Conversations About Heaven

As we were driving back to base after school yesterday, the conversation Caleb started, began with him asking something about Brady and heaven.  

Sometimes his conversations can get long winded, so here's a quick paraphrase.

(It's pouring rain outside)

Caleb: do you think it's raining in heaven right now?

Me:  I don't think it rains in heaven.  In heaven, it's perfect weather all the time...I think. 

Caleb: no, it probably rains.

Me:  well, in heaven there will be no sadness, or anger, or hurt, or crying because it's a perfect place, so it may or may not rain there too. 

Caleb: yah, but I cry a lot. 

Me: (laughing) well you won't there. 

-more talking, I can't remember it all-

Caleb: yah, but we don't want to go there.  We want to be here.

Me:  well we should want to be in heaven, but it's hard to understand at your age.

-more conversation-

Caleb:  yah, we want to be in heaven and be here and be in Washington. 

The moral of the story is...Washington equals heaven!!

The Final Countdown

Yes, we are still here.  

We have been busy.  We have lots of pictures. 

There has been Mother's Day, Shawn's last flight, a multitude of birthday parties, 

surprise going away parties, last "adult" dinner with friends....etc, etc. 

The blog will be updated, properly, once we have settled in CA.  

Until then, know that we are in the final stretch of our NC departure.  

We are all ready to be out of the camper, but are so thankful we've had a place to live!

Did you read that?

We are ALL READY to be out of that camper!!

Next Friday!

Next week will be the final week for cleaning, organizing, throwing anything away that won't be traveling with us, Amelia's pre-k graduation and Caleb's last day of first grade.

We are ready to start our CA trip!

I sat and watched the kids play with their new campground friends and it struck me... I think all kids will make friends.  Everyone is looking for friendship and someone to play with.  

But I think military kids are just a little different.  

They adapt a little quicker.

As Amelia's little friend told me that he was going to be a doctor when he grows up (because he wants an RV  that you can drive, because they rented one one time and the bed was above the driver and it had a tv), he also told me that he was going to be in kindergarten when they get to Arizona.  Amelia immediately chimed in that she was going to be in kindergarten when we get to California!  

And it hit me.  

These kids just go with the flow.  This is normal (ok, maybe not normal, but our normal) to live in a campground and talk about where you're moving next and what your next house with look like (they both want stairs).  

So, amidst all the complaining and frustrations that come along with living in a camper for 5 weeks, maybe this is teaching us all something about adapting to what we've been given for that time.  It's so easy to get stuck in your comfort zone. 

There's so much out there.

Why not be like our kids and just go with the flow.

The Marines have a saying (and tell all the new spouses as soon as you arrive at your first duty station),  Semper Gumby.. 

Always flexible.  

That's just what we do!

Brady's 10th Birthday

Shawn mentioned recently that we expected May 6, 2006 to be the worst day of our lives.  While it was heartbreaking, it was not the worst.  It was actually a beautiful, amazing day.  God was there!  From the moment we found out we would not be carrying our son home in our arms, the presence of God was undeniable!He wrapped his loving arms of mercy and comfort around us and continued to carry us when we could not stand ourselves.  

We can say, 10 years later, we still ache to hold our sweet Brady Harrison in our arms.   We want to know what kind of boy he would be.  To see what kind of brother he would have been to Caleb and Amelia.  But we also know he is in our true home and he is waiting for us to hold him again too.  

"...in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."
Psalm 139:16

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!"
Psalm 30:11-12

Happy 10th Birthday, Brady!

A Little Swim

Yesterday, before dinner, we decided to take Wrigley for a little walk down to the water.  

On the way back up Amelia asked if she could put her feet in the water at the boat launch. 

Last weekend, she put her feet in at the same spot, after she stepped in a red ant pile. 

So, I told her to put her feet in and hurry up.  

The rest of us began walking back up the hill and I hear a splash and she begins screaming.  She is grabbing at the ground, but can't get back up.  I run down to her to help her out, only to fall in too.  

Then, I can't get up.  The entire boat launch is covered in moss.  Shawn comes down and grabs her hand to pull her out and I, literally, claw my way back out.  

(Broken toenails)

While she fell on her knees, I think she was more traumatized by the feeling of not being able to stand up and get out of the water.  

She and I, then took a shower!

I think it must have been high tide last weekend, because it was not slippery at all.  

Needless to say, she probably won't ask to do that again!

On another note, we just CANNOT  live in that teeny tiny camper any longer.  It's only 122 sq ft. It's like a life size Jenga game and we can never get halfway organized.  We decided to rent a 30' camper from base and double our square footage.  This camper has a queen bed for us, a double bed for Amelia and wrigley and a twin bunk for Caleb, a separate eating area that we won't have to put down and s sofa.  It will make these last 3-4 weeks much easier. 

It's hard to believe we only have 3 more weekends before we move!