Craziness...

So, obviously it's been awhile. But for the first time since Kevin left on deployment, I am in bed at 9 pm with my lap top, showered and ready for the week. The kids are showered and settled into bed too. Well, nevermind...Kyle is in bed playing his PSP and didn't shower after a soccer game yesterday and playing all day today! You know on one hand you want them to discover girls so they will clean themselves up and yet on the other hang you pray that they are late boomers. So he's showering now. I'm 1 for 2! Haha...

So what's happened the last few weeks? Should I start with good news or bad? I think I will start with the bad and get it over with. The Nimitz deployment is officially extended to 8 months...that was a bad day. This deployment has been an ongoing struggle for me. Our 6th deployment is 7 years is wearing on me. I know I sound like a broken record, in some ways I'm disappointed in myself because I've always been strong and handled deployment very well. I'd have a few occasional down days, but I kept myself busy and they usually passed by pretty quickly. This one, I think is the straw that broke the camels back. It's long and it's very frustrating. I'm more lonely than I have ever been and the kids are probably at some of their most challenging ages yet. I love them dearly and frequently feel bad for being so hard on them, but it's very difficult not to get frustrated with anything that goes wrong.

Okay, before I ramble through a book, the other bit of bad news is that Kevin and I decided that a port visit for me is out of the question. Too expensive unfortunately. Who knew it would cost that much to fly to Singapore or elsewhere on the other side of the world. I had built up grand illusions of what it would be like to fly across an ocean, land in a foreign land, get myself to a hotel, pick Kevin up when the ship pulled in and spend 3 days just the two of us in some foreign land. Very hot and sexy and I can't do it this time! That was crushing.

So the good news is that since the ship is extended, it looks like a 4-5 month surge is off next summer...thank goodness! The other good news is that while I don't get to fly to a foreign port, Kevin and I are escaping to Reno for 4 days right after he gets home, we'll also save thousands during deployment and are picking Kevin up in San Diego and going to Disneyland which we haven't done since Brooke was a year old. She'll be 6 when we go. Our little getaway includes a suite with a Jacuzzi tub in the room, a mini kitchen/bar, living room and big king size bed in the bedroom. It over looks the city from the 15th floor. I can't wait and if I have my way, will never leave the bedroom! Sleep in, stay up late doing whatever and so on. I desperately need some private time with my honey. We are both very tired of the separation. You can hear it in him in his e-mails too. He's been working so hard and I'm so proud of what he's accomplished. We are so going to be ready for shore duty. That leads to another little tidbit, we're still going to try and get orders overseas...so here's to hoping.

So what else happened...oh Kyle turned 11 a couple of weeks ago. He's growing up so fast. We have good moments and bad, but he's such a good kid and I'm so proud of him. He's just started 5th grade and loving it. He's done very well this year. He's usually the child who gets in trouble for goofing off and distracting other students. Well, Mrs. Huffman is keeping him challenged and school has been very good. Kyle also won his soccer game yesterday against a select team in Everett. We were thrilled, unfortunately it wasn't my day to drive so I missed the game, but I heard it was thrilling. His team is playing against select teams now, so we're really having to step up from what we've played in previous seasons. This is their first win of the season so it was very exciting. He got a new PSP for his birthday so I can hardly draw him away from his room. Fun, fun, fun...am I picking my battles very well? He also bridged over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts the day before his birthday. So he's officially a boyscout and has already finished his first level. Last but not least, he's decided to go with the piano for an instrument so he's excited to start lessons next week!

Brookes new saying is "no...seriously". She says it to everything and it's quit funny. She told me the week before Kyle's birthday that she knew exactly what to get Kyle for his birthday and she wanted to buy it for him. I asked her what it was. She said "a PSP". I asked her "how are you going to afford that". She looked right at me and said, "no, mommy, you are going to pay for it and I am going to give it to Kyle" and then she laughed! Gotta love it. She says all kinds of cute things and I've forgotten a few since I've been away. I will have to be more on top of these things.

Last bit of good news...yes I just did my tax refund for last year...they owe me a lot of money! Yay...

Anywho, I'm going to call it a night. I really want to write a letter to my hubby for our anniversary. We celebrate our 18th in two weeks! Wow how time has flown by. It doesn't feel that long and I wouldn't trade a moment of it for anything in the world. I love you honey!