Wow! Its been 7 months!

As you might have noticed, I am not the best at keeping up with blog posts.  I cannot believe it has been 7 months, so much has gone on during this time. I have been busy, to say the least...but that is to be expected.  Where to start? How about month by month (give or take), beginning with June.
June 2011: This month was full of lots of fun things the most important being Obi-Wan's 4 day pass. (Yes, GI Joe has had a name change, more about that in a moment.) I drove down to MS with another wife from the unit...we bonded to say the least, thanks to a broken air compressor for the AC and 'aliens in the cornfields.' 

This is my partner in crime & battle buddy: "The Mrs." as we begun our trip to see our men. What a fun drive we had yelling at each other, laughing, drinking energy drinks and being postively giddy to be with the love of our life's.  I would like to say we went through some beautiful country, but to be honest, I'm not sure, we drove through the night. However, I can say a beautiful friendship was born that night. These past few months would have been unbearable without her & the other wonderful women God has blessed me with.

Upon arriving on post, where we thought we'd catch a nap in the car until the guys were dismissed, we found out they would be let out early...so much for a nap, but the trade off was well worth it. We immediately left for Biloxi/Gulf Port.

Our motel was a block away from the beach. That evening we walked down there. Other than the wind, it was nice, not a lot of humidity like there was further north on Post, but warm enough to be comfortable in shorts.





 

Spiderman

"After You

One of the evenings there we met "The Mr. & Mrs." at their hotel, where they were staying with his parents who had come down to visit also. Dinner by the pool, followed by some good natured frolicking.

 

Another day, we took a boat ride out to 'Ship Island.' (*note to self* spray on suntan lotion, even sport/waterproof type doesn't work worth a hoot). We were on the Island from 10am until about 4pm. Even with several applications of sunblock we ended up burned, some of us worse than the other...nothing is worse than spending one of your few precious days before your husband leaves for months with 2nd degree burns that negate any type of touch, no matter how innocent!

We still had fun. The boat ride was about 50 minute and we saw some dolphins on the way over. Once there we were privy to pristine white beaches for the most part, there was some evidence of the oil spill. I am not sure exactly how close we were to actual spill site, if it was close they did an awesome job of cleaning it up.  We collected some shells, teased "The Mrs." about never being in the ocean before, exasperating her & freaking her out when "The Mr." would dive underwater and swim up behind her to grab her. Ofcourse the schools of fish that would swim right up to and around you or the 'jumping fish' did not help either.

Our last night, our men had to report back by midnight. We were able to go to one last dinner and pretend for just a little while longer we were just normal couples hanging out on vacation together.

It was hard to say good-bye that night...letting him go was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I know I had done it before but this time was different...I could not have done it without the strength of God. Bittersweet, my heart was swelling with pride even as it was breaking. For my husband, our children, our friends...all the families that have had to say 'good-bye' to their loved ones.

The next morning, in the harsh reality of day light, "The Mrs." and I were facing the long trip home. Her mother-in-law came to the rescue & gave us a gift and told us to stop and do something fun on the way home. We were returning via Memphis and where MUST you stop if in Memphis? Graceland ofcourse. Because this post has been long I will continue in another.

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.

Marshmallows and other things with gooey insides.

Okay let me state this...I am not emotional (exception being my temper.), I am not a crier, I do not get PMS, I am one heartless, merciless, (seriously, 'Mercy' was my second lowest scored item on my spiritual gift assessment.), tough girl. I am the strong one, the one who has been known to laugh at someone crying in a movie. Yet somehow I have become a marshmallow! Maybe its having kids, maybe its getting older & hormones, maybe its having something worth fighting for with someone worth fighting with. Whatever it may be, I have become a marshmallow none the less. I share this with you for several reasons.

Today I experienced my first couple of 'emotional...situations' deployment related. The first being earlier in the day. You see the Prima Donna is in gymnastics, she is on the team and competes in recreational meets. After all the teams parade in and are introduced the National Anthem is sung or played. I teared up, I choked up, I HAD TO BITE MY LIP TO KEEP FROM ALL OUT BAWLING!!!!!!!! I did manage to pass my sniffles off as my head cold, the only time I have ever been grateful for one. Oh my gosh!!! I know I am not the only spouse who does this, especially while the service member is away. BUT good grief, he hasn't even left yet, pull it together girl!!!!

The second was the first of what will probably be several...spats, before he goes. This one still catches me by surprise. You see GI Joe's first overseas deployment happened so rapidly, we didn't really experience this, however, in preperation for year long TDY orders in another state after his return, we had this...the emotional distancing to make it easier to let go. Let me tell you, IT SUCKS! First there's the whole bickering/arguing over stupid crap and the guilt thing for getting upset/letting it get to me, but the worse for me is the "driving to the grocery store b/c its the only way to be alone to cry my eyes out then have everyone stare at you in the store or car next you" thing. A whole new level of suckiness, especially for someone who is not into public displays of 'emotional weakness.' Yeah, I know, get over myself, and I will...but it is this "I am strong" attitude that is the only thing that will hold me together some days in the not so distant future. What's worse, GI Joe proceeds to come up hug me, apologize and ask my forgiveness for being a jerk when I get home. What do I do?! Give him a salt water bath, all the while thinking, I am such a dork, (O.K. this is nothing new, I own up to being 'adorkable'). This is not the way to be a supportive wife...can we say "LOSER" with that big 'L' on our forehead. *Sigh* So if you happen to know me/live near me & see me crying in my car while driving down the road, really I am okay, its just the marshmallow in me getting out.