5

I've thought about updating the blog with something other than pictures or video of the Kid, but our summer has been rather hectic. Also, I never remember to do those Tuesday 10's, but here are 5 things that we can share quickly right now before the baby is awake and our Saturday morning at the flea market with the girls starts:

1. Old news to Facebook friends. We're having another baby girl and she will be named Wren Elise! I'm so over the moon about this. For a long time, I'd hoped that I would be able to give Wil a son. I think all his life he's had a life goal that most people would find absolutely generic. A happily married life, a few happy and well-behaved kids, a few dogs, a house with white picket fence. Since we already had the perfect daughter, I thought he would have everything he ever wanted if I could give him a son. Looking back, I realized that this thinking was more for me than him. The relationship that Chase and Wil share is something out of a story book. My friend Michele once remarked "he's so in love with her," and I can tell you that the feeling is mutual. Sure, we'll love #2 just as dearly, but I never wanted Wren to feel like she would always come second to Chase or in competition for her parents' adoration just because of a birth order. When the ultrasound tech found the money shot to confirm what I had known in my heart that morning, I was overcame. I secretly had been hoping for a girl. I wanted Chase to have a sister. Someone, whom she may or may not always like but will always love, to talk to about boys, clothes, life, and their uptight silly parents. Oh, to the be a fly on their wall. When I saw her face on the ultrasound monitor, I knew this was all I ever wanted for my little family. Two happy, healthy, smart girls, who will be the apples of our eyes and keep our house busy with visitors. I talked before about how I didn't really feel all that enthusiastic about this pregnancy or very connected to this baby, but all changed that day. I feel the glow and the joy of pregnancy (mainly because I have stopped throwing up/dry heaving 20 hours/day) like everybody talk about. Sure it sucks to be huge and radiating heat in the warmest German summer with no AC, but this is the last go round for me. The last time my body will be a vehicle to bring our baby into the world, and I'm enjoying every minute of it! Doesn't mean I won't bitch about my cankles and the ferocious heartburn, but I'm determined to mark everyday with positivity and happy thoughts, which is completely unlike my usual sarcastic/pessimistic self.

2. Her name. Wren Elise. Sounds like poetry to me. We had our hearts set on William Seree for a boy, to honor our uncle Bill, whom, together with his brother (Wil's grandpa) and loving family, helped raise my husband and molded him to be the man that he is today, and my dad (Seree means freedom in Thai. Wouldn't that be fitting for an Army brat?). When we found out we were having a girl, I could not bring myself to name her Wilamena and set out to find a combo of names that would make W.E.S. initials (uncle Bill's middle name is Edward). While browsing all the W-names, I came across Wren and instantly fell in love with it. Wil came home later that day and we were sitting on our front steps watching Chase draw on the sidewalk with chalks when I asked him about it. "I like it. Sure," he said wearily. It was a long rough day/night at work, and I thought about presenting all of our major life decisions to him when he was too tired to protest from then on. We woke up the next day and she still felt like a Wren. The name stuck. It's just so happen that Chase is going through a bird phase and loves all things cheep-cheep. I bought her a necklace a while ago that has a little silver birdie charm on it, and she practically squealed with delight when I put it around her neck. It's meant to be :).

3. Our summer has been incredibly busy! We found out that we were assigned to GA and were kind of bummed about it for a while. Now that we have sulked and got it out of our system, the new mission is to find a suitable housing. Lemme tell you, Statesboro, GA is not a place one wants to buy a home if he should accidentally find himself there for 3 years. It's home to Georgia Southern University and reminds me a lot of Auburn 10 years ago. Before Target, Super Walmart, or pedestrian-only campus. Yeah, that Auburn. It ain't pretty. Houses for sale are overpriced and ugly. Houses for rent are mostly aimed at college students, and you know we're a little old to be living in something that looks like it belongs on a frat row. But I'm not stressing...yet. We've got 4 more months before I can let loose my blood pressure and then it's on like donkey kong. If you have a Statesboro connection, I would love to hear from you!

4. Such is a military life. It's a summer of exodus for most of our friends. Good friends we'll forever keep close to our hearts but soon enough will be too far for an afternoon playdate. Luckily, I'm the last to leave. Not at all depressing, so we're making the most of our last few months together. We play almost everyday, have girls' night out, and have lots of cookouts. The boys get in their golf time on the weekend together, while the girls get Saturday morning (mostly sans kids) to have leisurely girly breakfast and flea market stroll. Chase now wakes up and asks "where are my kids?!?" We sure will miss our "people."

5. To end on a sad note. Wil is away on a very important mission. He's escorting a body of his soldier back home to the States for a funeral and burial. It was a mission he never wanted but was more than honored to do. I don't think it has completely hit him quite yet, because he's been spending days and nights this past week preparing for this unfortunate trip. It was surreal for me to watch Wil getting his soldier's uniform ready in our bedroom. The green jacket that hung in my closet with all the medals and ribbons he'd earned and with a name tape that didn't spell Steinhauer. Our hearts break everyday when we talk about the soldier and the family he left behind. Our kids have played together. Wil saw him and his family almost on a daily basis because of the nature of his job. As a WTU cadre, it was his duty to look after this soldier and other wounded warriors in his unit. I hope that he, along with family members, friends, and others who will be attending the funeral, will be able to say a final goodbye to this wonderful person and friend and get some kind of closure they each search for. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.