Today is a day of Remembrance

Today we celebrate those who have risked and lost their lives for our freedoms and protection. Without these brave men and women we would not have the priveleges we have today.

As a military wife I am very patriotic about soldiers. My husband corrects me when I call him a soldier because technically he is an "airman" but anyone who serves in any branch of the military is a soldier in my eyes. Lindsay and I both have many family members who have or are serving in our military and my heart bursts with pride for them! Even Erik's birth families are linked into branches of the military, it encompasses us.

Sometimes I have friends and family tell me that they could never do it, that would not be as strong as I am to have my husband gone so much, etc. Well I am not saying it easy or that I am overjoyed to have him leave me......sometimes I grumble, but what an honor to be married to a hero. What an example he sets for our family in his loyalty and honor in his mission. I know Erik does and will continue to view him as his personal hero. Whenever I see Lindsay in his uniform (okay so that is everyday) and especially when we go out in public, I feel so proud. He is such a humble man and does not like to go out in uniform or draw that attention to himself in any regard. He has more than a box full of awards with more that he wasn't given plaques or statues for that he will not let me put up in the house. When we first moved I thought I was being a sweet wife by putting up all the plaques on our guest room wall, oh no.......he had me take it all down the same day. He may not be on the front lines, but he is in a critical position to help the Air force.

(as a marine)

My younger brother Ryan was a marine and is now in the army. He leaves this week for a LONG deployment to Afghanistan leaving a wife at home. This is his longest and 3rd tour over to the "sandbox." I pray for him. I have seen the immediate effects war has on the front line soldiers. I have seen him go from fun seeking 18 year old to fun loving but yet deeply changed man. You know what his number one request is in his care packages? Baby wipes. These men rarely get showers, they have to burn their own waste and they risk their lives every second they are over there. It's no wonder PTSD is so common. But the sad thing is so few get treatment for it because it can affect their career.

I hope and pray for his safe return home with a heart beat........please pray for our service men and women. They need the comfort and support, no matter what they do in the military! Today Lindsay and I hosted a bbq and it was fun. I wanted to sneak in Lindsay's awards all over, but knew he would have nothing of it. Instead I made sure to make festive decorations to go along and we said a prayer that was in memory of those who have lost their lives in service. Did you know Red Poppy flowers are a symbol for Memorial Day? Just thought I would let you know!

Love,

Som

all grown up

I took this picture a couple of weekends ago when we were headed out for a day of fun. He looks like such a big boy now and I feel like he is quickly losing his baby face. I know he is still young but he is growing so quickly.

Earlier this week I took him to play at a friends house. Erik and his 3 year old play mate were actually wrestling (or what they thought to be wrestling) on his friend's bed. It was fun to watch, it wore Erik out and he had a blast. But I couldn't believe how he naturally knew how to wrestle and wanted to at almost 16 months.

Nothing new has really happened lately which I am not complaining about. I would much rather have it quiet than have lots of bad things happening. What are you all up to this holiday weekend?

he has my heart wrapped around his little finger

(jammin to the radio)

I feel an urge to voice some of my feelings for my little man. Erik is the light of my life, he knows just how to make us laugh and smile. He will do anything to make us laugh, especially when he is being naughty.......he is smart and tries to distract us from his bad behavior and I can't say he fails either. Half the time Lindsay and I can't look at each other or him when that happens because we will bust up laughing.

Erik is very active and although it's tiring, I love to foster his activity so that he will grow to love being outside, running around, or doing fun activities. Music will always be a passion in his life I believe. He even went and turned on the radio the other day and layed down next to it listening. Watching Michael Jackson he busted out some new dance moves and couldn't peel his eyes off the screen.

I love having handprints on my windows and extra laundry with miniature clothing to sort through. I love Erik's birth parents and think the world of them. I hope to instill their love into Erik as he grows and starts to understand how special he is. I hope that I am the Mom that they would want me to be for him. Erik is such a sweet spirit and his pontential is far beyond what I ever would have thought I would have seen in any of my children. Honestly, not trying to be cheesy, I think he is destined for great things. I don't think he will be the president of the United states, but I do know that he will posess amazing leadership qualities, I think he was given a gift to make others feel good and loved and am excited to see that expound as he grows.

I feel blessed to be his mom and hope that I will be guided to know how to help him be the best he can be. I feel blessed to have a husband and a great marriage to provide that example to our son and hopefully more children to come.

Let me praise S and B a little more. They are such examples to me. They are both individuals that I would hang out with anytime. Being the adoptive mother of their child I feel honored to have been chosen with Lindsay to take on parentingof Erik. Erik may take on our mannerisms but their are still qualities that I can tell he has inherited from them. S claims she is stubborn and Erik follows right after her. I think it's quite comical at this moment in his life. Both S and B are laid back people and fun to be around, Erik was born with a laid back personality. I hope they will know and never doubt that we love them and will never hide anything from Erik. That when he has questions we will answer to the best of our ability and if he ever wants answers from them, we will contact them and let him ask them directly. I truly feel that they were selfless and able to put their personal desires and feelings aside to think about the life they wanted their child to have...........I will forever be grateful!

Mother

Although this is late, both Lindsay and I wouldn't be the people we are without the wonderful way we were raised by our mothers! We love you moms!

I am the luckiest girl alive. My husband rocks my world and feel so lucky that he chose to spend eternity with ME! And I am also so lucky that S and B chose me to be the cutest little boys Mother. Motherhood is the hardest thing I have ever experienced but it has also brought me a joy and fulfillment I could never imagine. Our small family is perfect to me. I am honored to be a part.

Highly recommend!

i just got this book and it is amazing. If you are or have been curious about organic eating or eating in a really healthy manner, or just want to know more about sprouting whole grains and using them for baking this book is the one. It recommends using raw milk and grass fed beef, free range chicken, etc. While this may sound like a fad or just an expensive way to eat, well more expensive yes, but highly nutritious......you bet! If we could afford to live completely according to the real food diet, our family would. However with our nation how it is, healthy food is much more expensive so we will be picking and choosing what things to get really healthy and which processed foods we will still need to buy to sustain our family.

After reading this book I shared it with a friend who I knew was into healthy food as well and she recommended I watch the documentary "Food, Inc.". I did and it totally informed me and was a bit upsetting but I loved it. The film made me really want to change our family eats not only for health but to help the farmers who are doing things the right way. If you have netflix, you can watch it instantly.

waste

yesterday i appeared in court hoping to get a little sympathy and have my ticket reduced. Turns out there was no sympathy for anyone. I didn't even get to say anything other than "here" for a roll call and then my plea. Once I pleaded I was dismissed to go pay my fine. I was not the exception. I saw no one get a chance to explain themselves.

And the other weird thing was having everyone on the docket be in the courtroom at the same time so we all watched each other. Very weird and uncomfortable. I found their system to be inefficient and none of the court workers other than the cop escorting us in the be on time. What a joke..............as you can tell I am not thrilled with my current state of residence. They nickel and dime people so bad it's no wonder we have so much debt (they can't not spend our money) and poverty.

California is a land of dreams.......smoke dreams if you ask me. It seems to me all the pretty and fun things like the beach, ocean, and palm trees are so minor compared to the rest of what is happening. HOnestly the only thing keeping me sane and ok with being here is that I love the people I have met and those that live around me. If not for them I would be miserable

there i said it and will be done for now.

far too long.......

First I apologize for the inconsistency in posting. This year I think that we are being pushed to our limits with trials and I am starting to believe the Heavenly Father must really think we are special and great to keep throwing us for such loops.

I have purposely failed to let you all in on some of our endeavors because I didn't want to sound like I was complaining or continue with the down and out stuff, so I have mostly posted about the little man who keeps us in laughs and on our toes.

Earlier this year we were the victims of a money laundering scams and lost a lot of money. Then we got that taken care of (and I am so glad that we have been heeding the advice to save money even if it's a few coins a week) and had put money aside for some specific goals and lo and behold a little over a week ago we got in a car wreck in LA. It was not our fault but our car is totaled and we are looking for a new car before the other insurance stops paying for the rental (we are a one car family).

Yes, we are all ok. Erik had a scratch on his cheek from a book he was looking at, Linds and I were both sore from mild whip lash I would guess. But unfortunately my mom who was in the car with us didn't make out so well. She injured her neck and was whisked away by the ambulance. They thought for a time she broke her neck, but luckily she didn't. The other driver had no injuries and her car (a brand new prius) was barely battered. Luckily she told the cop it was her fault.

Now not only were we blessed to have an emergency cash fund, we were blessed with no major injuries, and an at fault driver who will admit it, but our insurance company has been great (check out usaa, it's no longer strictly military and they are AWESOME). Just today they called and said that we needed to buy a new car seat today and cut the straps on our old one. We were to fax in the receipt once purchased and they would reimburse the funds. Wow, thank you USAA. Our other seat was great, but once in an accident you shouldnt continue to use them.

All right so car trouble seems to follow us lately, so not only were we in a wreck but I have gotten 2 tickets in the last month and Lindsay got 1 as well. What?! None of them were speeding. Lindsay got caught on camera running a red light......oops! But mine I feel like were dumb, actually I am headed to the court house tomorrow to ask for a reduction on my first one. I came out of the carpool lane before there was an exit., the second I was on my phone..........aand in my defense it was two days after the accident and the number was an 800 number, and i thought it was the insurance company, but ole mister cop didn't care.

You want to know how lovely California is to me right now? REally? I want to move asap. those stinking tickets........... half a grand each! you may now pick your jaw off the floor and cry with me.

oh the trials!