Weekend Recap: Sister Time & Cardinals

I'm so bad about these weekend recaps.  But last weekend just can't not get a post.  It was one of the best I've had in a long while.  Why you ask?  Simple.
Family.

My sister and (almost/practically/pretty much) my brother-in-law came in town.  They live in Enterprise, Alabama where Kyle has been going through flight training with the Army at Ft. Rucker to fly the apache.  (yes, my sister and I are both with helicopter pilots.  Didn't you hear it was the cool thing to do? No?  Well it is.)
Anyway, they live in Alabama.  When we lived in Pensacola, it was only a two hour drive to each other.  It was great.  We saw each other often and life was great!  It made this military life and the homesickness much more manageable with my sister so close.
And it wasn't just my sister and I who benefited from this.  Nick and Kyle have quite the bromance going on.  They love when we get together because Leah and I go shopping, or craft or do our girly thing while they geek out in Call of Duty, staying up consuming Mountain Dew and Doritos until 5am.
Even the dogs benefited from the proximity.  Leah and Kyle have their own two fur babies, Zoey and Rogue.  These two happen to be Yadi and Vino's BFFFEAE (that's "best friends for f***ing ever and ever).  Yadi and Vino don't mind other dogs, but they don't buddy up, wrestle, etc with other dogs.  They're much like they're father; it takes a lot of quality time to warm up to people...or dogs in this case.  But with Rogue and Zoey?  They wrestle and play together every second they're awake.  It has been far too long since we've all been together.  I'm sure it was July.  Which is FAR too long (we humans have seen each other, but it was July that the 8 of us were together.)

But this weekend, we were all reunited.  Kyle is graduating and getting his wings in early April and then they'll be moving to Ft. Riley, Kansas (which makes me a very sad panda).  They haven't seen our house yet, or visited Jacksonville, so they decided to come visit us...one last time.

So what did we do?  Only the thing Nick and I were most excited about when we found out we were moving here....CARDINAL BASEBALL!!!
The St. Louis Cardinals spring training is in Jupiter, Florida.  And this weekend they were playing in Orlando (well, Kissimmee) in the Astros spring training stadium. So we headed down the afternoon.  And it.was.awesome!!!!!  It was packed with Cardinal fans.  I'd say 90% Cardinal fans, 10% Astro fans.

Nachos and beer just taste better at a ballpark.  

 Leah and Kyle practiced wedding poses between innings.

 Wacha Wacha Wacha!!!  Amazing pitcher!!!

I'm pretty proud of these shots below.  Not because the quality, but because that first picture is the pitch coming in and the second picture is the ball going out, after the hit....that went well over the wall for a homerun.

It was so awesome getting to see Wacha pitch.  WACHA WACHA WACHA!

That is Adron Chambers batting for the Astros.  I really loved him last year when he played for us.  We had NO idea he was no longer with us until they announced him at this game!


How freaking cool is this cane?!  Nick and I have decided if we ever need a cane when we become elder, THIS will be the one we get!!!

 And that's a winner!!!!  

Matt Adams, who hit a bomb out of the park while we were there.  He stopped by us after the game to give autographs.  I was so freaking close to him that I could have rubbed that stubble!

The rest of the weekend was normal.  You know, dying our hair...

The pups playing...

Taking Leah and Kyle on a quick tour around base...

Going out to eat (Poe's Tavern), being goofy, and video games...

And game night with friends...(we taught them our favorite, Hand and Foot)

Leah and I also did some bridesmaid dress shopping.  I don't have pictures of that because she took them all.  But we found one we love as do the other bridesmaids (we were texting pics).  I really, really wanted Leah to try on wedding gowns.  It was killing me to be in a bridal store and not have her in them. But she hasn't tried any dresses on yet.  She's waiting for her first experience to be with Mom and Grandma, rightfully so.  Sadly, this means I won't be there and it really upsets me.  These are things that make this lifestyle hard; missing out on important moments.  But at least I got this experience with her.  Gotta keep finding those positives!


And then they were gone.  Way too soon.  Hopefully we'll see them at Kyle's graduation.  Fingers crossed.  The weekend was short but sweet.  Oh so sweet.  Gosh dang, I just love family time!  Now excuse me while I go cry tears of missing my Little Leah and the rest of my family.

Please Read Before You 'Share' a News Story

I'm sure you've been this being shared on Facebook.  Or maybe you haven't, and I just feel it's being shared by everyone because I'm a part of the military community and more than half of my Facebook friends are as well.
For that reason, I'm going to share it on my blog.

I'm sure you all remember a few months ago hearing about the helicopter crash in the Red Sea.  I heard the news, and my heart broke for the loved ones of the crew.  We learned that two of the pilots were killed while the remaining crew survived.  One of the pilots left behind a wife, Theresa and children.  The blog that has been shared on Facebook is an important one, discussing the events the day of the crash, and how Theresa found out.  I encourage you all to read it HERE.

Although I cried for Theresa a few months ago when the news of the crash broke, I cried again reading this article.  As if the entire situation wasn't awful enough, to learn of it all via Facebook just makes it so much worse.

I will fully admit to being guilty of what this article is urging us not to do.  I, too, will read about a crash and share the article.  I mean no harm in doing this.  In fact, I do it for the very reason this article states, "In the naval aviation community, we often share posts about plane crashes or other mishaps because we want everyone wrapping their arms around the people involved."  I share the article so that others can begin praying that the pilot is found, alive and well.  Or that everyone can offer up thoughts and prayers for the loved ones and squadron left behind.  
Never had the thought crossed my mind that this news report had been released before the family was notified.  But now..now I will think twice.  I will "say a silent prayer."  

My heart breaks for Theresa, her boys, and their loved ones.  My very own husband is a helicopter pilot so it's easy for me to imagine myself in this role; reading a report online and suddenly wondering if this could be my husband's helo, while pacing my house.  It sickens me.  I worry about Nick every single day he's out there flying.  But when I think about how hard this would be if it were us, it's just me.  We don't have children.  I don't have anyone that I would need to remain strong for.  To continue to care for.  To continue to wake up, make breakfast, play with, smile, and somehow explain that Daddy isn't coming home.  Knowing that Daddy will only be stories to our newborn.  I just hate reading these stories.  And this one really got to me, knowing just how Theresa found out.

I will never share a story until I am 100% certain the family has been notified.  And I urge you to do the same thing.  Error on the side of caution and offer up a silent prayer.