The Packs

1:30 a.m my phone rings and I couldn't believe it when i saw through my blurry eye's that it was Daniel :) I'd never been so happy to hear someones voice in all my life, he's voice is sweet and smooth, sings like a melody in my head. My heart flew to where he was at that moment. He only had a few minutes to tell me that he was just getting ready to head down to Basic after being at the reception area for a week. They don't let them sleep more than 4 or 5 hours a night and they are standing most of the day, so his heel hurt him pretty bad. He's making friend's and is anxious to get to basic and get things moving along. He said he's been writing me everyday, but they haven't gotten here yet. It was so great to talk to him, I fell back to sleep that morning with a smile on my face.
I opened my mailbox this afternoon to find one letter from Daniel :) It sat in there like a lighthouse, his word like rays of light. There wont be a forwarding address till he gets settled in Basic, am anxious to write him. I'm staying busy working on London's dress for the Renaissance fair at school. She's so excited about it, she puts it on every step of the way. I know she feels like a queen when it's on. That little girl is still inside there somewhere twirling like a princes. It makes me really see how much she has matured. I watch her and now matter how frustrated we get at each other, she impresses me everyday. She's an unusual girl and that's what I love about her.

9 weeks or so will go by before I hear Daniel's voice again. Tonight is his first time in Basic Training and I wonder what he's doing right now. I know it's late there and I hope that he's sleeping well after a long day of traveling. I can't help but feel like he's needing me right now as much as I'm needing him. I'm lying here and I feel so broken, this apartment is empty and cold without him. My dreams are scattered, I wake up searching for him only to remember that he's gone. I think the hardest part for me will be not knowing what he's going through, or knowing what he's thinking, or feeling. I want to be there to keep him standing when he wants to fall. We have said so many goodbye's each one gets more painful than the last. The only thing that makes me smile is Knowing that I will see him at his graduation. Stay strong baby!

Well we're doing our best to make the most of our last few days together. So we went to the Gateway down town for a romantic dinner at the Thaifoon. We took this picture off the bridge as we walked across it. AWWWW! We held hands all night walking up and down the streets. My heart aches to know that he will be gone in a few days, it just doesn't seem real to me yet.

Sunday we drove out the the Great Salt Lake to take a few last picture of us to get me through the next 15 weeks. London was our photographer, we bribed her with a Happy Meal :) It was very very foggy today, not the best picture day but they turned out ok. London's favorite part was climbing to the top the rock were we took most of the pictures.







It was a great day, despite the clouds. Thanks London for being a great photographer. :)

Well Daniel is leaving in a week:( Last weekend was our last with the kids, so we wanted to do something together. London and Jayke never want to go anywhere, and you can only rent so many movies. We needed new board games!!! Yes that should do it, keep everyone happy and entertained. We'll it only took 45 MINS at Walmart for us all to agree on what games to get. Uno, Swap, and Phase 10, won over board games that get boring and lose their pieces.
We sat around the kitchen table eating pizza and playing games. Daniel and I spent most of the time laughing at the kids and their strategies of winning each game. Poor London kept collecting card instead of discarding them. Jayke started to get frustrated around 10:00 so we put them both to bed, and Daniel and I played Phase 10 for a few more hours. :) So quiet and peaceful...

Christmas is a time for Family and Friends and this year I've finally felt like I have a complete family with Daniel in my life. NO stressing about trying to make everyone happy, happiness has come pretty easily for us. The kids have been back and forth between me and there dad's through the holidays so we just try to enjoy them while we have them, and enjoy our time alone when we get it.

Christmas Eve was the usual family get together, present and chaos... I haven't brought a boyfriend to Christmas in 4 years, so naturally everyone was curious. Poor Daniel was cornered by my dad and uncle and interrogated Ha Ha Ha. They had both already had a few drink so the conversation was interesting. I think i was more embarrassed then he was. He handled himself well, as soon as he mention his joining the army my uncle had nothing else to say but good thing. My family has a lot of respect for Daniel.

Christmas day we slept in only because the kids where at their dad's. Then we headed to my mom's after jump starting the dead battery in my car. We were 2 hours late but there was still food:) After dinner, presents and playing games we looked outside to find the it had snowed about 5 inches since we'd been there. It took us about an hour to get home that night...

I was just thinking today of how grateful i am for having Daniel in my life and here is just one example why. A few weeks back I wasn't feeling well and it was my weekend with both the kids. I did my best to keep up with them, after dinner all i could do was lay on the couch. Daniel scooped me up and put me to bed around 7:00 p.m, promising he would take care of the kids the rest of the night. I think they were more excited to hang out with him then with me... They made plans to stay up all night playing games and watching movies.

I feel asleep listening to my kids laughing and playing with him and it made me so happy that they both enjoy him as much as i do. I woke up the next morning to a disaster in my living room and kitchen but i didn't mind. It was only proof of how much fun they had that night. He said that Jayke feel asleep around 11:00 and London wasn't far behind. Daniel carried us all to bed that night. ha ha ha... Thanks honey for being such a sweetheart.