Cookies with Hillary, Puzzles with Daddy...

So I realize it has been a while, but sometimes life just takes over what I am doing! this weekend was so much fun! Chris was in a great mood, and the girls were excited that we are getting closer and closer to the biggest birthday celebration of the year! Jesus' birthday! We spent all afternoon sat with Hillary! We baked 3 different kinds of cookies, snicker doodles, death by chocolate and reg choc chip! The girls had an absolute blast and loved every minute we spent with Hillary! We love having her around! The girls favorite were the snicker doobles, rolling them and then rolling them in the cinnamon sugar combo! Except Candace was throwing them, since they looked like balls! So much fun..............After the beautiful Sat we spent, we thought hmmm what to do on Sunday.....well we slept in a little bit, and then stayed in jammies and watched Wall E together! (Candaces all time favorite movie) and I made homemade corn chowder....thanks to Toni is a family fav! In the afternoon the girls got out thier puzzles and so did chris! He bougth a beautiful Thomas Kincade puzzle and wants to finish it and frame it! So lovelyl....He let the girls 'help' although they knew it was soooo hard! Lots of fun! Beautiful weekend...

Trip to ER!

To start, I hate this time of year! OK well I love the beautiful colors, the cooler temps, the leave piles the girls love to make! However....I hate cold/flu/strep/fever/whatever you catch season! Yesterday and last night was awful! My poor baby, Annika, woke up at 3 am Monday with vomit and a high fever. She didn't get much sleep, neither did I, and was puking or dry heaving (sorry I know, TMI!) but couldn't stop! After a full day of crazy fever, vomit and not wanting to stay awake, we decided that I needed to take her to the ER. What a way to spend my wedding anniversary! We got to the er and they bumped her straight in, and immediately said she had to have fluids and fast...So they pinned my poor baby down and put her first ever IV in and lets just say I hope that the nurses have their hearing back. She got two rounds of fluids, a small dose of anti nausea meds and then the last IV was a antibiotic! She has strep! While I was getting her into a itty bitty gown, I also noticed that the side of her leg was red and swollen (nothing to do with the strep) so I had the dr look at it. It turns out she has celluitis on her thigh! Poor thing, it was not that Sunday afternoon when she got a shower, so of course I didn't know, and since she barely moved to and staying in jammies all day on Monday, I had no idea and of course felt like a horrible mom! This afternoon I am taking Candace in to get her swabbed and make sure she is healthy! Like they say, this too shall pass???RIGHT????

Today is the day

Those words always remind of a great song that we used in Vacation Bible School with the kids, Today Is The Day. I can still picture the kids doing the hand motions and laughing together while they sing it. Everytime the Lincoln Brewster version comes on the radio, immediatly I can hear childrens laughter. So why do I feel so down on a day like today, one that God has made and given to us? Today, for my family, is the offical day that my husband is returning to sea duty. I have been letting it all build up emotionally for me over the past few months, knowing that the reality of today was going to come. That does not mean I have to be ok with it, but instead be accepting of it and as a good wife, supportive for him. We have been blessed to have three years of shore duty, which seems to be a scarce thing in the military. We have gotten accustomed to Daddy being home at night, and home everyday of the week, on weekends, all the holidays. Even if it meant that every once in a while he had to work a duty weekend (the air show) or that he had to stay late, he still came home EVERY NIGHT. Now our lives are about to go thru a huge change. I have been praying alot more lately and re reading the book Power of a Praying Wife by Stomie Omartian (sp). The book was originally lent to me by a dear friend, that knew I was ready for my husband to walk with me on my journey, but knew that as a couple we were stuggling in this area. The words touched me and taught me that everything is on God's time. That God will walk thru this scary journey with my family, and when I am feeling as I am today, that I have a doubt in life, that HE will lift me and carry me if He sees it necessary.

When I got up this morning, I was getting ready to walk out the door for work, and in my normal routine, I almost forgot to kiss my hubby by (on leave til today), but I stopped my car, pulled back into the driveway and went in to kiss him. I am glad I did, I found him upstairs getting ready for the day, knowing Candace is ready to get moving! He sat looking sad and embraced me and did not let go, I know that he is sad that this day has come also. Emotionally I know that I CAN do this and that ultimately I have Him to help me, but I still tremble at my thoughts of not having him here.

I also have a great group of friends, who know my fears, relate to them on most levels and will help me get through it. I have expressed my fears to Jessica, and she has reminded me how strong I am and how many other mommies/wives I have helped through these hardships of seperation. She helped to remind me how proud I am to be a NAVY WIFE! Our husbands are out there defending our freedom! While they are doing so, it is our job to protect our families and let them know that we are ok, we miss them, but we are ok! So I plan to continue my prayers, my faith and my trust in God, but I am still in some what of a mourning period as most of us do go through..........

Missing my family

From afar! This is just a shout out to our family in Italy! We miss you and love you guys! Tell Emma and Ethan hi from Annika and Candace!

Life....

Sometimes life proves to have more temptations and challenges. These temptations and challenges in my life are seen as a way for God to test me, to make sure that I still believe and trust in him. For quite sometime, the temptations that were laid before me, I gave into, and headed down the path of life that was not destined for me. I am not saying it is the worst path in the world or that you won't be forgiven for the actions, but I knew in my heart that they were temptations that I should have been able to over come. Luckily along the path, He jumped out in front of me, almost smacking me in the head! He reminded me daily to trust in him and come back to his home, my church. I have come back to that path in life and I am continuing my journey! It is a amazing journey, and has helped me to see why God put me here on this earth and what my journey truly is. On this journey, I have made many friends, some that were meant to stay and help me walk my path and others that were placed there to tempt or challenge my journey. There truly is a season for everything and at times friendship is no different. Our journeys help us to see the people that He has meant to place in our lives and keep in our lives. Everyday I remind myself of these friends, and what a blessing they have been for me and how they have helped me walk, and not walk alone! I know I am mumbling, but I feel it is nice to reminded of what our focus in life is, where we want our futures to take us, and to stand up for our Christianity!

One of those days....

Do you ever have one of those off days with your hubby! Well today is ours! He got up late, he got to sleep in all week on leave, yet I was up with the girls, which was the first upsetting thing. Then he gets up and is suddenly barking orders at me! WTF!!!! Go back to bed! I got up, fed the girls, watched a movie with them, cleaned ( and I mean CLEANED) my kitchen and then took the girls outside to ride their powerwheel and bikes! while they did that I started taking all my halloween stuff down and put it into boxes. Well at about noonish I decided to take a break, that is when he rolled out of bed! He was upset bc he missed breakfast, well sorry but your plate is in the microwave! And then he went to work on his own car! Came in, saying "arent you going to help me" NO today is my day off, you are off all week and have been for two weeks! LEAVE me alone!!!!!!!! I am not usually moody with him like this, but today was a over the top morning!

The neighbor has distracted him for me, they are doing the brakes on Jerry's truck! Gave him a beer and maybe he will chill! One could only hope right! Anyhow, I am done venting, I just felt attacked this morning big time!

Halloween Party!!!

So my first year or so in housing, I really did not have that great of neighbors, but over the past few months we have gotten to know and become part of our four corners clan! I love them most of the time, and they have been here for me! They have husbands with common interests and similarities! Our husbands have all deployed over seas to the war zones, they are all quiet until provoked and they love to make fun! So we say thanks to all of them! Judy & Jerry, Micki and Jason, and Carrie & Larry!

Birthday weekend

I can remember a time when I was always so excited it was my birthday! I think I was around 16 the last time I truly got excited! (HUGE SWEET SIXTEEN) Since then however, I really have not been into celebrating it, or going all out. Most of the time my husband has been deployed or funds were just too tight. Two years ago, I did go to Wanna Be's with some great old friends, but my season for most of those friends ended, and the following year I did nothing for my birthday.... Some find it strange that it is not a huge deal to me, but the huge things in my life are always for my husband and my girls! This weekend, although not celebrated hugely was a great one. On Friday night we had my daughters fall festival at her daycare and had a blast, then Sat we (morning) a Fall festival at Annikas elem. School...more to come on that one! Sat night we had a blast. Our neighbors that we have made friends with (finally some awesome neighbors) invited us to a Halloween party in their old neighborhood. The party was family style, and tons of work was put into it. The whole back yard was transformed into a haunted house! Which my girls braved! And there were games and lots of yummy food and about 100 + cupcakes for a contest! Chris got to jump out and scare the pants off the kids and had a blast making some great memories.......On Sunday, my actual bday, I got up and went to church. I teach 9-12th graders and they sang to me, I love them! Then came home and made a meat loaf ball dinner! So yumo! And then back to church for a important meeting. I was really feeling down that I didn't do anything major, but we just spent $430 to have the mini van fixed and there was no way of going out and spending money! Two friends came to my rescue though! Followed by a third friend who ended being our waitress!!!! Susan and Tammy, thanks for a rock in night! We had a blast and enjoyed a great moms night out in honor of a bday! I do wish more of my friends could have joined us, but I know they were there in spirit!

TGIF

Working has proved to be more challenging than one would think. Although I do love my job, it does have a lot of ups and downs.
For example, this morning, when it was time to get ready for daycare, Candace absolutely refused to get dressed and instead got in my bed because daddy was there! So he caved, let her stay home. The daycare she goes to is the best we have been to, but she still feels the need to be rebellious and make mommy feel bad about returning to work...COME ON! Sometimes we do what we have to! Especially for our families survival.............

Back to School

Was August 28, 2003 really 5 years ago??? Apparently so, and Annika is now a KINDERGARTNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That alone scares me to death! I know that she has definitely come along way, but time just seems to pass us right by. Before we know it, she will be in college, married, a precious child will start calling me g-ma! Scary thoughts!

Candace, 2, is now going to full time preschool/daycare, and boy has that child had some changes! She is getting more and more sassy by the day! Those are a whole other blog in itself!