States I've Visited

create your own visited states map or check out these Google Hacks.

 

I've been to 28 states...so far!

Tags: States Visited

If You're A Mom ;)

 

Here you can check out AnitaRenfroe.com website (she's the one above!)

 

Enjoy!

 

 

WAHOOOOO Van Update

               

                    Thanks Donna for this GREAT graphic! LOL

 

Ok if you remember way back in May (remember I was still pregnant, my parents had just left from their visit!!) my van decided to have a part go out on it. I still can't tell you what the part is, but ultimately it's a huge piece that controls the power steering, and with it being out it's insanely LOUD when driving, and well rather embarrassing, etc!!

 

 

                     

 

Chad had looked into getting the part here at our Local Ford Dealer, because of course this is a part that can only be purchased through Ford, and they were going to charge us over $1,000.00! That was for the part and shipping not including labor! Yeah...well trust me that was just not possible then. So Chad finally calls the Ford Dealer in Topeka (figuring if nothing else either my mom or dad could go pick the part up and then mail it to us), they could get the part in and ship it for about $350.00 and the shipping was only $28.00! We can ship the core back and get refunded $150.00 so ultimately after shipping we'll be getting about $100.00 back, so not too shabby. Chad is going to check and see if we can return the part to the local Dealership here and get the core charge, if not then off to the post office he will go!!

 

 

                

 

We have a friend who's going to put the part on for us, the whole Front end has to be lifted, but he said it wouldn't be a problem and shouldn't take that long and told Chad that he'd not charge us more than $100.00 for labor! We're so amazingly blessed and I'm just sitting here praising GOD for all this!

 

                     

 

Well Chad got the notification that the part was shipped last Tuesday and when he checked the status of it last night it showed it was here!!!! He went to the mailroom today and picked it up! When he gets home he's calling our friend to see when he can bring him the van! I'm hoping that by next week I'll be driving my van again, my kids will have room to "spread out" so to speak vs crammed into the backseat of a compact little BMW car! 

It's a good day!

 

Alerts Down, Updated Journal

Go back and read my latest entry...the alerts have been down again, so if you wrote an update let me know and I will go take a look before I head to bed!

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

I know I'm late, but I've struggled to find the right words. Kelly(2) wrote up a beautiful blog on her beautiful boy Joshua for CCAwareness Month. As I was looking at a Candlelighter's YouTube, I came across another one that has me in tears....

 

 

 

And another...for all the "Angels" which my Jordyn is part of and Kelly's Josh is, my best friend Tami's daughter Sydney...

 

 

 

The song is so beautiful. I wish so much no other parent had to know the horror of watching their child die from cancer....this is something that I believe one day truly could be cured. If only more people cared and actually did something.

 

 

Busy Day

 

 

               

 

We started our day off at church, came home and Chad made us BLT's..I loaded up on the Lettuce and Tomato and kept min. on the bacon and all on Whole Grain bread (which Chad and the boys dislike because it has all the grains throughout the breast and the crust is covered...I actually really like it and it's good for me!!). So after lunch, Jack went down for a nap and I start in on laundry! First I go through the 2 baskets of clean clothes, seperate them, fold what needs to be folded and hang up mine. In the mean time Chad seperates all his dirty clothes, because he hordes them on his side of the room for some rediculous reason (oh trust me though..I still have plenty of his thrown into the hamper as well, it's just insane). So there were 3 piles of his (over 4 loads), and of course I had our hamper full of clothes and Emma was given some clothes from a friend so there was lots of laundry to do...ugh.

 

 

               

 

Chad decided while I was folding the laundry to go down and get the foot lockers so I can go through the boys closet and pull out all their clothes they've outgrown (mainly Jack since Jacob's just go down to Jack), plus I had some totes with clothes in them, but they didn't have lids for some reason so I transferred those clothes and all the clothes in their closet into the 3 footlockers! Chad still needs to bring one up for my maternity clothes. I do still need to go through Jack's socks and underwear, but those will just be trashed...the socks are stained and well the underwear are well worn! LOL I plan to finish reorganizing the boys closet tomorrow. They have 2 closets in their room, tomorrow I'll have to take a picture when I'm done. One is nothing but shelves, I think there are 8 shelves and each one has 2 drawers at the bottom which is where their socks and underwear are. I'm going to move all of Jack's clothes down to the bottom shelves and Jacob's up to the higher shelves. Jacob will still be able to reach his, and Jack will finally be able to reach his. When we first moved here Jack wasn't even 2 yrs old and well we all know that almost 2 yr olds have no business being able to get at their clothes! We went through a lovely phase where Jack would pull all of Jacob's pants from the bottom shelf out, and push them onto the floor and climb onto the bottom shelf and "hide"! Oh fun times I tell you! LOL He's past that and now that he's 4, he's more than capable of putting his clothes away, picking out his own clothes (which he does now, I just have to get them for him or Jacob, or Chad!).

 

 

                     

 

I'm hoping tomorrow I can also get the other dresser in the boys room emptied (has blankets in it) and put Emma's clothes in it as well. The dresser I have her clothes in now is pretty, but the drawers are not very big . Hopefully I can accomplish everything I want to tomorrow, oh and I still have some laundry to wash. I hate laundry I really, really do!

 

 

                      

 

I need to get to bed, Emma will be up soon to nurse I'm sure and then the kids will all be up I'm sure by 7:30, they could sleep in a little later since they were up later than normal..I don't expect past 8 am! Well I'm off. Hope you had a good Sunday.

 

 

 

           

Don't Get Too Comfortable

 

 

                       

 

I got a call from Chad a little bit ago and well that's the thought in my head right now....don't get too comfortable here. The problem is, I'm as comfortable as I've ever been anywhere in my life. I have felt since the day the boys and I got here that this post is exactly where we are supposed to be...that this is home. We LOVE it here. I have been so blessed personally with everything here. We have an amazing support system of friends who I have grown to love.

 

                      

 

 

So...what's going on you ask...we might be moving. We'd stay in Germany, but go to another post. Actually it's where we were stationed at our 1st time in Germany. When we first found out we got to come back to Germany a little part of me hoped we'd get stationed back there, but now that we're here, we've established a support system, made such amazing friendships, actually know the area, etc...I plain and simple don't want to move. I want to stay right here until it's time to go back to the states. So why would we have to move? There's a unit there that's about to deploy and they need E-5's and E-6's and Chad falls into that category. They asked for volunteer's today, and said if they don't get any or enough then the Battalion will just start picking people. But oh let me tell you they got a deal for you...they'll pay for the move (as if that's some big incentive..since it's the ARMY saying you have to move "volunteer" or not...so of course they'd move people). I'm not sure when they'll move the lucky ones that have to go there, but they're going to move them and then the soldier will be turning around and leaving soon after, yeah um...no thanks! Chad told his 1st Sgt. he does NOT want to go, so now it's just a matter of waiting. I've not cried yet, but feel the tears welling up. I just can't imagine having to start over again and having Chad gone so quickly. I've been so blessed with our PWOC, having the support/friendships that we have, I can't imagine having to leave it and praying I don't.

 

 

                  

 

 

I told Chad it just seems to me it'd make more sense to pick the single soldiers first...it's not quite the disruption. They don't have a family to move, sure they may have a girlfriend, but well they're not married...so pick them first. I know selfish isn't it, but it's how I feel. I am hoping that others want to experience another place in Germany and simply volunteer and that they get enough volunteer's that we're never even considered. But...it's just a wait and see thing at this point.

               

 

 

I would like to ask you each to pray for God's will in this. I know that if he wants us to move, that's exactly what will happen, and if not that he will not allow it. I have no idea when final word will come down if no volunteer's pop up, I'm guessing at least a couple days if not longer. I refuse to worry about it, I'm placing this in God's very capable hands and letting go of it.