27 Days to go...

...okay this is a very short blog. I'm tired and grumpy so I'm going to bed. Today was long and hot. Tomorrow we're going to visit my Dad. I'll be in a better mood tomorrow and blog more then. Good night and God bless.

~T~

28 Days to go...

Well we got rained out for swimming today - so we were board. I sewed a little, the kids played, the kids fought, we went for 4-wheeler rides, took some pictures of things outside, just for something to do, played on the computer, and I wrote some stuff, worked a little on another later, spent some time talking to some friends (online...since they're all in a different state!), and then spent a good bit talking to David on the phone. Only a few more days and he'll be home. Amen. I can't wait. For the first time, I think I actually, truly miss him - he'll be glad to know that. It takes a least 2 weeks for me to miss him...and I'm usually okay, but this time I really miss him and he needs to get his butt home. However, then I'll have to share him with the kids and everybody else! Fun, fun...yes that's sarcasm and yes I'm being a bit selfish haha, but hey he's my husband so it's okay right? haha. I'm not sure what the kids and I are going to do this weekend yet. I need to go see my grandparents again - it's just hard, but I'll regret it if I don't...that's the one thing I don't want, regretts. And I need to see my Dad, he is a hard man to catch! I don't know if he'll be home this weekend or not, but I figure I better call him tomorrow and find out. If not, guess we'll hang out here some more. Then David will get here sometime Monday and then his sister and family are coming down from KC on Wed - so we'll get to see them and play with the kids...that will be fun, and livin' up a few things around here. And give me a reason to take some more pictures. Then I think the following weekend I will be spending with my mom and sisters, and then I think David, the kids, and I will go to see David's Dad for a bit. So things may pick up a little in these next 28 days...but that might be a good thing, too much time on your hands means too much think and coming up with too many ideas for things! It's good though, I enjoy the peace - even in the boring moments. Well, I think I've rambled enough, we gotta a storm coming in so I better get off here and shut her down. Talk to you tomorrow. God Bless and stay out of the rain! haha
~T~

29 Days to Go...

Are you still with me? Still counting down the days? Or trying not to? I know some of our family is not! haha. David and I spoke some last night and discussed our final days here and what would be best to do and so forth. I think we've come up with a plan. Our parents want to see us off - yet we're worried about all the emotions that everyone will be feeling that day and how it will affect our kids. So I think we've come up with a plan to help with that and allow everyone to still say "bye" to us and help with all the emotions.
I'm ready to go, still. Ready to see what our home will look like! Ready to see the sights. Ready to have my stuff back...and so much more!
As for today - I took the kids swimming, I worked on a few sewing projects that I'm trying to finish before we leave, and took the kids for another 4-wheeler ride. We had a good time. Tomorrow we're going swimming again. I love that the pool is never packed and I can just sit and enjoy watching my kids. Would be nice if one of my friends was close and could sit and chat with me, but this gives me time to 100% devote to my kids I guess. I find it funny though that I grew up in these parts, graduated in these parts, and haven't ran into a single person I know. I don't know if I should count myself as lucky or not. haha. The kids have been going off the diving boards. They're doing really good! I'm really proud of them. Tomorrow they wanna see me go off the diving board. I've not done that in YEARS! So guess I'll have to give it a shot...good thing I can swim. haha.
Anyway - another day down and one more closer to lift off...then maybe these blogs will get exciting and I won't feel like I'm writing the same ol'e thing everyday. And maybe some of ya'll will leave us comments, so I know I'm not talking to myself. haha.
Well, God Bless ya'll and have a good night.
~T~

30 Days to go...

Well, here we are one month to go. Crazy isn't it? Today we learned that we do not get to take our beloved cat Lilly. She will get to stay with David's Dad, thankfully he was willing to keep her. We just couldn't afford the $1000 fee to take her into another country. Ashlynn is very upset, please pray for her. This is such a difficult time for her, moving away from her friends, and now she can't even take her cat. It's so sad, we did all the tests, all the paperwork, and then we learn this.
We also learned that we have a mailing address already set up! An APO, I know that's not the physical address, just like a post office box...but it's an address and it makes me feel a little less homeless. :)
And thats about all the news. We really didn't do anything out of the ordinary today. Rode the 4-wheeler a few times, went for a walk, talked to family on the phone and David. Nothing major exciting to write about. Kinda of a sad day I guess and I'm tired. So maybe more tomorrow evening. Until then God Bless.

~T~

Facing the Giants...

Have any of you seen that movie? I just watched it again for the 3rd or 4th time. It came on tv tonight and I informed Jim he had to watch this movie! He and Marilyn both sat there watching it with me, eyes glued to the screen. Jim could hardly pull himself away to get the kids a ice-cream bar and Marilyn had a hard time pulling herself away to go to the bathroom! I've never seen them so into a movie before! I love that movie though and we talked about getting some of the ladies from the church together to watch it and Jim and I talked about getting some of the youth together to watch it!!! Doesn't that sound fun and exciting?! Just think of all the wonderful things God could do in someones life who has never seen that movie. There are alot of youth age boys that come to help Jim around the farm here...it'd be a great movie for them to see! And just talking about doing this just oh it just makes me so excited I just can't wait to make it happen!!! This is where I have to read Isaiah 30:18 time and time again. I know I battle in the patience department!!! But the movie ROCKS!!! And everyone should watch it, as far as I'm concerened that is! Anyway I know I already blogged and this as nothing to do with England...but does have to do with whats going on right now on day 31....almost day 30! I found something to be thrilled over! Oh and get this the same people who did Facing the Giants is coming out with another movie called "Fireproof" due out Sept. 26th in theaters. I wont be in the states to watch it, so I want you to go watch it for me and tell me how great it is and as soon as it comes out I'll be buying it. I got a feeling it's about marriage! Im so pumped!!! I just had to tell you about this - finaly something I can do and feel like I'm being useful...help get people together for popcorn and one of the best football movies ever!!! Thank you, God! You Rock!
~T~

32 & 31...we skipped a day

Sorry bout the skip in day, but there was no Internet connection last night for some strange reason. So I couldn't get on and tell you anything. Bummer uh? Well, okay what'd we do yesterday, day 32, well we went to Church. Watched some strange video...not real sure what the point of it was yet or why we were watching it, but oh well. Then after that, umm I finished book #5, which by the way really ticked me off!!! There are actually 2 other series connected to this series. The Redemption Series, then The Baxter Series, and after that the Sunrise Series!!! So here I was thinking I had all the books to the series and I don't! And to top it off I didn't even start with the right one!!! I was so irritated - I need a library!!! But I don't want to make the 40 minute drive...so I guess I'll live. Needless to say the books are very good! Ashlynn & Nana made cookies, we ate dinner, the kids road bikes and I walked down the road a ways and back. Then I talked to David on the phone...then the kids and I decided to have some fun!!! Guess what we did? We jumped on the four-wheeler and went out in the pasture and did donuts around the hay bails!!! Talk about fun, we were having a blast. It was great!

Today, day 31, I got up walked down the road a good ways and back. My goal is that before we leave I can walk all the way down the road and back, the total would be 8 miles. It's 4 miles from one end to the other. After that had breakfast, took a shower, and we went to see my grandparents. I hate going to see them anymore. It's just not the same. If they just didn't live in that Nursing home, I just can't stand it. I hate walking in there, they way it smells - how did I ever work in one of those places?! And Grandpa he just sat there and stared out the window, like he'd give anything to be sitting outside rather than in there on his bed. He never said if he did or not though. Honestly, I did most the talking. I remember when he used to tell us stories, or tell me some joke that would definitely go over my head and have others saying "blonde moment Tonya" and now he doesn't. I can't remember the last time I heard him try to pull something over my head. It's just sad.
I miss walking into their house, finding Grandpa asleep in his chair with the royals game on and Grandma fiddlin around the kitchen with this or that. I used to love visiting with them and now I want to but I just, I just don't love it as much anymore. There's no royals on the radio, no dogs barking out back, no finding grandpa cleaning fish out by the shed or bent over getting stuff from his garden, there's no grandma cleaning up the kitchen or rollin' out dumplin's, there's no sitting on the swing outside with either of them or going for a walk down the road with Grandma, or target practicing with Grandpa - there's no being lazy and listening to him tell stories and hearing Grandma fuss at him in the background for telling one on her.......all there is, is that smelly nursing home, with my Grandma trying to make the best of it and make friends with all she meets, and Grandpa sitting there with that sad sad look on his face. In so many ways I feel like I've already lost him, but I know when I actually do it will still hurt. I love them so much. God, please take of them here on earth and when they meet you in heaven.
Anyway - after visiting kids and I ran to walmart, found some tanks on clearance, several of mine have holes in them! And we got some other things like computer paper, bread, and water bottles. Then we stopped at McDonald's and grabbed lunch and came home. Since then I've checked my email, blogged, and now I'm going to go kick the soccer ball around with the kids and later...we're doing donuts around the hay bails again! I'll have to get some one who knows how to work a camera out there! So I can show you at some point!!! Everyone have a great evening!
~T~

33 Days to Go...

...Okay, well I finished my book, started book 3 of the series this morning, finished it, and started book #4 which I'm 1/2 way through!!! Yes, I've been reading like crazy, but I am loving this series. The Baxter Family Series by Karen Kingsbury. Alot of the scriptures used through out the story are really good ones and I find I've used a piece of paper as a bookmark, so that I could write them down and remember which ones they were. So that sums up what I've done today. The kids have been rather lazy just as well. I guess maybe I'm figuring out how to relax a little. The weather today was the coolest its been since we've been in Missouri and it rained quite a bit today. So I spent the day reading and they watched tv and rode bikes and what not. Anyway - we're almost just a month away from lift off...safe to say things are moving right along. Brier asked if we were leaving tomorrow or if Daddy was going to be here, sadly I had to tell him no on both counts. David will be here in about a week now - so not to much longer. Well, tomorrow is Church and I think afterwards I might go visit my grandparents...possibly my Dad. Not sure on that yet. He's a hard one to catch. At least I know Grandpa and Grandma will be there :). Well, have a blessed night.
~T~