A WHOLE Week????

I can't believe it has been a WHOLE week since my last post! The old saying is correct ~ Time flies when you are having fun!

Joe is here and we have not stopped since his arrival! He arrived Friday night, only to depart on Saturday morning with Daniel for Atlanta and a Braves game. The Braves won and even more cool ~Daniel and Joe were on TV a half dozen times! On Sunday morning, Joe and Daniel met up with Joe's little brother Mike and his wife Courtney for a visit before heading back home.

Most exciting day of the past week... the 23rd... and Lilli turning 4! Lilli called it her "Happy Birthday Day". We celebrated quietly this year with dinner at Chik Fila (Lilli shares a love of my favorite restaurant!!! : ) YEAH!!!). Cake and presents followed at home. Lilli opened her presents very slowly, like she was savoring each and every second. She is such a neat girl... she even let Abby open one of her presents. Can you believe that Joe and I have two 4 year olds???

Most depressing day of the past week... when Joe and I received a call from USCIS and were told that Abby's paperwork was "different" because she was Muslim from a Muslim country. WHAT???? Discrimination. Plain and simple. Our sweet, Innocent, beautiful 4 year old daughter is being discriminated against. Joe and I have worked through the "chain of command" at Homeland Security and found that the woman who told us the above and also told us that Abby's file was "Dumped" on her desk and she was too busy... was a bridge inspector for 20 years in New Jersey. She now holds the power over immigration paperwork of young children. Abby's file has now been removed from her and will be processed in the Birmingham field office. We are in hopes that Abby will finally have a Certificate of Citizenship within the next 2 months. I am feeling as if we can see the light at the end of the tunnel... it is small and faint... but it is there! All I have to say is it has been one REALLY LONG tunnel!

As for the house...
Mold clean up is complete. We need simply to file our claim for damage and loss this week. I am so glad Joe is here and will help me fill out the heaps of paperwork that this claim requires. The POD that has been sitting in my driveway for over a month will be picked up and shortly be replaced with an in ground basketball hoop. Much better use of the space I do believe!
All boxes have been unpacked and all things have found a home... some temporary but most permanent! I took a nap today and when I woke up Joe had cleared the last 6 boxes and everything that was sitting "homeless" on the dining room floor! YEAH JOE!!!!

As for the "lost" crate from our Australian Shipment.... It is no longer lost!!! In fact, it is in storage about 30 minutes away and will be delivered on Tuesday. I will have a dining room table on Tuesday!!! I am thinking by Tuesday night that we will be completely unpacked! Only thing left to do is hang pictures! This is our 20th move with the US Army... It is also our last!

I have enjoyed our crazy life. I am looking forward to our settled life now! Just think... I can actually plant tulip bulbs in October and be here to watch them bloom and even multiply in the years to come!

Must run for now... check back for pictures! We bought Holly a small digital camera and I took some photos this week with it... but don't know how to get them from the camera to my computer... I need to slow one of the kids down long enough to learn!

Cheers!