Crazy life...

I really do live a crazy life. I have traveled all over the place this summer with two little ones BY MYSELF. Thank you Lord for keeping us safe on all our journey's. About 3 weeks ago we left at 3am for Surfside Beach. I didn't really know exactly how to get there, but I printed off directions. Around 5am I am thinking I am lost. I am driving with two sleeping babies...it is dark outside and nothing is open. I get out my map and a flash light while I am still driving to see if I can find the right way to go. I can't figure it out so who can I call at 5am...My Dad! I know he will be awake. We finally figure out the right way, but my babies are now awake in the car :(

We stayed in Surfside Beach with Gigi and Poppi for a couple days, we went to Charleston for a couple days and then we left to see Daddy at Ft Benning GA. It was a long couple weeks, but on August 14, John graduated from Airborne school and we were able to bring him home. That day he also received his orders. We will be going to Ft. Bragg NC. He also found out that he is with a group that will be leaving for Afghanistan this fall. I spend a couple hours crying on the way home. He was finally coming home after 20 weeks, but it was heartbreaking to know he will be leaving again so soon. Now we are trying to figure out housing on base and we are still trying to figure out what to do with our house in Lynchburg. The thought has crossed my mind to just stay here while he is deployed. I have friends, church, aerobics, doctors, and romp N roll all here. Until he leaves we want to be with John so we don't know if it will work out. Now we are just waiting on God and the army. Needless to say, life is a little crazy for us right now.

Enjoy the pictures from our trip...

Not part of our trip..But just thought it was funny that Anna like to color in my heals :)
The girls loved the beach!

We had a chance to meet up with John's Brother Sam, who is in Iraq right now, sister-in-law Ashley and nephew Charlie. Sam was home on a two week leave. Isn't Charlie adorable!! I had a hard time taking pictures of moving children with my slow camera!

We stayed at the Uchee Creek campsite at Ft Benning...we were staying in a one room cabin, but the very last night they messed up our reservation so they put us up in a chalet. It was wonderful other than the dead mouse I found in the toilet!

Beautiful view!

Anna slept on the top bunk...what a big girl!

sisters :)

Anna loves dressing up in Daddy's soldier clothes!

Another bit of news is that Anna is oficially a big girl because she has given up her pacifiers! She is growing up so fast. More to come about moving at a later date.....

John's Graduation

John's graduation was really cool to watch. Lot's of action as you can see from the first couple pictures. The girls thought it was cool too. Anna talked loudly during the whole thing saying, "Are those soldiers mad? What are they doing?What are they doing with their mouths? Are they mad?" Where did those soldiers go?I want them to come back." I think we bothered the people all around us especially the lady in front of us. Eliza pushed Anna into the lady in front of her and smashed grapes on her shirt! All in all it was a great day and we are so proud of John. He looks like a hunk in his uniform :) Warning : ignore the humid hair in the photo's :)

Anna and Eliza loved this band and danced to the music in the stands :)

Marching..I think John is in there somewhere...

John and his mom

Uncle Ben, John and John's Dad

John and Chris...Chris is such a wonderful friend to us and has helped us so much while John has been away! Thank you Chris for all your help!

John's cousin's Heather and Julie came to support John too. We are so happy that they were able to come. Here is a picture of Julie and John. She was so wonderful helping me with the girls! They love her so much! Thank you Julie!

Gigi and Poppi's house

Before we went to GA to see John graduate we spent some time in SC with my family. We made a trip to Columbia to see family and stopped at the Columbia Zoo. My parents both grew up in Columbia, SC and for the most part Grandparents, Aunt's, Uncles, and cousins still live there. We went to see my Great Grandmother (age 107) that day and two days later she went to be with the Lord. We were all thankful that we were able to spend a little time with her and see her. We are blessed to have had her with us for so long.

Some pictures of the zoo..

We are ready for a nap..they were troopers we were there during naptime!

Playing dress up at Gigi's


Before we went to SC we went to the Roanoke Zoo with our friends Jackie and Lydia...Here we are about to ride the train! Eliza's face looks so funny to me :)

Surprise for John

Well, I lot of you know Sabrena Carter Deal. I had seen a lot of her work on facebook and for a long time I have wanted her to take some family pictures of us. We aren't going to be living in Lynchburg much longer so I thought I needed to hurry up and ask her before she gets booked up. I also wanted to put together an album of his girls to take to airborne school. If he gets deployed any time soon (praying that he won't) he could take it with him too. Here is a little preview of some of the pictures she took. She is so talented! I am so excited to put this surprise together for John.

23 days....

We have just returned from our cross country adventure! Well, it seems that way. We went to Charleston, SC, then to Columbus GA, back to SC and then home to VA. It was nice to get away and it was wonderful seeing John. He looks so different. He weighs about 190. He has lost about 35 pounds since Christmas. I told him he looks like a teenager! He is doing really well. He is ready to be back with his family! I am REALLY READY for him to be back with us. We will be going back to GA in 23 days to see him graduate. He then will have about 3 weeks of airborne school. Right now it looks like we will be going to Ft. Campbell KY. Anything can change, but as for now that is where we are headed.

Here are some pictures from GA...

Eliza ready to go see Daddy
Anna is so excited!

The wanted to cuddle with Daddy the whole time

So cute

John in his uniform

With the girls...Anna is pretend crying in this photo. She likes to make different faces and then look at herself in the camera. This is the face she decided on in these particular photo's.

Taking John back to the base...so sad to have to say good-bye.

Love him!

It has been a while!

The past couple weeks have been rough and crazy! Not a good combination. We were in a car accident to start it off. We were rear ended! I ended up taking the girls to the hospital to get checked out with the help of my friend Lindsay! Everyone is doing fine. I had to deal with claims and insurance, but I figured all that stuff out. I am now driving a 2008 dodge caravan while the car is in the shop. I am NOT a van person, but this thing is awesome. Anna keeps saying look at our beautiful new car. Don't get too attached honey! The next car we get WILL HAVE a built in DVD player. Next came the sickness! The girls were sick and then I was sick. We are all better now! Thank goodness! I have been having trouble with the drain in our basement, but that is now fixed too (thanks Chris). John has been gone for 9 weeks and I am just tired. Things are looking better now. We go see John in 10 days :) I will be traveling to Charleston to stay with my parents for a couple days, then to GA to see John and then back to Charleston. It will be a lot of driving, but well worth it.

Here are some pictures of some recent events...

playing together in the yard

Running...

So sweet!

My wonderful sister came in for a visit. The girls love their Auntie Aldi.

The girls and me (looking tired and I need some make-up)

Yesterday was beautiful and I got out the baby pools and water table.

She is so happy.

It is a little cool for her. Eliza just jumps right in, but Anna takes her time.

Now we are warmed up!

Water table time!

Walking around the pool together!

Playing...