Captain's log: Stardate -315244.19

Big news! CO is pregnant again and the #2 is due in late October. She is real nervous and unsure about how she is going to handle 2 babies at one time, but realizes that no matter how hard it gets, she'll get through it.

"the anticipation of misery is worse than the misery itself"

She is reluctant to tell anybody because she feels like she should be more excited, and is still getting adjusted to the idea. Staying at home with Brody is proving to be tougher than she had thought. Brody really isn't the problem, it's not having any adult friends to talk to, and the slow pace of her days caring for a baby. She knows it's the most important job anyone could do, but there is no confirmation of that thought from a "boss" or "coworkers" that she is used to interacting with from the "job" world. Confirmation and social interaction from me just doesn't cut it all the time. I figure it's kinda like your mom saying how smart you are, but if no one else thinks so, then it doesn't have the same impact. "maybe...or something like that?"

Brody is becoming a full blown rambler. He likes to be thrown in the air and isn't having fun in the stroller unless he is riding it like a surf board, which we haven't done, or going off road with mega bumps and turns. His need for action and insistence on testing his boundaries reminds everyone of me. CO doesn't understand why he does it, but I recognize it all too clearly and just apologize.

I hope and pray that his desire to live life to the fullest is not as potent as mine was. I'm hoping for a good shot of CO DNA to dilute that characteristic to a planned out adventure, instead of a "Watch this" episode. I use to think all the stories that mom told me about me growing up were funny. Now they just scare me to death to think of him doing everything I did. We are continually praying for grace, for us and him.

Now that I think about it, I might not be having fun unless he is doing all that stuff. Anyway both cases require concern and prayer.

At 11 months he was climbing up the stairs and upon reaching the top, throwing his hands in the air and laughing like a mad man. Dad has taught him how to climb down the stairs, thank goodness. But! as soon as he realized that we were proud of him for climbing down, he just lets go, arches his back, and becomes a human bobsled to please his audience. No price is too high to please the crowd.

Too many stories to tell on little arm power. We have bought an Electric Muscle Stimulator, EMS, to help clean out the toxins in my muscle tissue and hopefully teach my muscles how to relax and work together instead of fighting each other. I think it helps, which gives me hope, which is worth it.

I use a rolling pin to massage out the knots, heat pads to soothe and loosen, ice packs to kill the pain, and electrocution to stimulate blood flow. I've also purchased a foot controlled mouse for work, which is a very slow process, but a nice break when I have to keep going and my arms are on fire. The end of arm update.

Other news:
Bo came home, for 2 weeks, from Afghanistan the other day. He has been there for about a year and is supposed to come home for good in July. He has turned into a man who has felt the fear of combat; the boredom of patrol bases; the loneliness of night guard duty; the camraderie of prolonged misery; and the ability to laugh at really bad circumstances. CO felt like she was in the presence of a celebrity. I'm really proud of the man he has become and is still in the process of becoming.

Actually the rest of my "nephews", which are more like brothers to me, are really becoming good strong men of character. Parker knocked out a triathlon like someone would go for a walk on Sunday, Luke has become a working man, and talking smack to his dad about not being able to take it deep, like he can, at softball practice; and John Buck, who is 10 going on 25, can beat any body at any game it seems like.

Leah has been delivering teeth for her "great uncle", which is funny just to say out loud. She is also about to graduate from high school. She is thinking about becoming a radiologist technician, a very nice introduction to the medical field if you ask me. She is becoming her own woman of creativity in her wardrobe and hair color. She is too funny and cute for her own good.

Anyway, life is good and God is 10 times better. I hope everybody is doing well, and I pray that God blesses you with the peace and the knowledge of His Love, Wisdom, and Power in every situation.


without further Ado :) pictures of Brody