All is well in life!

Well, there are some things that could be better, but for the most part things are terrific. I haven't posted a blog since Nick got back from school. He got in last Tuesday and we have been spending lots of family time and just relaxing since then. My online time has been limited and it has actually been nice that way.

The girls had made a welcome home sign for Nick and the best place to put it where he would see it just as he walked in the door was at the beginning of the staircase, tacked to that little half-wall area. I was planning on having the girls put their jammies on before we picked him up as his plane wasn't due to land until almost 9. I told them to get their jammies on and Juliette ran full force into the stair railing/bannister trying to get up the stairs fast. I guess our placement of the sign kind of blocked it and she didn't see it and smashed her head just above her eye. First she laughed and then the pain set in and she started crying very hard. I called over and it was already bruising and I told her to get her pajamas on and then I'd get her some ice and even as I said that, a goose-egg formed. It looked like she had a blue robins egg candy coming out of her head. We nixed the jammies and went straight to the ice. Just as I was getting her settled down, Evy pooped and then the phone rang. It was Nick, he had landed early and was ready. I don't think I've changed a diaper that fast before. We were so excited to get out the door and get to the airport I forgot to lock the door when we left. Oops!

The girls were in their glory and Nick and I were so content that he was home. Evy wasn't too sure at first, she let him hold her, and then after a few minutes of seeing her sisters loving on him, she warmed right up. It reminded me of the picture I took of the two of them at the Homecoming Ceremony when Nick got back from Iraq, those two checking each other out. She has been fine, other than some sleep issues. We were in Target on Friday evening and it was hilarious that she did NOT want me pushing the cart. Only Daddy could do it. I made the mistake of resting my hand on the cart and she let me know right away that it was not okay with her. Other than our routines being thrown off, things have been awesome having him home. He has had to already get back into working with just one day off when he got back, but such is life. The routine thing will happen in time, probably just about the time we get things back into a groove again it will be time to move.

I am still very nervous about this move, but it has to happen so we will just take it one step at a time. Nick keeps reminding me I do not have to carry the burden alone. I have been looking at rentals in the new area online and I am excited about the prospect of living in a real house. I still wonder if we will end up in military housing, just because the thought of paying rent + utilities kind of scares me, but we really want to get off-post. Unless they can give us some awesome brand new housing with 4 or 5 bedrooms and it is available immediately (and even then not sure we'd take it), we really want to try the off-post thing. We are tired of the drama that seems to go on living in military housing. Not that drama can't happen off-post in a "real" neighborhood, but at least there won't be stupid rules, we'll have more privacy in an un-attached house, and there will be no stupid rank game (as in "I (meaning spouse) is higher ranking so our **** doesn't stink!") off-post. That and we are just ready. We are at that point in our lives where we are itching to settle, and since that can't happen, living in a real home will have to do. We could buy, but since we move around every few years, I just don't feel that it is prudent. It still stinks to see your rent going to something that isn't yours, but I really don't want the hassle of trying to sell when we leave a duty station and hoping like heck that the house has appreciated enough to not dig ourselves in a hole. I cringe every month when I see Nick's LES and see the amount they are taking for us to live in this house with it's many many problems. It is SO not worth what we are paying, even with utilities included. We have decided that we will just have to rework our budget to afford utilities if we rent off-post. It may mean doing without some extras, but in the long run, if it makes us happier, it will be worth it.

We are hoping to get out of here in the beginning of May. Sophia has her endoscopy scheduled (just need to get her pre-op appt. scheduled but they haven't returned my call so I'll be calling again) for mid-April, and we have an appointment at Shriners for mid-May so we will be hanging out in St. Louis for a bit waiting for that. We are thinking of making a mini-vacation of it. Goodness knows we need one! Sophia is at the dentist with Nick right now getting her extractions (that word really makes me shudder!) and so that will be one thing down as far as what she is going through. I made a fairy doll and pouch for her teeth yesterday to give her something special to look forward to. We haven't told her about the endoscopy and probably won't until a week out. I don't want her obsessing and worrying about it weeks in advance.

I need to get off of here and go call that pre-op appt. line again. And I realize I still haven't gotten the Easter pics off my camera yet but that will have to wait.