Update...

I've had the chance to talk to Andy a few times. He is doing fine. It is VERY hot over there and he said you just have to get used to being sweaty and grimy, both of which he dislikes. He's busy getting settled and we're trying to get into a routine for calls...so neither one of us is sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. We are more fortunate than most, though. It is a real blessing that we have the opportunity to talk most days...and without him waiting in long lines to do so. We don't ever forget how lucky we are during this hardship! Most troops over there don't have it as comfortable as he does and most families back home don't have the luxury of communication with their spouse. Here's a pic of him in Baghdad sitting in Saddam's throne, at the Al Faw (Perfume) Palace. Apparently, where the Harem was kept.




Madilyn has been struggling alot. She is sad, but it is coming out as anger and she is taking it out on the easiest of targets...me and Jack. So, that has been keeping me busy and in the quiet moments I find myself exhausted from it. She has always had a temper, so I expected this to some degree. We're working through it. She came home from school today and said it was the best day ever! Apparently, Tyler chased her on the playground and Jason sat with her on the carpet and then proposed marriage. She told him they were way too young to get married.

Jack is loving school. He says, "You go to school and play and THEN you do projects." He's made so much progress with his articulation that I suspect he'll be exited out of the program before the middle of the year. If so, I plan on enrolling him in a preschool. I think he'd be devastated to have to stop school.

Today, I saw Drew crawl about 3 feet and he looked coordinated doing it. I guess I can say he is a crawler now. Pretty awesome!!! No teeth yet, though!

I have some great video of him crawling and another of him laughing, but haven't been successful at uploading them onto the blog. I'll figure it out, though. Then, I will post them.

In other news...Dan (my brother) and his wife Rosanna had thier little boy yesterday. His name is David and he is adorable!!! He's a really big guy...8 lbs 2 oz.