ultrasound postponed...

...to Thursday. Andrew had an unavoidable briefing come up today right over the time of our appointment, so we had to do some quick changing around. But Thursday morning is the new time! We'll know soon!

quick life update...

I feel so disconnected lately! We haven't had consistent internet in our apartment for the last couple months and finding a good time to get down to the business center in our complex isn't all that simple. And inevitably, when I do, someone's already here. Ah, well.

The nerve of our neighbors to encrypt their wireless signal. I tell ya.

Here's what's going on! This is Andrew's last week in the Army. He's running around on post getting signed out of everything and turning in every last piece of random equipment he was issued about 3 years ago... I'm impressed that he only lost one thing during that whole time! Oh, and my family had to scurry around and send us a fleece jacket that I packed and left in Oregon not realizing it was Army issue! Well, Jarrod came through in a pinch and all's well. Better than paying for a new one!

We're excited about tomorrow's ultrasound in which we hope to find out our active baby's gender! He/she's been kicking and bumping and flipping around a lot this last week...so fun to feel the life in there! What a miracle. I'll try to get online again to share the news!

Last Wednesday the movers were at our place all day packing up everything and heading off to Arkansas. We've been sleeping on an air mattress, using paper plates, and wearing the same clothes over and over since then. Pass the dirty ketchup...it's just like camping! : )

We've got some apartment scouring to do this week and the random moving tasks like changing our address with the Post Office, cancelling service with the power company, etc.

Friday is Sarge's last day. (haha! it just cracked me up to write that! that is SO not Andrew.) We're hoping to leave town on Friday, then, and head southeast first to see Andrew's grandparents in Jacksonville. Then we're off to Columbus, GA on Saturday to stop by William and Amanda's new place. Up to Warren, AR on Sunday...and we're looking forward to just resting there and spending time with Andrew's parents and grandma for about a week! Whew.

After that, it's the Oregon Trail for us! We'll hook up a trailer and load it with the essentials (storing the big stuff in Arkansas). We've got plans to stop along the way to see some friends and family and then roll in to my parents' place in Warren, OR on or around September 14th.

Then we commence serious house-hunting, new job finalizing, and settling in to our "new life" in Oregon. There's a light at the end! We're gonna make it!

I really don't know why everyone needed to know all these details...but I can tell ya it helped me just to write it out! : )

Thanks to all who have prayed for us, for our baby, for health, for safety, for miracles, and for protection and direction! God is great and even though most things seem out of our control, we can trust God to hold us close and to control all aspects of our lives as He guides us to fulfilling His perfect purposes for us. Praise Him!

an unexpected promotion

God answered an impossible prayer for us last week! In fact, it was so impossible, that it didn't even make it on our "impossible prayer list" that we've been bringing before the Lord for the last several weeks...

Andrew has been "promotable" ever since he passed the board in 2006, way before the deployment. He was laterally promoted from Specialist to Corporal as a formality that did not result in a higher pay rate or even necessarily more responsibility or respect.

The only thing holding him back from being promoted to Sergeant was the strange promotion point system that the Army has in place. Contrary to what it sounds like, there is not a set number of points that you strive for in order to be promoted. That number ebbs and flows like the tide, according to how many Soldiers of each rank are currently in any given MOS (job title). So really, you just do your work and hope the points number comes down enough in a certain month to meet you where your points currently are. There isn't a whole lot you can do to raise your points, you see.

But we both just thought that it would be nice to leave the Army as an E5 Sergeant, rather than an E4 Corporal. The higher rank would look better on resumes and provide a little more income, etc. But you have to understand... that just became too impossible to pray for.

So we gave it up. Besides, he doesn't have much longer in the Army, so at this junction...why bother?

At the beginning of last week, it was brought to Andrew's attention that there were promotion orders with his name on them sitting in A Company's office. WHAT?? By Thursday, we were attending his promotion ceremony.

Such an unexpected "parting gift" and a wonderful way for Andrew to be able to leave the Army with his head high, knowing that he accomplished all he could during his time in active service, and carrying the surprise proof of God's provision on his chest! 

Our God is a God of the impossible! And He still does miracles for us!

This is just before the ceremony... I'm pointing out the fact that he's still a Corporal. Just 2 chevrons, see?

Andrew was called to the front of formation and was given a word from the Captain. I was given the high sign to come up and stand beside him.

Now I get the signal to do the "pinning" as the promotion orders are being read (shouted) by a reader in strict military style.

My turn! I just have to remove the old rank and place the new one on his chest. I think I'm glad they're only velcro these days and not the real pins! Army tradition is to pin him, then punch him in the rank so as to draw blood... nice, huh? I didn't punch him. I just made sure the rank was on real good. : )

Then the new Sergeant Harper gives a little speech.

Here are the brothers in arms who've been together through the deployment, till now. These are the guys Andrew will miss when he goes. SGT Prochazka, SPC McNew, SGT Harper, SPC Meyer. (do you see Andrew's 3 chevrons now?)

sister mommies...

We didn't take many pictures on our recent Portland visit... but my mom snagged this one for me on my phone. Jenny's about 3 months ahead of me. She's having a boy; we won't know ours til later this month. She's due in October; I'm due in January. I always wondered what this time of life would be like and if I'd ever share it with any of my brothers' future wives...

It's so much fun, already! Even from this distance. But we're closing that gap soon and we'll be able to share once again in the water aerobics, baby yoga, slow and easy shopping, eating lots and lots, baby registries, and other silly things that you only do when you're expecting.

Love ya, Jen!