Like Old Times

My trip has been fun so far. I have done so much in such a short amount of time. It seems like that is the way it always is when I'm visiting home. Of course I don't come home that often, and I'm not able to see people on a regular basis. That makes for time home to be full of visiting with friends and family. I like it that way because it makes the time go quickly. Thirty days doesn't always seem like a lot, but boy is it at times. When you pack it full of visits, trips, and fun stuff, it makes it go much quicker.

This past week was a blast from the past. A friend of mine came to see me. I haven't seen her in about 3 1/2 to 4 years. It's amazing how fast that time can go. It really doesn't seem like it has been that long. Her husband and my husband were stationed at Ft Riley at the same time. She lived in the apartment above me. We spent a lot of time together at first by default. Both our husbands were deployed at the same time. We would go eat dinner together (much nicer doing dinner with friends than alone), shopping, movies, etc. We were really close by the end of the deployment. We have stayed in contact for all these years (7 years).

My friend and I really enjoyed the time without the kids. We went to many movies. We had a total movie experience. We saw a movie the regular way, on 3D IMAX, and then in a luxury theater. They had big leather recliners, and they gave you $15 in food credit. Nothing beats dinner and a movie when they are together and in one place.

I still have a lot to do while I'm home. It seems like the kids and I have been back for a month already with everything we've done. We still have a couple of weeks to go. I'm ready to get home and go back to "normal." I am ready to have my husband back. I don't even need the help with the kids, I just want to have him around. I'm sure most of us can relate or understand. However ready I am to go home, I am still very excited for the rest of my time here. I can't wait to spend time with my best friend, and I still have a hair appointment left. I know it will be a bittersweet day when it is time to get back on the plane and make my journey back across the ocean to home.

Just for You (you know who you are)

So I was told by a friend that reads my blog that I need to do more updates :) I didn't realize anyone really read my blog on a regular basis, and I'm so happy that some do. So this one is for you...you know who you are.

Things with our family have been good. After the crazy couple of months that include Thanksgiving, two birthdays, and Christmas we have calmed down a bit. We just got things at the house back to normal, and then it was time for the kids and I to make a trip back to the US. I know that those that know me know how much I hate flying. I really do. My husband was laughing at me this trip. He saw that I didn't eat much the night before, and he noticed I took a sleeping pill before bed. He said he honestly didn't realize that I hated it that much. Not only did I have the fear of the flight itself, but also the last trip with the kids back was still fresh in my mind even though it was over 8 months ago. I don't think anyone would forget a horrible trip like that. I was terrified of a repeat.

The morning went well at the airport, and we didn't have too many issues getting to our gate and on the plane. Both kids were really excited about the plane and getting on it. However when the jets roared to life, it scared Samuel really bad. He started to cry, but I got him calmed down pretty quick. A friend of mine let me use a DVD player she had. That thing saved my life. It had a 7 hour charge to it. The flight was 8 1/2 hours long. We didn't use it when he was napping, eating, or walking around. It saved just enough time on it for our second flight while we were waiting to pull back from the gate.

I still got off the plane tired, looking like I had been through a fight, and ready to be in a bed. The biggest change was that I did not have to deal with a child that was screaming the whole time. I keep hoping that it will be the same when we go back. I am hoping I didn't use up all my luck this trip.

We got back a week ago, and we have already packed a lot into a week. When we first got here, my cousin was here with her kids. Her older girl and Genevieve are the same age apart as my cousin and I. We watched the girls as they played and did stuff together. It was like looking at us when we were little. They really had a great time, and I wish we could get them together more often. We have also done a little shopping at those stores we can't go to in Germany (i.e. WalMart, Target, etc). We have had fun being with family, and we even made Pappy cupcakes for his birthday yesterday.

This week is going to be fun for me. I'm headed up to Kansas City to see a friend of mine. We are going to enjoy several days of kid free fun. I really can't wait. I will for sure keep you posted of what all fun we find to get ourselves into.