Peek-a-Boo

Garin was on a laughing spree this afternoon and was playing hard. Here's a picture of him playing peek-a-boo with me, using the lid from his box of blocks. Of course, like his big brother, the minute he sees the camera, all play stops, and posing begins.

Farewell Photo

I forgot to post this last week. This was taken the morning Karl left on his mission. Garin likes Daddy's desert BDU hat!

Happy New Year!

We're about to start another year, and I hope it's a great one for each of you. Karl is back out of Iraq and should be home tomorrow. (Update: About 10 minutes after this posted, Karl called again. The mechanics found a fuel leak, so the earliest he'll be home is Tuesday, and that's not likely. Thank God for good, thorough mechanics! Those guys are truly awesome!!!) Thanks for your prayers! Garin is down for a nap. What a precious one! As I tucked him in, and he looked up at me with those big blue eyes and his smile peeking out around his pacifier, I thought how very blessed I am to have a wonderful husband and two sweet boys. I had another nice visit with Kim yesterday and bought a basket for Garin's toys in the living room. I was tired of our house looking like a nursery school all the time. Tonight I am going to a friend's house up the street. They're having a bunch of us over to ring in the new year. I don't know if I'll make it until midnight. That depends on whether Garin will sleep at their house and how well I'm managing this annoying cold I have. But I am thankful to have friends to spend the evening with and am looking forward to it!

Change of Plans

Well, Karl's jet needs repairs, so he is not in the Middle East tonight as expected. They aren't sure when repairs will be made, but they will still make the trip. It sounds as if the whole crew is relieved not to be on the ground at the time of the execution, but I would imagine that the danger would be higher in the days following. Please keep them all, as well as the Iraqi people, in your prayers.

Garin and I took Mr. Magoo to have his staples removed this afternoon. We also went to Target to pick up a few things. I was hoping to find a nice, big, woven basket in just the right shade of brown to serve as a toy box in the living room. After Christmas, the number of toys on the floor makes it difficult to find a spot for one's feet. They carry the perfect basket, but it was out of stock today. I'll try again later!

I've tucked Garin into bed. He's such a sweetheart, and he just gets cuter everyday. He loves to tease, and his laughter comes easily. He is starting to really practice the art of conversation. Not the words, but the sounds. And not just the sounds, but the mannerisms: the tilt of the head, the raised eyebrows and sideways glances, the head nods and shakes. Such fun! Now I'm ready to fix myself a little bit of dinner and have a relaxing night. I need to clean and had planned to do so today, but I've had a headache all day. It will just have to wait until tomorrow.

Justice....Peace

Had a great time yesterday with Kim and Shelbie! We went shopping at the mall and then to Lone Star Steakhouse for dinner. I got all of our Christmas decorations put back in the attic last night, except for the exterior lights, which will probably have to wait until Karl gets home. Today I have to take Mr. Magoo to the vet, and I plan to clean house....seems like I'm always cleaning house!

My spirit is unsettled this morning. All the news reports indicate that Saddam Hussein's execution is imminent and that it will create increased violence against Americans. There is certainly justification for and justice in his death, but there is no joy from it. Even he, consumed by cruelty and evil, is a person created by and loved by God, and God Himself will weep when Saddam passes into an eternity apart from Him. I fear for the safety of our men and women over there. My husband is on a mission right now that will take him back into hostile areas over the weekend, and I just want to hear his voice again, saying that he has safely landed back in Europe and will soon be home. My cousin (actually my mom's cousin's son), Eric, is over there on the ground, too. I guess we all know someone in harm's way. I pray that God will surround each of them with his angels and a hedge of protection will be placed around them. I pray that the predictions prove false and that the people of Iraq will finally begin to heal. I pray that those who continue to create violence will be quieted. I pray for peace.

Peace & quiet are overrated

Well, Karl is off on a mission. Matt has been delivered to the airport and is back in Illinois. Garin is tucked away in dreamland. And I am rattling around in this house after midnight, wondering when sleep will finally overtake me. I treasure my family time, and watching my boys together is a gift beyond words. Even with the time apart and the difference in age, there is a brotherly closeness that is impossible to explain. I feel grateful and blessed, and at the same time, I feel like they (and we) are being cheated each day that Matt is gone. I am so thankful that they have each other.

Garin has Roseola. Fortunately, the contagious period has passed without him exposing any other children. On the down side, his rash will stick around for several days. I can't imagine where he got it, but we've been out shopping, and he was in the church nursery around that time, based on the incubation period. It doesn't matter. It's just one of those childhood illnesses that kids get when they get together. After his illness and Karl's the weekend before, I'm hoping we'll have some healthy time now!

Tomorrow is a commitment-free day for me. I'll probably do some cleaning around here and maybe even nap when Garin does, since I am obviously not getting enough sleep tonight!

"This Awful, Beautiful Life"

I can't help but think of that song today. It's funny how life is never completely perfect or completely horrible, but is instead a crazy mixture of highs, lows and mediums all at the same time. This morning we said goodbye to Karl as he leaves on his Aircraft Commander checkride mission. We pray that all goes well and that he is once again an AC when he returns! It is emotional for all of us when he leaves on a mission. This afternoon, Garin and I will take Matt to the airport for his return trip to Illinois. Obviously not a joyous occasion either. But we are excited this morning because our dear old friends, the Marks family, are in town this week, and we are meeting them for lunch before we head to the airport. Kim helped me move when Tim and I separated, and they have been there through it all with us. Not physically present, of course, as they have moved from Illinois to Hawaii to Florida to Japan to San Antonio in the 10+ years we've known each other, but they were always close in heart and by email! When we were all in Illinois, we were just about inseparable, and our kids were close. They have an 18 year old, a 15 year old and a 14 year old with whom Matt loved to play. Of course, they were about 6 years old when they last saw each other, so this lunch will prove exciting!!! I'll catch you all up when I write again tonight or tomorrow.

We think Garin has roseola. The high fever for three days finally broke in the night Sunday night, and a rash started Monday evening. His symptoms (or lack of) fits the descriptions of roseola we've seen. We're seeing the doctor at 1:50 today to make sure, then we'll head to the airport.

Hope you all have a good day, and I'll write again soon!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful....

...but it's been a wonderful Christmas Day anyway! We got up a little bit late (around 8:30) to see what Santa brought. Then we opened all of our other gifts from each other, our extended family and friends. We all had a great time ripping into our goodies and were all pleased not only with the gifts we received but also with the thought and love that went into them. Thanks to all of you!!!

We were so thankful that Garin woke up without a fever this morning! He had the biggest stack of goodies by far. He didn't quite understand the whole unwrapping thing. I guess it is a little strange, when you think about it. His first gift scared him when he pressed on it, and it started singing; then he cried when Daddy took it to cut it free from the box. By the time we were done, though, he had it figured out enough to watch me unwrap each gift before he took it to examine and play with. Below is a photo of him surrounded by his loot (and his brother); some of it still didn't make it into the frame! Matt was quite happy with his gifts and can hardly wait to spend the money and gift cards he received. Karl and I had fun, too, not only watching our boys, but also surprising each other. This is the first year in a very long time when I had no clue what was under the tree!

We had the big Christmas dinner about 4:00 and then went to the Weigners' house at 6:00 for pie a la mode and egg nog. Melody made blueberry and pumpkin, Danielle made apple, and Kim made cherry. I took Pat Breville's now-famous egg nog, which has become a Christmas staple in our family. Mom makes several batches every year when the family gathers in Longview. I never make it (or drink it) that I don't think of Pat dragging huge jugs of it, well spiked, to work on the day before our Christmas holiday began and storing it in the huge "dairy" refrigerator. (Our company was owned by a wonderful Orthodox Jewish family. They required separate storage for meat and dairy.) We all snuck to the break room several times on that day each year! Those folks were such fun. We were always planning parties or bringing food for any occasion we could dream up, and everyone looked out for each other. I sure miss those guys!

But back to the subject.....Tonight, the teens and adults played Pop 5 by Cranium and had a blast! We were on teams of six, so it was loud and a bit chaotic, but very much fun. Garin got tired, and we finally had to say goodnight around 9:00. We came home and put Garin to bed; then we got out the dominoes for another exciting family Christmas tradition: chickenfoot!

It's been a great day! The only thing that would have made it better is having our families there with us. We miss you all and have been thinking of you throughout the day. We hope that you have had lots of delicious food, lots of exciting presents, lots of hearty laughter, and - most importantly - lots of joy and time for reflection on what this day is really all about.

Blessings,
The Heinrichs

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

It's hard to believe it is already here!!! We have had a nice day together, watching holiday movies, playing games and eating way too much. As you can tell by the pictures, Garin is working hard to show Matt that he is a big boy just like his brother. They sat on the couch and watched some good cartoons together this morning. Karl, Matt and I stayed up too late last night, flopped across our bed, talking and goofing off, and I woke up with a sick stomach in the night. Karl says my symptoms were the same as his last week, so I guess I've caught his bug. We all slept rather late and didn't eat breakfast until 11, so we skipped lunch altogether. I made a roast in the crockpot for dinner with rice, gravy and peas. Garin is still fighting a fever that goes up to 102-103 between doses of Motrin, so we stayed home and had our own little Christmas service tonight before we each opened one gift chosen for us by the other members of our family. Garin got a cool choo-choo train with animals (and wheels!) that sings songs, lights up and makes animal noises. He was a little scared of it at first but warmed up quickly! Matt opened a Guitar Hero II video game and practiced a bit tonight.

I'll write again tomorrow or Tuesday, but I just wanted to let you all be a part of Garin's first Christmas Eve. We miss you all so much and wish we could be there, but we are so thankful that Karl and Matt are both able to be home for Christmas! May the overwhelming love of Jesus fill you and give you joy and peace today.

It's Official: I'm Old, and It's Christmas

Well, it's official! I'm old. I'll give you one guess who this is in Karl's flight suit and helmet, looking like he's nearly six feet tall. (Okay, so he IS 5'11", but that's beside the point.) I'm old.

And it is officially Christmas now. It just wouldn't be a holiday in our family without someone getting sick, would it? Garin is just as cheerful as always, and nothing seems to hurt him, but when Karl passed him to me this afternoon, he felt hot to me. I took his temperature, and it was 102.2! I gave him a lukewarm bath and a dose of Tylenol, and we're hoping it will all go away by morning.

Otherwise, all is well with us. We had a fairly easy time of it Wednesday night when we went to the airport to get Matt. Yesterday, we all went to the Wing Christmas party at lunchtime, had a simple but nice family dinner and just hung out all evening. Today was cold and rainy, so we stayed home. The boys watched movies and such. I cleaned up around the house and cooked for my fellas. I also made some caramel that I can hardly wait to get into. We're going to pull out a board game after dinner and once Garin goes to bed. Tomorrow we'll deliver candy and Christmas wishes to a few friends here on base and, if I get my wish, go bowling. Sunday, of course, is church. We're going to have a quiet Christmas Eve at home with chicken and dumplings, cider and egg nog. We'll read Luke 2 together, play Christmas music and play games. We're looking forward to it! Our Christmas Day menu will be a big breakfast; a lunch of ham, cornbread dressing, new potatoes, green beans, and rolls; and a dinner of leftovers. Our activities will likely revolve around opening presents from Santa, followed by the unwrapping of presents under the tree. I'm guessing there'll be lots of play time and couch time during the day. Matt's eager to open presents and keeps asking us if we can pretend it's Christmas today. I remember being the tortured child; now Matt thinks I'm the torturer.

I hope that you all have a wonderful, blessed Christmas. We miss you and will be thinking of you!

A Very Special Thank-You

This afternoon, Karl and I were finishing up our shopping separately and planned to meet at a mall restaurant at 5:00. I arrived first with Garin, and he showed up shortly thereafter, looking sharp in his flight suit. We had a nice dinner - turkey burger for me, triple burger for Karl, stuff from home for Garin. There was a nice older couple in the booth diagonally across the aisle who smiled at Garin a few times during dinner and stopped to tell us on their way out that he was such a sweet baby. Shortly after their departure, our waitress came to our table and told us that our meal had been paid for by that couple, and they asked her to tell him, "Thank you for your service to our country, and Merry Christmas." Wow. You read about this stuff in sappy emails or Chicken Soup books, but it's not something that you ever actually see happen. It was so touching. I got up and stepped outside to thank them, but I couldn't see them anywhere. They were gone. I hope that they know how much it meant to us. I hope that somehow they will know what an amazing thing that is to a military family that is celebrating Christmas far away from family because of duty but is just thankful to be together for the holidays. I hope that someone in the area who hears OUR story of a stranger's kindness will know this couple, and our thankfulness will be passed on to them. But for now I'll just put it out there into the universe for anyone who has gone out of their way to say thank you to a military service member........THANK YOU!!!

Good News

Karl's Memaw is out of ICU and in a room. She's in a good deal of pain but has some pain medication that is apparently quite good!

I got an email from my admissions counselor with a course evaluation for my prior college classes. It looks like everything that I took as a core requirement that is also a core requirement at Northwestern will transfer. Some other classwork will also transfer as electives. Some will not, but considering the fact that it's been almost 20 years since I started as a freshman at Baylor, and most of the requirements for this degree are Bible courses that I haven't had anyway, I'm not complaining! Based on how many hours we think we can afford per semester, I should be able to finish in about 4 years. And I'm kinda stepping out on faith a little, too, that we will find it possible to do it a little faster. I figure I will have to go back to work at least part-time before then, as Matt will be starting college in 2010!!! OY!!!

My narcissus are blooming like crazy, and this whole room is filled with their fragrance. I love it! It's one of those scents that people seem to have strong feelings about, I've found. They either love it or hate it. It's understandable, as it is a very strong smell.

I've been making candy and enjoying my little boy today. He's been full of giggles and fun! I also got to straighten out an insurance mess....surprise! No year would be complete without at least one big medical snafu. Fortunately, I think it will be taken care of (knock on wood!).

I need to go grill our steaks and start some veggies, so y'all have a good night!

Quick Update

Karl's Memaw is in ICU but is recovering. She had a head-to-toe MRI, and she has 7 broken ribs, all on one side, and a punctured lung. They said that there was a lot of bleeding from the lung, and she coughed a lot and swallowed a lot of the blood. That was what was causing her to vomit blood. Susan said Peggy was wearing a helmet, thankfully, and that she lay in the pasture for a long time before the ambulance came because Dalton had to ride back to the house to call, and they live so far out in the country that it took awhile for the ambulance to arrive. Memaw will have a painful recovery, but it looks like she will be okay. It certainly could have been a lot worse.

Karl's Memaw

Karl's Memaw Peggy is on her way to a Texarkana, TX, hospital in an ambulance right now. All we know right now is that she was thrown from a horse this afternoon and has broken ribs, a punctured lung, and is vomiting blood. We are assuming based on this information, the time, and the fact that the ambulance is taking her to Texarkana, that she has already been to the hospital in Idabel for evaluation and is being moved to the larger hospital. Karl is on the phone with his sister now, hoping for new information. I'll post any news as soon as I hear it. Please keep her in your prayers.

HO! HO! HO!

Today was fun! Garin got to check out Santa "up close and personal". On the way to the mall, I told Karl what Garin would do: turn and look up at Santa like he had just dropped in from another planet. Sure enough, he plopped on Santa's lap, turned, looked up and gave him this open-mouthed, wrinkley-eyebrowed stare for a minute. Then the photographer started jingling sleigh bells, and Garin turned and smiled right at the camera. Considering the number of children we had seen screaming and wailing, we were quite pleased with the result of our endeavors. We will be mailing photos to the grandparents. The rest of you will have to be satisfied with this electronic copy, as Santa must feed his reindeer and all the elves for the entire year on the prices he charges for mall photos!

Karl was up most of the night Thursday night, feeling very ill. Friday was a long day for him, and he was ready for bed by the time we got to the squadron party. We had a nice dinner and sat with some fun friends and then headed on home early. Karl was in bed by 9:30, and I wasn't too far behind him. Garin kindly let us sleep until 8:30 this morning, and we were all feeling rather upbeat today. Hopefully, Garin and I will miss this bug, and we have a great week ahead to enjoy. Matt will be here Wednesday night! He has finals Monday through Wednesday and is nervous about a couple of them, particularly Algebra II. He would appreciate your prayers as he prepares for that one on Wednesday. My biggest pre-Christmas social responsibilities are done, I cleaned house yesterday, and I am looking forward to wrapping the last few presents and making candy this week. Of course, I also have bowling on Wednesday. I plan to go practice again on Monday (c'mon 150!!), and I also need to go trim a couple of my pots before they get too dry.

Weaning is hopeless, just so you know. That sweet baby boy is nowhere near ready to give it up. He becomes inconsolable when he wants to nurse, and I try to pacify him with other things. We will just have to wait to get pregnant and give him time to do it on his own. Let me just say it before somebody puts their two cents in.....I know that some may disagree with this decision and feel that I need to get him weaned and get on medicine for pain and something to thin my blood. I understand that, but I disagree. God has given me one primary, incredible job in this life, and that is being a mother. I owe it to Him and to my boys to make them a priority. While we want to have more biological children, they are not guaranteed to us no matter what we do. But I do have these two, and I am responsible for their well-being. If God wants to make another baby inside me that will grow to live outside me, He will honor my faithfulness to the ones He's already given me and make a way for this to happen when the time is right. If it is not what He wants, there is nothing I can do, no medicine I can take, that will make life happen. And if that is the case, there is a family member(s) waiting out there somewhere for a mommy and daddy to love him or her.

So here's the scoop....

Yesterday was bowling. Thankfully, I was feeling a little bit better than the day before. I scored over 100 every game, and my last game was 138!!! My average is now 100, and I'm excited that I'm getting better. After bowling, I had to go get x-rays: 2 chest x-rays and 12 hand and wrist x-rays. Ironic, isn't it?! The afternoon was spent wrapping presents that had been sitting in the attic for weeks. Last night was my final pottery class of 2006; then I came home and made Praline Toffee Grahams to take to the OSC Social this morning.

Today was the OSC Social, obviously. We goofed off and acted up and had a great time. Speaking of my favorite girls, I got a not-so-cryptic email from Mel on Tuesday that just outlined the rules of a come-as-you-are party. That's it - nothing more. She's been talking about doing one for awhile, and I guess she was just making sure we all know what's expected when she shows up....whenever that might be. Should be really fun!!! I've missed being 16!

This afternoon, I ran all over on errands and got all of our family's presents wrapped and off to UPS (You should get them around the 20th.), then met Karl at El Corralejo for dinner. Now he's writing his FINAL essay of the semester. YAY! I just finished some updates to the squadron website, and I guess I'm off to the bathtub and bed. Tomorrow night is the big squadron party. We have a babysitter and everything! I'm looking forward to it.

Yesterday was a bit of a blur. It was back to the office for Karl, so we were all up and at 'em early. Garin and I went to the med center to have my blood tests done then on to the bowling alley for a little practice with Kellie, Kristi and Shelley. Yesterday afternoon was spent catching up on things around here, and then I had pottery last night. Karl had a tactical simulator, so Garin got to go play at the home of our friends, the Weigners.

Today will be x-rays, various errands and a squadron social tonight. I am so tired, and I hurt. It doesn't seem to matter how much I rest or sleep. I am trying really hard not to let myself get discouraged because that doesn't do anything but make me crabby and sad. I figure if I just don't push myself too hard and try not to think about it too much....just ignore it....I will be better off.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

TA-DAAA!!! Orange you glad I didn't have carrots???

Garin has two new tricks. One is shaking his head no. At first, he did it to every question that was asked of him. Now he's become more discriminating, and he actually uses it to let his preferences be known. It's hilarious, and he's quite proud of himself for it. The other trick is raising one or both hands high over his head when he feels he's accomplished something worthy of notice. When he does this, he expects a hearty "TA-DAAA!!!" from whomever is nearby. Here are some photos of him ta-daaing tonight at dinner. He was eating green beans, and each bean was very special. Daddy and I were quite tired of the repetition by meal's end.

Another interesting occurence today: Some people at church were concerned by Garin's color because he is so yellow. Karl and I have been laughing about his discoloration for a while now. He eats a ridiculous amount of carrots, and as you may or may not know, the body changes the beta-carotene in carrots into Vitamin A until it has enough Vitamin A. Then the beta-carotene deposits in the skin and turns the skin yellow/orange. We felt certain this was the reason, as Matthew did the same thing, and my niece, Emma, was a very orange baby. I also did a little extra research today which confirms it. His eyes are very, very white, as opposed to the yellow of jaundice, and he is certainly not feeling poorly. However, just so we can know for sure, I am going to call the pediatrician tomorrow to get his opinion.

Studying and Snuggling

I just re-read last night's blog and had a good laugh about the way I described Karl's return home the night before. I didn't mention his lengthy absence or flying, so the uninformed reader might assume that my husband never comes home after work, but instead goes out an parties until all hours and comes dragging in after closing time. Obviously, this is not what I meant! When he isn't flying, he comes straight home from work, but it's his missions that seem to bring him home in the middle of the night. Just wanted to clarify!

Garin's napping, and I'm thinking of doing the same. I'm very achy in the hips, knees and hands this morning, and Garin was up three times in the night. Karl's getting started on his homework. What this really means is that he is sitting at the desk reading the Air Force Times and trying to avoid doing his homework, but knowing that he has to get to it. Bless his heart, he's so sick of the writing. He absolutely hates writing, and that is what both of his classes require week after week. The semester will be over in six days, and he'll get a short rest before his next class starts.

I'm still trying to get the Christmas cards out. I've had them printed for awhile, but addressing and signing them is proving a little trickier. Garin likes to "help" with them, and it makes it necessary for me to work while he's asleep. Couple that with my own unsatiable desire for sleep, and I haven't gotten them in the mail yet. I'm almost done now, and I think I should be able to get them into Monday's mail.

I'll just warn you now that next week's blogs may be fewer if things go as I expect. It is a very busy pre-holiday week. Monday and Wednesday nights I have a pottery class. I am the only person in the class that would be here for our Dec. 20th class, so we moved one class up to Monday, and our last class of this session will be on the 13th. That way, the other two, who are brand new potters, won't miss the glazing class. Tuesday night is our squadron spouses' Christmas party, and Friday night is the big squadron Christmas party. Thursday morning is our OSC holiday brunch, and the board members have to make a dessert to bring (with copies of the recipe). Suggestions would be appreciated. I still have candy to make, too, and I need to get to the medical center and have my x-rays and blood work done.

Harvey was lying all over Garin and me when Garin was nursing in the night. I wish I had gotten a photo. If you can imagine it, Garin was across my lap in the big comfy chair in his room. Harvey climbed onto my chest from the armrest into a position where Garin was basically spooning him. Then Harvey buried his head in the little opening beneath Garin's chin and my breast and started purring more loudly than I've ever heard him purr. Then Garin wrapped both his free arm and free leg around Harvey!!! It was the most precious snugglefest! Those two are something else!

Hehe.....Karl's still sitting in front of his computer, essay on the screen, reading the paper. Poor guy! He's going to be at this all day and probably most of tomorrow, and then he'll wonder why it's taking so long. I know he and Matt don't share genetics, but they are so much alike!

Last Flower Pic

Okay, is this not gorgeous?! The plant has another new bud coming up, too, so I may have as many as twelve flowers out of this one bulb.

So on to more interesting things....

Karl got in last night about 6:30. When he walked in with his hat on, Garin didn't recognize him, but the second Karl took his hat off, Garin broke out into a huge grin and started squealing. It was awesome, and it put a permanent smile on Karl's face as well. We had a nice dinner just the two of us after putting Garin to bed. I like it when he comes home in the evening, and we have time together. It usually seems like he drags in at 3 or 4 in the morning and doesn't get a proper welcome home.

Today was so great for me....well mostly. Some of the girls from the OSC Board met for lunch. We got to know each other pretty well working on the craft show together, but we were always getting together at meetings. Today was just a chance to have fun and laugh and enjoy each other, and I certainly did all of those things. Kim and I also did a little ornament shopping. Around here, if you're involved in any kind of organization, you can expect a holiday ornament exchange. I have three in the next couple of weeks.

I came home to my boys and learned that Mr. Magoo and Annie had gotten into an altercation, and Goobie's previous wound from Halloween had partially reopened. Karl took him back to the vet for more staples, and Garin and I went to the florist to buy congratulations balloons to welcome my next-door neighbor home this afternoon from her final chemotherapy treatment at Johns Hopkins. They have given her a great prognosis, although she will have to continue to have regular scans for two years, then every 6 months after that. I'm so excited for them that the treatments are over, and they can start to reestablish a sense of normalcy in their lives!

Garin played hard today and hit the wall at 6:30. Just sat down in my lap and fell asleep! That NEVER happens! We're sitting down to dinner for two now....a very healthy pizza. Okay, that's a lie. There's not much healthy about it, but it sure will taste good. I've been dieting again, and I stay hungry. I'm spoiling myself tonight!

We're looking forward to a weekend of not much going on. Karl has to finish some assignments for his classes. One more week to go in this overloaded semester!

Take care everyone, and have a safe, happy weekend!

We have blooms!

Christmas Stockings

Garin and I found the cutest little stockings at Target yesterday! Hanging them in this house is a challenge, but when you have little ones, you gotta have stockings!

Another Day....

We're getting closer! I'm off to bowling this morning. I'll try to write later!

Flowers and stuff

Such fun! It's like coming downstairs to see what Santa brought every single morning! I haven't had an amaryllis in years, but I plan to make it an annual tradition. Here's what it looks like today. It appears to have four flowers on this stem - the two big ones on the right and left, and two smaller ones in front and back. And there's still a whole other stem of blooms that has yet to fully develop!

Don't worry, I won't blog about my flowers for weeks, but I will let you see how pretty they are once they open!

Yesterday was good! We got to talk to Karl, Garin was happy, I got all of the craft show junk out of our garage and back into the USO storage unit. Today we'll take the minutes and board reports to the printer, so they'll be ready for the board meeting on Thursday; then we'll do stuff at home......There is ALWAYS something to do at home, isn't there?!

My Man

Just got done video chatting with my hubby online! I am still in awe that technology allows me to see his face and hear his voice in real time from the other side of the world. Sure beats how my grandparents corresponded during WWII. I can't imagine having to wonder all the time. Even when they got a letter, it was so old that anything could have happened since it was sent. So Karl is safe and in his room for the night, thankfully. There were some issues that had to be resolved before the alert yesterday, and they kept him busy up unti flight time, so he wasn't able to call. Of course, he felt awful about it, but there was nothing he could have done. He flies again tomorrow and then will stop for another period of crew rest....day or night, I'm not sure. If all goes well, they will be home some time Friday, but there are some jet issues (what a surprise) that need repair tonight. To sum up, I'll see him when I see him. I'm just so glad to hear his voice, see his handsome face and know he's alright. Thought some of you would like to know too!

Morning Sun and Amaryllis

I am obsessed with my amaryllis plant. It grows so quickly that I feel the need to check it often for changes, though I've stopped just short of measuring it for comparison. Yesterday, one of the buds got a little crack in the side that keeps widening, and I keep going back to see if it has exploded yet. Today, I could see red! I just loved the way the sun was coming through its leaves when I came downstairs this morning. There is something special about the morning sun that warms you from the inside just at the sight of it.

This and That

It's been awhile since I wrote again....sorry. I have just been beat all weekend. I try to ignore the pain in my joints, and I do pretty well at it most of the time. I'm not so good at ignoring the fatigue that goes with it. It has gotten to the point that I go back to bed almost every day when Garin takes his morning nap. I hope this gets better soon. There are so many things I want to do, but I don't have any energy. It doesn't help that Garin and the dogs keep waking me up at night. With Karl gone, I have such a hard time falling asleep. It was after midnight before I finally drifted off last night, then I was up six times in the next five hours, taking care of one or the other of them. I ended up staying home from church again, which I hate, but I was absolutely exhausted at 5:30, when I should have been getting up for the last time and getting ready. I knew it would be foolish to try driving back and forth that far and singing three services, as tired as I was. I did manage to find some energy this afternoon and vacuumed and dusted. That made me feel better than anything could have....well, except for Karl or Matt walking through the door.

I went to the new rheumatologist Friday. He seems like a really great guy, and his nurse was sweet. I think it will be worth the drive to Lewes to see him. He is fairly confident that the miscarriages are because of the Lupus anticoagulant. I was taking daily aspirin when we got pregnant with Garin and continued taking it until well into the second trimester. He says that if I have another miscarriage or (God forbid) a blood clot, he will put me on heparin, but he wants me to try aspirin again once Garin is weaned. I am glad to at least have some hope. The doctor is doing the standard blood tests, plus a chest x-ray and hand and wrist x-rays. He wants to make sure it (the disease) isn't damaging my lungs, and because of the pain in my hands and the fact that this sometimes leads to rheumatoid arthritis, he wants to make sure I don't have it. If the x-ray shows any rheumatoid arthritis, he says he wants to "treat it aggressively". I don't like the sound of that, but I don't think I have it anyway.

Karl called from the other side of the world this morning at 1:00 am. He said he would call me again this afternoon before his next flight, but I never heard from him. I am trying so hard not to worry. He probably just got really busy or had a hard time getting to a phone, but it will be at least 24 hours before he gets another chance to call. It's going to be a long day tomorrow. This will be the (or one of the) demanding leg(s) of this mission. I miss him so much when he's gone, and I can't help but worry about him.

Tomorrow I plan to go to the bowling alley and practice a little while with my friend, Kellie, who is also in my league. Then I need to run a few errands, but afterward, I am going to finally get around to making Christmas candy! I'll heat up some cider, light up the tree and get to work! (This is assuming that I get a decent night's sleep and have the energy....I'm hopeful.)

Thankfully, Garin has been a joy today! Oh, and I spoke to Matt. They've been without electricity for three days now and are still waiting with thousands of others for the crews to get their lines repaired. For now, they're hanging out at his grandparents' house because they still have power.

I guess that about covers it! Hope you all have a great week!

Thursday, Bloody Thursday

Garin had his first bloody nose tonight. He was fine in less than two minutes, but I fear his father may never recover. We were at church, and he was playing by the steps. Karl looked away for literally just a second to respond to someone, and in that second, Garin decided to go down a step head first. He had one good gush of blood out of his nose, and then it stopped right away, and he seemed to have forgotten it ever happened before I even got him cleaned up. Of course, Karl is still beating himself up over it. I can't seem to convince him that sometimes accidents happen no matter how careful and conscientious we are. We are human, and we do the very best we can, but we can't do everything. And this little stinker is a busy one! It's been weeks since he didn't have a bruise or scrape somewhere. Nothing major, mind you.....just small stuff that is typical of a cruising baby....but he goes for it with gusto!

Karl is leaving again tomorrow on a mission. I don't know when it will ever become routine for me. I still hate it every time. I don't mind being alone with Garin, really. It's nice to have more time for myself now and then and not to have to cook, but I just hate the being apart. It doesn't feel right to be so far away from each other. And knowing where he's going doesn't exactly ease my mind. But I know WHO is going with him and WHO is looking after him every moment of every day, no matter where he is, and that does settle my spirit. Keep him in your prayers, please.

Tomorrow is the rheumatologist for me. I think it is supposed to be rainy but still warm. It was 70 and gorgeous here today.....not exactly Christmas weather. Where's our snow???

Update: Nevermind, I just checked the weather and found our snow. Apparently it all went instead to our FORMER home in St. Louis/Southern Illinois! And while I'm rubbing in the fact that you're all freezing your butts off while it is currently 63 degrees here at 10:30 pm, I'll mention that my family in Texas is also below freezing. I know this little ha-ha fest will come back to haunt me soon, but for now I'll enjoy my open windows and short sleeves.

The Joy of Mud

I surprised myself tonight with the creation of a rather spectacular pot! I grabbed a hunk of clay and threw it on the wheel and didn't realize until I looked down at it how large it was. My sweet and very talented instructor amazes me because she is almost completely deaf, but she reads lips and can hear a little bit if you yell loudly. She and I had a very noisy, well enunciated debate over whether or not I had the ability to handle that much clay. She won and convinced me to at least give it a try. After showing me some new techniques which are necessary when the pot gets too large to manage in the way we had been taught, she let me loose with my creation. Mind you, it isn't the size of a toilet bowl or even a punch bowl, but it was big for my experience. It turned into a very nice-looking something....I haven't decided what yet....but it would make a nice, big flower pot. It is by far the best thing I've ever made on a potter's wheel, and I can hardly wait to fire it and glaze it and see how it will turn out. I'm confident that it will be the first thing I won't want to hide away in a closet somewhere and pull out now and then for a good laugh, like the sad little clay roses I made in elementary school.

The thing I'm appreciating most about pottery is the sensuality of it. The clay just feels good. When it comes out of the bag, it is soft and gooey and ready to become something on the wheel. You can slap it and punch it and mold it into the perfect ball. Then you SMACK it onto the wheel. You bury your hands in a bucket of water and drench the clay. Then it gets slimy....soaking wet and spinning and making slurpy noises as it throws drops of muddy water all over your clothes. After it sits for a week or so, and most of the moisture is gone, it is cold and smooth and still rather pliable. It goes upside-down on the wheel for trimming, and the little bits shave off like milk chocolate curls. From the moment I walk into the studio until the moment I walk out, I am enjoying myself. Even cleanup is fun because there is such a big, nasty mess, but it disappears quickly with a sponge and water. I appreciate that I can enjoy all of the steps in the process. It's not like sewing, where you have to pin and cut patterns forever before the actual stitching begins.

Hmmm....well who knew I could write so much about dirt and water?! Suffice it to say that I enjoy being a potter. I highly recommend pottery class to anyone who has ever stood there at a demonstration, as I have many times, and been fascinated, wishing they knew how to do it.

It's been a good day! Karl passed his annual air-refueling checkride with flying (hehe) colors, and we celebrated at Olive Garden. He'll be leaving near the end of the week to go on a mission, which doesn't thrill me on a personal level, but I'm glad he'll be able to get another trip under his belt and another step closer to Aircraft Commander.

Garin and I did some grocery shopping this afternoon and loaded up on candy-making supplies. It's always fun to do the Christmas goodies!

I got some of the sweetest emails from Joan, Chris (Dickenson), Kim (Marks) and Karen yesterday and today. I am so thankful for friends and family like you all, and I promise to write each of you personally soon.

Please, everyone, keep Kim and her family in your prayers. Her dad died just a few months ago, and her mom has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Kim expects that she may lose both parents within a year of each other. She seems to be okay, but it has to be so hard. Also, my high school (and lifelong) friends, Debi & Peter, need prayer. Peter also has recently learned after exploratory surgery that he has cancer and is facing treatment. They're waiting for a spot at MD Anderson and having a gazillion tests done right now. My next-door neighbor, Julie, is suffering through the last of her chemo....YAY! One more treatment, and she is hopefully done forever. The doctors believe she will fully recover. Cancer just seems to be all around me these days. It's so scary, but it's exciting to see people fighting and surviving!

I don't have much to report today. It was mostly boring, which is not an altogether bad thing. Thank God for plain-jane, nothing-eventful days!!!

Another Loss

We lost another baby yesterday. We found out we were pregnant just a few days earlier. I had been having symptoms and was curious. Now I wish we'd never done the test. Maybe we wouldn't have figured it out, and it wouldn't be so hard. After we lost the baby in July, I could at least think maybe it was a fluke. Now I realize that it is probably the lupus anticoagulant in my body, which increases my risk for miscarriage. I had a major meltdown last night. It's one thing to believe that the baby had something wrong and something else entirely to believe that the baby was fine, but my body wouldn't allow it to live inside me. Although Karl clearly disagrees, I feel like my body is letting him down.

On the plus side, I suppose, is the knowledge that we certainly aren't having a problem getting pregnant, just staying pregnant.

I am seeing the rheumatologist on Friday. I have been having a 'flare' for weeks now and am hurting more, like I did back in 2004. Hopefully, he can help me come up with some sort of plan for a healthy pregnancy. I think maybe I need to get Garin weaned and get back on the daily aspirin regimen. It certainly worked for him!

I never used to understand why people who'd had miscarriages kept later pregnancies a secret until the fourth month. I thought surely it would be better to have the prayers and well wishes of friends and family and that if anything went wrong, a person would need the support of others to get through. After the last baby, I began to understand. It's not a desire to suffer alone or quietly. People who hear the news of your pregnancy don't always get news of your loss. When you run into them, sometimes weeks or months after the miscarriage, they congratulate you and want to share your joy. It blindsides you, as you are reminded once again and are unprepared for the conversation in which you must tell them the bad news. Then they feel terrible and awkward, too. That's the hard part. Or in their desire to help or to make sense of it all, they begin to share their theories as to why it happened, often unintentionally placing blame on you, not realizing that you have already been through every possible scenario in your mind and wondering what you should have done differently.

I am not one to question God. I have never doubted that He knows better than I do. I am certain of His plan for my life, and I am certain that He loves me and wants what's best for me. I do, however, wonder where this is all leading, what I am supposed to learn from it, how such heartache is supposed to benefit us. Regardless of faith, there is still that part of me that wonders at times like these why the pains of this life aren't divided equally among people, so everyone gets a fair share. Then it dawns on me that I don't want my fair share. Compared to most of the people in the world, I don't know what it is to suffer. Thank God for His grace and mercy, even in the hard times!

We are doing okay, but please keep us in your prayers this week as we wade through this and try to move on.

Weekend Update

We're having a great weekend! I've spent a lot of time in the kitchen. A 14-year-old boy eats as much as Karl and me combined! It's been so nice, though, to be able to cook for them. A nice, lazy weekend has allowed us to take our time in the mornings and have a big breakfast together, then spend the rest of the day hanging out, playing games or doing whatever.

We got in at 2:30 am Thursday morning from the airport, as Matt's plane was late getting in, so Thanksgiving dinner was at 5:30 pm. That gave me plenty of time to get it cooked without getting up at dawn.

Yesterday, we got all the Christmas decorations up, inside and out! All that's left is putting ornaments on the tree. We had to make a run to Wal Mart, as we were out of dog food and had a bad string of icicle lights that needed to be replaced. We were very pleasantly surprised to find that the crowds weren't too much worse than normal yesterday afternoon! Once we got everything lit up and got Garin to bed, we had a Thanksgiving-leftover dinner by candlelight, accompanied by Christmas music. Afterward, we played Trivial Pursuit and drank mulled cider. Such fun!!! I love the holidays!!!

Today was just the usual - vacuuming, laundry. It is beautiful (but chilly) outside, so I did clean out the flowerbeds finally this afternoon, and we're going bowling in a little while just to get out of the house and do something fun. Tonight we'll hang the ornaments on the tree, finish off the cider and probably play another game before heading to bed.

Matt has to leave tomorrow, so we'll miss church yet again. But we don't have to leave here until 10:30 or so at least.

Hope you're all having a great, happy holiday weekend!

Thank you to the Troops

Below you will find a link to a Thanksgiving e-card from "The MilitarySupport Group". If the site says it's temporarily unavailable, refresh your page a time or two.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

http://www.cpmsglife.org/tg/2006tdm1.html

PERFECT day for staying in and cooking!

We awoke this morning to clouds - the kind that look like they could drop several inches of snow in no time if it were just a few degrees colder. They have just begun to empty themselves in the form of rain. It's dark outside and so cozy in here! And it's beginning to smell like Thanksgiving! Garin is already down for his morning nap, and I will soon follow suit, but first I had to start Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey breast is seasoned and roasting in the oven, and the clove-studded, molasses-coated ham just joined it in there. I figure I can sleep for about an hour before the ham needs to come out. I'd really prefer to curl up on the couch with some hot cocoa and a good book, but I have a late night ahead and should try to rest. I still need to bake pies, make cornbread for dressing and get the cranberry-apple chutney going, but those can wait until Karl gets home this afternoon. He can watch Garin while I cook...or maybe I'll just do it now. The sleepiness seems to have left me. That usually happens when I have a few minutes to myself. I'm always torn between making the most of my precious free time or catching up on some long-lost sleep.

Either way, I guess I should choose and get to it! Happy day before Thanksgiving!!!!

Lovin' the new steam-cleaner!!!

I cleaned the kitchen and den rugs today and am very pleased with the results!!!

I also did the whole-house cleaning and laundry, so I can devote tomorrow to cooking and resting. It will be a late evening for us, as Matt's plane doesn't land here until 11:30 tomorrow night.

I'm still not feeling great today, but not awful either. Of course, I always feel better after I get the house spic and span!!!

Garin has been hiding behind anything he can find today to play peek-a-boo. It's so funny to watch him crouch down or tip his head way over until he can't see us, then spring back up and grin from ear to ear. He can stand on his own now, but he doesn't know it yet. Karl and I both, at different times, eased our hands off of him today, and he stood for a few seconds on his own before realizing that he wasn't supported. Then he promptly lowered himself to hands and knees. He's walking all over the place holding our hands, and I suddenly noticed how tall he's gotten! I don't have to bend over nearly as far as I used to to help him walk.

I have watched parents and grandparents arrive at my neighbors' houses all day today. Hugs and kisses in driveways....I'm so jealous. But I'm thankful to have had time with them this month, and we are looking forward to Matt's arrival. Our Thanksgiving will not be simple, exactly, but we'll have the standards: turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy (Karl hates sweet potatoes), green beans, Memaw's cornbread dressing, cranberry-apple chutney, Big Mama's rolls, pumpkin pie (for Matt) and pecan pie (for Karl). I love Thanksgiving! And I'm ready to decorate for Christmas! Matt says he'd rather I wait until next week, but I'm going to try to talk him and Karl into helping me this weekend.

Well, I'm off to bed. Hope you're all dreaming of heaping helpings of all your favorite dishes, too!

Bathing Babies and Cats...

....funny how differently they react!

Garin was fussing this afternoon, so I decided to give him a bath early. As soon as I reach for the faucet, he always perks up! He loves, loves, loves bathtime.

Later tonight, I decided to bathe Harvey. He had gotten several knots in his fur this fall, so last night after I brushed him, I cut tangles out for what seemed like hours but was probably only 30 minutes. I thought a bath would do him good tonight. He used to like them, but it's been awhile. Boy! I was exhausted from trying to pin him down! He's clean, though pitiful-looking with his hair all matted down. He just needs to finish drying and have another good brushing, which I'm about to do now.

I did some cleaning today....mostly getting rid of the boxes of craft show crap cluttering our den! I'll do the real cleaning tomorrow, in preparation for Matt's arrival, and start cooking on Wednesday, so I don't spend all day Thursday in the kitchen. We're so excited to see him, and he is eager to see us, too. I'm so glad Karl will be here for at least one holiday this year! We're crossing our fingers for Christmas too!

I'm so tired. I have no good excuse. I'm not sure if it just goes along with all this joint pain, thanks to the flare-up I'm having right now, or if I'm fighting a little bug of some kind. My stomach has been a little weird the past couple of days too.

I'd better go brush Harvey and get to bed!

Age, Growth and Maturity

I've become increasingly aware in recent months that the aging process does, in fact, affect all of us. I have watched loved ones grow old and pass into eternity in recent years, and then I've gone back and seen video of times that seem like yesterday in my memory but which are almost foreign to me because everyone looks so different...so young...myself included. It's a harsh realization.

When I allow myself to consider the nearness of the age of 40 and then compare it to how recent the age of 18 seems, it frightens me. As my 20-year high school reunion approaches in 2007, I am baffled by the fact that I have been out of school more than half my life. How can this be? My oldest 'baby' is 14 already, and I realize that he'll be grown before I turn around. Life passes by all too quickly. I want to drink it all in and miss nothing, but somehow the everyday of living takes up way too much of my time and attention. I have spent the past few days stressing out that my house smells too much like my pets and trying to find the perfect steam cleaner for my carpets to erase the evidence. Then suddenly today, I wonder if I've missed precious moments.

I spent most of today in the floor with Garin, soaking up his joy and curiosity. He is on right on the edge of toddlerhood. He lets go of the furniture just long enough to take one step and lose his balance. He's imitating words and sounds and learning so many skills all at once. His comprehension fascinates me. He is learning to influence the world around him so well. Today, Karl put him down for a nap, and after listening to a good bit of his fussing, I went to get him and let him sit with us while we ate. The very moment that he saw his daddy, he grinned from ear to ear and chuckled. It was clearly one of those "Haha, Daddy, my Mama rescued me, and I'm not in bed" moments. I knew then that Karl should have been the one to go get him. It's just obvious as we watch him that babyhood is almost gone. On one hand, it's a little sad; on the other, it's such an exciting and blessed thing to watch him grow!

I look forward to the future, to experiencing the blessings and wisdom that life will bring. But I think I should like to experience them with the total abandon of childhood. You know....no worries, no concern for the limitations of time.

Who ME????

Here are a few photos of our little 'angel' that my parents took while they were visiting.

Partners in Crime....

Garin with his ever-present guardian.

When I grow up...

...I wanna be just like you, Grandpa!

Rub-a-Dub-Dub...

Garin Paul in the tub!

Airport Delays & Christmas Shopping

Well, the last few days of my time in Texas were spent enjoying family and trying to relax a bit. When you're eating like a queen (thanks to Mom and Memaw's cooking and Daddy's wallet), it's easy to gain weight and get lazy! It's always hard to say goodbye, and even harder in a situation like this. The parking lot was full when we got to DFW on Wednesday, and it was just over an hour until my departure, so Mom and Dad ended up having to drop us off at curbside check-in. This was traumatic for them, which I hated. The kicker, though, was that when I got inside I learned that my plane was delayed by an hour. In the end, we took off 2 hours late. Let me tell you, there's nothing more fun that three hours in an airport with a busy little 9-month-old, followed by three more hours on an airplane with a busy little 9-month-old on your lap, squirming and fussing. Thankfully, the lady in the seat beside me was a kind grandmother who misses her grandbabies, and she was very understanding and helpful!

I've been home now for three days and am trying to get my life back in order. I had so much to catch up on after the craft show, and then I blew out of town right away. Fortunately, things are starting to come together! Karl, Garin and I went out this afternoon and finished our Christmas shopping, with the exception of a few stocking stuffers and toys for the boys. That's a huge load off, as I don't enjoy gift shopping under pressure and surrounded by cranky last-minute shoppers in crowded malls. I love buying gifts and like to have time to find just the right thing. Who knows if I have? But I like to try. Christmas is about the gift of Christ and the joy, peace and goodwill his birth brought to us. I like to be able to really focus on that gift and enjoy the season rather than rushing around in a panic and dodging mad drivers.

Things they are a'changing around here. Lots of reassignments here on base. Karl's boss and office-mate are about to change at the Wing office, and his squadron commander changed this past Monday. You never know how these things will affect the office dynamic. A little prayer wouldn't hurt!

Garin is growing up SO FAST! He learned to say 'light' last week. Well, he actually says "ite", but he looks right at the light when he says it, and if I say 'light', he looks at it, too. He knows. He's also starting to wave bye-bye. It's a crude wave, still, and it's reserved for use at his discretion....not always on demand....but he does it. Sometimes he'll say "ba-ba". I don't know if he understands what it means or if it's just imitation, but it's good!

We're doing lots more finger foods now. He's getting impatient to be a big boy at the table, so we've worked in crackers, chopped green beans, chicken sticks, banana, french fries (at restaurants only), cut-up lunch meat, etc. He's eating at least one meal a day with his own hands now and loving it! Not walking yet, but he sure is working hard at it.

Well, it's late and I'm tired! I'm off to dreamland.....

Hello from Texas

Garin and I flew down here Thursday and had a great ride home from the airport with my brother-in-law, Greg. It was so good to catch up with him!

Friday, we went back to Memaw and Papaw's house and spent the afternoon with family before going to the funeral home for the visitation. It was overwhelming to be back in that house again with all the wonderful memories of being there with my grandparents. Isn't it funny how a house that seems so big to you as a child looks so small when you go back? The huge rooms we played in suddenly seemed so crowded with just a few people in them. It felt so good to be there and to look around at all of their humble but well-loved and fondly remembered possessions.

So many people came from all over to the visitation and funeral, and we were able to reacqaint with family we hadn't seen in years. I am so thankful for such faithful family and friends. It means so much. There were flowers and plants everywhere, and so many kind words spoken.

Before the funeral, I spoke to Papaw's only surviving brother of seven, Herbert. They looked like twins, and when Herbert spoke to me, I fell apart. His voice sounds just like Papaw's. I felt so sorry for him. He sobbed through the funeral. It must be difficult to be the only one left.

The funeral was tough but sweet. The flag-draped coffin and the sound of Taps at the graveside were a bit overwhelming for this Air Force wife. Papaw was a bomber pilot in Europe during World War II and was very proud of his service to our country. He would have been as pleased as punch about all the patriotism at his funeral. Even the flowers were red, white and blue.

As we did for Memaw's funeral, Marci, Greg and I had the privilege of singing at the funeral. We did acapella, three-part harmony versions of two old hymns, 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus and How Great Thou Art, which was Papaw's favorite. It sounded pretty good, if I do say so myself. My voice always sounds better with Marci's because our voices complement each other's so nicely. We were made to sing together. But I think the fact that we were really just singing for an audience of two - Papaw and our Heavenly Father (who are together!) - made it sound even better.

Today, we skipped church and slept in. We made pancakes and bacon and had one of those really special, relaxed breakfasts with my parents, my sister's whole family, Doug (my cousin), Garin and me. Susan, my mom-in-law came down to spend the afternoon and have some time with Garin. My grandparents came from next door, too, and we all played a game that lasted for an eternity...one of those that makes you start trying to help the competition just to end the game. But we had a great time joking around and being together.

Karl's really missing us and misses being here with us. I hate that. We miss him too! Hopefully, the time will pass quickly for him.

Tomorrow will mean more time with extended family; then things will settle down for Tuesday. We fly back Wednesday, and while I hate having to say goodbyes, I look forward to getting home to my hubby and Matt's arrival for Thanksgiving next week.

Papaw is in Heaven!

It's a happy day for him! Back with Memaw, whom he's missed SO MUCH! As Mom said, she probably had a roast waiting in the oven for him. She made the best roast! Right now, they're catching up on the last six years. He's telling her about the four new grandkids she didn't meet, and she's introducing him to his son, grandson, and two great-grandchildren that never got a chance to live here on earth.

Garin and I are flying down to Texas today and staying a few days. Karl can't get leave, so he'll be holding down the fort here. I am eager to see family but hate leaving him behind. We haven't had a normal family life in weeks, and he'll probably be leaving for another mission about the time we get back. God knows what He's doing, though. We just have to trust that.

Generations

Papaw is going quickly. I just got word that he is now unconscious and his vital signs are very weak. It's odd how hard it hits you when you know it's the end, no matter how long you've known it was coming or how prepared you thought you were. I'm so relieved for him and thankful that his suffering is almost over, but it's hard to know that this earthly life is slipping away from someone who has been a part of your life from the very beginning.

I was looking at pictures of Papaw from our visit in July and ran across this one of him with Garin. I love the way they are looking into each other's eyes. Garin will not remember Papaw, but the man Garin will grow up to be will be influenced by his great grandfather, the faith he held onto and the love he had for his family.

This and That

It's been a crazy but very enjoyable few days with Mom and Dad here. I'm still not caught up on my sleep, but I will get there soon! Mom and Dad left this morning, unfortunately just after receiving bad news from Papaw's nurse. He is very near the end. Please keep him and our family in your prayers in the coming days. I really do plan to get on and write a short novel about the adventures of the past week, but now is not the time. Talk to you all soon!

Hi! Remember me???

Well, the craft show is officially over!!! We had a great turnout, and it was definitely a success, but it was exhausting and not without its share of problems. I'll explain more when I'm not sleep-deprived and exhausted. Overall, though, it's been a great experience because I've made some great new friends!

Karl is on his way home as we speak, at least as far as I know. I'm so ready to see him!

Mom and Dad have been amazing. I don't know how Garin and I would have survived the last few days without them. But survive we did, and none the worse for wear.

I'll catch up more later when I've slept. Love to you all!

My Cute Little Bumble Bee

Here is our happy little bumble bee (just before he wiped out).

WOW!

In the span of just 6 hours Matt broke his tailbone, Garin hit the concrete with his face and Mr. Magoo somehow managed to lay open about 4" of skin along his shoulder. Our Halloween was very, very spooky.....it pretty much just sucked. We have tons of trick or treaters here, and we were all set with 10 bags of candy, Garin all dressed up, ready to enjoy the night. Instead, Garin got to hand out candy with Carla down the street, was held and photographed with numerous friends who dropped by, and then went home with Tammy, who according to rumor was considering keeping him. I spent the evening at the vet getting staples put in Mr. Magoo's back. Oh, well. It could have been worse. At least Garin had fun! THANK GOD FOR FRIENDS WHO ARE WILLING TO HELP AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE!!!!!

Karl called tonight, and his earliest hope of taking off from Spain will be Friday. That's assuming all goes according to best case scenario. And then we don't know where he'll be headed from there. It will most likely be next week before he gets home.

I'm tired, and I still have a lot to do. I'm going to say goodnight, but I'll post some Halloween pics before I sign off. Have a great night, all!

Matt's First Big Break...

....and not the good kind.

My baby, the big 14-year-old one, took a hard fall during a basketball game today at school and broke his tailbone. He's been at the hospital most of the afternoon for exams and x-rays, but his favorite part seems to be the Ibuprofen and Darvocet. He isn't exactly used to drugs (thank goodness!). He rarely even takes Tylenol and has never had anything with a narcotic effect. He's livin' large right now!

Poor guy, that's one of those things you just have to suffer through; they can't exactly put you in a butt cast.

Break Time....

Hi! I'm taking a short break from the craft show to share the latest. It's been a good day for the most part! I forgot to mention last night that I had lunch yesterday with Kim, the volunteer chairperson for the craft show. We had a great time, as we were not allowed to speak of the show. Today, I had a "working lunch" with several of the girls who are responsible for putting the show together. We really had a great time - lots of laughs as well as lots of work - and I feel like we are ready. Well almost. We will be ready on Thursday when the real work starts as we get everything set up.

Karl had a weird mission yesterday in that it was his first acting as Aircraft Commander in a C-5, and it was his first time piloting during a landing in a hostile area, so he got to practice all the tactical evasion stuff he's been learning. The crazy part was that an evaluator hopped on to give him an unscheduled check ride. This happens periodically to the pilots; it's like a pop quiz. But to have it when you're in the midst of all those firsts must be nerve wracking. Maybe that's why we were praying for him yesterday! Or maybe because there is a major maintenance issue that was discovered this afternoon (thank goodness!) that could have been very bad if they had taken off with it. They are now indefinitely delayed (surprise, surprise). I give up. There's no point in even trying to guess when he'll be home. Keep them in your prayers!

Back to work! Y'all take care!

What a Day!

It's been a long and strange weekend without Karl here.....not bad or unpleasant, necessarily.....just odd. After a lonely but jubilant celebratory dance in our bedroom Friday night after the Cardinals' World Series win, I slept for the few hours Garin allowed me. He was up before dawn Saturday, and I spent the day working on (what else) the craft show and cleaning house. It felt good to get everything spic and span, except for the bathrooms, which I will have to get to later - definitely before my parents arrive on Wednesday!

Garin was kind enough to wake me only once during the night, and thanks to the time change I got almost 7 hours of sleep! I must admit, too, that as much as I dislike what I call Daylight Wasting Time, it was nice to drive to church this morning by daylight. We have to leave here by 6:45 to get there for the band 's warm-up at 7:30. It was a touching and meaningful service today. We have spent the last month on a series of sermons titled "Just Walk Across the Room." It focused on how to share the love of Christ with people by meeting them where they are and being sensitive to their needs. Last week, we talked about telling our stories about what God has done in our lives by keeping it very short and simple. They gave us a little fill-in-the-blank to get us thinking. I didn't even have to think about the words to fill in my story. It isn't about when I first came to know Jesus as a child, it is about how God changed me in the last few years, after I had struggled and searched for answers on my own: Before God changed my life, I felt powerless to control my life, but now I am strengthened by the power of Christ and know that He has it all under control. This week, the message was about making people our priority, not things (and I extrapolated to fit my situation: being more like Mary and less like Martha), and seeing the potential in others - who they could be with Christ - rather than seeing who they are right now. At the end of today's services, people walked up from the back to the front with posters. On the front, they wrote their "before," then they flipped it over to show their "after." It was very simple, not a word spoken, but so incredibly powerful to see them share the changes in their lives. Things like "pothead"/"marijuana free"; "abused by man"/"loved by God"; "judgmental"/"accepting"; "self-centered", "God-centered". Of course, if you know me well, you already know I was bawling.

Karl is flying into bad places this week. That's probably as much as I can safely say, but you understand. Usually, it feels rather routine to me (as much as that is possible), and I don't worry much, but today was different. I was very unsettled, and my heart was heavy with concern for him. I mentioned it to Carolyn between services and asked her to keep Karl in her prayers. Next thing I knew, after third service, a whole army of prayer warriors surrounded me on the stage to pray with me for Karl. Most of you won't know them, but I want Karl to read about his brothers and sisters who were there. I know I can't name them all because a number of people walked up as we began, and I didn't pay enough attention except to know that they were there and to appreciate each one even if I didn't see their faces. The praise team was there: Carolyn, Leslie, Patti, Aneissa, Kari, Alan, Devon, Erin, Ed, Dennis, Todd, Ron, Keith, & Roy. Steve Faulkner and Jeff McKee also joined us, and I know there were others I'm not thinking of. Steve, Jeff, Ed, Kari, Erin and Carolyn all lifted Karl up aloud, while the rest of us prayed along. It was a most special moment for me, and I know that there was a reason why I felt the need to ask for prayer and that they felt an urgency to pray with me. As Kari said, we may not ever know exactly what our prayers were for or how God answered them, but we know that He is answering them.

Our treasurer is headed over to talk craft show now (at 8:30 pm!) ....oy! I guess I'd better go. Garin's asleep, and I plan to follow him as soon as she leaves. Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed week!!!

Woo-Hooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!

Man, what I wouldn't give to be downtown at Paddy O's tonight! I can't even imagine!

My favorite part of the whole night: Watching those world champions hugging their wives, holding their kids and sharing the joy with their families!!!

Not now, I've got a headache!

Our crazy cat, Harvey, crashed on the couch last night. With Karl's keys beside him, it looked like he'd just come in from work, exhausted.

Tough day...

Karl had to leave this morning on a mission. It was the most emotional departure I think we've had yet, especially for him. I was feeding Garin, and Karl came back at least three times, maybe more, for "one last hug". This is the worst part of our lives in the Air Force. It's so hard to be apart, especially at Garin's age.

Otherwise, it's been a productive day. I had a doctor's appointment, and I got a lot of craft show stuff done. Garin's feeling good, and his fever is gone. We are about to head out to PetSmart to buy food for our babies, and then it's off to church for praise band rehearsal.

I had a great conversation with Kari, our co-pastor and praise team leader, this afternoon. She has a really kind heart, and I am so thankful for her and her family, as well as our church. I am looking forward to practice tonight!

I think Karl locked poor Harvey in Matt's room this morning by accident. I had missed him all morning and found him in there with the door shut. It was kind of funny, in a weird way....like a little "Karl was here" note. I miss him so much already. I hope he gets home quickly!

Just some stuff...

Garin is almost back to himself today. He was up in the night with fever, which worried me for a while. It was just a little lower than the "call the doctor" temperature on the information we brought home from the hospital. It has been lower today. He also has a lot of congestion, but it is clear. I don't know if it is from the tube that was in his throat or if he has another little cold, but I'm not too worried about it at this point. His throat was very raw yesterday, and he cried every time he coughed. That seems a lot better today. I think the area of the actual surgery is less of a problem for him than the side effects of the surgery. Once in a while, he'll sit down a little too firmly or stretch his legs a little too far apart and fuss a little, but he is mostly unphased by the stitches.

Karl is on crew rest, so he stayed home with Garin while I went to bowling and to distribute packets to craft show volunteers this morning. Now he's gone to get a haircut, so he won't come home from his mission with a ponytail. Okay, that's a little extreme, but his hair is getting longer than he is used to.

I'm so tired today. Guess I haven't rested up from the night before last.....who am I kidding? I haven't felt rested in weeks. I might as well resign myself to feeling this way at least until the craft show is over. Just 10 more days!!!!!

We're back home

Garin's surgery is over, and we are back home! Thank you all for your prayers!

We got up at 3 am, so he could breastfeed one last time before surgery. We arrived at the hospital around 5:45, and everything went smoothly when they took him into surgery. That was such a blessing!!! He had a great nurse who was entertaining him as she whisked him away. When they brought me back into the recovery room, he was waking up and crying, but he settled down once I got there and fed him. He is very, very groggy, and he is having some pain, but fortunately, he is sleeping most of the day away. Hopefully he'll feel better tomorrow. Everything went as expected, and he is in good shape now!

We're exhausted and headed back to bed while Garin's napping. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again for your prayers!!!

WE'RE FAMOUS!!!

My friend, Karen, sent this photo of Garin, which was taken three weeks ago. She asked Garin and me to model some carriers for her website. We are now officially models: http://handsfreebaby.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_5&products_id=70. Karen and Isabella are modeling the "Zoe Loves Pink" sling.

OK, REALLY gotta get to bed now. The alarm is set for 3:00 am!

The first bruise

I forgot to tell you that Garin got his first bruise/goose-egg yesterday. I guess it was just a matter of time, the way he pushes himself to do new things. He has started trying to get from the couch to the love seat without holding on. He used to always keep one hand on the couch until the other hand hit the love seat (He does laps around the room this way.). Yesterday he let go several times with one hand while the other was still reaching, and they weren't all successful attempts. Once, he whacked his head on the way down. The knot was gone by morning, but he has a little bruise on the side of his forehead to be proud of.

I should also mention that he is becoming a pro at going up the stairs. After watching his friend, Isabella, do them a few times when they visited last week, he started flying up them. He must have taken copious notes. He has learned that this activity garners much attention and has developed a method of stopping every few stairs, turning to look at one or both parents, grinning, and waiting for applause and cheers before continuing. When he reaches the top, I have been trying to show him how to back down. He has absolutely no interest in such an absurd activity. After all, life is about climbing, isn't it?! Who wants to go back down?!

And I am convinced that this child is calling me Mama. I know.....me and every other mother in the world. But he always says it when he needs me, if he's upset or hungry or can't find me. Karl won't commit to an opinion on whether Garin's calling me or just babbling. I can't blame him. I guess we'll have to ask my parents when they come next week....two more totally unbiased opinions! ;o)

One more precious story, ok? We've always said that Harvey stands guard over Garin and watches out for him. Honestly, it's to the point where sometimes Harvey looks at me condescendingly, as if I'm somehow a failure as a parent and am not caring for Garin in a way that meets Harvey's standards. It's embarrassing to admit that I sometimes feel the need to justify myself to a CAT! Anyway, this morning, Garin was crawling on the twin bed in his room. I was right there to catch him, but I have been trying to teach him about heights - that falling happens, that it could hurt. He doesn't seem to get it yet. So I've been letting Garin get right to the edge and start over it before I stop him, and then I help him to the floor in the same way he headed there. That usually means I set him down on his head and help him roll onto his back. Harvey doesn't trust me. This morning he plopped down on the edge of the bed, watching Garin. Then, as soon as Garin started over the edge, just as I reached out to grab him, so did Harvey!!!!!!!! He never, ever has used his claws on Garin, and he never touched Garin's skin this time, but he reached out with both paws and sunk his claws into Garin's shirt and held on for dear life as Garin headed off the bed. I had to unhook them myself to let Garin down. It was crazy...and SO sweet!

Surgery tomorrow

We are supposed to arrive at the hospital at 6:15, which means we'll be leaving home around 4:00 am. This will make for an awfully early start to the day, but it is probably good for Karl. He has an early mission-alert time on Wednesday, and this way we'll be home early enough for him to pack and relax a bit, and he'll be tired enough to get to bed early tomorrow night. I'm just praying that Garin isn't fearful when they take him into surgery tomorrow and that all goes routinely. I hope that he will not be in too much pain (and/or that the codeine will knock him out for awhile) and that we will be okay, just the two of us, starting Wednesday. There is just so much going on right now! (Update as of 4:35 pm: We just learned that Karl's mission has slipped a day, so he won't leave until Thursday! God is so good! Karl will not have to leave a sick baby the day after surgery, and it also solves several problems I was trying to figure out how to deal with. I have things I have to do on Wednesday, and now Karl will be home on crew rest, so Garin won't have to get out with me if he's feeling yucky!)

Karl finally got this week's assignments done for school today. (He's working toward his Master's degree in Emergency and Disaster Management.) He's starting to doubt the wisdom of taking two classes this semester because he is so busy with his AFSO21 office job and his Aircraft Commander upgrade. It's an awful lot, but I think it would be a lot easier if he spread the work out instead of waiting until the last minute. Of course, it took me many years to learn that lesson, so I have no room to talk.

I finally got to see the eye doctor today; I'm out of contacts and needed a new prescription. I am so blind! For those of you who understand it, my prescription is -7.00. They just dilated my eyes last fall, and now they want to do it again. Ugh. I hate that. But God bless the base optometry clinic! They make it so quick and simple compared to civilian doctors. Here in Delaware, they take your insurance money to do your exam and then make you pay anywhere from $50-$175, depending on the doc, to do a "contact lens fitting". For someone who's been wearing them for...oh, my goodness...24 years...that's a ridiculous waste of time and money. I know how to put them in my eyes! Here on base, I didn't have to pay anything, and I went home with a prescription for new lenses. I'm getting new glasses, too, as mine are an older, weaker prescription.

This must be really boring to read! I don't know a whole lot except that I am ready for tomorrow to be over, so the surgery will be done. I also, on the other hand, wish time would slow down, so Karl wouldn't leave so soon. Hope you all have a great day, and please keep Garin in your prayers!

Awesome Sunday!!!

Isn't it amazing how you can sing (or hear) the same song a million times, and it means something special to you, but then all of a sudden one day it hits you right where you are and you can almost feel the Holy Spirit digging a little deeper into your soul and fusing together a torn place inside you? That happened to me today in church, second service. We had practiced it Thursday and again this morning, and we had done the song in the first service, too, then all of a sudden during second service, I could hardly get the words out because I was so moved by them. Awesome! It was just a great morning of laughter, joy, encouragement and time with some very special people.

I got an email yesterday from high school/college friends who are married to each other and have three kids. They discovered a mass in his abdomen Wednesday that was removed on Friday. It was malignant, and he faces aggressive cancer treatment in the very near future. He is my age, 37. I don't know much more at this point. They are still processing it all, and the kids don't fully know what's going on yet. It seems like one person after another around me - family and friends - are getting cancer. And all of a sudden, they are people my age and younger. It used to be "old people," but it's not anymore, and it's scary. It reminds me how short our earthly lives really are....and how uncertain. The only thing we can really be sure of in life is God and His complete provision in all of our circumstances, good or bad. Of course, we'd all prefer the good, but if all we had was good, I am positive that we would forget to rely on His grace and mercy and to lean on Him. We humans are very self-centered and so easily fool ourselves into believing we're self-sufficient.

And on that note, I'll close this entry with a challenge for us all. It's how I want my life to be: Live with joy, love without condition, give without hesitation, forgive without reservation, look at others through the eyes of the Creator (God-goggles!), and do all of these with passion, honoring the God who gives us the chance, and when we fail, is the God of second chances...and third, and fourth......

Pray for Matt

Please keep Matthew and his father in your prayers. Their relationship is precarious at best, and although things have been exceptionally good between them for the past few months, this past week has seen tempers flare and tensions rise between them. I don't want to go into detail, but please, please, please pray that God will keep Matthew in His protection and that He will speak to his father's heart and show him how to be a parent. Pray that Matt will move past his understandably rebellious spirit and move into the Spirit of God. It is hard to be so far away when Matt is frustrated, and I feel like a parent with two children who can't get along and who can't see past their own points of view.

Clickety-click-click

We have discovered Garin's calling! We believe that he is destined to travel to southern Africa and minister to the people of the Khoikhoi tribe, who are known for their language of clicking sounds. He has mastered to tongue clicking, and it's loud. He woke us up this morning by clicking his tongue....keep in mind that he's in his room with the door shut, and we could still hear it. He does it over and over and over and over. It's his favorite thing to do these days.

It's been a couple of days since I've done any real writing. We've been so busy, but not with anything terribly interesting. The craft show is eating up a ridiculously large amount of my time, but that's to be expected when one person is left to do the job of two. This situation is strangely familiar: the school project where one is grouped with a classmate or two, and everyone is graded on the work of the group rather than her own efforts, but not everyone is committed to success. Karl says I agreed to take care of a Pekingese but ended up with an Irish Wolfhound. I said I signed up to paint a house and instead had to build it. Either way, you get the picture. I'm not complaining, just stating the facts. I'm not sorry for the experience of it. I've gotten to know some great, hard-working women who are willing to do so much more than they have to in order to help me and to make sure this show goes well. I've also learned some important things about myself.

Karl passed his check-ride yesterday, of course. And Garin and I had Karen and Isabella over for lunch and playtime. We had a great visit, and the kids had fun together. We're going to their house Sunday night for a little bash for Bell's first birthday. Bell took her first steps alone last night! The rest of our weekend looks pretty tame (yay!) with no other obligations other than church (and, of course, Game 1 of the World Series on Saturday!). It will give us a chance to rest and regroup for the week ahead. Karl is flying out on a mission mid-week, so it will be good just to have some good family time.

WOOOHOOOOOOOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Cardinals have done it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love my Redbirds!!!!!!!!!!!! Off to the World Series!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(not that we're excited or anything)

Garin's surgery rescheduled

We were able to change Garin's surgery to Tuesday, which will be very helpful. I realized after we left the hospital yesterday that I have an eye doctor appointment. Although I would reschedule it if necessary, I had to wait several weeks for this one, and I was afraid I'd be out of contacts before I got to see a doctor. This wouldn't be tragic, but my glasses are older than dirt, and I don't see well out of them. Also, Karl already has Tuesday off, so he won't have to try to get leave for that day. Just wanted to let you know.

I received this email today from my dear friend, Kim. We were buddies in Illinois in the mid-late '90's while they were stationed at Scott AFB. She was with me during some really fun times and helped me through some really awful times. Although we haven't seen each other in eight years, she remains close at heart. Her sister battled cancer last year, and her father passed away earlier this year. Please keep her family in prayer, that the God of peace, comfort and healing will hold them close as He brings about His perfect will in their lives.

Good Morning,
I got a call from my niece last night that my Mom , Emma Hall is in the hospital. She has had shortness of breath for two weeks with some chest pains. She thought that this was her normal Fall allergies. She went to the doctor and they admitted her for pneumonia. After doing an MRI they found that instead, she has tumors throughout her lungs. She is having a biopsy today. Please pray for peace. My sister Loree is on vacation in Amish country, which because of their small business, they never do. She does not want Loree to know until she returns. So she is alone in the hospital. Loree is also involved in their church prayer chain so Mom did not want to put it on their church chain in case Loree checks her e-mail. Please pray for wisdom for the physicians, peace for my Mom, for Loree as she is the only one in the area to deal with this and they just went through the loss of my Dad. Just pray as God leads you. Thank you so much!
Kim