In Baltimore!

We made it!  LJ was a GEM after his 5:30 a.m. wake-up call, and we headed to the airport via the Holiday Inn Shuttle in Birmingham.  After a relatively easy check-in, (dismantling the car seat, carry-on contraption we have), we played till boarding time.  We had a great flight, aside from rough weather entering Baltimore, and LJ was so good!!!   It was so good to see Lance's smiling face at baggage claim.  It seemed like a long time, and LJ was just as thrilled.

After picking up the baggage, we headed to look at apartments.  After looking we decided on a 2 bedroom ( 2nd bedroom is a stretch), one bath in downtown Baltimore.  It's within about a mile-and-a-half from the field, and we have a Whole Foods Grocery across the street!  High prices aside, I could just stroll through there every day and come out with a piece of cake, nice cut of meat or whatever.  I'm excited about that - actually, we just walked back home from there, and LJ is busy drinking his whole milk as I type.  

The apartment is like a high-rise hotel.  We park in a parking garage, find the correct door, (we'll figure that out in time), find the right elevator and proceed to room # 927.  We are facing a nice green area, (Rookie isn't allowed there, so we have to take him all the way down to walk), and the water of the "inner harbor" is just beyond there.  It's an entirely different style of living than we are used to, and we are excited about getting used to it.  If you have to leave home, it's nice to stretch a little and live a bit different.  We'll be a "city family", hopefully, for the next few months.  Any visitors are WELCOME!  We have a Courtyard Marriot LITERALLY across the street.  I'd offer up our "2nd bedroom", but it has windows and you couldn't even change without being visible to the rest of the apartment.  The nice thing, though -- I can peek in on LJ through those windows as he sleeps!

OK, so that's it...we are all moved in, though not completely unpacked.  It's been a LONG day, but the days will get shorter as we get more done...and they'll be filled with more fun.  

I hope you are doing great!!  We are doing well and learning our new, neat area.  Goodnight!

Love,

Jamie

Sorry I've been absent!

I know I've been bad about this since being south, but I promise I'll pick back up once I get settled again.  Having to pull the laptop out of hiding at night has been something I've forgotten to do since being here!

We have had a nice visit - I am almost totally recovered from that horrible bout of "crud", and we are packing to head to Lance on Monday morning.  It has been a wonderful visit, and we have loved it!  LJ is playing, swimming, enjoying some good times before heading back to city life!  It'll be great there, too, once we get settled.  

I promise to pick back up where we left off then.  Sorry it's been so random, but when we find a place to live, I'll find a place to type nightly.  Hope you guys are doing great!!!!

Love,

Jamie

P.S.  Had an amazing dedication at the Wharf in honor of my Dad today.  He would have LOVED it!!!  A barge even drove by unexpectedly, honking, as we enjoyed cookies after.  The barges were always his favorite.

In Gulf Shores!

So sorry I haven't written in a couple days -- the internet connection was tough, and I also got really sick at home.  I RARELY get sick, but woke up with a bad sore throat yesterday.  I thought I'd wait it out, thinking I'd feel better, but it quickly escalated into a high fever, ear pain, body aches...the whole nine yards.  What's a girl to do?  I called my mom and said, "MOMMY, PLEASE HURRY!"  Seriously, that's about what I did, and she was there quickly.  When she arrived, I was in bad shape, but after 24 hours on antibiotics and keeping the tylenol coming, I'm feeling a bit better.  It's been a long time since I've been this sick.  I guess I can't expect it to be gone in a day.  That being said, we headed to Gulf Shores together late this morning, and we are all snuggled in bed, me included, (as I type).  

I just wanted to touch base -- LJ is doing great.  We still miss Lance like crazy, but he's headed on to the last city in his trip, so we will see him soon.  We have to find somewhere to live now!  Fun stuff :)  I bet we'll find somewhere really neat -- I already know that no matter where we live till October, we have a wonderful place to come home to then...I just lysol'd it and set the alarm this morning!

I hope you are well!

Love,

Jamie

Great day at home!

All I can say is, it was a great day!  Lots of playtime here at the house-- anytime we are not eating or sleeping and we are here, LJ says, "outside".  He LOVES it here, and it makes me so glad that we came home for a bit.  There is nothing like the safety of opening the door, playing in the driveway and knowing that you are free to stay and play as long as you want...it's YOUR space!

We renewed tags and got duplicate liscences today, those kinds of errands, then ate at city cafe for lunch.  LJ ate really well, then we went home again to play and nap.  After his nap, we met Shelby and Stacey at the Riverwalk and played till they were starving for dinner.  LJ and I came home and ate, then played outside until almost nine o'clock - he wasn't ready for bathtime till then.

Speaking of bath time, I dropped my phone in the bath, so anyone trying to get in touch with me will probably have to wait till tomorrow.  It was like slow motion, I was saying, "NOOOOOO" while trying to catch it.  I've been blow-drying it on cool, hitting the water out of it, but it's not looking good for the phone.

I'll end on that note, but even without a phone, it was a good day.  I LOVE IT HERE!  I'm so thankful to have a home that's a haven and precious place to me and mine!  Hope your day was great, I'm tired and headed to bed!

Love you, Lance-- we miss you!!!!!!!!!!

Home again!

So sorry for the missed post!  I got home to Tuscaloosa late last night, and I can barely catch  a wireless signal here.  It's about as strong as my phone signal, which is weak.  So, I'll keep the posts brief till I leave Wednesday.

It's so good to be home.  Stacey Bruney was sweet enough to get us from the airport, so we got to ride home with her and Shelby...who is SO cute!!!  After unpacking and putting LJ to bed, I honored my homecoming with a bath in my own bathtub!  

LJ slept in his bed till sunrise, so that was great.  He woke up a few times, but put himself back to sleep pretty quickly.  Life here at home is very easy in ways like that :)  We spent the day playing outside, only to come inside for meals and a nap.  I'm sure I could find some dusting, laundry and stuff like that to do, but we pulled weeds, shot "baskball", played on the slide ALL day.  In fact, we just finished dinner and are about to go out for a wagon walk.  

I hope your day has been good.  Lance was home for only one day before heading out for this long trip, so we miss him a lot.  Rookie, we miss you, too -- all the way in Baltimore in the kennel.  Poor guy :)  Have a wonderful rest of your night, and please know we are doing the same!!!

Love,

Jamie

One tough but successful day.

Well, after packing till past midnight last night, Lance headed out at 4:10 a.m. this morning.  That wasn't our first wake-up call, though -- LJ was up at 2 a.m., a little warm...turns out he has the beginnings of an ear infection.  I took him to the doctor today wanting to ward off any possible viruses.  

Lance got on his way, and began a LONG trip to California, stopping in Dallas.  Upon his arrival, he got the news that his bags didn't make it, (glove, baseball stuff and all), so he had to wait for it to arrive on the next flight.  After collecting his luggage, he was able to enjoy a nice lunch with his agent before heading to the field.

This morning, LJ and I headed out to return the cable box and get a taller carry-on luggage so that I can strap his car seat to it with a neat contraption.  We picked that up from Target, along with some motrin and other things then headed home to meet the people picking up the furniture.  They took about 2 hours, but finally got it out.  After that, I took LJ to the dr. and we got a late lunch at Chic-fil-a.  

After lunch, we cleaned up the apartment, loaded the rest of the stuff into the truck and began our trek to Baltimore, where we are now.  We take Rookie to be boarded in the morning and fly out tomorrow afternoon to Alabama -- can't wait to be home for a few days.

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts -- One day down, one travel day to go.  God is good, and I know his hand is on us.  Please pray though , for Lance out west, for LJ to feel better, and for us to make it through the flight easily.

Love you guys!

Jamie

On the move!

Well, I'm sorry this one is so quick, but we are in the midst of packing!  Yes, we are on the move, again!  Lance got the call to head up to Baltimore today, and he flies out at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning to go to L.A.  So, at this moment, we are packing the truck, (literally, stuffing stuff in tupperwares) so that I don't have to do that alone with LJ in tow tomorrow morning.  The furniture people are coming to pick up the furniture tomorrow.  I have to turn off the cable and return the box, then LJ, Rookie and I are driving to Baltimore so that the truck will be waiting for Lance upon his arrival from the long road trip.  

On Saturday, I am boarding Rookie, ( so sad, I know), and LJ and I are flying out to Alabama.  Sometimes, you just gotta go home!  I don't have a place to live in Baltimore yet, and I don't want to rush it, so I'm going to spend a few days at home.  After those three days or so, I'm heading to Gulf Shores to see my mom -- they are dedicating a part of the Wharf in my father's memory, so we will all be together on Mother's Day weekend.  

These next couple of days are going to be hectic, but I am so happy for Lance.  Like everyone in this profession, he has worked hard and this is his shot.  Please pray for God's hand to continue guiding us!  He's so present in everything we do!

Love you!

Jamie