It's finally over!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I can't say much that will add to what these pictures tell you. We finally got him back!!! :-) October 19th at 9am we went to the gym to wait for the homecoming ceremony. I thought it would be difficult knowing he was here at Fort Drum but not being able to see him. It wasn't. I think that was because we have been apart so long that just the knowledge that he was near was good enough to get us through the last couple hours. Thank you for all your prayers and support over the last year. All in all, for a first deployment experience, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I'm thankful for what we have learned this year and for how we've grown but I really look forward to our time together now. Sorry the pics are a little blurry - we were trying to take them fast but I think you get the point.

You know you are a military spouse if...

I came across this on someone else's blog and had to repost it. It's so true!

You might be a military spouse if...

...You live on your own, by yourself more after you're married than before you were married.

...You know all of your husband's coworkers by their last name, and rarely know their first name or even gender.

...Your husband's work and dress clothes cost more than yours do.

...You only write in pencil because EVERYTHING is subject to change.

...You know that a 2 month separation IS short, no matter what your civilian friends say.

...You have enough camouflage in your house to wallpaper the White House.

...You don't bat an eyelash at 22:45 and 0300 duty times.

...You are asked to stop talking in acronyms and translate it all to English.

...You've done more oil changes than your spouse, and even when your husband is home the mechanic asks to speak with you.

...You ask someone to hold on a second by saying, "Stand by."

...Military homecomings on TV bring tears to your eyes because you can relate so well.

...You've ever checked your email multiple times an hour in hopes your spouse has written you, and know how horrible email being "down" is.

...You wouldn't dream going anywhere without your cellphone, and all your other numbers forward to it.

...You've researched ways to surgically attach your cellphone to yourself.

...If you have a power of attorney, USE it, and freak out when it expires.

...If you know that not everyone accepts a power of attorney, despite the fact it gives you permission to practically BE your spouse.

...If you've ever argued that fact with someone in person or over the phone and gotten nowhere.

...Your husband spends more time getting ready for a formal function than you do, and on an average day spends way too much time ironing, polishing shoes, and shaping his beret.

...You can literally hold down the fort while your spouse is deployed or in the field.

...You know that 'dependant' means anything but.

…the floorboard of your car is littered with french fries, yellow foam earplugs and chem lights.

…you lean to the right while driving on post so the MP’s won’t see you talking on your cell phone.

…you’ve ever wished your husband would get the Medal of Honor so you could get front row parking.

…you know better than to shop the Commissary on the first or fifteenth day of the month.

…you have a “favorite gate guard.”

…you don’t feed your kids before FRG meetings but plan to let them fill up on brownies and Sprite once they get there.

…you watch “Army Wives” just to yell at the TV whenever something is unrealistic.

…you’ve ever stopped your husband on the way to work because of pair of your panties was stuck to his velcro.

…you plan a special day because of the words “Case Lot Sale.”

…you’ve ever had a nightmare that involved not knowing ”your sponsor’s last four.”

…you know all the words to “Blood on the Risers” but still cringe when you hear it.

…you save an especially stinky shirt to get you through a deployment

…you think the only thing sexier than ACU’s on a man are ACU’s off a man.

…your sentences start containing more [acronyms] and numbers than actual words.

…you refer to everyone not in the military or dating someone in the military as a Civilian, you can rattle off the time in perfect military time without having to think.

…you start referring to all girls & women as “females”

…you tell the timeline of your past through deployments.

…you think 6 months away from your husband is “not bad”

…you can’t remember the last four digits of your own social security #

…you constantly have to explain to businesses on the phone that your husband can’t call to fix the problem because he’s in the middle of a desert somewhere.

Where does the time go? Can it really be a month since my last blog? We are keeping busy.

My 7 year old did, in fact, break her wrist when she fell as reported in my last update. Even the doctor was surprised when the X-ray came back showing a buckle fracture. She got a purple cast. I bought a silver marker for her to let all her friends use when they signed her cast. What a way to start the school year! At least it wasn't her writing hand. She will get it off this week.

The girls both started ballet. Initially I signed just the 7 year old up but my 4 year old stood on the sidelines and copied everything they did so the teacher said we should give her a sort of try out the next week. The 4 year old got into the class, but the 7 year old got booted up to ballet II! Just after 2 weeks she was ready. Now, we have ballet on Monday and Wednesday every week.

This week will be busy. I'm having 3 wisdom teeth removed on Monday, the girls have ballet Monday and Wednesday and a birthday party on Tuesday. Thursday the 7 year old gets her cast off. It's gonna be crazy. Thank God my sister and my dad are able to come up and stay with me during this time, so I can heal without the stress of taking care of 3 kids.

If you haven't read my husbands blog than you don't know our latest good news. He was selected to attend a CPE (clinical pastoral education) course that he has wanted since he joined the army. I'll brag a little on him because, well, because I can! :-) Each year they select 14 chaplains who are captains to attend the course (they also select some majors). They look at all the captain ranked chaplains and make a list then contact them to see if they are interested, working their way down the list. My husband was first on their list! So proud of him and so happy that he is getting what he wanted. Now we wait until Feb/Mar to find out which of the 4 places they are going to send him. We could go to Walter Reed in DC (this would be our first choice), Fort Gordon, GA, Fort Lewis, WA, and Fort Sam Houston, TX. Then we will move in the summer, he will take the course, then there is a 3 year follow up that he will do in a hospital situation. I am praying he ends up somewhere that doesn't deploy but I know there is always the chance that he could still end up deployed again - though it's probably smaller than if he just went to another battalion. Okay, I am done bragging! :-)

In a past post I talked about the huge hole that was left in my chest when my husband deployed. I talked about how we were trying to live our lives, skating around that emptiness, trying to avoid falling in, but now and then something would happen that would snag on the edge of the hole, pull it farther open, and drag us in. Well, I am happy to report that the hole is all but gone now. His homecoming is so close that the hole is but a mere nuisance now. Sure, there are still moments I wish he could be here to see something, to hear something the kids say, to share in our daily lives, but I know he'll be here soon. The time left is so small, compared to what we have been through (11 months!) that it's hardly worth considering. I don't spend every waking moment wondering if something is going to happen to tear at my fragile resolve to stay strong. I don't walk so carefully through my day, hoping to avoid anything that might remind me of all that is missing. I don't dread each new dawn, wondering what milestone the kids will hit that he will miss, wondering which child will say something that would send their daddy into a fit of laughter, if only he were there to hear it. Instead I welcome the new day, anticipating what I can accomplish in it in preparation for that joyous homecoming. My struggle used to be with wishing the day away so that I could escape to peaceful sleep and forget about the emptiness for a little while. My struggle is still with wishing away the day, but now it's because there are so few days left until we are reunited, until we are the family we are supposed to be! I'm trying hard to remember that each new day is a blessing from God and brings with it special moments that can easily be missed if I am too busy wishing it away. Those moments when my 7 year old reads our bedtime story. Those moments when my 4 year old climbs into my lap and says simply "I want to cuddle with my momma!" Those moments when my 2 year old son proves that God made him uniquely different from my girls when he finds trouble at every turn - dumping an entire thing of fish food in the 30 gallon fish tank, and while I am cleaning that up in the kitchen, covers everything in the bathroom with baby powder. Okay, well, those moments I still wish away!! :-) But then he melts my heart when he looks at me with his big blue eyes and asks "Mommy, are you mad at me?" How can I be? He's just being a boy - curious, adventurous, exploratory, inquisitive, unhampered by the fear of what might happen, undaunted by failure, unconcerned with the consequences. I find it hard to squelch that spirit but I do look forward to his daddy's return so that he can help channel that in ways I'll never be able to. It's just a guy thing! :-)

So, with just the tiniest of holes left in my chest, I am happy to say that my honey will be home soon, very soon! Operational Security prevents me from giving exact dates, but suffice it to say, there are no important dates, holidays or birthdays, in the foreseeable future that he will have to miss! :-) That makes me very happy. And that is why the hole is almost gone. There is no room for a gaping, sad hole with this much happy, excited anticipation.

Keeping Busy

I don't have much to say. No earth shattering news, no breath taking revelations. Just life, but it's been a busy life lately. I had to register the kids with CYS so we can use hourly care and enroll the younger two in preschool on post. That meant a trip to Clark Hall - always a nightmare just waiting to happen. I got all the paperwork filled out, including the physical forms from the doctor, checked the hours for registration, loaded the 3 kids into the car and made our way to the second floor of Clark Hall. Alas, one of their clerks had quit and the other one was not covering all the hours they said they were taking registrations so I had to leave without getting anything accomplished - aside from adding fuel to my fire of frustration. The next day we tried again. Success! I got the kids registered - with only minor trouble caused by said kids - and on wait lists for preschool, prekindergarten, and gymnastics. Then we went to my 7 year olds school because I had to drop off physical and dental forms so she can attend school next week. While there I found out they have a free pre-k so I put my 4 year old on that wait list. This meant I needed to make a trip BACK to Clark Hall to take her off the list there (why pay for school when she can get it for free?). I did put her on the wait list for preschool though - whichever opens first is where she will go. Then we had to go BACK to the school because my 2 year old is apparently a kleptomaniac and had walked off with one of the books from the office. Ack! By that time we had wasted what felt like hours going back and forth between places, all the while loading and unloading 3 kids and trying to keep them all in hand - go ahead, borrow some kids and try it - I promise you, you will not have enough hands to make it work smoothly! Anyway, we headed to the mall to pick up a couple of things, get some lunch, and start a new back to school tradition - we went to the movies. Yep, me, 3 kids, popcorn, gummies, and a drink. What fun! :-)

Kid Anecdotes:

2 year old: I was working with him on counting. He always counts like this: "1,2,3,6,1,2,3,6" So, I was trying to teach him 4 and 5. We counted to 3 then I said "What comes after 3?" His response? "Spankin'" I was practically rolling on the floor laughing. All I can say is, at least they know and no one can say they don't have fair warning when a spanking is coming.

Two days ago he brought me a bag full of self rising flour and announced that he wanted it "in a bowl to eat." This was said while he had a slice of pizza sitting on the table waiting to be consummed. Why the bag of flour was more appealing to him is beyond me.

A couple of nights ago he woke up crying. I was cuddling him on the floor when he saw my cross necklace. This was the conversation that followed:
Him: "What's this?"

Me: "My necklace."

Him: "What's it say?"

Me: "Nothing."

Him: "What's a chaplain say?"

Me: "What's a chaplain say!?!"

Him: "Let's talk!"

Maybe he has a better grasp on Daddy's job then we thought.

4 year old: We were talking about silly things and I asked her what she wanted Santa to bring her this year for Christmas. Her response:"Whatever he wants to bring me is fine....as long as it's girly, you know." Wonder if she really will be that easy to please come Christmas time. Probably not.

7 year old: She was rollerblading and fell on her wrist. She was with the babysitter though I wish I could have been there to hear her comment. She told the babysitter she thought she had "twisted her bone." :-) This was last night and while she isnt' swollen, she is still sore.

Let's see. Other than that, we have been working on potty training. I'm really tired of cleaning up from the accidents though. Someone remind me they don't go to college still in diapers! :-) My younger two have discovered the joys of riding bikes with training wheels though I am sure I am an amusing sight - walking down the road with my hands on two little bodies trying to figure out how to make bikes work!

We had some fun when we had to figure out why, all of the sudden, our phone, internet and cable all went out. Okay, I'm all for turning off technology - sometimes. But sometimes, especially when it's just me with the 3 kids, you just need one of those lifelines. Yeah, I'm glad I still had my cell phone at least. Turns out, the people contracted to mow the grass around post ran over and cut our cable line. Apparently it wasn't buried very deep. Anyway, after an emergency call from Time Warner, our line was replaced and we are back online! :-)

Finally my little girl is turning into a big girl. She moved into her own room - a necessity with school starting soon. She was having a hard time getting to sleep last year, with 2 siblings in the room with her who wanted to stay up and talk. So, this year we decided she needed her own space. I let her pick out a new comforter for her bed. Gone are the pastel flowers of the last 4 years. She picked a black comforter with a strip of hot pink flowers, swirls, and circles. I bought her a mirror so she can see herself when she gets dressed. It has a hot pink frame. I also got 5 art canvas and painted them. That was fun. First I brushed them with black paint then topped it with pink or purple flowers with white centers. Then I used a dry fan brush to pull the white into the petals. It turned out really cool, if you ask me. I bought her a CD player/alarm clock and a Hannah Montana CD and a Jonas Brothers CD. I still need to get her some curtains but then her room transformation will be complete. She's very proud of having her own space. She keeps it clean, makes her bed every morning and even dresses herself before coming downstairs in the mornings. I'm very proud of her, but when did she get to be such a big girl??

In other news: 7 weeks and counting. Dave will be home soon!! YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Highlights from the last few days

Some of my favorite pictures of daddy and son from R and R!

Well, it's over. R and R that is. Yesterday we took Dave back to the airport and sent him off to finish his year tour in Iraq.

It was not a fun experience! But that's an understatement, and probably completely unneccessary to say. I have to say, in light of a recent blog post, the whole of R and R was not as bittersweet as I imagined. I didn't often find myself thinking about how soon we would have to say goodbye. I was able to live in and enjoy the moment. At the airport, we were able to go to the gate with Dave but with a couple of hours until his flight, I couldn't "enjoy the moment" anymore. It was all too real that we were going to be saying goodbye again. So, Dave gave the kids little gifts,

we hugged and kissed, a nice gentleman took a family picture for us,

and with tears streaming down my face we walked away.

To top off an already awful day, the neighborhood kids were all enjoying some playtime in our garage when one of them yelled something about a snake. Turns out, not one but two (!) eastern ribbon snakes had taken up residence in our garage. Ack! I was not a happy person yesterday, even after a couple of the girls had bravely slid the snakes onto shovels and removed them from the garage.

This morning I got the girls to VBS then my son and I went for some retail therapy (better known as school shopping) but we ran out of time. So, after picking the girls up, we hit the PX for lunch then went back to Watertown for more shopping. I think we have everything we need for fall now! :-) Gotta love 10 and 15% coupons on top of sales!! :-)

Since we dropped Dave off yesterday I have wondered how many times a heart can be ripped out of a chest and sent thousands of miles away yet remain alright. It was a strange feeling last night - I felt completely empty yet my heart felt like it was swelling with emotion and trying to bust right out of my chest and fly to Iraq. I still feel that empty kind of feeling today but it's starting to numb, like it has been the past 9 months. It's a little easier to settle back into our routine since it was something we'd already spent most of a year doing.

And then God did what He did when Dave left the first time. I was driving home from our day of shopping, thinking about how awful it is to have to keep saying goodbye to Dave and wondering if it was all worth it, when some words in a song on the radio caught my attention. When Dave left last November, God used a song to remind me that He would be my fortress, my stronghold through these tough times. Today I was reminded that I can let this time bring glory to God. Just maybe, with this thought in mind, I can dance in the rain. Here are the lyrics that caught my attention, and you can watch a video by clicking on the "bring the rain" link below them.

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain

Bring the rain

Life is Crazy!

It's been a month since my last post. And life has been crazy in that last month! We finished visiting family, having travelled from New York to New Jersey to Virginia back to New Jersey and finally home again in New York. Yes, I was about fit for a straight jacket and padded room after spending all those hours driving with 3 kids. We made it one piece and are happy to be home - not just because it's home. When we got home, we immediately set to unpacking and getting ready for a week long visit from my college roommate and her 3 kids.

I couldn't wait. It had been 7 years since we had last seen each other and at that time she had just had her first baby so a lot had changed inm our lives. 5 days, 2 moms, 6 kids - we should have had a camera crew following us. A simple trip to the mall was a comedic adventure. I hated to see the week end. We had so much fun together and the kids loved the big slumber parties they got to have every night. Sad as we were to say goodbye to our friends, we were also excited because Daddy would be coming home on his 2 week R and R very soon. They left Friday and on Monday we went to the airport to meet Daddy. Of course, that in itself was an adventure. I left with plenty of time to get to Syracuse but we had to make a stop for diapers, then I had to find my way into the airport, find the right airline counter, make a bathroom stop, get a sort of boarding pass that would let us through to the gates where we were to meet Dave, get the kids to the security check - and while we were waiting in line there, we saw him walking toward us! It was great to see him again. It was like he hadn't been gone for 9 months. The kids ran and hugged and kissed him.

We took a couple pictures though not enough, looking back. We left the airport, went to Olive Garden for lunch and just enjoyed having Daddy with us again. We've really been enjoying our time together, short as it is. We've taken a trip to the park

, gone out for a daddy dinner (with Daddy this time!) at Red Lobster, visited Boldt Castle

, gone to the spray park. We got a babysitter and went to dinner and a movie last week (and we are doing it again tonight). Dave's parents, sister and niece came to visit, went to Boldt Castle with us, and watched the kids while we stayed in A Bay at the Riveredge Resort for a night. We are going to be sad to say goodbye but the time he will be gone is going to be so short - compared to how long he was gone before. We will make it. So here we are, just trying to enjoy every moment of this crazy life God has given us and knowing we wouldn't trade a minute of it. God is good!

Just a few pictures of some of our summer exploits so far:

It's been a while. I've been trying to stay busy this summer. My mother has informed me that I have not updated my blog in a while. I guess that was her oh-so-not-subtle hint to write something. Don't know what she wants me to write since I have been staying with her for the last week! (Just teasing you, Mom).

In truth, we have been doing a lot of travelling since my oldest finished 1st grade. I had no desire to spend 24/7 with all 3 kids by myself! It all started with my parents coming to visit the last weekend of June. We spent some great time at the Fort Drum air show. It was really awesome and my 2 year old boy was entralled with the planes. Then, we packed up and headed to NJ to visit for a week with my in laws. The kids loved having someone besides me to play with. We visited the spray park and playground. I took each of the girls out for special mommy time which consisted of lunches at Johnny Rockets, walks around the mall, and rides on a cool double decker carousel. I got a girls night out with my sister in law where we enjoyed a quick dinner and then went to the movies. Then we continued our trip south, to VA. We got stuck in traffic at one point - taking 50 minutes to go a mere 5 miles! However, all 3 kids love the High School Musical movies to there were contentedly watching those while we sat in traffic, therefore saving my sanity! Since arriving in VA, we have hung out at ChickFilA, enjoying the free WiFi, played on a cool playground set up in my parents backyard, took a trip to Baltimore's National Aquarium and took in a dolphin show, worked on teaching the girls to swim, picked up my mom's "new" convertible, and watched their cat have kittens - Ribbons, Lacey, Tiger, Spirit, and Tootsie. Not to mention meeting the newest addition to our family, my sister's baby boy, Samuel. He's just 11 weeks old and there's hardly a time when I am not holding him, if he's within reach. :-)

We'll head back to NJ next Monday, staying there for a few more days before heading home to prepare for my husband's R and R! That's the best part of the summer....knowing we'll get to see him, if only for a couple of weeks.