Last day of April...FINALLY!

It is finally the last day of April which means, another month down in the deployment! Tomorrow also marks the 30 week point for the pregnancy. Its getting close and I am getting more excited about it. I finally did the registry at target.com and have actually received the first set of things from it. (Thank you SO much Betty and Aimee!!!). So many more things to get so we can get ready for our little boy Trace to arrive. One of these days I might actually start getting the baby's room ready, maybe. We have so many outfits for him now its almost out of control. With everything that Lauren, Katie S., Betty, Andea, Katie E., Aubrey, Carrie, My mom, Kate, and myself have bought for him you can tell he is getting spoiled already! Lately he has been such a mover, in fact, right now he is moving up a storm. Still when I play the video of my husband reading the book to Trace he kicks at the exact spot that I have the phone sitting. I'm pretty sure that he really likes hearing his daddy's voice. Only 71 days and we will have him in our arms and his daddy will be able to really talk to him. I think that is what I am getting most excited for.
My mother-in-law gets to come visit next week. I am so looking forward to it. The day after she gets in I have a doctor's appointment, so she will get to go with me to that. I am hoping that she will be able to help me get some more stuff ready for Trace to arrive.
My mom and I went to the Saturday Market today and the woman that did our wedding cake was there, as always, selling her wonderful cupcakes. She told me that I look great for being 30 weeks. I love hearing that. Most people say that I look like they did at 4 or 5 months. I guess that's a good thing. I am up to 9 pounds now, maybe more, but I haven't weighed myself in about a week.
Thank you everyone that has been helping me so far, in the deployment and the pregnancy. I hope that some of you will be able to come visit after Trace is born. I'm planning a 2 or 3 week trip in September and October back to the Midwest so I can make the rounds again and actually spend some time with everyone.
I love my husband, not too much longer and he will be back for a little bit!!!!!

So much has happened...

There has been so much that has happened since I blogged last. I went on my vacation. Seattle was stop #1. It was so worth the long flight out there. I got to see one of my best friends of all time get married. Whit, I'll never be able to express to you how much I appreciate that you wanted me to be part of your special day. You are and always will be one of the most important people in my life. I love you! As for the flight out there. A flight attendant told me that she thought that I was just fat, not pregnant. So that was nice, NOT! Spending a few hours with my other best friend Tymmony was great. Her and I could not be more different. but the things that we have in common are so strong that nothing can ever some between us. After Seattle it was on to Iowa. Got to spend a little bit of time with my family and my in-laws. Of course the baby wouldn't move around much so people could feel him, so that was sad. But while in Iowa I realized that I really did miss being there. (I did not however miss the cold weather). Then it was off to "Chicago" to meet Katie. Was I nervous? Would you be nervous having made plans to spend 3 solid days with someone that you had never met before? Needless to say, we hit it off right away. Her and I have so much in common its almost scary. I feel like she is someone that I have known forever. And I know that she is someone that even after this deployment her and I will continue to be good friends. I can't believe what a strong woman she is. Taking care of twin 15month old girls, dealing with other stuff, and keeping it together as well as she does...I just hope that I can keep it together as well as she does. It was more than nice to be able to talk to her about the things that concern me and know that they are the same things that she worries about too. We had a great time together, at least I thought so. When she dropped me off at the airport I teared up a little bit. I felt like I was leaving family. Thank you Katie for being such a great friend right off the bat. I know that I can talk to you about anything. (Thanks for all of the information that people don't want to talk about either!) At the airport I was walking to my gate and realized that it was right next to the gate that the hubby left from. Once again, trying to hold back tears. I got on my plane and walked off at home. Getting back home was nice. The warm weather is WAY nice (since it snowed EVERYWHERE else I went). I haven't been home long, but I have started to get things ready for the baby. Finally did a gift registry (Target.com). My mother-in-law will be here at the beginning of May. I am looking forward to it. I know that she will help me even more getting the baby room ready.
Today has been a great day. I cleaned like crazy, I believe I was in a nesting phase today. And my friend Lauren, after 14 long months, has her husband home. Congrats to her on making it with her 3 little boys. She is another strong woman that I hope I can follow her lead. Lauren and Katie have been the most amazing new friends that I could have ever imagined. Thank you both so much!
I love my husband so much...the countdown is getting shorter and shorter until he gets to come home!

April 1st

Yet another day has passed. And another day I can check off of the calendar finally! I started the countdown to R&R the day that the hubby told me when he would be coming home. Athough I wish I had waited a while to start the countdown. Its been 26 days since it started.
So, I have been writing a journal as well, and have asked some of the other wives to do the same thing. I have read two books about deployment, from the view of wives. They are GREAT books, but one dealt only with Active Duty Army and the other one only had small blurbs about Reserve units that had deployed. Both were based in 2003. So I thought about putting together our journal entries for a book. One that is strictly about reserve deployments and how the wives deal.
My "vacation" is going to start in 6 short days! I am so looking forward to it. Going out to Seattle, where I spent 22 years and I haven't been for 5 years! I am so excited to see my two best friends out there. I still can't believe my Whitters aka GET IN MY BELLY is getting married in 10 days!Then I'm off to Iowa to see the rest of my family and the whole Simonson clan, plus some good friends. Our supper on the 12th is going to be crazy, I think as of right now there will be 16 people there. I wonder what restaurant in Maquoketa we will be able to fit in. Then off to Chicago for the Yellow Ribbon. I am also looking forward to meeting the people that I have been talking, texting, and chatting with on Facebook. It'll be nice to be around people that really know how I am feeling on a daily basis and people that are going through this deployment too. I have no idea what to expect form the Yellow Ribbon, but I'm sure it will have some good information for all of us.
This post is kinda boring, but oh well! I hope everyone has a good day and good weekend. Oh, and its Friday which means RED FRIDAY! Do you have your RED on today? I do!
I love my husband more and more every day!