WAITING FOR DADDY TO COME HOME!!!!!

Riley and I have been on our own for the last three weeks while Daddy (Ben) is at school. He will be home late tomorrow night. Then he will be home for the weekend and then he will be off to the field for a couple of weeks. From what the guys are saying Riley, the baby and I are going to be on our own a lot until the guys deploy again. Yep that's right redeployment will be taking place in early August. Hopefully the baby will be early and the deployment date will change between now and then. I don't want Ben to miss the birth of this child. But with the army and a new baby anything is possible. They both have a mind of their own and will do what they want too.

Riley and I have been busy working and spending lots of time together. She is battling the day care cold right now. Which means we are up at least three times a night coughing and crying for mommy and daddy. Hopefully it will pass soon and she will be healthy again.

Working on a puzzle. Mommy was helping but she was doing a good job picking out the next piece.

Riley is sharing her Binky and her cup of chocolate milk with her new puppy.

Riley has stated that she wants a baby brother and that is will share her toys with him. She has been taking good care of her babies here at the house and making sure they are not crying. Riley also rocks them in her rocking chair and covers them up with her blankets. We are looking forward to seeing her around a new little person that lives at the house with us. She loves the babies at day care and greets them every morning and afternoon when we leave. I guess only time will tell how things will work out.

OUR FIRST DR. APPOINTMENT!!!!

Well I had my first doctor's appointment today (if that is what you want to call it). I filled out all my medical history and had blood work done, along with a sugar test. I learned all about CF and what I might or might not feel with my body changing over the next 30 weeks. Yes, that's right I am 10 weeks pregnant today and have a long way to go. They have estimated my due date to be 16 August 2007. If this little person is anything like his sister he too will be early and we will have a baby closer to Daddy's and Grandpa Ringman's birthday. Life will be full of surprises as our lives are going to change with this new little one.

We were also informed today that Ft. Campbell is yet another baby boom, thanks to deployments and our soldiers return. So again doctors appointments on post are going to be close and on top of each other. We will not want to miss one because we wont be able to get back in on time. I have many friends going through this process with me this time. It will be fun to compare notes and see how life is going for them too. I look forward to growing and learning more about this little person. Ben is hoping once again for a BOY. I on the other hand just want another health happy little baby. Yes a boy would be nice but I think a girl would be just as nice too. Only 10 more weeks and we will find that out.

I will have my first real doctor's appointment next week Friday, 26 Jan. This will be the time I will meet my mid-wife. I hope my experience this time will be as nice as it was with Riley. We will keep you posted.

BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO DAY CARE!!!!

Well today Riley and I are back on our routine. Getting up to go to work and school. She could not wait to get back to school after being home with family for the past three weeks. She walked into school like she knew what to do. Things around the house have changed. Daddy left yesterday (Sunday) to go to school for two weeks down in Georgia. Riley is already missing him and looking for him. She ask, "Where is daddy? Where did he go?" I have to remind her that he is at school.

We are going back to the ear doctor today. We are looking to see how her ears are doing. They have been filled with fluid since August. The last appointment her ears were not infected but there was lots of fluid behind her eardrums. We have been on all types of meds to help but I don't think it's helping like they want them too. Today will tell us what are next step will be with her and her ears. We will keep you posted with all the doctor appointments that will be coming up with both Riley and I. We will learn of a due on the 18 January 2007 for new little one. I am still saying around the first week of August. Time will tell. Enjoy your week.

A VISIT TO THE ER!!!!

Well we made it home. Just after one day of returning home from our visit to Michigan, Riley and I made an unexpected visit to the ER. Yesterday morning (4 Jan. 07) Riley fell while running and playing. When she got up she was crying and holding her right arm. This was not normal for her. She usually gets up and continues to play but today was different. She would not use her arm and she continued to hold and protect it. We set off for the ER at 1030 am and got right in and had x-rays taken. While we were waiting for the results Riley tried to use her hand but just couldn't. The x-rays showed that her hand was not broken but they splinted it any ways. The doctor said that this would help her heal and if she took it off that that means she is ready to use it. Well I laughed because two mintues after the nurse left Riley wanted the splint off and tried to take it off herself. We did manage to leave it on for the night. While playing she had a hard time not using her right hand. We had learned that Riley is right handed and she kept forgetting that her right hand was out of use for the time. Today however we woke up and she took off the splint and started to use her hand again. This was a great move. She is back to her normally two year old self and loves to get into everything.

A VISIT TO MICHIGAN!!!

Our trip home to Michigan was full of many events that were full of love and family. Riley was able to spend time with all her cousins on my side of the family. There is a total of 6 grandkids for my parents and we were able to have everyone together for our Christmas this year. This has been a task that we have found very difficult to complete. Here is Riley with her cousins. August, Savannah, Brock, Jackson, and Gabby.

What a cute bunch of kids!!!

OUR NEW BIGGEST TOY!!!!

Riley enjoyed her new jeep truck. We were able to get it put together and the battery in for Riley to begin to ride. She does not do too bad but it does go a little fast for her but she likes to pretend with her baby. She puts her baby in the seat and buckles her in and then she plays that they are going to school and work just like mommy and her do. She will have lots of fun this summer when she can ride outside. I will be looking forward to this too because it will help me loose that baby weight. Here is Riley and her BIG girl Jeep (truck).

SANTA CAME!! SANTA CAME!!!

Merry Christmas! We had a wounderful morning. Riley was very excited to see all the presents and her new dolly and swing. She enjoyed opening up everything and playing with all her new toys. Once again she received more then she needed. She is growing up so fast, its hard to belief that she is almost two and going to be a BIG sister.

Here we are playing this morning with our baby and swing. Riley received a computer and she played with it all morning. She also wanted her kitten to play to so she helped her kitten push the buttons. She did a nice job playing with all her toys.

Daddy helping Riley play with her new toys. This toy is one that Daddy picked out all by himself. This was Daddy's first Christmas with Riley and I had a great time watching them. Ben did a great job helping her open her presents.

Here is Ben playing with his new toy. He received his drill. Along with his drill he received a tool box. He opened everything up had to pack it up in his box. He his really turning into a handy man around the house and in the yard.

A NEW BABY AWAITS!!!!

Ben, Riley and I just found out that we are awaiting a new little person. If I calucated correctly we should have our new arrival in early August. That will make Riley and her sibling 2.5 years apart. Which will be nice. Riley on the other hand has 9 months to decide that a sibling will be nice. Right now she does not want mommy to have a baby. You ask her "Do you want mommy to have a baby?" Riley reply is "NO!" I am sure that will change in the next few months when she sees my belly grow and the movement that comes with that growing belly. That is the least of my worries at this point. I am worried about Ben's re-deployment that will fall at about the same time have the due date. Having a new baby and a toddler for a third tour does not sound like a whole a lot of fun but a good challenge. I am sure I will have lots of visitors during that time. We will keep you all posted with life in Tennessee.

HELLO!

She was waiting to meet Clifford the BIG red dog.

She was scared and cried very hard.

Just a little note to say Hello. We made it through Thanksgiving and now we are working towards Christmas. We (Riley and I) put the Christmas tree the day after turkey day. She had a great time. She likes to look at the new oridments. She does not like to hide (wrap) the toys to give them to other friends. She thinks everything is hers and does not want to share.

On the other hand I am almost finished with my teaching assignment. I will be looking for another teaching job. Things are looking good. The principal that I am working for now said that there are jobs aviable in January and if that does not work out for me. There is a job fair in April that the schools hire on the spot. I have also been asked to take a preschool at the day care that Riley attends. Things are looking good.

Sweet little girl. If you look close you will see that she was not happy. She does have a hair bow in again.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Well I made my first thanksgiving dinner today. We had lots of signal soldiers here with us. We had a house hold. I guess my dinner turned out great. I wanted to buy a 2o lb. turkey and everyone told me that would be too much. I went out and bought a 13 lb. turkey. That was just a enough and almost not enough for the 10 people that I feed today. Everyone enjoyed themselves.

Riley and daddy have plans to sleep in and spend some time together while mommy goes shopping for a few Christmas present for the family. We found some great buys in the ads if I can get up early enough. I will be going shopping by myself for the first time in years. I will miss the help of my sissy who usually gets up early and battles the crowd with me. I will let you all know how I do and if I get what I want. We look forward to seeing you all at Christmas.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving dinner and enjoyed your day. We are still enjoying our day with a good card game and a few adult drinks. We love and miss you all.

The Girls having a little fun.

PIGGY TAILS!!!!

We made it to a new mile stone. We can now wear piggy tails.

Not another picture mom.

Cheese!!!

St. MaartinMore iguanas at St. Maartin. They ran the streets here

just as squirrals do in the states.

Here is the beach that we swam at. Ben enjoyed himself here. The girls went sunbathing with no tops on and let everything hang free. There was two sides to St. Maartin, the Dutch and the French. This beach was on the Dutch side. We had a great time. The water was clear and the fish swam under us.

St. Thomas

This is St. Thomas' oldest building. It is now used at the court house and the jail.

Here are a couple of many iguana that we seen. The iguana on the left is in mid jump and the one on the right is watching us closely.

Do you see what I see?

There is a small baby iguana in the middle of the picture.

A Fun at Sea

(8 Oct. 2006)

Sitting at the Pool Deck Bar drinking a few

before we leave Miama.

Here we are ready to go to the Captain's Cocktail Party. Everyone was all dressed up and taking lots of pictures. It reminded me of the scene from the Titanic.

Our First Day on our Eastern Carribean Cruise

(7 Oct. 2006 - 13 Oct. 2006)

Here are a few pictures from our cruise to San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Maartin. We had a great time. This is just the beginning to a wonderful trip through the Carribean.

Miami as we are leaving.

(7 Oct. 2006)

This is our first day on the ship. We had to go through a safety course where we practice how to put on our life jackets. Everyone looked silly.

Our cruise to the Eastern Carribean

Here are a few pictures from our cruise to San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Maartin. The weather was wonderful. The first day was cloudy but day two Ben and I receive our first sun burn. We were red for the rest of our cruise. We made it to San Juan late at night. Ben and I went horse back riding in the rainforest in the dark. While we were riding we got rained on. I guess that is what happens when you ride in the RAIN forest. Here are a few of those pictures:

This is a view from the ship as we are intering the port.

Nice and rainy weather.

Notice the red faces. This was the day of the nice sunburn.
Ben and I all wet on our break from horseback riding. Our horses names were Roxy and Indiana.These were our guides.

They kept our horses on the trail and lead us through the rainforest.

Daddy's Little Slugger!!!!!

Riley and dad went shopping and found matching

red hats. Riley likes to wear her hat backwards

because she can not see when it's on the right way.

Two of a kind.

Daddy's Home!!!

Daddy made it home two weeks ago. He arrived Sunday September 3, 2006 at 0945. Riley was not sure of him and did not want mommy to give him any hugs or kisses. But now two weeks later daddy can not get away from Riley without her crying and wanting daddy to play. She gives him lots of love and enjoys playing with her daddy.

Hugs and Kisses!!!

Peek-a-boo, mommy. Daddy and Riley having a race

to the playroom and Riley won! SMILE!!!

Daughters !

by:

Dustin Cummins

(Riley's Godfather)

August 26, 2006

A daughter is beauty at its finest.

Heart of an angel, soul so pure, and sweet.

Daughters are one of God's most precious gifts that he has bestowed upon the world.

Angels in Heaven do not compare to thine beauty, and grace my ever so beautiful, and lovely daughter.

Having you come into my life has brought more joy to me than all the money in the world could ever do.

You are morning, bright, and shining, you are noon, you reside at the highest point in my heart, you are the dew kissed night.

You are my daughter, heart, and soul.

Our First Week!

Week one of 18 is complete. Well we made it through our first week of school and day care. Riley is working on potty training and learning to use a cup. She has made lots of new friends and we are still working on morning "Good-byes". Riley is enrolled at Just For Kids which is the same day care that she was at when we were down here before. The ladies are wonderful and work well with her.

I am working full time at Liberty Elementary with a fourth grade class. I started on their first day of school and I will be there until Decemeber. This is the first semester of school. I have a lot to learn about the school system and what takes place in the fourth grade. The team of teachers that I work with are wonderful. They are very helpful and understanding to my needs. In facted I learned that one of the teachers husbands will be return around the same time that Ben is from Iraq. I am enjoying my experience with older chilren. I do miss my young pre schoolers but look forward to working with them again after December.

Learning to Cook!!

(plop, plop)

Plop, Plop is our words for cooking.

Riley sits at her table and plop plops for her

mommy and her babies. She mixes in seasonings

and usuing her wooden spoons to taste the food that she has made.

BASEBALL ANYONE!!!! I

I look forward to playing catch with mommy and daddy.

I already have an arm on me like Jennie Finch.

Getting Ready.

Here is my game Face!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BENJAMIN!!!!!

Happy birthday from all of us at home. We only have 26 more days until you are home and we can share a birthday cake/brownies with you.

WE LOVE TO BRUSH OUR TEETH!!

Riley does all the brushing by herself and she

does a great job. Twice a day we are brushing.

She is going to have the whitest teeth, just like her dada.