Update

SO,
Paul has been gone for 24 days now, (but who's counting, right? :-) WHat this means is that we only have 341 days left. OR, (even better) 48 movie nights left, OR only 11 fast and testimony meetings AND only 3 group lessons (piano) for me to teach. :-) SEE! THat doesn't sound too bad.
Of course, it also includes one school year for the kids, (including first year with a middle schooler), Three more semesters for me, ANd giving birth to one baby! We can so do this though, right?
I am grateful right now that Paul has arrived at a temporary area (that he'll be at for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months). He arrived safely and it was an uneventful journey (though 9 to 10 hours in a large convoy).
He likes the guys he is working with, and it's nice for me to know a good chunk of these guys too, so I know who they are talking about. Now that I finally got his address, we have been able to mail a package to him. We'll see how it fares.
I wish there was a way I could send a long blast of cold air to him, considering that it is very VERY hot there. He's a tough boy. But it's the wife in me that wishes I could make things better for him.
We have been able to talk on skype a couple of times, which has been nice. We've also got a few phone calls in. THough I tease Paul it's almost like a "blonde conversation," because there is about a 6 second delay in the conversations, and it's like you have to wait for the other person to "understand" the comment. ha ha
It is wonderful having access to different forms of communication though. Phone calls are pricey, but skype and Instant messaging and email all are free (IF he can get a good connection). The point is, we have access when it was SO not available for any of the previous generations.
This was my 2nd Fourth of July as a military spouse. I have always loved that holiday, but it's definitely a different feel when you know you are separated at that moment because of the cause for freedom. It's pretty cool. I'd prefer to be together, but am SOOO proud of what he is doing. SO PROUD! It was a different experience to celebrate it here, in a foreign country. I actually got sick that day, so we stayed home and watched fireworks videos on youtube, ate yummy food, and blew up balloons, so we could pop them with pins (cheap man fireworks. ha ha) We also sang some patriotic music. It was a good day.
So, I am 7 months pregnant now and cannot help but employ the "pregant lady waddle." I have this habit of looking very large by the sixth month, but then don't get THAT much bigger. BUt, it's always "fun" to hear people say "OH! You're NOT that far along after all. . . . .(awkward pause)" I DO try to remind these people that I HAVE had five other children, and the belly kind of knows how to stretch out at this point.
It really is funny what people will say though. SUch is life.
I visited my NEW OB doc for first time this week. I like the office better than the last one, but I got to say, I really Miss my docs in the states. There still is a language barrier. Even though he speaks english, it's not perfect, and there already seems to be trouble understanding certain things. This office actually provides sheets though, so patients don't have to walk around "bottom-less" :-) Always a nice thing.
It's funny though. In life, anytime I figure I have something Figured out, the Lord always humbles me by throwing a new spin on it. I thought I had moving down to an art form (after 17 moves), then was thrown into an INTERNATIONAL move with less than 2 months to prepare.
I thought a single baby after having twins would be a breeze, THEN I had Natalee. (Love my high maintenance daughter VERY much!).
I thought labor is SO not a big deal for me, after five kids, THEN I'm told I'll be delivering in a foreign country with all sorts of different ways of doing things.
I could go on and on, but really, what's the point, right? It's all good. Life is good. I laugh at the ironies in life.
Paul and I are both hoping he'll be able to take his R&R about the time the baby is born. But nothing is for certain. NOTHING. If he is allowed, the baby still has to cooperate.
I have had five children all naturally, but Paul (as cheesy as it sounds) has been my pain killer through the labors. I'm trying to mentally prepare, just in case, but part of me is really being stubborn about that scenario (ME?! Stubborn?! No way?!)
I have less than two weeks of this semester and then I get a month off. It's been a good semester. But I'm thrilled to be done with the ONLY math class I have taken in 16 years. (Man, that makes me sound old)
Well, I think this ramble fest is about over.
THe kids have been great and we have had fun. We even went camping together last week. THat's RIGHT! I took all five kids BY MYSELF for three days and two nights IN a TENT!! I was pretty proud of myself. (and my air mattress was wonderful). We also spent two days at the Legoland that is here in Southern Germany. It was quite fun and the kids loved it. There are so many things I just wouldn't be able to do, if they weren't such great kids. In all reality, I need to remind myself of that when I get frustrated with silly little things (like not figuring out how to make the dirty clothes land in the hamper and NOT all over the floor)
Life really is good. I miss Paul terribly, but am so glad to be married to an amazing man that IS so missable! (and lovable). I so wish I could take weekend trips to visit family. I miss our family very much too, and feel sad sometimes realizing how long it might be before we can hang out again.
In the meantime, I laugh a lot still (My kids make sure of that. Well, them and Brian Regan. ha ha). As I said multiple times before, Life is Good.