*sigh* today...

I notice my followers keep increasing. That's flattering, considering I feel as though I've been pretty sluggish with my blogging lately. I just have approximately 100 things going on and when I get five minutes to myself I really just want to sit and do something brain-less, like watch One Tree Hill or General Hospital (it's what I do). Sadly, with the state I have been in lately blogging just has not been the priority it once was. I think we all get that though right...?

All the same.Yesterday I hit the gym, which I was this ~> <~ close to not doing at all so it's a miracle I got off my ass and did it in the first place! =) Of course I felt better afterwards. Also, I complained a few posts ago about being broke, hot, and AC-less. WELLL... (laTEda) we are now proud owners of a Feature Comforts Evaporative Room Cooler! =) This is the cheapest (and I do mean cheapest) way to effectively "cool ones room." True to form I purchase this lil' beauty and our heat wave heads out. So it hasn't actually been that necessary the last two days (since it was purchased). I'm ok with this, thus far, but I am under the assumption that the heat will one day- eventually, return to Colorado Springs. Maybe I don't need it today (thank the Lord for ceiling fans) but I'm sure it will prove necessary; essential once more.

I've been updating everyone on the status of my sister's IVF lately. Well, yesterday they completed the "transfer". The doc implanted two of the BEST of the BEST embryos yesterday. Now my sister is on bed rest-ish for the next 5 days. This is to give the lil' embryos the best chance to "stick"... eeek! hopefully my sister doesn't freak because I said "stick" but I'll be damned if I don't know what the actually terminology is. I'll tell you one thing about this IVF (my sister, not me) is going through, I sure have learned more about my reproductive system than I ever felt necessary. Boy O' Boy!! So we'll find out July 11th (via an old fashioned blood test) if she's pregnant. Then it'll be a few weeks after that to find out how many babies/fetus' there are. YES- that's right I said "how many." IVF, evidently increases the chance of multiples exponentially. It's funny. We've been joking with Levi (my bro-in-law) about the fact that he got his wife 'knocked up' RIGHT before he deploys but didn't have ANY fun doing it! ha ahaaHA Well, that's the other news people, Levi took off this morning on his 4th (yes you read that correctly) FOURTH deployment.

Levi is the kind of guy who doesn't like to make a big show of things. He likes to down play just about everything. His step-mother is in town with her two kids to help Katie (while she's bed resting) for a few days. This is something completely new for him. Usually it's just been my family to see him off. So I think with his lil' sisters being around, Nathan being older (being able to grasp that he isn't there), and the IVF this departure is hitting him pretty hard. It's awful but this appears to only get more and more difficult ladies. It would stand to logic that it would get easier in some way, "been there done that" and all. Well I was wrong. My logic is horribly flawed. It gets worse. Thankfully (the light at the end of the tunnel), he will be home in January/February. Levi PCS'd to Ft. Carson last summer and was owed dwell time from his last tour/unit. So he didn't ship out with everyone else in February. Well this being their 4th, they are pros! They can 'do' 9 months on their heads with one hand behind their backs! Too easy. However, they will be standing up-right with all hands on deck. Too much happening right now and the next few months. Thankfully, this will help time FLY. I have found that setting goals (more or less) in time, that it seems to help the time go by faster. For instance: Mid-August Kevin will be home(wooop whoop). 29 September is Nathan's birthday. That will be here all too soon. October, Halloween. November, Thanksgiving and Dad's birthday. December, (the obvious) Christmas. January, New Years and possible Homecoming. See and JUST LIKE THAT he's home. I love this. This is what has help immensely over the course of my first deployment with Kevin. Something that I tried to get Katie to do throughout their deployments. It has helped me alot.

*~~~~~*

When I was 18, and graduating High School I was creating a scrapbook of that final year. The first page was "A Letter to Myself", dated 17 May 2003. Here is just a small portion of that:

"Then my sister who always invents new ways to impress me with her unwavering support, bravery, attitude, and independence. I've also gained a brother, who I can't say enough good things about. He's an amazing soldier, with whom I have the utmost respect for. You're in my thoughts and prayers!"

Funny how reflection can force you to truly take stock of your life, who's in it, who's stayed with you, and who you've gained. Also, how much truly stays the same. My sister is still all of those things and more. Just as is my brother. Still a brave and amazing soldier. I'll see you all too soon "Ugly"!