Busy Weekend

This picture is so funny. If you look at her left hand she's got her finger pointed and it looks like she was giving somebody a stern talking to!! hahaha

This was what she wore to her first ever church outing. She looked absolutely adorable.

This is just a random picture I took. Sometimes she just acts so happy and is talking up a storm that I can't help but try to capture the moment.

This of course was another one of those moments. She just looked so peaceful I couldn't help myself.

This weekend was Rylee's first cookout/get together. Some old friends of ours from Chris's old ship invited us over for a cookout Saturday night. It was alot of fun. We saw a few people that we haven't seen since Chris left the ship almost two years ago. It was nice to catch up and see what has happened in everyone's lives since we last saw them. One of the guys is now married with an adorable 9 month old little boy who kept everyone entertained throughout the evening. The couple that was hosting the cookout are old friends of ours that actually used to live in the same apartments as we do now. They made the decision to move out just shortly before Lloyd shipped out for a 6 month deployment. His wife Brooke moved home to North Carolina while he was gone. Upon his return they moved into a new apartment at a different location.

Sunday we made our first trip to church as a family. It was so nice to be back in church again. I've definitely missed the "connection" to the Lord I feel when there. I was so miserable throughout my pregnancy that I just didn't feel like going anywhere or doing anything. Then with the arrival of Rylee brought about many sleepless nights and I just didn't have the energy. Now that we're adjusting and she's sleeping a little better I felt this was as good a time as any to make our first trip to church. Rylee stayed in the sanctuary with us through the service. Daddy was too nervous to let her stay in the nursery with "strangers"(hahaha). It was kind of weird because the preachers son and daughter-in-law had just had a baby no to long ago and were there for a dedication service. It was super sweet. They showed a little slide show of pictures of the baby while the family was all gathering on the stage. Of course it brought back precious memories for me of Rylee's birth and just gave me a minute to reflect on the weeks since then and just how happy I am to have such a beautiful little girl. She definitely filled a void in our lives that we never knew we had till she came along. And yes you guessed it. . . I cried like a big baby. I'm sure the people around me were wondering what the heck I was crying about. But hey I wasn't the only one crying. . . the proud grandpa (our preacher) was crying too (hahaha)!! Goodness the way I was acting you would've thought I was part of their family or something!!!

So all this brings up another topic that's really weighing on our little family at the moment. Since Chris has been off the ship due to his shoulder problems he has been on limited duty. Well to keep it simple (because nothing with the Navy is ever simple) the Navy only allows you to be on limited duty for so long. Well Chris has EXCEEDED his limit so now some "big wigs" in Washington are in the process of deciding his fate with the Navy and in turn mine and Rylee's fate as well because wherever he goes we go. A couple of things can happen now. . . "they" can decide to find him fit for full duty or they can decide to separate/discharge him. If they find him fit for full duty he will be picking orders to a new ship. This could mean a number of things. . .if he's able to get on a ship here then this is where'd we'd stay. If not here then we'll be relocated to wherever his new ship would be. This also means that he could be "deployed" really really soon depending on the ship he gets on schedule. If he is separated or discharged then we would be moving home!!! YAY!! Well kinda YAY. . . we would be moving to a place where we have no home (at least not one of our own) and no jobs in an economy that's not real job friendly at the moment. He should be finding out what they decided any day now. In the mean time we're also waiting to hear if he made 2nd class. Which won't really matter if he did or not if he gets separated. . . kinda weird timing. Anyway, please pray for us! We know God has a plan for our family and that no matter what that is or where it takes us He'll make sure we're taken care of. But we want so bad to be home where Rylee can grow up around family and in the same small town atmosphere we did. Not this big city where kids get shot while riding their bicycles and schools lock down on a weekly basis due to drug busts or gun threats!!!

On a more positive note. . . I'm testing my baking skills today. I am going to attempt to make a milky way cake. This is huge for me because I've never made anything from scratch in my life. If it doesn't come in a box I don't make it! Be sure to tune in later to see how it turned out!

4 DAYS. . . INDIANA HERE WE COME!!!