TEN

Ten years ago today, Adam and I went on our first date. Ten years seems like such a long time, and at the very same time, how could so much time have passed? Aren't we still in high school? I would not trade the last ten years of my life for anything, the ups and downs have been endless and amazing. I am so incredibly thankful that he was brought into my life, even if at times, it has seemed to others (and possibly ourselves?) that we had no rhyme or reason for being together.
Even after 10 years, I am continuing to fall in love everyday and look forward to the next 10 years! I love you forever Adam and I will forever "Remember the Titans":) Thank you for an amazing life.

Still here!

I haven't updated in quite some time! Not because nothing was going on, we've been quite busy here in the Hall household! Let's see if I can recap?
I posted before about the mammogram, well I never got the darn thing because 2 days before I was supposed to get it, I found out I was expecting Hall baby 4! So needless to say, this little growing miracle trumped the mammogram. We did go ahead and do a breast ultrasound which showed nothing so they think it was just some lumps from finishing up breastfeeding. So as soon as I weaned Isaac I found I was pregnant! Which is perfectly fine with me!
So a week after finding out we are adding yet another member to the family we packed up and left CT and the Navy life (FOREVER....) Boy was that a rocky time. Morning sickness hit me like never before and we stayed with the in-laws for a month while we looked for a job for Adam and that was hard, going from our own house to having 2 rooms to live in! After a month there was still no job, but we found a townhouse to rent for a few months. We saw our baby on ultrasound and again were reminded of God's amazing Grace.
Isaac turned 2 and we had some big issues with T's school. So we decided to homeschool for the time being. Which is going alright but we actually arent in love with it like we had originally thought we would be.
Adam was offered a job in Sept. which he took. It wasnt what he was looking for or what he was really interested in at all, but we felt like it was being given to us for a reason so he accepted. It has worked out OK, we are just thankful for a stable job with alot of job security and insurance!
In early October Adam got rear ended by a semi truck on the turnpike and God sure was with our family because it was a pretty severe accident and he walked away with a broken thumb. His thumb is now uncasted but he is having some issues with it, so we are hoping they do not end up being permanent.
We bought a house around Halloween, it is perfect for our family and we cannot wait to move in. We don't close until early December and will move in right before Christmas, but we cannot wait! There was quite a bit of drama to go along with the actual buying of the house and we are so glad its almost over! I don't know why anyone buys a house more than once! The house has 4 bedrooms, one for T, one for IL and IJ and one for our little girl. Yes, you read that right, we are expecting a little girl. We are both excited, I don't know about Adam but I am also a little apprehensive. I'm not entirely sure what to do with a girl! I know there will be lots of pink and hairbows though!
IL turns 4 next week, can't believe he is so old! He is going to have a bowling party is so excited over it. We have been trying to get away from throwing parties for each birthday and just do something fun with the birthday boy, but we figured since he has been having such a hard time with our move we should do something special for him.
I am going to try to update a bit more often but can't promise anything!

Poor Baby

I am really not sure what is going on, or exactly how to handle it.
IJ has always been fine in the car, never fusses and if he's tired will usually conk right out and stay that way for awhile in the car. Yesterday we fell asleep at home and i moved him to the car (which I will often do if needed) because we were going to the base lake. I figured he would stay asleep for awhile and then wake up and play. The base is about 2 miles from our house. Halfway there, he just woke up screaming bloody murder. With his hands in the air, screaming and just shaking like crazy. I could not get him calmed down and once we got through the gate, I climbed back there with him and just knealed in front of him and comforted him. He had his arms wrapped so tightly around me and sobbed.
He was fine on the way home because I gave him a cookie. But then today, we went to base again to see a movie. He freaked out again. When we got him out at the theater, Adam asked him if he had a bad dream yesterday, and he said yes. Adam asked him what it was about and he said
"street". And Adam said "youre scared of the street?" and he started crying. So did he have a dream about an accident? Is that possible for a 22 month old? I don't know.
When we left after the movie, he freaked out again. I'm talking screaming and arching his back to get out, and shaking. I sat in the back with him and talked to him and held his hand. He calmed down a little, but then whenever Adam turned a corner, he freaked again. At Toy's R Us i bought him some dum dum suckers and that kept him calm for the next car ride.
I am not sure what to do, I mean I can sit with him when Adam's driving but Adam isnt always with us. I can't have him so freaked out over the car. Not to mention, we have a 10 hour car ride coming up in 2 weeks!
When we've been in the car, I've talked to him about how we are safe, how Daddy is a safe driver,how there is nothing to be scared of and how we love him and how nothing bad is going toh appen to us. When we are done driving, I've clapped and said yay! you made it, see we are fine! and told him good job. and all that good stuff. I just hope that with the encouragement and suckers, that maybe he will grow to like the car again? I just feel so bad for him.

Update?

I'm not the best blogger. I had the best of intentions and well, sometimes life gets in the way! I had all these blog ideas in my head, I'd think "oh I'll blog about that later" (lets not even get into how much of a nerd that makes me..) and then when later (when the kids were sleeping) came, I either had too much laundry, cleaning, hubby time or I was holding or nursing IJ. So even if I was actually on the computer, I couldnt type more than 3 words at a time, one handed! Plus, when you pair that with the fact that I think only my husband and my Down South Sista (hahaha Andi that's what I'm going to call you:) were reading this, both of which usually know anything important ( or not important just neurotic) anyway, it just fell to the back burner. But now I'm back! Why? I don't know, I felt like writing and getting things off my chest.
So. An Update? Sure, why not?
Let's see. I am trying to have a great summer with my kids and that's mostly going ok. I am feeling very stressed and on edge (I'm a donkey on edge! We've been watching Shrek lately..) lately and I really don't like it. I'm trying to work on it, and today I took my kids to the Aquarium for a picnic and I dawdled with them, looking deeper at things and they calmed my soul. Then we went to the Subfest and even though I didn't want to, I went on the ferris wheel and I know it made them so happy. Then I played silly with them in the front yard. I don't want the memories they are making to be of me being overwhelmed.
Why am I so stressed and overwhelmed you ask? Well in 3 weeks from tomorrow I will be in my minivan on the way to Ohio. The contents of my home will be on a moving truck on their way to a storage unit in Ohio. My son will be starting school who knows where and we will be living ?who knows where? I am trying my very hardest to just trust God on this, and for the most part I am. It's just a transition I've known was going to come for a long time and now I just don't really know how I feel about it. That's a whole 'nother post though...
Now since I really have to be difficult, I have some medical tests to do in the next two weeks too. I went to yearly "well woman exam" and as it turns out, all was not "well".
No need for alarm, but now in the midst of all the moving, summer fun I am also cramming a mammogram with ultrasound in there. My dr felt some dense tissue that is more than likely due to the fact that I'm still nursing. (yes, yes, he's almost two. Get over it) But it's better to be safe than sorry and to get it out of the way on the Navy's dime.
So, no need to worry, she's pretty sure it's all fine and I am too. I'm just not really looking forward to it!
On to the nursing. It's Thursday night as I'm writing this. I haven't nursed since Monday night. IJ is not very happy about it but is surviving. I think we may be done, he is sleeping better, waking up less now that he knows he's getting nothing but cuddles! I am sad and excited at the same time!
The boys are all doing well, IJ is talking up a storm. He is starting to string words together, not full sentences like the other two were at this age, but that's ok. He gets his point across. T is getting so big and riding his bike like crazy this summer and reading like nobodies business! I love it. IL is so funny but boy is he a handful! All in all, I've got nothing to complain about! I will try to keep this a little better updated. For who? who knows:)

Happy Mothers Day

There you have it, I am the best mom on the block. Im glad he thinks so and I hope he always does. When given things like this, I'm happy. I often end the day feeling like I havent done enough for my boys, I go through my days feeling inadequate to care for them, wondering why God thought I was capable of handling 3 very active, bright, testosterone filled boys, all born within 4 years. I know that God is in control, I know that He would never give me more than I can handle, I know that He had a distinct purpose in giving me these boys, rather than 3 pigtailed, dress wearing princesses, that on most days, I feel I'd be better equipped to handle. When I'm given a card like this, I feel like maybe perhaps I am doing an ok job. Maybe perhaps these boys will grow to be exceptional young men/husbands/fathers.
Motherhood is so much harder than anyone could put into words or understand if they are not one. It is also so much more rewarding than anyone could put into words or understand, if they've never expiereinced it. So far my journey through motherhood has been rocky, heartwrenching, lonely, sad, scary, sometimes downright painful. But it has also been sweet, comforting, joyous, beautiful,amazing, lovely,happy,encouraging, and so so much more. The good has definately outweighed the bad. The joy has always been worth the sorrow.
This season of my life is proving to be amazing and I am immensly enjoying it. I'm blessed to have been called to be a mother. Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers.

Mystic Aquarium

We went to the My
stic Aquarium last week, several times, but one time was Member Appreciation Day. We got Ice cream sandwiches for free, which the boys LOVED.

We also got free admission to the "birds of the outback" which these guy
s have always liked so much. You get one stick of bird feed and there are about 800 birds in this fenced area that will come and land on your stick and eat the food. This was Isaac's first time going in, he didnt go last year and the year before he was in the belly and the year before he was still in God's plans.

This was his first time having and ice cream sandwich(obviously, he's had ice cream, but never a sandwich!) and he LOVED it!

The aquarium is going to be something that we all will miss when we move this summer. We have been members each year that we've lived here and its just such a nice place for the kids to go. They love to look at the fish and have a special fish that they've name "super fish" that they always look for and watch. Isaac loves the Beluga Whales and loves watching them play with the basketballs. It's great in the winter because they have alot inside as well so we can escape from the house sometimes! We truly will miss it!

Kids Carnival

I wish I had some more pictures to share, but I left the camera connected to the computer and drained the battery. I didnt realize this until we were getting ready to walk out the door and I charged it for oh, 5 minutes. The picture above is all the charge got me! Which is ok, since I love love love back turned, hand holding, walking pictures. IL looks like he's lagging behind, but he is actually holding T's hand.

We went to the Kids Carnival that is held each year at the subase youth center. It's highly overpriced and each year they have less rides but the boys absolutely love it. It was IJ's first year to be able to do anything and he had so much fun. I wish I would've gotten a few pictures of them! Even though it was expensive, I was so glad we went. My boys amazed me. We drove to where they had a shuttle bus, and had to wait in line for it to come. All the other kids were running around, getting in trouble and my little guys, stood there right in front of us and waited for the bus. No complaining, no fussing, no running about. Then we got there and they continued to warm my heart. T held IL's hand for so much of the night, and helped him on and off the rides. At one point when they were standing in line, I looked down and saw T's hand resting on IL's shoulder! It was touching to clearly see the love and compassion they have for each other.

T's friend from school was there, his name is Seth. IL thinks all the school friends are his too. Seth fell on this big pirate ship slide just as Adam was taking IL and IJ to another ride. Seth was crying and T ran over to make sure he was ok. Seth was fine, but IL was already on the other ride. It was a motorcycle carosel, and when he came around to where T and i were standing, he yelled "T, is Sef ok?" He was so concerned for another that he hardly knows, even though he was on a ride! It just warmed my heart all night to see how caring they were!

They continually amaze me and teach me each and every day. I have been so blessed with them.

Do you know the Muffin Man? He lives on D Drive!

T decided that he wanted to make a snack. He came up with a recipe all on his own and decided to make chocolate milk muffins! He came up with all the measurements (which I then modified to actually work! His had half a bag of flour!) and when he told me he wanted to use chocolate milk powder, I didnt think it would work!
But my oh my, these were some tasty muffins! Nesquick and white chocolate chips (which the kids think are vanilla chips!) make for a tasty muffin!

Here he is mixing them all by himself, he also cracked the eggs and poured most of the ingredients in, I just did the measuring! He put them in the tins on his own, and even helped me put them in the oven. I have never let him help with the oven and I didnt have any intentions of letting him help anytime soon. But he asked and was so so pleased with himself that he was allowed to help me. He is growing up so fast, another foot and a half and he'll be taller than me!

After he realized he was being watched. He had to show off!

I love watching him watch the fish as much as he loves watching them!

Oh so interesting!

Here come those Hall's!

I feel like I can't give enough substantial updates through Facebook and I don't have the time to talk to everyone I'd like to on the phone. I'm also somewhat tired of paying for my babyhomepages site and I've run out of free picture space as well. So I'm going to try to keep everyone in the loop here on this "blog". Pictures will still be regularly added to Facebook for the time being, at least until we are finished with the Navy thing..
As most should know, we've got 3 wild and crazy boys, T is 6, IL is 3 and IJ is 20 mos. I'm not going to use their real names on here, and I ask if you leave comments, that you dont either. I have an overactive imagination that makes me think people might be able to track me and my kids down over the internet and claim them as thier own. I've never claimed to be sane, people.
The boys are not calm children, they are very bright and outgoing. They are loud and they are fun. They can be alot to handle. My brother in law, had it right when he said "people will see you coming and say "agh, here come those crazy hall boys!" Thus the name of this blog:)