Tomorrow is the big day!

We're leaving for Washington tomorrow! It's always a mixed bag for me. I hate packing. I'm a procrastinator, too, which is a horrible thing to be when you're leaving for a month-long trip in less than 24 hours. Yes, my laundry is (mostly) done. Yes, we've eaten almost every random thing out of the fridge that would have spoiled (we had mini cheese pizzas for breakfast). Yes, I've electronically checked in for our flight. Have I been downstairs to get the suitcases yet? No. Have I gone through the piles of folded laundry to seperate what I need to pack from what I don't? No. What am I doing right now? Goofing around on my blog. *sigh* I want to go. I really do. I am SO excited to meet Faith Olive!! YAY, tomorrow!! I love Sequim and Gig Harbor. I can't wait to shop! Do I dare assume there will be some sun and temps over 57 degrees? Of course it also goes without saying that I ADORE my family - both sides - to no end! So, why am I goofing off on here rather than rushing around excitedly throwing my stuff into suitcases? I guess it's because these trips kind of make me feel homeless. That's weird, because I'm going "home", right? Or is Kodiak my home? My stuff is here. I like that. My husband is not here. I (really) don't like that. Does any of this make any sense to anyone?? Heck, it hardly makes any sense to me, and while I sit here and ramble, a tiny spark of panic is starting to flicker in the back of my brain about how much stuff needs to be done today. So, I'll see you tomorrow, everyone, and the next time I write it will be amidst family and not depressing Kodiak (despite my lack of stuff and husband) and that, ultimately, is the point of this whole thing.

Big N, Little n

So, we had the most fabulous treat we've had since we moved here. Nathan McLoud was at our house for 3 days in a row!!! He is stationed aboard the USCGC Hamilton, which just happened to pull into Kodiak for a few days! Jake got to hang out with him for one day/night, and you should have seen the two of them. It's seriously what I call "BRO-mance" all the way. Jake could hardly wait to see him. Nathan McLoud is just one of the best people I know. He spent his day off on Wednesday with me and the kids and kept us company on one of the hardest days...the day the Munro took off. It was so nice to have a friendly, familiar face around...and not only that, but Jake's best friend, and my best friend's husband. I give Nathan all the credit for uniting two destinies...mine and Jake's. It was Nathan who called our house on Trinity Street all those years ago and asked if he could invite a friend to come over with him. It's amazing to think back on that one moment...that one phone call...that one thought on Nathan's part...and see the path that was ignited. I really appreciated the fact that he hung out with us over the past few days...more than he even knows. We reminisced about the old times, discussed the present times and speculated about future times. He drank a few beers and professed his undying love for Sarah...for about the millionth time. :) "Best friends married best friends. That's pretty special, Emily." And so it is, Nathan. It really is.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder and all that jazz...

So, here we go again. The begining of another patrol...the horribleness (is that a word?) of the day before the patrol...the heartbreak of dropping him off at the pier with his sea bag loaded to the gills with stuff he'll be needing while he's gone...the emotional flat-lining and feeling of "I'm okay. I can do this. I can't cry any more because I just don't have any more tears." followed immediately by a flood of tears as the dishes he loaded into the dishwasher last night catch me off guard...he put those in there. They're still dirty from the spaghetti we all had together last night...he could be home later....right? No. He won't be home later. I've got to get by for the next 4 months on my own. Wait, no I don't. I am leaving Monday for a trip to Washington, YAY and THANK GOD for that! I've got a niece to meet! A wedding to go to! A family birthday party for a wonderful grandmother to attend! The first day of Kindergarten is almost upon us! Halloween costumes will be made by me and will be fabulous, doggone it! The treadmills at the gym await, as do coffee dates with friends while the kids are in school! Our bedroom is a blank canvass that will be redecorated and waiting when Jake returns! (Oops, I don't think I told him I was going to do be doing that...I guess the cat's out of the bag now!) Wait, is it November already?? Homecoming will be upon us, and this patrol...this blasted patrol...will be behind us and out of our lives forever.

What we've been up to

So...not really anything too exciting to report, but I'll bore you with the details anyway. :P Jake is leaving in a few days, so we're just trying to soak up as much family time as we can. I think we've come to a good compromise with this whole icky Silverfish situation. For those that aren't aware, our apartment building has become infested with these nasty little bugs called Silverfish. Housing wanted to fog the entire building ASAP with this stuff that the exterminator told us would leave "an oily film" on every single surface in the entire place. That would have meant a TON of work for us (or me if we opted to wait until after Jake left and I came back from vacation), and (call me a hippie, I don't care) I did not feel comfortable with that crap getting into EVERYTHING we come into contact with on a daily basis (mattresses, toys, carpet, couches, clothing...good lord I'm feeling a panic attack coming on just thinking about it...breathe). *sigh* So, I called the exterminator and told him I needed another option. I (well, we) just have too much going on right now and I didn't think I could handle something so incredibly invasive at this point in my life. He was very understanding and said he could just come in with a spray wand and go around the perimeter of our house with some spray. This won't endanger any of our personal belongings (or health, hopefully) and won't totally contaminate our environment as much...I mean it's still chemicals, but they'll do it while I'm gone, and by the time I get back, I'm sure most of it will have dissapated. Plus, we can't live with the Silverfish. This is gross, but we had one in our bed the other night, and I caught one crawling up my leg this morning!!!! EEEEEWWWWWW!!!!!!! Anyway, I think this is the best way to deal with the situation.
Hmmm...what else is going on...the weather has been decent. We went to the park today and took a walk down to the Exchange. My neighbors across the hall offered to watch the kids tomorrow night so Jake and I can go out and see a movie and have dinner. Yay!! In exchange, I am watching her boys (they are SUCH nice kids) tomorrow morning while she goes to the doctor. Yup...that is seriously about it. I haven't taken any pictures lately, so sorry for that. I have to go buy a gallon of milk now. I have 3 boys coming over tomorrow morning that will probably want cereal for breakfast. Ciao for now!

Well...I did say hijinks

I guess I got what I asked for. So, this morning I was brushing Joanna's hair, and I notice that a major chunk of hair in front is cut off to the scalp! Then I notice another, longer (shorter?) piece right next to it. I couldn't help it. I started laughing. She started crying. Poor thing. I asked her what she did and she confessed to cutting it yesterday...how I didn't notice it until this morning is a total mystery, but whatever. I have never felt like laughing and cringing at the same time, but that is how I feel every time I look at her cute little head! It's cut TO THE SCALP right at the top of her forehead! That is going to be so funny in a few weeks when it starts to grow out! She'll need to have bangs cut, for sure. She didn't get into any trouble, because...well, I am guilty of giving Margaret a "hair cut" when she was 2 years old. I'll never forget cutting off those big, long, curls of hers. I think every kid at some point does this, but did it have to be right above her forehead TO THE SCALP??? If she really does loose that tooth, her Kindergarten picture should be fab! I kid, I kid. She's beautiful no matter what. :)

I see London, I see France. I see...

Sunshine in Kodiak??? I do, I do, I DO see the sun!! Woot-woot...woot-woot! Ooohh...I can't wait until the kids get up to see what sort of hijinks we can do today! I'm going to go watch Days of Our Lives from yesterday while I finish my coffee, then get the kids up and GET OUT!!! Stay tuned...

I think I've moved on.

I was pretty traumatized (as you clearly could tell) by that icky day last week and just haven't really done anything exciting enough to blog about. BUT BUT BUT....today something happened that is definitely worth shouting from the tallest mountain! Nate went poop on the toilet!!! This is huge. Really huge. I see diaper/pull-up free days in my future! I am really proud of him. He got the blue light saber that Jake bought as an incentive for him to want to go. I'm so excited!!

Okay, and as far as that horrible day last week...I had another couple bad ones, but I've moved on at this point. We had a fun 4th of July, even though (as Graham says) "The sun is not home". It's been pouring for a few days now, but I've managed to avoid the rainy day doldrums. Our new neighbors across the hall had us over for an indoor celebration yesterday. The guys grilled steaks and chicken on the BBQ under the awning out front and the kids decorated red, white and blue cupcakes and made little "sparklers" with pretzles, melted white chocolate and colored sprinkles. It was fun, and I think we're really going to like living across the hall from them. It's weird because they were in Eureka and Port Angeles the same times that we were! She told me that Carl's Diner was her favorite and that she used to go in there all the time! Isn't that amazing? Small world.

We went to the dentist on Thursday and we all got check-ups. Nate let the dentist look in his mouth, but wouldn't let her touch his teeth. He did let the hygenist give him some flouride foam, although, I think that was only because she let him press the buttons to move the chair and squirt the water. Joanna was a champ, of course. She was inducted into the "No Cavity Club" and was informed that one of her bottom teeth is loose. What?? Crazy. The dentist told me it probably won't be in her kindergarten picture. Too bad I couldn't get into the No Cavity Club. I have one - blah - but at least my gums got good reviews.

I guess that's all we've been up to. See?? I told you it was boring. HA! I will leave you with some pictures of Nate with his new blue light saber that he got tonight for pooping on the toilet.