What a week!

Oh what a week... I took Wednesday off to spend time with Jordan and we got a lot accomplished. We bought a small TV for the basement and set it up with the treadmill. Now I have no excuses to not run ~ I can watch any/all of my recorded shows while running/jogging/walking. Tonight I actually used it and jogged for a whole half hour! That's big for me ~ usually I'm done after 15 minutes. Maybe I could get used to this :)

The rest of the week (and weekend) will be explained with pictures:

Thursday was Jordan's sendoff ceremony. It was actually pretty neat - Missouri's govenor, Jay Nixon, was there and senator Kit Bond. They both spoke and it was interesting to listen to. I've never heard a politican speak and I have to say it was entertaining. They both made a lot of good points and I'm going to leave it at that! :) At one point someone (either the govenor, senator or the MO general) asked how many of those going on this deployment had deployed before. It was amazing to me because there had to be over 3/4 of the unit that raised their hands. At that point I got teary-eyed thinking of all the other families who have had to go through this multiple times. Wow!

Our family

Emily and Ben Carter, Jordan and I

Ben will be Jordan's roommate in Afghanistan and Emily and I are going to be fast friends, I can tell already. We've spoken on the phone only once, but she's so sweet. Ben has been deployed before and they have 4 kids. I can't imagine how Emily is doing this, but I'm greatful I have her to talk to!!

Papa Jim and Abigail

Abigail and Grannie Annie at lunch

My sweet girl!

After the ceremony Jordan got to come home with us. Weird, huh? I'm still not sure what that was all about, but I wasn't going to ask any questions and Abigail and I were happy to have him home for a couple more days.

Friday Jordan and Wayne had lunch with their good friend Joe. After lunch they moved the treadmill to the basement and got everything set up for me (okay, so Wednesday we just bought the TV, but we did other productive things!). I borrowed Brodie's lifejacket from Bethany because Abigail and I were headed to Stockton Lake for the weekend. We had to try it on Abby and see how it fit:

It fits! Yea!

Saturday morning my parent's stopped by our house on their way to the lake.  (Side story: very good friends of my family, the Custer's, live in Stockton - or in the country there. They have a pontoon boat and fishing boat and asked my parents, sister and I to come down for the weekend) They did us a huge favor and took Abigail down with them. At 2:15, Jordan and I departed for Jefferson City with "V". There are a few guys who live in KC and since they couldn't have personal vehicles left in Jeff City, I got to take them! "V" is on the security force that is deploying with Jordan. We met Dickey (I just love how everyone goes by their last name, or an abbreviated version of it) and off to Jeff City we went! I left the boys and was finally headed to the lake about 6. It wasn't easy to leave Jordan and there were a few tears, but I've been reassured that I will in fact see him again before he leaves, so it wasn't as bad as it has been and will be.

I made it to Custer's a little after 9 PM - darn GPS lead me to the wrong house. Sunday morning Abigail greated me bright and early! We had breakfast and took a little ride on the golf course. Teresa showed us all around their place and we went down to her dad's private dock to look around. We didn't see many fish, so we decided to head to the Marina.

Abigail and I checking out the fish at the Marina

Teresa then showed us her pontoon and we took a quick boat ride...

This picture doesn't show it very well, but Abigail screamed - I mean screamed - when I put the lifejacket on her. Honesly, I have never heard her cry like that before!!

That's more like it! Cheerios! And, no lifejacket. It's the law that the lifejacket is on the boat and out, but she doesn't have to wear it ~ thankfully!!

After our quick spin, we made our way back to the house for some lunch and a nap for Abby. After Abigail's afternoon nap we went back out onto the lake. It was a beautiful afternoon and I wish I had thought to wear my swimming suit and put Abigail in hers. Doug said the water was only 75 (his fishing boat gives you the water temperature), but I think we could have toughed it out. Oh well! Next time! Sunday night we had an amazing dinner ~ good Nebraska beef! and headed back home on Monday morning. It was a fantasic weekend and Abby and I can't wait to go back sometime!

Monday night I made spaghetti for dinner. Abigail has been eating more and more "big people" food and I thought this would be something fun. Well....

She had fun!

I used shell pastas, because I thought they might be easier to pick up...

Messy girl ~ lick the inside of the bowl!

Parched! Break for a little water.

Today I got to stay home with Abigail. This is a rare treat for us. But, the babysitter had the day off, so we had play time! She really cracks me up these days. She said "daddy" today for the first time, when looking at a picture of him. It's so amazing how smart she is! She talked to him on the phone and called him "daddy", too.

Hi mom!