Down on Munchkin Alley...

I thought I would humor everyone with the fact that we are staying in the Lion Cabin. Which sits on the corner of Munchkin Alley and Yellow Brick Road. It's cool because the Scarecrow and Toto cabins are next to us and Dorothy along with the Witch is down the street. Hehe. The whole start to this trip was on Oz Avenue. As I'm sitting here I am slowly trying to load up a few of the pictures I have taken. Just a few pictures of Jim coming home. I was too busy hugging my husband to take pictures, sorry.

I also took some pictures around here in Kansas that I have seen. It's almost like a small step back into time. We almost drove threw a red light this morning because it was across the street and on the corner. I didn't recognize it until the last minute. It was rather humorous once we got past the reality of what it was.

We have Sammy now with us. He's a good kid but there are a few small things that we will need to work on. He almost acts as though he has to prove himself to us. Which he doesn't. We love him for who he is, and understand he has been through a rough haul. He has shared some things with us that his mother has done in the past and various other adults in his life. Yes. There are some adults out there that should be ashamed of themselves. For simply taking advantage of a child. What is your problem? Get a brain and grow up. Shame Shame Shame.

But now Sammy is with us and we will do our best to make sure he is taken care of. But for now we shall tackle the small stuff and help him adjust.

OK, it's time for all of us to get some sleep because it's going to be a VERY long day tomorrow!

Fireflies, long drives and sleep deprivation..

All of those things oddly enough are pretty thrilling to me right now. As we sit here at the little picnic table in Lawrence Kansas I see for the first time in my life fireflies. At first it really caught me off guard. And now I am just tickled pink as I look across into the field and see about 20 or so flickering their mighty butts at me. Odd that something that small can just tickle me pink.

The drive to Kansas started out pretty fast but slowed towards the end. Irony is that we drove through New York and Pennsylvania missing the tolls. But once we got into Kansas and within the last 30 minutes of our drive..I'll be damned if we didn't end up on a toll road of all things. Yes, Jim and I got a good chuckle out of that! But we made it to the KOA *his first stay at one* and hit the local Walmart to better prepare us for our weekend stay here. It's quiet with the exception of the occasional train whistle and the 3 trillion crickets hiding out around us. Those crickets are probably encouraging the massive amounts of little flickering butts right now.

We had some laughs, saw some beautiful sights and ironed out a few small issues but are eagerly awaiting Monday to sign for our very own home. That's going to be nice to get into. YAY!

I will write more later, but for now I think I am going to go take a peek at those fireflies a little closer and then get some sleep.

He's Home!

YAY!!! Yes, my husband is finally home! I'm so thrilled and yet the exhaustion has set in. I can truly say that I am a survivor at this point. I figured it out that minus the 10ish days Jim was home for Squeaky's birth..I haven't seen Jim for about 618 days. But he is home now and we are moving forward with our plans. First thing to tackle is getting the house packed and loaded. That will take today and tomorrow. And then visiting with everyone. I think it best if people come to us, but hey..Who knows.

So I won't be blogging for a little while until we get things settled into the new house. The Internet and phone should be shut off sometime today or tomorrow. But they will be packing all of our stuff today and then loading it all tomorrow.

Right now I am going to get off here so we can wait until the packers get here.

Now what?

We have had a small set back with getting Sammy. Apparently too many people are in too many counties within the State of Wisconsin so we have to wait until we are physically in Kansas to start the guardianship paperwork. So I have a call into legal there in Leavenworth, we have an appointment on the 24Th and I'll do what I do best..Research on the Internet.

We also have the pre-move inspection on Friday. They will be here about 1300 to look over everything and determine whether they need to come in a day early to pack up everything or if they can do it all in one day.

I've been keeping myself busy. Today Squeaky got his 15 month shots and I tell you what..EVERYONE within a 5 mile radius knew he was pissed! But I will also share in the same breath with you that I found humor in Squeaky.

Jim was concerned at one point with Squeaky looking like him because I guess he had an awkward child hood. There is no fears here, trust me. He may look like Jim but that child is all my personality and then some. Which could be good. Or perhaps bad.

Crabby Baby and the Horrible Day...

Man, I have been neglectful of my blog and fans..Sorry people!

Things have been moving along so fast lately I can't seem to keep up. And when I can keep up I'm too exhausted to write. I have been going through each of the rooms and cleaning out stuff that is not needed or just general dust and icky. I will again reiterate how much *crap* a person can collect when they don't pay attention.

Yesterday I utterly tortured the baby out of pure amusement! He made a mess on the floor with his rice chex, so I dug out the vacuum. He curiously watched as I unwound the cord and plugged it in behind his high chair. I then turned my back on him and the high chair so I could vacuum in front of the couch where his mess was. While vacuuming I heard Squeaky laughing his butt off and felt some tugging. I turned to see him shaking the cord back and forth and laughing like an adorable little gargoyle! But when I turned, the vacuum was suddenly pointing towards him. He didn't like that and started running as he turned..RIGHT into the wall. He missed the doorway by about 4 inches. And I got my laugh.

It was really funny the first time, but about the 7th smack into the wall I was in tears. Because each time I would turn around and vacuum in front of the couch he would be laughing again and shaking the cord to the vacuum. And when I would turn the vacuum in his direction his little feet and legs would operate before his sense of direction! And he could be directly in front of the door and STILL hit the wall! It was great!

However, he got his revenge this morning for sure. I went into the kitchen and made his bowl of cereal. When I came into the living room he was smack on top of my table. So in the time it took me to set him on the floor and tuck in the bench he climbed up on..He decided that my cell phone needed a bath. Ploop! Into the coffee cup it went. Now the phone sat in a bag of white rice all morning and did manage to dry out. But the coffee make it's danger known and off we went to Sprint to replace my phone.

We are discontinuing with Sprint once we get to Kansas. Going with another company called Cricket Wireless, so I asked the lady there is they had any refurbished phones that could get me through until October. Oh, they had one. A pink, pearly chick phone. Yech. It was only 20 dollars with the charger so I am not complaining. But I won't be letting anyone see it if I don't have to. Because it is indeed something people would laugh at me for. And I'll tell you what..Who ever had the phone before me was not at all nice to it. It's all knicked and beaten up. But it works. Well, everything but the charger worked.

So when I got home I called and let them know the charger was not working right. So they said come on back and we will find you a charger at no cost. And off we went back to the store. Off the exit at 97 to the corner. Look left, look right, inch forward. Look left, look right, inch forward. Look left, look right..Sudden Stop. Look directly in front of me and HOLY SHIT..There's a Toyota Prius right there. Now, I calmly put my car in park. And step out. I'm in complete fear at this moment that I hit this little car hard enough to set off the air bags. But apparently I didn't because they driver got out unscathed with a big smile on her face.

It was Adele. I could have just screamed! Not only did I completely rear end this woman, BUT I TOTALLY KNEW HER! Her and I were in the positive parenting class together. I couldn't freaking get over it! And I told her that I looked left and right but somehow in the process missed her entire damn car. Which in turn made her laugh even more! Luckily there was no damage to either of our cars. And Adele started to laugh and said..I'm taking the class with Ruth again..I'll tell her I ran into you..which in turn made me laugh some more.

So we went our separate ways. And I shook the rest of the way to the Sprint store and home. Where I have gone no where near my car for fear of breaking something else.

OK, bath time for Squeaky. And almost less than a week until Jim comes home.

Adaptation.

You have an unusual ability to put your best effort forth at all times..

That was in my fortune cookie this afternoon, but is it true?

Now, I am first going to warn everyone that this blog is written with tears streaming down my face. It is for several reasons. But mostly because my reality that Chase is gone for 9 weeks has hit. As much as he wears and stresses me out, my world is lonely without him. Now without my husband and Chase, it is strange to say the least. I am used to not having Jim here as I knew what I would potentially be getting into when I married him. But not having a spouse with you is very different to say the least versus not having your child. And 8-9 weeks at a stretch is even more difficult. But I have learned how to adapt to the absences.

It has affected Sebastian in a totally different way. He has been running all over this house looking for his brother. I hear him in each room yelling..And when there is no response he runs to another. How do you explain to a toddler that his brother is away for awhile and will be back? I know he does not understand and will he have to adapt as well?

I have not had the urge to answer the phone when it rings. I have not wanted to do anything. I have wanted to sit and just let the tears falls. But even that I can not do correctly at this time of sorrow. I finally forced myself to shower and take Squeaky out to the park to run. It was difficult to be happy knowing my oldest was clear on the other side of the United States. And as I always try to find the positive in things, I reminded myself at least I was not in Germany at this time. There is always something good to remember. Always when you must adapt.

The other thing that has the tears flowing is that I am an Army Wife. After we played at the park a little while, off to the store we went. And then to the take out Chinese place to get some Pork Fried Rice. Nothing fends off depression better for Mommy than Pork Fried Rice with soy sauce. That seems to be my depression food of choice. And then home to a nice little dinner with baby. And then upstairs where I put Sebastian into the bath tub. While he was in the bath I proceeded to tackle Chase's room. I went through the toys, the books. I put all the toys into one bucket, and made sure clothes were all hung up. I took out all the clothes that no longer fit for donation. I stripped the bed and started the laundry to wash the sheets and blankets. I took all the posters, stars and planets down. I put all the nails and tacks into a container. I took the curtain and rod down and put the screws into a Ziploc baggy. And then duct taped the baggy to the pole. I stripped the room down so things will be easier for the movers. And I cried knowing I would need to adapt again.

Now, I know these things happen every 3 to 4 years as an Army Wife. But I also know that it never gets any easier at all. As much as I hate this area, I love my friends that I have grown so close too. I will miss them coming over to visit. I will miss their children. I will miss their hugs. I will miss their encouragement. I will miss their faces and smiles. Most of all, I will miss their love more than anything in this world. While I am terribly excited about buying a house and having my family complete losing these wonderful people is hurting almost as much as Chase being gone. But I will adapt to their absence.

I know that as an Army Wife I am looked at as many things. Strength. Honesty. Integrity. But there are days I just want to throw my arms in the air and scream that I am NOT AS STRONG as everyone thinks that I am! I am tough as nails because I have taken life's lessons and adapted.

I am ready to wipe my tears away. I am ready to move forward into my new life.

I will adapt.

Too many hands in the pot..

That's how I am starting to feel about this whole situation with Sammy. I understand there are a lot of people involved, but what it ultimately boils down to is how Jim, the caseworker and myself feel about the situation. We all know Sammy's father won't take him. He's as bad as Amory is but worse on several different levels. And after the case worker talks to him, that is if she even finds him..Sammy will be planted firmly in my home.

On a few other notes I am totally glad I went out of the way to get a baby security lock to protect the Wii system and all the games. This thing looks like a pretzel and has zip ties that wrap through the handles of the doors. Yes. And it's so complicated I can't seem to get into it. But Squeaky made it in withing 30 seconds of playing with it this afternoon. Argh is all I can say. Now I need to find a different way to lock those stupid doors.

I took Chase and Squeaky down to George's this afternoon for dinner. And I'll tell you what. I love and will miss that little restaurant and the people who work there. Holly who is the main waitress had tears in her eyes when we left. She is good people, let me tell you. I will definitely visit there again next time we are in Connecticut.

And as for the house, it passed inspection! There are a few things that are cosmetic that Barbara wants changed right away. The biggest thing she was adamant about was replacing the water heater. It was due as the one in the house is over 20 years old. And the VA inspector told the owner he needed to build a platform underneath it in the garage that is at least 18 inches high since we will be using the garage for an actual garage. Other than that she said it was little things like fixing some of the siding. She also was pleasant enough to tell me a couple of really cool places I could take the kids when we got here to eat and what not. She even told me a few places to play bingo..YAY! I told her we would have to go!

OK, for right now I am going to go and cuddle with Chase. He has a sleep over tomorrow night and I'm sure his macho young self doesn't want Mom all cuddly with him then!