Thursday Thirteen

Okay, so it isn't Thursday and I am late, but oh well!!!

Thirteen things we have been doing since Daddy came home....

1. Wrestling on the floor!! What fun!! Daddy wrestles the best!!!
2. Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping. Daddy had jet lag, but besides that he is really good about going to bed at a decent time and waking up at a decent time. So, he has been a good influence on Mommy, who's sleep was really out of whack while Daddy was gone.
3. Talking. Michael and I were incredibly fortunate to get to talk just about every day while he was away, but not about everything. Since it wasn't a secured line, he couldn't talk about all that was going on over there. So, he and Mommy have been catching up and talking about different things with the kids and family. Daddy has also been getting lots of calls from family and friends who just want to hear his voice and know that he is home safely!!!
4. LAUGHING!!! Michael is getting to hear Mac use complete sentences and say really silly things that 3 year olds do. He cracks us up!! Lily Kate is really starting to talk, so he gets to hear all that he has been missing for the past four months!!
5. Eating. Daddy had some really yucky food over there and has missed so many particular foods. Today we had Chick-fil-a for lunch, at Daddy's request. He said that he saw a commercial for them only one time while he was over there and has been dreaming of a #1 combo ever since!! I also made him a german chocolate cake for his birthday and a couple of his favorite dinners. We are really just getting started!!
6. Laundry. Michael's clothes stunk..not like body odor stink, but just a musty kind of smell. Poor thing. They definitely didn't use Tide or Gain over there. So, I have been washing all of his things to get a good smell back into them. Some things are hopeless and they are going in the garage...
7. Being outdoors. Daddy is so glad to see trees!!! He is also so glad to not be breathing in so much dust and sand. He has commented several times that "that sort of air quality just can't be good for you". I know he is enjoying the intake of some fresh air by taking walks with the kids and playing with Jack (our dog). Plus, the weather there was horribly hot and it is really nice and crisp here. It just so happens to be his favorite time of year!!!
8. TV. Michael asked me the other day, "has the new season started". Um, yeah. He has a LOT of catching up to do. PLUS, he gets to watch football tomorrow!!! He is pretty psyched!!
9. Drinking lots of water. In Iraq, their only water source was the Euphrates river. They would get water from here and treat it so that it was "potable". This meant that it was safe to drink. However, Michael said it was still nasty. May explain the odor in the laundry. Anyway, he has been drinking lots of water since he got home, simply because it tastes good!! He also commented that it was nice to actually take a shower and have the water not stop in between rinsings. Apparently the water there was in such a shortage you could only turn it on to rinse.
10. Reading. We have been reading lots of books to the kids...its quality time with them and Mommy isn't splitting her time between the two of them. They each get our undivided attention.
11. Potty training. Now that Daddy is home, we are really trying to buckle down on Mac's potty training. Who knows, Lily Kate might not be that far behind. She constantly goes up to her brother when he is on the throne and says, "potty!"
12. Scratching. Okay, I know this sounds weird, but Michael's back is CONSTANTLY itching and always in need of scratching. Especially when he wakes up in the morning. He gets it from his Dad. I always see his Dad rubbing up against a door frame like a bear against a tree. Anyway, it back to normal for us as I am constantly scratching his back!!!
13. Thanking God every day that Daddy is finally home safe with us. PTL!!!