Air Assault School

Last week Ryan had a big accomplishment in his Army career thus far. He graduated from Air Assault school - a very grueling and exhausting 10 day exercise designed to weed out the weak and make the strong stronger. Well, he did it and we are so proud. Of course, we had to make sure we were at his graduation - and it was one crazy time.

I kept Jake and Ainsley (well, Reid too) out of school that day so we could all be there for his graduation. The plan had been to get a sitter for Reid and Jane Dare but, as usual, I left things til the last minute and it just didn't work out. Blessedly the ceremony was held outside so I figured at least we wouldn't be in a confined space or a room that echoes. I get to the graduation 25 minutes early and find about a million cards already there so I had to park way

far away. Which meant I had to schlep 4 kids through the makeshift parking lot, down a road, and across a rather large field. I had one kid on my shoulders, two in the jogging stroller and Jake following (very slowly) behind. Thankfully this is the Army we are talking about so I nice soldier pitched in and helped me push the stroller to the graduation site.

We got there just in time to see the grads take off for the tower where the do a demonstration of their fast roping skills which was very cool. What wasn't cool was that my kids were awed by it for about 3 seconds and then these jaded little hooligans decided to start having fun on the metal bleachers. Up and down and in and out crawling around like little monkeys. After the demo the graduates come back and stand in formation for a prayer, the national anthem and a short speech. This was about the time Reid decided he wanted to stand at the top of the bleachers and every time I put my hand up to keep him from falling he yelled "DOH" (that is how he says no) at me. So at this point I'm sweating bullets trying to keep some order when I spy a number of maroon berets in the back of the crowd. Maroon berets meant one thing - Ryan's coworkers were back there. So I then desperately began attempting to make eye contact but to no avail. However my kids shenanigans must've been loud enough because shortly two of my favorite maroon berets stepped up behind me like angels sent from heaven. Jay took Jane Dare to free up my hands and Derek took charge of Ainsley. I was saved! After that the ceremony flew by and we were able to enjoy Ryan having his pin put on by the cadre and, of course, the singing of the Army song. Thank the Lord for those guys or I don't know that I would have survived.

November . . . that's the best I can do.

Wow, its been over a month since my last blog post. I think about this blog all the time and I miss sitting down on a more regular basis to put my thoughts out there into the great abyss of cyber space. But I have been short on both time AND ideas lately and it shows in my absence here. There were so many things I somehow still made time for when I was the mother of 3 but I think that for me 4 has been that magical number that has done me in. Don't get me wrong - I'm loving life as the mom to four kids and I feel like we are not just surviving but totally thriving during this time - but its just been impossible to make time for certain things. My copy of Anne Karenina sits forlornly on my nightstand with the bookmark in just about the same space it was 2 months ago. Emails have piled up in my inbox to the point that I'm not really sure where to start sifting through them. I'm still trying to get the last of Jane Dare's birth announcements out with the thought of Christmas cards looming large over my head. I feel like not one day goes by that I'm not apologizing for someone for dropping the ball in one way or another. I actually had to resort to writing Ainsley's show and tell schedule in my daytimer because I was so frustrated with screwing up the day or the assignment or what not.

And yet, I get dinner on the table most nights. The laundry has not piled up and drowned me yet despite the fact that I'm averaging about two loads per day right now. The kids are decently groomed and most days their outfits match . . . . I occasionally even get their teeth brushed. I am getting in at least a few minutes of snuggle time with each child on a daily basis. My husband and I still love each other and enjoy being together. Sigh. As you can see I'm all over the place. Right now, if you are still reading, you are probably wishing I hadn't decided to start blogging again :)

So, you may have heard that we had a baby. Jane Dare arrived on 9-9-09 and weighed 9 lbs. 9 oz. Just kidding. That would have been cool though. That really is her birthday but her weight was a boring 7lbs 11oz. Too bad, huh? Anyway, little miss Jane Dare is absolutely a dream baby. I mean, I always went on about how wonderful Reid was and he really was a good baby but she is better. Sorry Reid. She has slept through the night the past two nights in a row (and many nights before that as well). But lately she's been sleeping from about 8 - 6:30 or so. I mean, this kid is only 10 weeks old. She barely ever cries. In fact she didn't cry at all the first 3 days of her life - it really freaked out the nurses at the hospital when she wouldn't cry right after she was born. But she was pink, breathing fine . . . so they just pronounced her the most perfect baby ever and I agree. She has been smiling for the past few weeks and her smiles are priceless. I'll just be talking to her and glance down and she is just beaming up at me. And she is starting to "talk" back to me - its so sweet!

Well, I could keep talking here but if I wrap it up now and save some of my ideas for future blogs maybe I'll get back on here again before the New Year :) Gotta go make some coffee - I'm heading to the midnight premier of New Moon tonight and I need to be wide awake!