Ask the Milies!

Attention Military Wives:  I wanted to help my friend Jacqueline, of  ACU's, Stiletto Shoes and Pretty Pink Tutus, spread the word about a site she has co-founded "just for military wives."   

Not only has befriending Jacqueline been great because we share our enthusiasm for documenting our lives as new mothers but following her story has really given me insight into the world of a military wife, life and family.

Here's an excerpt from her post introducing "The Milies":

Ask The Milies is a platform for you to submit your questions about military life and relationships and get honest, dependable answers.

Here is an excerpt from our "About The Milies" page:

"The idea for a website like this had been in both of our heads for a while. We saw a need for Military Wives to have a trustworthy resource at their disposal so they could ask their questions, get answers and read that others have experienced similar situations and emotions...We're so excited to provide quality advice on all matters love and military based on our experience of having the toughest job in the service."

To find out more about Jacqueline and Kerry's new site "Ask the Millies" you can click here for the original post.

The Observer...

My brother, Brian,  was always called "The Man" by our Grandfather so of course his first son, Owen, who turns 6 today has inherited the "The Man" title.  The Man's arrival into this world was very exciting not only to all who were there but to us as well.  We were shocked after being told about his entrance into the world.   Since Emma Brown's 1st child, Natalie Ellen, took her time getting here, Emma Brown thought she'd have plenty of time to get to the hospital but Owen came so fast that he ended up being delivered at home by his Uncle Mallory one of Emma Brown's younger brothers. (OOPS,  as of June 6, 2010 I was corrected by my brother...actually, it was Emma Brown's sister Berry who delivered Owen, not Mallory.  Don't know how we made that mistake, but when info is be passed overseas - mistakes are bound to be made).  


Just like all of my brother's children except Caleb, the 1st time I saw Owen was through pictures.  However, since Brian and family came home to the States for Christmas later that year, I didn't have to wait as long to meet him in person as I did Natalie Ellen.  Owen was 7 mos. and by that time he'd become a very healthy big hunk o' baby.  He was unbelievably precious, especially in person.  You could feel his preciousness with every ounce of baby phat too!  Ha ha. 


As Owen got older he reminded me more and more of my brother as well as our Dad, Jimmy .   He's got such a gentle and quite nature.  When he does speak it's only when he has to.  You can often catch Owen standing or sitting quietly studying every move you make.  But when Owen smiles it just lights up your heart.  He is by far the sweetest child I have ever met.

Though he's not smiling for most of the pictures in this post he really does have the most wonderful smile

Owen is such a wonderful older brother to all his siblings and a wonderful big cousin. I love that Owen always wants to play with Dax. He's always pushing Dax around in a stroller, watching out for him and Dax really has a blast when he's around Owen.

Owen excited over meeting his new little brother, Isaac. Owen, I'm so glad you had a great birthday visiting with your cousins and playing with your new puppy Dyxie.  Though we don't get to see you as often as we'd like, you are in my prayers everyday.  Aunt Teri loves you terribly as does Uncle Clint and Dax.  We look forward to seeing you very soon!!   Continue being the great older brother that you are by watching out for your brother's and sisters.  They are very blessed to have you.

The Acheiver...

I'm sure these posts are beginning to read a bit redundant to those who aren't family or who do not know any of the subjects in person.  However, it's quite the opposite for me especially when it comes to my family.  Because as I've mentioned before each of my nieces and nephews have their own unique personality and I love sharing my pride over each one of them.

Clint and I have a lot of nieces and nephews. Eight and counting.  Imagine remembering all those birthdays!  Actually, they are the only birthdays I've gotten a good handle on. Maybe it's because each one of them has brought tremendous joy to our family with their arrival til now. 


 Austin is the oldest of them all.  11 yrs old!!!


Right here I'd usually insert a picture and boy do I wish I had this one on the computer.  For sometime a picture hung on Clint's mother's wall of a sleeping newborn Austin with angel wings.  It - he was gorgeous.  He really did look like an angel.

11 years ago!  It's so hard to take that in.  It seems like yesterday I felt as if I was going to have a heart attack when a 3-yr old Austin stuck the key in the ignition of my car and turned it over.  He was sitting in the front seat of my car and I was in the passenger side just letting him play (he loved keys) and before I knew it, he'd cranked it up.   Thank goodness he didn't get a chance to put it in gear, or I'd have been a dead woman.  My very first lesson in underestimating what a baby/toddler is capable of.

I also have a picture of this not scanned in!  I'm a little behind on backing up old family photos.

We have three nephews from Clint's sister Diane and I love and remember each of them for the different little souls that they are.  In Austin's case, it was the constant excitement of seeing what he'd learn to do next.  He seemed incredibly smart early on.  Every time he'd come to his Grandmother's he'd dazzle us with his intelligence or his ability for sports at such a young age - even before he showed any interest in it like he is now.

Before Austin, hanging out with tots wasn't on the top of my list of favorite things to do but he changed that fast.  He was and still is such a cool little guy (he's not so little now...) that Clint and I would be willing to watch Stuart Little over and over again just to hangout with him. 

Not so little at all. Our Christmas present to A that was just a bit ;o) too small though it's hard to tell in this picture. He'd grown quite a bit since I'd last saw him.

He had the cutest personality from the get go.  Austin used to ask his Grandmother if she'd been to the Hoggly Woggly (Piggly Wiggly).  I always got so tickled at Austin's reaction to situations or what he'd have to say about them. When I was in labor with Dax and the whole family was in the room (before I got to 10 and the nurses chased everyone out)  Diane informed me Austin wanted to come say hey to me.   So Austin walked up to the bed.  Very excited and happy to see him I said "Hey man! look at you, so tall - love the 'do' (he'd let his hair grow out)."  Before I could finish my sentence  I got a huge contraction (epidural had worn off) and made the most horrible face, grabbed the rails of the bed like I was bracing myself to drive off a cliff and let out the biggest moan.  Poor Austin calmly but quickly said "okay, so - I'll see you later" and ran back to safety on the couch with his Uncle Clint and his younger brother Anderson!   I couldn't even wait for that horrible contraction to end before I burst out laughing because the look on Austin's face was classic.  Having him, as well as Diane, Anderson and and the rest of our families, there at the biggest moment in mine and Clint's life - Dax's beginning - made that day even more memorable.

Anderson, Clint and Austin on August 1, 2008 Dax's D-day.  Right before I scared Austin to death

Austin, I look forward to seeing what wonderful things your life will bring.  With your intelligence, good nature, athletic abilities and many other great qualities - the sky is the limit and I hope we'll always be there to share it with you.  I regret that we don't live much closer so we would be sure to miss nothing.  You are and always will be very special to Uncle Clint, myself and of course, Dax too!!  Have a wonderful Birthday!!

Real Man of Genius

I'm behind on posts.  I'm sure I'll catch up when the weather gets too hot to enjoy the great outdoors! Until then, you can expect to see us outside enjoying all the lovely ants, kamikaze junebugs and giant crickets!

Speaking of our kamikaze junebugs. One of the very few times you'll catch me dancing is when one of these things fly straight into my hair. Their legs grip everything, especially hair. It can take a good 2 minutes to dig one of them out. DISGUSTING!! All this bonding time with our bugs led Clint and I to reminisce about the huge bug zappers that were widely popular in the 80's - 90's?   I wasn't even sure if they still had them.

Well, of course, they do but I've heard that they're not as loud and maybe a little bit more humane - or maybe not and as strange as it may sound, I kind of miss the summers of playing in the backyard to the music of bzzzzz...ZAPPPPP..ZZZZRRRRZRZRZR%$&%$!  We were feeling kind of sinister especially since we enjoyed seeing all those bugs meet their equivalent of the electric chair.

When we got back in the house I thought I'd go to the computer to try to find out the best way to kill  repel  junebugs.  What an enormous coincidence it was to find this on someone's post about bag a bug.  I swear I'm not making this up.  I found this literally minutes after we were laughing about the bug zappers.

I could listen to these commercials all day....

I found this one on youtube, it was easier to post the link:

Real Man of Genius - Mr. Backyard Bug Zapper Inventor 

Until I catch up on posts with pictures, here are some of Dax and Kayleigh on cookout Wednesdays. We never know who we'll be feeding, but we know someone will pop in. It's becoming a hump day tradition.

From Spring 2010

Wordless Wednesday

From Spring 2010

Wordless Wednesday

From Spring 2010

Little People Are Special Too - The Socializer

Although this person has only been in my life 2 years short of a decade she's just as special as the rest.  It's not only because on May 1, 2002 for the first time in my life I knew I'd have a permanent title of someone's Aunt.  It's not just because she's turned into such a wonderful little girl either...but it might have a little something to do with those things. ;o)

I'll never forget the overwhelming feeling when I met Natalie Ellen for the first time.  I remember it like it was yesterday; there I was sitting at the table on the patio on a gorgeous day in Brazil in 2003 surrounded by gorgeous scenery.  My first cousin, Misty, and I had arrived in Belem the day before and didn't get to the farm/plantation until late that night.  So there we were at the main house waiting for  Emma Brown to bring her out.  I looked up and saw Emma appear in the doorway holding a sweet 15 mos. old and I immediately felt my heart being stolen.  She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in my life.  I was absolutely speechless.

Over the years I loved hearing stories of her personality or that the way she talked reminded my sister-in-law and brother of me, hearing her say I love you Aunt Teri over the phone just made it impossible not to be terribly fond of her.

Because she's lived thousands of miles away for so long and I've only been able to see her every couple of years (until now) I'm able to remember every moment I've gotten to spend with her and they were all special.  And each moment has brought something new.  One year we picked them up from the airport and she ran straight into my arms and didn't stop hugging me until I had to put her down.  She'd not seen me since she was 3 but still she acted as if she'd missed me the whole time.  And later when we were back at the airport to send them home to Brazil she was stuck to me like glue as I held her so Emma Brown and Brian could check in.  It's like she was making the most out of the last hug she'd get from me in a long time...Who wouldn't eat that up??

Natalie Ellen, you have grown into such a special little girl and I couldn't be more happier to call you my niece.  I love you love you love you.  I know you are having an exciting time moving into the new house and the package you got in the mail.  I hope it was something wonderful.  Continue to be the good girl that you always are and help out your mother every chance you get.  I will talk to you soon!

BIG HUG!!!

Love: Aunt Teri, Uncle Clint and Dax.