Updates galore!

Whew! We made it to CA and after 3 long weeks we finally have the internet. I can blog again! Poor Brad has somehow managed full time school from his iphone. Poor guy had a 50 question exam this past Sunday and was squinting at these tiny questions on his phone. Thank goodness he doesn't have to write his 10 page paper this weekend pecking one letter out at a time.

Anyway, I forgot how much I LOVE Southern Cali. Gorgeous blue sunny skies, winters that are 60-70 degrees, the Pacific ocean which is so close we can throw a rock to it. We are very blessed to be stationed here and I'm loving it.

We moved in 1 week ago and we've been unpacking nonstop and relearning the area. Our house is perfect for our little family. It is the end house on a cul-de-sac, 2 playgrounds in clear view, back sidewalks that run throughout the whole neighborhood which is perfect for Miles bike rides, and a great oceanview-which means great sunsets. I think we are just about settled with the exception of one last delivery of our express goods.

Here's a pic of the outside. Doesn't look like much, but keep in mind we've been in a tiny German apartment for 2.5 years! My mom redid the whole garden and has it looking fantastic. This move wouldn't have been possible without her. I should have snapped a close-up of her hard garden work.

This is the little 'nook' right in front of our front door. It looked pretty plain at first, this is the results after the Suzi pizzaz.

This is our new car- straight from Sweden. We ordered this in October (back when Hyatt and Jeanne were with us in Germany). We finally got to take it home this past weekend. I am wondering how long our "no food/drinks" policy will last. I remember making this same policy with our Jetta a few years ago and now it's practically our kitchen. :)

In other news, we found out Brad will be deploying to Afghanistan this year. We are unsure of dates since he hasn't really had his first day of "work" yet but we will find out on Monday. I am a bit nervous because the guys are really knee deep in pre-deployment training from what I read/hear. This is a good sign the deployment is right around the corner. As long as he is here for the birth....

I found a new OB today and went to see him. It was quite comical because my only record of pregnancy was my German "mutter pass." I handed it over to him and said "Good luck!"

It didn't help me too much because by the end of the visit I ended up getting what felt like gallons of blood drawn out.The good news? I get an ultrasound next appointment and can

FINALLY put my mind to rest with this whole gender thing. We still haven't bought a single thing thanks to my umbilical paranoia.

Oh and my Dad/Pock managed a week off and is staying with us for a week! Miles has really taken to him and his silly games. My mom is really enjoying see him too as it had been over 2 months. It's nice having a full house! We look forward to seeing Hyatt and Jeanne soon and their family. It's nice being close to so many family members in the midst of the military world.