I know these pictures are a little late, but it always takes me a while to get back to "real life" after Ned gets home. We had a great time picking him up from the airport in Seattle. The kids were so excited to see him coming up the stairs. They ran up to him and hugged him for about 5 minutes straight! Welcome home Daddy....we MISSED YOU!
After Tatum was done with preschool on Friday, we took the kids to a jumping bouncy house. Tatum loved it....Carson was a little unsure. I had taken them there before but Ned was gone and the kids seemed to enjoy it a lot more with Dad. Of course, all things are more exciting when Daddy is there!!
I have recently been called as an enrichment specialist through church to help organize a monthly motherhood class. The name of the class is called "Joy in the Journey" and the goal is to help young Moms learn to find...well...joy in the journey of Motherhood. We had a wonderful woman come speak to us this past week and I just thought I'd pass along some of the things that were discussed in the class.
The first topic was that joy in motherhood comes from moments. We all know that being a mom is hard work and basically not fun 100% of the time. But it's those little moments that make it all worth while. You know those little moments where you can calm a crying child after a scraped knee. Or when your little one runs up to you after school and gives you a huge hug. Or the smile you see on your child's face when they've learned a new skill. So the main goal from this class is to basically find ways to recognize and enjoy these moments. Some of the advice we got was the following:
Anyway, these were some of the thoughts. I came away from the class feeling so uplifted and recharged. Why is it that we are our own worst critic sometimes? It's important to remember that we are doing the best job we can. To end with a quote from the class...
"So I'm not supermom....ADJUST!!!"
I had my ultrasound today and my hunch was confirmed...it's a girl! I am thrilled, but more importantly relieved that the baby is healthy. It was wonderful to have Ned there as well. Ned got home safely yesterday morning and we are all in 7th Heaven having him home with us. The kids adore thier Daddy and it's great to have him back. I will post pictures and updates at another time.
I actually rarely use this phrase because it's not entirely true. But I'm just trying to make a point, so bear with me! I've been DYING to tell everyone that Ned is coming home a few weeks early and we're picking him up tomorrow! What a crazy four months it's been. We've had a lot going on and it's been busy. But I'm so glad that he's coming home safe and will be home with us for a while. Thanks to everyone (especially my Oak Harbor buddies) that have helped me out and supported me during the time Ned has been gone!
So here's a cute idea. I recently found out that you can bake a cupcake in an ice cream cone. I don't know why this hadn't occured to me before. Thanks, Sarah for the AWESOME cupcake cookbook! I am probably more excited about these little things than I should be...LOL. Anyway, for Valentines Day the kids and I made malt shop ice cream cones. I took a yellow cake mix and added some additional malt powder and crushed Whoppers. I also added malt powder to the frosting and I used a chocolate cereal straw and a strawberry Whopper for a cute finishing touch. Anyway, the kids had a great time eating them. And what would be Valentines day without some form of chocolate, right? My hubby was gone this year, so hey...I am not going to feel guilty about eating a cupcake!
Wow, I did not fully realize how much I depended on the Internet until I was without it for a week. If Ned was not deployed, it would have been ok. But when the only form of communication you have with your spouse is through email, a week can seem like a long time! Fortunately I could check my messages at friends' houses. Anyway, now that the computer is up and running I thought I'd just do a quick update for anyone who is interested.
We MOVED! I still cannot believe I pulled it off. I was by some miracle able to pack up the house, coordinate the move, and deal with all the after-move inspections and stresses. The move went so smoothly. Everything was in a box and ready to go when the guys from Church showed up. So many people from church came to help me move and it was so appreciated. It makes me want to be more supportive of Ned if he is needed to serve someone because we all truly depend on one another.
The new house is AWESOME! I love it, love it, love it. Having a fourth bedroom is a lot of extra space. Although, we haven't added the new baby yet. But even once the new baby arrives, we will have plenty of space and it won't seem cramped at all. The kids love the new place and have had fun running and staking claim on certain parts of the house. I owe my friend, Amy, a HUGE thanks. She came over last week a few times and helped me un-pack and re-arrange some furniture so I didn't feel like such a gypsy until Ned gets home. Also, thanks to Cassia for helping with my computer and getting it taken apart and put back together again.
It is humbling to realize just how many people that I have in my life who are willing and able to help me in a time of need. This deployment has been met with massive obstacles. But I've somehow managed to get past each of them and come out stronger. I am grateful to have not been so violently ill with this pregnancy that I have been able to meet other goals. And be a good Mom to Tatum and Carson. I am constantly amazed at Grace and I'm so excited to enter into this new chapter in our family.
I have my ultrasound next week and I'm excited to possibly find out what we're having. I will have updates and pictures coming soon, but I'm still kind of taking a breath from all of this.
Yesterday for family night we had a pizza party and root beer floats. The kids had never had them before and I think judging by the pictures, they were well received.
Carson is doing his famous "Kung Fu Panda" move.
