Birthday Song #4 w/Family

"Again guys, again!"

Happy Birthday Song #3 w/Family

Again, again, again!

Happy Birthday Song #9

Happy 3rd Birthday Madelyn

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl

CHEESE!

Our best Texas friends, Melissa & Addy, came to celebrate with us. It's turned out to be a very wonderful birthday for our wonderful Madelyn...And we sang "Happy Birthday" like 15 times.

A moment of peace between TOTAL EXCITEMENT

A Quick Jump in the Pool w/the Wrong Diaper

"Why are you following me?"

"Ok, put the camera away!"

Is it acting like fall in California yet?

What about Illinois, Oregon, Arizona, and Utah? People have Halloween and fall décor up and it really confuses me. I still think I'm 23, it's the first half of the year 2000, and my little girl is still a baby in arms. No it doesn't make sense but the time lapse really doesn't either. What happened to all that time? The weather hasn’t changed here. It’s still pretty much pool season. I can’t believe it’s October and that Madelyn is going to turn 3 next Saturday. James is going to be in CA for Madda’s birthday so we’re not really going to have a celebration until we get settled in our new Brentwood home. Melissa and Addy (Madelyn’s and my closest friends) are coming over for the day to play so that we can make it as special as possible in the middle of a hard move.

I have some new pictures to share but haven’t gotten them on the computer yet. Sorry. Soon we won’t be such far away faces. We’ll be familiar and with family. I can’t believe that I’ve been away from home for over 7½ years and that James and I will be taking Madelyn away from the only home she’s ever known and bringing her home at the same time. Home is truly, where your loved ones are. James’ family isn’t very happy about us moving so far away and that’s understandable but James and Madelyn will be flying out for visits and I hope Grandma Collins and Aunt Mi Mi will be visiting us in California as well. Thank you so much for the gifts and pictures Grandma Collins.

I cry every time I talk or even type about it but it’ll be so wonderful for Madelyn to be surrounded by family and to be able to make friends that don’t move away as soon as we become close. It’ll be wonderful to put the military behind us and leave it in the past. James and I want to give Madelyn everything and it’s been such a heartache to see her hurt because of friends leaving and family being so far away. The poor girl is so socially neglected. We’re finally going to be able to change that.

California means so much to us; it means getting better and healing our bodies as well as our hearts. James and I are so sick. I don’t think it’ll really sink in to those that we’re coming home to until everyone that knew us before gets to know us again. My intensive 17 hr. sleep study (Wed & Thurs) didn’t yield hopeful results but I’ve got to have something positive to hold on to. I believe that the Lord will be able to heal us with faith, family, new friends, and an excellent diet with natural supplements. ☺

Love, Wendy