I just love my Wii fit. I got it for my birthday and the kids and I are having a blast with it. It is harmless competition (which Dylan is winning at the moment) and they are having a blast playing it. Just now we have been doing the "Hula Hoop" and my heart rate is up. Cool huh!!!! It also can track your weight and it tells you when you are losing. I lost this last week. Yea!!!

With Dylan's help Tyler's very loose tooth came out last night. They were playing and somehow Dylan hit him in the cheek and the tooth just fell out. Tyler cried about being hit, but said the tooth coming out didn't hurt at all. So with Terry and Dylan's help I haven't had to pull a tooth yet. Yea!

Okay this is going to age me quickly, but I went to the garage to find the charger for the Fisher Price jeep that Jason wants to ride on our wonderful 4 acres and I looked in a box and I found some records. I would love to find a record player right now and play them. Wonder if they are worth anything on ebay. I am sure the Eagles Live would sell. And I just loved that Styx album. Wow where did the years go? By the way still haven't found the charger. Don't you just love moving!!!

Along with the stress of having a spouse deployed throw in a little PMS and wow do things get ugly. It was a long, very quiet weekend and I wasn't feeling very positive. The whole unknown with housing is killing me, right now I am 2nd to be offered a house (haven't I been here before). I am still trying to hold out for a house in the area where Dylan will not change schools. Let me just add here that right now there are no houses open in either neighborhood so that is not preventing me from getting a house. Either way it won't matter if many more Key and Essential come on the list. As they sign in I drop, they will always be offered a house before me. So here is the equation I need, houses in Rhicard Hills to open up before any more K&E come on the list. Seems pretty simple to me. Let's pray it happens sooner rather than later.

Twelve years ago at this moment I was in a hospital in Albuquerque NM getting ready for the birth of my first child. Dylan was born at 7:23am Mountain time by c-section since he was breach. We didn't know if he was a boy or girl and we wouldn't tell anyone the names we had picked out. When the doctor pulled him out and said it's a boy, they all asked "what are you going to name him" and Terry told them "Dylan Terry Clark". I can't believe that was twelve years ago. If I can find my photo album I will put a picture of him up.

Yes I watched it this season faithfully. Terry and I predicted long ago that David A and David C would be in the top. We were also banking on Michael Johns being in the top 3. After hearing the top 12 yesterday I still believe he should have been in well past Jason Castro, Carly Smithson, and Brooke White.

As you probably know David Cook won it. I am thrilled. I know David A will do very well in his career. I think David Cook is the right choice right now. I am glad America agreed with me.

Courtesy of this month's Reader's Digest:

A five-year-old Air Force dependent's response to the question of having to get settled in a new home:
"Oh, we carry our home with us - we just have to find a house to put it in."

Love it!!!
Julie

Kirk was drawn to babies and kids. Every time he came to Grandma's house when I was staying with them he had to hold Jason. I believe Kirk was the main reason Jason was so comfortable with Terry when he returned home from Iraq.
Kirk was showing us the cooler he had gotten for graduation and decided it was the perfect size for Jason. Notice how Jason is looking up at him.

I grew up with Lilac bushes around my house. Terry and I were thrilled to decide that several of the bushes around the house were Lilac. They are in full bloom now and smell very good. They must do well in this climate because you see them everywhere. This morning I let the dog out early and I heard a hummingbird zoom by them so that is my project this week to get a feeder out for them to enjoy.

Dylan lost a molar this week, it has been hanging on by a thread and finally just fell out. I forgot to have him put it under his pillow for at least 3 days. Dylan is sorta over the tooth fairy, but likes getting the money. Last night I made a big deal out of telling him to put it under his pillow. Jason wanted to help so Dylan let him put it under his pillow. This morning both Dylan and I had forgotten about it. Dylan had already gone to school, when Jason gets up and first thing he does is go to Dylan's room and start digging under the pillow and finds the money. The magic continues....

DB is good. We have gone back to the vet everyday to have his bandage changed. (aren't I a good dog mom) and the tech said today that the leg looked really good, all the swelling is gone. He still has some irritation with his eyes. I see the vet on Monday so maybe she will decide what that really is. They gave him the stiff cone so he would quit trying to lick the leg. Now everywhere he goes he hits the cone. Poor puppy. He is back to his crazy puppy play. It is really nice to see him running again. I was really worried when he came back on Sunday and he wouldn't even use the leg, I was sure it was broken.

I am happy to report that DB is feeling much better. He is now using the leg and moving pretty good. He doesn't like the cone much, but who would. His new nickname is Flower.

His eyes are a bit swollen. She didn't know what caused that. He could just have allergies like the rest of us.

Vet called me this afternoon and the leg is not broken, but it does have a nasty infection. (Didn't need a vet to tell me that) so he is on Antibiotics and pain medication. She says it is very possible he jumped out of a moving vehicle. As long as we can get the infection under control he should be good as new.

Terry is now in Iraq and will start to work tomorrow. I am sure he is ready to actually do something. He will room with one other guy and he says the room is awfully small. The good news is that he has a real bed. The perks of being a Major.

Kids and I went to McDonalds for lunch and when we got back 20 minutes later he was on the porch. He is hurt something with his back leg, but at least he is here. Will post more later.

I am just devestated someone could drive up to a house and load a dog up. I am so frustrated and dumbfounded right now. On Mothers Day.... What is wrong with people. It has now been over 4 hours since I have seen the dog. Dylan will be so heart broken.... his dad deploys Monday and his Dog is gone on Sunday. What is wrong with people?

This morning my Dog DB was outside. Around 8:00am I saw him run around the house, I got up to look and saw a vehicle outside, I wasn't fully dressed so I ran upstairs to get dressed. I looked out my blinds and saw a woman sitting in the passenger side. When I got downstairs they were driving away so I looked out the window to make sure DB wasn't in the way. I didn't see him. So I went outside to look to see if they left anything they hadn't. That's when I started calling for DB to see where he had gone. No response. So I grabbed the toner and started beeping him. He never came. Two hours later he still isn't home so I am convinced those people took him. I have filed a police report.

How could someone drive up to a house with 2 cars parked outside and take a dog? On mothers day of all things.

Happy Mothers Day

I often question how I am doing as a Mother. One thing I want for my kids is to be kind and to know the difference between right and wrong.

Last Sunday the Priest called up the deploying soldiers. Terry walked up and as the Priest was givng them his blessing I started crying, I was trying not to for the boys sake, but Dylan could see me.

He patted me on the back and said " It's okay Mom, Kirk is in Heaven he will look out for Dad".

Dylan didn't just say that to make me feel better, he really believes it. If Dylan believes in Heaven he must have faith in God and Jesus. So maybe I have done one thing right.

One of the speakers at the lunch I went to yesterday is a military spouse of 25 years and she did quite a few of these during her speech. Here is one I like alot, if you can make one up send it to me and I will post it.


You might be a Military spouse if you know that the Class 6 store has nothing to do with school supplies.

My husband thought ahead and ordered flowers for Mothers day. I got them on Friday. Isn't that so sweet. Who says you can't teach an old Dog new tricks. My old Dog is doing very well. I love my hubby.

We made our first ever claim with the government this move. The movers smashed the cornor of my table,it will have to be replaced. I didn't think I had the receipt and I told them the wrong amount for the table and chairs. They ask for a comparable value online, in my haste to get it done and with all the confusion with Terry leaving I sent the wrong one. When I called and asked the amount and found it somewhat lower than what I was expecting I complained. I called back three times to talk to the lady and she wasn't happy, in fact by the end she was rude.
I decided that day to check the one box in the basement that said paperwork, just hoping I had the receipts from 2002. After digging I did find the envelop that said 2002 receipts, and inside there it was. I realized I was very wrong on what we paid. I got the woman's email and sent her that and a picture of my table to show her it wasn't the one she was thinking. I sent it Monday and on Thursday I emailed her asking if she had gotten it. She wrote back and said something to the effect that I sent something in, they paid it, if it is wrong it is my fault. So I fired off another email saying all I wanted is what I paid for it. I get an email from her boss that they can't give more than what was originally claimed or they can get in trouble and get fined.
I send another email saying how unhappy I am with their company and how I think they no my table is worth more, but are capitalizing on my mistake and how that says so much about their company and employees. I also ended with that I would tell everyone including my transportation office how they handled my claim, and that I would be sure to write a letter to their customer service office about their rude employees.

A little later I get an email back saying they will review my claim on Monday.

Point of the story. I made a mistake, take your time with claims, but also be forceful, don't just give up when someone says no. I don't know if I will get anything more back, but I made my point.

What started out as a great day turned into one of those days. Without going into details it is one of those days I wish I had a spouse around to discuss things with. Just a bit of frustration with several situations.

I told my mom today that I am so thankful that it is spring here when Terry left. I am not sure I would have stayed here had he left in February. At least now we can go outside and play and take walks and play with friends and we aren't stuck in the house with 3 feet of snow outside.

This is my first of many silver linings.....

We left Terry at the motorpool at about 7:00pm last night. Their aircraft was running late, they thought they might get on it at 12:00am. I am assuming it was later. They were flying to Ramstein Air Base in Germany for a fuel stop and then on to Kuwait. He thought he would only be in Kuwait a few days. So the fun begins.

Looks like Monday the 5th will be d-day for us. We had thought he might get another week due to bed shortages in Iraq where they are going. Now that it is 4 days away I am feeling very unprepared and scared that I can't do it.

Send all your good strong thoughts and prayers this way on Monday as I am sure saying goodbye will take all my remaining bit of strength.