Reminder...

Ok, just a reminder to all my cousins, that you need to get your scrapbook pages done asap! This goes for ALL my cousins and if you don't know what I'm talking about you can email me at ngriffee@hotmail.com and I'll explain in more detail. If you cannot scrapbook then I am willing to do your pages for you IF you send me your pictures soon. I had to post a blog because I don't have all your emails lol so if you can email me just so I can have your email, I would appreciate it!

Love you all!!

Update...

Well, lets see here...

It has been 2 (going on 3) weeks since I have seen the face of my love. Life at my house is still stange, but mostly at night. Other than that I do pretty well. Aubri misses her daddy. Everyday she points to Chandler's picture and says "Dad? Daddda daddy??" and I say "yes, that's dad, he will be home semi-soon." and then I smile. I honestly do not know how single mothers do it all. I especially wonder how did my mom do it?? She had two {very well behaved} little boys and ME! Woah, crazy.

As for Private Cook, he is doing better and better everyday. At first he was having a really hard time, but each letter i get from him he sounds more and more optimistic. Thank goodness. I was worried for a little while. Yesterday I got a letter from him and he said that he had gone to chruch this last sunday, he really enjoyed it. At church they gave all the soldiers these little scriptures that fit just perfectly in one of their pockets so he can take it with him anywhere. Chandler is the only Latter Day Saint in his entire batallion, something he has never experienced before.

So, that is my little update for now.

Celebrating ME!....

Yeah, that's right, I turned 23 on the 3rd of July! Some days I still feel like I'm 13, then I realize I am married, have a 1 year old, and own a house. :) I had a great day. My dear mother came over to my house at 7:30am and brought me Breakfast in bed and decorated my living room with streamers just like when I was a child. It was so cute!! after that She gave me some birthday money to go shopping and I got a new purse, sunglasses, a cute headband with a diamond flower on it, and a new necklace. I went to this new Boutique place in Provo and I LOVE IT!! It's called Cherry Lane Keepsakes, you can go to their website at www.cherrylanekeepsakes.com. Later that day my dad had a BBQ for me, it was fun and lots of family I have not seen in quite a while came. I loved it.

The day before my birthday my friends, Tashina and Sophia took me out for sushi. I love sushi, it was yummy!!

On the 4th of July, Independence Day, we went to park city and watched Michael play rugby, it was fun, then we ate in Park City and went home. Man what I wouldn't give to live in Park City. That would be soooo cool. Maybe not live there, but at least have a cabin there, on one of the ski resorts that I could ski out of the front door....I could go on, but won't right now. :)
Isn't she so cute?! She LOVES sunglasses and will leave them on for quite a while. It's funny.

My new Sunglasses, I love them

Grandparents surely are Grand!

The only way I got this picture was because of mom screaming "Michael! Michael!" and you cannot ignore that scream! haha


Later that night mom and I took the jeep (yes, without the top on) and went up by the 'Y' hicking trailhead to watch the fireworks. It was amazing up there, we could see fireworks all over the valley, even up by Eagle Mountain. I am definately going to go back there next year. Aubri was so cute, she watched the fireworks but fell asleep right before the finale. She was soooo tired.

Life without Chandler has been ok so far. I miss him like crazy, but I know it's for the best. I still have not heard from him, but I write him letters every night. I'm going to call his recruiter to see if he has an address for Chandler or at least the base...I have 5 letters already to send. I have been hoping he would be able to call by now, but no luck there, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for that one.

well I'm tired! Goodnight!

Mixed Emotions...

Yes, I have lots of emotions running through me. I am a big mix of Happy, Ecstatic, Lonely, Sad, Joyful, Grateful, Relieved, Stressed, etc. You see, my Soldier went to Basic Training yesterday. We dropped him off at the Airport at 1:00pm. Fortunately he and I were able to text while he waited for the plane to take off and then again during his layover, and then again during his bus ride to the base. Our last text was a quick "Hey, we just arrived at Ft. Knox, I gotta go, I love you." at 8:45pm last night. I have not heard from him since and am pretty sure I won't get to hear from him for quite a while, with the exception of letters. Wow, I miss him already...
At least I get to see him at his graduation in approximately 9 weeks, and again at his second graduation when he is done with AIT (Job Training).

This week Chandler is doing all his paperwork (insurance, etc), getting his head shaved (I can't wait to see that lol), and getting his shots. Then the real boot camp stuff will begin. I think he will do great, he said his only worries about the whole thing are leaving me and Aubri, and going into the gas chamber. That would suck.

As for me, I am doing ok. I have not cried as much as I thought I would, I just am constantly on the verge of tears, but that will go away, it has to. Last night was hard at first when I finally went to bed, but I must admit that being able to sprawl out over the whole bed was a little nice. I woke up with my feet hanging off Chandler's side of the bed and my head almost off my side of the bed. The realization of being an only parent for the next 4 months has not quite set in yet, but I know it will soon. Thank goodness I live near lots of family!!


On to a happier note, My Birthday is in 2 days!! I will be 23 on the 3rd! I feel strange because I have not even had time to think about my birthday. Usually I start blabbing about and planning my birthday no later than the middle of June, but with all this ARMY stuff going on I have not had a moment to think about birthday stuff, I don't even know what I want this year. Crazy. I am excited though, because my friends are taking me out to Sushi tomorrow....I love sushi!

Afternoon Tea...

I beieve I will let the Pictures explaine this one.....(backwards). Can I just say that I love my Shoes!?!

So Audrey....and best hat in my opinion!

I must say Rachael is the Cutest Tea Drinker Ever!!!!

I had a lovely time today. The French Vernier Tea was new and delicious, the finger foods were filling and the deserts were amazing. I must add that the company (and the hats) were the best parts. This will definately become a tradition!!!

An Oath....

"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God." -Those are the words my husband spoke at 12:30pm yesterday, June 19, 2009. He is a soldier.

What a time it has been for our family the last couple of days. On June 17th Chandler decided that being in the Army Reserves is what he definately wants to do, so he went to the recruiters office and took their tests. On the 18th we went to the recruiters office to pick a MOS (Job) and were told that Chandler would be shipped out to Basic Training on June 30th (13 days later). On the 19th Chandler went and took his physical and was sworn into the Army Reserves. It all has happened so fast, yet I have a good feeling about it all. Chandler will be gone from the 30th of June until just before Thanksgiving, and Yes I will miss him, but it all will be worth it in the end. I Love, Respect, and Admire him for making this decision.

Decisions, Decisions...

I feel compelled to write today...

My Chandler and I have been discussing the ARMY Reserves, and him joining it. It seems so out-of-nowhere, but Chandler has been trying to decide what he wants to do with his life, he has started in real estate and is just about to get his license (only one test left) but that just doesn't seem like a career he would love to persue for the rest of his life. He has always had an interest in the military and/or being a police officer and the other day out of nowhere Chandler says to me, "maybe I would like to go back to school to become a police officer." and I said back to him, "I would rather you be in the army reserves than be a police man." and he said, "Really?" and that is how it all began...You see, I have always been against him going into the army, but I never really gave thought to the reserves...so the next day we went to the recruiting office and talked with a recruiter to get more information. We have thought about it and talked about it and thought about it and asked almost everyone we know their thoughts and feelings, we talked to the recruiter again and thought about it some more. I have told Chandler that if he truly wants to be in the ARMY reserve then I will support him every way I know how. Chandler will set up an appointment for Monday to go back to the recruiter to basically enlist, so he will be thinking about it long and hard this week and unless he changes his mind he may just be in the Army Reserves by mid next week. Wow.

Deciding Factors:
The Army will pay 100% of schooling for Chandler.
If Chandler takes ROTC while in school, he will be guaranteed not to be deployed for a minimum of 4 years.
The medical benefits are pretty amazing.
He will receive about $850.00/month + ROTC pay on top of the tuition being covered
there are many more factors, but those are the good ones I could think of right now.

All in all, I have a good feeling about this.