Our Father's Day

Gabriel and I really missed Daddy today. It breaks my heart that he missed his first Father's Day. I hope that because today was Sunday that he was in fact allowed some down time to relax. (They are supposed to be able to attend church, write letters home, etc.) I wonder if his RDC yelled, "HAPPY Blank-ety-blank FATHER'S DAY!" to all the wonderful fathers in boot camp? It's the thought that counts, right?

To celebrate Joey today, Gabriel and I made Daddy a special letter.

Gabriel was pretty upset about all the goo on his hands and feet, but calmed down after he had a chance to inspect the strange substance for himself.



A quick trip to the tub washed away all his concerns (and the paint too!).

 We still haven't received a letter from Daddy or our packet from the Navy, so we won't be able to send this letter just yet. I've been writing since he left though, so I'm hoping to get his address soon. I know our letters will mean a great deal to him (especially this one!), as well as all the pictures I'll be enclosing.

How did you spend your Father's Day?



Daddy

Gabriel is one lucky baby! He has a terrific Daddy that loves him more than he'll ever know (or at least until he has his own children someday).








If Gabriel could talk, he'd be sure to let Daddy know this Father's Day that he thinks he's...

Funny Brave Kind-hearted Goofy Intelligent Strong Handsome Loving Couragous Caring Giving Playful Sincere Inspiring

Humble Honest Wise Hard working Talented Trustworthy

but most importantly, LOVED

Gabriel and I will celebrate Father's Day without Daddy this year because he is away training for the Navy. Words can't describe how proud we are of him, or the respect we have for his decision to serve us, and our country. Thank you Daddy for all you do for us! We pray for you each day, and hope you can feel our love all the way in Great Lakes, IL.











Photos taken by Christy Thayer

"I simply remember my favorite things..."

"...and then I don't feeeeeeeeel sooo baaaad."
Maria in The Sound of Music was really on to something! I admit, I'm feeling a little down about my husband, Joey, leaving for basic training with the Navy in less than two weeks. However, tonight is the last night that he is working the night shift at his job and I want to be in high spirits during the time we have together. So I've compiled a list of some of my favorite things (in no particular order), and now I don't feel so bad...really!

-Long hugs
-Peanut butter
-Capturing the perfect picture
-IllumiNations fireworks show at Epcot, and slowly taking the long way out of the park afterwards
-Gabriel gently patting my cheek in the morning and sweetly smiling as if to say, "Good morning, Momma."
-Falling snow
-Singing when no one can hear
-Warm hot chocolate
-A long, hot bath
-My husband's smile
-Friday nights with friends
-Picnics
-Baby breath
-Afternoon naps
-Baking with my nieces
-The smell of hot, wet cement (This is the smell of summer to me. I picture kids running through the sprinkler and lemonade stands!)
-Lemonade stands :)
-Limeades
-My kitty purring in my lap
-Long walks
-Late night talks
-Breakfast for dinner
-Snuggling
-Trees in Autumn
-Ice cream cones (ice cream with crust, as my friend's daughter calls it!)
-Vacation
-Holding hands with my husband
-Simply orange juice
-Rocking Gabriel to sleep
-Massages
-The smell of lavendar


What are some of your favorite things?

Counting down...

I told myself I wouldn't do this.

This will only make it worse.

I made a big mistake by looking at the calendar today.

It's fifteen days until Joey leaves.

15

I feel a little sick.



Joey and I have been apart for a week here or there at different times during our (almost) six years of marriage. A job training here, trip to visit family there. No big deal. This is nine weeks. Nine long weeks that I'll be without my husband, my partner, my best friend, and right hand. Nine weeks that I won't be able to see Gabriel's face light up when Daddy walks in the room. This is going to be much harder than I thought.

Joey will read this and tell me that it'll be worse for him. He has a point. While Gabriel and I are playing the day away, Daddy will be getting yelled at for just about everything. The Navy will be good for Joey though, and good for us. I keep telling myself that... and it does make me feel better.

The bad part though, is that nine weeks is just the beginning of our time apart. Gabriel and I will travel to see Joey graduate from boot camp and spend the weekend with him, but after that it'll be another 26 weeks that we will live apart. We can (and will!) come visit during that time, but at the moment I can't talk myself into that being enough.

It has to be though.

I'll have to put on my big girl panties.

I know there's a pair around here somewhere.

Welcome to my blog!

I've wanted to start a blog for a long time now, but for many years my hectic life didn't allow for it. There was also the problem of a lack of interesting things to write about. (who wants to hear about my job day in and day out?) My life is still hectic, but in a new way... and my new little bundle of joy I'm sure will provide plenty of interesting writing points. So with inspiration from my friend, Shelley Clem, I've up and created a blog. Jump in if you're prepared to read about all things Gabriel, my new life as a stay at home mom, our adventures preparing for and entering the Navy life, and any other ramblings that spill out!

So to explain the title of my blog...
It's a lyric from one of my favorite songs- Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson. (click on the link to hear it!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkyrIRyrRdY

It's a whimsical song that always puts me in a good mood. He sings of forgetting the world outside, sleeping in, and pretending it's the weekend. I used to feel the urge to call in sick and spend the day carefree just lazing around with Joey after listening to it. What a magical daydream when you're faced with a day of irate customers and associates that thought they deserved a paycheck for showing up late and then standing around! Well now that I don't have a "job", I've come to discover this feeling of enjoying my days as if it were the weekend each and every day. I truly enjoy being the caretaker of our family and home. It doesn't matter what chore awaits me- stinky diaper, messy bathroom, making dinner, packing lunch for Joey- I feel a great sense of pleasure and pride doing so. I do believe I'm called to do this. I've also begun to consider weekends the highlight of my week. When I managed retail stores, weekends didn't exist for us. I almost always worked, and for years mine and Joey's schedules never really seemed to match up. We rarely had the same days off, and never a weekend unless we were on vacation. Now Joey has every weekend off, and we spend them as one big happy family. I also know that soon our weekends will be few and far between, and Gabriel and I will look forward to those weekend visits to Joey as he is training for the Navy. I expect this period of our lives to be very trying, and know that concentrating on the time we do have together- the weekends- will get us through.

Hope you enjoying following our challenging, fun-filled, non-stop, new and improved, blessed lives!