WELL IT'S DONE!!!

We finally got up the courage to take Sam to the Animal Shelter. Here's the hard part, I know I'm doing the right thing and it's for the best for all of us, but why does it break my heart???

Letting him go yesterday was one of the hardest things I've had to do, it was heartbreaking. Jasmine was ok with it, she had tears in her eyes but she was being a really strong girl, she kept thinking about her toys and games to not dwell on it. Nicholas on the other hand, broke down and started sobbing the minute Curt took Sam. Well, me being the wuss that I am, started crying too. I just hope that he is able to find a good home, someone who can deal with him.

I truly believe that some animals need a certain amount of attention and care that can't be given by just anyone. So please if you could, just say a small prayer that he finds a good home.

With all this going on yesterday, I didn't get a chance to get back on here with my "Remember When???", so I will do that this morning.

Nicholas is at that age where he just says the funniest things. The other day I caught him and Lola messing around, he had put a Dora Mask on her. LOL Me being the "papparazzi" that I am, was ready with the camera.

Here's some of the highlights of this past week:

(sound of fire truck)
Me: What's that Nicholas?
Nicholas: It's a fire truck!!!
Me: *GASP* where is it?
Nicholas: Outside our house.
Me: Why?!?!?!
Nicholas: Because it's not inside! (Well there ya have it mommy, good answer)

Me: Nicholas, come here, let me spike your hair.
(Nicholas takes off running in the opposite direction)
Nicholas: NO, I don't want to!
Me: Why?? Come on you like your hair spiky, let me give you spiky hair.
Nicholas: No I don't want spiky hair, I want Nicholas hair.
(LOL serves me right for trying to give him someone else's hair????)

Me: I love you Nicholas!
Nicholas: Love you too Mommy!
Me: You know you're my angel?
Nicholas: No I'm not, I'm Nicholas, silly mommy!!
(Ummmmm ok!!!)

(Nicholas sitting in the bathtub while I try to wash him)
Me: Give me your foot so I can wash it.
Nicholas: Ok.....(sticks his leg up and I grab it to wash it)
Nicholas: HEY, you going to flip me in the water!
(LOL gotta love him)

See, I have so much ammo cute stories for when he's older.

One thing I've been trying to do is teach my kids Portuguese, because that's my first language. Jasmine loves it, she's always asking me how to say things in portuguese, but Nic on the other hand, laughs uncontrollably when I start speaking to him. He thinks it's hilarious, maybe to him I sound like some weird alien??? I don't know, but I will still keep trying LOL

Today we are going to be working on the backyard, going to throw down some grass seed and hopefully this time it grows. Also gotta get rid of the old swing set, redo the patio area, move the trampoline and put up some chicken wire around the fence so that the neighbors big dogs can't get to Lola and Bella.

Yes I said Bella, we've talked to the lady and we're picking her up this afternoon. Gotta drive an hour to get her, but that's fine.
Of course you know I'll be taking the camera right? What would I be without my trusty camera nearby. I will post her pics later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Lately I've been getting really homesick. I find myself thinking about being back home with my family, the places I used to visit, the foods, the smells and the way everything looked. It's so hard being away from everyone you love, especially my nieces and nephews, but it's what I signed up for right???
Being a military wife has it's ups and downs, you get to be part of an amazing group of women who are the backbone of the soldiers going out to war, you make wonderful friends, you get to visit tons of new places, BUT you are also always on the move and away from your family.
You learn to rely on yourself and find strength and courage to be the mother and father to your kids when daddy is deployed. How do you keep their hearts from breaking when yours is breaking too???

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, if you live near your family, your mother and father, your brothers and sisters and so on, treasure every minute of every day, you don't know how hard it is to not be able to just have someone come over to help you when you're sick, or to take the kids when you need a break or are having a bad day. Just love your family, really enjoy them, you are one of the lucky ones.

With that said, I have to get my day started. Look below for my "Remember When???" post and check back again for pics of the new pug Bella. Have a fantastic Saturday :)

Remember When???

Since I didn't have time yesterday to post my "Remember When???", I wanted to do it this morning.
For those new to my blog, every friday I post a story or memory, either from my childhood years or vacations as an adult etc. These are memories that have stuck with me, either because they're funny, scary or life changing.

Last summer, my MIL and BIL came to visit. You've heard me say before how much I enjoy having them here, it's always so much fun to be with them and we laugh until our stomachs hurt.

Now remember one of the stories I told you about, was when we went to the Dinosaur Museum in Ogden, Utah. I was bombarded by birds and left looking like a paintball exhibit. Go here, if you want to read the story.

On another trip, we went to a nearby park called the Bruneau Dunes. We rented a cabin for only $35 a night, which fit all of us and overlooked the Dunes. One of the highlights of the trip was the fact that we got to go to their observatory for a show and then got to use the telescopes to see the beautiful night sky. Curt and I are HUGE astronomy fans, we have our own telescopes and accessories and we love dabbling in astrophotography.

So anyway, after the show at the observatory, we are standing there waiting for our turn to look through the big telescope. Nicholas was in the stroller asleep and everything was fine except that it was kinda chilly. We finally get to move into the actual building that houses the telescope, and now just so you know, when they want to move the telescope to a different location of the sky, they alert everyone to move away from the walls of the building, because the whole building rotates. The kids thought that was cool, well, I did too and I'm not a kid. LOL
Anyway, we're almost up to the telescope, there's only about 3 people in front of us, when Nicholas wakes up. He starts crying that he wants out of the stroller, so I pick him up. I am holding him up against my chest and then I get this warm feeling in my stomach and down my pants. I welcomed it at first because I was cold but then panic struck me.........it slowly started to register in my mind that it was not normal to feel that warmth spreading through my body. I quickly pulled Nicholas away from me only to realize that he had pee'd through his diaper. GREAT, JUST GREAT.......so now I have to walk up the telescope stairs, while holding him close to me and my clothes soaking wet with pee. FUN FUN!!!

But I had been looking forward to that and in no way was I going to let that stop me from enjoying the night sky. Pee or no Pee, I was seeing the nebulae and Jupiter, dagnabit!!!!

The ride back to the cabin was mighty uncomfortable let me tell you. LOL

But our night wasn't over. We get back and realize that we're hungry, and we don't have anything to eat, so what do insane smart people do in those situations?
They get in the truck and drive 15 minutes back to town for a McDonald's meal and then drive back to the cabin to sleep LOL

So there you have it, our fun day at the Bruneau Dunes. Don't forget to check out my "Remember When???" next week.

Blogger, Blogger, Blogger........

I don't know about you all, but I'm so near my breaking point with this blog service. It's been absolutely horrible the past week, I can't access blogger sites, I can't leave comments, no one can see mine either etc. It's ridiculous.

Anyway, about two years ago we went to the local animal shelter and picked up a puppy. He is an australian shepherd mixed with something else. From the get go this dog has been nothing but trouble, he destroys the yard (literally), I have no grass in my backyard because of him, he digs holes, he barks constantly, he continuously takes off only to be returned by the SP's (security force police), and now the latest is that the past 2 weeks we have had the cops called on us 3 times because of his barking. It's just getting to the point where I can't handle keeping him because it stresses me out.
So, this weekend we are taking him to the animal shelter and hopefully he will find a home that he likes. We've done all we could and he just doesn't seem happy here.

With that in mind, I came across a message posted on my local Pug Meetup Group, about a 4 year old female pug named Bella, who is in desperate need of a home. She is extremely thin and just needs a loving home and someone who will take care of her. You all know how much I love pugs and it breaks my heart to know that she doesn't have a home. So my plan this weekend is to go pick her up and give her a good home. Will be easier with the other one being gone.
My question is.....why do I feel so bad about having to take him back??? I just can't keep him, he's been nothing but trouble since the beginning and living on a military base, the minute you start having the cops at your door is NO GOOD. They call the First Sergeant, the commander and anyone else needed and I honestly don't want to see my hubby get in trouble at work because of the dog. So please keep you fingers crossed that he finds a loving home and someone who he will be happy with.

I was talking to a friend the other day who asked me if it bothered me that some blogs get tons of comments and mine at times gets only a few. My answer: NO!!! It really doesn't. Before I started the blog I was a lurker, I would just read and look through the tons of blogs available and I noticed a pattern.

Some blogs had no comments and were actually really good, and then there were blogs that seemed to have their own little clique and no matter how non interesting they were, they seemed to have tons and I mean TONS of comments, some at times over 50 comments. So when I decided to join the blog world, I did it for ME and my family. I wanted a place where the family that lives overseas could still feel like they were right here with us.

Along the way I've made some really good friends, truly amazing women who inspire me and bring a smile to my face, who make me want to be the moms and christians they are. To me blogging is not a popularity contest, I'm not here to compete with anyone, but if my posts bring a smile to at least one person, then I'm happy. Her next question was if it upset me that I would leave daily comments on some blogs and NEVER hear from them back. Again my answer was: NO!!! I do it because I want to, not because I feel that if I do someone will come back to mine and post too. Maybe I'm not cut out for the competitive world of Blogdom, then so be it, I am here for my family, for my friends and for God.

But anyway, I can't tell you how glad I am that it's friday. Curt and I have gotten no sleep the past two days because of the dog barking and the cops knocking at our door. I am in desperate need of some rest, not even my coffee is doing it for me.

Jasmine is finally sleeping alone in her room without crying and waking up every 5 minutes. It was so stressful when she was going through that phase, because the only way she would sleep was if either I or Curt would go in there with her. But now we have Nicholas still wanting to sleep with us and I think it's time to move him to his own bed. I tried not to push it the past few weeks because he was being potty trained and I didn't want to overwhelm him with all these changes. I tried one night and he just shut down completely, and next thing I knew he was demanding a diaper again....big NO NO.

Now that he is potty trained though, we can start working on the bedtime issues. Wish me luck!!!

Well I am out of here, I have to run to the library to return some movies and pick up Jarhead which is on hold. I then have to run by the self help to pick up some tools so that I can get my backyard cleaned up and fixed this weekend. I still have 2 baskets of laundry to put away (please please won't the laundry fairy come down and do them for me?).

I will be posting my "Remember When???" this morning, so check back here for that, if you're interested obviously if not, that's fine and dandy too LOL
Hope you all have a blessed day :)

Update on my Niece!!!

First I want to thank those that sent out a prayer for her, I really appreciate it and it means a lot to me :)

I got an email this morning, apparently she's been discharged from the hospital even though she's running a fever. The doctors sent her home to continue with her treatment, and then as soon as the fever is gone they are operating on her. I think they've decided to go ahead and remove her tonsils. If you can, please keep her in your prayers, surgery is always a scary thought but especially when they're so little.

Yesterday, I went by the Airman's Attic to donate some things, and just before leaving I came across these 4 books. I quickly snatched them up. They are:

• The Everyday Guide to God.
• The Everyday Guide to the Bible.
• The Everyday Guide to Success.
• The Everyday Guide to Prayer.

Can't wait to read those, especially the prayer one. Have you ever found yourself wanting and needing to pray and the words just don't come out??? I've done that so many times and I always feel that I end up either repeating myself or babbling like a fool. Not a pretty sight either way!
I figure I can get all the help I can. For some it seems that praying just comes naturally, the minute they open their mouths it just flows out, but there's others (like me), who are not so lucky, it's not that I don't know what I want to say, I just can't seem to find the right words to express my feelings. Hopefully this book will help me!!!

I want to apologize to all those who I usually leave comments on, if I haven't done so the past day or so it's because blogger has been extremely uncooperative. I'm seriously thinking of switching blogging services, it's just becoming too annoying trying to post something or leave a comment or EVEN opening up other blogger sites.

This morning I managed to get on one or two (before blogger took a dive again). I was at Courtney's "Waiting on my Soldier" and I loved her post. You really need to go on over and read it. I was in such desperate need of that this morning and I can totally relate to what she is saying. So go on over and read it, I promise to be patient and wait for you.

You're back??? Alright well....last night while laying in bed with Nicholas, he started talking to me like he always does before falling asleep. He said.....well, this is how it went:

Nicholas: Look at me mommy, I'm died!!! (dramatically sticks his tongue out and closes his eyes while leaning his head to the side)
Me: Oh No, don't die, I love you so much!!!!
Nicholas: (smiling while remaining in that position) is ok mommy, I die and I go to Keaven!!!
Me: You go where!?!?!
Nicholas: Keaven I go to keaven.....up in the sky!
Me: Oh you mean you go to heaven?
Nicholas: Yah I go to heaven (strongly pronounciating the H).

He cracks me up, he's so funny and always brings a smile to my face. :) I remember one day asking him if he knew where grandpa went. He was only 2 years old and he said "ya, up in the sky." (now mind you, I hadn't talked to him about grandpa being in heaven yet).
Then he went on to tell me that grandpa was up in the sky, on the clouds in a magical castle. WOW, it really hit home when he said it and makes you wonder doesn't it???

So I'm going to be busy with housework today. It seems it's never ending. No matter how much laundry I do, there's always some more growing in the laundry basket, how, why??? It's like mold attaching itself to the sides of the hamper. Don't even get me started on socks because I have so many "loners" (forcibly left to their own devices by the missing other half).
Then there's the dishes....I don't know what is up with that, my poor dishwasher gets used and abused at least twice a day.
I have to vacuum and sweep and mop, put away 3 baskets of laundry, bathrooms to clean, some clothes to iron and in between all this, I have two kids to run after, explain that it's OK to look at each other and that "no, your sister is NOT stealing your toys". Ahhhhh just a typical day here in the Air Force Household!!!

If I get all this done I might be able to head to the park this afternoon, I think it would do the kids good to get out and about for a bit. Gotta check the weather first though, it's been raining here and we're expecting thunderstorms again. What joy!!!

Well ladies, time to put the hair up, throw on some shorts and a tshirt and get to work. It's such a beautiful day outside, warm sun shining, not many clouds in the sky, know what I wish I had? A big house with a pool. Now THAT I could used to on days like this.

Have a great day everyone, I will be back bright and early tomorrow morning (blogger permitting). Huge hugs to everyone, especially my family in South Africa.....love you guys and miss you terribly :)

Prayer Needed!!!!

I want to start this wednesday post by asking for a prayer for my 4 year old niece. I got an email from my stepmom this morning telling me that she was admitted to the hospital. Her tonsils are inflamed and she was constantly throwing up, so they thought it best to keep her. It's not the first time she's been in the hospital and I just pray that they can come up with a solution so that she will not need to continue having problems and being admitted. So I ask for a prayer for her please, just pray that God watch over her and that he give the doctors the wisdom and insight they need to resolve this.

This is the one thing about being so far from the family, that really gets to me. It's extremely frustrating to not be able to be there, to give her a hug, to offer support to my brother and sister in law. I know that God is watching over all of them, and again I need to just put it in his hands and trust that he will take care of her. I swear this has been one of the toughest lessons I've had to get through.

You all know the struggle it's been for me to hand things over to him and I feel like at least once a week I'm faced with a problem or worry that I need to put in his hands. I guess he's going to keep doing this until I finally learn to do it with no questions asked and no resistance on my part.

It's a funny thing to try, because as humans it's our nature to give it to him but then keep messing with it and picking at it, trying to get that control back. It's ridiculous to think that we would have to show Him HOW to deal with the problem....it's downright ludicrous. Who am I to think that I can tell Him how to do it???

Casting our cares is a choice. It means consciously handing over our anxiety to Christ and allowing Him to carry the weight of our problems. At times this is the most difficult part of trusting God. We don't like turning over the responsibility for our problems.

That's me to a tee!!! I've never been a quitter though, and I don't intend to stop trying now. I know that this will continue to be a big issue for me, but I am determined to continue trying until that day that I can just say "Lord, here is my problem, take it please", then walk away and NOT think about it again. THAT is what I look forward to and the day it happens, boy I'm throwing a huge party.

But anyway, moving on. We're expecting thunderstorms today so taking the kids to park is out of the question, we might go over to Veronica's house this afternoon for them to play, depends on how they are feeling, as of right now, they both seem to be a bit quiet which usually means they are not feeling too good. Must be something going around, I'm not feeling that great myself.

I was so happy yesterday, I went to get the mail and had an ARC (advanced readers copy) waiting for me. Lori Foster had sent me one of Murphy's Law, which doesn't come out until the end of August. I picked up the book, read the first page and was hooked, didn't put it down for the rest of the day. LOVED it, Lori Foster is just an amazingly talented writer and this book more than met my expectations. So if you love steamy romance books, be sure to get this one when it's released, or any of her other books, they're all wonderful.

And with that I'm out of here. Want to go refill my coffee cup and then go read all the WFMW participants before I have to head out for some errands :)
I hope you all have a beautiful wednesday!!!!