Welcome home 4-25 soliders!

The flights have started coming in - the 4-25 are on there way home which means Jon should be here sometime next month. Molly and I went with some other friends to the second home ceremony yesterday. The poor soldiers on this flight were delayed 4 days b/c of the weather and other circumstances. I hope that doesn't happen when Jon comes home I can't imagine thinking he was coming and then constantly pushing it back by 12 hours here and 3 hours there. It was the fastest ceremony I have ever been to - the guy talked maybe 2 minutes and the chaplain's prayer was short and sweet and then the families were allowed to rush the gym and see their family. It was a little sad b/c when the soldiers came in and the kids saw their parents they had to wait in the stands (some did not understand that and tried to run into the formation - a few tears later they understood). Here are some pictures of what it looks like since I know when Jon comes the last thing from my mind will be taking silly pictures I will want to be with the kids trying to break the rules and run to see him.

Molly cheering with Tina for the soldiers - she loves clapping now and this was a great occasion to do it a lot. This is the above head clap!
Notice the soldiers coming in the back door - they had to drop off their bags and get in formation for a few words and then the mass chaos of seeing family for the first time in a long time!
4 rows of duffel bags that they will have to go through to get there luggage - I was scared this would take forever. People greeted their soldiers, had their bags and were out of there within 15 minutes - I can only hope it is that fast for us!!


Molly moment:
I couldn't resist this picture moment. Molly needed to get in her toy basket to play with everything. The bow was put in a few minutes prior to the picture to keep her bangs out of her face - it is her valentine's day bow.

Soon and very soon there will be a strange man named Jon who will reappear in our pictures and make it back in the blog!!!

Busted Lip

It is official - Molly busted her lip for the first time.
I was playing games with some friends and Molly was pulling her self up on the chair and managed to smack her lip on the chair and get a bloody lip. There were a few tears shed but as you can see from the above photo evidence it didn't effect her too long.
Here is my welcome home sign for Jon. I love creative neighbors whose ideas I can use!! One friend has a Happy Birthday sign and some other friends made Merry Christmas so I thought why not welcome home?? The sign will go away until the day Jon comes home and then it will probably be hanging for a long time!!
You might be wondering why the jumparoo is in the entry way? This is the only way I can make sure Molly doesn't go all over the house while I shovel snow. I can't wait until Jon is home and he can either watch Molly OR go shovel the snow:)

My next project is a Happy Birthday sign before Feb 25 (Molly's big day!!)

Pajama Party

Molly has now attended her first pajama party and she loved it. Her friend Joelle turned 2 and her mom threw an awesome party for her. The kids ate chocolate chip pancakes (with sausage and fruit) for dinner/ cake and then opened presents. This was followed by the older kids running in circles while Molly longing watched and tried to get in on the action. Beth then did her family's bedtime routine so she read them a book, had them all pray with her and watched a short video. It is amazing the power TV has over kids of all ages.
Molly eating her dinner at the kid table all by herself.

Can't believe I can leave her and she will eat her food and drink her cup but I can!! However when she was done she decided to dump the rest of her plate on the floor - one day she will be able to communicate with me (and hopefully will).
Present time.
Story time.
Video time - look who is front and center. I am sure she is wondering what is on TV, the only time she is sat down in front of it she watches videos Jon made for her.

Finish well

I was reminded today that to finish well means not to look to next month but to live my best right now. A chaplain at the incident briefing encouraged us to remember- while we are excited that they are starting to leave country our soldiers must stay focused on the task at hand. The coming home process has begun and some soldiers have made it home but today one family in our battalion grieves the loss of a husband/father. Please pray for the family - wife and 3 young sons.

NEXT MONTH!!

Jon comes home next month !!! It will be toward the end but he might actually make it home for Molly's b-day.
We have been having fun hanging out with friends and ice skating with the kids from chapel. I have learned a very valuable lesson - I am no longer a teenager and falling hurts. I remember the pool parties The Journey would have and we did best fall into the pool so I thought it would be fun to have a best fall on the ice with my chapel kids. BIG MISTAKE. I also attempted to race kids on ice who are hockey players and ice skaters (who practice hours and hours) needless to say I was beat badly. They can skate faster backwards than I can forward and I only had to skate 1/2 the distance. But it was fun to get some outside time with them all. Luckily for me Jon had given me a gift certificate to get a massage for our anniversary (many months ago) and I finally used it after ice skating. I am glad I saved/put it off this long. My first massage and I think I actually enjoy them.
Now onto the main event - pictures of Molly.
Some people requested a new hair do so without further ado - here is my attempt.

Molly right after I finished giving her braided pigtails.
By the end of the day the pigtails no longer stood on end - we had to keep putting on her hat when we went outside.
The next morning.
Molly got her new car seat. She looks so little in it but she looked so big in her old infant seat.
Some babies carry around blankets, toys, dolls - not Molly she carries around a spoon. I took this one away at some point and she had another one by the end of the afternoon. I guess it is her comfort knowing she can eat whenever and where ever.