March happenings

(When I started this post I thought it was going to be really short.  Ha!  Really funny Meagan.)

Boy oh boy has a lot happened this month.

I have some pictures of Tucker's third birthday below so I guess I will start with the other stuff.

It all comes down to this:  We are moving to San Antonio, Texas in June.  Holy cow.  Never thought I would be saying that I am moving to Texas but I have heard nothing but good things from so many people so I am actually really excited. (Once I got over the shock and being sad about leaving Virginia.)

So it all started in January (Well, actually when Obama took office, but we won't get into that. :)

We thought we were going to be in Yorktown for three to four years depending on whether or not we decided to stay in the Air Force.  We are only at 18 months at the end of this month so we thought we still had a long time to go.  

Back in January, Todd was sat in on a meeting that informed him that we was on the chopping block due to his rank, how many years he had been active duty, the year he was admitted etc. Later we heard that they were going to be cutting more than 50% of those individuals.  Todd had done a residency and other training that probably would have kept him safe but we decided that it wasn't worth the risk.  Recently we had decided that we were going to stay in the military longer than just our payback years and he had thought about specializing but wasn't quite sure what he wanted to specialize in so we had considered a two year residency that is basically a masters in dentistry.  He would work in all the specialties for two years instead of just the one year one that he did in Nebraska.  

We had this discussion on a date a week or two prior to hearing about the cutbacks.  He considered applying for an Endodontic or Pediatric program but they were not taking applications for either of those programs.  They were, however, doing applications for the two year residency program that we had just decided would be the best choice for now.  

(Without this program it is harder to make Colonel later on in his career and it also would give him leadership and teaching opportunities so we figured he would eventually do it if we stayed in.  It would also give him more time and experience to figure out if there is anything he would really like to specialize in down the road.)

(This is about the only picture I have of Fisher that doesn't include all the boys.  I guess he is at school when I take pictures anymore.)

The window for the applications was less than a month away and he needed to collect all his recommendation letters and take the GRE plus all the loads of paperwork that you have in the military. :)

He took a few practice tests before taking the GRE and did really well and somehow everything came together.  Applications closed on Feb. 14 and then the board met on March 5th.   They were deciding on whether he would be accepted for this summer or next summer (2015), or if he was even to be accepted at all.  Also whether we were going to be doing it in San Antonio or Biloxi, Mississippi. 

I thought there was no way we would get in for this cycle but I underestimated Todd's abilities.  :)  

Todd was informed by his superiors on Tuesday that we were headed to Texas and Todd will have to leave the end of May.  All of a sudden everything became a big whirlwind.

I have to admit that I am not ready to leave Virginia.  There are so many things we still want to see and do on the east coast.  It is so beautiful here!  I love my calling as laurel advisor and am REALLY going to miss my girls.  Todd was just set apart as a counselor in the Elders Quorum this past Sunday so that will be short lived. :)  (Might have dodged a bullet on that one. j/k)

A lot of my friends are going to be moving away this summer so at least I avoid the whole being left behind that you experience in the military.

We had plans for more overseas trips and wanted to go up and down the east coast.  There are so many vacation destinations to hit!  So now we are making lists to see how many things we can cram in at the last minute before Todd has to take off.

The boys are so excited.  Fisher can't wait for mexican food and I can't wait to buy some real cowboy boots. :)  

Todd and I recognize that the Lord works in mysterious ways.  We never would have pictured living in the places we have lived, or him being a dentist, and definitely not being in the military!  But here we are and every step of the way we have felt like we were where we needed to be.  We have learned not to have long term plans and that is okay; we like the adventure of moving around, even if the moves themselves and the first few months are always a little hard.

We recognize that the Lord has a plan for us and he helps us along the way by opening doors that we never would have planned on.  It is all about the timing and always has been.

Sorry that was so long but I wanted to record it for journal purposes.

In two years there will be another post about where we are moving next.  Maybe someplace on the west coast?  Or even overseas??  Who knows...

But for now we are headed to Texas. 

Tucker will have lived in four stated before he is even 3.5 years old!

(Louisville, KY - Omaha, NE - Yorktown, VA -  San Antonio, TX)

 Okay, now onto the boys.

Tucker celebrated his third birthday this month.

We are really low key about birthdays- we do fun things but I don't go all crazy on making the cake because I am not a talented cake maker.  Nor am I a master decorator.  Plus, I am kind of greedy and would much prefer to spend money on books or a new pair of shoes or a purse rather than party favors.  Call me a bad mom; I can handle it.   

 Tucker was perfectly happy with his ice cream cake with a garbage truck on top.  He loves himself a good garbage truck. :)  He did a great job blowing out the candles this year.

 I spent the morning running errands with him after I dropped the boys off at school.  We went to target and bought new Lightening McQueen shoes, some t-shirts picked out by him and some M&Ms.  (I might have thrown in a cute maxi skirt and top but shhhhhhh....)

We played outside and later Todd took the boys for a bike ride.  

We went to chik-fil-A for dinner and then saw the Mr. Peabody movie.  (Funny in some parts but the little girl was a brat.)  After the movie we came home and did presents and cake.

At the end of the night I was washing Tucker's hands and he fell asleep with his head on the counter with his hands extended out towards the water.  I think it was a sign of a successful birthday.

 I love my Tucker baby.  By this time with the other boys there was another baby or one on the way so it is weird having him be the youngest.  He is three but he still seems young and we still call him baby. That might be part of the reason why he still acts like a baby...

He is a busy little boy who loves trucks, cars, planes, and anything with a motor.  He is rough and tumble and can beat up both of his brothers but then he can switch into baby mode at any second when he is done playing tough.  He LOVES playing in the mulch and the kid is FAST!!

 Tucker is my cuddlebug.  He is by far the most cuddly of the boys.  Todd and I have a joke about being a true vegger and Tucker could lay in bed and cuddle with me for hours unlike his brothers.  

He is another little bipolar baby and reminds us of Fisher as a toddler.  One second he is laughing and running around and the next second he will be punching and screaming.  You never know with him nor is there any rhyme or reason to his outbursts- happy or sad.  He is full of life and funny as can be.  Tucker mimics everything his brothers do and say.  Sometimes this is funny and sometimes not so much. :) 

He loves being read to, loves puzzles and wrestling.  Playing outside is probably his favorite thing ever.

We love our Tucker!

Cooper's smile in famous around church, his preschool and the drop off line.  He literally has an entourage of girls in primary who fight over who get to sit next to him.

I have been managing him better by letting him just go ahead and do whatever it is that he is trying to do instead of trying to help him.  I cannot get over how independent and stubborn he is.  

   

Lately he has been learning about what sounds each letter of the alphabet makes.  I love little word games with him ftdfderg4edxcd4r4w.  (That was him interupt3inavc  interrupting me and trying to type himself.)  "I can write about me Mommy!" Even though he has no clue what he is doing, he has the confidence to make someone think that he knows exactly what he is doing!

 This morning he and Tucker were keeping themselves entertained with Tucker's new undies.

And of course, whatever his big brothers do, Tucker has to do too.

(I get teh feeling my boys are going to be walking around in their pjs and looking ratty even more than normal now that I am entering moving mode.  So many things to do and not a lot of time! Plus, when I have too many things to do, my brain stops focusing and I accomplish even less than normal.  I need to do some serious meditation.

Tucker measuring himself up against his 10 foot long train puzzle since Cooper was doing it. The boys are obsessed with how tall they are so they can know what rides they can ride at Busch Gardens.  We can't wait for it to open although our pass is only good through the end of March and we probably won't renew.  :(

 I finally convinced Tucker that 

a- Underwear is not for your head and

b- Undies are not scary.

Now if I could just convince him that the potty is not scary either, we would be in business.