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

Garin's Christmas Wish List

We've had several folks ask about what to get Garin for Christmas, so we decided to make a wish list for him on www.amazon.com. If you click on My Lists at the top right of the page, then click on Wish List from the drop-down menu, you can enter his first and last name or my email address to access his wish list. Also, we would really like to get him some good, warm, sturdy shoes. Robeez are the toughest of tough, but still soft-soled, which is great for new walkers. We like this website (free S&H!): http://www.bippityboppitybaby.com/robeez1.htm. He would need the 6-12 month size, and we like the following styles: Navy Athletic, Olive Booties, Classic Brown. Just some ideas for those who were wondering! This isn't an all-inclusive list by any means. Feel free to use your imagination if you prefer.

As for Matt, he is still the atypical child who can't think of anything he wants (unless any of you are crazy-rich and want to buy him the new Playstation, of course).

Garin's Surgery

Today's trip to CHOP went as expected. Garin will need surgery, but in this there was a blessing! We were afraid that we would be scheduling a surgery not knowing if Karl would be overseas and Garin and I would be on our own. They had no openings until late November except for two openings next week, on Monday and Tuesday. Although this means doing it right away, it will be good to get it over with and for Karl to be here with us. So Garin will be having surgery next Monday, but it will be a same-day surgery, so he'll be home in his own bed that night. There will be some restrictions for a couple of weeks while he heals, but it shouldn't be too bad. Just please pray that everything is routine and that there are no problems....also that Garin is not fearful when he goes to the operating room before they put him under, for all our sakes.

Off to Philly

Well, the Cards didn't look so good last night, did they?! Hopefully they'll get the kinks worked out before tonight's game!!!

I missed church again yesterday with a sick baby. He's not really sick anymore, but the cough and runny nose are still bad enough that I couldn't take him to the nursery. I know I wouldn't want to drop my child off and see a kid in there hacking and snorting. Everything seems off when I miss worship, and I'm praying that we're all healthy next week. It may be our last chance to go as a family for awhile, as Karl is scheduled to start flying missions like crazy starting next week.

This morning we are headed to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to see Garin's pediatric urologist. I expect that they will schedule the surgery today, and though I'm a little nervous, I'm ready to just get it over with. I hate the thought of it all, but it needs to be done. Hopefully we can schedule it for early-mid November (or right away, so Karl will be here).

It's a gorgeous day for the drive to PA, and it's already 9:45! I gotta go get ready!

Sing us a song, you're the piano man....

...Billy Joel. I guess everything in life can somehow relate to a song, huh?

Garin had his first try with the piano today, and he had some good fun with Daddy. Hopefully, he's inherited Daddy's natural talent.

They call me the fireman....that's my name

.....That's on old George Strait song, for those who don't remember.

This morning is the big parade to kick off Fire Prevention Week here on base. Many, many local fire departments, plus our base fire department, will be driving all through base housing this morning at 10 am, ringing bells and blaring sirens. There will be mascot-type characters riding along. It's really neat! Last year, it was so loud that Garin heard it from inside my tummy and starting rolling around all over the place when the parade passed our house. While the older kids love it, it's not exactly designed for the babies' enjoyment, so we won't be standing on the curb. Fortunately, they're lining up right outside our front door since the parade starts right on our corner. We went out early to see the City of Dover truck, and Garin had a picture with the fireman!

TGIF!!!

Well, I'm assuming since you're reading this, it means we've all made it through another week! Cheers to us all!!!

Friday was a long day of flying for Karl, and a long day of Garin for me. Children instinctively know just what it is that they shouldn't touch, and those are the very things they are drawn to. I must have taken him away from the stereo 30 times today, at least. He loves to turn knobs, change channels, change speaker settings, and (my personal favorite) crank the volume to ear-shredding levels. Of course, every effort to deter him brought smiles, giggles and a mad dash back to the stereo. But the biggest excitement was the inevitable discovery of that nifty little splashing toy, the toilet. We had a frenzied, but lengthy, handwashing session afterward, and I put toilet locks back on the shopping list. We couldn't find any at the three stores we tried last month, so we put it off.

I know I should be complaining about how exhausting it is, especially at my age, to keep up with a busy baby, and sometimes I do, but mostly I just want to laugh and kiss and squeeze and tickle and cry tears of joy. It's funny how the hardships of life can change one's perspective on what's important. I'm much less inclined than I once was to get so caught up in my own agenda that I forget to look at life from his vantage point. For this wisdom that comes with age and maturity, I am exceedingly grateful to God.....the gray hairs, wrinkles and slowing metabolism I could do without!

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will tell you that my spare moments today were filled with the craft show. It feels good to be getting so close to the event itself after months and months of preparation.

Karl has Habitat for Humanity tomorrow. I'm taking a break from the craft show to focus on cleaning my house well and spending some well earned time doing whatever strikes my fancy.

Happy weekend to you all!

Blog Comments

My mom-in-law brought it to my attention that you guys who aren't bloggers yourselves weren't able to leave comments without creating your own blog. I have fixed that setting, so you should all be able to leave comments should you wish to do so!

I love to climb on everything, as you can see!

Miscellaneous stuff

Busy day today...busy week! Things are really coming along with the craft show....fast and furiously. That's what my life is revolving around these days, and I doubt you all want the details, so I'll move on.

As some of you know, Matt had set a short-term goal of completing a race in under 25 minutes. I neglected to mention yesterday that he ran a 24:43 race on Tuesday. There is a county-wide race this afternoon, so I'm hoping we'll have good news to report!

Garin has, out of the kindness of his heart, passed his cold along to me. I have decided to look at this as a good thing. Since he is still breastfeeding, I can pass my little germ-fighters along to him.

Karl's busy at work, tying up loose ends in the office, so he can concentrate on flying for a while. He has met all the requirements for his Aircraft Commander upgrade, so he has three local flights which he needs to do this week and next. He'll be flying a lot of missions starting at the end of this month. The plan is to make AC in December and be able to start his Instructor Pilot upgrade.

It's a gorgeous day, and I still have lots to do! But first I'll add a photo of my little climber.

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head

Boy, what a great rainy day! It's just a bit chilly (mid-60's) and would be the perfect afternoon to simmer autumn's first pot of chili if I wasn't so busy trying to tie up loose ends for the craft show this afternoon. I can be certain, though, that there will be plenty of other perfect chili evenings to follow. We'll do it next time.

Garin has added a yucky cough to his repertoire of cold-induced body noises. The poor child can't catch a break this month. At least the fever has stayed away for three days now.

Karl had some things he could do from home, so he came back and stayed while I went to my bowling league. I had a great time as always, but my bowling today could best be described as inconsistent. My games ranged in score from 82 to 116 before my handicap was added. I think that is the worst game I've ever bowled!

I spent yesterday evening at a lovely squadron spouses' social. We stuffed Halloween goody bags for a local orphanage. Of course we all brought a ton of candy and treats, but I wish we could give those kids what they really want: forever homes. Maybe if we each just took one home with us....

This afternoon I got a phone call. I left the living room for less than two minutes to write down a phone number, and by the time I went back, I found Garin almost at the top of the stairs. We have got to get another gate for the bottom of the stairs! He's so fast now. And have I mentioned how precious he is? What is it about the word "No" that makes children smile and giggle??? Matt thought it was the funniest word in the world, and I might as well have said, "I double-dog dare you!" Garin gets that same look on his face and seems to have the same determination to find out if I really mean it. Of course, he's too young to fully understand or to have consequences, but it's time to start learning about boundaries, I suppose.

Dinner's on me!

I bet the dogs would have enjoyed licking me clean...or Harvey either!

LOOK MA....NO BIB!!!

Had a fabulously messy lunch today: biter biscuits and banana along with the boring jar food. I am gagging less on the solid food today and managed to keep everything down! Progress!!! Mom took me straight to the tub when lunch was over.

GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!!

Love my boys in RED!!!!!!!!

There is no better doctor than Dr. Pepper!

Papaw was released from the hospital late yesterday and returned to Daisy's house by ambulance. Dear, sweet, qualified-for-sainthood Nurse Daisy and her equally exceptional husband take care of three elderly patients in their home better than any nursing home in existence. Our family was blessed to find them and is continually blessed each day that Papaw stays there. Daisy brought Papaw's personality back with one statement: "I'll bet you are ready for a Diet Dr. Pepper!" (Or something to that effect...I wasn't present, so this is a recycled story.) He has dined finely on coffee, grape juice, hot cereal and homemade chicken noodle soup. His sense of humor has returned, and he has found his voice again. There are bedsores to heal (Perhaps I should have said that Daisy is better than a hospital as well.), and Papaw is still in danger of not being able to swallow and choking. He still has cancer. But he is happy today, and that is the best news of all!

Garin is sick again. He's at that age where they catch everything. He was puny all day yesterday, and he woke me up around 3 am with a fever. I was supposed to sing this morning but had to cancel. He seems to feel better tonight, but he's still battling the fever. I'd forgotten how fully and completely children rule the lives of their parents. It is highly inconvenient and often frustrating, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I will embrace it as a blessing because we have him. After the miscarriage, I am more aware than ever that there are no guarantees in life. Wanting children doesn't mean that one will be able to have them. I knew that my chances were compromised by the Lupus Anticoagulant (a 50% chance of miscarriage or prematurity), but Garin was easy....okay, the pregnancy was hard on me, and I was sick the whole time, but it was a healthy pregnancy nonetheless. The gift of another child far outweighs any inconvenience.

The air show is over, and we survived. I waited way too long for the shuttle and dressed much too warmly today (because I nearly froze yesterday), but I still had a great time. My new hero is a lovely young woman named Nicole who is the first female member of the Thunderbirds...... WOW!!! I know her parents must be proud......and terrified. This does not in anyway detract from the incredible talent and skill of the men on the team, but Nicole is inspiring not only to little girls who will see by her example that it is true when their parents tell them that they can do anything they want to do in life, but also to grown women who still need to be reminded.

There were many thousands of people at the air show. When we see and hear so much about protests and opposition to our military men and women, it touches this military wife deeply to stand on a chair and look over the sea of people as far as the eye can see, wearing their red, white and blue and cheering, and feeling their support and love of my husband and his brothers and sisters in arms. Regardless of what the media tries to tell us, we do not stand alone.

The Cardinals are playing, and I need to get back to the game! PRIORITIES!!!! Tonight's the night that they finish off San Diego. Don't want to miss it!

LOVE TO YOU ALL!!!

Not much to say today...

It's been a cold, rainy day, and Garin and I haven't left the house. There was plenty to do around here, and he and I had a great time playing together. He decided to stand by the bathtub and pull back the curtain this morning while I was showering and played in the spray. When I was done, I ran a bath for him, and I couldn't get his clothes off fast enough to suit him. He splashed around and enjoyed a nice, long bath while I fixed my hair and put makeup on.

Last night, Papaw pulled out the feeding tube they had put in his nose. Today, they told him he needed a stomach feeding tube, and as we expected, he refused it. The hospital is, therefore, refusing to feed him. I guess it's a liability thing. Dad is bringing food in for him until they release him tomorrow. Then he'll go back home under Hospice care, where they will try to feed him as best they can, realizing that he may choke on his food and may not survive it. This is how he desires to live out what time he has left and prefers it to the stomach tube, so he will do so with the support and respect of the family. It is hard to imagine what is to come, but I pray that God will pour out His peace and grace as Papaw enters the final chapters of his earthly life. I have to say that every bite of food I put in my mouth today reminded me of Papaw. We take eating for granted; we take having enough food for granted. Then I begin to think of those, especially children, who go hungry every day - not because of illness but because they have no food. Maybe if we thought about eating more as a privilege than as entertainment, we would be healthier, happier people.

The DAFB Open House starts tomorrow. They're expecting over 100,000 people! It's crazy to imagine what the next couple of days will be like here. Our neighborhood is usually rather quiet, except for the old-fashioned neighborly chats on the street and the children playing and running around. That is without a doubt the number one advantage of living on base. It is a close-knit community where people go for evening walks and stop and visit with each other. Kids play all over the neighborhood with no fear because parents know they will be safe. We know each other and help each other the way neighbors used to when we were kids. I'll be proud this weekend, though, to show off our base and proud to stand beside my smartly uniformed husband as we work and play at the air show!

Blessings to you all! Have a great weekend!!!

Papaw is not doing well.

Last night, he choked badly on his dinner. They did a swallow test and told Dad that he was not to feed Papaw anything until he talked to the doctor. This morning, they told him that Papaw failed the swallow test. Because of the supranuclear palsy, which is a neurological disease similar to Parkinson's or Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS), it appears that the nerves to the swallowing muscles aren't working anymore. He will probably never eat again. They are talking about putting a feeding tube into his stomach, but he has lost his will to live. There is the possibility that he may refuse it. I can't blame him. He's tired, and He's ready to go Home. I talked to him this afternoon and told him that we love him and are praying for him. I told him that I know God will take care of him, but that it must be hard for him just the same. He started crying the way he does when he talks about Memaw, who passed away a few years ago. I and the rest of the family believe that he is ready to be with her again...to leave this world of struggle and pain and gain his eternal inheritance of joy and peace with his Father. It is so hard to see someone you love suffering. Please keep him and our family in your prayers.

The Show Must Go On...

God bless Tammy! Our Wing Commander's wife was kind enough to take over the publicity for the craft show, and she's doing a phenomenal job. We had an OSC Board meeting this morning, then she, Carla and Shauna came over and had lunch, and we worked on final preparations. Things are going amazingly smoothly at this point, considering all the hurdles we've encountered.

On a funny side note, Tammy says we'll have to fix Matt up with her daughter, who's also 14. I don't know if she's serious, but I know Matt would like to know someone his age here on base that he could do stuff with.

Garin's flirtatiousness is becoming outrageous!!! He's got the looks and the grins down, and he loves the ladies. I don't know where he gets that! ;o) He is just getting so cute and so fun. He spends most of his awake time standing and trying to climb anything in sight. Toys are boring because he has to sit down to play with them. Did I mention yesterday that Tooth #6 has arrived? That's three new ones in just over a week. Slobbering has decreased, but who knows if that will last for long?

I found an easy, easy recipe yesterday in one of my cookbooks that I made for dessert today. You slice a frozen pound cake (while still frozen) into several layers. Spread raspberry jam between the layers. Melt 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave and stir in 1 cup sour cream, 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 tsp. of raspberry liquer (which I didn't have, so I used amaretto). Use this to frost the cake and refrigerate. It was quick, simple and yummy.

The base is having an air show this weekend, so this place will be a zoo! There are all sorts of great flying demonstrations and static displays. I'm volunteering to help both days, but there is a shuttle from housing over to the show. At least I won't have to fight traffic! It is neat when the public can come and see what is happening right down the street from them. I remember going to the Air Show at Scott AFB before I was married to the military; it's very exciting when you don't see it all the time. I actually have not been inside a C-5 since two days before Matt was born (over 14 years ago!) at the Scott AFB show. I've only been inside the simulator here. I'm looking forward to touring the real jet again and seeing where my husband spends so much of his time!

We are, unfortunately, missing a great worship conference with the praise team next week. I don't have a babysitter, and Karl can't take leave. It would be too hard for me to go alone and try to keep up with Garin the whole time. He's so busy now. I know that God has a plan that I don't understand. We have prayed for this to work out, but it didn't, so I know there is a reason. I will be able to stay plenty busy here, but I hope it doesn't affect our ability to serve in worship.

It's cloudy and cool today and supposed to stay that way. I guess yesterday was probably our last really warm day this year. I'm very ready for fall, but I wish we could skip straight from there to spring! Of course, winter affords us that wonderful rest that we need and can't seem to get in the summer....time to read, sew, knit, crochet...time to snuggle up with the family and a good movie....time to clear out the closets of stuff that should have been given away a long time ago!

I hope you all have a wonderful, happy day and a great weekend ahead!

We had a good day today!

We slept until 8 am, which is a miracle in itself. Garin is a very early riser, but he was so exhausted from our trip that he slept late this morning. He didn't sleep well at all on our visit to IL (consequently, neither did we). He is clearly a homebody like his Mama! His mood has improved dramatically since our return.

Matt had a big race today, but the temps were in the mid-90's there, and the kids all had a hard time. Matt's time, as well as the times of all of his teammates, were slower than usual. There were some kids from other teams who ended up in the hospital, and Maddie (of whom some of you have heard) had to drop out because her blood sugar went through the roof (484, I believe Matt said). He was disappointed that he wasn't able to do better, speed-wise, but he did place higher than he has before. Last night, I got to help him with his Algebra II homework! Of course, it was over the phone, so I had to get a sheet of scratch paper (sorry, Dad, couldn't resist). It was nice to be useful to Matt AND practice my math!!!

Karl had the day off and got some things done around here. He's starting work on his Master's degree next week and had some things he needed to do in preparation. He is such a sweetheart! I was listening to Terri Clark's song, "She Didn't Have Time," today on the radio and thinking how much it applied to me in different phases of my life. When I take time to think about the miracle of how my life has changed, it gets me all choked up. It's not every man that can genuinely love another man's child like his own and give so much of himself.

I went to Karen's today to do a photo shoot for her website. She had a photographer there to get some pictures of her products (mostly ring slings) in use, so Garin and I will soon be "famous" models! It was good to spend some time with her and Isabella. Seems like we're always trying to get together, but half the time something gets in the way. We're hoping to go to the park Friday morning if the weather cooperates.

Bowling tomorrow! Better get my rest, so I'll be strong and up for the challenge! ;o)

More fun with friends!

Garin and Rose

Brother Time

Dinner at Mariachi's

The Finish Line!

Matt finished in 25:21. He is on the far right of the photo. Several of the girls from the team (in blue and gray) are cheering him on.

AND THEY'RE OFF!!!
Early in the race...Matt's right in the center of the picture, wearing the blue racer-back jersey.

This crazy, beautiful life....

I'll start with the story and follow it with pictures.

It was an absolutely wonderful weekend with Matt and with old friends whom we dearly miss!!! We arrived Wednesday, got the Sonic meals we've been craving for quite some time and are completely off our diet, and picked Matt up from school. We had dinner at church and got the chance to catch up with a lot of folks, and I stayed for praise band rehearsal (fun!). Karl was in different praise band when we were in IL, and there have been some big changes there, so he hasn't gone back. It's a shame because I know he'd love to get back with that group too. But I digress....

Thursday was Matt's cross-country meet in Chester, IL. It was a beautiful but chilly day, and we hung out with Amanda all day. Mary came over and brought her two little angels: Katherine (17 mos.) and Sarah (2 mos.). It was nice to spend some time with them. Then we went to watch Matt run! He improved his time by 45 seconds, and we were so proud to cheer him on at the finish! The team is a great group of about 20 kids. They are so encouraging and supportive of each other; any competitiveness seems to be very good-natured. Of course, in cross country, your real competition is with yourself. Amanda's husband, Brian, coaches cross country at another local high school. His team's shirts last year said, " Our sport is your sport's punishment." How true! As Matt pointed out, these young people aren't running because it will make them popular as some sports will. They are running because they love the sport, and they are a down-to-earth, dedicated and hard-working group. After the races, some of them met at Mariachi's for a late dinner. We went along and sat at another table; we didn't want to cramp his style, you know. The waiter brought out hats and a dessert for one girl who was celebrating her 18th birthday. It was fun to watch them goofing off and good to see Matt right in the middle of it all. I still have a hard time recognizing him as a teenager rather than a child sometimes, but that night, he was definitely a young man. Karl bought everyone's dinner. I was surprised when he told the waiter he'd take care of the bill, but when I asked, Karl said it was because he doesn't have enough chances to spoil Matt, and he wants to take any chance he can. It was a wonderful night.

Friday was pretty laid back. I did paint the baby's room for Amanda and Brian. Brian hates painting and Amanda isn't supposed to "in her condition." That was about it, I think.

Saturday, we did some running around and visited our former neighbors, Steve and Peggy and Rose (whose dear husband, Milton, passed away this summer). It was so nice to see them! Saturday night was a chili dinner with lots and lots of old friends!!! We saw Becky and Jonathon, Emily Z, the Nees, the Kassebaums, Amy S....I know I'm forgetting someone...and we enjoyed plenty of laughter and food.

Sunday was church, lunch with Amanda, Brian, Dave B, Becky & Jonathon at 54th Street Grill (YUMMY!!!), dinner with Chris and Rachel D. at St. Louis Bread Co. (boy, I've missed that place), and pool and Rams football at Bethany & Brandon's. Another great day!

Yesterday was tough. The goodbyes are so hard with Matt. We all held it together this time... until we were apart. I am so very proud of him, and I miss him so much. I just keep praying that the AF will see fit to send us back to Scott AFB to see him through high school graduation. Our plane was delayed by an hour and a half, so we got home extra late last night. I have things I have to do today, so I need to hit the ground running, but I really need a couple of days to recoup, do laundry and clean house!

My Papaw R is not doing well. A couple of days after his surgery, his blood pressure dropped terribly low, and his heart rate and temperature went up. After a day in intensive care, he's been moved to intermediate care and will be in the hospital for several days, receiving IV antibiotics to fight an unknown infection. He will also have another procedure to put stints in his kidneys/bladder. He is talking some but is very confused and disoriented, and he keeps pulling his IV out.

It's a pretty day here, and I have a lot of catching up to do, so I'd better run. I'll post some pictures first though!