Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Gabe

is a great help with Chloe (honestly, all of the boys are, I'd be lost without them). He kindly offered to babysit Chloe last night so I could take Matthew to soccer practice on my own. There was something a little off when I came home though...






This is the back view.

Gabe's response: "I thought something seemed weird."

Saturday, September 27, 2008

It's been so long,

I don't really know where to start.

Louis made it home from New York around August 12. It is hard to believe eleven months had passed so quickly (of course, there were those days that would never end). We were all so thrilled to have him back. He spent two weeks just hanging out with us. There was a chance that the Army would send him to Fort Hood, TX, but we didn't hear from the Army and so he got back to the medical center. Hermann was very happy to have him back and even offered him some new opportunities. I was skeptical (as far as the Army gig) and I had every right to be. Monday evening (September 8) we checked the mail only to find orders for Louis to report to Fort Hood on September 10th. Fortunately, my skepticism had kept me somewhat prepared. When Louis was in the military early in our marriage we were stationed at Fort Hood and lived in Copperas Cove, a nearby town. We have fond memories of this time and have found a few reasons to go back in the last 8 years. So, we loaded up the kids and headed to Fort Hood on Wednesday to get him settled. (In case you're wondering, we are planning on seeing one another on the weekends. We tried the house-selling thing last time and we're not sure we want to go there again. In our book, every weekend sure beats every two-and-a-half months.) Anyway, one of Louis' good friends was recently stationed there with his family and we were able to spend time with them. The kids and I headed back to Houston that evening and every one was off to school Thursday. I hadn't paid much attention to Ike, and honestly I wasn't that concerned. I have spent my whole life here and until Katrina people didn't freak out quite as much. Louis' parents and Louis (after seeing some of the news) felt concerned for us and against my better wishes we loaded up the van and headed back to central Texas.

Okay, I really feel I can't finish all of my thoughts on the hurricane experience (not that I have that much to share-our home is safe and we are safe- life is good), otherwise this will never get done. We are home now and trying to get back to a normal life. What I have come to realize again in my life is that I am okay with 'normal', with monotonous. Life is so much simpler that way.