Whew!

It's been a really, really long time since I posted here. I have missed it, but I've not had the extra time to devote to it. I'll do a really quick run-down of the last 5 months. FIVE MONTHS?!

We celebrated birthdays in October. Hubs got home safely for his deployment in November! We saw most of our family over the holidays. We celebrated more birthdays in December. Hubs' grandfather passed away at the ripe old age of 100 in January. We moved in February.

That's a lot of life!

We live in the Eastern time zone again! We are much closer to our family. We have a fabulous home with amazing neighbors. Honestly, we couldn't have asked for a more appropriate place for us right now. The boys have already adjusted and love it here. We had to think creatively in a few cases, but we're thrilled with the results. Here are some pictures of our new digs!

our front door with lots of new decorations

living room from the entryway

home school area from living room

back toward the living room from the home school area

kitchen with my awesome new rooster in the corner

kitchen from the dining room pass through

dining room 

coat closet to the right as you come in the front door
why yes - my pantry is in my coat closet!

coat closet is to my left as I look down the hallway 

1st door on the right: Bull and Monkey's room

1st door on the left: Gator's room

Gator's room

more of the hallway 

boys' vintage powder blue bathroom (the first door in the previous picture)

it's a long hallway!

Hubs calls it the Phone Booth (his uniforms are in this closet); I call it the sewing room 

our bedroom (last door on the right from the hallway)

our vintage brown bathroom

Eucharisteo!

Day 322

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

It’s the beginning of the harvest season. The cooler temperatures, the breezy days, and the slight change in the color of the leaves all testify to it. I have been watching the various stages of harvest. Fields are still green, some are ripe, some are being cut, some have just been cut, and still others have already been turned under. I have needed the reminder.

The first waves of Soldiers are just starting to arrive. And I am so thrilled for them! They have served well, and their families have waited patiently for them to come home. My head knows that their proper time is now. My heart is longing for it to be my turn!

Honestly, my desire is to put my head down and plow through the next few weeks. The temptation is so strong! But I would miss so much. I know that I need to slow down and look around me. We are back in the swing of things with school and activities. I could easily just get the stuff on the list checked off. I’m trying to remind myself to be present with my kids.

These boys are a wonder to me: Gator’s sweet nature, Bull’s sense of humor, Monkey’s explosion of personality. Gator has grown taller, stronger, and more coordinated. I’m curious to see how that translates onto the soccer field. He’s also in third grade and things just seem to “click” for him in an exciting way. Those a-ha moments are one of the best perks of home schooling.  

Bull is playing his first team sport ever and doing a great job! He’s in the proverbial dustball surrounding the soccer ball with his teammates, kicking toward the correct goal! He is making incredible progress in general, showing improvement in speech self-correction, strength and muscle tone, coordination, longer attention span, and improved fine motor control. His first attempts at reading are music to my ears.

Monkey has a deepening desire to communicate with us, and is starting to exert an independent spirit. While this causes some frustrating moments, he is right on track developmentally! His facial expressions rival those of Bull (which is quite an accomplishment). He’s such a wonderful, busy, happy toddler.

To think that I could miss all of this “stuff” mourns my soul. I am praying to have ears to hear and eyes to see all that is going on around me. I can’t afford to rush through these last few weeks, because I have so much to miss. So, here I am, slowing down, asking for the presence of mind to take in every moment and tuck it away. Because really, it will be over sooner than I think. 

Day 183

OHHHHHH! We're halfway there...

To be honest, I've had better months.

It was really great to see Hubs for two weeks in March. After we dropped him off at the airport, I asked the big boys what they were thankful for. Bull said that he was glad he could give Daddy some "squeezers" (Bull's tackle hugs that nearly squeeze the breath out of you). Gator said that he was glad that he didn't cry as much this time (as compared to Day 1). Really, that has been true of the last five weeks for the boys. They have done really well - no real drama to speak of.

I'm a different story.

Maybe it was the busy-ness of our calendar, or the pile-up of unexpected things. I'm still not quite sure. Whatever it is, I have not been on top of my game. I've been grumpy, harsh, and abrasive. The gremlins have shown up in various forms: a dead battery and A/C going out in the van, unexpected surgery for a kiddo, cancelled practices that I didn't know about, medical bills that arrive at my house by mistake, crazy weather swings, a clerical error that postponed our move for a month, blah, blah, blah. It's not any one thing. It's all of it happening at once.



I'm glad that we're on the upswing. Sanity showed up in a Honda driven by a gorgeous brunette accompanied by two really cute blondes. Comfort comes with laughter over dinner with new friends whose hubbies are deployed too. Encouragement arrives in an unexpected card in the mailbox. Solace is found in the steady (albeit slow) pounding of the pavement behind a jogging stroller. Healing balm flows from fellowship with this amazing sisterhood of wives surrounding me.  

Bull, C, Gator, A, and Monkey hangin' out

We still have a lot to look forward to in the next few months. Our new house will be great - I will have a dedicated school room for goodness' sake! We have a few exciting trips coming up and the summer looks to be full of fun. We'll start school in August. And Hubs will be home before we know it!



82 Days

Last week, we set a new record for the longest we've been apart. Mind you, this is not a record that I wanted to set and then break with each passing day. But each day apart means one day closer to him coming home.

The past 11.5 weeks have been both easier and harder than I expected.

Easier - There hasn't been as much drama as I expected from the boys. They are adjusting without many issues. Most rough spots are resolved with a reassuring hug and a Skype call. By the way, if I ever meet the people who invented Skype, I may embarrass myself. I am so thankful for this mode of communication. My boys love it too. Bull leaves the funniest voicemail messages for Hubs. Gator enjoys showing Hubs all sorts of new tricks and things he's created. And Monkey is so cute when he points, waves and babbles at his Daddy. I love that my baby knows his Daddy's voice and his face. As long as I have my phone, we can video chat anytime!

Harder - I am tired and rely on Diet Dr. Pepper WAY too much. Oh, how I wish I liked coffee. It's much warmer than DDP! The boys require a great deal of energy, as one may expect. The big boys miss their Daddy's physical presence. They've started beating up on each other (and suffered swift and appropriate consequences)! They soak up any attention they can get from our guy friends. Monkey has gotten a bit better about sleeping through the night. I thought that this weekend would be our breakthrough. Alas, we all have the sniffles and coughs/wheezes, so no one is sleeping well these days.


Easier - There are days that I really do forget he's on the other side of the world and fully expect him to walk through the door in time for dinner. Does anyone else experience this phenomenon? Maybe it's because the rhythm and busy-ness of our lives didn't change much when he left? I don't remember this happening before though, and it's a bit disconcerting.

Harder - The gremlins typically de-rail my day. Shoveling snow, dead car batteries, losing my keys for four days, rabbits/mice in the garage, snowstorms, viruses....the list could go on. I've accepted that these things will happen (thank you U.S. Navy for teaching me this at the beginning of my marriage!), and just try to roll with the punches.


Easier - It's been much easier to loosen my standards than I thought. Really, I haven't had a choice. There aren't enough hours to get "it" all done. Bedtime has gotten a bit later as has wake-up time. The house is much messier than I would prefer (it's winter though and we spend a GREAT deal of time inside right now). I've let dinner planning slide big-time (being remedied this weekend though!). I chalk all of this up to adaptation. I'm ok with it and working through it.

Harder - Everything takes more time, especially in the winter. The coats and the gloves and the hats and the snow and the boots and the mud...It seems that it takes so much longer to get anywhere and do anything. Maybe I'm understanding what the really important stuff is.


Easier - The boys are much better this winter than last with getting themselves ready to get out the door. They even get Monkey's jacket on him and get the dog in her kennel. I also know to start 15 minutes before we actually have to leave. Really, the kids have been amazing. They have stepped up with helping me more than I expected.


Harder - We have been really sick (for our family) this winter. There was the birthday trip to the ER in October for wheezing, the 2 weeks of Norovirus that got all of us in December (while on the road no less!), the sniffles, runny noses and cough that have plagued all of us at different times. Monkey still hasn't had his shots because he's been sick off and on for over a month!

Easier - We have hit our stride with school. Gator is accomplishing more in less time than before, and with a good attitude. Bull started pre-school this week, and I'm able to use free childcare for Monkey.

Harder - It's really tough to see guys in uniform all. the. time. They look so similar to one another (in uniform that is) that it's easy for my mind to play a trick on me and think that my soldier is walking toward me. I don't resent them or pout when I see them. I am looking forward to him being home though.

Easier - The community of which I am a part is absolutely amazing. I can't get over the support and the camaraderie that exists with this group of people. Though I have my "surviving" days, mostly we are in "thriving" mode. And when it's really hard (like it was a couple of weeks ago when our unit lost a Soldier), I know I have people who can sympathize and walk me through it.

I've heard that many hit a wall during months 4-6. What say you? Any ideas for making it through?

Hello again!

The keyboard has been quiet for a little while. We have spent our days savoring and squeezing every sweet drop of time together before Hubs left.

And now begins our long separation.

It is surreal to me. I can't wrap my mind around this length of time. From what I've been told, that's normal. Take it day by day. Break things into bite-size chunks. Make plans. Set goals. Remember that mercies are new.

Taking it day by day...I know this will be hard for me. I am a planner so looking at the first day of deployment and not seeing the long line of days attached to it is nearly impossible. I hope that our daily rhythm of life will help me. Home schooling has forced me to be more present with my kids than ever before. What blessings these children are to me! Bull will be my secret weapon in this. The night that Hubs left, he said, "So Daddy's not coming home from work tonight?"

Break things into bite-size chunks...I've already done this a little bit, reminding myself that there are only five weeks until we leave for Christmas vacation. I haven't gotten much past that though: part of that "being present" thing. Actually, this proved useful tonight with Gator. He was lamenting how long it would be before we could see (meaning touch) Daddy again. I was able to share some of our "chunks" with him and the length of time didn't loom so large anymore.

Make plans...No problem! We have plans made until this time next year. I need to confirm them and add a few more to make time a bit more bite-size. There's a good chunk of time between January and Spring Break - time that is ripe with potential for the blues because of the weather. After Spring Break, we'll be trying to get re-settled after a long winter and looking forward to R&R. Summer will fly by as usual with a trip to Spring Canyon, and trips to see family sprinkled in there. Then, we'll hit the new school year. And soon after that Hubs will be home!

Set goals...I'm a great planner, but a terrible goal-setter. I have a love-hate relationship with that type of accountability. Using this list as a starting point, I've managed to set some goals!

• I want our family to be physically resilient and fit, to adapt the "culture of fitness" that is prevalent in the military. I want to be back to "pre-pre-pregnancy" weight by the time Hubs comes home. So, I will exercise for at least 20 minutes every day, whether that is by myself, by doing PE with my kids, or by working out with friends. I will also strive to be in bed by 10:00 every night, allowing myself at least 7 hours of sleep. By using Once a Month cooking, I will be intentional about our menu so that I don't resort to cereal, macaroni and cheese, pizza, and fast food every night of the week.



• I will develop a good, working routine/schedule for our lives, to include new responsibilities for everyone, as well as some changes in the earning department for the kiddos. This will lighten my load considerably AND eventually score me some points in the daughter-in-law department! :)



• I will be using this space as a journal of sorts for me, a place to process my thoughts, documenting our life while Hubs is gone, and maybe getting his point of view every once in a while. I will also be hiring a sitter and/or using my free childcare hours as an added sanity maintainer. Most importantly, I will stay connected to my energy source by studying the Word.

Remember that mercies are new...every day in fact! Some days will be harder than others. I know that I will fail by allowing my exhaustion and sorrow to overtake me. And every day that I wake to new mercies is one day closer to Hubs being home.

It is my prayer that I will look back on this deployment and say, "Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me this far?" We are looking forward to what He will complete in us during our time apart.

Here we go!

Home School - Month 1

(making cave paintings for Art and History)

Whew! What a month it has been! I'm exhausted in ways I didn't know possible, but soooooo thankful for our decision to keep the boys at home. We have been able to spend precious moments together as a family before Hubs deploys.
Our first week was a little bit trying. I think that besides getting used to school at home, we had a number of other things going on in our family and the stress level was very high. Also, we had to tweak some of the curriculum. We're still using the stuff I described here. We just had to adjust some of the leveling and pace. Once all of our activites started, extroverted Gator was much happier. I think he felt trapped for the first couple weeks before we got to see people other than each other. Mostly, it has been me learning how to manage my ever-present household duties, mothering, and now teaching. We've really settled into a great rhythm. We still have hiccups, but they are all managable.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday mornings:
7:15-8:00- PE with other home school families (when we can make it)
8:00-8:30- breakfast, morning chores
8:30- review memory work (AWANA verses for both; poems for Gator; days/months for Bull)
8:45- handwriting/spelling/grammar (videos/PBS, phonics, games, letter practice for Bull)
10:00- breaktime, Monkey's naptime
10:00-12:00 - math, science reading (tangrams, math games/manipulatives, and some formal lessons for Bull)
12:00- lunch with Daddy!

Monday and Thursday afternoons:
1:00- finish up science, history (formal instruction is done at this point)
2:00- reading time (Gator)/quiet time (Bull)/naptime (Monkey)
3:00- snack, playtime
5:00- dinner
5:30-6:30- Gator's football practice on Thursdays (Hubs coaches the team)

Wednesday afternoon:
1:00- occupational therapy for Bull, science/history for Gator
3:00- Musikgarten for all three boys
4:00-6:15- library and dinner
6:30-8:00- AWANA

Tuesday:
9:00-12:00- PWOC (I'm teaching Precept's Marriage Without Regrets), Gator has assignments (memory work, handwriting, science/history reading) that he completes in the home school room at PWOC, Bull has a blast in the preschool room, and Monkey smiles in the nursery.
12:00- lunch with Daddy!
1:00- spelling, grammar, review assigned reading (Bull plays)
2:00- reading time (Gator)/quiet time (Bull)/naptime (Monkey)
3:00- snack, playtime
5:00- dinner
5:30-6:30- Gator's football practice (Hubs coaches the team)

Friday:
7:30-8:30- breakfast, morning chores
8:30- review memory work (AWANA verses for both; poems for Gator; days/months for Bull)
8:45- handwriting/spelling/grammar (videos/PBS, phonics, games, letter practice for Bull)
10:00- leave for co-op
10:30- Art class for Gator and Bull (taught by local college students)
11:45- Presidential Physical Fitness Program (coordinated/coached by a home school mom; Hubs comes to help)
1:00- lunch with Daddy!
2:00- science experiments, history timeline and special activities

(Glider experiment)

I know that this will undergo many revisions in the coming months as Hubs leaves, Monkey grows, and Gator and Bull advance. This is what is working right now. And I'm happy to say that we're pretty much staying on track with what I had laid out in my lesson plans (which are written in pencil!).

9 months old

My sweet baby boy,
You are now nine months old. I would like for you to slow down please! It makes me a little bit sad that you will be one year old in a very short three months.
You crawl and cruise all over the place, and leave evidence of your presence. I'm constantly side-stepping and sometimes tripping over toys, books you've pulled off the shelf, magnets that are no longer on the refrigerator, recyclables that are waiting to go outside, and shoes that you've pulled out of the shoe bin. And wires - you love wires! I have caught you about two steps up the staircase, so there are gates at the top and the bottom of the stairs. You'll stand for a few seconds on your own now too.

You love a bath now, but still only for a few minutes. We have to keep the lids on the toilets closed and Duchess' bowls are another favorite. You also like Duchess' kennel...a lot (so did your brothers and just about any other kid that comes over!).

You're doing better with solid foods, but it's still slow-going. You like peaches, pears, applesauce, sweet potatoes, and bananas. You're not so excited about peas, green beans, or carrots. I have to sneak them in with the sweet potatoes or trade bites of fruit with bites of green veggies. You gag and complain every single time they enter your mouth. I've made most of your food - it's so easy! And so cheap! I've been using some of these recipes by a friend from my childhood. I am looking forward to experimenting with some more! We're going to be working on your sippy cup skills over the next month also.
We need to have a talk about a little problem we've been having for the last three weeks. It started because you were teething. You have your two bottom teeth now. However, you are not currently teething, so you should not be waking up at 1:30 and 4:30 am anymore. Last night you actually slept until 3:00 before crying. We have to work this out quickly, because Mommy is very tired right now! On the other hand, you've fallen into a very regular schedule of napping - what a relief! It's still hard on some days to get you down for both of your naps, because of your brothers' activities.
You started clapping the day that you turned 9 months old. Sometimes you get so excited that your eyes get really big, your arms are wide open, and you shake. It makes me laugh every single time! We've been attending a Musikgarten class once a week with your big brothers. You love it! You tap along with the music and play the instruments like a pro!

Your hair is growing and keeping its curl. And your eyes are looking more and more green. I really think that the color will settle on some shade of hazel. The other day you had a blue shirt on and your eyes were blue again! Who knows?! Regardless, your eyes are so smily and melt my heart on a regular basis.

We're going to be embarking on a new adventure together - cloth diapering. It seems very silly to me that I haven't done it before now, especially since we're at home so much. I'm still doing some research, so we won't be starting quite yet. It will be soon though!
We'll be embarking on another adventure too. Your Daddy will be deploying soon. He switched units to serve some different Soldiers who need him. We've been very busy getting prepared for his departure. I wouldn't mind if you started walking before he left so he could see you take your first steps. But you take your time. You'll grow up soon enough!

You are such a content baby. I am so glad that you're mine. Your smile can light up a room!

We love you so much!

Lessons Learned

The Army is big on After Action Reviews (AAR) and use the leadership technique ad nauseum. It's only appropriate that I conduct an AAR regarding our recent trial run for deployment!

1. Get in bed on time.

2. Have a list of projects to accomplish while he is gone, but don't overspend while accomplishing said list.

3. Don't rely on technology (TV, Wii, and internet) quite so much, setting limits for all of us.

4. Use a schedule for me and for the boys, including exercise time, weekly library trips, and a fun event once a week. This was harder to do since it's summer. It will be easier once the school year starts.

5. Have a plan for bad weather, and go outside more on good weather days.

6. Figure out a better meal plan with lots of quick and easy meals, including a really easy night (like pizza) once a week.

7. Play with the dog and take her on walks.

8. Plan big events at regular intervals.

9. Hire a babysitter once a week for "Mommy stays sane" time.

10. Get up earlier than the boys, giving me time to read my Bible regularly.

What are some other tips for thriving during a military separation? Any really easy recipes? Any ideas for big events?

Fort Hood update

This is a picture from the day of the Memorial Service at Fort Hood on November 10th. Just before this picture was taken, Hubs spoke with the President and shook his hand.

After the Memorial Service, Hubs continued to minister at Fort Hood for another week. He did everything from write awards to counseling. Once it was confirmed that he would be officiating the funeral and interment of one of the victims (he escorted her family during the Memorial Service), the nice people at Fort Hood allowed him to come home for a few days in order to prepare for the service. So, we got him back on Tuesday night. He left yesterday for Arlington, VA, did the services today, and is on a plane coming home right now. Here's one of the pictures from the service today. Hubs is the one hugging the older blonde lady (one of the victim's sisters) in the middle of the photo.

The last three weeks have been very intense for our family. However, we have been honored to serve the families and loved ones of heroes in this way and at this time. We will continue to lift these that mourn in prayer.

Veteran's Day Parade

What a privilege to be surrounded by a civilian community that supports our troops and by an Army community that participates in its' hometown! Our Division Commanding General is always invited to be the Grand Marshal for the local Veteran's Day Parade.
There was a flyover by our Combat Aviation Brigade, lots of troops, marching bands (including our Division Band), school groups, Veteran's groups, and numerous flags flying!

Gator's school marched (his first time marching!) and sang "Grand Ole Flag" about 1000 times. Bull had a great time watching from the sidelines. (We decided to just watch. I figured that Braxton Hicks contractions for the remainder of the day was not my idea of fun!) It was really a fun day!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Some pictures of my veteran through the years...
On the Bridge (2002):


In the Torpedo Room (2002):

Change of Command (2003) with Gator:

Navy Birthday Ball (2004):

Airborne Graduation with Gator (2008):

CH-BOLC Graduation (2009):

Air Assault Graduation with Bull (2009)

We are so fortunate as a family to be surrounded by veterans all the time. My boys have a very real understanding of the day-to-day sacrifices necessary to ensure our freedom. But they also understand that this military life has lots of great things too - including the privilege of living with our very own, real-life hero! Happy Veteran's Day, Hubs!

Thank you to all the veterans who have sacrificed for our freedom!

Here are some ideas for supporting military families that I posted a couple of years ago!

Hubs' doings...

11/7/2009
Hubs met with a local Imam today (Hubs is on the left in the first picture, on the right in the second picture)...


visited the site of the shooting...

talked with the press a couple of times, quickly referring them to the Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel that he was with...
and is now watching the Florida - Vanderbilt game in his hotel room.
A very full and sobering day.

11/8/2009
Today, Hubs coordinated the Chaplain resources directly supporting the surge of Stress Response Teams at the Behavioral Health Operations Center. He was "in the zone," doing what he does best - admininstration. He said that he felt like he was the Duty Officer back on the submarine today - phone calls, spread sheets, and coordination.

11/9/2009
Hubs was assigned to the Spiritual Resiliency Center on Fort Hood today. He had the privilege of counseling and praying with a number of Soldiers, including some of the first responders at the scene of the shooting. We are thrilled that the Soldiers are seeking out the services available to them! The Families of those killed on Thursday will be arriving at some point today in advance of the Memorial Service taking place tomorrow. One of their stops will be the Center.
Hubs was also interviewed by our endorsing agent's news outlet.