Faithful Readers - John here. I don't usually blog, but thought I would pass on some of the fun Annabelle and I had on Saturday. It seems that lately she has been displaying a bit more attitude. Carolyn and I both think that is normal for this age, but also believe that it may be a function of recently mobile little sister taking quite a bit more of our attention than she used to. We think Annabelle is acting out a little because she is probably receiving a little less of that attention. So to help remedy this, we are going to try to spend a little more one on one time with the girls. My first day with Annabelle was on Saturday. I asked her what she wanted to do, and she told me, "I want to go the Adventure Science Center" - a great place in Nashville for kids. We got up on Saturday, and once we got dressed and I got the car seat moved into the truck we began our journey. She was a bit disappointed that I could not get the DVD player to work, but she LOVES riding in the big truck (Chevy Silverado 3500 Diesel that we use primarily to pull the RV). She can sit up high in her car seat and see everything that is going on. I also let her control her own window (as long as she does not get too out of control). On the way to the Science Center we could not find any songs that we both liked on the radio, so I hooked my iPod into the console (my truck is equipped with MP3 interface) and I played "See You Again" (a Miley Cyrus song), and then we played it again . . . and again . . . and again. I didn't mind as it was too funny watching her shaking her head and pointing her finger into the air to the rhythym. When we got to the Science Center she played on all her favorite exhibits - the "esophagus slide" that pops you out onto a floor sensor that makes a loud farting sound, the bernoulli fans that keep a beachball afloat, the slides and ladders in the central tower, the ambulance, and so on. After a couple of hours, her tummy was hungry so we departed to meet Mommy and Addison at the Rain Forest Cafe. We were joined by Cerae, Thomas, Ally, Ryan and Joel, and everyone had a great meal. Afterwards I took Annabelle to the Stride Rite store and bought her some shoes that have lights on the side - she loves them. Carolyn and I swapped kids at that point and I took Addison home while she and Annabelle began their day together, but I'll let her share that with you guys.
John

It seems so, at least in my case. As many of you know I have had headaches for most of my adult life. Not always migraine headaches but a nice dose of daily agony that, occasionally, bless me with the mind numbing migraine. You know the kind of pain that only sleep can sure and sometimes that doesn't work. Having two very active little ones makes headaches certainly an inconvenience and over time, I decided to just see what can be done. I shouldn't have to live with daily pain? Should I? I think not... So, off to the Dr I go and after telling him of my life long dance with headaches, prescribed me two different medications to prevent opposed to treat the pain... I am thinking "this is my kind of Dr!! one who wants to prevent!! " WOW, that doesn't happen everyday! So, I head to the pharmacy to get my goodies, super excited about just the thought of no more headaches, I think I was almost giddy! I get to the counter and the pharmacist asks "did the Dr talk to you about these medications?" I say, not really... tell me what I need to know. Well, one med, Neruontin is one that I am to start with 1x a day for a week then 2x day for a week then 3x day and then check back with the Dr to see if/how well the medication is working. This medication is dosed for seizure disorders but has also been found to treat headaches. In addition I am prescribed inderal, a beta blocker?!?! that is also used loosely to treat migraines. BOTH list dizziness as a side effect, not good news as I have vertigo issues already...

So, I take my first dose Tuesday night and wake Wednesday feeling pretty good to be honest. I was dizzy but nothing huge. Take another does Wednesday and woke Thursday a bit more dizzy and feeling like a zombie. I tried to shop with a friend but ended up laying on the couch and decided, on the couch, I was no longer going to take the meds... that headaches are fine compared to the way I was now feeling. So I went to bed Thursday with no meds and woke Friday IN PAIN!! OH MY GOD... the joints in my hands, fingers, feet, toes, knees, neck and hips were on fire! and my hands were swollen like little hot dogs. I was still able to move, but very slowly and was not really able to carry anything, Addison to be included, without pain. I took some 800mg Motrin and sat around all day. Went to bed Friday night, sleeping very little and woke Saturday in excruciating pain. My hands were grossly swollen, i couldn't even move my arm, as in to sip coffee from the cup, without being in horrible pain. I took more Motrin and decided I needed to be seen by a Dr so off to the ER I go. Sitting, doing nothing my pain was 0, moving in anyway the pain was an 8 or 9 ... no kidding.. I see a PA or NP at the ER and was told "swelling and joint pain are side effects of both medications, discontinue medication" I had already told her I stopped two days ago but she didn't hear that apparently. She sent me on my way.. WITH NOTHING FOR PAIN!! I get home and pray to God that these drug leave my system soon. I don't know how people live with this kind of pain. So last night I decide to take one of John's Lortab (from his shoulder surgery a while ago) in hopes for a nights rest. It helped for both the pain and I did get a little sleep but I woke this morning more swollen than ever and in just as much pain! As the day progressed I drank more and more water and over some time the pain reduced to something a little more manageable. Right now it feels about a 3 on the 1-10 scale and I am hopeful tomorrow will bring a pain free day for me..
I have certainly learned a lesson... Not all drugs are good and sometimes it is better to just leave it alone.... as is what I plan to do about my headaches.

We are still unsure of where we will be living this summer but the countdown is on, 6 months and counting! I really need to get my list of things to do in Nashville/Tennessee underway as time is ticking ...

Much love to you all,
Carolyn

So, it seems my creative blogging bone has been on hiatus! I have much to catch you all up on so I will do my best to knock it all out in one blog entry!

~ back in early November we found out that John was selected for Colonel! Yippee... I am very proud of him! He won't "pin on" until after we leave so it seems but there is hope that we might still be here when his sequence number come up but neither of us are holding our breath... What am I talking about? you ask? the way the military works is once you get selected for promotion, you are actually promoted based on your sequence number. John happens to be 300 something, so he will be promoted after the 299+ before him have been promoted. They promote only so many per month (John knows the numbers) so June/July/Aug is our best guess. We move this summer June/July time frame so that is why we don't know if we will be here or elsewhere for his pinning on ceremony. This will most likely be his last promotion so we were really hoping for it to happen here, where most of his military friends are but the Army doesn't really care and so be it! Where ever we are is the best place on earth for a promotion party!!!

We still don't know where we will be moving to but we do know it will either be Rhode Island (Navy War College) or Pennsylvania (Army War College) regardless, we are excited about seeing something different!

Also in early November, I turned 40!! To be honest... It doesn't bother me one bit. I don't feel any older or wiser so it was just another day for me... personally I think I only get better with age so I am happy to be ripening!!

In mid to late November, our darling Addison had her first birthday !! I know, how could I NOT journal about such a date? I don't have an answer for that to be honest. We had the family here minus a few siblings and really had a great time! Addison, unlike her big sister, thoroughly enjoyed her first birthday cake and ate it the way a first birthday cake should be eaten! Smashed between her fingers and all over her face!! very cute stuff..

Thanksgiving we spend with the Ruppel family at Kurt and Sharon's cabin in Pigeon Forge. It was really fun to get all of us together and celebrate in the beauty of the mountains! Thank you to the Atlanta Ruppels for hosting!!

Christmas was spend at the Evans Family. We had a very eventful drive to North Carolina as it were. We had planned to travel the Saturday prior to Christmas but there was a "blizzard" coming so we decided to head out mid day Friday. MISTAKE!!! I drove to just East of Knoxville, from there John took over. Pretty much as soon as the switch was made, the driving conditions went to hell. It was sleeting/freezing rain whatever you want to call it when I stopped but within a few minutes of John driving it was snow and it was bad. Once I convinced him it was best to just stop, get a hotel for the night and travel the next day (or the next, depending on the road conditions) it was too late. So we sat and sat and sat for four hours we sat parked on the interstate. We would park for an hour, them drive a mile... all the while the snow was coming down and the roads were only getting worse. We decided to call Marriott hotels to get a room in fear that we would get off the interstate only to find nothing left for us. (we were certainly NOT the only drivers on the road) We called and got a room just a few miles up the interstate (we were on I-81) but once we got there, a few hours later, we found there was no way to exit the interstate due to the wrecks and stranded trucks and cars. So we kept going, called Marriott back and asked for the nearest hotel, 20 miles up the road in Bristol, VA. Got got a room and pushed forward. There were other exits along the way that we thought of getting off on but once again, the off ramps were blocked with stranded vehicles. Next comes the abyss.. or so it seemed. We passed the last exit in Kingsport and there we were.. pretty much alone in the dark driving into the "perfect storm" ... The girls were great.. Annabelle thought it was very cool getting out of her seat walking around in the van while parked on the interstate.. Addison had fun too! Thank goodness we had plenty of Christmas cookies in the car to make little tummy's happy (and big tummy's too) So we drove.. for 20 miles seeing only a handful of cars.. Praying with every ounce of might within us... it seemed like FOREVER, no kidding... 35 miles per hour for 20 miles takes forever!! We watch as the GPS ticks closer and closer and see the last exit before ours.. our hearts sank.. It was uphill and there was no way to get up it. PRAY PRAY PRAY for a down hill off ramp! Pray pray... and we prayed... and prayed.. As we headed up our last hill (keeping in mind we are going up and down hills in the nastiness) I hear the tires spinning... MY HEART RACES!!! NO NO NO!!! I told John "if we can't make it off the ramp, the girls and I are going to the hotel"..."park the car on the road, I don't care" so he pushes through the slick roads and the angels sing as we see our exit!! Praise be to God!! it is a downhill off ramp and it isn't closed!! THANK YOU JESUS!! We make it down the ramp, over to the hotel and in we go, covered in snow. they had about a foot I'd say. The hotel had set up a packnplay for Addison and Annabelle had her own bed along side ours.. We had planned to stay two nights not knowing what the roads would be like the next morning but ended up only staying one. We decided to push forward Saturday and with little pain (there were a few moments of fear when we all stopped and the roads became icy up in Virgina) but we made it to North Carolina in good time. We did, however, pass on the opposite side of the interstate a 22 mile (yes, 22 MILES) of parked cars... We were very thankful..

Christmas at the Evans' was fun! we missed having Sam, Jack, Jeremy and Tina (Jack wasn't feeling 100%) at the house but all in all it was a great time. They did come over Christmas day so Annabelle got to hang with her buddy Jackson.. They too had about 8 or so inches of snow so we had a white Christmas, the first in a long time.

Now it is January and we have already had two birthday's both our fathers birthdays are in January, My dad, Jan 3 and John's dad, Jan 8! Happy birthday to Papa and Odie!! we love you both very much... Next is Annabelle's big 3 birthday, Jan31st..and fast to follow is John's on Feb 2! To throw in a little extra our 6th anniversary is Jan 10! (tomorrow, yikes!! better go shopping today, haha!)

Annabelle is now pretty much potty trained!! She actually went all night in big girl panties, by mistake and was dry this morning.. I really thought she had taken her pull up off and put on her own panties or peed somewhere in her room but nope! she was DRY and it was legitimate!! yippee!! One down, one to go...

Addison is now walking like a crazy person. (and turning me into one at the same time) she LOVES Annabelle.. Oh my how she loves her. to the point if Annabelle is "napping" and Addison wakes first I have to get Annabelle up to make Addison stop crying.. Is this good? I am not so sure.. She isn't really talking much but I am 100% ok with that.. Annabelle talks enough for the both of them. I can't get her to stop talking.

Annabelle is such a smart little thing.. to a fault because she has developed quite a smart mouth as well. She knows The Pledge of Allegiance and will gladly shout it to you if you ask.. She catches on to so much it really amazes me how fast little people learn..

They are my heart.. I love them and really don't know how I ever thought I was living without them... Looking back, I can't see my life how it used to be. I remember but I don't see it. What a wonderful change my life has made.. :)

I am sure I have missed something.. but I will do my best to keep the updates more frequent..I will add some photos sometime today... A few of each big event.. or join facebook and you can see them all!! (for those of you NOT on facebook, you know who you are!!)

Love to you all
Carolyn