Our Day

It's 11:59 pm so just one more minute and Chad's birthday will be officially over here in Germany. He had a good one he said! He got from us 3 new games for his ps2 (it was a box set), a new shirt, new khaki shorts, and new sketcher sandels that are like Crocs. He said he really liked everything! :) I took pictures so hopefully I'll get them up here (still working on the Ireland pictures!). Anyways we went out to eat. We went to a Tex-Mex resturant and it was GREAT. Well for everyone but Chad. Poor guy he ordered a steak and they can NOT make steaks worth a hoot over here. It was really tough and chewy and had gristle throughout, which normally doesn't bother him, but it was to the extreme tonight. I had Chicken Fajita's which was AWESOME. Jacob had Quesadilla's and he LOVED them! Jack had taco's, there was 4 of them, he ate one! They were huge! Emma had beans! I ordered what sounded like to be sopapia's, but they sure didn't look like them to me, we'd ordered them to go so we knew no ice cream, but they put them in some rasperry sauce. That ended it for me. I'm NOT a girl who likes sauces that much, unless I order it knowingly like that and it said nothing about rasperry sauce on the menu (it was in English so it's not like I missed it!). Chad and the boys liked them.

I did not get his cheesecake made today unfortunately. I felt bad, but he said it was fine. He actually doesn't know what I'm making him. I'm going to make it tomorrow once I'm home from PWOC. By the time he gets home from work it should be ready to dig into! :)

 

Jacob has play practice tomorrow. He doesn't have to be there until 6, so we can have him fed at least before dropping him off and we'll pick him up at 8:20. It's going to be a long evening for him. I admit I already am looking forward to the week being over with. I do NOT enjoy being really busy. I'm such a homebody is so many ways, so having to run from this to that drives me insane sometimes. I just want to be at home snuggled up to Chad or one of the kids.

 

Oh..last thing. I'm in the process of planning a romantic dinner for Chad and I. He knows I'm planning it, I just have to pick the place. There's this resturant that I've wanted to go to since moving here, I'm going to go and look at their prices and see if they offer a candle light special ( a lot of the resturants here do). The building is actually built up in the middle of the river, has spectacular views. I'm hoping it's in our price range and we can do it! I have to decide what night, life is so crazy right now feels like we're being pulled in every direction and I HATE that. I just want to relax a little before he leaves. I just don't think that's going to happen.

 

Well I'm off to bed, I'm absolutely EXHAUSTED.

 

God Bless and Good night!

 

Oh and thank you for all the birthday wishes for Chad and well wishes for Jacob. I will pass them onto them tomorrow.

Chad's birthday and Jacob's in a play

 

(Chad in the Gardens of Muckross House, Killarney, Ireland)

It's the 29th here in Germany and Chad's officially 33 yrs old today! :) I already told him Happy Birthday as he made his way to bed about 30 minutes ago. I know this sounds terrible, but I haven't been able to take the kids out shopping for him yet, so we're going tomorrow when the PX opens. I don't have a clue what to get him, but hope to find something for him! We are going out to eat I believe, will have to double check with him if that's what he still wants to do if not, then I'm going to make his favorite...my lasagna, home made bread, and a salad. I got a Cherry Cheesecake to make for him (Jello). It's his favorite and he's not huge on cakes, but this will thrill him to no end! I'll make it for him while he's at work. I'm also going to have the kids make him homemade cards, too. They'll be far more special than any store bought one (which of course I bought him one of those! LOL).

 

 

(Chad enjoying a TRUE Guiness in Glendolock, Ireland)

So as the title says Jacob's in a play. The Missoula Children's Theater comes here every year and offers a free opportunity for the kids to perform. This year it's Robin Hood. Jacob will be one of the Foresters. We are asked to drop the kids off, we can stay if we feel we should, but they do suggest leaving them because then the kids are not distracted and trying "perform" for their parents while learning their parts. It works out well that we can drop him off because Wed. Jack has tball practice and Thursday Jack has his 1st game and although Jacob will not be there Chad has to coach Jacob's team (he's the assistant coach) the head coach will be at Jack's game (same coach for both boys and Chad's the ast. for both teams). It works out perfectly because depending on the date of when Chad leaves he may not miss any of the boys games, which is awesome! Anyways the fact that we can drop off Jacob makes life easier. We were asked to have the kids bring dinner with them. I'm going to take Jacob to subway and let him get a cold sub. He has practice from 4-8:20 starting on Wed. through Friday. The play is on Saturday, they have 2 performances. I want to go to both, but I'm not sure how Emma will do with both of them, I guess we can go to both and if I have to leave I can. I need to make sure my video camera battery is charged up, because I want this on video. I need to pull it out and tape the kids more often. I'm the picture taking queen, but haven't been too hot about videoing. I need to step it up while Chad's deployed. I of course want DVD camcorder, so that's something I plan on getting while Chad's in Iraq, so I can send him video's of the kids and he can watch them on his laptop. I'm just I guess too stupid to figure out how to do video's online, I've tried and have yet to be successful. It's really annoying that I can't figure it out! I need to ask around to friends here and see if someone can come and show me, maybe I'm doing something wrong, well I KNOW I am, just don't know WHAT part I'm doing wrong! Well anyways...I'm off to bed. Lots to do tomorrow. Jacob HAS to get done with his school work at a decent time, take out the recycling, so we can go shopping for Chad.

 

 

(Chad and Kids in Dublin)

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Gas prices and Bingo

So I've been meaning to write about the gas prices for a while, and not to complain...I know shocking an American not whinging about gas prices...why because I'm priveleged enough to live in Germany and although we're paying $3.63 at station here on post, it'd be far worse if we HAD to pay off post why you ask? Well because if I had to pay their prices I'd be paying over are you ready for this? Are you sure? I mean come on American's are complaining about gas that's less than $4.00 a gallon.....ok here goes...for the cheap stuff gas is over $9.00 a GALLON. Did you read that people? NINE DOLLARS A GALLON. The gas here is in liter's, but Chad and I figured it out. Do you get it yet? American's ARE BLESSED. WE ARE even with the price of Gas, it's still cheaper. Do I like paying what we do for gas, no, but I get that nothing's going to change at least not that much. It's not the President setting the prices, although I do wish the Government would step in and put a stop to how prices are set, because it could be cheaper at least for the US.

Now Bingo! I went to a bingo where the prizes were various baskets filled with items. I normally don't win, actually I've only won once since living here and playing bingo. It seems it's always the same people who not only always win at Bingo, but often win multiple times! So tonight my friend Bobbie wins, either the first or second game, I can't remember. She picks hers which is a cooler filled with all these awesome things for traveling. It was/is really awesome! The next game someone else wins and then the next game...I won! I picked out a basket full of games, I know our family will have fun with it! Then a couple games later I got a Bingo again and so did another friend of mine. When there's more than one winner and you both have Bingo they take a deck of cards and you draw and who ever has the highest card wins...I pulled out a 6 of spades and so I just knew I had lost and then she pulls out a 4 of spades! Score!! I took the cooler with various items for BBQ'ing! Bobbie came close another game, she was 1 away and of course the next game that starts that "one" was the first number called! Go figure! We had a blast though! I left the boys home with Chad and Bobbie's son stayed here too (and now he's sleeping over). I took Emma and Bobbie took her daughter and they were both good. We walked, so a lady we know took our stuff for us and will bring it over in the morning! When I get them here I'll take pictures and post them!

BTW, I'm still working on Ireland pictures. There's seriously just not enough time in the day! LOL One of these days I will finish editing and renaming them, etc! I'm off to bed!

Count Down Has Begun

Chad leaves in less than a month most likely. I don't know if I'm ready or not. Wait I know I'm not. It sucks. I know ugly word, but it's the only appropriate one there is. Right now, he's in bed with Emma snuggled up in his arms. I hate the fact that she's going to miss out on having her Daddy here with her and that he's going to miss out on so much of her, 15 months of her as a matter of fact. I know I can "make it" with him deployed, but I hate doing it. I hate being in that weird role of "single parent" but not single parent. Where we're being told over and over "don't tell your husband this or that" yet when you don't tell them, they want to know why you didn't tell them. The reality is, I tell Chad most things. I think it's a load of tar to keep them in the dark and pretend that everything's constantly beautiful, easy, and when you do that's when you get ignorant comments from your spouse like "you have it so easy at home" ROFL!!! Seriously if you're not a military spouse and have not been through a deployment you do NOT get the hillarity of that comment. Chad said it his 1st TWO deployments the first to Bosnia and the 2nd in Kuwait, before he headed off to Iraq the first time though he got to see what it's LIKE. Our neighbor's husband was deployed and she was pg with their 3rd children (we had our babies...who for me was Jackson....on the same day actually). Anyways right after her husband left to go back to Iraq right after R&R the Army messed up their pay. Her husband had bought a laptop while home and set up an allotment to pay for it, of course the Army sent ALL their money to the bank to pay for the computer and just left C with about $100.00, it'd gotten things backwards. Chad took her up to finance and got it all straightened out. Then a few days after that, which was the day before she was leaving for California (from Kansas) the back window of her van exploded! There was just thousands of cracks all over it. We'd all been outside in our backyard when it happened.) So that helped him see that when something goes wrong, it's always when the husband's deployed! So that deployment, he was really awesome. The last one he was great too, never make that stupid comment, and he even "disciplined" the boys via webcam! ROFL! I will say this....GOD BLESS technology! Seriously how awesome is it?!! But....he's still not here.

He will not be here to hold Emma when I'm so exhausted I can't hold her for one more second. He'll miss out on hersweet hugs, kisses, and as more and more words grow in her vocabulary. He'll miss her first steps, possibly first tooth (which has yet to show itself), her first birthday, etc, etc, etc.

He'll miss Jackson's first year of kindergarten. Of all the great things he'll be learning on a daily basis. Of soccer and any other sports he may play while he's not here. Of days at the park. Of him turning 5.

He'll miss out on Jacob turning 8, cub scouts, pine wood derby races, camping trips, sports for the year, his 2nd grade year, learning division, performing science experiments, learning about the planets in more details.

As a family he'll miss out on our trip to Italy and the beach this summer, trip to Belguim, and Czech Rep. He'll miss out on our trip back to the states and seeing everyone meet Emma for the first time and for Jack and Jacob "remeeting" our family and friends who they've not seen in 3 years. He'll miss lots of laughter, thousands of smiles, holiday's, birthday's, anniversary, hugs, kisses, long looks, holding each other, watching our babies grow, new joys, possible heartaches, walks holding hands, the list goes on and on.

But what he's doing over there is important. What he's doing is changing the world, saving lives, giving hope to the hopeless, and most importantly sharing Christ's love and compassion, and truth with those who don't know it or who've lost it along the way.

I must hold onto the truth. This is with in God's will, with in his control, and that he will not allow anything to happen to Chad that is not with in his will. I know I'll have down days, but I will do all I can to focus on the positive things. I may share heartaches, but I'll share just as much if not more joy. Come along with me on what is our 5th over all deployment, and our 3rd OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) deployment. I'll be writing once again here: TalesfromtheFrontandtheonesleftBehind I don't know if Chad will get to write there too, hopefully. Now that AOL has changed things and more than one person can write on a blog I'm hoping he'll find the time to write here and there, to give his perspective of being away from us. He's limited on what he can write about as far as the deployment itself goes and really I'm not that comfortable with him sharing that information, but his perspective on being away from his family, being in a war torn country, etc would be good to share.

Thanks for walking this journey with me, it's going to be our longest yet at 15 months.

 

God Bless

There's only one way

I dislike this woman immensley and believe with all my heart that she's the most dangerous woman in the United States, if not the world and I am not exaggerating in that belief. Too many people have given this woman far too much credit and control in their lives, through their own tv sets and by the books they read because of her own suggestions. It's sad and frightening. She's left the TRUTH. She has sealed her own fate by Denying Christ is the only way. She's completely new age and it's sad and frightening. Let me tell you now, there is only ONE WAY to Heaven and that's through the BELIEF in Christ, as the Savior of our world, as our King of Kings. He is GOD, there is absolutely no other way to Heaven without Jesus.

 

A little survey

Your best friend tells you she is pregnant. What is your reaction?  I'd be thrilled for her!

When is the last time you wanted to punch someone in their face? The day before we left Ireland! :X

What is the last thing you spent money on? Dinner

Do you think you gained or lost weight this past month?  Lost!! Wahoo (while in Ireland too! It was all the walking we did!)

Crunchy or Puffy Cheetos? Both!  

Congratulations! You just had a son. What's his name? Not sure possibly Nathaniel or Jonah, but who knows!

Congratulations! You just had a daughter. What's her name? Hmmm...well here's a few names we had for Emma: Abigail, Maggie, Aubreigh

What are you craving right now? Chocolate

What was the last thing you cried about? It was good tears, but update on my friend Heather

When you buy something and your change is 2 cents, do you keep it or tell the cashier to keep it?  Tell the cashier to keep it.

What color is your tissue box? White with flowers printed on it.

Do you have a ceiling fan in your room, and if so, is there dust on that fan? Yes and yes! LOL

Scariest thing you've experienced in the last year? I guess knowing Chad's deploying again, although that's not really scary to me, because I know it's all in God's plan.

Do you wear a name tag at work? No, they know me as Mom  :-)

Have you ever had a garage sale? Yes

What color is your iPod? Don't have one (I know gasp)

What is the last alcoholic beverage you had? I had a sip of Chad's Guiness when we were in Ireland (it was good, straight from the tap)
Are you happy right now? Yes

Who came over last? Bobbie and her kids

Do you drink beer? When I'm not breastfeeding I'll have one here and there, we are in Germany...the land of Beer! LOL But really not very often, not a big drinker.

Have your brothers or sisters ever told you that you were adopted?  Yes, my brother and I used to tell each other that all the time.

What is your favorite key on your key chain? My apartment key.

What was the last movie you watched at home?  We Are Marshall (Great movie btw)

What is in your pocket?  no pockets.

Where do you hurt? no where right now

Has someone ever made you a Build-A-Bear? No

What's something fun you did today? Went shopping with Bobbie for another friends belated birthday gifts.

What is your favorite aisle at Wal-Mart?  Oh I miss WalMart....

When is your birthday? Feb 9

Is there anything hanging from your rear view mirror? Airfreshner

What kind of milk do you drink? 2% organic

What is something you need to go shopping for? Goodness quite a few things...groceries of course, we're getting little love seat and matching chair for the boys bedroom, all kinds of things for Emma's room...bedding, wall art, curtains (for the boys too), lamps. Some of that is more wants than need of course! :)

Some Pictures

I'm still sifting through all the pictures I took and am actually working on our 3rd day, so there's still tons of pictures to go! I will not be sharing ALL the pictures here, there's just too many for one and there are just some that are special and will only be shared with close friends and of course family.

Things are busy here. Chad's still on leave and today he and the boys started working on the playroom. The playroom will no longer be, it's being turned into the boys bedroom. The toys are being weeded through. If it's broken it's going to the trash. They're having to decide what they want to keep, only what can go into the storage unit we bought when Chad was home for his R&R during his last deployment and some bigger toys that can fit into their toy box. We're going to be buying them a love seat for their room this week and just getting it all moved around. We're also going to paint what is currently the boys bedroom and making that into Emma's room. It's going to be pink or lavender, what ever of those two colors self-help has. I'm hoping for lavender, but if all they have is pink that's ok! Then I'll be looking for curtains for her room or will have my mom make some if I don't find what I want. I'll also be looking for a new, pretty carpet for her room too, so she has a soft place to play as she grows. I'm looking forward to decorating the room all pretty and girly! I've waited a long time to get to do this again! :) Once it's all done I'll take pictures! LOL Hopefully we can be pretty well done, other than small details by this weekend. Friday we will probably not get much done because Chad and I will most likely be driving my friend Heather's parents to see her, and we'll get to see Heather!!!!! I am thrilled over that prospect!

Hope you enjoy the pictures. They're are some from Dublin, Glendalough (pronounced Glendolock), Rock of Cashel and Killarney National Park, oh and Sally's Gap which is in the Wicklow Mountains. They're between Dublin and Glendolough. It was truly stunning! It's taking a lot of work to edit them, label them, etc. So bare with me!

Also if you haven't been, go check up on Heather there's so much that's happened.

(Link's fixed!!)

www.caringbridge.org/visit/pray4heatherjackson

Also sign her guestbook!

 

God Bless

Christy

PS Emma is 8 months now! She turned 8 months the day we flew to Ireland!

Tags: Ireland

Back

Hi I'm back! We had a wonderful time in beautiful Ireland! It barely rained the whole time we were there, which was awesome! We loved all of it and I wish I had pictures to share, but I haven't downloaded them yet! I took seriously aprox 1,000 photo's! I can't wait to download them, edit them, and share some! :) It was really a wonderful trip and we're so thankful we got to go! A week definately was NOT long enough, and we're planning on going back when Chad's home for R&R! Chad thanked me so many times and that I have to say was awesome! :)

I'll hopefully download the pictures tomorrow and have edited in the next couple of days!

Turning off alerts

I'm going to turn off alerts tonight before I go to bed, until we get back. If you have something major happen, please email me so I can read it when I get home. I have a lot to do tomorrow and most likely not near enough time, isn't that how it always is? I got laundry done (the last of it's going into the dryer in a minute), and got all the floors swept, and the boys have been working on the playroom.

Tomorrow they will finish the playroom (unless Chad gets them to finish it while I'm at my FRG meeting tonight), they also have to clean up their bedroom. I need to vacuum all the rugs in the living room, dining room, the bedrooms, and the playroom. I have to change the litter in the litter box. A friend is going to come over daily and spend time with Whiskers, make sure she's fed and scoop her box as needed.

I'm going to finish cleaning my bathroom and kitchen tonight once the kids are all in bed. So not a lot to do really just everything! LOL Oh and we have to pick up the rental car that we're taking to the airport tomorrow too.