Ode to the Brown Album

This post is for Matty.

When we met, (oh so long ago!), Matt owned a brown '95 Subaru Legacy which he absolutely loved. He often took it up the mountains to go camping, fishing, hunting, and on road trips from Oregon, Georgia, Kentucky, and now Texas. Honestly, he and I have a lot of memories that involve that car. Even some which involve push-starting it! He has loved and adored that car for over 10 years, but when he left we made the decision to either donate it or sell it. Matt had a hard time coming to that decision, but we both knew it was best for our family. It has been started regularly for the past few months, and Matt cared for it well while it was in our care.

When there came on opportunity for someone to benefit from our beloved Brown Album, (also known as Donkey to our other Sub, Shrek)...we were prompted to hand over the keys. So Wednesday afternoon it became another family's cherished car. A good family, at that. So this is a sort of epitaph for Matthew's beloved Subaru. Thank you for being so reliable and for keeping memories alive of our early dating life. We have appreciated your companionship as we started our family and now we wish you the best with your next family.



Now our Green Outback, so appropriately named Shrek, is without a sidekick. But not for long, because I have since decided that Matt's motorcycle will be named Princess Fiona! (He just doesn't know it yet!)

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is the "I Love Lucy" dress! I think it is about the cutest thing she has ever worn! It is also very cute for V-Day!

Just a quick family update-

Grace is still exploring all sorts of new things. Yesterday it was warm enough to go to the park, so she got to enjoy the swings and she giggled the whole time. (She's going to be an adrenaline junkie one day!) She got a little too close to a little girl and was bumped over...can't even really call it knocked over. She cried a little too long so we left and came home to take a nap.

She is currently testing boundaries. She tends to get upset quickly and screams for no apparent reason at times. I have no idea how long this phase lasts...but I usually have a headache from the screaming. I'm learning patience!

Matt is still doing pretty good. He will be changing areas soon and we don't know what that will mean for him and our ability to communicate with him. We pray daily that we'll be able to at least have some sort of contact. Mostly to ease my mind and let me know he's safe and sound.

I am still going to Jazzercise and my business has actually picked up quite a bit lately. Lots of parties coming up before my big month-long trip to Utah in March/April. I month and 2 days away! I have been counting down since I bought my ticket last month.

Other than that...not a whole lot of news. I'll write more later!

(My new haircut!)

Missing Matty.

I have been a little down lately, no real mystery as to why. He has been gone for 2 months now. Though I will probably not mention his absence often, (due to security reasons for our family), I feel it is important to talk about trials and our everyday dealings as both Grace and I miss him terribly.

I have always been in love with my husband. Now that he is worlds away from us, I love him more. I appreciate the things he does for me. He is the only one to truly save me from myself when I have a breakdown. He is the one who adds life and laughter to my otherwise quiet life. He appreciates the things I do on a daily basis for our family. Dishes, laundry, caring for Grace, cooking, cleaning, yadda yadda yadda. Grace hardly says three words clearly so she hardly says "Thanks". He is my favorite person to be with. Simple conversations before settling in for bed... Kisses hello and goodbye... I just miss it all too much. Now I know that distance can make some things harder, but I also know how my love and admiration for him has increased as he has been away. We are able to talk to/see him through Skype most days for a while before he goes to bed. Which is usually so late for him that I feel bad for keeping him up any later. But I know that he needs time with us just as much as we do with him.

I miss my Matty.

As for Grace- she has been a little sick today. Wimpery and lethargic... I think she'll be better tomorrow. She has been on a vegetable strike lately. When she first started eating solids, I couldn't get fruit to stay in her mouth and now it is reversed. But at least I can feed her plenty of fruit to make up for it. She loves apples, bananas, oranges, raisins, and dried cranberries. Then there's her favorite food which is cheese! She eats a string cheese a day and if she sees me slicing some for myself, she is at my feet begging! She is trying to say a few more things lately. (i.e. cookie, milk, dog, car, star) I can catch a few of them, but she gets pretty mad when I don't do it quickly. She turns 18 months tomorrow. She has already started nursery and loves it. The teacher adores her, too.

Myself- I have been working out a lot lately. I joined Jazzercise with my friend Jana and it is getting me into pretty good shape. I have a lot more endurance than I used to and am toning up. I used to work out all the time, but I stopped for a long time after I had Grace. Never again. I was in pretty bad shape when I started up again.

My Scentsy business is still trucking along. I have lots of parties booked and hope it keeps me a little distracted until Matt comes home. Between Grace, the house, my job and Jazzercise...I think that should shave off a few hours a day! :) (By the way, if any of my friends need anything...Feb is 10% off month so just e-mail/call me. It only happens twice a year!)

Matt is hanging in there. He is being worked to the bone and is often completely worn out when I talk to him. He is changing jobs in about a month and we'll have to see how it works out for him. He is safe, and that's my biggest concern right now. We are hoping he can be home for both his and Grace's birthday this year during R & R. We have to be apart for our Anniversary and V-Day for the second year in a row...so if he can come celebrate at least a little, I will be satisfied.