Good-Bye to an AMAZING Family

When I woke up this morning I had a weird pit in my stomach. Not bad, just weird. For the past two weeks, my husband Tim has been walking around with an odd look in his eyes. I did not recognize it and he just kept saying he had "a lot" going on. It was starting to bug me, but it wasn't until today that I finally understood. Today July 20, 2012 , after ten years, we are walking away from the marine corps. Tim had his last PT session with his marines followed by a change of command ceremony. Many of you who follow me have probably heard some of Tims tales in the marine corps. When he wanted to get things done for his marines he found a way to accomplish it. Come hell or high water he would fight for what he believed and took care of his marines. He was well respected and a great leader. I have on more than one occasion at various events had marines come up to me and express that Tim has been their best Company Commander and they had learned so much from him. I never totally understod that until today as the ceremony closed the marines that lined up to shake his hand and say their goodbyes. It was quite a sight to see them all waiting in line and brought a tear to my eye. The lives he has touched....nothing short of amazing. Today it all ended. It has been a roller coaster, but neither one of us regret one moment of it. Tim was a pretty great guy when we met and got married, but words cannot express what the marine corps has done for him or our family over the past ten years. He has loved his job, he was VERY good at his job. It was a "second" family. So why get out? I think that with our fourth child on the way and the positions Tim would start holding, the values we have both learned over the past 10 years led us to decide it was our time. It was time to start something new and move on. I want to thank all marines out there for what they stand for and believe in. It has shaped my family and way of life. I have learned so much about myself and Tim and I are both better people for it. We walk away today with a sad feeling to leave this family we have been apart of, but excited as to what the future will hold.

So I want to take one moment to congratulate my husband, and express how proud I am of him and what he has accomplished and a moment to thank all of our marine corps family for what you stand for and have taught us over the years.

Now as I get ready to go to bed tonight, the pit in my stomach has subsided. The look in Tims eyes are getting back to normal, it has been a bittersweet day. We celebrated with family and great friends and feel ready to take a leap into the "civilian" world. Bring it on the Maloneys are ready!What a day....next post...BACK TO FUNNY!

Tales from the Bedroom

I only wish this entry was as good as it sounds. Have you ever just gotten to sleep at night only to have a littlehand slap you in the face or a screetch from another room that makes you catapult out of bed. We have ALL been there. In my house we seem to play musical beds nightly. Then those nights where we wake up alone with no kids, I immediately think something is wrong...barge into every room and find perfectly sleeping children. I am ready to TAKE BACK MY BEDROOM!

When my husband Tim and I got married, we bought a cute house in North Carolina that had a huge master bedroom, we decided to use our wedding money for furniture in our new home. A good friend told me to get a king bedroom set. I thought why in the world would we need a king size bed. She said it is something you will never go back and buy and once you have kids, you will want a big bed. I laughed! So naive...that was when I thought it was absurd that people let their kids in bed with them. NOT ME! My kids would listen and stay in their room. I remember my brother sleeping in my moms bed for years. Who is laughing now? Before the kids came, we slept with a german shepard, and lab at our feet. Bad habits to start with. Now many nights consist of bringing little people back their beds, or running down the hallway to a crying toddler who is having a bad dream or my favorite, cannot find their blanket. AWESOME!

Like I said we have a king size bed, so a kid or two shold not make too much of a difference. I tend to sleep on the edge anyway. I have never been a cuddler in bed, Tim sweats and radiates HEAT when he sleeps so cuddlig usually lasts about 2 minutes. So one or two small toddlers should not take up much room, right.....WRONG. I am sure many of you can attest, KIDS have no NORMAL sleeping patterns, they twist and turn, sleep with their legs wide open, or a leg over their heads, flip backwards, or sleep sideways. How do they even stay asleep??? I have been kicked, slapped, and literally pushed out of bed all by a 20 lb child....how is that possible? The best part is, the one reason I sleep on the edge of the bed, is why my kids come in the bed...they LOVE to nestle right up against Tim. More than once I have found him laying across the bottom of the bed with a small child taking up three quarters of his side. Last week on vacation I woke up in a queen size bed at 6 AM with myself, and two oldest laying normally with our heads on pillows, Tim and the youngest were backwards in the bed. Mind you, I am 8 months pregnant, if only someone had taken a picture....these pictures show how my kids sleep through the night and what they do to Tim....haha!

I want to be VERY clear, all of our kids go to bed in their own beds at a normal time and fall asleep on their own! At some point they become possesed and wander in, they could be in hysterics, or quietly slip in and climb over me without any movements, I swear they are still sleeping while doing so. The minute they climb in, they are instantly alseep and snoring! We usually take turns trying to move them back, but they could be in the deepest sleep and subconciously they know you are bringing them back and the demons come out...kicking, screaming, crying. SO we leave them, not worth the hassle. Our oldest has outgrown getting up and comig in, so we just hope it is trickle down the line. Don't get me wrong, we are able to sleep alone and win the battle many nights, but you always remember the foot in the face nights more often than a good nights rest. Regardless maybe it is my hormones, but six years later, I AM TAKING back my BED. Now most of you are laughing because you know Maloney #4 is coming late summer and we will be starting all over again. Can't a mother hope this one will be different??? Then again...maybe they should keep coming in, I DO NOT want to ever announce maloney #5....four is good for me! Please have a good nights rest on me!