Sam the Piano Man

Here's Sam the piano man. Right before I took this video he was dancing up a storm. He only did a little once I got the camera out. He likes to turn it as loud as it will go, which is quite loud.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Robert!
Happy Birthday to you!

It's your birthday where you are! We love you!

First Two Weeks (plus a few days)

Been meaning to write this for quite a few days now but with Spring Break and everything else going on, it just hasn't happened. So we've survived the first two and a half weeks. As some of you know, usually everything goes wrong the first week husbands are gone. I mean, when Robert deployed to Bosnia in 1998, Jordan ate a whole bottle of antibiotics and then threw up and had nasty poop for days. When he went to Albania in 1999, I picked up a nail in my tire before his plane ever left Ramstein. Then when he went to Ranger School in 2001, the trash can blew apart, Jordan discovered how to open the gate, and I picked up yet another nail in my tire all in the first week. When he went to France last year we went straight to puking.

So I was on guard two weeks ago, ready for the van to break down or someone to break a bone or the volcano to blow or something. At the very least I figured someone would get sick. So imagine my surprise when the first week went amazingly well. Gabby got to school on time every day, Sam slept all night, we managed to make it to the commissary twice and Costco and everywhere else we needed to go. Dinner was on the table, the dishes were washed, the laundry was done, the floor was picked up every night, I was ahead on projects (a big thing for my procratinating self!) and I got enough sleep. Amazing, right? Yeah, it only lasted a week.

Saturday morning, one week after he left, I got up to find Sam had puked sometime in the night in his bed. Gross. And so the pukefest began. Saturday Sam was sick. Sunday Sam was sick. By Sunday night my stomach was starting to roll so I stopped eating and no one slept. Monday Sam was sick and I didn't feel so great myself and no one slept. And we were getting hungry and tired. Tuesday we finally started feeling a little better but still we weren't eating much or sleeping. By Wednesday, I was four days behind, sleep deprived, malnourished and Sam was having the most disgusting diapers I have ever seen. And I was seriously missing my husband! We finally recovered by the weekend, at least from the sickness.

My bright spot was Gabby, who was very patient and not complaining about me not moving much from the couch, nor about the sad little meals I fed her while I didn't feel good. She entertained herself, which she is not the best at. It helped that I let them watch whatever TV and movies they wanted but she still was a great trooper. And she never got sick. She truly has the immune system of steel.

It's been a week now since we started feeling better but I am still behind on laundry, cleaning and a few other projects that have to be finished by this weekend. Poor Robert is not going to get his birthday box on time because I got so behind. Last night was the first night we have slept all night. Once Sam started eating, he ate constantly for five days. I think he was waking up because he was hungry. Hopefully he will sleep for me tonight so I can catch up on sleep. And hopefully we have survived round one!

13th Anniversary

Today is our anniversary. Sam and I have been sick. Nice, huh?

I know 13 is supposed to be an unlucky number, if you believe in luck, but we have had another good year of marriage, number 13. In 13 years we have:

Lived in 8 different places.
Had 2 wonderful kids.
Loved on 1 super dog.
Survived 3 deployments already. Working on the 4th.
Been to around 25 countries together.
Laughed, loved, cried, worked, and enjoyed 13 years together.

Happy Anniversary to us!

March 26

Gabby helping me make meatballs. She was tracing her hand in the dish.

Sam sleeping on the couch at 9 am. He loves Muck Mouse!

Deployment Day

Gabby's box of Daddy's things

One last book

Sorry for the out of order postings. I am just trying to get them done as I have time. These are some pics from last Saturday when Robert left. We took him to the gym and held out to the bitter end. I was doing ok until the choir sang. It was a local high school and they came and sang because one of the member's dad was leaving. Well, immediately I picked her out by the look. You know, the deer-in-the-headlights eyes and brave smile. Then I couldn't take my eyes off of her and when she started to cry, I couldn't help it, either. I'm ok until someone else cries! After that we had a little more time and I was ok until, again, Gabby started to tear up. As soon as I looked at her, it was over. Then I was crying, which made her cry. We were trying to send him off without too many tears! At least Sam came through for us and pooped right before it was time for Daddy to go. So Mommy and Gabby were crying and Sam was super stinky! What a send-off! We all got to the car and changed the poopy diaper, which made us laugh. Gabby and I decided Daddy would not miss poopy diapers! We heard from him this morning and he has finally made it to Baghdad. Hopefully before too long he'll be able to send us some pics that we can share. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and encouragement. 5 days down, 360 to go...

Robert's Fifty States

Fifty States

Instructions: Copy and Paste into a new note on your page. Then, put an X by the states you have been to.

The average is 8, how do you match up?
Then for fun, place an O by the states you have lived in.

* Alabama - XO
* Alaska -X
* Arizona - X
* Arkansas - X
* California - X
* Colorado - X
* Connecticut -
* Delaware-
* Florida - X
* Georgia - XO
* Hawaii -
* Idaho -X
* Illinois - X
* Indiana -
* Iowa - X
* Kansas - XO
* Kentucky-X
* Louisiana -X
* Maine - X
* Maryland -X
* Massachusetts -
* Michigan -
* Minnesota - X
* Mississippi -X
* Missouri - XO
* Montana -XO
* Nebraska- X
* Nevada -X
* New Hampshire -
* New Jersey -
* New Mexico - X
* New York -
* North Carolina - XO
* North Dakota - X
* Ohio - X
* Oklahoma - X
* Oregon -X
* Pennsylvania -
* Rhode Island -
* South Carolina -X
* South Dakota - X
* Tennessee - X
* Texas - X
* Utah -X
* Vermont-
* Virginia -X
* Washington -XO
* Washington D.C.- X
* West Virginia -X
* Wisconsin - X
* Wyoming -X

Robert saw mine and wanted to do his. I may have a couple wrong so he may have to update it. But I'm pretty close. We decided that just being in airports didn't count. I allow him one exception to that - Maine. They stopped in Bangor, Maine the last time he returned from Iraq. Since that was his first step in the US after a year in Iraq, I allow it :) I've still got him beat, even if he does have Maine and Wisconsin. He has me beat on countries by a few, though.