July 16, 2008

It's a little late but here are a few pictures from our July 4th celebration on the beach of course, at a friend's house. It was probably the hottest day to date and we saw an ambulance in front of our house assisting a fallen celebrant who apparently combined too much sun with too much fun! Rhiannon spent most of the day inside playing on the drums and guitar and microphone. We barely knew she was there. The picture of Brad with the beer bottle is priceless. He had picked it up and turned around to hand it to me and the delay in the flash captured his "drunk" face. We couldn't have planned it that way.



Jim left last week for SERE training at Fairchild AFB in Washington state. He said there are a lot of mountains there. So far he is doing really well and has given me a few insights as to what he's been up to. I hate that he has to go through it but if he will learn some valuable survival skills, then I suppose it will all be worth it. I have stayed busy here getting ready for our two shipments going out very soon! In my voyages into the long unopened boxes and drawers full of miscellaneous items I have discovered many things I had forgotten about over the years, specifically Jim and myself in our first photo. I also discovered my ticket stub to a New Kids on the Block concert a million years ago. Old friends from Iceland have just moved in down the street, and Tracie and I have picked up our wine nights right where we left off 3 years ago, only now in a slightly warmer climate. Her husband is soon to join Jim in the ABM world which also means possible future assignments together.

Rhiannon is getting anxious to move as well. She told me last night that she is tired of waiting and doesn't want to stay here for three more weeks. "Let's leave tonight Mom," she said. She is a constant chatterbox and while in the line at the post office yesterday she babbled on about her stuffed dog and how he was shedding his winter coat and that he is a flea bag. I'm sure I got a few snickers. In the same line Brad decided to blow raspberries on my shoulder. How cute. Lately his favorite word is light (col-ah) don't ask me where he got that version. He points out lights everywhere. He has also recently added the words "ow" and "shh" to his vocabulary. It's hard to believe that he will be two in ten days. He is definitely not a baby anymore.