Homecoming

We have officially started our countdown to Daddy getting home! He should be here towards the end of April and we are very excited. He’ll be in the states before he come home so I’ll be able to relax again when I get word that he is at the demobilization site.

Niko and I made a chain for our countdown, we take a ring off as part of his bed time routine and he gets so excited that we’re special Daddy coming home (I say we’re one day closer to Daddy being home and I guess that is his translation). We made it red, white and blue of course

We’re getting so close!

This weekend we are headed to Lamar for Aiden’s baptism, yay Aiden. Plus time will go a little faster!

Niko is 2!

We celebrated Niko’s second birthday at Chuck E. Cheese and he had a blast! He was spoiled with trains, Scooby Doo toys, clothes and a singing microphone. He liked to ride the motorcycle and other moving toys (yep don’t know the name of them). But he also enjoyed getting help on some of the other games and he liked ripping off the tickets. He liked playing with his cousins and Debbie in the sky tubes.

We made the Scooby Doo cake again (since he actually knows and likes Scooby Doo now, almost too much). And I ordered a Scooby balloon bouquet and used the table cloth from last year. It was easy (except the cake) and fun. Since it’s so soon after Christmas, my sister and her kids were still here so they came. And his “just” grandma, grandpa, grandma Grill, nana, Kaitie, Adam, Trevor and Debbie. Of course Daddy couldn’t be there, but I’ll think we’ll go again and have our own little party for him

And as always right now, there are lots of pictures just not easily accessible ones!

Christmas 2013

This holiday was bittersweet, for obvious reasons. I love Christmas. I love that the family gets together to play and enjoy each other. I love seeing the joy on the kids’ faces Christmas morning. And it was the first time Niko understood the presents (and figured out the Santa part quickly). But two very important people were physically missing from our celebration this year. McKinley and Nathan. Nathan will be here for the next one, but we were supposed to have two little babies to love on this Christmas so it was sad too.

My older sister Jenise was here with her whole family so Christmas morning was as chaotic as it could and should be They showed Niko how to do Christmas right. Santa brought Niko and Gemma each on of these. Technically the green one is Niko’s and the yellow is Gemma’s but for now Niko just rides whichever one he feels like. He also received a huge amount of hand me down train tracks and trains (which we really need an awesome table for, my husband says he’ll build one, but we’ll see) and a tee-ball set (and he swings the bat holding the barrel, cute for now) a truck that is put together and taken apart and a tool set since he always wants the real ones (and he still does).

Nathan and I have some gift cards for dinner when he gets home and some money to buy a nice toy (probably a photography one since the IPad was my early present).

I wish I had my pictures! And I could go get them off my mom’s computer but that would just waste the temporary CDs. plus, I’m a little lazy!

So, Christmas in a nutshell.

McKinley Allene

I just have no idea what to write! I keep staring at this screen and wanting to say so much, but have no words to do it.
McKinley was born an angel on December 8, 2012 and was surrounded by family. She was beautiful and I’m so grateful that Kaitie and Adam allowed us all to be with them at the hospital. I’m so thankful I was able to hold her and see her beauty, her perfection and all the love there is for her.
When I found out that they had lost her, it was heart breaking and (I won’t lie) I was so angry with my Heavenly Father. I was upset that there was nothing I could do to ease my baby sister’s  pain. Seeing the pain in her and Adam’s eyes and all I can do is be there and offer hugs, it’s hard to feel so useless.
I’m thankful for Kaitie and Adam’s examples! I’m happy they were married in the temple and I’m grateful for the knowledge I have about the Plan of Salvation and eternal families. I’m so impressed with the eagerness that they still have to serve the Lord and to not be angry with Him (as I was).
McKinley and Gemma were going to be cousin twins with matching outfits and everything. I was so worried that having Gemma around was going to be hard for everyone, but I think she helps everyone. Kaitie and Adam come over sometimes just to get some kid/baby time in and this has completely eased my mind.
This is so scattered and I’m now in tears so please read this where Kaitie blogged about McKinley and also Adam’s thoughts here. They both have beautiful testimonies and I’m so thankful to have them in my life and my children’s lives.
Then they received the pictures from Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep and Kaitie’s favorite is posted here.
And just for a side note: People commonly ask how mom is doing after this happens, don’t forget about dad! He lost his baby too.
We (as in my family, Kaitie, I don’t have multiple personalities) love you both so much and I’m so thankful that we get to play with you so often

Her funeral was beautiful and there was so much love and support from family and close friends.

 McKinley was laid to rest with her Papa Hawkins

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was pretty much the norm this year. Except that my grandma wasn’t here (rude) and Adam’s family (Kaitie’s husband) was here So we had a few more people than expected but it was really fun.
Oh and there was another baby in the mix! She was quite spoiled with so many awesome people willing to hold her all the time.
Family correct my if I’m wrong, I think our pie count was up to 14 this year. All completely made from scratch by us. And it didn’t feel too awful this time because I didn’t get stuck on crust duty, probably due to Gemma needing to eat.
I had Kaitie take pictures of the two kids together, but I’m incredibly coordinated and broke my external hard drive with ALL my pictures on it. I could pay to have them recovered, but Nathan will be home soon and that is free!
So my post is lame, it feels like there is a lot more to tell (the pictures help me remember things), but Thanksgiving feels like it was so long ago.

 I think it's safe to say he likes pie....and his sister :)