Our 4th Wedding Anniversary!

Well 4 years ago today, Philip and I walked into the Bexar County Court House and walked out a couple hours later husband and wife! My parents, his parents, Joslyn and Allison were all there to witness this wonderful event and help us celebrate our happiness! Unfortunately Philip and I have not been able to spend each and every day together. Only a couple months after we were married he left for Iraq. So the first year of our marriage we were separated. Philip, the girls and I were finally able to live together for the first time as a family in June of 2006. We still had a couple months where Philip had to leave our home for training, however we had 2 amazing, wonderful, hard, trying, struggling, blessed, awesome years together in Ft. Hood, TX. We have made it to our 4th anniversary, pregnant with Philip's first biological child, and separated once more for another year! Philip wrote an email, I'll share it:
Denise I know it's been probably about 3-4 days since I last called you, but I got really sick and didn't feel motivated enough to go to the internet/ phone cafe, but I'll try to call you tonight. Tell the girls I love and miss them. I miss you, and love you Beautiful! This anniversary makes 4 years for us. I can't believe I've been married 4 years.... Granted I've been deployed for one year of that, and separated from you at Ft. Riley, about 4 months of it, and Warrior Leadership Course, and BNCOC training, etc... But never the less you've put up with my crap for 4 years, and everyone that knows me knows that's SIMPLY AMAZING!!! Because nothing about me is NORMAL... per say.... But I'd like to take this email opportunity to let everyone know that Denise is the most amazing woman that I have ever met, and she knows more about me than anyone ever has, and that's probably not a good thing (refer to sentence about nothing about me is normal). And when we argue... I know that we both hate it... But we truly do Love each other. Thank you Denise (My Beautiful) for being my wonderful wife. I know that God put you in my life not only because we're meant for each other, but because God knew that you were the only one that would be able put up with and handle all the crap that goes on in my life. You are Truly Amazing, and thank you again Beautiful. I'll call you tonight. Love Philip. P.S.S.S. Love you guys!

FINALLY!!!!

Our couch was delivered to us early this morning before the girls went to school! I went through a long drawn-out process to have my couch pulled out of the warehouse in central Texas, have a carrier deliver it to the port in the U.S., shipped overseas and delivered to our home. I did it though. I stayed on top of the moving company and the carrier company and we FINALLY have our couch back! I have learned so much from this move to Germany, I will be sure to have things done a little bit differently next time movers come and pack us all up again (next move, 2010)

Today was the girls last day of school in 2008. They will start school again after Christmas and New Year's. They went to school today with a bit of Christmas spirit!

Christmas Parties and Crafts!

Joslyn's class had their Christmas party today (Joslyn's teacher is flying back to the states for the holiday break and the kid's will have a substitute tomorrow so she had the party today). I brought 22 goodie bags stuffed with candy and cookies! The kid's exchanged Christmas gifts, they watched a Christmas movie and were all given a wonderful array of Christmas goodies! Joslyn put all her goodies from the party on display for the camera...we still have 2 bags of Halloween candy and now Christmas candy to put on top of it all, Oh my goodness!!



Allison's CUTE Christmas Tree- made at school today!

Allison's Gingerbread cookies- also made at school today!

Birthday Party!

Allison was invited to one of her classmates 8th birthday party today after school at Burger King. They all had so much fun and enjoyed a juggling act from one of the employee's!

Pictures with Santa!

This evening Santa made a little special trip to Schweinfurt Elementary School to take pictures with the kids! Allison and Joslyn knew he wasn't the "real" Santa but sat on his lap anyway and told him what they wanted for Christmas. You know me- I had to jump in on Santa's lap for a picture too!


Joslyn and her friends at the "Pictures and Pizza with Santa"

I missed my Allison

Yesterday Allison complained of a stomach ache. I told her to lay down on the bed. I plugged in the heat pad, set it on low heat and placed it on her tummy. She laid down only for a few minutes and ran to the bathroom. She made it to the toilet...she threw-up and had diarrhea. I drew a warm bath for her and had her lay down in the warm water and placed a cold cup of water on the side wall of the bathtub. Of course we didn't make it to church.
I had everything all planned out. After church we would go grocery shopping, stop at the store to pick a present out for the girls dad and half-sister for Christmas and come home. Well that didn't happen so instead Allison rested in my bed, while Joslyn and I did laundry and cleaned. Allison was feeling a bit better by yesterday evening. I decided to keep Allison home from school today. I wanted to make certain she was over what ever she had yesterday. Today I had plans of going to the store to finish up some Christmas shopping for the girls and pick up wrapping paper (that Santa will wrap his gifts with). I could not do this of course because I had Allison with me. We did however make it to the school to pick- up her homework. I had a lot of plans but none of this mattered to me. All I was focused on was Allison and her health! Allison is doing MUCH better today and is most definitely back to the energetic, happy old Allison! I am so thankful she is feeling her normal self again, I missed her!

German Christmas Market!

What a Wonderful day! So Allison had her practice again this morning for the Christmas pageant she will participate in on Christmas Eve. While Allison was off practicing being an Angel (like she needed any practice with that!)Joslyn and I were out and about, shopping at different stores and running a couple errands.
We picked Allison up and continued with some shopping, came home, had lunch and then Allison and I laid down for a 30 minute nap. Joslyn played a game on the computer. When Allison and I woke up we put on all our winter gear...hats, gloves, sweaters and jackets! We got in the car and headed downtown to the Schweinfurt Christmas Market. Joslyn and Allison brought their own money (Euro) and we began to walk around and admire the different booths. There were carousel's, pony rides, (neither of which the girls wanted to ride) lots of food, hot chocolate, wine, music, carriage rides and lots of cute things to buy! The girls had a few people in mind whom they wanted to buy for, but didn't really find anything interesting enough. I found a booth that had sooo many different cookie cutters so I let the girls pick out a few. Joslyn had a white chocolate covered banana and Allison had chocolate covered strawberries. After about an hour and a half the girls and I were ready to go home and defrost! Our feet and noses were frozen! It was a fun little experience and now we can say we've been to a German Christmas Market!