Crazy times!!

I apologize for my slacking in posting pictures lately. As most of you know, we are in the process of closing on our very own house!! We will have our final walk through on Tuesday, close Weds and start moving!! We have things all planned out as to how to make this move go as quickly and efficiently as humanly possible with two small children!! Throw Anna's birthday party into the middle of it all and we're going to have an insanely busy week ahead of us!! The "big" move will be Sunday when we enlist the help of some of Abe's co workers and get all the furniture moved. Two short days later, Abel will leave for Al Udeid Airforce base in Qatar. He will be gone until the beginning of June. I am not looking forward to being in our new home with out him for a month, but what can you do? This is the life we signed up for. And I am so proud of my Military Man, doing his part to serve and protect our country. Every time we are out in public and he is in uniform, at least one person walks up to him, shakes his hand and thanks him for his service. And every time, I get choked up and tears of pride in my eyes. We will truly miss him while he's deployed, but we are proud to share him with our country.My mom is planning a visit after he leaves to help me with the kids while I set up house. I am really looking forward to this, as Anna's party will be the first time I've seen her and my dad since before Christmas! I think that is officially the longest I've ever gone with out seeing them!! We are going to take one day and take the kids to the zoo. That should be a lot of fun. Then I think Mom might take Brayden home with her so he can spend a week at the beach with them and Landon!! I'm sure I am going to have a harder time with it than he will...we've never been apart that long before!! I think it will be good for us all and he will have the best time with Maw Maw and Papa and Landon!!
I have a few pictures and videos to upload to the computer and will try to add them later today (if the kids will let me) Anna is so close to walking. She took her first steps (to her big brother, of course) and takes more and more through out the day now. She's getting quite good at standing with out support and I suspect she will just take off and run any day now!! She adores her brother. When he's not around, she looks for him. When he is around, she follows him everywhere. And Brayden loves her just as much. He looks out for her, tells her not to play with cords they are "danger danger" and things like that. He's gotten quite protective of her, watches strangers like a hawk when they talk to her in the grocery or at the park to make sure they aren't hurting his baby. He even told our neighbor the other day "Don't hurt my Anna Bean." This is what he calls her all the time. Anna Bean. And it is the cutest thing! If someone asks him what his sister's name is he always replies "Anna Bean" in the cutest voice with such a loving inflection in his voice. If she's upset and crying and I can't get to her fast enough, he's by her side within seconds telling her "Don't try (cry) Anna Bean. Mommy's almost done" Don't get me wrong, they definitely have their moments, but for the most part, they are the best of friends. I love watching them grown and change together. I pray they will stay close always!! Here's a teaser until later. Two peas in a pod!!