This is Lily. And her new bike. Thanks to Randy and Shawna.
The girls have been blessed with a lot of really awesome "Air Force Aunts and Uncles" throughout our AF journey... but today I'm going to highlight the Meese's. They're one of the couples that help me feel like, even though our extended family is across the ocean... my girls are still getting taken care of.
Example: this bike. And it's twin, a matching one that is a little too tall for Sammy right now and will live in our garage until she grows a little.
They were free! Randy and Shawna's base has a bulk trash day and they are constantly finding non-trash items just sitting by the dumpsters because people are too lazy to take them to the Airman's Attic or Thrift Store. People get busy when PCSing so they just dump what they can't get rid of.
So I like to joke that Randy and Shawna are the best dumpster divers I know! Picture them, just driving along to wherever they were going, when Shawna shrieks, "BIKES!!! TWO LITTLE GIRL BIKES!!! Go get those for the Aiduk girls!!!!!!" And Randy slams on the breaks and runs out like 0007 and snatches the goods to throw in the car. Mission accomplished.
So that's just one of the many many MANY reasons we are thankful to have Randy and Shawna in our lives. They think of our girls. And it gives me a lump in my throat. Because I know that if mine and J's siblings could be closer, they'd be doing the same kind of things...
Okay now I'm crying. Geeeeeeez. I am utterly ridiculous.
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But this brings me to an Air Force Wife Lesson... #10: viciously suck every ounce of generosity out of your friends, especially the ones who love your kids. (Polite rephrase: accept, appreciate, and return the generosity of others? Yeah, that's better...) Because raising little kids is hard and most people have their families around to support them. But you don't. So soak up all the help and support you can get from those Air Force "Aunts and Uncles!"
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Moving on... Lily is pretty awesome at this whole big girl bike thing. She loves it when I draw her a "road" to drive on.
And Samma-lamma has graduated to the tricycle from Lilo, which is much more fun than the little car push toy she used to use. Everyone's getting an upgrade! Now I want a new car ;o)
Shout out to Mila!! Another AF family member!
A thousand thank you's to Randy and Shawna for this dose of Aiduk-girls-and-bikes-cuteness! You guys rock!
In my mind, "Randy & Shawna" will forever be "Ralph & Shawna" because we had friends in MT with those names - - yes, I'm aware that was *before* you were even born, sorry Randy, I can't help it!
ReplyDeleteAlso - I'm glad you put away Sammy's bike till she grows some - - wasn't it you who broke your collar bone (on your 3rd b-day) trying to ride your new bike that was too big for you? [sigh, again I get the 'mother of the year' award!]
I'm SO grateful for all the friends you have met and made along the way - - they make this distance just a little easier to bear!
FIFTY days and counting - - I can't wait!
OHMYGOSH seriously? Only fifty! YAY!!! I can't wait to squeeze your face. One year apart is way too long. I've never been away from MY MOMMY for that long.... sniff....
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