Making Life Divine: Wagner Weekly: Ed. 2

This week has been so much fun. I can't believe how fast it's gone.

Monday and Tuesday we were so excited to be getting ready, I really can't even remember what we must have done those days other than look forward to Wednesday!

We got on a plane Wednesday morning bound for Seattle and sweet Lincoln fell asleep during taxiing. He slept for a good hour and it was a great flight. Then we had a layover in Chicago. We went through the terminal connection underground in O'Hare that I used to go through as a child. It's a little weird knowing that I used to stand on those moving sidewalks and watch the neon lights above in amazement and now my son does it. I have a son. What happened. Our next flight (the 4 hour one) He was exhausted and almost fell asleep. Then the PA came on as it does incessantly in the beginning of a flight and he was awake. He was afraid to walk up and down the aisles so he squirreled around the seats the whole time. We had him lounging with his elephant pillow and blanket against the window, eating goldfish, and watching Lady and the Tramp on the iPad (super cute, BTW). He could hardly keep his eyes open but he wouldn't go to sleep. Then we colored with ColorWonder (best toddler coloring device on a plane ever). He ate lots more Goldfish, some Cheezits, and then the chocolate chips before the nuts out of the trail mix I made. He finally finally finally after 3 hours on the plane got to the breaking point. He started crying and thankfully he latched on (yup, nursing the 19 month old on a plane) and he fell asleep in less than a minute. So did I. He was OUT the rest of the flight, announcements, and landing. We brought Florida with us because the weather is phenomenal right now.

We went on a hike our first morning. I am so. out. of. shape. I barely made it up. Joe had Lincoln on his back in the Ergobaby carrier and while it's one of my favorite carriers, it was not cutting it on a hike. So I craigslisted a hiking pack and we were in possession of it by noon! I felt so resourceful. I can't wait to hike Twin Falls with him in it.

My mom and Bob have the cutest new kitten ever.

The biggest news, though it's not really news at all at this point other than excited chatter, is that we visited Seattle University's campus (way nicer now than when I went to school there. no fair) and stopped by the ROTC department. I knew Robert Bennedsen's memorial was in the Hall of Valor and I wanted to visit it, but I also wanted to see if any staff was still there from when I was a cadet. The building is locked and you have to buzz in. Sad. But good. Bonnie, the administrative professional, was the ONLY person still there, but she recognized me and remembered my name (which was hard for her when I was a cadet). BUT, we met the staff who are there now and got to chatting. The Assistant Professor of Military Science/Recruiting Officer is leaving in January (at her 3 year assignment end). She said she is an IRR soldier on active duty orders to this spot. I had expressed how her job was my dream job and she gave me the contact information for her point of contact when she submitted her packet and I e-mailed him right when I got home. I have not heard back from him, so I'm not sure it's actually a spot that will be offered for me to apply for, but the opportunity has presented itself and we are going to explore it as far as we can to see if I can get this position. I am conflicted, for sure, because I love being a SAHM mom and Chubby will only be 4 months old!! I don't know how I feel about leaving Chubby at 4 months to go full-time on Active Duty (likely without Joe). But, it would bring us to Washington, my mom is here, I'd be able to attend SU for FREE to get my Master's in Nursing (whichever program I choose to apply to). It's a job that has my name written all over it!! I've been talking about becoming an ROTC instructor since I was a Gold Bar Recruiter and loved it.

OH, we visited the Chapel really quick to take my 20 week photos and Lincoln got his little hands into the reflecting pond. THen he started rubbing his head. For anyone who's attended Easter Vigil at the chapel, the RCIA candidates are baptized in the pond that night. Lincoln has not yet been baptized and it was as if he was just doing it himself :D.

We have visited Pike's Place Market, the Aquarium, Snoqualmie Falls, and we still have so much to do!

We went to Mass this morning at the Chapel of St. Ignatius. Lucky for us, Fr Mike Bayard was presiding!! He is the priest who presided over our wedding. Such a special day.

Snoqualmie Falls

Emi & I visited Snoqualmie Falls 10 years ago when she came to visit at New Years

Then my brothers and I had all our friends over. Emi and Ryan drove up from Portland. Kelli and Sean came over too with Paxton who is 10 months old now. Lincoln was not sure about Paxton. He got very upset (he also completely missed a nap) when Paxton touched his snow leopard. It's ~~almost~~ funny to watch these reactions from him because he's so passive for the most part and he burst into tears!!