Fleeting Days...

Where has the summer gone?

As I sit for the first time in months enjoying the cross breeze blow through my place, I am fighting off the disappointment that summer is over...

I had a list a mile long of things we were going to do, and even though we did a lot, played a lot and laughed more than I can tell you, still I am sad.

The saying the days are long but the time is short is so true. Pete works long hours and many days out of town so there have been days where I am counting down the seconds till the kids are sleeping and I am sipping. However, as I look back, I know that these are the days I will miss the most.

So I am going to finish my cup of coffee that I poured this morning, relish nap time and go sit on the back steps in the sun...because soon it will be gone too...




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Happy Mother's Day

My day got off to a less than thrilling start.

I have to say that watching Pete walk back into the house with not just part of breakfast but also part of my Mother's Day gift that he had just bought was a little crushing. It just added to the feelings that I have had lately of being the last on the list, almost invisible...

But Mother's Day isn't about him, it's about these two cute munchkins



I am a Mom because of them, thanks to them I know what unconditional love is and the how's and why's of putting someone else's needs in front of mine...

The excitement on Benton's face when he came in with my balloon and the great care Nina put into decorating my card is what it is really all about...



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Makes you realize

My parents have come in for a visit for Easter (yeah!).


We are having a great time.


Nina has loved showing off our new city and all the fun things it has to offer...


However, having them here make me realize just how great it would be to live closer to family.

We have started thinking about our next transfer (yes, already!). I am completely torn. Part of me wants to go back to Charleston, but realistically one can never really go home. Would we still like it there? A lot has changed in the seven years since we left. While I would be beside myself that we wouldn't have a very long ride in order to visit them, and trips to see my inlaws would be a lot closer as well...





On the other hand I would jump at the opportunity to live in a completely new area (even out of the country) a short list includes:
*California
*Hawaii
*Europe
*Purto Rico
And the list goes on and on...

Ahh who knows...two more years before we really have to think about what to do, a lot can change in two years.

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Sighs of contentment

We have had a busy past few weeks with all the Mardi Gras celebrating and then our trip to Disney (more on those to come-I promise!)--throw in the time change right at the end and to say that my kids are DOG tired would be an understatement.

Last night was a late night for all of us because we were invited to a shrimp boil down in Lockport. So after we got the kids home and bathed it was after 10 pm. So I made an executive decision at 4am that we were NOT getting up early today to take Nina to school. That's right folks--we played hookie! :-)

Everyone slept in, we had a great breakfast, and then off to the Monkey Room for a morning of climbing fun. Then lunch with friends and then home for nap--I am pretty sure it will be a long one from both because over the monitors you can hear the sweet sighs of contentment coming from both rooms every so often. It is one of my favorite sounds to hear, followed closely by the sounds of their laughter as they play together...wish every day went like this...but alas I am sure after naps it will be back to the crazy way it is around here. So I will enjoy it while I can.

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Vacation

This past week we took the kids to Disney...there will be a follow up post but I wanted to share my favorite picture from the trip



This was taken the last night while we were waiting for our food...I think this sums up the trip...the kids got along great and played until they couldn't last any more :-D

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Most of the time I am pretty good about rolling with whatever Pete's job throws at me...MOST of the time.  Today is not one of those days...I have had a sick household for almost a solid 3 weeks and I have to say I miss the days in NC when my husband was home at a decent hour at night or my Mom could come for a few days if I was at the breaking point...So excuse the rant to follow.

When we put in for this job here in NOLA I was expecting something a lot different than what we got...I thought that with Pete finally going back to a desk job that he would finally be home on a regular basis. That he would be home to have dinner most nights, if the kids had something going on he would be able to attend, boy was I wrong.  It is currently 10:30 at night and he hasn't even left the office...

I knew that this position involved some travel but since the New Year he has already had to travel half way around the world..somewhere that involves him being eligible for hazard duty pay (which I have to tell you, $250 really isn't enough to help me sleep soundly at night). We had about a 10hr time difference so he calls before he heads to bed (dead tired on his feet) and then again very early in the morning (not my best time by a long shot) so we didn't really talk since he left. It is tough to try to keep him up to date with what we are doing in the 5 mins that we talk twice a day.

Needless to say, I am not excited to find out that he will be heading back again for an entire month...at least. 

Come ON already...I would prefer going back to a cutter at this point, at least then when he was gone, we had a heads up and a pretty good idea of when he would be home, and when he was in port he was home by 6pm most nights...Maybe we can put in for an early transfer? Hmmm...

Do you ever...

Do you ever just miss being close to people that love and care for you?

Being a Military wife means that, at times, that is a rare thing...since getting married to Pete 6 &1/2 years ago we have not lived closer than a 7 hr drive from either of our parents. I talk to people who have family close and all I can say is that I am genuinely jealous.

Not always do they know how good they have it, or how hard it would really be if they lived farther away, especially when you add kids to the situation.

My younger brother and his wife are expecting their first child this summer and they live about 15 miles from my parents...sigh.

Go away ugly green monster--you are not helping me make the best of our time in New Orleans...

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