The News

Steve's been nice enough to play with the look on all of our blogs lately. I just don't get the computer language. I let him deal with it instead. I love purple!!!

I guess the biggest news I've told most people. But, Steve has been accepted into the Mechanical Engineering program at West Point. Here's what was in the acceptance letter:

I am delighted to have this opportunity to offer you a position as a Mechanical Engineering instructor in “The Nation’s First Department of Engineering,” contingent upon your availability to start graduate school in the summer or fall of 2009 and report for duty at West Point in 2011. Your nomination will also have to be approved by Signal Branch.

We had 27 applicants for just two ME openings in this year’s selection process—so your selection is an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations on all you’ve done to earn this distinction. We are all excited about the prospect of having you join our team.

We are still obviously very excited about this news! He spoke with his Branch Manager and he's suggesting we try to start school next summer to avoid that deployment coming up. We still need to look into schools. So far just have BYU and the University of Illinois in mind. I'm sure there will be others once we can look into it. In the end we just want to be somewhere close to family. Steve also found out that he will be receiving the bronze star he was submitted for. Plus, he leaves Baghdad in less than a month. That means we're almost 4 weeks away from having him home! Hooray! Lots of good news.

Then there's some not-so-good news. I called housing and was told it could be 3-4 months before we get a house. I wasn't too thrilled to hear that news, especially since the average wait is supposed to be 68 days. This has been the cause of a lot of stress in my life, but I'm trying to let it go. We'll live in temporary housing (hotel) until something comes open. Luckily we'll have about 3 weeks of block leave in May, so we can just leave for a few weeks.

Here are a few things about the girls lately:

Ellie:
She got to be the reverence child in Sharing Time today and I hear she did an excellent job.
Ellie is growing faster than a bean pole and is outgrowing a lot of her clothes.
She still changes outfits about 10-15 times a day. So funny. She never really gets any of them dirty, so it doesn't bother me. I think it's a great way to use her imagination.
She has gotten really good at coloring. She can almost stay completely in the lines, which I think is great at this age. Not that going out is bad... :-)

Katie:
Is on her second ear infection and this one has been really bad. I guess there was bleeding with the last one and it never quite healed all the way.
She absolutely LOVES books. If we read all day to her she would be in heaven.
She has an incredible memory for the words of books and songs. And her ability to carry a tune is extremely impressive. I always know what she's singing (even if the words aren't there).
She's learning the art of tattling on her sister and says funny things like, "careful Ellie" or "don't push" or "Ellie hit me".
She has her 2nd birthday coming up in less than 2 weeks. Hard to believe.

Sarah:
She has changed an enormous amount lately. She can wave good-bye.
She can climb stairs... and fast.
She just learned to clap today.
She is climbing onto chairs and dishwashers.
Still has just her 2 bottom teeth.
She is a little chatterbox and talks all the time. Loves to copy her sisters.
Also loves to be in the middle of the action, many times resulting in injury from one of her sisters.
Refuses to eat baby food completely now.
Still isn't sleeping through the night.
She's pulling up on everything. She can even stand up by herself without something to pull up on. She has taken one or two steps, but isn't quite ready to walk on her own yet.
She's growing up too fast! She's definitely not my little baby anymore.

Me:
Still have avoided the illness around here (knock on wood). I've become a sewing fiend again lately. I'm working on Ellie's Easter dress. I haven't found one I liked in the stores, so I'm making it myself. It's going to be quite the princess dress. Ellie's excited about it. I'll show it off once I'm done :-)

That about covers it for now. Steve did write a more detailed blog about the job and what he's been up to if you want to head over to his.