Packing up!

We're getting ready to head back to IL to see my BIG baby boy! I have never been so ready to get out of town as I am today!!!

This time tomorrow night I will be practicing with my peeps...the Shiloh praise team!!! And I'm singing with them Sunday morning! There is nothing like going back to that place of comfort. The 'Cheers' theme song just came to mind. "Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your naaaaame....bohm, bohm, bohm....and they're always glad you caaaaaame....bohm, bohm, bohm...." You know the words. Shiloh is not where I first found the joy of knowing Jesus, but it's where I learned to be immersed in him so fully that there is joy in any circumstance. It's where I learned what the family of God is really all about. We're all crashing with Amanda and Brian. We're going to visit our old neighbors, see Matt's cross country meet, spend time with old friends and just enjoy some family time. Amanda's invited a bunch of friends over Saturday night, so we can hang out like in the old days. Looking forward to seeing you guys!!!!

So here's the latest on my prayer list: Julie's having a much better week. She's hanging in there and feeling less like a cancer patient. But her battle isn't over. Anita is home from the hospital now and recovering at home, but she still has a long way to go. I got an email from Kelley that said things are still getting crazier for her. She's hanging in, but she needs continued strength and peace. Papaw B is doing well after surgery. He's hurting, but it's manageable. Now he has a long recovery ahead. Papaw R is having major surgery on Thursday. Because of his already deteriorating health (progressive supranuclear palsy, prostate cancer, etc.), this bladder surgery seems rather risky, but it has to be done. I wonder if he will have the strength to recover. Though no one has said so, I think we all wonder. Please keep him, my parents and my aunts, Joan and Betty, in prayer there. And Joan is also struggling with a very strong possibility of cancer. She is waiting on lots of tests to determine the best course of treatment, and we all know that sometimes the waiting is the hardest part. I always wonder if you all think it's overkill for me to keep blogging about my friends and family who need prayer. I realize that not everyone who reads this wants to make a list and pray for all of these people everyday, and that's okay. But I also know that some of you will....and that some of you will relate to some of these and take these people to your hearts....and that is why I keep them on here. God answers prayer! I know it from my own experience, and I've seen prayer change lives! I am thankful for the privilege of prayer. It is beyond incredible that the God of the Universe cares enough to hear what's on my heart and that what I feel and what I think really matters to Him!!!! If He has that kind of time for me, what excuse do I have for not spending time with Him?!?!

Okay, well, end of sermon! If my blogs are scarce for the next few days, please understand. I will have all my fellas and many friends around me for a short time, and I want to soak it up. I promise to catch up on anything you've missed when I get back to DE on Monday!

EEEEEWWWW....GROSS!!!!!!

I sat down to check email this morning, and Garin was playing in the floor. I happened to look over and notice that he had something small in his hand, headed for the mouth, of course. (I vacuum often and try to keep anything small out of reach from him, obviously.) I went over and opened his hand to grab it, and whatever it was felt mushy in my hand. I looked at it and got completely grossed out. It was a dead cricket!!!! There are crickets everywhere here right now....inside and out. I've heard neighbors talk about lying awake at night because there is a noisy one in the house, and we've all gone in search of that one that won't shut up and never found him. We both washed our hands real well after this morning's "treat". I guess I'll have to do cricket patrol now before I set him down.

Matt had a great time at his homecoming dance Saturday night, and he just seems to be doing so well this year all around. I'm so eager to see him Wednesday!

It's another gorgeous morning, and I've got a lot to do, so I'll go for now. I'm looking forward to good news about Papaw's surgery later today.

Goobie's back!

Mr. Magoo had a great visit with the Weigners. They all love him, and Kim and Nathan are ready to keep him forever. Quinton, her husband, isn't sure yet if he wants to commit to a dog. Because we are getting ready to go out of town, and so are they, we have him back for now. Kim is still working on him and trying to get him to agree to it, and she's scheming about her guilt tactics. It's too funny! I can't believe it, but in a way, I'm relieved to have him here. It's hard to let your 'babies' go. But I still hope they end up taking him.

I got motivated this afternoon and finally painted bumble bees on Garin's walls. I had done it at our old house here on base, but hadn't redone it when we moved over here. It was easier this time, as I still had my drawing from before and knew just how I wanted to do it. It only took two or three hours to do 11 bees around the room.

We grilled burgers for a late lunch. Yummy! It has been a good, relaxing weekend for the most part, except for yet another craft show road block. Not to worry, it's under control! (I hope.)

Papaw B is having his knee replaced tomorrow. I talked to Memaw tonight, and she sounded good. She was actually quite chatty, which I enjoyed! Aunt Pat is there, too, so she and Mom will be able to tag team some when he comes home. Wish I could be there to help. Once Papaw R has his bladder surgery Thursday, they will need more help, I imagine.

We had a good cry tonight over Extreme Home Makeover. I think it was the best one yet. When you realize how much some people can do with so little, it is truly humbling and embarrassing. We are so blessed.

I'm off to buy a few clothes tomorrow. My pre-pregnancy clothes are snug, and my post-pregnancy clothes are literally falling off of me. I don't want to go to Illinois with my pants tied on.

It's going to be a busy couple of days, tying up loose ends before our trip. I'm so ready to go!!!

It has finally arrived...

The tooth that has been holding out on us finally broke through last night! Garin now has four teeth. We're hopeful that there will be a reprieve from the constant drool and biting, at least for a little while!

We're still trying to decide what to do about going to church today. We missed last week after staying out late at the ball, so we really hate to miss again today. The problem is that Garin, though feeling better, is still very congested. I can't put him in the nursery that way and risk infecting other kids, but he has far too much energy these days to sit through worship. I would end up spending most of the time in the welcome area. Add to this that it's NASCAR weekend in Dover, and the traffic will be atrocious, and we're still debating whether to go or not. We miss it so much when we don't go, and we'll be in Illinois next weekend.

It's another beautiful day here, but we're expecting a high of 90, which is 15-20 degrees higher than we've had the last week or two. It's probably our last really warm day, as it seems to be getting cooler all the time. I love autumn! I just wish winter wasn't coming along behind it. Actually, I enjoy it right up until New Year's Day, but January and February can be so cold and gray. The nice thing about those months, though, is that we spend more time together indoors, and there is more time to do those household or crafty projects that take a back seat during the busy summer months! Yes, I have lots of plans for this winter!

Nightmares :o(

I guess all nightmares are born of our great fears in life. Since Karl came along, the ones that really shake me involve him and jets. I suppose that's a common one among pilots' wives, but I won't be asking around. I had one last night again. I wake up shaken because even though it's just a dream, it isn't an abstract, someone-is-chasing-me sort of nightmare. It's too real....too possible. I often just snuggle up really close to him but keep the dream to myself. I seldom want to speak it aloud, at least not in detail. I'm glad for morning and a chance to think about other things!

We had a great evening! We ate some delicious steaks out on the patio. (Garin woke up and had turkey & rice and apples & cherries.) Garin went to bed at 8:00, and Karl and I played rummy while we chatted with Matt on the phone. Matthew has improved his cross country time by two minutes over the last two meets - one minute faster each time. He's still one of the slowest, but he's progressing, and that is what matters. Their homecoming game was last night, but there were bad thunderstorms, so he missed it. He's looking forward to the dance tonight, though. He is going to hang out with friends and didn't ask a girl. There are a couple (or more) girls he likes, but he just doesn't feel ready for dating yet. Fine with me! I got to start dating at 15. With Matt just months away from that milestone, it seems much younger than it did back then!

Julie (next door) got another shot to boost her red blood cells yesterday, but they only gave her one chemo medicine. She's hopeful of a better week. She has a world-reknowned radiologist who is fascinated by her case because she has a disease that adults just don't get; it primarily strikes very small children. He told her that the spots on her lung are tiny scars from previous illness and not a cancer concern. He also said that people are born with Wilms tumor cells, and that's why little ones always get it. For hers to have taken 34 years to grow in her body is very promising for recovery because it means it is very unaggressive. She sounds much more positive!

Our friend, Anita, who is just 32, is still in Johns Hopkins (has been for over a week now) with pancreatitis. She has now developed pneumonia, so Julie couldn't stop by to visit her yesterday. I pray that she will recover well and quickly! Her two little ones must miss her terribly.

My grandfathers both have surgery scheduled this coming week. Papaw B is having his knee replaced Monday, and Papaw R is having bladder surgery on Thursday (He's having some serious health problems.). It's going to be a rough week for them, for Memaw B and for my parents. We will be praying extra hard for them!

We are enjoying our commitment-free weekend so much already! It's been so long!!! I wonder if we'll ever make it out of our jammies. It's NASCAR weekend here in Dover, and traffic is absolutely impossible, so it's generally understood among the locals that unless you're actually going to the races, you do all your shopping by Wednesday and don't leave home again until Monday.

We found Annie sprawled across the couch this morning, and she wouldn't budge to go outside and go potty. She's so funny! It's like it's all a dream, and if she moves, it will all be over.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! We intend to!!!

Update on Goobers...

Kim just called. Mr. Magoo is getting spoiled already. He's been to the dog park to play and is munching on a T-bone as we speak!!! He's allowed to sit on the couch (people style like he prefers) and has been lap-sitting and getting loved by them and their next-door neighbors. She says they're in love with him already because he's so sweet! YAY!!!

Annie's over the moon, having regained the run of the house and all of the attention. She's such a sweet girl!

Mr. Magoo is movin' on up!

The Weigner's came to pick up Mr. Magoo, and we walked back with them to help them carry his stuff. He will be so happy there if it works out. We're hopeful, but if he's too much for them to handle, we're okay with that too. Of course, good impressions are so important, so he bumped into the only sharp edge he could find as we walked into their house and busted his ear open. He was bleeding like crazy, but she's a nurse, and he's a PA, so they weren't freaked out.

As soon as we got home, we took down the gate into the kitchen, where the dogs have slept. Annie is pleased about it but rather confused. I have a feeling she will adjust quickly!

Garin is exhausted and has gone to bed already! It may not be for the night...or it may...either way, at least he's resting and getting over the fussies.

We're cooking steaks on our new grill tonight. We did chicken for our salads last night. It's a very good grill for a very good end-of-the-season price. I think we might just uncork a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and sit out on the patio since Garin's in bed. Karl's been flying all day, and I've been catching up on craft show correspondence, and now we're ready for a relaxing weekend......we hope!

Garin, his puppy and his overprotective kitty!

This all started with Garin pulling up on the gate and having a 'chat' with Annie. Harvey wasn't real comfortable with it and, as usual, came to protect his baby.

Feeling better today!

Sorry about last night's depressing blog. In fact, I decided to go ahead and delete it. While I do feel that it was an accurate representation of my feelings, I don't think it's necessarily appropriate to put them all out there on the web and share your pity party with the world. There are so many wonderful things that deserve more attention! Do you ever just get so tired and so frustrated with all of little things that go wrong at the same time? Sometimes it just helps to have a good cry, try to regain some perspective and not be so influenced by other people's opinions. So! After three luxurious hours of sleep last night (haha!), I am surprisingly refreshed, working on a new attitude and trying to solve the frustrating issues that I can.

Garin is a little better today, but still stuffy. He is pulling up on everything! He stood holding onto his walker (wheels locked, of course) for half an hour this morning during Dora the Explorer, while I folded laundry. He's getting so big! And now that he's scooting and crawling everywhere, I don't need to sweep or mop. He's taken care of it very well. Now if I can just get the stains out of his clothes.

I guess I'd better go and get busy while Garin's sleeping! (I say that a lot, don't I?)

Fever's down!

Garin is still stuffy and not feeling well, but he doesn't have fever this morning and seems to be feeling a bit better. He slept from 9:30 to 6:30 - not as long as usual, but enough that I was able to get a decent night's rest, thankfully.

It's an incredible morning here. The sky is the bluest blue, temps in the low 50's, bright sunshine. It's like a summer day in Colorado! Speaking of Colorado, I heard that they're getting some good snow already. I am really missing our cozy little cabin, the sound of the creek barrelling down out of the mountains, and that wonderful smell of fresh earth and spruce trees. I'd like to walk up to the falls today...any takers??? OY! We've got to get back one of these summers. For those of you who never went with us, it must be as close as you can get to heaven without dying. It's like God just permeates every atom in the air; you can almost breathe Him in. I can sit on a rock by the creek and just hear His voice like nowhere else. You can see Him in every direction. I can't explain it, but it feels as much like home as anywhere I've lived.

My poor little punkin...

Garin woke me up just after I finally got to sleep last night. It was so weird. He was fine when I put him to bed, but just a few hours later, he was horribly congested - coughing, runny nose, sneezing. Poor fella was almost inconsolable. We were up and down a few times in the night, but he just can't sleep well because he's so miserable. This is his first big illness, and I feel so bad for him. The faucet in his little nose is just wide open, and his little eyes are puffy and watery. He developed a fever this afternoon, and that's when I realized we have about one drop of Motrin in the bottle. I gave him Tylenol, and Daddy is getting more Motrin on his way home from work.
I was supposed to go to a TV interview about the craft show, but that's not gonna happen for me today. Someone else will have to go in my place. I am not going to leave him tonight.

Karl came home for a couple of hours this morning to stay with Garin, so I didn't miss my first day of our bowling league. I had a great time and enjoyed getting to know my partner. She's 60 and the wife of a retired officer. She has rheumatoid arthritis and has a hard time, so she doesn't bowl as well as she used to, but she is still better than me, and she really knows the game. She's a good teacher and is very sweet. This will be a fun way to spend my Wednesday mornings this winter!

It is a gorgeous day here. The temperatures are in the high 60's, and it's been sunny with blue skies until the last hour or so. It's clouded up just a little bit. I have no idea what the forecast is, but we're enjoying the fresh air coming through open windows. It makes me feel a little less like we're marinating in germs.

Guess I'd better go and see to my fussy little sweetheart. He needs lots of extra loving today.

Busy day!!!

I started the day with unnecessary and ridiculous headaches with the craft show. I am praying thatI will have patience with some of the people I'm working with. I get very frustrated by slacking off and dishonesty. Once I got the biggest wrinkles ironed out, the day got better! Garin is great, Matt FINALLY found his cell phone in his locker, and we're all just rockin' along. Karl had his first football game tonight, so Garin and I went to watch him play. Our squadron won in overtime! YAY!!! Garin was sleepy and fussy, but we managed to stick it out. I wish they'd do something about the mosquitoes here on base. It's so bad even now that it's cooling off.

I just want to ask you all to keep praying for three of my military spouse friends: Julie, my next-door neighbor, with cancer. Chemo really has her down this week. She finally shaved her head Sunday. I think it's really cute, but she won't look in the mirror. This is so hard on her husband and their 2-year-old daughter, Cadence, too. I'm going to start taking Cadence along on our evening walks and stop by the playground to give Julie and CJ some time to rest. I'm so glad she's finally willing to ask for help, but so sorry it's gotten that bad. Today, she said she was going to try to go to the commissary, and I told her no, that I was going and would get what she needs. I had to be a bully because she's so afraid of imposing, but I was thankful that she let me. Sometimes when there's nothing we can do to fix the problem, we just need some way to help. In a way, she did me a favor by letting me shop for her. Also, Anita, who has had three surgeries, finally learned that she has pancreatitis. She's been at Johns Hopkins since Friday. I don't know yet how she is doing, but we're trying to get more info. And keep Kelley and her family in your prayers. She had a breakdown last week, and her husband was returned from the Middle East to be with her, but he is going back this week. Add to these requests my grandfather, who was diagnosed with supranuclear palsy this week, and my aunt, who is facing surgery for cervical cancer. I am sorry to fill the blog with bad news, but I know that our God is the God of comfort and healing and that He answers prayer. I can do nothing more important or more helpful for these dear ones than to lift them up in prayer. I am hopeful that very soon we will instead be rejoicing in their healing!

Much love to each of you! I promise to share more of our lives with you tomorrow, but these other folks are more important tonight.

Snuggled up with my laptop...

I'm sitting in bed listening to Karl's jet doing approaches over and over again. Sometimes it just suddenly hits me what my husband does at work, and it blows my mind. He hops in the seat of a monstrous jet and flies it all over the world like it's no big deal. I've seen the cockpit of those things, and I promise you, it isn't like driving any vehicle the rest of us have ever 'piloted'. I KNOW he's incredibly smart. I KNOW he's very well rounded. I KNOW he's cool under pressure. But holy cow! I would love to watch him fly. I would love to sit in the jump seat and see him at work. What a turn-on! I know I would never feel safer in a plane than with him at the controls. Usually when he goes on a mission, I sit outside and watch for his takeoff. It is surreal and sad and lonely to watch that huge jet get smaller and smaller in the distance and know that he is flying it, but I also feel so proud. These guys are the most selfless people I know - not only in their service to our country but in the way they care for their families and in the way they look out for each other. I feel so fortunate to be a part of this Air Force family. I know I must sound a little silly, but I have lived most of my adult life outside of the military community, and I know the difference. This life is never predictable or stable, but when home changes every couple of years, and all you have is each other, you learn to value people rather than things. You value honor and character, respect and love.

Enough preaching for tonight. I just wish he'd get home soon. I'm sleepy, and I have such a hard time going to bed when he's gone. Goodnight, all!

Where did the weekend go???

It's Monday already! We slept in yesterday and missed church, but it was a great family day for us. We made a trip into town in the afternoon and cheated on our diet. I had a bison burger (in an effort to keep the fat down) and a Dr. Pepper (oh, how I've missed those). It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we all took a walk in the evening.

Karl had an early briefing on the work he's been doing for the general who is visiting our base. Then he came home for crew rest and watched Garin while I went to bowling. We were setting averages this morning, I got 132 in one game and had a 118 average. I'm better than I thought I was! Now Karl is gone to fly tonight. It's just a local tactical evasion check ride. He should be home around midnight.

Garin's a crab today. He's really figuring out the crawling thing. He's been going back and forth between scooting and true crawling. That tooth is still right there, but it just won't come through. I wonder if that isn't part of his fussiness.

The craft show is driving me crazy......I won't even get started on that.

I hate to close on a negative note. I'm really not feeling negative. Overall, life is very good. So there - something positive! Bye!

All dressed up!

Prince Charming before the ball.

WE HAD A BLAST!!!

Karl danced the soles off his shoes!!!!!! No kidding - he DESTROYED the heels of his shoes. Chunks are falling off of them! And Garin was good for the babysitter. He knew we were leaving, and he got VERY clingy to me before (and after) the sitter arrived. I don't know how he knew, but the minute she walked in and said hello to him, he started crying and hugging me.....SO not like him. But she said he was really easy once we left and went to bed fine. WHEW! Here are a couple of pictures of us. Am I really that fat??? Even after losing 13 lbs.??? Maybe it's just "the girls" making me look bigger than I really am. ;o) Oh, well. My husband thought I was hot. That's all that matters. The photographer there said we were the best photo of the night. Maybe I won't look as fat in those.


Oh! (Mom will appreciate this.) Karl's squadron commander came up to me and said congratulations. I had no clue why and looked at him rather blankly apparently. Karl said, "Oh, I hadn't gotten a chance to tell her yet." So Lt. Col. Murphy told me that I'd been named the Spouse of the Quarter (or something like that) nominee for our squadron because of the craft show and website stuff, and from what I understand they choose one of the nominees for the wing spouse of the quarter. Pretty cool! I think his wife should have been the nominee instead, but it meant a lot to me that they thought of me. I'm such a cheeseball; I got a little teary-eyed. Karl is supposed to forward the email to me that he got about it on Friday.

Oh, what a beautiful morning! Oh, what a beautiful day!

Mom used to love to sing that song loudly and shrilly to try to wake us up in the mornings. Don't know why I thought of that, but I can hear her flip-flopping down the hallway in her thong sandals with the rubber soles slapping against the tile floor, singing at the top of her lungs. Sometimes I do that to Matt and think it's such fun, but oh how it drove me crazy when I was on the other end of it!

It is a beautiful morning here. Not on the outside - it's drizzling, cloudy and humid - but on the inside it's gorgeous. If Matt were here, it would be perfect. Garin has gone down for a nap, I'm on my third load of laundry, and I've already scoured the kitchen, straightened the house, and vacuumed downstairs. I'll finish upstairs as soon as he gets up. Because we have a big night ahead, there's been no rush to get showers and get ready. We're just hanging out. I bought two new coffees this week in an effort to thwart my inevitable cravings for hot chocolate as the weather cools. One is caramel truffle; the other is cinnamon hazelnut. Both are delicious, but the caramel wins hands down. I've been drinking WAY too much of it (it isn't decaf) but enjoying the energy boost!

I got a new baby carrier, a Hotsling, yesterday. I also bought some more Baby Legs. They're like leg warmers, basically, that go from ankle to hip and are great for winter - especially for crawling babies. And they make diaper changes so much easier. Garin and I went to WalMart yesterday afternoon for babyproofing stuff (At this point, it has become urgent.), and he really enjoyed the new sling. He was getting too big for the knit one, and he doesn't like being as confined as it made him.

It seems like so many of the spouses are struggling these days with health problems and discouragement. I just wonder how much of it is brought on, or at least exacerbated, by stress. Last night, I talked to my friend who had the breakdown. She's doing better now. Her husband leaves next week, and his mom will be there with her until the first of November, but she'll be alone from then until Christmas. It's a day's drive from here to her house, and Karl will be gone a lot this fall, doing his Aircraft Commander missions, so Garin and I are going to go visit her and the kids for a few days, I think - maybe on her birthday (Nov 14). I haven't heard how Julie's chemo and tests went yesterday. Hopefully I'll run into her today. Another friend here, Anita, has been ill for a long time. She had two surgeries this year, one to remove her gallbladder and another I'm not sure about, and they can't seem to get rid of her abdominal pain. She had a third surgery yesterday. She said she was going to go to the ball tonight. I can't imagine that, but knowing her, it may happen. I know that so many people in our country are praying for our servicemen, but please don't forget their families.

A friend in need...

And as long as I'm asking you to pray, I just learned that a good friend who was at Scott AFB with us had a major breakdown last week. Her husband was deployed to a war zone and had to be brought home to be with her for awhile. She has been dealing with some big problems all alone lately, and it was just too much. It's a rather personal thing, and I don't want to name her or give too many details without her permission, but please pray that she will have peace and strength for what lies ahead, particularly as her husband goes back overseas next week. My heart breaks for her.

Dear Friends, please keep my Papaw in your prayers. He has been declining lately, but we hadn't been able to get a good diagnosis. This is very sad news for the family. Mom's note below explains it:

Well, we have our diagnosis, and it is not good. Dr. Perkins, the neurologist, says he has progressive supranuclear palsy. My Uncle Dow had this. It is similar to Parkinson's but has some definitive markers. Did you know he can't hold his head straight and look down? The blank expression, the slowness in speech and movement, the falling over backwards, the memory loss are all SNP.He will examine the MRI that was done. This illness causes shrinking of the brain stem.
The sad part is there is nothing that can be done to slow or stop it. He said Parkinson drugs don't usually do any good, but he is going to try Aricept or one of the Alzheimer's drugs to slow the progression of memory loss. He did blood work today and will do an EEg on Monday to cement his diagnosis, but he is very certain this is what it is. After hearing what the dr had to say, I could see so much of Uncle Dow's demeanor in Papaw at lunch - the very slow movement like he doesn't know where his mouth is, the closed eyes. He couldn't even really smile a normal smile when the dr asked him to.
As the name implies, it is progressive. He said some people have lived 15 years with it. The web site I looked at said most people die of pneumonia. I just wonder how much time he has with the rapid decline he has had in the last few months.
We talked with him about what he has, but he doesn't seem to care - no questions or anything.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Charles asked me to write since I took notes as the dr talked. I hate to hit you with this at work, Betty, Joan, and Jimmy, but Charles wanted you to hear as soon as possible. Will let you know more as we learn it.
Love, Paula

Caught in the act!

Guess who decided to follow Daddy up the stairs this morning! He also figured out how to pull himself up by grabbing the side of the couch last night. Life is about to get very interesting!

I had wonderful time at the OSC social last night! I wish it hadn't taken me so long to get to know people here, but it was hard to get out during pregnancy when I was so sick. My husband's boss's wife, Mel, is a hoot! Her next-door neighbor, Kim, is the Volunteer Coordinator for the craft show and a really sweet girl. They invited me along on a trip to NYC. They go a lot. I'm looking forward to that! I learned from Kim last night that they're thinking about a dog. She wants to meet Mr. Magoo and is thinking about taking him!!! Pray that this works out for all of us. We could really do with one less 150-lb body in this house, and they would be great doggy parents. I wouldn't have to worry about him being loved and cared for, and I know he'd be happy. Kim has a sweet 6-year-old son who loves animals and babies. That would be so cool. He's going to go visit them next weekend for a couple of days and see how it works out.

Karl wore a different uniform this morning that I've never seen on him before. He's standing watch at the flag pole for 10 minutes starting at 9 am in honor of the MIAs and POWs. There will be 2 airmen (I think it's 2.) all day in 10-minute shifts.

I'm having lunch with my babywearing pal, Karen (www.handsfreebaby.com), and then going to buy cabinet locks, toilet locks, another baby gate, etc.

It's another rainy day here, but that keeps me from having to get the sprinkler out!

Climb every mountain....

....my baby's theme song, I think! This morning, he woke us up, and Karl went in to get him. He was standing up in his crib, waiting for us. Does this usually happen at 7 months??? I didn't think so, but it's been 14 years since I had one this little, and I don't remember. We just lowered his mattress a couple of months ago, but I guess it's time to put it on the bottom notch already. The rail was at his chest, and I can just see him flipping right over it. He has absolutely no concept of danger.....oh to be still so naive! He crawls right to the edge of the bed and tries to head for the floor. It's all about getting somewhere. I can't tell you how many times he's gone for the power cords in the living room. He crawls over and grabs, poor guy, and Mama says "no" and moves him all the way back to square one; then he's off again. No offense to any of you guys out there - we love you and God made us different for a good reason - but it's that one-track, focused-on-the-goal male mind. I love it! It fascinates me how God makes us all so different yet all so the same! I love looking at him and seeing his dad, my dad and his big brother in him but still just seeing him as a completely unique and beautiful creation. He is SO driven, SO determined. He will never be satisfied with the world as it is; he's the person who will be out to change it. I pray that God will use this strength to do incredible things through him. So when I feel like I cannot possibly keep up with him another minute, when all he wants to do is keep walking, and my back is killing me, I try to remember that this character trait will serve him well in life.

I'll take a quick break from Garin to brag on my Matthew - speaking of character! He joined the cross country team this year. Most of you know that he has not been an athlete. We tried soccer (too hot, too much running), basketball (too hard), t-ball and baseball (lasted three years, but I think that was just for social reasons) over the years, but nothing stuck. I was more than a little surprised when he decided last spring that he wanted to run. He did a little running over the summer, but not nearly enough; he had no idea what x-country would require. I was fully prepared for him to make 2-3 practices and change his mind. Nope! He was the slowest on the team when practice started and couldn't run the full distance, but he kept going! He set a goal not to be the slowest at the end of the season. Great goal, I thought. He has a great runner's body- tall, thin, long legs - but he needs practice. Then he pulled something in his leg, and it kept stiffening when he ran. He kept going to practice and ran until it got too bad....1 mile, 2 miles, whatever he could. Monday, he was able to make 4.5 miles, and he decided to run in the meet yesterday. He did th 5K in 26.52 minutes. No, he isn't breaking any school records yet, but he did it, and it's a respectable time. I can't run an 8-point-something mile! For years, I have been telling him that he won't be a champion at the first game. It takes work, practice and passion to be a champion. I thought he wasn't hearing me. Sometimes they have to figure it out on their own. Some lessons just take a little time. He has the potential to be a star runner, just like the rest, if he keeps working. Even if he doesn't ever win a race, though, he's finally learned perseverance, and he's doing something that will help him be healthy, and (hokey as it sounds) he is a champion in my book. Sidenote: the team wins or loses based on the placing of all the team members combined. His team took first.

Sometimes I am surprised by how much Matt has matured in the last year. Besides being a foot taller and developing a bass voice, he is learning to take school more seriously. He skipped Algebra I and is working hard in Algebra II, basically learning both at once to get ahead. He started the year in regular English and found it boring, so he requested a move up to Honors English, which was granted. Who knew he would ever choose to work so hard?! He has a very bright future ahead of him. I just pray every day, every moment that he will make smart choices socially and spiritually during these precarious teen years.

Back to Garin...boy this one is long....sorry. He has a tooth that's SO CLOSE to coming through. His gums are bulging with the outline of it. It's a matter of hours, I'm sure. He was in the exersaucer while I showered this morning, pressing the animal-sounds buttons and mimicking them. He has the horse down!!! Over and over and over again. He then moved on to the kitty. Over and over and over again. Wonder if it will be the dog or the cow next? My money's on the dog. He likes 'em high and shrill; the cow is low and almost soothing by comparison.

Karl and Garin both seem to be feeling better today, except for the runny noses. Yay! Karl has a meeting with the Wing Commander this morning to plan for next week. I learned last night that the General over all of Air Mobility Command who is speaking at the Air Force Ball is touring the base next week, and Karl will be involved with briefing him on the AFSO21 stuff he's working on. How cool that he'll have such an opportunity! Of course, he downplays it like everything else. Or maybe I'm too easily impressed. But I think it's exciting.

We practiced our ballroom dancing in the living room last night. Silly as it sounds, we enjoy it so much. Even in our bare feet on the living room rug, with no makeup and droplets of spaghetti sauce on my tank top and with his runny nose and jogging pants, it is still like stepping back into those early days of romance and fun before we shared a bathroom, dirty dishes and dirty diapers. It's just the two of us together, laughing when we bump knees or miss steps....or when I completely misread his lead, and we invent a whole new sequence. We're looking pretty hot on the tango! I hope the band will play a few on Saturday!

Going to the USO storage today to get stuff out for our OSC social tonight, and I'm supposed to pick up the finished sweatshirts for the craft show volunteers this afternoon. I hear Garin, so that's my cue. Have a great day!

My boys are sick today...

Karl warned me yesterday that he felt it coming on, and he woke up this morning with a voice like a frog and a very sore throat. After two hours waiting in line at flight medicine and a throat culture, he came home with some decongestant and a burning desire to go back to bed. Unfortunately, because of ACMQ (some training he's doing this week), he has to go to work this afternoon. Garin is not himself today either. He's stuffy and crabby and clearly coming down with something. I hope it's minor, and I hope I don't get it. Here's a pic of my patients this morning.

We're sick of our super-strict diet, and the weight loss has slowed down in spite of our allegiance to 'the plan'. He lost almost 10 lbs the first week, and I lost 6, but now we're down to 2-3 lbs a week. We could do that on Weight Watchers. We're going to blend the healthy, whole foods from this diet with Weight Watchers, so that we aren't so frustrated by the limitations. We can still avoid refined and processed foods most of the time and allow ourselves an occasional treat. We both feel that we've learned a lot about self-denial and portion control in the last couple of weeks, and we're renaming our diet "The Sonoma Watchers".

I spent a fortune on airfare today. Garin & I (maybe Karl too) are going to Illinios Sept 27- Oct 2 to see Matt and visit with some friends. We'll stay with Amanda & Brian. Matt's coming for Thanksgiving, so I bought his tickets, too.

I have a busy afternoon ahead, running around doing craft show stuff and grocery shopping. Hope you're all having a great day!

Feeling thankful tonight...and a little helpless

I know I have mentioned our next-door neighbor to some of you before. Julie had a kidney removed in June and is in the throes of chemo now. She's only 34 and mom to a precious, very active 2-year-old daughter. Please put her on your prayer list. She has a great website of her own to keep everyone informed about her treatment: http://www.caringbridge.org/cb/inputSiteName.do?method=search&siteName=juliemreiz
It just makes me feel so thankful to be healthy. Leaving my children without a mother is my greatest fear in life. She won't- she's going to beat this, but it must be scary to consider. Other than food or babysitting, does anyone have any good ideas for helping her out? I'd appreciate suggestions.

Garin was such fun today! Lots of smiles and laughter. He got some quality Daddy time tonight while I went to the squadron spouses' social. It was good for all three of us. I rode over with three great ladies and spent the entire evening in very pleasant company. After being so busy with friends in Illinois, I have felt very isolated here, and I soak up nights like this. Garin was fussy and wanted Mama at bedtime. Doesn't bode well for the poor gal who's babysitting Saturday night when we go to the Air Force Ball! We'll work on that this week.

Speaking of....I learned that many of the couples from the squadron will be at the ball. It is shaping up to be a really fun evening! As if it weren't already. It will be my first real 'date' since Garin was born!

It's late, and we're off to bed. Lots to do tomorrow!

Garin was 7 months old last week!

We're trying something new!

Rather than sending emails to everyone in my address book every time anything new happens around here, I'm going to try blogging instead. It seems like a great way to keep our family, scattered friends and Air Force pals posted on our lives. Feel free to check in regularly! I'll try to update daily...or almost. I'm not promising anything, but I'll try. This is good news for everyone, I figure. Those who want regular updates will have them at their fingertips when it's convenient; those who don't won't have emails clogging their inboxes. Thanks to Mary Nee for the idea (Yours looks great, by the way, Mary). Until later...