Thankful

Tis the season to be thankful. We are so grateful for what the move to Tennessee has provided: our new neighborhood, our new friends, our new sports programs, and our new schools. There are four sets of brothers that live on our side of the neighborhood. Every weekend the boys can be found exploring the open fields, playing a game of football, riding bikes, or playing a game of Nerf Wars.

Our boys have never been happier. For this we are thankful.

Good Ole Country Boys and Clean Bathrooms

Today was the first day of school, a half day but a first day nonetheless. We toured the building and met the teachers last night. The boys' new school is 350 students over capacity, a dozen portables line the back of the five year old building, and Keagan doesn't have textbooks or a desk. BUT we are in the top rated school zone in the county. Apparently, so is everybody else.

Keagan reported he wasn't sure that he would be able to make many friends because when he introduced himself to the boy sitting next to him, he learned the boy is a big fan of the television show "Turtle Hunters." We have no idea what that is about, but the boy has promised to bring in episode 2 to share with the class. Keagan told me he had no idea kids in Tennessee could be more country than the kids in Georgia. He is also quite concerned that there are so many Asians in the school.

Evan was completely impressed with the bathrooms and couldn't believe that the urinals were separated by dividers. He went on to say that every janitor in the school needed a $50 pay raise because there was no pee on the floor. The kid was so taken by the level of cleanliness of the bathrooms that he couldn't remember much else about the first day.

Tomorrow is a holiday - I can't for the life of me figure out why - so the boys have one more day of summer vacation before "real" school begins.

It's Just Ludacris!

On Sunday, Evan was invited to a birthday party on post at one of the bowling alleys. He needed a present. I needed an Estee Lauder product, and there is only one place in Hinesville that sells them both. Thankfully, it isn't Wal-Mart.

And so we headed to the PX. Usually this isn't a big deal, but the entire weekend included "Welcome Home" celebrations for the 1st BCT. The PX parking lot was partitioned off for ice skating, bounce houses, photos with Santa, face painting... in other words, craziness. Everyone, even those not associated with 1st BCT, was looking for something to do - something other than browsing the aisles of the local Wal-Mart - so it was CROWDED!!!

Despite the people, we had to stop in the PX. I noticed the long lines at the front gate (about half a mile away). I noticed the MWR stage. I heard the loud noise. But none of it kept me from my mission: Estee Lauder foundation is a must in winter. Evan and I pushed our way through the parking lot, and finally found our way inside the building when we noticed a line of people wrapped around the food court, interspersed through random kiosks selling Lord knows what, and even into the front of the store where women's clothing sits for sale. There we saw huge cameras, television crews, and news reporters. MPs and county police officers were standing everywhere.

I tapped a young African American girl on the shoulder and asked, "What's going on?"
She asked, with one eye on her camera and one eye down the aisle through boys' clothing, "Girl! You don't know! It's ludicrous!"
I responded, "Yeah, it's crazy, but why?"
She said, "You a white girl. You probly don't know. Girl, it's Ludacris! The singer! He be here any minute!"

Here I was in a crowd of people way bigger than the crowds at the Shangri La Chinese Acrobats Show. I think it might have even rivaled the crowds waiting to see Chuck Liddell. I was in way over my head, but my need for Lucidity Natural Beige was so great, I couldn't back out. Not now.

Evan and I meandered our way to the make-up counter and got ready to check out. Just then we heard loud cheering, and people started going crazy jumping up on shelves and displays of Coke to catch a glimpse. I was there and decided I might as well, too. Evan and I elbowed our way back to the crowds, and I saw three black guys. I had no idea which one was Ludacris. That's when my wise friend, the one I approached upon entering the store said, "Oh, he be prettier on TV. In real life he so short."

I looked at Evan, and asked, "Do you see him?"
He responded, "What's the big deal? It's a short brown dude!"

I agreed. So we took our Lucidity Natural Beige, our birthday present, our Transformers gift bag, and we headed for the check out line. We were the only ones actually purchasing so we didn't wait long.

Let me tell you that experience was just Ludacris!

Week of Playdates

We refuse to say good-bye to our friends here in Virginia because we feel certain that we will be back in the area in a few short years. But that didn't keep us from filling our last weeks with farewells, dinners, and playdates.

Friday afternoon football with the Cliftons:

Keagan, Isaiah, Noah, Ruthe, and Evan

Monday night dinner and icecream with Pagels:

Coen, Keagan, Campbell, and Evan

Sunday Lunch with Davis' and Wires:

Jonathan, Chloe, Keegan, Evan, Kale, Keagan, Cody

Caleb, Eliana, Liam

Wii Games and Football with Mason and Charley
Park Playdate with Trace
Dinner with Isaac and Juliet
I wanted so badly to document all of the "lasts" for the boys, and I carried the stinkin' camera with me everywhere to do just that. With the good-byes, I totally forgot to actually use the camera.

The boys are missing all of you already.