Christmas in Miami

I'm so sorry I haven't written in a while. Even though we haven't done anything I feel like we have been busy. Christmas was great. We slept in and then opened the three unwrapped gifts we got. Johnny got Fallout 3 for his PC and I got Sims World Adventures for mine. We also got a game pack off of Steam(an online game store, for those of you that don't know what Steam is). It has Family Feud, Jewel Quest, Risk, Battleship, and many other games. So now we have some games to play to pass the time. I wanted to thank all of you that sent goodies and gifts for us. It really made our Christmas special. The gift cards will help out a lot too! After installing our games I made a very yummy ham dinner for the two of us that we are still enjoying. This is off subject, but for all you couples out there getting a big ham is very good, you have dinner left overs for awhile and its great for breakfast too. That was about all we did on Christmas.
We went over to the Taylors on Saturday. Matt has been wanting Johnny and I to play the Wii with him and it was laundry time. We had a great time. Katie I hope you know how thankful I am for you and your little family. I don't know what we would do with out you. We were defiantly supposed to be here at the same time so we could help each other through this.
So I feel like we have lived at the movies this week. We went to Sherlock Holmes on Monday and then we watched Avatar today. I loved Sherlock Holmes. It was so cool to how they show you how he thinks. Avatar was good. We went to the 3D Imax showing and it added a lot to the experience. I have never been to a 3D movie before so that was cool. I have heard from people that it was really preachy about the environment, but I didn't think it was. I thought that Wallie was more "green" than Avatar was, but thats just me. After the movie Johnny took me out to Outback Steak House. It was so yummy. I'm no a big red meat fan, but every once in a while a steak is just awesome. They messed up my order and brought fries instead of mashed potatoes so I got free fries too! You can't beat that. Well I hope everybody is having a great holiday season and if I don't write before then have a great new year!

Everglade Pictures

Two scary alligators.











Me and some gators behind me.











Gator peaking out of the water.











Missile assembly building at Nike Missile base.

The Everglades

Well yesterday we went to the Everglades. Johnny really wanted to go but we didn't know how we were going to do it seeing as we don't have a car here. Then low and behold the Taylors asked if we wanted to go with them! So we did. I was thinking MAYBE we will see an alligator or two. I mean I didn't think alligators are the kinds of animals you just happen to see out in the wild, but they are when your in the Everglades. We saw probably 15-20 alligators. Its so funny they look like they are made of plastic. Some were REALLY close to the fence. if you wanted you could have probably touched a couple of them. I didn't have the heart or the funds. If you got caught playing or messing with one the fine could be up to $5,000. So I think that deters people even though they are within reach.
While we were there was took a tour of the Nike Missile Base. Apparently nobody aside from the government knew it was there until a few years ago. Its an abandoned base from the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was pretty cool to go learn a little more about that time. I know Johnny really enjoyed it. He loves history!
So my picture don't want to load. I'll try again tomorrow.

Seeing Santa!!

Last night was so much fun. Our church had a Christmas dinner party.I cooked two hams in our tiny oven. Our oven is half the size of a normal oven and we only have one cooking pan so it made making two hams a little interesting. We went with the Taylors of course. Thanks for the ride guys! The food was good and it went fast. There was plenty of ham but not enough potatoes. I went back for seconds and no potatoes left. It was a sad day until I discovered all the wonderful desserts. The place went crazy when Santa came in. I'll admitt I was pretty excited as well as the kids. Santa read the kids The Night Before Christmas and Johnny said I might as well have sat on the floor with them I was so excited.
I have been missing all my Christmas traditions and especially watching movies with the Fam, but Johnny found me a web sight with all the classics on it so I know what I'm doing this week. We are actually in the middle of Christmas Vacation so I better go! Merry Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve!!!

Singing in the Rain

Today Johnny and I decided not to wake-up. I kept waking up and thinking "Oh its still dark must be to early to wake up." No it was just the rain clouds. It rained and rained today. I don't mind though, I love the rain. I had to go to the store and and that means a walk in the rain, and discovered I love to do that too. The whole time there I was just thinking about how awesome my life is and how much I've learned about myself in the short weeks we have been here. I feel all grown up and just like a little kid. Well the point is I like going on walks in the rain.
We babysat the Taylor kids today so Katie and David could finish the Christmas shopping. I felt bad because we had nothing for them to do. They said they weren't bored, but I think they might have been. I hope they still feel I'm their friend, I love having them as my friends. They are such funny little people.
I'm going to try to get Johnny to tell about his experience in school so for. He is on break for Christmas so he will have a little more off time. It seems he is always studying. Good for the brain, bad for the Tracy.

The Beach with the Taylors

Yesterday we went to the beach with the Taylors. Johnny and David had just finished a quiz so we though it would be a good diversion from school. We went to Key Biscayne. I we so different from south beach. The water was calm and clear. I think it was perfect for the kids. It was great for snorkeling as well. Johnny found some cool critters, and we saw a few fish too. It sounds really funny but one of the fish looked like an ocean fish. It was triangle shaped and weird. Johnny found a hermit crab and a live sand dollar. Rachel really liked me spinning her around in the water. I had fun making a sand pyramid with Matt and Katie.
I know this is really off subject but have any of you had people take random pictures of you? Last Saturday I was climbing a tree and this guy I don't know took a picture of me up in the tree. Then later that day somebody took a picture of Johnny at the beach. It was very weird. Its like they had never seen some one at the beach or climb a tree before.
Well Johnny only has one more day and then it is Christmas break. Its sad because it doesn't feel like Christmas. We aren't really doing the present thing either. we are trying to save our money because I'm a little nervous about how much its going to cost us to move to Dominica. I also am missing all the Christmas goodies. I miss mom's raspberry filling cookies. I need the recipe mommy! Katie gave us some cookies today and I'm very excited to eat them. Thanks Katie!

Making Pizza

Wow time is just flying by. I spent Thursday with Katie and the kids. We went to wal-mart and the grocery store. Friday Johnny and I just lazed around the house. He did some studying while I did nothing. I did make tortillas. It was my first time and it seems everything went wrong. I forgot to get salt at the store, I didn't have anything to roll the dough out with(I ended up using a cup), I had to use wheat flour instead of white, and I didn't have a good pan to cook them in. They turned out alright. I think I will do better next time.











Well Johnny and I were busy people on Saturday. We went to a bbq some friends were having. We did a white elephant gift exchange and ate in the rain.(I guess I was the only one still eating when it rained.) Then the Taylors dropped us off at South beach. Let me tell you it was B-E-A-Utiful. The storm had made the waves really big and the ocean was teal blue. We had a ton of fun swimming in the waves. Johnny also dove for these pieces of old coral reef. While the beach was fun the bus ride home was not. We rode off the island then after sitting at the bus station for an hour, we got on the wrong bus and rode back onto the island. Then we of course had to ride back off the island. Then we finally got to the metro rail and finally got home. I was so tired and hungry and itchy. I got right into a warm shower and then went to bed.
Today was a typical Sunday. I did make home made pizza for the first time. (I feel like I'm doing a lot of things for the first time.) It was really easy and really yummy. It may just become a Cochran family favorite, actually I think it already is.

Miami Metro Zoo

Well I went to the Zoo with Katie and a couple other people from the ward. it was a lot of fun but now I am so pooped. We were there from the time it opened until the time it closed. We watched a little animal show. They showed some parrots, a porky pine, a cheetah, and some other animal that has a name I can't recall. We spent a while watching the elephants because they were being really entertaining.I did the laundry at Katie's while I babysat the kids so she and David could a little Christmas shopping. The kids were asleep so it was really easy.
Johnny had his first quiz today. He said it was mostly easy, but there were a few things on the quiz he wasn't expecting. He studied for the rest of the day and apparently missed me very much. He kept calling me all day and it made me feel great!

The last few days.

I'm sorry, it seems I have been slacking on writing about what I have actually been doing. Saturday we went to a game night with some people in the ward. It was great fun. We played Boomo and Apples to Apples. On Sunday we went to church. I haven't been to Relief Society in a while and it was great. I love the diversity in the ward! There was an African American lady that bore her testimony and she always said Christ Jesus instead or Jesus Christ. All I could think is that it was so southern and then I was like "oh yeah I'm in the south, duh". Yesterday I had a lot of fun. I went and spent the day with Katie and her kids. We tried to catch lizards and I let Matt take pictures on my camera. We went to the park for about two minutes because the kids had to go to the bathroom. They were a little upset, but were told that they should have gone when they we told to go at home. We ended up at the library because it was the bathroom we decided to go to. It was a great day! Thanks Katie for letting me enjoy your kids!

All the Friends

I wanted to just thank all the people that are my new friends. I can't believe how accepting people are here. We have been to two dinners, one game night, one Relief Society activity and one errand run and we have been here just a week. We are having so much fun here. The weather has been wonderful. Life is grand!

Job searching is hard work.

Well my job search isn't going so well. Even the places that have hiring signs out side haven't called me back. I have gone to so many places. I'm getting a little discouraged. I don't understand, I'm a great little worker. I should be able to get a job.
Well today I didn't do much. I did laundry for the first time in Florida. I was a little nervous because I had to trek all our clothes for about four to five blocks down to the laundry mat. I didn't think I would be strong enough, but I was!
There was a Relief Society Christmas party tonight. Me and my new friend Katie went. Her husband is also going to Ross. They have three adorable kids. Her daughter Rachel is smitten with me apparently. Katie called me this morning because Rachel wanted to play with me. She thinks my name is Kellie. I love little kids! Anyway, the party was fun. I made some more friends. I may be going to the zoo with them next week.

MERP Schedule

Okay all you MERPers out there, I wanted to give you Johnny's schedule for MERP. On Monday and Thursday he has live lectures in the 7000 Building. On Tuesday and Friday his lectures are on line because they do them in the Bahamas. Wednesday he has Clinical Medicine Integration(CMI) and that when he will take his quizzes. Everyday but Wednesday they have Supplemental Instruction(SI).

Monday
8:00 am - Physiology
10:00am- Microbiology
1:00pm- SI

Tuesday
On Internet- Biochemistry
On Internet- Anatomy/Histology
1:00pm- SI

Wednesday
8:00am- CMI/Quiz

Thursday
8:00am- Biochemistry
10:00am- Anatomy/Histology
1:00pm- SI

Friday
On Internet- Physiology
On Internet- Microbiology
1:00pm- SI

Hopes this helps all you MERP researchers.

Good Friends

Well I spent the day filling out job applications and taking them to their corresponding stores. I had an interview today. I don't think a day has gone by that I haven't walked at least five miles. It is nice but I get very tired by the end of the day.
Johnny had his first day of classes. He said it was pretty boring. Just all review.
We went to our friends house for dinner again tonight. There was also a family there that the husband started MERP with Johnny. I can't remember his name, but his wife is Katie. They have three kids that are so cute. Its nice to know someone is in the same boat as us. And that we will have some friends while we are on this adventure.
I wanted to take the time and thank Kellie and Brett for all you have done for us in the last three days. You guys are so great and so giving! I love you and wish you all the best. Thanks for all the advice and maybe we will have to take a trip to the Bahamas with you and you can show us around. Thank you again for all you have done. We will defiantly be in touch.