Just a little rant

Dear US Army,
I honor your values & traditions, I have the upmost respect for you as an entity and for those men & women who serve. I get that your needs come before mine & those of my family, that when Obi-Wan signed the dotted line, we agreed to put aside our desires so he could do his duty to you. However, tonight I REALLY am not liking you too much, I am struggling with your needs over my family's desires.
People ask me what the hardest part of Obi-wan being gone is, really it is not the lonely nights when I can't sleep for worry and do not have him to talk to, those times we have limited communication, missed birthdays, anniversaries or holidays. It is not even those little things in life he has to miss to be where you need him...it is the nights like to tonight when I have to hold one of my babies who is crying her heart out over missing her daddy and the fear she has for his safety. This is when I question: "Is it worth it?" Even so, deep in my heart I know it is, but for this night, this moment, I will not like you and maybe even be a little angry with you.
Sincerely,
Just Another Guard Wife

Catching up and other fun things Part II

     Here is an update on my New Year's goals, since we are almost half way through the New Year. (Can I tell you I'm happy we have a whole other half to this year!):

• Return to a healthier lifestyle.

      *snicker, cough, cough* Do I really have to report back on this one?! Oh, alright, here goes...IT DOESN'T! Seriously, I'm a yo-yo with this one. I know it will take time, and I need to allow myself to unlearn and break all the bad habits I've learned/picked up these past 10 years or so. BUT I WANT IT NOW!!!! Don't we all, however, I know just working at it day by day is an improvement to not doing anything. And I have to admit, a couple of weeks ago when I was going through some clothes I was able to put on, zip & button a pair of jeans I couldn't even get up all  the way last year...just don't ask me to breathe!

• Simplify, by removing, reusing or re purposing.

     This is going sorta...again its a new habit I need to try to learn. I have been better about going through & getting rid of stuff...or at least sacking it up to take to the thrift store or good will. I gave up the idea of doing a garage sale.

• Increase my sewing skills.

     This one is on hold for the moment.

• Increase my knitting skills.

     OK, if there is one area I am succeeding in, it is this one. As I noted in my last post I have completed my first big lace project. I have a pair of gloves on the needles for GI Joe, another new knitting technique. I have taught myself several new stitches, well to read & knit the patterns, in an effort to complete a project for a RAL (read-a-long) and swap I signed up for on Ravelry. Another first for me. Also I will be designing my handmade object fo the RAL/swap. I am seriously addicted and loving it. Also I have been working on knitting up some lace weight yellow ribbons for those wonderful women who support me.

     Almost half way through the year and I have had my successes and failures. I have six more months to succeed and as long as I keep moving forward I will succeed.

     In other news, the Diva & Prima Donna are doing great! They just finished the gymnastic team season a couple of weekends ago. They have improved so much over the past few months. Both girls will also be moving up levels on the team. The Diva to level 4 and the Prima Donna to level 3 next month. 

     Over the summer they will be participating in our chruches summer musical and activities...I do not know who is more excited. Them or me! Three hours, two times a week to myself...I'm positively giddy. Do not get me wrong, I love my girls, but when I am with them 24/7, I welcome their activty time that gives me some free time.

    I also have been doing some cleaning at my church on a temporary basis, which I hope will become permanent. It would be perfect. I can take the girls with me, it is part time and will bring in some extra cash. In all honesty, I would be bringing in the same amout I cleared when I worked fulltime, away from my girls 11 - 12 hours a day when GI Joe was deployed last time. After paying childcare, lunches, gas, etc...add the emotional stress of both parents essentially being gone, it wasn't worth it. However, under these circumstances, it would be very much worth it. 

     Finally for a wrap up I'll tell you a bit about a project I am working on for GI Joe. I realize that it's been done before, but I'm pretty excited about doing it. I am going to have some photo's taken for him to have while he's away. Something a little different than the typical family photos. I am going to do something a little more...fun. Think vintage WWII era calender girls type thing.

   

I know it's a NAVY uniform...but it's still inspiration

MIA and life in general

Yes, I know, I know. I promised to be better about blogging, that was um....ages ago! Seriously, though I do apologize as it has been CRAZY here at AGW HQ, (headquarters for all non-military personnel.) To be honest part of it is my paranoia for Op-Sec, the other is well, it really is hard to think about how my life could possibly be interesting for any other person, really it is not even interesting for me most days.

I will give you a quick rundown on the last couple of months with more detailed post's to follow. In the time between my last post and this one we have had:

• One Brigade going away ceremony
• I have achieved part of my new years goals
• 1 knitted lace shawl complete
• 15 pounds lost...then gained back
• 8 pounds back off again
• 2 date nights, including an overnight trip
• 3 gymnastic meets
• Several softball practices and 1 game
• 1 two week A.T.
• 1 four day pass
• 2 trips to get I.D's done with another one coming up
• 2 extra round trips to the Armory or surrounding area
• 1 birthday apart
• 1 major holiday apart
• 1 Sister-in-law's wedding, which kiddos & I were unable to attend
• At least 3 pity-parties/missing hubby
• 1 angry child
• 1 child doing okay (at least she's embracing the suckiness)
• Countless replays of Kathi Tracoli's "Psalm 23" on iPod
• 1 WONDERFUL group of ladies who may not be military wives are there for me anyway...they even listen to me whine!
• An average of 3-5 hours sleep a night
• 2.5 weeks with less
• 1.5 weeks without internet access
• 2 laptops, but only one WITH internet access
• 1 broken power cord
• Mobilization
• 1 "Crap, that was a do not tell the wife topic" in a phone conversation
• The beginning of what appears to be a great friendship with another wife
• 1 lost voice (GI Joe isn't even here to enjoy it!)
• Picking up some part time work
• Over a dozen links in our countdown chain
• Just as many pennies in our deployment pig
• 2 dings in the hood from hail damage
• 1 trip to the storm shelter
• and a partridge in a pear tree! (Okay, the last did not happen, but it sounded good.)

I will post more in detail over the next week.