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7/13/06- Today a bunch of the girls from church and their kids got together to celebrate a couple birthdays- Happy Birthday, Roxana and Danielle! Caleb was excited to play with all of his little friends from church and Daniel was great. We all had a good time!
We had the van packed already so we could head up to my Mom and Dad's in Columbia, because this was the weekend for the trains at their county park. I'll talk about this in tomorrow's post, after we go. This was also the week for Vacation Bible School where my parents go to church.
We had a nice ride up to Columbia. It is just so nice to have them so much closer than NJ! We got there in time to eat dinner and get ready for church. Caleb was excited about Bible Class. I even sent Daniel and he did pretty good. The people are so nice where they go to church. I'm glad they've found a nice church family.
7/11/06- The boys slept great last night- they must have been so tired from all the traveling. Caleb's ear wasn't bothering him anymore, but I still got an appointment to see Dr. Fox, just in case. Dr. Fox said there was some fluid in his ears, and he couldn't tell if the tube was definitely in that ear or not, because of the way the fluid was in there. He said it wasn't infected, but could turn into an ear infection, so we needed to just watch him and see if he started running fever. But, he seemed to think Caleb would fight it on his own and that it wouldn't turn into an ear infection. Also, he prescribed some ear drops in case Caleb had that strong earache again, and he said it was good to have on hand in case Daniel needed it, too. I'm glad everything is okay.
7/10/06- Dad took TJ back early this morning. We said goodbye again. It was too early to wake up Caleb for him to say goodbye. Hopefully, TJ will come up to Tennessee once he gets things settled back in Florida.
We got on the road to head back to TN around 10am. We made it to Macon around lunch time, so we stopped there and went to a great place called Cheddar's. We got back on the road, and the I decided to drive while the boys napped, so Mom and Dad could rest since they needed to drive back to Columbia after they dropped us off in Jasper. Well, wouldn't you know, we get up into downtown Atlanta, about 4pm Eastern, in traffic, and Caleb wakes up from his nap SCREAMING that his ear hurts. Well, that woke Daniel up, so we had 2 boys crying through downtown Atanta, and there's just no way to get off when you're in downtown Atlanta! A lot of times, Caleb tends to exaggerate pain, so I wasn't sure what to think. But, he's also a very hard sleeper, so it had to be bothering him enough for him to wake up from his nap with it hurting. He would calm down a little bit, and then start screaming again. I didn't know what it could be. The only thing I could think was the ear that was bothering him was the ear that he still had a tube in, and he could have been working it's way out, which the doctor said is perfectly normal. I just didn't think it would be this painful.
He calmed down when we were on the other side of Atlanta and I told him we'd stop at McDonald's in a little bit. Well, that calmed him down and all he could think about was what Car he was going to get. We stopped at McDonald's and Papa took him potty while I went to see what Cars they had. I was not ready to hear, "Oh, we sold out of them and now we're doing Pirates of the Carribean." AHHHAHAH!! What was I going to tell Caleb!!?? I started crying myself trying to figure out how to tell him there were no more Cars. I knew he was going to be so disappointed...and he was. The whole place heard a wailing, "but I want a Car!!!!!!!!!!" Somehow, we calmed him down and got back in the van to head home. Thankfully, we were only about 1 and 1/2 hours away. Nana had some train stickers that she had gotten for him, and she gave them to him, and that settled him down. The whole trip was great, except for the last 3 hours!!! The rest of the way home, Caleb's ear didn't hurt, but I think we'll go to Dr. Fox tomorrow just to be sure.
We made it home, and thankfully, Gigi and Papa O had bought Caleb one of the Cars- Ramone, the purple one, which he didn't have, so that saved the day! (Thanks, Gigi and Papa O!!) Mom and Dad decided to head on the road so they could get back before it got too late. The boys were exhausted, so we got them baths and put them to BED!
7/9/06- At 6:00am Central/7:00am Eastern, Dad called my room and said he called the family center, and they told him, "wheels down at 7:45am Eastern!" That means that the plane should land in Savannah at the Hunter Army Airfield at that time, and we should get moving, because they'll probably be at Fort Stewart in Hinesville within the next 2-3 hours. Yeah!! But that meant that we needed to get ready quick so we could be over there in time, because we didn't want to miss the ceremony. Dad ran and got breakfast for us while Mom and I got ready, and I let the boys just sleep until the last possible moment. They ended up waking up at just the right time, and we were out of there within an hour. There were several families at the hotel heading over there also, so it was very exciting!
We went to the family center, and everyone there was so excited that TJ was definitely on this flight- we were too!! We headed over to the field where the troops were going to come and sat in the bleachers. We all had our posters and flags and everyone was filled with excitement!
It's hard to describe how great it was when those buses came down the road behind the bleachers. (See video clips!!) The crowd was screaming and cheering, shaking posters and waving flags. The buses replied with honking. They let them of across the field in front of us, and I'm sure it took all of their strict training to not just come running down the field to see everyone! They marched down the field in such a neat formation and came right in front of the crowd. The National Anthem was played and a short speech was said, and then the troops were dismissed and the families went charging the field. It was incredible. Mom was the first to see TJ and that was really special. It was so great to see him and have him home safely...
After TJ and the troops got their belongings and got their room assignments, they were free to go and just had to report at 6am the next day. The first thing TJ wanted to do was go eat! His flight had been 18 hours and he was tired, but he really wanted to eat. By this time, it was lunch, so we went to a Western Sizzlin' and just enjoyed being together. In the van on the way over there, Caleb kept talking to TJ, saying, "hey, TJ, you know what?" I think TJ was thrown off by the deep southern accent his little nephew has!
We went back to the hotel and TJ and Caleb went in the pool. Daniel took a nap in Mom and Dad's room on their bed, so we took turns staying in there. After being out at the pool for almost an hour, it was time for Caleb to get a bath and take a nap. With the time that TJ's flight came in, we weren't able to make morning services, but we were able to go to church for evening services, which was good. After services, we asked TJ what he wanted to do, and he wanted to go down to Savannah to the Riverwalk and us go out to a nice seafood place. It was a great idea!
Wow- if you've never been to downtown Savannah, you need to go! The Riverwalk area was great. For those who haven't been, it's a whole strip right on the Savannah river, with shops and good eating places. The roads down there are all cobblestone and it just takes you back in time with all the old buildings. We went to eat at The Shrimp Factory. Very nice atmosphere and great food. The boys did well in there, but I knew they would last too long, so after I finished my food, I left Mom, TJ, and Dad to relax and finish their dinner, and talk, while I walked the boys around outside the restaurant. They had one of those penny machines, where you put a penny and 2 quarters in and it presses an engraved picture on the penny. Caleb loves those and we try to do them whenever we see the machine. Daniel enjoyed being pushed in the stroller and just kicked the whole time.
Mom and TJ and Dad joined us after they were done eating and we all just walked down the riverwalk and looked at the boats. It was so nice. Mom told me that when TJ finished eating at the restaurant, he said it was so nice to just sit there and relax and not have to rush through eating and run out somewhere, like he had been doing for the last year. We were all so glad that he enjoyed the dinner and got to relax afterwards.
We headed back up to the van and the boys had been so great. It was late and they both fell asleep on the way home. When we got back to the hotel, we carried the boys in and got them settled in their beds, and then TJ had to get all of his stuff together to head back over to the base. We said goodbye and he thanked us for coming down. He told us that he thought he was going to be one of those without any family there to greet him. It was so worth the trip...
Dad took TJ over there, but then called me on my cell phone and asked if TJ could stay in my room tonight, because he couldn't get into the room he was supposed to stay in. So, TJ slept in the one bed, and I slept with Caleb in the other. TJ had to set his alarm for 5am, since he had to be over there by 6am. It was neat to be able to spend a little more time with him. It had just been a great day...
7/8/06- Beach day! Caleb was so excited about going to the "ocean." We went to breakfast, then packed the van and headed to Wal-mart for beach towels, sunscreen, and some more water bottles and some lunch. While we were in there, I found some Thomas the train water shoes for Caleb. He was so excited and I knew after the coarse parking lot and sand yesterday, he would need them.
Daniel has just done so great on this trip- both boys have. Daniel slept the whole way there and I was able to feed him in the van before while Mom and Dad got everything out and ready to take to the beach area. We found a nice spot without too many people around and set up the blanket. Caleb was excited to play with his sand toys and pails. He would go back and forth getting water from the ocean in one bucket and then bring it up to his bigger bucket by the blanket. He also had fun chasing the birds- it was so funny!!
The water was beautiful. Mom, Dad, and I took turns going out and "riding the waves," and watching the boys. Daniel seemed to like the water. He enjoyed going in the bucket of water- there's a cute video of this that I need to post!
Daniel took a great nap on the blanket. I made a nice palate for him and then made a cover over him to block the sun. He slept for almost 2 hours! We packed up to go and Caleb said, "I had so much fun at the ocean!" But, Caleb had been up forever, so he was exhausted. He was asleep before we even got out of the parking lot.
We headed back to the hotel and got showers and all cleaned up to go out dinner. We went to Ruby Tuesdays and had a great dinner. It was a really great day! Tomorrow we get to see TJ!!!! Yeah!!
7/7/06- The boys slept great and we all went to breakfast in the hotel. We decided to go over to Savannah for the day and check things out and look for a nice beach to go to tomorrow, because there were possible showers called for today, and beautiful weather for tomorrow. We went by a mall that had an AC Moore craft store and a Bass Pro Shop and spent about an hour there. Then we headed over to a state park called Skidaway Island State Park and had lunch. Caleb and Papa went on a nature walk afterwards and they saw crabs and a dolphin in a river!! After the park, we headed over to Tybee Island to see if that was a good beach to go to tomorrow. By this time, the weather was much nicer, and we got over there around 5pm. We got out and played on the beach for awhile and Caleb and Daniel just loved it! We brought Caleb's big bucket of sand toys: pails and shovels, etc. and he played with them while we were there. I had brought a change of clothes for Caleb, which was a good thing, because he got wet when the waves came up on him! The water was great! My parents and I are use to cold ocean water, since we grew up in New Jersey. But the water in Savannah was the perfect temperature.
We headed back toward the hotel and stopped at Logan's to eat dinner. It was a fun day. Oh, and we DID get a phone call about TJ. They said that he WILL be coming in on Sunday morning!! YEAH!!!
7/6/06- Let's get back in the van again!! We are just always on the move! We loaded up the van and got on the road around 9:30am Central time/10:30am Eastern. The boys did fabulous. Daniel took his morning nap and Caleb looked at books and played with stickers in his carseat. We decided to stop for lunch on the other side of Atlanta, guess where? Yep- McDonalds's!! Caleb was so excited about getting another car. They only had Ramone, and Sandi/Gigi had called and said they got him Ramone the other day and would mail it, so I just figured he'd have 2 Ramones. But, he got the green painted Ramone, and I think Bob and Sandi got him the purple Ramone (he's a car painter in the movie). They had a play area in the McDonald's, so it was good for Caleb to get out and play a little bit since he was couped up in the van. Daniel ate his lunch so well- he had Sweet Corn Casserole, and ate an entire 2nd's jar in one sitting. He's starting to eat his big meal at lunch, but I'm just glad he's eating and feeling better.
We got back on the road and the boys fell asleep, which was nice. When we were about an hour from Savannah, my dad called the family center at Fort Stewart where TJ was going to be bussed after he landed at the Hunter Army Air Field in Savannah. All of the sudden I hear my dad say, "he's not? Well, when does the next flight come in?" I was driving at the time, and was just hoping that we hadn't just driven 350 miles and not going to be able to see him. He got off the phone and said that they showed no record of him being on this flight that was coming in. They moved some people around and he must have gotten bumped off that flight, because when we called the other day, he was on the list to come in on Thursday, July 6th! So, we went ahead to Fort Stewart to the family center that they had there, and they had it set up great: snacks and refreshments, a tv, a foose ball table, games for kids, ping pong, an arts and crafts area where you could make posters. Caleb wanted to draw and color and make a poster for TJ, so we did that. Then we played some games. We were waiting to hear that the plane landed, so they could check and see if TJ may have been on this flight by some chance, since he had been on the original list. It was very exciting to hear them announce, "the plane has landed!!! They're on the ground!!!" There was so much excitement in that building from so many families that haven't seen these troops for a year. We had to wait for the next announcement for when we should head over to the gym, where we would be able to see all of the soldiers. It was a 45 minute from the Army Airfield in Savannah over to Fort Stewart, which is in Hinesville, GA. When they got on the buses to head to Fort Stewart, that's when we were supposed to head over to the gym. It was just so exciting.
Let me just say, the boys were incredible during all of this. You figure, we had driven all day in the van, and then we didn't get to stop at the hotel and check-in or stop for dinner, because we just weren't sure about the exact time that they would be coming in, and weren't even sure if TJ was actually on this flight!! We went to the ceremony anyway, just in case, and held up our signs and posters for TJ. It was a great ceremony, but it turned out that TJ was not on the flight. We spoke with the flight commander and other majors, and the told he was definitely not on the plane, but they would call us and let us know if he would be on the next plane coming in on Sunday. Caleb was so exhausted and also so disappointed. I felt so bad for him. He just cried the whole way to the van, saying, "I miss TJ! I want to see TJ!" I just hope we'll be able to see him on Sunday.
I wanted to stick this in this story: in the van on the way down to Savannah, Caleb all of the sudden says, "mommy, watch this!" which is his way of saying, "listen to this, Mommy!" The next thing out of his mouth is, "she loves me for my body!" AAHHH! I can't belive it! That's one of the lines that Mater (the tow truck) says in the movie "Cars." I couldn't believe that he remembered that line! The other line he has "perfected" by Mater is: "more fun than a tornado in a trailer park!" Oh, this little boy!
7/5/06- Daniel is 7 months old today!!!!! He is just such a great baby- I love my 2 boys so much!!
We got up and had breakfast, and packed the van quickly so we could get back and do laundry for this trip to Savannah! We just go non-stop. These boys are going to grow up and say that they grew up in a van, because they spend so much time on the road traveling!
We got back home around 12:30pm, and thankfully everything was okay at home. I always get nervous now as we approach our house after we've been gone for a while, after coming home to gushing water in the kitchen last year! I did 3 loads of laundry and repacked my stuff and the boys stuff into one big bag, so we would have room for Mom and Dad's bags in the van. The afternoon flew by, and before I knew it, it was time to get ready for Wednesday church services! I'm teaching Caleb's Bible class this quarter and just have not even had a chance to work on the classroom since we've been out of town!
Mom and Dad came down after church and spent the night so we could just get up and go in the morning. We think it will be about a 6 and 1/2 hour drive down there to Savannah, and TJ's supposed to come in around 7:30pm Eastern time.
7/4/06- Happy 4th of July!!!! Matt came down for the 4th and we had a nice picnic outside on Nana and Papa's back porch. Nana got Caleb and Daniel their own little pools: Caleb's was a good sized 3-ring pool and Daniel's was a cute little pool with inflatable toys. Both boys loved them! Daniel just loved the water and he especially loved it when Caleb got in the pool with him! They are so cute together. I hope they will always love each other like this. They are so sweet to watch. Caleb will still say, "oh, look at Daniel, Mommy- he's so sweet!"
We just found out that my other brother, TJ, who has been over seas in Afghanistan, will be coming back to the states this week, on Thursday, to Savannah, GA. We decided to work out going down to see him and made some phone calls. Dad made hotel reservations and Mom, Dad and the boys and I planned on going down in the van. Aaron has a doctor's appointment that he really can't change and also needs to stay home, because he'll be preaching on Sunday at Sweeten's Cove. It will be exciting to see TJ after not seeing him for a year!
We went to go see fireworks at the Maury County Park near them. They were really good and Caleb and Daniel both enjoyed them very much.
7/3/06- We made GREAT time and the boys did much better on the way back to TN than on the trip out to OK. We went to my mom and dad's (Nana and Papa) in Columbia, TN, which is 2 hours closer, so it made the trip shorter. We had some breakfast, got showers, and relaxed a little bit. Then when the boys went down for their naps in the afternoon, so did Aaron and I!!
Dad made yummy steaks for dinner and then after dinner we played whiffle ball outside in their backyard: older mom and dad(Nana and Papa) against younger mom and dad(me and Aaron). Caleb was the fill-in. It was a lot of fun and everyone played great and just enjoyed being together. It's so nice to have them closer.
We moved Caleb's airbed in the room where Daniel's crib is, and the boys went to sleep no problem- they were both exhausted. Mom and Dad and Aaron and I watched a movie upstairs in their bonus room on Dad's new high definition TV. Caleb says it's his TV, because he helped Papa pick it out when the went to the electronic store together. Papa says, "ha!"
7/2/06- It's hard to believe we've been in OK for a week. We went to church and then had a good lunch, took naps, and then went back for evening services. They asked Aaron to preach in the evening, so he enjoyed that. Aaron's mom (Gigi) made a great "breakfast" dinner for us when we got back home that evening: bacon, pancakes and homemade blackberry syrup and fresh blackberries and strawberries to put on top.
We headed out around 9:45pm. It was a great visit!! Caleb was sad to go, but excited to see fireworks.
7/1/06- Relaxing day! Aaron and the boys and I walked around Gigi's neighborhood and went to some yard sales. We just stayed around the house most of the day, except for when Sandi and Daniel and I ran to Alberston's to pick up some groceries. They had a bunch of baby food and diapers on sale, so I picked up some of those things to stock up, and Gigi enjoyed picking up things for the boys. She found some "Cars" stuff for Caleb, a little book and a coloring book with what she thought were stickers (they were really removable tattoos!) Aaron's reaction was hilarious when Caleb asked if he could have a Lightning McQueen tattoo on his hand. He said, "who got you tattoos!!!???" Gigi promised she thought they were stickers!!
6/30/06- Today Caleb went off with Gigi and Papa O to the John Deere tractor place. He had a blast and came home with a little JD lawn mower and they got Daniel an adorable little JD overall outfit and a little JD riding toy. They also went to McDonald's and got 3 more of the "Cars" from the movie, so now he has Mater, Doc Hudson, a dirty Lightning McQueen, Filmore, and Luigi.
When they got back, Caleb took a nap and Daniel just was not sleeping. We think the Dimetapp we've been giving him wires him up, instead of making him sleepy. Gigi took him for a walk in the stroller, which was nice. Then, we all went to eat a great Mexican place near them, called Ted's. We had a great night and enjoyed being together. We played back at their house in the backyard and Caleb (and Papa O) ran through the sprinklers. Then Caleb got his awaited bubble bath in Gigi's tub! (See pictures!)
6/29/06- We took Daniel to the doctor and she said he had the beginning signs of an ear infection. So, she gave us a prescription for an antibiotic and we started him on that right away. I'm glad we took him instead of waiting until we got back home to TN. Hopefully this medicine will kick in and he can start feeling better.
We went to lunch at the home of one of the ladies' from church where Aaron's mom goes. Brother RJ Stevens was there and the preacher for the meeting, and the preacher where they attend, and several other people. We had a great time talking with them and being in her home.
6/28/06- Movie day!!! Today we went to see the movie Cars again, so Gigi and Papa O and Nanny could see it. It was great to see again and Caleb did great through it. We went to the noon showing, so by the time we got out of the theater, he was tired and ready for a nap.
This evening, we went over to Midwest City for Wednesday night services. When Aaron was going to OC, he preached for a small congregation on 59th Street. However, the members decided after we moved to Idaho in 1999 to go ahead and join other congregations, instead of renting the little wedding chapel building where they had services while Aaron preached. So, a number of them have been at this congregation in Midwest City, and we had not seen for the last 7 years!! So we got to see a number of people, which was great. One of the men we knew there is a doctor, and he could tell that Daniel was having trouble with his runny nose and everything, and he could tell it was an earache. So, we stopped at a CVS on the way home and got him some Dimetapp and planned on taking him to a doctor in the morning. I felt so bad for the little guy. It's just so hard to know when they're teething if it's just teeth or something else. I always knew that Caleb had an ear infection when he ran a high fever. Daniel didn't have a fever at all. We'll see tomorrow what a doctor says.
6/27/06- Bowling day!!! This was Caleb's first time to go bowling and he was so excited! We got a lane for him and then a lane for us, and put the bumpers up on his lane so he could just have a good time. This 3 year old beat his mom and dad!! He scored a 107!!!! It was so cute to watch him (I will have a video clip of this soon!). Of course, the ball took forever to get down the lane, because he basically dropped it at the beginning of the lane and we all just hoped that it would roll all the way down to the pins!! He did a really good job and just had a blast.
After bowling, we went to a "Thomas store" where they had Thomas the train stuff. It was a nice shop and I found some cute things on a clearance table. Caleb had a blast playing with all of the Thomas stuff and telling Papa O and Gigi, "...and I don't have this one, and I don't have this one, etc..." Gigi got him a cute Thomas snack container and Thomas Snack n' Sip Canteen thing. He loved it.
Since we were over by Oklahoma Christian (where Aaron got his Bachelor's degree and coached women's basketball) we went by the gym to see the coaches Aaron coached with- Coach Findley and Coach Cole. There were some camps and practices going on, and we were able to see both of them. Caleb found an open closet with about 150 basketball and just couldn't resist going in and playing with them. He looked at us before he went in, tilted his little head, and looked at us with those big eyes, and said, "can I play with those basketballs, please?" We let him get a couple out and he had fun playing with them. Aaron had a good time visiting with the coaches and Gigi got Caleb some nachos from the concession stand. It was a good day!
6/26/06- Catch up on sleep day!! We all just relaxed and caught up on sleep and got back on our regular schedules today. Then, we attended the meeting in the evening. Singing is at 7pm and then the sermon at 7:30pm, so it makes for a long night, but it's a great experience to for all of us to sing and worship God together.
Since we lounged around all day, Aaron realized that we needed to have a "family meeting" to plan out the rest of the week. There are several things that Caleb wants to do with Gigi and Papa O, so we planned things for each day of the week. Hopefully we'll all survive the week!!
6/25/06- Well, it wasn't the best drive through the night with the boys, but we made it to church on time!! Daniel is just having a hard time- he's whinier than usual and his nose is a faucet. I'm really hoping that he doesn't have an ear infection. He's not running a fever and his nose is clear. Hopefully it's just teeth.
There is a gospel meeting this week where Aaron's family goes and Brother RJ Stevens is doing the singing. He does a really good job and Aaron enjoyed getting to see him and talk with him. He told everyone that Aaron was one of his best pupils for song leading class, back when Aaron was only 13 years old!! Aaron introduced the boys to him and he was excited to meet them.
When we got to Gigi and Papa O's, Papa O told Caleb that he had a surprise for him. Caleb was so excited, he couldn't wait to see. In their living room were 2 tables that he had made and the one had all Thomas the train stuff- a whole track setup with tunnels and trains, and the other table had car stuff, with roads and buildings and little matchbox cars. It was great! Caleb just started playing right away. Papa O did a great job on the tables and setting up all of the toys for him.
It was a long day after driving through the night, but we'll catch up throughout the week.
6/24/06- Wedding day! What a gorgeous wedding. My cousin got married outside of a mansion in Nashville and everything was so beautiful. The boys looked so cute dressed in their matching outfits, and they were both fantastic. Through the ceremony and reception, they were just great. Since everything was outside, they had some lawn games set up, like croquet, and Caleb enjoyed playing that. Then, someone brought bubbles for the kids, and Caleb spent about 2 hours just playing with bubbles! Daniel slept for a while and then just enjoyed everything that was going on. He was great. After most people had left, Aaron helped clean-up and I fed Daniel his baby food on the lawn in his carrier. He loved being outside and ate his food "all gone" as Caleb would say!
Afterwards, we went over to Uncle Matt's, since he lived only about 15 minutes away, and got showers and a bite to eat with Matt, Nana, and Papa. It was great to get a shower after being outside in the heat and humidity. Then we loaded up in the van to head to Oklahoma! Caleb was so excited- I had to keep telling him to close his eyes and go to sleep!
6/23/06- I feel like I've just been doing laundry and packing!! We're all set to go to Oklahoma to visit Aaron's mom and Bob and Nanny. Tomorrow is cousin Amy's wedding, so we're packing up the van to leave from the wedding, since it's in Nashville, on the way.
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