Wow, its been 6 months!!

 

Together at last.

So many things have happened and not happened in the past 6 months.



Allie running daddy for the first time.

Welcome home daddy outfits

For starters Brad is STILL not home!! Blah!!!! He arrived back in country mid February. He flew in to Mississippi and stayed at Camp Shelby for a month. After him being there for a few weeks the girls and I flew down to see him, we couldn't wait any longer! We had a fun weekend trip down in Mississippi. We missed him so so much! He had to go to a Warrior Transition Unit before the Army would release him. He was transferred to Ft. Knox in Kentucky. He is still there. He finally has been able to get transferred to Ft. Lenardwood here in Missouri so he can come home more often. He has been able to come home a few times since going to Ft. Knox its just a long drive so he only comes home every few weeks. I did make the trip myself to go see him. I didn't take the girls because we had yet to spend some time alone. His weekends home are packed with friends and family. So he has a report date of May 1st to Ft. Lenardwood. We are hopeful that he can leave there later this week and get to spend more then 3 days here at home before he has to report. I'm so thankful to be able to spend time with him no matter how short the time is but honestly I thought by this time he would have been home for good. Army has other plans as of now.


Allie started tball a few weeks back. She loves it and is really good! It's so funny to watch the kids play they range from 4-6 years old and some of the kids don't even know where to run after hitting the ball. She has had 3 games so now they are picking up the concept. She is also still in gymnastics. She loves doing the tumble track and trampoline.
She is still doing amazing in school. She has made A+ honor roll every quarter. She reads so well and her penmanship is amazing. She is left handed and usually they have a harder time being neat but she does a great job. If she could just get over her bossyness then she'd be doing really well!

Marley is so big! So sweet! She is all over the place. She finally started walking about a month after her birthday. We were holding off on a birthday party for when Brad came home but because that
hasn't happened she never got one :(. I feel really bad that she didn't get a first birthday party but we will make her second birthday a big deal. She loves to talk and say hi and bye. She blow kisses and is very cuddly. She loves Mickey Mouse and babies.

Weekend home on the Harley.

And for me...well March 1st I lost my job. They did give me a months notice but we just lost big accounts and they had to make adjustments some where and I was that somewhere. I was super upset about it and didn't think I could ever like being an stay at home mom but almost two months in to it its not so bad. I look forward to Allie being out of school for the summer so we can do lots of fun things. As of right now Im not looking for another job. After the crazy year and a half (and counting) that my family has had I thought I would take this opportunity to spend more time with the girls and regroup.

Ft. Knox weekend.

Just a SODERBLOM update:

Brad

He's doing well. We are on the downhill of this deployment and we couldn't be more excited!!! He is keeping himself busy with school. He will graduate in December with his Bachelors in Business. I'm very proud of him for all the hard work he has put in to get this done! Next month he will be traveling to Qatar. He'll be there for 20 days. He's very exciting to be traveling to a new place. Seeing pictures of it makes me jealous, its pretty much paradise. I still get to see him everyday on FaceTime and he has been able to call in the mornings before we leave more and sometimes we get a surprise call in the evenings when he is getting up. We are so thankful technologies has made this deployment a bit less dreadful. Nothing can make up for him in person but well take it!!

Allie

Kindergarten is going well for Allie. She is so smart and adjusting well. I think Preschool helped a lot. She is fast learner and picks up on things well. The first few weeks were hard for her to understand that she couldn't speak out of turn or play as often as she wanted. The teacher always has nice things to say about her. She is growing to be such a good lady. She makes me very VERY proud. We got to do a few of her favorite things in the past few weeks. She LOVES horses and loves to ride. Brad's cousin Sarah had a birthday party for her kids a few weekends back and she has two horses. Allie rode over and over. We visited the pumpkin patch last weekend and she did it again. Her face lights up. What little girl doesn't love ponies?!

Marley

Ready! Set! GO! She is on the move. She is in to everything and crawling at full speed. It took her a bit to get the gist but there is no stopping her now. I'm still waiting for the magic words of MAMA and DADA to come but she is not like her sister, she is more quite. She still sleeps and eats great. Her 9 month apt was last week and she is over 90% in height, weight, and head size. She is going to be a tall girl. She is wearing size 18 month clothes and weighs 22 pounds. At this rate she'll meet her daddy's weight of 32 pounds at one year! And she has 8 teeth! Marley is still eating stage 2 foods and has puffs and yogurt melts. She is shy when it come to meeting new people and a few men have made her cry. She's just a bit more reserved. She is just growing so fast.

Me

I'm doing well :) I have my days where I want to stay at home, under the covers and hide. But for the most part I take each day with stride. Brad is always on my mind and can't wait till the day he is back home. At the end of October I'm going on an over night trip with my mom and sisters to the Ozarks to do some shopping at the outlet malls and to have a fun night out. I can't wait. A night out with my favorite people sounds like the best thing ever right now! Gearing up for the stressful Holiday's. I would love to have a good jump on it and have it all done. Ohhhh.. I got a new tattoo.

Over and out.

9/11

Today is a day that no on will forget. It's etched in our minds exactly where we were, what we were doing, and how it made us feel.

I was in my car on the on ramp from Richard Rd getting on to HWY 55 on my way to college. I was listen to the MJ morning show. The first tower was already hit and they were still not sure it was a terrorist attack. I had the radio on for only a few minutes before the caller screamed and said another plane ran in to the second tower. MJ said he was for sure that it was a terrorist attack. I went to Maggie's house like I did every day to pick her up. It was our first semester of school. We had all the same classes together. We skipped school that day and sat in her apartment and watched the news. I witnessed people jumping out of the buildings, the fires, the towers falling. I watched in horror! I didn't realize how much that day would affect the rest of my life.

If 9/11 wouldn't have happened, if our nation hadn't fallen under attack. Among many many other things my husband would be home today. I know many people lost their lives and they wish that their loved one was only way on deployment and for them my heart breaks.

Today Allie's school honored those who died on 9/11, those who helped saved lives on 9/11, those who lost someone one on 9/11, the President, our congressmen, and our military. Allie was given the honor to do the military prayer because Brad being deployed. It was emotional for me. I'm just so proud of the little lady that she is becoming. Im so proud that Brad is a United States Soldier. My heart is over flowing with pride!

We will not forget. We wont forget those who were lost, those who fought, and those who fight.

Zoo time with friends

This weekend we took a trip to the St. Louis Zoo! It was Marley's first trip to the Zoo.

We had so much fun. Jacque and Baxton joined us. We started the day early. Being the working mom's we are we can only enjoy these things on the weekends. It was going to be a beautiful day outside so we wanted a jump start on the crowd. We were in the park by 9:30! Our first stop was the sting rays and sharks. We were able to go in and touch them...we as in Jacque and I. Allie wanted nothing to do with the stingrays. They felt so cool. We even got to feed them which was totally freaky!!!! With the weather being so beautiful all the animals were out and playing. Allie's favorite thing is the monkey's. Marley took an early nap and missed the monkey's and sea lions. We made our way around the entire zoo before riding on the train. The kids LOVED the train. Jacque and I did too!!! It was very fun.

We spent hours at the zoo and the kids didn't give us much trouble at all. We left and had lunch. We were all ready for a nap! I think all three kids were sleeping before we hit the highway!!

 

30

<3 Love these laides! <3

Blah....

Last weekend I turned 30. I tried to not think too much about the day that loomed for months. I feel like I just turned 20 how is it possible that I'm 30? I feel like the last ten years flew by and soon I'll be 40. I know that's a dramatic way to think about it but its true.

I didn't spend my birthday the way anyone would want too. My Uncle Bobby passed on 8/8 and he was laid out on Friday the 10th and his service and funeral was on Saturday...my birthday. On Friday I spent the night at my mom house so I didn't have to drive back and forth. It was a sad day for my family. It was hard to see my dad so sad and crying. Its hard to see the person who has always been the strong one break. Uncle Bobby fought cancer for two years and I'm thankful he is now in peace and doesn't have to fight any longer.

Tammy took the girls so I could go home where our friend Amanda had planned a party. I was looking forward to some down town and to have a little fun. My heart was heavy most of the day not only because of Uncle Bobby but because Brad was missing my day. I told him I would give up my birthday presents for forever to have him with me that day. I would. I miss him every day but it was hard not having him there on Saturday. Amanda and our friends made the night special for me and we had a good time. Brad Skyped in for a few hours and he was apart of the party. I set him up on the kitchen table and people just came in and out and talked to him. Everyone loved it. He sent his gift to his parents house a few weeks back and his mom wrapped it and gave it to me. Every day last week I came home expecting a package at the door. I never even thought he would have sent it to them. He always surprises me! I waited until he Skyped in to open it. He got me the Kindle Fire! I wanted it SO bad!! He told me no over and over so I really didn't think he was going to get it for me.  The night ended up great and my 30th birthday didn't end up being so bad. This Saturday I'm having a party at my parents house. I went from no party to two! I feel kinda silly for having two but with our friends and family being so far from each other we have to do everything separate.



At least I got a kiss on my birthday!

I did reflect on my way home on Saturday on my life. Am I were I thought I would be at 30? No. I'm stronger, I'm happier, I'm further then I thought! I thought at this point I would be done having children, Brad wants another when he gets home. I'm still warming up to the idea but we will do it again. I thought I would have my children in my early to mid 20's and be done. I didn't think I would be 31 or 32 having another!!! I'm happy with the way my life is working out. It's almost never easy but that's what makes it so great. We've worked so hard to have the things we have and to be in the place we are in. We are not quite where we want to be but we will be. We will reach all of our dreams.

I can't even say bring it on 30's because I still feel like I'm 25! HA!

I've got sunshine...

There are two people in my life that at any point I can call them and they will be there for me. Two. I consider myself lucky to have more then one.

Margaret. We have been best friends for a very long time. Since 9th grade. Half our life. We are the type of friends that will get on your nerves because we can finish each others sentences and have a conversations with just looks. In high school we really couldn't have been more different. The choices we made couldn't have been further from each other. But we were with each other each step of the way. We never missed a beat. She's my soul sister. She gets me. She doesn't judge me, she is honest with me, she will break me down and build me back up and makes me a much better person. She's real. She loves me. Neither of us have many girlfriends. And that's all by choice. We can get along with anyone and fit in any crowd. For me...I wont speak for her...its hard to have friendship with others when I have someone like her. I compare others to her. Like Mag wouldn't do that or she would think that was funny. It's kinda like once you buy something name brand its hard to go back to the generic. It's hard to explain. I know Maggie and I will be friends until we are little old biddies. She makes me a better person.

Jacque. She is such a power house. Her affect in my life is unreal. She makes me a better wife and mother. She always has the best advice and always knows what to say and when to say it. She speaks to my heart and puts it in a way where I do not feel offended. She's an old soul. She's such an amazing wife and mother. I look up to her and the things she does. She doesn't pretend to be perfect and points out her own flaws. She is always the voice of reason. She takes so much pride in her life and that's something I look up to. She doesn't push anything on me when our views are different. She states her facts and leaves it at that. She doesn't back down. Jacque is so strong. Stronger then she knows. Smarter then she knows. More amazing then she knows.

With this year being the hardest year so far in my life. These two women have picked me up, brushed me off, and put me back on my feet. Over and over. They will protect me, love me, and help me no matter what. They do not have to agree with me. They might want to shake me and scream at me. But they will never leave my side. I love these ladies so much. Not sure where I would be with out them. A true friend is so hard to find. Again....I'm lucky I have two!

75 days...

Its been 75 days since I since I've touched your face, smelled your scent, snuggled you, kissed you.

I miss you so much. I haven't had a good week. I've been so lonely with out you. Our girls fill up my time and keep me busy but nothing can fill the void that is left behind while you are away.

I cry for you. I can't imagine what 7 more months is going to be like. I know the sacrifices we are making are going to be worth it. I have to keep telling myself that so I can keep my grip on life. I always thought of myself as an independent women. I never realized how much you do for me, help me, love me, and support me. I need you. You are my rock and my core. I can't wait to be back in your arms. God knows we can do this and He wouldn't have put us in this Season if He didn't think so. We will come out stronger.

I can't wait to see pictures from today where you were pinned. Sergeant First Class. Im so proud of you Bradley. I know how hard you have worked and how much this means to you. You are an outstanding soldier and I know guys look up to you. My heart is so filled with pride when I talk about you and tell people how you are when they ask.

I know the long road that is still ahead seems like forever but a "blip in the radar" is our motto and it will be over before we know it.

I love you.