Duke...

This little puppy is bringing lots of laughter and smiles to the family...

You'll see why...

He's sooo cute...even more so in person.

He looks bigger in the photos too, but I think this is a good picture to show his size...

We took him for a day of fun out on the road. Our first stop...McDonalds.

This picture shows his size in comparison to a large cup.

He fell asleep on the road trip...several times!

Is that not the most adorable sleep position?!?!

Then the boys added the water bottle to his legs. hahaha!

A soon-to-be Addition to the Family

If you know me well, you won't be asking if I'm pregnant...since that's not even possible! And, if you know me well, you probably won't ask me if we're getting a pet...since we (my husband and I) haven't wanted a pet in MANY YEARS!!...but...well...we've finally given in to our BEGGING twin boys, asking OVER and OVER and OVER for a dog.

Early July, while a friend was here visiting for a week, we took her shopping and at this particular store they were having Adoption Saturday (if I had remembered I would have avoided). No, we didn't adopt a dog...but it began the begging even more so than in the past. I will admit, one of the dogs stole my heart a little, but I still didn't move forward with getting him even though the boys really seemed to like him too (we have, however, gone by to visit him several times at the Humane Society). We all agreed we weren't sure adopting was the best idea. I do love going to the Humane Society and visiting all the different kinds of dogs though.

Then, after taking my husband to the Humane Society a few weeks ago, we started to talk about getting a dog/puppy and agreed on the same breed - a beagle.

This Friday we will get our little pup, one day short of eight weeks old. The boys agreed to help pay for him...and after much searching and weeding through so many scams, we found someone who actually HAD real puppies. I am still in shock of the scams. Note: Don't ever buy a dog without talking on the phone to someone!! We had so many conversations with people via email but knew better than to move forward without a phone call, but it's just amazing to me how many scams there are out there!! We'd get responses like, "I just moved and don't have a phone yet"...who doesn't have a cell phone these days? ...or wouldn't find a way to call if someone was going to pay you $$??? Or, "I'll call you when I get off work, but until then let me get your information so I can get everything set up to get the puppy to you..." Seriously?? Who would respond to that? Be careful!!

Anyway, my husband will be bringing our new beagle pup home by plane Friday. I told the boys he will either love or hate the puppy by the time he gets home. I imagine he'll have a few funny stories...but praying he (the puppy) sleeps for the short plane ride! :) He'll be flying in the cabin at my husband's feet! :) Can't help but laugh when I think about it...if you know my husband well, you're laughing too. The carrier had to be manly...and when I mentioned putting a diaper (yes, they have those) he refused. At first. When someone else mentioned it was a good idea, and gave him two, he took them. haha!

Here's a photo the owner took for me last week...he looks bigger than he is in this picture. He weighs about 3 1/2 lbs.

Adorable, isn't he?!?!

We still have to decide on a name...(ideas??)

He kind of looks like a little bandit in this photo...hmm...

Hooray for Vacations!

Well, my first two weeks of work went really well...I survived! haha!...and now it's vacation time for two weeks!! Thanks to my great boss, I was able to get it approved before starting work since my husband has block leave. We weren't sure when I'd start the job so I asked for it in my interview (if I were to get the job...) and my boss was nice enough to ask before calling to let me know they were ready for me to start. What a blessing!!!

So, we're headed to Colorado as soon as our twins get back from their mission trip. They've been working on homes near Los Angeles for a week, getting up at 5:30 a.m. and hitting the sleeping bag on the floor around 11:00 p.m, with our youth group and World Changers. Think they'll be ready to take off for a camping trip? I'm thinking probably not...yet...so we'll be nice and give them one night's sleep in their own beds! :)

We're ready to go! Hopefully they're not too worn out!

Back to Work

Last week I started my new job in our new location. After being off over seven months - because it took nearly 4 months to even land a job - it was weird to be back in the office setting again. It was a tiring week, but I enjoyed getting to know new people. In the midst of it all, I've found it to be something I know was the Lord's doing, will and plan.

If you know me at all, you know I'm a people person, and I'm probably more concerned about working with good, honest, hard-working people more than anything else. I had a busy, busy week but at the end of the week I could honestly say I am going to enjoy this job and the people I work with. That's a blessing!

I do have to say though, it was not an easy thing preparing myself to go back to work after being off so long...I even cried a little. I have an elderly neighbor I make meals for and take places, and it was tough knowing I wouldn't be able to spend as much time doing so...I also like the freedom to spend time with my husband when he's home or going to battalion functions or chaplain functions...so many things to try to work around. But, God is good and I know He will give me strength to do whatever I need to do, and help me through the emotions and struggles that come sometimes with knowing I can't be a part of all the things I was before. And, in the meantime, when there's nothing else I have to be doing but working at my paying job, I'll be praying for all the no-paying jobs I have going on. :)

I can't say I'll probably not be writing as much since I was barely writing before...but we'll see. While I'm thinking about it, please be praying for my son as he nears his year long, unaccompanied tour to Korea this fall. Next month he'll celebrate his one year wedding anniversary, and then just a few months later he'll leave and have to spend a year away from his wife. We're sure not looking forward to going that long without seeing him either...

Well, it's getting close to a new work week...and then it's two weeks vacation with my sweet husband and the twins! :) I thank the Lord my company was willing to give me that time off before I even started...without pay, of course...and what a HUGE blessing since my husband spent most of this summer in the field!

Little Gifts from God

There are moments in life where, if you're like me, you realize God gives you little gifts that brighten your life. It's like moments of sunshine among the clouds.

Every day since our move from Fort Lewis, WA, I wake up to sunshine. It's still odd to me to have every day filled with sunshine instead of wondering if we'll get it or not. That's not really what I'm talking about here though...

I'm talking about the moments when you see the sunshine breaking through the clouds, moments when life's not exactly always what you'd like it to be, but God reminds you that it's still all good, even among the hardship.

If you're in the military, you know what I'm talking about.

This is our third summer in a row to be separated for part of it. I think if I see my husband in the evening at least everything is going to be OK. Coming off a year long deployment, you take what you can get. Can I get a witness?! :) My husband has been in the field throughout the week, and a few weekends, since before summer began. I've complained about it several times...to be honest. Just about every time I complain, God shows me the beauty in what he does, serving his country, and brings a little sunshine my way to keep me smiling.

This week the "sunshine" is one of my dearest friends from WA visiting. She and I became really close friends while our husbands were deployed together. It was the hardest part of moving away from there. She arrived yesterday and will be here for a whole week! :) She's such a blessing to me, and just having her around is wonderful. She was a huge blessing during the deployment as well, and she's now going through that year long deployment again after just having a few months with her husband at home. I don't know how she's doing it and staying sane, but she's a good woman for standing by her man and I applaud her for that.

Some of my other "sunshine" moments:

• I was complaining one evening to my husband over the phone about having this big, nice garden with all this food and no one home to enjoy it (the twins stayed in Fort Worth from our visit early in June). The next morning I woke up and felt the Lord impress me to make a salad. Most everything was from the garden. See, I was meeting one of his Soldiers who was coming into town to get pizza and meet me to get a cake and cupcakes I had made for them for his assistant's birthday. It was a wonderful treat for the Soldiers, and I was blessed for making it and the sweets.
• I got to spend a day out in the field with my husband as they had a "family day" last week. It was HOT as could be, but wonderful to see him and the other Soldiers serving their country.
• I got to spend some time with my family, and allow the twins some extra time at the lake - one of their favorite places to be! (SO happy they will be home tomorrow!! ...I've sure missed them!)
• Which leads to my next one - I got to spend two weekends, one of those was this last weekend (a 4-day) alone with my husband - the love of my life and very, very best friend! We had a wonderful time relaxing and spending time together. I didn't really want to leave the twins, but they were begging to stay and it ended up being fun for them and some wonderful time alone with my husband.

Sunshine is a wonderful thing! Sometimes there's nothing better than watching it break through the clouds...

Memorial Day 2011

My mind has been on my widow friends a lot lately, especially this weekend. I hope everyone is remembering our fallen heroes and honoring them for their ultimate sacrifice. Our church did a beautiful job of honoring them, and it made me cry the whole way through this video they showed. It was a girl writing letters to her dad, who had been killed at war, and it was from childhood through her wedding day. My husband and I said it was like watching a video of Evelyn, our friends Sarah and Andrew McConnell's daughter. Andrew was my husband's Soldier that was killed while they were in Afghanistan, and their baby was born just months after he was killed. We also have several other friends who lost their lives in Afghanistan, and whose spouses, children, parents, siblings are without them today, and our thoughts and prayers are with those families during this difficult "holiday"...

I wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day, and ask that you stop to give thanks for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom you have, and pray for their families today. Also, remember those still in harm's way. May we never forget!!

My Chaplain's Article

My husband had an article posted in the newspaper, and here's a link if you'd like to read it!

To read, click here.

Postings...

My postings seem to get separated more and more by time. I haven't really felt much like writing lately. Life has been busy!...yet, usually, even when it is busy I feel like writing...so I don't know what's up.

The months seem to fly by. We finally got one of the twin's credits from their high school in WA. We're still waiting for the other twin to take his final test this Friday, and then we'll be DONE. I hope! We fought for months and months...5 to be exact! I pray no other military family has to go through this...it was a horrible experience!! What a stressful thing to have to put your children through, as if just moving isn't stressful enough for them.

I've been in the gym a lot lately...finally getting back in shape and taking care of myself like I should! I thought it would be easier once we moved (and not working) but oh how "life" just seems to consume our time. But, I made a goal and commitment to myself to STICK with it, even when I go back to work!!...which will mean hitting the gym at 6 a.m. Boo! I do love morning work-outs though...just not with a ton of Soldiers around, which is what that time of the morning will bring. If I'm still around close to lunch time sometimes I am hurrying to get out for that very reason. They take over the place!...I know...that's why it's there. I'm not complaining, just sayin'.

Summer is almost here, which means I get more time with the twins, and less time with my husband. Hooray for more time with the twins (because they are growing up SO fast), boo for less time with my husband. We haven't had a "normal" summer in YEARS! Whatever "normal" is in the Army. I was hoping it wouldn't mean time in the field though, after two summers in Afghanistan...but no, he'll be in and out again. Thankfully, close by...I'll count my blessings!

I am looking forward to a visit from a very special friend of mine, whose still stuck in WA, this July!!!!...I can't wait! Unfortunately, her husband is BACK in Afghanistan AGAIN. :( But, she's strong and keeping her chin up, and I'm proud of her... don't think I would be handling it as well. Certain I wouldn't.

Well, I'm not sure I have any readers anymore since I've neglected my blog for so long...but it feels good to sit down and write a little...

Deployments...Coming Home

I can't think of a more wonderful feeling than to have your Soldier come home! The day my husband returned from a year in Afghanistan will be one I will never forget. I was at nearly every homecoming we had for our brigade, but his flight, of course, was like none other for me. All the others were wonderful as I watched my friends welcome their husbands home, and each one was also difficult as I knew some of our men would not be returning home.

Last night I couldn't sleep so I finally got up and turned on the television. Even though I wasn't able to sleep, I was blessed by what I found...

I'll attach a link to Lifetime's Show, Coming Home for your enjoyment...grab some tissue first!

Click the following link: Coming Home

Deployments...Summer Months

I think some of the most difficult months for a spouse to be deployed is during the summer. The kids are home every day (if you have kids old enough to be in school) and seem to notice even more so that dad (or mom) isn't around. It's not quite as busy and there's more of the day to just miss them it seems...especially when you are a family like ours that does a lot of fishing and outdoor activities that just don't seem the same without him. Our twins sure noticed, being that he was in the field the summer prior to deployment, then left mid-summer and returned mid-summer. It would have been nice to have him home at least one full summer, but what can we do about it?! ...nothing.

I guess there was one nice thing about the summer - I didn't have to make sure they were up at a certain time, I didn't have to help with homework or make sure it was done, I didn't have to worry about them missing the bus (since I worked). I'm sure there were a few other things, but I can't think of them right now.

I am thinking of my dear friends going through a deployment right now, and those who will be going through one soon and have to spend this summer without their husband. I hope their friends and family will reach out and let them know they are loved and appreciated for their sacrifice.