Two Weeks

soooo.... two weeks doesn't seem like that long, but so much has happened!

First and foremost we'd love to introduce
Gideon Joseph Eugene Geary...

if you'd like to see his newborn photo shoot follow this link (there are nursing photos, tasteful, but just a warning) you can also order prints from the site Gideons Photo Shoot. 

He is now 7lb 2oz, he gained 14oz in 10 days, and has also grown a little over an inch in length...  I have to be honest, I was a little worried that maybe Denny nursing as well that I wouldn't produce enough to have him thrive, but he's doing well still got a pound and a half to catch up with big brother and sisters birth weights!!!

Nap Time

Sweet One Week Old!

Laura got here the 20th, and the kids, and dogs have all be super well loved! So many fun craft projects, extra one on one time, and lots of long walks! 

Happy Babies!

El Gato

Fluffy Pipe Cleaner Friends

For once... not hands hands fingers thumb... lol!

I'm going to try to post weekly (we'll see how that goes with three chitlens :) )

Last but not least... April is the month of the military child with there being 1.9 million military children in the US and currently 220000 of those have a deployed parent... I saw this circulating on the facebook and it really rang true with me:

"The official flower of the Military child is the Dandelion. Why? The plant puts down roots almost anywhere, and it's almost impossible to destroy. It's an unpretentious plant, yet good looking. It's a survivor in a broad range of climates. Military children bloom everywhere the winds carry them. They are hardy and upright. Their roots are strong, cultivated deeply in the culture of the military, planted swiftly and surely. They're ready to fly in the breezes that take them to new adventures, new lands, and new friends.

Experts say that military children are well-rounded, culturally aware, tolerant, and extremely resilient. Military children have learned from an early age that home is where their hearts are, that a good friend can be found in every corner of the world and in every color, and that education doesn't only come from school. They live history. They learn that to survive means to adapt, that the door that closes one chapter of their life opens up to a new and exciting adventure full of new friends and new experiences." (taken from http://taracrooks.com/2011/10/bloom-where-you%E2%80%99re-planted%E2%80%A6/)

New Beginnings

Soooo... its been a while... lol... a few new things have happened: 

-Chris left again- he'll be back sometime in October/November-
-We're Still in Minot, ND-
-We had another baby!- Tres (we still haven't decided on a name) arrived Friday April 13th 2012 @ 2216... he is soooo teenie tiny... weighing in at only 6lb 7oz... which is well almost 2.5 lbs smaller than Baby D... and 18" long... but absolutely perfect in every way...

I can't begin to say how thankful I am to the wonderful women I have in my life... at a time where I could have felt so alone, and afraid, with my husband half a world away, well I don't think I've ever felt so cared for and surrounded by love and support...

My sister was supposed to be out here for Tres debut... but as we all know God, and babies all have their own funny sense of timing... so at 8:30 on Friday night I called Annie and asked her if she wouldn't mind being there for me... and my good friend Megan (Megan Morgan Photography) had agreed to take pictures so I could document the arrival... Erica watched LGG (her first slumber party)... and well I brought D with me... hoping he'd fall asleep on the way there, and then sleep through things like LGG had... that didn't happen so when Desi showed up with Annie, it was a God send... I got to the hospital at about 9:15 I think because I was walking and talking they didn't think I was as far along as I knew I was... (lol... taking personal phone calls out in the hall :) ) so we get situated, and well within 30 min, Annie, Desi, Megan, and my Midwife (Shawn) had all arrived... while they were asking me the gamut of entrance questions, sign here.. blah blah blah (why they won't let you answer all those questions after, or hey before hand, will never be understood by me... but yeah) so I don't know when I "officially" started pushing... but probably did so for 20-30 min... Chris was able to watch via skype... and we were all laughing and joking until the very end... Tres arrived in the Caul (his water sack didn't break until after he was born, which is supposed to be good luck!) We left the next morning at about 9... and came home a family of 5!

Everything was as perfect as it could be, and I owe that to the friends I have made here in Minot, it was peaceful, and knowing all of the support I had from my fellow Ladyhawks (believe me just knowing I had so many people to call in case I needed something made things so much less stressful), and well friends and family in general Thank you all for everything! and well now the good part:

Catch-Up

So Its been too long, I'll blame it on the really slow internet at my parents house, and well a much needed break from everyday life lol... hopefully when I get back to ND (the middle of March-ish) I can be more diligent... but anyways! I thought I would post just a little bit of whats been going on during our adventure out west... I guess I can start with the journey out here....

We left very very early in the AM like O dark thirty as my father would say or as us kids would call it the butt-crack of dawn... and I should say... should have listened to the parents on that one... Montana roads at 6 am during winter= Jesus Take the Wheel even at 30 mph... but we made it through in one piece (not only in body but in spirit) to SLC on the first day 18 hrs of driving later! I can tell you the kiddos were amazing... Denny was just so sweet, and Layla and I had a fabulous time singing all the songs on our road-trip playlist! We Checked in to TLF at Hill AFB in UT and got to sleep at around 2am, and left the later that morning 9ish maybe... My BFF Jackie, kept me lots of company on the phone... thank goodness, its always wonderful to have someones ear to take your mind off the tingly feeling in your bum from driving for the vast majority of two days... I was bummed when we hit California though... what state only allows you to drive 65! Oh how I longed to be back on the road going 80 like the rest of the states allow... but we all know CA doesn't get much right... We got in at around 7pm that evening, and got all the oohs and ahhs, and Gamma and Gampas out of the way! Layla was so happy to be here, and well Denny was content as always, and melted Grandpas heart with big smiles... We spent the next few days resting, and adjusting to West Coast time... 

We had lots of play dates planned, meeting with friends who we hadn't seen since our wedding, and during V-day my parents treated me to a trip to the desert, which was wonderful! I got to play 18 holes of golf with my dad... and I will for certain be purchasing my all access playing card to the course on/off base this spring... its such a relaxing sport... We got back home, and my mom treated us to passes to Sea World... and boy have we been using them... I can say its not the same without Chris... Layla loves and misses her papa... but she loves the sharks, and Shamu, and OMG we fed the Bat Rays... one of which is quite feisty and enjoys flapping his wings, and splashing everyone around... We've been to Nati's numerous times and while sitting on the patio you can count on the flyby of the planes from the airport... and Layla without fail: "Hi daddy... my daddy flyin... bye bye daddy, I miss you" its heart breaking, but he'll be  home soon... 

Last weekend was the Auction for SCI and that was a blast... My dad always does such an amazing job! I'm sure they are sad to see him go... but I think my mom strategically planned her b-day trip to Tahiti so that dad could be relieved of the stress! I think they were on track to raise at least 200k... which is just amazing... Denny went dressed as a baby reindeer, and helped me sell a few thousand dollars in BINGO cards for this gorgeous Kimber handgun...! I was one of the final five people too for the drawing... but... no new handgun for mama!  

We're wrapping up our trip here... next Thursday my sister will escort me up to Sacramento, and then I think I'll head down to Merced, and then Chris' mom has offered to help with the drive back... I'm hoping were back sometime around the 15th, but we'll see how the weather pans out... 

This trip overall has been remarkably wonderful... but a few friend have been through some just terribly trying times, I've been praying a lot, and thinking a lot about the things that are truly important, and about how fragile and fleeting life is... I have always loved this reflection, and have been contemplating a time to share it, but here is something that I've been trying to read and live every day :) Love you all and goodnight:

The Choice 

by Max Lucado

IT’S QUIET. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love . . .

No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy . . .

I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace . . .

I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience . . .

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness . . .

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness . . .

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness . . .

 Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I choose gentleness . . .

 Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control . . .

I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

From When God Whispers Your Name
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1999) Max Lucado

EPIC New Years Resolution Fail

Seriously right, well a brief update, I will go into more detail in the very near future, with pics and everything... but before leaving Minot, we had some amazing house guests, who have turned into house sitters, while they lok for a place/decide on a place in the Great North... lol, so I was kept super busy and entertained with the Doucettes and their three fabulous kiddos and cute pets... but we lost both of ours ed-bird and bird-bird both died within 3 days of eachother, Chris and my Mom both think it was the new food I switched them to, it was made in China... anyways, I left Minot Jan 29th, and got to San Diego the 30th in the early evening... whew what a drive, more details and pics to come on that as well... we have arrived safely and we're all adjusting well... Layla Grace is loving all the attention and Denny had hit some big milestones... more to come I'll make up for my hiatus in the coming days!

Love Always,

Brige

Some Scripture for the Day

Psalm 126: 3 "The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."

Soooo Tired

Big Sister Layla giving some love ons to Baby Denny

Well tonight is going to be a very short post, as I am exhausted... And really don't have too much to say, except for that in the past week I have developed an even more profound appreciation for single parents, how they do it I have no clue... Layla had been sleeping soooo well! But one nap ruined that... 230am and 3am sleep times are killer... Esp. When trying to keep the house up after she's asleep.... I feel like a horrible mother, I raised my voice at her, over her un-plugging the Garmin that I was updating, (which is usually reserved for life and limb moments) and she started to cry, I felt like I had smashed her flowers, she looked up at me so dejected and my heart broke... I let my frustration get the best of me, and that poor little one, tomorrow is a new day though, and hopefully I will be able to be more patient :/ My goal for manana is to get all of our clothes sorted, take the kids clothes that are too small for them and put them in storage, and go through my closet and pull out the clothes that I never wear :/... If I get that done, I will be almost done getting the house ready for our company later this week! Happy MLK day everyone! Goodnight

Something to ponder and one of my favorite reflections:

Forgive us if this day we have done or said anything to increase the pain of the world. Pardon the unkind word, the impatient gesture, the hard and selfish deed, the failure to show sympathy and kindly help where we had the opportunity, but missed it; and enable us so to live that we may daily do something to lessen the tide of human sorrow, and add to the sum of human happiness.-F.B. Meyer

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Friday Night Lights...

An amazing movie right... but no I had a wonderful day today... LGG and DCEG and I all headed into town to do some shopping at Target... putting together a Birthday/V-Day box for the hubsters, getting BIRD FOOD (the main purpose of the trip, realized there was none in my basket while we were in the checkout line LOL), and just trying to get out... 

We had another 3-5" of snow last night, I keep meaning to take pictures and post them, but you know me... I plowed the driveways, and headed into town, I'm always super nervous as we very rarely have ventured out without Chris... but LGG did amazing, no huge tantrums, and stayed with me, I think she gets distracted by all the "stuff" everywhere, but what little one doesn't... Denny of course rode along in his papoose which is always fun I love having him so close, and I can also schlep both kids while he's in it... 

We came back home... (made a detour to Taco Johns which has Churros... super yummy, make a bad day wonderful 3 weight watcher point churros, I joked with Chris once that I should just go on a churro diet, 10 of them a day, and I would be withing my points values... lol pardon the sidetracking)... and went straight over to the Duff's for the most delicious homemade pizza OMG so delicious... Lisa almost has me convinced that I need a bread machine, but I will stick with my "old fashioned" methods for now, its so wonderful to have neighbors, friends and sisters who are just so hospitable, and willing to open their homes and share time, it was welcome company!... 

The house was trashed... I let the New Years resolution go yesterday, Layla was up til 5am Friday morning, and I just did not have the energy or will power to keep up with her, so I let that one slide... but... I am sitting here now in a clean house... so I don't feel too bad... I called my mom griping about my true un-desire to clean at that moment, and her advice was to hire a maid... and that it is much easier to pick up one thing at a time, than 500... which I agree... I'm just not too good at the cleaning up as you go thing yet... one day (I hope) I will master it... but until then... I keep telling myself one room at a time... its just difficult... when the kids are finally asleep... I get to spend my leisure time cleaning... yay... insert sarcasm here... well anyways... I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed so if I'm sounding super whiny I'm sorry...  

Last night was fun though, Chris signed up for a pogo.com account and we played a few games of scrabble against each other, and Skyped for a few hours... it was great to see my husband, I feel like a part of my heart is missing, and seeing him and talking to him makes the distance feel just a little shorter. Layla enjoyed making drawings for her DADDDDYYY, she was drawing Christmas Trees, one for mommy, daddy, baby broder, and Layla... she just has the sweetest little heart to her... We are so blessed... anyways I hope yall had a wonderful Friday, and don't forget the PLAYOFFS tomorrow! Go Steelers and Go Pack...

Some Scripture for Today...

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Domestic Engineer

Today we got the car ready for the Trek out west... I'm getting super excited! Transmission Fluid Drained and Changed, along with the power steering, balanced and rotated tires... we're all set... now just to finish up the packing and wait for the weather to let up! Yesterday was lots of fun, we went to the bowling ally with Lisa and Alex and then had a dinner date with the Guests our neighbors across the way! I love our little neighborhood!

So... With the better half away, I thought this description of what moms/wives do was very accurate... I refer to myself as a Domestic Engineer... 

The Domestic Engineer is responsible for all household and childcare duties. Additionally, the domestic engineer is responsible for ensuring that harmony exists between all individuals living in the home. Love, care, and kindness are all attributes that must be exhibited by the domestic engineer. Caring for the husband is crucial, and it is expected that the domestic engineer will provide for his emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. A domestic engineer should also maintain personal hygiene and take care of her physical body through proper eating and regular exercise. While there is not a strict dress code, it is expected that between the hours of 7 am and 10 pm, the domestic engineer will have makeup applied and will not be wearing pajamas or other elastic clothing. The domestic engineer is expected to cry no more than 1 time per month, for a maximum of 5 minutes.

Duties

Household:

Sweeping/mopping – at least once per day

Dusting – at least twice per week

Vacuuming – at least once per week

Straightening up – at least once per day, preferably before 5pm

Doing the dishes – as often as needed so that dishes do not extend over the corners of the sink

Scrubbing bathrooms – at least once every two weeks or weekly if any potty-trained children reside in the home

Doing the laundry – as often as necessary so that clean socks and underwear can easily be located

Other duties as assigned

Childcare:

Feeding – 3 well balanced meals each day with 1-2 healthy snacks

Bathing – at least 5 baths per week including full body lotion application when needed

Dressing/Grooming – children will be dressed with fresh, clean clothes. Haircuts must be provided at least every 6 weeks once the child is 18 months old. Fingernails and toenails must be trimmed so that no more than 3mm of nail be exposed past the end of the digit.

Emotional Caring – holding each child for at least 20 minutes per day. Saying “I love you to each child at least 3 times a day”

Developmental – reading to each child for at least 20 minutes per day

Qualifications/Requirements:

Must have a high threshold for pain and a high tolerance for nagging, bothering, begging, crying, and loud noises

Must be willing and able to stand for extensive periods of time, to crawl on the floor, to enter tight and cramped spaces, and to climb chairs and tables to obtain objects in difficult to reach places

Must be willing and able to operate on 0-6 hours of sleep

Should be able to handle multiple difficult situations at once

Should be well versed on the phone and in writing

Must possess negotiation skills to handle requests from both children and adults

Can calmly handle stressful situations without yelling, throwing, hitting, storming out of rooms, or slamming doors – preferably 

Hope this gave you a good laugh

Scripture for the Day

Ephesians 5:22-33 

"Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body.“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."