Potty training Topaz

They say potty training doesn't happen over night, and I would say that is certainly true as I have been putting Topaz in underpants for a year and half, and been washing wet and dirty ones everyday. But a few weeks ago Topaz insisted on wearing underpants to bed and I tried to talk him into wearing a diaper so I wouldn't have to wash wet sheets, but Topaz talked me into letting him wear underpants. He woke up dry and has been dry basically every day since. An overnight change! He goes potty without me asking too. He still has to be reminded for the number 2, but on the whole wonderful progress. He doesn't use diapers at all anymore!

A night with Elmo

On Wednesday night we (mom, Topaz, Emi, and me) went to go watch a Sesame Street show LIVE. It was a lot of fun. It was sponsored by the USO, a civilian company that helps support the troops and their families. So it was totally free for military families.The show was suppose to be based on helping kids who have a deployed parent or a parent who returned home because of an injury. Honestly the show although did slightly talk about those subjects, mostly it was singing and dancing. Can I just say Grover, Cookie monster, Elmo , Zoe, and Zazita have got the moves! It included my faviorite of "C is for cookie". Kids could run up and give the charecters hugs but Topaz and Emi seemed a little resistant to that idea.

They passed out free Elmo twirly lights for the kids, USO scarves, two sesame street DVDs which deal with deployment and such (I haven't watched them yet to know if they are any good), a poster, a bumper sticker, a magazine guide for military parents, and postcards. Mom was jelous of the postcards. I was hoping to get an autograph of some of them so I could do a little name waving in my brother Ben's face but alas no such luck. Dad says though if I buy a picture of Elmo I could probably get away with just writing Elmo on it.

The Big News

Sandi found out where we will be stationed when he comes home. We will be in Fort Hood ..... which is next to Kileen Texas. It will be close to family (Aunt Harmony) and close to my old stomping grounds (Austin). I am excited, Sandi is unsure. But whatever I am sure it will bring it's own adventures and besides in the army you never stay one place too long.

Proud to be an American

Today at 2pm Eastern standard time Sandi became a US citzen! My only regret is that I wasn't there to see it:( He went for his interview today, passed, and so they swore him in just a few hours later. It is good because when he joined the army he lost his Indonesian citzenship so he has been a man without a country.

updates all around

Topaz was excited to get home back to Hawaii (except he calls his best friend over here "Lincoln" now). While we were gone we had someone watching our fish but I am afraid they died while we were gone. Topaz has been faithfully feeding the bowl to my utter dismay. He's been hilarious lately. I dropped a bowl and broke it today and ever since then everything I pick up Topaz says "Don't drop it, mommy". Hilarious kid.

Emerald is walking like a pro! I will soon put a video of it up for all to see. Her and Topaz keep getting in laughing competitions over nothing. It really is hilarious. I tried to take a video of that but apparently nothing spoils the mood like a camera.

Sandi is in Virginia now. His training hasn't started yet though. No one is really sure what is going on but the training is behind schedule so he might be late coming home. So of the guys have been waiting for months to start training. It makes me think of that song dad sings, "Will he ever come home? No he'll never come home..."

As for me, I am going to go visit Sandi over labor day. I am excited except I have an 11 hr flight to get there not including layovers. I am going to be exhausted!

Sandi's Address

I finally got a letter from Sandi!! (Still no phone call however) Here is his address. I am sure if any of you have time to write he could use all the letters he can get.
SPC Jayeng, Sandi
D-Co 3/60th INF RGMT
2nd PLT MADDAWGS
Fort Jackson, SC 29207

It's official

It's official, I'm a soldier's wife. Sandi left yesterday for boot camp. He called at 4 this morning to say he got there safe. He said he felt a little out of place because all the new recruits were 18 or 19, single, and just going into the reserve. Also, his whole group he arrived with was from Alaska. They hadn't picked him up from the airport yet, but the recruiters said the yelling starts the moment your picked up. :) Should be fun.

2 new callings

A week ago at church I was sitting in Relief Society when my husband came in and said one of the members of the bishopric wanted to talk to me. So I went there and he asked me to be compassionate service leader. I said okay and left, at the door the other member of the bishopric caught me and said he needed to talk to me. He asked me to be assistant in the nursery.I said uhhh....okay. This week at church they sustained me and set me apart, and my initiation was to handle nursery with out the other to leaders, who were sick or at another baby blessing. It was stressful but I survived and am dreading next week:) Just kidding. :)
Honestly, I am excited to have a responsibility. It should be fun.

New member of the family

No I am not pregnant. Topaz had his birthday last Tuesday and we got him 2 fish for his present. We let him name the fish. He named them fish one and fish two. It has kind of a Dr Seuss sound to it that makes their names just perfect.

We also gave him a party with kids and a pinata and games. It was fun and he really enjoys playing with other kids. Then for dinner I made cute sloppy joes that looked like cars. However Topaz refused to eat it and the other (mom, dad, Sandi) said "cute" and then took them apart and ate them. Neither response was quite what I was hoping for though.

It was a fun day.

Keep on waiting....

We heard what's going on with Sandi's shipout date! Nothing! They have decided not to move up the day so Sandi will go to training May 27....Hopefully:) So for now we are still all together.

Light at the end of the tunnel...or is it a train?

So here's the continuation of my last blog entry. Sandi finally got his green card! He was so excited! Well, that is until he talked to the army who lacked enthusiasm. When he informed them he got his green card they simply said "okay" and that's all. There was no talk of moving the day forward for his shipping out. So....nothing changes.

The army, INS, and the US mail

So here's the update to our saga. Remember the army extended when Sandi could go to boot camp to January 14th because he couldn't extend his green card until October. Well, the first day he was elidgable he mailed in the papers and recieved a notice that his recidency was extended for a year. The army however didn't accept that saying it had to be an actual card. So the Saturday after Thanksgiving Sandi did his biometrics and we waited for the card in the mail....and waited and waited. We thought hmmm....must be stucked in Christmas mail. We waited some more. The army started to get anxious and sent Sandi to talk to INS. They said no problem they'd give him a temporary permant resident card...the army wouldn't accept that either. We couldn't get a hold of California to see where his greencard was and INS here wouldn't call for us. So we started to get antzy and worried too. Dad talked to someone at church who works at INS who said he could track the card for us. Mom wrote senator Akaka a respectful letter kicking his butt and asking him to pass it along to either INS or the army or perferably both. He called the next day and said he was on the case. Dad's friend at church let him know the next day our request was still in California waiting approval. He didn't have any power to tell them to hurry it up but it was nice to know where the green card was. Mom called the senator to see if he had found out anything but they couldn't get a hold of California either. Oh well. We anxiously checked the mail but no green card came. The day Sandi was soppose to shipout came and my visions of senator Akaka flying down in his personal helicopter to hand deliver Sandi's greencard began to fade. However, suddenly the army stepped up to the plate and decided to make some calls. Apparently there is an Army INS number you can call and they'll answer all your questions for you. (glad they told us....now) Apparently it takes about 6 monthes after you turn in your paperwork to get the green card, meaning April. The army placed his new shipout day as May 28th, but it can move up if he gets his greencard.
We've written senator Akaka and asked him to stay on the case and as for us it's back to job hunting.

pedicure/ manicure

For my birthday I received a gift certificate for a pedicure and manicure at a local place here (It's actually called Amber Nails. Cool, huh!) I finally got around to using it two days ago. It was my first time ever to have my nails professionally done. So here's my review: It was so awesome! First you go in and soak your feet in warm water that bubbles like a jacuzzi. It felt so good. You sit in these leather recliners that massage your back, while some cute boy rubs your feet. They cut off callouses, and trim your nails. They paint your toes. Then you move on to the manicure, which isn't as fun as the pedicure but fun enough. They message your hand, trim your cuticles and paint your nails. They even put your shoes back on after their done. I left looking like a million bucks (at least my fingers and toes did) but even more important I felt like a million bucks. The price was about $30 but for an hour and half treatment it was worth every penny. I would highly recommend it for any stay at home mom....or anyone for that matter.

The true meaning of Christmas

I felt that I should write a blog about what is important about Christmas instead of just presents like my last blog. I know that what is important about Christmas is the birth of the One who saved us and showed us the way and is our hope and joy. He showed us what it truly means to have "goodwill to man". May we try to follow His example and be a little kinder, a little holier.

switching roles

For Christmas every year it was my role in the family to wake everyone up and horribly early hours and drag them down the stairs for presents. It is my parents role to whine and say "go back to bed just a little longer..." I thought this year would be no different. However, when my 2 year old son woke up at 2:30 in the morning, I tried desperately to put him back to sleep for an hour and finally gave up and opened our presents. At 5 am I told Sandi I'd take a shower and then go to my mom's house for more presents...so naturally Topaz fell back asleep. I decided to shut my eyes and rest just for a minute only to wake up to my mom calling telling me to hurry up she wanted to open presents....

The rain came down...

...and the floods came up, but the house on the hill stayed dry. Laie has been flooding, the sewers backed up, lots of people in Laie have lost carpet and furniture. However, our house is on a hill and although it rained we had no problems. It made us grateful we had so much trouble finding a house because we got one that remained safe. It has also been amazing to see our faith in actions as neighbors lend other neighbors help. Here's some pictures of the flooding:

A solider's Christmas

Just a poem to make you think......
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures; he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat..
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Thanksgiving thanks

It seems appropriate that I list things I am grateful for on this thanksgiving. I am grateful that Sandi has been out of work for almost 6 months. We finally get to spend time together. Before he was working two jobs just to make ends meet and when he came home he was exhausted and would sleep. Somehow though we are still making ends meet. I am also grateful we have no cable. We can still watch movies if we want but the television is no longer the center of the home. I am grateful our insurence was canceled because I would have never learned we weren't really suppose to have it the whole time anyway. I am grateful we had such a hard time finding a house, because the one we have now is perfect and cheaper than any others we saw. I am grateful for priesthood that leads my home and keeps us safe. This "hard" time we are going through is one of my best.

Trick or Treat

So we went trick or teating on Halloween. Topaz was a horse, I was a cow girl, and Emerald was a bumble bee. Topaz got quite into trick or treating this year. I stopped in the road to say hi to a friend and Topaz came up to her and said trick or treat she pulled a candy out of her son's bag and gave it to topaz. He didn't miss any oppurtunities for candy. :)

Stay off the roads

This is it Sandi finally got his driver's permit. So I have been taking him to the roads to learn how to drive. He's actually very good, but it is hard to trust what you have taught.