Maxwell and I have been in Kentucky for over a week now. We are visiting my sister, Chelsie and her husband, Bryan. They just had a baby, Madden Wray, one month ago. It has been so much fun, many days we just sit on the couch and nurse together. Max eats faster than Madden though, and when Max is finished, he sees Madden is still going and he gets mad and screams. We have to limit Max's time to 7 minutes, or he eats too much and throws up. I have been showing my sister the what not to do's - as I have been here trying to break all of my bad habits. The first night here I was up 4 times with Max and Madden was up only 2 times. I realized that if I was going to be of any help to my sister, I had to get Max sleeping more. He sleeps in a crib in a different room than me and when he wakes up I have been able to let him soothe himself back to sleep most of the time. I sometimes have to go hold the binky in his mouth for 10 minutes, because he sucks so hard and carelessly that it doesn't stay in on its own. (He needs to learn that trick from Madden.) We have about 3 good nights to every bad one. His cough is back so he has been waking up more after a good bout.
We have seen lots of Cincinnati. They live in Kentucky and although it has been hot and humid, it is sure green and beautiful here. Max and I love to walk around a lake and park just a few blocks away. When I get my camera cord, I will post some pictures. Bryan taught me how to play guitar hero and we battled in wii tennis. Funny story on that in just a minute. After going to his work and seeing all the systems that they install and watching a clip of Lord of the Rings, he convinced me to see the first one. Brig had been telling me that I needed to see them and so I thought I would give it a try. Not to any one's big surprise, I was not a fan. (Too many long-drawn out war scenes and zombie creatures.) We have eaten lots of fresh fruit and ice cream. The ice cream man comes through often in the summer, and I have gotten my fix. One time, I bought an orange cream bar and say Max staring at it and I decided to share. I put a little bite in his mouth and he lunged forward quickly for another, so I gave him more. By the 4th bite or so, it was gone. He got so mad and cried for a good 5 minutes. He is a child after my own heart. Yesterday Bryan's sister-in-law came over, and I was holding Madden and Max was just relaxing in the bouncer. She went to pick Max up and moved her fingers back and forth and said "Come on!". The moment he realized he wasn't getting what he thought he was, he made the maddest face and began crying. He never cries when someone picks he up and he is being held - so I thought maybe he really didn't like her and he knew she was of rotten character. I then put it together. He thought she was doing the baby sign for 'milk' when she reached out to him and when he didn't get put sideways next to her, he was just MAD! He doesn't like being tricked.
One more quick story - Bryan and I were playing wii tennis in their living room. We were swinging the wiimotes and practically diving to the ball. Apparently it was not evident to us just how into it we were- until Bryan took a swing and hit the ceiling fixture, shattering the glass and cutting his hand. I died laughing. Chels was sitting there and in a state of shock, saying how glad she was that the fallen glass hadn't hit the babies. Bryan really didn't comment much. Needless to say, we toned it down.
I just wanted to update on Brig real quick as well. He FINALLY moved into his pod (trailor) and got to sleep on a bed with sheets and a pillow for the first time in 2 months. He works 6 long 14 hour days before getting a day off. He gets Sunday nights off and has the opportunity to go to church. He said to me this week, " Today is Sunday, and luckily I get to treat it a little differently than the rest of the week because I have the next shift off and I can go to church. I'm so grateful that I can. If we had a different mission out on the roads or something, it would only happen once in a while I think. So, I count my blessings..." He was one of the last ones in his unit to move into his pop so he protested by growing a mustache. After seeing him on the webcam, I wasn't dying to run up to him and give him a big kiss! Made it a bit easier on me, I guess. By the time he eats, turns in laundry, and does PT, (and maybe hits the internet cafe)- he is left with about 4-5 hours to sleep. A bit more commentary from him on being over there: Realizing what is most important: "I'm just here to help out my guys and others around me, improve myself, and come home to you."
A positive note on the war: "I spoke a lot this week with two Iraqi interpreters that work with us. Hearing about how Iraq used to be under Saddam etc, and hearing about the situation they're in really gave me some perspective. They really need us, and most of them are given hope from the US being here. It inspires me, and I hope that in the end, we are successful in Iraq. It will be worth it, and ultimately will have been a Christlike act from one nation to another. I hope and pray that good triumphs!!"
