The House is Empty...

Well, it's almost empty. The movers came yesterday and packed everything, then came again today to load the truck. We still have a pile of stuff that will go in the car with Mike, and we are supposed to be packing clothes into the suitcases to go to the hotel tonight. However, I'm on the computer, and Mike is serenading me on the guitar. Okay, he's really just playing and we're in the same room. The cleaning fun begins tomorrow at 10! I'm SO not excited! Both my sisters deserted me to go to Boise for my brother Caleb's missionary Sunday, but there should be plenty of sisters from the ward to help out. The best news about this move is the money we have made on our yard sale, and selling big items through Craigslist! Hooray for Craigslist!

Texting...

We decided that Aubree's Christmas present from us would be texting on her phone. We were able to add it to our family plan to cover all 3 phones at $30.00 a month. I got the first bill today - Mike sent/received 74 messages, I had 182, and Aubree had 2183! I'm thinking it was worth it! Of course, when it was shiny and new, she was texting people she was sitting next to. We put a stop to that (I think). We'll see what next month's bill looks like.

A long goodbye...

We are now at 2 1/2 weeks until we leave. It's hard to describe how I feel about it, now that it's imminent. I finished my stint as PTO president, and I already miss the time I spent working with so many wonderful ladies. I don't feel like I did enough with my sisters, and I'm trying to figure out how we can cram in more time before I leave. I have made some very good friends that seem more like sisters. I hope that I can have the same relationship with them as my mom had with some choice friends - no matter where they lived, or the time apart, they would call each other or visit, and it was like there was never a separation. So, to all of you that I got to know these past 19 months - thank you for your support and understanding! Thank you for listening to me whine when I needed to, and lifting me up when I needed it. Your friendship helped sustain me through it all. I love you!!!

Hmmmmmmmmm...

I keep checking on here to see if anyone has posted anything, then realized - duh! I have to do it! Sigh... So, lots of fun stuff happening lately - the biggest and MOST exciting is that Mike arrived home on Friday!!! We are gradually settling into what our new normal is. It was nice that the kids didn't have school today. We ran errands and did not get the tree down on Saturday, then today we did a little shopping for winter coats (only found one for Chris), did not get the tree down again, and had a Wii-fest with Mike's brother Rob and Ehmke cousins that came over. I'm thinking I really need to get the tree down tomorrow. Half of the ornaments (mine) are off and packed away, so tomorrow while the kids are at school, I can get theirs put away safely. Normally, I let them put away their own ornaments, but since they will need to survive some big moving this year, I think I'll do it. Also, my house is a DISASTER, and the movers come in the morning to do their survey. I hope they can see past the clutter... I didn't realize how soon everything is happening until yesterday. I was focusing so much on Mike getting home, that it wasn't until yesterday in church when someone asked when we were leaving, and I realized we only had another month here! It seems crazy that it is so soon! My sister still doesn't want to talk about it, and it's starting to hit me that I'm moving away. I guess I don't want to think about it, either. Anyway, just wanted to give everyone a quick update...

The Last Time

I talked to Mike in Baghdad for the last time today. Tomorrow he heads to the airport, where he will stay the night, then fly to Kuwait, where he will catch a flight back to the U.S. After landing in D.C., he flies through North Carolina on his way home! He will land in Phoenix on Friday at 2:00 p.m., and we can hardly wait! I know Mike is looking forward to all the lasts that are happening, too - especially the last ride on a C-130. Lets hope the next 3 days sprout wings and fly!