Sunday Best

We gave up on church awhile ago here. Well, not gave up, more like got discouraged. There's nothing on base that really inspires either of us, and we've been too lazy to try the off base churches.
However, we have started going to brunch on Sundays at the O'Club. We really like this new tradition and I think we're going to start looking for a church home again because of it.
Someting about brunch...is just so, yummy. However, it's NOT helping my wasitline.

Off with her....tail

After our vet appointment today the veterinarian was not impressed with how slowly Bailey's tail is healing, so we're taking her in for surgery Wednesday morning. Luckily it's a quick, easy procedure and we'll be able to pick her up that afternoon. She'll have a few stitches but they'll be able to come out after a week or so.
Wish her luck!

Willpower

When Carter was born/little, I was so consistent. We had a routine, we only strayed when we had to, and once I made a decision, I always stuck to it. That's the only reason he's as good of a sleeper as he is, I NEVER MADE IT AN OPTION.
However, now that I'm trying to get Clay to sleep in his bed I find myself having no willpower at all. When we ferberized Carter, I did exactly as the book said, I NEVER brought him back into the bed, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel and knew it was worth it. But the last two nights, I have been such a wiener and a slave to sleep that I'm gone and 'rescued' Clay out of his bed and put him next to me again.
And while I know that right now, there's really no harm in him sleeping with us (we're actually sleeping great with him there) I know that I don't want him in the bed at a year old. And the sooner I do this, the easier it will be. Babies have a lot more opinions and willpower at 6-8 months than they do at 3.
I just don't seem to have any willpower these days. I've also been letting things slide with Carter, kind of pretending he didn't do this, and "not seeing" that he did that. I know this isn't helping ANYONE, but I can't get out of this lazy attitude.
It's easy to give in, it's harder to see the end result and trudge through. I've got to remember the rewards of well behaved children and good sleepers, wish me luck.

Quick Exciting News

I put Clay in his own bed tonight and he's been asleep since 9pm! He went right to sleep after I laid him down, not a peep out of him.
We'll see how tonight goes....

By the Power of Grayskull...

I have a good friend who just thinks she despises Transformers, but she didn't see what traveled thousands of miles from Valpo, IN to my house last week:

May I introduce...

Masters of the Universe


Skunk Face, Terrorizing the world with unpleasant odor



Mr. Texas Longhorn? He 'steers' Earth in the right direction.



The one, the only, He-Man!



Scary gorilla man? Ridding the world of "stupid apes"



Perhaps a frog, suction cup, toilet unclogger man? Saving the world from giant turds!



Carter's personal favorite, Elephant Man riding the prehistoric Tiger-thing.



The whole crew!



I have to admit, while there are a bazillion of them, they are kind of fun.

3 months

He's looking more like a baby and less....wrinkly.

The scariest place on Earth

My in laws allowed Cory and I to go to the DMZ this past weekend. For those of you unfamiliar with Korea, it is the De Militarized Zone. The 2.5 km of "no man's land" between North and South Korea. And to me, it was the scariest place on Earth.
The more I've learned about North Korea since I've been here, the more confused I am with how CRAZY those people are, but yet I feel so sad for them. If they only knew what good lay outside that awful, awful place. If they only received the humanitarian aid that S. Korea and the US sends to them every year. If they were only told the truth and allowed to have independent thoughts.
I can't say anything profound about this place that hasn't already been said before, but it is sad, depressing and scary. However, I feel so indebted to the men who work at Camp Bonifas and the Joint Security Area who literally protect me and my families lives everyday while we're stationed here.
Here are some pictures of our day:

This is the Train Station (Dora Station) that was built in 2001 hopes that one day the North and South will be reunited. This is the furthest you can go in S. Korea on the train. It's a beautiful station in brand new condition since it is so rarely used.


These are the letters and banners that families from the South leave for their loved ones in the North. They've been separated since the Korean War.


This is the freedom bell, It's rung on Holidays (such as Chusok and the New Year) in hopes for Unification.


This is the freedom bridge. (In hopes of unification)


On the Korean Holiday Chusok,(Like our Thanksgiving) Korean families go back to their home to honor their relatives. Since some families cannot go back to their homeland (North Korea) they come to honor their relatives here at this memorial.


The line that separates North and South Korea.


These are the guards that stand guard at the JSA (joint security area). They have to be a minimum of 6 feet tall and are 7 degree black belts in Tae Kwon Do. You're allowed to take pictures and stand beside them, but not to touch them, or walk in front or behind them.


This is me, in North Korea.


This is how the guards stand facing the North. They have half of their bodies covered for protection. That's how "ready" they are, just in case.


Here is the MAC building where meetings between the North and South take place.