Family Pictures 2013

I have been not so patiently waiting for these pictures. I love how they turned out and thats not an easy thing to do because I am not thrilled with myself right now. There are two that I asked her to edit differently but here are most of my favorites! Highlight of the day, Luke flashing the camera, repeatedly. He is a little ham. I love my boys, my family. Missing Ian a lot today. Almost one week down. Too many to go.

Pictures of Ian Manning the Rails leaving San Diego

I am so thankful for technology! Having a whole slew of pictures pop up on facebook from the ship and actually finding Ian in a couple made my day!!

I love the first picture and the second one just cracks me up because that expression of his is classic. God how I miss that Sailor of mine!!

Deployments and saying goodbye

Now that his horrid, sad day is finally at an end and I have four little boys in bed I can sit here post these few sad but wonderful pictures I got of Ian and the boys as we said our goodbyes today. I was very thankful for the hour plus drive home from base this morning. With a redbox movie in que it kept the boys occupied and gave me a chance to silently cry pretty much the whole way home. I had a lot of time to think. I came to the realization that deployments are like having a baby. Once said baby has gotten to about the age of 2 you forget how horrible you felt pregnant, you forget crying everyday wanting to be done, you forget the aches and pains and labor pains! You then forget the being up all hours of the day and night and how completely exhausted you were for a good two years. Deployments are like this. Even having done 4 I forgot. I forgot just how broken I would feel in the last couple of days leading up to having to say goodbye but especially this morning. I forgot how physically painful it is to feel like your heart is breaking in two and half of it is walking back down the pier to the ship to head out to sea for the next at least six months. I can tell you Id rather have another baby any day than do this again! I thought this time I might be able to stand on the pier and wave goodbye as the ship manuevered away and under the Coronado Bridge. I was wrong. I knew once we got there on the ship that the dam was not just breaking but going to shatter and while some spouses are okay with standing there sobbing I am definitely not. I look at it as ripping a bandaid off slowly. I prefer to say goodbye and leave as hard as it is. I am so thankful for Ian. Thankful that he knows me well enough to know what I need to stay sane and for his willingness to try his best to make sure I get it. As we drove home today Luke was insistent that we turn around and go get his daddy "my daddy" as he says. We took our first countdown star down tonight and after a few weeks I think he will understand that when they are gone he really will come home. At least I hope he will. Owen is taking it the hardest as I assumed he would. His way of dealing with things is to act out and be down right mean and that pretty much summed up the day with him. Defiant, mean and obnoxious. Once he was in bed though he started calling for me again and as annoyed as I was I tried hard to not act upon it. When I got to his room he said I just need another hug and kiss mom. I want my daddy. (sob!) So do I son, so do I. I hope and pray that with some time and some time with his counselor and friends at school that things ease up and he can find a way to regulate his anger. All of us agreed tonight we need a good night's sleep and a fresh perspective tomorrow! The hardest part is over. He is gone. Now we focus on the BEST part of deployments. The HOMECOMING! We are looking forward to family for Christmas and a little road trip. On day at a time. We can do this. I pray this is it. I am slightly over this being apart stuff! Here are some pictures from our morning. I told the boys I would order pictures and we would buy frames for them to decorate. Owen especially loves that idea! Our little artist.

I am so proud of my Sailor of the Year!! The pierside parking is pretty darn awesome too! I had to get a picture of the sign even though Ian gave me quite the roll of the eyes. Can't wait to have that spot for homecoming!

Walking Daddy down to the ship.

One last kiss for me. Here is hoping the days, weeks and months go smoothly and even a bit quickly. Can't wait for my kiss hello!!

Disneyland and Happy BIrthday to me!

We had such a great little visit with Jeannie (aka Nana) this past week. For my birthday we got to spend the day at Disneyland. The boys were so surprised and excited. Luke was so fun to watch when he was not having a two year old meltdown :/. I seriously thought he was going to have a stroke in line trying to get to Buzz Lightyear. He is so funny. Pirates scared him a bit when it was dark at first but then he loved it. For the next half hour after that he skipped down the road waving his little arm singing "yo ho ho ho yo ho ho ho" and giggling. That was probably the highlight of my entire day. Another of his favorites was the Under the Sea Ride (Little Mermaid) I loved it too! He and I enjoyed some spinning rides to while his brothers rode rides he could not. We walked and walked and walked and determined one day is nowhere near enough but we had fun. Jeannie was able to get us hotel rooms so we crashed and then drove down to Encinitias to a Street Fair the next day before heading home. The boys enjoyed Belgium waffles on a stick dipped in chocolate with whipped cream and sprinkles. Yum! I got the best little birthday present, a scarfie! It is a scarf/shawl with pockets. I LOVE it. I want like five more! Maybe I need to figure out how to sew one myself. Here are some pictures from our trip. So glad we have these memories before D day comes.

Luke crashed in the car on the way back to the hotel. He LOVED riding in the bus and sang "wheels on the bus" for half the drive back to the car. He was so OUT he slept getting out of the car, waiting in the lobby, going up to the room and for the half hour it took me to get his play pen up and everything settled. Oh to be a baby!

Owen is FIVE!!

November is for sure Birthday month in our house! Owen had a good birthday. We thought Daddy would miss it but he got home just in time to enjoy Owen's choice of dinner (Happy Meals :/) and ice cream Sundaes! Rather than a cake he got to go to Winco and pick FIVE toppings for his Sundae since he is FIVE years old. It was a hit. He also got the present he had been beggggging for for months. A big switch and go dino. He may or may not have kissed the box once he opened it. Luke and I got to join him for a "November Birthday" Celebration at school with his friends. Luke loves going to school with Owen. In fact he now pretty much feels as though he needs to stay. It is a daily battle, but cute.