TAKING A BREAK...

It's much needed and I'm not sure when I will be back, but I am sure I will be at some point. It's been one crazy year for me, and I feel like this is a much needed break...

Michael will be on special assignment with the Army for about 6 months here in the states, so hopefully my sleepless nights are over with for a long time.

I'll still be on Facebook for all that are on there. Don't think I could give that up.

Alexis at 6-weeks

CHRISTMAS IN BUDE

Merry Christmas to all. Christmas in Bude is always the absolute best...

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hoping that this is a wonderful Christmas. It should be since Michael is home is Alexis is here. Just does not seem like Christmas for some reason this year. We will head to Bude to spend the evening, so I will post pictures of Christmas in Bude when I return tonight.

A GREAT DAY INDEED...

This was not everyone. I think the final count was 43.

My Monk showing out for the kids.

Kristy feeding Alexis.


P.S. The stores open at 2200 tonight and yes I will be out fighting the crowd finishing up my christmas shopping.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL...

Hope everyone has a wonder Thanksgiving as I know I will since our Soldier and his new baby girl and wife will be joining us this year. We won't have to leave an empty chair as he is home and if all goes as planned he won't be returning to Iraq EVER...

I am again hosting my Dad's whole side of the family at my house. It will be close to 50 here this year and my new house is almost 1/2 the size of my previous one, but I promised my grandmother before she passed away years ago that I would carry on the tradition and have Thanksgiving at my house. I'm a glutton for punishment I do believe. Actually I love having it at my house, just hate the clean up afterwards.

I'm off work until Monday of next week, and I plan on enjoying every single minute of my time off by spending it with the ones I love.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Please keep our TROOPS that are in harms way in your thoughts and prayers on this day.

Pictures of Alexis

Daddy checking her out to make sure all toes and fingers are there.

One proud Daddy.

Thursday when I picked him up from the airport and we surprised Kristy at the Hospital.

Leann holding Alexis.
Alexis's first kiss from her MiTa.

JoJo (Kristy's Mom) showing off our little princess just moments after she was born.

Her Daddy is spoiling her every second he gets the chance. They were at the house last night visiting and showing her off to my sister and her family.

Our England Friends

It's been a very busy weekend. Friday evening Dad, Mom, Owen and Dawn (friends from England) came to the house for the weekend. We shopped, shopped some more, went to see my baby sister and her family (which is also in the photo) and then we ended up at a Japanese Steak House for supper last night with Kristy. I don't think they have ever seen a show put on like our chef put on last night. It was great. They left earlier this morning headed to meet Dee and her family for lunch then they were going to head back home.

It was great spending time with family and wonderful friends.

We were all able to chat with Michael for a little while online. He is counting the days down now until he arrives home for R&R/Baby's birth.

BABY SHOWER

Alexis's first diamond necklace and earings. Yes she is already spoiled rotten.

Kristy and one proud Paw Paw.


It was a great baby shower. The baby is set to go, except for diapers. I think she only got one package of diapers.

HURRY UP PLEASE...

It's been 116 days since his BOOTS HIT THE GROUND and only 71 DAYS UNTIL ALEXIS IS DUE.

I think we are all ready for this baby to get here.

Michael text me Thursday night and then called me Friday night and we talked for almost an hour. It had been almost two weeks since I had heard from him. He must know after about 12-14 days he must call so I can just hear his voice. Lots going on with him. He is give out. Working 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week is getting the best of him I do believe. He is exhausted. I can hear it in his voice.

I did tell him that we can start our countdown now for his R&R.

We all think that the baby will arrive before he gets here. Just a feeling we all have. For Michael's sake, I really want her to wait on her Daddy though.

Yesterday I was also able to text with him off and one while I was out and about enjoying my day off. Nothing better than hearing from him.

I'm missing him really bad right now. Sure could use one of his big hugs that is knows how to give at just the right times.

That's all for now I guess.

HOSPITALS

I sure do hate them. Spent Saturday night and up into the wee hours Sunday morning there with Kristy. She has been put on strict bed rest by her doctor. She has a UTI, and he gave her some antibiotics and put her on a low sodium diet for all the swelling. He also put her on strict bed rest until he figures out why she is swelling up so bad. I did not know until we were told by the nurse that a UTI can cause you to go into labor. She had several contractions while they were monitoring her and the baby. It's way too early for Alexis to make her grand entrance at 6 months, so lets hope the bed rest and antibiotic will work.

Michael had come online about the time we were headed to the emergency room with Kristy, so he was very worried about her and would not get off the computer until we had gotten all the test results in. He was exhausted by the time we finally figured out what was wrong with Kristy. I was able to record the baby's heart beat and emailed it to him. He thought that was pretty cool. Thank goodness for iphones and an application called voice memos that I was able to download. He feels helpless being 7000 miles away, but he knew that Kristy's Mom and I, along with her best friend were taking excellent care of her.

She will now go to the doctor once a week until Alexis is born.

Will update when we know something else.

3 LONG MONTHS

It sure seems like longer than 3 months since his boots hit the ground in Kuwait. Melinda can probably tell you right off the top of her head how much time our guys have left. Me, I don't even want to think about it.

Sure miss his smile. He called again Tuesday night and everything is good with him. He's excited about the baby girl that will be here around Christmas time. He's got lots going on, and will be able to share once everything is final and he gives me to go ahead to tell what all is going on with him. It's all good, I promise.

REMEMBERING 9/11

Jackson's local Channel 12 interviewed me today. She caught me off guard, which I guess is a good thing as it did not give me any time whatsoever to think about it.

ANOTHER CALL

It's been a very hectic week around here. Michael called again on Tuesday, which was very unexpected. He sounded great, but said he was tired. I received a card from him yesterday and yes it made me cry. He's missing home terrible.

I ordered these two shirts for Kristy and I and they came in yesterday. I also ordered Kristy's Mom one as well.

I'm anticipating that it's going to be another crazy week.

THAT SMILE

I miss so much. He sure knows how to brighten up my day. He has finally found some internet that is fast enough to use a web cam and to be able to see us as well. What a way to start my weekend.

MICHAEL AND RONALD

THAT'S MY BOY...

SURE CAN MAKE ME SMILE.

I KNEW IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN

I missed a call from Michael. Don't ask me how, but I did and I just can't seem to stop beating myself up over it. At least he was able to get Kristy. We had not heard from him in several days. He's been very busy and not enough time to get online. At least I will have the voice message that I can listen to over and over and over again.

FINALLY

He has finally made it to his destination in the Sand after spending a month in Kuwait. He's feeling great he says. He is trying to track down a package that had arrived before he did. He located one yesterday, but still searching for the other one. He received the first package that Kristy and I packed up for him, but not the one that his Grandmother sent.

He was able to call and talk to Kristy for just a few minutes yesterday afternoon, just long enough to tell her that he had made it safely and ask her to call me to let me know as well.

He's not sure just what he will be doing, but knows that it will be in 12 hour shifts. This deployment is so different from the first one. No cameras, no cell phones and all internet is monitored very closely. So, I know very little about what he will be doing, which might be for the better.

Not sure just how much access he will have to a phone or yahoo instant messenger.

Will keep everyone posted and thanks for all the calls checking on him while he was sick.

IT'S BEEN A LONG 9 DAYS

Not a lot to tell except that Michael has been very sick for the last 9 days. We are hoping that they release him today or tomorrow and he can head to his FOB with the rest of his unit. He is much better he says.

He got sick last Saturday and they have had him in isolation ever since with about 12 others. They are still waiting on blood work to come back from Egypt before they will let him move one. He says that he does not wish this on anyone.

His Paw Paw and Grandmother saw him on the web cam on Saturday and Dad said that he looked pale, but considering that he had been sick for the past week, he looked great.

He is ready to get to his FOB where all the others from his unit are. Keep your fingers crossed that today will be the day.

ANOTHER YELLOW RIBBON TIED

Kristy and I have been busy all weekend long.  We spent the day in Louisiana yesterday with my parents at our Fish Camp, then ended up at their house in Bude and stayed the night.  There is never a dull moment in Bude, Mississippi.  Lots of excitement going on and that will call for post right by itself,  and I don't have the energy to tell it all.

Kristy received a text this morning about 0330 from Michael.  Not quite sure what is wrong, but he is very sick he said.  Said he would let us hear from him later.  Nothing worse than knowing that he is sick and there is nothing whatsoever we can do about it 7,000 miles away.

WHAT WE WOULD GIVE

Just to hear his voice...

Tomorrow will be 14 days since we have talked to him on the phone. It seems like it has been a lot longer than that to me. I can only imagine how Kristy feels.

It's been several days since I talked with him via yahoo IM until today. It was getting late his time and he did not have much time to chat, but just wanted to let me know he was fine. He was having trouble texting with Kristy, so he had me call her to tell her that the internet connection was not too good. 

He's got lots going on, and said it might be a few more days before he could get to a phone to call. He says that the lines are so long for the phones. From what I am gathering from others, the wait at times is hours for the phones. Hopefully that will all change once he is settled on the FOB.

Kristy and I have a busy weekend planed.  We are headed to Louisiana for a family get together on Saturday, then going to stop back by and spend the night at my parents house and go to church with them on Sunday.  Their church has 8 soldiers with ties to the war.  Not sure what all we will be doing, but will make sure and take lots of pictures.

Happy 4th to you all.