Waiting for orders

We are waiting to see if we get orders to move this summer.  We are hoping to get back to an airstation soon.  Adam MISSES flying and I miss the lifestyle of an airstation... eating with the crew, hearing Adam overhead, seeing the helicopters (that's more for the kids, they never got tired of sitting in them).  Although I really do like it here in Virginia Beach, we like it everywhere we've been.  Adam likes his job but not as much as flying.  And although I love where we are, it's always fun for something new. Once we get to this point, I always get super excited about finding out where we're going.  I love looking for new houses and thinking of all the cool things we're going to do to it and in our new city.  This time I am especially wanting to hear soon because Seth's gifted middle school applications are due on February 1 and they are a pain to do, so if we are moving, I don't want to do them.  I know what's going to happen, I am going to have to turn them in on the first and on the second the detailer is going to give us our orders to move somewhere else!  I'll live, but I don't want to do them.  I REALLY, REALLY want to hear soon!

At Dad's house...

At Dad's house, cuddling on the couch watching Jack Hanna's Animal Adventure... Why have we never watched this before? 
We are spending the weekend here with Dad and Sandy.  Went to Friendly's last night for dinner... the place where Pierce works, with the cool ice cream and crazy plates (Seth and Ryan's description).  We're going to do some shooting today with Seth's new .22 rifle from Christmas! 

DC Trip

While Adam was in DC for a two week class, we took advantage of a free hotel at the Embassy Suites with him to take a week vacation.  It started with getting my stitches out (I'll do that one later), then on to Luz's where we talked very late into the night and Seth and Ryan enjoyed their awesome theater room.  Then off to Misty's where we spent two days swimming and played a mean game of Monopoly where I killed everyone.  (Lacee was soooo glad she had Mom in Vegas so she didn't have to play with us!)  I left the kids and met up with Adam and Luz and Rich for dinner at Ruth's Chris!!! Yum!  We talked and laughed a bunch more!

Ok, so these are not the best pics of Adam and I, but I may never blog another one with our great friends, so I'm using these anyway.

Then, I met with Misty and Daddy at the mall to get the kids.  Instead of going to DC, the kids and I decided to hang out at the mall and had a great time.  We don't ever go to the mall and I forgot how fun it is.  Seth found an awesome game store where you can paint your own game warrior pieces and then play a game with them (kinda like RISK).  Yeah, it's a dorky fantasy place... I fit in perfectly!  Then we tried to find the massage chairs in JC Penney.  We were not as successful as Lacee and I were that night long ago where we spent our kid-free evening sitting in massage chairs in Penney's. Thanks Mom for taking the kids!  And, of course, we found some ADORABLE clothes for Ryan... on sale, of course (again!)  Naartjie is the place.  If you haven't been there yet, be careful, it is too cute! 

After our awesome day at the mall, we went to dinner with Andrew.  Well, he took us to dinner as it turns out.  What a great little brother living in awesome dowtown DC in an awesome row house with an AWESOME rooftop patio!

(insert funny pic here)

We loved eating lots of delicious FREE breakfast at the hotel.  One night we had to run down barefoot to get the squishy ball that Seth accidently tossed over the fourth floor railing to the dining area below.  We laughed really hard running down the halls that time... Adam just shook his head at us.

Dad came up with Sandy and took Adam and I to Memphis at the Kennedy Center.  What a great play!  I was really moved by his courage to stand up for what was right and the courage and patience of those to live bravely despite persecution and prejudice.  I actually bought the soundtrack and now teh kids know the whole story as we listen to it.  (Just like Mom sharing Les Mis with us.)  We also went to the Air and Space Museum near Dulles.  Big planes and spaceships.  Gross looking astronaut food and a "fecal disposal unit" (space diaper) that probably cost thousands to create and which they now just where adult diapers.  Wish they had figured that one out earlier.  As I pointed out this huge canvas/wood skeleton plane that was cool looking, Seth added "It's probably DaVinci's".   Dad was laughing at Seth's random factoids that he kept throwing out.

Sunday after church we had a great time at the visitor's center at the temple and then with Christine and Marriner.  So grateful that we are close now!  I really love them!

We spent Monday with Ryan's best friend, Sarah's, family.  I love being with Chris (the mom).  I will be sad they are moving to Pennsylvania and won't be there for us to crash with anymore.

That evening we met Misty, Dave and the kids at a baseball game where we ate hot dogs, lots of junk food and all the kids got a game ball (with a little help from Dave and the nice helper men). They got them signed by Uncle Slam and one of the players that was nice enough to come out after they got slaughtered in the 7th inning.

 Tuesday, after taking Daddy to McDonalds for breakfast, we packed it back up for the hotel and Adam and I went to the temple together.  Loved it!

Wednesday, after poor Adam had to leave for class, we slept in, again, then went to DC.  We went to the Natural History Museum and the sculpture garden.  We finally got to see the Goliath Bird-Eating Spider when it was hiding--- AHHHH, HUGE!  I held the hissing cockroach... ewwchch, what was I thinking?  The kids liked the giant anaconda (it had a name?).  And we each took a pic of our favorite pic.  The displays of different photographers was incredible.  We loved them all!

After

OK, let's finish this off.  Adam just went up to bed.  We left DC and made it safely back to Virginia Beach.  It was wonderful spending so much time together, seeing cool places and people.  We are so blessed that Adam is willing to work hard so I can be with the kids, that he has a job, that we have wonderful friends and family that let us visit, that we have a car that can take us places, that there are such wonderful things to see, that we like being together..  I could go on and on.  We are truly grateful for ALL that we have been blessed with!

"Mom's Night In"

The day before our power outage was Friday.  Adam was coming home on Saturday after two weeks in DC.  That means 2 1/2 weeks since he mowed the lawn.  So we took friends home at 7pm and went to Menchie's (ice cream) with the kids Principal's list coupons, then hurried home to get the lawn mowed.  It was way too hot to do it during the day and way to hot to do it at night, but we wanted to surprise Adam so he didn't have to do it when he got home (instead, he had to change the brakes:)  Together, we got it done!  I was dripping wet... Oooooh!  The kids knew I was so hot and gross that while I took a quick cool shower they told me they were getting a bath ready for me.  So I got out of the shower into the bath all set with bath salts and music playing.  Ryan gave me a manicure and Seth gave me a foot massage.  They were so excited to give me a "Mom's Day In" because I was so hot from mowing.  Ryan said it really should be a "Mom's hour In".  They were out there the whole time with me, but they were still so cute to team up to do such a nice thing.  They decided that since Daddy had also worked so hard for two weeks that they would do one for Daddy.  I mentioned he doesn't really like baths, so Ryan decided he could have an orbies pedicure.  He now has red, white and blue toes.  Again, I am just grateful for families.  What joy they bring into our lives!

The power's out

Last night, the power went out unexpectedly at about 8pm.  The kids and I carefully went through the dark house to start lighting candles and by the time we were done, there were 18 (Seth counted).  It was beautiful!   After we read scriptures by candlelight, Seth suggested we do this again.  "Can't we do this by ourselves by flipping the breaker?"  I answered, "We could just turn off all the lights?"  "But then the little lights on the TV and stove will still be on.  I like this.  Then we can't have on the TV or computers and we can light all the candles again."  So I think we will be having voluntary "power outages" from now on.  Luckily, I can figure out a way not to turn off the AC.  After scriptures, we said prayers and walked up with candles in hand and put one in each of the kids rooms.  It was one more of those quiet fun happy family moments that Seth and Ryan make so plentiful for us!

Poor Adam finished changing the oil and brakes in the dark with just a headlamp.  Lucky for us, we have such an awesome Dad in our house.

My sister and parents have been without power for three days now and the heat is KILLER!  I never thought about the second coming without AC.  I mean I can prepare for food storage, but no air conditioning?  I am FOR SURE not living on the East Coast now-- no way, this heat and humidity!

Master bath remodel in progress

Old bathroom- dusty rose raspberry faux painting everywhere, pink accent tile, pink floor... bleh!

Now- white vanities, no more giant mirror, blue paint...

... last of the pink paint...

...new mirrors...

...and really?!? I walked past the mirror in the kids room and saw this!  I don't even know when I did it!  My walls looks great, but when painting, I am a disaster- my clothes, my hands, my hair!

Ryan's dance audition

Ryan auditioned at ODC today for the gifted dance program.  She was a little nervous this morning.  She had to go on the early bus to the far school, but luckily she went with her big brother (who was going to the art program).  I said a few prayers throughout the day for her to do her best and have a great time.  It is hard, great, emotional... as the kids grow up and try new things, especially when I have to let them go alone.  I know the Lord will always take care of them.  Well, she came home super excited.  I don't know if that means she'll make it, but she had fun.

52 card pick-up

Do you know anyone who has ever played 52 card pick-up more than once?  I do... my kids!  I asked them if they wanted to play 52 card pick-up and with Adam smirking in the background, I threw the cards in the air.  I expected to hear the exasperated "Mo-om" instead the two laughingly hopped around the ground gathering up the cards and handing them to me said "Can we do it again?"  So for the next half hour, Seth and Ryan took turns throwing the deck in the air and picking them up, yelling "CARD!" every time they missed one and leaping after it.  They weren't even counting them to see who won! 

What did you learn in church today?

During dinner, in answer to the weekly question, "what did you learn in church today?", Ryan was explaining that she learned about being responsible.  Her teacher gave each person something to be responisible for.  "She gave one person a plate of cookies... (dramatic pause) that person would be me (said with pursed lips and a tilt of the head).

Underwear!

It is Sunday afternoon 4pm and Seth is still in just his underwear.  I think I wrote this same thing in my journal about two years ago, but our kids still run around all the time in just their underwear.  Adam says he blames me.  He's right!  When we tell them to get ready for bed, they brush their teeth, take off their clothes and then that's it.  Down they come in just their undies. Misty said Dayton and Paisley come down in just their undies now too because "that's what our cousins do".  Yeah, we are a bad influence :)

What a Saturday!

We had a baseball playoff, a dress rehearsal, a Tae Kwon Do demo, a black belt test and a dance recital.  Somewhere in there we managed to get food and secretly buy some flowers (and other "little" things)!  Mom and Dad came down for our big day.  Adam and Daddy went to Seth's game.  This was Seth's first time playing baseball, but he did really well.  His team, however, was the youngest, the most new players and a coach who is just nice, so there wasn't a lot of great playing, so on that note, they never won a game --needless to say, when they only had three players who could hit (luckily, one was Seth), they were very quick innings)!  BUT by the end of the season, we got a few more occasional hitters and  two boys who really learned how to catch (that was not Seth, he's still working on that) and that got us some really fun to watch games.  One game, our new hitter boy got a triple and homerun, and they made a double play.  So the boys were having a great time (I think they only lost 17 to 4, that time)!  There was cheering, chanting and high fives.  So for his first season, he hit every time he was up but once and, of course, that is always fun.  He can throw great!  He is adorable at third base when he practices catching the "pretend" ball and stepping on third.  And he is "getting better" at catching.  So in our minds this season was a success!  He wants to go back to soccer in the fall (no summer sports for us-- too HOT!).  But I am hoping baseball makes it back on is list!
As for Ryan, she is the dancing queen.  They performed "Peter Pan" and they did the whole show as the entire story with narration and everything (they even got the little kids in at the beginning with Wendy telling nursery rhymes).  She was a fairy, a pirate and a lost boy.  She loved it all, even with a headache and sore throat.  When she left my black belt test crying with Adam because her throat hurt, I was so worried she wouldn't make it (of course, as a mom, I was freaking out that I wasn't the one to drop her off and take care of her, but luckily she has an awesome Dad), but out she came on stage with a smile the whole time.  She knew every step and looked adorable in her costume.  Even after her parts, we went and got her back stage to finish the last half hour of a 3 HOUR show (it was already 9:15pm) and she sat with her eyes glued on the stage.  When we got to the car, it was DUMPING rain.  Daddy had to run two blocks to the car and was soaked by the time he got back to us.  But he got out the umbrella and escorted each of us to the car.  This one teenage girl kept saying "How cute!", "How sweet!".  I told her "I know, Daddy is the best!"  She answered, "I wonder if ---- would do that?"  I told her "Of course, they could! Escorting in the rain and opening doors, luckily my husband had a great mom who taught him that already, but I had plenty of dates who figured it out eventually if you just never get out of the car.  They are either going to come open the door or go to dinner by themselves.  (Luckily, no one ever left me in there)".  Anyway, back to Ryan, she was exhausted with a sore throat by the end.  She refused an offer of a Kit Kat (really?!?) and was asleep on my lap within minutes, but, man, it was worth it!  She looked great on stage and her smile was just to die for!  Oh yeah, she loved her flowers- pink roses (Seth picked those) with white carnations (I got those because last week while Mom was down for Homearama, I let the kids dye carnations and they loved it- in fact, we still have a vase full of orange, green and  bluish ones on the counter).  She loved them!  What a girl!  And I love that she is!
OK, so Tae Kwon Do.  With so much going on, it was hard to remember I was getting my black belt.  I knew I was a little nervous that I had to get up in front of everyone and didn't want to forget anything, but mostly my mind was occupied with making sure everyone got where they needed to be and Mom and I made it to video Ryan's rehearsal dances.  So the demo was fun!  Mom got to watch and I didn't get hurt before my test.  Then we made it out to the rehearsal and fed Ryan lunch, then made it back to TKD for the test (everything Saturday was about 35 minutes from each other and we made it about 15 minutes early to each place... WOW!)  It was a long, quiet (except when we were yelling) 3 hours, but it was awesome having all my family there!  I loved looking back at their smiling faces.  I felt like a little kid- you never don't need the support of your family.  But I did my kicks, my forms, sparred and broke my 3 boards (Seth wants me to add about sending one board across the room) and it went great!  Adam kept telling me how proud he was of me!  It was really nice to hear.  I changed into my new black belt dobak and then Master Park put on my new belt (with my name engraved on it and everything) and I read my essay while Mom, Daddy and Seth got to sit in special chairs.  I wish Lacee had been there, but other than that it was great!  I had asked if I could go first for the presentation part, so as soon as we walked off we started driving to make it to Ryan's (which we made with another 15 minutes to spare). 
I'm sure I am missing more wonderful things that we squeezed into a single day but you get the picture.  Lacee, I am putting my essay below so you can read it-- anyone else can to!

Oh yeah, at the recital during intermission, Adam told me he and Seth got me something little for getting my black belt-- a new Nook-- not something "little", but awesome!  I guess the present was Adam's idea, but the nook was Seth's, and it felt really good that they thought of it!  I have a great family!  As for special days, Seth and Ryan went to breakfast with Grandma and Papa yesterday morning, McDonalds, of course, so they ate out for the only meal that we could have given her the red plate.  So I gave it to her this morning and during breakfast, Seth and Ryan decided that I should eat on it for lunch and Seth for dinner.  Thanks Mom (Pauline) for the special red plates!


Black Belt Test Essay


By K.C. Merrill

June 11, 2010



I have always loved trying new things. In high school, my sister started Tae Kwon Do and I soon joined her. We loved the camaraderie of our instructor and fellow students. I looked forward to the next kick or form that we were going to learn to see how good I could get. I liked doing something that not everyone else was doing and I liked doing it with my sister. 15 years later, those same things hold true. It is fun being here at Tae Kwon Do. I like seeing my friends, joking about how old and sore we are, and talking about life. It’s not just an exercise program. It’s a new family.

As for the exercise part, I hate exercising, but at my age it’s a must. Tae Kwon Do isn’t just exercise though. It is a workout for a reason. It’s not just running to run or lifting weights over and over again just to look better. I come and sweat so I can do the next form better, so I can kick higher, so I can spar faster. I look forward to coming because I want to be better. All my other exercise programs just wear me out. I don’t want to run another mile even if I am reading a book or watching a movie while I do it. I just lose interest. But this is something I look forward to. I like the hurt of stretching farther, the excitement of breaking boards and the exhaustion of trying to get that kick in during sparring. The bonus is that it is exercise and I do look better as I do it. I am in better shape and my body is stronger and those two things as important as getting to the next belt.

I sometimes laugh that I am the only mom doing Tae Kwon Do without my kids, but doing things out of the norm is pretty par for the course with me. My family is always waiting to see what I do next. I wish my sister were with me, but she supports me along the way even if it has to be by phone. Tae Kwon Do brings me the joy that I felt as a kid of doing something new and exciting, something that took effort and something that caused a little bit of giddy anxiety… how is it going to go? We don’t do that as much as adults. There aren’t many soccer games, math finals, or dance recitals and I liked those things. I liked feeling half excited, half nervous, knowing all my family was cheering for me. So this is my thing now. My tae kwon do family are the ones normally cheering me on during the week, although my real family gets to see me do some of the fun stuff at demos and tests, even my mom and dad sometimes. And for all those long distance supporters, I have even put up a video of me breaking. Kinda childish, but super awesome!

The one thing that is new this time around is that I am the leader. Once I put on my black belt, I will have more responsibilities, but even before that I knew it was different. Most of the time I was at adult classes which was a group of peers, but when I was at the Jr. black belt class I was the often the only adult. I liked being with the kids, helping and encouraging them. I loved when they were sweet to say, “Good job, Miss K.C.!” It was a different type of camaraderie, but I enjoyed it just the same. I know that if I had been aloof and stayed to myself, the kids would have gone on as if I were not there, an adult that was not part of their group, but by teaming up with them and joining in their fun, I looked forward to seeing them and enjoying their improvements as well as my own. It may not have been my skill that they looked up to, but my fun attitude. And hopefully I have plenty of that to share!

I like Life!

Adam just came to tell Ryan and I that as Seth was climbing into his bunk, he turned and said, "I like life."  Adam responded lovingly, "I like life, too."  Then thought for a second, "Do you mean Life the game?"  "Yeah!"  Adam told him, "I thought you meant life in general."    Oh, I have to say, I was surprisingly and pleasantly astonished that Seth would have been so outspokenly reflective, but that just isn't him.  So I'll take his no-nonsense, scientific mindset and hope that he liked playing Life with us.

Finished dinner and jumping on the trampoline with the missionaries.  Ryan just finished the rough draft of her testimony for the Book of Mormons she wants to give to her three friends.  What a beautiful spirit she has.  She wrote that learning about Jesus makes her happy.  She told me if she was a grown up she would have said it makes her feel the Spirit, but she doesn't quite know what that means. (We explained the other day about learning to feel the Spirit and that since their lives are pretty great they probably feel it a lot, so it may just feel a lot like being happy.)  She may not quite understand it, but she is listening to and following the Spirit already.

Mr. MeanyPants

Seth jokingly told Ryan "OK, Mr. MeanyPants".
To which she replied, "First, I am not mean.  I do not have pants on and I am not a mister."

I broke my board, yeahhhh!

The Lord answers prayers...

even when, or especially when, they are about serving him.  Now that the kids are back in school, I have been thinking of what I want to do with my time and how I could provide some service.  I don't want something that will become a full time job, but things that are flexible and kinda interesting.  Well, I finally settled it in my mind and that night prayed and asked Heavenly Father to help me find service.  The next day Adam and I went to the DMV for our licenses and when I was doing my voter registration, I asked how if I could be one of those nice old ladies on voting day.  I love those ladies!  I love them at Enrichment, I like being around Grandmas anywhere.  She grabbed the application and said they were in great need of volunteers.  (Answer to prayer!)  I even found out I will get paid.  I told her I was glad I decided to serve before I knew about the paycheck.
Well this week, I knelt to pray again because that wasn't really enough service- a day once in awhile.  The next day, yesterday, I went to Tae Kwon Do and Master Park asked if I worked.  When I told him I didn't, he asked if I would help teach his wife English.  She needs practice speaking.  He had been thinking of me and when I told him I was even an English teacher, he looked just so happy.  (Another answer to prayer!)  And what awesome answers.  I really was expecting some sister in the ward to need meals or a ride to a doctors appointment (that was the answer last time).   I couldn't have picked better service projects had a chosen them myself.  But then that's why he's the Lord.  I love him and I'm grateful.