Bittersweetness

I woke up this morning and realized that this is the last Wednesday that I will be waking up in Kansas.  As much as I have wanted to get out of Kansas for a while now, I can't help but be sad about it.  This was our first home together... starting just a few days after we got married.  This was where I went through Caleb's first deployment, we had our first miscarriage, and I worked at the best job anyone could ever have!  This was also where we welcomed our beautiful baby girl!  We have SO many great friends here, too!!  This week, I have to say goodbye.  I don't want to be sad, because I'm excited for what the future has for us.  I also know that in the Army, it is never goodbye, only see you later.  But, in the end, I know that I will miss Kansas.  Thank you all for making Kansas such a GREAT three years!!

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Since leaving is so bittersweet, I am adding a few other bittersweet things to this post.

The first is a video that a friend from high school posted this morning.  You may have already seen it on my Facebook, but here it is if you haven't.

The next one, is a little more sad than bittersweet.  It is a link to a little girl named Avery's blog.  I meant to share her blog a while ago now, but I've been so caught up in packing that I hadn't done it yet.  At just barely five months old, she was diagnosed with Spinal Muscle Atrophy (SMA).  SMA is an incurable genetic disease that causes babies to lose the ability to move their extremities, and kills them within 18 months to two years.  Her amazing parents took a devastating diagnosis, and made it a light-hearted bucket list written from Avery's perspective.  She has sadly died at almost six months old, but her parents are hoping that her short life will help make others aware of SMA.  Please read her blog, donate to the research groups, and talk to your OB about the genetic test!    

http://averycan.blogspot.com/

Even though bittersweet, I hope you are inspired!

Updates!

Wow!  Again, it has been a while since I've posted.  I have been a packing fool lately.  Two weeks until I leave for Georgia!!  Trying to pack, yet trying to make sure there is enough in the house to live is even more difficult than actually packing everything at once!  There are still toys EVERYWHERE in the living room, and there are still LOTS of empty boxes in the garage.  This move is so bittersweet!  I'm hoping to be able to take some pictures of post before I leave so I have something to remember.  I think Sookie knows that something is up... she is even more clingy to me than usual!

My living room...

A box that is about as tall as me!!

 
Caleb is usually working half days at work.  Then he will leave work and run errands around post to be able to turn in his paperwork... NEXT WEEK!!!  It has been nice for me to be able to get out of the house and run errands by myself since he has been home quite a bit in the afternoons! 

In other news, I went to the doctor yesterday about my hives, shoulder pain, and wrist pain.  If you remember, I got hives twice back in March, but I have been good since.  The doctor wasn't too worried about them, and he said we will probably never know why I got them.  My shoulder has been hurting since Clara was a few months old.  I would hold her with my left arm, and it just really took a toll on my shoulder.  I am getting an MRI on that on Friday morning.  Since my left shoulder was hurting, I started holding Clara with my right arm.  This started hurting my wrist.  The doctor wants to get me a brace to wear on that, but that referral hasn't gone through yet.  Caleb still wants to trade me in for a new model since that is what you do for a phone or a car if it starts falling apart!

Clara is becoming more of a little kid and less of a baby.  She does a lot more walking now.  She is also getting some top teeth.  (I think that that is the reason for her snotty nose and cough since she has had that for a while.)  The only problem with that is that her teeth make it hurt while I breastfeed her.  She has been starting to pick things up and hand them to me.  It is very cute, but it makes her even more like a big kid!  She also has been really clingy to me lately, too.  If I'm holding her and need to put her down (for a diaper change, nap, or bedtime especially) she will literally cling to me.  It is really nice sometimes because it's like she is hugging me.  Other times, though, I really do need to change her diaper!!  She will be a year old in less than two weeks!!  Craziness!!! 

Look at those big kid jeans!!

I LOVE that she's so curious about everything!