In May, I decided the get braces. This picture is a couple of  years old but it shows how big the gap was between my front teeth.

After having braces for about 5 months, this is what the gap looks like today.

Still a long way to go, but at least I am seeing some results.

Also during the last month, Jacquie has learned to walk. Her mom reports she is enjoying getting into everything. At her last checkup she weighed 16 lbs and 4.3 ounces so she is still a tiny princess. I guess that means she can have a much ice cream as she wants!

Callum is playing soccer this fall and is active in his Cub Scout troop. Barbara is going to school full-time as well as being Den Mother, and probably several other things. I think she is like her Dad in that way.

I haven't posted in a while so I will try to catch you up with what we have been up to.

John returned from his seven-month tour of duty in Afghanistan in the early morning hours of August 2. There was a whole lot of cheering and crying when the whole group marched into the gym.

Then there were lots of hugs. There were eight family members there to greet him so this took a while.

Once his stuff was stowed away in his barracks, he was ready to go. He had slept on the plane but since it was 4 a.m. by that time and everyone had been up all night (and in our case had driven 10 hours that day) we had to put him off until we had some sleep. It is tradition to hang banners on the fence the buses drive by as they come back on post. Here he is with the banner his Mom put up. 

He had to stay on base for a few days but he did have some free time to visit with family and enjoy the beaches of North Carolina.

He spent most of his post-deployment 30 day leave with us in Alabama reconnecting with friends and just hanging out. The three of us attended the Alabama/Western Kentucky game on September 8. We had the opportunity to sit in the skybox owned by Dad's company. I could get used to that!  

Charlotte (a.k.a. Katie) also visited with us for a couple of days while John was here. They left within a day of each other so now the house is empty and quiet again.