good golly!

I just realized it has been forever since I last blogged!
I dont have time to do anything crazy right now but I wanted to let everyone know that our move was successful we are in our house in Alabama and getting settled in to a MUCH slower pace of life! Ill try to take some pics and update a little later when we have some time to sit and reflect!

more homecoming pics!

James was so happy to see his babies!


So happy together.....



Paige was so sweet. She just stared at him and then she felt his face as if she had to be sure it was him!:)

We borrowed Tonya and Stephs sign for this!

It feels like Christmas in April!!!

I waited 15 months for this!!

BIIIG smiles!

our first family hug!

watching the plane land

waiting for daddy!!

JAMES MADE IT HOME!!!!! The four of us are doing amazing! we couldnt be happier. It has been a hectic week. James jumped right in and started life at home. He got home monday and friday night-sunday he took Ethan on a Boy Scout camp out!! :) What a dad!

Just thought Id send the update and a few pics!

Thanks everyone for the prayers that brought James safely home!

Soon Ill Feel Whole Again!

Today a real flight time was published for the group James is traveling home with !!!! That means we are in the 72 hour window! This feels so unreal to me. I feel like crying and laughing all at the same time. I cant wait to feel his arms around me and see the look on his face and the kids face the first time he gets to hold them! Its amazing to me all the emotions I feel. I have been checking the web-site with an obsessive frequency in the last few days and today when I saw his group listed I wanted to jump around and scream!! I know that I have been grinning from ear to ear ever since then! Tonight I was holding Paige and looking in her eyes and I am so grateful that I am not the one who has had to miss the last fifteen months of watching my babies grow! I am so glad that James has the strength to do things that most cant even imagine.
James dad and step-mom are here and they have been helping me with a few last minute touches. It has been good to have them here to keep me grounded. The sad part is that he is going to miss them by a day! At least the kids have gotten to see them..
So today I am going to bed with prayers of thanks that my soldier(my heart) is on its way home and prayers of peace for those that aren't as fortunate...

SO much happening...

We have just 13 days or so until the big arrival!!! I cant wait until my heart comes home! At the same time.. this deployment felt like it would take forever and now with just under two weeks I feel so stressed about him coming home. He is very worried about fitting into our lives again. I don't feel like so much has changed that it will be too much of an issue, then again it has been 15 months. We have all grown, that's for sure. For James and I it has been in in our hearts and for the kids..mostly in height.. haha!
Ethan is really enjoying scouts. He just participated in his first Pinewood Derby! What fun! there were some SUPER serious parents there!!! I discovered I am NOT nearly competitive enough for that! He is doing very well in school, as always. He even starts rehearsals for the spring play this week!!
Paige.. her sass is getting in check little by little! she is so very sweet but everything is on her terms. She is doing great and loving Ballet. In everything we do she mentions her daddy and how she cant wait to do it with him.
As for me, I feel like Ive got SO much to do that my head is spinning trying to figure out where to start!! :) wish me luck!

just a little blog about our week!

I feel like I'm really getting the hang of this deployment thing... two months before he gets home!! Heehee!
This week has been a great week for the three stateside Finneys. We have had a lot of fun being home and EATing at home. In general just having a routine, which we have been seriously lacking. I have started taking Wilton cake decorating classes. It is something that i have wanted to do for a really long time and the mood hit me this week so I actually enrolled and went. It is alot of fun, I cant wait to fine tune my skills. I have also had another accomplishment...I was asleep before midnight every night this week!!! I know that sounds crazy but during this deployment I have been a total insomniac!

Miss Paige has done ok, Her attitude still needs some polishing up. On Thursday she yelled at her teachers "don't touch me" and when the other teacher tried to explain why that was rude and inappropriate..she sat and rolled her eyes!! What will I do with her?

Ethan had a stellar week! He has done very well at school and has been a GREAT helper for mom. I cant say enough about the great guy he is growing into!!!

I guess for today: "that's all the news that's fit to print!"

Our Little Tiger!

So I have admittedly been a blog slacker! Our Ethan is officially a Tiger Cub. He has begging to do scouts. I finally got him enrolled and set up with all his gear...HE LOVES IT!!! he has already earned his Bobcat, as well as a few beads. He is really pumped. He really loves the other guys in his den.

I am so glad to see him happy and enthusiastic about something that will teach him great values.. Mom was a little bit sad though... he looks SO grown up!