Countdown to "D" Day

Well, the word has finally come - not quite in the way we expected it, but it came. Fred got a call yesterday from his "boss" asking if he would be willing to deploy with the 30th Brigade. Of course, he said no..but the we started talking. Would it be better to say yes, and get it over with? Rather than wait for the next however long for the word to come down for his unit? To always have that over our heads when planning things? Not to mention, going as a Retention NCO is a tad bit safer than going as an MP. I know that's what he's trained for, I know he's good at it, but there comes a time when seeking the "safer" job isn't a bad, unethical thing to do...especially when that time includes a wife and 5 children at home. So, he's going...when we don't know exactly. The rumor is call-ups begin December 1...Ft. Bragg, Shelby or Stewart, some time in California before leaving for the year in the "box" as he calls it. Hopefully the time that he is gone will pass as quickly as we marvel the days are passing now..hopefully the kids will understand where he is and why he is there. I pray that he is safe and returns to us just as he leaves us..and I wish that everyone who reads this will do the same. So for now, we are focusing on making these next few months full of memories - trying to do all the things we've wanted to find the time for. I'll probably overdo it, but I don't want to look back at this time and think "we should have.."

We are off to Florida in October for his conference and a Family trip to WDW. I plan to pack it full of swimming, exploring and all the tourist stuff we can handle and afford. (I still plan on squeezing the trip to IKEA in! Hey, it's touristy if you don't have one where you live, right?) Hopefully in September we'll go apple picking and explore those museums we've had on our list. We'll try to spend more time together as a family and as a couple, enjoying the simple things in life - swinging on the playground, playing tag, seeing that movie at the theater instead of on DVD with the pause button readily available for more drinks of water, potty breaks, and monster checks. I encourage all of you to do the same. Enjoy the little moments, the silly moments..don't let your schedule or your fear at what others will think stop you from enjoying everything you can.

I have recently become a fan of another blog - it's on the right, titled 27 Hours - Matt, Liz, and Madeline - that has been an inspiration. Matt and Liz had a baby girl, Madeline after months of bedrest. Madeline was sent to the NICU and Liz to her room to rest. The next day, getting up to see her new, precious baby girl, Liz died - never holding her daughter, never kissing her sweet face. I cannot imagine as a mother what that would be like..to never know your daughter, for your daughter to never know you. The blog is about Matt's journey with his daughter as a single parent grieving the loss of his wife, his high school sweetheart, truely his soul mate. He is inspirational..and the biggest lesson I've learned? To be in the picture. It's not enough to be there on the sidelines in your children's life, you have to be in the picture. I have BOXES of photographs and Fred always says to me "How will they know you were there" because I hate to have my picture taken. I am striving to be "in the picture" from this moment on - we will have boxes of pictures from the next three months with all of us in them...all 7 of us, even if I have to rig the camera when there is no one else around to take it! :)

So, remember, enjoy the little things (the laundry can wait, the dishes will still be there), and be in the picture. For Madeline, for all the families that are seperated right now, for your own children...be in the picture.

"Superfast" -from Little Einstein's

"Think she'll notice if I steal her bread?"

Big Shoes to Fill - Daddy's Little Man

Love

Katie

Okay, this isn't my kids doing this..but I had to laugh when I saw it. This is SO something my kids would do to our poor cat...or each other depending on the day.

Abigail Grace Lewis

Things have been so hectic, we haven't really had a chance to send pictures or talk to everyone lately. It seems like when things finally slow down enough to breathe, it's 11 o'clock at night and we are exhausted...so for all those patiently waiting, here's some Abby pics (and some of the other kiddos, too) And Grandmom, if you are reading this, I'm having some pictures printed to send out to you for your photo wall.

Happy Birthday, Abigail Grace!

2 Days Old Already!

Stick'em Up! One Month Old

Emma - The Butterfly Whisperer

Owen on the swings at Pullen Park

Emma on the swings at Pullen Park

The Joe-Man enjoying the Butterfly House

Kaitlin at Pullen Park

Love,

Katie

Check Out the Fanciness...is that a word?

Is it spelled right? Okay, you get the point...I uploaded this nifty new background from a great blog my friend, Jenny, sent me: http://shelsscraps.blogspot.com/ If you are looking for some decorations for your own blogs, check it out. Now, on to the kiddos and the weekend...

We found out last week that Fred will be going to the conference in Orlando after all and that meant deciding whether to go with him or not..let's see..stay home with the kids ALL WEEK ALONE while he's in Florida or go with him, spend the day in the pool at the hotel and the nights exploring Orlando with a side trip to Disney..hmm, let me think. :) So I spent Friday trying to figure out where to stay..you'd think that finding a hotel for 7 people would be easy. HA! Seems like the days of adjoining rooms are no longer, but we do have this lovely King suite..for $600 a night. Umm, did I mention that 5 of the 7 are children and don't take up more than 1/4 of a bed? Heck, Owen ends up sleeping on his floor with his trucks most nights, he doesn't even need a bed! And Abby sleeps with us 99% of the time, so really we only need two beds..or a lot of sleeping bags. But they have this fire code that says more than 6 aren't allowed. Is Abby really a "person" for fire code purposes? Really...I guess it depends on who you ask because most of the hotels I called said not to worry about it, but online it says "your party size is too big for the room you are trying to book", so I had to lie a tiny little bit...approximately 10 lbs. little bit :) So we got the hotel, the same one we stayed in last year with a full kitchen..which, in Orlando, is a godsend! So check that off the list...

We took the kids to the fairgrounds for a free kids event sponsored by a church group..they had about 15 bounce houses, popcorn and Sunkist. It was a ADHD madhouse. But Emma is soaking up all the bible stories at her new preschool and she was thrilled to see Jesus on one of the posters there. :) Her new favorite stories are about Noah - God told him to build a boat so he did - and David & Goliath (which apparently is pronounced Jalieth..who knew?). Goliath was walking around being mean and this "little annoying guy" (her words, not mine or the authors) came up and using a slingshot knocked Jalieth in the head with a big rock..and then he started behaving. Maybe I'll have to try that next time instead of timeouts...kidding, only kidding. :)

Today we went to church - we are trying a new church here in Clayton. Very modern - lots of music (with drums, which is Emma's other favorite part) and a great nursery for the kiddos. Everyone seems very welcoming and they do a lot of community activities - food pantry, helping other churches, kids programs, etc. So we are excited to see where we will fit in and where we can get involved. Fred had to work for a little bit this afternoon, so after dropping him off at the office, the kiddos and I hit the mall in Durham (where we never venture) for some new sneakers..gonna start walking tommorrow. (I feel like if I write it on here, I'll actually do it, so if you see me or talk to me, ask me how the walking went....)Picked Fred up, had a deliciously nutrious meal of hot dogs and french fries (Hey, the hot dogs were 97% fat free Kosher dogs and the fries were all organic, real sliced potatoes from Trader Joe's so it really wasn't that bad..the ice cream afterwards..probably not so good:)) Now the kiddos are in bed and I'm trying to catch up on some things..laundry, dishes, the good stuff..and being distracted by this. So, now it's off to the boring stuff.....TTFN, Katie

My Jump Into the "World of Technology"

Well, I finally did it - jumped in and joined the rest of the blogging world! I've been a lurker on other's sites for a while - marveling at all the posts, pictures, videos, and artwork that they've used. Bear with me as I learn all the tricks of the trade! I'm hoping to add posts every few days (I know that every day is a little unrealistic with the five boogers running around!) with updates on the kids, us and life in general. Stay tuned.....