MLU & SLC - We're coming for you!

For the past few months Darius has been applying for airline jobs. Just the application process alone for any airline position is pretty extensive. Basically each application requires a solid 10-year history of not only work history but residential history as well. Any gaps, even if for just a month or less, need some sort of explanation and an individual that can vouch for the gap. I'd say each application takes at least a couple of solid hours to complete, and then after submitting one the waiting game begins!

Darius last applied for a position in late January and after an initial phone interview didn't hear anything back for several weeks. After missing an opportunity for a face-to-face interview we were wondering if another slot would open up, but Monday brought some good news...an interview yesterday....and then a phone call today with a job offer. We're super excited! The job is entry and just part time, but that works well paired with his other job.....and we'll be able to enjoy flight benefits again, yippee!

Working for Alaska Airlines was a great opportunity for Darius and definitely opened the door for him to work for other airlines, namely Delta. He definitely has a soft spot for Delta since their birthplace is the same as his.

When we told the boys the good news, Zach asked us if we could fly home now. I'm not sure if he considers Florida to be home just yet. Naturally with all the flying he's done in his young life, he probably associates flying and flying home with Alaska. Even before now the boys still ask us a lot to fly places to see family. We're thrilled for the opportunity to be able to make that happen for them again.

Congrats Darius!! I appreciate your determination in going after what you wanted. I'm proud of you!

L.O.V.E.

Happy Valentine's Day to all our family and friends! We hope you all had a beautiful day with the people you love most. Lots of love from our family to each of you!



My very first flowers from my husband. I love them.

Snotty, Sickly Spider

Zach unfortunately came down with a bad cold and conjunctivitis in both eyes, and he's been pretty miserable for the past couple of days. Every few minutes he brings me a Kleenex and asks me to wipe his boogers. It breaks my heart every time I look at his weepy eyes, hear his phlegmmy coughs, or see a gob of booger peeking out of his raw little nose. I feel so bad for my guy! Ben's acting like he's going to get sick but so far he's just picked up Zach's cough....fingers crossed it stays that way. I'd hate to have two of these sad faces looking back at me.

Newest Addition

Ben and I visited the Bacon household yesterday afternoon while Darius and Zach stayed home and napped. Since Emma's arrival, Ben has been very timid on arrival, shuffling his feet and lingering near the door instead of his usual stampede inside. Next to Emma on the couch, he sat on my lap and clung to me, which is something totally uncharacteristic of Ben. I will admit that I enjoyed it since it's rare that Ben will just sit on my lap with his arms wrapped around my neck. Patti eventually got him to release his grip by asking him to keep an eye out for Dylan coming home from school. After the initial squirreliness, Ben enjoyed sitting next to Emma on the couch and repeatedly asked to hold her. A good portion of the rest of our visit consisted of him sweeping the floors.

The face of a big brother that absolutely adores his baby sister.

I finally had the presence of mind to snap a couple of photos of Emma during our visit. I know the boys weren't any bigger than she was when they were new, but I forgot just how small they really were until Emma reminded me. I'm so happy that we're here to see her start out, and I'm so looking forward to watching her grow.

After our visit, Ben and I headed to the store for a little secret shopping mission. I'm starting to see now how nice it is to have a little one-on-one time with the boys separately. So much of their time is spent together, and it's refreshing to be able to focus my attention on them individually. Ben and Zach may be twins, but to me that's hardly a term I ever use to describe them. They are brothers who are the same age and roughly the same size, but that's about as twin as they get. They do pretty well to get along as well as they do and as often as they do. I can't speak for them, but I have a feeling that a break from each other is probably something they don't mind too much.

Beach/Baby Day

After seeing how much fun the boys had at Cocoa Beach earlier this month, we've been planning a return trip so that Darius could join us. We headed over to the coast mid day and enjoyed great weather while we collected seashells, dug a big hole, filled the big hole with water (again and again and again), played in the waves, chased birds, and overall had a really good time. The boys really love the beach, and I'm finding that going to the beach with two little boys is a whole lot more fun than all the other times I've been to just lay out and soak up sun.

On our way home we stopped by the Bacon's to pay a visit to the newest addition to their family. Baby Emma was born last week and this was our first time meeting her. The boys were really cute with her and gave her lots of kisses on her sweet little head. Ben loved holding her but told us "No thanks," when we asked him if he would like a little sister of his own. Zach on the other hand said okay to the idea of a little sister and softly sang a song to her when he held her. I was too preoccupied with watching Emma to actually take any photos, but I have a feeling she will soon be the focus of lots of pictures to come. Her parents made one beautiful little girl!