We took a long awaited trip as a family to visit my side of the family in South Africa in September 2010. It was good for the soul to go back "home" and see family members, some dear friends, old haunts, new buildings, and of course the beautiful beaches!
My husband deployed in October, shortly after we were delighted with the news that we'd be expecting one more blessing in 2011.
The kids and I survived the deployment and majority of the pregnancy despite:
*normal pregnancy problems (queasiness, tiredness and so on),
*the kids exchanging colds and eventually the flu with high temps...and then colds again,
*my rib dislocating while coughing (no fun while pregnant and rather embarrassing!) - it had to be popped back in 3 separate times before it stayed!,
*normal deployment craziness (mood swings and behavioral issues all around me...including me...ahem...did I say that out loud?),
* the Christmas season which includes the older 2 kid's birthdays, and
*the homecoming!
Ah the blessed homecoming! The moment where emotions run high and everyone just clings to daddy, knowing he's "ours" again!
Less than a month after homecoming (and 1 week 4 days early- our first early one) we welcomed Ethan into the family! Our third and last child. He's a handsome fellow, and just like his big brother and big sister were, he's being loved and cuddled by all who see him.
Ethan is now 5 months old. This first year is going by faster than I remember the first years of the other two going by. Maybe it's because we're so busy with the 3 kids, maybe it's because we're gearing up for my husband to go to recruiting school for the USMC in the new year, followed right after by moving to goodness knows where for 3 years! Not to mention we just had to move houses so they could renovate our old one!
Everything going on has made it all to easy for me to forget little details, forget that tiny moments are just as special as big, planned ones.
We need to take time just to soak up being with the kids, and spend less time feeling stressed and strained by disobedience and the general day-to-day process of raising kids.
I need to spend a little more time with my husband. Can you say "Date Night"? Ah, to be a couple again, alone at the restaurant table or pier. No counting kids to make sure one hasn't strayed off to pet strange dogs, get lost in the bathroom, or hide under the table! ;)
Take time to feed the soul and learn something new. My hubby is the sweetest man when it comes to this. No matter what I say I want to do or try, he simply says "I will support you. Just tell me what you need and what I need to do and I'll do it." I almost feel guilty taking him up on the offer! Almost!
So I am about to start on a new adventure....photography!
But this is long enough....I'll share more details next time. Besides the kids say lunch time means they get to eat, and they'd like to do just that please! ;)
