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Name: Jennie
Interests: Raising two boys, telling others about adoption, writing my column, teaching myself how to cook, training for a long-distance run, taking too many pictures and reading other blogs.
Expertise: I'm a perfectionist, so I'm not an expert at anything.
Occupation: In Training
Message: message meEmail: email me
Member Since:
4/19/2005
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| Goodbye and Good Luck!Chuck left this morning for the academy. We'll be separated for five months, and while it'll be difficult for me to manage on my own, he definitely has the harder road of the two. It was tears all around, but I'm sure I don't have to tell you that.
Last night he and I went to dinner at PF Chang's and then to see Batman. We'd never been to PF Chang's before but I will most certainly be back! It was fabulous! For a split second I thought about changing my birthday dinner plans from Foodworks to Chang's, if that says anything.
I had the waiter take our picture:
And then, to my surprise, I read the most interesting fortune:
After dinner we went to the theater to see Batman. Can we say packed? The only other time I've seen the theater THAT crowded was for Harry Potter. Chuck said that was the busiest he's ever seen it, and of course he would know. The movie was very good, dark and quite disturbing. More than once I jumped out of my seat. And while most of you know I'm partial to Heath Ledger, I can say (in agreement with Chuck) that he outdid himself as The Joker. He wowed me.
We got home late since the movie was nearly three hours and there was still more packing to do. Chuck finished up odds and ends while I transfered music to the iTunes folder on his laptop. I choked back tears the whole time. When we collapsed into bed close to 1 a.m., it was hard to fall asleep. The weight of our thoughts was too great.
Bill and Brenda, along with Matt, Amy and the kids, met us at the airport to say goodbye. Jeremy and Jackson obviously don't understand what's going on, and perhaps that's best. My own father was stationed in Turkey for a year when I was just a toddler and I have no memory of him being gone. Children are resilient that way. Jeremy said, "See you in a few days," as Chuck walked through security, so that just tells you how he's processing it. I suspect I'll be answering the "when will Daddy come home?" question for a long time. It's a good thing school starts soon. Busy, busy, busy...
Pray for him, if you will. For safe travel, for an easy transition and for whatever else comes to mind...
And call me. Come visit. I've got five months of time on my hands.
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| Bittersweet.With only a few days left until Chuck leaves, we're spending lots of time together and tying up loose ends. We've had doctor's appointments and errands to run, but we've also enjoyed casual lunches and swimming with the boys. The closer we get to Saturday the more quiet I get. This transition has been in the works for a long time, and as satisfying as it is to say, "Yes, prayer has been answered," it's still hard to live in limbo. I keep reminding myself that it could be worse. There are thousands of wives and children whose husbands and fathers are serving overseas and have been separated for a lot longer than five months. Plus, Chuck will be among 40 other candidates who've left their own families to pursue a new career, so I'm fully aware that I'm not alone on this road...
My key word for the rest of the year is busy. I need to be busy. Busy with the boys, busy with projects, busy with running, busy with friends, busy, busy, busy. I need to be too busy to think, too busy to worry. If I'm busy then time will pass quickly and we'll soon be celebrating Christmas in Texas.
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| Fun, fun!We had a great weekend with friends - separately and together. The boys stayed with Chuck's parents while we spent time with friends and each other. Chuck spent Friday evening with some guys from work while I met Karin for dinner after my haircut. He and I spent a leisurely Saturday morning and afternoon together and then had more time with friends last night. Amy and I went dress shopping (with success!) for my birthday party while Chuck, Matt, James and Charles (another high school buddy) played paintball and went to dinner. Amy and I went our own way and all met back at the apartment later. There was minimal talk about us moving, or specifically about Chuck leaving next weekend. Sometimes it's easier to soak in the laughter and forget about all the change that's headed our way.
Now we're waiting for my parents to come through on the way home from Texas. They'll stay the night and head home tomorrow. We have something going on every day this week, which saddens me since that means it'll go by too fast.
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| Just what I needed.I've been a grouch all day. I tried cleaning my blues away with classic country playing in the background. I ate a second piece of banana bread with chocolate chips in the hopes that would do it. I turned on the electric babysitter to settle the boys and hopped on the computer to steal a few minutes of quiet, but yet the grouchies remained - until now.
I went to my mother's blog and scrolled through pictures of their summer vacation...
And a smile came across my face. This is just what I needed! Thanks for posting it, Mom! Hope you guys have a great trip  .
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| A hot fudge sundae with a headache on topI'm battling a headache, one that's lingered most of the afternoon. I'm convinced it's because my diet has been extra indulgent as of late. I have no excuse other than sugar addiction, which is exactly why I want to do South Beach again. For nearly a year sugar had no power over me. I could pass up chocolate without getting the shakes and managed to keep off the 30 lbs. I lost. While I'm only up a measly five pounds, i feel like the potential is there to gain more. It doesn't help that I haven't run since the marathon (how sad is that?), even thought I've been at the gym most week days. With my time with Kathryn coming to an end I have no other option but to run, and I have to say that's the ace in my back pocket. When Chuck is gone it'll be a daily task not to Comfort Eat and shove my worries down with roll of cookie dough, so perhaps I'll run at night after the boys are in bed in lieu of munching in front of the television. Nevertheless, my headache is a reminder that I've let my good habits slip this summer.
I finished watching season two of The Tudors this morning while the boys were still in bed. I haven't seen season one, but if you paid attention during history class then you kinda know how things happened in early 16th Century England. (To make sure I'm not in the dark, and to satisfy my British Monarchy curiosities, I'll probably rent the DVDs from Blockbuster...) Even though I knew Anne Boleyn was beheaded, I was on PINS and NEEDLES throughout the entire last episode. The anticipation was intense! The series is phenomenal and I'm pouting about having to wait until next spring for season three. It's a good thing Dexter returns in the fall.
This weekend's social calendar is pretty full. Chuck has plans with friends both Friday and Saturday night in celebration and bidding farewell. I'll grab dinner with Karin Friday night and go dress shopping with Amy on Saturday. My 30th birthday is just around the corner and since I'm channeling Jenna Rink for my Girls Only, Thirty, Flirty, and Fabulous Party, I'd like a new dress. Here's hoping I don't run out of the changing rooms bawling.
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