There & Back

Well I made it home and back to Iraq. My trip was so activity packed I need a vacation from my vacation. LOL Don't you hate when that happens? I had Rae's wedding activities, personal business to attend to, and then just getting around to see all my friends and family for starters. By the end of my trip I was having furniture delivered, going blonder, and signing contracts!!!! :) More detailed posts to come later on about all that went down but for now you can know that I am safe and back in Iraq for a few months anyways. More to come....

Homeward Bound

That's right people I got the early bird and will head to Dubai around 10 tomorrow. I can't wait to get out of Iraq and hit civilization once again especially when Sex and the City 2 is in theaters. You better bet that I will be sneaking a peak of that before I get on my 18+ hour flight. I can't wait to get home and see all my family and friends. Just a few more days!!!

Serene

Baseball & Water slides

With summertime comes all the great things that go with it like snow cones, no school, vacations, baseball games, swimming, and if your 2 and 5...water slides. My mom sent me some pictures of my little brother, who isn't so little any longer, playing baseball. He is great at all sports and when I saw these I couldn't believe how much he has grown since the last time I saw him. Granted that was 10 months ago but WOW he is tall, thinner, and like a little man. He is so sad that his last game is this coming Tuesday and I won't be home until Wednesday. I hate that I'm going to miss it. He looks so professional in his uniform LOL!!!
Caleb in the dug out concentrating on the game.

Looks like a good hit.

Now for the water slide part... along with the baseball pictures came pictures of my nieces playing on their new water slide. My mom told me the other day that Shana and Jessica bought the girls one of those big blow up slides that I can not wait to play with them on when I'm home. I am so jealous and always wanted one of those. These are just a couple of their cute pictures.

Gracie is our future model or just a five year old show off...I think its too early to tell LOL!

Averie is such a doll. I told my mom she is so freaking cute that she makes me want to have a baby LOL!!! My mom says I have plenty of time for that which yeah I know I do but with nieces like this it sure does make me wonder what my beauties would look like. :) I can't wait to get home and play with the girls.

Balance

"Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much
of ourselves we give away" Barbara De Angelis

The Dare

"Feel the fear, and do it anway. All serious daring starts from within." Eudora Welty

The Power of the Hug

Today I got to thinking about hugs. First off, I was remember an article I had read sometime ago about what a little 20 second hug does for you. Click here to read the study. Anyways, ever since I read that article I am sort of adamant about holding a hug for 20 seconds especially with my honey. I have always loved hugs and let me tell you why. Hugs can mean so many things and make someone feel so good in just a matter of....well 20 second LOL. Really think about it... a hug from your honey is comforting and you can feel all the love through their embrace. It is very warming! A hug from your mom is like going home. You just know that no matter what it will be OK and that you have support. A hug from a little kid is so sweet, sincere, and just full of excitement. No matter who it's from and what the circumstance a hug is just great so go and give someone a hug!

xoxo