An ode to my family and a surprise!!

I kicked off my Saturday with 2 Van's waffles topped with 2 over easy eggs.

Oh so interesting ;-)

Now on to our surprise!! Moving away from anywhere is difficult, but when you are in the military, your friends become your family members. You take care of each other through everything. Whether it is holidays, sickness, or deployments, they are the ones you spend all your time with.

So when we left WA state for MD it broke my heart to leave behind my 2 best friends and their kiddos. Amanda has 2 boys and to say she has health issues is a gross understatement. Regina has 3 girls and she is the busiest nursing student I have ever met. When their husbands deployed last year, Gil and I spent so much time with them. Sometimes we were helping them and sometimes they were keeping us sane in the dreary weather.

Amanda and I at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord St. Patty's Day 5k

When her husband deployed and Amanda's health declined, we spent many weekends and sometimes weekdays helping take care of the boys so she could rest. I developed a very special relationship with her youngest son, Christian. I would get up at all hours of the night to change him, feed him, rock him back to sleep, and 2 hours later I'd do it again. I would bathe him and feed him. And when he came down with scarlet fever he slept between both me and his momma. Even with her oldest, Alex, we would make homemade mac 'n cheese and decorate cookies together. I love these little boys.

Alex and I making Halloween Cookies 

Christian and I at my graduation party this year. 

Of course, I love Regina's girls just as much. Naveah, Brooklyn, and Scarlet are beautiful. I was so privileged to be around Regina both before and right after Scarlet was born. All 5 of the kiddos played together on a daily basis and Alex and Veah go to the same school so they were all inseparable.

Regina, her girls, and I on a hike

Today we received a box full of goodies that Mandy sent us. Full of cookies and pictures the kids colored specifically for us, and the most special of all, an album full of pictures of Regina, Mandy, and all the kids. I loved it!!! It totally made my day.

Now of course I would give anything for a drooly kiss from Christian or a leaping hug from Brook, Veah, or Alex or some serious girl time with my favorite ladies, but I will eat some cookies and look at my pictures for now. ;-)

And since this post has absolutely nothing to do with running, I will post about my 3 mile run later tonight.