Frustrated and in need of prayers

I am really just struggling this week. We have been waiting for the "off-season" billeting list to come out so that we can figure out where Ben is going in December for the Marine Corps. It did & it's not good. We were hoping for a ground billet at Camp Lejeune so that we could stay here in Jacksonville but there are none available in December.
We are now faced with several decisions....
1. Staying at the current squadron where Ben is burned out and having to commute 2.5 hours a day on top of his exhausting schedule to extend and become Summer 2011 movers where there still might not be a spot open.....
2. Taking a billet at New River (which will still keep us here in Jacksonville) but not enjoying a "desk" type job for a few years.
3. MOVING (Ugh! just to think about it.) We are thinking about Yuma, AZ; Pensacola, FL; Quantico, VA; Pax River, MD; and Willow Grove, PA with a move within 6 months of moving there to New Jersey.
None of these seem really pleasant right now. I have been praying about this for awhile but there just doesn't seem like there is any clear cut answer for us. So I am asking to please keep praying for wisdom in our choices, for peace, for less frustration......just pray Please!

I am also feeling a bit frustrated and bummed about Easter....Ben and I have been "together" for 7 Easter's. (counting this one on Sunday) We have only spent 2 of them in each other's presence. I know that I shouldn't complain because he has been here for other important holidays (like Thanksgiving and Christmas)but it just seems to be really draggin me down lately. My parents are coming on Friday so I am hoping that this will raise my spirits.

wordless wdnesday (waiting for this moment to come again)

Day 148 of 365

There is only one pretty child in the world and every mother has it.

Chinese Proverb

Day 147 of 365

Knowledge is better than riches.

African Proverbs

Day 146 of 365

The young can't teach traditions to the old. - Yoruba proverb

African Proverbs

Getting to know you

For more getting to know you check out http://www.mannland5.com/

The questions (thanks Ian)


1 - Why did you start blogging? I had another website to keep our family up to date on our lives but it was getting really hard to upload pictures and difficult to manage. A couple of friends had blogs so I decided to jump on the bandwagon too. It has been really therapeutic online journaling for me.
2 - Who's the one blog friend that you would want to meet most in "real life"? That's hard to choose! Probably Kim, MckMama, Kari,Carin, Alicia, and quite a few others!
3 - Why are you always concerned with losing that "extra 10 pounds" when chances are your husband/boyfriend/friends tell you that you look just fine the way you are? Now that I have lost all of the weight that I gained during pregnancy, I am perfectly fine with it. I don't want to lose 10 pounds because I would look pretty bad!
4 - What's the one thing you wish guys could understand about you? I wish that my hubby understood how I think. LOL....every girl's dream right?! We are working on him just listening and not trying to "fix" my problems. Mostly, women just want you to listen!
5 - Tattoos. How many do you have and how many are visible when you wear your "everyday" clothes? No tattoos.
6 - What was the best year of your life and why? Hmmmm.....2003. I met and married my husband, started on my journey to be a better follower of Christ, and just in general became a happier person.
7 - Name three things you would do if you were a man for one day. #1Enjoy not having to shave my legs. #2 Pee standing up #3 Walk around without my top on!
8 - What's your alcoholic drink of choice that usually raises a few eyebrows? I don't really drink besides an occassional beer or glass of wine.

ChuckECheese

Days 15-21 (Project 365) Spring is in the air!

Day #15 (Sunday) We drove to MCAS Cherry Point, NC to drop Benny off for his 8 to 8-9 week long detachment. It was not a super fun thing to do but a necessary evil. The kids and I went to pick up a birthday present for my sweet niece Gabrielle and then to Lowe's for some more plants. I spent the day cleaning and planting to keep my mind off of Ben being gone. (Of course the kids didn't really grasp that daddy wasn't coming home yet!)

These are some of my creations....it felt good to get my hands in the dirt again!

We planted tomatoes in the garden last year but they were ALOT of work. We enjoy having the homegrown vegetables but wanted something more low maintenance. So here we are trying out Topsy Turvy.

Day #16 (Monday) The kids went to their school. I went and got 1/2 of my braces off! I am so excited that I am almost a normal 32 year old again! I also went and did a little shopping. (Retail therapy for a hubby being gone!)

Disclaimer**** There are more pictures of Kendall because she lets me take them of her! Isaac on the other hand will not sit still for a minute!

Here is Kendall with her new cupcake purse from her Auntie Lou and great-aunt Shellie. (Or in her words her daddy's aunt) She loves it! What a fun surprise to have in the mail. Isaac is enjoying his chocolates one at a time too!

My retail therapy was in the form of this new purse (complete with personalization of course!) Don't worry Babe I am done now!

Kendall made this during her art project at school. She was very excited that my friend Danielle helped her!

This is the kids art for their show later on in April. (I will be missing it since I will be out in Yuma, AZ, to see Ben at that time.)

Day #17 (Tuesday) Today was supposed to be our Easter party at MOPS but poor little man has a HORRIBLE diaper rash due to the antibotics from his double ear infection. So we spent part of the day at the sick clinic to get him some relief. We spent about 2 hours putting clean laundry away today too! OUCH!!

My poor little man is such a trooper. He is almost always in a pleasant mood. Here he is with his poor little bum as raw as they come and still saying "Cheese!"

Our beautiful pear tree in the backyard

Playing super heroes

Day #18 (Wednesday) Planting,planting,planting was the name of the game today. I wanted to get all of the plants in their pots and get things arranged. It was also laundry, cleaning, and catch-up on bible study day!

Monday and Wednesdays Kendall and I have about a 45 minute date until we pick Isaac up from school. Here she is enjoying a ride on the 25 cent pony!

I wish that I still got this much joy out of the simple things!

One of the four snapdragons that I planted for the back porch

Hosing off the back porch for the season was so uplifting!

Day #19 (Thursday) Ladies Bible study! We are on our next to last week of "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore. Awesome as usual! Kendall and I went to see "beauty and the beast" performed at a local high school.

Kendall and I before the "Beauty and the Beast" performance.

Kendall loved the play. She got a little bit antsy but was able to hold it together. She says her favorite part was "when Belle was in her BEAUTIFUL yellow dress!"

We got our book for the next ladies bible study which begins on April 15th. I am excited to see where it will take us!

Day #20 (Friday) My quality time with Isaac and he fell asleep on me! We made another shopping trip to Lowe's so we could get some lawn mower parts. (Pray for me this weekend that I can get it up and running! The yard could use some loving!) We had dinner with friends (Thanks again JT and Kelly!) and then small group.

My sweet little man passed out on me during our date. Every Friday morning we spend time together while sissy is at school.

The weeping cherry tree in front of our house in bloom. I love all the spring blooms coming out!

Day #21 (Saturday) What fun we had playing together today. Weekends are typically the hardest when Ben is gone but we got to skype with him today so that was uplifting. I was supposed to be going to a farewell party in Morehead City for the squadron's commanding officers wife but my friend that was supposed to baby-sit had a family emergency. (Please pray for her!) We went to church instead. Ben would have loved the "youth" band that rocked out for our service.

Kendall's craft project from church this evening. She really wanted her daddy to see it!

Day 145 of 365

We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home.

Australian Aboriginal Proverb

Day 144 of 365

I need not fear my enemies because the most they can do is attack me. I need not fear my friends because the most they can do is betray me. But I have much to fear from people who are indifferent.

Russian Proverb

Friday Flashback

This is my Great-grandfather (Pappy Leightner) and I on a ground hog hunting day. (I think) Gosh if I had to guess a year.....1990?!? Maybe my parents will know. It was always fun to be out with the guys doing something in those days!

Join in the fun at

Friday!!

1. The best piece of advice I was ever given was marriage is something to be worked at....it doesn't just happen naturally. I believe this to the very core! We just had a sermon series on marriage where we discussed that it just takes a pulse to fall in love but it take turning love into a verb to stay in love. It's something that I would tell young people about to get married and older people who have been married for a long time.
2. If I had a million dollars to give to one charity I would give it American Cancer Society.
3. If I got to choose my "last meal" it would be round steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, broccoli, salad, dinner rolls, baklava and pumpkin pie.
4. My hair is sort of really hard to control. Ben calls me the "mad scientist" for a reason. It seems that since having children it is even more difficult to control!
5. If at first you don't succeed try, try again and ask God for some help along the way!
6. I have always been very sensitive. I don't like to see other people in pain or hurting emotionally. I think that God gifted me in that and then lead me to Oncology nursing where he allowed me to use my talent.
7. Oh....and by the way....I got my plane tickets to go to Yuma, Arizona to see Ben and scope it out as a possible duty station!!
________


And...here we go!

1. The right word is so very hard to find sometimes.
2. Let mommy finish her bath and shut the door quietly, please on your way out.
3. Up in the sky, we can sometimes see my hubby fly over.
4. Cuddled up with my kids is where you'll find me.
5. Ooh! What is that smell?
6. Allergy medicine is a good idea.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to small group with some really great friends, tomorrow my plans include playing with the kids then driving to meet up with the ladies of 467 for dinner and Sunday, I want to mow the yard after church!
________


1. Did you pass your driver's test on the first try? Yes, I did! I passed with flying colors and only missed 1!
2. What is your most embarrassing moment? I have had a lot of those since I am a little bit ditzy sometimes but I would have to say the worst one was while I was in labor with Kendall. I was in a very (AHEM) compromising position trying to get her to descend when some young man walked into the room looking for someone else. He was stronly encouraged to leave but he kept trying to look and make sure I was not the person he was seeking. Sheesh!
3. What TV show would you like to be on- Oprah, Biggest Loser, or What Not to Wear?None of these sorry!
4. Would you ever get plastic surgery and what kind? Pretty much against all of it but I might consider a "lift" of a certain area after we are done having children.....that is really up in the air though!
5. What are your favorite jeans to wear? Call Me old fashioned but I still love me a good pair of Levi's!

Week 20 of 52 (better late than never!)

Yesterday was 52 weeks and Shoot me over at www.wyomingbarnetts.blogspot.com/ I am a little slow this week so I am just posting today! Enjoy!

These pictures were taken last weekend when we went to the Lynnwood Park Zoo. It is a little local place that is always fun.

Day 143 of 365

Look back and thank God. Look forward and trust God. Look around and serve God. Look within and find God.

Day 142 of 365

A heart in love with beauty never grows old.

Turkish Proverb

Wordless Wednesdays (Hugging Daddy)

Day 141 of 365

If you want happiness for an hour – take a nap. If you want happiness for a day – go fishing. If you want happiness for a month – get married. If you want happiness for a year – inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime – help someone else. Chinese Proverb

Farewell (again) for now!

Day 140 of 365

Idleness is the mother of all vices.

Russian proverb

Day 139 of 365

With true friends...even water drunk together is sweet enough.

Chinese Proverb

Getting to know you

Getting to know you time over at http://www.mannland5.com/

The questions..


1. What year did you graduate high school? 1995
2. What part of your body do you neglect the most? My abs
3. Beach house or Lake house? lake
4. Mac or PC? pc
5. Did you wear braces? About to have them off starting tomorrow!
6. If you could be one person for a day..living or deceased..who would you be? Hmmm.....I've always wondered what it would be like to live in the 1800's so maybe a lady from that time frame
7. How many times have you moved in your life? 6 times. 4 in town moves in FL and here in NC + 2 across the country moves
8. Would you rather cook or clean? Cook!!!

Today is the day....

That I need some of these........

Military Wife's Prayer
Submitted by: BulldogLover
Author: Unknown

Give me greatness of heart to see,
the difference between duty and his love for me.

Give me understanding so that I may know,
when duty calls him, he must go.

Give me a task to do each day,
to fill the time when he’s away.

When he’s in a foreign land,
keep him safe in your loving hand.

And when duty is in the field,
please protect him and be his shield.

And Lord, when his deployment seems so long,
please stay with me and keep me strong.

___________________

A MARINE WIFE
Submitted by: JuJuBee76
Author: Alexandra Benakis

A Marine Wife has so much to bear,
She's everything at once, no one could compare,
When God made her, he had perfection in mind,
For nowhere on Earth is another of her kind.

She leads a life not many would choose,
For her job is the hardest in the military to do,
She is courageous and strong, one would say made of steel,
But way deep down is a heart that can feel.

She stands by her husband, so proud and so tall,
And waits many night by the phone for a call,
She's Mommy and Daddy all rolled into one,
She'll never rest easy until her job's done.

She sits all alone and in silence she cries,
Did I do a good job, is my family alright?
But deep in her heart she knows that it's true,
God is right beside her helping her through.

18 months old

Isaac is 18 months old already!

28 lbs 7 oz (79%)

33 inches tall (70%)

Week 2 (Days 8-14) The 365 project

http://thebowyers.blogspot.com/

http://workofheartandsoul.wordpress.com/365-project-2/

Day #8 (Sunday) We went to our "last" Sunday service since next week we will start our Saturday nights. We started our household projects today by going shopping at Lowe's to stock up on supplies.

We are planting blueberry and strawberry plants this year as well as tomatoes and jalapenos.

Day #9 (Monday) Ben took time off of work to complete some projects at the house before he leaves on his detachment. We did ALOT of transplanting and also new planting to spruce up the house. There was also weeding, spreading lime and weed & feed on the lawn, mowing the lawn, power washing the house, and making the garden bed ready.

The kids had a good time being outside and "helping" us out.
Day #10 (Tuesday) More work on the house. The kids wanted to be like daddy and wear their hats. We stopped to take this quick pose!

Kendall was a big helper with my pansy planting!

Day #11 (Wednesday) The kids had school today. We forgot about St. Patty's day but fortunately the kids had a small amount of green on their clothes. We spent the day working on the house (inside and out) again. We also got our gutter quote done.

Here is Kendall's project.

Day #12 (Thursday) This has been my favorite day (also my most exhausting) of the week. We are at the tail end of our Beth Moore study for the ladies ministry at church. I am so excited that our ladies ministry has seemed to explode just like the general population at church!

Day #13 (Friday) Isaac had his 18 month well check today which also turned into his double ear infection appointment! My poor little boy. We decided to put all house stuff on hold and enjoy our last few days together. We took the kids to Chuck E Cheese. (It was my first trip there ever!!) We had such a fun time until it started to get crowded. We had small group after that with some of our very close friends.

Day #14 (Saturday) Ben started out the day with some yummy chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes. He is definitely the breakfast cook in our house!

We continued our fun by going to a small local zoo. The kids had a lot of fun especially when they got to feed the pygmy goats.

We wrapped up the day by going to our first Saturday night service at church. It was awesome! After that, we shared a frosty with some friends before coming home to get Ben packed for his deployment! Writing it all down it seems so low key but it felt like we were CRAZY busy all week!