Can I tell you a secret?

You can't tell ANYONE.

I LOVE Iowa. Now I know that I've been here for almost 3 months (can you believe it?) but I'm just now starting to appreciate the beauty of my surroundings, and how awesome the people are. When we got here, I was really sad. I was missing my friends and family, and was depressed about not having any friends here. Because I was depressed, I became reclusive, *thanks Barry for that descriptive word* and an insomniac. I wasn't sleeping at night AT ALL, and just wanted to stay home all day, and be boring. Because I wasn't putting myself out there to meet people, or play with the neighborhood kids, I was getting more and more depressed about not having any friends. Not the best cycle to be in.

Yesterday when I was driving to Ankeny, I realized that Iowa is beautiful. And the people are really nice. I should be happy to be here. We're healthy. I'm at home with my boys. I need to be thankful for what I have :) And so I am!

Somehow, someway, I broke out of that cycle, and am doing more with the kids. I've stopped spending so much time on the computer, just doing whatever I was doing, and putting myself out there. *PS they are both napping right now, which is why I'm on said computer* I'm feeling better not only about myself, but about living here, and being here for another almost 3 years.

Yesterday I was going to take a class at the "Y" with Natalie. I can't remember the class name, but whatever it was started at 9:20 am. SO I got the kids all ready to go, and headed there. I dropped Gabriel off in his child watch center, no problems, easy peasy. Julian on the other hand FLIPPED! I went into the class with him to drop him off, and he literally clung to my leg like a jelly fish. There was no escaping his grip. So I threw the ball a few times for him, and he started to play with the other kids...so I quickly got out of there. Since it was almost half an hour into the class, I decided to run on the treadmill for a bit. So I was on the treadmill minding my own business, and after about 9 minutes, I notice the child watch lady walking into the gym. I knew it...Julian had been crying and screaming the ENTIRE 9 minutes I was gone. So yeah. I went back into the room with him, he stopped screaming instantly and wanted me to play ball with him. So I did for a few minutes, and then we packed it in! Ugh! The ladies in Gabey's childwatch class were like, you're back already? And I said, "Yep, his big brother didn't do so well." And they wanted to know who his big brother was, and saw him, and said, "Oh yeah, he didn't do well." Poor J! Tomorrow night they have a Parent's Night Out, where you drop your kids off @ the Y and get to leave for 3 hours. I have a feeling we're not going to get our 3 hours out of it.

Today I had the best playdate EVER! One of Barry's friends at school has a wife named Mandy. They have two boys that are right around Julian and Gabriel's age. Let's just say that their oldest C and Julian get along SO WELL! I look forward to more fun playdates with them!

I have fabulous news regarding my friend Amy that did IVF a few weeks ago...TWINS!!!

And little Benjamin is having some setbacks regarding his recovery. Please pray for him.



And with that, little G is waking up. He's not the happiest when he wakes up!