Quicker Update

Departure date changed to August 31st in the interest of spending time with Carolyn, Jared, and Madeleine. Depending on how long we stay in Minneapolis, we should arrive in Silver Spring between Sept. 4 and 6th.

Quick Update

The conversation during a lovely surprise call from my dear Red reminded me that I haven't updated my blog in quite some time. So, I'm using my customary 30 min. break at the beginning o nap time to do a very quick update. You'll understand why I'm so insanely busy in just a minute...

1. Johnny's getting laid off at the end of August due to a long, maddening story that I don't want to tell, because it always gets me riled up. Chalk it up to good ol' boy, small town politics. Obviously, this was very bad news, but then we found out....
2. JOHNNY GOT THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOB!!!! PTL!!! We're very excited. But, before he can begin he has to pass medical and security clearance. So, for the past week we've been rushing around trying to get the paperwork in. Since he must pass that before the job starts we do not have a start date yet. So, we had no idea when we would actually be moving until...
3. my Grandpa, with whom we are planning to live while working in D.C., called and said that he would be gone most of September and hoped that we could move in then and take care of the house. So....
4. We're leaving Wyoming August 28th. We'll stop in Minneapolis and see Johnny's sister and my beautiful little niece (and of course Red the Awesome) and we should arrive in Silver Spring, MD on September 1st, which means...
5. I'm running around like a chicken sans head trying to get things organized and packed because...
6. I'm having a yard sale on August 22, 23 to try to get rid of pretty much everything except clothes, some books, and various favorites. Suffice to say...
7. I am not dead, seriously ill, nor have I lost all my possessions in a tragic house fire causing me to be without communication. I am simply beyond busy trying to get things organized while working a part time job, taking care of my little ones, and trying to keep the house marginally clean.

Back to work.

Fireworks

I spent most of the day working and forgetting that it's already the 4th of July. Seriously, how is this year going by so fast and why are my babies about to turn 1 and 2??? Agh!!!

Anyway, the point is, it was hard for me to focus on the fact that today is supposed to be a day honoring the sacrifices of the brave men and women of the American colonies or that we became a nation 233 years ago today. I'm just too busy these days to remember holidays.

But Johnny picked me up from work at 7pm and we bustled off to his parents' house for a delicious steak dinner (it was heavenly but now I'm feeling the effects of red meat). We had some fun, quality time with Grandma and then headed out at dusk to see the fireworks.

I have not seen Zach sit still for that long...ever.

Watching the wonder in my little boy's eyes helped me sit back and think about the joyous holiday celebrated today. Freedom. Liberty. Triumph. Adventure. New birth. These innocent and imperative concepts danced in my Zachary's beautiful brown eyes while he sat ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the beautiful lights in the sky. And he sat there in warm clothes, well fed, loved and happy, because we are free. We are so blessed. Praise the Lord! Happy Independence Day!

Summer Days

Life has been pretty hectic the last couple weeks. I started working at Subway and I actually enjoy it very much. My coworkers are very nice and hard-working. It's a super easy job. I miss the boys terribly while I work, but it is nice to get out of the house and make a little money on my own. It's tough to give up what little time I have with Johnny, too, but it's just short term.

Gabriel is starting to crawl. He does the commando crawl and sometimes gets up on his hands and knees. He's become very chatty and he desperately wants to chase after his big brother.

Zach just seems to get smarter and smarter. He notices everything and figures out any device with short examination. I can't believe he'll be 2 in 2 months!!

We're waiting anxiously to hear from the Foreign Service job. They did contact Johnny's references last week, so we're hoping that's a good sign. We're praying to hear this week.

There really isn't much else to report. I'm trying to save for a trip to Florida. The weather has been beautiful. We're planning a trip up to the mountains tomorrow to see the flowers.

Working Woman

I took on a part time job. It sounds a little insane, but I really felt the need to gain a bit of independence back. With only one car, no friends nearby, and no way to make money from home, I was feeling pretty cloistered, really more like one of the kids than the adult. This was no fault of Johnny's whatsoever, just a feeling of helplessness I probably brought on myself. So, I decided to take a mindless job that would get me out of the house a bit and bring in a bit of extra dough. I chose to work at Subway, because it's a quick 5- minute walk from our house and require no real brainpower. I worked this past weekend on Saturday and Sunday. It was pleasant to meet new people, but I really, really missed my 3 wonderful boys. There are pros and cons to most decisions.

Gabey is trying to walk. He loves to clutch our fingers and tromp around after Zach. I can hardly wait to watch them chase each other around all day. They already have so much fun. Plus, bending over to let Gabriel hold my fingers is killing my back!

Zach is definitely on a growth spurt. He's been takig 2 1/2-3 hour naps and eating like a little piggy. He's finally starting to talk a little bit. I'm the only one who can understand him most of the time, but he's starting to enunciate a bit better. My baby is growing up!

We're anxiously awaiting news from the Foreign Service job. We hope to hear by the end of June. Lord willing, I'll be back to the east coast early next year! Please, Lord, give Johnny this job!!

Summer!

It's a gorgeous day! Life has been pretty sweet these days. We have a very set routine and follow it to the letter. Zach makes sure of that. Mornings start with juice, breakfast (usually eggs or cereal), next Zach makes sure my workout takes way longer than it should. Then we run around in the yard for a bit and come in for lunch at 11:30. Sometimes there's a movie thrown in if the morning is a bit nippy. Daddy usually comes home for lunch. Nap commence at 1:00 and I do my ChaCha work (which brings in around $190/month. Not much, but it helps). Naps last an hour, then we load up and go for a walk to one of two parks along the bike trail behind our house. We start dinner when we get home around 5 and Daddy make his appearance around 5:15 is there are no dance classes. There is an evening of play, then devotions, and bed at 8pm.

Zach initiates each step of the day; he never forgets a thing. Throughout the day he sometimes asks to go potty, read books, and brush his teeth. He's such a sweetheart.

Thursday, during our morning playtime, Zach scared a mother duck off her nest. He didn't mean to. She built her nest right by one of his favorite hangouts and he simply ran past. We waited all day, but she never came back. We picked up the eggs at nightfall, but they were pretty cold, so I doubt they'll live. We have them in a nest under a towel and a heat lamp.

Yesterday saw a trip to Billings. The boys got completely pampered by Grandma during a trip to Toys R' Us. It felt like Christmas as I spent the evening unpackaging everything.

Johnny comes home from his seminar in Jackson today!! Yay!! He'll be home until Monday morning when he leaves for his interview in D.C. I hope that's the last of the trips for a while.

This afternoon Gabriel goes to Grandma's for some Gabey-Grandma time and Zach and I will head to the pool. I am not brave enough to try to take both of them to the pool on my own.

Big Boy?

Gabriel had his weigh-in today. Last month he was in the 0 percentile for weight at only 12 lbs. 14 oz. He is a shrimp. We weaned him and he blossomed. Today he weighed 14 lbs. 3 oz. The doctor was very impressed. Gabriel is moving up in the world; he is now in the 1 percentile for weight. What a man.

Johnny is en route to Oklahoma. He's helping a friend drive his truck, trailor, and four dogs for a move. They are driving all night. Don't get me started on the poor judgment of that decision. No, it was not Johnny's decision. I say again, don't get me started. Johnny will fly home from Oklahoma City Monday evening.

Johnny also got a job interview in Washington, D.C. Two paid interviews in the past month. This is a pretty exciting job, too. We shall see. Unfortunately that takes his trip tally up to five in less than 2 months. Boo. Between his grandpa's funeral, the interview in Idaho, the Oklahoma trip, a seminar in Jackson, and the D.C. interview there is not nearly enough Johnny in my life. My quota is very high and it is not being met. He's mine; I'll be as possessive as I want.

I miss him. Gabriel's asleep in my bed, because I don't like to sleep alone. And Zach won't sleep in my bed. He gets too busy looking out the window and playing in the curtains. I might be a touch pathetic. Don't judge me.