He's Home!

Kelly returned home from Iraq (via Ft. Lewis) on Wednesday, 4/21. Up til the last minute the military was changing the date, time, location, etc. Finally we got the "official" word at about 10pm, Tuesday night that they would be arriving in Portland at 11am, Wednesday. So, the girls and my mom and I left for Portland planning to arrive by about 10:30 so we would be there when they arrived. Yeah, not so much. Kelly is texting as the buses are driving down from Washington telling us each city they pass and while we are still about 1/2 hour away, they have just crossed the river into Oregon. So, he got there before we did. I was really disappointed but, what can you do, it's done. We finally met up with him and held up his sign, got hugs and went into the Chiles Center to wait (3 hours!) for the ceremony to start.

We staked out our seats and sat and talked for a while. They made an announcement that lunch was available for the soldiers so Kelly went and got a plate to share with us. Later they apparently had a lot of food left so they opened it up to all the families so we got to have a nice lunch before the ceremony. Thankfully the ceremony was pretty short and after it was over we went to the armory, picked up his bags and headed home. We've haven't done much since then. We went to the Roadhouse for dinner on Friday and went to church on Sunday but the rest of the time has been spent hanging out. He doesn't have to go back to work until the 6th of July. He and I are taking a kayaking class and taking a week-long trip to Seattle next month and he's searching Craigslist for the boat he's been waiting to buy. Otherwise, we're just enjoying life right now!

Spring Break

So, yeah, Spring Break was like almost three weeks ago and I'm just getting a blog written about it. Brittany and Holden flew in from Texas on Monday, March 22nd at around midnight (Tuesday am).

Wednesday morning Brittany invited her friend and her baby girl over and Brittany made waffles for everyone.

Thursday we went to the beach with all 7 of us, my mom and my sister and her girls. We stopped at Otis to get corndogs for lunch and my keys got locked in the car. After waiting for the tow truck driver to come and get them out we went on our way. We went to the outlet mall and shopped and then stopped for pizza at Galucci's. The girls wanted to go the "beach" so we drove down to Road's End and stopped. It was raining quite hard that day so we just sat there in the car for a few minutes and then came home. Saturday was a nice day so the girls all went to the beach and I stayed home. This time they actually got to go to the "beach". While there they found two glass floats that are planted all along the Oregon coast by local artists (pretty cool)!

Sunday morning after church Brittany, Holden and I went with my mom to see my grandpa in the nursing home. I don't know if he could tell that it was Holden or not but he smiled and kissed his head.

The next week I kept Holden one day so Brittany could have a kid-free shopping date with a friend.

We didn't do a whole lot else but it seemed like we were really busy and the time went by quickly and they went home on April 1st.

15/93

My babies turned 15 yesterday. It's sort of hard to comprehend really that they are becoming young women. We had a good time yesterday. Kelly called from Iraq in the morning to wish them Happy Birthday. I took them balloons and candy to school and after school we took cupcakes to celebrate with my grandpa at the nursing home. He turned 93 yesterday and the girls are his birthday babies. Later Kelsey, Chloey, Shelby, Lindsay, my mom and me went to McMenamins for dinner. We ate on the rooftop, inside and had a really good time. Then we came home and had ice cream cake and the girls opened their gifts/cards. It was kind of a low-key birthday but it was fun!

Gratitude - Day 28

I actually did it, I wrote a blog of some sort or another for 28 days straight!!

Today I have left the best for last. I am grateful for God. I am grateful for knowing Him early in my life. For trusting and believing His words and for miraculous things that He has done. I am thankful for all that He has provided for me and my family. I am grateful for His love and mercy and for the sacrifice of His son.

Gratitude - Day 27

Today I am grateful for pain relievers. I have a massive headache today but I took something so hopefully it will be gone soon!

Gratitude - Day 26

Today I am grateful for love. I am grateful that I was loved as a child, loved by my husband, loved by my children and friends and most especially loved by God. I am grateful to be able to give love to my family, friends and even to people I don't know. I want to live my life in a spirit of love and to have everyone who comes in contact with me to feel loved. Some days it is easier to be loving than others, but it is a goal. Here is a song that I heard that made me think about being grateful for love.


Love Never Fails
Brandon Heath
From the album What If We

Love is not proud
Love does not boast
Love after all
Matters the most

Love does not run
Love does not hide
Love does not keep
Locked inside

Love is the river that flows through
Love never fails you

Love will sustain
Love will provide
Love will not cease
At the end of time

Love will protect
Love always hopes
Love still believes
When you don't

Love is the arms that are holding you
Love never fails you

When my heart won't make a sound
When I can't turn back around
When the sky is falling down
Nothing is greater than this
Greater than this

Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life

Love is the river that flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you

Gratitude - Day 25

Today I am grateful for my sisters. I feel kind of sorry for women/girls who don't have sisters. I guess if you don't, you don't really know what you're missing but I can't imagine not having sisters. My sisters and I are all VERY different. I was thinking about this the other day and I realized that I am the type that makes myself crazy planning things. I worry that I won't make the right decision or that what I am doing won't work right or whatever. I end up planning so much that I have a hard time starting something or making a decision but when I do, it turns out pretty awesome.

My next younger sister is also a planner but she gets in and does things easier that I do. Her issue is perfection. She spends so much time trying to get everything perfect that she makes herself a little crazy but everything she does turns out beautiful.

My youngest sister is not so much a planner as a doer. She just jumps in, full steam ahead. Which can be good and bad. Sometimes she makes the rest of us crazy because of the lack of planning but she does get a lot of things done and isn't afraid to try new things.

So, today I am thankful for my sisters. We are there for each other and all our assorted children and I can't imagine my life without them! And, happy 40th birthday today to my "baby" sister!