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Wow, what a whirlwind the last couple of months have been! We are so blessed to have had a wonderful winter season and have been able to accomplish and experience so many things! As many of you know our time with the Army here at Ft. Campbell is quickly drawing to a close. In fact, the movers will be coming next Thursday to pack our things for our move back to South Carolina! What's Next??
Once we arrive in SC we will be living at Erin's mom and dad's home for several months. Our hope is that this will allow us a bit more financial security as we start our own business and transition out of the Army. Dan and his friend Chris have started Genesis Greenscapes and Tree Service. It is a heavy landscaping and tree service business and they are looking forward to getting started as soon as possible once we arrive back home. They have already done a great deal of work towards getting the business started to includ
e the purchase of equipment and becoming "official" with the government. At the moment, they are focusing on advertising. We are very excited about this new opportunity and expect to experience success! Our hope is that our success will be such that we will be able to look for our own home in the Lexington area by mid- Summer. Erin continues to stay at home and plans to continue to do so once we arrive at home.
As for our little man, he is doing just fine! Growing quickly and learning more and more each day! We are really enjoying him and all of the fun things he does each day. His vocabulary is growing which is a WONDERFUL thing as we will be able to begin moving past grunts and whines to get the things we need and want! He is very close to being able to call our dog Dakota by name, though still tends to fall back on "dog,dog." He very politely says "thank you" when a requested object is given or a toy restored. He is fascinated by the "mmmuuunnn" (moon) and looks for it anytime we step foot out at night and seems befuddled when it does not appear in its usual place. Any time a door
opens he shrieks "door, door" and makes b-line as quickly as possible. He loves being outside and is frustrated when the weather does not allow it (mommy is frustrated that he does not understand why we cannot go outside). He has also begun to tell us "nigh, nigh" before bed and some times when he is sleepy during the day will lay his head on the couch, look at me and say "nigh, nigh." And our most recent aquisition is "hot dog." Not like a hot dog you eat, but "hot dog that was fun." His appetite continues to improve and so do his sleeping habits, both of which have been a challenge in the past few weeks. He and Dakota are developing a bond, though Daniel is more comfortable with this bond than she is. Often I will come in to the living room to find him with his arms around her neck and his head resting on her. Sometimes Dakota is loved more than she wants to be and politely excuses herself from the situation by going and sitting by the back door. She's awesome... and we tell her this daily.
Finally, we are excited to say that we will add to our family once again in late October! Erin is about 4 weeks into pregnancy and is doing well outside of a slightly upset stomach and the exhaustion that comes with early pregnancy. Lots of people have asked if we would prefer a boy or a girl. First, and most importantly, we want another healthy pregnancy and baby. But, we would love to have another boy since they will be so close in age. And as for names... the jury is still out, but we'll keep you posted! We are so excited that the Lord has blessed us with the gift of another child, and much more quickly than we had expected! In the past few days, since finding out we were going to be parents again we have experienced a wide range of emotions from joy to fear to "are we out of our minds"? However, we have always trusted and experienced that the Lord does not give us more than we can handle so long as we allow him to help and that is what we are clinging to right now. We appreciate your love and prayers and look forward to being home near our family soon!
There are so many ways to celebrate the Christmas season and it is a lot of
fun to mesh the different ways of celebrating when you get married. Over the last few years (though we've only had three Christma
ses of five together) Dan and I have developed our own way of celbrating together. We both come from homes where a real Christmas tree is a must if it is at all possible and we both like to decorate our tree with ornaments that are special to us for one reason or another. It's really neat to pull the ornaments out of the box and remember why it is special. I love to decorate our house for Christmas and make it feel festive and warm both inside and out. Dan, is not so much on participating in all the decorating, but always enjoys the end result. :) Christmas in Clarksville means church fellowships, the lights on the riverwalk and time with our Army friends. So, we thought we'd post a few pictures of what our tender Tennessee Christmas looked like this year!
Be sure to check out the post that follows to find about or SC Christmas!
What a joy it was to spend Christmas as a family for the very first time! And even more of a blessing to be able to travel home and be with each of our families! We arrived just in time for Christmas earlier this week after completing the first part of our very last round trip from Tennessee to South Carolina. It is, of course, a bitter sweet transition that we are about to make, but after spending Christmas at home we are realizing more and more that it will be more sweet than bitter.
Christmas Eve was extra special as we woke to celebrate Daniel's first birthday! It is hard to believe that a year has passed so quickly! I have to admit that I was a bit more emotional about him turning one than I thought I would be. After all, it is so neat to think that our birthday is the day that God chose for us to come in to the world and God doesn't do anything that is not perfect. So, Daniel got an extra squeeze from his Mommy and Daddy at 3:29 PM on Christmas Eve afternoon. We did not have a party as the day was already filled with the usual Christmas Eve visit with the Brazell side of my family. Daniel got several fun gifts and some that he isn't too interested in just yet, but will be soon enough. As it is with most small children, he was much
more entertained with all the debris that results from a frenzied session of opening presents and holiday activity. I would be remiss if I did not mention our crazy tradition of taking a swim in my uncle's pool every Christmas Eve... well, the younger Brazell men, at least, have kept this tradition alive. This year, despite the unusually warm temperature outside, the pool water only registered 50 degrees. Needless to say, in the went and out they came as quickly as possible! So crazy! At the end of the day we attended two Christmas Eve services, one at the church where we will make our home when we move back to SC and one at Ft. Jackson. Dan's dad preched the
service at the post chapel and it was very special to be together in his church remembering and reflecting on why this is such a special time. Christmas morning Daniel got the day started around 6AM, but this is not too unusual as that has become his habit these days ( I know, so early!). Once we had all gathered we opened presents from mom and dad and Santa, who was extra good to Daniel! He is now the proud owner of his very own wagon! And this is not just any wagon! It comes complete with cup holders, a storage bin, a swinging door entrance and room for two! He had a blast getting in and out of the wagon and bouncing up and down encouraging the nearest sucker to make it move. I say sucker because once you start something like this with him, it is difficult to stop with out a really sad looking lower lip. Later in the morning we headed over to Dan's mom an dad's house to share Christmas with his family. It was extra special because it is the first time in a long time that everyone has been able
to be together and we were together at his parent's home instead of his grandparents home which was a first. We had a wonderful time enjoying good food and laughter around the table and excitement over the gifts under the tree. At this point in the day you could really sense that Daniel was begining to realize this wasn't just an ordinary day... so cool. To end our Christmas we headed over to my grandmothers for presents and fun. We shot off some fireworks... Daniel wasn't so sure about this for a while, but seemed to enjoy the fun from a distance as we bumped up and down the road in front of their house in his new wheels.
We truly did enjoy a blessed Christmas and it was certainly different this year for us than it was last year! Thankfully! We are looking forward to seeing all that the new year holds and know that it is going to be great, because as I said before, the author of our days is flawless writer!
This weekend we were able to make a quick trip home to share in my
This is what we made with our pumpkins from the patch!
While we were home in SC we got to go to the fSC State Fair with both sets of grandparents! Daniel absolutely LOVED the Carousel! It was the first time he ever cried when we had to take him away from something :0(
Lately the weather has been really nice so we've enjoyed being able to go to a local park!
This Sunday afternoon we joined about 30 other ladies from the battalion and their kiddos to go in to the barricks and make up the beds for our single soldiers! We really enjoyed doing this and it was nice to know that we were making a difference. Each soldier is being given two bags full of goodies, one from a local school and one from the USO. The one thing that broke my heart in this experience was what these soldiers are coming home to.... their rooms are a bit cold and unwelcoming and the bedding is less than cozy. They will return to a bed with only one sheet, a wool blanket and an uncomfortable pillow. So, say a special prayer for our single soldiers that they will feel the love of their own families and the ones in our battalion.
Last weekend, Nana and Papa were up for a visit and we went to a local pumpkin patch! It was so much fun! We took a hayride out to the patch and got to choose our pumpkins and some cool looking gourds. We look forward to doing this with daddy next year! Daniel continues to grow quickly and it seems he is able to do new things on a daily basis. Lately, he has become quite skilled and imitating what other people do. He especially like is when I snap my fingers and dance... he joins in by bouncing up and down and grinning. He also squeels when other people are screaming or squeeling. It was extra funny the morning he squeeled along with the crowd on TV outside at the TODAY Show. :0) He isn't walking yet, but I am sure that it won't be long. He can stand on his own, quite often turning loose of whatever he has holding on to, and pulls up on everything. I am hoping he will hold off a few more weeks so that his daddy can be a part of that milestone, but I'm not sure if that is going to happen. Speaking of daddy. . . we are expecting him home in about 3 weeks!!! It is hard to believe this experience is drawing to a close, but we are so thankful that it is. So much "life" has happened in the last 14 months and we are all anxious to catch up and start living life together! We plan to spend Thanksgiving here in C-Ville and will be heading home to Lexington for Christmas! I will be making a quick trip to Lexington in 2 1/2 weeks to celebrate my brother's wedding! Please be in prayer that God works out the details of Dan's arrival and my return from the wedding... it is looking like the two events could be very close! Just before we head home for Christmas we will be making another quick trip to Auburn for Justin's graduation and comissioning into the Air Force. So, we have a very busy, but very exciting couple of months ahead of us! Thanks in advance for your continued prayers as we await Dan's arrival home and
adjust to being a family! We are SO excited about all the blessings God has just around the corner!
We have enjoyed a visit to Grand Rapids, MI to visit my best friend Kari over the last few days. This is my second trip to Grand Rapids since beginning my friendship with her and I absolutely love it here. The colors of fall and the architecture are so pretty and the cool weather and unique entertainment are an added bonus. Kari has a daughter, Madilynn, that is about 6 weeks older than Daniel. We have enjoyed observing the differences in boys and girls in both physical and mental development. Maddie has several words in her vocabulary, but is not yet as physically strong and capable as Daniel. Daniel likes to make noise and Maddie prefers quiet activities or real "conversation." Funny how things do not change much! :0) Earlier in our visit we took the kiddos to a local apple orchard where they got to experience a petting zoo and tractor ride out into the orchard. We all had a fantastic time! Sure wish we had something like this around home! We also explored the quaint town of Rockford this afternoon. They have lots of unique shops here and a beautiful dam. We'll be sad for our time here to end, but we'll get to see our friends again soon because they will journey down to see us w
On our way home to Lexington last week we made a stop just outside of Nashville to see my dear friend Summer and her son Daniel. "Her Daniel" is almost two and really enjoyed playing with and loving on "my Daniel." We enjoyed a cup of coffee and some long overdue catching up before continuing on our journey! I'm so thankful for friends like her!
Well, it seems that the summer is quickly beginning to fade into fall and it has been nearly 3 months since my last update! As you know we've had a pretty busy summer with Dan's visit home and various other short trips and visits. After Dan's R&R I returned to Clarksville and my cousin Anna Leigh accompanied me to spend some time with us during the remaining weeks of her summer. We really enjoyed having her around! We
have also had a visit from our friends Amy and Addison! It was so much fun to watch the kiddos play with one another and neat for me to see ho much Daniel will grow and change in a short 6 months! When it was time for
Anna Leigh to return home we met up with our families at the cabin and did a little hiking! Daniel was such a trooper and I got the workout of a lifetime trying to hike with my little 20 lb monkey on my back! After a fantastic weekend Daniel and I returned to Clarksville and mangage to fill our time each day with lots of playing, errand running and exercise. He really enjoys being outside and on some days that is my saving grace. I am working with a group of ladies at our church to get a MOPS (Mother's Of Pre-Schoolers) group goi
ng and we are looking forward to an exciting year. So, you could say we're staying pretty busy! Right now, we're in Lexington for a
little visit. This past weekend we traveled up to Gastonia, NC to celebrate Dan's grandmother's birthday as well as his cousin Andrew's 4th birhtday! It was the first time all three cousins (Daniel, Andrew and Brett) have all been together. It was such a blessing to be able to celebrate these birthdays and share some special moments with Dan's family. We will return to
Clarksville for a few weeks before we look forward to another visit home and a visit to see our friends Kari and Madelynn in Grand Rapids, MI. Once we return from that trip we'll have about a month before Dan will return home to us for good! We have been told to expect him home before Thanksgiving and God willing he will be home in time for Justin and Rebekah's wedding! So, we are down to the last 90 days or so of this deployement and that is
such an energizing thought! It won't be long until we are a family again! As always we are thankful for your prayers and encouraging words! Until the next post. . .
From the moment I saw Dan in my Sophomore English class at Lexington High School I loved him... okay, so maybe it was more of a crush then. However, when the Lord brought him into my life a second time our Freshman year at Clemson it grew into a very deep love that still grows by the day. When I met him he was already a contracted ARMY ROTC cadet on his way to being a comissioned officer. I knew that our life together would be different than the life most of my peers would live after college. I didn't realize how different or challenging it would be until after the events of September 11.
When people hear our story many times they say to me, "Well, you knew what you were getting in to." Yes, I did, but allow me to make a comparison. We go to the doctor to get a shot that will protect our health and we expect that it will hurt. Upon arriving at the doctor we expect our shot, but that does not make it hurt any less when we receive it.
First, I have the love of a God who is bigger than all of this. He promised me that He would not give me more than I can handle with His help. All I have to do is remember to ask Him for it. This is the part that is a daily struggle for me as I am an independent person!
Second, my Ft. Campbell "family" is amazing! I have a wonderful church family and I've made many friends through the Army and work. I know that even when I feel utterly alone I am not and all I have to do is make a phone call and there will be someone on the other end who completely understands how I am feeling at that moment.
Third, I have the love and confidence of my husband. I know that he is always beside me and that while we are not together we are growing stronger as we make this journey together. Stronger as a individuals, stronger as a couple and better parents to our son.
Finally, I have the love of both mine and Dan's familiy. I know that they mean it when they say that they will be here if I need them. I know they are praying for us and cheering us on and they will be there to rejoice with us when this is all over.
And while love is 90% of it, attitude is the other 10%. We all face things each day that are difficult and that we don't enjoy. The key is not allowing it to rob us of our joy. If I allow this situation to steal my joy then I will miss the growing experience and all the blessings God has for me right now... like my son's smile and the way he enjoys watching the leaves on the trees move or laughing at our dogs or sharing life with my husband and my family and my girlfriends.
So, that's the long and the short of the answer to the question of "How?" You see, I'm not on my own. I've never been on my own and I never will be. I have more strength and love and encouragement than I could have ever imagined and for that I am exceedingly thankful.
