Heartbreak for little girls......

is cancelling their dance recital.  

Why?

Weather.....but it was based on a prediction and not what actually happened.  The roads were supposed to ice, but they did not.  The girls have dance costumes hanging in a closet waiting and wanting to be worn, and Kinsley (especially) keeps asking if it is dance recital day.  

There is a small chance that they will reschedule for this week....which we are hoping and praying for, because little girls should not have such heartache.  

Dates

The other night Cody and I had to finalize the dates transportation will come for their three pick ups.

First we have to have them pick up our unaccompanied baggage (this baggage is supposed to arrive soon after we arrive, and can only be 500 pounds).

Second comes the packers for our house hold goods (half of our belongings - that may take 1-4 months to arrive).

Finally, they come to pack up the other half of our belongings that will be stored for two years.

All these dates are in February, which means come January we will be tearing this house up from top to bottom, sorting and organizing.

Picking these dates made it seem even more real.  The Army won't be changing the orders, we WILL be leaving.

We had plans to send some items to my parents house this weekend by doing a vehicle switcheroo.  My mom was going to bring down the truck and she would take our van back up.  We planned on loading up the van, and then when we come up next weekend we would load the truck up with the rest.  Well....this weather has us on a standstill.  If it starts to get as bad as they predict, then she won't be able to come down.  Not only was she coming down to bring items back, but for the girls' dance recital.

We are stuck waiting to see what happens with the weather, and I have not done a single thing to prepare for her to come. If she comes it won't be till 10 tonight, so I am going to wait until she leaves and if she is coming, I'll start scrubbing the house, making her room up, and picking up groceries.  Who wants to do all that work for nothing?  Not me....so I am waiting till the last possible minute.

First snow of the year

We have lived in Missouri for three winters and not ONCE have we bought a sled.  Our first winter here (we arrived in December) it snowed a good snow.  We played for days!!!

This year, our last winter in Missouri, we decide to buy sleds.  Makes zero sense, I know, but we wanted to create memories.

Thursday evening Addyson and Eligh got to go sledding, while I stayed inside with Kinsley (she was still recovering from being sick).

Friday I took the kids out twice to play and then again yesterday they played.

I do believe, we have created some memories.

Friday Night Leftovers

• It's been waaaaaaaayyyy too long since I have joined in on Friday Night Leftovers
• The weather here in Missouri is so all over the place. 
• Tuesday afternoon I went for a 6 mile run, because it was in the 60's
• Wednesday evening right when I was heading upstairs for bed, Kinsley came out of her room covered in vomit
• The two of us "slept" downstairs.  
• There was not much sleeping, as she was vomiting all through the night and early morning.  
• Thursday morning we woke up to 30 degree weather (just two days after 60 degree weather) 
• Around 11:00 a.m. I was notified that Addy would be getting released from school @ 1:30 (it was sleeting), which meant the twins (well, healthy Eligh) would not be going to school.  
• Thankfully, daddy was able to leave work around 12:45 and go pick up Addy
• I spent the afternoon trying to keep Addyson and Eligh quiet and entertained while Kinsley fell asleep on the couch for three hours.  
• Late afternoon it started to snow, so Cody picked up some cheap sleds, and Eligh and Addyson got to go sledding in the dark.  
• School was cancelled for the day, as was majority of the base due to the road conditions.  Snow on top of ice, just doesn't mix well.  
• All three kiddos (yay, Kinsley was feeling great) got to go sledding twice today, and I am hoping for easy bed times.  
• Tomorrow was supposed to be Addyson's first basketball cheerleading game of the season, but the games have all been cancelled.  

Thank you Danifred, for hosting......boy, have I missed this :)

Big step

Look what Cody brought home?  Aaahhh!!!!  We will arrange transportation (how and when the Army comes to pack our belongings) this week.  We won't have our official flight tickets for a couple months, but this step shows it's all going to go very quickly soon. 

The most aaaaaaaaaaaamazing birthday EVER

Yes, legit, the BEST birthday I have EVER had.  I don't remember much from my childhood birthdays (my parents always made us our favorite meal, cake, and gifts, but nothing extraordinary especially because my birthday is always near Thanksgiving).

As an adult my birthdays have been less than exciting.  Cody has been around for some, as well as not being around for others.  Like last year, the big 3-0, he was away in TX, so I spent it at my parents and it was just another birthday. 

I specifically told him to NOT buy me a thing.  I don't like money to be spent on me, when we can take care of other things.  Does he listen?  NO!!!!!  When the kids came downstairs with a gift, I gave him the dirtiest look and he said it took me 10 minutes to say thank you.  I liked it, ok LOVED it, BUT the money.  Yuck, yuck, yuck!  He bought me this amazing running watch, one that I had mentioned I would like some day, not now, some day. 

The day was supposed to be a normal Wednesday, I was teaching my fitness class, but just had to bring one extra kiddo due to there being no school.  It was 8:25, and in walked Cody from work.  He said he forgot his wallet and something else.  He started my van, and didn't leave the house until after I left with the kiddos.

I walk into the community center to see it all decorated in our themed colors for class (orange and yellow) and am already in awe of these amazing ladies.  I turn around and I see Cody in his work out gear, I'm like what the heck is going on.  He has to work, or at least that is what he told me.  He comes in with some balloons and a bag that is from all the ladies who take the class.  Once the majority of the women arrived, I was forced to open up the bag (which I do not like opening things in front of people, plus I am not a receiver, I would rather give).  I open the card and there is an insane amount of money in the card, and I quickly close it.  What in the world?!!!  They told me how much they appreciated me teaching this class for free and wanted to give back to me to help pay for my certification (which more than covered the cost).  Straight tears of gratitude.  And one more amazing gift of footie jammies, which is a long standing joke in our group.

To top it all off, Cody stayed for the work out (which he has NEVER done).

It was a day where I was loved beyond any way I could imagine, and even more humbled.

Birthday eve

The night before another birthday for me has approached.  The year of 30 truly turned out to be the year of me, and it was not the plan.  In the past year I have finally put myself first, and wow, what a difference that has happened.  

In the past year I have grown a more loving, encouraging, and positive perspective.  Looking back I can see how much of a negative space I was in.  I found the right people at the right time of my life and it has been such the turn around.  It is true that we often behave in similar ways as the company we keep.  I found honest, family first, Christian, fit women who have changed my perspective on soooooo much.  I am humbled to have found them, to have been welcomed, encouraged, loved, and supported in a time I did not even know that I needed.  

I have had a closed off attitude to God and religion, and just recently (like a couple months ago) started opening back up and realizing that I don't have to practice in the way I was raised, and that it is so much more than I ever thought.  My heart is open and I am learning (slowly, but learning). 

By putting myself first, I have been a much better person all around, especially as a mother and a wife.  I have learned to let go of some of the guilt I created, and accept this life I live is MINE.  I need to do the things that make me happy, something I haven't always allowed myself to do.  

Tomorrow, I don't want anything, or expect anything, but I will celebrate this past year and hope this upcoming year will be another year full of happiness.