Bavaria

I just got done ordering two motion detector door chimes from Radio Shack. About an hour and a half ago a girl from Jane's school class brought Ellyn to the door covered in pooh. Somehow the chain lock was not put on the front door after church today. Noone heard the bells either that we have on the door handle and while Jane and I were in the kitchen our little three year old escaped out the front door just about 8 feet away. As you can imagine I am sick and a little freaked. I knew it was bound to happen at one point, a major reason for our move, but still... I ordered a medical I.D. bracelet for her earlier this week. Hopefully she'll leave it on, she will, she supposedly can't get it off- I hope it doesn't bother her. As for the poop, she has rediscovered this lovely habit of digging into her diaper within seconds of BM and smearing it all over herself, including her face and mouth. I looked for onsies at the PX and then went out to a German store and bought a few three packs in her size. She now has to wear onsies and pants/capris everywhere (she'll go in through whatever entrance she can find). She has darling summer dresses from Sadie and she can't wear them. Even to church I put her in a casual dress and pants for that so "in" layered look. I'm hoping to get potty training soon. She's gone a few times when I've caught her, so she's at least finally becoming aware. Sorry if that grosses everyone out, besides that Ellyn is still our beautiful, loving, clean child. We are just dealing with new issues and most often we don't know it is an issue until it hits. Very tricky. Yesterday we went to the zoo and they have a dolphin show. The kids loved it but I had to stand at the back holding Ellyn because she was bound and determined to get in the pool with the dolphins. She just loves the pool so much. I don't see Sea World being a family destination in the near future.

I will tell you that in a couple of weeks we are off to France. We are going to Normandy, EuroDisney, Paris, and then somewhere down in the South of France for the last few days. It should be alot of fun. We are very excited and a little anxious, trying to book everything on-line is a little scary, we are hoping everywhere we are staying is as nice as it looks. It is our last fling before Mike leaves, something I am dreading with every part of my being.

Mindi, Mike says thank you for tutoring the terrorists, he hopes you steered them in the right direction when it came to math and physics:). Please don't shoot the messenger. He'd get on here and write it if I didn't.

So we have a name for the baby. It is not Henry or Ben. Our little boy will be Sawyer. I am very excited and I am not going to tell you where we got the idea but I'm sure many of you will figure it out. Henry is just becoming too popular in a snotty, pretentious sort of way. Every boy I know named Henry is an only child -spoiled and whiny. And...Julia Roberts just named her son Henry according to the front cover of People at the PX and she already has a Hazel and I don't want her to think that our family is copying her. Besides that, the real reason is that is just didn't feel right, what can you do after you've had a name saved for 11 years and it doesn't feel right?

Darla, I'm so jealous that you will be done being pregnant soon. I hope the timing of everything works out. We can't wait to see our little June.

Monica and Cameron, have a fun trip. There is nowhere better than Washington in the summer. Especially with Meagan and Cor and I have probably said that all before.

Alright, off to spend some time with my children. Love, Brooke