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Friday, January 29, 2010

The Circus

The circus came to our area...and...we took the kids! They were soooo excited, even though Madeline said she would rather go see the Monster Trucks. =)
The kids really enjoyed the show and said their favorite part was the tigers. I must say that was pretty neat.

Below are some pictures of our adventure to the circus...(prepare for picture overload)





Jack


Madie


Jason and the kids


The kids and I waiting on the show to start.


Madeline with her Princess light up wand...yes we bought the souvenirs


Jack with his light up sword =)


Jack and me


Madie and J


Lil Miss Madie and me


I just love how intently these 2 are watching the show =)


At the beginning of the show, we sang the National Anthem and this performer came out.


The elephants came out in the show opener


This was one of Madeline's favorites


These are the "new" clowns


The performers doing some tricks


Performing a skit


This man lifted 1,250 pounds!


A performer walking on glass and fire...OUCH!


3 women fit inside of this box! WOW!


The amazing acrobats


Some of the performers


The motorcycles inside the steel cage...pretty neat !!!


Look at how cute! The elephant is holding a dog in that basket

We had a great time at the circus! Many thanks to my mom for the tickets!!

Jessica

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Field Trip~Museum

This morning, I had the great honor of accompanying Jack on a field trip to the museum. We had a lot of fun! I always enjoy when I get to spend a little one on one time with my children. (thanks to my mom for keeping Madeline) Below are some pictures from our trip:


Jack getting to pet "Buttercup" the bunny.


Samuel, Chloe, and Jack


Chloe and Jack checking out the black widow exhibit...ick...


Jack posing with the crocodile.


Me with my handsome little man. So grateful that I am able to go on field trips with him!


Jason was able to stop by for a little while. Jack was soooo happy!


Checking out the mummy exhibit.


Jack and Samuel in front of the dinosaur...these 2 little boys are very into dinosaurs.


Jack and Samuel "feeding" the giraffe.


All the kids had to do the penny drop =)


Jack learning about Lightening power.


Jack checking out the goldfish in the pond.


And of course Miss Madeline:

She is concentrating very hard while playing a game on my Iphone.

Well, that is all for this post...we are off to the Circus...wish me luck =)

Jessica

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Nothing Better....



There is nothing better than having daddy home....well nothing better than having daddy home AND getting prizes from Disney World =)

The kids were SO EXCITED to have daddy =) Are those smiles not contagious????

Jessica

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Playing At The Park and A Little Of This and That

This week we have really had some great weather! I mean mid-60 degree weather in January....how much better can it get really???

With all this wonderful weather, we have been to the park a couple times this week. No sense staying inside when the weather is this good huh?

Below are some pictures of our park adventures:


Madeline playing in the rocks...I mean a whole playground full of stuff to play on and of course she is playing in the rocks =)


And look where Jack is as well...in the rocks. =)


The kids met a new friend at the park. His name is also Jack. Wouldn't you know that the kids convinced him to play in the rocks and dirt??? I hope his mommy did not mind.


Jack and Madi pretending to fish in the little stream at the park...how funny are they???








Now for the "This and That"

I don't have anything new to report on the deployment status...nothing new as far as news goes, but the reality of it still lingers around like a bad smell that will not go away...ok maybe it is not with me constantly but it hits me at odd times. Like at night when everyone has gone to bed. When I am driving. When Jason and I start making plans and realize...oh yea, he may not be here. Just passing thoughts that can consume me if I am not careful.
Everytime the phone rings and the caller ID shows a number for the reserve center (which has been often this week) my heart sinks and I get that feeling in my stomach like I am going to be sick. When we get those calls, I think ok this is it...this is the call that is going to have our information. But so far it has not been.

Jason is having to attend some training this weekend for reintergrating back into society after a deployment...yea...ironic huh? He is being required to sit through this when he is likely deploying again later this year. It stinks...we wish we could be there with him. This morning we (the kids and I) took Jason to the airport. On the way there, Jason and I were talking about how weird it felt that it (driving to the airport) reminded us of the last time we took him to the airport (which of course was when he deployed) Even though we know this is NOTHING like that, it still reminded us of that morning and those AWFUL feelings. Like I said, it just hits at odd times. It was good for me to have him to talk to about it as well as to be able to listen to his thoughts about it. We have been preparing the kids for this and they were so excited to go to the airport and see the big planes. =) They did great! Of course it helped that Jason promised to bring them home prizes...goodness me like they need anything. So we got Jason off and watched the planes for a bit. Then it came...MELTDOWN...I had been preparing myself for it because I knew it would happen. I however was shocked...I was preparing for the meltdown to be from Jack, but it was Madeline. She cried all the way to the car. Crying "I want my daddy, you can not leave my daddy here! Go get my daddy" She said this over and over. She remembers the last time we were in that airport what happened and I guess in her mind this was the same. I tried my best to comfort her and remind her that daddy will be home VERY soon....it did not help...nope...she cried...called for her daddy the whole drive home...I mean over an hour of this...my heart was breaking and my nerves, well they were on edge. She finally quit. Turned it off like nothing had ever happened...I can laugh about it now, but it was so not funny at the moment. So all was right with Madeline when came the next blow. Jack came to me and said "mommy I can not get control of myself" Not sure that I was hearing him correctly, I said "what did you say buddy?" and he repeated "mommy I can not get control of myself" this time with tears in his eyes. Break. My. Heart. As I comforted him, he shared that he missed his daddy and did not like leaving him at the airport. I talked with Jack for a while and explained to him that I missed daddy too but he would be home very soon. I assured him that this was NOTHING like the last time daddy went to the airport. He finally calmed down and so far all is well with the kids. They have talked to daddy on the phone a few times and I treated them to a special lunch. You just never know how these things are going to go...this is new territory for me...lesson learned...kids can not handle taking daddy to the airport.

Wow...this is turning out to be a really long post...but I did want to share a prayer with you that a very special friend shared with me. It is called 'God Enjoyed' and it is a prayer from the book "Valley of Vision" (FYI~if you do not have this book of Puritan prayers, I highly recommend it) So here it is...and thank you Tamara for sharing this jewel with me!

GOD ENJOYED

Thou Incomprehensible
But Prayer Hearing God,

Known, but beyond knowledge,
revealed, but unrevealed,
my wants and welfare draw me to Thee,
for Thou hast never said, 'Seek ye Me in vain'.
To Thee I come in my difficulties, necessities,
distresses;
posesses me with Thyself,
with a spirit of grace and supplication,
with a prayerful attitude of mind,
with access into warmth of fellowship,
so that, in the ordinary concerns of life
my thoughts and desires may rise to Thee,
and in habitual devotion I may find a resource
that will soothe my sorrows,
sanctify my successes,
and qualify me in all ways for dealings
with my fellow men.

I bless Thee that Thou hast made me capable
of knowing Thee, the author of all being,
of resembling Thee, the perfection of all excellency,
of enjoying Thee, the source of all happiness.
O God, attend me in every part of my arduous
and trying pilgrimage;
I need the same counsel, defence, comfort
I found at my beginning.
Let my religion be more obvious to my conscience,
more perceptible to those around.
While Jesus is representing me in heaven,
may I reflect Him on earth,
While He pleads my cause, may I show forth
His praise.

Continue the gentleness of Thy goodness
towards me,
And whether I wake or sleep, let Thy presence
go with me,
Thy blessing attend me.
Thou hast led me on and I have found Thy
promises true,
I have been sorrowful, but Thou hast been my help,
fearful, but Thou hast delivered me,
despairing, but Thou has lifted me up.
Thy vows are ever upon me,
And I praise thee, O God.


Jessica

Monday, January 18, 2010

Afternoon Fun

Don't you just love when you have absolutely nothing planned and can just enjoy the afternoon??? Well, that is exactly what we did...no laundry to wash, no floors to clean, no beds to make...etc, etc, etc...just enjoying time with 3 of my most favorite people. It was great...great to relax, great to take a long walk, great to laugh at Jason try to ride a riprider, and great to watch the kids eat an ice cream sandwich (yea...none for me...not part of the diet plan for me)


Madeline finished her ice cream sandwich in record time.


Jack enjoyed eating an ice cream sandwich.

Below is a video of Jason riding Jack's riprider...yes, that is a 30-something year old man riding a 5 year olds toy...quite funny! Enjoy the video =)


Jessica

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Something That Makes Me Smile




So do you like this little girl's style???
Madeline insists on dressing herself...not only dressing herself, but also picking out the clothes with which she will be wearing.
So today she chose:
~silky flower pajama bottoms
~blue shirt with cherries on it (Notice the shirt is on backwards)
~bright purple princess socks (Notice that one sock is inside out)

So what do you think I did??? I let her go about her day just like this...=)
I think she did great! And I smile just as big as she is smiling in this picture every single time I look at her. =)

Jessica

Monday, January 11, 2010

Need To Share

This is one of those posts where I honestly do not even know where to begin...
There is no easy way to say this, believe me I have searched my head for the words a hundred times...
The best I have come up with is just to "lay it all out"...
So, here it is...I am just going to go ahead and lay it out there.
Jason found out at drill this past weekend that he will likely be deploying again later this year. Yes, you read that sentence correctly....Jason will likely begin his 3rd deployment later this year.
We have some information, but I know better than to share all that information on here. I will tell you that it is later this year and it will be a year long deployment. Do you want to hear a crazy thought??? When Jason told me this deployment would be for a year, I thought "well, it is shorter than the 2nd deployment was." Good grief...that is a crazy thought huh???
Now...that thought was not my first reaction...no, to be quiet honest with you I was SHOCKED!!! Deep down I knew, we knew, that a 3rd deployment would happen...but I was not expecting it this soon at all. I did not handle the information to well. (Sorry this is my blog and I am just being real with you) You would think that with 2 deployments under my belt that I would be a pro at this by now huh? Well, the answer is NO. The news is not any easier to take the 3rd time than it was the very 1st time...actually I would venture to say that the 3rd time is harder. Maybe I am saying that because the emotions are still so raw and real right now, but it is very hard no doubt! Want to know something else strange??? I was just starting to prepare a post about adjusting after the 2nd deployment...maybe I will still get to that post...who knows. It is so weird that I can still recall the emotions from deployment #2...and well here we go again...back on the roller coaster.
This information is really doing a number on me, on both of us...
I was sharing with a friend that God has been preparing me for this and I have not been paying attention...or maybe ignoring? I really do not know what the correct word would be. All I know is during my quiet times, all these "signs" were made so real and obvious to me...how did I miss them? Why was I not paying attention?
I have all the head knowledge...I KNOW without a doubt that God is our strength and refuge during these times. I KNOW that these events were orchestrated by a sovereign God who loves me more than anyone else can love me. I KNOW that His plans for me and my family are for our own good. I KNOW that God is using these times to grow me, to strengthen me. I KNOW that God is using this to refine me and bring me closer to Him. And above all, I KNOW that God is using this to bring Him the glory. And though I may not understand all this (and believe me, I do not understand and have said "why" more times than I can count) I trust with complete hope and faith in a sovereign God who will bring us through this once again.
Jason and I agree that the children do NOT need to know anything right now. As we know all too well, information, dates, and time change (often). It is best for them to not know anything right now. We will tell them when we feel the time is right. Please understand this and not say anything about this to them or around them. Thank you!
In closing, I will say that your prayers and support are appreciated. I will update as I know things.
I do want to leave you with 2 scriptures that I have been praying over and over the last couple days.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Jessica

Friday, January 8, 2010

Having Fun In The "SNOW"

It is not often that we get snow in the south. One mention of the "s" word and you can bet that there is no bread or milk at the store, the tv stations have live coverage of the weather and schools start closing. No, I am not kidding. Schools in our area were closed Thursday and Friday! And you can see by the pictures we did not have hardly any snow at all. We have enjoyed the time out of school and playing outside in the "snow" The closings had good timing though...everyone was off to celebrate the big Alabama BCS National Championship Victory! Jason says "Roll Tide!!!"

Enjoy the pics:


Jack and Madi all bundled up and ready to play in the "snow"


Icicles hanging off my car.


Jack with his ice


Madeline with her ice


The kids knocking the ice off my car.


Playing in the backyard...slide was pretty much only place that had "snow" on it


Jack trying to gather up snow on the deck so he could make a snowball.


Madeline tried to get enough snow too.


A warm 15 degrees, perfect weather for a nice drive in the convertible

Now I am off to warm up =)

Jessica