I miss you too, Daddy.

Thomas is really changing right now in his personality and what he says or how he says it. We've worked really hard on teaching him lots of things and words. I have realized that as a Mommy, I have a very important part of being an example to him. If he knows how much I love Daddy and he hears my continuously talk about Daddy, then he will grow up to know that his Daddy works hard to provide for our family. Daddy loves us and misses us. He's always thinking about us. Daddy is good at his work and loves being outside. Daddy can't wait to come home and go play with us, too.
Jim has this really cool device called a SPOT device. When he's in an area where he can't get cell service, he just hits the button, which sends a message to my cell phone and to my email. It is a GPS tracking device, so on a google map, it marks the exact location where he's at. I love when I get the message on my cell phone, because I feel like he had a moment to say "I'm thinking about you guys". To know that he has moments during the day when we cross his mind, in the midst of being hot, tired and working in extreme conditions. During the day when I get the GPS message, I tell Thomas to come to the computer so we can see Daddy. He sits on my lap and as I zoom into the map, you can actually see a red dot in the exact area where Jim is. Obviously it's not a live picture, in most cases it's about a year old satellite picture. But Thomas gets excited, puts his finger on the dot and says "I see Daddy!!" He leans in close to the computer screen and kisses it. He started saying (this week) after he kisses it "I love my Daddy".
This morning, Jim had time to SKYPE so we actually got to see him on the web cam, not just talk to him on the phone. Thomas was so happy to make silly faces at Daddy and watch Daddy be silly back to him. Thomas loved to talk to Jim, too. Even though it's only been 7 days, I miss him really bad and it was so good to see him on the web cam. Technology has made somethings really great!!
When Jim is gone, I pray a lot for him and have started to teach Thomas how to pray for his Daddy, too. Each night we kneel on the floor next to his bed and say our prayers. Usually I say the words and he copies me. Tonight he said he wanted to do it "all by myself". He knelt by his bed, folded his hands bowed his head and closed his eyes. He softly whispered "God....Daddy....Fire....Home......all done." I loved hearing his tender voice talk to God about his Daddy. As I was rubbing his tummy and watching his eyelids fall, Jim called to talk to us. I put Jim on speaker phone and he told Thomas how much he loved him and to have a good night sleep. Jim said "Daddy misses you." And with eyes half open, he said "I miss you, too Daddy." I watched Thomas roll over into his pillow and close his eyes. Thomas fell asleep wearing Daddy's shirt and I know he loved falling asleep hearing Daddy's voice, too. I was able to sit and talk with Jim for a while longer, which was nice.

Have I told you how much I love being a Mommy and a Wife!! I feel so blessed!!

Daddy is busy busy busy

This morning Jim had time to skype with us. He was waiting for a new assignment in a staging area. We've talked to him a few times since he's been gone, but we got to use our webcam so we could see him and he could see us. Thomas loved seeing his Daddy and making silly faces at him, too. Technology is so cool and lets us stay connected. Thomas ended his talk with Daddy by saying "Miss you. Love you. Bye-Bye"

I just got a phone call that Jim is now headed to New Mexico for the Wallow fire. Looks like Daddy is going to be busy busy busy this summer.

For Father's Day this year, I took some of Jim's work clothes (older ones) and got some pictures of Thomas. Jim isn't home (he's on a fire...suprise, surprise) so for Father's Day I will take a picture with my phone on one and send it too him. I have the whole album on Face Book, so if you have an account there you can view the whole album. These are just a few to show you how cute they turned out.

Our lives during fire season

Jim has been sent to a wildfire in Colorado, and because of all the other fires, will definitely be gone a full assignment.  Thomas loves to sleep in his Daddy's shirt "um smells like Daddy" and loves to chat on the phone when Jim calls home.  It's neat to hear him chat with Jim on the phone, last year Thomas was younger and didn't have much interest in talking on the phone.  So when Jim is gone, we spend a lot of time at my parents for yummy dinner and playtime with Nama & Papa.  We plan on hanging out with our friends and maybe going to the W.A.P. and Seaworld.

As far as the adoption process goes, we are still waiting for finalization.  We were hoping that it'd be done before fire season got busy, but as it looks right now, that won't be happening.  At this point we probably will ask for our court date to be in the Fall (if possible with the courts) when fire season is slow.  Yes, Jim could take time off during the fire season, but there is a lot of things that happen that affect the rest of his crew.  So we'll just play it by ear, but as it looks right now.........we're still waiting for a phone call or paper from the court.