If you ever need a friend, I will be here.

Carter's very first friend was a sweet girl named Masyn. It also helped that Masyn's Mama was one of my best friends and we were both pregnant at the same time. Bevin (Masyn's mama) met Carter at the hospital when he was born in Tucson, AZ.

I met Masyn when she was 5 weeks old. (I had gone home to TX for awhile when Cory had deployed in 2007. Masyn came a few weeks early and didn't ask if I was ready for her to show up!)

We were stationed together at Davis-Monthan and then again at Osan while in Korea. They were together from birth until Carter turned 3. Then separated until after they were both 4. Luckily, we've done skype here or there and then two weeks ago, drove out to Del Rio to see them again. Here's a brief synopsis of their relationship:

Masyn 4 months, Carter 8 months

Masyn 4.5 months, Carter 9 months

From left to right: Marige and Lucy, Bevin and Masyn, Me and Carter, Erin and Saffran

Masyn 8 months, Carter 13 months

Masyn 13 months, Carter 17 months

Masyn 18 months, Carter 23 months

Masyn 2, Carter 2.5

Masyn's 2nd Birthday

4 years old

Best friends, even from thousands of miles away.

;

I have all kinds of Blogs to post, I swear.

But for now, enjoy looking at the map that has been my last 3 weeks. Be grateful that it was I, and not you, that endured countless hours of flat roads, dirty gas stations, whining children and poop explosions.


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I hadn't seen my parents since the New Year, so I was dying to see them. They couldn't come and stay, so I drove to them.
Back when I just had Carter, or even when Clay was a baby, I was able to fly with them, but flying with all three and then trying to find a car to borrow that will accommodate all of us....well, it's just better if we drive.
Point A (the same as point G) is where I live. My parents flew in for two nights and then helped me drive to point B (Kosciusko, MS) We picked up my nephew Dylan and then continued our journey to point C (Burleson, TX). The kids and I stayed there for a week and a half and then drove to Point D (Del Rio, TX) to visit my friend Bevin. It was a long, long 375 miles (one way - so that's really 750 miles) with just me and the kiddos. But, we made it....mostly without incident.
Bevin's yard actually butts up to Mexico. FOR REAL If I throw a rock from her backyard it will land in Mexico. My GPS showed that nice little checkered flaggy thing, and it knew the address, but as I got closer and closer I realized the route it was taking me was THROUGH MEXICO!


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See that 277? The GPS in my car took me down 277 (I'm coming from the top of the map)and then wanted me to turn left onto Rio Grande Blvd to get there. BUT GUESS WHAT?

RIO GRANDE BLVD IS IN MEXICO!

That's why google maps is highlighted differently. Clearly, google maps knows that there's a BORDER STATION and big signs saying TURN AROUND! LAST EXIT BEFORE MEXICO! and my lowly Garmin was unaware. Let THAT be a lesson in updating your maps people. Lest you be sold into drug slavery because of a wrong turn!

We actually drove home the same way we came (I-35) but I can't make the map change that.

I stayed in Burleson again for about a week, until Father's Day. My mom then drove to Brookhaven MS with me (point F) where we stayed with Aunt Sally and saw MaBettie and Grandad (her parents). I then drove another 277 miles with just the kiddos and myself back home on Tuesday. We were so excited to get there, so what better way to some home than to find out you're locked out of the house, YAY!

When we left FL, I left my giant wad of keys at home on accident and only made it to TX with the spare key. In my mind I kept thinking that as long as I had a garage door opener (which I did) that I would be able to get into the house if Cory wasn't home. But alas, that was my parents house growing up...they never locked the door going into the house from the garage....we do. So as I excitedly waited for the garage door to open and I saw that white, locked door staring at me...I almost threw up. Didn't my freakin house know that I had driven 2,331 miles and all I wanted was to get home!? No? Maybe it was bothered by the thirty minutes of wailing my children did when I told them, we had no way inside..and that I couldn't get a hold of Daddy? No?
Luckily, Daddy got out of a meeting only a few minutes later and was able to come to the rescue...Not one of the perks to living 35 minutes from base.

ANYWHOO. I have lots of poop-filled wonderful stories for later.

There's a New Sheriff in Town

I love coming home to visit. I love Fort Worth and all it has to offer. I love the nightlife, the big city and the small town, friendly feel it has. I especially love going to the stockyards. Growing up, I danced at the stockyards every year in a group called the Honey Bunch. I sang with Texas Girls' Choir at the stockyards for several years and in high school, I went on a few dates there.
Carter has been O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D with all things cowboy for a few months now. What better place to be visiting right? He was over the moon when he realized where we were going and what we would be purchasing there. When he was about 16 months old, we brought him here and bought his first set of real 'cowboy' clothes. We had some pictures of him taken, and he has been looking at those pictures ever so longingly, wishing he could still fit into those clothes...especially the hats and boots. Of course Clay didn't so much care to be a cowboy per se, but couldn't be left out. Especially if there were going to be toy guns purchased! The trip was a successful one, everyone behaved and had a great time.

We couldn't help but get Vivi a matching cowgirl outfit.

See? She's the Honey Bunch, Next Generation.

Carter practicing his bucking bronco skills

Clay's favorite was a petting zoo

We actually didn't eat a Risky's this time, but across the street at a burger place.

I'm afriad there's not room in this town for the both of us.

Cattle Drive

The Real McCoy

A week in pictures

My blog has been severely neglected the last few months. I'm ashamed and embarrassed, etc., etc. My head was spinning during the month of May and then my parents came and helped me drive to TX on Monday. We stopped in MS to pick up my nephew Dylan and to visit my brother and his family. We arrived in TX on Tuesday and have been busy all week. We've been to Six Flags, swimming at Uncle Daryl's and busy playing Lion King and Spiderman.
One of these days, I'll have time to write down thoughts rather than just post pictures.

The one day my parents were in town, we visited the Base Beach on Okaloosa Island.

All the kids at Josh and Linda's house

My brother Josh and Dylan

Josh and Carter

This has bee Vivi the whole trip. She hasnt let anyone hold her all week.

Morning sandbox fix

Swimming at Uncle Daryl's.

Clay riding the carousel at Six Flags

Vivi loved the carousel

meh.

We have been watching Looney Tunes lately, so the boys were very excited to see Bugs Bunny since they knew who he was!

Chillin' like a villian

Carter and Clay weren't too fond of this one

But they loved the swings

...to the rescue

Here, they are playing Lion King. This is their den.

My cousin Stacy has the magic touch. Vivi liked her at Christmas, and liked her this time too. Meanwhile, Vivi doesn't let my mom within a 5 foot radius of her. 

Carter loved the floaties. He did plenty of actual swimming too.

Dylan

He is surprisingly accurate