Just checking in!

As you can all tell, I've been terrible at keeping everyone updated. I've been so overwhelmed trying to keep Dan updated that I've lost all motivation to keep up with the blog. But that's no excuse.

Isabella has learned TONS of new tricks since I last posted!!! She seems to change and grow everyday. She has 2 teeth, is crawling, pulling up, saying "Papa" and "bye-bye," and getting into mischief daily! One her favorite habits is pulling all the DVDs off the shelf.

Izzie absolutely LOVES bathtime!! She would play in there forever, even if the water gets cold. We can't wait until it warms up and we can hit the pool!
This is how she sits in the tub most of the time, with her feet propped up. My girl knows how to relax!

Look at those cute teeth!

A Beautiful Night

God's timing is perfect! Today I received the best gift I've gotten in a very long time. After a rather long and loney couple of days with a very fussy, teething Izzie I was just about to have a meltdown. Just before I was going to ATTEMPT to put Izzie down for the night I got a knock on the door. We went to the door and were blessed beyond belief by the Hutchins family caroling and reading the Christmas story. It has not really seemed like Christmas this year with Dan gone, and I haven't even cared to try and celebrate much. But as I heard the Christmas story read and beautiful carols sung I was overwhelmed with the reminder that Christmas is not about me being alone again for another holiday or about my lack of sleep in the wake of a teething baby or about the stresses of the dealing with the daily grind of being a wife or mother- this is a time to celebrate our Savior. I am so glad it's not all about me. Hutchins Family- thank you for your willingness to spread the good news. And by the way, the cinnamon rolls were AMAZING! I shared some with my neighbors. :)

Merry Christmas to all!

Confessions of a bad blogger!

Yes, I am still alive and I do still know how to use a computer. I have just taken a leave of absense from the world of blogging. This was not a scheduled leave of absense. Quite spontaneous actually. The last several months have been pretty busy with the sending Dan off to war, moving to a new home, and trying to get settled here. :) And I wasn't sure anyone actually read this thing anymore! So if you actually look at this you should post a comment. Then I'll know that I'm not just wasting my time.

As for me, I love stalking other people on their blogs. Even if I don't post anything, so for those of you who never comment- I get it. It's just so much fun hearing that the same crazy things are happening to other people too.

Well, I don't have any pictures with me, but I vow to post them sometime this week. I have quite a few for those of you who don't get on facebook. I love you all!

Stay classy America!
(and Iraq, Afghanistan, and Italy)

I'm 5 months old!

Izzie is 5 months old! Actually she was 5 months old a week ago, but I just haven't gotten pictures posted. Same song, different verse! :)

And with each month that passes it gets harder and harder to capture a good picture. This time she was entirely too interested in the sign and she wanted to chew on her toes!



She has grown so much! This past month she has really become active. She babbles all the time and loves to chew on her toes. She's also started sitting up and trying to crawl. So far she can just go in a circle. :) And she's not too quick so I can pretty much leave her on a blanket and she stays there. Which is nice. More than likely when I post 6 month pictures she will be getting around some and I'll actually start baby proofing a little.

She also loves to look at herself in the mirror. She just talks to herself and tries to grab it. It's a wonderful babysitter when I need to get a little work done around the house! :) And the sweetest thing . . . she has started to raise her hands up to me when I reach down to get her. I can't help but want to pick her up!

Izzie, you are more fun than I ever could have imagined, and a wonderful buddy to get through this deployment with. I love you!

Update from the sandbox

I finally got a short message from Dan. This deployment is not going to go quite like we thought it would. He was supposed to go to FOB Somerall and have it pretty easy. Instead, at the last minute they decided that just his platoon would be going to FOB Dagger instead. This FOB isn't quite as posh as Somerall. They have no phones or store for basic necessities. They can only have access to their $$ once a month and I think they will be able to go to another FOB to go to a store every once in a while. They do have internet access though. Praise the Lord!

It's been 2 weeks since I talked to Dan or gotten a message from him so it was really great to get a short note. It's going to take me a little time to adjust to not expecting phone calls. I was really looking forward to the next one. But that's ok, there are MANY more deployed soldiers who have it much, much harder!

Thank you so much for your prayers! If you are interested their needs have recently increased due to the lack of access to a store. They will now need us to send things like toiletries and basic needs.

I also got his address:

SPC Dan Kelso
HHC, 4-1 ID
3rd Platoon, D. Co
FOB Dagger
APO AE 09393

I can't wait to get a package together. I have been anxiously awaiting the address!!

Missing My Love

Well, it's almost 2am and I just got off the phone with Dan. It was so awesome to hear from him. I hadn't talked to him in about a week and I was really starting to miss that voice. I cannot begin to describe how blessed I am to have him in my life, even if he's not in the same country. When I am completely spent and discouraged he knows how to lift me up. He encourages me and challenges me all at the same time, and often without ever realizing he's done it. He is an incredible leader of our family even from thousands of miles away.

So what's he up to? He just got to FOB Spyker in Iraq. This won't be his permanent spot in Iraq, just another pit stop. :) This deployment is so different from the first, praise the Lord! He's had it pretty easy so far. He's been watching movies, reading books, and sleeping in. He NEVER got to sleep in the last deployment. I would never last there! :) And when I talked to him, he had just finished watching the UFC fight.

So what have we been up to here? Nothing super special. Izzie had a doctors appointment on Monday and she seems to be doing great!

She's currently 24 1/2 " long and weighs 14lb 15oz. She's been talking more and more everyday and loves her feet. Most mornings when I get her out of bed her socks are wet because she's been chewing on them. And she loves to put anything and everything in her mouth. She's getting really close to sitting up, but still needs some steadying.

A couple of days ago Adelle spent the night with us. They had lots of fun girl time. Here they are watching a princess movie together. Can you tell that she didn't get a good morning nap! :)

Izzie loves her jumper. Notice only one foot touches the ground though! :) She might be short like her Mommy and Daddy.

The other day I was at Mom and Dad's and for her to sit up so we got out a laundry basket. She had more fun in there playing with toys! We have a super cool Bumbo and she's happier in a laundry basket. (And she's wearing an old shirt of Andrew's because she pooped on her clothes!)

Silly faces!

Does she not look exactly like her Daddy!?

Catching up

We don't have the internet at our house in Greenville yet, so it's been tough keeping up with the blog. We should be getting it soon, so I'll get better.

I thought I'd leave a little update. Izzie and I have been in Greenville for over a week now and we haven't stopped yet. Life has been crazy! I have talked to Dan a couple of times and he sounds so great. He's still in Kuwait, but should be leaving for Iraq any day now. We are both so grateful for your prayers!! We cannot explain the joy and peace we've experienced the past couple of weeks, in spite of having to say goodbye again. God is so faithful to us!