The Smiths first blizzard!

The Smiths

Wow! I have never been in a blizzard before. For some reason, I like experiencing extreme weather at least once, although usually from someplace where it's safe and secure--in this case, my house!!! It's certainly been a busy week. The girls went home with Mel and Mom after their Christmas program last week (which was nice, but the school needs a better sound system). Jen and I went to the Wing Christmas Party Saturday night, which was fun. We have decided to take dancing lessons, especially if we are going to be doing this for 20 years (we hope?). On Sunday, we went down and picked up my brother from DIA, and then went Christmas shopping. It was snowing on the way down (nasty stuff), but cleared up later on. Monday morning, we learned of a suicide which had taken place Sunday night/early Monday morning. THAT put a damper on things. I dealt with that some, as well as marital counseling, that day. It was quite the busy day! Today, we were sent home early due to the blizzard coming. So, with that all written, here are some pictures. The first one is of the antelope which came wandering by my office window yesterday. The herd on base just wanders around randomly--I guess they had decided it was our turn to "host" them! They made sure to leave a nice trail of "presents" for us to clean up. Chocolate, anybody?!

The Smiths

The Smiths

December 8, 2006

Wow! We've not been very good at keeping this up-to-date. Sorry about that. We'll try to do better! So, where do I start?
*My mom is here for the month. We've really enjoyed her staying with us. It's actually a good thing, because her van broke down, and we were able to find a place here in Cheyenne to work on it and get it fixed! She's unable to sit still for very long, so all of the loose ends from moving here are getting sewn up.
*The girls will be in a Christmas program next week, and Mom will be here for that. They are both excited about it. Sierra told me today that she is nervous about being on stage because she's never done it before!!! I reminded her that she was on stage in Kindergarten at least twice a year--not sure if it helped or not. Kayla has been staying late after school for practice because she actually has a speaking part!
*Jennifer has been busy decorating the house for Christmas. She actually bought the tree (a bigger deal in Cheyenne than you might think--remember, it's the prairie!!!) and put it up. We had a decoration night last week, and then she and Mom put out the finishing touches. It looks REALLY nice.
*Part of my duties as a Chaplain is to give the invocation at various events. I'm the Duty Chaplain this week, and as such was tagged to give the invocation at a graduation. I sat at the Head Table. When the MC said he was going to introduce the Head Table and other Distinguished Visitors, I just sat back and relaxed. After all, I'm only a 1st Lt, and certainly don't consider myself a Distinguished Visitor. "Col . . . . , Command Chief . . . , Col . . . ., Col . . . . ., Command Chief of the 20th AF . . . . .," on and on it went, with colonels and command chiefs popping up all over the room. Imagine my surprise when he says, "And our Chaplain for the night, Chaplain Kraig Smith!" I just kind of half stood up, prompting the 90th Space Wing Command Chief to say, "We'll have to work on that."
*What do I do as a chaplain in the Air Force? I have two official duties--provide for the spiritual care of the airmen and advise commanders on religious issues. Here's how I do that--I preach for the Traditional Service on Sunday mornings at 11:00. I teach Sunday School at 9:30. I lead the Protestant Youth Group (PYOC) on Wednesday nights, thus caring for the airmen by caring for their kids. I counsel Airmen in my squadrons (I am the chaplain for 5 squadrons). This last week, I counseled one who lost a brother to cancer and one who lost an aunt suddenly. I also provided some re-integration counseling to someone just returning from a year-long deployment. I visit my squadrons, making myself available for further counseling. I try to maintain a presence in the squadrons so that I am known, and airmen don't hesitate to come to me for marital counseling, religious counseling, personal counseling, etc.

Were an airmen to come to his commander and request permission to wear a yarmulke, for instance, I might be asked to research the requirements of the airman's religious belief and how his wearing the yarmulke affects military order and discipline. That's one example of how I might advise the commanders.

Many have asked how I like my job. I like it a lot. This is EXACTLY where God wants me to be. It stretches me at times; it challenges me at times; it's different from anything I've ever done. It's everything I asked God for--I won't be a fat Southern Baptist preacher, because I have to be "fit to fight" (even though I'm a non-combatant). There's lots of variety. It's easier to do ministry in the world than it often is when sequestered in a church somewhere. On top of that, God has placed me under an excellent supervisor, who actually cares about people--including my family.

With that being said, we do miss our friends from Maryland (whether they have remained in MD or moved elsewhere!).

Have a Merry Christmas, and may Jesus Christ reign in your life.

Kraig

Newest Member!

The Smiths
What's up? Figured I would introduce our newest member of the family. When we were talking about moving from MD, we promised the girls a pet. Then, we rented a huge house here, and decided we REALLY needed a pet, especially as there are times I'll be away. So, my sister took up the job of getting us a pet, and here we have . . . . . . . . Milo!

Milo is a Blue Heeler/Lab/Other mix. He's very sweet and smart and terribly ferocious! He gets along well with the girls (all three of them), and he's already decided he owns the house. We do have to correct that 'attitude' every now and again. :)

November 11, 2006

Hello! How is everyone? Everyone here in Wyoming is good. We went and had supper with Aunt Melanie and some other people last night. Aunt Mel said we looked "stunning" as she said in her e-mail to family this morning (dad showed me). Thanks Aunt Mel.We also saw Anna's jewelry show :it was called the Show Of Hands. She had some pretty jewelry but it was expensive. I understand that though. After all, she does use gold, silver, and expensive jewels and diamonds.
Not this last Thursday, but the Thursday before that I got a D on my report card so now I can't read freely for 2 weeks. Last night I started crying because I was so upset with myself. I still am. Fortunately, my 2 weeks are almost over. I just have to wait until the end of Thursday to read. Cool!
We had a 1/2 day for school yesterday. The rest of the week was a normal school week. Well, that's all for now. Talk to you later.
The Smith Family

An Update? Really?

The Smiths

Gee, it's been awhile, huh? Were do I start? We did rent the Governor's house. I've been through lots of training (CBERN-E; First Aid; Deployment; other fun stuff). The girls are still enjoying school. Actually, you should call and ask Kayla about her report card!!! Jen is finally getting the house to her satisfaction, which makes her MUCH happier!!! Sierra is losing a tooth again!!!!!

We've been down to see Aunt Mel in Colorado Springs a number of times. It's really strange--it's been YEARS since I've seen Melanie more than once or twice in a year. I've seen her three times in the last month!!! It's been good. Going to her place is very relaxing. The girls love it, of course, because they get to ride horses the whole time.

We plan to go to OK for Thanksgiving, but we'll probably have Christmas here. My in-laws intend to come in as well.

It's been cold the last week, and it's snowed much more than we Marylanders are accustomed to!

Not much else to say. We'll update this again later. Oh, by the way, when you call and ask Kayla about her report card, ask her about Nepal as well.

The Smiths

The Smiths

Hmmmmm, yeah--believe it or not, the world's most technologically advanced air force doesn't have internet access in its temporary living facilities. Could have something to do with 100-year old buildings, I guess, but I don't know.

Anyway, so the trip to WY was adventurous, to say the least. Pulling a 6 x 12 trailer was an interesting experience, especially with a little minivan like ours. It was so great that our engine conked out on us in the wonderful metropolis of Alma, AR. Let me tell you about Alma, AR. It's just outside of Ft. Smith, AR (about 18 miles from the OK border). There's a great cafe' there called the Red Rooster Cafe'. The food there is wonderful. Try the homemade "Rooster Bread." It's great, as are the homemade pies (80+/day!). Alma also has a wonderful little antique store. In fact, it's one of the best I've been in--lots and lots of really neat stuff, not just the junk I usually associate with such enterprises. Other than that, there ain't much in Alma. After 2.5 days, I can greatly attest to that fact! $2000 and 2.5 days later, we pulled out of Alma and headed West! Unfortunately, we were unable to visit Mom, which quite possible pulled me out of the Christmas gift list! Sorry, Mom!

Coming out of Goodland, KS, I noticed that we were a little low on gas, but not bad. Surely, I thought, we could make it to Burlington, CO, which was only about 20 miles away. Apparently, I did not realize two things--1) there are NO gas stations between the two towns; 2) my car was getting only about 9 mpg! We sweated and prayed our way at 50 mph into Burlington, where I filled up our 19 gallon gas tank with 18.5 gallons!!!!! What a great experience.

Finally, we pulled into my sister Melanie's place, where I noticed a huge chunk of tire missing on one of the trailer tires. Oh, great! Truly, God was good to us. It did not blow while we were traveling. We stayed one full day at Mel's enjoying the wonderful weather and views of Colorado. NOT! It rained and was cold the whole blessed day. However, the next day was much better for traveling, and we headed off to our final destination of F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY.

It turns out that our drive from Melanie's (Falcon, CO) to F.E. Warren only took three hours, and that with pulling a trailer. (By the way, if you tell U-Haul you'll be returning their equipment one place, it's $200 extra to return it out of region, just in case you need to know that!). The cheer coming from the van as we pulled into the AFB was loud enough to startle the geese.

Warren AFB is a beautiful base. The majority of the building date from the 1800's when Warren was a cavalry post. It is, by far, the most beautiful AFB I've seen yet (okay, so I've only seen three--give me a break). There are LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of antelope running around. In fact, we almost met one personally while driving down the road. Only Jen's quick reflexes saved us! Go, Jenny! We will be renting a 4 bedroom, 2 bath house on the north side of town. There's plenty of room for visitors (hint, hint, hint), and we hope people will take us up on the offer. The house belongs to the governor of Wy--Dave Freudenthal. Talk about making contacts!!!

The girls are finally in school (which is another story in itself), and enjoying themselves tremendously. They were greatly nervous going in, but, as usual adapted quite quickly. I think they discovered that people in WY are a lot like people in MD. I'll post a picture of them at school later.

Feel free to call us (same cell numbers), e-mail us (we're a little slow on replying due to lack of access), or write us (General Delivery, c/o 1st Lt Kraig Smith, 6111 Randall, F. E. Warren AFB, 82005), or just reply to this blog.

The Smiths

The Smiths

I am through with Commissioned Officer's Training at Maxwell AFB. I finished on Friday. Graduation week had several neat activities.

On Monday morning, we had a 9/11 memorial. One of our classmates, Frank Rella, recounted his experience as a NYC paramedic during that day, and was quite moving. Afterwards, we marched out to the Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) exercise--lots of tents. We had 8 flights. Four flights went to the Obstacle Course/Ropes Course/Climbing Wall, while the other four (mine included) were trained in setting up a tent for medical services, taking care of wounds, etc. We then switched for the next day. I also experienced MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat). It was . . . . . . . . . interesting. If you are ever given a chance to eat one, stay FAR AWAY from the Beef Patty MRE. Anyway, my flight started out on Tuesday with the climbing wall. I made it up 3/4 of the way up, and then slipped. Bummer. It was probably 3 stories high. Next, while we awaited our turn at the Rapelling Tower, we started the obstacle course. It wasn't that hard. What was hard, however, was what had to be accomplished BEFORE we could rapell down the tower! Clipped in, mind you, we had to walk a telephone pole that was only attached at two ends--50+ feet in the air. I was scared. I was called a "little girl." I'm happy with that! It's quite freaky to walk on a piece of wood that's four stories up, and there is nothing in between! Afterwards, we were allowed to rapell down, which is fun. We then completed the Obstacle Course, and headed out to the Ropes Course. I've never done one before. For those in my family who remember me freaking out over crossing the swinging bridge at Fall Creek Falls, they can be proud of me. I was crossing wires and swinging from ropes that were 3 stories up. The zip line at the end was GREAT! I tried the Tarzan Yell, but wasn't very successful. Oh well . . . . .

On Tuesday night, we had an actual exercise. I was a patient. The whole field hospital was set up (think MASH, only updated and no Hot Lips Houlihand!), and we patients were sent in to receive care. The finale' was the "Mass Casualty Exercise," where the field hospital was inundated with "patients." It was interesting, and while not the real thing, closer than I've ever been, which gave me much to think about.

On the Wednesday morning, we marched back in time to change into our uniform for classes. However, my flight was lucky, because our Flight Commander's wife went into labor (1:20 minutes of labor), and he was unable to have class with us, which gave us time off! He did, however, manage to show up and give us our coins and accomplish some paperwork. That night, Jen and I experienced our first Dining Out. For the uninitiated, a Dining Out includes non-military guests (i.e., spouses), and is a semi-formal time for building esprit de corps. I was the Vice-President, which meant that Jen and I sat in the middle of the ballroom BY OURSELVES!!! It was fun. We had prime rib, potatoes, etc., all of which was very good. We had a grog bowl ("unleaded" for us teetotalers and "leaded" for those non-teetotalers!). It was quite the interesting day.

Thursday was spent doing administrative stuff. The family took a tour of the base, and we then had lunch together and went to the awards ceremony together. I told Sierra I probably wasn't getting any awards, and she wondered what the point of being invited was if I wasn't going to get anything! That night, my flight and family ate at the Miyako Japanese Steakhouse. It was excellent, and we enjoyed our last night together.

Friday was the graduation parade. It was 30 minutes long, and consisted of recognizing the top flight and the top grad. After that, we marched in review past the general and our family/friends. The girls said I looked sharp in my blues and white gloves. I don't know. We practiced hard enough that I HOPE we looked sharp!

Jen and the girls then left to pack up the hotel room while I changed and finished putting stuff together. At last, we were able to get out of town! It was a good feeling to see Maxwell AFB and Montgomery, AL, in my rearview mirror. I have to say--of all of the places I've been and seen, Montgomery ranks as one of the seediest, if not THE seediest.

So, now we are heading to WYO. More on that this weekend.

Training Day 8

Today is Training Day 8 for me at Commissioned Officer's Training (COT). It's been a long two weeks, and I'm exhausted. We're into academic mode, and it's really hard to go to bed at 11 a.m., get up at 4'ish a.m., do PT for an hour, and then sit in class for several hours (many of which are video-based!).

Last week was all about learning drill. We arrived on Monday (15 Aug 2006), and the staff just kind of threw us in, so to speak. We spent the first week being yelled at, woken up by the MTI's (Military Training Instructor's) at 4:45 a.m., marched all over campus, filling out paperwork, etc. Great fun. This week, we've started heavy-duty classwork. We are learning stuff like how to write in a military style (most of which I am familiar with, but some of it is absolutely AGAINST the laws of English grammar!), leadership, group dynamics, Air Force history, preventing discrimination, managing diversity, dealing with sexual assault and sexual harassment, AF pay, leave, and other fun stuff. Some of it is really interesting; some of it is really boring.

This week we started Physical Training (PT) hard and heavy. Monday was lots of strength training (three sets of different kinds of pushups, three sets of situps, three sets of crunches, so and so forth). I hurt . . . . . still!!! Tuesday, we ran two miles, which I finished without stopping once! Of course, I'm still hurting from that. Yesterday, because we had done a blood drive Tuesday night, we only did endurance training (OUCH!), and today we had a physical competition called a "MiniMac" with the staff. I sprinted a 1/4 mile lap during the relay race! THAT WAS HARD!!!! I slowed down some, but I did manage to do it.

It's been interesting here, for a number of reasons. Seeing the group dynamics form, watching people learn to deal with the pressure (it's called "professional pressure"), and pushing myself to achieve have all been interesting. We keep reminding ourselves that we only have three more weeks and it's all over. During this time, however, the staff is attempting to make us all over into Air Force officers. I am no longer just an American citizen--I am an officer in the United States Air Force. It's a weird feeling. I feel like I'm being totally revamped.

Anyway, that's my update from COT. If you want to write me, my e-mail here is kraig.smith@maxwell.af.mil.

Kraig

Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven.....

Well, my husband has been complaining all week about leaving everyone hanging. (As if he doesn’t have enough to think about lately.) I posted a picture from our short vacation with the Darden family…you can tell we were not enjoying ourselves at all.
Kraig wasted no time getting in trouble his first day of Officer Training. Apparently he didn’t do something correctly and when being advised on the matter…he smiled. Let’s just say it wasn’t one of his brighter moments. But, after that it didn’t take him long to get into the swing of things…you can read his update for yourselves. As a matter of fact he has notified me that we will be sitting at the head table for the “Dining Out”. In case you’re wondering, this is the very formal graduation banquet. Apparently he is the VP of the event. They picked him because he is “quirky”…go figure. I just tease him that he is trying to overcompensate for all the things he didn’t do in high school.
Anyway, things here have been somewhat tumultuous at times. Mainly because my body has decided it is not as important to sleep as it is to see 3 and 4 am regularly. I guess in some ways it is good…I don’t feel like “messing” with things and so I’ve been getting rid of LOTS of STUFF.
A walk around my house has been very discouraging and overwhelming at times. It doesn’t’ seem to matter what I do…every room is a disaster. Our very AWESOME friends have graciously offered their help, but, the jobs I could pass on to others have been very limited. The majority of the time has been spent sorting through everything. For those of you who don’t know the routine, professional movers will come to the house on the 29th and 30th to pack anything they see. Then on the 31st they will load everything in the semi and leave. That is all great as I completely detest packing the kitchen. As a matter of fact they will also unpack our stuff in WY, if we choose. However it has been recommended to us by many other military families that we move certain items ourselves. Things such as expensive items, personal pictures, albums, financial records, or anything we would think of as irreplaceable. So my goal is to get everything that will go in the van and trailer with us put away in a room and shut off from the movers. I fear that if I don’t have this done, someone will be buying new undergarments.
I also have to make sure that the girls and I have everything we need to live in an empty house for one week. In case you haven’t been keeping up, it took less than a week to sell the house. We will close on the 8th of September. It ought to be interesting. Especially since I will not only be signing my name fifty million times, but Kraig’s too. Oh and lets not forget I have to put that “power of attorney” phrase by every signature as well. Let’s just say he will owe me BIG TIME! The good part about the week extra is that it will give me plenty of time to clean for the new owners. If everything goes well the girls and I will be on our way to AL to pick up Kraig after closing.
The girls have been handling the chaos very well…I think? They have been so very helpful. (They deserve parents who actually remember to give them an allowance more than a few times a year!) We decided to not put them in school here in MD since we were only going to be in the state for 2 more weeks. Instead, we are going through some workbooks with them. That way they won’t be thrown into school in WY “cold turkey”. Actually, they seem to like the home-school idea. Unfortunately, for them their mom only has so many expendable brain cells per year and thus continuing it is not really an option. I must admit I have enjoyed this doing this school thing short-term. I am too horrible with consistency to do it year-round.
Anyway, Kayla is keeping her nose in a book whenever possible. I think she is trying to separate herself from friends. She has always been that way when it comes to parting with someone she has a relationship with. When she was 2 and 3 years old she would refuse to talk to Kraig if she knew he was leaving on a trip. If she saw him pack, she would not even respond when he called her name. And, when he would come home, she would take several hours to give him the time of day. Gee, I wonder where she got so stubborn…must be her dad!!
Sierra on the other hand is all smiles. Or at least that’s what everyone sees. She doesn’t seem to be sleeping well. I think part of it is the change in seasons that has begun here. For those of you who don’t know she is prone to some respiratory issues triggered by allergies. Usually she sleeps with an air cleaner blowing her way in the fall and winter months and this seems to keep things in check. (But, her silly mother put it away for the move.) I didn’t really expect her to have issues so soon this year. However, now I have caught her crying in her sleep a couple of times now. Last night I put her in bed with me and she clung to me all night. Of course she is like sleeping with an “egg beater”, so once again I didn’t sleep really well. She doesn’t know why she is crying. My guess is that she is feeling the stress from the move. She has never handled change well and this is the only home she has ever known. It will be interesting to see how she does.
Well I better go get some things done…I have a few hours before 3am and I have a lot to get done before Tuesday morning. Jen

Ready, Set, GO!!!!

Okay....I'm losing it!! Or at least I feel like I am! Let me try to fill you in on the last couple weeks before I explain the latest chaos.
Kraig and I felt we needed to take the time to just be together as a family before he left for 5 weeks of training. Se we decided that I would quit working for the Dr.’s the last week of July. This allowed us to "goof-off" and take advantage of the small savings account that we had managed to build. I must say we really did enjoy ourselves!
As usual, Kraig tried to plan out how we would spend our time and money….yea, like that worked! On Tuesday, August 1st we went on a tour of the US Naval Academy, and our tour guide was one of our favorite (not that we have any) youth. He is now in his junior year at the Academy. We had a great time! Although, Sierra did have a rough day, due to her very observant parents. Did you know that shoes that are “a little tight” shouldn’t be worn on long hot walks? And skirts are not the best option for young girls on 100 degree, humid days? The poor chaffed, blistered child barely complained! Anyway, needless to say, she got new shoes the next day.
We spent the next couple of days collecting medical charts, sorting the stuff in the garage, moving boxes, and fixing “stuff” (like a wax toilet seal – YUCK!). Then on Saturday, our awesome friends, threw us a “Going-Away” party at Bob & Val Ham’s pool. We had a blast. I pray that God will continue to bless us with great friends…although it will be a challenge to find any better!!
On Sunday (the 6th), we drove down to Myrtle Beach. (A trip we didn’t even know was an option until the prior Friday (the 4th).) Bill and Barb Darden were fortunate to land week-long vacation in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, house, one-block from the beach for $300. And guess what…they invited us! So, we went. For those who don’t know them, they have 2 boys, Cameron age 6 and Owen age 3. The kids had so much fun…in the water, out of the water, playing in the dirt, back to the water, digging a hole, back to the water, jumping some waves (well, some of us), back to the house for lunch, back to the beach, more swimming, more digging, more sea shells, and then back to the house to see how badly we burned while wearing sunscreen. It was very relaxing and a welcome break from our current chaos.
Now let’s see, that takes us to…the 10th (Thursday). (We got home from the beach late Wednesday.) We spent the whole day making sure Kraig was packed for COT and I don’t really remember what else. Friday we went to King’s Dominion with The Kendig family and Tina Long. We got introduce Tina to real roller coasters!!! I think she is hooked! The Kendigs have 2 girls, Rebecca age 11, and Ashley age 9. Rebecca and her dad, Joe rode the big “bungie, swing, thing”. Of course it was “no biggie”, just a 150 foot drop while attached to two ropes and you have to pull your own “rip cord”! Hmmmmm, don’t think I’ll be doing that any time soon. I’m gonna just stick to roller coasters. Anyway, Ashley was our most timid rider…her favorite….the carousel. However, after much loving encouragement, she agreed to ride the go-carts. We were so VERY PROUD of her! She did great. She even finally smiled while going around the track. The Bowen family also met us at the park late in the afternoon. Sooooooo, in efforts to make the most of the day, and the great company, we all decided to go to the Crackerbarrel for a late supper. (Supper ended up after 10pm.) Kayla almost went to sleep in her mashed potatoes! Sierra was just plain wound up. Either way, they both got very cranky! It was however, a very quiet ride home, except for the snoring noises in the back seat.
Wow, I just realized how long this was. I think I’ll just leave you “hangin” for now. I am tired and I have another long, long list of things to accomplish tomorrow. If your lucky, I won’t forget to fill you in on this week!
Jen

The Smiths

The Smiths

Here we are--two weeks closer to COT! Truth be told, I'm just a wee bit nervous. I always am going into new and unfamiliar territory. At the same time, however, I'm also really excited about all of this.

Southpoint kindly allowed me to have an Ordination/Commissioning Ceremony today. I hope no one thought I was just trying to have some attention. I just really thought it important that we be sent out by a local church and by our friends. I want that connection to a body of Christians, and I want my family to feel that as well. Hopefully, the girls especially will take away the idea that we are connected to a group of believers, and aren't striking out on our own here with no support. John Albers preached, and then, after Communion, he introduced me and what I was doing with the idea of being missional and GOING. After that, Joe Kendig swore me in (we both had our uniforms on--my USAF and his USN). It wasn't in any way official, but it was tons more meaningful! The girls and Jen then came up and put on my rank--upside down! It was pretty funny because most of the audience KNEW IT WAS WRONG, but they forgave me, although they laughed when I was corrected by a kid who had been in Jr. ROTC! After that, John, Joe, and Matt Hall (the pastor of Southpoint) prayed over me. It was really nice, and I appreciated being allowed to do that. Again, hopefully the girls will be able to look back on this day and sense the connection with our church and with our friends, several of whom (Tabets, Dardens, Holtzems, Delgados, etc.) were there.

The Smiths

The Smiths

Kayla is coming home on Thursday, and WE ARE READY for her!!! I have this feeling that she is ready to come home as well. Lots has changed in the last 18 days. For instance, our house has a contract on it!
Yes, in just 1.5 weeks, our house has a contract on it. We pretty much got what we wanted; she pretty much got what she wanted; life is good for all involved. The settlement date is September 8th, which means I'll have to give Jen Power of Attorney, which means that she will be doing LOTS of signing on that day!!!
I just ran 1.5 miles in 15 minutes, which is much closer to my target of 1.5 miles in 12 minutes, so I'm pretty happy about that! Of course, it's supposed to be blazing hot this week, so hopefully I can hold up, because COT (Officer's Training) is only 4 weeks away!
We are planning to take the first two weeks of August and do stuff with the girls we haven't had time to do lately, like go to D.C., or King's Dominion (amusement park), or paint the ceiling in my bedroom, or start packing some stuff, or . . . . . . We're going to try to have some quality family time before I split, because I'm going to be a busy beaver in just four weeks!
Here's the new and improved updates Smith schedule:
1. I go to COT on August 13 or 14. I do not intend to return to So. MD.
2. The AF picks up our stuff either the last week of August or the 1st week of September.
3. Jen settles the house on September 8th.
4. She and the girls, at some point in time after 09/08, will make their merry way down to AL for my graduation.
5. From there, the four of us will journey to WY!
6. I'm supposed to report to F.E. Warren AFB by September 23.
We are planning to rent until such a time as our finances have settled down, and we kind of think we might know what we are doing!
I also had the chance again today to preach at Southpoint. I really enjoyed the opportunity this week and last to preach, and I appreciate their willingness to allow me to do it.
Okay--questions? Comments? Old war stories? Shoot us an e-mail!!!

Updating us!!!

Kayla is coming home on Thursday, and WE ARE READY for her!!! I have this feeling that she is ready to come home as well. Lots has changed in the last 18 days. For instance, our house has a contract on it!
Yes, in just 1.5 weeks, our house has a contract on it. We pretty much got what we wanted; she pretty much got what she wanted; life is good for all involved. The settlement date is September 8th, which means I'll have to give Jen Power of Attorney, which means that she will be doing LOTS of signing on that day!!!
I just ran 1.5 miles in 15 minutes, which is much closer to my target of 1.5 miles in 12 minutes, so I'm pretty happy about that! Of course, it's supposed to be blazing hot this week, so hopefully I can hold up, because COT (Officer's Training) is only 4 weeks away!
We are planning to take the first two weeks of August and do stuff with the girls we haven't had time to do lately, like go to D.C., or King's Dominion (amusement park), or paint the ceiling in my bedroom, or start packing some stuff, or . . . . . . We're going to try to have some quality family time before I split, because I'm going to be a busy beaver in just four weeks!
Here's the new and improved updates Smith schedule:
1. I go to COT on August 13 or 14. I do not intend to return to So. MD.
2. The AF picks up our stuff either the last week of August or the 1st week of September.
3. Jen settles the house on September 8th.
4. She and the girls, at some point in time after 09/08, will make their merry way down to AL for my graduation.
5. From there, the four of us will journey to WY!
6. I'm supposed to report to F.E. Warren AFB by September 23.
We are planning to rent until such a time as our finances have settled down, and we kind of think we might know what we are doing!
I also had the chance again today to preach at Southpoint. I really enjoyed the opportunity this week and last to preach, and I appreciate their willingness to allow me to do it.
Okay--questions? Comments? Old war stories? Shoot us an e-mail!!!

Update on us!!!

Kayla comes back on Thursday. We all miss her terribly, and can't wait for her to come back! She'll come back to moving preparations, and a house that will soon no longer belong to us!
That's right--our house sold in 1.5 weeks. Thank you, God! The settlement date is September 8th, which means I have to give Jen "Power of Attorney" to sign the papers on my behalf, which means she'll have TONS and TONS of writing to do on that day. We mostly got what we asked for, and the buyer mostly got what she asked for, so everybody's happy.
I managed to run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes tonight, which is close to my target of 1.5 miles in 12 minutes, so I'm pretty proud of myself. It's supposed to be blazing hot this week, so here's hoping I can keep it up!!!
Jen and I have decided to take the first two weeks of August and live it up!!! Well, okay--actually, we just want to get some things done (D.C., King's Dominion, etc.) that we've not gotten done or haven't done in a while with the girls before we split from So. MD.
Here's the updated schedule--
1. I go to COT in Alabama the 13th or 14th of August.
2. AF picks up our stuff either the last week of Aug. or the first week of September.
3. House settles on the 8th of September.
4. Girls and Jen go somewhere?
5. Girls and Jen come to AL on the 12th or 13th of September.
6. I graduate from COT on the 15th of September.
7. We drive out to WY from there, to begin our new lives.
I did get to preach again at Soutpoint today. It was a great time, and I am very grateful that they allowed me to preach.
Questions? Comments? Old war stories? Shoot us an e-mail!!!

One Step Closer (July 9, 2006)

On Thursday, I made it one step closer to actual active duty. I turned in all of my final paperwork (via fax and the USPS) and was commissioned as a 1st Lt. in the Air Force Reserves. So, assuming all is going right, here's the schedule.

1. Ordination to the USAF Chaplain Corps at Southpoint Church, July 30, 11 o'clock.
2. Commissioned Officer's Training, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, begins August 14.
3. Graduate from COT on September 15.
4. Return to So. Md., take 10 days leave + travel time, and drive my family out to F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Our house is on the market, and 5 or 6 people looked at it yesterday, and 2 did today. In fact, our realtor (A.J. Dobson and his partner, Jan Barnes) said received a contract has already been received, but he hasn't seen it yet. If you want to see the listing and the "virtual tour," visit http://www.c21nm.com/findahome/virtual_tours.asp and put in Garrison in California.

Kayla is still out in CO with my sister, Melanie, and having a blast, she says. Mom has been out there, and said Kayla's been working hard and comes in at night and flops on the bed with a book! Sierra is being spoiled as the only child at home. She's enjoying it, but it's hard to get anything constructive done sometimes. I have a weak spot for 6 year olds, and she knows how to exploit that!

Had the awesome opportunity to preach today at Southpoint. It was a blast. I also get to preach next week. If you want to hear, go to www.southpoint4u.com, and look under "Resources" where you will find "Download messages."

Alright, more later!

Kraig, Jen, Kayla, and Sierra

The Smiths

The Smiths

1. Received a call from Chaplain Hutson at Randolph AFB tonight.
2. Asked me if I would consider (as if I had a choice) F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne, WY.
3. Told me that the next Commissioned Officer's Training (COT) is August (the 14th, to be exact).
4. So, there you go! I'm off into the wild blue yonder!!!

A long-needed update!

I have been in Oklahoma for the last month taking care of my ailing grandfather. It's been a long month. My grandfather passed away last Tuesday (06/20), and was buried on Friday (06/23). It was a really nice service and was very respectful and joyful. Granddad was a believer, and that came across in the service.

Jen and the girls held the fort down here in Maryland, and with all of the rain we've been having here, that's been quite the task!!! I returned from drought-stricken Oklahoma to flood-stricken Maryland. It was quite the contrast. :p The girls had painted a huge sign for me and hung it outside for me to see when I returned at 2 a.m. on Monday. It was really nice of them. If I get a chance, I'll post a picture of it.

As has been the case since last November, we continue to await a call from the Air Force. It's great being an official Chaplain, but so far, it hasn't paid much!!

Not much else to say. Kayla leaves on Sunday for CO. She'll be spending two weeks out there with my sister, my mother, my brother, my nephew, and lots of horses. She and my nephew are attending a horse camp my sister is leading. Kayla, naturally, is very excited about going, although I'm a little trepidatious about sending her alone on an airplane.

I have the opportunity of preaching at Southpoint--the church we've been attending--on July 9 and 30, and I'm REALLY excited about that.

Off We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder..........

Well, it's official...Kraig has been selected for active duty as an USAF Chaplain!!!! Now we are just waiting to get our orders. We are hoping he will go to Commissioned Officer Training (COT) in July. Supposedly, we will know more details in a few weeks. We are VERY EXCITED!
Let's see, now for the rest of the "goings-on" this week. Kraig is still in Oklahoma. His mom was actually speechless when she saw him walk in the door instead of me. She said she didn't know wether to spank him or hug him. It was a cool suprise...and we are ALL impressed that Kraig didn't tell her beforehand. His grandparents are doing as well as could be expected and are enjoying teasing him about not being me (Jen).
The girls are ready for school to be out. But, they are enjoying their last few days as much as possible. Sierra fell on her bike last week and skinned her knee, which wasn't too bad. However, the next day she did it again. It was a pretty good mess. A good sized "road rash". We ended up wrapping it in an ace bandage for 3 days so she could walk and sleep without screaming and crying. I've reminded her that we no longer have insurance so she better be careful. But, I'm not sure it will hinder our little "dare-devil".
Kayla on the other hand has been elated all week long. First, some very generous family members have given her $240 for her plane ticket to Colorado, for horse camp. Now we just have to figure out where we are sending her from. Now, if that wasn't enough to make her week, something else very special happened as well. On Friday, she went to an Awards Assembly. Little did she know, I was there. As if that wasn't suprise enough, she almost cried when they awarded her the top reader in the 5th grade. She got coupons (for local businesses), a bowling trip (during school), and a plaque with her name engraved on the front. It has been an awesome week for her!
As for me, I am trying to get used to this 40 hour, work-week thing. I must say I don't get board there. I'm lucky to get time to breath and use the bathroom. The girls have adjusted to the schedule rather well, and are helping me greatly. I am certainly thankfull to have such awesome children.

We had a secret!!!!

Well, have you wondered why we didn't update this last week? Here is the answer...we were very busy, we were waiting on good news from USAF, and we had a secret that we couldn't share until today.
As some of you know were were supposed to get the final signature on our papers for the USAF this last Monday. But, as we expected, the General was out of the office this last week. We think the USAF might be in need of some Exlax as they are very slow at getting things done. So, supposedly, we will get the final signature on Tuesday. We shall see.
Now for that secret...you all know (if you have been reading this blog all along) that Kraig's grandfather has been needing full time care. So far, most people have done their share, but the "care givers" were in desperate need of relief. So, it was decided that I (Jennifer) would go to Oklahoma for a month or so to help out. However, as we were preparing to buy the tickets, things changed once again. I was offered a job overnight and we decided that Kraig would go instead. Kraig just hated to quit Staples! But here is where the secret comes in...Kraig's mom thinks she is arranging to have ME picked up at the airport today.....little does she know I am still in MD! We are all amazed that he didn't tell her. He is horrible at keeping secrets, especially from Frieda. And, we din't want to post it here until today, just incase she read it. She will be sooooooo excited to have her "baby boy" for almost a month!
As for the job, I am working for a good friend of ours...Dr. Rob VanFosson (a "foot doctor"). It is pretty interesting, I get time to breathe and sometimes to use the bathroom, otherwise I am always busy.
Hmmm. What else? Well, Kayla spoke to Aunt Mel, who said Kayla's camp cost was covered. And, she is singing the praises of 2 family members who have given her money to go towards her flight. She is very, very excited.
Other than that, we are just busy trying to figure out who is where each day. It seems our day to day schedule is never consistant.

The Smiths

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

I recieved some pretty cool things this morning. So, I figured I'd share. First was a 2 page letter from Kayla in which she said that "no one escapes my love". It was very sweet. I will have to blow it up and frame it for when she is a teenager and needs a reminder. She also gave me a coupon for her to make supper for the family one night...she valued it at $100.00. I didn't realize she was that good a chef yet!
Anyway, Sierra wrote me a poem...

My Mom
Pretty as an angel.
Smells like roses.
Feels like a warm blanket.
Kisses me all the time.
Loves sandwiches and me.

Now wasn't that cute??? Who knew that Sierra ranks right up there with sandwiches? And just for the record, I prefer ice cream.
Oh, and before I go...someone wanted to know how much Kayla needed to go to Aunt Mel's camp. Well, Aunt Mel updated her site with the prices ($250.00 for the class). However that doesn't include transportation. All those intrested in contributing, contact Kayla.
Well, I'd better go.
Jen

May 13, 2006

Hi! It's Kayla's turn to do the blog today, but she is tongue-tied, which is unusual for her, so I (Kraig) am filling in until she tells me what to write!

I spent the last Thursday through this Tuesday in Oklahoma with my Granddad. He has congestive heart failure, and was barely able to get out of bed when I arrived, but was able to go for a wheelchair ride around his farm by the time I left! I guess I just have that kind of curative effect on people. The next day, he was bad again!!! I was supposed to return home late Tuesday night, but my flight out of Oklahoma City was delayed, and I was unable to catch my connection out of Detroit. So, . . . . . . . . my wonderful in-laws came to the rescue. It went something like this--
Hank: "Hello?"
Kraig: "Hi, Hank. This is Kraig."
Click------buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Okay, not really. Hank was happy and overjoyed to pick me up from the airport, take me to his house, serve me some really good leftover roast, potatoes, and carrots, all washed down with Motown's famous Vernor's Ginger Ale! I really enjoyed my time with them, and thank them for their hospitality.

Okay, Kayla has decided to speak now, so pay attention!

This week has been a tiring week. I'm tired from homework, allergy season, and housework. At the same time, it's been a really interesting week as well.

Daddy showed me the first paragraph of Aunt Melanie's blog (see the link on the side of our blog for Armada Bay). In it was an advertisement for her horse camp this summer. I was really excited. I want to go, but Mom and Dad say I have to get sponsors. They think they're funny (Insert by Kraig-it's that, or get a job!). I still haven't called Aunt Melanie yet to get further information. Aunt Mel-PLEASE CALL ME WITH FURTHER INFORMATION!

This week is Mother's Day, and we have lots of cool surprises for Mom. Actually, maybe not that many. However, we are taking her on a picnic today, if it doesn't rain.

We are getting our house painted, and Mom decided to paint the mailbox as well to match the house. Of course, now the mail carrier has no place to put the mail because Mom hasn't replaced it yet!!! Kind of awkward. While painting the mailbox, Mom painted Sierra's nose as well!

Mom and Dad went on a date yesterday, and we were babysat by a friend--Tessa! We had lots of fun, especially because we watched Narnia!

Sierra and Daddy went to the zoo in D.C. yesterday with her class. They had a lot of fun, and Sierra was really glad that Daddy went. Her favorite animal was the porcupine with a prehensile tail.

Talk to you next week!!!

Kayla G. Smith

My, My, My....

It has been very busy here while Kraig has been away in Oklahoma. (He went to visit his grandfather.) I don't feel like I have stopped since he left. Although, allergy season tends to put me in a fog. Anyway, he was supposed to come home last night, but instead spent the night at my parents house in Michigan due to a delayed flight. I felt bad for the girls because they woke themselves up earlier this morning to peek in our room to see him. Instead all they got was me, and orders to get ready for school. But, he should be home in time to get them from the bus stop.
As for the USAF, all our paperwork is in and now we are waiting for word that it has the final stamp of approval. Then, we must wait again to find out when and where.
Anyway, in the mean time we are having the house painted (to get ready to sell it). It looks sooooooo much nicer! It's a bummer we have to move now. "Pete the Painter" is a very nice man and seems to enjoy laughing at the silly things my girls do and say. He says they remind him of his grandchildren. He was quite impressed with Kayla because she would not allow him to come into the house to use the bathroom when I was out running an errand. She told him he would have to wait an hour! He kindly understood. She is such an obedient child...to bad she is gonna be a teenager soon.
Speaking of Kayla and teens...it has begun. She now seems to have the phone attached to her ear regularly.
And Sierra, well....she told me that she has a "boyfriend" and she "loves" him. Hmmmmmm, don't tell her dad - I don't think he's gonna take it too well.
Well, I will go back to impatiently waiting for the USAF and my husband to return.
Jennifer

Saturday, April 29, 2006

Smith News!

* Kayla has a loose tooth! It's in front. Apparently, she is jealous of the attention Sierra has gotten by losing her teeth, so Kayla is joining in the party.

* Still haven't heard from the USAF. My recruiter has been incommunicado for the LAST TWO WEEKS. No idea what the deal is, because all he had to do was send my paperwork down to Randolph AFB (Texas). Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

* Dad went on a retreat with the highschoolers from King's Christian Academy, and had a good time with the students. He made it home safely.

* Kayla participated in a musical this week called "The American Dream." She went Tuesday evening only needing to know the words, "South Korea." She ended up talking about Tecumseh as well! Someone did not show up, and so she got to do his lines (4 lines, that is). She memorized them quickly beforehand, and did a great job!

*While cleaning up around the house, we picked up the grill cover, and found a colony of ants in it! Big, black ones were all over it!

*Sierra has been learning about worms at school, as well as sign language. She has brought that knowledge home to us, and shared it with EVERYONE! It's been quite interesting. In fact, she was able to inform Jennifer that a worm found out in the yard was a baby worm and not an adult. She knows the difference. Do you? If you want to know, you'll have to call her!

*Dad's grandfather is in a bad way in Oklahoma, and he may be going out there soon to see him.

Okay, that's all of the Smith news that is fit to print. Questions? Comments? Old war stories? Let us know!

Kraig, Jennifer, Kayla, and Sierra

April 15, 2006

Happy Resurrection Day! What a glorious reminder of the basic foundation of Christianity! Okay, so it's a day early--deal with it.

Not much has gone on this week. Kayla is sick. She has a sore throat, a fever, and a nasty, croupy cough, all of which really evidenced itself last night when she threw up! Of course, she and I were not at home, so that made it all the more fun. We were at a lock-in with Dunkirk Baptist Church, helping out our good friends--Ken and Becky Case. It was a great lock-in, and a wonderful group of kids, but Kayla made sure to add a little excitement in the mix.

Sierra has another wiggly tooth, which we are all awaiting the "demise" of. This will be her fourth. It must be the season. Every kid her age, it seems, has lost three or four teeth.

Still waiting on the USAF Recruiter to tell me that he has sent my stuff to Randolph AFB. Maybe, by Saturday, we'll actually have an update on that.

Again, have a wonderful Easter!

Kraig, Jen, Kayla, and Sierra

Kraig Checks a Box!

Today, I completed my military medical physical. I managed to do the all of the twisting, spreading, turning, duckwalking, paperfilling, bloodgiving, turning and coughing, and cup peeing that I was requested to do, and without incident (although there was the spilling soap on my pants and then walking out of the bathroom!). Now, I just wait for 2-4 weeks for all of the bloodwork results to return, and everything to be shipped to the Chaplain Accessions Board at Randolph AFB, TX. After that, whatever form has to be taken to whichever general for his signature, and my packet is then turned over to the Assignment Office, and I've no idea how long that will take.

Kraig

Things are getting back to normal somewhat. Kraig is finally looking and feeling better, the girls are taking care of things other than their father, and I am back on Maryland time. Here are just a few things about this week:
**Kraig is scheduled for his physical on Monday (again). We are praying there are no more delays.
**Just in case anyone else was counting...Kraig and I will have been married 12 years on Sunday. My, how the time has flown by.
**Aunt Tambrea & Uncle John's anniversary is also Sunday.
**Kraig will go back to all of his jobs on Tuesday...hopefully it won't kill him.
**Sierra is still toothless.
**We will talk today with one of our former youth, (who is now a real estate agent) AJ Dobson, about selling our house this summer.
**Kayla stayed up until about 6 a.m. this morning at a sleepover, so she's not been a whole lot of help today, understandably.

Life has slowed down for a week, and it's now time for it to pick back up!

Kraig, Jennifer, Kayla, and Sierra

Mom has RETURNED!!

Well, the house is still standing, and mostly the way I left it. The girls are just as sweet and giggly as ever. BUT, the husband is in sad shape indeed. It has been a long time since I have seen such a bad case of the chickenpox. The picture only gives you some idea. Kayla and Sierra are glad I am back so they can finally rest! They did an awesome job taking care of him. I couldn't be more proud. We also had some fantastic friends who stepped in where the girls couldn't. God certainly does provide.
Kraig is healing, not as quickly as he'd like, but healing none the less. Like I said, the picture gives you the general idea, but I left the truly bad stuff for your imagination. Besides, it really would gross you out! Right now, he is up and about and tends to wear out quickly. Hopefully, going back to work next week won't kill him.
Anyway, I had an awesome time at Melanie's. She has a very nice facility and it was fun helping her make it better. My muscles were very sore from the long week of working and playing. I was afraid the airport would do a "cavity search" because I walked so funny. Fortunately for me, they passed me by. I should also note, in my desire to be politically correct...I decided to try "tree hugging". This is not recommended when skiing as I quickly learned. Thankfully, I made it home with all my limbs still attached and working as properly as they were when I left. Well, I must go now, the "spotted one" will need my help again soon.

A Week of Adventure and Excitement

Kraig--This has been an interesting week. Jennifer left last Friday for Colorado Springs to visit my sister, Melanie. Her week has been filled with shopping, eating out, being creative, watching movies, and skiing! Her biggest complaint has been that she is sore from skiing.


My week, on the other hand, has been filled with sickness. Sierra came home Tuesday after throwing up at school (and then in the car). I was diagnosed on Thursday with CHICKENPOX!!!! Yes, at the age of 35, I have chickenpox. It hasn't been too bad, except yesterday, when I had a fever (102 degrees) all day long. I tried to get Jennifer to come home early, but she was too busy eating bonbons. One good thing is that Kayla has let me borrow some really good books to read, and the girls have done an excellent job of taking care of me.

Sierra--I made a model, in school, of the stages of a butterfly. Stage One--It's a tiny, yellow egg (modeled by rice). Stage Two--A caterpillar hatches from the egg (modeled by a spiral noodle). Stage Three--The caterpillar turns into a chrysalis (modeded by a shell noodle). Stage Four--A butterfly hatches from a chrysalis (modeled by bowtie noodle). My stomache has been upset all week, especially after I threw up.

Kayla--I have a few things I want to say. I have been dealing with being the oldest girl in the house, taking care of somebody with chickenpox, and having to deal with a few arguments. I have had to make food and do things I've never done before. I have had a little fun--watching a movie with Dad and Sierra, serving Dad, and buying the food at Wendy's. We have all missed Mommy terribly.

Who'd have thunk that she is so valuable that we all fall apart without her?! Hmmmmmmm, it must be love. Of course, this all means that my physical has to be put off yet again. When I called the recruiter to tell him, he said that the place where I get my physical done (MEPS) had lost my paperwork, and I wasn't going up Monday anyway!!!!!! So, we'll try again in a week.

Lunch with the girls--03/20/2006

Being unable to have my physical done today, the girls decided I should put my time to good use, and asked me to eat lunch with them. So, here are pics of us in the lunchroom! Enjoy.

An Experiment!--March 19, 2006

What's all the Smith family news that's fit to print?

**Let's see--Sierra has lost another tooth, and is truly gappy!

**I went up for my physical at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) last Monday, only to be told that my recruiter had messed up, and Air Force applicants weren't being processed that day!!! Since I had awoken at 4:00 a.m., and had a lousy night's sleep on top of that, I was not a happy camper. Also, as I had taken the bus onto Ft. Meade, and left my car at the hotel, I had to wait until 9:00 a.m. to get a ride back to my car!!!! :( Aaaarrgghhh. But wait--it gets better!!!! I rescheduled for tomorrow, only to be told on Friday that the doctors who reviewed my medical prescreen want the requested medical records BEFORE I go up. Consequently, my recruiter is driving down here on Monday to pick up these three pages that I have so he can take them back up to MEPS so I can reschedule my physical. Please pray that God will straighten the path and remove obstacles so that my family and I can begin to have a life, and get out of waiting mode. Kayla says that we are very low on patience, and she's right.

**Jen is currently in Colorado Springs (actually, Falcon, CO) with Melanie. I sent her out of the state so that she can get a break. I'm wishing that I had gone instead! She left on Friday, and doesn't return until Sunday. I'm sure they'll have a great time this week.

**Kayla continues to bloom into a beautiful young lady before my very eyes.

**We put a new top on the convertible last weekend, and it looks really good. You can tell that amateurs did it, but it isn't as "ghetto" as having duct tape all over the top! The weather is finally getting warm enough to use it, which makes it all the better!!!

**Our pastor preached a very good sermon on "Community" this morning. If you are interested, check it out at www.southpoint4u.com.

Okay, can't think of much else. Hope you have a great week!

Kraig and the girls

Dad calls me "Gappy"

This week I (Sierra) lost 2 teeth! Dad keeps calling me “Gappy”. I have 2 others that are loose. Mom says she will have to feed me just applesauce and runny mashed potatoes if I lose any more this week.

We decided this week that unless the Air Force gives us dates sooner that we will be moving to Mimi’s in Oklahoma for awhile. But not until after school is out. I am excited about going there, but sad about moving away from my friends.

Tomorrow is Aunt Mel’s Birthday. We called her today so we could be first, and not forget.

Tomorrow is also Super Silly Sierra’s Soup, Sub, and Salad Shoppe! It will be our restaurant for Sunday instead of going out to eat. The VanFosson’s will be coming. They just had a new baby 2 weeks ago. I am excited to see her and her brother and sisters too. One of Dad’s friends might come too.

February 25, 2006

It's been an interesting week. The girls continue to be a joy, and to fill our lives with laughter. For instance, Kayla had a meeting with some catfish this week! Some friends of ours from Mississippi brought us back some fresh catfish last Christmas, and I asked Jennifer to fix it this week. When she did, she also fried up some chicken. The girls, not really being very observant, assumed it was ALL chicken. When we sat down to eat, Jennifer placed a piece of catfish on each of the girls' plates. Kayla was in LOVE! She was enraptured by the "chicken." She said, "Mom, this is so good that you could fix it EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK!" She begged for more and more and more!!! When we finally told her it was catfish, her face fell. She was crushed. She felt betrayed by our "treachery." However, she was informed in short order that we'd have none of this "It's okay, but I don't really want to eat anymore" stuff, and that she was expected to eat catfish WITHOUT COMPLAINT!!! Today, she informed us that it was no wonder she had confused the two--CATFISH TASTES LIKE CHICKEN!!!

Kayla also received the "Good Citizen of the Month" award for her grade. We are very proud of her, and she is leaving big shoes for her sister to fill. She attended the arraignments of several juveniles, and was greatly saddened by the plights in which they found themselves. She was very impressed at the kids in shackles. After her visit, she was required to write a letter to the Judge, thanking him for allowing them to visit and for meeting with her class and answering questions.

Sierra lost a tooth this week. The "Tooth Fairy" at our house is not very quick at compensating the children for lost teeth. Sierra was quite disappointed after day one, and no appearance had been made. She was even more worried on Day Two when she couldn't even find the cup! Apparently, the Tooth Fairy had borrowed everything so that she could put money in AND give Sierra a new headband. Sierra has yet another loose tooth, so the Tooth Fairy will have a chance to redeem herself soon.

Jennifer is continuing to teach two Communications classes at the local community college-College of Southern Maryland. The classes are going well. She is teaching interviewing skills this week, and always enjoys this part of class.

I am also teaching at CSM. I have a Remedial English course and a Freshman English course, both of which I enjoy. I enjoy the students. My problem is remembering what I taught each class! I am also teaching American History to 8th-graders at the local Christian school. It's amazing how quickly they can drain my energy. I'm hoping to do a field trip with them to one of the local Civil War battlefields soon. My really big problem is coming up with lesson plans for three classes every week.

Oh, yes! I have been asked to preach at a local church this Sunday. It will be nice to be back in the pulpit.

And, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . one last thing. We bought Kayla a game, Phase 10, for Christmas, and played it last night. Sierra was on Jen's team, and Kayla and I each played separately. Jennifer usually has really good luck with cards, and last night was no exception. She beat us so badly that Kayla went to bed in tears last night! It was sad. Even sadder was that Jen beat us again today! Kayla and I will be giving Jennifer a "Blanket Party" tonight!!!

February 18, 2006

Hi, this is Kayla! I drew the lucky number for doing the blog this week. I have some very interesting news to tell you this week.

1. Sierra can't eat corn-on-the-cob because she has a loose front tooth! It was really funny watching her try, but Mom took pity on her, and eventually cut it off the cob.

2. It tried to snow today, but now (sniff! sniff!), it has melted. :(

3. A friend of ours had a baby this week. We're going to take them cookies today. However, because I'm sniffly and coughy, I don't get to hold the baby!!!!!! :( Sierra gets to, though. Grrrr!

4. Dad, and the other husbands, had a Valentine's Day Banquet for their wives. There was filet mignon, twice-baked potatoes, green beans (ugh), homemade rolls, and Dove chocolate and chocolate roses. We kids were stuck with pizza and sugar cookies and put in the basement.

5. When we woke up on Tuesday, we found surprises from our lovely father. Before he went to work at Staples that morning, he put out boxes of M & M's (the kind with messages on them) and cards for each of us. Mom got a box of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

6. Sierra and I both had Valentine's Day Parties at school Tuesday. We both got lots of valentines. Dad doesn't like it that some of them were from boys!!!!! I got lots of candy. Sierra asked both Mom and Dad to attend her party, but they couldn't come. They had to teach class. :(

7. Yesterday, surprisingly, I only picked up pencil one time at school!!! That's not normal for me on Fridays. Instead, I had computer lab twice, did lots of reading, and a guest speaker--Mr. Rice--shared with us about Juvenile Detention. We get to go to Kids In Court on Wednesday. I never want to go to Juvenile Detention because I think it's really bad! They tell you when you can go to the bathroom!!!!! You don't even get to bring a book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's all of my interesting news for this week. Dad is still waiting for medical reports from his teenager life before he can have his physical scheduled. Talk to you next week!

Kayla for the East Coast Smith Family

February 11, 2006

Hey everyone!This is Kayla.It's my week to update the blog.I'm doing better with my homework.I still hate(sorry,I meant dislike)homework though.I am sorry to say that I got a C on my report card.Sierra got all good grades on her report card(she doesn't get letter grades).Now About the Air Force, as you can imagine, we are very short on patience. In cschool, I'm learning about the St. Mary's River Project (SMRP). This project helps us understand about our watershed area. I'm having a lot of fun, and I think I'm going to like it when we move into the Air Force.

We had a date last night with Dad. We ate at CiCi's Pizza, and then played games there. WE also sent to Jacob's Well, and then watched some of the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, but they were too long for us, and we didn't even get to see the lighting of the torch! I really wanted to! Here are some pictures from our date.

Sierra's doing better on her reading. She's enjoying reading, even though she says she doesn't.

Daddy's getting medical records from various places so that he can schedule his physical. The physical will take four hours! He has to have everything checked. Basically, I think he's in the USAF.

Call me sometime!

Kayla (for the East Coast Smith Family)

Hi! This is Sierra. This weekend, I update the blog!!! I have been cleaning my house and going to school. I have been doing fun stuff like working with magnets, having recess, and reading books like After My Bath and The Three Little Pigs. Kayla is struggling to keep up with her homework.

Daddy went to the USAF recruiter. He talked with the recruiter, turned in his papers, and bummed free stuff (t-shirt, pens, stress balls) off of him! Afterwards, he and Mom bought Kayla and me each something. I got an Air Force magnet, and I'm going to put it on the car!

On Sundays, since we don't get to go out to eat as much as we used to, we have a different restaurant at our house every week! This week, our restaurant is called Betty's Spaghettis! We have invited our friends, the Kendigs and Tina Long, to join us at this restaurant.

Okay, back to Kraig. Six year olds don't have a great mind for details. Anyway, I will have to go up to Baltimore for my physical. Yeah--can't wait for the checking of my body cavities. :( After that, it will be another two weeks before the results of the physical come in, and the recruiter will then send ALL of my paperwork (security form, credit check, etc.) down to Randolf AFB in Texas. Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, I have to wait (surprise!) for the next Chaplain Review Board (whenever that is). And then, . . . . . . . It's hopefully going to end soon!

So, there's our weekly blog. It's now on the schedule, so hopefully, it will stay up-to-date.

Multi-job City!

In seminary, I worked a variety of different jobs, and usually at the same time, as well as doing classwork! It was great fun, and I so longed for the day when I would have one job. Having had just one job for the last 5.9 years, I am now back in the situation of having several jobs! I'm working at Staples Tuesday-Thursday, and Saturday, from 6 a.m. until 11 a.m. I am teaching two classes at the local junior college (CSM) on Tuesday and Thursday (12-1:25 and 5:30-6:55). Jen is also teaching two classes at CSM on Tuesday and Thursday. On top of that, I am now working at a local Christian school--King's Christian Academy--as the a lunchroom monitor, a resource room person, and American History teacher! Three jobs, plus a family, working out, running, etc. It's gonna be busy for a while! On top of that, we're still waiting . . . . on the Air Force recruiter to call. If you need me, try my cellphone. If that doesn't work, try the local insane asylum!!!

Well, we've finally heard--I have been accepted into Phase III of the Chaplain Accessions Application Process! This is AWESOME NEWS!!! We are not very gifted in "patience." So, here's what this means--we have to meet with a recruiter who will guide us through all of the paperwork, negotiations (any advice out there?), etc., necessary to sign our lives away! No idea how long this will take. It's going to require me to find one or more part-time jobs, and perhaps Jenny as well. Actually, I start work at Staples on Tuesday, unless I get something better. Jen's pretty psyched about the employee discount. At any rate, it's been a much less stressed evening at the Smith house. I'll keep you up-to-date as I know more. Sorry it's not been an very active blog, but we just haven't known much!