My Baby Likes Soul Food!

Yesterday for lunch I decided I would fix the Monkey a "Fried Chicken Kids Cuisine". I told my friend who was over for coffee "Oh he'll never eat the chicken. Only the corn and chocolate pudding." Well, my fellow readers, I was wrong. This kid at 2 chicken legs, most of the corn and all of the pudding. He didn't just eat the chicken, he sucked the bone clean. I had to call my Daddy in Alabama to tell him, so he could be just as excitied as I was.

Clarke normally doesn't eat meat unless it is ground turkey mixed in with rice and sauce or spaghetti. He must know we're getting ready to head back to the deep south and is preparing his body for a quick reaction to the "Soul Food". I know I can't wait to get back to Bama. I want some of Zack's fried Chicken, White Acer peas, Fried Green tomoatoes, mashed potatoes and some fried Corn Bread. Healthy Meal huh?

Our Visit with Daddy

And the fun begins...

My American Soldier

Mommy helping Clark to smell the Daisies

Clarke helping Daddy to smell the daisies

Clarke playing in a field of Wild Flowers

here are a few photos from our trip to see daddy while he's away training for his upcoming mission. The weather was beautiful and we had a great time!

I Know, I Know...

howdy strangers-

I've been away, well not really, for a few days and for that I apologize. I took my monster to the Dr. last Thursday (a week ago) for his 18 month Well Baby and he had a Double Inner Ear infections. Friday I started the meds and Clarke had a nasty reaction to them. So, I spent Friday-Tuesday fighting with a very unhappy 19 month old. We finally got some new antibiotics on Tuesday afternoon, but they aren't much better. The pediatrician put him on Zantin. If you know what Lemon Scented Mr. Clean smells like, thats what these meds taste like. They are HORRIBLE. I'm 24 and nobody could MAKE me take them. Poor Clarke, hes been a trooper though. We're still not out of the woods yet. Went back to the Dr. yesterday and his right ear still looks like he was burned on the inside. I promise I am not a neglectful mother. I just live on a military post that is short on doctors and has a staff that has NO respect for their patients needs. ESPECIALLY when Daddy is away on business. Thank You Jesus for Lexapro!!!!

I promise when I have some more time tomorrow I am going to post something good.
In the mean time check out Confessions of a CF Husband. Tricia is out of the hospital and little Gwyneth is well on her way to joining her Mommy and Daddy at home!!!

P.S. I'm going to see the hubby tomorrow for a few hours! Pray that Clarke doesn't get confused, and that we don't have more sleepless night with his screaming for his Papa. I'm a worn out mommy.

You Know You Want To....Try It

Clarke and I ventured out yesterday and decided to try some of this Organic Milk.
He's drinking it like a champ! Too bad I only bought one 1/2 gallon.

Good Company

I just wanted to pass this little clip along to you guys.
My friend ZJ or as Clark calls her E shared it on her blog "Deep Calls to Deep"

p.s. I've been working on 2 new post so keep your eyes open for them;
1. What Goes with a Name and 2. A Call to Higher Living.

Welcome to the World Charlie Page

Charlie Page FINALLY decided to grace us with her presence
Saturday, April 12th at 12:41 a.m. She was 8 pounds 9 ounces and 20 inches long.
Isn't she just beautiful!!
Mommy and Daddy are my best friends Mindy and Brian Mainwaring.
I'm one proud "Auntie"

Clarke Update

We had our 18 month (he will be 20 months in 2 weeks) Well Baby appointment today and Clarke-man did great. We saw our favorite P.A. Mrs. Freeze after a 4 week wait. Of course Clark is a ladies man so each time we go in to see Mrs. Freeze he has to be a little flirt. She thinks he's such a good baby! He's grown to a whooping 28 pounds (50%) and 33 3/4 inches (70%) in height.

I had her check his little ears out just to be on the safe side (since we've had so many problems) and guess what...YES we have a double inner ear infection. This makes for ear infection #3 for us this year. So we're on round 4 of antibiotics.

I was also able to get a good look in his mouth while he was on the exam table and he is cutting 3 more teeth to make things even better. Before too long he'll have a mouth full and we'll be anticipating our first trip to the Dentist. Watch out Deb-Deb, he'll be sitting in your chair before you know it :-).

*Side Note: Please pray I am going to try to loose the Pacifier this weekend. Not sure how this is going to go over but it's just the right time. MAYBE???

I made it through the 2 shots he had to have with flying colors. Poor thing screamed and screamed and screamed. He just kept looking at me with his puppy dog eyes and it broke my heart. Wes would have been proud. I think I can do it on my own from here on out! No more needles until he's 4! Thank you Jesus!

Sorry for not posting any photos but Wesley left for the field with my camera. I PROMISE that I'm going to get some from my buddies to post before the weekend is over.

Ciao!!

My Life As an Army Wife {Part 3: Field Missions}

This week has been awfully busy for me and the Monster. I apologize for falling behind on keeping you guys up to speed. I've been going non-stop for the last 6 days. Wesley left us on Friday for the next 6 weeks. Of course this isn't a problem for us, Clark and I will manage, but we just miss him an awful lot.

I can not go into a lot of detail about what a Field Mission consist of, but I can tell you that they take soldiers away from their families for weeks and months at a time. These missions are absolutely necessary, especially when you are coming up on a deployment. They do spend a lot of time working with the aircraft, but they also spend a lot of time doing training exercises that will help them prepare for their future as soldiers. I will be honest with you, this Mission will be the hardest for me, but will be great for me at the same time. I think that this is God's way of allowing me to become more dependent on Him, rather than depending so much on Wesley.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD."

Jeremiah 17:7

So, what I need to say now is that a Field Mission give you lots of opportunities to find out who you are as a wife, a mother, and mostly who I am as the Bride of Christ. And as important who I will have to be while my husband is away on his year long mission. It's a time filled with lots of emotions as well. Spouses get used to their soldiers being gone, but yet there are still times of loneliness, anxiety/anxiety, loss of patience and depression. Thanks be to God for giving me my Monster to keep me busy. If he wasn't around, I would be absolutely miserable. Yes, it's tough being alone with a toddler (he's not a bad baby, just busy), but I am blessed to have great friends and a wonderful babysitter who offers to help me with Clarke all the time. Because I am constantly in the scriptures, and because I have memorized much scripture I can find the encouragement that I need to make it through.

C4: I want to put out a plug for my friends Crash, ZJ and Kaine. They are the host of a brand new Podcast called C4: A Christian Companion's Combative Creed. I'd love for you all to follow the link on the side of their page and listen to what they have to share. ESPECIALLY if
you are a military wife!!

Charile Page: My best friend Mindy and her husband (who is deployed) Brian from Columbus, GA welcomed to the world this week their first daughter. I am so proud of then. I will post photo's of the little princess just as soon as they send me some. Please continue to pray for Mindy and Charlie while Daddy is away. He should return for a little R&R around June to meet his little one for the very first time!

Wesley's Father: We were given the news last Thursday that Wesley's Father may (more than likely) have Prostate cancer. All of the test that have been done so far lead to the Positive. He will have a few biopsy's done the first week of May and after that we will know more. Also, my FIL had one of his kidney's removed a year or so ago, and he was also given word that the remaining kidney is not functioning as it should. We covet your prayers for Edward, Wesley and for our Family.

I will be taking Clarke to the Dr. tomorrow for his 18 month well baby. He'll be getting several shots too. I'm thinking to have his babysitter Miss April meet me at the clinic to take him in for the shots because I don't do so well. I'll update you tomorrow after the appointment!

Movin' On Up

This is where we found him.

Isn't an angel?
(Only when he's sleeping)

This is where he should have been!

So we REALLY made the transition today. We've converted the Monster's crib into a toddler bed. We've converted the bed one other time and it didn't work out too well so back in the crib he went. This time he's going to have to put on his big boy britches and ride it out. We converted the bed at around 11:00, right before lunch and prior to the afternoon nap at 12:30. Clarke had some time to play in the bed before hand so he kinda got the feel of the"No Rail/Freedom" situation. We didn't put up a small side-rail as you can see from the photo's below. We are not careless parents I promise The only one we can get here is just long enough for Clark to get his little neck stuck between the rail and the side of the crib. I could see an accident waiting to happen. We decided against the rail until I can order one online. The air mattress will have to work until Daddy has to leave for the field.

Nap time rolled around at 12:30. I took Clark into his room, put him in his bed and against my better self (he dosen't watch t.v. before bed its a NO NO) I turned on a Veggie Tales DVD, shut the door behind me and stood outside the door and waited. Indeed within 30 seconds he was getting the basket with all of his stuffed animals out and putting them on the air matress. He was playing quietly for about 15 minutes I would say and I peeked back in and found my little fella sound asleep. Wes took a look, I grabbed the camera and then being the good mom I am, I put him in his bed to sleep until 4:30 p.m.

Hopefully tonight will go as well as nap time did!!!!

P.S. We're getting a potty seat THIS WEEK!

Lookie What I Got....

Thanks to Mrs. Tonja over at "Gatherings"
for my very first bloggy award!

NOW I'm going to choose Darby to receive this special award!!!

Self CONTROOOOOLLL

I don't know if any of you have ever heard the song "Fruit of the Spirits Not a (Name a Fruit)", but tonight I am shouting it from the roof tops. I learned it when I worked at GA/Acteens Camp in 2003. I've got alot going on in my mind that I fill like I just need to let loose, but at the same time I know if I do that it could rub some people in my life that are very important to me in the wrong way. So tonight, I am not going to write anymore. I am going to leave you with the words of this kid song to go spend some much needed time with my "Papa God"

Fruit of the Spirits not a Coconut
Fruit of the Spirits not a Coconut
Wanna be a Coconut
You might as well Hear it
You can't be a fruit of the Spirit
Cuz, the fruits are
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and SELF-CONTROOLL. (emphasis made on Self-Control as you can tell)

My God is So Good

Friends,
At 5:13 a.m. I awoke to the news that Tricia was in the OR receiving her brand new lungs. It wasn't a "dry run" after all. I would just like to say that we serve a God that doesn't make promises that he can not keep! Tricia will not be out of the woods for sometime. I am asking on behalf of Nate and Tricia that you would continue your prayers.

{Perfection}
*Baby Gwyneth and Daddy waiting for Mommy to get out of Surgery*

Please Pray for Tricia

Tricia

The Lawrenson's
Nate, Tricia and Baby Gwyneth

Friends,
Please join me in praying for Nate and Tricia Lawrenson. Click on the link above to read more of their story. I have been following them prayerfully since Gwyneth was born and it has been such an amazing glimpse of God's work in the lives of 2 people who trust him faithfully and are relying completely on Him to work in the lives of Mommy and Baby. Tricia just got the news that she may be getting her brand new set of lungs TODAY. We should pray specifically for a couple of things:
1. For the family of the one that has lost their precious loved one
2. Praise for this precious soul who at some time said Yes to being an organ donor
3. For the Dr's. who will determine whether or not the Lungs are good enough for Tricia
4. Pray that Tricia would have Peace in whatever the outcome of this situation will be. Pray that this would not be a dry run but will be the day that Tricia has been waiting for.

Please if you read their story be sure to comment and let them know that you are praying!!

Happy Anniversary Momma and Daddy

Daddy, Clarke-Monster and Momma
Feb 2008
(sorry guys only photo I have of the 2 of you together)

On April 1st, 2008 my Momma and Daddy celebrated 32 years of marriage.
I have learned from them what it means to trust, love and build a family built from a strong foundation.
We Love and Miss You So Much!

My Life As an Army Wife {Part 2: Military Formals}

Wes and I just arriving for Cocktail Hour

My Bestest German Friend Rebecca (Clarke's Tante)

Wesley, Dale Smith and our neighbor Curtis Baker
(just a few of Wesley's best friends here in Germany)

My first taste of "GROG"

"Crash" (one of my besties), Me and one of my other German Friends Jeanette

I know I said that I would be posting on Monday's about my life as an Army Wife, but I wanted to save this post for Today. Wes and I attended our very first Military Formal last night. We had Clarke's babysitter "Miss April" come over around 4:15 and she stayed until around 10:45. Clark is always so good for her and that makes us proud! We left with a house of chaos and came back to it all tidied up. You could tell that we'd been gone all day and only home long enough to get ready.

Here's a little about how the night progressed. Cocktail hour was from 5:00-6:00 and then we proceeded through the Receiving Line to introduce ourself to all of the "Special Guest" of the evening. We then moved into the hall to find ourselves STANDING at our seats for around 25 minutes waiting for the Welcome, Posting of the Colors, Invocation and the Toast to begin so we could be "formally" seated by our husbands/special guest. Side Note: I had not eaten since 930 a.m. (and very little at that) had already had 2 large glasses of wine and they were expecting me to Charge my Glass and drink more during the toast. FINALLY, we got the 2 minute warning and continued to stand for another 20 minutes while the above happened. All the while I was getting more and more annoyed because I was tipsy from the wine and starving to death. Finally, I heard the words, Gentleman....Please seat your ladies. They then proposed a toast to all the ladies in the room and the men were allowed to sit down as well!!! WHOA, I thought it would never end.

We were then asked to note the empty table at the front of the room that represented the Fallen Comrade's that were not with us during the evening. It was a beautiful representation; a single table, white table cloth that represented the pure intentions of the solider, a single red rose in a bud vase with a small red ribbon tied around it (there was a meaning but I don't remember). The chair was leaned forward as if the table was to remain unoccupied. Brought me to tears thinking that it could, sometime in the future, be someone that I know personally.

Next was the GROG ceremony. What an interesting event. GROG is a tradition for most military balls if I understood correctly. It is a mixture of WHATEVER (alcoholic) each Company wants to add to the punch bowl as a symbolism of the necessary ingredients for deployment. Last night there was Bacardi 151, Jack Daniels, Malibu Rum, Sand from a soldiers boot (sand from the desert), Screwdrivers, and MUCH MUCH more that I could not tell because the article was presented in a gas can, oil filter, pitchers, etc. It didn't taste near as bad as it smelled. Thank You "Crash" for encouraging me to try it! I thought it was strong but YUMMY! Since they ran out last night maybe we need to make some of our own!

The remainder of the "Formal" part of the evening was dinner, a little slide show, some remarks from the Commander of the Batallion and the Lt. General, some songs, a little prayer and then the Colors were retired. Then, the D.J. started playing and everyone danced and drank the night away! In all the night was exciting and a good time with some of our very best friends here in Germany.