Almost There!

We are now in the home stretch... only a few more days until Daddy gets back home! We REALLY miss him and can hardly wait to have him back. It's been almost a month and I know that one day we're going to have to do this for seven or more months when he deploys. Having this very small taste of what that will be like has been hard. I have so much respect and admiration for all military spouses (including some of the wonderful friends I've met along our way) who have missed or are currently missing their loved ones.

We've continued to try to keep ourselves busy. I hosted dinner on Wednesday night for several friends and their children whose husbands are also on the det. We went to the beach this weekend with friends and out to a nice dinner for our book club this month. Today, I took AK to her first movie. That was really fun. She loved it! We saw Disney's new movie, UP! During all the exciting parts, Abby Kate kept saying, "what's going to happen, Mommy?!" And she looked so cute with her bag of popcorn, pretending to cough after she ate each piece so she could have another drink of my Sprite.

This week will be filled with an OB appt., work, the gym, and more hanging out with friends... and of course a lot of crying as I'll be hitting the big 3-0 on Tuesday. Ugh. What a way to turn 30 - eight months pregnant and husband gone! At least I moved my dental appt. that had originally been scheduled for that day. :) A couple friends agreed to come over and keep me company on my birthday, so I'm thrilled about that and looking forward to it.

Mike is doing well and has finished up all the flights they had him scheduled to do out there. We have missed him SO much. We are so excited for his return later this week!!!

Last Three Weeks, In Pictures

While we were home, Mom, Carrie and I threw a shower for my dear friend, Lyndsay. She's expecting her first child - a son, Eli. We're due only two days apart!

This is Lynds and me with our moms, Debi and Missy. Our moms have also been best friends for a long, long time. Even way before we were born.

My nephew, William, friend Cristy's son, Caden and AK outside the gorilla exhibit at the Louisville Zoo.

With Mimi and Pawpaw, waiting for a train ride at the zoo.

Wanting to 'help' Pawpaw mow the grass.

With my college friend, Maggie, outside a restaurant in Frankfort.

My wonderful friends, Lexie and Sarah, who held a baby shower for me this past weekend. They were so kind to include Abby Kate in the fun. Thanks, guys! It was beautiful!

Back Home

After a nice, but busy trip home to KY (pictures to come), Abby Kate, Junah and I are back home and settling in. The drive home took almost 11 hours, but it really didn't seem that long at all. Well, besides the fact that the Camry's air conditioner died three hours into the trip. Abby Kate and I were sweating and Junah had his tongue hanging out for several hours. I asked the gas station lady if she knew what the problem could be and she told me I probably had a freeon leak. I asked her where I could get some freeon to put back in the car and she looked at me like I was crazy. (I should really learn more about cars, I guess.) I was disappointed that I couldn't just go buy a jug of freeon, pour it wherever it goes and be on my way.

So we pressed on and arrived home safe and sound. Abby Kate was happy to reunite with her toys. Specifically her pink watering can.

We've been hanging out with friends and getting back to weekly things like gymnastics and OB appointments. We are trying to stay busy to keep our minds off missing Daddy, but it's tough. We have about two more weeks to go until he returns. Mike is doing well with his training over in Arizona, but I know he'll be so excited to get back to his girls.

I'll leave you with some new, funny AK dialogue:

I was outside pumping up the tires on my bike because my friend Lexie is borrowing it for a triathlon next weekend. I was having trouble with the pump as it was very difficult to push down. So I started raising it, then sitting on the handle to push it down. Abby Kate took notice and got up from illustrating our driveway with her sidewalk chalk. She came over and this is what followed:

AK: Mommy, there's a better way to do that.
Me: (Baffled, not sure I heard her right. Did she really just say that?!) What did you say, honey?
AK: I said there's a better way to do that.
Me: (Laughing and shocked and completely spellbound to hear what her solution might be) Oh? Well, OK, what's the better way?
AK: (Patting the seat of the bike) See, you sit up here and ride.
Me: (Speed-dialing NASA)

:)

Missing Daddy

We said good-bye to Daddy last week as he pulled his bags and flight gear from the trunk and walked into the squadron and then later onto a plane headed to Yuma, AZ. I cried and said a million "be carefuls," knowing we wouldn't see him again for 4+ weeks. Abby Kate didn't quite grasp the sadness of the good-bye, thinking Daddy was simply going to work like he does everyday. But she still gave him lots of hugs and kisses, followed by "haaaaaaarder hugs and kisses," as you see pictured here. :)

Mike will be training for a month in Yuma. He'll then come back and finish up the last bit in NC with hopes to complete the training in July/August. I'm sure he's about to melt out there with temperatures of 107 degrees! He says he went for a run early in the morning the other day and it was already 80 degrees. Yuma is very close to the Mexican border, so I made sure he had plenty of pocket hand sanitizer to combat the Swine Flu! He's been very busy out there so far with flights and simulator flights and studying, but we hear from him at least once or twice a day. I'm hoping he at least gets a day off today.

To get our minds off his absence, AK, Junah and I traveled home to KY late last week. We've been enjoying spending time with family, and I'll be here to help throw a baby shower for my friend Lyndsay! But we are missing Daddy today especially, on this Mother's Day.

When we return home, we have planned many dinners and get togethers with my wonderful friends in NC as all of their husbands are on the det to Yuma as well.

We miss you, Daddy! Be safe - we can't wait for you to come home!

Welcome to the World

David Ryan Wallace

This little one was born to Mike's oldest brother, CJ and his wife, Amber, on May 1. He came five weeks early - hence the breathing tubes - but they have since come off and both mom and baby are doing well! Congratulations, CJ, Amber and Luke on the newest addition! We can't wait to meet him!

More AK Quotes

As we were driving to the library this morning for story-time, Abby Kate started to tell me - as she often does - all the things she's going to do with Avery when she arrives. Having heard the list a thousand times, I was a bit surprised at the newest thing she added to her list of ways to help:

AK: "Mommy, when Avery comes out I'm going to hold her, rock her, kiss and hug her, change diaper, feed her, butter her..."

After having good laugh, I explained that Avery is not a pancake and does not need to be buttered.

:)

She then turned her attention to the numerous puffy clouds in the sky:

AK: "I see clouds, Mommy!"
Me: "I see them too!"
AK: "They're moving, I can't see them anymore, Mommy. I need some vernoculars."

I wasn't aware she knew the concept of binoculars, let alone the word!