- We had so much fun in Washington and got to see almost everyone (except the newlyweds)! But I just haven't gotten around to sorting through all the photos and posting about it.

- I've had thoughts and ideas of things I want to post, but they usually escape my mind by the time I sit down to do it. I feel like my brain stops working by the time the kids go to bed, sometimes a lot earlier than that!

- This is fairly typical of our life right now. Eden does a lot of her school work downstairs even thought that's where the toys are because the lesson plans and some of the activities are on the computer. I think we'll use Daddy's laptop at the dining table once he gets home. Overall, the homeschooling is going well, even if it does make for some very crazy days.



- We are really excited for Daddy to get home- less than a week! Love you, Scott! Some of the highlights (for me) will include:
- having our own little Christmas together,
- lots of Daddy time for the kids,
- date nights will resume,
- a 2-nights-1-day get-away for the two of us, courtesy of some AWESOME friends!
- I WILL leave the house without first preparing my kids to either 1) come with me, 2) go to someone else's house, or 3) have a babysitter- ah, the freedom! (I may even go to a movies BY MYSELF, something I used to think was kind of sad and weird, just because I CAN!

- I just had this thought and decided to add it to this list update: For me, this deployment has been a lot like a marathon (about the same number of weeks for the deployment as miles in a marathon)-
FIRST WEEK OR TWO: freaking out at the beginning, wondering if I'll make it the whole way, but still with a silly grin on my face because somehow a part of me finds the challenge sort of thrilling.
NEXT FEW WEEKS: Feelin' good once I settle in at what I think is a nice pace, except when people tell me you're halfway there, when I KNOW we're not.
HALF WAY POINT: excitement I've made it this far, quickly replaced by the knowledge that the second half will be the harder half.
NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS: ups & downs, mental games, definitely still in the race, but wondering why I signed up for this.
LAST FEW WEEKS: I've hit a wall, maybe stopped running, but I'm fairly certain I'll finish, just maybe not as well as I'd planned.
FINAL WEEK: I see the finish line and am absolutely over-joyed on the inside, even if I'm falling apart physically.
*This analogy was created in a past-my-bedtime mental state, so take it as you will.