Don Left Us (+ video!)

Well little blog, I am finally getting to you! A lot of things have happened since my entry of moving to Arizona! I'll just write the most recent and add recent pictures below.

Don finished his first "trimester" of school - we survived, it was difficult! Very difficult... but we're moving forward. (don't worry, he actually got all A's! - perhaps because we were in a new state, did not know anyone, and he was gone SO much, that made it hard) He has completed his first half of the 2nd trimester - and is now completing the other half in Beijing China! Yes, you read correctly. CHINA. We took him to the airport Thursday morning, June 30th and he won't be back till August 19th. We have never been apart for so long since we've been married! (which we celebrated 5 years, May 5th) - and we were a little concerned how Carter would take his absence for so long. Carter and I are doing well though, and my plan thus far to keep ourselves extremely busy to make the days go by quicker is working. It helps a ton that we are able to video chat with Don a little in the early morning before he goes to bed (15hr time difference). I think since Carter see's him almost everyday, via the computer, it is helping him not wonder so much where daddy is. It's a little tough being a "single" mom though... but since grad school started I have felt like a single mom anyway..haha...but still, it was really nice to have an hour at night to chill while Don gave him his bath (if he was home). We just have till next December then he'll be done....so not that far...no worries here. :) ... ANYWAY, Don is doing well. It is amazing being in such a different culture and trying to communicate. He is living in a single room in a hotel (most of the students are) for the 6 weeks...but his is the only one missing a small fridge; which is a bummer for trying to take home food. There are more "bummers" over there too, particularly because the Chinese government has such control on everything, so he cannot access a lot on the Internet, and it is a slow connection and goes out often - plus they are not allowed to use the university campus they are going to at all. Only allowed in the one lecture room (which is chalk board and old desks...so much for high tech business!) and the cafeteria - but even the cafeteria was void for a few days till they go their "student passports" in, with their ID. He has class from 8am to 6pm - nonstop, with a half an hour for lunch, then it's a 30 min walk back to the hotel, and hours of homework (with no printer, and limited internet - 6 week classes condensed into 1 week, for 5 classes total) haha. So, not quite what we had imagined his study abroad would be, but what can ya do. I'm seriously angry...but that's just me. This MBA school is SO costly, and this study in China was EXPENSIVE...and he can't even go to the library. Urgggg! Sorry, just blowing some steam. He has to have a certainly amount of foreign classes and foreign credit. Thus the reason for the travel.

Carter and I sent him a little goodie package today - with a bunch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, Propel drink packets (he hates water straight up, haha...I should have not sent those, for he could learn to drink water), family picture, etc....and the medication I picked up for a friend and fellow student that is with him there. Don had emailed me and asked if I could go the pharmacy and pick up his prescription, which he needed within the week. ( I am sure he brought a lot of extra meds with him, but since he and his wife had been in Prague for a month already, and other places, he ran out) SO, anyway... meds he needed. So when I went to mail the package I had to write down everything that was contained in there on another sheet. (whew, try re-writing that English Chinese address on that form! I had to ask for help, I did not know where to put what! haha) Afterward the lady input everything, and then she saw I had the medication in there. This started a whole ordeal - and apparently it's illegal to send medication to China. I asked her what would happen if I took the chance and sent it (haha, ...half joking) she said, "it's the Chinese, they would confiscate it!"........"and probably eat all the cookies too," I added. haha. So, needless to say we opened the box and took the drugs I was smuggling out, re-sealed, and sent off. And this was all before 10am! haha

Okay, this post is long enough. Yes, Carter and I are still surviving alone in Arizona - we miss Don a lot, but look forward to the 19th of August! We are actually taking a last minute trip to Tennessee next Thursday for almost a week, so that will be a lot of fun! I will try and write more here soon. Perhaps tomorrow? :)

Now for some pictures!
(click on image to see it larger)

We took some pictures the morning before Don left, just playing around with the camera at a local park - it was already over 105F, so needless to say the pictures are not the greatest. Just too hot, and poor Carter was already beat red and not wanting to smile and we were all sweating horribly. Ha! We will try for some nice, "real" photos, this Fall -- there are some pretty locations close to us! I want a Christmas card picture this year!

Uncle Richard came out for a few days to play.
He and Carter get a long real well. Fun Fun Fun!

Eating some cookies I had made

Carter loves to doodle and draw, and so do I! He insists we do it at least 2x a day. :)

Climbed into the tub one morning and wanted to put all his bath toys in the there and play. Such a character! Love this boy~

Pudding Boy!

HaHa! I laugh every time I look at this photo. We had put these big socks on him, and he started to run around, jump like a rabbit and dance. This was his dance pose. :D

VIDEO of the socks!