HAPPY ANNIVERSARY...

Today is our 14th Wedding Anniversary...I think it is only our 3rd or 4th one we have had to celebrate while apart. I know we have had to celebrate more birthday and Valentine Day celebration apart than that. For those of you in the military...you know that only 3 or 4 anniversaries apart isn't too bad...so, I will just have to focus on being able to celebrate our 15th in person next year!! Sorry I haven't posted in a while...I have TONS of pictures to share...they are all still on the camera though...I will get to it maybe in the next few days. We have just been SO VERY busy...you would think that the holiday break would be a "break"...however, we have been very busy doing tons of fun stuff with friends and HOCKEY...almost everyday & sometimes both boys have hockey on the same day. This would be alright if Sam wasn't walking...but, trying to entertain him for the 2 hours at the rink...not so easy! He wants to climb up or down the concrete stairs...I don't think so!!! Luckily, Rachel is very good at picking him up and bringing him back to me. I am enjoying the break from rushing around getting the kids breakfast & making lunches though. And, I am enjoying the extra time playing games with the kids and watching the kids make up silly games to play :-). Right now I am listening to Rachel & Ben play make believe with their friend Isabelle & they just say the funniest things!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah...we still have tonight and tomorrow night to light the candles. The kids have had a wonderful time celebrating. They were thrilled to have a visit from Santa at two different friend's houses. And have been enjoying lighting the candles...Ben can almost say the whole blessing all by himself now!!! We are looking forward to this next week...esp. ringing in the New Year! I am hoping to get my Holiday cards ready in the next week...I know, I know...I always procrastinate & so it will be a Happy New Year card...better late than never, right?! I have been enjoying receiving everyone else's cards though...my favorite thing to do is read the updates and see how much my friends children have grown since the card from the previous year ...thank you to all who have sent them so far!! You will get mine as soon as I get it done :-).

Happy Anniversary sweetie!!! I am looking forward to spending MANY, MANY more together!!! I love you so very much!!!!! I miss you!!!!

Took the week off...

OK...so I will in the next few days,maybe get to pictures from last weekend...didn't take any this week because I was on my back, on the floor, in PAIN! I had a spinal tap done last Monday & then of course developed a spinal tap headache...just like I did after the epidural with Sam...I have NO idea why they call it a headache because it in NO way resembles a headache! It incapacitates you...you have to lay completely on your back & then the pressure is relieved & you feel great. Move the slightest bit upright & it is all over with...your head is KILLING you...the worst migrane EVER & then because it is so painfully hard to hold your head up...it starts hurting in your neck & then shoulders. So, I layed there, on the floor for several days. On Thursday I thought I could make it to the military appreciation lunch at the kids school...what was I thinking!?!? I promptly laid down on that filthy, disgusting floor until a friend (THANK YOU Donna & Chris!!!) came to the rescue & took home Ben & Sam & her husband took me to the hospital! After doing a blood patch & staying at the hospital most of the day I was all better...other than being sore where they stuck the needle in my spine...AGAIN! Anyway, why the spinal tap...trying to figure out what is wrong with me...I have had MRI's, and TONS of blood work...more than 20 tubes!! I see another neurologist tomorrow & internal medicine doc. on Tuesday to see if they can come up with answers. I have had numbness in all 4 limbs...was only left originally but, has started in my right side a little over a month ago. At first was thought to be a tumor or MS...but, they have been ruled out...well, the MS...not completely...but, he is "pretty sure". So, I don't know...I have good days & then "not so good" days with this chronic pain. So, prayers are welcome & if anyone has any ideas send them my way???

Happy Annivesary...

Paul & I met 16 years ago today, both of us sharing a ride with a mutual friend from West Point down to Philly for the Army Navy game (Go Army...they won by 1 point...25-24...it was an amazing & exciting game & VERY cold...the temp. was pretty darn cold & then the wind...ahh...it was just swirling around in the stadium making it feel even colder!!! ) & the rest as they say is history! And what a history is has been! We've lived in 5 different states & one foreign country, 9 total moves, 4 incredible munchkins!, we are down one cat & several gold fish :-(, but we still have a dog & a beta :-), and we have just made too many incredible memories along the way to count!!!! I love you so much Paul! I am so glad we met 16 years ago!!! Thank you for choosing me to share your life journey with, for being my best friend, & for making me the happiest woman in the world! Thank you for 4 beautiful, healthy, wonderful children, for providing so much for us, for being our hero, and for being our ROCK! I wish we were together but, I am very proud of you for what you are doing! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Sorry for the poor quality of these pictures but, I do not have a scanner & this is what it looks like when you take a picture of an old picture :-).

So here we are 5 months after we met at Paul's graduation from West Point.

Here we are touring Heidelberg Castle...

We are celebrating Thanksgiving dinner with a bunch of friends just before Paul deployed for the year to Bosnia...

Back in the states, stationed in Ft. Leonard Wood, attending a friend's wedding and me a few months pregnant with Jakob...
And here we are just before Paul deployed...
And here what 16 years will do to you...one big, HAPPY family!!!

Paul's move to Afghanistan video...

Here is a cool video of Paul's move to from Ft. Riley to Afghanistan. And here is his address if you would like to mail him a letter or if your kid's class wants to adopt a soldier to write to :-).
Major Paul Darling
ARSIC-S, RPAC
FOB Walton
APO AE 09355