Life is Overwhelming...

Overwhelmingly good.

Good? 

Yes.  Good.

Why?

Romans 8:28
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

"ALL things work together for GOOD" - even when your husband is attacked in Afghanistan.  Even when you have to say goodbye to your first 4-legged friend via cell phone.  Even when you have to be apart from your babies for weeks....  there's a long list.

"to those who LOVE God"... never for a second have we stopped.  Never have we questioned.  Our love only grows.  It's quite exciting really, and during the times when I'm reminded that I've only just scratched the surface, my love only deepens in trying to comprehend the depth of HIS love for US!  ...but more on this another time.

"to those who are called according to His purpose." and His purpose is GOOD.

God uses ALL things to carry out His purpose and in that, I take tremendous comfort.  That verse alone grounds me.  It gives me peace.

When I think about "His purpose" one direction (of many) that my mind goes, is to where we have been.  All of the carefully placed footsteps.  All of the pieces to the puzzle.  All of the good and the not-so-good that the Lord has woven together to make our lives so rich and beautiful!

50 days have come and gone since the attack, and the Lord is growing me.  He's giving me quite a bit to chew on.  He's reminded me (again) that He's in control, not me.  As if there were any doubt... but gosh it's easy to get carried away and start arranging life how I think it should go.  And in hand with that, is learning to take life one day at a time.  It sounds simple, but it's easy to get ahead of yourself.  There has also been the little matter of asking for and accepting help.  EACH of these lessons are working in me and molding me and there are many more to go.  Each lesson is like a gift that I'm unwrapping slowly - reading the card, untying the ribbon, admiring the paper...  or maybe it's more like those little nesting dolls... inside each doll is a smaller doll... you just keep finding another doll inside the next!  Well, compare it to whatever you wish - the Lord keeps teaching, I keep growing... it all works together for good... for HIS purpose. 

So, how are we?  We're good, and I'm not just saying that. 

Josh is good - cleared of any TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and for the time being, cleared of PTSD.  (It can always pop up down the road... but he's doing fantastic!)  He's doing PT once a week for now - mostly light weight training and stretching.  He's healing, and he can feel the difference despite the pain - which is manageable. 

We're learning a lot, and we're also passionate about making this transition into the WTB (Warriors in Transition Battalion) easier for wounded warriors.  I'm thankful that Josh and I either know where the resources are, or who we need to go to to find out about them.  Unfortunately, that's not always the case.  There are a lot of very friendly and caring people here, but there are a number of "holes" in the system that shouldn't be there.  Hopefully, we can work towards getting the system patched up and make a difference.

The girls are doing well.  Addison has just blossomed since starting preschool in August, and while she missed us both while we were away - she hasn't skipped a beat!  Hannah followed suit.  She just turned 1 on Wednesday, and she's a happy and loving baby.  Miss Morgan on the other hand has had a much harder time with things, and she still does even though we've all been back for 4 weeks now.  While we were away, she went from sleeping a normal 12 hour night with a 2 hr nap.... to sleeping a total of maybe 5 hours a day while we were away.  Thankfully, her sleep is much MUCH better.  She still has nights where she'll wake up and wander in, but they're becoming less and less.  Her main issue at this point is the separation anxiety she faces when we need to leave her at CYS for Josh's appointments.  This was never an issue, and while sadly it has become one, she's SLOWLY getting over it... or rather dealing with it.  Continued prayer on that please.

We have been blessed in more ways than I can count.  Our every need (even the ones I didn't see as needs at the time) have been provided for.  God knew (and knows) what our needs are.  He sees them and plots an intercepting course of provision.  This journey has brought some amazing people into our lives - I can't wait to share some of these stories with you!  From bikers to veterans.  From ladies that train bomb sniffing and drug dogs to amputees.  ....and how he uses each of them.... each of you... to teach us, to grow us.... and to show us His love through all of this because "...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28


11-1-11 - The day after his last surgery.  Still quite out of it, but managing to give us the "thumb's up" ...as if there were any choice!

11-2-11 - His PT for the day was to go outside...  amazing to feel the sun on his face.  You can't tell here, but I'm wearing shorts.  The weather was beautiful!!!

12-6-11  I LOVE this picture.  I love that you can see Josh's reflection (as well as many hand prints) on the TV.  I love that the girls are all enjoying the tree we were blessed with.  And I love that "Family" adorns the wall behind them.  Look how far we've been carried!

 12-7-11  Hannah's 1st Birthday.  My love, my hero, my wounded warrior, my strong man of God.  I'm so blessed to have been given you as my husband!

So, to say the least, life is overwhelming... but we've been overwhelmingly loved and blessed.

Addisonisms

I need to start recording these in places other than in emails to my husband or in recounts over the phone when someone calls... they are just TOO entertaining.

1. We're pulling out of the garage to go somewhere and Addison asks:

Mommy, why does daddy have two bike helmets?
Well, he doesn't.  One is Mommy's and the other is Daddy's.
Oh, ok. So, you ride with daddy?  Where do you sit?
I sit behind him and hold on to him.
Oh!  You sit on the little seat!?
Yes.
But Mommy, your butt is too big to fit on the little seat. 

lol thanks kid.

2.  Addison and I were visiting with friends before church started - she LOVES talking to our friends and it gets her a little wound up, so our friend asked her:

Addison, did you have too much coffee this morning??
She replied: hahaha noooooo!!! (as she bounces around in her seat)
...then I mumble out that I didn't get ENOUGH coffee as a response to her bouncing...
Our friend then asked: Oh, did Mommy get enough coffee this morning?
No.  Mommy allllways needs more coffee.

HA!  True that sister, TRUE THAT!

3.  This one is really more about the pictures than it is about the story....  I suppose this is where you say "The picture speaks for itself"

This Ketchup.  Thank you Addison. 

Also, note that after a very brief lunch, "Ketchup" is on it's last strike.  I didn't get a picture this time... but Morgan placed a nice handprint on the wall.   She was then promptly put to bed.  After seeing all of this Addison still felt the need for speed - this time she only got a few strands of Hannah's hair covered in ketchup.... and then put her hotdog in the dog's bowl.  Awesome.  (At least it wasn't the water bowl this time!)  Just when I thought she'd start eating hot dogs again (she's eaten 2 in the last 1.5 weeks after not eating them for months).... NOT eating hot dogs has got to be un-American. 


When things like this happen, I'm reminded that our girls were given their specific personalities for very specific and God driven reasons.  Some of the things they do bring smiles to my face and warm my heart... sometimes they drive me bananas... but either way, in the end I'm always thankful for each of our precious girls... screaming, screeching, whining, and fidgiting included.  <3

Stay tuned... I'm SURE there will be more like this to follow...

My Little Helper!

Hannah usually naps through the whole morning while Addison is at school, leaving some great 1:1 time with Morgan.  I'm such a slavedriver that one of the first mornings together, we washed out the garbage cans!!! :)  

We had a blast together! 

Addison's First Day of School

She wasn't feeling too great, but had a fabulous first day and continues to LOVE each day of school!  What made it even easier for her to adjust, is that her classroom used to be the hourly room, so she was already familiar with everything!!


Later in the week, a bug caught up with her.  Poor girl.
...shortly after drinking her water, she fell asleep in this position with her arms out wide.  This is when I knew she was staying home from school. 

I had to go to a deployment EXPO for the unit, so sadly she had to tag along.  She zonked out in the corner for over 2 hours and finally turned the corner with that bug she was fighting.  I couldn't believe how deeply she slept!  HUNDREDS of soldiers passed right by her...

Playing catch-up.  Here are some pictures from June (NTC month/single parenting month...), as well as a few from July.  We got a new computer, so all of our pictures (from college until now) are all on the external hard drive (in about 4 or 5 different locations) and in need of some serious organization.  Needless to say, I'm missing a chunk of pictures taken in July... I think.  Sigh.  That's for another day.

May was super busy, so it was nice to slow down a bit during June and spend some time with the girls.  When Josh got back, we hit the ground running with a marathon of appointments, labs and tests all leading to the discovery of Graves' Disease for me.  We're very thankful to finally have a reason for all of the random symptoms and to be on a treatment path.  The hardest things about it have been 1. that I had to stop nursing Hannah, and 2. the acceptance that it's a lifelong disease.... still trying to wrap my head around it all.  We've been on the meds (vs. the RAIU or, in the words of my primary doctor, the treatment that would "kill my thyroid"... wasn't too thrilled with that option) for two weeks today, and (while I'm still fighting another infection) I'm generally starting to feel a bit better and gain some of my long-lost energy back... which in itself is just plain exciting! (I reorganized the pantry at 10pm last night because I had all of this energy that I hadn't had in ahwile!).  Now... if only my hair would stop falling out!  :)  Still have a long way to go, but we're getting there, and we're very thankful for everyone's support!

We've just LOVED having our garden in... the melons have somewhat taken over the garden, and the tomato plants went wild before I could get the cages in.  Drat!  Next year, I will do better!  But the "fruits" of our labor are AMAZING!  I've learned a lot, and hopefully next year will be even better.  The El Paso sun is great for growing... but in the 2 summers of living here, it's been very clearn that an irrigation system is CLUTCH for a successful garden... especially if you have my memory/energy level!

Here are a few pics...

 Our Sweet Morgan

 Beautiful Addison

She played in the pool for HOURS.... the heavy eyelids were a clear sign that a good night's sleep was in her future!! 

This one just makes me laugh!!

...and this one too

M's a little frustraited she can't put her goggles on by herself...

 Anniversary Flowers!  We've spent one Anniversary together... because he was on paternal leave after we had Morgan! The rest, he's been either deployed or in the field training.

Some of our flowers out back.

Sleepy Girl

 Blooming Anniversary Flowers!  I was SO impressed with these!!  UPS delivered them to my door and even in the El Paso heat, they did great!!

Homemade Playdough during the heatwave was a perfect idea!

 Hannah in mid June

Moran feeding her baby

This was the evening that we returned from the Endocrinologist's office.  The evening that things started  to sink in with respect to the Graves' and the evening that we decided to pick our first watermelon from the garden!!!  It was amazing but I learned I picked it a little too early.  No problem.  Let it hang in the fridge for a few days and about a week later we couldn't get enough of it!!!

You can also note here how the melons have taken over the garden!!!

I'm pretty sure that if there was an award for worst memory, that I'd beat out the rest of the population for decades.  Now that I have to take numerous medications on a daily basis... one of these bad boys was a must have.  Best darn 99 cents I've ever spent!!  Also helping the success of this puppy is the fact that it lives on TOP of the coffee... so I cannot make coffee without seeing it.  Also know that while the coffee is actually brewing, this little guy lives on the counter... not back on top of the coffee becaust I would then forget about it.  Bad bad memory.

There's your brief update.  More to come... like our block leave pictures from our trip to Albuquerque!!  And the second watermelon we picked... weighing in at 32.5lbs!!!  That's almost as much as Addison!!!  Yikes!  

Morgan's Birthday

A quick recap of Miss Morgan's 2nd Birthday!!  Seriously?  Where have the past 2 years gone!?!!!  Doesn't seem like 2 years, that's for sure!  She had a wonderful birthday and was showered with love from friends and family, near and far.  Thank you so much for blessing her so!

Miss Morgan on her BIRTHday!

Our sweet girl on her 2nd Birthday

Waiting for Birthday pancakes!!!

Starting the day off with a gift from Nonni & Papa!

Hannah Grace, checking out all of the comotion

Birthday Dinner!  Homemade pizza!

Stuffed Lightning McQueen for Addison?!!!  AWESOME!!!! Thanks N & P!

Hannah needed a little help with her gift from Nonni and Papa... Addison was more than willing to lend a hand!!

Both big girls have spent HOURS looking at this book!!!

Woody & Bullseye from Addison and Hannah...which was later returned because Bullseye's leg broke... we now have woody and rex because they were out of bullseyes! 

The newest addition to Addison's group of "friends"

The first creation:

Kisses for Woody!

I think they appove of the cake...

Birthday party on Sunday means MORE cake!!!

Playing with her new little people from Grandma Cosby and Poppa Stu

Happy 2nd Birthday Dear Girl, we love you so very much!