Where do I Begin

I'm finally getting a chance to sit down and write about all that's been going on in the last couple of weeks, life has been crazy. Monte was sent on a business trip for TWO weeks, which is why I had no computer access, since he took it with him. He has never been gone that long, and we were all quite emotional upon his departure. Looking back, maybe we were overeacting, but two whole weeks seemed like a LONG time, my heart goes out to anyone in the military who has to send their loved one oversees for months at a time! The first few days were extremely long, we had a blizzard, so Isabella and I weren't able to even get outside at all for 2 days. Our awesome neighbor came over to snowblow and shovel us out. I found myself having the TV on almost constantly, just for the company, and I don't usually have it on during the day. Once the weather cleared we made the four hour trip to my parents' house, where I spent the next several days stripping wallpaper off of my mom's kitchen walls, yuck, but it was good to be home. Isabella was great the whole time we were there, and had so much fun with grandma and grandpa! There was, however, two times where I got that sick/homesick feeling, just missing Monte and missing the three of us being home. I guess that means I'm officially grown up, because the only other times I've felt homesick was when I was missing my parents! It was great to get to see my grandma, and my brother and his family as well.



The next week Isabella and I left my parents and headed for my sister's. Who, by the way, is preggers, YAY! I'm going to be an aunt again around the first of September! Isabella had so much fun with her cousin, Rachel. I think they really are going to be best friends! They got along so well, now that they are two it is so fun to see them play together. They have little conversations with each other, and actually play together instead of play alone side by side. They had to do everything together, including always going potty when the other one did.



We headed back home on Thursday, and Monte came home on Friday. It is SO good to have him home! We missed him like crazy, and Isabella was especially lonely without him. When we were at my parents, she found a framed senior picture of his, and she had to sleep with it every night. The first time she slept with it, it made her really sad when she woke up, she woke up crying and saying, "I was just looking at Daddy, I need Daddy!" I didn't want it to make her upset so I put the picture away. That was for her nap, then later that evening, my mom put her in bed, and she told my mom, "Where's that picture of my daddy, I NEED my daddy!!" She is such a Daddy's girl, but that could be a whole other post! Every morning, she calls for Daddy to come get her out of bed, and if I am ever the one to get her out, she gets sad and says, "I've just been wanting my daddy." And now since his return, she is so afraid he's going to leave again, she won't even let him go to the bathroom without panicking, and running around looking for him. Good thing he's been working from home since he got back, but that won't be for much longer .



We were home for one day, when we left again to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday! His birthday is actually tomorrow, I can't believe he is 70, that scares me a little! He is 11 years older than my mom, and he was over 40 when I was born. My brother, sister, and I all surprised him, we went out to eat, and there was a dance, it was great fun! All the kids had so much fun dancing.



And now my sister and her husband are leaving for the Florida Keys tomorrow. So back in the car I will go, for another 5 hour (round trip) drive to go pick up my niece. She will be staying with us until next Tuesday. She's never been away from her mom and dad overnight before, so it could be interesting, but I'm looking forward to it, and so is Isabella.



And now for the pictures . . .

But I just realized I'm logged in as Monte, and the pictures are under my log in. I'll add the pictures later.