The Big 1!

In December our little Eli turned the Big 1! It was a day I had been planning (and dreading a little) since he was born. So after months of planning, pinning, and obsessing over blogs the party came together beautifully! Eli had such a good time. He loves being the center of attention! I don't know where he gets that from ;)  And I only cried a few "Momma tears" watching my little guy turning into such a big boy. Lucky I have a fabulous photo diary of the whole day!

Welcome sign drawn in chalk. 

Lots and lots of carnival food! We had turkey legs, soft pretzels, corn dogs, popcorn, peanuts and more!

One of my favorite pictures of the day! 

Love my boys! Matching bow ties and all! 

Chocolate covered baby ;)

Grace and I and our boys... Clearly on their way to a sugar crash!

Candy and Milk Bar.... this was a super healthy party. Obviously. 

Eli's birthday crown. 

We truly had such a wonderful day! Thank you to everyone who came to support our little guy. And thanks to all my friends who put up with me obsessing over the details for months. It was such a blessed day! 

I'm Back...

Before I started this post I went back to the last post I wrote and realized it has been way longer than I thought since I blogged! Shame on me. I must say, I've written so many blogs in my head, but just haven't had time to sit and type them out. Let's just say it's been an eventful few months!

Quick overview. Ready? Brandon got home! Right near the end of September. And it was amazing! We were a little worried about how Eli would be with Brandon. He had just hit his stride in the "stranger danger" phase and I knew all Brandon would want was to love on his boy. It was truly a beautiful thing. After a few hours of hesitant intrigue and a good night sleep it seemed as though Eli knew exactly who Daddy was. And it just gets better every day. The snuggling, the belly laughs, the wrestling! Oh! These boys pull at my heart strings. Makes me so happy. 

In December we loaded up the truck and headed to the homeland for the holidays. After a quick stop in Fort Worth for the OU/TCU football game (Go Frogs!) we continued to Oklahoma for a whole month. And what a December it was! Time with family and friends can really recharge the soul. And the first order of business was a day I had been planning for a year (at least). Our Eli turned 1! And we partied! In fact, the party planning took up so much of my brain that I only had a short Mommy breakdown at the thought of my little baby boy becoming a toddler. Don't worry. As Grace mentioned, I will post lots of pictures and details soon. It was perfect! So after partying, presents, and far too much delicious food we headed home. With the truck overflowing and a few extra pounds of holiday weight (thanks Oklahoma) we pulled away from my Dad's house and started counting the days until we're back again. 

Two days after we got back I started my new job. Oh yeah, did I mention? I got a JOB! And I just marvel at God's planning on this one. Right before we left for Oklahoma and happened to drive by a Montessori school near downtown Clarksville. The sign said "Now enrolling 6 weeks to 8 years old". I had promised Brandon that I would start looking for child care for Eli so I could start back work in the new year, but let's be honest. I was dragging my feet a little. So I thought this Montessori school looked interesting. I'd studied the Montessori method in college and had always thought I would send Eli to a Montessori preschool when the time came. So I called scheduled a tour and a job interview. And we both got in :)  So I'm a Kindergarten teacher at Little Scholars Montessori in Clarksville and Elijah is a member of the Baby Bugs class. His classroom is approximately 30 feet from mine. Perfection. I can sneak a peek at my little guy all day long. I love it. 

I can't wait to write more about Eli's party and my new job and all the happenings. More to come, but for now I leave you with this....

"Ahn Wee"

Well friends, it's been a while. Blog fail. In my defense, I've been suffering from a severe case on ennui. (A French word pronounced "ahn-wee" that I picked up from Gilmore Girls back in college. No shame.) Ennui is a feeling of melancholy brought on by boredom or idleness. I wouldn't say my ennui was brought on by boredom or idleness. I have a 7 month old which allows little time for either of those things. However, I did allow myself to get a little overwhelmed by mommyhood and forgot to make time for me. Luckily a superhero decided to fly my way and pull me out of my melancholy....

My DAD!! 

Nothing could have pulled my out of my state of ennui faster than a visit from my Dad. He is the best! I had come to a halt on all of my projects (home, cooking, fashion, etc) and I couldn't find the energy or motivation to do anything other than hang out with Eli. Don't get my wrong, hanging with Eli is my FAVORITE thing, but at some point Mom needs to hang out with other adults in the real world. And consume something other than Diet Coke. 

So my motivation flew into Nashville and stayed only 4 days, but it was all I needed to get back on track. Dad would get up at 6 a.m. every morning and when I would finally drag myself out of bed with Eli around 6:30 a.m. there was always a hot pot of coffee and a list waiting for me. And you know I love a good to do list!  Not only was he planning on helping me start and complete several projects, but he also had a Mr. Fix-it list he had made after taking a lap around the house. We started on Wednesday morning and stopped only for food and adult beverage brakes, fireworks for the 4th, and afternoon nap time for all. 

I'm so grateful for my Dad. He is so wise, selfless, and enduring. It inspires me and motivates me to power through hard times and constantly have a positive outlook. And I know that whenever I hit a bump in the road my Dad will be here soon with a good cup of coffee and a list. 

Thanks Dad! 

Milestones

Now that I have a baby I'm very aware of MILESTONES. It's something that I keep track of and wait for and record whenever they occur. As I'm watching my little man grow he's already hit so many milestones. Big and small. So now that Brandon and I have just turned 29 I was thinking about our milestones from this last year. There were some big ones!



Okay, well this is before my 28th birthday, but it was a pretty huge milestone ;)

Me and Baby Morgan kissing the Coyote and Fort Irwin "Goodbye!" The superstition says you have to kiss the coyote or you'll make your way back to Irwin. We all kissed it. Even Maya. Just to make sure.

We bought our first house!

And finally moving in once it was built!

Of course, the arrival of our baby boy Elijah Antonio Morgan on December 17.

Our first Christmas in our new home as a family of three! And Maya :)

Brandon's 3rd deployment.

And finally, both Brandon and I turned 29 within 6 days of each other. I made us a cake (and ate enough for both of us!)

My birthday date and favorite little man!

I can't wait to see what this year brings. Here's to the start of our last year of our 20s... man, we're getting old. ;) 

Coming Home from Home

Well... I'm home. No, not Oklahoma. But my current home in Tennessee. And I have to say: I'm a little out of sorts. So I'm just writing a quick one tonight to help me get back in the groove.

I had an incredible month in Oklahoma with the comfort of family and friends around. Eli got to meet his cool Aunt B and see his Uncle Bubs. He met Brandon's whole family and they couldn't love him more! We went on our first road trip and spent some quality time with some quality people. I even got to swing a golf club for the first time in over a year. (I'm rusty, but it felt good!)  And Eli had a couple "Guys Nights In" with Pops, letting Mom have some much needed girl time. I felt like myself. It was amazing.

So here I am back in Tennessee, fighting the urge to go back to Oklahoma. But I know I have to stay. I felt so happy in Oklahoma and, as I wrote about here, Oklahoma really is home. I'm so blessed that I get to spend so much time there during holidays, cross country moves, and deployments. But I don't live there right now. I live here. And I have to learn to love where I am. I'm an Army wife. I'm not stationary. And I'll never learn to love where I am if I'm always planning my next trip home. So in efforts to not fall into a depression, pack the car, and drive straight home: I'm making plans.

*Blogging- I want to continue writing. It keeps me motivated and moving forward.
*Cooking- I want to keep cooking as long as Eli will let me. He doesn't tolerate his swing so much anymore (he's trying to roll over in it!), but I'm sure I can find a way. At the very least, I will be cooking all of his baby food, which we started this week. More on that later.
*Fashioning- my goal remains to spend more days in real clothes than my fancy yogas. The shopping done in OKC will really help.
*DIYing- lots of projects on the agenda. Painting, organizing, and decorating. I will be so excited to share my finished projects.
*Exploring- I want to get out and find out what's awesome about this town. I want to enjoy Nashville too! I'm looking forward to it. If anyone has any Nashville suggestions let me know!
*Putting myself "out there"-meeting new people in high school or college is so easy! But after college is a different story. Sometimes I feel like making new friends is kind of like dating. It can be awkward at first and takes a while before you reach the "my house is a wreck and I'm still in pajamas, but come over anyway phase". But I'm joining some playgroups and going to do some Mommy and Me things with Eli this summer with the hope of meeting some mom friends.

If I can work on these things this summer I think I'll find my niche here.

So hello Clarksville. My goal is to be happy to call you "home". For a few years at least.

Finally- here's a little dose of Eli. 5 months old on May 17. He's pretty stinkin' cute if you ask me.

Oklahoma

My husband LOVES Oklahoma. I mean loves it!! Every time we're in town and someone says "have a good day", or smiles at us, or any other gesture that is commonly polite Brandon always says, "I just love Oklahoma!". This used to make me chuckle because I feel like most people do that no matter what state you're in. But you know what, they don't. Having lived in a few different places over the years has really made me learn to appreciate the good 'ol OKC. And here's why...

 People- I do love the people here. Not just my friends, but most of the people I run into during day to day activities are super nice! It's not uncommon to start a conversation with a complete stranger, have a door held open for me, or get a "thank you" wave when I let someone turn before me at a stop sign. A shining example of this happened to me yesterday at the Mall. Eli needed a quick diaper change when we arrived and I hurried into Dillard's carrying Eli in one hand, wheeling the stroller in the other, and dragging my diaper bag over my shoulder. A Dillard's employee quickly noticed me making my way to the restroom and suggested I use a dressing room instead. She offered to push the stroller and led me to a large room, all the while smiling at Eli and asking me questions about him. This small act of kindness made my day! If you've ever carried an infant while trying to maneuver a stroller you know what I'm talking about. Good people here in OK.

 Community- I feel an incredible sense of community in Oklahoma. Like everyone is here to help each other out. I love exploring the local shops in Edmond and Oklahoma City. Some of my favorite shopping and eating is at tiny local businesses around the city. ND Foods, Johnnies, Pinkitzel, A Date with Iris, Ladybugs and Lizards Children's Boutique. So fun (and delicious!). In fact, this Saturday, May 5 is "Keep it Local" day in OKC, where we are encouraged to shop and eat local. I love it and I will be participating! Last weekend, in another amazing show of community spirit and endurance, thousands of people took part in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon to remember the Oklahoma City Bombing that occurred April 19, 1995. I have run both the half marathon and full marathon and it was truly an amazing experience. The sense of community that this race brings is best described by my friend who ran a relay in the race last weekend. You can read Grace's story of the Citizens' Race here. As she says, "Good Job Oklahoma".

 Oklahoma Sports- Okay, I must mention here that I'm a Texas fan. Texas Christian University Horned Frogs (my alma mater- Go Frogs!), Texas Longhorns (hook 'em), San Antonio Spurs. Those are my teams! I married an Oklahoma, Sooner Lovin', Texas Hatin' man. While most of the time we can watch our teams play each other with lighthearted bickering and teasing, there have been those times when we've had to retreat to separate areas of the house for a short time. But, I have to admit, Oklahomans know how to be fans! They love their teams and are die hard fans through and through. On Easter, my family headed to Norman to visit Brandon's family. As usual, there was some trash talking back and forth about TCU/Texas and the OU rivalry. My Dad, never hesitating to sport his Texas gear when we venture that way, is always the odd man out in the sea of crimson in that house. But this year the talk turned to NBA basketball, which was weird because I've NEVER heard Brandon's family talk about basketball at all! Now, NBA basketball has been the one "safe zone" for me, a forever San Antonio Spurs fan, because until recently Oklahoma did not have a pro team. All of a sudden, his whole family are huge OKC Thunder fans! Huge. Like, if you're a Dallas Mavericks fan, the team who knocked the Thunder out of the playoffs last year, you are DEAD to them. (As a Spur fan, this is a sentiment I share.) But the fact that the whole family went from a total disregard of pro basketball to crazy rowdy Thunder fans is pretty impressive. Gotta respect a state that backs their teams no matter what, and does so with a fervor that can at time be scary. Oklahoma loves it's sports!

 Reliable- Oklahoma has a great way of growing and changing in a way that makes me feel like nothing has really changed. I still feel like I know the city like the back of my hand even though it's changed so much since I last lived here. I think I will see several people I know when I'm eating lunch or shopping in Edmond. I'm convinced that the postal workers have not changed since I was in second grade. It takes me back. In fact, just the other day, I was mindlessly driving up I-44 and I exited the highway like I was driving to McGuinness, my high school. Really? My life could not be more different than it was when I was 18. But in that moment I morphed into a high school senior late for Anatomy. So strange. And yet, comforting. Oklahoma will always be my little hometown, no matter how big it gets.

 So I know, this is the second post in a row about Oklahoma. But I think I owe to this great state, because I never truly appreciated it while I was here. And I have ever intention of changing that each time I come home.

Home

I've lived in several different places over the past 10 years, and a few of them I've loved so much I've called them home. With the Army we moved so often and have never had the chance to settle down anywhere. We're always changing addresses and forwarding mail. Every time I'm asked to verify my address I have to rattle off at least three different ones before I make the match. While it's been so fun exploring different parts of the country and never getting bored with the constantly changing scenery, it's made it hard to find a place that we can really call home. And to be honest, I'm not sure anything will ever feel like pulling off I-35 into Edmond, OK. It's exciting and comforting and gives me the "warm and fuzzies" every time. Walking into the house I grew up in, depositing my luggage in my room, and plopping down at the kitchen table with my Dad. It's a routine that hasn't changed in years.

Now, I'm a Mom and I wondered of coming home would be different. Turns out, it's totally not. And it's pretty awesome. I still feel like a big kid in this house, and having Eli here makes it even better. It's fun to think about him being at home in this house. I love the idea of Eli loving Edmond as much as I do. Driving around town, visiting my usual stops, meeting up with friends with Eli in tow is so fun! I've even added a few kids clothing boutiques to my list of Edmond favorites. I really feel like me here. So relaxed and refreshed!

What places or routines make you feel at home?

It's a Twister!

Last week was crazy here in Tennessee! Tornado season has come early. No tornadoes actually touched down here in Clarksville, but at one point during the day the warnings were surrounding our county on top and bottom. Someone up there is watching out for us! Whew!

I have always hated storms. Always. The first thunderstorm I remember was when we lived in San Antonio and I must have been three or four. My brother, Rob or "Bubba" (a name I will forever call him- and yes, I know I'm 28 and he's 41) and I were home alone. The power had gone out and we were sitting on the floor in the corner of my parents' big maroon couch. He had lit a few candles, but I remember the lightening seeming so scary because it lit up the whole house and I knew the thunder was coming right after. I don't remember much else, only that Bubs let me sit on his lap and was so comforting. Aside from the storm part, this is one of my favorite memories of Bubba and I. Love you Bubs!

When I was 7 we moved to Oklahoma and I was introduced to a new kind of storm. A tornado. What?! Like in the Wizard of Oz? Now you should know that The Wizard of Oz was (is?) my favorite movie when I was little. I know this movie scared a lot of kids when they were younger, but not me. I loved it! The Wizard of Oz was the only reference point my seven year old brain could think about when I heard the word tornado. And all I could see was my house swirling in the sky. In school, we would have tornado drills and talk about what to do when a storm is coming. Get into the interior room in your house. Crouch down and cover your neck with your hands. Get in the bathtub and cover it with a mattress. Uh, scary!

I was actually in a tornado when I was 13. It hit the amusement park in Oklahoma while I was there with a friend. We had to take cover in one of the restaurants and I remember so clearly the sound of the tornado coming through. It sounded like a freight train! The story of my Mom that day is legendary in my groups of friends and family. My Dad tells it best and paints the picture of my Mom as a MacGyver like hero. As my Dad's story goes:

Of course, as soon as she heard the tornado was headed toward the amusement park she made me jump in the car and chase it. We didn't get to the park until after it hit, but I swear that as I pulled up to the front of the park Mom jumped out of the moving vehicle. Then she proceeded to "pole vault" herself over the parks sign that had fallen and blocked the entrance.

Now I'm not actually sure how tall the sign was, but my Mom was not the pole vaulting type regardless of the height. So you can imagine my Dad's shock.

So, needless to say, I hate tornadoes. It's one of the few things I miss about California. No chance of twisters there! Last week was enough tornado scare to last me throughout the summer, but I fear that this will not be the last time Eli, Maya, and I spend the day in the "Man Cave". I had everything we could possibly need down there. A backpack with our emergency binder, house documents, flashlight, medicine, and changes of clothes in plastic baggies. I had a ton of other stuff shoved in that bathroom. I even brought this little megaphone I gave Brandon as a gag gift for when we need help with Eli's diapers. It's a tiny megaphone, but it's pretty loud. It will work well if we need to call for help. I was watching a combination of the Weather Channel and three local news stations. I had the National Weather Service website up, the local weather, and the map of counties in Tennessee. Also, I have text messages sent to my phone for severe weather watches and warnings. WE WERE READY. And... it rained for five whole minutes. I'm not frustrated that I did all that for nothing. I will do it again if I have to. I hate storms, but I'm ready for them when they come!
Hopefully Eli will not inherit my fear of storms. But for right now, I think he's cool with them…

The Groove

There is this place I go during a deployment. It's called "the groove". I can't speak for all military spouses, but for some of us the groove is our safe place. In the groove I avoid the evening news and daily newspapers. I avoid any mention of the war. I guess the groove is not really a place, it's a state of mind. The groove is the time in the middle, between the fresh pain of watching your soldier get on the plane and the overwhelming anxiety and excitement that make those last few weeks at the end creep by. The beginning is the worst part. Daily routine becomes a reminder that you are alone, at least for a while.For me, trying to go to sleep in an empty house is the hardest part. I lay there in the dark listening to all the strange noises the house makes and I miss my best friend. But after a week or so I get into the groove. It becomes a new routine. I make myself busy with whatever I can and the days begin to go by quicker and the pain dulls. It's a great blessing that this groove exists. It makes the months bearable.

However, every once in a while something happens that knocks me right out of my groove. Someone says something or I catch a glimpse of the news and the reality of my situation washes over me. I feel the pain I felt when I was driving away from the airfield as Brandon boarded that plane. I feel like the next few months will be endless. I know that if I were to talk to Brandon in that moment I would break the cardinal rule of the military spouse and ask him to come home. This happened today. I got word of the uprise in violence overseas. And my downward spiral began. Against my better judgement I started to Google. Tears filled my eyes and I felt the full weight of the deployment. (I should say I FEEL the full weight, as I'm not quite back in the groove yet.) Today I feel as if this deployment will never end. Which is crazy, because I've been through a much longer deployment. The last one was 15 months! It was a whole year before Brandon even came home on leave. This one is 6-8 months. That's nothing, right? Today, it feels like years. Today I'm out of the groove.

But God always provides. I got to talk to Brandon today and he sounded good. Safe and sound! I remember that God has provided our little family, and this country, with a strong soldier in Brandon. Brave, focused, and prepared. He believes in his job and is proud to serve this country. And once this deployment is over, he'll be ready to come home.

So today I'll think about the moment when Brandon will step off that plane. I'll remember the day 3 years ago when he came home from that long deployment. I have to say, aside from Elijah's birth, that day was my favorite. Waiting in that hanger with 300 other families, seeing the plane approach the airfield, and watching the wheels touch down. Standing only feet away from a sea of camo as the commander gave his final orders. And finally, finding Brandon and holding him like I'd never let go. Today I'll think of that and find my way back to the groove.

A few photos from his homecoming December 2008. Can't wait for our next homecoming!

When Convenience Makes You Crazy

Modern technology is a life vest for me when Brandon is deployed. My phone is basically an extra appendage. I get spoiled with short phone calls and emails daily. We even get to see each other frequently on Skype! What a blessing, especially now that we have Eli. Brandon is able to see him all the time. It just makes me so happy! But when those phone calls or emails don't come on schedule I turn into a complete lunatic. Seriously. Let me tell you a little story...

For the first month Brandon was gone we were able to talk daily on Skype or he could call from his weird foreign cell phone. Every morning and every evening I would get a Skype call. He had internet in his room so he would leave his Skype on all day and I could call him and most of the time he would be available. It was wonderful! Almost like he was just at work, here at Fort Campbell. Convenient right? That's how technology tricked me! Brandon moved to another area and no longer has personal internet. No more Skype. I couldn't get in touch with him whenever I wanted. After a few days of no calls or emails I went a little mad. I broke down his crazy phone number, found the country code, and figured out how to call him. So I dialed. I knew it was probably not the best idea. I doubt the Army gave him this cell phone for personal use. But I rationalized. I was just going to call once and it probably wouldn't work anyway. Right? Well, it did. After about 7 rings a recording, not in English, let me know that Brandon was unavailable (I'm assuming that's what the recording stated). Okay, cool. No problem. He just couldn't get to the phone. Then I became a victim of the snowball effect. After 10 phone calls, an attempt to text message, and a panicked email I realized I had crossed over to a dark place. And I was going to hear about it. Brandon finally got to his phone and called me back. Poor guy was totally freaked out and thought there was some emergency with me or Eli. You can imagine how crappy I felt when the first thing out of his mouth was "What's wrong? Is Eli okay?". I had to reply with the truth, "Uh, yeah. I just wanted to talk to you". Not good.

So after this moment of insanity I realized that the convenience of super awesome technology can really drive you nuts! My Dad always reminds me about his time in Vietnam. He was dating my Mom and they only had "snail mail" to rely on for communication. He would write her a letter that would take weeks to arrive. Then she would write back. By the time the communication came full circle it had been over a month. Oh man, I don't know if I could make it.

Back in the day, when only Zack Morris had a cell phone, you had to call someone's house and if they weren't home you just had to wait. Email was certainly not instantaneous. You remember the AOL dial tone. If technology was still in that state there would be no way I would get to communicate with my deployed husband so readily. So yes, I'm so grateful for modern day technology and the opportunity to talk to Brandon and Skype with him often. We're so lucky that he's able to see Eli and Eli can see him too. I just need to remember the convenience of technology is a treat. I can't let it's absence drive me crazy!

Emerging from the Diapers

Being a Mom is more amazing than I ever imagined. Oh! There are no words to describe the way my heart has grown. My life could be spent laying on the floor with Elijah and making him smile, or sitting on the couch and letting him sleep on my chest. My whole world is this little guy and I'm just so in love.

When I got pregnant I was so excited! My whole life became about being pregnant and preparing for our baby to enter the world. Slowly all the apps on my phone changed from fashion and travel to What to Expect When Expecting and The Baby Center apps. As my pregnancy progressed and the reality of being a Mom got closer and closer, I wondered if I would still be myself after all this. I wondered if I would start to see the appeal of pajama jeans. Would I want to wear high heels? Would I trade in all my handbags for diaper bags? What aspects of me would remain after this monumental, life changing event? I have to admit, I was a little scared to find out.

As Eli's 2 month mark approaches I've started to feel myself emerge again. I feel like I'm starting to make my way out of the haze of late night feedings, piles of diapers, and days spent in pajamas. I'm getting used to those things and through them I'm finding my new "Mom self". And I'm pleased to find that my new self still loves fashion! It's always been such a big part of my life, and for the last eleven months I have only been focused on maternity clothes. I'm still working on getting the baby weight off, but I'm getting so excited about wearing "normal" clothes and getting into the spring fashions! Here are some things I'm excited to try:

I know this may seem like a little thing to some. Others may feel like returning to work or exercising helps bring you out of the "new baby haze", but to me having the fashion bug is what is making me feel like part of the world again. And I can already tell that dressing Eli will add a whole new facet to my fashion obsession. Bring on the boy's clothes!

To all you Moms, is there something that made "you feel like you" again after you had your kids?

And to everyone- What are you excited about this Spring?

It takes a village!

January 30, 2012

It takes a village! Or at least is did for one week. I just had one of the greatest weeks in the history of weeks. My friends visited! Grace and Jaron and their 9 month old son Emmitt, and Caitlin all came to visit us out here in Tennessee. It was amazing. Jaron had to work all week in West Virginia so he was only around for a few days, but the girls and Emmitt were here for a glorious 7 days! It was perfection. The three of us and the little ones just sat around all week cooking, talking, and tending to babies. It felt like the dream we always had of raising our children together. I have to admit that after Brandon left I was pretty down. I was trying to figure out how I would take care of Eli on my own and somehow find a way back to being myself at the same time. I wanted to go to Nashville and shop. Heck, I wanted to take a trip to Target without having a panic attack. And to make matters worse I had reached my limit on how much macaroni and cheese I could eat. I never thought I'd say that! Then the cavalry came...

The girls being here really lifted my spirits and motivated me to move forward. Seeing Emmitt, 8 months older than Elijah to the day, and how much he's grown is incredible. He's so happy! And he reacts to everything with such expression. His crinkled little nose when he laughs is my favorite. I can't wait for Elijah to be there. Also, I was able to see Grace mother round the clock for a week. We talk frequently on the phone and I ask her a million questions, but to get to see it in front of me was so helpful! Caitlin made coffee every morning and cooked almost every meal for us. I will be eternally grateful for the week of home cooked meals (plus the leftovers in the freezer). When we weren't learning new yoga moves or eating delicious food we were just sitting enjoying each other's company. We frequently turned on the TV, intending to watch mindless shows or movies, only to mute it 5 minutes later so we could talk. We took turns holding babies, changing babies, and showering.

One afternoon, Grace and I went to run errands leaving Caitlin- known as the "baby whisperer" in some circles- with the babies. When we returned we half expected Caitlin to be lying in the middle of the floor and crying. We should have known better. The Baby Whisperer struck again an we returned to two happy and fed babies and chicken enchiladas in the works. All she needed was a Skinny Girl margarita in hand to complete the picture of ease in the house. (The Skinny Girl margaritas did make an appearance later along with some Just Dance 3 on the Wii!)

I can't say how grateful I was to have them here. Jaron did so much for us while he was here. Including finding me a grocery delivery service in the event of those frequent Clarksville downpours so I won't have to brave the crowds in the rain. It really gives Brandon a piece of mind to know that I have friends like these to keep me company while he's gone.

So now that it's just us two again, and Maya, I feel more confident, a little stronger, and much healthier in mind and body. Thanks friends! When can you come back?

The Ever Changing Life

January 15, 2012

2 am used to be the middle of perfect REM sleep, or a successful night out in Vegas, or a late night walk on the beach after dinner and drinks in San Diego. Now 2 am brings the sounds of gentle fussing from my little Elijah letting me know he's hungry and in need of a diaper change. Odds are this will happen again in another 3 hours. Thinking about a successful night out in Vegas, or any other city for that matter, now involves entrusting our little boy to someone else and trying to let loose without wondering if I left enough bottles or if he's throwing a fit. Don't get me wrong, these changes have not made me sad (I have to admit I thought they would make me just a little sad) but they make me nostalgic. Kind of like remembering college or high school and sometimes wishing for those care free moments, but realizing the much better place I'm in now.

We have a son. A sweet little boy. And this 8 pound 10 ounce baby has turned our lives upside down in the most miraculous way we could have ever imagined. We had 3 wonderful weeks together before Brandon deployed that were full of round the clock feedings, dodging urine sprays, and more laughs than tears. Eli, Maya, and I will definitely miss Brandon. He is the Varsity member of this parenting team and manages to always have a cool head. But for his sake and ours we will power through these next 250 days, photographing and videoing every little change. And recording it here.