VA

Oh my goodness...I just wrote out the longest blog and it erased on me. Dang it! I'll try to sum it up. I meant to just "comment" on Moni's post but I wasn't sure if you're aware of that yet Moni, so I'll just let everyone read it. Your comment about Beck (I really do LoVe that name) loving you made me think about mother/son relationships. My friend described it as "endearing" and I can't agree more. Once while at the library, I was skimming through a book on the stages of boyhood and it said from birth to about 3-4 boys just adore their mommies. So sweet. It's true. As much as Cole loved Geof., I was the most important in his eyes. Even as mean as I was...am. :{ After that they need their daddies, then their little friends, then a role model, then their dads again...and then their wives? I don't know, I didn't get that far. Anyway, how cute that he said da da though. Both my kids said da da first and ma ma only when they were whiny and needed something. We went down to the river this afternoon. Just the kids and me...or is it me and the kids? I can never get a straight answer on that one. Well, let me just tell you, as much as I love the river, I probably won't do that again solo. For some reason, rivers tend to attract some pretty scary people. Generally, I feel it's because rivers run through towns and therefore people don't have to drive far into the mountains to enjoy their beers and such, they can just go down the street, get incredibly drunk, and then throw all their cans and litter into the river. Grrr...it makes Geof. and me so mad. Today was scary because here I am hugely pregnant, trying to carry Dayne over the rocks since she refuses to walk, while Cole scampers all over the place scaring me half to death. And then there's a group of 6-8 Mexicans drunk and without shame staring at me...incessantly. Come on you guys!! Why do they always have to stare? I had the hardest time on my mission with particular Hispanic men (usually those that sat on the curb and didn't work), and refused to talk to them, until my companion insist that I stop being a snob and start opening my mouth. And I did. And I learned a lot about them and their culture. It just took some time. I hope I didn't offend anyone. I don't mean to. I just know that some of them really don't care if they continue to stare at you, even after you've turned your eyes away. Oh well. Moving on. Brooke, I read through your blog way too fast the first time because I didn't even realize the task ("task" probably not being the best word) Mike has taken on. You both are very courageous, good people. I think about all the men in the past who had to fight for our country, and what good men it made them. Sadly, our country and its people our changing rapidly and I think it's because not enough of us truly love the USA or understand what it takes for a country to be great. So thank you Mike...and Brooke and your girls for what you sacrifice on our behalf. Well, I need to get my kids to bed by 8 so that they're happy, I'm happy, and of course, I don't miss Amer. Idol. Tonight and tomorrow ARE the last nights right? love to you all. ~darla p.s. thanks for the suggesting that book Moni. I always need suggestions. I love Civil War time period to anyone who knows of any good ones.