Everyday Showers bring.... flowers?

I haven't updated the blog in a long time! I'll give no excuses. We have lived here for almost exactly FOUR months! It is hard to believe that Cody only lived here for one of them. Greyer and I have settled in and now Washington feels like home. We still have about 8 boxes of books that haven't been moved since move-in day! They will stay there until Cody gets home :-) Anyway, I'll give some quick highlights to catch you up to where we are today! I am going to try and update at least once a week from here on out.

1. Greyer is 3! He turned 3 on February 24. His birthday party was at the Children's Museum of Tacoma. It was very fun and he still talks about his dinosaur cake (that I made!)













2. Greyer is 100% potty trained! No accidents, day OR night! I about had a nervous breakdown for 1 year trying to get him to not be terrified of the potty. I guess you must wait until they are ready. He started on his own 1 week before turning 3. I am a MUCH happier and gracious mother now. :-) The picture below is of him being silly and wearing 7 pairs of underwear :-P



















3. Cody is in Afghanistan. Pretty self explanatory. He is well and is happy there. He likes his job and has been staying safe.












4. I'm finishing up a Governent/NFP accounting course this week. I am FORCING myself to not sign up for any more. I guess I'm that much closer to CPA, right? I need a break from classes. I have the degree an additional 2 semesters of accounting under my belt. I'm going to relax and find a job... or something like that.

Welcome to Washington

.... State that is. We learned very quickly that we must tell friends that we live in Washington State and not Washington DC. People hear Washington and automatically think D.C. We live in Puyallup (South Hill) , less than an hour south of Seattle and half an hour to the east of Tacoma. Our area is a new up and coming one (brand new Target just down the road!!! :-) ) and has about 1 coffee shop for every 5 people. The scenery is beautiful; Mount Rainier is visible from almost everywhere and is the most breathtaking thing I have ever seen (aside from my beautiful husband and child). The skies are jaw dropping as well as the hills. People must be crazy to think the weather here is as bad as they say.

Cody is back to work, which consists of him preparing for his deployment. His hours are simple and he is able to be home a lot. Today he brought home his deployment issue gear. It is amazing how much money they have invested into it. Although a lot of the things he has to do before leaving are mundane, the cultural classes he has to take seem cool. While we have paid a lot of money for me to learn about different cultures, Cody is paid to learn about cultures that he is actually going to be able to interact with. Very cool.

We sold Cody's truck before coming to Washington so Greyer and I are holding down the fort while Cody is working during the day. We will purchase a new vehicle when Cody gets back. Luckily Greyer and I both love our home. We live in a 3 br, 2.5 bath townhouse in a wonderful area. I feel very safe and comfortable here. Cody does have a decent commute every day but it is worth it. We have classy neighbors and a wonderful neighborhood. God has really blessed us and we are so thankful for everything we have.

Greyer is doing very well. although I am sure he changes daily, he seems like the same Greyer to us. Loves books, cars, running, bossing, and destroying. He is beautiful and precious and a wonderful little person. God has also blessed us greatly with him. He keeps me on my toes and sometimes makes me want to pull my hair out, but I know that is an indication of his mental and physical abilities. It is also an affirmation of our decision to have only one child. :-) Although it may seem as if military families are part of the quiver movement, I can confidently say that this military family's quiver is quite full.

I am currently searching for a job-- three years of being at home and I feel that it is time to transition. I am praying over that job that I know God has for me-- I am very excited an anxious. I am trying to be patient because I know that it needs to be in God's timing, so in the meantime I have, yet again, registered for another semester of courses. The military is footing the bill this time, so why not?! Again, God is good.

For anyone reading who is military or a military spouse, may this verse encourage and comfort you.

Psalm 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. ^{a]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]}

² I will say ^{b]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]} of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

³ Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

¹⁰ then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

¹³ You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Fall Festivities Begin! (hopefully :-))

Today is Thursday, October 15 and I am excited! We have TWO fall activities planned today :-) Both are contingent on the weather, which is predicted to rain all day :-( Our complex is having a big halloween hoo-ha with candy, giant inflatables, hayrides, and the like. Our playgroup is also having a 'Trunk or Treating' event. This is where everybody brings their cars, decorates the trunk, and passes out candy to the kids in the parking lot of a local church. We are then going inside to play in the church's VERY nice indoor playground. I am praying that at least one of them holds up for Greyer's sake. Greyer is being Super Why from PBS Kids. I am making his costume (the one they have available is really ugly and poorly made, like all the premade costumes are). I will post pictures once we complete the look. I already made the shirt and leggings (dyed girls leggings :-P ). We must make a mask, cape, and belt today!

Cody is still learning how to jump out of airplanes. He does 5 jumps next week and then graduates next Friday. After that we outprocess out of Benning and head to Ohio before going to Fort Lewis. Time is running out! We are very ready to move. Georgia has been good to us but we are ready for something new.

4 Day Weekend :-) Thanks, Columbus!

For all the inconveniences to our life caused by the army, the four day weekends definitely do a little mending to my opinion of the establishment. This week was the first of three weeks in airborne school for Cody. The school is on Fort Benning, so he just commutes to training daily. In the past year, four day weekends have not happened as scheduled because Cody has been training. They decided that it is not necessary to give four day weekends when in training. Bummer. Luckily Sergeant Airborne (all of them) must desire their four day weekends.

This past Tuesday Greyer went to the movies for the first time. I am not a movie person and have only been to the movies once in the 10 months we have lived here. It came as a suprise to me, arriving at the theater to see Toy Story in 3-D with my 2.5 year old, that there is a mini amusement park INSIDE the theater. Crazy. I also had to pay a $10 matinee ticket. seriously? A lot has changed since I last went to a matinee. Greyer was thrilled at the whole experience and behaved very well. There was only us and one other family at the 12:15 showing. Greyer did enjoy walking up and down our aisle pushing the arm rests up and down. :-) He's a boy; what do you expect?

Today we are planning on going to the pumpkin farm. Greyer loves fall things-- especially seeing the 'monsers' (monsters). Tomorrow we go to the Rock Ranch ( http://www.therockranch.com/index_2.htm ), owned by the founder of Chic Fil A. 88 and sunny is the forecast for today.

Have a wonderful weekend and Columbus Day, I know we will :-)

Airborne Start Day

Today Cody starts Airborne school! Somehow Cody got by all this time with no airborne school, but the time has finally come. For the next three weeks he will be learning how to jump out of airplanes. I think he is actually pretty well versed in the prep part... but they focus a lot on how to land... landing wrong can mean serious injury or even death. Obviously we aren't too worried about this with Cody. God is our protector :-)

Today I am making a final decision whether or not to stay in school. I am worn out from school and feel like I need a break-- I have no ability to concentrate and no motivation to learn right now. Maybe I should take a break for a semester or year and then move on. What do you think?

Greyer found his dragon costume from last year's trick or treating. He insisted to wear the jacket (designed for below freezing temps) and run around our complex.... by the time we got home last night he was so wet from sweat that I thought he would have passed out if he was out there any longer. Looks like we have officially entered the time of dress up and make believe (at least he is pretending to be dragons and animals... :-P ).

We are leaving Georgia in one month. We have decided to live on post at Fort Lewis and save ourselves the headache of looking for housing and the process associated. Pray they offer us fab housing :-)

Other than that not much else is new. The weather is finally starting to break (meaning hitting less than 85).

Life's little curveballs

Isn't it funny how when you think you've got everything planned and figured out, life throws you a curve ball? God is teaching me a huge lesson in adaptability still. Apparently I haven't mastered the skill.

On a different note, Katie Provencher and I (and Greyer) went to a Married into the Military Bible study group tonight. Our church started doing growth groups and this one is fantastic. It consists of married military couples. It is fantastic to be in fellowship with others who go through the same things. So encouraging to see others face similar obstacles and conquer, continue to love Jesus and their families. God is good and always provides what we need, when we need it.

Tomorrow we have a playgroup in the AM and then I have to get tax work done. I may end up seeing Cody this weekend. :-)

Ice Cream, Married into the Military, Taxation

Greyer and I have stayed busy this week :-) Yesterday we had a very fun time touring Bruster's, a very delicious ice cream place. It reminds me exactly of Handles in Ohio. Our playgroup met there and the owner of the 3 Columbus locations showed us how to make vanilla ice cream (they use real vanilla to flavor it!) and also let the kids peek into the 35 plus flavors that they keep on hand. All the boys took a liking to the Blue Ice in the bins, so he let them have a choice between that and vanilla cones. Greyer's teeth and mouth were astonishingly BLUE after he ate his cone. I ended up licking half of the cone... poor kid can't keep up with the warm weather. It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend a morning. It also reminded me of my first job as an ice cream girl at Ro's Custard in North Canton.

As I mentioned before, I am taking a tax class right now. Somehow they allowed me to graduate with the Forensic Accounting degree without have tax. I am interested in pursuing a job in tax in the spring (tax season) so it is necessary that I take the course. I am taking my time to learn everything and thoroughly be able to complete the necessary work so that I can confidently sit in an interview and get the job :-) I am praying over whatever job that God has set for me when the time comes. Greyer turns 3 in February, so he will be able to jump in school then (so long as he is potty trained! come on Greyer, my career is counting on it!!!!)

Tonight we are joining a new group that formed at our church. Married into the Military is going to be a Bible study and fellowship (gosh that sounds like we are good ole Baptists, eh? i'm not... so don't judge!) for military couples. I'm excited to meet some new Christian men and women there. They have arranged childcare so Greyer will be able to go with me :-)

No news from Cody yet. No news is good news though! :-P No, I'd love to hear from him-- and especially hear that he has gotten a 'GO'!!!!

Thanks for all your prayers. Please also remember to pray for Cody's unit, the 5/2 stryker brigade. They are in an EXTREMELY dangerous part of Afghanistan and have seen many casualties since they arrived in July.