2009 Here we come!

Happy New YEAR!!!

It's bittersweet this year. It's hard to hope for a happy year when I know the other part of me is gone and in danger. At the same time, I have this goregous little man with whom I want time to just slow down ... he's growing up TOO FAST! So, I am torn.

And then I remember ... time will keep moving whether I want it to stop or go fast, it just continues on and it's only my perception that makes it seem different. So, I'm going to try and figure out how to enjoy every single moment, while at the same time keeping the days from dragging.

I'm also realizing that I'm super tired and that this all probably sounds like an idiot has written it!

So, here are a few pics to save this post! Happy New Year everyone!

Discovering the magic that is can cheese!
Taking his cousin for a ride.

"Helping" Papa play a video game.

Riding with nana on the new pony. I walked into the living room one day and he was on the pony watching tv! He loved that horse!

2008 is DONE!

MOnkey

Crazy Christmas Lights

Time with Santa

We didn't go see Santa last year. I thought Monkey was too young and I didn't want to do the whole "screaming-who-is-this-stranger" thing with him. We went up to see my inlaws and there was a party at my MIL's work. Santa showed up and Monkey LOVED him!

Pointing out the naughty kids.

Mommy having fun ... why that dumb lady needed to get in the pic is beyond me.
Giving Santa a goodbye hug.

Christmas came early

Some would say our early Christmas isn't something to be happy about considering the reasons behind it (daddy heading off to the sandbox). But, I'm choosing to look at it as a blessing that we were able to have our very first Christmas in our own home and had the chance to spend it with both my parents and McH's (and his sis)!

So, I'm going to start with some decorating pics! This was our first year to decorate and it was SO fun! Now, I'll admit the wicked wind we have and the damage it has done to our lights ISN'T very fun, but decorating sure was! (Especially since our fingers weren't freezing off ... Wisconsonites, you know what I'm talking about!)

McH and Monkey working on the tree. It looks a little sad, but when it's lit up it's really pretty. However, it is a little wobbly after someone decided to pull it down ... :)

It's not very easy to show the house lights, but we did a little "snowscape" in front of the house.

I had to have a little snow :)

Aries napping next to sleeping Santa. This thing is hysterical ... well, actually it's Monkey that is so funny. Santa snores when it's turned on (he snores jingle bells lol) and if he notices it when it's off, he gets quite upset.

Our Christmas Eve with all the gifts under the tree. Last year we were at my parents house and we helped put out the gifts, but it was SO fun to do it for the first time at our house!

I knew he'd notice this first!

Getting daddy's help

The "theft" bag. It beeped and yelled when you got near it!
Doesn't he look like a pro?!
Phew! All those gifts worked up quite a thirst!

And, finally, all the gifts replaced under the tree!

Deployment Day

Bummer. Major. McH left for the sandbox last Friday. I won't go into all of the crap that happened right now, but I'll say that despite some of the idiots there it was a lot different this time. I cried, but I didn't have the panic that I did last time.


I also haven't had much time to really think about it. That night Monkey woke up throwing up and continued to do so every 1/2 hour until about 4:30a. I've been battling a cold for a few weeks and now I'm a little worried I might have strep. McH called this morning, but I never heard the phone. I'm upset about it, but, I at least know he's there safely and hopefully he'll be online tomorrow.


Here are some pictures from the past few days.

Monkey and Daddy watching TV

Lots of cuddles.

McH trying to fit everything into his ruck LOL
McH, his dad and Monkey
McH trying to get his new PSP all in his bag. Me and my baby.

Calling for Help

As I said in my previous post, a dear friend of mine's daughter was killed a few days ago. We all can imagine, I'm sure, that this is beyond difficult for them. They are busy trying to pick up the pieces and make sense of something senseless. We summer sisters have decided that we would do whatever we could for Carla and her family. Money is something that no one wants to think about, especially them. So, we will do it for them. We will spread the word and do our best to reach out to anyone we can in hopes that we can all help them.

I gave her blog address as a link in Josi's picture and I will give it again. If you are able and you want to help, please go to her blog and read about this sweet little girl and their family. It's hard not to see the love they have for Josi and how they simply wanted to be her family. This adoption took a lot of money, even beyond the normal adoption fees. If, after hearing this story, you want to help, please click on the "chip-in" button on the left hand side of her blog and donate to Josi's memorial fund (it has not been changed from Josi's Adoption).

http://azhderianfamily.blogspot.com/

Here are a few more pictures in honor of Josi.

This is Carla, her husband, their son and Josi at their first meeting last year.

A Time of Great Sadness

There is a group of girls I met and became close with during our adoption. We called ourselves "Summer Sisters" because we all started in the summer of '06. One of my "sisters" began a second adoption of a sweet girl soon after they brought their son home. They had just received Josi's new birth certificate listing them as her parents and giving her their last name.

I can remember watching all of the videos Carla would post of Josi and just how excited she was to bring her home. I was gone for the past few days and when I came home, I had new emails and when I saw Carla's name I was positive that it was her travel dates to pick Josi up.

I smacked into a wall when I read that Josi had gone to visit her foster mother's sister, brother-in-law and two kids and was brutally murdered during that visit along with the other four people. My friend was nearly to the finish line when someone took her daughter's life. It is sad and horrifying. I cannot imagine her pain, anger, confusion or the mulititude of other feelings that must be a part of her life right now.

Goodbye sweet Josi. While you were here on this Earth you were loved and cherished. You had a hard life that had begun to change drastically with the amazing love from Carla and her ... your family. Sleep peacefully.



*You can click on Josi's picture to go to Carla's blog and leave her a message. I know that she will appreciate every comment whether she knows you or not.

FFF

He's just so cute! This was his very first haircut!

Wedding

Well, I don't actually pics from the wedding McH was in this past weekend, but I do have pics of us! And McH was in his Class A's and looked super hot ... to me, at least! lol

This is what we did during the wedding!

Monkey checking out Daddy's medals after the wedding.

We found this caterpillar outside of the church. We couldn't believe how big it was!

A family picture

Day at the Park

We went out to Burnett, TX last Sunday for a day at the nature park. It's a place where you can see bald eagles, though, we didn't get to see any :( Maybe in a couple of years we'll take the cruise and see some. But, we had a great day hiking on the trails and found a few armadillos!

Enjoying his lemonade

Just chillin' while mommy and daddy tried to find the park.

Canyon of the Eagles park

Looking for what else? Bugs!

An armadillo. They obviously have terrible sight!
A family pic attempt ... as you can see it didn't work out so well!

Daddy taking a picture from WAY up on a rock! Monky found a feather that he kept trying to fly with!

Daddy teaching Monkey about tree bark and what we can and can't touch.

We took a ton of pictures. I've uploaded them onto shutterfly if anyone would like to see them! Here is the link for our new shutterfly site. http://grimsley1.shutterfly.com/