Catch up

 Ever since I met Jason I keep telling myself...I can't wait until next year when things start calming down.  That year arrives and nothing calms down, so I say it again and again no calm (at least it never feels like it).

Jason graduated from NCOA and we had a blast seeing him again and celebrating with him.  We got a nice break thanks to a wonderful family friend who watched the boys for us so we can go to the graduation dinner.  It was gorgeous in Colorado and we were so glad to have Jason home.

Then came the holidays, a trip to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving, Christmas and at the same time a move.

As you all know we bought our first house in a small town just outside of Rapid City, SD.

Cody turned 8 while in Wisconsin and right after Christmas Wyatt turned 6.

I have pictures that will help explain all of our happenings and hopeful get them up soon.

We are having trouble getting Cody's baptism scheduled (we did but had to cancel due to Jason's work schedule).  I am hoping in a couple of weeks.  Also, now that he is 8 he has also been going to cub scouts.  Last Wednesday he got to officially participate in the Pinewood Derby.  He did not win but he did great for his first.

Today I am not feeling 100%.  I have so many emotions running through me.  I actually have been pretty emotional for the last few weeks or so.  So much change all at once is affecting me in a bad way.  I want change but some peace and quiet.  What I really want is change within myself.  Not that I consider myself a bad person but there is always things I wish I could make better.  With so much I want to fix about myself I am really having a difficult time focusing on just one thing and doing it.

I am also beating myself up today because for the 5 years I lived in Alaska I never took the time to visit some family I have there.  My Grandmother's younger sister moved to Alaska many years ago and had her family there.  So, when we found out about moving to Alaska I immediately contacted my mom about my Aunt.  We did send letters and exchanged Christmas cards but that is as far as it went.  I never took the time to meet her.  I just assumed there would be time.  Well, there is no more time.  I wasted it.  I received the news this week that she had passed.  She had a stroke she just couldn't recover from.  Her funeral is today and I just don't know how I am supposed to feel.  How does one react to the loss of a family member but one that you didn't really know?  I wish I knew the answer.  All I know for sure...in about 6 years when we move to Alaska for good, I will make the time to meet her family.



Sealing

I posted about Jason and my wedding anniversary but forgot about a very important day in our lives.  It happened 1 year ago plus some.  The date was August 14, 2010.  It was a beautiful day and a very hectic crazy morning.  A morning that should have stressed me out to the max.We were in Sand Diego, saw the Mormon Batallion museum, Sea World and downtown San Diego.  It was an awesome weekend.Then on the 14th, a Saturday, we headed to the San Diego temple.  It was wonderful an amazing day that I will never forget.  There was nothing about that day that went the way it should.  But it was beautiful and I wouldn't change anything for the world. 

Now I can say that my family...Jason, 3 wonderful boys and I will be together forever.  I know that no matter what happens to us while we are here on this earth...after this life we will still be a family, my boys will still be mine and my Jason and I can be together forever.  There is no greater feeling than knowing that after we pass from this life I will still have my family with me. 

18 months

I don't know how it happened but my baby is 18 months old.  It has been so bitter sweet with me.  He is my baby and my last so part of me is so excited that he is getting bigger and more independent BUT he is my baby and I don't want to give up the baby stage.

I have been working on taking pictures without auto.  I would love to be able to take a photography course but we shall see how and when that will happen.The other day it was a nice comfortable evening and Garrett loves to go outside and play as much as possible.  He got a hold of the boys nerf guns and went to town figuring them out.  I took that as my cue to grab the camera and take some pictures.

Thanks to the adorable girl next door I actually got a few pictures of Garrett with some smiles.

He is one of the four most precious things in my life.  Without him, his brothers and their father I don't know what I would do.

Garrett, at only 18 months old, is growing into his own.  He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it.  He has started temper tantrums, is running everywhere, crawling up and down stairs like there is no tomorrow.  He has gained more sounds.  He isn't really talking but he has added to his sound vocabulary and it makes me want to cry.

Just recently, now that Jason is gone, I was sending or reading a text to/from Jason and Garrett points to my phone and says "Dada".  I love it.

While we were out in Connecticut he was grabbing his Auntie Monica's phone and putting it to his hear and then would say "Hello".  He is definitely growing up so fast and I am loving and hating it at the same time.

9 wonderful years

I can't believe it but today marks 9 years of marriage for Jason and I.  Seriously, 9 years already?  Where has the time gone?  It doesn't feel like it has been 9 years already.  Although every day hasn't been a walk in the park, it has been wonderful and amazing.Thanks to Jason being in the Air Force and being told he has to go to this special class, at this particular time, we won't be together this year.  It hasn't been the first time and I doubt it will be the last.Today is Wednesday so we set out to meet friends at a local park (something we have tried to do every Wednesday during the summer).  Afterwards I had to run an errand.  While at the store I received a phone call I almost didn't answer.  I am really glad I did though.  It was a delivery for me, he basically wanted permission to leave flowers on my doorstep.

Aren't they beautiful.  Jason sent me flowers for our anniversary.  He even picked flowers with my favorite color.I love him so much and feel so blessed that he found me. 

Missing

 

 I think I mentioned it in my last post.  Jason has left us.  ;)   Since he was promoted to Technical Sergeant (TSgt) this was always in the cards we just didn't know when.  It finally happened.  Jason left yesterday morning to head to what is called Noncommissioned Officers Academy (NCOA).  It is a 6 week course where they ask that family does not come to visit so the NCO/student can devote full attention to the class and assignments.It is always a difficult adjustment.  I have been through 2 month deployments before but never as the wife or a mother.  Last summer we spent 4 weeks/month away from Jason and it was difficult but we did make it through it.I am confident we will make it through 6 weeks.  Do I want to go 6 weeks without being able to hold my husband, give him a hug or a kiss?  No, but when I married him I knew what I was getting into.  Or, at least I thought I knew what I was getting into.  When you meet someone and fall head over heels in love with them you end up with rose colored glasses and you see any obstacle as an ant hole.I know many military families that made the military career decision as a family.  When I met Jason he was already in the Air Force (I think part of that is what attracted me to him).There will be many more posts to come, I am sure.  I tend to have too much time on my hands to think when Jason is gone.  Hopefully I can use that time to be productive, like posting more and creating more.

Berretta Rd.

I am going to be bridging the gap between my last post and today's post.  But I did want to get a post up so I decided to get going with the freshest thing on my mind.Last week was a very busy week for us.  We were still getting used to the fact that we were no longer on vacation.  But seeing as how Jason was scheduled to leave for 6 weeks to Colorado for the Non-Commissioned Officer's Academy (NCOA) we decided to get in as much family time as possibl.e  I think we had one maybe two nights where we actually home early enough to get all the boys in bed at the normal time.On Saturday we decided to get together we some good friends and shoot up some targets.Of course, our boys love to shoot guns and have been asking for a long time for a gun of their own. 

Cody and Wyatt at the beginning of the day while we were still setting up everything.  They couldn't wait to get their hands on my .22 Henry Lever Action rifle.

Garrett and I at the end of the day.  He isn't ready for the shooting excursions.  I think next time we head out there we are going to look for a babysitter.

While we were out there a herd of cows decided they were going to take a stroll just to the right of us.  Not sure what they were hoping to find our if they found it but they were there.

At the end of the trip I wanted to get some pictures of the flowers.  The "spot" was much more overgrown then the last time we were there.  In a way it was a bit difficult to recognize but I do love it and glad it was introduced to us.

 

Behind

 

No, not mine, please not mine, gross!!!This blog is so far behind.  I don't know how I am going to be able to catch up.Jason will be leaving for 6 weeks for training/class.  Hopefully with that and the older two boys starting school mid-way through Jason's class I can get caught up on a LOT of things.So, stay tuned for so many wonderful updates on the happenings of this part of the DeTullio family.On another note...can you believe that htis year is half over that the summer is only a month from being over?  It makes me so sad.  I wish time would slow down.