Saturday, December 25, 2010

Bring Him Home Santa . . . . .

A family friend, Connie, made this for our family . . . . Thanks Connie!!.   Remember to pause the playlist at the bottom of the page before playing the video.


Christmas

Christmas . . . The time of year we stop and reflect on the true meaning of the season.  We recall the stories told to us as children about the virgin Mary and her young husband, Joseph, and the long journey they made to bring their baby into the world.  We recall the story of a baby, our saviour, born in a stable because there was no room in the inn.

Christmas . . . . .The time of year we decorate our homes on the inside and out to rejoice in the season!  Nana gives the kids each a new ornament to hang on their Christmas tree.  We beg the men in our lives to hang the lights up outside.

Christmas . . . . .The time of year we hear everyone singing along to beautiful Christmas carols.  We teach our own children the songs we were taught long ago.  We delight in hearing youngsters singing the songs how they hear them.  "Oh bring us some piggy pudding, Oh bring us some piggy pudding, and bring it right now!" Brogan's rendition this year.

Christmas . . .The time of year most youngsters are being extra good so they can stay on the nice list or get off the naughty list.  And we adults, relish in the fact that we can hold the "Do you want me to call Santa?!?!" over them.  The youngsters look through Christmas catalogs and watch commercials closely to write their wants down for their Christmas list.  We give presents to those we love and smile as we watch them discover what's inside the package.

Christmas . .  .The time of year we spend with our families and friends and find peace and comfort in the relationships we have.  We schedule our gatherings so that we are able to see those we only see once a year.

This Christmas was spent doing much of the same as every Christmas past.  I went Christmas shopping with my mom and sister in Denver, the kids and I put up our Christmas tree and stockings, we went to Christmas Eve mass with my family and opened gifts.  Santa will be arriving soon and tomorrow we will go to the Wolf's for Christmas. 

But this year, we are separated.  Separated by 7,337 miles as my husband figured out today.  This year, Mommy had to lug that heavy #$** tree upstairs all by herself.  This year, Daddy will have to watch the gifts be opened on his computer, hours after they've been opened.  This year, there is one empty chair at the dinner table.  This year, there was a kiss during the sign of peace at mass that I didn't get.  This year, there was no help for Santa's gifts after the children were nesteled all snug in their beds.  This year, a long, long, LONG distance phone call held up gift opening because, but it was SO worth it!! 

This year, we are saddened by the miles put between us, but we are also delighted by the thought of spending next Christmas TOGETHER!!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!!!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Happy Birthday 29th Birthday Kayla

Just want to take some time to wish my sister, Kayla, a very Happy 29th Birthday today!!  Love you!!!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Thank You

Thanks to many for the encouraging emails and prayers said for our family.  Today was a much better day.  I felt a peace and calmness throughout the day.  I think the kids even had a better day today! 

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Christmas Songs

I absolutely LOVE Christmas music, so it only seemed natural to change the playlist to Christmas music!!  I especially like Need to Breathe's version of Go Tell It On the Mountain.  ENJOY!!  Merry Christmas!!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

A good cry in the middle of the week

The last week has been a little rough and it has slowly been building until this morning when I cried all the way to school.  I dried my eyes to get through another classroom and finally into my classroom, where the tears instantly poured as the door shut behind me.  I just wanted to feel Brian's arms wrapped around me.  I just wanted a soft kiss on my forehead to remind me that I am loved and it will all be ok in the end.  That's what I needed . . . . . . that's what I wanted . . . . . .  but I knew in the reality of this deployment, that wouldn't be.

After turning the lights on in my classroom, I quickly had to shift roles from a blubbering army wife to a Kindergarten teacher with 21 talkative, rambunctious little ones be-bopping through my door.  A few of them looked at me and with a sincere look of, "I wonder why Ms. Stacy's eyes are red?" but not a one of them said anything.  I was happy that today was Wednesday and my 2 parent volunteers would be here in the morning to work with small groups.  It brought a little change to my day and they are the most wonderful and dependable moms!  I'm very, very lucky to have them this year!!

Lunchtime brought with it more tears when Brian didn't answer emails and wasn't showing up online to chat.  At rest time, I shared my day with a wonderful friend that I work with.  She is going through a rough time this year, too and we have had a few good therapy sessions during rest time this year.  The lights are out, the waves are crashing (best CD to put 21 kids to sleep!), and we have 30 good minutes of therapy!! Today was no different.  We cried with each other, we laughed about crying, and cried some more.  BUT, our therapy session was interrupted early by a ringing cell phone and it was . . . . . . BRIAN!!

I was so glad to finally get to talk to him and cry.  We talked for quite awhile and he helped ease my worries and clear my head.  It was wonderful to get to talk with him, but it was getting late on his side of the world and he had just worked a double-shift and needed to get to bed for his 5 a.m. wake up. 

You would think that my epidsodes of red eyes were over for the day, but I had a few more before the day was done.  Some of the smallest, most insignificant things upset me today.  I worked late tonight and as I left the school under a black sky, I began to cry once more.  You see, when I would work late at school, I ALWAYS, ALWAYS call Brian and talk to him on the phone as I walk from the school doors to my van, just for safety.  Yep, you guessed it, I cried because I couldn't call my husband on the other side of the world to make sure the boogey man wouldn't jump out and get me.

I thought I was the only one having a bad day until I picked the kids up from Nana and Papa's.  When we got home and I was tucking Ainsley into bed, she was pretty bummed.  Brogan was still finishing his milk, so I snuggled in beside Ainsley to see what was going on.  We started talking and she was saying that she just feels really sad but she doesn't really know why. I simply said, "Do you miss Daddy?" and the flood gates opened.  It makes me so sad, because it's usually her Daddy that would be laying in bed beside her, giving her a big hug telling her that it would be ok.  But, Daddy was gone and she was stuck with this Mommy who was having her own meltdown.  We cried together until Mr. Brogan came barreling up on the bed to see what all the excitement was about.  He gave us both a hug and softly wiped Ainsley's tears off her cheek.  (Take note of this, 'cause we don't always see the soft, affectionate side of Brogan. LOL)  I tucked them both in bed and kissed them goodnight as they put their tired little heads on their deployment pillowcases.  I smiled inside as I shut the lights off in their room when I thought of how Daddy is still a part of our bedtime routine with his handprint and sweet words of love on their pillows.  It's as if they can truly put their fears and troubles in his hands and be granted sweet dreams.

Here's praying for a better tomorrow with less tears and more laughter!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Mia is pouting

It's no secret that Mia is Brian's dog and NOT my dog.  Brian is always reminding me to take care of her, feed her daily, check her water and give her some loving while he is gone (and yes, there's a little story behind all the reminders, but I won't go in to that today).  Well, Mia has decided she doesn't like the idea of Brian being gone. . . . . I  was trying to be nice and bought her a very nice, fluffy, warm bed to keep in the laundry room since I bring her inside at night.  She took right to her bed and seemed to really enjoy it at first.  When Brian came home at Thanksgiving, he even noticed how she would go right to her bed and stay on it.  Well, last week, she must have realized that Brian wasn't going to be home for awhile and chewed a hole in her bed . . . . . . .
She has now decided to start pulling clothes out of the hampers, move my rugs around, and chew a hole in the other side of her bed!!  Little does she know that if she continues this little temper tantrum she will be sleeping in her doghouse and NOT in my warm laundry room!!
Brian, she's YOUR dog!!!  Timber would have never done this!!  He was so well mannered.  LOL

Ainsley's Christmas Program

Ainsley had her Christmas program on Dec. 7 for school.  She was our little star as always!!  I hope you enjoy the pictures.  Daddy, Brogan and I taped a short video of one of the songs.  Sorry it's so jumpy, Brogan was trying to be helpful.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

I'll Be Brave This Christmas by Big Daddy Weave

My friend, Kara, shared this wonderful song with me yesterday.  It is wonderful and speaks volumes to our family this Christmas season!  We hope you enjoy!! Remember to go to the bottom and MUTE my playlist so you can hear the song on the video.

Brian's Address

I was officially notified today that I can release Brian's address!!  (Brian called!!!)  So, if you would like his physical address or even his email address, please email me and I will send it to you.  Thanks for everyone's prayers for safety and readjustment, we are all slowly getting into a routine.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

OPOSSUM - I needed my husband last night!!

I am SUCH a city girl and I've never been afraid to admit it!!  Ask my husband or my dad, I don't like creatures that move or look ugly, I'm scared of bugs and spiders, and to say that I'm TERRIFIED of birds is a huge understatement . . . . So, last night the kids and I are coming home from the grocery store around 7:30, and of course it's already dark outside, when - "What to my wandering eyes should appear?!?! A large, stupid, rat-looking rodent that showed no fear!!"  Oh, sick I screeched as I followed him with my headlights walking up my sidewalk and around by the side of my house.  My fingers quickly dialed Dad at home.  He said to get Mia (our dog) in the house and go ahead and call the local police to see what they could do about it.  About 10 minutes later, Officer Rummel arrived at the door and just kind of smiled and said, I'm sorry, but there's not much we can do."  Oh, how I wish Brian would have been with me and he could have just shot the stupid thing!!  Or even Timber, he killed an opossum when we lived in Wamego.  Brave little dog!

I had thought the neighbors cats were eating Mia's dog food, but after talking to Leticia, I'm guessing it's the opossums and raccoons that they've also seen.  And her cats are so used to the opossums and raccoons that they aren't really putting up a fight to them.  I'm wondering now if they've been sleeping in Mia's dog box because she doesn't like to go in there much anymore.

So, needless to say, I dreamt about stupid opossums ALL  . . . NIGHT . . . LONG!!!  Stupid, ugly things were everywhere I turned in my sleep.

**If you hear Brogan say "stupid" I have no idea where he learned it!!  LOL

Sunday, December 5, 2010

On His Way

Brian surprised us with another phone call this morning!  The kids and I were just hanging out watching some t.v. when my cell phone started ringing.  Ainsley has learned that we hurry to answer the phone just in case it's Daddy.  We don't want to miss a phone call because we were too little too late with answering. . . so, she quickly got the phone and gave it to me, and sure enough - it was Brian!!

He sounded pretty beat!  He said they were finally done with their field exercises and he had FINALLY gotten to SHOWER!!  He hadn't been able to shower since he left Indiana - THAT WAS NOV. 29!!!  YIKES!!  Training itself was pretty crappy, so he was ready to get on the move to their home-camp.  He figured they would be leaving sometime through the night to travel.

Ainsley was excited she got to talk to Daddy, too.  She told him about her school work and helping Papa hang the Christmas lights.  Then, it was Brogan's turn to talk, BUT Brogan said he "couldn't talk, I'm watching Kailahn".  So, he hollered "bye, Love you, Daddy" and went right back to watching his cartoons. Good thing Brian and I have been through deployment phone calls with a toddler before and know that you can't force them to talk.  I think once we get Brian a laptop and he is able to Skype then Brogan will find it more appealing to talk to Daddy.

Brian is supposed to send me his address when he gets to his camp.  If you would like his address, please email me at ainsleysmom610@gmail.com.  I will not be posting his address on the blog or facebook due to opsec.

Have a wonderful week!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

We Got Mail!!

Brian told me on Monday that the kids should be receiving some letters in the mail.  Brian usually just sends Ainsley a letter, thinking that Brogan really doesn't get it, but after talking to the chaplain he sent Brogan his very own letter.  Brogan was so thrilled to pull his letter from the mailbox tonight!!  He opened the letter and I told him I would read his letter from Daddy.  When Daddy asked questions or told him to do something in the letter, Brogan responded as if Daddy could hear him.  It was so cute!  He told me he had to "go hang it on the fridge with his letters, just like Sissy dos."  And that he did, right next to his Sissy's letter.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Suprised by a Phone Call

I was suprised by a phone call this morning!!  On my way to work, the phone rang as I was going past Mingo, it was BRIAN!!!  I was so excited and suprised to hear from him this early.  He said they arrived in Kuwait about 2 hours after midnight (their time).  He, along with 17 other soldiers, were chosen to go through an additional one week training, so he will not be arriving at his final destination until after the training. I will send everyone his address once he arrives at his destination.  He would love to hear from you.

It was so good to hear his voice. . . . . I miss hearing his comforting tone that can ease all my worries and calm my nerves, AND even set me straight sometimes!!  LOL  I had gotten really used to just picking up my phone and calling him or texting him on my way to and from work over the last 2 months.  We could talk without the interruptions of two children at home.  I miss that!!  I miss not hearing his ringtone on my phone throughout the day, too.  It will be a long time before that song rings again on my cell phone, but I will be so happy to hear it again!!