Saying good bye

Today, Bri and Joan got up with me, Isaac, and Scrubs at 6:30. They wanted to greet him in the morning since Isaac is so cute in the morning in his crib. He just lays there, looking at his animals, talking. Such a sweetie!

By 7:00, Joan and Bri were on the road, heading back to Fort Lauderdale. The only "good" thing about them leaving is that with their departure, comes JB's return! He should be back at the Fort Walton airport around 4:30pm. Scrubby, Isaac, and I cannot wait to have him back.

In addition, JB's Dad, Mom, Brother Ray, and his wife Gabbi and two kids: Grace and Nate come into town tomorrow. So we are keeping very busy on Eglin Air Force Base. No more "alone-time" for us.

We had such an amazingly, wonderful visit with Joan and Bri. I had felt a little nervous to see Bri again after three months, but things felt "just like old times." While she misses Isaac, she feels very confident in her decision, and enjoyed getting to see him with his family. In addition, they were both so much help with Scrubs and Isaac. It was a nice bit of a reprieve for me. What a great visit.

For now, we are getting ready for our JB/Daddy's return! We can't wait! It's about time!

It's a good thing Joanie is here ... pictures galore!

Well I have a TON of pictures to share. Hang on to your seats!

Last night before bed, we had bath time! Take a look at this little guy:



Today, it was my turn to host the wifia lunch. Only thing was, everyone was out of town except Jodi and Sarah. So we were a small group, but we were a great group nonetheless. I made pancakes and waffles, Jodi brought bacon, and Sarah brought blueberries, and strawberries. I have to say I was proud of my cooking! :) Here are some snaps of today:

Jodi with Isaac after his short nap

Isaac doing his favorite thing: watching Scrubs

More Scrubs watching

Someone got the idea to let Isaac ride Scrubs. At first we thought Scrubs was okay with this idea . . .

But then Scrubs decided that this was a very lousy idea!

Scrubs continued his simply amazing pet behavior. He has been so good the last few days and was out with Isaac and Della behaving like he was just the best dog in the world. Of course even the best dogs need to get a taste of their favorite kid every now and then. Isaac has learned to prepare for the lick.

Here's Bri babysitting the two kids while we are eating.

The best news of the day was that Della decided to walk! Like really, really walk! Sarah said that I have her full permission to take full credit for this . . . so I am! Joan did a great job getting some snaps of Della walking. How cool is this?!

More walking!

Smiling with Mom. The baby monitor was a great way to get her to walk from person to person.

Scrubs, waiting patiently for permission to play with his rings.

Air Scrubs!!!!

Here's a shot of Bri with Isaac!

And Joan with Isaac. She has helped me feed him sooooo much -- what a blessing!

Our Tuesday

Tuesday morning, Isaac slept until 8am. Joan slept until 8:30. Bri slept until we woke her up for lunch! :)

Once Joan got up and Isaac had eaten, we decided to venture to the bay. Scrubs has been straying a bit far from me at the bay lately (I think he smells a lot of dead fish near the water) so he keeps running off to snag one. But I thought going with Joan would allow me someone to watch Isaac if Scrubby got the wandering eye.

Joan brought her camera and took some pictures of Isaac watching his Scrubs play with his Frisbee.

Joan got some great photos of Scrubs playing Frisbee. Take a look at these shots!

I love this photo! This is him in the air after just securing the Frisbee in his mouth! He gets pretty high for being a bit overweight!

Coming down

After landing

Scrubs will often finish his catch with a somersault. This is the start of one.

Success!


A rest. Not sure I feel like returning this.

Okay, I guess I'll bring it back.

Scrubs and his person. I really do love this dog!

Scrubs getting a lecture for not leaving the Frisbee like a good dog.

"No lick Scrubs!"



"Hey! Is that my buddy Deuce?!"

"It is my buddy Deuce. C'mon Deuce. Let's go get some dead fish at the water."

After going to the bay, Joan and I ran some errands on base and then got Bri up and went out for lunch. I took them to Beachwalk, one of my favorite restaurants. It was too hot to sit outside, but it was still a beautiful view with beautiful and delicious food!

Once back home, Bri and Joan watched Scrubs and Isaac so I could get some work done. Scrubs LOVvvvvees Brianna -- she is quite the dog lady!

The three of them hanging out!

Isaac chilling with Bri but keeping an eye on his doggie.

Isaac and Bri just chillin' together.

For dinner, a new treat: Wendi cooking! What a wonderful time we are having together. Honestly, I can't imagine finishing these last four days of JB being gone without them here. It's been really great to not be a single parent for an entire week and have some help. They even watched Isaac so I could take my evening walk with Scrubs. What fun!

I'm sure there will be more pictures to come. And, JB comes home tomorrow! YIPEEEeeee!!!

Success!

Folks, I did it. I fixed my printer/scanner/fax combo all by my lonesome without any husband to help me at all!

And because it is fixed, I'll be able to post some more pictures soon. We had another wonnnnderfulll day which include a trip to the bay, some errands, a great lunch at Beachwalk, frozen custard, and lots more!

Stay tuned . . .

Photos!!!

Well it is now Tuesday morning. Joan and Bri are still asleep. Isaac is starting to stir. Scrubs has returned to bed after a little morning activity.

Joan is a great picture taker so you can look forward to some great snaps during their visit. A quick recap. They got here about noon. We hung out at the house for a few hours before deciding to head down to Destin for dinner. Scrubs was a model citizen. He posed for photos and took a nap by our feet. Seriously I think the dog gave Joan and Bri complete confusion as to what all my complaining was about. He also loooovvveeed Brianna who is a big dog person and took lots of time to give him attention and play with him. I have not seen Scrubs listen that well in a long time! What a great dog, huh?!

Here are some to share with you:

Isaac flirting with Joan and Bri shortly after they arrived

Isaac and Scrubs waking Bri up from her nap

Scrubs with Joan

Scrubs waiting in his kennel for his treat when he knows we are leaving

I then took them to the Backporch for dinner. It's a nice restaurant on the beach. The food is good, but the atmosphere is even better. It also has a nice area outside with a bar to hang out at while you wait for your turn to be seated -- a great benefit during tourist season when everything is packed. We actually chose one of the worst weeks to try and go out as everyone is having a last hurrah before the kids go back to school. Anyways, here are some pics from our time on the beach before going upstairs for dinner.

We are only one day in, and the visit has been so wonderful. I am not nervous seeing Joan and Bri at all. It's just like any of our family being here -- it is so great! Isaac has been sweet like always, and we are all looking forward to a few more days together before they head back to Fort Lauderdale. They will leave on Thursday, JB will return on Thursday, and his family comes in on Friday. We are definitely staying busy.

I wish I could show you this scrapbook Joan made me on the blog. I guess you'll have to come see it in person!

They are here!

Well Joan and Bri are here! It is so wonderful to see them!!! We hung out this afternoon and then went to the Backporch for dinner. Joan has taken a ton of pictures so if you wait for the morning, I'll be sure to post them.

One quick and cool thing. Joan made me a scrapbook for Isaac with pages that are done and pages that I can fill in myself! It is the most awesome gift! I love it!!!!

Okay, it's late. Pictures to come; I promise! We are having the most amazing time together!!!!!!!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EBBY! (I am taking pictures for you but don't plan to share them with anyone else.)

Back from our walk

It is 7:21pm, and Isaac, Scrubs, and I just got back from our evening walk. Isaac fell asleep halfway through, right on cue. Scrubs did fantastic guarding Isaac during the whole walk. And I got some good exercise. Isaac is in his swing right now, smiling away at me, while Scrubs recovers in his favorite place after being in the heat: the tile floor next to the refrigerator.

I've spoken with JB many times during his time away. He is having a wonderful time. I'm not sure you can get more perfect than to mix medicine and nature for that guy. I think we also have realized that we made the right decision by me not coming with. He is able to go to the meetings each day with no regrets or hurries to return back and is therefore truly able to enjoy and appreciate the experience. I'm glad for him. As much as I miss him, I know he is getting to do something he truly enjoys. I, personally, think sitting through all-day lectures would be incredibly and horribly boring. But JB is in his element, asking lots of questions and meeting lots of people I am sure.

Bri and Joan are preparing to leave very early tomorrow morning. We are all extremely excited to get to see each other again. I think there is a bit of nervousness all the way around as this will be the first time we have been together since we left Ft. Lauderdale when Isaac was just three days old. But I know the visit will be fantastic and the nerves will be gone as soon as we can all hug again. Bri and Joan are family to me, and I know they will so enjoy getting to see how much little Isaac has grown up and gotten fatter. We can all count his chins together!

You'll have to wait until I get the photos I know Joan will take while she is here as JB took our camera to Colorado. I hope that you all can hold out!

Homesick

Today I am homesick.

Only problem is, I don't know what home I am homesick for.

I get this way sometimes when JB is gone. It's been quite an adventure for me taking care of Scrubs and Isaac all day long without my husband here to help me. The one person, other than JB, that I usually talk to everyday is Tiffany. She and Matt often have me over when I am husbandless. But Tiff is out of town for three weeks. Joia left today too. Everyone is abandoning me!

I realized I was quite alone when I went to go to Target today, went to start the van, and realized I had not shut one of the doors properly, and thus the battery was completely dead! Learning how to jump a car is on my list of things that I need to learn for times when JB is gone for extended periods of time. Here's one of those periods, and I still haven't learned how to do this. I decided to ask Chip, across the street, to help, and he was awesome in obliging. Once we realized the special "secret key" you to have to insert in order to get a Honda to shift into reverse or neutral when the battery is dead, and we could back the van out of the carport, the van was good to go.

Please know that I don't truly feel abandoned. And I really do love living here. Don't get me wrong. There are people all around me that I know and can go hang out with. People from church, other members of the wifia, and other people on base.

But sometimes, when JB is gone, I just start realizing that my life totally revolves around JB. I mean I am an Air Force wife. I travel with JB wherever he goes. So if JB weren't here, where would I go? If something were to happen to him, morbid a thought as that might be, where would I go to spend my life? When he gets deployed and is gone for four, six, eight months or more, where should I live? In a house that I only live in because we are stationed there?

I realized tonight that I really don't have a home. South Florida hasn't been my home since I was 18. While our family, whom I love dearly, all live there, living in that congested, over-populated, rudeness would completely overwhelm me -- although it would be my most-making-sense-choice. I know those of you who live there love it, (well, except Gabbi), but I don't think it could ever be home to me, even if I lived there. Kentucky isn't home to me anymore. I haven't been back there since 2004. Minnesota probably feels the most like home, but goodness knows I can't survive even one more winter in the Polar North.

JB is having a good time. We were wondering if we made the right choice by us not going with him, but he says his days are very long, and we wouldn't see him much. So I guess the right choice was made. Joan and Bri will be here on Monday. I have plenty to keep me busy. I just miss JB. When he is gone, I realize how much I miss him and how much he helps me, in the short time he is home each day, with Isaac and Scrubby, and daily life stuff.

Just counting the days 'till my JB gets back. I know as soon as he does, this will feel like home again.

Photos from today (Thanks Brittney!)

Brittney sent me some photos from our afternoon at Shelly's. Here are a few snapshots.

Issac with our Pastor, Shannon, and his wife, Shelly's daughter, Abby

Brittney was able to get Isaac to fall asleep! She's got the touch!

Look at those chins!

Folks, I think it is now pretty official. At least for now. Isaac sleeps through the night! Down between 8-9 pm and up between 6:30am and 8:30am. Not too shabby. It has been nearly a week since he failed to sleep through the night and even that was a 4:30 wake up. I am so amazingly blessed by his sleep habits, especially because I only have a number of months before I raise a newborn again. How weird is that? I'm now officially into the second trimester.

Dr. Goodemote was right. Second trimester is the time to get everything done. I feel so much less tired and sick. I took a few hours last night to clean out a few cabinets in the kitchen and in our hall closet. Things have really slid a bit during the last few months but now, it's time to catch up! I hope that by the time JB gets back I'll have accomplished all the organizing that's been nagging me for awhile. I also took a load of stuff to Goodwill this week! Good riddens!

Our first night without JB went a-ok. Isaac went down without any problem and Scrubs and I followed shortly thereafter. It was actually Scrubs, not Isaac, that decided that 7:30am was as good a time as any to wake up. So up we got.

I waited until 7pm before venturing out with pup and dog for a walk last night. Normally JB stays with Isaac since the poor kid is such a hot-box. But 7pm worked well for him. He sat up in his stroller for about half the trip before I checked on him and he was sound asleep, his head flopping forward. So I laid him back and we finished the walk. He didn't seem to be bothered by the heat at all.

Scrubs walks fantastic with the stroller. He seems to understand that he needs to walk alongside Isaac and keep an eye on him. If he sees another dog, he loses focus for a few moments in the hopes that I will let him say hi, but otherwise, he keeps the mission in mind. Scrubs always looks confused when passing dogs bark at him. He looks at them as if to say, "What's all the commotion about! Just say hi and hush up." Isaac and I feel the same way.

This morning we went swimming at our Pastor's house (thus the pictures). His wife opens up their pool on Fridays for wives and kids to come and hang out and swim. How cool is that? Isaac, unfortunately, doesn't think being outside is cool at all. The moment I take him into the air conditioning, his demeanor completely changes. Geeesh -- was this kid destined for a Polar North life or what?!

I spoke with JB today. He is thoroughly enjoying the Conference. Amy asked what Wilderness Medicine is. Here is a quick definition:

Today, wilderness or expedition medicine is practiced in outdoor education, search and rescue, mountain rescue, remote area operations including research, exploration, and offshore oil platforms, as well as tactical environments. In the United States, where mountain and other wilderness rescue on land is usually done by volunteers, there is no equivalent diploma. However, there are many wilderness medicine conferences at which medical professionals can earn continuing education credits, and some medical schools (for example, at the University of New Mexico) have begun offering electives in wilderness medicine. Training in wilderness medicine is specialized, involving advanced practices and protocols due to the distance from hospitals and physicians. Common US certifications include Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, and Wilderness EMT.

Anyways, that's all I have to report right now except for that I am having trouble with my printer/scanner and have been working with tech support most of the afternoon. Where is my hubby when I need him!?