Terrible...21 Months??

Oh man, Davis has been heck today. I mean, the little boy who can be so incredibly sweet, had a burr in his blanket today and I don't know why. He was fine when we took Grace to school and went for our run/walk. Then, we got in the car and headed to Manhattan. Well, once we got inside Target, the boy lost it. And I mean, lost it. Tears, slobber, snot. It was AWFUL!! People would say "Oh, what's wrong??" And Davis would just scream at them. It was one of those parenting moments when you wish the earth would swallow you up. But I had to get things at Target, so I pushed through the tantrum.

Then this afternoon, while we were webcaming with Jasen, Davis decided to lose it again. And this time, Dad got to hear it, too. He laughed at first, then I think it scared Jasen. Only two weeks and Jasen will be here to listen in person!

Speaking of Jasen, I can't believe we've almost gotten to R&R, which is about halfway. I can't think about it because it makes me want to cry. Jasen has been counting down the days for awhile. Grace is excited, but it's tempered with some sadness that he has to go back. She wants him to come home for good. I asked Davis if he wanted Dad to come home and he said "No" but that's his answer for everything these days, so I am not worried. Like I told Jasen, Davis will just go with the excitement he feels from Grace and me and then he'll be all over Jasen.

Tomorrow is an exciting day for me. My friend, Amber, and I are sharing a sitter and are going away for the WHOLE day! Jayme is going to come at 8:30 and I told her we might not be home until 6 or 7 tomorrow night. We need a serious break and I am bound and determined to get one! It's nervewracking, though, to leave the kids all day long, but I know I am a better mom if I get a break. And with Jayme, I know they are well taken care of.

Grace had her first soccer practice yesterday. She was so excited, but cried when she got home and hadn't laid out the Iraqi soccer outfit her daddy sent her. I told her she could wear it if she wanted (I had just forgotten about it), but she decided to save it until next week. Their games start next Saturday. She's not a natural running and kicking but she is a natural at the running part. Go figure.....

Also, I have treated myself to some household help. Every other week, I have a girl coming in to do some light housekeeping. It is hard for me to do it, but I think I need it. I've just felt really overwhelmed of late. And Jasen is supportive, as he usually is.

Long Weekends

I think I've used that title before on this blog. The problem is, the weekends are the worst. Last weekend was especially rough. Because it was a long weekend (Labor Day), I tried to do some different things with the kids, including the zoo and a trip to the pool with only Grace. Well, what is that old saying? No good deed goes unpunished? I certainly found that out. The kids were just awful and I found myself losing it with them more than I would have liked. The weekends get to us all, I am afraid.

Just when you think you can't go on, though, there is a little light at the end of the tunnel. Jasen will be leaving Baghdad in about two weeks to head home for his R&R. He has been anxious about it for awhile and I can feel myself starting to get excited. We are going to be all over him like stink on poop!

Poor Grace is discovering the down side to football season. She's gotten used to watching what she wanted on the TV downstairs because I didn't have anything to watch. Well, today, that all changed! Yea!! College football is back. Whoop! Wait, the Aggies nearly stunk it up. I was glad we had plans and weren't able to watch the whole game.

Tonight, we went to Clay Center, a small town about 45 mins. from here, with our friends, Sara, Megan, and Brianna Kercher. Their husband/dad is the head lawyer (JAG) for Jasen's brigade. They were gone all summer to North Dakota so we missed them alot. It was good to spend some time with them. We went to one of their favorite spots, Danny's, in Clay Center. It's a cute little cafe in downtown Clay Center. It was a good dinner.

Oh, Jasen's been looking at what job he'll do next. He'd really like to do an ROTC job somewhere, but he has a few other choices, too. I don't want you all to worry, but he's looked at everything from Vermont, to Miami, to Montana. Who knows where we'll be, but it was a scary moment for me when Jasen asked me where in the US I'd like to live. I'd never had that kind of choice to deal with!