life...

...has been keeping me really, really busy this past week.  more than usual.  much more. after being out of a house for over two months, we finally moved into our 1920s mini-castle this past friday, which i've come to now call our money pit. we unloaded the truck and began unpacking and assembling as fast as humanly possible, as steve left for afghanistan on sunday (for three weeks).  forty-eight hours isn't a whole lot of time to move and settle into a house but we steve worked until the very last second.  and well...i'm still working.

with this job here in tampa, steve will be doing lots of little trips to the middle east versus any long (6-plus month) deployment. there's no way to fully describe the emotions that occur during a deployment, but today, i received this video from a fellow photographer (thanks amelilia) and i couldn't think of a more perfect way to describe the emotions of a homecoming. and while i don't have sound for my computer yet (still not unpacked), i don't feel it's really needed -- i have a lump in my throat and tears rolling down my cheeks.

so yes, things here are a bit crazy -- with three kids, unpacking, organizing and wallflower friends workshop stuff...and no husband to help, for three weeks.  but i'm doing my best and trying to get it all done. i'm a bit drained but so very grateful to be home. i'm definitely not complaining!!

it's still all a bit surreal that i'm living in tampa, florida.

also, PLEASE don't forget...tomorrow is the MAX RUN.  they're 90% to their $2000 goal.  let's help them get that last 10%.  even if you're not running, please give -- $5, $10, anything.  every little bit will help.  my friend, heather (whose husband is deployed for seven months and left when their youngest was a month old), and i will be running our one mile (with our kids), here in tampa.

please join us... do it for you. do it for max (who i know will be running with us in Heaven). do it for those currently battling cancer, who are too ill to run with us.

this is a photo of max running on the playground, at school. you could see his pain, as he ran. but that never stopped him! what's stopping you?