What we have been up to~

The summer started off great, until June..... This is what proceeded everything our friends, our community, and our family have endured since early June. Just like the song when the lightning strikes the thunder ROLLS~~~~


June brought heavy rain to our town, I think almost 10 inches to be exact, It sure was a sight to wake to ....
This is the playground surrounding my sons school, not to mention the white building you see peeking through the trees is the Kroger's grocery.
This is Marsh, they obviously were out of everything as anyone that could get to them loaded up.... It was kinda like our town was a big camp ground. Since we were all with out power for a minimum of three days Neighbors all got together with food, grills and lawn chairs and joined in TOGETHER.

Then there was the tornado that whipped through the military base.....
The military fellows helping us all out .....
Loosing a first tooth
Getting lots of freckles, and naming each and everyone.
Mastering Potty training! Wow! That was a big one!

Remember the fallen soldiers, and placing a flag for my grandfather who served in WW1Starting school again!



To me what really matters, is that God kept is all safe, he looked out for us, My husband is still gone but God keeps him covered too! Our friend that lost everything have found a new appreciation for their homes, and figured out it isn't what you have, it is what matters most In your heart... Family, being safe and together. I thank God he was there for us all!

This and That~

THANK YOU TOM, for being such a wonferul husband and taking care of us, even when your not home, thinking of us and making us feel your love when you are SO FAR away!

You sacerfice so much for us all, not just your family but so many other Americans as well! You give so much up for us... I know that I could never do what you do, or repay you for what you have done for this country, even though you are just, but one person YOU make a team of others to do the job~ I love you and I am so proud to be your wife, and have you as my Best Friend!

It has been a long time since my husband has gotten to tell me "Goodnight"! Normally he is being told Goodnight from me as the time difference is SEVEN hours. Well, it is 12:08 am and He called me a few minutes ago. He was off to breakfast, and then to work! I love that his voice will be the last one I hear before I crawl into bed tonight, or morning LOL! I miss him so much right now. I can hardly believe that sometimes I CAN and DO survive without him being here. It is SO hard at times. I know that God is using him and every single soldier there. Just refer to my previous thoughts on this, here is a link! God's hands and Feet I hope that many of you will reflect back on this and really think about what it says and know that Yes while I KNOW many don't agree with the war and soldiers being away from home, missing their loved ones; That They THE SOLDIERS chose this lifestyle and myself as a wife knew it was a possibilities that I would see my husband leave for war. I knew this just as him as a soldier. That DOESN'T make it easier. I know that you Tom, will eventually read this.... I miss you Babe, be safe and know we all love you ~
Tom acting just a BIT Silly... Got to do something over there!

Anyway for a subject change! Things have remained busy as usual, which is good at times. The house is done and everything is PERFECTLY organized. FOR NOW!

I don't know why when everything is all put away in a new home (Or in our case a 1930's home) that things look so good and perfect and has a special place UNTIL we all get lazy and just put it where ever. Anyone else do that? I keep finding myself in a hurry and starting to just shove something in the drawer or in a cabinet and find myself scolded by my inner voice... Now, is this where that goes? At least I don't say it out loud or answer myself.. I just put it where it goes! Which So far has not been in the dining room piling up the table! I think it looks too nice when it isn't cluttered!

Told ya it wasn't cluttered! Very simple light over dining room table... Love it~~

The boys had a nice Easter despite their Daddy being gone. We went to some friends house and had a pitch in, had a Easter egg hunt indoors, since it was snowing on Easter! Yes, EASTER! It is Indiana afterall~

Christian is talking ALOT more and going to the potty all by himself. He isn't totally trained but ALMOST! YEAH RAH!!! Some days I cant believe how much the boys are changing, and wonder where they would be if we had taken them into our hearts and our home!

The boy's headed back to school, Spring break was over for them. I am the one that has spring fever now! I can NOT wait to finish "decorating the yard" . First things first though... It has to be CLEANED up!

I love the way the kitchen came out considering the age and what it looked like to start with, remember the before? Just in case you have forgotten... It was DREADFUL! It was enough to make a crazy person sane! Even my MIL thought is was awful... and to say the least she likes alot of things.... I love ya Momma~ BTW. That is my new name for her. It took me 16 years to call her that!

Before>>>

Same wall, AFTER~

Kitchen table, remaining UNCLUTTERED! For now

Favorite wall, Kitchen of coarse! AND....of coarse the Living Room~

Thankfulness after Thanksgiving

Please Lord let all my photo's upload... Blogger is being so mean again! Then again, everything has been going wrong since yesterday~ I am thankful it is a new day! So we can all start fresh.

Yesterday my computer crashed and hubby took it apart and read a book on how to possibly fix it. Well as you can see I am online... BUT! The computer is still not acting right~ Seems slow and like it is dying. I just would like to make it through Christmas and then I will worry about a new one. IF... it can make it~ So in any regard, I am thankful I can atleast post a bit.

The friday night after Thanksgiving, we have a tradition to go downtown to Indianapolis ( No matter how cold) and watch the lighting of the Christmas tree, and spend time with some really great friends. I am so thankful they are such good freinds and that God has put them in our lives!

Jordan was a blast too, carring her blanket everywhere to stay warm, she has a special place in my heart, and she caused a laugh too.... She was told by a man that she looked like a Native American toting her blanket. I am thankful for the face she made when he said that to us!
Just wish I had a picture of it~

I was also glad to walk through the mall with our friends and laugh at Tom... ( We wont embarass him on here, but we laughed!) The time Joey and I had walking through the stores and looking at the decor... Esp the SNOWMEN! Helping her pick her Christmas cards...
I am thankful for the time we shared,That Tom was home safe with us, and that the kids ALL got along and behaved!

Starbucks was there as well to keep us ALL warm! The gave out FREE Hot cocoa! We tried the Peppermint~
I am thankful they warmed us all up with good cheer, the FREE cocoa, and the man serving making me laugh! Oh and repeating his little dance so I could take a picture of it!

Deer Season~

I can hardly believe it is almost Thanksgiving! I am really looking forward to it! We are having some really great friends, and Tom's mom over and planning a HUGE meal! I can HARDLY wait! I love fall and the beauty of the colors but now it is all faded away and the trees are almost bare so I have the picture to remind me of home and the beauty of the season!

Opening day for Deer was Saturday.... Josh got his first deer and according to hubby it was a nice one. I just could cry though... I don't think Bambi should EVER, EVAH, EVAH,EVAH have to be killed... Joshua was SUPER excited! I am happy that he had a good day hunting with his DAD! That will be a memory he will always have!

Boy's will be boys and I just can't believe my little ( But bigger then me) baby is growing up SO fast! I could just CRY! Yet I am so proud of him... Even though I will NOT eat the meat! EWW~

Can you believe I posted 2 days in a row? LOL!!!!

Where Oh Where~

Where has the time went? Seems like yesterday we received a phone call that we had been given the gift of adopting Trenton and Christian. We were going to court to actually relinquish guardianship of the boys after having them for over a year. Trent was 2, and Christian was 8 weeks when they came to live with us. Trent had however been with us previously for 6 months, and was returned to his parents, only to be abused over and over again. Lots of praying and I guess pleading with God for them to be safe. Not to mention that I told God...Out of human mommy nature NOT to send them to me again UNLESS I could keep them. So again I was heartbroken KNOWING I would have to give them back. I was mad at God but in the back of my mind I kept saying God I TOLD YOU NOT TO GIVE THEM TO ME AGAIN UNLESS.........................................

The day was so clear it was the day before I had to leave for Michigan to take them back, go to court and give them to their parents. While taking a shower the phone rang, I peeked to see if it was Tom on caller I.D. It was the boys bio mom. I started to ignore it.... Let it ring! She called again, I answered from the shower, (Speaker phone). She asked if I was sitting down, of coarse I wasn't. I was thinking GREAT.... she is pregnant or something. Only half listening to her she asked if we would adopt her boys. Okay....that got my attention... Water turned off and soap on my hair..... I asked WHAT? Making sure I heard her right, She was not comfortable with taking the boys from a safe loving home where they were growing and thriving. Nor was she ready to be responsible ( Although I think that was very mature of her to KNOW she couldn't do it).

So now a million questions were running through my head... What about court.... so on and so on. The CPS worker called me, lawyers were calling me, NOT long after she called me. Mom had asked to be the one to tell me, and then when her attorney knew she had talked to me the phone rang and rang. That day and the rest of the night are still a blur. I didn't have to pack their things up, and give them back but we still had to go to court, just for a different reason. She had been planning this for a bit so everything was set in motion.

I remember sitting in the chair at the stand ( The chair was like an office chair). I was VERY nervous. The court room was full of CASA workers, lawyers, CPS workers and so on. The parents were there, the maternal and paternal family's as well. I was asked questions about the boys and how I felt about them, how I felt about keeping them and loving them as my own. I was overwhelmed and fuzzy headed... ( I was spinning in my chair LITERALLY) After court my son and the CPS worker and Lawyer laughed and said did you realize you were spinning back and forth??? LOL?????? NERVES!

The boys were ours, after our 90 day wait....The parents had time to change their minds. ( 90 days of waiting and worrying) It was official October 10th, 2005!!!!!!

The Rabbit Didn't Die

I am not too sure if I am really happy about this or not... I have been having dreams every single night.... This makes night 11~ that I am pregnant. WHY is this?

I talked about it to a friend or 2 thinking that would nip the dreams. Sometimes talking about a recurring dream makes them stop! It hasnt~!

I even bought and took a home test, Nothing! Nada... Thought that seeing it would stop the dreams.... it didnt! Had it again!!!! What is going on?

Hubby seems to think we are going to get called again, like we did with our nephews that we adopted... I dont know.. Maybe it is just hormones!

I must say though upon the negative results, I was initally relieved, but then I was saddened! I would have liked to be pregnant again!