Home Sweet Home

It has been a little over a month since Oliver and I returned to South Carolina and we could not be happier to be back home. Since we have been back the weather has been beautiful with plenty of late night thunderstorms and lots of wonderful sunshine during the day. After spending a harsh winter in Montana, South Carolina has been a blessed relief from the cold and snow. So far Oliver has been healthy for two weeks in a row (knock on wood), which is a record considering how many ear infections this little man endured during our stay in Montana. We have been venturing outside almost daily, but we do have to either keep the sprinklers running or visit the pool since it is so warm here:-) The Poulsen Pickle is thriving (knock on wood:-), since location does not really matter to this little one yet:-) I never thought I would fall in love with the South having grown up in Montana, but having lived here for these past two years I never want to leave!

Here is my gorgeous hydrangea bush that is in the corner of our backyard. This thing is HUGE and produces the best smelling and most beautiful blooms. These flowers always remind me of my wedding day:-)


I had to get a picture of Oliver's hair after he was playing in the bark under the tree. He was such a mess we had to have bath time before nap time rather than bedtime:-)

This tree apparently attracts bees like you would not believe! Luckily they are all the sweet, fat, fuzzy bumble bees and honey bees:-)

Here is our new patio set that was a gift I purchased with all of my graduation contributions:-) It is such beautiful set and I cannot wait until Seth comes home and we can eat dinner outside!!! Thank you again everyone!!! (you know who you are;-)

Here is another bloom:-) So pretty!

Here is my fearless son going down the slide:-) He went down with no prompting from me at all (thanks to all the trips to the park with Oma in Montana:-) and was a pro at landing on his feet.

This "bridge" was a favorite of Ollie's because of the way it wobbled when he would walk from one side to the other. I lost count of how many times he crossed this thing.

Oliver barreling towards the sprinkler to play in the "bubbles".

Checking things out...

And realizing that if he sticks his face too close to the sprinkler, the bubbles go up his nose:-)

How Oliver watches Bolt, his new obsession. On the table, with Baby (his blanket for those who don't know), and a bowl full of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch.

My little bookworm. He absolutely LOVES books and stories and will plop himself down onto my lap so I can read to him. Usually he finds a book, hands it to me, grabs me by the hand, and pulls me to the couch so I will read to him. Could he BE any cuter?!?

I was trying to get a picture of just Oliver, but some random kid at the park kept trying to get me to take pictures of him too... I felt weird and slightly creepy taking pictures of some strange kid so I tried to crop him out...

Climbing the stairs like a big boy!

Driving the bus.

Lovin' on Baby.

This was taken right after I gave him a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. He is telling me he is a "mess" (he was pointing to his chest and saying "mess! mess!"). I usually tell him "you are a mess!" whenever he is in his chair, but he informed me this time:-) SO CUTE!!!

Giving Baby some more love:-) He snuggles up with this blanket everyday at nap time, bedtime, and any other time that Baby is with him.

And of course, a shot of my sweet boy's face:-) That little smile just melts my heart!!! As you can see, we are so very happy to be back home, although we do miss Bampa and Oma A LOT! Again, we are trying to lure them out to the South for September and December, (and if that little Oliver face doesn't do the trick, I don't know what will:-) and we are expecting Daddy to be home by the 7th of July!!! (At which time I can FINALLY reveal the gender of the Poulsen Pickle). Stay tuned for that official announcement! :-)

Ollie, Bampa, and Oma

Whilst Oliver and I were living in Montana, Seth made a request that I get some candid shots of Oliver playing in the yard with Oma and Bampa. Since Montana is not exactly the most accommodating state in terms of weather, we had to make due on a rather windy and cold Sunday afternoon while Bampa was still in town. Below are a few pictures of Oliver playing outside, (just after the snow melted) in the backyard. Oliver running down the slope where Seth and I exchanged rings after we were sealed:-)
Sitting on his seat

wearing the blue and gold of Montana State with pride!

Oma helping Oliver down the steps to gather more "Fi-Fis" or flowers. Oma would call them weeds;-)

And now back up the steps...

Ollie and Oma

Bampa helping Ollie give some hugs to the Owl. Oliver LOVED this owl!

And, by far, my favorite picture of Ollie and Bampa (and Elmo too:-). Those smiles are the best!!!

We are all hoping to have Bampa and Oma out this September after the Poulsen Pickle is born and to celebrate Oliver's 2nd birthday. We are also hoping to lure them out to South Carolina for Christmas:-) No snow, no ice, green grass... Plus, Oliver has become quite attached to his Bampa and Oma and would LOVE to have them out to stay!

COP Signing Banquet

just about a week ago, the US and Qatari base commanders came together and signed the first ever Common Operating Procedures (COP) for the base. the COP outlines the practices and procedures both nations will follow as the Qatar Air Force moves here to base in the near future. it outlines such things as who will maintain what buildings and infrastructure, how aircraft will land, takeoff, approach, etc, and how our emergency services will work together and where and when they will act alone. it is essentially the guiding document for working together here on base. the document has been years in the making, and was finally finalized and signed by both nation's base commander at the end of last month. the pictures below are taken at the signing banquet and celebration to mark the event.

i was involved with the infrastructure and CE portion of the document, and was the main US CE action officer for the document. as such, i was invited to the event and honored with a letter of appreciation for my efforts.

exhibit A) from L to R, US base commander, Qatari base commander, lots of other people who contributed, just out of the picture to the right, ME.

exhibit B) me receiving my letter of appreciation from both base commanders

exhibit C) the commanders exchanging a celebratory gift

exhibit D) all of us who contributed to making the COP a success and finally getting it completed and signed

The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades!

So, it is finally over. The blood, sweat and tears have finally purchased what I have been striving to achieve since 2004. Though it has come after six years of jumping through hoops, brown nosing, writing papers until the wee hours of the morning, reading countless novels and articles about stuff I will never remember, and studying to the point of being half crazed, I have finally earned the piece of paper that proudly proclaims I am a college graduate. Yes, I have earned my Bachelor's Degree. Though I thought this day would never come, on the 8th of May I graduated from Montana State University. WOO HOO!!!

Holding my diploma and wearing red heels. Could that be any more awesome?!

Since my Seth could not be there for the commencement ceremony, Oliver had to stand in for his Daddy.

Sadly, these are the only pictures that turned out from graduation. It was SUPER windy and cold that day so in all the other pictures my hair is standing straight up in the air. Not cute. Anyways, now that it is finally over, I guess I can look back on these times and say, "now that I am done, I actually kind of miss it...". YEAH RIGHT. I cannot even begin to relate how stoked I am to be DONE with college!!! Now I can focus all my energies into being a mother and wife without that nagging feeling of needing to finish school. Seth and I can now finally hang up our matching diploma frames and feel all important... Just kidding! (about the important part, we actually do have matching frames and have just been waiting for me to earn my diploma before we hung them up;-)

Happy day! I am done with school, Seth will be home in a little over a month, we are going to be having another baby, and our little family will be able to be together for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas:-) Nothing but good times ahead!!!

For My Love...

Here are some new pictures of Oliver, Seth my love. I didn't comment on them because there are over twenty pictures, but I know you wanted to see some more photos of the cutest boy on Earth, so here you go. I love you and miss you!!!
-your wife