Okay, Mike has assured me that my last posting disaster was due to a few bugs left in Firefox. Sooo.... I am using Safari and if this doesn't post I will rent my clothing and smear ashes from birthday candles on my head. First of all, much too late I want to share my opinion on the Easter giving dilema. I think the cards are great, no candy. Mom eats it all while children are playing or sleeping or at school or crying and screaming "MOM, you are eating all my chocolate!" If you feel you must send something besides cards, stickers or something else small and seasonal-seeds. I think you should send to your three daughters. Having been the first married it kind of hurt my feelings when -at first, until I told my dad in no uncertain terms that I was still his daughter- my sisters were given cute little things and I was left out. When your young and poor or a mom with a busy schedule it is nice to have mom and dad send a little pampering your way, even if it just some chocolate. moms freak out. Jane was reading this and added that last sentence.

Well Jane is sitting here beside me with an ice collar wrapped around her neck. We were up in Atlanta yesterday getting her tonsils and adenoids removed. "We" being me and the girls and my friend April. I waited half a year for Mike's schedule to free up so we could do this and then they schedule Infantry branch to come and discuss future duty stations the day of Jane's surgery. Then... they reschedule it the day of. Oh how I love the Army sometimes. So for Sadie's surgery we were in pre-op for twenty minutes, surgery for half an hour and then in our own private recovery room until we were taken to another private room for her stay. With Jane, not so. We drove up to Atlanta the day before for her pre-op eval and registration. We stayed overnight and got up at 5:30 to be in on time. So they call us back and have Jane change and I'm thinking 20 minutes-an hour and a half later I ask them how much longer. They tell me her surgery will be around 11:00. Meanwhile we have all three girls in a little curtained off 6x8 cell. You can only imagine the fun. So after a few minutes of stewing I ask the nurses, quite nicely, what is the rational for having us come in four hours prior to surgery. They said the doctor was late, but fifteen minutes later they came to tell me they were ready for her. I could take the credit for being assertive but I actually think it had more to do with Sadie singing Ariel "AAH AAH AAH" around the whole pre-op area. So we had her surgery, waited 4 more hours in the curtained off cell and drove 2 hours home and got lost on the way there (Jane's addition). She did so well. I thought she would be drama, drama, drama, but she has been quite stoic. Her daddy got her roses and a card saying he's not happy when she feels crappy. Yes, and we say shut up at our house too. But only if we're kidding.

It is already so weird not to hear our girls snoring at night. You used to be able to tell from the next room whether or not they were asleep but now it is peace and quiet. It will take some getting used to, I'm so glad it's done. The girls are too. Jane just wishes it was more done. So far I think Ellyn will escape the Stinchfield curse.

So Adina, my husband thinks you rock. He sat here exclaiming over and over how cool you are. He just couldn't believe it. I am amazed as well. He hasn't finished it yet by the way. Waaay too many games to play to actually finish one. Well time to publish. Wish me luck. Brooke