FLAT STANLEY

A while back my best friend introduced me this Flat Stanley character. We never got to participate in the program but I read about it on the website and it's pretty cute! So I started thinking, wouldn't it be cute to make a Flat Daddy for the kids? They can take him anywhere they want - to school, out to eat, to the zoo, read to him - anything and along the way I will photograph them and share those pictures with TJ while he's deployed. I made the flat daddy's yesterday and they came out perfect!

Yesterday my local friends here in Saratoga had a surprise farewell dinner for me. One of my good friends here, Jessica, asked me to dinner and when we got there we were greeted by others. We had an absolutely blast! I received gift cards to Bed Bath and Beyond, a bracelet, and a cake. To top it all off our table was full - all military spouses except one. That one left early and paid our entire bill. She said she did it because she felt moved, everyone at that table was part of a family that helps keep her family safe. She said she especially felt for the pregnant woman sitting next to her whose having her first baby and rarely gets to see her husband. You should have seen our table when the waitress gave us the news. Our jaws hit the floor. I am lucky to have such a special friend!

Today we took Larkin to the vet. She's been battling a horrible hacking cough for over a year that we haven't been able to get diagnosed. We did some research on our own and came up with the possibility that it is acid reflux. The vet agrees with us and gave us medication. We are hoping this stops her cough for good. Not only is she miserable during these coughing spells but we get woken up at all hours of the night because of them! The vet also informed us that Larkin has a faint heart murmur. I'm not surprised and as old is she is I think her age will get the better of her before the heart murmur does. Is sad seeing my first baby girl getting so old.