A brief synopsis of our summer

It's our first full week of activities and back to school. We survived! We eat meals in the car together two nights of the week and we shuttle off to one activity or another, and we do homework in the car one night of the week. I am grateful for DVD players in the van, iPods, iPads, and iPhones that connect to the van's system for those moments there is nothing to do but wait on whoever is running here and there. Between tutoring, two in horse riding, two in piano, one in gymnastics, one in basketball, pre-school, helping out in the kids classrooms, activity girls, Youth group, dentist/orthodontist appointments and my daily workout group on top of the every day list of things that need to get done, I feel like I am always on the run-BUT I wouldn't have it any other way! I have had to step it up on my meal planning, cleaning schedule, and organization but it is coming together.

Since I've last blogged my sister and my nephew came to visit, I did a week at girls camp while my sister tended my kids (she'll never agree to do that agree LOL), after a few kids summer camps we, my sister and I with with five monsters, made our way to Utah for a short visit, attended J's family reunion, spent time with his folks, met the newest niece, then we packed up the van again and headed north to the Mother Country to visit my family. We had our own mini reunion (my parents and siblings) and made lots of fun memories being tourists. We reconnected with many old friends and had plenty of wonderful play dates. My sister and nephew went back home, we stayed for a few more weeks then packed up the van again and drove home.

It's the first part of the deployment I don't have any plans or distractions to keep me looking forward to whats coming next. It seems like complete chaos in no particular direction. Each kid is dealing with the lack of distractions and new schedule in their own way-some good and some not so good. They certainly keep me on my toes! I stress most days and get overwhelmed just thinking about the plans after deployment. We will have 90-ish days to sell the house. There is so much I'd like to tidy and do to the house before putting it on the market but need an extra set of hands and an extra brain to do it all. It is too over whelming for me to think of so I avoid it, not the best coarse of action...

All in all we are holding it together. We are over the hump, half way thru this deployment. I am hoping with all the hustle and bustle of everyday life this last half will fly by! We miss our soldier boy and want him home safe and sound.

To celebrate our half way point the kids took a victory lap. I took each kid on a walk/run around the block (just under a mile). As we ran/walked we talked of the things we had done without dad so far and the things we still wanted to do. It was fun hearing each kids perspective. I started with the youngest taking a lap with Mikey mostly talking about princesses, and worked my way up to Liza. By the time Liza and I were around the block she was at least 300m in front of me. LOL I know for next time to start with her and work my way down.



Liza is a great running companion when she wants to be.
We had the most fun talking about how silly dad is and how much we miss him. (I didn't think to document the moment until the last lap with Liza.)

135 days down 135 days to go!