Sophia...
~ LOVES being a big sister!
~ enjoys "pretend play" - working in the kitchen like mom, sweeping, dusting, transforming ANYTHING with handles into a purse, "fixing things" like Dad does
~ is learning new words every day! It is so fun to hear her rehearse words... my favorite is "cranberry" which ends up more like "kah-pee-pee."
~ really enjoys crafts. She asks to "cooor" (color) several times a day, and also loves painting, gluing, drawing with chalk, and anything that involves crafts at all!
~ also enjoys reading. A few weeks ago I overheard her choosing a book from the bookshelf, saying "I Shopee. I Shopee. I reeeeeaad." Thrilled my heart!
~ weighs about 24 pounds and will be 2 years old next month!
Ransom...
~ LOVES his big sister!
~ is full of smiles and laughs. He is a very happy baby, and it doesn't take much to get him to smile.
~ is sleeping about 8 hours at night.
~ is very strong. He's happiest when he's sitting up.
~ rolled over last Saturday!
~ weighs about 14 pounds and is just over 3 months old.
I...
~ finished one CLEP worth 6 credits - 2 more CLEPS and 3 classes to go - I should be done by early spring! The test I took last week was definitely the one I was most confident in: Social Sciences and History. I crammed for 2 days and did better than I thought I would!
Jon...
~ was chosen to do training to become a hospital or prison chaplain in the Army! It's the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program. As a part of the training he'll get his Doctorate of Ministry, so he's super excited about that! This will be very good for our family, and we're both looking forward to it. Of course, that means leaving here sooner than we anticipated, but that seems to be the story of our lives, so nothing new there...
~ is pastoring the contemporary service here on post as well. Actually, he was the one who started it. It's going incredibly well. We've been having about 60 people - some Soldiers, some families, some civilians.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 09, 2009
Reflections on Fort Hood
I have had many emotions since first hearing of the shootings last Thursday. My heart broke as I read the Facebook status update from a girl I know who recently moved to Fort Hood with her new husband. Immediately I Googled it to find more information.
At first, it was a horrible incident, but no details were known.
Then it came out that the shooter was not only a Major, but a psychiatrist.
The feelings I had at that point were indescribable. Mostly just extreme sadness.
I do not know the tragedy of war first-hand. I do, however, know it second- and third-hand, just as Major Hasan did. With a husband (and several friends) in an Army helping profession, I have seen the toll this can take on a person. And to be a psychiatrist at Walter Reed? That must have been a terribly difficult job. I’m not saying that this in any way justifies what he did. I guess what I am saying is that sometimes the unseen collateral from this war is the mental effect on Soldiers and those around them.
Some other thoughts:
~ To use President Obama’s words, “not speculating” about things we do not know is responsible. The night it happened, I was waiting for the press conference with General Cone to come on, and in that short hour, I was amazed how many things were speculated on. Even with the “of course, this is all speculation” caveat at the end of a long conversation, ideas were planted in peoples’ minds that may or may not be true. Remember this. Why even go there until we know?
~ NOT ALL MUSLIMS WANT TO KILL AMERICANS. In fact, “Muslim” and “American” are not mutually exclusive. Many Muslims ARE Americans. Many Muslims serve in the armed forces proudly. Not all Muslims are terrorists. (For that matter, not all terrorists are Muslims). Was Major Hasan a terrorist? I have absolutely no idea. Unless you want all Christians to be represented by Westboro Baptist Church (who consider the Fort Hood massacre as a judgment by God – the “Christian” God – on sinful America), please do not paint all Muslims with the extremist brush either.
~ Speaking out against the war is not illegal. Many great Soldiers are not in favor of this war and continue to follow orders. Some of the same people who cried out against the “hate crime” bill on the basis of it limiting free speech against homosexuality now seem to want to limit free speech against the government and its actions.
My prayers are with the families directly affected by this tragedy, as well as those indirectly affected. I think in some way the entire Army family has been affected, and I believe we all can feel that. It’s astounding grief.
I write this because I have seen a saddening amount of backlash over the last several days. In the midst of all our grief and fears, let’s not jump to conclusions. Let us not judge others on the basis of speculation. Instead, let’s pray for them. Show love to everyone, regardless of religion or ethnicity. And maybe we’re asking the wrong questions. Let’s start asking what we can do to help Soldiers, what we can do to support those in the military helping professions. That said, there is a lot of help available that people just do not take advantage of. Why is that? Maybe if we can begin to answer these questions, it will make us all better off.
At first, it was a horrible incident, but no details were known.
Then it came out that the shooter was not only a Major, but a psychiatrist.
The feelings I had at that point were indescribable. Mostly just extreme sadness.
I do not know the tragedy of war first-hand. I do, however, know it second- and third-hand, just as Major Hasan did. With a husband (and several friends) in an Army helping profession, I have seen the toll this can take on a person. And to be a psychiatrist at Walter Reed? That must have been a terribly difficult job. I’m not saying that this in any way justifies what he did. I guess what I am saying is that sometimes the unseen collateral from this war is the mental effect on Soldiers and those around them.
Some other thoughts:
~ To use President Obama’s words, “not speculating” about things we do not know is responsible. The night it happened, I was waiting for the press conference with General Cone to come on, and in that short hour, I was amazed how many things were speculated on. Even with the “of course, this is all speculation” caveat at the end of a long conversation, ideas were planted in peoples’ minds that may or may not be true. Remember this. Why even go there until we know?
~ NOT ALL MUSLIMS WANT TO KILL AMERICANS. In fact, “Muslim” and “American” are not mutually exclusive. Many Muslims ARE Americans. Many Muslims serve in the armed forces proudly. Not all Muslims are terrorists. (For that matter, not all terrorists are Muslims). Was Major Hasan a terrorist? I have absolutely no idea. Unless you want all Christians to be represented by Westboro Baptist Church (who consider the Fort Hood massacre as a judgment by God – the “Christian” God – on sinful America), please do not paint all Muslims with the extremist brush either.
~ Speaking out against the war is not illegal. Many great Soldiers are not in favor of this war and continue to follow orders. Some of the same people who cried out against the “hate crime” bill on the basis of it limiting free speech against homosexuality now seem to want to limit free speech against the government and its actions.
My prayers are with the families directly affected by this tragedy, as well as those indirectly affected. I think in some way the entire Army family has been affected, and I believe we all can feel that. It’s astounding grief.
I write this because I have seen a saddening amount of backlash over the last several days. In the midst of all our grief and fears, let’s not jump to conclusions. Let us not judge others on the basis of speculation. Instead, let’s pray for them. Show love to everyone, regardless of religion or ethnicity. And maybe we’re asking the wrong questions. Let’s start asking what we can do to help Soldiers, what we can do to support those in the military helping professions. That said, there is a lot of help available that people just do not take advantage of. Why is that? Maybe if we can begin to answer these questions, it will make us all better off.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday, October 09, 2009
Sophie's big girl bed!
Lots has happened, but right now I need to show you something cool:
Sophie's big girl bed! You know what's even cooler? Jon built it!
When I was pregnant, we decided to get a toddler bed for Sophie instead of another crib. That turned into Jon building a toddler bed... which turned into "Why not a twin bed that she can use for many years?"... which turned into "Why not build bunk beds that can be used separately?"
And here we are!
Sophie loves it! She cried the first couple times we laid her down there. THEN she figured out she could get up! It only took one warning, though, and I am proud to say she has not gotten up prematurely since! She's been in it for about a month now - what a big girl!
It's amazing how much older she seems now that we have a newborn. Her vocabulary has expanded - it's so fun now that I actually know what she's talking about! She adores Ransom ("Reme" as she calls him) - and she's very concerned about him. If he's crying, she promptly comes and tells me "Reme shad" (sad). If she sees he doesn't have a blanket - even if it's 80 degrees - she finds him one and covers him up.
Ransom is doing great too - he weighs almost 13 pounds and is 24" long - that's the 95th percentile for weight and 90th for length! I think he'll weigh more than Sophie by his first birthday. He's getting strong - he can hold his head up very well and loves to smile!
I never believed it would happen to me, but it has... I take significantly fewer pictures of Ransom than I did of Sophie at this age. I'm starting to amend that. Look for new pics later today!
Sophie's big girl bed! You know what's even cooler? Jon built it!
When I was pregnant, we decided to get a toddler bed for Sophie instead of another crib. That turned into Jon building a toddler bed... which turned into "Why not a twin bed that she can use for many years?"... which turned into "Why not build bunk beds that can be used separately?"
And here we are!
Sophie loves it! She cried the first couple times we laid her down there. THEN she figured out she could get up! It only took one warning, though, and I am proud to say she has not gotten up prematurely since! She's been in it for about a month now - what a big girl!
It's amazing how much older she seems now that we have a newborn. Her vocabulary has expanded - it's so fun now that I actually know what she's talking about! She adores Ransom ("Reme" as she calls him) - and she's very concerned about him. If he's crying, she promptly comes and tells me "Reme shad" (sad). If she sees he doesn't have a blanket - even if it's 80 degrees - she finds him one and covers him up.
Ransom is doing great too - he weighs almost 13 pounds and is 24" long - that's the 95th percentile for weight and 90th for length! I think he'll weigh more than Sophie by his first birthday. He's getting strong - he can hold his head up very well and loves to smile!
I never believed it would happen to me, but it has... I take significantly fewer pictures of Ransom than I did of Sophie at this age. I'm starting to amend that. Look for new pics later today!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Baby Fisher!
I am sitting on the couch, with a cool breeze blowing in through the window. It feels good to be home. Sophie is asleep in her crib, and Jon and Ransom are having that perfect "newborn sleeps on Daddy's chest while he sleeps" moment.
Yes. Ransom.
Late Wednesday afternoon I started getting really uncomfortable. Around 9pm or so, the contractions got worse, but after having visited the hospital with false labor a couple weeks ago, I was in no hurry to go in. We watched a movie, I took a bath and went to bed. They were still getting worse, but not lasting longer than about 30 seconds, so I didn't think too much of it (though they were about 4 minutes apart at that point...) Finally Jon talked me into calling our friend to stay with Sophie, and we left.
We got to the hospital about 12:30 at night. We went through the whole admittance process in no hurry - the nurse told me later she thought I would be in labor for several more hours. So did I.
Finally, about 1:00am, she checked me out. She got a really surprised look on her face and said she needed to go call my doctor - I was at 9! They told me to not push until the doctor got there (seriously? SERIOUSLY?), which he did a little after 2. I pushed for a few minutes, and at 2:21am on August 20, Ransom Decatur Fisher was born!
------------------
I wrote all that last Saturday. What can I say, I have a newborn and a toddler...
All has been going well. He's eating like a champ and is above his discharge weight. We went to the doctor yesterday for his first routine appointment, and the doctor was afraid he was jaundiced. We did the blood test, and the results were "not alarming" - so we don't have to do anything! What a huge relief...
Sophia absolutely loves him, though by now she has gotten pretty used to him. The first day she wanted to hold him and be by him constantly, the next day she just needed my and Jon's attention. By now the novelty has pretty much worn off. I'm sure there will be more difficult times ahead, but kids adapt easily.
My parents have been here for a few days, which has been a huge blessing. For reasons I'll write about in another post, Jon has had to go to work every day this week, and I've been gone some as well. Having someone here to watch the kids - and keep the house from falling apart - has been wonderful. They're leaving tonight about the same time Jon's family is coming in - so glad it worked out for them to come before school starts!
Ok, I've been writing this over several days, and if I keep going it will digress into more and more rambling. Instead, I leave you with pictures!
Yes. Ransom.
Late Wednesday afternoon I started getting really uncomfortable. Around 9pm or so, the contractions got worse, but after having visited the hospital with false labor a couple weeks ago, I was in no hurry to go in. We watched a movie, I took a bath and went to bed. They were still getting worse, but not lasting longer than about 30 seconds, so I didn't think too much of it (though they were about 4 minutes apart at that point...) Finally Jon talked me into calling our friend to stay with Sophie, and we left.
We got to the hospital about 12:30 at night. We went through the whole admittance process in no hurry - the nurse told me later she thought I would be in labor for several more hours. So did I.
Finally, about 1:00am, she checked me out. She got a really surprised look on her face and said she needed to go call my doctor - I was at 9! They told me to not push until the doctor got there (seriously? SERIOUSLY?), which he did a little after 2. I pushed for a few minutes, and at 2:21am on August 20, Ransom Decatur Fisher was born!
------------------
I wrote all that last Saturday. What can I say, I have a newborn and a toddler...
All has been going well. He's eating like a champ and is above his discharge weight. We went to the doctor yesterday for his first routine appointment, and the doctor was afraid he was jaundiced. We did the blood test, and the results were "not alarming" - so we don't have to do anything! What a huge relief...
Sophia absolutely loves him, though by now she has gotten pretty used to him. The first day she wanted to hold him and be by him constantly, the next day she just needed my and Jon's attention. By now the novelty has pretty much worn off. I'm sure there will be more difficult times ahead, but kids adapt easily.
My parents have been here for a few days, which has been a huge blessing. For reasons I'll write about in another post, Jon has had to go to work every day this week, and I've been gone some as well. Having someone here to watch the kids - and keep the house from falling apart - has been wonderful. They're leaving tonight about the same time Jon's family is coming in - so glad it worked out for them to come before school starts!
Ok, I've been writing this over several days, and if I keep going it will digress into more and more rambling. Instead, I leave you with pictures!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Troops' families feel weight of war
This is a bit of a read, but it does a great job at displaying some of the difficulties multiple deployments place on military families. It references Strong Bonds, the retreat program we just did in Nashville.
Read the whole article here: Troops' families feel weight of war - there is also a short video on the site of one couple talking about their life in the military.
As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to demand long and multiple deployments of soldiers, the Army high command is focusing more attention on a tragic consequence to military families. Soldiers and their spouses are learning to live separate lives — the soldier at war, the spouse at home with the children — and it is becoming more difficult with each deployment to get back together.
Read the whole article here: Troops' families feel weight of war - there is also a short video on the site of one couple talking about their life in the military.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
38 and counting.
Well, here it is, August 12, the date that was my guess to have the baby.
The end is not in sight. I went to the doctor this morning, who informed me - unsurprisingly - that there has been no change in the past 2 weeks. The way I have been feeling, I expect the baby to make his grand appearance around Halloween - I feel the same as I did a month ago, except even fewer of my clothes fit! The other day I didn't update my Facebook status all day, so my sister took that to mean I was in the hospital! No such luck...
What is nice is that, since I got everything done that I wanted to before our Nashville trip, I have been enjoying relaxing and reading these past couple weeks!
Ah yes, Nashville. I suppose that's something non-baby I could talk about. The Army, in its ever infinite wisdom, realized a few years ago that - surprise - the military doesn't exactly make marriage easy. And since, in most cases, happy marriage = happy Soldier = good Soldier, they decided to do something about it. Hence the inception of Strong Bonds.
Strong Bonds is a Marriage Enrichment Retreat program run by Chaplains. Two weeks ago, Jon and I, along with 19 other couples from Redstone, went to the Opryland Hotel in Nashville for a few days for this retreat. Aside from a few minor hiccups, all went well! Jon taught on, among other things, The Five Love Languages and healthy conflict resolution. He is a really great teacher - of all the hats he wears as a Chaplain, that's probably his favorite! The couples seemed to interact with the material and respond well to it. Though these events take a ton of work on Jon's part, it is great knowing that these marriages are better off because of it.
We were planning on staying an extra night, but I thought I was in labor. Silly me. I think all the walking around made me go into false labor, and being 2 1/2 hours from home, I didn't want to risk it... It was a beautiful hotel, albeit a little ostentatious. The photo is of us at the garden. INSIDE the hotel.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Baby Pool
It's that time again!
Here are the stats: I'm at 36 weeks right now, 2-3 cm dilated.
I had Sophie at 36 weeks/5 days, which would be this coming Monday (August 3) if this baby were to be the same.
So, what are your guesses - when do you think we will meet Baby Boy Fisher?
(For what it's worth, my guess is August 12...)
Put your guess in the comments section! :-)
Here are the stats: I'm at 36 weeks right now, 2-3 cm dilated.
I had Sophie at 36 weeks/5 days, which would be this coming Monday (August 3) if this baby were to be the same.
So, what are your guesses - when do you think we will meet Baby Boy Fisher?
(For what it's worth, my guess is August 12...)
Put your guess in the comments section! :-)
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Homemade Ice Cream (in a bag)
So I've seen a recipe on a few different "Mommy Blogs" this summer for homemade ice cream that you make with in plastic bags and is ready in 5 minutes. Didn't quite believe it would be as good as they said, but I thought I'd try it.
I have to admit, it was pretty good! I used one part milk and one part half-and-half. We drink skim milk, so I think doing it with a higher fat milk or ALL half-and-half would produce a creamier product. Also, it helps to think of it more as a milk shake than ice cream. That said, it's ridiculously easy to make and would be tons of fun for kids to do!
One other note - I have always thought ingredients I had never used seemed exotic, and therefore expensive. Case in point: Rock Salt. To all you out there like me, rest assured - I picked up a 1-pound box of it for 89 cents. :-)
Here is the site I got this particular recipe from, but if you Google "homemade ice cream bag" you'll come up with lots of variations and ideas... I'm thinking chocolate next time! :-) Oh, we also put it in a bowl instead of eating it out of the bag - I hate getting melty ice cream on my hand as I'm trying to scrape the bottom...
Happy eating!
I have to admit, it was pretty good! I used one part milk and one part half-and-half. We drink skim milk, so I think doing it with a higher fat milk or ALL half-and-half would produce a creamier product. Also, it helps to think of it more as a milk shake than ice cream. That said, it's ridiculously easy to make and would be tons of fun for kids to do!
One other note - I have always thought ingredients I had never used seemed exotic, and therefore expensive. Case in point: Rock Salt. To all you out there like me, rest assured - I picked up a 1-pound box of it for 89 cents. :-)
Homemade Ice Cream in a Bag
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup half & half or milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size ziploc bag
1 gallon-size ziploc bag
Ice cubes
Step One: Put the first three ingredients into the pint sized ziploc bag. Seal well. Check and make sure that is is sealed well. Check again.
Step Two: Put the pint sized ziploc bag inside of the gallon sized ziploc bag.
Step Three: Fill the gallon sized ziploc bag with ice and rock salt.
Step Four: Shake your bags.
After about 5-10 minutes the half & half will thicken and you will have ice cream!
Take the small bag of ice cream out of the larger bag — you may want to wipe the bag off to get rid of the salt residue, especially for younger children who are not as neat. Then, grab a spoon and eat it right out of the bag.
Enjoy!
Here is the site I got this particular recipe from, but if you Google "homemade ice cream bag" you'll come up with lots of variations and ideas... I'm thinking chocolate next time! :-) Oh, we also put it in a bowl instead of eating it out of the bag - I hate getting melty ice cream on my hand as I'm trying to scrape the bottom...
Happy eating!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Thoughts on a Rainy Sunday
Several people have asked me why I've stopped blogging, or at least writing so much. There are many reasons for this. One, admittedly, is Facebook. I post a lot of thoughts there, so the blog gets pretty much ignored. Then there's the fact that I completely and utterly decompress to Jon, so by the time I think to write about a given topic, I've probably already talked about it to death! Oh, then there's the small matter of being in school full time right now (should have my BA next spring!!!), and trying to do what I can to get ready for a new baby next month. (NEXT month? What??? When did THAT happen?)
The other reason is actually similar to why Jon stopped blogging. I started this out to chronicle being a Chaplain's wife, and I have few new experiences anymore. It's just life. Redstone is different from Hunter, which was different from Stewart, but at the end of the day, it's pretty much the same.
And, honestly, many of the things I would write about, I'm not really comfortable putting out there in cyberspace for anyone to read.
After listening to a story yesterday on NPR, Jon and I had a conversation about what it would look like to move "back home." I'll admit, there are times moving back to Cedar Springs seems appealing. My parents now live 4 hours away from there, so it's not "home" in that sense, but it is where I grew up. Every time I visit, I wish I could stay longer. Most of our siblings live within a 45 minute drive of there, and what I consider my home church - the one I went to and worked at in my early 20s - is just 10 minutes away.
But could I do it?
When Jon was in Iraq the first time, our plan was to go Active Duty. Long story short, that didn't work out. He came home in May of 2006, and we weren't sure where life would take us. We ended up moving back to Atlanta to work. I remember being completely terrified of this. Away from Michigan? Away from my family? Away from home?
But you know, home isn't Cedar Springs anymore. Home is not Savannah nor Huntsville. We often say that home is wherever we both are, but when he is deployed, I certainly don't consider THAT home! Many people use the phrase "Home is where the Army sends you" - and I think that right now, I tend to agree.
I feel more at home with other spouses than I do with friends from Michigan. I feel like I could walk onto any Army post and be integrated quite quickly.
A couple weeks ago I was on the phone with a good friend from high school. We used to do everything together. She got married a year after me, had a girl 7 weeks after Sophie was born, and had a baby boy in March. In that way, our lives have remained similar.
But really, they couldn't be more different. She lives in the next town over from our high school, in a small community. She is happy with her life, and I'm happy for her.
But it's not for me.
My life is the Army now. Jon and I have talked recently about how intimidated I used to be by it all. The first few social functions I went to I was scared to death. I didn't know when to stand, when to sit, how to interact with people. It was all so unknown.
Not anymore. Changes of Command, Hail & Farewells, Coffees, FRGs, even Memorial Services - they're all a part of life. I can tell rank by glancing at a Soldier's chest (though I'll admit, I still have to mentally count rockers), Taps playing at the end of the day has become common, and all my friends know exactly what it's like to have a husband overseas. I am more comfortable here than I would be anywhere else. I appreciate the diversity of people I meet, and I realize that, regardless of rank and position, that's all they all are - just people. People who introduce me to worlds quite unlike mine, people who might look at things differently.
I'm not done blogging. You'll still get your Sophie updates :-) - and I'm sure many more once Baby Boy arrives! And I'll still fill you in about what's going on now and then - but as far as the "Army firsts" - I think those are getting fewer & further between. And I'm realizing that what it means to be a "Chaplain's wife" is different with every person, every post, every year. I have other Chaplains' wives as friends who view this ministry vastly different than we do, so their experience looks different. So, I'll keep telling my story - just don't be surprised if I continue to not update very frequently. (If you DO want to know what's going on in my life, though, add me as a Facebook friend - that's a better way! :-)
The other reason is actually similar to why Jon stopped blogging. I started this out to chronicle being a Chaplain's wife, and I have few new experiences anymore. It's just life. Redstone is different from Hunter, which was different from Stewart, but at the end of the day, it's pretty much the same.
And, honestly, many of the things I would write about, I'm not really comfortable putting out there in cyberspace for anyone to read.
After listening to a story yesterday on NPR, Jon and I had a conversation about what it would look like to move "back home." I'll admit, there are times moving back to Cedar Springs seems appealing. My parents now live 4 hours away from there, so it's not "home" in that sense, but it is where I grew up. Every time I visit, I wish I could stay longer. Most of our siblings live within a 45 minute drive of there, and what I consider my home church - the one I went to and worked at in my early 20s - is just 10 minutes away.
But could I do it?
When Jon was in Iraq the first time, our plan was to go Active Duty. Long story short, that didn't work out. He came home in May of 2006, and we weren't sure where life would take us. We ended up moving back to Atlanta to work. I remember being completely terrified of this. Away from Michigan? Away from my family? Away from home?
But you know, home isn't Cedar Springs anymore. Home is not Savannah nor Huntsville. We often say that home is wherever we both are, but when he is deployed, I certainly don't consider THAT home! Many people use the phrase "Home is where the Army sends you" - and I think that right now, I tend to agree.
I feel more at home with other spouses than I do with friends from Michigan. I feel like I could walk onto any Army post and be integrated quite quickly.
A couple weeks ago I was on the phone with a good friend from high school. We used to do everything together. She got married a year after me, had a girl 7 weeks after Sophie was born, and had a baby boy in March. In that way, our lives have remained similar.
But really, they couldn't be more different. She lives in the next town over from our high school, in a small community. She is happy with her life, and I'm happy for her.
But it's not for me.
My life is the Army now. Jon and I have talked recently about how intimidated I used to be by it all. The first few social functions I went to I was scared to death. I didn't know when to stand, when to sit, how to interact with people. It was all so unknown.
Not anymore. Changes of Command, Hail & Farewells, Coffees, FRGs, even Memorial Services - they're all a part of life. I can tell rank by glancing at a Soldier's chest (though I'll admit, I still have to mentally count rockers), Taps playing at the end of the day has become common, and all my friends know exactly what it's like to have a husband overseas. I am more comfortable here than I would be anywhere else. I appreciate the diversity of people I meet, and I realize that, regardless of rank and position, that's all they all are - just people. People who introduce me to worlds quite unlike mine, people who might look at things differently.
I'm not done blogging. You'll still get your Sophie updates :-) - and I'm sure many more once Baby Boy arrives! And I'll still fill you in about what's going on now and then - but as far as the "Army firsts" - I think those are getting fewer & further between. And I'm realizing that what it means to be a "Chaplain's wife" is different with every person, every post, every year. I have other Chaplains' wives as friends who view this ministry vastly different than we do, so their experience looks different. So, I'll keep telling my story - just don't be surprised if I continue to not update very frequently. (If you DO want to know what's going on in my life, though, add me as a Facebook friend - that's a better way! :-)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Need your help!
We bought a deep freezer yesterday!!! Yes. THREE exclamation points. It is very exciting.
The refrigerator in this house is considerably smaller than we've had in the past - and the freezer has about enough room for 2 bags of vegetables. Being people who like to stock up during sales and such, that just wasn't cutting it...
One of my plans is to use the month of July to prepare some meals ahead, so in the last weeks of pregnancy and first weeks of Life With Two Kids, I can have some frozen meals ready.
Suggestions?
I need meals that freeze well - all suggestions are welcome! My ideas so far are chicken (pulled chicken, maybe with garlic/onions, that I can use in other things), sweet & sour chicken, meatloaf, of course soup... what else? I'm looking for not just meals, but also things like the chicken, that aren't a whole meal, but would cut down immensely in preparation.
Look forward to your ideas!!
The refrigerator in this house is considerably smaller than we've had in the past - and the freezer has about enough room for 2 bags of vegetables. Being people who like to stock up during sales and such, that just wasn't cutting it...
One of my plans is to use the month of July to prepare some meals ahead, so in the last weeks of pregnancy and first weeks of Life With Two Kids, I can have some frozen meals ready.
Suggestions?
I need meals that freeze well - all suggestions are welcome! My ideas so far are chicken (pulled chicken, maybe with garlic/onions, that I can use in other things), sweet & sour chicken, meatloaf, of course soup... what else? I'm looking for not just meals, but also things like the chicken, that aren't a whole meal, but would cut down immensely in preparation.
Look forward to your ideas!!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sophie Update
Sophia turned 18 months on Sunday! We celebrated by having her well-baby check-up yesterday...
She is, not surprisingly, doing great. I have had several people comment to me that she looks tall, which I never understood - until yesterday. Seems she is in the 40th percentile in height, but only 14th in weight.
Sophia, now that you're 18 months, here are some of the things I absolutely adore about you, and never want to forget...
~ The way you drink all your milk from your cereal bowl when you're done, following my accidental example...
~ When you see something you want, you say "peeease" and nod your head.
~ The way you start "reading out loud" from the book you're looking at when Dad or I read to you.
~ How excited you get when Dad gets home - you run toward the door, arms out for a hug, squealing the whole way.
~ How you have started liking being "pretty" - barrettes and headbands in your hair, necklaces, combing your hair.
~ How, every time I walk down the hall, you follow me, either saying "upupupup" (telling me you want me to lift you "up" onto my bed to play), or "po-y" (meaning you want to sit on the potty).
~ The way you sit at your desk with a piece of paper and pen, diligently writing, as if you are chronicling your day for future generations.
~ How, when you know we're getting ready to leave, you start gathering things: your shoes, my shoes, my purse, the diaper bag... then get VERY upset if we don't leave right away!
~ The way you hold your hand up to your mouth and make "whisper" noises if Dad or I whispers to you.
~ How you fold your hands and say "paaay" when it's time to pray - and if we say the Lord's Prayer, you say it with us. In tongues, apparently. ;-)
~ How upset you get when someone else is crying or yelling. I hope you never lose this sense of empathy.
You are such a sweet child!
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
I really should write more often...
I'm sitting outside right now, under the covered patio, eating chips and cheese, watching it rain. I love this. The cool breeze is such a welcome break from the 90s weather we've been having - I'm actually wearing a sweatshirt right now! Feels like fall...
It's been busy around here. It's definitely a different kind of "busy" than the last unit - but busy nonetheless. Those "leave work at 5" days (novel concept!) have quickly fluttered by... ah well... so, here's a recap of the last few weeks...
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We went to our first 832nd Hail & Farewell last week. It was by far the shortest I have ever been to - and they were farewelling the Commander! Usually these things take HOURS - even with the meal, this one was done in about 90 minutes! It was cool to get to meet more of the people in Jon's unit.
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Sophie is growing more interactive every day! She is getting to a really fun age - there are times I'm not sure what I'm going to do with a newborn again! She is very independent and loves doing things that Mom and Dad do... though not always exactly the way Mom and Dad do them. For example, she loves helping me unload the dishwasher. There is a low cupboard with plastic things she can put away, but lately she has been putting away the silverware for me. Unfortunately, since she can't reach the drawer, she has claimed another low cabinet for silverware! She very purposefully gets each piece, one at a time, walks over, and puts it on the shelf. She's trying so hard to help I can't bear to stop her!
Last night at Bible study one of the Soldiers put Sophie up to the microphone - she didn't even hesitate doing exactly what Dad does... she leaned forward and started singing away! The words consisted mostly of "duh"s and "nuh"s, but it was definitely a song! When he tried to put her down, she grabbed the mic and started singing louder!
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Thanks for all your suggestions about play group. We didn't go on Tuesday, and there weren't any problems today. There were fewer kids there today, plus one of them was a 6-year-old girl who loved helping Sophie play all morning!
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Long story short, I got some good news about my degree last week! They FINALLY got all my transcripts evaluated (2 1/2 years after the process began...) and they accepted ALL of them!!! The one blow-off AP math class I took in high school even paid off - not only did they give me 3 credits for it, but it waived THREE math classes! All said, it seems I have 3 CLEPs and 6 8-week classes left! Even taking my time (and a term off for the baby), I should be done in less than a year! Woohoo!
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We were visited by yet another "official welcoming committee" this week. It's funny to me that every group comes individually - I think this was the 3rd. They came with a cookbook with recipes from spouses (Officers' Spouses Club), so that was cool. I have heard people talk about not feeling very welcome when they move on post, but that hasn't been our experience at all! People here seem just the right amount of friendly - they'll welcome you and talk to you, but don't intrude! ;-)
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I'm officially in my third trimester! Let me tell you... this kid... shirts I wore up until the day I had Sophie are already stretched tight around my belly. After I eat, I have to push him down so I can breathe. I'm really hoping I go early again, because I have a feeling he'll be bigger than Sophie was! I would love to do a natural birth again, but if he's big... I just don't know...
----------------------------------------------------
Ok, that's enough for now. I'm off to write the first paper for "Music of the United States"... it's a book report of the table of contents and chapter summaries. Seriously?!?! I think I'll like this class...
It's been busy around here. It's definitely a different kind of "busy" than the last unit - but busy nonetheless. Those "leave work at 5" days (novel concept!) have quickly fluttered by... ah well... so, here's a recap of the last few weeks...
----------------------------------------------------
We went to our first 832nd Hail & Farewell last week. It was by far the shortest I have ever been to - and they were farewelling the Commander! Usually these things take HOURS - even with the meal, this one was done in about 90 minutes! It was cool to get to meet more of the people in Jon's unit.
----------------------------------------------------
Sophie is growing more interactive every day! She is getting to a really fun age - there are times I'm not sure what I'm going to do with a newborn again! She is very independent and loves doing things that Mom and Dad do... though not always exactly the way Mom and Dad do them. For example, she loves helping me unload the dishwasher. There is a low cupboard with plastic things she can put away, but lately she has been putting away the silverware for me. Unfortunately, since she can't reach the drawer, she has claimed another low cabinet for silverware! She very purposefully gets each piece, one at a time, walks over, and puts it on the shelf. She's trying so hard to help I can't bear to stop her!
Last night at Bible study one of the Soldiers put Sophie up to the microphone - she didn't even hesitate doing exactly what Dad does... she leaned forward and started singing away! The words consisted mostly of "duh"s and "nuh"s, but it was definitely a song! When he tried to put her down, she grabbed the mic and started singing louder!
----------------------------------------------------
Thanks for all your suggestions about play group. We didn't go on Tuesday, and there weren't any problems today. There were fewer kids there today, plus one of them was a 6-year-old girl who loved helping Sophie play all morning!
----------------------------------------------------
Long story short, I got some good news about my degree last week! They FINALLY got all my transcripts evaluated (2 1/2 years after the process began...) and they accepted ALL of them!!! The one blow-off AP math class I took in high school even paid off - not only did they give me 3 credits for it, but it waived THREE math classes! All said, it seems I have 3 CLEPs and 6 8-week classes left! Even taking my time (and a term off for the baby), I should be done in less than a year! Woohoo!
----------------------------------------------------
We were visited by yet another "official welcoming committee" this week. It's funny to me that every group comes individually - I think this was the 3rd. They came with a cookbook with recipes from spouses (Officers' Spouses Club), so that was cool. I have heard people talk about not feeling very welcome when they move on post, but that hasn't been our experience at all! People here seem just the right amount of friendly - they'll welcome you and talk to you, but don't intrude! ;-)
-----------------------------------------------------
I'm officially in my third trimester! Let me tell you... this kid... shirts I wore up until the day I had Sophie are already stretched tight around my belly. After I eat, I have to push him down so I can breathe. I'm really hoping I go early again, because I have a feeling he'll be bigger than Sophie was! I would love to do a natural birth again, but if he's big... I just don't know...
----------------------------------------------------
Ok, that's enough for now. I'm off to write the first paper for "Music of the United States"... it's a book report of the table of contents and chapter summaries. Seriously?!?! I think I'll like this class...
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Petting Zoo
This week Sophie and I went on her first field trip! We have been going to a morning Play Group twice a week. Sophie loves Play Group - and so do I! 
It's sponsored by Army Community Services, and they have a huge building with all sorts of fun toys, plus an outside play area with outdoor toys just for Sophie's age. I have enjoyed getting to know other moms, and Sophie literally runs to the building when we gets there and... shall we say... it's a struggle to leave...
Sophie also LOVES animals. Didn't get it from me, that's for sure. "Dog" was her second word (after the ever-important "Dad") - and we don't even have one! (Notice in the first video how she got distracted by the dog - that happened several times that morning). So, I knew that she would enjoy this trip - she had a blast! It took some convincing for ME to feed the animals, but when I saw all the 2-year-olds around me not sharing my trepidation around the goats, I had to toughen up.. ;-)
You can click HERE to see the whole set of pictures (plus some with her new sandbox and table & chairs).
It's sponsored by Army Community Services, and they have a huge building with all sorts of fun toys, plus an outside play area with outdoor toys just for Sophie's age. I have enjoyed getting to know other moms, and Sophie literally runs to the building when we gets there and... shall we say... it's a struggle to leave...
Sophie also LOVES animals. Didn't get it from me, that's for sure. "Dog" was her second word (after the ever-important "Dad") - and we don't even have one! (Notice in the first video how she got distracted by the dog - that happened several times that morning). So, I knew that she would enjoy this trip - she had a blast! It took some convincing for ME to feed the animals, but when I saw all the 2-year-olds around me not sharing my trepidation around the goats, I had to toughen up.. ;-)
You can click HERE to see the whole set of pictures (plus some with her new sandbox and table & chairs).
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Life at Redstone
If you've read my blog for long, you have heard me "wax an elephant" about how a military Chaplain has a very unique roll - that of a religious Government employee. Each Chaplain has a different take on what exactly that means, but regardless of your personal view, what the job looks like on a day to day basis is different with each unit. And not only does the kind of unit/ mission affect the day-to-day work, but so does the Commander and his/her expectations.
Contrary to what many people think, the main function of a Chaplain is (typically) not pastoral ministry in the "church" sense. There is a large amount of counseling, plus meetings, staff work, training, etc. While there are some Chaplains who fill the pastor role, those jobs are few and far between - and even then, he probably shares the pulpit with all the others stationed there.
All that background is to say that this job is very different than what he's done, in a lot of ways - more on that in the future...
To make a long story not quite as long, Jon has started a contemporary service here! We have only met for two weeks and are about to undergo some changes (moving to a bigger chapel and meeting on Sunday evenings instead of mornings), but it has been refreshing for us to be in this kind of ministry. At this point, he's doing it all - leading worship, preaching, presiding over communion - everything. On top of that, he's doing a Bible study on Wednesday evenings. Though it's very different from his other roles, we are really enjoying this aspect of the Chaplaincy.
On a personal level, I'm loving it! I get to do a lot of those things that pastors' wives do that I never have. Or, things I did as a church secretary and miss! (Seriously, I get a ridiculous amount of pleasure from building Power Points for the service...) I am just beginning to build relationships with a couple female Soldiers and look forward to doing that more.
Jon and I have always made it a point to function as a team - "whatever we do, we do together" - but here, more than ever before, I feel like a part of his ministry and what he's doing. Of course, he still has the Soldier aspect to his job - and he can keep that! As for me, I will continue to lay in bed while he gets up to run every morning! :)
Contrary to what many people think, the main function of a Chaplain is (typically) not pastoral ministry in the "church" sense. There is a large amount of counseling, plus meetings, staff work, training, etc. While there are some Chaplains who fill the pastor role, those jobs are few and far between - and even then, he probably shares the pulpit with all the others stationed there.
All that background is to say that this job is very different than what he's done, in a lot of ways - more on that in the future...
To make a long story not quite as long, Jon has started a contemporary service here! We have only met for two weeks and are about to undergo some changes (moving to a bigger chapel and meeting on Sunday evenings instead of mornings), but it has been refreshing for us to be in this kind of ministry. At this point, he's doing it all - leading worship, preaching, presiding over communion - everything. On top of that, he's doing a Bible study on Wednesday evenings. Though it's very different from his other roles, we are really enjoying this aspect of the Chaplaincy.
On a personal level, I'm loving it! I get to do a lot of those things that pastors' wives do that I never have. Or, things I did as a church secretary and miss! (Seriously, I get a ridiculous amount of pleasure from building Power Points for the service...) I am just beginning to build relationships with a couple female Soldiers and look forward to doing that more.
Jon and I have always made it a point to function as a team - "whatever we do, we do together" - but here, more than ever before, I feel like a part of his ministry and what he's doing. Of course, he still has the Soldier aspect to his job - and he can keep that! As for me, I will continue to lay in bed while he gets up to run every morning! :)
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Stepping Out
Most people who know me casually think I'm outgoing. I'm not. I would typically be MUCH happier at home - even socially, I like to get together with one or two other people, not groups. AFTER I know you, I'm not quiet - but it takes every ounce of willpower to go say hello to someone I don't know. I have always felt pretentious doing that - I thought that if someone had any desire to meet me, THEY would come up to ME. What I've realized, though, is that most people don't just walk up and introduce themselves, which makes it REALLY hard to meet them! With each new place we've moved, I've tried to overcome that a bit more. I'm happy to say it's starting to work!
Earlier this week there was an FRG meeting - the first they have had in a couple years - perfect timing! :-) Unfortunately, Jon had gotten a call right before it started to meet with a Soldier, so he wasn't able to make it.
There were probably 25 people there or so, which, for having never done it, was a great turnout. I sat with the Commander and his wife, who I think were the only people in the room I had met before (Jon & I have gone to a couple Battalion softball games - fun! Reminds me of church leagues... except with cussing...). I quickly got to know the other people at our table, and after we ate, I met everyone else! It must be pointed out that Sophie is a GREAT buffer and way to meet people...
Contrary to my previous belief, no one blew me off and acted annoyed that I said hello like I thought they would! ;-) As much as it's out of my comfort zone, Jon sometimes reminds me that, as the Chaplain's wife, it is appropriate and good for me to take initiative to meet people like that. I look forward to getting to know them better!
Sophie and I have also started going to a play group that meets twice a week (though it's indefinitely canceled due to the swine flu... er... I mean N1H1...). The other moms there are super nice, plus it's great to watch Sophie interact with other kids her age! They have TONS of toys, both indoor and outdoor - once Sophie realized I wasn't just dropping her off and leaving, she was ready to explore!
Some other exciting things have happened, but those will have to wait for another day! :-)
Earlier this week there was an FRG meeting - the first they have had in a couple years - perfect timing! :-) Unfortunately, Jon had gotten a call right before it started to meet with a Soldier, so he wasn't able to make it.
There were probably 25 people there or so, which, for having never done it, was a great turnout. I sat with the Commander and his wife, who I think were the only people in the room I had met before (Jon & I have gone to a couple Battalion softball games - fun! Reminds me of church leagues... except with cussing...). I quickly got to know the other people at our table, and after we ate, I met everyone else! It must be pointed out that Sophie is a GREAT buffer and way to meet people...
Contrary to my previous belief, no one blew me off and acted annoyed that I said hello like I thought they would! ;-) As much as it's out of my comfort zone, Jon sometimes reminds me that, as the Chaplain's wife, it is appropriate and good for me to take initiative to meet people like that. I look forward to getting to know them better!
Sophie and I have also started going to a play group that meets twice a week (though it's indefinitely canceled due to the swine flu... er... I mean N1H1...). The other moms there are super nice, plus it's great to watch Sophie interact with other kids her age! They have TONS of toys, both indoor and outdoor - once Sophie realized I wasn't just dropping her off and leaving, she was ready to explore!
Some other exciting things have happened, but those will have to wait for another day! :-)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Contemplating...
I have a post nearly ready to be published, about the people I've met and the things I've done since moving here. I just can't seem to finish it right now...
My thoughts are with my old roommate from Moody. Kandice, who just turned 28, was diagnosed this month with inflammatory breast cancer. She has been preparing to go to the mission field in a Creative Access country in Central Asia to work with the deaf. She's meeting with an oncologist for the first time, even as I type this. Please keep her in your prayers...
My sister-in-law Amy just posted this video this week from a conference she recently attended sponsored by Living Beyond Breast Cancer. I encourage you to take a few minutes and watch it.
My thoughts are with my old roommate from Moody. Kandice, who just turned 28, was diagnosed this month with inflammatory breast cancer. She has been preparing to go to the mission field in a Creative Access country in Central Asia to work with the deaf. She's meeting with an oncologist for the first time, even as I type this. Please keep her in your prayers...
My sister-in-law Amy just posted this video this week from a conference she recently attended sponsored by Living Beyond Breast Cancer. I encourage you to take a few minutes and watch it.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The World of Kevin (updated)
Sorry - it seems I wasn't super clear - there is a separate photo page with 20 or so new photos - click the link at the word "here" in the following sentence:I posted new photos
here! Some are from Easter, some are from various other times. Sorry about the photo page title - I forgot to change it from the iWeb prefab.
Here are just a couple...
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
(updated at bottom) For Matt:
But others are free to comment as well!!!! (That was for Andrea.)
Anyway -
Here's the story. In 2003, a 13-year-old girl named Savana was accused by a classmate of having prescription-strength Ibuprofen. Savana was called to the assistant principal's office, where a nurse made her take off all her clothes, then move her underwear aside, to search for drugs. None were found. Savana was a straight-A student who had never been in trouble in school before.
Oh, one more thing - her parents were not notified...
According to her, she didn't question it at the time, because they were people she trusted, and she really wasn't sure what was going on.
Her mother sued, and after several hearings, it is in front of the Supreme Court today.
So what do you think? Did the school have the right to do this? How would you feel if it had happened to your daughter - safer that the school is taking such a stance on drugs, or violated that she was stripped without your knowledge? If you think the school acted appropriately, would you feel the same way if it were a male doing the search?
Here's one article on the story - though if you Google "Savana Redding Supreme Court" you will come up with a lot. I originally heard it on NPR's Morning Edition - it's worth the 8 minute listen.
The Court's decision is not out yet - I'm very interested to see what it is...
Here is an article written this afternoon chronicling the hearing - apparently they expect a decision in June.
Anyway -
Here's the story. In 2003, a 13-year-old girl named Savana was accused by a classmate of having prescription-strength Ibuprofen. Savana was called to the assistant principal's office, where a nurse made her take off all her clothes, then move her underwear aside, to search for drugs. None were found. Savana was a straight-A student who had never been in trouble in school before.
Oh, one more thing - her parents were not notified...
According to her, she didn't question it at the time, because they were people she trusted, and she really wasn't sure what was going on.
Her mother sued, and after several hearings, it is in front of the Supreme Court today.
So what do you think? Did the school have the right to do this? How would you feel if it had happened to your daughter - safer that the school is taking such a stance on drugs, or violated that she was stripped without your knowledge? If you think the school acted appropriately, would you feel the same way if it were a male doing the search?
Here's one article on the story - though if you Google "Savana Redding Supreme Court" you will come up with a lot. I originally heard it on NPR's Morning Edition - it's worth the 8 minute listen.
The Court's decision is not out yet - I'm very interested to see what it is...
Here is an article written this afternoon chronicling the hearing - apparently they expect a decision in June.
Monday, April 20, 2009
It's a...
Wow, so I just realized that in the midst of my blogging absence, I forgot to tell you we got an ultrasound!
The day before we moved, we trekked down to Ft. Stewart at 6:30 in the morning to get to see the baby. Because of the move, I have yet to see a new OB/GYN, and since they don't have any on post here, that will necessitate me getting my insurance switched to here (check), setting up an appointment with a family doctor on post (hopefully I can set the appointment tomorrow, but at Hunter it routinely took over a month for this to happen...), wait for the referral, call the new doctor, and wait for an available appointment there. Suffice it to say they wanted to make sure everything was ok before we had that long break!
Everything is healthy and developing well. This U/S Tech was much more aggressive and thorough than the one who did Sophie. After checking all organs and such, I was pretty sure what I saw - then she confirmed it when she looked at me with a contented smile and said,
"You are having a little boy!"
We're really excited - though (as always), we would have been happy either way, I was really hoping for a boy! :-)
In other pregnancy news, the little kiddo is continuing to use my insides as a jungle gym. I'm feeling fine, though a little more tired, sore (and heavy!) than with Sophie. I'm now at 22 weeks - over halfway there!
The day before we moved, we trekked down to Ft. Stewart at 6:30 in the morning to get to see the baby. Because of the move, I have yet to see a new OB/GYN, and since they don't have any on post here, that will necessitate me getting my insurance switched to here (check), setting up an appointment with a family doctor on post (hopefully I can set the appointment tomorrow, but at Hunter it routinely took over a month for this to happen...), wait for the referral, call the new doctor, and wait for an available appointment there. Suffice it to say they wanted to make sure everything was ok before we had that long break!
Everything is healthy and developing well. This U/S Tech was much more aggressive and thorough than the one who did Sophie. After checking all organs and such, I was pretty sure what I saw - then she confirmed it when she looked at me with a contented smile and said,
"You are having a little boy!"
We're really excited - though (as always), we would have been happy either way, I was really hoping for a boy! :-)
In other pregnancy news, the little kiddo is continuing to use my insides as a jungle gym. I'm feeling fine, though a little more tired, sore (and heavy!) than with Sophie. I'm now at 22 weeks - over halfway there!
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