I hate the inevitable.

I hate deployments. And I really hate packing. I think I'd be much happier about all this nonsense if it hadn't been looming for so long... it was when we first arrived in Hawaii that we knew that this day would come. We've been preparing for a year and I think we're emotionally tapped at this point. That, and a baby... and all the other junk... and blahhhhh. I just want it to START already. Once he's gone, I can relax into a deployment routine, find a job, and start a year of fun Maryland events. It's not that I'm not enjoying this time with him, because I truly am, but every time the date/time is moved, I get anxious and have to reconfigure an already stressful schedule. Blah. Blah. This all said, Andrew should be en route by the end of the week and he's surprisingly bouncy about it. He's a true adventurer and I think the thought of putting his job to practical use sends him through the excitement roof. He will be gone soon enough and then I will be reliving all these last moments for a year... Ironic.

One of the last family trips we wanted to get in before Andrew leaves is a trip to the Aquarium. It's a definite truth that I LOVE a zoo, aquarium, or museum. I teeter between being a giddy 5 year-old checking out the Hawaiian Monk Seal and a 72 year-old asking about the life cycle of a Sea Urchin. Andrew is positively the most patient husband as far as this goes because I'm quick to embarrass myself... which explains his patience. The longer he waits, the better the story will be. Urgh.

Can I just interrupt to say that these two people are my absolute favorites in the entire WORLD?! I am seriously so in looooove.

AND THEN WE SACRIFICED HER TO A FISH!!

No. We didn't. But it crossed our minds this morning when she woke us up at 5:05AM. If only...

After the Aquarium, we had a quick dinner and a few games [I mean, GAMES, Michael]. We're Dave & Buster's freaks.

I even named my horse after her. See? Mama of the Year.

You know what's better than a day out, though? A day IN where Papa eskimo kisses EB to sleep. Literally. She was fussing and being a general hot mess and he eskimo kissed her for a few minutes and she was OUT.

Don't ask me. I just report this craziness.

Fast-track to today... We got up, headed to Legal, CYS, ACS, SBHC, and a ton of other places that have replaced their real names with acronyms. This isn't Ellie's favorite day plan and we certainly payed for it. To try and lessen the blow, I took her by a park while we waited for Andrew to finish up Army junk.

Dirty baby toes. :)



What a little trooper. She's seriously the best travel companion ever.

Once home, we had some snuggle time.

Talk about overwhelming happiness, right?!

Aaaaand, now I'm off to be a Domestic Goddess and make my normal mediocre dinner. Win.

Oh! And a little Cumberland, Maryland shout out from the History Channel.

Check THAT out!