Update

So after my last post things went bad. I should have been prepared for this because I read about it in my "surviving deployment" book but honestly I think we have had enough bad luck to last us for awhile. The book says to expect that things will break or malfunction during the first week your spouse is gone. And that has happened. My mom's dogs destroyed the new cell phone Adam bought for me right before he left. We have never bought a phone before (always just used the crappy "free" ones that came with our service contract) but since that will be my primary phone while he's gone he got a nice one for me. He programed in all of the phone numbers/contact info for everyone and taught me how to use it. Not even a week old and the phone was so badly destroyed that even the sim card was useless. Which meant I found myself buying a new cell phone and bursting into tears in the store when the sales clerk gave me the bad news about the sim card which was essentially my address book and my contact with everyone. And here's the kicker. I wanted to just get a replacement for the exact same phone since I had just learned how to check the voice mail and unlock the keypad (have I mentioned how ignorant I am when it come to cell phone technoglogy?). Turns out they no longer carry the same phone. Meaning the one Adam bought for me two weeks ago is now "old" and unavailable. That brought on more tears (can you tell I have been more tired and emotional than usual). So I now have a new phone and I am learning how to work it. I am also starting to re-build my address book.

In addition to the cell phone loss, my car died (left the headlights on overnight) and I got locked into two different rooms on two different days (don't ask...small children, old houses, and one stupid, tired mama). We have been invaded by wasps. Alright not really...but I have killed three wasps in the past few days. Two were inside the room where Camille was supposed to be napping which is another sore subject.

Camille who has always been our easy, schedule loving, super sleeper has in the past month decided she's done with that routine. I know a big part of that is all of her anxiety about daddy leaving and all of the related changes. I also think a big part of it is her recent decision to sleep in a big girl bed. Just like potty training I wasn't planning on making that move until we got more settled. But she insisted on sleeping in the big girl bed (which currently means a mattress on the floor). And with that comes new found freedom of movement. Suddenly naps and night time have become much more time and labor intensive. Lots of back rubbing, singing, and putting her back in bed multiple times a night. It is starting to get a little better each night but I am very eager to get her back on track with the sleeping issue since that means I will be sleeping better and we will all be a little less grumpy.

Not all is bad. The kids started swimming lessons yesterday which they love. We have attended some great library programs. We got internet access today and the kids got their first package from Adam. I got some beautiful flowers from Adam. And we are all happy to be close to family...literally. We are within walking distance to three sets of aunts/uncles, my grandparents, and several cousins (and probably many more relatives who I don't even know....this is a small Cajun town which means everyone is probably related multiple times over!). It is so wonderful to see the kids getting to know their family better...they beg to play with their cousins each day and so far they have! My Uncle Dan has been working like a crazy man getting our apartment in good shape. And everyone else has been helping us make it feel cozy and comfortable. And did I also mention we can walk to the bakery, the library, and the bayou (once it gets a little cooler!)?