Thursday

So last night I was exhausted, but my mind didn't seem to listen to my body. I went to bed I "think" at 12:30 or maybe it was 1:30, I really can't remember. I ended up getting into bed and started to read more of Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (I highly recommend this!!! It's soooo good!) It's a Christian novel and I'm just really loving it.

Ok so I was reading last night and look at the clock and it was 3:00 AM! So even though I knew I could read way more reading wasn't doing the trick to get me to sleep...so I put the book up and turned off the light. After 30 minutes I could not get comfortable and was actually even more awake! So I came out here and took care a of a few things for Awana that needed to be done, then went and put away the basket full of towels and then hung up my clothes that needed hung up, then got back into bed and started reading again...finally at 4:30 I put the book up, frustrated that it was NOT helping me to go to sleep. I guess it's just TOO good! :X So I turned off the light and just started praying that God would bring me sleep and let my mind rest and of course my body rest. I know I probably prayed a good 15 minutes and finally sleep came to me! The boys kindly woke me up at 8 am. I layed on the couch so exhausted for about 2 hrs, yeah I was absolutely NOT productive for those 2 hrs I had absolutely no energy to do anything!!

I had a meeting at noon for FRG, Chad was home with the boys, he fed them so when I got home Jack went down for his nap and Jacob and I started his school work, then we just hung out and talked. I cleaned up a little then when Jack got up we had to run to the chapel because I had to get more certificates for my Sparks (Awana) to fill out, then the boys and I ran to the PX and got Chad's birthday gifts. The boys got him a shirt and shorts and I got him a Stein that has the city we live in on it! It's beautiful!!! We picked up a card and we all signed it and we put it in the boys closet and I told Jacob to give it to Chad Sunday morning, which I will remind him again before I leave tomorrow to give it to Dad before they go to church!

So tomorrow I'm off! I'm really so excited, I can't even tell you! It's going to be such a great weekend in so many ways. I also think I could use a break from everyday life. I've NEVER been away from my kids for more than a day. Well, I take that back. I was away from Jacob when Jackson was born for a few days and in NICU. Anyways though, this will be the first time I've ever been away from both boys! I know that I need a refresher, not so much from the boys and Chad but for myself. I have been feeling myself needing to have quiet time with God.

I don't see me on here until Monday! So have a wonderful weekend. I hope you all feel God filling your soul.

Great Reminder

1 Corinthians 2:9

However as it is written:
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard,no mind has conceived what GOD has prepared for those who love him"

I got this from Lyn over at:Brits blog

 

1.   If you had to choose between buying paper towels or napkins, which one would win?

I guess paper towels although I have discovered that I always have napkins and I'm often out of Paper towels, but as Lyn said you can use Paper towels for more things, including a napkin!

2.   What first appealed to you about blogging, and why?

I've always kept some sort of journal either paper or on the computer, so this was a natural next step. I started writing here regularly though about the same time Kelly did! :)

3.   Do you prefer to wear shoes, slippers, or go barefoot in the house?  Why?

Slippers. We have hardwood and young kids, when you do the math that equals dirt and sand are dragged in...so I wear slippers so I don't get anything stuck to my feet...the rest of them wear nothing inside. As soon as they come in they take off their shoes!

4.   Let’s say you’re camping, with whomever you want.  What one thing about home would you miss most?

I love camping so since it's JUST camping and not like I'll be living that way forever I don't think I'd miss anything, I know I never have in the past!

5.   Ice cream or cheesecake?  What flavor? Ice cream without a doubt...chocolate!

Just sharing some things

I wanted to share some important links that I think if you're a parent you need to be using. It's not secret I'm a Conservative Christian and I want my children to grow up in a world that's not full of immoral views and values.

Here's one that I really have been pleased with. I agree with 99% of what they put out and have been very pleased that much of what they stand for, the changes that have needed to be made have happened. It happens because mom's and dad's who share the same or similar values and desires for their children, themselves, and other children step up to the plate and are telling Hollywood and Big Business that it's NOT OK.

www.AFA.net if you sign up you'll get emails sometimes every few days, sometimes just once a week. Often they'll ask you to sign a petition or email a particular company, etc. AFA is "American Family Association".

In association with AFA is One Million Mom's: www.OneMillionMoms.com

There's also One Million Dad's: www.OneMillionDads.com

 

I hope you will get involved, stand up for your children and your family and for your future children's.

My shoulder feels great, thanks for those who sent me well wishes! To those wondering I don't take medications when pregnant, even thouse considered safe, mostly because so many of them just have not been study very long and most things I can suck up and get through. I just think of Jordyn. All that she went through, all the pain she endured if she could do it, I can surely do it for a few months! :)

I'm not sure if I shared that this weekend I'm going away for 4 days! I will be at training for PWOC from Friday through Monday! We're going to be staying at a 4 Star Hotel. We each had to pay $35.00 for part of the registration, it's aprox. $1,000.00 a person so not too bad huh?!! I'm really excited. The accomadations will be wonderful, but most of all I'll be with some wonderful Christian women. It'll be training as well as fellowship with other ladies! Everyone who's been there has raved about the location and just said the experience is amazing, life changing! Here's the link to the hotel we're staying at! It's about 4 hrs away from where we are stationed! Sauerland-Stern-Hotel

Well it's time to make lunch, the boys are playing (Jack's painting and Jacob's playing in the playroom). Oh...now they're playing hide and seek! LOL TTYL!!

another little update

So we got the car, Chad went downtown to get the material he needed to fix the hole in the gas tank only to find out there's NOT a hole in the gas tank! It's in the trunk under where the spare tire is stored! So he's going to fix that, but the car will pass inspection. He's planning on going down tomorrow to get it inspected and tagged! The lady who gave us the car said they told her it would pass other than that. Obviously they weren't very bright and didn't actually get UNDER the car and look otherwise they would have seen the issue. The plus side is that we got a free car out of the deal, so who's complaining!! LOL Chad does need to call for insurance on it (seriously I can't stand talking to them, they just get on my nerves! :X ) So he's doing it!!

The only thing we have planned for tomorrow is Jackson's tball practice which starts at 5:30 and lasts 30 minutes aprox. I missed it last week because Jacob had a scrimmage and since Chad's Jackson's coach he couldn't exactly miss practice so I had to. I was so sad to miss out on his first practice, but I couldn't miss Jacob's scrimage either! I know this is only the beginning of what life with kids in sports will be like, there will be times when one or both of us will have to decide who's to go to and who's to miss. I'm hoping that as the boys get older they'll be on the same teams.

I'm so exhausted tonight, yet have that "not going to sleep" feeling right now!

Oh I called to find out about our new armour entertainment center and it's going to be delivered next Wednesday afternoon! I'm thrilled that it's going to be here next week, even if I was hoping it'd be THIS week since that is what we were originally told! Anyways...it'll be here then. So next Tuesday we'll be taking everything off and out of our current one. Chad will have to take it downstairs, we can throw it out to recycling until we do our claims on it from moving here. Yeah, I know...we've been  here for almost 2 yrs and haven't done our claims yet. We did all the paperwork, but just need to get the guy to come and look at everything and he'll write what it'd cost him to fix things and we will get our money. The current entertainment center for one it's junk. It's partical board, we've had it for years...but the idiot movers (on the American side) took it completely apart. Now anyone with common sense knows to not take apart particle board furniture. It's not exactly all that strong to start off with (not like Oak!) so when you take it apart it just weakens it that much more. So not only did they take it apart, but they lost all our screws (not just for the entertainment center). We were both very ticked off. It has class doors that because hinges were missing we couldn't put on it either. So, after my parents leave will be getting that all taken care of, getting the money that the Army owes us!

Ok so I need to get off of here, my shoulder is hurting me. I'd really love to see a chiropractor, but well that's not going to happen considering that's one thing not covered and I'm sure they'd just say that it was pregnancy related although it's NOT since I've been dealing with back and shoulder pain since I was in high school.

God Bless and have a blessed day

Updated

I did a little update on my Favorite Journals. Some I removed because I either don't read them anymore, they don't exist, or well they showed to be someone other than I initially thought they were and couldn't and wouldn't advertise their journal as one I read!

I "think" I got all that I really enjoy the most, yet I may have missed a couple. Some don't update their journals, a couple are private I am pretty sure I notated those that are, if not sorry!

I'm working on an entry in my mind right now so hopefully later today I'll have a new actual entry up.

Oh on a good note, we have the 2nd car. Chad and the wife went up and got everything transferred over to our name. When Chad comes home he'll call USAA and get insurance on it. He's hoping to get away from work for about 30 minutes so he can go to a automotive shop down town and get the material he needs to get the gas tank fixed, at least temp. so we can get tags on it and get it moved over to our place. Jacob has German class today and then Tball practice directly after that. He's planning on taking the boys out with their plane and helicopter (remote control) and let them fly them for a while!! He got them when he was in Iraq and gave them to them at Christmas. He's also going to bring up the battery for the boys John Deere Gator so they can start riding in that again too! It's just a waste in our storage room, it needs to be played in!

Ok....well I'm off. Jack's up from his nap, Jacob's nearly done with writing out his spelling words for the week, we'll head out to the park once he's done with that!

The paths God leads us

Ok one all of you are wonderful and some just bad for encouraging my craving that I had last night! (Terri you're the worst! LOL) Anyways....I'm past the little craving I had for cinnimon rolls, although I am thinking I will make some this week, the boys love them, Chad loves them. They're a yummy breakfast, great snack, and always enjoyable! Hopefully I'll get motivated enough to make a double batch and freeze half of them, but well I'm not holding my breath for that! LOL

Tonight we had our next to last Awana meeting, well really it was our last official meeting because next week is Awards night and the party! I will be missing it because I'm going away for PWOC training. I'm looking forward to going but sad I'll be missing the Awards night for the kids. I have a lot to do this week though to prepare for Awards night. Make sure I've written out a certificate for each child, we're going to make candy bags for all of them.

Now I know this is going into a whole other direction, but doesn't God just amaze you? I have a "friend" (she knows how she is) who has felt led to go down a path, everything looked to be going smoothly and then God with his great humor and timing through in a little bit of fun you could say,  she now have more waiting to find out if this path she's felt led to go down IS indeed what God wants for her than she thought. This could be what she thinks, a new walk in her life or it could be God just seeing if she was WILLING to take that path, willing to listen to him. I think we all have been in that situation that God opens a window and it either leads to a door opening or simply leads to a window with some fresh air blowing in, showing that yes we are indeed willing to follow him, listen to him, and put us out there. I think God wants to see if we'll walk the walk as well as talk the talk. I don't know what God has planned for her and her family. I know that she's done what it appears God wants her to do and I have no doubt that pleases God. If that path is God's will, then it'll happen...if part way through he decided it was meant for someone else then she at least listened to God, followed him, and did what he led her to do. Everytime God calls for us, it's NEVER wasted. It may be a new walk or it may be a learning experience. It'll be interesting to see God's plan here, where he leads my friend.

We all know God's good at showing us what we need to do, even when it's not what we expected, planned for, worked towards. He can sometimes, ok no often change things half way through, 3/4 the way through, sometimes all the way until it's time for the door to open and then he says "no".

So...to my precious friend no matter what God's decision is on this opportunity for you what ever happens is because it's God's will for you. If you get the job, it's because he wanted it for you and if you don't it's because it's his will! We know he's never wrong and won't lead you wrong! I love you!

I pray that if God's leading others of you down a path and puts up a few road blocks or completely gives you a detour you recognize it's God. I pray that through the easy days and the hard days you praise him, thank him for the opportunities, every one of them whether they're easy or hard lessons he teaches you. Remember that God's got you. He does allow free will, but when we lean on him and let him take the lead he will and he will guide you correctly. He loves you and wants what is best for you, even when at times what's good for you is painful, hurtful, confusing, joyful, rewarding, amazing. We never know how God's going to show us his way.

Have a great rest of the Sunday!

God Bless

Craving

I'd love to have a cinnimon roll right now, one of my homemade ones. Oh man I can just taste them. I need to go to the commissary and see if they have any frozen bread loaves, if not then maybe Monday I'll make up some bread dough in my bread machine and do it that way (just haven't done it that way). I just wish they didn't take so long. Who knows maybe I'll just have Chad run to the commissary after church and grab a roll for me! LOL I can't STAND frosting so that will be left off, but well those refrigerated ones are not nearly as good as home made ones, they get hard so fast and well I can make 2 pans worth for about the same price of one of those cans that has I think 5 in them! Oh man I want one now!!!!!!! Ugh!

 

Ok so done with my little craving rant! LOL We had a really great day today. We went to our friends for a BBQ. It was nice out and although not nice enough for the activity I'm about to tell you about it happened...the boys and Chad and Tim all had a water balloon and gun fight! They were all soaked and everyone had to change clothes because they were cold, but let me tell you they had a blast! I wish I would have brought my camera don't ask me what I was thinking for not bringing it!! Jacob was the first one to say Forget it and go change, that was after a good full hour to 1 1/2 hrs of playing in the water! After all that was done we took everything upstairs, put away, and then just sat inside and visited for a few hours. We're truly blessed with good friends. Tim will be deploying soon and well it sucks, because most likely when he gets home Chad will be back down range. :(

Ok well I really need to get to bed soon! I stayed up and tried to watch a 2nd run of Dancing With The Stars and just couldn't make it. I slept through a few of them and tried to watch Apollo, but only saw about half of his what I saw was definately good, but oh well! LOL I woke up about 3 am and took my tush to bed!

Goodnight! :)

Friday

Today was a pretty relaxed day for the most part. Jacob was motivated and did his school work this morning, he took his spelling test this afternoon and got a 100 on it! Spelling words has been one of those things I've been messing around with a bit. Initially we started with 5 and he did really well with them so I thought we'd try 10 and that was just too much, so we're back to 5. Every week he gets 5 words, I have him write them out 3 times, every day, then on Friday he writes them out 3 times we wait an hour or two and I give him his test. When Chad came home Jacob was telling him how he got a perfect on his spelling test so Chad just starts throwing words out there, some he knew some he didn't know how to spell all he only was off on one letter (the ones he got wrong). It did annoy me though that he does that, Chad that is. I know it's hard that he's not as involved in Jacob's schooling and since Jacob doesn't have home work we're done normally long before Chad gets home from work. They do read together and he see's the progression there, but Chad doesn't have as much patience after dealing with some days some complete idiots at work....but one thing I really love is having Jacob read to me. Jacob is finished with his Kindergarten curric. We will be starting 1st grade on Monday. We will be schooling all year long, taking breaks as we desire. When my parents come for 2 weeks next month, no school and once summer is officially here we'll be going to one subject a day throughout the summer. We'll be doing school up until the day before the baby comes and then we'll take the rest of August off, for me to heal, get into some what of a routine with the baby and having 3 children in the house! I'm sure we'll probably start off slowly 1 or 2 subjects starting back up, but hopefully by the end of September we'll be back to full time and Jack will start a more structured preschool curric. hopefully our days will go smoothly! It'll work out I know that for sure!!

So anyways today my friend Bobbie called to see if  Jacob could spend the night with Brandon and if tomorrow we'd like to come over for a BBQ. Jacob had a tball game and pictures tonight too, so they had pictures taken, then his game. They did great. They don't keep score. All the kids get to bat every inning (they play 3 innings). So after the game Jack tells Mr. Tim (Bobbie's husband) that he wants to stay the night with them. Ok now Jack is 3 1/2 and has NEVER spent the night anywherewithout me or Chad. The ONLY time I've ever been away from him was when he was about 1 1/2 and I went to our Women's Retreat when we were still in Kansas and the retreat was about 15 miles from our house and Chad and the boys came to the hotel and helped us set up and were there the next day to help tear down, I think I was away from them for about 15 hrs, maybe 18...maybe and they were at home with Chad!! So, Tim told Jackson that yes he could spend the night! Bobbie tells me that Tim said Jack can stay the night. I was not very sure about it, he's my baby and he's only 3 1/2. I ask Chad and of course he's fine with it, so Jack's having his first over night away from not just mom, but dad too. He's just literally right across the street from us, but man it's big for momma. Next weekend I'm actually going away and will spend 3 nights away from my children and I'll actually be away for Chad's birthday, which is Sunday. I feel bad to a point that I'm going to not be home for his birthday, but then I started thinking this is something I really need to do, I want to do and dang look how many birthday's the Army's kept us apart for! LOL! I will be home the next day so really not too bad. I'm going to have his gift already bought and will give it to him the day I come home, but will have the boys give him their gifts on his actual birthday! It'll work out!

Do pray for me that I'm ok being away from my boys for so long. I guess it'll be good preperatioin for when I have this little girl and have to be in the hospital away from them. I know this is a horribly boring post, so I'm going to head to bed! Tomorrow Chad will be meeting the boys at wrestling and then bringing them home afterwards, we'll get a couple loads of laundry done. I have to get things done for Awana on Sunday then we'll head over to Bobbie and Tim's for the BBQ, enjoy friendship, then come home and do some more laundry. We HAVE to get some laundry put away! We're getting closer and closer to my parents coming and dang we have so much to do before they come!! We need to get the boys bedroom cleaned, we need to get our bedroom cleaned! I'm hoping next week our new entertainment center will be delivered and when it is I think we'll rearrange our living room. I really need to get our huge cario cabinet sold, so I need to take a couple pictures of it and get it posted up around post and in the local post papers. It's really huge about 7 feet tall. I may call the Thrift Shop, they now have a room opened up for furniture so that would be a good choice, we just  need to find someone with a truck and a few of Chad's soldiers willing to help him get it there, over their lunch hour or if they can get some time off during the day. I will have to call them Tuesday and find out what day we can bring it down there, that really would be the easiest way! I should get some other items together and take them to the thrift shop too, some toys for sure!

Oh not sure if I told you guys we ordered a whole new living room suite! It's being made and I guess it should be here in about 8 weeks now, it's been 2 weeks ago since we ordered it and it takes aprox 10 weeks for it to be made and shipped and delivered to us! I can't wait for it to get here!

 

Ok seriously going to bed now!

So Disturbed

So I sign on to AOL and I see the face of a murderer and well honestly I don't want to see this monster's face. I have not blogged about Va.Tech for a reason. It saddens me, but honestly I have nothing to add that others have not. I think tragedies bring in a great deal of love from many, some ugliness from a few, a lot of people will turn to GOD for a few days but then they'll go right back to living, turn away from GOD again, and although they will not forget this tragedy it'll become news from yesterday. Much like Columbine and the other school shootings, much like 9-11, etc. Our society can truly be so empathetic, but short attention spans, such short attention spans. I'll honestly be shocked if in another week or I'll even stretch it to two weeks, we hear hardly anything at all about this tragedy.

So, anyways...I just am not happy that I have to look at this murderers face everytime I look at the welcome page. It disgusts me, he disgusts me. He's pure evil, whether he was mentally ill or not, he did Satan's work end of story.

I am praying for those who were killed, for their families and friends. I pray for the students and professors who witnessed these horrors and who will forever have it engraved into their minds. I pray that people will not try to profit off of these people's deaths or this evilness. I don't need to see this guys face every 5 turns of the aol page, no one does.

A Tale Of Two Houses

This one is very true.   http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/house.asp

 

I do wish this kind of stuff would make the news, but it won’t!

 

 

HOUSE # 1: This house has 20-rooms (not including 8  bathrooms) and is heated by  natural gas. In addition, there is a pool  (and a pool house) and a  separate  guest house all heated by gas. In an  average month, this house  consumes  more energy than the average  American household in an average year.   The average bill for electricity  and natural gas runs over $2,400 per month. In natural gas alone, this  property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an  American home. This house is not in a northern or Midwestern "snow  belt".  It's in the South.  HOUSE # 2: Designed by an architecture professor, this house incorporates every "green" feature current home construction can provide. The house  contains only 4,000 square feet (4 bed rooms) and is nestled on arid  high prairie in the American southwest. A central closet in the house  holds geothermal heat pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300  feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F.) heats  the house in winter and cools it in summer. The system uses no fossil  fuels such as oil or natural gas, and it consumes 25% of the  electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system.  Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon  underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes  into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Native flowers and shrubs native to the area blend the property into the  surrounding rural landscape.    HOUSE #1 is outside of  Nashville, Tennessee. It is the private residence of Al Gore.  HOUSE # 2 is near Crawford, Texas. It is the private residence  of George W. Bush

(Now isn't THIS an "Inconvenient Truth"!)

How'd you like to Save a Life?

That's right, you any of you could maybe help save a life. On May 12 my friend Jessica, they're having a Bone Marrow Drive at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital (in Nashville). IF you live any where near Nashville I'm BEGGING YOU please go get tested. Since it's a drive this should be FREE to all. They will be doing simple mouth swabs for this drive.

What is a small amount of discomfort/pain when you could be saving a life? Think of the ACTUAL pain a child with cancer goes through? The physical pain of chemo, radiation, the getting sick, the days, weeks, sometimes months where they're blood counts are too low for them to leave the hospital much less get to see anyone outside of their family and medical staff. Think of what it must be like to know you COULD die because of this disease that's ravaging your little body when all you want to do is be outside, running, playing, riding your bike, playing ball, etc. Think of it.

I urge, no I challenge each of you to get tested and put on the bone marrow registry whether there is a drive near you or if it's something you have to do yourself. I do know that for ALL minority races it's completely free, but for those who are white you do have to pay. I know it doesn't make sense, but for some rediculous reason minority races do not get tested near as often. So no matter what color your skin is, go get tested and do it NOW. To find out more information on bone marrow donation go to:

www.marrow.org

You can go to your local hospital or dr and have your blood drawn and then Fed Ex it to the marrow registry and it'll be in the system and if you EVER come up as a POSSIBLE match they'd call you, you'd have some more blood tests, and then if you are that LUCKY and VERY BLESSED Match....you go in for a same day procedure of them pulling your marrow out, and with in a couple days you'll be back to your everyday life. Knowing in your heart you just gave a family HOPE for tomorrow. Take it from a Mom who GOT that hope, it meant the world to us. To know that the only way for Jordyn to possibly live was because of the generousity of a stranger....it meant so much to us.

I pray you will all not only get tested but will also make a regular habit out of donating blood AND plateletts. Those are also life savers, literally. We all know that it seems we constantly have a national shortage on blood and all blood types, so what's stopping you? Sure you can always think of an excuse, but what if tomorrow you needed that blood transfusion and because today you were "too busy" there's no blood for you? What if tomorrow someone YOU love was dx with cancer, trust me they're going to need a blood or platelett transfusion at some point...but you were too busy to donate. DONATE.

Visit Jillian's page, find out about their bone marrow drive...

www.caringbridge.com/visit/joyfuljillian

God Bless

 

I'm bored!

Jacob's done with his school work and he's off doing something on his own in the playroom so...here's Heather's little surveyTightening the corset

 

Your name: Christy

Your age: 30

Your location: Germany (the state of Bavaria is as much as I'll tell!)

What's the weather like there today? Actually it's rather chilly today, after many day's in the 80's but brr!

How much did you pay for your last tank of gas? Ummm Chad filled up the tank, but I think we had a half a tank and it was close to $40.00, I think we're in the 2.70's right now.

Your relationship status: Married for 10 yrs

Number of kids/grandkids: 1 daughter in Heaven, 2 little boys, and 1 little girl on the way!

Pets: In Germany: 1 Cat Pounce (who has CONSTANT UTI's) and 1 bird (a canary that NEVER shuts up). In Kansas 2 dogs BJ and Brittany and 1 cat Cassie

Do you live in a house/apartment/bat cave??? We live in military housing, an apartment. OF course it's bigger than the house we lived in at Ft.Riley..go figure

Square foot area of your home OR # of bedrooms and bathrooms: I believe it's a little over 1300 sq feet.

Early bird or night owl? Night owl definately

Do you have life insurance? Of course I do and Chad has it via the military and we have our own as well. We're parents, we'd be very irresponsible if we didn't.

Last vacation destination: We went to Garmisch (our next will be Austraia and The Netherland's when my parents come!!!)

Last heartbreak: My friend, Jessica's daughter Jillian relapsing AGAIN but with a different cancer this time (www.caringbridge.com/visit/joyfuljillian)

Last celebration: Watching Jacob last night at his tball scrimmage! :)

Strangest (most out of place thing) on your computer desk: the windchime I got from Poland LAST year that I've Yet to hang up! :X

Strangest thing on your bathroom counter: a children's book that Jack left in there!

Plans for the weekend: Friday Jacob's first official game, not sure for the rest of the weekend!

Best thing you can say about the person you snagged this from: Very loving

 

I know I wrote the little update Monday morning, but feel like it's been forever since I actually wrote anything worth while and have to say I don't think I have anything really worth while still to write!

Yesterday I hosted a Mom's Morning Out for our Local PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel...bible study), we gave mom's who's spouse is deployed or about to deploy next month to drop off their kids for a few  hours. It was from 8:30 to noon. We had 9 kids, granted 2 of them were mine, but that's the most we've had! It really was a good morning and the kids were great. There was one little boy who we had a few issue's with, I talked with his mom when she picked him up and well lets say he left crying knowing he was in trouble when he got home! I shouldn't giggle about that, but well I am! LOL I know as a Mom I want to know when/if my children misbehave if I'm not there and I give the same curtiousy to other mom's.

That went well and then at 2 I watched my friends little girl she's 16 months old, just as sweet as can be! My friend keeps Jacob for me while I'm at PWOC which is definately nice. She doesn't charge me. We made a deal that when she needs childcare, as long as I'm home/free I'll watch her. It's worked out well. Jacob's well behaved normally plays with her little girl, watches a movie sometimes, plays, draws, has a snack, and then I come and pick him up. This morning she said to let Jackson stay and he loved it! She took them to the park, so they got some outside time this morning as well.

Of course yesterday and today being mornings I needed to be up and out of the house the boys both slept in! I had to wake them up both mornings! Yesterday I woke them up at 8 am. Chad was home and I was actually able to leave the boys with him, go pick up the keys for the Yellow Ribbon Room (where we did the Mom's Morning Out) and get things ready for the kids to arrive, since the YRR is literally right across from Chad's office it worked perfectly. This morning I needed to be out of the house no later than 8:35, and I had to wake the boys at 8:20! I got them dressed and had them each grab an apple for breakfast, I grabbed a bag of grapes, the boys grabbed a few toys, a movie and off we went. I amazingly made it to PWOC early!

PWOC was amazing! I shared with the ladies we're having a girl. We're down to 3 classes left for this session, then we'll have a break for a few weeks and start up our summer video series.

Tomorrow I have the PEP briefing for PWOC, I just go and tell the new spouses to the area about PWOC and almost always talk about what's going on at the chapel as well! It takes about 15 minutes so it's pretty quick and easy!

I hope to come up with a better entry later. I am just feeling rather blah right now and kind of tired.

Oh I guess something really great is that the baby is getting REALLY active! She kicks and hits a lot and throughout the day and evening! It's really so nice and reassuring to feel her inside of me. Growing and active!

God Bless

Update on Toe

It's not broken, I woke up this morning and it wasn't hurting and it's not bruised or anything. Thanks for all the well wishes, prayers, and concerns. It definately hurt last night and I was almost sure it was broken!

Definately not something I could afford to happen...having a 6 and 3 yr old and pregnant and living on the 3rd floor! Yeah...that would have been fun times! LOL

We're off to the park...God Bless

Broken or Stubbed Toe?

Oh my gosh, I think I pulled a Heather...I might have just broken my big toe on my left foot. It hurts so bad, the pain is making me nauseous. I can't move my foot without it causing my toe to just throb beyond belief. The worst part is that I kicked the stupid 2nd step coming up from the basement so essentially I had pretty well 3 1/2 flights to walk up with my toe throbbing.

I'm about to go to bed, I may take a tyelonol if it doesn't stop hurting once I lay down. Oh man this stinks. I don't think the can do anything for a broken toe, so I'll just have to take it easy if it is broken. Funny enough, Chad said he tripped on the same step and almost dumped the laundry basket full of clothes, that would NOT have been good! He didn't stub anything though.

Zoo and Palm Beach Water Park

Friday we had a great day at the zoo! We had monkey's hanging down from ropes to where people were actually able to touch them, they were rather friendly little guys, who ultimately are used to getting fed by people, although they're not supposed to be. We did NOT feed them, none of us wanted to be part of making them sick. Our next animals to see where what became my favorite because of Jordyn, the giraffe's. Oh our girl loved the giraffe's. I took quite a few pictures of them. There were a couple very young ones, and they were the ones closest to us too! The zoo is a really nice size zoo and I forgot that, it's bigger than I remembered! My pregnant tush was worn out by the time we left! They have a petting zoo and kids park there and I think the kids enjoyed that the most! I think I enjoyed it the most too, while the kids were playing us adults got to sit and rest, which was nice and needed! LOL

Saturday our whole family (Chad too!!) and our friends Tim, Bobbie, Brandon, and baby Destiny all went to Palm Beach, which is a water park about 45 minutes from us! It was so much fun! It's absolute huge! It's an indoor/outdoor water park, most of it's in doors. The pools are heated which was really nice! We were there for over 6 hrs! We got there a little after 3 (I had my hair cut at 12:50 apt was at 12:30 but that didn't happen) and we left at 9:45 well once we were all changed it was after 10 before we pulled out from the parking lot! We got home right at 11 pm! Jack was asleep before we even pulled out of the parking lot and Jacob was asleep about 10 minutes later! We all had so much fun! If any of you are ever in Germany and you're ever in Nurnburg I highly recommend a day at Palm Beach! It's a blast! We have decided we're going to go there once a month. Chad gets a 4 day weekend once a month, so we'll be going there probably on the 4 days, well we will not be going on Friday's, I was told that it's nude day there so we'll skip that day! I personally have no desire to see others without at least a bathing suit on. Trust me seeing some of those women in bikini's who have NO BUSINESS being in one or men in speedo's and NO MAN EVER,EVER,EVER looks good in a speedo...NO MAN! Trust me on that, plenty were in great shape but it still was not pretty. LOL We were in one of the outside pools and there were other American's there and one of the women took a picture of a guy in a speedo, as hard as our little group tried not to we couldn't help but giggleour tushes off!

Today we had a good day. We went to church, commissary headed to the deli to get turkey, ham, and salami then we came home had lunch, and the boys started cleaning up their playroom. Then we headed to the movies and saw Meet The Robinson's. What a good movie! I was moved to tears at the end, very sweet! I do recommend it! We took Brandon with us and all 3 liked it as did Chad and I! We came home and the boys got back to cleaning their playroom, which isn't done but man looks so much better. Chad and I started on the laundry, I actually am about to go down and fold clothes and throw the rest of the clothes into the dryer.

Well that's our weekend! It was really a great weekend!

Oh I also got my hair cut and did take before picture, I'll get an after picture and post those tomorrow probably. It's really short now, really short. I think it's possibly the shortest it's ever been other than when I got it cut insanely short in jr. high! Unfortunately I can't pull it back into a pony tail or anything, but it's long enough that it's on my neck, so I'm going to have to go to the PX and get something to pull it off my neck, because I can't handle it laying on my neck when I get hot!

How Much Do you Hate me! LOL

It's beautiful here in Germany once again! You know you love me Kelly!! I'm in SHORTS and a short sleeve shirt, Jack's in shorts, and as soon as Jacob gets home he's running up here to change into shorts! Then, we're off to the zoo! I'm really looking forward to our day. Spending it with friends and at a nice little zoo. The Nuernburg zoo is by and far not the biggest zoo, but it's close and nice. We were there in Oct over '05 before Chad deployed. We're riding with Bobbie and her family. Her husband Tim is driving so it'll be nice to relax and not have to do that!!

I'll be taking tons of pictures. Ok well it's 9:12 so I better get Jack and me some socks on and I know to get Jack's carseat out of my van.

 

Have a wonderful day! Oh btw, it's supposed to be in the 80's here today! Amazing that Wisconsin is covered in Snow and we're in practically summer like conditions!

Loving Spring in Germany

It's Thursday and woke up with a great deal of peace over everything. I know I have no control over how long Chad will be in Iraq when the time comes again (and yes it will come again even if these idiot Democrats continue their idiocity in trying to set a publicly KNOWN time line...yeah just TELL the terrorists our plans!)

Anyways....Jacob spent the night with one of his best friends (our families are all very good friends), Bobbie (mom) called to see if Jacob could spend the whole day today with them. They went to Heidelberg to go see the castle there (I urge you to google it...it's AMAZING!) We haven't been there yet, so hopefully we can go there sometime soon. Then they were going to drive on over to Ramstein and go eat at Chili's (yes..that's right America's Chili's!) It's on post I believe. I'm sure Jacob will enjoy that. I think when we go to Heidelberg we'll just stay there and eat at TGIFriday's (yes again the American one!!) I'm going to guess it's still going to be a couple hours until Jacob's home (it's 7 pm here now) because Ramstein's a good 3-4 hrs from where we're at!

Jackson and I enjoyed our day toghether! We don't get a lot of one on one time together so it was so nice! We had a lot of fun just playing this morning and hanging out. He talked all morning long! He IS a talker, but well normally Jacob's there too who also talks (I just don't know WHERE they possibly get that from! LOL).After Jack's nap we got up and headed outside into the high 70 degree day we may have actually hit the 70's! I started off in a tshirt and jeans. We walked over to the gym to exchange Jacob's baseball pants (they gave Chad grey for him, but he's supposed to have black) then stopped by the ACS and I booked the Yellow Ribbon Room for PWOC so we can do a Mom's Morning Out for the wive's who's husband is down range or who's husband's about to be heading that way next month. Then dropped my book off at the library, then off to Chad's office (it's right across from the library! We got up to his office about 15 minutes before the end of the work day so Jack ate a jello I down a water. We started heading home together and a spouse that's the FRG leader in another company, but with in our Battalion stopped us and told us she's just GIVING away a car. It's a Mazda something, so we went home and Chad got out of his uniform. I changed into shorts and a tank top, and Jack changed into shorts and we headed over to her place and looked at the car. Chad has to fix the gas tank, because it has a hole on the top of it, but it runs and is in good shape...it'll be a good 2nd car and we won't have to put all these miles on our van! Chad's going to go get something from the car care center tomorrow to fix the tank temporarily until he can get another tank. He'll go get it registered in our name tomorrow. Registration is $30.00 and he's going to go to the junk yard here on post and hopefully he can get a tank there and it should cost he thinks about $15.00...so a decent 2nd car for $45.00 not bad! When we get ready to PCS back to the states, we'll just sell it!

The 2nd car will come in so handy while my parents are here too. My mom and I are going to go to Poland one day, so Chad, my dad, and the boys will stay here. This will let them go out and do something IF they want...or they can just stay here and relax. I really like that we can stop putting ALL the miles on my van which will be so nice. It's a 4 door car so that will definately be handy! I'm actually pretty excited about it.

Ok so after we looked at the car, we're kept walking. Chad wanted to look and see if he could find his stolen bike..so far no luck. The little punk probably has it locked in their storage room or depending on where on this post they live in their garage. Chad does have another bike though. One of his soldiers PCS'd and gave it to him. It's a really nice bike as well. Chad has it locked up in our storage room for now. We bought a new bike lock for Jacob's bike so hopefully the little jerks won't come and try to take it again (the other locks we'd had for a few years, but they appeared to be in good shape so we're not sure if they broke easily or if they cut them, since the locks were gone as well.

Anyways...we got back home and took Jack to the park for a few then Chad and Jack ran to get Chinese and ice cream (it just sounds soooo good...some strawberry ice cream!). That's where they are right now. Chad's going to stop and get him some speghetti ice (giletto aka Italian ice cream and I'm sure Jack will get something there too) then he was going to run to the shopette and get me mine I wanted AMERICAN ice cream! That's what I'm in the mood for!

Tomorrow the boys and I are going with Bobbie and her family (who Jacob's with today) to the Zoo. It's supposed to be in the 80's tomorrow! It's going to be so nice! A perfect day for the zoo! We are just going to ride with them in their van. I'll just have to run and get some euro's for zoo entrance and lunch! Not sure what time we're leaving, I'll find out when they drop off Jacob. Update...Bobbie just called me, they're just now on their way to Chili's and stuck in a stau (trafic jam). Jacob's going to go ahead and stay the night with them and in the morning when they come to get Jackson and I for the zoo, he'll run up here and change his clothes (he has all his hygiene items and pj's so he's good for the night). I'm seriously thinking that they will be getting home close to midnight for the fact that they still have to drive to Ramstein and still order, eat, and then drive home and they have a new born too! Well I consider a 3 month old pretty well a new born! She said Jacob LOVED the castle! She mentioned maybe all of us going down there one day together (both families) and I think that'd be great, then we'll just all head to TGIFriday's for dinner! LOL Hopefully we can go before Tim deploys, just depends on what everyone's schedules are like.

Ok, so that's been my day in a nutshell! We also decided they're going to come about 9 in the morning to head to the zoo! It's going to be a great day. I know the boys will love it. I'll take my camera and get lots of pictures!!

Have a great day!!

Keeping it in Perspective

I let it go out the window there for a while...what? My perspective, reality...God's got this. I'm still sad and still don't understand why the Army has to take the  brunt of this extention exclusively...but God knew this was going to happen and that's what I have to focus on. What good am I as a Child of God's, as a Christian woman...if I don't remember that this is only happening with GOD's permission. Does it mean it's God's will, I don't know that....but I know he knew this was going to happen and that's all I need to remember. That when Chad DOES redeploy, which he WILL do in the next 12 months (most likely LESS) and when he does have to go for 15 months...God's got him. God will be with him and one way or another I'll be with him again. None of us know how tomorrow will go or end....Chad could redeploy and it could be the last time I see him as he gets on that bus...I just have to remember it's only with God's permission and that Chad's a Christian and one way or another I'll be with him again some day. I do pray that every single soldier down range (Afganistan or Iraq) is a Christian, but I know without a doubt they're not, which means they will NOT go home to Heaven. It breaks my heart, but it's the reality and all I can do is pray for them that they do find Jesus and believe in him.

Just for the record...going to Italy for a year is NOT a deployment....it's called an Unaccompanied (or hardship) Tour! Also I had a question about the Marine's where I stated they on average deployed for 7 months...yes it's a fact, it's also in the AOL article. I had always THOUGHT they deployed for the average 12 month tour like the ARMY but a few weeks ago on our News over here on AFN (Armed Forces Network) they were talking about the Marine's 7 month deployments. Chad knew this considering when he's deployed he's been with Marines too, I just never realized this! Also Emily over at: Emily's Purple Pages  talked about this time line not too long ago too! There are always exceptions to everything, but what I was talking about in my first entry tonight...was the AVERAGE Marine, Average Airmen, Average Sailor out on ship! This is from personal knowledge of friends who have a spouse in those other forces.

 

Please also keep in mind and perspective this is MY journal, my thoughts, feelings...which includes frustrations, sadness, etc. I am for the most part a happy, easy going person...but there are things that will get me hot. I normally vent to friends vs here. It's what works for me. This isn't a private journal so I'm not quite as open with my feelings at times and trust me I in general have A LOT to say, but this isn't the place I'm the most comfortable at to do that. Anyone can read this and at times anyone HAS read this. There are plenty of UGLY people out there who like to stir up drama and I just don't have the time or energy to deal with that junk. Some people thrive on it...I have a family and simply don't have time for that kind of drama.

Anyways...this is the last entry of the night.

More about the ARMY's extention

AOL FINALLY has it on their page...here's the link:

Top News- Pentagon Extends Army Tours to 15 Months - AOL News

 

WASHINGTON (April 11) - Beginning immediately, all active-duty Army soldiers in Iraq  and Afghanistan  will serve 15-month tours - three months longer than the usual standard, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.

 

It was the latest move by the Pentagon to cope with the strains of fighting two wars simultaneously and maintaining a higher troop level in Iraq as part of President Bush 's revised strategy for stabilizing Baghdad .

"This policy is a difficult but necessary interim step," Gates told a Pentagon news conference, adding that the goal is to eventually return to 12 months as the standard length of tour in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He said the new policy does not affect the other main components of the U.S. ground force in Iraq: the Marines, whose standard tour is seven months, or the Army National Guard or Army Reserve, which will continue to serve 12-month tours.

Gates acknowledged that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are making life difficult for many in the military.

"Our forces are stretched, there's no question about that," Gates said.

He said the new policy also seeks to ensure that all active-duty Army units get at least 12 months at home between deployments. He said it would allow the Pentagon to maintain the current level of troops in Iraq for another year, although he added that there has been no decision on future troop levels.

Soldiers will get an extra $1,000 a month for the three extra months they serve, he said.

Without changing the standard tour length to 15 months, the Army would have been forced to send five brigades to Iraq before they completed 12 months at home, Gates said.

Some units' tours in Iraq had already been extended beyond 12 months by varying amounts. The new policy will make deployments more equitable and more predictable for soldiers and for their families, Gates said.

"I think it is fair to all soldiers that all share the burden equally," he said.

There are currently 145,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, and when the buildup is completed by June, there would be more than 160,000, officials are calculating.

AP Military Writer Robert Burns contributed to this report.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

 

Gates announces longer tours in Iraq - Yahoo! News

I hope this link works, if not basically it's been announced that ARMY soldiers will now not be deploying to Iraq and Afganinstan for 12 months, but now 15 months as of IMMEDIATELY. For most of you this doesn't effect you one way or another, but this does effect my family and so many of our friends. Here where we're stationed we have a brigade about to deploy here shortly heading to Afganinstan, and this is going to be devistating. This does NOT effect any other military groups...it does NOT effect the Marine's who only deploy for 7 months (must be nice), it doesn't effect Navy who well most don't even deploy to Iraq or Afganistan ( a few but it's a very few), and it doesn't effect the Air Force who well honestly does not know what a deployment is at 3-4 month deployments..sorry but for us Army spouses we're just getting into our comfort zone at 3-4 months! Seriously, I'm furious, sad, and just really overwhelmed. I know that this will effect us come our next deployment which we have officially, but unofficially (I know, frustrating and rediculous huh) we know when we're supposed to deploy (I will NOT state this for the fact that it will most likely change dates and where...yes we've been told where too, but again this can and probably WILL change so no point in writing it plus it's a safety issue.

Anyways, please keep our soldiers in your prayers. I know a lot of you say you pray for them, but reality is most of you don't. Again I'm being honest and realistic. I think a lot of people do a lot of lip service, but very few ultimately think twice about the soldiers on a regular basis. There's very few of you who even personally know anyone in any of the services, considering only 4% of ALL American's are in the military, it pretty well limits how many actual Americans KNOW, truly KNOW a military member or family member. Very few of you know one...just because you read my journal doesn't mean you KNOW a military member...ultimately the majority if us are strangers who get a really small glimpe insto each others lives. The only person I've EVER met in person is  Kelly.

 

Anyways, sorry I know this is a tangent, but it hits me hard personally. My heart is sad knowing that my friends will be deployed for 15 months, that my friends will see their spouses and parent deployed for 15 months. 12 months is HARD enough, much less 3 extra freaking months. I have tried really hard to always have a good attitude when Chad's been deployed. A lot of moaning and groaning is NOT going to change things, other than to bring me down. I have my days, but over all I do well. I gave our last deployment over to GOD and I continue to do that. This just really makes me sad. Why does it JUST have to be Army soldiers.

I have friends who are Marine families, but the fact is why is it that the so called "big bad Marines" are not staying 15 months? Shoot why couldn't they have been extended 10 months over their 7 and still they'd have been under the 12 month mark. Why can't the AF get a taste of a decent freaking deployment of 6-7 months? Ugh! Like I said, I'm frustrated, annoyed, and angry.

Now do NOT think I don't support what we're doing. I do. I think those who like to spout off that they support our troops but not the War are talking out their butt. Guess who's FIGHTING the freaking war people...the TROOPS. It's their JOB. If you don't support the war, you don't support the troops..plain and simple. NO ONE likes war, but it's a reality and it is the whole point of having a military. Yeah...can you guess a small pet peave of mine! LOL It really is and it really, really ticks me off when I hear that rediculous phrase.

Ok, so anyways seriously be in prayer for these SOLDIERS and their families...there are so many wives and children at home waiting for their soldiers (oh and husbands). For those who are in the midst of deployments that are being effected to those who are about to deploy and will be effected. Chad and I actually just sat here and named tons of friends who we personally know being or about to be effected by this news. It just sucks.

Prayers for Joyce one of our Jlanders

Many of you already know Joyce, if you haven't read her latest update I hope you will go over to her journal: Treasure Chest Full of Life and read the latest update she wrote called "MOM". Please let us all lift Joyce up in our prayers. I don't know God's will for her mom, but I know he has control over this and trust him to hold her mother as well as her and her family.

 

Easter pictures and an update

I hope all of you had a nice Easter. Our family did. We got up with the boys and they got their Easter buckets, then off to church we went. I'm not a huge fan of our current chaplain. I know I miss our home church and pastor...but yesterday he did a really good job. He actually read a Jesus ABC's that I am hoping to get a copy of, it was really good.

Anyways....the sermon was good, and he did a good job of staying on point and focusing on Jesus and the importance of what Easter REALLY is about. We then went and  had Easter pictures taken with the Easter bunny, came home, dyed eggs, then had an egg hunt, came in I finished up dinner while Jack took a nap and Chad and Jacob went on a bike ride! (It's beautiful here in Germany) We then enjoyed a wonderful dinner of Turkey, Home made noodles, home made bread, mashed potatoes, and cranberries, oh and peas (I thought I had carrots...but they got ate earlier in the week). No dessert, but the boys had their candy from that morning and we were all too stuffed to eat anything else anyways!

I'm too tired to load the pictures up, so I'm taking the easy way out!! :)

God Bless...keep your focus on Jesus!

ABC's of Jesus

 

 

I came across this and wanted to share.....today we celebrate the Resurection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ of Nazerene. He's the one, the only...he's God Almighty, he was Men among Men...he's our Lord! Let us not get so caught up in secular celebrations that we forget the ONLY reason we have Easter.....because Jesus died for us and because he is who he said he is and Rose Again!

 

ABC'S OF JESUS

Abiding Vine - John 15:4

Bridegroom - Ephesians 5:32

Creator - Colossians 1:16

Deity - John 10:30

Everlasting Life - John 3:16

Faithful Friend - 1 Corinthians 1:9

Good Shepherd - John 10:11

Hiding Place - Psalm 32:7

Image of the Invisible God - Colossians 1:15

Joy Unspeakable - 1 Peter 1:8

King of Kings - 1 Timothy 6:15

Lord of Glory - 1 Corinthians 2:8

Merciful Mediator - Hebrews 2:17

Never ending love - Jeremiah 31:3

Omnipotent One - Revelation 19:6

Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:6

Quieter of Fears - Proverbs 1:33

Rock of Salvation - 1 Corinthians 10:4

Sacrificial Lamb - John 1:29

The Truth - John 14:6

Understanding Guide - Proverbs 3:5,6

Victorious Warrior - 1 John 5:4

Word of Life - 1 John 1:1

Exalted name above all names - Philippians 2:9

Your only Hope - Ephesians 2:12

Zion's Messiah - Isaiah 55:11  

It's Friday

 

Thank you all for the congratulations! Chad and I are now starting to talk names. I went through the whole baby name book on the girls section yesterday and wrote down all the names I like, then named them off to Chad and he said all the ones out of that list that he liked. Then we played around with middle names to go with the 1st name. The list is starting to get a little shorter, I think we narrowed it down to 11, but there's one name on that short list I'm really not very fond of and just can not picture my daughter named this name...it's a beautiful name just not my personal choice!

 

 

I did come across a website that gives biblical names, tells the biblical reference which we love! That will definately help us in making the choice as well! God's so good and will give us the perfect name for this little girl!

 

Today was a gorgeous day!! So glad we're not getting the temps and weather that the midwest to the east coast is getting! We enjoyed a beautiful mid 60 degree, no wind day! We took the boys and our friends son to what we call the Airplane park! They have a large wooden structure and it's built like an airplane! It has a slide for the tail, different climbing area's on it and of course a steering wheel and seats too! It's really awesome! There's a lot of other structures there as well. The boys had a great time! We were there for 2 hrs, then walked down to make sure Brandon could continue to stay outside, and we went to our neighborhood park that we go to pretty well daily. The boys spent that time mostly catching bugs! LOL We came in at 7 tonight. Now they're eating popcorn ,for dinner. :X We had lunch at 2:30 so none of us are really hungry. We don't hardly ever do these sort of junk dinners, so here and there is ok I figure. The boys love it and well can't get any easier! LOL

Tomorrow the boys will go to wrestling practice until noon, come home I will have lunch ready, I'm thinking we'll just have sandwiches and then we're going to head outside for the afternoon. Jack will go 2 days without a nap, actually a good chance he'll go 3 days since Easter is Sunday. We need to dye eggs tomorrow so I'm thinking we'll do that when we finally come inside.

 

I need to get the house cleaned up tomorrow too. It's not too bad, but still needs to be done. Easter morning our friends are going to drop their dog off and we'll watch him until Tuesday.  They're getting ready for a deployment, so they're heading to Edelweiss for a few days and they don't allow dogs. We enjoy Sparky so for a few days it's nice! The boys love,love, love to play with him and so does Chad, so it'll be a fun few days.

Well the boys decided they want to have some pizza, so I'm making them a pizza right now. Got to love those frozen ones. I know they're not good for you...we did have a good lunch though doesn't really even it all out, but it helps!

God Bless

The Answer IS.........

                                                         GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I think only one person said boy...we were thrilled to see 3 lines! :) Today my ob gave me a picture of the babies foot! I don't post u/s pictures (I've come across too many getting stolen and freaks claiming them as their own, sorry this is MY baby!). If I know you I'm happy to email you once I've scanned it (which I haven't yet...I'll scan it later this evening.)

We will NOT be sharing the names we are discussing, and we will not tell the name we have chosen until she's born...so you have about 18 weeks to wait on that! Oh my due date did move up a week, so my estimated due date (EDD) is August 16 now. I will have a planned c-section (this will be my 4th) so she'll make her entrance the week before.

BTW....on another subject if you haven't went yet or didn't sign up for updates...Jillian's page was updated today...

www.caringbridge.com/visit/joyfuljillian

Please show them your love, support, and prayers and pass it on. Let them know how many people in this world care and love. Childhood cancer is obviously something very personal and close to my heart and because this family has been such a huge part of our lives I want to share with them our love, support, and prayers.

God Bless

I had my Ultrasound Today

So what's your guess, anyone? I'm going to leave you hanging with a HUGE HINT....give me your guesses over the next few hours and when I get back inside with the boys from playing at the park, I'll say what we're having!

 

Come on....I made it obvious! LOL

 

Oh and we couldn't be MORE thrilled! GOD heard the desires of my heart!!!

Why You Should Let Your Children Get Dirty!!

I came across this article and love it!! I'm a huge advocate about letting your kids go and get dirty. My boys don't get half dirty, or so-so dirty...they go all out and become filthy! A day at the park demands a night in the tub.

I have a friend who freaks when her son gets dirty. I don't get it. She thinks he's "filthy" when he has a little dirt on his face (and only his face)! Ha!!! Even if they have no where to go, the moment they get inside he's got to get in the tub. I think it's a little much personally. Let the kid play outside, get dirty, and just savior being a boy. They grow up far too fast, we all know this. Time goes by and before we know it that tiny baby we're nursing are 6 yr olds reading US story's.

We need to enjoy these moments. The moments of getting dirty, running their tonka trucks through the dirt and sand. It's those moments we'll cherish in our hearts when they become Daddy's and Mommy's themselves.

We're not a family that carries hand sanitizer around with us. I have a bottle in my van for when we're on trips and stop at rest stops since I've yet to go into one that has soap, just cold, no freezing cold water, or if we're having lunch on a trip in the van...then we use it. Otherwise it's just good old non antibacterial (yes you read that right) soap. A little bacteria is good for our immune systems. As seldom as we're sick (and compared to many families with children around the same age we're never sick it seems!!) I think our method is working!

 

Here's the link: Why you should let your children play in the dirt - ParentDish

and the article:

 

Nolan loves dirt. He loves to smear his little fingers in whatever gooey muck he can get his little fingers into, if there is a puddle he will splash in it, if there's a chunk of thick brown soil he will attempt to insert his limbs as far as they will go. And up till now, I have stopped him: Nolan, yuck. That's dirty.

But he might just know exactly what he's doing. This recent BBC article claims that exposure to dirt might lift mood as well as the immune system. Apparently, seratonin, a key ingredient in the brown gunk, may restore a healthy immune function in people who are depressed and prone to infection.

More study is needed, caution experts, but in the meantime, I guess it wouldn't hurt all of us to learn from our kids and smear a little mud.

Update/website for Jillian

Jessica sent me a very small update with their new webpage, please visit them and continue to pray for them as they make the best decision they can for Jillian.

http://www.caringbridge.com/visit/joyfuljillian

 

I am sure Jessica will update as often as she can. PLEASE do not make any requests on them, they have so much stress and so many decisions to make. I don't think they need anything right now, but prayers.

 

God Bless and Thank you

Locks of Love

Well after growing my hair out for over 9 months it's over long enough to cut for Locks of Love. Although Jordyn never had a wig or obviously desired or even wanted one we met a lot of kids (especially girls) who did have wigs. This is something I think every woman should do at least once.

For those who know me, you know that I normally get my hair cut after a few months because it starts annoying me, but well I have to get past myself. A little girl, teenager, etc would LOVE to be annoyed by hair, but going through chemo and/or radiation they don't get that choice. Some choose to shave it all off so they don't go through watching it fall out.

I'm calling tomorrow to make an apt to get my hair cut. I'll be cutting off 10 inches. I'm going in with it curly (natural state of my hair) and will take a before and after picture! Not sure what day I'll get it cut on, prob. either Friday or Saturday since Chad has a 4 day and will be home to be with the boys.

If you're wondering how you can donate your hair to Locks of Love it needs to be long enough that you can cut off 10 inches to be donated. Go to www.locksoflove.org and it'll tell you everything you need to know about donating your hair!

Oh....and I was thinking last night our Monday is all nice and calm with nothing extra to do..HA! I have to take Jacob to his German language class (he's learning German!!) that's from 4:30-5:30 and then at 5:30 he has tball practice...Chad's the assistant coach for his team. When his head coach called yesterday I told him Jacob would be a few minutes late. His class is literally right here by us and tball field is on the otherside. It's only a 3 minute drive at most or a 5-10 minute walk. So he shouldn't be too late. He'll go to class in his sweats, I'll have his cleats and glove in the van so we can get as soon as he's done in class!

He's excited to be playing again, I'll take pictures of him!!

Have a great Monday!

Hello

It's late...it's 1:08 am. I took a small nap on the couch tonight, I should have just went to bed like I did last night, but my back is still sore. We bought  good mattresses when we bought our bed 5 yrs ago, but maybe they weren't as good as we thought. I know I slept wrong, because my neck hurts still and my back is still sore. But this morning when I woke up, I could barely move. I'm seriously thinking about sleeping in Jack's bed. The boys have the best mattresses ever. Chad and I have seriously been discussing new mattresses because although we paid good money for them, they're just not cutting it. Chad wakes up sometimes with a sore back too. We can't afford the type of mattresses we want...which is the same my parents have. I can't think of the name of them right now, but they are more or less air mattresses that you can each adjust. Hopefully after we move back to the states and have a house we can get them, I'm sure it'll be a few yrs after we buy the house but it's nice to know it's in the future. In the mean time we will settle for regular mattresses, but we really need to do something else, my back can't handle this. We are going to flip the mattress this week when I pull the sheets and bedding off to wash them (well the flipping will happen when Chad's home). Hopefully that will help!

Ok that was so not what I planned on writing about! So off to what I was going to write about! So Sunday's for our family are pretty routine. We had church, it was the 1st Sunday of the month so we also had a fellowship dinner afterwards (pot luck style as always) I brought a Taco Salad, which I got the recipe from a friend of mine. It's so easy and so good! Here's the recipe!

1 lb ground beef (cook, drain, and rinse with cold water)

2 cans of kidney beans (heat, drain, and rinse with cold water)

1 head of lettuce

2 tomatoes

1 onion (totally optional...we don't because I hate raw onion)

1 bottle of Italian Dressing

1 bag of mexican cheese

1 bag of Dorittos (crushed up, but not tiny crushed...just into medium/small pieces)

Ok in a large bowl..add ground beef, beans, chopped up veggies. Once that's mixed up add cheese and 3/4 bottle of dressing, mix up. Add chips and rest of dressing right before you're ready to serve. We don't like it for left overs as the chips are all soggy after a while.

It's so good and really easy!

So we came home from dinner and Chad and Jacob went and invited one of his friends to Awana. He just needed to invite a friend to get his last green jewel to finish his Skipper Handbook. He's a kindergarten so he can only do the Skipper book, but he's already started going back through as a review. Next year he'll be able to start in the Hiker Handbook. He's excited and wishes he could start it now, but a review is great and will put those verses deeper into his mind and heart so that he'll remember them hopefully for the rest of his life!

Jacob's friend did come with us and he had a great time and can't wait to go back!! Sadly we only have 2 more meetings left...we have the next 2 weeks off for Easter and then Spring break (which is nice) then the next meeting is Store Night and the last meeting is Awards Night and Party which will be at the Skating rink here on post! I could kick myself for not having Jacob invite our friend sooner. Next year I'm going to make sure that every week he asks a friend to come. I know that they will not always say yes, but if he can get just one friend to come week after week then that means we've brought Jesus into one other child's life and that's the goal! To lead children to our Savior so they can learn his word and hide it in their hearts!

Jack had a great time at Cubbies! They made Easter Eggs (got to die eggs). He was sooo excited and had to show them all to me! He pulled out his green one and said "I love t his one" and kissed it! I was cracking up! He's so funny and so sweet! He had to go potty so his leaders' teenage daughter (who's babysat for us) took him and she said he was going potty and singing "Jesus Loves Me" and singing loud! He wouldn't be Jackson if he wasn't singing as loud as possible!!! That's my boy! LOL Bless that sweet boy!!

Tomorrow we don't have a lot on our plate. Jacob will do his school work and then when he's done and Jack's up from his  nap we'll be going to the park! I love spring and getting to go to the park and just outside in general so the boys can burn their energy!!

Tuesday I have 2 meetings. One in the morning for a PWOC board meeting and then one in the evening for an FRG meeting. We of course have school in between there and hopefully some park time.

Wedneday will be PWOC. It's a special week we'll be putting boxes together for children in a Christian orphanage in Poland. I need to go to the Euro store (Germany's version of the dollar store!) and get some toys (our class was assigned toys). So I'll get a few boy toys and a few girl toys. I also will be making Soup (on Tuesday) for our lunch on Wednesday. It's supposed to be a very easy recipe and all the ingredients will be provided so I'll just have to make it and bring it Wednesday!!

Thursday, Jacob has an eye apt in the morning. A while back he was saying that he was having trouble seeing when he was reading. I really don't think he is having issue's, but he hasn't had an eye apt for a while and no matter it was time and needed! Then in the late morning I have my 20 week ob apt. I'll be having my big ultrasound and hopefully the baby will cooperate and we can find out if we'll be rejoicing over a daughter or a son!!

Friday I don't know what we'll be doing. Chad has a 4 day weekend because of Easter. We bought our Easter dinner fixings so that's set. We are all ready for the Easter Bunny to drop by Saturday night! ;) We'll be going to have Easter pictures taken of the boys after church Sunday (the photographer will be open for a few hrs Easter after church!)

We need to go buy our Easter outfits still, we've definately waited until the last minute. Hopefully I can find something. I'm going to go downtown and look for me and maybe we'll find something for all of us down there, otherwise we'll go to the PX and see what we can find there. Hopefully we can find it off post, so we don't match everyone else at church!! I'll share a picture or two of us all dressed up!! :)

Well, I need to get to bed. I hope you all had a good Sunday. If you didn't spend some time with Jesus today. Praise him, pray to him, just talk to him. Get out your bible and spend some time reading it. Just let it open up where ever and read some passages. It seems when I do that, those verses speak to my heart so deeply. Sometimes God convicts me all over the place and sometimes he just wraps me up in his arms with his word. No matter what it is, it's always what I NEED to hear. We all need to read the bible. We all need to know Jesus, believe in him, and realize he's the ONLY WAY to Heaven. The ONLY WAY. He's not only the Son of God, He IS God!

 

Have a lovely Palm Sunday.