She's Home!

We finally got up and moving this morning.

We headed towards Denver to get Abs.

We stopped off at the outlet mall to get Junior a new pair of shoes. I of course had to hit Banana and found two shirts and two pairs of pants. I love being able to find my smaller size on the clearance racks now! Makes shopping so much easier and cheaper.

We left Banana and were headed back to the car when we saw this tall teenager trying to lean against the wall, all of the sudden he fell right in front of us. He had his two little sisters there who didn't know what to do. At first I thought he was on something, but Gunner went over and tried to get his attention and was asking him if he was okay.

A lady near us saw the whole thing and said he looked and was responding like her son who had seizures. Gunner got him to open his eyes while the lady went and found his dad. They got him to sit up and he kept falling and couldn't keep his balance. They brought him water and Gunner started running through this list of questions.

Gunner moved him out of the sun and the kid was still out of it, weird eyes and everything. Finally he snapped back and didn't remember a thing. His dad called 911 and we walked off. It was scary though. The lady kept telling his dad about how he was reacting like it was a seizure and the kid just didn't know what was happening, and the Dad looked pretty freaked out. Hopefully he is okay now.

We left there, had lunch, and then headed to my friend Dave's house. We walked all over Center Park (?). Junior was exhausted. It was absolutely beautiful though. We went and got frozen custard where you could choose your own topping that could only be had by putting it in the bottom of your cone. Weird.

We drove around Denver and saw a ton of stuff that we want to come back and checkout the next time we head up there. We dropped off Dave, and headed out to get Abs. The airport was 20 minutes away, but we left over an hour before we needed to be there.

I got my security pass while Gunner and the kids waited at the baggage claim. I saw in the security line forever where I met the lady behind me who noticed my military id card and asked me about Gunner. Her husband visited Iraq once on a congressional visit--he was a congressman. She thanked us for his service and talked about how she couldn't thank me or him enough or the kids. The colleague she was traveling with joined in on the praise, made me feel good.

I ran through security, to find that I needed to catch a tram and go three terminals over. Did that, and then ran through 2o gates to find Ab's gate, and a plane was unloading. I asked a Southwest employee if the plane was from Austin, but she said it was from Orlando. She went to make sure, and I heard Austin and started to panic. It had taken me 45 minutes to get to the gate while running!

I turned around, then back around, and there was my Abs. I was so excited to see her with her new haircut and her bags of dinosaur books. She took everything in stride as I signed her away from the attendant. Then she started talking.

She talked and talked and talked. We made the long trip back to the baggage claim, where Junior freaked out when he saw his sister. He was ecstatic! Gunner grabbed her up in a big bear hug, and even Em let her little sister hug her for a few moments. We grabbed her things (while she continued to talk) and then we walked out with Junior and Abs holding hands and Abs still talking.

We decided to stop for dinner somewhere, and I started reading off signs. I said Landry's, and Gunner thought I said let's go there. I had instead said something to the effect of that's a nice restaurant and expensive. Next thing I knew we were pulling up outside the restaurant.

We went inside and I cringed. It was so nice and quiet in there, and Abs was still talking. Abs doesn't usually do well in any restaurant, but we settled in and although the meals were expensive we went ahead and ordered. We got Junior a $2.99 meal of mac & cheese. Our food arrived and I was stirring Junior's to get some of the heat off and noticed that it was cold. I let the waiter know, he apologized and whisked it away to the kitchen. The manager arrived with a piping hot platter of mac & cheese and apologized and said he would take care of it. I figured we were saving $2.99, but when our bill came, they took off 7 times that amount. I was shocked since I really didn't even mind since they corrected the problem, but they insisted.

So dinner wasn't so bad after all, and everyone left full and happy.

We came home and Abs was excited about seeing her room. She walked in, walked around, then we showed her around. Her response to every room "That's not too remarkable". She went to the restroom where she immediately stopped it up. Abs is home. I couldn't be happier, even after her 20th time of coming out and asking for water, a hug, to tell us one more thing, and one more time to be tucked in.

Tomorrow should be interesting!

My daughter...

Read this.

More Random Thoughts

It is 62 degrees outside. It's over 100 where we came from. Sorry folks, I had to put a sweatshirt on!

Junior is about to drive me bonkers. He wants to eat nothing but string cheese. I'm surprised he's not stopped up.

We toured Em's school yesterday. It looks so big. Too big. They do have the 6th grade in one wing except for specials, so I'm sure it will be okay, or at least I keep telling myself that.

I love our house. The basement is WONDERFUL to store all that crap that I didn't sort though before we moved. Gunner is making me do it now, but Junior sees it and wants it all. A boy after his grandmother's house.

Abs will be here in a few short days! We are going to the Art Museum and seeing my friend Dave before Abs flies in. I hope the airline can handle her. I told my mom to coach her about not screaming "We're going down!" when the plane turns. Last time we flew the other passengers were not amused, neither was I.

Our community office place has fresh cookies every day, and Em and Junior ask for one every time we go by. I wish they would forget. They try to think of reasons for us to go there, and as much as I would love one, it's not happening.

I hit the gym this morning and ran 2.5 miles. I'm getting back to where I was. I'm already looking at a triathlon in September. The swim portion is a little short, but it's in a pool. It's the fastest part for me, so I wish they would make that 16 miles!

We are slowly getting unpacked. Very slowly.

Junior and I went for a walk/run the other day, and I just can't get over how pretty it is here. Remind me of that when it is freezing cold, as I don't handle cold too well!

Does anyone know if there is a military place you can rent houses like you can in Washington at Pacific Beach?

Not even sure....

My friend Dave came in this weekend and helped us hang pictures and unpack. We enjoyed a bottle of wine and a night of catching up as well. We met in college via the sailing team, and have been friends for over 18 years.

Gunner grew up as an Air Force brat. He doesn't get that. I lived in the same house for all of my school career. I knew everyone I graduated with, although some I would like to forget! I have friends that I still talk to regularly that I knew when I was 11 or 12 years old. Gunner doesn't have any of that. Of course he isn't notorious for keeping in touch either.

I hit the gym this morning and ran a few miles, although not very fast. We need mountain bikes. There are tons of trails here, but we can't pull the bike trailer on the road bikes. Shoot, I can hardly keep myself up on those!

We unpacked the jogging stroller, so I see a lot of evening runs. The weather is perfect here, and with the installation of two window units, I am back to sleeping in a super cold room.

We still don't have school supplies or school clothes, but we still have 2 1/2 weeks to get it all together.

Junior's skin is doing great so far. He is still scratching like crazy, but so far no weird skin lesions or anything have been forming. His last round left huge scars though on his side, back and knee. I might try that mederma for kids on it to see if it will help with the scars.

....I'm really bad about posting these days. Junior and I went for a run this morning, but the altitude got to me, so it was a run/walk. It was cool, beautiful, and no speeding cars or wildlife to contend with. I love where we live!

This Saturday we pick up Abs from the airport. She has spent the last three weeks while we have lived in a hotel, eaten out, and lived in limbo. She doesn't do well with any of that, and I can't thank my mom enough for keeping her and helping us out!

Gunner is picking up our birthday presents today....mountain bikes. There are so many trails to ride, and I picked up a book on trails to hike as well. We have been waiting till Abs got here to really do much of anything, and I can't wait to get started!

When we go to Denver on Saturday we are going to hit the pool at Dave's house, visit the Art Museum and then have a relaxing dinner before we get my little tornado. I told my mom to coach her on not screaming out "We're going down!" when the plane starts to turn. I'm sure she'll be fine....I just hope whoever sits next to her is fine too!

Off to run shot records to the junior high--I can't believe we have a child in middle school! Em is chomping at the bit to get her school supplies too. My neighbor told me that every student gets laptops at school, so I guess we will find out soon enough. Abs is going to a school that specializes in math and science.

Em is excited about me being home, and insists that we should have hot chocolate and cinnamon cookies every day for afternoon tea. Guess I better drag up a good recipe and learn to be holly homemaker!