God gives you an extra chromosome....

...and he takes away 2 teeth??  That's right...well at least in Brendan's case!

I took the kids to the dentist for the regular 6 month check up, that alone was exciting!  Let me just tell you how much I love the kids dentist and how much I'm going to miss them when we finally have to move!  First, the office staff is awesome, they are always so nice even if all they heard were your kids screaming!  Also, they have the coolest waiting area, there are toys for the little kids, and video games for the bigger kids!  Then when it's finally time to get into the chair, there is a TV in the ceiling, they let you watch what you want, and they give the kids sunglasses and ear phones!  No wonder why Rory does a song a dance whenever I tell her we are going there!

Anyway, back to the teeth!  One of the many treasures of down syndrome is that it does funny things to your teeth!  A lot of kids with down syndrome may get their teeth really late, and one reason is because they might have really thick gums which makes it harder for the teeth the break through...let me introduce you to Brendan!  Brendan's first tooth finally broke through while I was in the hospital after having Jack, so that would mean that Brendan was 14 1/2 months old.  I realize that's not terribly late, but it's still late.  Then when his teeth finally started coming in, it was in a very irregular pattern, not your typical 2 front bottom teeth, then 2 front top teeth, his were all over!  The good news was that they were coming in, and the pattern didn't really matter.  Until our recent visit....

Dr. Kittle took an x-ray of Brendan since his 2 incisor teeth on the bottom still had not come in and he didn't feel them coming in either.  Let me tell you, the taking of the x-ray was a scream to behold!  Brendan even made Jack cry because Jack was so worried that Brendan was crying!  It was done and over in 20 seconds...and there was the picture....

Okay, so that's not the x-ray, but you can kind of see where he is missing at least one of the teeth..and with good reason, it's just not there!  No baby teeth to come in, and no permanent teeth that Dr. Kittle could see either.  I was slightly panicked until he said "All this means is that he'll have more room on the bottom and his orthodontic bill won't be too bad!"  Gotta love a that little dose of humor!!

Rory and Jack did fairly well, Jack was a typical 2 year old, didn't want to be held down and didn't want someone looking in his mouth without leaving any food behind!  Rory was ready to go all by herself into her chair while I was with the boys during their visit with Dr. Kittle in a room in the back, but don't worry it had glass doors and I could still see Rory out in her chair! 

I love that the kids all got two thumbs up on the brushing and we are good to go for another 6 months!!

Thanksgiving....The Recap..

Our Thanksgiving morning started at 5:45, courtesy of Jack's wake up, 15 minutes earlier than usual.  The clock had started and so had we!  I had finished the pumpkin pie, the butterhorns and the apple pie on Wednesday night, and I still have no idea how I got all that done!  I started making the stuffing at 6am while Jack was very interested in some show on Disney with a lamb..

Wednesday morning I had decided that it would be fun to invite our neighbors overs to watch the Macy's parade and to play parade Bingo!  I know, it's a little odd, but it's fun to have the kids run around and have fun and tucker themselves out a little bit!  9am, the parade starts, the neighbors arrive, and the Bingo has started!  They were all so cute with their cards and crayons...watching intently, and then running around when the commercials came on! 

After parade Bingo, Rory was invited over to play at the neighbors and Brendan and Jack went in for a nap!  Quiet house, turkey was in the over, table was already set...what is a girl to do!  Well, the time went very quickly, 2pm arrived, our neighbors (who do have names by the way, Molly & Ryan  and their children Audrey and Ben!) arrived, Jack was up, Brendan was waking up, the Turkey was out and resting, the gravy was thickening, stuffing and sweet potatoes were warming in the oven...this is good!  Time to sit down, say grace and eat our meal!

The kids were so good, they ate, well not that much, but Brendan and Jack sure did clean up and went back for seconds!  Rory just kept asking, "Can I have dessert now?"  That girl knows the best part of Thanksgiving!  Finally it was time for dessert, the table had been cleared, the dishes almost all done, so that meant it was time to bust out the pies!  Apple Pie, Pumkpin Pie, Cranberry Pecan pie, cookies, ice cream and whip cream!  I won't tell you how much they ate for dessert, but you can guess!

All in all, it was a wonderful day, especially since we were able to Skype with Bryan in the morning, after he had had his Turkey dinner!  We missed him being here, and he missed being here, but we look forward to doing it all again once he gets home for leave!

Out of the mouth of babes...

On this day to give thanks, I have to give thanks to my dear Rory for the quote of the day.  "Mama, I love Thanksgiving, it's a day when God tells us how thankful he is for what we do."  I said "I think it's the other way around"  Rory, "That's what I said."

You know, I think she may have something there.  Maybe it isn't just about giving God and others our Thanks for what they have done, but maybe God is thanking us for what we do with what he gives us.  Just something to think about.

We had a great day today, and I'll write all about it tomorrow....I'm hoping to go to bed soon...the remainder of the dishes can wait...

Preparing Thanksgiving with 3 sets of helping hands

I love Thanksgiving, it's up in the top 3 of my favorite holidays!  I think the reason I love it so much is because of all the Thanksgivings that I remember growing up..I always wondered how we could always fit that many people in our house and how we always had more than enough food!

This year was a little different in that I was making the food with 3 little helpers all around, and I mean all around, in my arms, around my legs, sitting across the counter wanting to do the crafting project.  It was interesting, but as I sit here early on Thanksgiving morning, I can smell the stuffing in the over, I'm looking at the apple pie (still never looks as good as the ones that my Grandmother, Mom and Aunts made!), the table it set, the "Happy Thanksgiving" handcrafted banner is hung, and our Parade Bingo cards are ready to go!  Miracles do happen!

I miss Bryan terribly, especially when his favorite Pumpkin pie was baking in the oven.  The great thing is, that we get to do it all over again when he gets home!  During deployments we never let him miss the real cooking or celebrations of the holidays, so that is what he tells me that he is looking forward too!

As much as I hate not having our family all together, there is so much to be thankful for:
1.  I am thankful that even though Bryan can't be here, we have wonderful neighbors (friends, really) who will be celebrating the day with us!
2. I am very thankful for all of the wonderful Thanksgiving memories that I have, and they always make me smile.
3.  I am thankful for 3 amazing children, who are the center of my world.
4.  I am thankful for my family who is always there for me no matter what.
5  I am thankful for friends, from childhood, adulthood, and countless duty stations, who have come into my life. 

I could go on and on, but there is still some cooking to be done and 3 kids who need some breakfast before they start grabbing at the bags of butterhorns on the counter!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

I hate skipping holidays...

...but when an opportunity comes up sometimes you have to jump at it!

Tonight was an event called "Hometown Christmas" here in Leavenworth.  I know, we still have 6 days to Thanksgiving and I'm annoyed at the people who already have their Christmas lights on the house and lit!!  Now my reasons for going were simple, I like where we live and I really love our downtown area, so I felt like we should support all the people and their businesses, so off we went!

Rory of course was delighted with the "surprise" of going out to dinner to one of our favorite places, the Corner Pharmacy.  Yes, it is exactly what it says, the soda counter at the pharmacy!  It is actually the oldest soda fountain in all of Kansas, and more importantly I can feed 3 kids and me for $20, and that included beverages and a tip..beat that!

While we were there eating who should come barreling into the place, but Jolly Saint Nick!  Rory was delighted and confused all at the same time.  Where are the reindeer?  Why did he take their bells?  Where is the sleigh?  We haven't had Thanksgiving yet!  Of course she was still more than thrilled to pose for a picture wearing her Halloween shirt of course!  Now the boys, well, I think they are on the naughty list..not really of course.  Jack was either scared or annoyed because it looked like this guys was trying to take some of his dinner, and Brendan was amazed that Santa wore glasses too!

Further on in the meal we were greeted by carolers, and they were straight out the movie, A Christmas Carol.  It was fun, until they began to leave and Rory thought that she should go right along with them.

After dinner we went on the hunt for the horse drawn carriage ride..and hunted we did.  We found one of the stops, but it was going to be quite the wait, and of course Rory all of a sudden had to go to the bathroom!  Luckily the Senior Center right across the street was open, and weren't they absolutley delighted to see us!  Rory was the Queen for the moment and the boys were the Kings.  The senior ladies were scrambling to get to them first!  Brendan was doing a show of all of his different waves and kiss blowing talents, and Jack was delighting them with his knowledge of water bubblers and dancing in a circle until he was so dizzy he fell down!  By the time Rory got out of the bathroom everyone's attention was on the boys, so she had to announce herself once again.  How did she do this you ask, well lucky enough this Senior Center had a stage, so she marched right up and sang a Christmas song.  Well, one man came right up to her with her choice of 3 cookies, a bag of goodies and a cup of hot chocolate.  Excuse me!

After the word had come in that the carriage was on it's way to our stop, we piled back into the stroller said our Thank You's, posed for pictures, and made our way across the street to the carriage stop.

The boys were delighted with the horses and sitting like such big boys in the carriage, and Rory, well I swear she was a little annoyed that it wasn't the glass Cinderella carriage, but she loved it!

I know it was a great night, Rory told me so as we snuggled to read our bedtime story.  She said "That was the best surprise, and you are the best mom in the whole world!"  Now, I know that tomorrow I will be the worst mom ever, and if I wasn't then I guess I wouldn't be doing my job.

Tomorrow we have to jump back into Thanksgiving readiness!  Time to make the lists, count the plates and silverware and make the grocery list!  Although, tonight was a nice sneak peek into the Christmas Season to come....

November Challenge:
1. I am thankful that I didn't waste me kid free day today.
2. I am thankful that we had a wonderful almost-family night tonight!  (Rory points out to me all the time that it's just an almost-family since Daddy isn't here)
3.  I am thankful that I got to end my day by chatting with Bryan, nothing like being able to see his face and hear his voice to make the distance seem not so far.

A sign of a good day to come..

This was our view this morning as we dropped Rory off at daycare at 7am on this Wednesday morning...

The picture does not do this sunrise justice.  It was so beautiful.  I took it as a sign that this day was starting off magical and was only going to get better, or a little more realistically, maintain the magic of this moment.

I should explain that Wednesday and Thursday mornings in our house start very very very early.  I drop Rory off at daycare at her school so that I can be back home in time to get Brendan on his school bus.  It's a balancing act, and so far it is working out, but I lay my head on the pillow every Tuesday night a little fear that 5:15 is going to come a little too early.  Lately, the 5:15 wake up call has come with 3 little people in my bed, so my plans of getting ready before getting the kids up has only worked once!  You should always have a goal to work on, right?

All in all, it was a great day, it's the dinner hour that brings out all the drama...just ask my mom.  Tonight we had her in stitches as I trying to have a conversation with her and there was nothing but over the top drama echoing in the playroom.  I think the line that put my mother into a fit of laughter is when Rory was screaming and carrying on about some tiny minute scratch on her leg, blah blah blah blah, I can't walk, it hurts...so I told her to come in the kitchen so I could just cut it off.  Not only was my mother laughing, but Rory started laughing too, funny how the leg didn't hurt at all after that!

Well Thursday, I am waiting to see what you have in store for us!

November Challenge:
1. I am very thankful that Brendan had an A+ day at school wearing his glasses.  His teacher called to tell me that he didn't touch them once!  Looks like we've conquered this mountain, for the moment!
2.  I am thankful that Jack and I had some great Mommy-Jack time.  This kid can crack you up with a smile.
3.  I am thankful for the sunrise this morning.....helps me to remember not to take things for granted.
4.  I am thankful that I voted on Monday for contestants on Dancing with the Stars...gives me every right to complain about Brandy getting kicked off!  Seriously, Bristol Palin??  (Yes, this was a borderline thing to be grateful for, but hey, what do you want from me?)

The Joy of Monday nights..

We love Monday nights in our house for several reasons.  I love the fact that tonight the request for dinner was pancakes...excellent!!  I love breakfast for dinner, and I love that it's one pan to clean and one bowl, 3 happy kids and not a huge clean up!

The other reason we love Monday nights, Dancing with the Stars!  I think that the kids and I have earned that darn mirror ball trophy 20 times over...have you ever tried to dip 3 kids in a row?? 

I love seeing them doing their own little dances, and hearing their laughs...that's the way to end a day!

November Challenge:
1.  I am thankful that Rory requested pancakes for dinner..nothing to forget to thaw for that one!
2.  I am thankful that Brendan had a super amazing day wearing his glasses...I think we turned the corner on that one!
3.  On a funny note, I am so thankful that there was a brand new episode of Dora the Explorer on today!  Dora is a goddess in our house...she can stop a tantrum in 3 notes!

Random Thoughts..

This day was a reminder that the day will never go as you think....

I woke up with all 3 kiddos in bed with me, lots of elbows, knees and toes jabbing me through the night, so maybe I shouldn't have said that I "woke up".  I was awoken several times during the night, but the true calling that it was 6:30am was Jack grabbing my face and saying "Hi Mama.."  Who needs an alarm clock when you have that!

So we started our day and everyone was in a good mood!  Excellent, church should be a breeze....why I allow this thought to cross my mind is ridiculous.  Oh well, we tried it and we made it until the homily, which in Jack's defense was a line by line description of the financial report of the parish.  I think if give the opportunity I would have thrown my raisins too, but I'm sure I would have gotten a bill!  Anyway, we didn't even make it to communion, but what are you going to do....sorry God, catch you next weekend!

Luckily we made it home, had lunch and both Brendan and Jack went in for a good nap, which allowed Rory and I time to hang out and do our thing....which normal involves a craft, popcorn and a movie of some kind.

Later we had our own little concert..we rocked!  Thankfully for my crock pot, which I love and adore, dinner was ready and on the table at 5:15pm, no stress, no meltdowns.  I swear I don't know what I would do without that thing!

Anyway, it is Sunday night, the Pats game is on, Rory's backpack and lunch box are packed and ready for the morning, the boys diaper bag is ready to go, and clothes are all laid it.  Time to call it a night, settle into bed and turn on my latest addiction, Studio 60.

Since I've been slacking, or you know just too busy...

November Challenge:
1.  I am thankful for having some alone time with Rory this afternoon, she is quite an amazing little girl.  She cracks me up when she starts a conversation with "Mama, you know what I'm thinking about?"
2.  I am thankful for Skype and how it keeps us all connected to Bryan no matter how far away he is.  I love seeing the kids faces light up as soon as they see him.
3.  I am thankful that another week is upon us, and looking forward to what it holds.

What is a Veteran?

He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.

He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.

Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU".

"It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, Who has given us the
freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protestor to burn the flag."

Father Denis Edward O'Brien/USMC

10 years ago if someone had told me that I would be an Army Wife picking up and moving our home every 2 years, struggling to learn this new Army language of endless acronyms, enduring months upon months of deployments, birthing a child without my husband by my side, being a single mom more than I would like, I would have told you that you were nuts.  This is the girl who went away to college in West Virginia and after freshman year came right back home.  I never like being far from the comforts of home, of family and friends, and I still don't.

You can't help who you fall in love with.  There is that person out there who when you meet them, they make your heart skip a beat, the butterflies start flying in your stomach, and you just can't stop smiling.  That's what happened the very first time I met Bryan, and still happens every time I see him.

He was an officer in the Army just out of OBC (Officer Basic Course, I told you it was a whole new language).  We were both dating other people at the time, and please, he was in the Army, nothing I would ever involve myself with.  Funny how life laughs at you when you think you have it all figured out.

Bryan was an Officer in the Army, and I fell in love with him.  September 11 had just happened, and I don't think we all knew exactly what was going to happen.  I knew that he would be leaving for Kuwait on a regular 6 month rotation and then he would be back.  I didn't know that I would lose my job in Boston that I loved so much, I certainly didn't know that I would be offered a job in the city where Bryan was stationed in Columbus, GA, and I certainly didn't know that I would be moving down there without him there, and only knowing one other person.

Things happened, we were going to war and Bryan's brigade was first up on the deployment list.  I had no idea what is was to marry someone in the Army, I didn't know what it was going to be like to send my brand new husband off to war, and yet I knew I had to do it.  I loved him, he loved his career in the Army and we were one now.


Combat deployment number 4 is 25% complete, and each deployment it is harder for him to leave, and it's incredibly hard to say those final goodbyes before he gets on the plane.  It is painful, heart wrenching, but you don't let it show.  You know that the other person is dying on the inside too, but as soon as you both turn away and head in opposite directions you let the pain wash over you for 5 minutes, and then you pull it back together and start the countdown.


On this Veterans Day I pay homage to my husband and my best friend.  He gives up so much to do what he loves, for the country that he loves, and the family that he loves.  He is the veteran, and I am the wife who loves him.

3 years ago.....

Three years ago yesterday I thought the most memorable thing about Brendan being born was the story we would have to tell about how he was almost born in the front seat of new car!  We all know that story is sometimes forgotten in the real details of the day.

Three years and 2 days ago Bryan had spent all day on post at the gym getting his battery ready to deploy to Iraq.  They were all getting on the plane without him, but just for a little while.  The plan had been that Bryan would be able to stay with us until Brendan was born and we are able to get him home and set up with Early Intervention.  So we had about 2 weeks, or so we thought.

Brendan was already 4 days overdue when the contractions started just after midnight on November 6.  I toughed it out until about 2:30am when the contractions got to be about 5 minutes about for an hour, that's when I woke Bryan up, got Rory up and in the car and off we went to our friend Kate's to drop off Rory.

We got to the triage room in Labor & Delivery and they hooked me up to all the monitors, and we waited.  About 30 minutes later some little Dr. who couldn't have been more than 21, told me that my contractions needed to be stronger and more regular before they would admit me.  Mind you, this kid Dr. had never had a contraction in her life, and I doubt she even knew what a bad menstrual cramp felt like, but OK.

After they gave a shot to "take the edge off", whatever that meant, we went back home.  Bryan went back to bed and I hung out on the couch because I was horribly uncomfortable, and my Little Baby Cousin Tom was going to be on the Today Show with Ann Curry in Antarctica...couldn't miss that!  I kept dosing off and on for a few hours, and then around 10:30am I remember the contractions changed, they hurt so much I couldn't speak or think or move.  I got Bryan up and told him to get ready because this was it.

I tried to walk to the car but I could only make it a few steps at a time before the contraction would come back, and poor Bryan wanted to help but I screamed at him not to touch me..poor guy!  So we are finally in the car and on our way and now the contractions are coming every minute, or faster.  All I kept thinking was that once we get to the hospital all I needed was an epidural and everything would be fine.  Ha!

Bryan dropped me off at the door and some poor soldier with one arm in a sling held the wheelchair while Bryan helped me in as I'm having a contraction.  Next thing I knew the one armed man whisked me inside and down the hall the elevator...I knew he was thinking "No way I'm delivering this baby".  In no time we were through the doors of labor and delivery and into the first available room, and all I can really remember is a nurse calming saying "We need the next Dr. you can grab, she is delivering now"  I thought to myself "Surely she must be talking about some poor other woman, I just need an epidural and I'll be fine."  All of a sudden there were maybe 6 nurses and one midwife and me, and those words, "The next one and the baby will be out".  Oh dear God, Bryan isn't even in the room, and this is the only reason they let him stay off the plane, and he's going to miss the second birth of his kid!  Then the door opened, there was Bryan, and about 5 seconds later, there was Brendan.

The midwife had told me about 3 seconds after Bryan walked in that there was meconium and that the wouldn't stimulate the baby to breathe, and I have to say that about 2 weeks before Brendan was born I had told Bryan that I thought that would happen...hmmmm.  Anyway, so Brendan was born, I didn't hear him cry, and I didn't really worry about it.  Bryan left my side to go and see him,  and I remember asking if I could get my epidural now.

The moments after that are pretty much a blur, for a number of reasons.  The thing I do remember is I was able to look over at the warmer where Brendan was, and there were a lot of people around him and I couldn't really see him much.  I could see one foot, and it was blue, a purplish blue, not good.  Then I recall a team from the NICU coming in, and then leaving really quickly.  It took a few minutes to settle in that they had taken Brendan with them.  I sent Bryan and I said "Don't leave him". 

The midwife and two nurses stayed with me, I was never alone, and I had no idea what was going on.  Bryan and a NICU nurse came back, and I have no idea what they told me.  Bryan didn't look really worried, so I wasn't going to worry.  I knew that Brendan weighed in at almost 9 pounds, and that was it.

A little while later my perinatologist came in, and I knew the look on her face wasn't a good one.  She said she came up because she heard that I had delievered, and then she told me "I'm sorry, but it does look like there is something wrong with his heart.  They are going to MedFlight him to San Antonio.  I'll ask when you can go and see him."  The rest of the conversation doesn't even register, all I knew was I had to go and see him.

Bryan was with me, as was my friend Denita who had come straight over from yet another send off at the gym that morning for another Squadron.  We all went in together and I was so scared for what I was going to see, and even that couldn't have prepared me.  They wheeled me as close as they could to his bed, and then I had to have help to stand and walk over to him, and there were so many many many machines and tubes and wires and monitors.  He had heart monitors on his chest, he had IV lines in his umbilical cord, he had a tube in his mouth and his eyes were puffy and shut, and for as scared as I was it went away, because he was mine.  This was my son, whom I carried and prayed for for 9 long months, he was ours and I loved him, and I was his Mom and I was going to be strong and brave and I was going to make everyone do what they had to to make him OK.

Birthday Cookies..

That's right, birthday cookies.  This is the tradition in our house, when school allows you to bring a treat into the classroom to celebrate your birthday we make cookies cut out in whatever shape is wanted.  As you can probably imagine, Rory has had Princess Tiara cookies for her past 2 birthdays, and no, that wasn't an easy cookie cutter to find.

Since Brendan's birthday is this weekend, and he only goes to school on Wednesday and Thursday, you guessed it...tomorrow is cookie day.  Why couldn't I have anticipated this happening?  Well, I didn't so I don't have a Dora cookie cutter, or a car cookie cutter, or a train.  You know what I have...Santa Claus, pumpkins, witch hats, flowers, bunny rabbits and of course the tiara.  Well, that won't work.  Then there it was.....the CIRCLE!!!!!  I can do baseballs, or soccer balls, or I could just use a stencil and put a letter B on them for Brendan's Birthday!  Wicked smart if I do say so.

Yes, I know that he will probably never remember or care about the cookies that he had in his classroom for his birthday, but I will.  He is in a classroom, and personally, I thought there should have been a full marching band leading the way for him on his first day of school!  Since there was no marching band, the cookies are what I can do to let him know, and let everyone else know, that I am proud of my son and I'll celebrate him in whatever special way that I can.

My November Challenge:
1.  I am very thankful that I had the chance to talk to Bryan today
2.  I am thankful for laughter that Jack and Brendan filled the house with this afternoon...those 2 are something else

Ahh....Hanging onto Summer just a little while longer

Yes, it is November....I know, but the weather here in Kansas was a true late summer day.  After the boys and I picked up Rory from school we played outside in the front yard with sidewalk chalk, bubbles and our neighbors.  There were no jackets, just lots of smiles and laughs and running around!  Brendan had so much fun he had a true "boy" moment....

I think the last bit of summer like evenings inspired our dinner tonight. 

(Tortellini Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Green Beans)

 Nothing says summer to me more than tomatoes.  Disagree if you like, but to me picking the tomatoes out of the garden with my grandfather Bart, and taking the salt shaker with you, then eating them like an apple is what summer is to me.  It also reminds me how much I miss my grandparents, and it reminds me of how grateful I am to have had them, gotten to really know them and to have such wonderful memories.  I know they are looking down on us and watching us and their great grandchildren from their Recliner chairs with the candy dish on the table between the chairs, and watching with great pride. 

My November Challenge:
1. I am grateful for the 2 hours of pure playtime with Brendan and Jack this morning.
2.  I am even more grateful for the 2 hour nap they took after!
3.  I am grateful for the gift of patience..
4.  I am grateful for the wonderful conversation with 2 pretty cool ladies today

Being Grateful

So it's November 2nd and we're almost at the 3 month mark of this deployment.  The holidays are right around the corner, and things are getting busy in the house.  I think now is the time to reset myself a little bit. 

Being a single mom for the time being isn't easy, it is challenging, but it should be.  Being a parent is a privilege,  although some days I wonder what exactly that is!  I have realized after a very long weekend of everyone battling the stomach bug that I need to stop for a moment and take stock of my life, at the moment.

Having Bryan deployed is awful, there is no other way to put it.  We have been so luck to have had him home for a little over 2 years, and that is a really long time for us.  We found our groove as a family, we settled into the role and we love it!  We did fun outings, we had our things special things that Mommy or Daddy did, and now it's gone....but just for a little bit.  So with these changes of Mommy taking care of everything, and the big changes of Rory being in Kindergarten and Brendan recently starting preschool, I've decided that instead of dwelling everyday on the long of list of things to do, or worrying about the things that didn't get done I have to stop and think about the things that I am grateful for at the end of everyday.

My challenge to myself for this month of Thanksgiving, is to be grateful for at least one thing everyday.  Yesterday I was thankful for 3 healthy children that were able to go to school, and I was very thankful that I was healthy as well and able to get a few things done around the house to get us back to the way we were before our pre-illness weekend!

Let's see if I can actually keep this going....you should try to!