Wow, I just went back over the blogs for the month and read all the comments and realized that I am missing half of what is going on if I don't read all of those as well. As I sit here and read everyone's goings ons, look at all the great pictures, and read the side conversations between family members I am overwhelmed with a feeling of love and gratitude for this family that I was so blessed to marry into. I don't want to get all mushy but I love you all very much and consider both sides of my family to be my very best friends. I am so excited for all the visits, it is going to be wonderful! I have missed doing more with all of you during the exciting time of my brother and sister coming home ( not that I haven't had fun ; ) .

Mike and I are having a really great time together (except right now, he's at work). We've gone hiking and taken the train down to the National Museum of Korea and the Korean War Museum. We did a very little bit of shopping (bribery for the girls), and we've spent alot of time just hanging out together, reading books, watching movies, just relaxing. Something I desperately needed. It's nice to come back a second time because I don't feel obligated to go out and see everything. Normally I would rather die than just laze around, especially in another country but I 've taken advantage of having no schedule whatsoever and having Mike in the same room with me has been more than enough. We went to a Hail and Farewell for his buddy the day after I got here. It was a BBQ and most of the guys were a little late getting there so Mike and I decided to go to the library for a few minutes. The few young soldiers that were already at the BBQ and that Mike had already introduced me to were teasing Mike, saying "Now that's how you show a woman a good time, you take her to the library!" Well that's always been a good time for me, but besides that I realized we are just an old married couple now. It's kind of fun.

We have been doing more research on what to do for Ellyn, what she will be facing and frankly I am overwhelmed and a little scared. I know she hasn't been officially screened but from everything we've read I know that we are facing some form of autism. I think an unforseen blessing has been our move to Washington at this point in her development. I think the forced interaction with so many family members that love her and care for her has aided in her ability to adjust to touch and to crowds and to people. Areas that so many children have difficulty with. I put my faith in the Lord that he will guide us in what we need to do for her. I'm thinking I'm going to have to become a much more organized and focused individual and I just hope I'm up to it. I know our little immediate family is perfect for our little Elbow. She couldn't ask for better siblings or a better dad.

Mike is working very hard to try to get our orders cut for Germany. We had to turn in a bunch of paperwork on Ellyn and then this morning he found an Army policy that states that families that move over to Europe early are not command sponsored until the soldier reaches that duty station (no DOD schools, housing, etc... all the reasons we were going over early). He has e-mailed those that are all knowing and we are finding out if that is an enforced policy, still a policy, etc... We don't want to get hit with it by someone that knows the rule somewhere further down the line. We'll see how soon we hear back. What can you do? There was a baseball player on the Jim Rome show yesterday (sports radio) and he was saying that you just can't look at things as going wrong, it's just an oppurtunity for something in another direction. Very Pollyanna-ish and something that I believe, but very convenient to hear just yesterday. We'll see if we can still make it work (Mike will, I'll sit and nag and ask a million questions) and if not we get to spend a beautiful summer in Washington with our families.

Adina, I'm sorry to hear about your woman problems ;). Anne and Peter, I'm so sad that I missed your surprise visit. I'm very glad the girls were there so they could get you for the entire weekend. My other consolation is that you will be back in a month. Marnie, I had missed the blog about the promotion and the raise. That's absolutely great. T&T, K&T can't wait for the visits. Barb, Kenn, and Brent, thank you for taking such good care of our girls. I miss them terribly. I love you all. Love, Brooke

P.S. Brent, I threw in a couple of semi-colans just for you, okay and Barb and Dave and Adina.