Rapid Expansion: 28 Weeks

(I'm actually 29 weeks today!! :))

I know, it's blurry and the lighting is bad, but you get the idea!

In Case You Were Wondering...

Nothing life altering or catastrophic has happened over the last two weeks. It's just that apparently, customer service, are not words recognized by some German companies. After our experience with TKS, trying to get our phone and Internet service transfered, I am convinced that Sprint customer service should be winning awards!

As you know by now, the building we were in is soon to be renovated, so we had to move.

Although I wasn't thrilled to be moving at 28 weeks pregnant, it went well enough. They packed us up one day and delivered our household goods the next. We had the house set up in just under a week! Not bad for a woman with sciatica and swollen ankles who spends most hours of the day satisfiying the demands of an almost 2 year old!

We actually were given field grade quarters, which was an improvement! We have more room here, especially in the kitchen and bathroom, and it's probably been renovated in the last two or three years, so everything is nicer and newer. The biggest plus...it's on the first floor!!!!! My days of carrying a 31 pound toddler up three flights of stairs and taking 10 minutes to catch my breath and get my heart rate down are over!

Getting phone and Internet service transfered however...not so easy! Not only did we have to pay 160 euro (about $200) just to have the service moved to our new address, less than a block away, we had to wait over a week for phone service and we technically still don't have Internet access, two weeks later! (Told ya' it made Sprint look good!)

Our wonderfully kind new neighboors offered to let us piggy back off of their Internet until ours is turned back on! I'm just so glad to be able blog and check email again, I feel like Christmas has already come!

Last Monday, after frantically putting our home together again, Buck had PRK surgery. It was a long week with pre and post op appointments and of course the surgery day itself. We had to be up before 5 AM four mornings last week to be at the hospital on time. We also had to drag B out of bed super early and take him with us for all of the appointments! Our babysitter and her son both came down with the flu the night before all of this began. I will just say that it's advisable NOT to bring your sleepy toddler, who seems to have ants in his pants, to a hospital and expect him to sit in a stroller for the better part of four days!

Thankfully, tomorrow morning is the last of the appointments. And, Buck's vision is already improving by leaps and bounds! For that reason, it was time well spent.

Lots of things have transpired over the last two weeks. I have lots of pictures and posts to follow...stay tuned!

A Little Christmas Cheer

Since they're getting ready to renovate our building in January, we are being forced to move to another house, which means that I haven't been able to do any decorating for Christmas. We move next Tuesday and I plan on immediately putting up our tree (maybe even before the furniture is in place!).

Since I can't put up our tree yet, I decided to wrap a few gifts. I sat down, put on my favorite Christmas CD, and drank a cup of hot cocoa. It was enough to put me in a holly, jolly mood...

And I hope it spreads a little holiday cheer to you!

Thanksgiving '09

Today was a wonderful, special day for our family!

Not only was Buck home to share this holiday with us, but we were able to spend it in the company of some very special friends.

Early in the afternoon, we went to the barracks and spent a while with Buck's company and some of our Black Jack families. So many people went to great lengths to make sure that those soldiers had a fantastic Thanksgiving meal...and the spread was fantastic!

It just did my heart good to see all of those single soldiers, who are so far away from family and home, laughing, and eating and having a wonderful time. It was a very special thing to see and I'm so thankful that we were able to be a part of it and spread a little holiday cheer.

Afterwards, we came back home and to our very dear friends, who have become family. We had A LOT of food and it was the perfect ending to the day! After dinner and dessert, (because what's Thanksgiving without a big piece of pecan pie?) we shared a few more minutes with the Andrews' before they headed off to their hotel room. (They're moving back to the states on Tuesday, so this was one of our last opportunities to share a special meal with them.)

Though we did miss our family back home, we were able to share this day with people who I can honestly say I love just as much as my family! Monica, Keith, Elizabeth Anne, Mary Catherine and Will...thank you for being with us today! We love you all! I hope this day was a special for you as it was for us!

And I hope that all of you had a very special time with family or friends, and that your Thanksgiving gave you as much to be thankful for as ours did for us!

2 in 1: 26 Weeks and Thanksgiving Eve

I'm now 26 weeks and 2 days! I can finally get by without the Zofran! I still suffer from occasional waves of nausea, but the horrible sickness is gone...

As is my waist!
As you can see, Noah is growing and thriving in his little home!

And Brady becomes more of a ham every day! He raided my jewlery box as I was getting dressed and was showing off his loot.

Today, the DFAC served the annual Thanksgiving meal. One Army tradition that I really think is cool is that all of the senior NCO's and officers wear their blues and go and serve the soldiers and their families dinner. Buck went before Brady and I and served dinner and then we all met and ate dinner together.

I was pleasantly surprised with dinner! The food was wonderful! Kudos to the cooks who worked so hard and prepared a special meal! I was expecting something like bad cafeteria food. Instead, we had a fantastic, home cooked tasting, Thanksgiving meal, complete with all the trimmings and then some!

As you can see B was pleased with the food too! We all ate more than we should have, but hey, Thanksgiving is only once a year, right?

It was a lovely evening and a tradition that we plan to continue as a family.

Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Until We Meet Again

"Never shall I forget the days I've spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours." Ludwig van Beethoven
Oh, Monica...

Where do I start?

What can I say?

I can't find the words to do you justice.

In life I have found that there are many people who I have met and attempted to call friend, but so very few who remained so.

You are an exception.

I know we haven't known one another for that long, but already you are one of those "old" friends...the ones who you wouldn't trade for gold.

You have been there for me EVERY time I called day or night.

You have made me laugh, and listened to me cry.

You embody every quality that a friend should be:

Loyal...

Loving...

Patient...

Selfless...

Giving...

Kind...

Trustworthy...

Dependable...

A woman with a heart for her family, friends and most importantly for Christ.

I really can't imagine life here without you.

All I know is that the days you have been here have made my life better, richer.

And that every time I think of you, I'll thank God for the way he made you: distinct, special, unique.

You my friend are not from the common mold.

I wish we had more time.

I wish that we could be there to celebrate together the little lives we have growing inside.

I wish that somehow, seeing you go would be easier.

Just know that you and your beautiful family are always in my thoughts, my prayers, my heart.

I don't believe in goodbyes.

They're too final.

So my dear friend, until we meet again...

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

We've been experiencing a pretty mild winter here in Germany so far (it hasn't snowed yet), but the temperatures have been falling.

And B loves the cold weather! It seems to invigorate him. He could stay out there and play all day! So, on the weekends or when Buck has a few minutes to spare at lunch time, we bundle him up and let him go!

Last weekend I stayed upstairs to get some cleaning done and Buck and Brady went out. I snapped these few pictures from our 3rd floor window.

In the last one you can't tell, but Brady's picking berries. He always comes back up with a handful for me, or if I'm really lucky, a Ziploc bag full of berries and acorns!