And So It Begins

So out of the blue on Friday, I get a text message from Carl in the middle of the day saying “This is what I call a tough day at the office…”  Attached are two pictures:

Isn't this just beautiful???

Look at all the colors!!!

Normally I’m not the jealous type, but not only do I love fall foliage (which we get very little of in Florida), but I just finished reading a blog post by another DS wife talking about how her husband left her in China for a week while he went on a “business trip” back to the United States.  Now, here’s my husband telling me how he’s working hard on his Final Training Exercise (FTX) while I’m home with the kids… am I the only one who sees a problem with this?  Being the spouse of a Foreign Service Specialist, I’m sure I need to get used to my husband going to cool and exotic places without me on temporary assignments (of course, he’ll take me there on vacation when we’ve got time), but I have the right to be a little jealous, right?

In other news… Carl finishes training in just two more weeks!!! To say we’re excited would be an understatement.  In fact, it almost didn’t happen and to say “Carl finishes training in just two more weeks” is nothing short of a miracle from God.  You see Carl isn’t a runner… he’s had numerous doctors tell him he shouldn’t run.  And he normally doesn’t run… he does low-impact exercises instead (we love our elliptical).  But my stubborn husband seems drawn to occupations requiring a Physical Fitness Test.  And this job in particular won’t let him graduate unless he passes the 1½-mile run.  Now a few people have asked, “But it’s just 1½ miles… can’t he just run faster?”  To those who asked that… you don’t know my husband (and besides… really???... if it was that easy, everyone could do it)!  In training for this run, he developed serious shin splints and bad back pain.  Of course, all the medical professionals he saw said he needed to rest.  The only problem is you can’t get faster in a 1½-mile run without running, and he didn’t have time to rest.  So my stubborn husband (a term I use with the utmost love and respect) decided to push through the pain and keep trying.  The only problem is… the pain kept getting worse.  In his evenings after training and on the weekends, he saw an acupuncturist for the pain and a physical therapist to learn how to tape his shins and arches.  He was determined to pass.  And those of you who know my darling husband know that when he gets determined to do something, he does it… nothing gets in his way – not even physical pain.  On Friday, as a testament to both Carl’s perseverance and more importantly, God’s grace, he finally passed!  Even though he was completely exhausted and in a lot of pain when he called me, I could hear the sense of relief in his voice.  A big THANK YOU to all those who were praying for him… this is a great example of how God really does answer prayer!

Outside of Carl’s training, things are going well.  We found a place to live in Texas once we move after Thanksgiving.  Todd is ecstatic about finally having a “stairs house” and having an area in his room for a desk (our “little man” likes having his own office – excuse me!).  We’ve found a great school for him that we’re really excited about.  Of course, it’s a little different for us since we’re renting and not buying, but we’ll only be there for two years, so it didn’t make sense for us to buy a house.

Our New House in Texas

We’re having fun with the autumn season… every October brings the Pensacola Interstate Fair.  We missed Carl not being able to join us, but we did our best to have fun anyway.  The kids had a blast; especially since this was the first year Katelynn was tall enough to ride the rides.

Ready for the Fair

The Dumbo Ride

Ready to Swing!!!

The Potato Sack Slide - One of Todd's Favorites

Night Sky from the Ferris Wheel

We also had fun with Carl when he came home for a weekend.  Todd desperately wanted to carve a pumpkin with him.  Now Carl isn’t a big fan of the smell or sliminess of raw pumpkin, but he didn’t have the heart to tell Todd “no” so we went to a pumpkin patch and picked out a pumpkin.  They carved it before Carl flew back to DC.

Having Fun at the Pumpkin Patch!

Not too Shabby!!!

Unfortunately, the pumpkin met its demise with the warm Florida air.  Although he was sad, Todd was understanding and still glad to have been able to carve a pumpkin with his daddy.

R.I.P. Jack-O-Lantern

And of course, there’s the various fall festivals around the area… despite the cold snap (which made it feel like Fall) we had tons of fun!

Who Could Say "No" to this Cute Face?

We’re all getting excited about our upcoming trip to Washington, D.C. for Carl’s graduation.  And by all, I mean the WHOLE family.  This is such a big deal for us… and such a long time coming that it’s a huge celebration for the entire family.  This is a living example that dreams do come true if you put your mind to it, work hard, and most importantly... trust in God.  We’ll be sure to take plenty of pictures and post afterwards so you can all share in the big moment. 

I realize it had been a while since we last posted to the blog, but as you know… life doesn’t usually stop long enough to take a break and write.  We hope all our friends and family are doing well… drop us a line if you get a chance… take care!!!