has Kim Chapman been all week?
....anywhere but in front of her computer (for blogging purposes) apparently.
Last weekend we made a quick trip up to Northern Virginia to visit my parents and so I could attend Virginia Zeta Day. We celebrated Trevor's birthday as a family on Friday evening and then Saturday Trevor had a blast hanging out with my parents (and my brother who came home from WVU for spring break) while I hung out with some of my sisters.
We came back so I could be back at the parish for the start of Holy Week, and had two extra puppies in tow. Four dogs has been an adventure and has kept me busy, hence the absence this past week. Easter fun to come this weekend!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Happy Birthday Trevor Francis!
Today, Trevor turns FOUR! Where did the time go? It really feels like yesterday that we held and snuggled him for the first time. Little did we know then, the amazing adventure that our little T-Rex would take us on!
With all the chaos of the last couple of weeks (and the crazy unpredictable weather we have been having) I opted to hold Trevor's party at Color Me Mine in Norfolk. They did a wonderful job, and everyone had a great time. I can't say enough good things about having a party there.
The kids had story time (If You Give A Pig A Party) and then all got to paint their own piggy bank to take home.
After cleaning up that mess, we moved on to another--having some delicious cupcakes! (Thank you to my dear friend Michelle of Sweet Temptation Dessert Cafe for making them...I may or may not have had one for dinner that night)
Then it was on to opening presents--which showed Trevor in rare form. He had been bummed all day that Daddy wouldn't be at the party, but he was full of sheer joy opening each gift. If you didn't know any better, you'd think he had never unwrapped a present before in his life.
Today Trevor is celebrating with all of his classmates at school...with some less-fancy cupcakes made by me...hopefully still delicious though!
After school? Who knows....but we are going to have some fun (after naptime, of course!)
With all the chaos of the last couple of weeks (and the crazy unpredictable weather we have been having) I opted to hold Trevor's party at Color Me Mine in Norfolk. They did a wonderful job, and everyone had a great time. I can't say enough good things about having a party there.
The kids had story time (If You Give A Pig A Party) and then all got to paint their own piggy bank to take home.
After cleaning up that mess, we moved on to another--having some delicious cupcakes! (Thank you to my dear friend Michelle of Sweet Temptation Dessert Cafe for making them...I may or may not have had one for dinner that night)
Then it was on to opening presents--which showed Trevor in rare form. He had been bummed all day that Daddy wouldn't be at the party, but he was full of sheer joy opening each gift. If you didn't know any better, you'd think he had never unwrapped a present before in his life.
(this photo is my favorite--thanks for sharing jenn!)
After school? Who knows....but we are going to have some fun (after naptime, of course!)
Happy Birthday Trevor! We love you more than words can say!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
For the sake of comparison...
I hit the 20 week mark over the weekend and got it together enough that I was able to land in the same outfit that I took my 20 week photo from when I had T-rex.
I am going out on a limb here by saying that this pregnancy is proving far kinder to me than the last.
I am going out on a limb here by saying that this pregnancy is proving far kinder to me than the last.
I'll take it! Let's just hope that the next 20 are just as kind!
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Soccer Saturday 3.16.2013
Today's soccer Saturday is brought to you by my phone's camera....No great pictures, and not many of them, because it rained and the kids were all pretty miserable, so they only made it through about 10 minutes of the game before we threw in the towel....or maybe just ran home to find towels to dry off.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Fair Winds and Following Seas
I apologize for the crazy stream of consciousness that this post contains...I am trying to work through everything from today...and maybe even force myself into having that 'one good cry' that will hopefully get me over the hump and cruising through this deployment like a pro. I almost got there after we got home from the pier, but with a child who didn't want to take a nap, I have just ended up feeling pretty raw all afternoon.
Today was the day. Deployment day. We were prepared for this, everything on our to-do list was completed and so we were worry free about all those loose ends as this date finally arrived on the calendar.
We woke up this morning and Shane cooked breakfast for us. Trevor loves when Shane cooks, because that means pancakes! I just burn them...need to work on that. We packed up the last of Shaner's stuff and headed off to the ship. We were able to spend some time with him on board, before they asked the families to depart so that they could begin their final preparations. Shane walked us back off the pier and we said our goodbyes before I went to help out with the FRG group and wait to see the ship pull out.
Goodbye this time around was different than the last couple of times in a few ways. On the carrier, I always dropped him off at the ship the night before they left, and then we were able to say goodnight on the phone one last time before we went to sleep that night. This time there was more finality to it all. There wasn't going to be a phone call a few hours later, or texts the next morning before they got underway for good. Hugs didn't seem that they were ever tight enough this time, and one last kiss wasn't enough before we went our separate ways and he walked down the pier for the last in a very long time.
We did get to see and hear from Shane one more time before they manned the rails and pulled out. He was able to come back to the back of the ship and wave to us, so getting that one last look really helped. We stayed there at the pier until the ship was gone and then Trevor and I headed home.
As much as I have ever wished for peace and quiet around the house, today the silence was deafening. It has never seen more empty than it did today. I know that will change, but after having Shane home for so long (and not even thinking about the last couple of weeks, but the almost 5 years since he returned from his last deployment) it seemed so much different. Tonight, I am taking comfort in feeling our little girl kicking inside me. It makes me feel that he isn't entirely gone and the silence isn't as bad as it initially seemed when we got home earlier.
I do wish that he didn't have to go, but that isn't my focus as much as it was with past deployments. I know that he has to go, and that he is out doing the job he loves, serving a country he loves. How can I not support him in that? The sadness this time comes from all the things that I know are to come...things that he will miss, things that I don't want to experience alone, but will have to anyway, and things that Trevor will miss.
Trevor has been handling everything pretty well. A couple of times he has said that he misses daddy. I knew that bedtimes were going to be rough for him, so tonight I gave him a jar full of hershey kisses filled with one "goodnight kiss" from daddy to last from now until when Shaner should be home. He seems pretty excited about it, and hopefully it will help with counting down at a level he can understand.
I am off to bed...getting to bed will officially mark the end of the first day of the deployment. It has to start somewhere.
Today was the day. Deployment day. We were prepared for this, everything on our to-do list was completed and so we were worry free about all those loose ends as this date finally arrived on the calendar.
We woke up this morning and Shane cooked breakfast for us. Trevor loves when Shane cooks, because that means pancakes! I just burn them...need to work on that. We packed up the last of Shaner's stuff and headed off to the ship. We were able to spend some time with him on board, before they asked the families to depart so that they could begin their final preparations. Shane walked us back off the pier and we said our goodbyes before I went to help out with the FRG group and wait to see the ship pull out.
Goodbye this time around was different than the last couple of times in a few ways. On the carrier, I always dropped him off at the ship the night before they left, and then we were able to say goodnight on the phone one last time before we went to sleep that night. This time there was more finality to it all. There wasn't going to be a phone call a few hours later, or texts the next morning before they got underway for good. Hugs didn't seem that they were ever tight enough this time, and one last kiss wasn't enough before we went our separate ways and he walked down the pier for the last in a very long time.
As much as I have ever wished for peace and quiet around the house, today the silence was deafening. It has never seen more empty than it did today. I know that will change, but after having Shane home for so long (and not even thinking about the last couple of weeks, but the almost 5 years since he returned from his last deployment) it seemed so much different. Tonight, I am taking comfort in feeling our little girl kicking inside me. It makes me feel that he isn't entirely gone and the silence isn't as bad as it initially seemed when we got home earlier.
I do wish that he didn't have to go, but that isn't my focus as much as it was with past deployments. I know that he has to go, and that he is out doing the job he loves, serving a country he loves. How can I not support him in that? The sadness this time comes from all the things that I know are to come...things that he will miss, things that I don't want to experience alone, but will have to anyway, and things that Trevor will miss.
Trevor has been handling everything pretty well. A couple of times he has said that he misses daddy. I knew that bedtimes were going to be rough for him, so tonight I gave him a jar full of hershey kisses filled with one "goodnight kiss" from daddy to last from now until when Shaner should be home. He seems pretty excited about it, and hopefully it will help with counting down at a level he can understand.
I am off to bed...getting to bed will officially mark the end of the first day of the deployment. It has to start somewhere.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Soccer Saturdays 3.19.13
Trevor had his first game of the season today and BOY was it night and day compared to last season. Of course, the kids still had a blast, but to see how they have changed focus and ability wise in just a few short months is amazing.
Trevor had a great time and can't wait to go back for our next practice. Looks like we are going to have a great season! Go Sounders!
Trevor had a great time and can't wait to go back for our next practice. Looks like we are going to have a great season! Go Sounders!
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