An attempt to keep in touch

Well I am now using my blog to keep T in touch with us while he is in Iraq. First a couple of funnies. The day before Troy left he picked up Drew from school and on the walk home Drew looked up at his Dad most sincerely and says "I wish you luck on your deployment to Iraq Dad." So sweet and oddly mature of him! He has taken this whole thing with the most stiff upper lip of all the kids. Personality differences must vary greatly in our family because some kids have been known to have to leave the room bawling. Painful, real painful.

Then the other funny I will share is Audrey said to T at breakfast the morning of his flight. "So, will you be having your breakfast at home or in Iraq?" He had his breakfast with us, and currently he is in Georgia eating all his meals and sleeping in a bunk bed with several room-mates who have snoring issues. Thanks to earplugs, I think T is managing okay.

It was a nice day overall today, but Sundays can be hard with all the kids getting on each other's nerves, and I feel like I am a constant referee. It has been nice to have Troy's Mother here to hold kids and read to them, make meals with me and be a supportive adult to talk to. Troy's Dad has been busy hanging things up (T the sconces you hate are now in the front room-sorry!), and tonight we were discussing a chain for the front door and other fixer uppers. So nice to have him here as well.

We went to the LDS temple visitor's center this afternoon, and it was so cute to see little Eliza looking up in amazement at the Christus statue. We left the front area and in the end made our way past the statue again on our way out. She got all excited at the reunion (of us and the statue), and started verbalizing "cheesus, cheesus!" Cute is not an adequate word for her.

Nathan won the award for most difficult child to deal with today. No details, but lets just say that Grandma was heard to say the words 'typical teenager' on one occasion. How am I ever going to do this alone for 6 months? Thank heavens it isn't longer. I think tomorrow we will go and get pumpkins for FHE. That and play a family favorite 'murder in the dark' with Annette and Burton. Hope I don't actually kill my teenager- killing is bad : (

Later Alligator,
KT

PS (An)Drew made up some sorta rap today with words something like this... "With an A to the N to the D and Roo, I am a red-headed kid who turns food into poo" Nice rhyme eh? Disgusting, yet true...