Oh - I intend to write that company about the mold

So yesterday, as I was giving my daughter a bath in my grandmothers (perfectly lovely) tub for the first time, I got a little sad that - yes - we are without a place of residence.
This week we worked our tails off and moved out of our Cheney apartment. For the first time, it wasn't into another Cheney apartment(or house I suppose would have been nice). We loaded up our PODS container all week and cleaned like crazy on Friday. I should say GRANDMA cleaned like crazy. I just tried to keep up with her, seeing as I was so sick of the place I wanted to walk out leaving it AS IS (or as we often joke about, with a bag of dookie on the floor).
In case you find it odd that I should be even slightly sad about leaving a 650 sq ft apartment, on the THIRD FLOOR, with nasty black mold (that my doctor told us to MOVE AWAY FROM AS SOON AS YOU CAN) - rest assured, I'm sure it had more to do with leaving Cheney itself.
So now we float around the Valley and wait. We had another call from Georgia with another Tentative Offer (seriously? I know, silly) that included salary this time, although it didn't match up with the "negotiation" it was still fine. This time they asked us if we intended to accept (Um, yes?).
Let's hope that we don't have to pay anything else to the apartment and that we actually get some sleep while living the homeless life. And I'll keep you posted!

Nobody told me I have over 100 posts

Because I know you are counting.

I really don't have anything to blog about. I'm sure if I thought about it I would. The truth is I am just very tired and not into being creative.

I knew several of you would be laugh to know I may or may not have caved and bought Twilight today. But I can't open it up until I'm done reading Deception Point by Dan Brown and City of Whispers by Kevin Cronin II (who happens to be Jenna's husband. Jenna did you see that plug? Now he just has to PUBLISH see?) both of which are books I have to return to others.

Right, so no spoiling Twilight for me.

Picture Fest

Here are our pictures from our Oregon vacation (and then some, these 1st four were supposed to be posted before). It was a nice vacation and Miriam and I had a great time, but whoa what a lot of driving . . .

Daddy's new sword (above) which says Arawn made me with Styrkarr (below)
Miriam feeding Daddy

Great Grandpa being a great swing

Grandma Dede and Miriam

Grandpa Jeff and Miriam playing with Mardi Gras Beads

Enjoying the flowers

Going for the kitty (Xio Xin)

Hammock time

Taking Grandpa for a walk

Playing in our new walker

Loving the sand at Sunset BeachWatching for racoons with cousin (once removed) Celia

Tori, Miriam and Celia

Great Grandma Cox and Miriam

Trying to climb the stairs like Celia

Playing with great grandmas pretty curls

Having fun on our last day . . .

Why does Blogger make this such a pain?

I can't seem to load a single picture onto here. It loads and loads and looks almost done and the next thing I know - it says "internet explorer cannot display the webpage." I'm sure you are going to tell me that it must be my internet because YOUR pictures load in five seconds and the whole things takes 5 minutes. Trust me, I don't want to know.

I'm sitting here blogging because who really wants to work on packing right?? Right???

And why didn't any of you TELL me that I have 100 posts (I know like you are counting)? Post 101 was supposed to be a pretty celebration of my vacation to Oregon. Something awesome. Instead it's a rant about my horrible internet.

On that happy note, back to packing . . .

We're sitting on the fence

MOST of you know quite a bit about our job offer already (I'm such a blabbermouth I guess) but I am still going to post about it . . .
There is a reason I have been shy on all the details - mostly because - it is still a tentative offer. So let me explain.

We have indeed been (tentatively) offered a Firearms and Toolmarks position with the Army Crime Lab at Ft. Gillem (Forest Park) Georgia. The reason it is tentative is the offer is contingent upon Bill passing the background check and receiving his security clearance (really tough for a former Marine I know). This in itself has been hard because we have no "official" dates. Sometime is September is the likely start (Nice eh? Move all the way across the country-oh-sometime in September). We've negotiated salary and turned in his fingerprints and other forms. Now we wait.
The job is a two year term position, they would like more funding and to keep him on, but there is no guarantee. The job also includes something Bill and I already experienced in 2005. However I am not into discussing it on the blog at the moment, we'll discuss it again when I feel like it or in 2009/2010. We feel mediocre about it, so that should be good enough for the rest of you that know what I am talking about.
We fully intend to take the position. We have not had any other offers and notwithstanding a few things(dude-Georgia), this job is perfect, it's Firearms, it's federal, it's a decent salary . . . he can get trained and leave if he wants.

We are moving out of our apartment at the end of this month. We have reserved a PODS and I am trying to pack up and clean out and - WOW-it is a big job. We plan on staying with friends/family in Airway Heights/Spokane Valley in the beginning of September until we leave. PRAY we get something official soon so I can firm up housing and buy our plane tickets.

Thanks so much all of you the have been able to offer to help. (Probably be calling on Toot here shortly for some help).

Wish us luck!

Maybe he should have said something like . . . content

Miriam is starting to get the hang of cruising along furniture and loves to stand up and walk. She wants to be into everything, which makes me slightly wary of the months (years?) to come.

In her baby blessing Bill said something about natural curiosity and wonder of the world around her. (Note to self: Must have words about wording of future blessings ;)

So here are her 9 month pictures - apparently the beginning of a lot of chaos (and SHOOT I forgot her hair bow!).

Inside I am a 120 pound Olympian

So here I am on the last leg of my trip to Oregon (which I will totally have more details about and more pictures of at a later date).
I've been watching the Olympics since opening night and tonight tonight is the womens gymnastics team final.
Except it's aready 10:17 (they've been talking about it since before 8pm). I've suffered my way through synchronized diving (not that bad really) and mens beach vollyball and now here's swimming with Michael Phelps who - duh - is going to win gold and make history of course. Big shocker.
So the truth is for the first time ever I am pretty sure I am going to cheat and look up the results on the internet. Woman who has at least a five hour drive to make with a 9 month old cannot stay up all night for even gymnastics (oh, the things we give up . . . maybe if my child would SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT . . . anyday now . . .).
Now I know and in a couple days I'll look up the routines on U-Tube.
Also, look for me in the up and coming diaper changing Olympics. I know they must be coming because my daughter is getting great at giving me the run around during diaper changes. An Olypmic sport I tell you.

My 9 month old

Plays peak-a-boo
Turns pages in books
Can army crawl
Explores different textures with her feet
Plays with her hair when she is eating and is tired
Waves bye-bye
Has two teeth! (ha! not nursing)
Cruises along furniture
Loves dogs
Likes Mardi Gras beads
Likes solid foods she can pick up and eat herself
Is getting better at walking
Smiles at everyone
Forgot how to fall asleep on her own (or something)
Is totally awesome

New Pictures!

Hey all. I am out of town until next Thursday, but I started this post at home and figured I would go ahead and post it, even though I didn't get all the pictures I wanted posted . . .

I still don't get this crawling business
After 10 I love grandma bibs given to us, we sprung for this one

Yeah, she goes to sleep this way
Weeeee!!

Miriam and 1st cousin once removed Timmy - so cute

I say Gal-e-na, you say Gal-ay-na

I am incredibly busy right now - so all the things I was going to do here, back burner.

Let's start with the SCA!
I am testing out my new, somewhat unfinished persona this month. I chose the name Galiena. I'm not sure why exactly I chose Galiena over the other names, it has just grown on me. Nothing else seems to fit quite the same. As for her history . . . I'm still working on that. I've been thinking about making her Hebrew with an original Hebrew name similar to Galiena and changing her name to Galiena after she meets up with Arawn (that's Bill) and becomes all Anglicized.
Oh - I almost forgot. I went to an event at EWU where the local SCA does a fighting and dancing demo for the 'smart' kids camp there. It was totally fun (sorry, I was camera-less)! And I ran into who else but my old high school AP Biology teacher . . . she has been playing in the SCA for about a year. Small world.

(Sorry having trouble uploading any pictures at the moment, I guess that will be a post for another day. We got 9 month pictures today, you'll be seeing those in a couple weeks)