Summer break

The girls have been off school for just over a week now. They have had all sorts of fun...own a pony day, Twinlakes Park, friends coming over, staying up late and watching movies...it's been fun. Madison and Hannah wanted their hair cut short and so we did that yesterday. They both look adorable. I still haven't given Bells a haircut...I just love her hair and her little braids. Abs has not been feeling the best...she started coughing today...I hope it ends there. We were just at the doctor for her 6 month well baby check up. She's a big girl...20 pounds 4 ounces and 26 1/2 inches long. Her head is growing pretty fast so we have to go back to the doctors to get her measurements done again. The doctor isn't too worried...the other girls have big heads...Abs he thinks is just playing catch up but he wants to be on the safe side since she hasn't been following her growth curve. Next week we have another week full of things to do...although, we do like to just hang around the house some days and just relax. The girls have been getting along really well. They also have been big helpers around the house. Dan is doing well...he's melting like butter out there...he informed me while he was laying out by the pool his toe was sweating...it was that hot. We get to talk pretty much every night so that has been great. Last night we talked forever...which if you know Dan...he doesn't like talking on the phone or FaceTime for very long so I was surprised when he stayed on for over an hour. It was nice hearing about his work...I never ask about it...not because I don't care but because of what he does...so it's nice to kind of get a picture as to what he's doing.

Well girls are finally asleep...well minus Madison. She's been my little night time watching TV buddy.

Happenings

We've been keeping busy here...sometimes I feel like I'm just going nonstop...especially when my 5 month old feels like she doesn't need to ever nap...or sleep at night. She's actually on the sofa, sleeping...I was able to work out..take a shower, get dressed, dry my hair and put on make up...this is a rare occurrence....I usually have to choose between hair or make up...or it's really one of those days I just have to pull it back and do neither. Bells is enjoying her mango and quesadilla...we're going for an orange theme for lunch.

Madison got back yesterday from her trip to Burwell House. She left Monday morning...it was kind of crazy not having her here. It makes such a difference minus one kid...Hannah stepped up and did a great job helping me out. Madison had a blast on her trip. While I was dropping her and Hannah off at school Monday morning...I glanced over at Madison who was sitting in the front and just had a moment...when did she grow up? It's flown by way too fast...she's off going on overnight trips...looking so beautiful and little lady like....it's just weird to me. Anyway...she had a blast exploring, talent shows, staying up until 1 am giggling with her friends. She's amazing...I'm blessed to have her. She's my little mature girl...this morning she woke up, got Bells, came into my room and told me she'd take care of breakfast and fed Hannah, Bells and herself Eggo Waffles and fruit. I just love that girl.

Hannah has been Hannah, silly, loud, talks about everything. She's a funny girl...she helped out with bath time at night, got bottles ready for me...she is such a good girl when she hasn't had loads of candy....thanks Aunt Nicole for the package...it took me awhile to figure out why Hannah was so willing and eager to take out the recycling and trash all the time...the box was still out in the car and she kept sneaking some....the little booger!

Bells has been growing up too. She's really trying to talk...it's hilarious. She's been missing Dan and the Cat...every time we come home she calls out "dad, meow?" Yesterday she saw Dan's picture and carried around the house all morning. Sometimes I'd see the picture just laying down on the ground and so I'd put it back...she'd then get it down and set it by her. I sent him a video of her sitting by his picture...it was pretty cute...kind of sad....but sweet that even though she's just 23 months, she's find her own way of coping without her dad.

Abs is a rolling machine...although, she can't seem to roll from her tummy to her back. And so after awhile she gets mad and lets us know she needs help. She's so happy...I don't know why or how...the girl never sleeps...or at least for very long. She does this thing where she grabs her hair...maybe she's going to be a hair twirler...

Well the nap has now come to an end...I think Bells is trying to comfort her...this could be a problem...

Another day...

Well I'm just going to say I'm so ready for bed! I think we're over the craziness and hopefully can move on and things will be a little less stressful. I would love to write everything down...but unfortunately some people take things the wrong way and so I just told those who could just laugh with me about the whole thing...and that's what I need to do...just laugh. I think of the past 5 days and it's been crazy...at times...totally insane and overwhelming and something that would be in a cheesy day time soap...I remember being younger and my life being somewhat like a soap...and now I laugh about it...and so that's what I'll still do. I love this picture...these past pictures I've been posting were taken by Vanessa...if you're in my area and need a photographer...she's great.

I'm so grateful for technology. It's been so nice to talk to Dan every night and see him. I have to admit...it gets annoying when people ask me how I do it...I just do...I need to. I understand people are just trying to be nice but life must go on...we're a military family...deployments, or our in our case unaccompanied orders, happen. It kind of annoys me when people are going on and on about their spouse being gone...I want to say...what did you expect? I know that probably sounds insensitive but we're so much better off now than our previous military families. Can you imagine just snail mailing everything and not being able to call at all? I was reading some posts in an group I'm in on Facebook. A lady was venting about her husband being deployed for 3 months...another lady commented on how when they started in the military and her husband was deployed...she wasn't able to communicate by phone, just letters. I can type an email and I know Dan will get it that day...if he checks his email...and so I feel as though I can't really complain. That and the fact I still have my four girls...Dan is alone. It's still hard, I understand that, but I'm trying to look at brighter side of things.

On another note, Madison had her school play today...I saw about 20 minutes of it...that's all Bells could handle. She looked cute in her poor, villager outfit...and she was singing away. She has a program Thursday night...apparently she's in the school choir...something I learned yesterday....and they are having a performance at the church. Monday she's off on her Year 3/4 trip...I'm going to just have 3 kids for 3 days. That will be crazy not to have my Madison for that long. Only 8 more days off school...I'm excited for summer....our day trips...and just being able to have lazy days and watch movies.

Yes! We're approaching 7 pm...time to start doing our before bedtime routine...then I plan on organizing my house...it's kind of a mess since Dan's pack out...we had to move things around....but honestly, I'm probably going to get my pjs on and watch a movie and fall asleep. Now I just hope Abs stays asleep....so I can do one of the two...she's been kind of a booger lately between 5-9pm.

Another bad day

It's just going to get better now. We have to have bad days...that way we know the good ones...that's what I keep telling myself. Today we had to say goodbye to our Cat...she's been suffering long enough and after just watching her deteriorate to just a skeleton...I called the vet again...told them nobody would take her in...and so after I picked up the girls from school, we headed to the vet. Luckily it was the same one we saw Thursday and she saw how bad she was getting. (We were all hopeful she'd pull through since she looked "healthy" Thursday.) She examined her and unfortunately her kidneys seemed as though they were failing and even though she was willing to just take the cat...she said there really was no point since she felt there was nothing that could be done. And so I signed that paper...I said my sad, tearful goodbye and sorry to our sweet, feisty kitten...and she was taken into the other room and now is sleeping and in a much better place. I didn't think I would be so upset about it...wait...I did but I never had to put an animal down. It was one of those times I thought being the grown up sucks...the girls were crushed...yes I could have lied and told them a sweet story...but they are smart...they knew she was sick and I couldn't fool them since my eyes were swollen from crying. Now I'm hoping to get her cremated since the ground is just too hard to dig very deep in our garden....times I need Dan here. I called Dan and told him the news...it was his cat. He was sad...he felt bad...but I think he was more upset he wasn't here to help me out. I'm thinking we're just not animal people. We have the worst luck with them...minus Coco...they have all turned crazy...and now this one...sick. I think we'll stick to Fur-Real pets.....

Hardest Day

Well sure seems like it today...we woke up bright an early at 5 am and left the house by 6:30 to drive down to the airport. Dan wanted us to take him...I didn't mind...although...I think I cried pretty much the whole 2 hour drive. Traffic was kind of a booger. I told Dan I changed my mind...he laughed and said the detailer probably wouldn't change his orders at this point. We finally made it to the right terminal and tried to make the goodbyes quick. I think Dan took off quickly because he didn't want to get all emotional. That's okay...and so Hannah, Madison and I just bawled for a good 20 minutes...it didn't help we were listening to songs that reminded us of our favourite guy...and we made it home. We ate...watched Pride and Prejudice and then noticed Cat wasn't looking too well. I called the vet at the other American base...they couldn't book me an appointment because she wasn't registered there...and so I called the vet that we usually go to, I didn't want to go back to the one Dan took her to on Monday, and they got me in within the hour. The girls were so good to make the trip to the vet, stay in the car...3/4 of them were sleeping and the vet is in a little village where you just park in the front and I could see them the whole time....and the vet just listened as I told her what has been going on while I'm crying. She checked her out...felt something in her intestines...I told her I can't afford the surgery...she said she still looked well and gave me numbers for some cat charities to call to see if they would take the cat...I just can't justify spending over $3800 on a cat. And Dan would kill me. I felt so thankful she did not charge me the usual £35. I think she just felt bad. And so I'm hoping I get some calls back because the people that I did get a hold of can't help me because I'm not on benefits. Nice! I wasn't looking for money...just a place that would take the cat...get her the medical help she needs and then pray that she goes to a good home. And so we just are praying here that some miracle will happen and she will just pass out the rest of the bottle nipple...I just can't take it looking at her the way she does. Should have gotten that pet insurance...oh wait...the cat was going with Dan so that's why we didn't get the insurance...

Oh life....I'm praying things work out...my cat doesn't suffer anymore...these next months...okay so 12 months pass by quickly...or at least get us half way so we can see him for the 2 weeks...and I stay sane. Today I just didn't feel that way....I just wanted to pull the duvet over my head...but life must go on...I do have 4 kids...and I did know what we were getting into...well not the cat thing but the Dan leaving part. Yay! He's calling....got to love FaceTime.

I'm really going to miss...

There are so many things I'm going to miss about Dan...just two more sleeps and then he's off for a year...which in reality is going to be more like 14 months! AGHHHH! We just got done with watching a family movie...Dan went upstairs to tuck the girls all in. I heard him singing...I started to tear up...Dan always is singing...mostly making up his own songs. I love that about him....sometimes I don't love it as much...like when it's about me being grumpy...but it made me sad to think about us not hearing his songs every day...him going up to Bells' room when she wakes up in the middle of the night and him humming a song to her. The girls all love it...we just really all love that man....we're just all going to really miss that man.