Time For A New Groove

Well, it certainly has been a while since I last updated our blog...it is amazing how fast the days slip by without even realizing it. Time to slow down? Perhaps. Today marks the first day of the cycle for Marc at OCS and we are interested to see how his new job as a Platoon Commander pans out for us. Admittedly, we have been terribly spoiled here the last year and a half, as his work schedule has been quite relaxed - only a few long-houred work weeks scattered throughout each cycle - and family time was in abundance. Now, with him working at the company level, his presence will be demanded much more at OCS and he will be scarce on the home front over the next 10 weeks. Despite our disappointment in having less time as a family, I am actually feeling quite positive about it all, as it will be a good reminder to us what military life generally consists of. Not only will it get our family back in Marine Corps mode, but it will also serve as an awesome opportunity for us to grow as a family. While I've never been fond of Marc's absences, I usually switch into solo-gear rather well and without much problem; focusing on how I can use these solitary evenings (once the kids are in bed, of course!) to my benefit. And, while Marc has made it clear that he is less than thrilled about being away from the kids and I so much, there is no doubt in either of our minds that he will thoroughly enjoy this new job. If there is one thing Marc truly enjoys, it is working one-on-one with Marines (or, in this case, candidates) and training them.

Tim's Visit

We had the pleasure of having my brother, Tim, visit us August 1st-11th. It was awesome to have him around for that time and also served as a great opportunity to provide my mom some much needed respite. With Marc and I living out of state for the last 5 1/2 years, maintaining a relationship with my special needs brother has been a bit of a challenge. For those who have the pleasure of knowing Tim, it is no secret that Tim is a guy of very few words. Don't be mistaken - he can comprehend far more than most give him credit for - but, his willingness and ability to verbalize things and engage in conversation is somewhat difficult. So, for our family, it was such a blessing to have some one-on-one time with him.

We had a great time with him and were so relieved to see his enjoyment in simply partaking in our day-to-day grind. He took pleasure in helping take care of our dog, Max, and helping me with the kids (yippee!). Marc and I also got a few good laughs when he made it no secret about who his favorites around the house were - Max and Liam tied for "most favorite" while Gracie only rated a "so-so" review...once were heard that we didn't even ask where we stood in the ranks! Gracie didn't mind, though, and thoroughly enjoyed her Uncle Tim's visit and frequently asked, "Where Time go??" whenever he wasn't in her sights. At the end of his stay, Tim asked for a haircut like Marc and, needless to say, Marc - a.k.a. "Barber Bullock" back in his Norwich days - was glad to provide Tim's first crew cut. :)

While I think Tim, like most of us when we travel, was ready to return to the comforts of home, we were sad to see our brother head back. Lucky for us, though, with our fast-approaching trip to Michigan this week, it won't be long before we can spend time with him again!

Gracie's 2nd Birthday

"No sing song, peas. Noooo sing sooong, peas!"
Upon opening this gift from Grandma and Papa Gracie shrieked, "Oh my gosh! So sweeeet.".
While she didn't enjoy our singing, she sure enjoyed the cake!
Gracie showing us how old she is.
We decided that, despite her party being cancelled, we just had to do a little birthday "round two" on Saturday when we were all feeling a bit more rested. :)

Well, such as life with children goes, things didn't go quite as planned for Gracie's 2nd birthday on August 1st...We had to cancel her birthday party due to some unexpected illnesses in our house, much to our disappointment. My brother, Tim, flew into Dulles that day and we wound up spending literally the entire afternoon (5 hours round trip) stuck in DC traffic. While we were at a standstill on I-95, Marc, on the other hand, was at a standstill trying to canoe 10 miles up a low, still river down in Fredericksburg. By the time we all made it back to the house that evening we were one tired, sick group of people! Still, we gave our best attempt to give Gracie a proper birthday celebration as a family - and we did. :) With the exception of the tears Gracie shed while we sang her "Happy Birthday" (apparently our voices aren't that great), she thoroughly enjoyed her pizza, marble fudge birthday cake and presents.

July '08

Hello Everyone!

Upon glancing at my calendar I am in disbelief at how quickly this summer is moving! With friends and family visiting and the day-to-day grind with two little ones, things seem to be moving at record speed. I am pleased to report that we are all doing well and enjoying our new routine as a family of four. :)

Gracie is doing well as she approaches her 2nd birthday on August 1st. As we watch her pretend and take care of her babies, sing songs (ABC's, Jesus Loves Me, Twinkle, Twinkle, and Jesus Loves the Little Children are among her favorites) and count to ten Marc and I are reminded daily that she is becoming more and more of a "little girl" with each passing day. To no surprise to us, Gracie has grown fond of and embraced her role as Liam's big sister and is really starting to have fun with him. She has also become an excellent helper to me as she is usually quite willing to grab me a diaper or burp cloth when needed!

In a nutshell: Liam is fat and happy! His laid back and pleasant disposition has made going from one child to two a relatively easy transition for all of us (thank God for that!). We have finally achieved a pretty predicable schedule with him, which helps tremendously.

As for Marc and I, we're staying quite busy just keeping up with and enjoying the kids. We are looking forward to having my brother, Tim, fly down for a long visit the beginning of August and are also finalizing our plans to head up to Michigan for a visit at the end of August. More details to come soon...

Let the Blogging Begin!

Dear Family and Friends,

Welcome to our family blog! We have decided to join the rest of the blogging world as a way to update our long-distance family and friends across the country. Please enjoy the posted snapshots...more updates to come soon!

Love,
Marc, Holly, Gracie & Liam