig, load the musket by hand and with powder, and cook pies in bowls with coals on top and on the bottom. Cooking back then was an all day event. When one meal was finished it was time to begin another. It was a very unique experience! We are certainly glad we went.

The picture I have included is one of a Powhatan Indian preparing a deer hide for drying and then for clothing. Aren't you glad we didn't do our Christmas shopping here!

First Snow

The snow began falling today, and in perfect timing. I was Christmas shopping, and as I looked out the window of the shop I was pleasently surprised by the beautifully large snowflakes spitting from the sky. There is no greater way to Christmas shop in my opinion. Here is a picture of the flakes later on this evening.

Things are going well. We are counting down the days until Thanksgiving break. Dustin and I are going to Jamestown, VA for the break. We are excited to get away and visit Jamestown during this 400th anniversary.

Thanks for checking in. Talk again soon.

Protecting Christmas Surprises

This event was way too cute not to put on this blog. Dustin's Christmas present from his parents arrived in the mail today. Koda must have sensed that it was a special gift, so as soon as it arrived, he began protecting it. The picture you see is Koda on the present. I think he was afraid I would open it maybe. Either way, what a great protective puppy!! He's definitely looking out for his Master.

Sunday Afternoon Nap

Koda took my Sunday afternoon nap spot today. I'm also wondering if Koda is going to take my place fixing Dustin meals and cleaning for him....HMMMMMMMM. I'll keep you updated.

Things are going very well. We are getting ready for the holidays, and I am already wrapping presents. I am trying to get Dustin to let me put up the Christmas tree. I think he is going to make me wait until after Thanksgiving, but I will be pushing for earlier. Talk again soon.

Our New Shelf Decoration

We have noticed that Koda LOVES small, dark spaces. He seems to be a true den animal, always looking for small spaces such as corners, under the sofa, behind the television, etc. His newest place to hang out is the bottom shelf of one of our bookshelves. Not only does he love to hang out here, he loves gnawing on the wooden shelf. Having a large puppy is much different than the gentle little Belle. He tries eating everything from the couch, shelves, plastic plants, shoes, hands, legs, etc. It seems as though any waking moment, he is up wandering around just seeing what he can get his teeth on. Luckily Belle is already out of the chewing stage. I guess the bright side is that we only have one puppy in that stage. As you can see Koda is making himself at home and making us laugh minute by minute with his adventures.

We have updated three times today. The reason being we had to get a new camera and the pictures have to be uploaded one at a time and at a smaller size. I'm not sure if that is because the mega pixels are greater or what, but I will see what I can do to fix it. Thanks for checking in. Talk again soon.

Upcoming Test

Dustin is getting a firm grip on school as he continues to be learning new things, including how to study in medical school. You will find him most of the time in his room writing on his board, as you will see in the picture.

He has his next Anatomy test this coming Tuesday!!

Things are going well here. The scenery is beautiful as the leaves are changing so many different colors. The temperature is also getting cooler. This morning when I left it was 34 degrees. It was cold!! Anyway, talk to you soon. Enjoy the pictures.

Getting Settled With Koda

It was an extremely rocky beginning. Belle and Koda were fighting over everything including who was going to be in charge. That phase is finally subsiding, after many whimpers and squeals. I am proud to say that Belle won queen of the house and Koda flinches when she comes at him ready to brawl. They are getting along as you can see in the picture. They are both puppies so of course their is the friendly squabble here and there accompanied by the occasional angry fight. All in all, it is going well.

Never say never!!

I recall Dustin saying we would never get our dogs clothes. Well, now that Dustin is getting a "manly" dog, he is much more lenient about what is acceptable for Belle. Now that he does not have to walk Belle because he will be walking his "manly" dog, he is okay with her having a cozy winter sweater for the cold winter nights that are settling in. Surprisingly she doesn't mind the sweater. I think she was getting a little cold. We still do not have heat, and it's getting cold in the house. This is one of her new sweaters. She also got a pink winter coat, complete with fur around the neck. I will make sure to include pictures the first time she goes out in that.

Update on the new puppy. Sadly, we didn't get to bring him home Friday because he was sick on his scheduled surgery day. They didn't want to risk anything, so he is waiting until Tuesday to have the surgery, and we are going to bring him home on Wednesday. We will certainly be updating with more pictures. Thanks for the name suggestions!! They are great! Ultimately the decision lies with Dustin, so I will be interested to see what he chooses. Thanks for checking in. Talk again soon.

A few more pics

We wanted to included a couple more pictures. You can see in the fist one that Belle is showing her teeth in warning (ha ha). The other one just gives you a better idea of the size of the new puppy. He is a little guy.....for now!!

Another New Addition

It is official, our puppy family has been extended. We adopted a Finnish Spitz from the animal shelter this week. We bring him home this Friday. He and Belle get along very well. They are the same size right now, but Belle is 8 months and he is 3 months. He certainly weighs much more, but they are the same height and length. The new puppy also has significantly more hair. We haven't thought of a name for him yet. So send your great ideas our way!!

Belle stil feels loved and we made sure they met on neutral ground. Within months, the new puppy will outgrow Belle reaching a max weight of 30-50 lbs. Poor Belle will probably never break 8 lbs. She doesn't know that she is a little thing though. She holds her ground and lets him know who is boss. Enjoy the pictures.

Our newest addition

It has been a while since we have written. Our appologies...things have been pretty busy. School has of course consumed Dustin's life and time. My work hours make it difficult to do much in the evenings, as I work 2:30-10:30pm. Work is going well though.

We wanted to say a quick hello and include a picture of our car. We traded in Dustin's gas guzzler for a 2008 Toyota Prius. We have averaged 50.1 miles per gallon so far. It goes about 600 miles on each tank of gas, so filling up is certianly more infrequent now, not to mention the amount we are saving on gas. Dustin didn't shed too many tears as he said goodbye to his first car, the Xterra. The gadgets that are included in this new car kept him from regretting the decision to trade. He is certainly glad we did now. I always thought it ironic that an Environmental Science major was driving a 12 mpg car anyway. Enjoy the pictures, and talk again soon.

White Coat Ceremony

This is the white coat ceremony where Dustin received his first professional white coat that he will wear doing clinicals and rotations for the next four years. For the ceremony Dustin's parents flew in from Atlanta and Dustin's brother and sister-in-law flew in from Columbia, MO.

We also celebrated Larry's 50th birthday. We will post pictures of this next time.

Dustin, Aaron, and Larry went to the first established golf course in America and played 9 holes. They used hickory golf clubs that were replicas of the originals from Scotland. The golf balls were also flown in from Scotland. Luckily they didn't hit one of the sheep that graze the course!!

Luckily we had beautiful weather for the eventful weekend. Enjoy the pictures!

Extended Weekend

We celebrated Dustin's birthday with friends at school. We all enjoyed a bar-b-que and had cake and ice cream for dessert. (Check out the cake I got him! It is the WVSOM seal.) He sends his sincere thanks for the birthday cards.

For the extended weekend our plans are minimal as Dustin's need for studying increases and I have an interview Monday. However, we are going to go hiking at the Greenbrier River Trail to get some outdoor recreation in.

Dustin has been studying most moments that he is at home, which is a good thing!! He has done well on all tests and quizzes. He is learning the osteopathic manipulation and comes home to try it on me. That is my favorite part, it's like a massage every time!! He has even tried it on Belle a couple of times, but we can't tell if she is in pain or enjoying it.

Dustin has his white coat ceremony a week from today, and we will post pictures from that event as well.

We will talk again soon (sooner than last time). I do appologize for it being two weeks since the last post....things got crazy there for a bit. Talk soon, and it's great to hear from you all!!

Speaking of Kindergarten

OK, so yesterday I included a picture of Dustin on his first day of Medical School, so today I thought I would include an actual Kindergarten picture. It was too cute not to!!

Let's all hope that Dustin makes it through the day today without passing out or losing his lunch. Today is his first day of Anatomy and he makes his first incision on a cadaver. YIKES!!! If that doesn't make sense to you, feel free to call and check up on him tonight. I am sure he would be delighted to explain and discuss with you.

Talk again soon!!

Aa Bb Cc.....1 2 3

Like a Kindergartener on his first day of school, I couldn't resist the temptation to get a "First Day of Medical School" picture of Dustin. Last week was orientation to get him familiar with the campus, classmates, professors, etc. He truly enjoyed it and becomes more and more pleased each day with his decision to attend WVSOM (West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine). I attended the spouse orientation, and they basically told me to kiss him goodbye for the next two years.....not really. They did mention that he would be BUSY, but they also gave me permission to not let him slack on his end of the house duties. They confirmed that his chore of taking out the trash would still be good for him. I was glad they were able to confirm that important detail.

In case you aren't familiar with how the next four years of our life will pan out, I will give you a brief idea. Honestly, I didn't know exactly how it would look until orientation.

Year 1 and 2 we will be here in Lewisburg. He will be attending classes like he has been used to for the past 17 years of his life.

Year 3 we will be somewhere in the state of West Virginia and he will be doing rotations in a clinic/hospital....almost a doctor

Year 4 we will be somewhere in the U.S. or U.S territories doing rotations for another year.....even closer to being a doctor

After that he will be a resident and finally begin making a little money. The time he is a resident depends on the specific field he chooses. So, that length of time is not yet determined.

I hope that helps in understanding what the next few years entail.

September 8 is Dustin's White Coat Ceremony where he will receive his white coat. It is quite the event and certainly a monumental moment for him. I will for sure post pictures and details of this event.

Also coming up is Dustin's 24th birthday---August 25th. It's almost his golden birthday...25 yrs on the 25th.

We will post again soon! Thanks so much for your comments! We love reading them.

A Cool JULY day

I'm sure all of you in Missouri and Arkansas are enduring some high temperatures and intense humidity. Well, here in West Virginia we are enjoying a cool 59 degree day. As you can see in our picture, we are wearing our jackets because of the cool air. We just thought we might share that with those of you enduring the HEAT today.....of course never to rub it in.

This is a picture of Herns Mill Covered Bridge, one of the few still passable covered bridges remaining. This is about a quarter of a mile from our house, so we drove down to get a picture. We were fortunate enough, at the bridge, to meet a family vacationing for the summer in WV. Oddly enough, they are spending the summer here from FLORIDA!! Maybe they are trying to escape the beautiful beach paradise for a serene mountain view. Isn't it funny how we always want what we don't have!! I would trade the mountains for a beachy Florida day anytime! For now, we will be content here and make the most of the beautiful mountains.

Just a quick side note: I realized that I have not put my Mary Kay website up yet. I am having a YARD SALE, and it is quite the deal. I will line your products end to end, the longest way possible, and for every inch you buy (up to one YARD, 36 in.) you get that percentage off of your total purchase. Example, if you buy 20 inches of products, you get 20% off. It really doesn't take much to get several inches. You can order and pay online, and it will be at your door in about 3 days. So, check out the website and happy shopping!
www.marykay.com/rgtompkins

The countdown begins.....there are now only 12 more days until Dustin officially begins his Medical School journey!! What a short, action packed summer it has already been. We are both excited for school to begin. He will have something to do, and I will not have to go grocery shopping quite as much. When he is home most of the day, he eats us out of house and home!! Well, better late than never I say..... I am putting that extra time he has to work!! Today we are headed back home to PAINT and he is going to do some yard work!! YIPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Too bad I didn't have a to do list for him all along. He might think twice the next time he reaches his hand into the snack jar...

1st Anniversary........West Virginia style!!

Anniversary dinner at The Greenbrier

Our first anniversary proved to be an interesting one from the moment we awoke. The previous three days prior to July 15 (our anniversary) we did not have hardly any water pressure, therefore, we were unable to shower due to this lack of pressure. So, on the morning of the 15th, I quickly discovered that again we did not have water pressure. At this point it was three days without water pressure, so we obviously needed to shower for church and our anniversary dinner that evening.....

In my desperation of a hike the evening before resulting in much perspiration, I proceeded to take an old fashioned shower.......with a bucket!! We had a few droplets of water, and after about 15 minutes, I had a small container of water. I was able to wet my hair in that container...... At this point I was desperate and woke Dustin up to help me with my hair. I had it lathered and ready for a rinse, but with no clean running water, it was going to be impossible to rinse the shampoo out. So......with my head in the sink and shampoo in my mouth, ears, nose, and eyes, Dustin remarks, "I have a great idea, just don't move". Little did I know that this idea was not a well thought out idea. We have a pitcher purifier in the refrigerator, so we had COLD drinking water stored. He returned seconds later, and without any warning was pouring this VERY COLD water on my head!!! After several shrilling screams, we finally got the shampoo out, for the most part, and our day continued.

By the time we returned from church we had water pressure and were able to carry on like normal. We had a fantastic three course dinner at The Greenbrier restaurant to celebrate our aniiversary.

We exchanged gifts and enjoyed the top of our wedding cake from one year ago. Even Belle got a tiny piece and loved it, even though the cake was older than she was. Surprisingly, it was still tasty!!

Thank you all for your anniversary cards!! That was so thoughtful of you to think of us on our anniversary.

Belle's New Favorite Outdoor Activity

Belle's Version of Hiking

Greetings from WV!! Today we went hiking on the Greenbrier River Trail, and what a beautiful hike it was. Of course we took Belle with us (there aren't many places we don't take her), and we think hiking is her new favorite outdoor activity. She loves being outside and loves going on walks, but after the first couple of miles, she began getting fatigued. So, she found a comfy place to ride while Dustin and I continued the hike. Some may say she is spoiled, but we just like to think she is treated well. Check out the photo.

Belle making friends

Belle is finding our home and surroundings in Lewisburg nothing short of adventurous. She is not sure what to think of the cows surrounding our house. To the large cows, she probably seems like a rodent; and to her the cows must seem like giants. Regardless, she takes it upon herself to diligently stand on the fence post and bark in their direction. (Check out the photo)

We are enjoying the slow paced life out here. Our daily rituals have now been including washing dishes after every meal as a result of having no dishwasher, hanging the clothes out on the line to dry (saving electricity), and going for a walk around our place. Swinging in the hammock as the sun is setting behind the mountains has also been an enjoyable regular for us lately.

For all of you MISSOURIANS out there, we recently learned that a HOT day in WV is in the mid 80s. We have no air conditioner, and truly we do not need one. Our windows are open and in the evenings and mornings, we are chilly!! I just thought I would boast of the beautiful weather out here while I can. Come winter, I will be begging for Missouri weather. Winters are bitter cold!!

The job search is now in full force! I will keep you posted about this area of our adventure.

Talk to you soon!! Thanks for your comments and checking in with us.

Getting Settled

Our Humble Abode


We have oficially arrived in Lewisburg, WV!! We are unloaded and our things are now scattered to the correct room (thanks to my parents)!!! We are not quite settled, but that will come with time. Belle is loving the yard, and Dustin and I are enjoying the hammocks with no noise around, except the ocassional cow mooing.

We are doing the preliminary things today such as insurance, licenses, and of course the necessary internet.

We will post again soon. Thanks again for checking our site. Talk soon.

We are posting some pictures of the house and of our trip.

Belle's favorite spot to travel; On Dustin's shoulders



Dustin's two sleepy girls

In the beginning.....

Welcome to our blog site!! We are excited to share with you our journey to West Virginia……. and beyond. This journey is already promising to be eventful with many twists in the road, but with God lighting our path we can walk it with peace. We will be embarking upon this 13 hour journey in just a few days (Sat., June 30) and our apartment is proof of that with boxes and piles of items to be boxed all over our place. Luckily Dustin’s parents are arriving tonight to assist us with the boxing and loading. Their experienced packing will be much more productive than my shoving things into trashcans or searching for anything to clean or do other than the tedious packing. Dustin has resorted to giving me a specific room to pack and checking up on me every 30 minutes to make sure I am still packing, not playing with Belle or sulking in a corner with the overwhelmed feeling that it is never going to be finished. Like it always does…it will get finished and I will look back in awe and disbelief that it really was possible.

We will continually keep you posted on this blog site, so periodically be checking back. We will be posting pictures and other items for you to check out and enjoy. There is also a place for you to comment on our site, and we would love to hear from you….. so don’t hold back! It will be a great way to stay in touch and hear about what you are also doing. Because you are taking your time to visit our site, I promise we will try our best to make it worth your time. In that effort, I promise to try not to do so at the expense of Dustin by telling too many silly stories about him or to embarrassing him…..but anything for some entertainment, right?!

Above is a picture of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, which Dustin will be attending.

Thank you all for checking out our site, and we will keep in touch weekly, if not more frequently!! Talk again soon!