updates.. updates.. updates!

Man, I am really going to regret not keeping up with my blog years from now. Life is going by so fast right now that I forget to stop and take the time to document everything.
Okay, so 4 months later (I think it's been 4 months *yikes!*) here is the newest updates.

The boys are almost 18 months old. Holy smokes. Seriously, I had no idea parenthood could go so slow and so fast at the same time. They are little balls of energy that N.E.V.E.R stop! But watching them learn new things left and right is just down right amazing. Kids are here to teach us to appreciate every little thing on this earth, even the little things that we take for granted every day. Even watching my sons react to switching off the light switch every night is just the most adorable thing ever in my eyes! But before I sound like parenthood is this amazing, beautiful thing 100% of the time, let me just say that it is very very VERY tiring. Sometimes I don't even know how in the hell I survive by the end of each day! The tantrums have started, and when people tell you that tantrums will test your patience in every humanly way possible, they are not kidding! I really thought I was the most patient person before children. Yep, well, that is completely untrue. I am trying my best to not lose my temper on these little souls who give me a kiss one second and then hit and scratch me the next, but so far I am not doing that great. So yes, timeouts in the cribs have happened a lot lately! Phew! We will survive. We will survive.

Let's see what else. Well, we lost our precious bulldog Meatball two months ago after a very quick spreading cancer. We found out he had Lymphoma on Christmas Eve and he was gone only 4 weeks later. The day I had to go put him down (my husband is still deployed so he was unable to be there) was by far the hardest day of my life. I will never forget that day. I drove him by Mcdonald's one last time for his favorite meal, a cheeseburger, but he refused to eat it. I showed up at the Veterinarian's office where the receptionist lead me into their back room which almost looked like a grandma's living room. We sat there on their sofa while they came in and asked me if I wanted to pay for the procedure before hand instead of dealing with it after, and then they proceeded to hand me the papers. I refused to sign. I couldn't do it. I waited until the Veterinarian's came in to give their opinions if I was doing the right thing, and their opinion was that I was. He was too far gone. She asked me if I wanted to be present during the procedure, But I just couldn't. I didn't want to witness it. So I gave him my final kisses and hugs and decided to walk to my car to call my husband, and that's when I had the first major meltdown of my life. I cried so hard that I couldn't get any words out. I just couldn't even fathom that my precious baby was taking his last few breaths at that very moment and I wasn't there. I hung up the phone and called my dad who had told us prior that Meatball could be buried on his property next to my old family dogs, so 10 minutes later my dad showed up and took care of the dirty work for me. I followed my dad back to his house and sat at his kitchen table as he dug his grave, and 20 minutes later my dad told me he was ready. He asked if I wanted to see Meatball one last time before he was covered, and I found the strength within me to say yes. My god did he look so peaceful. He finally looked pain free and I am so happy I decided to have that closure. I buried his favorite toy in between his arms, and I just sat there and stroked his head for what felt like forever. My dad and I were both crying, discussing how dogs just touch so much of our lives and teach us so much about life. I will never forget the 7 years I had with that dog, as he was the best companion I could have ever asked for.

I snapped this photo of him right before we headed in to the Vet's office. :(

And just so I don't leave this post with such a sad ending, I will give some more positive updates. 

I am now 25 weeks along with a baby GIRL!!!!! (More about this on a later post!)

OH! And we got orders to STUTTGART GERMANY! We leave in October. :) Lord help us. The boys will be 2 and the baby will be 3 months during that long long flight. Not to forget that the moving process will start right after the baby is born. HA! Yes, we are crazy!!!