It's all good

I got to talk to my sweet hubby earlier and got good news! A few weeks ago Chad changed companies, still the same battalion, just a different company. This has been a VERY positive change for Chad, as he really likes the guys he's working with, likes his 1st Sgt. and Commander, there's always going to be a couple people that grate on his nerves, but over all it's been a VERY positive thing in so many ways. He's not going out on missions hardly at all, which is FABULOUS for me, because the worry of being outside of base camp lessens greatly! He's able to call a lot more often, when he calls he's just been in a really good mood over all, he's able to go to chapel every Sunday now (that is HUGE!), he's been able to have prayer meetings with the Chaplain, and he's in the process of starting back to school (working on that degree!). So anyways when he moved companies he was initially told his R&R would change from the Feb. time slot we were looking at to March. Not bad, I could handle it, but I was totally nagging him on dates! LOL Nagging in a loving way, but I admit I've been nagging! I'm ready to see him, it's been 7 1/2 MONTHS people, I miss my husband! So he called today and I asked him again! ;) He said "hold on and I'll go ask 1st Sgt.!" Wahoo, doing a little happy dance. He returns quickly and says "He told me to double check with "old company" but it's then"! YES,YES,YES! So if all goes as it SHOULD...my husband should be home in just over a month give or take a few days!
So................... cleaning begins! Let me just tell you now, I HATE cleaning. I am NOT organized, I HATE CLEANING. Ok, so can you GUESS what my bedroom looks like? Guess what's the dumping ground in our home? Guess where EVERYTHING is THROWN (sometimes literally) when someone's coming over and I have limited time to clean up. You guessed it, my bedroom. I know, it's supposed to be my sanctuary...HA! It's so far from that! Let me tell you, I had all these good intentions when Chad left in May. I was going to get our room all organized and be my peaceful retreat. Well it's the room I avoid. Of course I also said I was going to go through our storage room...guess what has NOT happened! LOL Yeah, you guessed it, I have ADDED to the mess of our storage room, but sorting through, throwing out, etc...has NOT happened.

I was on a kick that the boys and us were going to trade rooms because ultimately there's more room in their room than ours (we do have an extra closet)...well I wanted to do this during R&R. The boys room is painted Green. Cute for a little boys room, but it's pastel green and it is NOT what this Momma wants. So it meant that Chad would be painting our bedroom a nice beige (NOT off white...darker) and would paint the boys room either green or blue. Well as soon as he asked if I would want him to paint the room, God convicted my butt all over the place. We're NOT changing rooms. What we are going to do is get our room completely organized, we're going to go through all the toys in the boys bedroom and sort through and get rid of TONS, go through clothes, etc....when Chad leaves the boys will have 1/3 of the toys they have now in there. I'd like to get them a love seat for their room. I found one at Momax (think Ikea but even cheaper and about 20 minutes closer to us!). Well they have a loveseat that pulls out to a bed, which would be great for sleep overs. We're also going to pull their beds apart. They have bunk beds and if you read my Not Me Monday, you will understand (if not, go back and read!!). I also have shelf in Emma's room that needs to be hung and some totes that need to come out of her room and a box that I can not move by myself, so when Chad's home we'll be doing that. We will be busy organizing. I am also hopeful we can get through the storage room. We may not be able to do all of the storage room, but if we could get through at least half, that would truly bring me so much peace and I truly believe I'd feel better going through the last half of the deployment.

Oh for fun during R&R we're going to Salburg, Austria!!! I'm soooo excited! This is in my top 3 places to visit so we're going to mark it off! I just need to book us a hotel or apartment for the time we're there. I can't do that though until he's home really, because until he's on that flight from Kuwait heading to Germany, nothing's a definite. We will do some other fun things too, but they'll be more locally!

Oh none of you realize just how excited I am to know that next MONTH I'll get to actually hug my husband, kiss him, sleep beside him, hold him, cuddle with him, oh and ready for this...I can take a shower without anyone banging on the shower doors aka EMMA! Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!
Oh I'm just so ready to have him home with us!

Well, I have to get to bed. We have a busy day tomorrow. I have a Tea tomorrow afternoon. I'm giving a friend a ride to it, and she's going to look at the train table that I'm selling, she wants to buy it for her little boy! Yeah!! One thing out of the basement and extra money in the pocket!!

God Bless and Goodnight!

Blessed

Tonight has been such a great example of how blessed I am! My friend Heather who many of you prayed for this past spring through summer and I have spent most the evening going back and forth calling each other. She makes me laugh so hard, to know that she knows the Kid Rock song, cracks me up. She's a good Southern girl, who's husband is a chaplain.
I'm having an antique Polish shrunk/hutch brought home on Tuesday. Heather's husband, B's husband, my friend A's husband and my downstairs neighbor are all helping to accomplish that and to get rid of this heavy old desk and bring over B's "old" (but far newer than what we have right now) desk. How blessed am I?

God has surrounded me with all these amazing women and I've never had this before, to this extent. Since we moved to Germany God has placed one friend in my life after another and I just am awestruck to be honest. I'm losing my best friend here, and she's concerned more about me than herself, which just speaks of one of the millions of reasons I love that girl. Then A who's leaving next month is concerned about me and her other friends who she's leaving behind. Heather's staying put for now and I'm so happy! If you knew her, you'd love her too! I am just astonished at just how many women I know who've wrapped their arms around me knowing how hard B leaving is on me. I've been so focused on how sad I am and what I am losing, that I've been blinded to see just all that I will have left. Let me tell you, I have more than I deserve in the friends that will remain. I have friends who will watch my children at the drop of a hat, who'll bring soup over to me with just one phone call, if I need it, I just need to ask. They love me for me. They know me and still love me and let me tell you that's impressive in my book! I'm pretty much an open book on most things.

I'm done whining and complaining about my friends moving. This is a part of the Army life and it's hard yes, but God's provided for me. He knows I have other friends waiting in the wings to wrap me up in their arms and reassure me that I am NOT alone. That I don't have to finish out this deployment without friendship, support, and love. How in the world could I have lost sight of that?

I talked to Chad tonight too. Oh that man is so wonderful! God just blesses me in every direction let me tell you! He's been kind of down in the dumps lately too. I've asked people to pray for him and oh he HAS been surrounded in prayer let me tell you! He sounded just so full of joy tonight. I could just hear his smile! Do you know what that does for my heart? To know my man has God fighting for him and showing him the joy he has in his life, even in Iraq?!!! If you're one who's been praying for him, THANK YOU! Don't stop! But thank you! He told me he truly FEELS those prayers surrounding him! Oh how blessed we are!

I think Emma's finally on the mend. I will say I say that with a little trepidation, but she ate dinner tonight. No fever and a lot of smiles. Whew! Thank you for praying for my baby girl. The boys are both in good spirits too! They were being crazy, silly kids when I was talking to Chad and him hearing the craziness of our family was making him laugh! It brought me such joy. I often get so caught up in the craziness, I forgot to appreciate it! I don't want to take these moments for granted. They're blessed times and I know that.

So with that, tell me, what are your blessings? I know many of you do Thankful Thursdays, so it can go along those lines, but it's more than that...what are you so overwhelmingly blessed with in your life? None of us deserve these blessings, yet God's allowed us to have them none the less, so share, please. I love to read about other people's blessings!