Got the Thanksfuls....

In honor of Thanksgiving I thought I'd jot down things I'm Thankful for.

Not necessarily in any order just as they come to mind:

- Being close to family during the Holidays

- The love of my husband

- The nest we're building for our family

- The breakfast in my belly

- The Thanksgiving feast we're planning at my Grandparents house

- Unconditional love of mans best friend(s)

- The toasty slippers on my feet

- The warm mug in my hand

- Listening to the crunch of happy puppy feet in our forest of leaves

- Fresh Paint

- Wireless Internet

- A place where I can jot down my thoughts and share with others

- The sing song of birds before the rain

- The smell of rain in the fall (they should make a candle)

- IPOD and docking station, otherwise this house would be too quite

- The adirondack chair the previous owners left in the back yard

- The colors of fall... music to my eyes

- Apple Cider

- Crisp cold sheets when I climb into bed

- Salvation Army Bell ringers and the Stores that let them ring

- Radio stations that start playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving

- Farmer's Markets and the bounty of the land during Harvest season

- Flat bread biscuits from the Old Chickahominy House

- Tastes of Sicily that were stowed away in my carry-on (Oil and Vinegar)

- Rainy days where I can sit and reflect on everything I'm Thankful for.

Knowing that my Husband will make an Amazing Father.

What are you Thankful for this time of year??

New Adventures

Leaving Sicily last Thursday and arriving in Virginia on Saturday morning was certainly an adventure. Our delay was due to a Crazy storm system that was flooding Norfolk and causing Mass Transit nightmares all over the east coast. Ahh well, I'll take what ever Welcome Home Celebration I can get!!

I arrived in one piece with all luggage and two pups in tow and was met by my Mom, Dad and Uncle Chuck!! The pups enjoyed a romp in the grassy courtyard with Dad and I loaded up the cars for the ride to my parents house, no way was I driving to Williamsburg to an empty house.

Jack & Ana had a blast exploring Mom and Dad's backyard Oasis, never have they seen so many plants and shrubs to trample and pee on. They were in heaven!!

On Sunday we headed to our new house in Williamsburg to explore and sniff and sniff and explore!!! I've never seen two happier puppy dogs in my life. Hours have been spent outside in our "Mini-forest" looking for birds and squirrels and moles. Ohh the joy of the Dogs Life!!

Jack was doing some major Birdwatching...

Since Sunday I've been swamped with contractor appointments; Painters and Decorators Galore. Finally today, everything is in place for the interior to be painted in preparation for Mr. Crab and our Household goods to arrive in December!!

More soon....

Moving on

So today is my last full day in Sicily. As of tomorrow evening I should be making my way to Virginia where our family will put down some roots (as well as any military family can) and build on our future. I've avoided writing these last few weeks because honestly, I don't know what to say or how to say it. I'm sad, I'm nervous and I'm feeling a little depressed. Sicily has found a place in my heart... I might have not always love living here, it was a big adjustment at first and at times I know I probably took it for granted but in the end it has changed me and made me a better person, one with patience and tolerance and a larger view of life. My children will know what it means to live the sweet life, they will enjoy meals at the family table and know about the land that surrounds them and the land they have never seen, they will have a rich sense of adventure and I will indulge their imaginations with history and lore for I have all the souvenirs any one person needs, I have my memories of Sicily.

The Crab family is moving on to bigger and brighter things for our little family and although I'm sad to say goodbye, I'm excited for whats to come.

A few of my favorite things...

Stay tuned for Crab tales from the States...

Is it called -3 months?

Though Mr. Crab and I have already made the announcement, I've determined that I'm at a safe enough place in the Pregnancy, after checking my facts of course, to start talking about it. To document the ups and downs and put into words the feelings I have about taking on the single greatest responsibility of my life.

Entering the Second Trimester has come alot faster than I thought and hoped it would. Trust me I know how stupid that sounds!! I've had a text book pregnancy so far... from all day sickness to aching boobs to mood swings, sheer exhaustion and forgetfuls. Everything has been right there in the book for me to read and reread as I digest this miraculous event that is going on in my body. So assuming I continue on this path of "Standard Pregnancy" then one would assume that the Second Trimester will be IMMENSELY better.

I have all the info (trust me I have every book on the shelf) and I have copious amounts of advice from all my friends who are Mommies. I'm headed back to the States where I'm sure to find a Doctor of my liking and have my family to support me. But yet, there in the back of my mind, pushing on that secret anxiety button, I'm panicked...

It's all the normal stuff I'm sure first time parents fret about; Will I be a good mother? Will I have a healthy child? Am I doing everything I can to make sure both of those questions will be answered with a Yes!? Is it true what my mother said all those years: "You wait til you have a child, Karma's a bitch?"

What if this, what if that...

So now I've decided to put down the self help books, because at this point, I'm not 100% sure if they're helping me or hurting me. Did you know that if you have a book from 2002 and a book from 2009 they could completely contradict each other. Oy!!! I've decided, I'm not going to think about what kind of diapers I'll use and whether or not I need to install Sanitizer dispensers in every room of our new house. For now, I'm going to try and enjoy these next few days before I head back to the States and have to immerse myself in paint colors and safety latches.

Should I use VOC free paint or will it matter in 6 months... SEE!! Damn books

Addiction

So lately I've been addicted to Scramble Egg, Bacon and Cheese Sandwiches. No, addicted isn't the right word, crazed, insatiable, gotta have it for three square meals a day... yep that's about right!!

I swear I'm going to wake up clucking one of these days!!