Tailgating at Church

It has taken us quite sometime to find a church that we like in this area.  We stuck to one for a while but never loved the preacher or felt like we really fit in with the people.  We tried others and never felt like it was our place of worship.  So, after Mike left I decided I had to keep these boys in church while he was gone.  We all needed it.  I decided to try a church that a friend of mine attends that she loves.  The first service was good.  Kids had a blast and I enjoyed the message.  It is a smaller church with a hometown feel.  I prefer a little larger church but, for once I felt like I had peers at church.  I felt like I was getting the important parts of the package. The preacher, the people and the kids were happy!  It felt good.  So, I decided to stick with it for a while.   Soon after I started going they had their annual Horizon Church Tailgate!   And it was a lot of fun!  We worshiped outside in the beautiful fall weather!  Kids played, adults played!  We ate and socialized!  It was good!  It was really good.  I hope when Mike comes home that he likes Horizon as much as I do!

  

Cub Scout Camping Trip

What a blast!!!  We did not camp out but next time we will!  Instead we went for the entire day Saturday so we did not miss much.  We played kick ball, went hiking, went to a park, ate, cleaned up the woods and trails for an event, had flag ceremonies, roasted s'mores on the campfire, told ghost stories around the campfire, had an awards ceremony and pack meeting and just had a blast!!!  We are camping in the Spring! For Sure!  I LOVE cub scouts!!  I love that it is a christian based organization that aims at teaching kids to be courageous  honest, good citizens!  And, based on FUN!    Sully loves it too!  So far he has earned his bobcat badge, 9 beads towards his tiger badge and 1 belt loop!  I am so proud of him!  He is doing well and loving it!

"I don't know how you do it!"

This is probably the most common thing I hear from people when I tell them my husband is gone for a year.  "I don't know how you military wives do it!"  Well, this is how I do it.  I just do.  I don't have a choice.  What is my other option?  It could be always be worse.  Much worse.  I remind myself that this is temporary, that God chose me and my family to go through this because he knew we could do it and that it could be worse.  I think about all the things I am blessed with daily.  And really, while this sucks, and it does, Mike and I are incredibly blessed.  Our hearts are happy.  Our family is healthy.  We have amazing children.  A nice home.  Mike is incredibly supportive of my role as a SAHM of 2 boys who miss their Daddy.  And, I am supportive of the Daddy who misses us so much but must serve our country.  I would rather be in my shoes than his any day.  We have supportive family and friends and even some complete strangers.  We are lucky to be able to communicate daily right now and although that will change, I am thankful for e-mail.  I am not going to tell you that I don't have rough days.  I do.  I am not going to tell you that this is easy.  It is not.  But, it is our world and it is what we were dealt.  So, what do we do?  Wallow in self pity, cry daily,  or fall into depression?  My children deserve so much more than that. I deserve so much more than that.  My amazing husband deserves so so much more than that.  And frankly I do not like being miserable.  I love being happy!  I love having fun!  I love life!  So, how do I do it?  I just do it.  Some times it is day by day.  Other times it is minute by minute.  Sometimes I lean on my family.  Sometimes I lean on my friends.  I stay busy enjoying life.  I miss my husband.  The kids miss him more.  But, we are only given one life and every year counts.  I do not want to miss this year of my babies growing up.  So....we live it!  We live it! And we look forward to a happy Curti family reunion!      
And on that note...
200 days until Mike comes home from Bahrain!!!!
Let the links come off and the countdown begin!!!

Supporting our TIGERS

With an ORANGE cast!!!  We do it right!  Now for some signatures in purple of course! And on another note, Dr said he was healing but not healed.  Needs to keep cast for 2 more weeks!

Shooting Again

Yep, I'm jumping back in. It is hard with Mike gone but, I am doing what I can to make it work.  Shooting very little, but shooting! Currently I am booked through the end of November.  Going to try to sneak in a few mini sessions in there but we will see.  Here is a peek at what I have been shooting recently...

 

Miss You To Pieces

So proud of my sweet friend Donna Purkey for writing this book especially for children with deployed parents.  We have read it, and ordered our puzzle.  Silly me should have read her tips first before ordering my puzzle because I am now having to put together a lot of sky!  PIA for realz.  Take her advise!  We will be starting our puzzle countdown at the 6 months mark.  The boys will put in puzzle pieces, mainly Sullivan and then Mike will put in the past piece!  We will frame the puzzle as a symbol of our strength and of our family!   Can't wait!  If you know someone who could use this book you can find it on face book!  She also has a website, www.missyoutopieces.com!  Donna and her family have sure been through their fair share of deployments!  Her son, was in Sullivan's pre-school class and we are part of a co-op together!  These books would make great Christmas gifts or pre-deployment sursey's!   And I happen to know first hand that she will sign them for you!  :-)

I should have a picture of me and the famous author to go on here....will have to work on that!

Mason's Surgery

Yep, they had to cut on my baby again.  We were supposed to do it back in July but we postponed it because he could not swim all summer if he had had it.  And since we were at the lake, well that just would not go over too well.  So....Mason had surgery on the 18th.  He had a hydrocele/hernia repair.  Hopefully this will be fixed and we will not have any more problems.  Mom came up for the surgery.  Thank the Lord.  She was a true God send.  Sullivan spend the night at his friend Josh's house. Thank you, thank you! We had to be at the hospital at 6 am.  I know.  I know.  All went nice and smooth from parking until the recovery room.  Well, I should not say the recovery room was smooth.  It was heart breaking.  But he soon recovered and we headed home.  This time around recovery itself was a lot worse.  He cried a lot at night that his boo boo hurt.  He was uncomfortable a lot.  He would be fine and then in pain.  He has about a 2 inch incision in his groin area and a lot of bruising.  Every day was better and better.  I know I seem to say it a lot but...he is a trooper!

PRE OP

 POST OP

PANSIES, PANSIES get your PANSIES

Why buy them from Lowe's or Home Depot or WalMart when you could buy them from this handsome cub scout??

I know right???
$3.50 a pot, 3 plants per pot, all kinds of colors
He will deliver on the 14-15th of October
Locals only.....sorry Mom and Noni!
And thank you for supporting your local cub scouts of America!

From a wrap to fiberglass...

Mason got a new cast, all the way from his hand to his arm pits.  And I was hoping for a smaller one.  He is proud of it though.  He was a trooper as usual.  Followup in 2-3 weeks with ortho.  Maybe he can get it off then or get a new, colorful one!