Six days...

Packing for deployment. This is it, in terms of clothing, for a year. Sure there will be a Camel Back added, body armor, canteens, pillow, laptop, camera, books, and among other things a picture or two of the kids and me.

The next step is actually loading the green bag on the right and looking at what other little luxuries we can squeeze in....

On Saturday our neighborhood will be having a going away bash for Erik and Nate (a neighbor up the road). Nate is also going over seas and his wife, too, is pregnant. I will be in good company-- two p.o.'d pregnant ladies with nothing but time to gripe about their husbands leaving them at this inopportune time. In our rationale, of course it was their choice to leave us at this moment. I am quite positive our argument would make so much more sense if we had oodles of cocktails in our system. However, since that would be a big moral no-no, we'll wait until January when she is done baking her bun then we will get all tipsy and cuss them out.

WOW! Sorry about that slight little tangent. These hormones just overcome me at times. I expect this weekend to be very busy, but low key and fun. On Saturday Erik will go get his mom, who is visiting for a few days, and then he will likely start eyeballing the location for the bonfire we are destined to have. In the spirit of a wonderful farewell, I have invited our whole neighborhood. It sounded like a good idea when I was thinking about it, but we'll see. I am sure the kids will have lots of fun, as they always do. I really just hope the weather cooperates. Usually at 7pm the afternoon shower has passed. 50 families just would not fit nicely in my house. OK, so I am exaggerating just a bit. You get my drift though, right?

The next few days will surely pass too quickly. I'm hoping that at the very least, we fill them with some great quality time together.

Ballerina girl...

For days Donna was excited and talking about going to her dance class. She wanted to wear her tights around the house and seemed genuinely excited. The day of the class I woke up at 0535 to go on a 5-mile run with some friends, which was much easier than dealing with the Little Princess when she decided that she did not infact want to go to dance class, but instead wanted to stay at home. Consistent crying from the moment of getting buckled into her seat to arrival at the dance studio. Not even Hannah Montana's "Rock Star" could calm her down. Fingers had to be pryed from the minivan doors as well as the entry to the dance studio. Parents are not allowed to stay for the class, but I was that day after the teacher saw how distraught the Little Princess was. She quickly jumped into the action once she saw the other kids and participated magnificently in all of the activities. She really enjoyed the tap shoes and was proud of being in her dance class. I'm happy I was able to experience this before leaving, but on my last upcoming Saturday here in Georgia I think I may let her mother have the opportunity to take her.

Getting dunked to save their souls...

So they made it!

Donna and Gordon were baptized on August 21. Chaplain Williams officiated a Lutheran baptism at Ft. Gordon. Chaplain Williams was very informative and funny. He included Wes by asking various questions and asking Wes to hold Gordon's certificate so the urge to call him Oliver would not overtake. Wes was very proud to help out. I have to say he was very responsible during the whole thing.

The kids were great. Gordon slept through most of the service and Donna was very proud to do her job of standing, looking pretty and "getting wet on her head." Gordon did wake up just in time for his turn, but was a little disoriented and confused when he saw Major Williams coming toward him with glistening fingers. All in all, it was a good time. We've been meaning to do it, just haven't made the time. It was important both Erik and me. Wes was baptized when he was 10 months and had a bit more fanfare but I have to say this was a very nice service. I can imagine that Chaplain Williams helped many of the soldiers he has deployed with, he really was very kind.

This leaves me with a lingering thought... since they were officially cleansed, Donna and Gordon should be really good now right?

Gordon's first day of school.

Gordon started school. He was so excited to get his backpack, do some calisthenics to loosen up, and enter all alone. We didn't have any tears on the first day. The second day, however, was a bit more eventful. Gordon quickly realized what exactly was going on and that I may just be having some time to myself. He appropriately started his blood curdling screech as soon as we entered the classroom door. FREEDOM!

Countdown is on...

Last night was one for the books. Erik and I decided having a small last-minute cookout was a great way to relax on a Saturday night. It was a beautiful day (despite some much needed rain), Erik decided to enjoy a drink while cutting a neighbor's lawn, and we were thrilled about the lifting of the rain just in time for the event. Little did everyone in our neighborhood know, Erik had alternative plans for the quiet evening we all assumed we were going to have... Really not taking much more than the mere mention, the several pallets we've enmassed between the sod and retaining wall supplies, we were on our way to having a bonfire. In the area, we are in a drought status. Under drought warnings one usually does not pop up with the idea to have a fire, that is unless you are my husband.

Here is the Georgia fire:

I really believe Erik has been missing his time spent in the great Up North this summer. Wanting to expose our dear neighbors and friends to what we do for kicks UP there, Erik cultivated quite a fire for everyone's enjoyment. At the beginning of the evening, he was breaking apart the pallets and adding the planks to a portable fire bowl some neighbors provided. By the time we really got going, there were full pallets stacked upon this bowl as it warped under the heat. During our recovery efforts this morning there were a few discoveries: easily a hundred or so burned nails, the morphed frame of the fire bowl... which I believe to be a nice sculpture at this point, and a huge burned circular pit in the middle of my lawn. All in the spirit of a good time. Selfishly, I have to say I think we did. My poor neighbors.

17 days until the departure. We have begun talking to the kids a bit more about the upcoming event. The little ones seem to glaze over a bit, but Wes has been making tons of inquiries and making very appropriate comments and discoveries about Iraq. It is a confusing time; so busy with daily life yet needing to make necessary preparation without losing any precious moments. The days are escaping us quickly and we must make ourselves pause and appreciate the small, quiet, mondane minutes that really do dictate our days.

The first day of school, hooray!

It was the first day of school for the big kids yesterday. All went well, even when Donna discovered there was a designated "nap" time. She has started her Pre-K class at a local daycare that has two classrooms designated for the Georgia Pre-K program. Donna's teachers are new to the area and they are both Army spouses. Turns out that Wesley's teacher is also an Army spouse and according to Wes her husband "rides around in Strykers and has only been blown up 57 times." Wes seems to like her and is already talking about the fun things they're going to do this year.

Gordon, on the other hand, was not thrilled because 1) he left the house without his backpack, 2) he was not permitted to board the bus and 3) the older kids left him behind. Throughout the day, the poor soul would ask for either "Wessie" or "Dolla." His day will come on Monday. I do believe Gordon will be thrilled. Enjoy the snapshots!

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