Update

It seems like I do this a lot but here is an update of the happenings of our family.

Ken- We had a scare about a week and a half ago. I hadn't talked to Ken for about a week but I hadn't really worried because I knew he was moving to a new place and we didn't know how soon he would be able to contact us. I talked to one of my friends (whose husband is a major in the same battalion that Ken is in)and she said that she got an email that said that there was a communications blackout. She said that there are a lot of reasons that they can have a blackout but I was so afraid that it was because someone was killed or hurt. I really started freaking out. That night(4:30 am), Ken sent me a text message that said that he was ok. I was so relieved. We were at a hotel because there was a family reunion that weekend. The guy in the front lobby let me use his computer and Ken and I were able to IM. The reason for the blackout was that three soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber along with some Iraqis. Ken told me that this happened about 2 miles from his area. Scary huh? It brought a lot of things home to Ken and I. I think we both realize how close he is to all of this and how anything can happen. We are grateful to know that we will be together forever even if (Heaven forbid) something happens to him. Ken is ok. He sounds kind of bored with things there. He has a lot of responsibility but he doesn't really go anywhere. The place where he is at is small. He has got to be going crazy.

Chloe- Chloe is almost finished with Kindergarten. Their last day is June 10th. She is going to be really bored this summer. She is used to having friends around and having a lot of structure to her day. It will be an interesting change for us all. She is doing amazingly well in school. Even though she entered school in January she is still above the expected reading level. She gets good comments from her teachers who love her and she is loved by a lot of people in her school. Jared, Reba and I went to her school for Field Day (a day when they have all sorts of games to play as a class) and anytime we were going to the next station all we heard was Hi Chloe! She has a lot of friends from different classes. She is adjusting well to all of the craziness that we have had and are still having in our lives. She is happy and bossy and motherly to us all. She keeps me straight too. She reminds me daily that I need to watch what I say and do because she tries to do things just like me and she is a lot smarter and grown up than I give her credit for.

Jared- Jared has really gotten into movies. He loves to check out movies from the library. Since he doesn't take naps anymore it gives him a time to watch movies and me time to have a break. He love to play with his trains and his sister. He misses Chloe when she is at school. When she comes home they both go across the street to play with the grandson of one of our neighbors. He loves Reba. While Chloe is at school he tries to play with her just like he would Chloe. It doesn't always work and she is not always too fond of it but they get along most of the time and he hasn't seriously hurt her yet. He loves to have friends around. Anytime we go somewhere that he has friends available to him he is happy. He doesn't really play with them a lot though. He likes to have the knowledge that he can play with them if he wants to. Crazy kid!

Reba- Reba is walking all over the place now. She has learned to blow bubbles with her mouth and it sounds like she is saying Mama. She loves to play with shoes. She takes the liner out of any shoes that she can. She took them out of two pairs of my shoes and one of Jared's. I don't know why she does this. It kind of drives me crazy. She LOVES to wear her shoes. If I haven't put them on her yet for the day and she sees them she sits down in front of me and tries to do it herself. When I go to help her she is the one who closes the velcro. We have a shoe girl. She still loves me more than anything and would rather go to me than anyone else but she is starting to tolerate other people holding her. Sometimes she even lets certain people hold her while I am still in the room where she can see me. Sometimes. She loves to talk to Ken on the phone and she gets mad when I try to take the phone away. She says Dada to him and baba (bye bye). If she sees his picture on the comouter she tries to get to it and kiss it. She is also a little monkey. She has learned how to climb into her high chair by herself. Smart little girl.

Lisa- Now for the news that you all have been waiting for. The bottle incident was not a sign. WE ARE HAVING A BOY!!!!!!!!!! He is healthy and he was a pain during the ultrasound just like all of our other kids. We have not settled on a name yet. We are still choosing between two. Neither one of us have any idea which one it will be. I have been having some panic attacks. Some people ask me what I have to stress about and I just look at them like they are crazy. I am keeping busy with my mom's house and the kids. I also have been given a calling to be on the enrichment board at church. I am very grateful for all of the times that others have helped me with taking the kids or cleaning the house. Each time has been a very welcome break.

We hope that you are all doing well. We can't wait to see everyone again.