Army Chaplain Wife

Busy People

2010-05-27T16:11:00.002-05:00

It has been quite some time since I last posted. Busy doesn't even begin to describe our life.

Right now Chris is still going to school. School, ugh. I can hardly stand the word these days. He is always so busy with school work that it makes me sick to think about it. I know he must be so sick of writing papers that he will never want to write another one.

The kids are wearing me down more than anyone could ever know. Evan mostly. I love them so much but I am just so drained that I feel like I cannot give them the attention they need.

Alana starts school in the fall.....homeschool. I have all the curriculum, we are registered, just waiting to meet with the school we will be going through and get started.

Well, that is pretty much it for now.

Anybody?

2010-02-03T14:56:00.002-06:00

Well, Chris is back to school. This class is Systematic Theology. Boring! It seems to be a pretty tough class for him. Lots of very boring work.

Owen is now 3 1/2 months old. He is such a wonderful baby. He hardly ever cries and has slept through the night since we brought him home. Evan is still as energetic as humanly possible and will be 2 at the end of March. Alana turns 5 in just 10 days and will begin school in the fall. How time flies!

Chris's cousin Johnathan will be back from Afganistan in just a couple of more months. He has been gone since May 09. We are looking forward to his safe return.

Just so I know, does anybody read this blog?

Promotion

2010-01-03T10:39:00.002-06:00

Well, Chris got his promotion. Nobody can tease him with the "butterbar" rank anymore. He is now a 1st Lieutenant. I am so proud of him. He is so thankful too! I know this won't be the last of the promotions.

I am still enjoying the fact that he has a break from school, but it will be starting back in a couple of weeks and things will be back to normal. I have enjoyed seeing his face a little bit more instead of the back of his head as he does school work or leaves for work or drills.

As the new year begins, I am very thankful for my family and friends. I love you all.

Update

2009-12-27T07:16:00.002-06:00

It has been a while since I last wrote. Most people just read Chris's blog so there isn't much use in writing in mine.

Right now we are waiting on Chris's promotion from Second Lieutenant to First Lieutenant. He is eager to shed the "butterbar". He is off school for about a month and is trying to catch up on books that he wants to read rather than books he has to read.

Owen is now 2 months old and growing so quickly. Evan is still a handful at 21 months. Alana will be 5 in February which is so hard to believe. She will start school in the fall. I will be homeschooling, which will be a challenge.

Chris spoke at his parent's home church last month and did a great job as usual. It was the church where I met Chris for the first time. It was strange to be there again in the very place we met 11 years ago.

Please continue to pray for Johnathan, Chris's cousin who is currently serving in Afghanistan. Also don't forget his family. Often the family back home is forgotten and the attention is on the soldier. Pray for them. The home is as much a war zone, just in a different way.

I hope all of you are well and hope you had a wonderful Christmas.

Keep Praying

2009-10-23T17:21:00.000-05:00

Having a baby is one of the most exciting times of your life. The ride is filled with extremes, low and high. I think God uses these times on my life to help me appreciate the things I have.

When our first baby was born, Alana, she got admitted with jaundice. The spiral just went down from there. They started telling us of infection in her blood, they did spinal taps, poked her until her skin peeled from her heels, and soon she ended up in the NICU and they were telling us she had heart problems. I will never forget that night we waited in the NICU waiting room while they shocked my baby’s heart to get it back into a normal rhythm. The loneliness and the pain was almost unbearable. After leaving the hospital when she was 2 weeks old, post partum depression hit me like a ton of bricks. I was put on two different anti-depressants which made everything worse. The only thing that held me together was God. I was eventually healed of the post partum depression and as for Alana, she is a beautiful, very healthy and smart 4 year old.

3 years later, we were blessed with the birth of our son Evan. Evan was a healthy baby and we were so thankful. After about a month or so it was diagnosed that Evan had colic. He cried for the first year of his life. Unfortunately post partum depression again hit me and once again, God healed me of it. When Evan was only 4 months old, he got very ill. We took him to the hospital where they discovered he had a UTI and he had ecoli. Evan was hospitalized for about 1-2 weeks. Evan is now a very healthy and happy, and energetic 19 month old.

Here we are 19 months later and we have welcomed a third child into the world, baby Owen. Owen has been in the NICU since he was only 4 hours old. The doctor said he had Premature Lung Disease, even though he was a full term baby. Owen is doing well and is expected to come home next week some time. He is a week old today. Post partum depression has been trying to creep back in to my life but I know that the power of God is stronger than that. I thank God for his healing power and His love because without it I would have fallen apart by now.

I felt the need to write this because I wanted to give my testimony as to how wonderful God is. He has spared my three children through very difficult times and held me and Chris together when we didn’t even have the strength to stand. I wanted to let it be known how wonderful God is and sometimes it is much easier to write due to emotions. If anyone doubts God, please call me and I will be happy to show you my three beautiful children who are all living miracles.

I am also writing this to ask for prayers. Our family needs your prayers. Please help us pray that Owen will be healed and that I will not have post partum depression. Also pray for the strength of Chris and me and that we and our children, Alana, Evan and Owen will grow strong and healthy in body, mind, and spirit. But also remember all the other babies in the NICU and their parents. The NICU is not a fun place to be. Pray the babies will be healthy and get out of there soon and that the parents stay strong and grow in the Lord through it all.

Thank you for reading this and thank you for praying for us. God bless you all!

Baby Owen

2009-10-21T14:33:00.001-05:00

October 16, 2009 our third child, Owen Alexander was born. Just 4 hours after he was born he was taken to the NICU with breathing trouble. He was placed under an oxygen hood but was still having trouble. His oxygen dependency got up to 65% by Monday and his lung x-ray was showing cloudiness. The neonatologist informed us that his lungs were premature even though he is a full term baby. He wasn’t producing something called surfactant which coats the lungs and helps the air sacs in the lungs to open up and allow him to breathe. He was put on a c-pap machine and we were told the next step was a ventilator if his breathing didn’t improve. He was also breathing very fast at over 100 breathes per minute…I believe it got up to the 150’s but I am not sure of the exact number. They want him to breathe at a rate of less than 60 breathes per minute. He also had signs put at his bed that said “Minimal Stimulation”, which meant we couldn’t touch him much. He gets very irritated and loses his breath when touched.

Yesterday we visited and his oxygen had gone down to 42%. I called before bed last night and his oxygen had gone down to only 38%. We were very pleased with this news. This morning we visited and found his oxygen level was at only 27%, PRAISE GOD! His breathes are down to 78 per minute, wonderful news. I am so thankful to God above for his perfect healing. Of course I would love for it to be instantaneous and much quicker than what it has been but I am thankful He has His hands on our boy.

Times like these make you so appreciative for what you have. Yesterday the nurse let me change his diaper, which was the first time I had changed him. Today she allowed me to change him again, the first poopy diaper I got to change. Most people don’t see that as a big deal but to me it was wonderful. I hope I will get to be the one to give him his very first bottle. I haven’t even got to hold him since the day he was born. I haven’t got to dress him, feed him, or any of those things, but I am so thankful to know that I will get that chance soon. They are saying it may be a week before he gets to come home, but I am believing that God will allow it to be much sooner than that.

Thank you for the many prayers going out for us. Owen needs the prayers to be healed and we also need prayers to stay strong and healthy. Please pray for us all.

Also, please pray for all the babies and thier parents in the NICU. There are babies in there much worse than Owen I am sure. The parents are probably very stressed out and emotionally exhausted. Keep them in your prayers please.

Thank you!

Our New Baby

2009-10-17T21:31:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day. We welcomed our third gift from God into the world. Owen Alexander Cameron was born at 2:02 p.m. and weighed 6 pounds 7 ounces and was 19 inches long. He is a very handsome baby boy. We are so blessed to have such a beautiful family.

We do need everyone to please be praying for Owen and our family. He was transferred to the NICU just 4 hours after his arrival because his lungs are premature. He is on oxygen right now and they say it could take several days for him to start breathing normally. He is taking about 100 breathes per minute and should only be taking about 60 per minute. He is under an oxygen hood right now and still has yet to receive his first bottle. He is being given fluids through an IV for now. The neonatologist says worst case scenario it could take 10-14 days, but we know that our God is wonderful and can bring Owen through this quicker than that.

I am very thankful to God for keeping our babies strong. Each baby of ours has been sick at some point and had to be hospitalized with serious illnesses. I do get very frustrated when I see my babies so sick, but I also have learned to trust God. I don’t know why certain things happen or why they happen to certain people, but I know that I am very thankful for what I have. It makes me appreciate things a lot more. Tomorrow I will be released from the hospital and go home without my baby, but I am thankful that at some point I will be able to take my baby home.

Now I look forward to when I can put his clothes on him for the first time, feed him his first bottle, and wrap him up and put him in his bassinet for the first time and watch him sleep. I am so thankful that God has allowed me to be a Mommy. I cannot even imagine my life without my babies. As I held Owen’s tiny wrinkled hand today, I thanked God for keeping his hand upon us.

Please keep our family in your prayers. Thank you all! Here is our new baby boy.

Not Much to Say

2009-10-11T20:38:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I last wrote. Nothing too major has happened.

Chris should be getting a promotion to 1st Lieutenant soon. He is so excited to get rid of the 2nd lieutenant rank, also known as the butter bar. I am so proud of him no matter what his rank is. I was impressed with the butter bar. I can hardly believe I am married to an army officer. I always did go for the bad boys in school, little did I know I would marry a military man.

I am almost 38 weeks pregnant. I am huge and can hardly wait for the arrival of our third blessing, our sweet little boy, Owen Alexander. His due date is October 28 and I was really expecting him to be here a lot sooner than that. Again, God is teaching me patience. I am not a patient person in the least bit.

Well, there isn’t too much more to say. Maybe the next time I write I will have pictures of our precious baby boy.

God Bless!

Waiting Game

2009-09-25T22:27:00.002-05:00

Everything seems to be back to a somewhat normal pace at the house. I am now packing Chris's lunches, ironing his work clothes, and preparing supper in the evenings again. Most people would get tired of that, but I missed Chris so much and I love him so much that I will do anything to help him. I really enjoy doing things for him because I love him so much.

The kids seem to be very happy that Chris is home again. He gets attacked when he comes through the front door after work. Evan runs around the house screaming Daddy and Alana runs outside to meet him the car so she can ride a few feet up the drivway with him. It is very cute.

Our third, Owen, is due ay time. The actual due date isn't until October 28, but I started having contractions yesterday and they have nw put me on medication to stop them so I won't have him yet. They want me to wait until I am at least 37 weeks, which will be October 7. That is when the lungs are considered mature enough for the baby to be born. Of course, I am already 2 cm and so I am not sure how long labor can be held off.

Tomorrow is the baby shower and I am so excited. We really don't need much since he is the third. I am excited because I love to get together and have fun with my family and friends and also play the fun baby shower games. And of course the most important part is the cake and punch. :) My favorites!

I am so excited and ready to have Owen. I know I am probably about to drive Chris crazy, but I am exhausted and ready to have this baby. I just feel so weak and tired, which isn't me at all. I am trying to stay strong, but I know he is so tired of hearing me whine. He is such a trooper for putting up with it! I know he gets it from everyone since he is becoming a chaplain and all. I am trying my best to get better at it, especially for his sake. I need to be the one to help keep him strong.

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you all for the many prayers. Love you all!

Pure Heaven

2009-09-06T21:54:00.002-05:00

We returned home to Alabama on August 30th. I haven't even wanted to write in my blog because Chris has been home and it has been wonderful. The kids and me are sticking to him like glue, especially little Evan.

It has been so strange to get back into the routine of things. I have been so used to doing everything by myself and it is so great to have his help around the house. Just seeing his face here is enough, but his helping hand is so wonderful. I have been so relaxed that I have found myself taking naps during the day, which is VERY rare for me. He has been off work all week and will return on Tuesday. He isn't really looking forward to it because he is so used to the Army lifestyle. It is quite an adjustment for him to make.

I want to thank everyone for everything you have done for our family. There are too many people to list and too much they have doe to thank, but you know who you are and without you all, we couldn't have done it. Thank you all for your many prayers. Chris is home and doing well.

Now we look forward to our next adventure. Owen is expected to be born sometime in October. We had an ultrasound last week and everything looks great. At one point it was thought I may have to have a c-section but we now know that is not the case, thank God! I go back Wednesday because they noticed I am already dilated 1cm. Now they will keep watch over me.

On a different note, I was baptized today. Actually, Chris helped baptize me and it was the first baptism he has ever helped perform. Now he can say the first person e ever baptized was his wife. Cool huh? And we were pregnant with our third child. What a story for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you all, please continue to pray for this family. We always need it.

Graduation Day!

2009-08-28T06:41:00.002-05:00

Today is a very special day for our family. For the last 3 months, Chris has been at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course. As you all know, he has a calling to become a Chaplain for the U.S. Army. It takes a very special individual to be able to perform this type of duty. This school is only part of what he will have to complete in order to earn Chaplain status, but today he graduates.

Chris has worked very hard over the past 3 months and has also only got to be with his family about once a month. I know this process has not been easy for him, but he is a very strong man and he is very obedient to God.

Graduation is at 2:30 p.m. today on post. We will all be there to cheer him on as they call his name. I could not be more proud of him. Just to know that he graduates today makes me shine with pride to be his wife. Of course, I have always been proud to be his wife. He is the most wonderful man I have ever met.

After graduation, Chris gets to come home, which is the best part of him graduating. Being without Chris for 3 months has not been easy. The kids and I have missed him so much. But now, he is going to be home with us. I am not leaving this hotel parking lot without him this time. The only tears that will be shed after this trip will be tears of joy!
So today, I want to tell Chris that I am so proud of him and that I love him very much. God could not have given me a better husband.

To all of you who have supported us along the way, I want to say thank you. For those of you who watched the kids for me, cut the grass, and said prayers for us, took trips with us to South Carolina, and for those who lent a listening ear, thank you! I love you all so much!

Our First Banquet

2009-08-27T09:35:00.000-05:00

Last night was what I have been so nervous about for the last several months, the wife banquet here at Fort Jackson. I had purchased a dress and grew out of it and had to find a new dress only a month or so before the banquet. I was so nervous I would grow out of this one too, but I didn’t. Thank God! During my last trip here I scheduled a hair appointment and planned to have my makeup done at one of the counters at Belk or JC Penny. I thought I was very well prepared. Boy was I wrong.

We arrived Tuesday and since we didn’t have room inside the car for my dress, we laid it in trunk on top of everything. I knew it would probably need pressed when we got here and it did. The hotel offered the service and I explained I had to leave at 5:00 p.m that next evening and they assured they would have it back in time. I very reluctantly handed them the dress. The next day we learned we had to leave at 4:45. My hair appointment was at 2 and I assumed it would take about an hour to do my hair and then have my makeup done. Well, about 1 ½ hours into the hair appointment Chris walked over to me and told me we wouldn’t have time to get my makeup done. I really wanted to cry but I didn’t. It ended up taking 2 hours to have my hair done. We literally had to run out of there to get back to the hotel and get ready. We got to the hotel about 4:15 and my dress was not back from the cleaners. Panic almost set in. I said a prayer and went up to the room and started getting ready and putting on my own makeup. I was in the bathroom getting ready when they knocked on the door with my dress. I finally got it about 5 minutes before we had to leave. I was so stressed out. We had to rush out of the hotel, leaving Alana crying for us. Chris was telling me how he had been almost dreading this event and I told him I would try to make it memorable and try to make jokes here and there to keep us from getting stressed.

When we arrived, my feet were already hurting from the devilish shoes I bought. I joked with Chris and told him we would make a ritual and burn something from this first formal event of ours and mine would be the shoes. We had to be there at 5:15 and rushed there. When we arrived the only thing we did was stand out front in the foyer of the place where it was steaming hot. We kept waiting to line up and shake hands with the top guys but they never would get it started. They then moved us into a different room where there was alcohol and punch and fruit. This is where we socialized with all of Chris’s buddies. At one point I felt sick and had to walk out for a few. When I walked out the line started forming to meet the top guys so we were in the back half of the line. The line had probably 300 people in it. As we were waiting I got sick and felt light headed. I told Chris I needed to go sit down and he grabbed my hand I started to walk away and he explained I wasn’t feeling well and as we were walking out I nearly fainted. I have no idea why but I know I felt like a huge loser. We sat on a bench outside while the line moved and once we saw the line was almost at the end we went back in to get in the back. When we finally got to these people, Chris did great on his introduction, which has to be done a certain way. The first guy seemed very strict and orderly, he was a West Point grad and took everything very seriously. He made a slight joke and we laughed and then he was very straight faced again, just like a switch was flipped. It was very odd. The rest of everybody else was very polite and easy to get along with. Seating was assigned so we found our table and the ladies sat down while the gentleman stood. It was so nice.

Everything began around 7:00 p.m. They had all the formal things at the beginning. They introduced the head table, had the posting of colors, and national anthem. There was also the introduction of the POW table where we would all take the time to remember those who have served and never come home or have been prisoners of war. A prayer was said before we sat and all I could do was thank God for bringing us there. I felt so honored to be there. I am just a simple country girl from Empire and there I was in a fancy evening dress with my hair professionally done and all these fancy things around me. Candles were lit and waiters and waitresses were waiting on us and refilling our glasses as needed. I just felt so special to get to be a part of this. Then as we sat we were told who was to go first at the buffet line. We finally made our way to the line and the food was very delicious. Everything was set up so nice and fancy. There were several choices of desserts available. As we ate, the different platoons sang their platoon songs. There were several different entertainment acts, of course the best one being the guys making fun of the guys in charge.

A guest speaker with a very decorated background spoke. He was a very nice speaker. He spoke to the wives and told us how important our role was in this calling. This calling is not just for the husband. The calling has to be a team effort on behalf of the entire family. He talked about how his wife made him a hero in the eyes of his children. It was a very touching story. He also spoke of how important the chaplain duty was and told these guys they had a very challenging role because of how the new generation is growing up. He did a wonderful job on the speech.

As the evening ended there were a few songs sung and the retiring of the colors. We were then dismissed and Chris and I left.

During the intermission we went to have our portraits made only to learn that the portrait people had already packed up and left so we didn’t get a professional photo made, which was very disappointing.

We had all these plans of a romantic evening and none of the plans worked out how we expected. Even though we had to rush to get there, had a few instances of getting sick, and felt extremely uncomfortable in this formal environment, we loved every minute of it because we were together. Our very first formal event for the Army is now over and we have many wonderful memories to carry with us to the next one, not to mention lots of humorous memories. I couldn’t have asked for better. My man looked so handsome in his uniform. We were so exhausted we came home and went straight to bed. It was a wonderful evening with a wonderful man.

Thank you all for your prayers.

Getting Closer

2009-08-22T20:05:00.001-05:00

I have just 3 days until I get to South Carolina for my final trip. This time, I am going home with my husband in tow. I can hardly wait. I am trying to get the home in order so it will be nice for him. That has been a miracle in itself. It seems like every time I get something accomplished, something goes wrong. But, I am trying and not giving up.

The wife banquet will be Wednesday night and I am so nervous. Chris was telling me about how he has to introduce me and himself and it is a whole big ordeal. I just wish we could do things the country way, “Hey, how’s it going?” And be done with it. Ha ha! I am nervous about how the dress will fit and how my hair will turn out. I am just ready to get it done and see him graduate. Graduation is Friday. I am so excited and I am so proud of Chris. He is such a dedicated and hard working man! I hope he knows just how proud I am.

The kids are probably going to love having Daddy home again. Mommy is drained and almost without energy altogether. I am now 7 months pregnant and feeling every bit of it. This baby is bigger than the other two so far and the weight on my small frame is very hard to carry. I miss running with the kids and playing rough with them. Now I am a wimp and too tired to even read a long story to them. Hopefully Daddy will have some energy for them when he gets home.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been praying for us and helping us out during this time. I appreciate every kind deed and every prayer whispered for us. If it weren’t for you all and your support, where would we be? Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Love you all!

Bright Future

2009-08-13T20:47:00.000-05:00

There is so much going on at once it is unreal. In exactly 15 days, my husband will graduate from his officer course. He will be coming home with us this time. It is going to be so strange to actually see him all the time again. It is going to be wonderful, yet strange. I am curious show the kids will react and nervous about how Chris will have to adjust. This house is very loud and crazy most of the time and he us used to having it quiet in his hotel room. It will all work out though.

I realized a few days ago how close I am to actually having our third child. Owen is due at the end of October. Judging by my size, I would say mid October is more like it. I can hardly believe it is already getting close to time to have him. I am so nervous. Evan and Alana are so rough and I will have to be on my toes for a while. I go to have another ultrasound the first week of September to determine if I will require a C-Section or not. I would love to be able to have him without a c-section so I am praying about this.

Right now my main concern is getting ready for my final trip to South Carolina to see Chris graduate. The wife banquet will be held August 26 and I am a nervous wreck. We have to shake hands with people and I get so nervous when it comes to doing things for Chris. I want to make a good impression and I end up getting so nervous. Not to mention that I have already had to replace my dress once because I grew out of it. I better fit in this one. I am going to try it on next week one more time before leaving. If I grow out of this one, I am going to be mad.

Anyway, there is so much to look forward to over the next few months. I thank God that He is always with me and holding my hand because without His strength, I would not be able to stand!

Love you all!

Love Sick

2009-08-07T10:26:00.001-05:00

I am like a love sick puppy. It’s almost as if we are dating all over again. When he isn’t here I think about him constantly. Everything I do I think of him and how it would be if he were here. Here we are in the final stretch of his absence and I am missing him more now than before. I just saw him last weekend. It is getting harder, not easier. If the good Lord ever does need to send Chris on a deployment, I will need more prayers than ever. I pray that day never comes but deep down I feel it will.

Speaking of deployments, please continue to pray for Johnathan and Crystal. Their baby is now 9 days old. She is gorgeous. Johnathan is in Afghanistan and will get to come home toward the end of the month to meet his new daughter. I cannot imagine the emotions Crystal is going through with him being half a world away. Chris is only 2 states away and I am whining like a baby. Anyway, please pray for Johnathan’s safety as he comes back to the US and then has to go back to Afghanistan. Also pray for their family to be strong during this deployment.

Military families are very much in need of your prayers, please don’t forget them! It takes a lot of strength that only God can give to help them through these types of situations. Thank you all for listening, praying, and for the many kind deeds that have been done for us.

Love you all!

P.S. Chris did great on his PT test today, thanks for the prayers!

Need Prayers Please

2009-08-05T22:06:00.000-05:00

Today was such a challenge! The kids were very rowdy! Evan especially. He kept screaming at me and hitting me. This separation has been enough to prove to me that without a Daddy at home every day, the kids are more challenging. I don’t know how a single mother does it. If there are any Daddys reading this, you make a huge difference in your child’s life. Even if you don’t realize it, your child needs you!

Since Chris has been away, the kids have acted harsher toward me. Alana has developed a horrible attitude and mouth and Evan hits me and screams at me all the time. I know they miss their Daddy but I also know they need to learn respect for Mommy. I know I haven’t had a lot of patience or energy for them lately and that makes them rowdy too.

Anyway, Chris has a PT test this Friday so if everyone would, we would appreciate prayers going out for him. We believe he will pass but he would like to beat his score. God can do all things! This is his final PT test at this school and we want him to blow his score out of the water!

Next week he will be out in the field for several days, as if they were in a combat type situation. He enjoys doing those types of things, and it will give him a nice break from all the boring classes he has been taking.

Just 20 more days until I make my final voyage to South Carolina. This time, I am bringing my man back with me! On the 30th of August, we will all be home! I will be so glad! The kids too I am sure. And of course Chris’s cat, Pooh, will probably be beside himself.

Thank you all for your prayers, please keep praying for us. We need it!

Love you all!

Back Home

2009-08-03T09:10:00.001-05:00

It has been about 36 hours since I left Chris to come back home. Already I feel drained. There is just something about being with him that makes me whole and energetic, yet relaxed. I feel complete and secure when I am with him.

We didn’t get home until nearly 7:00 p.m. last night and Evan was furious when I brought him into the house. He cried until I put him to bed and he fell asleep. I wanted to cry too but I distracted myself by trying to unpack. The trip home was long because it rained the whole way home and there were many accidents. One accident was so bad we sat still on the interstate for about an hour because a helicopter had to come and evacuate someone. Actually it rained the whole trip to and from South Carolina. Go figure.

Anyway, we spent time together as a family and it was wonderful. I was able to cook for Chris and do his laundry, which ot most people is an annoying part of life, but I miss doing those things for him and felt useful again. I cannot wait for things to get back to normal. Of course normal will only last about 1 ½ to 2 months until we welcome Owen into the world. Then normal will once again change. But I don’t care what happens from here on out as long as we are all together. I don’t care if we have to move, I don’t care where God takes us, as long as we are healthy and together. (Although I do want to specify to God that I do not prefer to move overseas.)

Anyway, only 22 more days until I get to see Chris again! 23 more days until the wife formal and 25 more days until he graduates. And, only 27 more days until we all return home TOGETHER! I ain’t going home without him next time. Somebody will go down if they try and stop me!

Thank you all for your prayers!

7 Wonderful Years

2009-08-01T10:21:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow, August 2, Chris and I will have been married for 7 wonderful years. This October will be 11 years together total. These have been the very best years of my life. Chris is my best friend, my love, and everything in between. He has always loved me for who I am and been there for me through it all. We have been through a lot in such a short period of time, but it seems as if our love grows stronger by the day.

The first several years were tough but we learned a very valuable lesson and I hope we can help other couples with just this one bit if advice: put God first. Once we put God first in our lives, our love for each other just exploded and multiplied by a thousand percent!

The last couple of months, since we have been apart because of his Chaplain school, we have both come to realize just how much we love each other and have missed each other more than we could have imagined. I now have a new appreciation for every minute we have together. Our time together is so precious.

Anyway, Chris, if you are reading this, I love you so much! Happy Anniversary! I look forward to traveling down whatever road God takes us together. You are the best part of me, you complete me. I love you, I love you, I love you!

2009-07-31T07:48:00.005-05:00

We arrived in South Carolina yesterday afternoon. Chris came to the hotel and just seeing his handsome face was so wonderful. Having him there in the bed next to me last night was so great. I just don't feel like a full person unless he is with me. It was so precious to hug him and kiss him!

We went to have our 4D ultrasound last night and see Owen, our third gift from God. A 4D ultrasound lets you see them in their full form, not just a black screen. You get to see them do everything they normally do in the womb, just in actual view. He smiled at us, it even looked like he was laughing. He yawned and put on a big show. He is so handsome. He looks a little like Evan to me. Full lips and pudgy nose! He weighs about 2.25 pounds right now and is measuring right on time for a late October birth! I am going to show a few pictures.

Although my kids physically and mentally exhaust me most of the time, they are such gifts. I love them so much! They are so precious to me, even if I don't always show it. It is very difficult to be a mother, or a father. As difficult as it may be, God has trusted me with them and I thank Him for that. It is the best job on earth!

Here is some pictures of our little guy!

The first one is his face, the second is of him yawning, the third is him laughing and the last one is him with his face in his hands.

Busy Days

2009-07-24T20:54:00.001-05:00

The last few days have been eventful.

Wednesday I had to go shopping for a new formal gown to wear to the wife formal a couple of days before Chris graduates. I had a beautiful dress that looked like it would grow with me through the pregnancy but because of the way the beads were set, it did not work. I went out to David’s Bridal and found a new dress. It is very pretty and I believe it will do a better job of expanding because it has no beading. Even better, it was on clearance.

Thursday, my handsome husband’s birthday, I had a doctor’s appointment. Owen is looking good. I asked about the 4D ultrasound and unfortunately you have to get it done by 28 weeks to guarantee a good picture of the baby. Chris will not be back until I am 32 weeks. I was so upset. Either I would have to do it without him or wait until he gets back and risk not getting a good picture. Of course I am not doing it without him. He is the Daddy and this is a very special event. Of course for those of you who know me, you know I will not be satisfied with those kinds of options. I got on the internet and found a 4D ultrasound place in South Carolina and when we go see Chris next week, we will have it done there. I already made the appointment! So this Thursday night, I will get to see the face of my beautiful baby boy. I will be sure and post some pictures.

Also on Thursday I got the shoes to go with my new dress and took the old dress back for a refund. Thank God I didn’t take the tags off. I also now have to send the shoes back that I got for the first dress.

Anyway, only 6 more days until I leave to go to South Carolina to see my handsome soldier again! I can hardly wait! I have a lot to do to get ready.

Thank you all for your prayers. We definitely need them!

Oh, and I finally figured out how to put pictures on my blog so here is one of the kids playing outside a few days ago.

Special Day

2009-07-22T20:30:00.001-05:00

I want to say something to my wonderful husband. Chris, I love you and I wanted to be there for this special day but I want to tell you

Happy Birthday!

I love you and I hope you have a wonderful birthday! Next week when I come we can celebrate! Until then, I thank God for you and I love you so much!

PT TEST #2 RESULTS

2009-07-21T22:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who prayed for Chris! As usual, God has been good to us and Chris passed his PT test with flying colors. I couldn’t be more proud to have such a great, hard working and dedicated husband! He is truly the man of my dreams. What woman wouldn’t want all those features in a man along with him being handsome and wearing a hot uniform!?

Tomorrow I go dress shopping. This dress thing is frustrating. But it’s alright. I will find one. I will find a very pretty one and we will have a blast at the formal. Just being with Chris is the best part.

Thursday I have a doctor’s appointment to check on Owen. I love hearing his little heartbeat. He is getting big. His feet have already made it to my ribs and I still have 14 more weeks til due date. I would love to know how much he weighs right now.

Just 9 more days until we get to see Chris again!

Thanks for all your prayers. Love you all!

PT Test #2

2009-07-19T21:54:00.000-05:00

Today I decided to try on my dress for the wife formal because I hadn’t yet tried the shoes and dress on together. It was tough to zip it up, but then when I looked in the mirror, I was horrified. The dress doesn’t fall into the right place. It doesn’t fit. It zips but because of the way it is designed, it doesn’t rest where it needs to accommodate my expanding belly. Ugh! I was so disappointed. We tried to figure a way out of it, but just couldn’t. So, I am now in the market for a new dress. I believe we have found one that we like so I just have to go try it on. So, I am starting over. New dress, new shoes. This is a mess.

Even though I am having issues, mine are minor. Chris has a PT test this Tuesday. Please, everyone please take a moment and pray for him to not only do well, but exceed expectations! I know he can do it, but let’s all pray he does great and doesn’t get tired easily.

As of today, we have only 11 more days until we get to go see Chris! We are so excited to get to see him!

I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to call us, pray for us, and help us out. It means so much to have such loving friends and family who care for us so much.

Please continue to pray for us, we need it!

Love you all!

Another Day Down

2009-07-17T12:33:00.001-05:00

Chris seems to be doing very well other than the pt hrting him. He is over halfway through this school. Only about 6 more weeks to go and I can bring him home. I can hardly wait to have him next to me again!

Since Chris has been gone I have took up cross-stitching again to stay occupied, but it is getting a little dull so I decided to sew. Every time I am pregnant, I sew the new baby a blanket. I finished Owen’s yesterday. I also sewed Evan a SpongeBob pillowcase and made some pillow covers for the living room. Something about being pregnant makes me sew and do all the old-fashioned girly stuff.

I only have 13 more days until I get to visit Chris again. I am so excited. We keep a jar of marbles in the kitchen and every day we take one out. On the very last day, we take out the last marble and head out on the road to see him. Well, Alana decided she would try to trick me and take out more than one marble at a time. I counted them and explained to her that we can’t do that because it won’t make the time go by any faster. Well, of course she fell apart and started crying and told me she wanted to go see her Daddy. It broke my heart. She is so sweet.

Evan has learned he can open the pantry door now. Can you imagine how many times a day I have to reload the pantry? He also climbs anything and everything. He will climb onto the end tables and stand up and scream MOMMY! He tells on himself.

Anyway, I hear them getting into something so I better go check.

Love you all and thanks for the prayers!

Prayers Please

2009-07-12T20:52:00.000-05:00

Even though it is hard because Chris is a couple of states away and we have two children 4 and under and our third on the way, we are one of the more blessed families. I miss Chris so much every day and so do the kids. He is the completion of me. One of the biggest blessings about this school though is I can talk to him every day.

Chris’s cousin Johnathan just deployed to Afghanistan as I have mentioned a couple of times before. Crystal is Johnathan’s wife and just happens to be my best friend. She is also pregnant and they have 3 other children under 8. She is not so blessed to get to talk to him every day. It is only a few minutes at a time and every 2-3 days.

For those of you who have never had a spouse to go away from you for an extended period of time, I will fill you in on how Crystal and I react to our situations. We will plan our entire day around the phone calls we get with our husbands. We know approximately when we will get to talk to them and even try to plan ahead for the unexpected but very welcomed surprise phone calls. Well, this morning Crystal was delivering some food to her Dad’s house because her stepmom has been very ill. She walked into the house and came back out only to see that she had just missed a phone call from Johnathan by 1 minute. Imagine how she felt. She cannot call international on her cell phone and tried to call her provider’s customer service line only to learn they were closed today. Needless to say, she was very upset. I felt so badly for her because I know how I would feel if I missed one of Chris’s calls.

I guess my whole point is to ask everyone to remember this family and all the other military families in your prayers. Think of the husbands, wives, children and even the tiny babies who deal with this situation. They need strength, love, and encouragement. They need your prayers.

Just from my short time being away from Chris, the kids have changed and acted out so much more since he has been gone. They know something is missing and their way of dealing with it is acting out more and being more aggressive. I think Crystal would agree that hers have done the same thing since Johnathan has been gone. This in turn adds more stress to the mothers, especially the worn out and tired pregnant mothers, and makes for a more difficult experience. Crystal and I were just talking today about how God has put the two of us together because He knew we needed each other. Out of a 45 minute phone conversation between the two of us, about 35 minutes of that is the two of us screaming at our kids, but we draw strength from it knowing the other is going through a similar situation.

So please, when you do say your prayers, remember Crystal and Johnathan and their family, Chris and me and our family, and the other military families. We all need it, even if we tell you we are fine.

Love you all!

Tired

2009-07-11T19:51:00.000-05:00

Today was such an exhausting day. Evan got a vaccine Thursday and since he got that shot, he has been so cranky. He has literally chased me around the house hitting me. This morning I decided I needed to get away from him for a little while. Thankfully, my Mom kept the kids while Stef and I went to Jasper. We got some groceries and shopped around and by the end of the day my whole body aches. I hurt all over. I guess the pregnancy has weakened me and the extra weight made me ache.

It is days like this when I miss Chris so bad I can barely stand it. Even when I am tired, if he is around I somehow manage to pull together more strength. But with him not here, it seems to make me even more tired and sluggish. I miss him so much. Just to see his handsome face would renew my strength.

I guess my point is that in times like these, I really have to rely on God to strengthen me. He knows how tired I get and how much I miss Chris. He provides me more strength and comfort when I need it, even if it isn’t the same strength and comfort I get from Chris.

I am counting the days until I get to see Chris again. Just 19 more days. Even though it will be hard to tell him goodbye when I leave him at the hotel again the second time, I know that the third time I go to see him, I am taking him home.

I hope you all have a wonderful evening. And when you say your prayers, please remember Donna Wynn, a dear friend. She is at UAB and will have surgery Tuesday to remove a mass. Please pray for her.

Love you all!

God is Great

2009-07-08T21:17:00.001-05:00

God is so wonderful!

Yesterday evening I spoke to Chris and he was not feeling well. He had been coughing and feeling weak. He told me PT was tough and he was very tired. Well, I have always been there to take care of Chris when he is sick so I felt real bad that I couldn’t take care of him. I said a prayer that night and asked God to help him to be healthy and stay strong. Today I spoke to him and he did not have to do PT because he had to do some other things that were required of him, something called SRPs. He also mentioned that they will not be doing PT the rest of the week. God knew he was not feeling well and took care of PT for him the rest of the week. Isn’t that wonderful! I thank God for taking care of Chris!

I am counting the days until I get to see him! 22 days to be exact. I am sooooo looking forward to it. It will be the weekend of our 7th year wedding anniversary. We have been together 11 years and married for 7. It has been the best years of my life and I cannot wait to give him a giant hug and kiss.

Please pray for Chris. Pray he will feel better and get his school work done. He has a briefing to do tomorrow and his sacred communication on Friday. Please pray for him to do well. I know he will because he does great in everything!

Thank you all for your prayers!

My Handsome Soldier

2009-07-05T20:25:00.004-05:00

Well, we are back from South Carolina. We got to spend Thursday night through Sunday morning with Chris and it was so wonderful to be with him. I had put on a sort of hard shell after he left and tried not to allow myself to miss him too much so I wouldn’t get too lonely or upset. But when I opened the door and saw him standing there, the shell shattered. He looked so handsome in his uniform and I wanted to just hold on to him and not let go but I held back so the kids could get their time with him first. He has lost some weight and he looked amazing. He is absolutely the most handsome man on earth!

Chris took us on post and showed us where he does all of his PT and classes. I took some pictures of the chapels he has visited and we bought plenty of Army shirts and gear at the PX for me and the kids. We had dinner out and relaxed in the pool at the hotel. It was so nice to be a functioning family again.

I started packing up last night and cried a lot but never let Chris see me because I know this isn't easy for him either. I am sure he gets so lonely without his family there. This morning I was trying to get ready to go and I just couldn’t hold it back. I cried and cried. I just didn’t want to leave. It broke my heart to have to leave him there. I am trying my best to be strong but I miss him so bad. I cannot even put into words how bad I miss him and want him home. We said our goodbyes in the hotel parking lot and left. I cried for a while. I just didn’t want to be away from him anymore. Alana cried too.

We finally got home to a very lonely and empty house around 6:30 this evening. I pulled into the yard and didn’t even want to go into the house. I walked in and started to unpack and now that the kids are in bed it is quiet and I just want my husband here. I want him here so bad I can barely stand myself. I don’t want to sleep in that bed without him. I don’t want to wake up and not see him there next to me. I want to just get back in the car and drive back to South Carolina to be with him.

I know I sound pitiful but I know it will be alright. I just want him home so bad. I don’t know how wives handle deployment. I want to be with Chris every day. I don’t want to be away from him. When he does get back home, I am not sure how much I will allow him out of my sight for the first few days. I am going to cling to him.

Anyway, I am sure you are all tired of hearing me whine so I will try to stop now. I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I also want to thank everyone who helped me out during this trip. I appreciate everything that all of you have done.

Please continue to pray for us, we need it.

I love you all!

Phase I Complete

2009-06-26T19:41:00.000-05:00

My husband has successfully completed Phase I of CHBOLC (Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course). I am so proud of him. He got to take half the day off and even has the weekend off. I am so glad he will get some rest.

That isn’t the only great news. I finally get to see him next week! It will be so wonderful to actually get to give him a huge hug and kiss! I miss him terribly and so do the kids. We will get to spend a few days there and celebrate the 4th of July with him.

I had my 22 week checkup yesterday and Owen’s heart rate was 150. Everything so far points to him being so much like Alana. He moves around a lot like her and has a fast heart like her. I gained 7 pounds in 4 weeks. The scary part is that most of that was in my belly. I am beginning to wonder if there isn’t a giant in there. I am getting bigger a lot faster this time. I guess that has a lot to do with how soon I am having him after having Evan and the fact this is my third baby.
Anyway, the Lord is definitely blessing us. I look around each day and realize just how blessed we are to have what we do and to also have each other. I may be tired and my kids may get loud and rowdy, but they are God’s gifts to me and Chris and I thank him for them.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please remember us as next week we will be doing some traveling.

Love you all!

PRAISE GOD SOME MORE!

2009-06-20T20:15:00.000-05:00

Only 12 more days before I get to go to South Carolina! I miss Chris so much. He is doing very well and I am so proud of him. Tomorrow is Father’s Day and I really wish I could be with him to give him a huge hug and kiss and tell him how much I love him and appreciate what a great Daddy he is.

Speaking of what a great Daddy he is, he is the best. He dived right in since I was pregnant with Alana. He went to all my doctor visits. When she was born, he picked right up and changed diapers, fed her, and took care of her right away. And of course this has always continued throughout her life and Evan’s. Now that we are going to have our third child in just 4 more months, I cannot wait to see him take care of him too. He has such a wonderful gentle touch with them and loves them with all his heart.

Anyway, now that I have probably sickened you all with my mushiness, I have some more great news. I told you all Chris’s car cranked right not too long ago and he took it to the shop. Well he had them run an electrical test on the car and everything came up just fine. He was trying to get them to look at some other things and they never got to it so he went to pick up his car and again it started right up. Praise God! I prayed God would send an angel to touch his car and he certainly did. Not only did his car crank, but he isn’t having any trouble out of it now. Thank you Jesus for you miraculous works!

Please continue to pray for Chris, God has definitely been answering these prayers!

Love you all!

PRAISE GOD!

2009-06-14T16:55:00.001-05:00

I just got off the phone with Chris. You would think it would be easier as time goes on, but with me it has proven otherwise. As time goes by it gets harder. I miss him sooooooo much!

Anyway, today is Sunday and I am somewhat ashamed to say that I did not go to church. I am so frustrated because when I go to church, Evan screams the entire time. Then I take him to the nursery where he plays with toys. So why would I not just stay at home and let him play with his own toys and take his scheduled naps? I will be so glad when he gets old enough for children’s church. Crystal offered to help me with him but the thing is, Evan won’t stay with anyone else or he freaks out. Especially now that Chris has been gone, if I walk outside for a second he screams.

If you have read Chris’s blog, you will know that he has injured his legs. He pushed himself too hard and now his legs are hurting. He has a PT test on Friday, June 26 so let’s all pray that he will blow it away just like he did the last one.

I just want to testify for a minute here. If you didn’t read my last blog, I told how Chris’s car wouldn’t start and I prayed that God would send an angel to touch his car and that the nest time he went to crank it that it would start right up. Well, PRAISE GOD! His car started! God answers prayers people! We are living breathing proof of that! He drove it to a garage where they will look it over and let him know what is going on. We are going to pray that it is something really cheap or nothing at all. God already saved us money on towing, He can save us money on repairs too! I just want to thank you all for also praying for him and his car! God is so wonderful!

I need to go wake Evan up from his nap. I don’t want him sleeping too long so he will go to bed on time tonight. When 8 p.m. comes, I put the kids to bed and watch tv in my bed and cross-stitch. That is how I unwind. Yes I know, I sound like an 80 year old, but it is what I enjoy. I also like to eat smores. This baby loves chocolate....and pizza...and milk...and pretty much anything I don’t have to cook myself. Anyway, love you all!

Too Quiet

2009-06-12T13:40:00.001-05:00

Last night was one of the more difficult nights for me for some reason. I didn’t even want to turn off the tv to go to sleep because I missed Chris so bad and didn’t want it to get quite in the room. I reached over to snuggle with my pillow and it was so cold and dull. Even though I am trying to get Alana to sleep in her bed the whole night, I have to say that when she sneaks in my bed in the early morning, it is comforting.

I said I was going to let the cats sleep with me at night while Chris was gone, but for some reason Pooh likes to lay directly on my face or tries to lick me. When I push him away he then turns around and sits on my head....that is when I throw him out. PJ is too good to snuggle. He would rather sit right next to you and stare at you, which makes me a little uncomfortable. So cats are NOT good snuggle buddies. So for now I will stick to the pillows until Alana sneaks in.

Chris did well in the gas chamber. He said it wasn’t too bad for him, which we knew because we had prayed for him not to get sick. God is truly watching out for him. I am praying that God sends an angel to fix his car. I believe he can do it. It won’t start. I prayed that God would send an angel to just touch the car and that it would work again. He doesn’t even have to send an angel, He could just let it happen. Either way, everyone please pray that Chris’s car will start the next time he tries it.

Father’s Day is approaching soon and I feel terrible that Chris will not get to be with the kids on that day. We gave him a gift before he left but I would much rather us all be together. But not too long after that we will see him for several days.

Evan and Alana are doing well with this but I can tell here and there that they are missing their Daddy. Alana cries when she goes to bed at night. Evan has become very sensitive to me walking away from him. But otherwise they are happy and healthy children. Thank God! They are so smart too. Alana is learning to read a new book; Evan is learning lots of new words. Owen is kicking me harder each day. Such blessings are my children.

Please continue to pray for us all, especially Chris.

Love you all!

Gas Chamber

2009-06-10T08:20:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone for your many prayers! Chris is doing fantastic in his school. I knew he would. Not to brag or anything, but I married THE man! I married him for many reasons and his strength was one of them. And those stunning good looks help too!

ANYWAY! He will be going through the gas chamber today. He went through this in boot camp. I don’t really know exactly the type of gas it is, but the will take a group inside, close all the doors and make them take off their masks and inhale the gas for a certain amount of time. I saw this on his boot camp tape and those poor guys were coming out throwing up and with all sorts of liquid coming out of their faces. Thankfully he knows what to expect. I have been praying for him this morning that God will strengthen him and that he will not feel a thing, just like the three in the fiery furnace. I prayed God would send his angel to guard Chris and keep him safe and help him not to get sick.

Things here at home are great. I am keeping us busy and we are counting the days until we get to go to South Carolina and see Daddy. Not too many left, but of course it seems like a long time.
Baby Owen is beginning to move around a lot. I feel him kick every evening, just like with Evan. For some reason the boys like to party all night. My belly is getting big. Well, it seems as if it is getting big to me because I have to carry it.

Alana had her second dental appointment yesterday. Her second ever, that is. The first time she was only 2. This time they got to clean her teeth. No x-rays though because she was too scared. Great news, her teeth are great and there are no cavities! Same for me, except I need braces. That will just have to come with time I guess. Chris and I both need them and will save up for that.

I have an address for Chris is anyone would like to write him. Please do not decorate any packages or make them fancy because this will require him to do push-ups.

Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course
Class #09-002
2LT Christopher N. Cameron
USACHCS
10100 Lee Road
Fort Jackson, SC 29207-7090

Thanks to all for your prayers! Keep praying for him!

Love you all!

PT Test Results

2009-06-06T15:52:00.001-05:00

I want to thank you all for your many thoughts and prayers. As you may already know from reading Chris’s blog, he passed his PT test. Not only did he pass it, he did EXCELLENT! He could have used up 8 minutes and 51 seconds on the 1 mile run but he did it in 6 minutes and 47 seconds. I knew my man could do it with the help of his Heavenly Father! I have complete faith in Chris and in God and know that as a team, they can accomplish anything!

More good news, Evan is doing better. As it turns out, he is having a reaction to an immunization that he had last week. He had his MMR vaccine and it caused him to spike a fever. When we arrived at the doctor’s office, he began to break out in a rash. I thank God it happened there and not down the road after the appointment. I had concern because he had been running a fever with no other symptoms. With his past urinary tract infection, I was concerned he may have another one. But, as usual, God answered our prayers and my little boy is doing just fine.

Please continue to pray for Chris and our family!

Love you all!

Waiting

2009-06-05T10:22:00.000-05:00

Today is the day Chris is taking a PT test. I cannot wait to hear from him to see how he did. It stinks to have to sit back and wait until he calls. I always wonder how he is doing in everything and can’t wait until he calls in the evening to see how his day went.

Today started out with the usual chaos around here. Evan woke up every half hour from about 3:30 until 5:30 then he finally fully wok at 7:30. I knew he felt hot during the night but not until I took his temperature did I know he had a fever. I have no idea why he has one. It is 101.3. He acts fine so I am not worried.

Alana has been acting out so bad since Chris has been in school. She has been screaming and stomping her feet at me. Yesterday she got several spankings for her attitude and has improved a little bit today. I know she misses getting her Daddy’s attention and she always screams for him when she gets a spanking.

Things are otherwise good here. I just ask that everyone PLEASE pray for Chris. Pray God will give him strength and encouragement.

Thank you!

Update

2009-06-03T15:57:00.001-05:00

Chris seems to be doing well so far. Things will pick up toward the end of the week, but for right now it is a lot of paperwork and dental and physical exams. Today was his first day in uniform. Previously they had been wearing civilian clothes to do most everything. He got a leadership role, something called an S-2 I believe, which is an intelligence role. That is most of what I know about that. Today I spoke to him briefly and he said they had been marching some and he liked doing that. He doesn’t like sitting still very long, he likes to stay busy.

The kids and I are doing well too. I thank everyone for the prayers and thoughts. I stay very busy with the kids and have picked up cross-stitching again, which I love. I also school my nieces in the mornings, which keeps me very busy. I love it all.

I am helping Alana count the days until we make the trip to see him. I have a jar where we keep glass beads and each day we take one out. When the jar is empty, we will leave to go see Daddy. I got the idea from Military Spouse magazine. I need to subscribe to that while I am thinking about it.

When Evan hears the dogs bark, he runs to the door and starts saying "Dada". Today he got real excited and clapped his hands and started saying it so we tried to play with him and keep him busy.

I am praying that God will pour His favor on Chris and that Chris will be at the top of his class. I pray he is at the top of the class in everything, including PT (physical Training). Friday they will have what is a mini PT test, which is like half of what the regular PT test would be. I will be praying that he not only pass, but excel above the rest of the class.

I am now 19 weeks pregnant and Owen is getting wild. My stomach sometimes feels like there is an octopus in there. I forgot how precious those movements are. They are wonderful. My stomach seems to be blowing up quickly. It is a little scary that soon I am going to have 3 children. It seems scary but I have to say with all honesty, I am honored that God has chosen me to bear children and teach them in the way of the Bible.
Please pray for our family.

If you would like Chris’s side of the story, I have a link to the left of this which says Lieutenant Cameron’s Journey. Please drop in and let him know you are thinking of him.

Hard Times

2009-05-31T20:54:00.000-05:00

Saturday was a very difficult day for our family. Chris left for Officer School. I think we all tried so hard to be strong but it was just too hard. We all had a big hug and walked him out. As we watched him drive away I tried to stay strong for the kids. I took them inside and turned on a cartoon and walked into the bedroom to cry. Alana was watching me very closely so I had to be careful not to stay in the bedroom crying too long.

Mom and Stef were going to Jasper so I decided we would go with them to keep ourselves busy. We had a good time. We then came home and swam a little in the pool. The kids all had a great time. Evan actually went to bed early! Alana spent the night with Mom, which made things harder on me because I missed her and Chris so much.

I talked to Chris and he made it safely, which was a relief. This isn’t going to be an easy process but I have complete faith in Chris and in Jesus and I know that Jesus will hold his hand and help him through this school.

Today was even more difficult. I barely slept last night because the bed felt so cold and empty. I couldn’t shut my mind off. When I woke up I was fine but then as we started to leave for church, Evan began to throw one of his fits and I lost it. I cried like a baby. We left for church and I cried almost the whole way there. When we got to church, Evan looked up to the sound room and started calling for Dada. I got teary eyed and had to keep myself busy. I wanted to go to Sunday school to request that everyone pray for Chris but I couldn’t do it. I knew if I went in there that I would cry if I requested prayer for him so I just didn’t go in. I didn’t get to stay in service either because Alana started crying because she missed her Daddy and Evan started throwing another fit. We stayed in the nursery the whole time.

After church I went to Chris’s mom and dad’s house like we do every Sunday after church. I was so lonely. I kept busy though because Evan gets in to EVERYTHING there. I guess I missed him more there than at church.

He checked in at 1 today, 2 there. He got some paperwork done and will be getting processed in most of the week. They will start PT (Physical Training) Friday. Right now it is a lot of paperwork. We talked to him several times today. I get all weepy when we say bye on the phone. I try not to let him hear me get upset though.

I really appreciate all the phone calls, prayers, and support.

I would like for everyone to please continue to pray for Chris during this time. He needs strength and comfort from God. Please remember our family in your prayers.

Love you all!

Ultrasound Results!!!!

2009-05-27T14:30:00.001-05:00

Well, yesterday was my ultrasound. My suspicions were correct. I have craved beef and potatoes, I have been real tired, I have not been a pleasure to be around. I should have known there was a little boy in there. Our little Owen Alexander is doing just fine. He is healthy and happy in mommy’s tummy. He hid his face almost the entire time. He had both arms crossed in front of his face. It was so cute. He had his knees drawn in toward his tummy so he was curled up in a little ball. Owen weighs 7 ounces! He is still due to arrive around October 28.

It is so wonderful to get to see our little man in there. I am so thankful for the technology today. I could never wait until I had the baby to know what I was having!

Alana really wanted a baby sister and was a little disappointed, but she helped me pick out a few little things for Owen at the Galleria yesterday. We had girl’s day out while Evan stayed with Nana.

It is a lot easier knowing that now I don’t have to redecorate the nursery. I can keep the boy stuff in there for a while. That will be a time saver. And because Evan and Owen will be so close in age, I can just pass clothes down from Evan to Owen without even packing them up. What a great time saver! My only thoughts on having two boys at such a close age range is the trouble they can get into together. Chris tells me stories of him and Mark when they were small, and they were 2 years apart. Evan and Owen will be about 19 months apart. But that’s alright, God will never give me more than I can handle. I am a pretty tough mommy if I do say so myself. I will have the most well mannered and handsome boys in town.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, please continue to pray for us. Chris will begin his Officer School in just 4 days. Please keep him in your prayers. Thank you all!

Hiccups

2009-05-18T14:45:00.000-05:00

I know this seems silly to some, but I am so excited about it! My baby had hiccups for the first time today! I could feel tiny little pulses, it was sooooo sweet! Just 8 more days until I know if it is a precious little boy or a precious little girl. I don’t care which it is, I just want a healthy, happy baby.

My belly is growing and my energy is diminishing. I had forgotten how tired you can get while growing a life inside your tummy. I try to sit on the couch whenever possible and relax, but is is rare and about to become even more rare.

Chris will be starting his Officer School, also called CHBOLC, I think it stands for Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course, but I could be wrong. He begins in 13 days. I am sure that none of us are very excited about it, but we will be thrilled when he graduates! I was upset at first because I would be 7 months pregnant when he graduates and will be a whale at the wife formal. But now I am going to strut my big ol belly and be proud of my man! Afterall, this isn’t about me. I just wanted him to have a pretty wife on his arm, not a whale. But anyway, it is going to work out just fine.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic day!

Heartbeat

2009-04-30T12:46:00.000-05:00

Tuesday was a very special day for me. I went for my 14 week checkup and got to hear my baby’s heartbeat. It was in the 150s and sounded a lot like Alana’s did. Evan had a slow beat and Alana had a fast one. So based on that, I think it is a girl, but based on the fact that I want a girl, I am going to have to say it is probably a boy. We will find out on May 26 at 10:00 a.m. I am so excited!

Chris will leave only a few days after the ultrasound to go to South Carolina for Officer School. The first month is like boot camp so when I get to see him he will probably look a lot different. He will probably shed some weight. He always looks good though, no matter what he weighs. We will go visit him in July and he graduates at the end of August so we will see him here and there.

I am not going to complain though because my friend Crystal has it a lot tougher. She is about 13 weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy and her husband Johnathan leaves for Afghanistan on May 10, Mother’s Day. He will be gone an entire year and won’t get to see the birth of their baby. Chris will be back about 8 weeks before our baby is due. Everyone please be in prayer for Crystal and Johnathan.

Speaking of Mother’s Day, it is coming up May 10 so all you out there remember your wonderful mother and how much she loved you. If she is still around, do something to show her you love her. Mothers mostly just want some love. Just give them a huge hug or call them if you cannot be there. They just want to know you love them. I just want my kids to give me lots of hugs and kisses.

Anyway, I have a new link to Chris’s blog. He had stopped writing in it because he was so busy but I am going to help him keep up with it during his schooling. I also have a new poll on my page. Please take my poll and tell me if you think I will be having a boy or a girl.

Love you all!

Prayer

2009-04-18T11:14:00.000-05:00

Do you ever stop to think about how busy God is? I barely have time to sit down during the day with so much housework and the kids. I have numerous other things I do as well. One day as I was going back into the house after forgetting something, I stopped for a minute and I asked God, “What is it like for you? I can barely manage my life, how do you manage everyone else’s?” Of course I didn’t receive a verbal answer, although sometimes I would like to hear an audible voice. But He did remind me that He is God and He can do anything. I am only human and I have to ask Him for help. So with my usually poor attitude I muttered, “Please help me. I can’t do anything without you.” And of course, I made it through that day. I always do, but I always am reminded that I need His help.

On a different subject, I went to church with a lady name Peggy for most of my childhood. She is a very nice lady. She was having some health issues and needed to have her gallbladder out. While in surgery, the doctor accidently nicked her bowel. As a result, her waste spilled into her body. I got a phone call that she may not make it. As I hung up the phone, I knelt down and noticed Alana was watching me. It occurred to me that this could be a lesson for her. I called her into the living room and explained that a lady named Peggy was very sick and needed us to pray for her. I held her hand and prayed out loud so she could hear. When we got through I hugged her and told her I loved her. She was smiling and just walked away like it pleased her for me to include her in this special time of prayer. The next day I was told Peggy was doing much better and was sitting up in her bed. Praise God for answering prayers. I would like for everyone to add Peggy to your prayer lists.

Yesterday I received another bad phone call. My father-in-law Sonny works with a young man named Chris. Chris is a teenager and is working for the city and going to school and has a baby on the way. A lot of guys gave Chris a hard time because he was always on the phone with his girlfriend. He began to pull away from these guys and keep his distance. Well, yesterday while flagging cars on the road, one of the cars hit him. The car behind the first car run him over as well. He was flown to UAB. Sonya called me to pray for him and I did. Later , my Chris called to check the latest and we were told he had passed away. I felt terrible.

I don’t know the details of how fast the car was driving or how many signs were up around the area warning of the crew ahead, but I do know that if we would all slow down and take responsibility and do the right thing, these types of accidents would not happen as frequently. Honestly, if Jesus were here on earth today and actually drove a car, do you think he would obey the speed limit? Do you think He would respect the road signs and the flags being tossed in the air as warning that there is a crew in the area? We all need to wake up. Chris is not the only one who works on these roads. My father-in-law still has that job and so do many other hard-working men and women. These men and women are mothers and fathers and grandparents, husbands and wives. Please take your time. Don’t be in a hurry. After all, numerous times I have been obeying the speed limit, have been passed by a car and later pull up right behind them at the red light or stop sign. You aren’t getting there much quicker than anyone else if you are in a hurry.

I would like for everyone to please remember Chris’s family in your prayers. His girlfriend, their baby, his parents and everyone around him need strength during this time. Pray that someone be saved out of this tragedy.

I love you all. Please drive carefully. May God bless you and your families.

Busy Week

2009-04-03T20:48:00.001-05:00

A lot has happened this week. Tuesday I had my first ultrasound for this pregnancy. It was so joyous to see my little miracle. We could see the baby’s toes and fingers, head, heartbeat....everything. It was so wonderful. If there was ever any anxiety about having a third child, it melted away during the ultrasound. Toward the end of the exam, the baby started moving its legs and then stuck up its little hand as if to wave at us and say hello. I almost was in tears. It is such a wonderful thing to see. The doctor said everything looks perfect. The baby is about an inch long so far. The due date is still at 10/28/2009. I am so full of joy. Next ultrasound will be at the end of May, just a few days before Chris goes to Officer School and then we will be able to know what the baby will be, boy or girl.

Today, my little man had surgery. At birth he was unable to have his circumcision performed for various reasons. They examined him at a few months old and decided to do it when he turned a year old. Today it was done. This kind of stuff is all new to me because there are no boys in the family. I felt so sorry for him. When he came out of recovery he was crying. He probably woke up terrified because Mommy wasn’t with him. But he is fine, the good Lord above made sure to guide the surgeon’s hand. He is doing fine right now. He is so spoiled rotten. I think it was harder on me than him.

Well, I don’t have a lot of time. I have a lot to do while the children are sleeping. God bless you all!

Surprise

2009-03-10T07:01:00.001-05:00

I have wrote in the past that God is teaching me that I am not in control. Apparently, I have still not gotten the point. I like to plan things years in advance if possible. We planned every detail of Alana's and Evan's birth years in advance. We plan vacations years in advance, we are planners.

I have been praying for God to help me with a lot of areas in my life. I have prayed for him to make me a gentle, kind, and loving person. I have prayed for him to help me be a better wife and a better mother. But not just better, the best He would have me be for my husband and children.

You see, the last year has been very difficult. A lot has happened. Evan especially was a challenge because of how much he cried and still cries. Chris and I had plans for a big family but when Evan came along I questioned everything. I prayed to God and asked Him to please let me know if I was supposed to have more children. I also prayed that if we were supposed to have more children that the next one would not cry as much. Anyway, I still was unsure about having more children.

Then it happened. A positive pregnancy test. VERY unplanned. VERY unexpected. I have to admit that when I saw the results I nearly fainted. I immediately told Chris. You see, we did not have plans for another child for another couple of years. This was quite a shock, especially considering that Evan will only be a year old at the end of this month.

It took me a few days to get used to the idea of being pregnant again, especially considering I had just two days earlier gotten back to my pre-pregnancy weight with Evan, but I thank the Lord for His gracious gift to us. Of course we wanted more children, just not so soon. But my wonderful husband has a way of making me feel better. He said, "This was a gift from God to us." I agree. At first I was shocked but now, I rejoice.

My due date is October 28, 2009. I can hardly believe this will be our third child. Thank you Jesus for such a beautiful gift. Every baby is a gift from God. God must really love us because we have such a wonderful family. I am so excited to once again be having a baby, even though it was unexpected.

And as for how many we may have....we aren't sure. So for those who looked at me with complete confusion when we made our announcement, we may have more after this, so prepare yourselves. We are making a family for God. People do have more than two kids ya know.

Anyway, there it is....I am pregnant. I am joyous. Thank you God!

Missing Information

2009-01-24T21:25:00.002-06:00

It always seems as if the military always holds information back unless you truly need to know and UNTIL you need to know. Chris was told he would not get to go to his officer school until his final year of schooling. Come to find out, it has to be completed during his first two years of schooling. So…..I guess he will be going to officer school within the next year or so. It is a 12 week course in South Carolina. I can visit all I want but that would mean driving 8+ hours with two kids younger than age 4. I will do it once for sure to see his graduation and maybe once to go visit about midway through the school. We have never been apart for longer than about 2 ½ weeks so this will be difficult.

I spent another night without him Thursday night. He had to stay overnight in Montgomery and work with Chaplain Collins to get some extra experience. Strangely enough he stayed in the exact same hotel room we stayed in when we went down March 20-21, 2008 to be sworn in. Ah the memories.

Chris came home last night. It is alright to have some time away but one night is plenty for me. I am not needy but I am in love. I don’t like being away from him long. I guess when it comes time for him to go to officer school I will have to get used to it. The kids miss him like crazy, especially Alana. She cried when she went to bed Thursday night. She doesn’t understand why he has to spend the night away. I woke up around 3 a.m. and she was lying right next to me in the bed. I snuggled next to her and went back to sleep.

On a stranger note, I was just thinking earlier of how much like Martha Stewart I am and then remembered that you never see her with a man. Now I know it is because she is too neat and likes things done her way. Well, just call me mini Martha. Now throw a G.I. Joe in the mix. It is a humorous situation. Then throw two children in the mix. What should we call ourselves? We need some sort of superhero name. Alana says we are the Incredibles. She loves that cartoon. And right now I will have to agree with her. We are the Incredibles! Look out world, here we come!

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T09:09:00.001-06:00

It has been a while since I last wrote. We have been very busy around here.

This was Evan’s first Christmas. My little baby is growing so fast. He of course was more interested in the wrapping paper than the actual gifts. One of his gifts was an outfit just like Chris’s ACU’s. (Those are the digital camouflage for those of you who are not familiar with military terms.) He looked so adorable in them. Mom ordered them and even sewed Chris’s rank on his cap and his unit patch on his sleeve. He looked exactly like his Daddy. I guess the most fascinating part of the whole experience is at age 9 months, Evan looked so natural in the uniform. He has the military look already. I guess that is what I get for naming him Evan Bane. Evan means young warrior and Bane means destruction. For clarification, I did not know this until AFTER I named him and he was several months old.

Anyway, as Christmas came and left, it made me realize just how blessed we really are. Alana and Evan got more toys than Santa could possibly even hold in a sleigh. A lot of people were telling me what they had received as Christmas gifts and it will make you feel real blessed when you hear that some people got nothing. Although, sometimes I would rather someone else get everything I got instead of me.

So today is January 2, 2009. 2008 brought much stress but even more blessings. Here is a short list of some of the things that happened in 2008 for us: Chris was sworn in as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Chris began attending drills, Chris began attending school to get a Master’s in Divinity to become a Chaplain in the Army, I gave birth to our second child- a little boy named Evan, Evan was hospitalized with a UTI, e-coli, and c-diff bacteria, Evan has colic and has cried since birth, the doctors told us Evan possibly had asthma, surprise, they are wrong because my children have been healed by God……..that is just a few of the things we have experienced over the last year.

I guess the hardest thing for me in 2008 was to learn that I am not in control. No matter how much effort I put out or how much I think I can control what happens in my life, I have zero control. So now, I have learned to let go and let God have control. I believe I got too comfortable in my life and God had to let me know that my life is not for me to live for me, it is for me to live for Him. As Toby Mac says in one of his songs, “How could I forget that I was born to love you, I was born just for you, made to adore you.” So this year I am going to move forward knowing that God has a perfect plan for our lives and that as long as I am living for Him, He will always take care of me.

Over the next year I will try and remember this:

Jeremiah prayed, “I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23 (NIV)

Later in the book of Jeremiah, this is what God has to say, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you…..” Jeremiah 29:11-14

What a wonderful God we serve.

I encourage you; if you are reading this and are not saved, if you haven’t accepted Jesus in your heart as your personal Savior, please do so now before it is too late. Why not? You have tried everything else to find happiness, why not try just giving your life to the one have gave it to you to begin with? Make 2009 the year for you to give your life to God once and for all. If you don’t know what to say or how to pray, here is an example:

Jesus, I give my heart and my life to you. Please forgive me for my sins and the bad things I have done. Help me to please you in all that I do. Lead me down the right road and help me to be obedient to you, In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Reading the Bible will help you lead a more stable and obedient life. There is no excuse not to read the Bible. A lot of people say they have trouble understanding the Bible but there are many translations that you can purchase that will help you learn and understand. I have a Bible called Life Application Study Bible. It is in the New International Version, which is much easier to understand than King James. Not only are the actual verses easier to understand, there are notes at the bottom of the pages that explain the verses in more depth.

If you need help finding the Bible that is right for you, you can research them at different book store websites or you can email me at caacameron@aol.com and I will be happy to help you find a good Bible.

I hope everyone reading this has a very wonderful new year loaded with the many wonderful blessings of God.

Veteran's Day

2008-11-12T14:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Veteran’s Day. Veteran’s Day is very special in our home, mainly because Chris is Veteran, but also because if it weren’t for our veterans, we would not be free in our country today.

Yesterday was one of the most special days for me. Chris marched in the Birmingham Veteran’s Day parade. It is one of the largest Veteran’s Day celebrations in the nation and we were a part of it. It was the first parade I have ever got to see him in.

When we arrived I saw all the military uniforms and immediately my heart felt at home. I don’t know what it is but when I see those uniforms, I know it is where I am supposed to be. When we found a spot to watch the parade, we waited for about half an hour before it began. I thought I was going to go nuts because I couldn’t wait for it to start. I was so excited. I love the military and I love to watch everything they do.

The parade started and his unit was one of the first to march by. I was so proud as he walked by. Part of me wanted to scream as loud as I could, “That’s my man!” Instead I was screaming for the kids to look at their Daddy marching. I noticed all the people watching and cheering as they all passed by. I swelled with pride because my husband was one of them.

Of course my joy was rudely interrupted when my digital camera stopped working. It stopped before I got a single picture of him. When I finally got it working again, I hurried down the street trying to catch up with his unit so I could get a picture. I squeezed my way through hundreds of people. There wasn’t nobody gonna stop me from getting my picture of my soldier. Finally I caught up and got a few pictures before they began to march away.

After his unit was finished with their part in the parade, he came over to where we were and watched the remainder of the parade with us. I was so proud to display my man in his uniform.
Ahhh, I am married to a soldier and I love it. Maybe I was meant to be an Army wife from the beginning. I guess all those years of fighting it did me no good. When a helicopter or airplane flies over the house, I am proud to say I run as fast as I can outside to see what kind it is and how low it is flying. So now, I am not going to hide it anymore. I am an Army wife and I am proud of it.

To all veterans and current members of the military, Happy Veteran’s Day.

We are holding a special military service at New Life Worship Center in Quinton, Alabama on November 16 at 10:45. All past and present military and all military families are welcome. We will be hosting a dinner after service in honor of our service members.

Great News!

2008-10-17T12:03:00.000-05:00

Wonderful news! Chris passed his second course in his Masters of Divinity. It was History of Christianity 1. It was very hard. I watched some of the DVDs and it talked about things you would be shocked to hear. Anyway, he will start his 3rd course Monday, it is Apologetics I believe. He has 5 books to read for an 8 week course.

Meanwhile he is at Fort McClelland this weekend for drills. He left out at 5 this morning. I always miss him so much when he is gone. I hold on to everything of his I can when he is gone. I wear his shirts, smell his pillow, the works. When he leaves out for drills, he leaves ridges in the carpet where he has walked with his boots on and I make a point to walk around them so as not to make the boot print go away. I know it sounds silly to most but I love my man with all my heart and even if he is gone just for one night it feels like eternity.

As he put on his boots this morning he felt something in them. He looked inside and Alana had filled his boots full of pennies. She was making sure her Daddy was taken care of. She is such a doll. Evan was awake when Chris left out and watched him put on part of his uniform. It is amazing how much you can love somebody. Chris has definitely got all the love he will ever need.

Anyway, I am going to bunk with Mom this weekend. I get bored in the house by myself. I try to go out and keep my mind off Chris being gone.
Even though I get lonely without Chris, I am never truly alone. My Father in Heaven makes sure of that.

Rejoice and be glad!

2008-08-13T11:05:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when you read a story in the Bible you wonder why God allows some things to happen. But then the Spirit will help you to understand in a way you never imagined.
In the book of Job you will read what a horrible period of time Job experienced. God allowed satan to torture Job because He knew that Job would not turn from Him. I can thank God that I have not been tortured like Job was but we have been tested for about the last month. In the middle of it all I found myself inside the chapel at Children’s Hospital begging for God to strengthen me.

I guess it all started about a month ago when Chris and I began to pray for something specific. It is something neither of us knew much about or had experienced. We knew that it would take time and that God would have to show us the way. Little did we know that it required such testing. I do believe that God will test you to make sure you are ready for the things you ask for.

First, our primary transportation gave out. We broke down about 30 miles from home and the van was towed away. Thankfully family was just a few miles away and was able to pick us up to carry us home. After about a week or more, we got the van back after purchasing a brand new transmission for it. Yes, that’s right, a new transmission…and various other new parts required. For those who need a “Cars for Dummies” book, a new transmission is not cheap. A couple of days later, the van begins to act up again. We put it back in the shop and it is fixed again this time just a few small parts. A few days later Evan develops a high fever. On the way to see the doctor, in the middle of the interstate, the van quits. We pull off the road and know the van will have to be towed….AGAIN! It is anywhere from 95-97 degrees at 2 o clock in the afternoon and we are broke down with no air conditioning and we have a 3 year old and the 4 month old with a burning fever in the back. I fan them the best I can while the tow truck is on its way. A family member rescues us yet again and we go straight to the doctor’s office.

After several tests it is confirmed that Evan has a UTI and needs a shot. The doctor wants us to come back the next day for a second shot. So the next day, Wednesday, we go back for the second shot and are told Evan has bacteria in the bloodstream and will need to be admitted to Children’s Hospital. When we arrive they do a spinal tap, catheter, and various blood work. He is given an IV and we are taken to our room. He is put on antibiotics and will need them for several days. Alana had to go and spend the night with Mom. This was the first time she has ever spent the night away from us. My heart cried out for her all night.
On Thursday they explain to us they can put something called a PICC in Evan. It is a more permanent IV and is more comfortable for him. It is a tiny catheter that runs through a vein in the arm all the way to his chest. With the PICC we will be able to do the IV meds from home. I had been feeling bad that day and finally that night I woke up vomiting.
Friday they put the PICC in, but because Evan is so fat, they cannot do it in his arm so they put it in his head. They show us how to administer the medications with a pump and then give us a huge box full of supplies.
Saturday we are released. I was ecstatic to see Alana! We got home and I begin to unpack. Chris comes home from drills with a terrible headache. In the midst of all the chaos, we wish each other a happy 6th wedding anniversary. That night I begin to vomit again. At midnight we do the first round of meds ourselves. It was very scary knowing I had no medical training and was doing this. Of course we couldn’t get it to work and I had to call the help line. After a long day, Chris and I pass out in exhaustion.
Sunday I go to the doctor for them to tell me I have a virus (DUH!) and to drink plenty of fluids and eat some chicken noodle soup. ($25 to hear the same advice my mother had just given me in the waiting room.) I got home and Evan begins throwing up. I am flipping out because I am thinking I did something wrong with the PICC. I call his pediatrician and he tells us to come in first thing in the morning. I pack our bags because we wanted to have a professional do his meds and were prepared to be readmitted.
Monday morning we arrive at the pediatrician’s office. Evan has some terrible diapers and his stool tested positive for blood. We are readmitted to Children’s Hospital. Mom came to get Alana and I broke down when I had to watch her leave. I pressed my face and hands against the glass and watched her leave. At this point I find myself in the chapel pouring my heart out to God. My little boy is sick, I cannot be with my little girl, I am sick and we have had little sleep. I am a mess. The Spirit comforted that evening.
Tuesday we find out that Evan has a second bacteria called C-Diff and will be starting a second antibiotic.
Wednesday Chris and Alana start throwing up. Alana is staying with Mom and I cannot take care of her. This is the only time she has been sick and I couldn’t take care of her. She has been with Mom and Nana during all this and has visited a couple of times. I miss her like crazy. She had been visiting and I cried like a baby when I saw her leaving. This is when I started getting mad. I visited the chapel again and prayed for complete healing for our family. I then walked to the cafeteria where I see a little girl Alana’s age with no hair. I was then reminded of how blessed we truly are.
Thursday, of course everyone was feeling much better because I prayed and had faith that God would heal our family. Evan has a VCUG done to check for kidney reflux and OF COURSE it came back with absolutely nothing wrong with him.

I had been talking to my Dad and I told him I didn’t understand why the devil attacked because it just draws us closer to God. He then brought up a good point. Some people give up and don’t turn to God.
Everything we have been going through is so minor. I may have whined about it the first couple of days but now I am just joyous. My joy will not be taken from me. I will rejoice and be glad because God has blessed us and continues to bless us.

Our children are God’s gift to us. I can remember when Alana was born, the cord was wrapped around her neck. The doctor quickly unwrapped it and she was perfectly fine. Then at seven days old, she had to have her heart shocked because it was not working properly. For two weeks, up until she was 14 days old, she was in the hospital. Now she is perfectly healthy. When Evan was born the doctor discovered he had a knot in his cord. For those not familiar with what that means, if it had tightened it would have cut off blood flow to him in the womb and he could have died. But he didn’t. My children are here today because I have prayed for them since before they were born and I had faith and continue to have faith that God will always care for them.

Sunday, we waited for the therapist to come remove Evan’s PICC from his little head. He had his last dose of antibiotics and then the PICC was removed. Finally he was free of wires and needles and cords. We put him in his carrier and rolled out of that hospital with our heads held high. As we walked down the hall I looked around and realized that not all parents walk out with healthy children. Some parents walk out with sick children or worse, no child at all. We drove out of the parking deck and I wondered how many parents had to drive away knowing they would never see their child alive again. I thanked God nearly the whole trip home. I kept looking in the back at Evan’s little face and thanking God for my healthy children.

The next time I start whining about a sick child, or anything else for that matter, I will try to remember those children walking the halls with no hair. I will remember hearing the alarms on the IV and seeing the parents walk around with stress written on their faces. I will remember that day when an alarm went off in the hospital and a rush of doctors and nurses ran to one of the rooms in fear they were losing a patient. I will remember those who are unable to even conceive a child. I will remember the parents who have to go home to empty bedrooms. In all that I will praise God for the children He has so graciously blessed us with, even when they do make me want to pull out my hair.

Now after nearly 2 weeks in the hospital, we are back at home and back in the routine of things. I have my healthy children making numerous messes for me to clean up. I laugh as I find huge clumps of play dough wrapped around the back of the kitchen chair. Ahhh, home sweet home.

Psalm 27:1-3 – The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, me heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. (NIV)

Second Sermon

2008-07-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

Sunday, July 6, 2008 was Chris’s second sermon. It was a beautiful message that spoke to many. It spoke to me for sure. It was about love.
How many of us truly love one another as Christ instructs us. He gave His life for a bunch of sinners. Are we willing to give our lives for one another? If so, that is true love.
Some of my favorite verses in the Bible are on love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable and keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures every circumstance.” (NLT)
I know for a fact just based on those verses that I have not loved the way I am supposed to. Thankfully, I have a Savior who has forgiven me. Now I just have to change my ways and become more Christ like.
John 13:34-35 says “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (NLT)
Look around in your life and ask yourself if you love everyone as Christ does.

Responsibility

2008-06-26T13:12:00.001-05:00

Sunday, June 22, 2008 was a very special day for our family. Evan, our baby boy, was dedicated to God.
It was a beautiful ceremony because we were surrounded by our lovely family and church family. Evan was dedicated along with our dear friends Micah and Maria’s beautiful daughter Skylee. It was all so wonderful. I know God has a wonderful work in store for our children.

Monday, June 23, 2008 was a difficult time for the family. A loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and friend was laid to rest. Georgia was a lovely woman. It was very difficult to say goodbye, but we all knew she was in Heaven celebrating her new life with God.
Chris was asked to do the eulogy. He has never done that before so I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for him to do his first one at his own grandmother’s funeral. He did an amazing job. He didn’t just speak about her; he spoke about Heaven and the importance of giving your heart to Jesus Christ.

How many of us have grieved over family members who have passed away? Did you wonder whether they went to Heaven or hell? What have we done to let our family know how much Jesus loves them?
Once we become saved, we are all required to reach out to others and share the love of Christ. If there is an unsaved person in your life, it is your responsibility to share Jesus with them. If not and they die and go to hell, that person’s blood is on your hands.
I know I have not done a good enough job. We all would benefit from praying and asking Jesus to help us have the boldness and the ability to reach others and bring them to Christ.
Ask God to help you reach out to someone today and every day. Our time here on earth is so limited. We have to use it wisely.

New Challenges

2008-06-21T13:22:00.001-05:00

We all face new challenges each day. Some are more difficult than others. I am so joyous to know that no matter what challenge we face God is always with us.

Around 4 a.m. this morning, Chris’s grandmother passed away. Georgia was a very kind and gentle woman with nothing but love to give. I never heard an unkind word come out of her mouth. She was such a blessing in our life.

Georgia is going to Heaven, the most wonderful place. So wonderful our human minds cannot comprehend. What a joy it will be when we are all gathered together in Heaven. I will be so happy to see her when I arrive.

Now as the challenge lies ahead to put her to rest, we rely more than ever on God’s love. Only His love can provide our hearts the comfort we need when a loved one passes away.

Do you know how much God loves you? He loves you so much that He gave His only Son to die for you. Could you allow your child to be murdered for another person’s sins? God did. He loved us so much that He allowed the blood of His own Son to be shed so that we would be forgiven from all the bad things we do.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

Do you love God? Commit your life to Him and He will take care of the rest. Let Him show you His love. All you have to do is ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive you for the sins you have committed. Ask Him to help you not to sin anymore. Trust Him. Let Him guide you. No matter what you have done, He still loves you and wants you to come to Him.

We are not guaranteed another day on this earth. Please make things right with God.

Pinning Ceremony

2008-05-09T13:44:00.000-05:00

Sunday, May 4 was Chris’s pinning ceremony.
When someone is pinned, it means they have received a new rank in the military and their new rank is pinned on to the uniform. Chris is now a Lieutenant in the United States Army. He got to choose whoever he would like to pin on his rank. He chose his parents and me.

The service began with a military related video clip. Then our talented youth group performed a drama titled God’s Army. A second military video was then played. After it finished we said the pledge. After the pledge was the pinning.

When I pinned Chris’s rank on him, I thought I would cry. But I didn’t. I was too proud. I was glowing inside. I looked at his face and I could tell how proud he was to become an officer. He is the first military officer in his family. The only military officer I have ever known. I am proud to have a soldier on my arm and it means even more to have a husband who is following the calling of God. It seems like when I pinned on his rank, I changed. Instead of worrying what path God was going to take us down next, I thanked God for using us and found a new excitement. I am excited to see where He takes us.

After the pinning, Chris received his first salute as an officer. Jonathan did the honors.

Next, the third video played. Then it was time for Chris to speak.

When Chris spoke, I was in the very back of the church running the video camera. I wanted to make sure it was zoomed in on him. I heard how sincere his words were and I knew his message was from God. I watched him speak and the Holy Spirit was on him. I could tell he was nervous so I began to pray for him. As he finished his message, he went and sat on the front row. I was hesitant to go over and sit with him because I was in tears. (I hate for anyone to see me cry.) I kept feeling this tugging at my heart to go sit with him. I looked up to where he was sitting. He was sitting in the second seat of the front row. There was one seat next to him that was empty and it was as if the Holy Spirit said to me, “That chair is yours, go take your place next to your husband.” So I gathered myself and I walked to the front row and sat next to him. Pastor then called us to the front and had our family gather around us to pray for us.

When everyone was finished praying, service was dismissed. The family and our wonderful church family came around and hugged us. I cannot express how much love and support we have received. Our families are amazing. There has not been one person who has not supported us. We have been so blessed with our relatives and our church family. We love and appreciate each and every one. Support, love, and most of all, prayers, are vital. We need all we can get.

To everyone who attended the service, I want to say a special thank you for joining us on such a special occasion. The church was so much more full than usual. I loved seeing all the filled chairs and all the friendly and familiar faces.

Before I end this entry, I just want to say a few more things.
At the end of the third video was a picture of Jesus on the cross. When you see His bloodied body and the crown of thorns on His head, what do you think about?
I think of how thankful I am He died for our sins. I feel guilt for every wrong I ever did because here is a completely innocent man hanging dead on the cross. He never sinned, yet He had to die so that I could be forgiven of mine. I then think of how much God must love us to give us His only Son. I love my children so much that I think I would die of heartbreak if anything happened to them. Yet God willingly sent Jesus for us. He was beaten and then killed in such a brutal way. And what do we do? We keep sitting around and saying, “Bless me Jesus.” What are we doing for Him? If you died right now and had to face God, what could you tell Him that you did for Him? Would we be able to tell Him that we made a difference in someone else’s life? Would we be able to tell Him that we witnessed to people and risked our own lives just to help someone accept Jesus as their Savior? Most of us won’t even risk embarrassment.
We just sit around and talk about how much bad stuff other people are doing and what they need to do to straighten out their life. Instead of talking about what they should do, uplift them in prayer and ask God to help them be more wise. Help them out. The smallest things make the biggest difference. Call someone and tell him or her you are thinking of them. If you see someone making a bad choice, stop judging him or her for it and start helping them out when they need it. We all make unwise decisions and learn from them. It is not our place to punish someone for a bad choice they made by not helping them out. We have to do our part and leave the judgment to God.Another thing I think about is how much God loves us. Think of the person you love most in your life. You would do anything, even give your life for that person. It could be your spouse, a parent, or your children. Now imagine if that person didn’t like spending time with you? You love them so much but they do not want to give up any of their own time to spend with you. You keep trying to reach out to them and you give them all that you have…..but they just won’t come to you. Now imagine how God feels when we won’t spend just a little bit of our time praying or reading His word. We have made it such a chore to come into God’s house. We think if we come to a Sunday morning service that we are doing great, but how much time do we spend with God outside of church? What do we do to bless Him? If Jesus were to come spend an entire day with you, what would you do different?

Planning

2008-04-15T12:50:00.000-05:00

We took Chris’s dress blues to the cleaners to be altered last week. I think I embarrassed him. I took pictures of the lady measuring him. I am one of those obnoxious moms and wives with the camera in their faces. I just want to make sure I have pictures of everything so we can look back and see when and where we did things. I want the kids to be able to see these events later in life when they start to understand how important it is what their daddy is doing.

I ordered some books written for military wives. They are supposed to help me understand all the military terms and the etiquette. Let’s face it, I have no knowledge of this stuff, only what Chris tells me. I want to study up on it so I can support Chris in what he is doing. I know he needs all the support he can get. I am also going to try to read all his schoolbooks with him, if possible. I have read two of them already and they were boring.

We set a date for his ceremony at church. It will be Sunday, May 4, 2008. We are trying to get all the details together. We have got to get some pictures, videos, and make the invitations. I am trying to figure out how to download videos from you tube. That website is all new to me, I have only been twice.

Anyway, on another note, our 2-week-old baby boy, Evan, laughed out loud today when I was cleaning his belly button. I was cleaning it and noticed his belly bouncing and he was making a noise. I looked at his face and he was laughing. It was so precious.

God is so great to us. We all have so much to be thankful for.

New Baby!

2008-04-07T22:01:00.000-05:00

1 week ago today, we welcomed our second child, a baby boy into this world. His name is Evan Bane. He weighed 7 pounds and 2 ounces and was 19 ¼ inches long. He is beautiful. He looks exactly like my baby pictures. I am so happy that I have a child that looks like me since Alana looks just like Chris. Evan was born healthy and continues to be healthy. The only issue is a blocked tear duct, which is a piece of cake to deal with compared to Alana’s health issues.
I am so thankful to God for our healthy family. He has truly blessed us in so many ways. The birth of my children helps me to be so appreciative of things. There are so many people who cannot even conceive a child. I have been blessed to have very healthy pregnancies and births and healthy children. I am thankful for the time we have together to bond. Chris has taken off work all last week and probably all this week to spend time with us. He is such a wonderful Dad, the best I have ever seen. I am so thankful for him.

Chris got his dress blues in the mail Friday. He put them on and it took all I had not to cry. I was so proud. He looked so handsome in them. My mom, being the wonderful mother that she is, was kind enough to come over and sew the things that needed sewn, with the exception of the hem on the pants. I can sew but I refused to touch them because I am not good enough at that kind of thing to even attempt a military uniform.
Now we have to plan for the swearing in ceremony at the church. I am really not sure what all we will do. I want it to be very special for him. I will have to set up the tripod and film it. I will also have to find someone to take pictures. As far as I know, Chris will be the very first military officer in his family. He has picked out a book for me that is an Army wife handbook to teach me all the ranks and all the military terms and stuff. I don’t have the slightest clue on how all this stuff works so I am going to need it.

First Post

2008-03-29T17:20:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe I have a blog. I am so behind the times that I had to ask where to start a blog because I had no idea what to look for.
Why am I starting a blog? I still have no idea. I guess to try to keep everyone updated on what is going on with our wonderful family. I want people to know that God is still in total control and is still using people. Our family is a family that is being used.
I am not 100 percent sure when it all began, but Chris, my wonderful husband, has been called to a ministry. He has begun the process of becoming an Army Chaplain. I could not be more proud of him.
Of course God has had to completely soften my heart to the whole idea because I wanted Chris to be out of the military for good. He was in it when I met him and after September 11, lets just say I no longer wanted him to be a part of the military. I want him at home safe with me. And now that we have children, I definitely want him to stay away from the military because I wanted us to all have as much time together as possible. So you can imagine my horror and shock when he first brought this up. I was absolutely disgusted.
I believe we were on our way to or from church when he brought up the idea. I dismissed it at first, hoping it was something that would go away. Anything military related made my stomach turn. I am proud of his background and prior service but I wanted him to remain veteran status. And not to mention he would have to go back to school. He had just finished his Master degree in Information Systems Engineering. I felt like I had just gotten reacquainted with him because he had spent so much time on his school. Now he would have to complete another master degree and I would have less time with him.
I did what any good wife would do. I listened. I prayed about it. I admit I was not very supportive toward him at first. He even mentioned that he did not know how he was going to bring it up with me because he knew how I would react. I felt awful about that too. I want to be a loving and supportive wife.
I let the issue settle in the back of my mind for a while. Around the middle of July I felt as if God had laid it on my heart to fast. I had been fasting breakfast for a couple of weeks. Then one morning when Chris was home, he asked if I was going to have breakfast. I told him no and he asked why. I told him I had been fasting and he asked how long. I told him and he then told me he had been fasting for the same amount of time. I thought it was so strange that we were fasting at the same time and neither of us knew the other was doing so. I knew then that God had us on the same page and that something was about the happen.
On July 24, an Army Chaplain recruiter named Nick came to our home. I must admit that when I saw him walk in with his uniform on, I got a sick feeling in my stomach. After dinner he sat down and spoke with us about everything. He was honest and answered all of our questions the best he could. Every few minutes I would have to excuse myself, pretending to check on Alana but secretly crying in the bathroom. I just couldn’t handle some of the stuff that we were talking about. I guess being pregnant didn’t help either. Nick was telling us how intense the schooling was and how much schoolwork Chris would be doing and that we may not see much of him for a while. Then talks of deployment. I think this was the point where I excused myself quite a bit. Apparently chaplains are in high demand and the chance of deployment when he completes school is great. It felt like someone had shoved a metal rod through my heart and stomach. After a lot of talking, Nick left. As Chris showed him out, I cried like a baby in the bathroom and then gathered myself for his sake and Alana’s. I then went to play with Alana and pretended everything was fine.
After that visit I prayed a lot about the situation. I explained to God how I felt about it all. Then everywhere I turned, the tv, magazine articles, the radio, church……there was always something about chaplains. I remember one day when I opened up a Redbook magazine and there was an article about a military chaplain. I thought I was going to pass out. I said, “Ok God, I get it.” I called Chris and told him that it was everywhere and I couldn’t get away from it. Apparently the same thing had happened to him. I guess at that point I submitted to God and told Him that I understood He had a work for us.
As time went on, Chris filled out paperwork and got all of his information together. Then on December 10 we met with the Church of God Chaplain Commission located at Lee University. I could barely hold myself together. They began to ask Chris questions and I did my very best to hold myself together. Then I couldn’t hold it anymore. They excused us while they met to decide whether to approve him or not. I went to the ladies room and again let it all out and tried to gather myself. By the time I had finished, they were all waiting on me to let us know their decision. When we went in, they let us know that Chris was officially approved by the Church of God to go to the next step to become a Chaplain candidate. Next step is the Army board.
Chris was told the Army board would meet on February 12, Abe Lincoln’s birthday. We thought it was odd because everyone says when Chris shaves a certain way he looks like Abe Lincoln. Then we were told that board met on the 21st instead of the 12th. So we waited. Then, on February 16, on the way to our baby shower, Chris told me he had gotten the call that the Army board accepted him. Come to find out, they did meet on the 12th and had approved him. I was so proud. There would be one more board, the state Army board, which would have to approve the packet. Of course by this time we knew he would more than likely be accepted.
On March 20 we drove down to Montgomery and spent the night in a hotel. The next morning, March 21, again a strange coincidence that it was Good Friday, was Chris’s meeting with the state Army board. We went with him because he was told he would have to swear in right then so Alana and I wanted to be there. It was a very nervous trip because I was 37 weeks pregnant. Chris was very sick and had been throwing up and coughing stuff up. I felt so bad for him. All I could do was pray for his healing. I remember praying a lot that morning while he was gone that God would give him strength and healing. He returned to the hotel after the meeting as a Second Lieutenant, also known as a butter bar. (That is what I told him I was going to call him around the house.) So it is official, Chris has been accepted. He starts his master in divinity schooling in a month or two. It will take him several years and during this time he will be attending drills. There is no chance of deployment until he finishes his schooling, thank God.
My husband is an officer in the United States Army. I never in the whole wide world imagined it. But I am so proud of him that I could burst. Not only will he be an officer, he will also be a licensed minister. A man of God. What more could a woman ask for in a husband? I can remember about 10 years ago getting on my knees in my bedroom and asking God to send me a strong man of God who would love me. I met Chris just a few weeks later at church. God answers prayers.
I don’t know where God is taking us and where we will end up. I do know that God loves us and has a beautiful plan for our lives. Our family is truly blessed.
I will be updating this blog as much as I can throughout the entire process. With a 3 year old and a baby due any minute though, it may be hard.
To everyone reading this right now, God has a plan for us all. No matter where you are or where you are heading, make sure and pray and let God direct your path. It may not be what you believe is a great plan, but He is in total control and we must trust Him to guide us.