(Almost) One Month in

Brooke will be four weeks old on Friday, and the pace around here has been non stop! (Seriously, though, were you expecting something else? This house rocks at at least a mach 1 pace - on a slow day.)

We were blessed to have my mom in town for the few days (ok, it was a week - and boy did I need her here for that full week!) before Brooke arrived, and then she was able to stay with us for 12 days after Brooke was born. She was amazing at giving me peace of mind, and a little extra rest. There were a few mornings that Brooke and I slept in until 9am, and Nate and my mom had already been up, eaten breakfast, gone for a walk, played on the playground, built towers with Legos, and were reading stories. Yes, all before 9am. It's remarkable. And I'm so thankful that she was here for our extra energy little monkey. I have to admit, I was wondering as she was getting into the taxi back to the airport if we would eat dinner (ever) in the next couple of weeks - rest assured, we have and will continue to!

Let's just say this: juggling two is so much different.

12 hours didn't go by without family in our house! Greg's parents flew into town for a quick weekend to meet Brooke and see how much Nate has grown (oh, and to visit with us, too, I suppose. Though as most parents will tell you: you certainly play second fiddle to your kiddos - happily! - at least until they are sleeping sweetly.) It was great to show them around our little community and the base, and for them to see all the places that we (often ruefully) refer to... all in all, a great first two weeks of November!

[Secretly, I think we really boosted Enid, America's tourist numbers for the month of November. And the fun hasn't stopped yet. Remember: there are still 6 days left in the month!]

Sarah, Joe, and the Fab 5 arrived back "home" to Enid last week, and in the four days that they have been home, Nate has been thrilled to have the kids back, and I must say that I am loving having my sister back. We were able to see Joe in a whirlwind visit before he left for his deployment; we know, and are so thankful for, the blessing that we all get to be here during this year.

Tonight/tomorrow more family arrives! (We simply cannot get enough.) Mimi and Pater, my grandparents, as well as my aunt and her family decided to spend Thanksgiving with us in Enid, America (see? I told you: Enid will soon be changing it's town motto to note that it is rapidly rising to be one of the most sought after destinations in America. Have you booked your visit here yet?!?!)

We are looking forward to a family-filled weekend and surely, the kids must be too: there will be nine kids from aged 4 weeks to 12 years!

And how are we doing? Well, we are sleep deprived, and limping along most days on a few hours of sleep - thank goodness for naptimes! But, I think we are doing well.

Brooke is growing beautifully: she is 9 pounds and 12 ounces, and sleeps pretty well - though she is also a terrific eater, so the sleep thing is relative. She is already getting some funny expressions and she's talkative, cooing plenty especially right before bedtime. I imagine this is her decompressing the day: "Did you see when my big brother jumped off the couch? And what's with him making forts with the couch cushions?! Also - Mom, please remember a hair bow in my hair in the morning. These locks need a little bling."

Nate continues to defy gravity and redefine what it means to be a monkey. He's mastered a few phrases (notably, and most frequently used: "Snack!" "Peese" (that' s please), "A show..." (for when he would like to watch Curious George), "outsiiiiide" and "shoes", "truck" (which also applies to tractors), and of course, "woah" and "oooooh.") He makes us laugh and also makes us raise an eyebrow. He's really sweet to Brooke, and there is nothing more heart warming.

Greg continues to fly a lot and study even more... we're happy this is a short week so that we can see him a bit more than usual!

Pictures and more after the holiday. We wish you and yours a warm, family filled holiday. Blessings to you!

Our mission

In one week, we unknowingly set out to accomplish a mighty mission: tackle as many major life events as possible. That's right, between October 28 and November 4, our family has leaped and bounded into becoming a family of four, with a solo-ed pilot.

What? I know. It's a lot to take in. I get that. Here are the (impressive) details.

We are thrilled to welcome our baby girl to the family. Brooke Caroline Gause was born on October 28.

She is an excellent eater and sleeper, and is winning a special place in her brother's heart every day (today he gave her two kisses!). She is a light of our life, and a beautiful sweet addition to our family.

Greg passed the first major milestone of pilot training and solo-ed on Friday! There was great rejoicing by all, and Nate and I werre thrilled to able to stand on the flightline to watch him take off, land and park. We couldn't be more proud!

 

Remember that part about that I mentioned about the pilot world being laden in tradition? Here's another one. After your solo, your classmates gather 'round to congratulate you - and make sure you don't escape! The real reason they greet you plane-side after you've solo-ed is to ensure they can congratulate you by throwing you into the dunk tank. What I mean by "dunk tank" is a shallow metal pool that is traditionally painted by the class. It's filled once with water - and then it sits there. So, for Greg, the water was ice cold (thanks to Oklahoma's new-found autumn weather), and algae green. Delightful. The tradition is to throw you in, clothes and all. Also part of the tradition? Trying to escape. If you successfully escape - that is, you make it back to the flight room where you prep for your flights - everyone owes you a six pack. (They still dunk you, but they also owe you a six pack.)

Here's the clip of Greg getting ready to fly and pulling out of his parking spot to get ready for take off and also his trip to the dunk tank.