It's funny how sometimes getting sick actually helps you get caught up on things. It's been so nice having Tom home, though so that I could be sick and rest. There's not much you can do from the couch, but blogging is one of them. But yes, Tom came home. We made it through! We survived! AMAZING! Honestly, neither of us were sure that it would ever end. A little recap of the last month or so:
- I moved us to Beaumont on November 6th, exactly a week before Tom would be home. It's been an adjustment, though. Beaumont is definitely not Houston. It'll be an adventure in getting creative with what to do with ourselves, but we're adjusting ok. I was glad that we moved before Tom came, though, mostly because it was nice to pick him up from the airport and just go home rather than having to worry too much about a big 'To-Do' list. We're so happy to have Daddy home.
Team Bogardus
- Three days after Tom came home, we went to Utah to suprise his mom. His dad was in on the whole thing, so that was fun. We hadn't been up there since Logan was five months old, so it was great to see family that we hadn't seen in a really long time. Kristen (my beautiful and wonderfully talented sister) took a bunch of family pictures while we were there. It was a quick trip, but so so fun.

The day we got back from Utah, we stopped off in Houston to finally get the new car (pictures forthcoming). It wasn't ready to roll off the lot yet, so we had to come back a week later to get it - only to find out that it wasn't ready yet either. So frustrating. Fortunately, the dealership gave us a loaner and then brought our car to Beaumont and dropped it off in our driveway. So, we're the proud owners of a 2007 Mazda 5. It's not so much of a crossover vehicle as a compromise vehicle. I love it and I think it'll be great for a small family with some room to grow. It'll be a while before we worry about that, though.
We had Thanksgiving here in Beaumont and my parents and cousin and cousin-in-law came out. I was so thankful to have a house full of people to cook for. I've spent so much time alone this year that more than once I found myself tearing up with gratitude for all our blessings. The biggest one, I think, is being sustained and surviving this year. However, as I look back, I think it's been one of the most miracle-filled times too. I'm glad we can do something else now, though. - Tom started his new job down in Port Arthur. Bechtel is building Shell's Motiva project, so we should be here for two, two and a half years until that's finished. After that, who knows? Most likely we'll go back to Houston, which would be awesome. I'm game for whatever, though. I'm just so thankful to have my family back together again.
