Salzburg, AUSTRIA

This picture cracks me up with Brecon holding his brothers belly. Cael thought it was pretty funny too!

 Before our Mediterranean cruise I knew I needed to show my mom the city and sights of Salzburg. This really is a beautiful city and it is also fun to see the locations from the film "The Sound of Music". However, with the winter season all the beautiful fountains normally on display have been covered up to protect them from the ice and snow. There was not any snow yet, just disappointed visitors :( We still had a great time checking out the city, catching the public transportation into town (the right bus, just going the wrong way!!) and running these boys around whenever we could.

Mother's visit stories

I finally had a visitor make it all the way over to see us and we have been having fun traveling all over Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean and the lucky visitor is: MY MOM!! Our first trip was to Poland where we were able to find some beautiful pieces and return safely without going too crazy with the pottery.

Then before our cruise ship would leave on Saturday, I knew I wanted to show my mom Salzburg and the places filmed in "The Sound of Music"... only this time I would be the tour guide. The city was gorgeous, but unfortunatley the fountains in the city were covered for the winter. It turned out to be a beautiful day, plenty of sunshine and it was easy to get around as long as I had my trusty GPS to show us the way. The most memorable moments happened while taking the public buses into town the first night we arrived. We found the right bus, only it was going the wrong way! A simple 10 minute ride now took 45 minutes! And wouldn't you know the same thing happened to us as we were trying to make our way back to the hotel for the night. This time we REALLY took a detour way out of town, Cael was really concerned we were never going to make it back alive. The bus eventually stopped at the last stop where I inquired of the driver whether we were on the right route or not. He recognized our hotel name (when I showed him a card with the logo on it) and soon we were on our way. We were all very hungry and succumbed to the golden arches to put a smile back on the boys faces.

Then our cruise ship adventure began. However, it did not start off on the right foot. The boarding procedures the day we departed could be described as complete CHAOS. Long, painful lines that merged together in a jumbled mess. Crowds of people jammed together trying to go up a single escalator. More lines, more waiting, hungry children, and stress. I think our boarding took 2 1/2 hours, with most of that time just standing with a mass of people. Apparantly this was not what our friends had experienced, so I am chalking it up to a "bad day" on the boarding dock. Thankfully the rest of the trip was a whole lot better than our first couple of hours. Especially all the food, the whirlwind tours wherever we landed, and we could never forget the race back to the ship because we were running behind schedule. Such an amazing trip I'm sure I will never forget.

We're changing...

....FROM A FAMILY of FIVE to

SIX

Talk about a complete surprise. We are still reeling in from the shock, but at the same time excited for this sweet little addition to join our family.

It is funny the way we found out. Ben had just left for his deployment and I thought that all the emotions I was going through were actually just the body geting ready for mother nature's "gift". Then you just kind of realize that something else is going on. At first there was complete shock, then a realization that while this wasn't part of "my plan" in regards to children and spacing (AND DEPLOYMENT) this really was part of a bigger picture. Really, this sort of thing could have happened at any time-- we really aren't that way with planning our babies-- but THIS TIME we find out during the most interesting YEAR of our lives? That is what makes life so fun, these crazy moments when you aren't sure how you are going to do something that can be really hard, but at the same time knowing that your Heavenly Father really knows how capable we are to make it through whatever lies ahead of us, and  how HE is there to help us along the way.

Did I mention that I am very excited? I go through different emotions everytime I find out I am pregnant. It is usually a cycle and I just slowly move along through them all until after a while of letting it sink in that I really start to feel excited. I am just funny that way. But here I am--- Excited right from the start. When I did go in for the pregnancy test the boys were all tagging along with, it was a fun summer field trip to the clinic and Cael said "I hope it is another brother" and the doctor said "you already have two brothers, this is going to be a sister" and ever since that time Cael really has been cheering for the PINK team. We will just have to see. Two more weeks and my 18 week appointment will can officially fnd out, as long as eveyone cooperates during the ultrasound.

So this baby is going to be born in a German Hospital with a German doctor (who is really great) and we hope that Ben will make it back for the birth the first part of April. He will most likely get his 2 week R&R right around that time, but you never can predict when babies are going to be born... so we will just have to wait and see. Again not something I can control so we are going to let it roll. That also means that Ben is gone duing the ENTIRE pregnancy-- YES you can bet he is going to owe me big time with foot and back rubs for the rest of my life!!

While I am journaling this all down I have to say that I have not been sick, pregnancy sick, thus far. The first trimester was the "shock,sleep, and meat" phase. Realizing that my body was changing a lot quicker than remembered, going to bed right after putting the boys to bed which was sometimes around 8:30 or 9, and also wanting to eat roast beef, chicken, eggs, or anything else that contained plenty of protein. You know as I am writing this down I realize that I pretty much enjoy eating anything right now--- so watch out refrigerator- I am on the prowl!

Well, that is all for now. But wait-- if there is anyone who would love to see Germany and take care of a new mother between April and May just let me know--- Yes I am pretty serious. We will work out the details but as I think about it, the spring really is a lovely time to see this part of the world, BUT MOSTLY to see a new tiny baby :) (hint hint- wink wink)

A Surprise from Ben

I got an email from Ben where he was able to attach a few pictures from downrange. It was such a surprise, but also so great to see what he is able to do for the local people at the medical clinic. Most of the time they are on their FOB (or base) where there is about 100 soldiers and support staff total, but once a week they travel a short distance to the local clinic just outside the fence to help out with the villages nearby who need medical help.

He didn't explain too much about each picture. But here they are:

 These are some guys (Ben 3rd from the left) at the very first of the deployment. They are "in-between" places, not quite here or there... but at least they have guns, right?

 Here is the group of local medics that come onto the base for medical training. Ben says they are full of smiles, teaching is a little slower with translations, but he enjoys the time they have together.

 These two little girls came to the local clinic because they were sick. Ben said they were so cute in their beautiful dresses.

 Helping again at the clinic.

This one made me get a little choked up. Ben is so great with kids, look at that smile and that cute little baby he is helping. I think that is one of the reasons I enjoyed getting these pictures so much. I can see that he is doing some good works while he is away from his family.  I am sure Ben will send more pictures when he can so I will make sure to post those when he sends them.

(Also, my computer is still down. I was able to make this quick post at my dear friends house after pizza/movie night... gotta love Friday nights-- and GOOD friends too)

We are alive!

I just have to say that I have much to blog about... Trips we have taken, first day of school, etc... But at the moment the computer is down and we all know that we really check these things for the pictures, right? Just think good thoughts that my silly computer can restart and all will be right in the world again.
Until that day happens, know that we are well, Ben is giving lectures and training the medics on his FOB, and we are all going to bed early... Most nights I am asleep before 10!! I know I am notorious for staying up late when my man is away, who doesn't do that? But I have felt so much better getting a good nights sleep, which helps the next day go that much better as well.
Will post pictures soon... HOPEFULLY!

New Territory- and family update

Where to begin. For starters  this will be my first "private" post for reasons which I felt necessary for our family at this time, which you will know about shortly.

But first of all our summer was busy, relaxing, some traveling, and spending a lot of time together. Birthday parties, water fights, riding bikes in the neighborhood and FUN! But there was still something else, like a large troll in the living room, that we knew would be soon causing a great change for our family for the next year. We didn't like to talk about the "troll", but at the same time it was there and it was going to make its' presence known. The "troll" I am talking about is Ben's Deployment for 1 year to Afghanistan.

I guess we always knew that our time in the military would come with different obligations and sacrifices, but I kept thinking they were always in the way off future and not something that was really going to effect us. This really caused anxiety and stress leading up to the departure date. I would watch the boys playing and wrestling with Ben and think those thoughts that occur when someone is going away. This is our last time sitting together in church before He leaves, the last drive home, family prayer, dinner, etc... It wasn't easy. That time was spent trying to get everything ready, packing, cleaning, and trying to make good memories with the boys.

So now Ben has been gone for a month... 11 more to go! We have been able to talk on the phone and we've got email to keep in touch, although sometimes the connection is not always the best. He is on a small FOB in the middle of nowhere in the Patika province in the eastern side of the country. In order to get there on the last leg of the journey it could have been a 16 hour convoy or a 30 minute helicopter ride. He was so glad they rode on the helicopter and Ben also said that is the only way they get any supplies to their area. There is not a lot going on where he is at. They have seen a couple of the locals to treat due to car accidents, but nothing very serious. He seems to be doing well and he is making the best of his situation while on his deployment. It is just hard to be away from the family...

As for the boys and I...we have been doing alright, the boys miss their daddy and I miss my husband, but we are busy now that school has started and having soccer in the evenings is a good activity to look forward to.  Brecon started German kindergarten during the day and that leaves baby Connor and I to run errands and get some work done around the house. You would think it would be easier, but it has been more difficult to have only one at home!

So that is that. I know our lives aren't exciting or glamorous but we will still try to keep updating. Ben is usually the entertaining writer for the blog, so I apologize in advance :)

Making the Switch...

Dear family and friends (and random readers)

It is time for our family to have a secure/private place to post our latest family news and stories. There are certain things that we would still like to share and therefore in order to keep things safe for all of us, this really is the best solution for us.

Please feel free to leave your email address in comments or send it to beckysue01@hotmail.com  (yes i still have my hotmail account) and we will send you an invitation... if you are a friend and not a salesperson! HA HA HA!!

All our love-
Becky Ben and the boys