March update

So Paul is now back from his Uncle Sam camping trip. He was gone almost a month and it's great to have him home again. He got to do lots of stuff that he thought was quite fun. They had all sorts of "war simulations," and real air support to back it up. He got to give out some real stitches, and load some fake patients into a helicopter with simulated gun fire around him. He is as giddy as a little boy when he talks about it :-)

I'm not adventurous enough YET to go exploring towns around here without Paul, and so when he is gone, . . . well, we stay home :-) But it's all good. In the next two months, we have plans to visit the Czech Republic, Austria, AND France. We will be in the Alps by the Austrian border in acouple weeks and are really excited!

The older four kids all start soccer this week. Thank goodness, the twins are on the same team, and games are all on different days, so we shouldn't have any conflicts. They're really excited to get to do a sport again. (Moving messes stuff like that up sometimes)
I was the ward organist for this past month (since our ward organist was also on Uncle Sam's camping trip). Each week, that meant that the kids had to sit by themselves for 1/2 of the meeting while I played. They did great and we got many compliments on their behavior. A. is becoming more and more responsible and REALLY helps with T. I've noticed that he actually does a better job than teenager babysitters we've had here. It's neat to see the kids growing and maturing.
The older three sang a special musical number in sacrament meeting this week too. Just the three of them (I accompanied). They sang "A Child's Prayer" THe twins sang the first verse and A. sang the second and then they did both parts together. They sounded so wonderful. (And even made their Daddy cry). I love the things my kids are doing. (most of the time :-) ha ha)
I was NOT a fan when N. decided to cut her hair this week. SHe had a little rubberband in her hair and thought it would be best to cut it out (before I woke up), THEN covered the evidence with a big headband. It took me a while to figure it out and I was NOT a happy camper. (Paul had to stifle a laugh). SO, N. NOW has bangs, and wouldn't you know it, she STILL looks cute! ;-) (Little stinker).


OUR BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:
For those of you who have not heard yet, We will be getting a special delivery around Sept 19th this year. We decided that 6 was a better number than 5 and now have one in the oven (JUst ONE: no twins this time), which will give us an even 1/2 dozen kids. (We're already getting Brady Bunch comments). We told the kids about a month and a half ago, and they have been great about keeping it a secret until Dad was back (that's when we felt it best to tell others) They are all WAY excited and it just warms my heart. I love that my kids are so aware of how precious these little ones are.
OB care is not done on base, so I am seeing a german doctor and it is very. . . . . interesting. Let's just say that we have two VERY different opinions on modesty. . ha ha, and it's just different. This will be interesting. We are hoping to find out the flavor by ultrasound, if possible. I am 14 weeks along now. I had more morning sickness with this one then the last two, but it luckily subsided about a month ago. Other than that, all is going well.
We really are excited. There's a lot of interesting hurdles that we will have to get over with this one, (Delivering in a different country, Paul deployed, mandatory 3 day stay in the hospital "BLEH!~", etc.) but it's all good.
I love having our family together! (Just wish we could see the extended family). We hopefully will have lots of fun pictures in the next little while of fun trips around here.
Life is good!

great commercial

I found this video SOOOOO delightful! :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE

The saga of the conniving GPS

So last night, my sweetheart called to say that he had to run into the military base that they are closest to today, and would be there by lunch and that his Sargent said it was okay if I met them there. How could I turn down a lunch date with my hubby??
Well, of course I was willing to go. Forget the fact that I had never been to this base OR even remotely close to it, and had no idea where geographically it was located OR that I'm in a foreign country where I don't speak the Language OR that I had no cell phone, so if I ran into trouble, . . . .well, I count on human kindness for a lot :-)
Anyhoo, I DID have a GPS with me AND the coordinates I needed for the base (address) AND was told that it's only about 45 minutes away.
Well, 45 minutes later I arrived. . . . . .at the "Supposed" destination. It was not even close. I had taken tons of windy windy mountain roads (gorgeous, mind you). Much of it was completely snow covered (no visible pavement), and isolated. I passed surprisingly few cars.
Well, as I "arrived," it was Obvious that Carmen (my husbands name for our GPS) had led me astray. (She's quite deceitful you know). I suddenly found myself in a little tiny German town with tiny cobblestone streets and barely room for my vehicle to fit. I luckily was able to find a parking area to sit and ponder in. (AKA get annoyed)
I fiddled with Carmen again and the next choice she gave me for my supposed destination said it was 3 hours away. (SO not gonna happen). SOOOO, I tried again. THe next choice was 1/2 an hour away. Not great, mind you, but better than 3 hours.
I also have no way of calling my hubby to tell him why I am late and going to arrive LATER.
So, I drive. I pass more beautiful countryside. My 3 yr old wants to know why we are STILL driving, but good other than that.
At one point, I see a sign saying the name of the town the base is named after. It is pointed in an opposing direction to what "Carmen" wants. I decide that I don't trust deceiptful electronic devices and opt to follow the sign (A MAP in the car would have possibly been a good idea at this point. However, it's written in German, so maybe not)
"Carmen" gets snooty with her "RECALCULATING" comment. And continues to try and persuade me. I turn her off. COmpletely. Fifteen minutes later I'm winding through small streets again and see my first sign of hope in the way of a "Gate 5:tactical vehicles only" sign. SURELY there is another gate nearby. Ten minutes later, I arrive at the Main post gate!!! Wahoo! U.S. soil! (kind of). It still takes me a while of getting lost to get to the designated meeting spot, but I made it.
Now, keep in mind, at this time I am about 50 minutes late. Paul is not around. I would LOVE to call his cell phone, but alas, I have no phone, and pay phones aren't really workable.
I pounce on an un-suspecting private first class who made the mistake of playing with his cell phone with me standing by, and use my 3 yr old's cute face as extra incentive to let me borrow his phone. He gave in, Paul was reached, and we got a whole 20 minutes together as he watched us eat (we were hungry and STILL had to make it back to pick up kids from school on time).
SOOO, almost two hours of driving for 20 minutes of hubby time= TOTALLY worth it! :-) Being able to get home in 1/2 the time it took me to get there (my home was already pre-programmed in)= SOOOOO wonderful.
I'm going to make this as another notch on my army wife belt though. I took on unknown foreign roads ON MY OWN with a traitor electronic device and CONQUERED! Take that CARMEN!
My little man was such a good sport. On a different note, as I was tucking him in tonight, he wanted to show me how good he was at counting. This was his next comment.
T: "Mom! 11 is the AWESOMEST letter I KNOW!" (Ha ha. I love that boy!)
My kids are troopers. Life is good

Pictures in Regensberg! :-)

March 6, 2010

It is currently snowing AGAIN, and I think it's beautiful! The kids are currently outside my back window sledding and having a blast. (I just hope Paul is staying warm on his Oh-so-long "camping" trip with Uncle Sam. :-)

This morning I went to Erlangen ( a town kind of close to Nuremberg: about 70-80 minutes away) for a stake relief society meeting. I and another sister from my ward were providing the music. It was fun to do (organ/ piano duet and I accompanied her singing) and the conferece was neat to experience. The other sister was also kind enough to loan me her teenager to watch my kids at home. :-) It was about half and half german and english sisters at the meeting, so translaters were neccessary the whole conference. I love hearing hymns sung at the same time in two different languages.

I keep thinking about how different it may have been here 70 years ago. What a beautiful thing to be united as sisters and members in the gospel.

Paul called SUPER excited yesterday, because he got to do stitches for the first time. He loved that! He also is very much enjoying being around his Sargents and truly respects them. They have been so encouraging and supportive of his higher goals and really help boost Paul's spirits (I'm not worried about an over-enlarged ego, . . .YET. :-) T I LOVE THAT others are seeing the potential in my husband that I have seen for many many years.

I'm feeling braver about getting out in the "economy" (german towns), and even went shopping by myself this week. (It's a big step okay). I still know very little german, but will get better.

I also got registered for my spring classes yesterday and I'm actually excited to start up again. I have a math class. I haven't taken one of those in over 15 years! Good news is it's the only one I need. I'm hoping for the best. (Wish me luck)

I also start teaching music lessons here this week. It's kind of nice getting back into my crazy schedule. Though, after having something going on EVERY night this week, I started wondering WHY I had missed it :-)

The kids are having "Red Hot Readers Month" this month at school, which means LOTS of fun activities. I've got to be a guest reader and it's been quite fun. There is a huge map of the U.S. in the school lobby for all the readers to put their name on their home state. I have been the only one from Idaho all week! (GO IDAHO!) The school is great and the kids are still enjoying it.
Life is good though. I miss family a LOT! So many times I wish I could make our families all come over and eat sweets with me! :-) We'll have to schedule that for later. In the meantime, I am meeting some wonderful people.
I can't complain. I have a great family. A roof over my head. Food on my table. And many wonderful days. Life is good.

My honey. . . .

Today, I want to take a minute to say I LOVE my Husband! I think it is all too easy to get caught up in the everyday mundane parts of life without stopping to say "WOW! I am blessed."
If I wanted, I could sit and make a lists of struggles and "uncomfortables," but let's face it, that doesn't make ANY of us feel better.
Listing ways we are blessed DOES!

I am thankful every day for my amazing husband. It's funny, because I started to write a very lengthy note here detailing many of the things I so love about my best friend. As it grew longer, I started to feel that it had become TOO personal. Instead, that letter is now pasted in a word document, to be given to him.
Paul truly makes me a better person, and is a healing balm on my daily wounds. (no matter how superficial they may be)
I miss him every day he is gone, but am so grateful knowing that I will ALWAYS get him back! :-)
So, now you have the short and sweet version. Lydia loves Paul! (enough said)

My funny of the day. . . .

The IOC stunned the world this morning when they awarded U.S. President Barack Obama a gold medal for Men’s Skiing. Even though he's never skied an IOC spokesman said “Barack Obama is going downhill faster than anyone this year.”