It still feels like a dream

Rob has been home for almost 3 weeks and it still feels like a dream. Its like I keep expecting to wake up, and him not really be here. Its a weird feeling, sometimes my brain keeps saying don't get to close he'll just be leaving again. Yet in reality, I know this isn't true.

Things have been great so far with him home. The boys are becoming less stuck up his butt. We expected them being attached at the hip to him though, I think they keep wondering when he'll be leaving again as well.

We got all of Jonathon's pre-op appointments out of the way, now we just have to wait until Thursday to get the actual surgery time.

Oh and I have a cheese....We bought a new car over the weekend! We were driving a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500, but the gas prices were straight killing our checking account. So we went out and got a 2007 Subaru Tribeca. Ours is gold, with beige leather interior. We love it! Went out driving yesterday, and was getting 27 MPG, big difference from the Dodge, in the truck we would have only been getting 16 MPG. I have some pictures, I'll post them later.

I have been reading a lot lately. Currently I'm reading "The moment of truth in Iraq" by Micheal Yon. I really suggest this book to anyone, its a great read.

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I'm a horrible blogger

So I'll admit it, I'm horrible when it comes to actually keeping up with this blog. There are so many things I want to write, but time just slips away, and I find that I neglect my blog.

I'm really trying to get better, and I promise from here on out, even if just for me and no one reads it, I'll make a post at least every other day.

I have so much to catch up on.........

Jonathon is doing well in school, had a few problems here and there, but not like before. His surgery is scheduled for the end of June, we're all excited to get it done so we can find out what is going on with his hearing.

Austin is also doing well in school, and has increased his vocabulary incredibly. Rob won't know what to think about him talking so much now.

Speaking of Rob........He'll be home before next week! I obviously can't go into to many details due to OPSEC reasons, but I'll be sure to post when he has made it home!

As for me, I'm doing well. Lost 20 pounds since November, and I really haven't even been trying. Just watching what I eat, portion control, and of course I'm very active with the boys and things. Been really busy with the FRG, and preparing for homecoming.

So there is my little update for now. I'll try and post again later tonight or tomorrow and post some recent pictures.

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Beyond upset

Last week baseball practices began, and the first night the coach wasn't even there, his wife was. Well we were told that Thursdays practice would be held on Saturday so the real coach could be there. We get called Thursday morning saying that practice would take place Thursday instead of Saturday. So I take Jo to his practice, all is fine.

Well as most of you know, I was out of town last weekend, something that had been scheduled weeks in advance. So, Friday night, I get a phone call from the coaches wife saying they will be having a practice on Saturday, and I told her "well Jo will not be there we are out of town for the weekend" and she hung up on me.

This past Tuesday my neighbor took Jo to practice because I had a meeting, but from what I hear, everything went fine. Then tonight, the coach wasn't there again. Now when I signed Jo up I specifically asked for a male coach. Jo just seems to listen better to a male coach over a female. But the real coach is hardly ever there, and to be brutally honest, is wife has no freaking clue what she is doing. The boys had not been taught thus far the rules about "outs."

Jo is up to bat, and the "fake" coach has some parent out there pitching, and this man couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if he tried. But Jo finally managed to hit a poor pitch and he ran to first. On his way to second, he was tagged by the 2nd base man. Now Jo doesn't really know the rules really comes to "outs" and when the coach starts yelling at him telling him he's out, he got upset because he thought he had done something wrong. Jo then asks the coach why he was out, and instead of answering him, she just replies with "because thats the way the game is played"

WTF?!?!?!?!!?! are you kidding me? He's 7, up until now, he's played t-ball, they don't outs in t-ball, and she just expects him to automatically know????????? Needless to say I was livid. Then, she decides to make a smart ass comment, "well I'm glad to see the ones who couldn't make it to Saturday's practice decided to show up tonight" Oh heck to the no she did not.

I'm sorry that we have a life outside of baseball. I'm sorry that we had these plans for almost 4 weeks. I'm sorry that my 7 year is not a pro at baseball and know all the rules.

Needless to say, I will be making a trip to CYS tomorrow and making a HUGE complaint about this.

Sorry for the vent. Just had to get it off my chest.

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What a great weekend!

The boys and I made it back from Ocean Shores. We had such a great time. The reason for our trip was for a spouses retreat for spouses of deployed soldiers. The other 34 wives and I, were first group of wives to be offered a retreat in the lower 48 states, that was paid for by the Army.

The retreat itself was very nice, and the Chaplain was very informative. I loved the fact that he was straight forward when he was talking to us.

He covered many topics ranging from reintegration to commitment to his needs/her needs. The basic concept was stuff that is covered on marriage retreats, so he bounced around on certain topics. Rob's unit is planning on holding 3 marriage retreats a month starting in August and going through October, so I really hope we get the opportunity to attend one. Not that we have major problems, but it can only benefit our marriage to attend one.

Not all of our time was spent in workshops. The resort we stayed at had an indoor water park that normally isn't open this time of year, but they opened for us so the kids could have some water fun. We went walking along the beach, and even though it was really cold, I let the boys roll up their pants and play in the water a bit.

Here are a few pictures I took over the weekend.

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A weekend getaway

Things have been busy around the house lately. For one we are less than 2 months away from Rob coming home, so things have been very busy with FRG. Still working on getting Jonathon's surgery set up, we meet with the specialist next week. Last week the kids were on Spring break. The weather was actually nice, and we got out and did some things. I took the kids to the Olympia Hands on Children's museum. This weekend we are going over to Ocean Shores.

Hubbies unit is doing a spouses retreat for the spouses of deployed soldiers. I figured this would be something really nice to do, and would give me a weekend break. The Army is providing lodging, meals, and childcare while I am in the workshops. So on top of getting a break from post, I'll get a few hours away from the kiddos. I'm actually very excited about the retreat, as I have never been on one.

I know that Rob's brigade is planning on doing a few marriage retreats after they get back from deployment, so Rob and I talked about probably signing up for one. Over the course of this deployment we have both realized we need to communicate better with each other. No major problems in our marriage, but a retreat would be nice, and can only benefit us.

Anyways, here a few pictures from the Children's museum.

My future Radiologist



Perhaps he'll work on the barges?



Just the 3 of us (they never cooperate for pics)

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I just want to give up

I really would never give up, but today, I just really felt like giving up. Out of no where, my oldest son has started having behavior problems. Only the problems are not at home, they are at school. Out of the blue, he has started refusing to do his work, crying, screaming, crawling under his desk, kicking the desk, just all around acting out.

I have been working with the teachers, principal and school counselor to try and figure out the problem, and they have been great on working with me and Jo, but we have reached a point that we have no clue why this has come about.

I made Jo an appointment to go see a counselor, so I'm really hoping that they will be able to help us sort this out.

Last night, Rob called again, and Jo talked to him for about 25 minutes, thats the most they have talked since Rob was home back in September. I was in the kitchen doing dishes and I heard Jo tell his dad that it makes him sad they he missed Christmas, and that he is missing is birthday(its on Saturday) that he'll probably miss his 1st grade graduation, and he missed his whole first year of being in Cub Scouts.

I felt really bad for Rob, Jo just really gave him a guilt trip. Yet at the same time, I know Rob understands that Jo just really needs to vent about this deployment. Which leads me to think, that although I don't think this deployment is the root of all the problems Jo is having, I think its a big part of the problem.

I stop and think how much this deployment has wore me down, and gotten the best of me on more than one occasion, I can only imagine what it does to kids, and especially mine right now. I mean I see how it effects my kids, but most times they won't open up and express what they are feeling, I on the other hand will give you an ear full if you ask me. We are only about 11 months into this deployment, with less than 5 to go, but to the kids, its still an eternity to them.

At any rate, I really hope putting Jo in counseling will help him, I feel so helpless as a mother, because I don't know what to do.

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