sup?

What's up? What's going on? What's happening? What have you been up to? These are all questions I have been horrible at answering the past 2 weeks so I will answer them all at once. Trust me though, you will be sorry you asked...

The first few days after M came home were spent trying to figure out how to live together as a family. I'll be honest, it wasn't really fun. Trying to relearn how to be a mother AND a wife and an individual is hard and confusing and can really be a big fat pain. I don't like to share. Sharing is very hard for me and to have someone else want to use the computer when I want to or eat the last of the ice cream... well, let's just say I became a better person last week because I learned how to share again. Then there were the little things like remembering the hard way that you shouldn't flush the toilet or run any water while the other is showering. And then there were the bigger things like realizing that I am much more of a creature of habit and routine than I have ever cared to admit. That was a hard one as the truth can really hurt.

Then Halloween came. As dictated by my lame traditions, we didn't do anything. And what is worse is I didn't realize that trick or treating was a big deal here in Germany. I should have known to go buy some candy after some neighborhood kids and I played a rousing game of doorbell ditch early that afternoon. Actually, they played doorbell ditch while I cussed at them, hoping they didn't understand what I was saying. The goblins and princesses came for real at around 5 and didn't stop until 10. We didn't answer the door and W was really irritated by that. Finally I told him that the kids outside wanted candy but I didn't have any to give them. W kindly offered to give them his squash. What a guy. That is one way to get out of eating it. I have to say that I am shocked we didn't get egged or worse that night. These kids were hard core! They had fireworks and everything and actually managed to scare me.

The week after Halloween was horribly busy. We ran back and forth to post half a billion times trying to get M's car up and running. That turned out to be a 4 day process but thankfully was not nearly as expensive as it could have been. Then we had reintegration classes and more errands to run. Boring boring boring. Blah blah blah. I started training sessions at the gym because I came to the conclusion that I could not stay on the elliptical forever. After not going to the gym for 4 years, I was a little embarrassed to actually go into the meathead area and try to lift weights without having proper instruction first. The first day went great, I felt good and did more with those 5 pound weights than I thought I could (not kidding about the 5 pounders). I was totally pumped for the next session, until I got dizzy and nauseous while working my core and the room started to get dark. I prayed like heck that I could make it to the bathroom before passing out so they wouldn't see me and call an ambulance. That would have been seriously embarrassing. Thankfully I didn't pass out but decided to call it a day and I am so looking forward to the butt kicking I am going to get tomorrow morning.

This past weekend ended up being a 5 day weekend for us and we have been very productive. We have had friends over for dinner 2 nights, went to IKEA and got a dining room table and some chairs, potty trained W and bought a minivan. Our new baby should be here in 2 weeks (which really means at least 3) and is a lovely 09 Town and Country with stow and go seating and a whole host of other things that no one really needs but hey, why not have. I mean, really, I can open my own trunk. Been doing it for the 10 years I've been driving, I'm pretty sure I'm ok not having the tailgate open with the touch of a button. But I'm sure once I have that fun feature, I won't be able to live without it, right? So yes, we have officially joined the minivan world. Call us lame or whatever, but it is a necessary evil. At least we are doing our part to stimulate the economy. Justification... it is all about the justification.

So that is what's up with us. Just a whole lotta blah. I feel like we are moving past the initial "holy crud we can actually be a family again" phase and into the "holy crud we are actually a family again" phase and I like it. Not just because there is someone else to change diapers and take out the trash, but because when I see the kids reading with their dad or actually have to think about which parent they are going to ask for help, it makes me smile. Life is good.