Happy 4th of July (A Little Late)and My Life as A Military Wife: Daddy's and Deployments

Pledge to the Flag (or so he thought)

My KK enjoying the Kids pool

This was just Lunch on Saturday. The bar was all the real food, the table held all the sweets.

My favorite cousin Kaci and I...about 10 p.m. and I was lookin' terrible

Kaci, Me and Lane (Kaci's best friend)

Hi Friends!

Last Wednesday I left Dothan at 9 a.m. headed to Atlanta for an overnight trip so that I could drop my car off to be shipped on Thursday. My cousin Taylor (14), Clark and I would do a 24 hour turn around and make the trip back home with another cousin Jessie (19). We spent Wednesday evening swimming at my aunt and uncles in Social Circle and having a GREAT dinner at Applebee's with our cousin Shane and his Fiance Dana. Thursday we got my car sent off at the Vehicle Processing Center and headed back to D-Town before 1 p.m. Seeing that inspector drive my car to the parking garage was like a breathe of fresh air for me. BY August 17th my car will be in Germany for us to pick up and enjoy for the next portion of our tour.

The Celebration of our Country's Independence has come and gone and man oh man am I still worn out. Clark and I had a VERY busy weekend with lots of the "Clark" (that's my maiden name...remember) family here for a Semi-Family Reunion.

By Friday evening we had around 25 people here at our house and enough food to feed an Army. My uncles and aunts prepared 15 pounds of hamburger meat, 48 hot dogs and of course beans, stewed squash, pasta salad, fresh field peas, pound cake, baked beans and all the fixings! It was a great night.

Saturday we started all over again. Clark and I headed over to "Gilmore Farms" for a 4th of July picnic as tradition always holds. It was so hott, but let me tell you my boy loves to be outside, hot or not. We arrived around 1130 but only stayed until about 130 because of all the family arriving back at our house for the day and a nap was needed by Clark...desperately. After a good nap and lots of good food (today we had 4 whole pork loins, 3 boston butts, chicken breast, deer sausage fresh green beans and peas, corn on the cob, pasta salad, squash, lots and lots of sweets and watermelon) we broke out the swimming pool and water hose to cool off a little. I think the big kids/adults enjoyed it more than the kiddo's did.We spent the afternoon relaxing on the back porch in the shade and just really enjoying each other's company. At dark we decided to put up the Volleyball net and get our game on. I think the older adults enjoyed watching us younger adults/grandkids make a fool of ourselves.

It sure was a great 4th of July with a lot of family we won't be seeing again until we return from Germany in 2011.

Below you will find the link to a video called "Price of Peace". Be sure you watch it all the way through. It is VERY good. It was written by a 13 year old who has experienced her share of saying "Goodbye".

PRICE OF PEACE

*UPDATED* I'm Seeing Things More Clearly These Days

See these....Yes!
They are mine!

They are a dark chocolate brown/purpleish with a hint of wood grain on the front corners and the sides with a little bling bling as well. My other glasses just sorta disappeared this past week. I'm not sure if I threw them in the garbage in the process of cleaning up and cleaning out or if a little boy named Clark has hid them from me.
All I know is that I'm driving my SUV to Atlanta this week to the Vehicle Processing Center to be shipped to Germany and I need my "Eyes" to drive to and fro!

Whatcha think guys?
Clark tells me they are PERFTECT :-)

UPDATE
*MY GLASSES THAT DISAPPEARED HAVE BEEN LOCATED. IN THE DRESSER WHERE MY SHORTS ARE STORED. WONDER HOW THEY GOT THERE?

Soo....This is How it Feels

Me and my buddy Vince Johnson. We taught together at the KSD
and he is the director of Hip-Hop for Patti Rutland Jazz......
AMAZING Dancer!!!

Me with Heather (& Heather's Hubby) and Almitra.
These were always MY "Black Girls"!

Me and Patti Rutland-Simpson after the show

"PRJ Old Folk"

WHOA...what a whirlwind of a weekend. Here's a little re-cap for you all!

Friday- Clark had swimming lessons and passed his little test with flying colors. Kid loves the water and for that I am pleased. His mommy and daddy absolutely adore the beach and are delighted to know that we can take him there anytime and he's one happy and content boy. Side Note: Breezy proposed to me on the beach b/c it's a place where we love to spend time together, even before we were married.
Friday evening was spend relaxing at home doing much of nothing. Clark took a nap at 5 and slept till 7. He was pooped little boy. He was back in bed by 10:30.

Saturday: Clark and I got up around 8ish and headed out to the Poker Run for TAPS, which was unsuccessful yet again. I was very disappointed. Our Event Coordinator has another plan in the works. I won't be around to see if fulfilled but hopefully he'll get a good turn out. This event was my last event with TAPS. Today I am placing my letter of resignation in the mail. Due to some unforeseen circumstances and me moving away Breezy and I have decided that it's time for me to step down. It was a hard decision to make because I love those little girlies and desire to see them in their tap shoes for years to come. I just pray that the funds continue to come in and TAPS, Inc. can remain a faithful, profitable Non-Profit Organization.

Our Friend Ethan turned 5 on Saturday and I turned 26. Clark and I celebrated with Ethan at a big birthday bash hosted by his Mom and Manda (from Snatches of Time). It was a lot of fun, definitely a birthday party Ethan won't forget, especially since Manda took probably 200 plus photos.

Saturday night my mom and I had a date night. We got all dressed up and headed to the Opera House for the Patti Rutland Jazz Re:Union Show. Oh friends, I had the best time. There were girls/guys there that I started dancing with when I was 6 (some of these people were Sr. Company at the time I started dancing). Patti Rutland Jazz was originally started in 1989 when I was in kindergarten. I actually became a part of PRJ when I was 7 or 8 and was in Pee Wee Company. I made my way to Jr. Company, left for a couple of years to dance at the Kelly School of Dance and came back to be a part of the actual "PRJ" for 2 years. Times I will NEVER forget. There were around 28 of us there that were "OLD" PRJ memebers and maybe 12 of the "NEW" company memeber. The show was AMAZING. Seeing peices that were performed over the past 25 years. I danced in my seat, I cried, I laughed and most of all I just had an all out good time. RIP J.B. Beasly- this show was dedicated to you my friend!

Yesterday I packed up, cleaned out, picked up and looked for my Seeing Eye Glasses that have all of a sudden disappered. I am leaving in 2 weeks so I have alot to get done before that can happen. I had an amazing birthday dinner of Seafood with my family and finished up the meal with a homeade Butter Pecan Peach Cobbler. YUM-O made by my momma.

What You've Been Waiting For

I love these photos and can't wait to get some of them ordered, matted, framed and hanging randomly on one of the wall's in the family room of our home in Germany.

Thanks to Amanda at Snatches of Time Photography for her brilliant work!

Today was a heck of a day...2 hours at Lyster Army Hospital at Ft. Rucker for the Dr. to tell me that Clark is 6 pounds overweight. Oh Yeah! I pointed to his belly and said...Mam' do you see any fat on this child. Absolutely not, he is SOLID. Yes, my kid does wear 4/5 T tops and 4 t bottoms and he's only 2 1/2, but he's built just like his Daddy, his mommy and his cousin Jason who is 6 foot tall or taller. I love my BIG boy! He had labs to test his cholestorol, thyroid, and something else.

I found all 3 of us new suitcases today. I picked up 2 Chocolate Brown Docker suitcases with the 360 degree wheels for 69.99 each for Wes and Imyself. I purchased a cute little Red 5 peice set for Clark for 99.00. When we travel back to Germany, I'm not only packing for Clark and I, but for Breezy too. He's been here twice and has enough clothes to dress for a summer without doing laundry! I'm just lacking luggage straps that I'm going to have our names monogrammed on and then....We're all ready to travel in style.

I've been stressing about all the expenses of moving back to Germany, but today I looked on the United Airlines webiste to discover that they do not have a checked baggage charge...THANK GOODNESS. I knew I needed to travel with atleast 3 suitcases, but now I can travel 2 bags each at no additional charge!!!

Ok, I'm rambling again. I'm heading to bed. Its 10:30 and tomorrow is going to be busy; Poker Run, Birthday party and the Patti Rutland Jazz, Re:Union Show at 7!

Life As A Military Wife: Joy Comes in the Morning

Hey Yall!!
I've not been MIA since my last post on the 19th I've just been a busy momma. I've been trying to keep Clark very occupied so that he isn't missing his D-A-D-D-Y (we spell his name, we don't say his name unless we are actually "talking to" Daddy) as much as he has been. Friends, it's been a little rocky for Clark, especially at bedtime. We're making progress though and each day is getting a little easier.

Breezy FINALLY arrived back at camp on the 23rd. He left here on the 19th. It was a long trip for him and he was very exhausted upon arriving. Thankfully he had the night off and next day so was able to get some much needed rest. Of course, we're missing him like crazy, but we're looking forward to his return in early August. I've even got a new dress to wear already :-)

We've been attending swimming lessons at Westgate for the last 2 weeks and my little "Shark" is doing great. He told his instructor Alexis on Tuesday that he wasn't a fish, he was a "Shawk". We've spent a lot of time in the pool over the last few weeks and I must say I love every minute of it, but the joy Clark shares with me while swimming makes each new day a little brighter. I took Clark over to my best friends parents on Monday to go swimming and before I knew it he was jumping off the diving board and going down the slide ALONE...now of course there was an adult watching him at all times. I purchased some Speedo Water Wings this year from Target and they've been the best investment I've made all summer. They are a little big, but they do their job by keeping my little Shark's head above water and by keeping him happy.

Let me give you a little update on baby Leighton since I've not done that in a while. She went for her Newborn check up with Dr. Williams last week and she's already growing like a weed. She has gone from 5 pounds 13 ounces and 18 3/4 inches long to 6 pounds 3 ounces and 20 inches long. She's starting to fill out a little and has a head full of blonde hair. She's just the cutest little thing.She's starting to outgrow her Newborn clothes and is fitting into her 0-3 months a little bit better. She pretty much sleeps, eats and pees (only pooping a little), but keeps her Mommy and Daddy on their toes. She has stollen all of our hearts. I have been spoiling her as much as possible....Breezy I promise not too much though! My friend Amanda from Snatches of Time photography stole some sweet shots of here earlier this week and they are so beautiful.

I'm having problems loading photos for some reason, but just as soon as I get this kink fixed, I've got MORE than enough to share with you. I'm waiting on the Play by Play Disney Vacation Posts until I can get the photos to go along because I know that's all you really care about anyways!

As for the title of my post...of course I've been a little down for the past few days, but this morning I woke up and discovered a joy that I haven't felt since Breezy left. The Lord gently reminded me that I am not in this alone. I've got an amazing support system (my parents, family and a small handful of faithful friends) and that the end is clearly in sight :-). I've got so many reasons to experience joy (I'll save that for another day) and there is not one reason why I shouldn't find a new reason everyday! So, today I'm going to get myself together, put on my REAL BIG girl panties and look for joy in the sweetness of being Breezy's wife and Clark's mommy and just BE! There's to much to be done to worry about being "down and out".

There's Only Us

There's Only This

Forget.Regret. Or Life Is Yours To Miss

No Other Road

No Other Way

No Day But Today

-Rent

"No Day But Today"