Sick, Sick....SICK!

Well the day started off good getting to Post to get ID cards, car stickers, & a POA with NO LINES!! MIRACLE!! Then we went to see Act Of Valor which was very amazing for a military story & a must see. But half way through I began to feel so nauseous . By the time we left I barely made it home before I tossed my cookies for hours! Not the way you want to spend the last day of R&R with your man  :0(  I laid in bed for 3 hours trying not to move so the little sips of Sprite I drank stayed down. Chills, fever, you name it I got it today. I just hope by the time I wake up it's gone. I have way to much to do this week to be sick especially with Paul leaving. The older boys are a big help but it's not the same.

I couldn't find a picture with a mom barfing over a toliet-lol That is where I stayed almost all day. Pray for me to get better, poor Paul's last day stunk which  makes me sad.

Wrapping it up...

Hey folks we have not fallen off the face of the earth we have just been enjoying our much deserved family time while the husband is home. We had so much fun doing everyday activities together. First up was lunch at school with the two younger boys. Paul got home just in time to attend his first family lunch with Jeremy & Jacob. They where so thrilled to see him there they rushed through their lunch . They wanted to show him what they get to do after lunch on the playground for Jacob & cleaning tables as a lunch room helper for Jeremy.

Then Paul and I enjoyed the first Friday he was home with much needed relaxation heated stone massages . We where both so relaxed & a little sore from working all our muscles. We headed off to lunch after that at The Ram to enjoy our time together. It has been a very nice transition with all the kids in school during the day for Paul & I to have alone time. That has never happened before on R&R. I didn't even miss our usual night away by ourselves since we had time during the day for uninterrupted adult conversations, hand holding, stolen snuggles, & kissing eachother anytime we wanted .It was heaven!


Next we headed to The Great Wolf Lodge with the boys in Grand Mounds, WA. It is only a forty-five minute drive from our home so it's the perfect stay-cation for our family. This marked our fourth time to go together & have a lot of fun! We try to go on block leave or R&R during deployment cycles. With teenagers & younger kids it's a place that has activities we all enjoy. We all raced around jumping on waterslides, swimming through the waves in the wave pool, helping Jeremy fight dragons in Magi Quest, & eating delicious food. We had a lot of good quality family time that we all needed.

Paul & I even managed to head out to dinner with our best friends with out children one night at Fujiyama's Japanese Steak House. It was fun to have our delicious meal prepared right in front of us by a wonderful chef. We really enjoyed the time with friends.

Last night we wrapped up our family & friend activites with a great BB-Que at Sam's home.

I meant to get a picture of her cooking the 60 ribs she had marniated for Paul with snow falling down, but I got side tracked inside chatting  :0/ But they where super amazing as always & there where hardly any left at the end of the night! Paul was having a great time with all his friends . I think we had a house of about 20 - 22 people running around. Great food, great conversation, & amazing food made the evening perfect. He said his goodbyes as he won't see a lot of them until he returns home later this summer. That was a bit bitter sweet knowing his time home is almost over. 
How fast the time always seems to go on R&R. You wait what seems like unimaginably slow months for it to arrive to hold your loved one. Then it's gone in a blink of an eye.  We had Sam snap a quick family picture- not the best but Paul was anxious to enjoy the evening - he hates pictures. But I need them while he is gone to help me make it through the deployments. I need to be able to look back & smile at the memories the picture brings to mind. This photo will make me laugh as it will remind me that Paul helped Nathan brew his first ever stout that day. As well as all our friends took time to come all the way out to our neighborhood to spend time with Paul before he leaves again. It will also remind me of the boys acting silly & Paul yelling " Just Smile All Ready!" then smiling himself for the picture with no sign of the craziness surrounding the photo.

 

Poor Jeremy was not feeling well all night. He laid down on a couch almost all night. I soon figured out that his head cold had moved to his chest. He was up all night with a nasty cough & slight fever.  He hasn't eaten much & is currently still asleep at 8:30AM in the morning, so I know he feels really bad. Hopefully he perks up to enjoy the last couple of days with his dad. 

We don't have much else planned except a couple more meals to make that are favorites. As well as just enjoying our time together. Then we will do the hardest thing ever & say our goodbyes for another four months at least. Happy together in this moment though as we treasure what feels like stolen time. 

PBS Has Hooked Me Again

I've always loved , loved Anne of Green Gables since I was in middle school when I first saw it on PBS. Never since then has PBS hooked me on any of their series until this week. I had seen a few friends post about a new series on PBS called Downton Abbey. I was curious so while my husband watched a Star Wars Marathon with the boys I dove into the new British drama.

I have been hooked so much I just finished the second season & can't believe I now have to wait a year for season three! I adore all the fabulous clothing the ladies get to wear. Especially Lady Mary's character, she always has the prettiest frocks. Her antics keep you on your toes at times feeling a little exasperated with her over her choices. But mostly feeling sorry for her when she realizes her mistakes. Her & Matthew together make me long to watch the old series North & South. I love a good drama filled romance!

It only took me 3 days to watch 14 episodes. I am not ashamed to admit it because it is such a good cast of actors bringing to life finally a good piece of TV that I haven't seen in years. I love all the chatter that happens among the staff who help you really stay logged into the family happenings. It's just all so intriguing but I have always loved time pieces. This following character took me a minute to figure out where I recognized her face from?? But soon I did figure it out! Have you or can you??

My only clue was her hair color & British accent. Then it smacked me in the face after watching her in about 3 episodes. Savecha! My spelling may be off but it means " diced fish"? Ring a bell yet? If your a die hard Grey's fan you should know the answer- she was Lexie Grey's patient for awhile. Her acting is very good in this series & I was actually sad to see her go when they wrote her off. 

Meet the three sisters who have sparks flying  from the opening episode. Eventually it all works out, but it has it crazy twists & turns. Enough to make you keep tuning in over & over. Or in my case watching it non-stop for hours at a time!

If you haven't watched it & wonder how now that it is over. Go to PBS.com to watch both season's for FREE!! Did you here me it's FREE!! If your looking for something to fill the  nights while the husband is away or just a good new series to sink your teeth into, then here you go folks. Downton Abbey has won me over & now I am anxiously waiting for Season three! Thank you to PBS for once again putting wonderful programming back on TV for me to watch.

Four Years Later

It's funny how in our lives that some years drag by when our soldiers are deployed . But how when one of our Angelverssiary's are upon us it really does feel like it just happened yesterday for me. I can only imagine what it must feel like for my husband and for those family members who are left behind. I know it seems as most have moved on and are trying to live their lives. But I also know how the losses have forever changed my husband & myself.  Four years later we are still remembering those two brave soldiers we lost today in Iraq. Four years later a lot of good men are asking the question still in their heads "what if?" What if I had done this or what if we had done that. The losses felt so keenly four years ago can still be felt just as much today. We never forget the sacrifices that where made by the group of guys who lost so many. They are forever ingrained in my heart. For a moment today I ask you stop and take the time to go remember with the rest of us so that we may never forget that Freedom is never Free.

Page of Remembrance   Go scroll through the faces of those young brave soldiers then pay close attention that today we remember & honor  Cpl Luke Runyan & Cpl Chad Groepper.

2BN/23IN RECON 2007 - 2008

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

My Valentine Arrived Early

My love, my friend, &  my hero arrived a little earlier then expected yesterday. I was at the gym doing my work out when I got a call on my cell.The caller ID said Texas & I knew exactly who was on the other end! He said he flew all night & caught an earlier flight so he would be in a whole day sooner then expected. I should have anticipated this but after years of the Army never getting me my soldier home on time I was not prepared. I raced out of the gym as fast as I could. Only to discover while driving home I had left my towel & water bottle at the gym by the weights-haha. But I need to shower, shave, & clean the rest of the house so I could be out the door in four hours to head to the airport. Thankfully I had started the cleaning process before I left for the gym that morning. I got myself all ready & laid out on the kitchen table a surprise early Valentines for my boys. The older boys knew their dad was arriving sometime soon, but the little guys had no idea.

I left their goodies out for them with strict instructions for the older two to not touch anything until their brothers arrived home from school. All left in a note they where to dispose of as soon as they read it they learned their dad would be home in a matter of hours not days!

Now that all was ready I could barely stand to wait any longer so decided to leave early for the airport.

I was leaving about thirty minutes early & when I arrived at the airport I was so glad I had gotten there early. His flight made good time & he would be arriving about 20 minutes earlier then we thought. I raced to the gate & waited for about forty minutes. I played angry birds on my phone which I stink at so bad! Then I looked up & it was time!

I was so excited & could barely stand to watch all the other passengers as well as soldiers come off the plane. FINALLY he walked out & I was so surprised at how much weight he had lost. I knew from our conversations he had said he lost 30 pounds but I wasn't able ot picture it in my mind I guess. He looked thin but good, so GOOD!! Of course we kissed  & hugged & I snapped a quick picture to share.

I wish we could take people with us because I would bring a friend to snap better pictures but this will have to do for now. he was tired but so happy to be home. We headed to Baggage claim where he had not checked any luggage so off we went to drive home. We chatted all the way home & stopped to grab pizzas for dinner. I phoned our oldest to let him know we would be home soon. he said the two little guys still had no idea dad was about to walk through the front door any moment!

Short little video of his welcome home. We where all so excited & just plain thrilled to have normal again for the next 16 days. I hope everyone else has just as good of a Valentines Day as our family.

Wishing & Praying....

 Yes folks it is getting hard to hide the excitement in our home. Soon & very soon I will be wrapping my arms around my man!