Two Weeks!!!!

I can't believe Mike will be home in TWO WEEKS!!!!!  I am so excited at the thought of seeing him and squeezing him and bringing him home!  It's all I think about!

This feels like such an accomplishment.  It has been hard at times by myself, but the greatest thing I've discovered?  That God has made me a strong and independent person.  I've missed my husband... words can't even get close to describing how much... But I have thrived instead of curling up into a ball of self-pity like I imagined I would.  There are only a few times that I really wished I had his help around the house or with the girls.  Instead, the last eight and a half months have been spent missing his smile, his laugh, his touch, his humor, his company - I have missed all these things so much more than what he can do for me.  I just miss HIM.  The wonderful man I've loved for the last 18 years.

(And a bonus: he'll be here to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary coming up in June!)

Thanks to all of you for your constant prayers, support and love!!! 

Please continue to pray for Mike's safe return.  I can't wait to post homecoming pictures here and on Facebook... and finally get this blog off private status! Yay!

He's Coming Home!!!

OK, not quite yet, but the good news is that they are still on track for coming home in May!!!  Which is going to be here in just a few short weeks!!!  We are soooo excited!!!  Well, I'M so excited, anyway.  The girls are clueless because I don't want them to know until the day he comes home... in case something delays him.  When I can look Abby Kate in the eyes and tell her, sweetie, THIS is the day. TODAY!! TODAY your daddy comes home!! Those will probably be some of the happiest words I've ever spoken! And the happiest words she's ever heard!

I'll leave you with some pics of Avery.  She is already a little princess-wanna-be like her sister.  She LOVES dress-up and shoes and jewelry.  Here she is in AK's new Rapunzel hair.  She kind of freaks me out with it on, like something you'd see in a scary movie... a little baby witch or something. hahaha

Visitors!!

We heart visitors.  Especially these ones. ;)  Lexie and I were happy to welcome our friends Sarah with her daughters, Eden and Maren, and Lindsey, with her son Grant, all the way from Yuma, AZ, to stay with us for a few days!  We had SUCH a fun time!  Their husbands are currently deployed, so it was extra special for us to reunite as well as get our minds off missing them so much.  The kids had a ball together.  In fact we hardly interacted with them because they were so busy entertaining themselves!  I'll let the pictures say the rest... thank you guys SOOO much for making the trip!! We really hated to see you go!

 Lots and lots of dress-up was played!

One of several performances. :)

Grant shows off his cool after-bath 'do.

Abby Kate was in heaven with her two best girlfriends. They had a slumber party every night!

 Sarah, getting her baby fix. :)

The last time Maren held Avery, she was only days old! It's unbelievable how much they've all grown.

Got a babysitter and had dinner out one night!

 An impromptu carriage ride courtesy of our neighbors and their horse.