home and HOME

We're back in Florida.  After taking the red-eye last night, we arrived bleary-eyed and crabby to our humid, sticky state.  I rather felt like crying.  I missed my Mama.  My sisters.  The fresh, clean air of San Luis Obispo.  The mountains, the warm sun.  The Pacific.  The promise that family is not clear across the United States of America, but rather a drive down the street.

Moonstone Beach
Cambria, CA

But, I kept my chin up.  I smiled for the kids.  After all, this is their home.  Here, where Daddy works and Mama stays home and makes food and does laundry.  It's their room and their toys.

Bee on a flower
Mimi and Granddad's garden

We had a full and beautiful eight days together.  Rhett was able to experience first hand what an amazing (if I do say so myself) family he was born into.  The girls became better friends with their five cousins.  Yummy food was eaten.  Hikes were taken.  Rhett was an angel and kept up his 11-12 hour night sleep schedule.  I love that boy.

Henry and Rhett
3.5 & 2.5 mos old

But now, we're home.  We took naps, laundry is already rolling, we had cereal for dinner and I'm listening to our daily monsoon outside.  School starts up in a week.  My husband turns 30 this week.  Bella's and my birthdays are the first week of September.  Lots to look forward to.  Thankful for home.  And thankful for HOME.  I'm not sure which one is which, for me.  Home is where you live.  But it's also where you're heart is at.  As an Air Force wife, my heart is in a great many places.

As my Mama and I decided... we wouldn't cry because our time was over, but we will smile because we were able to be together.  Here's to holding heads high and being thankful for home... wherever that may be.

california christmas

California is beautiful.  And full of family.  And fast-paced.  Summer can't get over the TAAALLLLLL trees.  

We enjoyed a late Christmas, time together with all the cousins, 19 of us packed in a house.  

Trav leaves tomorrow and we'll be apart for five weeks.  I'm sad and missing our time already.

But, I'll be with family.  And eventually head back to Kansas to pack up my home.  We'll be moving in a month.

I'm thankful for this year of 2012.  It was good to us.  2013 holds a lot of change.  I believe we're ready.

For now, we'll enjoy the simple things in life:

- sweet girls

- palm trees

- abundant sunshine

- shake and burger joints by the ocean

- family

here and there and everywhere!

This weekend, I traveled alone with Bella June.  Who knew she was such a great traveling partner??  Really, she was pleasant, compliant, conversational, funny, and a complete dear all around.  I loved the one-on-one time we were gifted with.  It was also really encouraging to get a glimpse into our future.  While the young years are sweet and precious, the babies DO grow up and become little people that can interact and engage.  What a joy.  Here are a few snapshots of our super fast, packed-with-family, wedding weekend!!

Can't beat this venue!
It was a lovely high-70's day in California.
Honestly, I feel a little depressed coming home to cold.

Sweet second-cousins.

Two of my favorite sets of blue eyes
(sister Kate and nephew Atticus)

Two of my favorite sets of hazel eyes
(Bella and sister Betsy...
and my dad's hand trying to make Bets laugh)

Lovely Nana and first-time bride, Aunt Betty!!
Such a gorgeous day... so happy for my Aunt and new Uncle!

Coming home to Travis and Summer is sweet.  Yet, I long to live near family... and in a lovely state, such as California.  I woke feeling a deep sadness and discontentedness.  I know feelings are fleeting and must be controlled... so I battle for a content heart and thankfulness for where I'm at and with those whom I live.  One day, whether in this life or the next, we'll all be together... and that will truly be wonderful!

Goodbye California

Things I'll miss about you:

1. Your natural beauty.  No state can compare.

2. Your perfect weather. This is the season I named my daughter after,

the Central Coast Summertime.

3. My mama.

4. My Dad.

5. My sister.

6. My nieces and nephew.

(How do I not have a picture of Charlotte???)

7. My brother and sister-in-law.

8. The extra pair of arms/hands.

9. The fresh, delicious, Farmer's Market foods.  Again,

no state can compare with this freshness.

10. Everything.

But, Kansas, I'm ready for you too.

I'm ready for family.

For news.

For Travis.

For normal life.

Goodbye California.

Until next time...

HOME, home on the range....

We're back.  Heat, humidity, and our humble house welcomed us late last evening.  Our 10-day trip was full, busy, and wonderful.  Trips never go as planned, as far as I'm concerned... so while I still hate living far from family and I miss the perfect weather and unique beauty of the Central Coast of California, it felt very comforting to be home once again.

While our surrounding landscape may not look even remotely close to this photo above, Bella's sweet sentiments last night upon arriving home make up for it:
"Ohhhh, here's our van!!  We're in KANSAS again!"
"Look at my cute toys!!  It feels SOOO good to be here!"
"I love dis house!  It's our family's house!"
"Look!!  Here are my adorable shoes!!  Can I try them all on, Mom?"

Some thoughts on traveling:
** Before I went on this trip, I was totally anti-Kindle.  I LOVE books.  The pages, the words, the hard copy in my fingertips.  And I still do.  But... when you're traveling via air, with two diaper bags jam packed with diapers, snacks, wipes, blankets, toys, books, etc... and there's no room for any pleasure reading, a skinny Kindle looks mighty nice.  I may be softening.  But, I would vow to myself to ONLY read it while necessary.

** The SkyMall magazines are amazing.  Pure entertainment.  I've already circled three things I want for my birthday.  And I've found Trav (the most difficult man to shop for ever!!) a gift too.  Too bad his birthday's in two days.

Photo compliments of Jim Jeffrey

** When I returned home from my trip while Trav was deployed, I came back expecting to be moved shortly... and my mind was far removed from our current location.  Since then, we've heard about three different new assignments, each one being cancelled within days/weeks of hearing.  Now, we're in yet another waiting game for our assignment, which will probably keep us here for another year or two.  While disappointing, I've tried hard to be happy in my shoes.  Joyful and content where I am, here and now.  And upon returning last night, I was glad to feel truly home.  Yes, this is where we are.  Where we live and raise our girls.  It may be a hell-hole for military folk right now (excuse my language), but it's where we're at.  So, happy in my shoes I'll determine to be.

CA is addictive:::the www is not.

Been enjoying my internet hiatus a little too much while here in CA.  Seriously, every time I take a break, I grow to love my life a little more.  I don't particularly ENJOY seeing everyone's status updates on facebook and reading about every Tom, Dick, and Harry's new home remodeling... but, yet, it is quite addictive.  Ahhh... the love/hate relationship with the internet.  I think everybody has one...

Photo compliments of Betty Jeffrey

In other happenings... we're soaking up this non-humidic, glorious CA sun for three short days more.  There's been a lot of
** junk/yummy food
** laughing
** staying up late
** talking
** family

And not enough of
-- exercise
-- sleep/naps
-- family

Photo compliments of Betty Jeffrey

The wedding was glorious.  All 18 of my immediate family together.  Hasn't ever happened.  LOVED it.  More photos later.

Annnnd, our sweet Summer turned 8 months yesterday.  Where is the time flying to??

+ She's been crawling the past few days to me.  SOOO cute and endearing.
+ She says Mama, Dada, and Buh-uh.
+ LOVES to spit bubbles
+ Wants to hold on to one's fingers and "walk" ALL.DAY.LONG
+ Absolutely sobs her heart out if I tell her "no" to something... and she obeys it.
+ LOVES to be tickled and laugh
+ Sleeps pretty well... better since we've been here at Mimi's
+ Learned to clap a few days ago
+ Still loves to nurse 5x a day... and I love it too
+ Is everyone's little dolly

Photo compliments of Betty Jeffrey

Estes, Sept. '10

We got to Estes on Bella's birthday.  Pooped from driving, we just surveyed the YMCA premises (which are gorgeous!) and relaxed.  There were parks for children and frisbee golf and mini golf available (all to my husband's delight), so we weren't at a want of things to do.

We were able to take hikes in the Rocky Mountains, which was stunning, to put it simply.  The mountains are so glorious, so magnificent, so endless.... to think that there are acres and acres of uninhabited space out there is mind-blowing.  The mountains point me to God more than anything else.  I love feeling little and unimportant while in the mountains... it puts me in the right mindset... Do you know what I'm saying??  Not in a self-abasing way, but in a "this-is-reality" sort of way - I am truly so small and unimportant in the grand scheme of things, YET He loves me and died for me and LIVES for me.  So awesome.

We were able to take a couple of good hikes and Bella did awesome.  Well, Trav did awesome, as he carried her on his back most of the way.  But every now and then, she'd ask to get down and she was in her element.  Jumping off rocks, climbing them, exclaiming how "HUGE and Boo-ih-ful!" the mountains were... she was just as in love as we were.

The lakes we came across were picturesque.  I almost hate taking pictures on trips like these, because there's NO.WAY that the camera is able to even capture a fracture of what I'm seeing behind the lens.

All in all, we enjoyed our time outside immensely.  The weather was perfect, the sky endless, and the mountains majestic.  Bella bonded with her Daddy once again and we all were able to relax.  There were no TV's in our sleeping accommodations, which allowed us to play games, talk, and read to one another.  A plus in every which way.

We hope to go back after Baby is born... maybe next fall??  Maybe make a family reunion out of it... who knows... I just know I can't go too long without being in those beloved peaks.