Finally!!!!!

He got home late last night. He was EXHAUSTED -- hadn't been to sleep in a bed for more than 3 days or something like that. We're all happy and healthy, though, and that is what matters!

Because I'm STILL waiting...

...I thought I would post our Halloween pictures.

I was very proud of myself for the resourcefulness that I used in assembling the kids costumes this year. I really don't like spending a lot of money on something they will only use once. So, I managed to put together all three costumes for about $16. The boys were pirates -- the black pants and vests were modifications from the sweatsuits that were left over from last year. The eye patches came from a very kind friend (good thing we know lots of eye docs). And the red fabric was about $2 from JoAnn. Lucy's costume was the "splurge". I bought a $10 hooded sweatsuit and sewed brightly colored felt on to make her a parrot costume. All three of the kids looked great and had a blast!

Still waiting!

And I'm running out of things to keep me busy. The floors have been swept over and over and over. The dishes are done. The laundry is mostly caught up, though I could possibly manufacture a load if I really wanted to. I went to the grocery store again today (for the 3rd time in the last 5 days). I have re-polished all the glass surfaces in the house for the 3rd day in a row. I cleaned the bathrooms (at 5:00 this morning -- yes, I'm a freak, I know). I got my hair cut and a pedi this morning. I finished knitting Lucy's hat today. I made cookies this evening and then I made a batch of homemade ice cream. I rowed this evening and then I worked out again after I put the kids in bed. The kids clothes are laid out for tomorrow and the diaper bag is already packed for any trips out of the house. And I CANNOT SIT STILL!!!!

Uggghhh...I know I should sleep. But I CAN'T! I'm too hyped up to sit still. JEREMY IS COMING HOME AND HE'LL BE HERE SOON!!!!!!!! I've been waiting for this day for almost an entire year.

Okay, so I'm a little excited.

REALLY Crazy Now

He's on his way!!!!!! I'm not sure how much I can/should post here, but did want to update that Jeremy is indeed on his way. In fact, he is no longer in Iraq!!!

I'm bouncing around here like an over excited toddler!!!

Now to see just how long it takes the Army to get him all the way home...

Crazy

A ride on the crazy train -- that is the best description I have for what this deployment has been for me. From the start, I've had strange compulsions and aversions. I haven't really drank since he left (seems wrong somehow to sit and enjoy a glass of wine without him), the commissary often makes me cry (I've actually talked to other women who had issues with this -- how dare people be happy while you're having a moment of "my husband would really like this, but he's not here to enjoy it and won't be home before it expires"? -- or just the fact that I can't escape the soldiers in uniform there), happy couples actually totally infuriate me, and I don't like to take evening walks anymore (because that is something we did often together)...you get the gist, right? Crazy...things I can logically convince myself don't make sense, but can't stop the compulsion anyway.

The end is in sight -- he could be home in as little as a week -- and my nervous crazy energy is turning into a cleaning spree. And no, not regular cleaning -- cleaning as in today I scrubbed the fridge out from top to bottom. Shampooing carpets and washing windows have been done (though I still need to finish shampooing carpets). I've been working on these projects for a while, but in the last few days I've really kicked it into overdrive. So the question is now, will I run out of dirty things to clean before he gets home? And if I do, what on EARTH will I do with myself to keep my mind occupied?

I'm SO looking forward to getting off of this train!

Because it has been a while...

...and because they are so cute, here are a few recent photos of the little ones. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit my camera in my suitcase when I visited Ohio a few weeks ago, so I don't have any new ones of Hannah.

Reid, staunchly refusing to cooperate for me:

Ross, happily cooperating:

And Lucy, after she learned to say "cheese". Now she hams it up with a huge smile and says "cheeee" for me.

Eleven!

Has it really been a month since I posted on here? Er, sorry about that. I'm afraid I must admit that my patience with this deployment has been completely exhausted and my mental status is sketchy. I'm grumpy, moody, distracted and useless most of the time. The good news is, I only need to survive a few more weeks of this as today marks eleven months. November 17th should be a worst case scenario for Jeremy's return. I'm trying not to get my hopes up that he'll be home much before that, as I'd rather have a pleasant surprise at the end instead of disappointment when it takes all 365 days for him to get home.

We've had a busy month around here. Lucy has been completely weaned for several weeks now(yeah!). Ross has had a sudden burst of success with potty training -- in fact, an amazing burst of success. About two weeks ago I decided it was time to get serious and after about two days of constant supervision he just seemed to get it. He already is telling us when he needs to go on his own (I rarely prompt him to use the potty anymore, except before we leave the house or bedtime). In fact, he's only had one accident (which was luckily at night when he was already wearing a diaper) in the last five or so days. Jeremy had told me to have them all potty trained by the time he got home...at least I'm 1/2 way to that goal. I'm thinking he should be responsible for potty training Lucy, since he missed out completely on potty training Ross.

I seem to be "nesting" in anticipation of Jeremy's return. In the last 2 weeks I tore apart, cleaned, organized and painted the master bedroom closet and the pantry. I've re-organized both the boys and Lucy's closets in the last several weeks. I re-did some of the shrubs in front of the house. John power washed the house and I cleaned all the windows inside and out. The kitchen cabinets have been scrubbed. I shampooed the carpet in the upstairs of the house (downstairs is still on the to-do list). I still have a few more things on my list, but I have plenty of time to get them done (I think). The nesting seems to be a result of my restlessness and a desire to have the house perfect when he gets home. Though at this point, the restlessness seems to be the driving factor. I just HAVE to keep myself busy all the time or I feel like I'll go crazy. I seriously think I might end up pacing around the house waiting for him to walk in the door if I don't keep myself occupied.

To top it all off, I seem to have developed a case of insomnia in the last month. I'm tired ALL THE TIME. I just cannot fall asleep at night and when I wake up I can't fall back asleep easily, no matter how exhausted I am. I know this will all get better when Jeremy gets home, so I just keep telling myself I only need to survive a few more weeks of this.

So I'm off to the next thing to keep myself busy, which will probably be assembling the kids Halloween costumes.