Howdy! It's been a VERY long time since my last post. Seems like time is getting away from me. For those who follow me on Facebook, you're pretty much up to date on the Caufield Clan. We are having a fantastic summer and wish it could go a little slower. We made it up to D.C. a few weeks ago and have decided we need to make the trip more often. We don't miss city life, but we do like to visit it now and then.

This year Macen is in the 7th grade. It's killing me! My best friend Nan mentioned that he'd be in high school before too long...kept me awake all night! Grant is doing well and headed to Hawaii once again for work. I'll be here holding down the fort as usual. I'll up date more later on.

Motherhood

Macen informed me that the last two posts were sad, and that's not the way we do things. I thought I needed to lighten the mood. Here are a few things that I have learned while being a mom.

1. No matter how hard you try, a swear word WILL slip out of your mouth and your child will hear it and use it and the worst possible time.
2. When your child is a baby and you smell something gross chances are the diaper needs to be changed. When your child (especially a boy) is older and you smell something gross it could be coming from a number of places, which include but not limited to: His armpits, his bare feet, his shoes, his room, his backpack, his mouth, or,  the silent but smelly gas he likes to pass whenever he walks by you.
3. If you have a son, you will find yourself looking at every girl in his school trying to decide who would make the perfect mother of your (very very far in the) future grandchildren.
4. You will find that as your son grows older he will become fascinated with his "man parts"
5. Kids are weird
6. Other kids will drive you insane....because YOUR child is completely normal
7. Though your child is the best part of your life, you need to spend time with your spouse. Kids leave, and if you do it right, your spouse will be with you forever!
8. You WILL mess up
9. Kids are a never ending mess....but you miss it as they grow up
10. Even if you only have ONE child, you are still a parent,
11. Snow days CAN be fun
12. Going to bed early is just as much fun as staying up late and partying!
13. Your child will have his/her own opinion. You must respect it. You don't have to agree with it..but you must respect it.
14. Don't insult your child.
15. No matter how much you try to stop it, your child will get older and bigger.
16. There is nothing like getting a hug form a child
17. You WILL threaten anyone who even thinks about harming your child.
18. There is such thing as being a bad parent, luckily, my son says I am not one of them.
19. Your child will bring home stray animals...some cute, like cats. Others, not so much.
20. Check your sons pockets after a rain storm..there may be frogs living in them
21. Girls rule, boys drool OR Boys rule, girls drool WILL be heard throughout elementary school.
22. WWE is a very awesome sport
23. The Rock is the most electrifying man in entertainment.
24. Your entire life will evolve around what your child likes!
25. Being a mom is the greatest job you will EVER have. Enjoy it.

In Honor Of Our Katie Bird

I never knew I could love so much,
until the day I felt your touch.
I softly kissed your cheeks
And from under your lashes I saw you peek.
Your beautiful eyes, so small and blue.
My sweet little baby, just brand new to the world.
It hurt so much when I lost you
My daughter, My love, My little joy.
I will never get to see you grow up and shine
Because God needed you more than me.
I promise I will never forget you
And There'll always be a place in my heart for you.
Even though I only got to spend 4 mos. with you,
I still can hear your laughter in my ears.
My eyes fill with tears, everytime I look at your pictures
Because I miss you so much.
You brought me joy,
Everytime that I looked at you.
All the things that you did,
Brought a smile to my face.
I was so glad when God gave me you,
But I was upset when he took you away from me so quick.
I use to wake up every morning,
Just to look in your eyes,
But that night when we checked and you weren't breathing
It broke my heart and I took the blame.
One day when my time has come,
We'll be together again.

Special Angel
Author unknown
There is a special Angel in Heaven
That is a part of me
It is not where I wanted her
But where God wanted her to be
She was here just a moment
Like a night time shooting star
And though she is in Heaven
She isn't very far
She touched the hearts of many
Like only an Angel can do
I would have held her every moment
If the end I only knew
So I send this special message
To heaven up above
Please God take care of my Angel
and send her all my love

I'm BAACK!!!!!

Wow! It's been a very long time since I've blogged! I think I should start it up again since there is so much happening in the Caufield family. I'm not even sure where to start!
Macen is in 5th grade this year. His last year of elementary school! It's so hard for me to believe! He's doing so well. He has a handle on his learning issues and seems to be trying even harder to do well in school. This year we have our first issues with bullies. It drives me crazy. He takes it all in stride! He did ask me to give my "mom stink eye" to one of the kids...I may be going to lunch with him on Monday to see if the "stink eye" will work!  He's still very much in to WWE and he is an expert on the characters. I got to go to my first RAW with him and Grant last June, and I will admit it freely..I LOVE WWE!  Macen also took up Wrestling here in town. He's slowly getting better! He really likes it, but he hates to lose! I am so proud of how he is growing up. He really is my star!

Grant is happily retired from the Navy. It's such a blessing! I really don't miss deployments..I REALLY don't miss base housing. I love having him home. He still works hard, and travels a lot! He finally gets to not shave every day! He loves it. It drives me CRAZY! Right now he's in Japan. He's going to be gone until the end of the month, but I get to talk to him every day. (So much better than when he was on a ship) He's such a good man, a great husband and an awesome dad!

 

Now, me? nothing really new. I love my life. I love my family. I have some pretty awesome friends and I am addicted to Facebook! I have big plans this year, so as they start happening I'll blog!

Well, I have more to tell, but it's time for me to go wrestle with Macen! Peace out!

 

 

 

 

Oh Rockets...

Sunday,we mourned the loss of 3 out of the 4 Rockets my husband created! (I will pause now for a moment of silence)

Okay..good to go now???

My Rocket-non-Scientists have found a fun spot to launch rockets. I will not say where..I'll just say that this spot of land has seen battle, so rocket launches will not harm it!

It was a great time. Macen loves the sunshine. It was a pretty perfect day!

Not much going on in the Caufield family. We are waiting for the official retirement date. We are starting to look at houses here in the Yorktown area. I am starting to get excited and nervous at the same time! I feel like such a grown up!

Macen is doing amazing! If you haven't checked out his blog, please do so. He is like a completely different child since the medication. His grades are fantastic, and he has made so many friends! I love it!

Grant is still working like a dog. He is tired, but he bleeds Navy. He amazes me. He has such honor, such devotion..I am blessed to call him my husband!

That's it for now! I love you all, and can't wait to officially share our news..a few more weeks I think!!!

Family Cruise Day Aboard the Mighty USS Cole

Our first and last Family Cruise in the Navy! WOW! 13 years of being with a sailor and I finally remembered the main reason I didn't join the Navy...I get seasick. REALLY seasick!

Last Friday, the boy, John, Sara, and myself met Grant aboard the Cole for a day on the open sea.

As you can tell by the picture it was a very rainy, cold, and blustery day. John and Sara were amazing! Macen and I not so much. Macen slept the day cuddled in a quilt on Grants bed. I, being ever so graceful, vomited all over the p-way! Attractive I know!

Grant works with some amazing people. Grant is an amazing man. I am so proud of the dedication he has, of the dedication those who work with have. It is a tough job, and not meant for everybody. I can tell you without doubt, that I sleep better at night knowing that our freedom is being protected by these people that I have met!

I have loved my life as a sailors wife. I have loved the adventure. I have met some of my greatest friends while following my husband and his career. (If any of you are reading this, you know who you are and I love you!)

Well, it's late. I am tired and I get the whole bed to myself, so I am signing out. Good night everyone!

Happy Happy Birthday Daddy

Yesterday was my dads birthday. He is such a great man! He is always there when I need him. He's a good dad! I love him very very much!

Every time I think of my dad the old primary song pops in my head:

I'm so glad when daddy comes home

Glad as I can be

Clap my hands and shout for joy

and climb upon his knee.

Put my arms around his neck

hug him tight like this

pat his cheeks

and give him what?

A GREAT BIG KISS!

I love you very much dad..thanks for being the first man in my life!

Happy 10th Birthday Stinky Face!

I am officially the mother of a ten year old! It's killin' me! I can remember EVERY day I have spent with this boy. He is so wonderful. I adore him. He makes me laugh on a daily basis. He can make me cry, scream, giggle, and want to bang my head in to a wall in a matter of minutes!

Macen J..I love you so much. I am so proud of the young man you are becoming. Stay strong and happy. Remember: I have your back! Happy Happy Birthday!

Conversation with God

Me: God can I ask you a question?

God: Sure

Me: Promise you won't get mad?

God: I promise

Me: Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today?

God: What do you mean?

Me: Well, I woke up late,

God: Yes

Me: My car took forever to start,

God: Okay~

Me: at lunch they made my sandwich wrong & I had to wait,

God:Hmmmm...

Me: On the way home, my phone went DEAD, just as I picked up a call

God: All right~

Me: And to top it all off, when I got home ~I just wanted to soak my feet in my new foot massager & relax. BUT it wouldn't work!!! Nothing went right today! Why did you do that?

God: Let me see, the Death Angel was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that~

Me: OH (humbled)

God: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road.

Me: (ashamed).........

God: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick & I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.

Me: Ok (embarrassed)

God: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered.

Me: I see God (softly)

God: Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight and I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.

Me: I'm sorry God

God: Don't be sorry, just learn to trust me.....in all things , the good & the bad.

Me: I will trust you~

God: And don't doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan.

Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, thank you for everything today.

God: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I love looking after my children.

I really LOVE the Beach

Macen and I took another walk on Yorktown beach...It was very cold, but very beautiful. We walked the opposite way then yesterday. It was so fun. I cherish days like today. We talked about the tide. We searched for shells. We through rocks. We played. Macen told me his plans for the future. I can't lie, I am excited for him to go to school tomorrow, but I love day like this...just me and my son...

Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from the Beach

1. Life changes with every tide.

2. Keep your eye on the horizon..there is always something beautiful to see

3. Life has days of rain, but it doesn't last. While it's raining it's replenishing Nature

4. Enjoy the Sun

5. You need to relax, put your a$$ in the sand, and your feet in the water. Life can stop for a moment

6. Life is like a day at the beach. You come to the beach full of excitement and looking for adventure. You leave a little overworked, a little worn out, and look forward to going home

7. There IS a God. You can't spend anytime at the beach without noticing His handy work.

8. Life goes on. The horizon last forever

9. Trouble is like the sand in an oyster. It may irritate, it may hurt, but in time you become a Pearle

10. A bad day at the beach is always better than a good day at work!

Weekly(ish) Update

Sleepovers, Birthday Parties, Anniversary, Doctor's appointments...what a crazy few weeks!

Macen went to a birthday party last Saturday. Maria is a girl in his class who is also a neighbor. He calls her his girlfriend..but not THAT kind of girlfriend. She is a girl who is a friend. (He reminds me of this every day!) After the party, she and her sister came to our house to play. If I could have recorded them I would have won $10, 000 on America's Funniest Video's.

Grant celebrated 20 years in the Navy this week. I am so stinkin' proud of him! He's ready to retire, but I think he'll miss the daily Navy life.

Macen had his second sleep over. It's nice to see him making friends. I was so tired the next day that I swore the next time, Grant gets to be in charge

We had Macen's doctor's appointment to get his medication. If you haven't already checked out his blog you should. The doctor wants him to keep a journal of his experiences. Macen is pretty funny. He didn't want to go on any medication. When I asked him why he said "Because now I can't tell the teacher my Asperger's is acting up."

Grant is still underway. He's probably not going to make it home for his Birthday. (We just realized he has missed celebrating his birthday with us for most of out married life)

I'm doing well. I miss Grant, but Macen keeps me busy. This winter in Virgina has been snow free so I'm happy about that.

Well, that's about it. We love you all!! Drop me a line to let me know how you're doing

20 Years!

20 years ago today my very amazing husband joined the Navy! I can not tell you how proud I am of him. He does incredible work. He is the greatest thing that ever happened to the Navy! It takes dedication to stay in the military for 20 years. He balances his career and his family with perfection (it probably helps that I am an amazing Navy wife...)

Grant, I love you so much! Thank you for being so wonderful!

Happy Birthday Will!!!

Oh William..my favorite nephew from Rice family! How I love you! I know you hate hearing this, but it feels like yesterday when I was changing your diaper! How cute you were as a baby..and you've gotten so handsome. I am very proud of you! Have a very Happy Birthday!

My Sweet Princess

Katie Mechelle Caufield

9/29/2004-1/22/2005

To You

The White Rose

All the earth's mothers were gathered together at God's garden of flowers; Those beautiful budding spirits, who would someday come to earth, were nurtures and tended in the garden. A loving Father, spoke to the Mothers; "See the works of my hands, someday you will be the mothers to these radiant spirits." The garden glowed with the mixture of all kinds and colors.

"Choose ye," he said.

Now, in the east corner of the garden pure white roses stood as sentinels. They were not as colorful as the rest, but glowed with a kind of purity which set them apart. One by one mothers stepped forward. "I want the blue eyed curly haired one, who will grow to maturity and be a mother in Zion" Yet another chose a brown eyed, brown haired boy, full of life and love who would someday be a prince in a grand country. The garden buzzed with excitement as the others chose their own special spirits, those whom they would soon welcome into warmth and love of an earthly home.

Once again the loving Father spoke, "But who will take the white roses, the ones in the east corner of the garden? These will return to me in purity and goodness, they will not stay long in your home, for I must bring them back to my garden for they belong with me, but they will gain bodies as was planned, you will miss them and long for them, but I will personally care for them."

"No, not I," many said, in unison. "I couldn't bear to give one back so soon." "Nor I," said others. "We will take those who will remain and grow to maturity and live long lives."

The loving Father looked out across the multitude of mothers with a longing in his eyes for someone to step forward.

Silence.

Then he said; "See the most pure and perfect of all the white ones? I Chose Him. He will go down and be a sacrifice for all mankind. He will be scorned, mocked, and crucified. He is mine own. Will not anyone choose like unto him?"

A few mothers stepped forward.

"Yes Lord, I will." Then another. "I as well," Yes we will Lord."

Soon all the pure white roses were taken, and they rejoiced in the choices of the mothers.

The Father spoke again, "Oh, blessed are you who chose the white roses, for your pain will be a heavy cross to bear, but our joy will be exceeding, beyond anything you can understand at this time."

The white ones embraced their mothers, and so full was their purity and love that it filled their souls with such endearment. Each mother knew they could endure the tasks.

And the greatest of all the white ones, gathered them as a hen gathers her chicks, and the outpouring of love surrounded each mother and child, consuming all the white ones as He prepared them for their task. And each mother who bore the weight of the White Rose, would feel the overwhelming love of God, as they all shouted, "Thy will be done."

Congratulations Rachael and Vincent!!!

Our Family is adding one more to the loony bin! My BEAUTIFUL, TALENTED, BRILLIANT niece got engaged last night!!! I am so happy for her! I am excited to meet her love very soon!

(Just a little trivia for you all...both she AND her sister changed their last initial form a "W" to a "D")

Rachael, I can't say it enough, we here in the Caufield home love you very very much. You deserve all the happiness in the world!! Congratulations!

Happy Birthday Tracy!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy to one of my FAVORITE sisters! I hope your day is awesome! You totally ROCK!!!

My sister Tracy is so great. I just love her to bits! She is kind, and loving. She is so smart. She gives freely. She is great with animals. She's a great mom and a fantastic sister. She makes me laugh alll the time!

So, sis..I hope this year brings you everything you wish for...I love you!

Happy Birthday Boner (aka Jeremy)

HaPpY BiRtHdAy to my unofficial Brother-in-law! (Grant's brother from another mother) We love you very much!!!! I hope that in the near future I get to hear another story that starts with 'One night Jer and I were so drunk...."

Happy Happy Birthday Matt

I have 3 nephews, and I love each and every one of them..But since it's Matt's birthday, I'll tell you why I love him...
He's freaking AWESOME! He is trying to find his way and he makes me laugh. He's smart, cute and very very funny. He swears like a sailor (which you all know I have a thing for sailors) I am not saying that swearing is good, but Matt does it like a poet...
Matt, Happy Happy Birthday! I love you very very much!!!