2/3rds of the way home....

Just wanted to let everyone know that I made it home!! I got into Little Rock last night around 9pm. It is great to be here with Kaci, James and Katelynn. Wow, has Katelynn grown. She has already won my heart and I have only been here one night!! =) I am still a little tired after the very long day of traveling (22hrs). One thing I think the trip did was bring on the pregnancy swelling. =( I have not had a problem with this to date, but seeing as I sat for atleast 20hrs yesterday my poor body didn't have a chance to circulate the way it needs to. When I got to Kaci's my legs were HUGE and my poor little hands and face weren't faring very well either. I thought after resting up last night it would help, but only a little. Oh well, it comes with the territory I guess. And, all the little Italian ladies would be happy. They always were disappointed because I didn't look pregnant, like in my face. Now they would say I have the "glow"!! My back is pretty sore today. I already have problems in that area and when I can't take anything for it it can be a pain!! However, other than those issues the trip went well. Baby Gipson did fantastic. I am sure the little one was feeling cramped all day, but today seems to be fine. Now that baby and I are safely home we only have 4 weeks to wait for the other 1/3 of our family. Dallas will be home around the 1st. Still waiting on orders to know what will happen!! I have a busy weekend this weekend, I will be in Biloxi with my parents and puppies. So, when I get back I will try and call/email everyone.

Dallas turns 30!!!

Base Closure

Ben and Abby...

I just wanted to share a picture of Ben and Abby!! My mom and dad sent them yesterday!! Gosh how I miss these little guys! I realize that Ben is hard to see, but you can still tell how adorable they both are in the pictures!!!

Base Closure...

The day finally arrived. NSA La Maddalena, Italy is now officially closed. We had the ceremony yesterday. It was definitly bitter sweet. A lot of the local national employees were very emotional. That was not surprising. Most of them were realizing as the flags were being lowered for the last time that they would be looking for new jobs. This base has been such a big portion of this community for so long that it is hard for them to imagine life without it. HOwever, I think they are ready for change and to see if they can make it with out the Americans!!!! I have a lot of pictures, but I left them at the house. I don't always know when I am going to have the opportunity to post or even check email. So, it may be a little before I have them on here. I would like to say, however, that my hubby sure looked sharp in his uniform yesterday. =)

So, we had the previledge of watching a 35 year tradition end and now we are ready to leave and start the next phase of our life. We still don't know where we are going, but we trust that God has it under control!!! I do head to the states on Wed. and Dallas will follow 4 weeks later.

Carter Banks Smith!!!

One of my best friends from high school just gave birth to her first baby boy!! Carter Banks Smith, "Banks", was born Friday at 3:17pm. Baby was 8lbs 2oz. I have to say mom looks FANTASTIC after giving birth!!! Just thought I would share this wonderful news. Banks will be a wonderful addition to my "friend"family!! Bella, Missy's little one, has already been such a joy and I can't wait to get to know this little one!! Congrats Sarah and Jonathan!! You will be wonderful parents!!

Join our Map!!

This will be fun!! Since we are in the military and have so many friends and family who live all over the states and world, we have found a fun way to keep track of everyone. Dallas added a map at the bottom of the blog where you can add you and your family to our map!!! Scroll down until you see the map above the picture of ben and Abby! Just click "Join" and follow the directions!! Add a picture if you can so we can see your lovely faces when we check the map!!! Thanks!!!

25 weeks

Well, we have hit the 25 week mark so I thought I would add another belly picture. Yes, it is growing! Yes, I am sure I will be huge by time this is all over with! However, I am not concerned. The baby is healthy and so am I. For now, I will be extremely greatful for that! Our little surprise is very active. My favorite movement is the startled jump. Which this baby does a lot!!! =)

My birthday was last week, but uneventful. We were in the middle of moving out and the unending clean up of our basement, so we had lots to do. WEll, let me rephrase, Dallas had lots to do. He has been such a champ. He has been working all day and then dealing with the house at night. I could have helped more, but I can't be around mold/mildew or pick up heavy things. So, my help has been limited. Dallas did take me out on Saturday for dinner and gave me a great arrangement of flowers. I posted them because they are beautiful. It is something that I will miss about living here. The flower arrangments are always different and unique!

I hope you are all doing well! I am leaving for the states on the 30th. I don't have my flights yet, but those will come in this week. We have to check out of our house today and after that we are done with the old house. Yipee!! We do not have internet or a phone. So, communication may be limited. We still have our cells, but the reception in the new place is horrible. If you call and we don't answer it is probably for this reason.

Pictures...

Here are some pictures from December. I put some pictures from our Christmas party, Barcelona, and ski trip!! I put them on two posts. Sorry!! And, no laughing at my swollen face. I was so sick and congested during the ski trip. I probably could have been easily confused with a blowfish!! Enjoy!!

Everything is still going well. We are still cleaning out our basement while we are trying to organize for our packout on Thursday! So we are extremely busy. I will be leaving here on the 30th to head back to the states. I will be living with my sister in Little Rock until Dallas comes home a month later. I know, I know. It is only four weeks. And, I promise you I was kicking and screaming not to come back without Dallas, but somethings came up over the last month that just make it more logical for me to come on home. So, for those of you I will see-I can't wait!!

Stay tuned for updated belly pictures....wow, have I grown!!!
Oh, baby just did a back flip. I think lil' Gipson will be a social one. I think the baby wants to say "HI!!" well, "Ciao"-since it hears more Italian than English at this point!! hee hee!!

Ski Trip 2007

Christmas and Barcelona 2007

Wild Holidays....

Sorry I have not blogged in a while!! Life here has been, well, crazy! Since I last blogged we have been on two trips, celebrated Christmas and New Years, and had a flood. "What?" you ask? Don't worry I will explain.

At the beginning of the month Dallas and I headed to Barcelona, Spain for four days. We went there so Dallas could take his GRE and got a wonderful vacation out of it!! Barcelona is a must see city! We saw some beautiful churches and got to experience their Christmas Market. We also had a chance to visit one of the last active monistaries in Europe called Montserrat. It was a nice get away for the two of us. Oh, and Dallas did great on his GRE!!

When we returned home from Barcelona we were already feeling the crunch of the next trip. Our annual ski trip was only two days away. So, we had to change gears fast. On the day we were leaving for our ski trip our electricity went out. So, while we are trying to pack and get out the door we had to call an electrician to come and find the problem. The guy couldn't find the problem quickly and as a result was all over the house while we were trying to get ready. During this carnival ride of a time he came to tell Dallas and I that when he was checking the light in our basement he noticed there was about an inch of standing water down there. Well, we couldn't very well leave the basement in that condition, because with it shut up for a week everything would have mildewed. So, Dallas went down there with a bucket and scooped out all the water. In doing so he realized the drain outside of the basement door was clogged causing our little problem. So, we called our housing dept. to have them call our landlord to let him know there was a clogged pipe! But, for now, all was good! So, the electrician finished what he was doing just minutes before we had to catch our ferry!!! Oh and it was a light fixture outside hidden in a rock that had broken and had water in it that was the problem. Needless to say, by this point we were ready for the ski trip!!

Our annual ski trip was phenominal!! The most fun I have had in all three years. The group that went was so much fun and very understanding of the different skiing abilities in the group!! I skiied everyday, but one. Most days, however, I only skiied until lunch and then took a break while everyone did their last two runs. We got a lot of skiing in because for the most part there was NOONE on the mountain!! We were also there for Christmas Day which was interesting. Lots of people skiing with Santa hats on!! All in all it was a great end to our three years of skiing we have gotten to enjoy in the Dolomites!!

Our great times ended there. When we arrived home on Thursday our landlord was outback with a couple of people, which concerned us. Turns out, yep, you guessed it, the basement flooded while we were gone. 3ft of water was standing in the basement for three days before anyone found it. Did our housing office call and let Gaetano know to come and clean the pipes? NO. So, he didn't have an oppotunity to clean them before the big storm! Augh! So, Dallas and I have pulled up all our things and have been cataloging and cleaning what we can since Thursday. Our little bitty house looks like a free market!!! It is crazy because we are doing all of this while we are trying to get our house ready to pack out. Which we are suppose to do next Wed. Oh and if matters could get worse, and in a place like this it can, our heat ran out New Years Eve morning. Not good since nothing was open for two days so we could get heat. So we are both sick while doing all this mess!!! I guess we are just going to have to move like it is!

I have lots of picutres from Barcelona, Ski Trip, Christmas and New Years and will get them posted soon. In all this mess I have misplaced the thingamajig that dumps the pictures from the camera to the computer!! So, stay tuned for some great pictures!! For sanity sake I will not be putting any of the basement picutres on the blog.

Hope you have all had a great Holiday Season!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!