day ???

REP, May 2006

photo 92

March 2004

She wasn't even two yet, but Addison Grace has always loved Zoe. The same is true for the reverse. A few days home from the hospital with my first wee one, I was sitting on the floor with my back propped against the couch. I'm not sure why I was down there, especially since I was holding baby Addi. But, Zoe came over to sit near me (meaning, her body pressed up against any part of me, almost on top of me) and when she turned to get just so, she tucked in that torturous-if-it-whacks-you tail. She'd never done that before and I'm not sure she's ever done it since. I already knew she was a great dog, but that kind, small act of gentleness around a new baby (the baby that had taken her place no less) made my heart swell with love for our dog.

A (few) Day(s) Late and (more than) a (few) Dollar(s) Short/photo 31

Tuesday marked my brother's birthday. I had to dig around to find an old picture of us and that one has dust glued to it, but you can still see I was thrilled to be his second momma. ;) Wasn't he so cute?! Looking at this picture makes me want to pick him up and squeeze him!

Brett,

Thanks for putting up with my bossin' ways! You are a great little brother and I hope you have a great year. Your nieces and nephew adore you. I'm going to tell Levi one day that his sister right above him did not learn anything from me. You'll back me up on that story, right?

Love you,

Gin

Costumes of Halloweens Past/Photo 18

These pictures are horrible quality. They look like I took a picture of a picture in really bad lighting and then scanned the picture in finishing off the effect by editing it in Picassa making it as grainy as possible. These also prove I'm so bad about taking pictures. If I remember my camera, I forget to take pictures. Or I remember to take pictures at the end of an event when the children are DONE! I couldn't even find any pics from Halloween of 2004 or 2008, which was Levi's first Halloween. So, I can't promise better quality (yes, I can because I have a much better camera now), but I will get pictures of Halloween 2009.

*I know the spacing is all off, but I can't get it corrected and I'm tired of trying! Hope it doesn't bug you too much. :)

October 31, 2006

Snow White and Cowgirl Lu

October 31, 2005

Sweet baby Libby was a newborn for Halloween. I didn't even put a costume on her and she slept the whole time.

Addison was a princess/ballerina/fairy for 4 years in a row. Here she is at (almost) age 3 in the midst of her Tulle and Sequin phase.

October 31, 2007

Fairy Addi and Elmo only 4 days before we moved to Texas...the packers showed up the next morning...they did a pretty good job of packing and moving - we still have those wings!

Halloween 2003 - Addi's first Halloween

Levi wore that pumpkin costume last year...wish I had a picture of him in it :(

photo 13

Tonight I have a very special photo for you. It's Patrick! What's that...you don't know Patrick? Well, Ladies, if you ever need some magic done to your hair, he's your man. Funny thing about a blog that's posted on The WORLD WIDE WEB...anyone can find anything you write! Someone found this that I wrote over 2 years ago and let Patrick know about it. Then he emailed me and now you get to put a face with the name. What a nice guy he is to send me a picture! He's also great with hair, but I've mentioned that a few times already, so if you're ever in the vicinity of Lawton/Ft.Sill, OK, remember Patrick! (Seriously, if you're not a crazy person and really want a fabulous cut/color, let me know and I can get you his salon info. He's worth a drive. I'm trying to convince Bryan of that!)

ww - June 2004

Little Addi (19 months) in her baby pool. Look how chubby she was. :) (Don't look at the weeds growing up the back of our house.)

as Wordless as I can make it this Wednesday

When Addi turned 2, Bryan and I bought her an ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins. It had 3 Disney Princesses as toppers, Sleeping Beauty being one of them. She began to ask Bryan the name of each Princess. He knew the first two, but was stumped by Sleeping Beauty, so he told Addi her name was "Mommy". For several years she called Sleeping Beauty "Mommy". Now she refers to her as Aurora. I suppose that's Sleeping Beauty's more sophisticated name. :)

Aurora may be called Sleeping Beauty, but I don't think she holds a candle to my own sleeping beauty. I could watch Addi sleep for hours. She's the most entertaining sleeper of our 3, talking and smiling, sitting up and sometimes even laughing, all while she slumbers. What I like best, though, is how I can still see Baby Addi in Big-Girl Addi's face while she sleeps.

A Sunday Story: An Encore

Back when I started this blog, I frequently wrote of different memories on Sunday afternoons. After a while, it became more of a burden than something I enjoyed. However, sweet Bryan took me down memory lane on Valentine's Day, so I thought a little Sunday Story might be in order.

The year was 1998. The place was College Station, TX, the house I shared with Angela and Emily, to be exact. The players were Bryan and me. We were young and foolish and in love.

I woke up one morning to find a rose petal trail leading out of my bedroom, down the hallway, and to the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers I had ever seen setting on our kitchen island. I'm telling you, it was magnificent. Full of beautiful flowers and every color you could think of, Bryan had hand selected each bloom. Of course, there was a card (and maybe even poetry) expressing his undying love for me.

I think I assumed one of my roommates let him in late the night before or early that morning. My roommates were both as unaware of the flowers as I was though.

It turns out, Bryan unlocked a window before he left the evening before. He then returned in the wee hours of the morning, snuck in the window and left the bouquet, card, and rose petal trail. According to him, I rolled over and seemed to wake a little while he was in my room which made him hit the floor. I have no recollection of any of that, but I know if I had been awoken by someome being in my room in the middle of my night, most of the residents of College Station would have heard my screams!

He says now, he would never do something like that again and he was a little nervous about the whole thing, but really hadn't thought through what the consequences of getting caught could have been. Weren't we all like that, at one time?! I have a suspicion that if he ever hears of some boy pulling a similar stunt with one of our girls, he won't quickly recall "the time"...

In fact, after he got home from work on Valentine's Day, we were talking about the gorgeous bouquet he got me with the card (no poetry) and rose petal trail and he asked, with a little worry in his voice, if my dad knew about the "other time". My how roles have changed!

I don't know if I ever told my parents what he did. I don't think I would have thought twice about it though because, to me, it was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for me. Of course, as I was typing out this post and remembering "that time", I did get a little alarmed. Not because of Bryan, but because of how easy it was for him to "break into" our house.

My roommates and I dated and had male friends over all the time. Sometimes it was a first date from some guy we met at a Bible study or from some guy we met at a bar (uhmm, yeah, that would be Bryan! We were only there to dance, Mom and Dad!) or some guy we met at a party or in class. We didn't know these people. We didn't know their motivations. And, we certainly didn't ever check our window locks! We trusted that these young men wanted the same things from us that we wanted from them...friendship, laughter, clean fun, someone to hang out with, maybe a kiss or two, and then a goodnight-see-you-later.

Like I said, we were young and foolish. Bryan and I were in love (we still are, actually) and I knew him pretty well by then. He loved to surprise me. That hasn't changed either. Bryan's a "planner" by nature. He had my engagement ring for 4 months before he gave it to me knowing the entire time when and how he would propose. His excessive planning can drive this fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants, easy-going girl crazy sometimes, but we work. I like to think we balance each other out. I know I've gotten better at planning since we've been married. I don't know that he's gotten anymore laid-back. He has gotten more patient. While I'd like to claim credit for that, I believe it has come along with the additions to our family. We've both grown up and (hopefully) gained wisdom, or at least maturity.

Fortunately he didn't have to "break into" my house to surprise me this time!

My flower surprise in 2008!

My flower surprise in 1998!

Because she's our dog

Zo-Zo doesn't get much love on this blog. Come to think of it, she doesn't get much love at our house either. She was displaced by the girls a while ago. Addi called Zoe "Z0-Zo" when she was little. Libby started doing the same, but now it sounds more like she's saying "Shadow". Zoe's momma was a yellow Lab and her daddy was a Dalmation. We blame her excentricities on her daddy's bloodline. She went through a stage a couple years ago where she loved to curl up in my big flower pot like a cat. Crazy dog!

a Monday Sunday story (9)

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 18:2-4

Last night, a sweet friend of mine called to ask if I was watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Which I wasn't...until she told me to turn it on because the family they were featuring lived in Lawton, Oklahoma. I didn't see much more than the big reveal, but I did see that the father was a soldier who had lost the use of his legs. Addi also noticed him in a wheelchair. As I took her to bed, she mentioned the daddy in the wheelchair and I told her that he couldn't walk because he got hurt. She, without hesitation, said, "Well, Jesus can make him better."

Her simple words made my heart ache. Not because I doubted them, but because her first thought when she saw someone with a physical handicap was to look to Jesus. How often do I try to "deal" with things by myself? How often do I not even think to pray until I'm stressed out? And, how often do I look at things with my "worldly" eyes? My precious Addison Grace reminded me of the faith I am called to have.

I was hoping in watching some of the show, we would get a glimpse of what Lawton looks like today, almost 3 1/2 years after we lived there. We spent our first married years together in Lawton as Bryan was stationed at Fort Sill. Our first child was born at Reynolds Army Community Hospital on post. I became a wife, a cook, a housekeeper, a gardener, a homeowner, an FRG meeting attender, a Coffee Group member, a Commissary shopper, an "expert" on Field Artillery, a mother, and, for a while, a single mother in that Army town. And all that without the luxury of a Target.

We lived on the North East side of town in a modest 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom brick home on a corner lot. Before we moved, we painted every room (at least once), "re-landscaped" the yards, and had new flooring put in throughout the house (which, actually wasn't really by choice...another story...one of those "what-can-go-wrong-when-your-husband-deploys-will" stories). We celebrated some holidays and birthdays, but no wedding anniversaries in that house...another all too common occurrence for military spouses. I spent endless hours pacing the floors with a crying infant. I spent endless hours trying to get a sleepy, underweight infant to nurse. I spent endless hours dreaming of the day I would greet my husband again. Bryan spent endless hours playing with Zoe in our large backyard and across the street at the creek. All at that house. Our first home.

I wasn't ready to leave when it came time. Our house sold fairly quickly and I think I cried every night until we closed because no one would love that house like I did. Then I cried every other night after we moved here because I wanted to go back to that house I loved so. Or, at least to a neighborhood that looked familiar to me. I missed the brick houses, the big lots, the single stories, the fenced-in backyards, and the "assumed" double-car garages.

We've lived in 2 houses since that one and I no longer long to move back. (Even for Patrick!) I've finally adjusted to Raleigh and will probably be just as sad when it is time to leave. I have a feeling I won't be the only one shedding some tears when that time comes.

a (delayed) Sunday story (8)

I was less than anxious to do a Story on Sunday and thought I would take a break. These are really only of interest to us and maybe really only 20 years from now. I'm sure this blog will still be going strong in 2027. You'll still be reading, right?

As I was laying in bed last night listening to my husband make his sleeping noises, I was inspired. And, who am I to fight inspiration?! On to the story...

One Spring Thursday night, I was out with my friends. We had experienced a fairly uneventful night of dancing here. Until...someone spotted a group of young men who looked just like what we'd been searching for....short Corps haircuts, but not too short...certainly not Fish-cuts. After all, we were mature sophomores and juniors. We weren't looking for Freshman.

We made our way through the crowded dance floor and slyly began dancing smack next to those guys. It wasn't long until we were noticed. My roommate leaned over to tell me that the guy to my left kept looking at me. You may think I decided to check this guy out. You'd be wrong...I was sly...like a fox. No way could I risk letting some strange guy think I was the least bit interested in him. A few songs later, "left-side guy" approached me (with the help of a friend, right, Joel? :) and asked me to dance with him.

That is when it all began. "Left-side guy" and I talked and laughed. I remember he was sweating like he'd just run a marathon, but it wasn't gross (even though that sounds really gross). There was something so genuine about him. He told me he was nervous, but at the same time he exuded confidence.

I'm sure you've guessed (or hoped) "left-side guy" was Bryan. And, actually at this point in the story you would know more than me. I couldn't really hear him when he told me his name. I knew it was either "Bryan" or "Ryan"...surely you can understand the confusion. Ryan, errr, uhh, Bryan asked if I would dance with him again later. I wanted to shout, "Later?! Why not right now?! And for the rest of the night?!" Instead I said something vague like "Sure".

So, I waited and waited and waited. I watched him dance with other girls. I turned down dances with other boys. (I'm telling you I was committed from day 1) My friends all left, except for my wonderful roommates. Finally, he approached me again. And we danced and talked and laughed for the rest of the night, which wasn't long because of all the time he wasted with the other girls. He introduced me to his friends and I introduced him to mine. We walked out together and then he said, "Welp, see you later."

See me later? When, exactly, will you see me, later?

See, there was no way for him to let me know when and where we should meet up again because he had no contact information for me. If I'd had a self-esteem issue, I might have gotten the idea that he didn't really want to see me again. Ever.

About 3 weeks later, we happened (and I really mean, I didn't plan it) to be near each other on the exact same dance floor. Good thing I didn't have any self-esteem issues because once I spotted him it only took about 3 tries before I walked right up and grabbed his arm. He turned around, gave me the best smile and said, "Ginny!"

We were side by side for the rest of the night. We saw each other almost everyday for the next week and then probably every day for the rest of the semester. That was 10 years ago.

I was inspired last night because as my sweet husband slept next to me so peacefully, I remembered how much I like him. It's easy to let the kids, bills, home repairs, car repairs, jobs, and other responsibilities get in the way of looking at your spouse the way you did "back then". Even though my SIL likes to say that I remind her of Debra on Everybody Loves Raymond, I really do adore my husband. He is my best friend. He is loyal and faithful and immature at times. He is logical and straightforward and silly. He is a great father and an example of a Christian husband for our girls. He is my partner and I knew from that first dance that he was someone worth waiting for.

Just when I thought I was running out of material

You can always count on your kids to give you good stories. Our youngest provided just that this evening.

Libby and Addi were splashing around in my bathtub while Bryan and I talked. There's a little confusion as to exactly how it happened since I was looking toward Bryan and he was talking to me from our bedroom. All Addi said was something to the effect of, "I didn't put my leg there!" I do have little doubt that Libby was standing up in the tub though. She and I battle over that every time I bathe her.

We do know she hit her mouth on the side of the tub. I grabbed her and saw a little piece of Dove soap on her lip which I quickly brushed off. About that time, I realized her tooth had been chipped. Her top, front tooth...and that wasn't soap...that was part of her tooth! Somehow I managed to find that pearly white on our white tile.

She cried for about 30 seconds and then wanted back in the tub.

At that point, I thought of all the years of pictures I will have of my beautiful, snaggle-tooth daughter. When I mentioned that to Bryan, he laughed and said he thought it fit Libby Lu's personality perfectly.

Then, he suggested we give her Tylenol since she may be in pain stating something about "possible exposed nerves" and I almost came unglued. I generally remain calm. I don't panic when I see a busted lip or a fall or, even, vomit. For some reason, this was too much for me.

Bryan pulled out all our books and couldn't find anything about chipped teeth.

So, I called our friendly, personal dentist, Steve. I've known Steve since high school and he's not really our personal dentist, but he probably thinks I ask him enough dental questions to start us an account and get our billing information. Anyway, Steve calmed my fears. (Thanks, Steve, and I didn't find any pink! Oh, and, it wasn't as bad of a chip as I told you...call it exaggerated Momma panic, if you will.)

Just in case, I gave little Libby a dose of Tylenol before bed. She's sleeping soundly and, not to disappoint Addi, who is positive "this fairy comes and gives you something for your teeth, even part of a tooth", I will be leaving a little treat somewhere for Libby. Addi believes in all the other stuff...why not the Tooth Fairy?! And, can you really start brainwashing them for "You better be good or [fill in imaginary creature] won't bring you any presents" too early? Uhh, not that we employ that parenting strategy or anything.

I tried to get some pictures of our rough-and-tumble girl. She let me take pictures, but wasn't so in to smiling. Nevertheless, I know you're only here for the pics!





Just had to get one with the shirt!


You can kind of see it below...if you squint. Well, maybe not :)
Trying to copy Addi's funny face.

Horrible, blurry pic of the tooth chip next to a red sprinkle.

a Sunday story (7)

This'll be a short one, folks.

Layne's is a restuarant in College Station, TX. It's right across from the main entrance to Texas A&M University. And, it is yummy!

When Bryan and I were still in school, you could order chicken fingers or chicken fingers. They came with great fries and toast and, this was the best part, a secret dipping sauce. Oh, I must mention their ice. Like shaved snow cone ice...perfect with a Dr. Pepper!

Layne's is located in this little building that looks like it might fall down at any moment. There are a few mismatched booths inside and the walls are plastered with pictures of Aggies.

It seems things have changed as they always do. When I Googled "Layne's", I found that you can now get a sandwich and potato salad is served with the chicken fingers. Not only potato salad, but potato salad in addition to fries, toast, and sauce. Yeah, I don't know about fries and potato salad. But, you can sub whatever you want, so, for me no potato salad, extra fries, please, thank you. Also it seems this new and classy, if you will, chicken joint has opened up a few doors down from Layne's. I won't be mentioning the name of this establishment because what I read about it is despicable. I AM A LOYAL LAYNE'S CUSTOMER. But, from what I read, this place has pretty much copied Layne's, but added a sturdy new building with swanky decor. Since I haven't seen this new restaurant, much less eaten there, that is all I'll say about it.

So, anyway, Layne's is really, really good. If you ever find yourself in College Station, make sure you stop in. I know I will be doing my best to talk my husband into stopping by on our way from Houston to Dallas in May!

Of course, if we stop at Layne's, we will also need to stop at Wings N More and Freebirds. That's just a day though...breakfast, lunch and dinner, right?!

a Sunday story (6)

With our recent basketball loss still weighing heavily on my mind, I've decided to look ahead with a hopeful and renewed attitude...football season is only about 5 months away!

The Aggies open their season at home on September 1st against Montana State. In fact, their first three games will be played at Kyle Field. What fun Aggie football games are!

A little Aggie football 101 is in order, I do believe.

1. We stand the entire game. Well, you can sit while the other school's band is on the field. Besides that, you stand...on bleachers that tend to, well, sway. It's the whole Twelth Man thing.
2. We have Yell Leaders. Not cheer leaders. Yell Leaders. And, we yell. We yell at the games and at the Midnight Yell Practices before the games.
3. We "Maroon Out". Now this says only one game a season is designated as the "Maroon Out" game (must be some new Army thing :) I really thought every game was "Maroon Out" now, but I was only around for the first 2 years of it.
4. Before home games, there is always a Corps march-in which is essentially a parade where the Corps of Cadets outfits march from the Quadrangle to Kyle Field.
5. The highlight of the games are the halftimes put on by the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band.

Those are the basics. As with all things A&M, there is so much more to it. Explaining what is so incredible about an Aggie football game is challenging without actually being at a game.

I spent a couple years as a "regular" attendee to those games. Then, I met Bryan. Bryan was a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. He played bass before I knew him. When we met, he had just made Bugle Rank...the guys who march with the bugles at the front of the band. Only he forgot to mention that to me. Our first "date" was to Parents' Weekend Yell Practice. This was also the first time he would march with the band as part of Bugle Rank. As a band date, I "marched" in with him at the front, but I had told everyone to look for me with the bass section...at the end. I straightened it all out by the time football season began and spent that year wearing dresses and extremely uncomfortable shoes to all the games...never know when you'll get some time on the jumbo-tron! Aggie football games are fun on their own. I was able to experience them at a whole new level that year. I've never done so many posed kisses. Oops..that reminds me of the most important Aggie football 101 lesson...we kiss when we score. Yep, that would be why you want to go to the game with someone you really like :) And, that would be why Bryan and I posed some of our kisses. The cameras liked to "catch" people kissing after an Aggie score and since we sat on the first row with the other Bugle Rank members and since there were usually only a couple other dates at the games, we posed our kisses quite a bit.

I don't think I've successfully described what it is like to actually be at a game. But, it is something Bryan and I love and something I hope our children will learn to love one day.

just because

a Sunday story (5)

When Bryan and I were students at A&M, way back in the late 90s, there was one lonely Freebirds in College Station. By the time we graduated, another one had opened and now there are 4. Actually, they're all over Texas now.

When we ate at Freebirds, you could get a regular, a monster or a super monster with steak or chicken in a flour tortilla. Now you can get a half burrito or a veggie burrito wrapped in your choice of 4 different tortillas. Don't care for burritos? They now have tacos, nachos, and salads. And, a kids menu which is something Bryan and and I always look for :) I can't imagine going to Freebirds and getting a salad, but I'm sure they're good.

If you live in Dallas, Houston, Austin, College Station, San Antonio or any of the other Freebirds' locations, you are missing out if you haven't tried it. Bryan and I were so excited after we moved here and discovered Moe's. Some women at Bryan's office were talking about this place you could get great burritos. We couldn't wait and went fully expecting a Freebirds' experience. Needless to say, we left a little disappointed. Since that time, we've been back to Moe's and do enjoy their salads. We know if it's a burrito we're wanting though, we'll have to wait until our next trip to Texas.

So, if you live in Texas, think of us the next time you peel back that foil to chomp into your Monster.

a Sunday story (4)

I hesitantly walked into the ramshackle little building located in, what would be considered, the middle of downtown. Really, how great could this guy be, I wondered? Greeted by the other stylist didn't leave me assured of my decision.

I had been "seeing" a pretty, middle-aged stylist named Sue. Sue did what I asked and could always squeeze me in on short notice. I was satisfied when I left her salon. Why had I choosen to leave the comfort of Sue's fully-capable hands?

I knew why...everytime I saw someone with hair "to die for" they got their fatal hair from Patrick. Before I ever made the appointment, Patrick was a legend to me. The question was, could he live up to his legend status? The answer would soon be dertermined on that cool Oklahoma afternoon.

I left that day with nothing short of Fab.U.Lous hair! Over the next few months I learned I could show up at Patrick's completely frustrated with my hair and leave completely thrilled with it. At one appointment, Patrick clandestinely informed me he would be moving to a new salon. I left slightly apprehensive...Would this move change everything? How could he focus on my hair while worrying about all the details of a job move? Still, I felt I had to give him a chance at his new salon. He had done masterful things with my hair, after all.

I hesitanly walked into Fringe Salon* located in a new shopping center. This was one of the nicest places I had been while living in Lawton. I mean, it looked like a place you might go to get your hair done in Dallas. Even Patrick had spuced up a bit. He walked enthusiastically up to greet me wearing black leather pants and a shiny black skin-tight shirt. But, as intriguing as it all looked what really mattered was if Patrick could still deliver. I never should have doubted him!

While I would have continued "seeing" him had he had the personality of a rock, he fortunately was quite personable. He was easy to talk to and always made me feel welcome. He didn't get annoyed when I didn't have the foggiest what I wanted done with my hair, I just knew I didn't like it at that moment. In fact, he usually came up with an idea I ended up loving. He really listened to me and didn't cut/color/style for his own agenda. Really, I believe he could have easily been a stylist in New York or LA. Why he stayed in that little Army town, I don't know, but he made my life more enjoyable while I lived there.

Obviously, I don't get my hair cut by Patrick these days. Don't think for a second though that if Bryan was a multi-billionaire, I would not be catching an early morning flight every 6 weeks for Lawton-Ft. Sill Regional Airport via DFW. Seriously. He's that good. I do, however, have high expectations for my stylists. That may explain why I've had my hair cut by 7 different people since we moved here 3 years ago. In fact, I just tried a new one on Saturday. She seems promising.

Oh, how could I forget one of the things I miss most about Patrick (besides his leather pants :)? I could get a full color, foil hi-lights, wash, cut and style (and not just a blow dry, I'm talking flat iron too) for $50. Even 3 years ago, that was a bargain!

So, to Patrick, wherever you are...thanks for the good times. Perhaps we'll meet again someday. I'm betting I won't be getting a color, hi-lights, wash, cut and style for $50 though!

*I believe I just said to someone the other day "Of course they have a website! What business doesn't have one these days?!" I got my answer when I Googled "Fringe Salon Lawton OK". I was so hoping I could find their website and show you a picture of Patrick.

a Sunday story (3)...on Wednesday

We had glorious weather today...sunny, a little breezy, and in the mid-60s. I can see some tulips starting to poke up in my yard. Spring must be just around the corner and I can't wait. I really enjoy something about every season and I really look forward to the start of each one.

Spring makes me think of road trips with the windows down gazing at an endless sea of bluebonnets. [Mini lesson for my readers of other state heritage]: Bluebonnets are the state flower of Texas. They are beautiful and they pop up along highways in the spring along with some other beautiful flowers, but the bluebonnets are where it's at...at least, for me.

I've actually tried growing bluebonnets here without any success. Oh, how I've longed to see just one of those purply-blue flowers with their white spiky tips. I have to resort to pictures like the one I'm staring at in between typing. It was taken a week before Bryan left for Iraq when Addi was 4 months old. We drove to College Station, TX specifically for pictures * in the bluebonnets. Now we just need to plan a trip back some time during "bluebonnet season" so another family photo can be taken with our youngest member.

This is one of those posts that I'm having trouble writing. It is actually making me very emotional. I must be a tad homesick. I usually feel homesick about a month before we take a trip to Texas...this is a little early for that :) Maybe it is looking at that picture and remembering how happy we were at that moment. I had really let myself start to believe that Bryan's deployment orders would just disappear (a post for another time). We had a beautiful new daughter and we were visiting our good friends in College Station (home of Texas A&M University and where Bryan and I met) sitting in a field of bluebonnets. Could life get any better?!

It wasn't 24 hours later when Bryan received a call telling him to get back asap because he would be deploying in a week. THAT is a slap of reality!

We left the next morning and listened to news reports the entire 6 hour drive home. The war had literally just began and helicopters were being shot down and soldiers were being captured and I sat in Bryan's truck next to him listening to the reports with our precious baby sleeping in her carseat knowing that my husband and her father would be over there in that chaos all too soon. And, he was.

Early, early in the morning, 6 days later, I rode next to him in that truck again with that same baby sleeping so soundly in her carseat and kissed my husband and her father goodbye. We didn't know when we would see each other or talk to each other again. All we were told was he would be deployed for "no longer than a year". In the goodbyes, our precious girl awoke, so I held her close as I watched Bryan walk across the street to his unit's headquarters. I ended up having to stay a while and nurse her (all you mommies know you can't wake a 4-month old and not expect to feed them!). Later I found out that the car next to us was full of people saying goodbye to one of the two Majors in the unit. His sister apparently spied Addi and me and asked his wife, "How is she going to do this?...with a little baby?" It's funny because I, with every beat of my heart, believe God blessed us with Addi when He did to help me get through that time. She was my focus and while I don't want to say I couldn't have done it without her, I'm not sure I could've.

That sad, early morning was almost 4 years and I don't know if there is a time that either of us really stops to look at those pictures without thinking about Bryan's time "away". It is also a reminder to me that there are so many who are home at this very second with their little ones and aching to hold their Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, or Airmen (have I covered them all? and, more importantly, did I cover them correctly?). Being a military spouse is a rough life, but it is a life which I feel blessed to have been able to lead, if only for a little while.

Now how did bluebonnets lead me there??? Y'all never know what you're gonna get...

*If you click on the link, it will take you to the photographer we used for our pictures. He has an engagement picture of Bryan and me on his site. We are the ones in red splashing in the lake under "engagements". Please, don't laugh at my jeans...you know you used to wear your waist up over your navel too :)

Oh, and if you feel led, please say a prayer for those families who are home waiting on their loved ones to return from a deployment right now. It is the one thing you can do to really help them.

a Sunday story (2)

Almost 2 years ago, while some dear friends who live in Texas were visiting, we went to eat at Outback Steakhouse. As I was planning my meal, I happened to read the words We only serve Blue Bell ice cream because it's rich, creamy and made the old fashioned way. I re-read it and sure enough, Outback was claiming to serve Blue Bell!

Could it be?! I gasped and could barely stay seated as I had everyone flip to the dessert menu. About that time, our waiter walked up and I could not contain myself. "You really serve Blue Bell?" I spat out at him. It took a minute for what I had just insanely screeched as my drink order to register, but he answered, "Yes, have you had that stuff? It's good!"

Have I had it? I grew up on it. I have vivid memories of my Mom/Dad handing me some money and making me buy a half gallon or two when they were on limited special at Kroger's. I was certainly raised an ice cream snob, but, honestly, all you Texans out there, does it get any better?

Bryan knew early on in our relationship the way to my heart was through my stomach. In fact, he took me to the Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham, TX the day he proposed to me. The funny thing was that we ran into my grandparents in the lobby before our tour. They had been in Houston and decided to take a tour which happened to be the same one we took. On our way from College Station to Brenham we passed by the Antique Rose Emporium in Independence. Bryan slyly suggested we stop by there on the way back. Little did I know that he had made his poor sister set up their gazebo and wait with all the stuff-needed-to-propose-to-your-girlfriend until we got back. And, y'all know how the proposal turned out. He knew what he was doing...fill my belly with Blue Bell and then pop the question! What girl could resist?!

Fast forward 5 1/2 years and we made this ill-informed decision to move to Raleigh, North Carolina. Actually, it has been a wonderful decision (with a few exceptions, namely being so far from loved ones). But, I say "ill-informed" because we had no idea until we got here that you could not buy even a spoonful of Blue Bell ice cream at the grocery stores. So, we tried every other brand and every variation of those brands...all horrible! And, then we just decided to have an ice cream-free home. That is, until we made that wonderful discovery at Outback. Before we left that night, we had all the information on purchasing a 3-gallon tub of Homemade Vanilla...yummy. Thanks to Outback I am proudly raising my girls to be ice cream snobs as well!

a Sunday story (1)

I've been restless with this blog...been feeling it's in need of some re-vamping. Obviously, you say, why else would it look different every time I visit?! Just keeping things interesting for my many readers...or at least for you, grandkidless in irving and Nana!

So, on one of these stay-up-too-late-to-"work"-on-the-blog sessions, I added some links on the right with the title What We Miss Most about the Places We've Lived and had intentions of explaining one a week. This is the week...let the explaining begin...

Randomly, I am choosing Wayne's in Lawton, Oklahoma.

What is Wayne's, you may wonder? Well, I'll tell you. It is basically an aging Sonic without being a chain restaurant. It is located on Sheridan Road where it intersects with, man I can't think of the name of that road. I used to be on it all the time since the elementary school I taught at was nearby. It doesn't really matter since it is doubtful any of you will be visiting. I have to say Wayne's is better than Sonic. Wayne's is dependable...their tator tots always taste the same and their ice is always crushed perfectly, not too crunchy, not too soft. It wasn't that close to our home, although we lived in Lawton, so nothing was too far away. But, it was right down the road from where I worked. Too easy to stop in on my way home from a long day. I don't know that Bryan ever L-O-V-E-D Wayne's as I did. He doesn't get too excited about perfectly crunchy tots or good ice. And, then there was the incident with his truck. Maybe that is one reason I miss Wayne's...I wrecked Bryan's beloved truck there. It is a place reminiscent of panic and anxiety and, finally how I was able to get the truck fixed without Bryan ever knowing about the mishap.

When Addison was 4 months old, Bryan deployed to Iraq. I was driving a 2-door car and he had a monster truck. Not literally one of those trucks with the gigantic wheels on them, just a big, extended cab Z-71...a good Texas truck! While it didn't have traditional 4 doors, the "doors" to the backseat did open, so it was easier to get an infant car seat in and out of than my little car. I've explained all that to justify the thousands of miles I put on his truck while he was riding around in Humvees. One HOT day, I loaded up baby Addi and set off...probably to the mall - shopping is therapy when your husband is deployed. Wayne's is on the way to the mall, so I thought I'd shoot in for a yummy Dr. Pepper (with good ice). I'm not sure exactly what happened, but the next thing I knew I was scraping the side of his truck down the little tray that sits under the menu (think old Sonics). In fact, Scrape might be a little bit of an understatement as there was an actual dent along with the streaks of missing paint.

Oh, the terror! I sat there for a minute trying to figure out what to do. I couldn't go forward since there was a car in front of me and I couldn't back out without running the side back down the menu tray. I finally did the only thing I could, backed up making the "blemish" even worse. I went straight home in a panic. I called a friend who had recently wrecked her Suburban while at the car wash the night before her husband returned home. Shelly would know what to do! Shelly's advice...NEVER tell him! And, I almost never did. I had the truck fixed and Bryan came home in complete Bliss! Although, I did tell Bryan about the whole thing a year or so ago. He was pretty amazed that I had been able to keep that secret from him for so long.