Blog Archive

9.30.2010

The Frugal Navy Wife rocks!

She is having a FANTASTIC giveaway! You really should go check her out and enter in! If you start following her let her know that Brittany Sommer sent you in a comment! So go follow The Frugal Navy Wife :)

G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y!!!

I reached my 100 followers goal for the first giveaway hast night! Hooray! So I am going to start small with the giveaways. I am working on what I want the giveaway contest to be so just bear with me! I am going to start with the picture frame. It's not real big but it is SO cute. For those of us who's men are in the Navy, work with water or just LOVE lighthouses/beach scenes, you will love it! I personally love it too :) Here it is!


Be on the lookout in the next few days because once I figure out what the contest will be I will post it up!

9.29.2010

Who wants me to host a giveaway?!

I really REALLY want to have one when I hit 100 followers but I want to get some kind of response now! So, let me know if you would enter! I have a brand new journal, an adorable picture frame and a purse to give! I just need people to give them to!

Have you ever thought to yourself..

I am a REALLY strong woman! Being able to go through a deployment and being a part of the "Homefront Club" is a pretty tough job but someone's gotta do it right?! We as military spouses don't often give ourselves the credit we so deserve. We spend countless hours moping around, questioning why we are doing this to ourselves and (some of us) going day to day as if a black cloud is just hanging over our heads constantly. I can say that I, myself, have been through MANY ups and downs during this deployment already and he hasn't even been gone for 2 months yet. Sometimes I scold myself for being so selfish. I would think about how much I miss him and how much this hurts me far more often then I would think about what it is doing to him. I have since gotten past all that. I have come to the realization that it hurts both of us in different ways, on different days and in different hours.

Anyway, I'm not sure what inspired me to write today. It just kind of came over me like a wave and if anyone knows anything about writing, you know when that wave comes over you, you just HAVE TO write. Slowly but surely I am becoming the woman I want to be for me and for my husband. He called me yesterday and called me "his motivated baby" because I have a lot of things that I am working on doing while he's gone and started working out on a regular basis and I said "I am doing all this so you will be as proud of me as I am of you" and he said "I am already proud of you". Maybe he is, but I bet he could be MORE proud of me and I am out to prove that!

Chicken Soup for the Military Wifes Soul

It was just another harried Wednesday afternoon trip to the commissary (grocery store on military bases). My husband was off teaching young men to fly. My daughters were going about their daily activities knowing I would return to them at the appointed time, bearing, among other things, their favorite fruit snacks, frozen pizza, and all the little extras that never had to be written down on a grocery list. My grocery list, by the way, was in my 16-month-old daughter's mouth, and I was lamenting the fact that the next four aisles of needed items would wait while extracting the last of my list from my daughter's mouth, when I nearly ran over an old man.



This man clearly had no appreciation for the fact that I had 45 minutes left to finish the grocery shopping, pick up my 4-year old from tumbling class, and get to school, where my 12-year-old and her carpool mates would be waiting.


I knew men didn't belong in a commissary, and this old guy was no exception. He stood in front of the soap selection staring blankly, as if he'd never had to choose a bar of soap in his life. I was ready to bark an order at him when I realized there was a tear on his face.


Instantly, this grocery aisle roadblock transformed into a human..."Can I help you find something?" I asked. He hesitated, and then told me he was looking for soap.


"Any one in particular?" I continued.


"Well, I'm trying to find my wife's brand of soap." I started to loan him my cell phone to call her when he said, "She died a year ago, and I just want to smell her again."


Chills ran down my spine. I don't think the 22,000-pound Mother of all Bombs could have had the same impact. As tears welled up in my eyes, my half-eaten grocery list didn't seem so important. Neither did fruit snacks or frozen pizza.


I spent the remainder of my time in the commissary that day listening to a man tell the story of how important his wife was to him -- how she took care of their children while he served our country. A retired, decorated World War II pilot who flew missions to protect Americans still needed the protection of a woman who served him at home.


My life was forever changed that day. Every time my husband works too late or leaves before the crack of dawn, I try to remember the sense of importance I felt that day in the commissary.


Some times the monotony of laundry, housecleaning, grocery shopping, and taxi driving leaves military wives feeling empty -- the kind of emptiness that is rarely fulfilled when our husbands come home and don't want to or can't talk about work.


We need to be reminded, at times; of the important role we fill for our family and for our country. Over the years, I've talked a lot about military spouses...how special they are and the price they pay for freedom too. The funny thing is; most military spouses don't consider themselves different from other spouses. They do what they have to do, bound together not by blood or merely friendship, but with a shared spirit whose origin is in the very essence of what love truly is. Is there truly a difference? I think there is. You have to decide for yourself...


Other spouses get married and look forward to building equity in a home and putting down family roots. Military spouses get married and know they'll live in base housing or rent, and their roots must be short so they can be transplanted frequently.


Other spouses decorate a home with flair and personality that will last a lifetime. Military spouses decorate a home with flare tempered with the knowledge that no two base houses have the same size windows or same size rooms.


Curtains have to be flexible and multiple sets are a plus. Furniture must fit like puzzle pieces.


Other spouses have living rooms that are immaculate and seldom used. Military spouses have immaculate living room/dining room combos. The coffee table got a scratch or two moving from Germany, but it still looks pretty good.


Other spouses say goodbye to their spouse for a business trip and know they won't see them for a week. They are lonely, but can survive. Military spouses say good-bye to their deploying spouse and know they won't see them for months, or a year, or longer. They are lonely, but will survive.


Other spouses, when a washer hose blows off, call Maytag and then write a check out for having the hose reconnected. Military spouses have to cut the water off and fix it themselves.


Other spouses get used to saying "hello" to friends they see all the time. Military spouses get used to saying "goodbye" to friends made the last two years.


Other spouses worry about whether their child will be class president next year. Military spouses worry about whether their child will be accepted in yet another school next year and whether that school will be the worst in the city...again.


Other spouses can count on spouse participation in special events...birthdays, anniversaries, concerts, football games, graduation, and even the birth of a child. Military spouses only count on each other; because they realize that the flag has to come first if freedom is to survive. It has to be that way.


Other spouses put up yellow ribbons when the troops are imperiled across the globe and take them down when the troops come home. Military spouses wear yellow ribbons around their hearts and they never go away.


Other spouses worry about being late for mom's Thanksgiving dinner. Military spouses worry about getting back from Japan in time for dad's funeral.


The television program showing an elderly lady putting a card down in front of a long, black wall that has names on it touches other spouses. The card simply says, "Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. You would have been sixty today." A military spouse is the lady with the card, and the wall is the Vietnam Memorial.


I would NEVER say military spouses are better than other spouses. But I will say there is a difference. I will say, without hesitation, that military spouses pay just as high a price for freedom as do their active duty husbands and wives.


Perhaps the price they pay is even higher. Dying in service to our country isn't near as hard as loving someone who has died in service to our country, and having to live without them.


God bless our military spouses for all they freely give.

9.28.2010

By the way! Mili Mondays!

I have been soo busy doing nothing (lol) that I forgot to tell you guys that I was featured on Mili Mondays over at Life as a Sailor's Girl last Monday! It was really exciting for me! Click the link and check the blog out. For the lazy people, here's my post! :)

"True Life: I am a newlywed with a deployed husband"

As I sit here trying to figure out what to write, all I can think of is that silly show on MTV, True Life: (Insert life changing experience here). What was MY life changing experience? I married my husband 2 weeks before he deployed. We have our little fairy tale. He was my best friend for 2 years before he so cutely asked me if I would "go steady", we dated for 5 months before he popped the question and we became husband and wife at the end of July. He has been gone for a little over a month now and I miss him terribly every day. It has gotten a lot less rough though. Being newly weds while he is on deployment is... hard. I was left responsible for things I never had to be responsible for before. Between making sure bills are paid, cleaning the whole apartment by myself, trying to stay busy constantly, and sleeping alone, all the while missing him, wishing things were easier and YEARNING for his touch, it gets pretty tough at times. I could ramble on and on about how much I miss him but I am sure most of you already know how that feels.




Having said that, let me get down to the point of my blog. What is it like to be newly weds going through our very first deployment together? It's rough. I don't know how else to explain it. I have cried almost every day since he left. I know all deployments are rough whether newly weds or not but we aren't even out of our oh-so-in-love honeymoon stage yet. Not even close. I don't think what we are going through is any harder then any other deployment anyone else is going through, I just know how hard it is for me. How has is affected our relationship? Not much at all other then the seperation and him being awake while I am asleep due to the massive time change. We are still head over heels in love and we email eachother every single day. We constantly put the "I love you!" reminder in each of those emails. Communication is VERY important just in case some of you haven't gone through the seperation yet. Make friends, get hobbies and keep yourself busy and time is sure to fly! Speaking of time flying, if possible, visit your family. It really helps. I went to Indiana to visit my family for a few weeks and it helped me far more then I expected it to.



A few helpful hints and I promise I am done! 1: I know that time can be hard but you MUST stay focused on the positive future rather then linger in the negative present. 2: If you are a God fearing woman such as myself, KEEP ON PRAYING! Last one, I swear! 3: Surround yourself with positives. Positive people, a positive outlook and positive things are sure to keep your attitude positive!

9.27.2010

Love this! Military wives rules to live by:

1. Don't count on anything!







2.Be careful who you listen to. Most of your civilian friends will give you negative remarks, which will make things harder for you to deal with.





3. When he becomes stubborn and a royal pain in the butt, just remind yourself he's probably had a bad day, and being away from you is hard on him too. So just let him rant and don’t take it personal.





4. When you’re down, treat yourself.





5. Learn how to listen if you don’t know how! He will need you, you will be the one he comes to when he needs to complain, but don’t complain back...that is what military wives/fiances/gf's for! This is a hard time for our men and they NEED us much more than sometimes they think they do!





6. Love your military member, be truthful, and reassure him, even if he is deployed he'll have someone to come back too!





7. He will try to pull away at some point. Whether directly telling you to move on, not wait for him or just becoming distant. It's a way they try of dealing, stick with him cause he really does want (and need) you there.





8. When he is away for a long time, or even just a couple hours away, write a lot of letters! Communication is key to a relationship.





9.SOME of his friends will probably be morons - expect this.





10. You aren’t the only woman in his life (his mom misses and loves him too!) so make sure she is updated on what is going on with him.





11. He needs to feel important so don't hold back on the compliments - remind him how proud you are of what he does.





12. Chances are they won't call when they say they will (that especially applies for deployed!).





13. Don't buy that nonrefundable airplane ticket too early.





14. When eating with a military member you either finish your "chow" in 15 minutes or less or be stared at until you are finished.





15. Never take one single minute with them for granted. Live each day with them like it’s the last one you'll have for a while, because with the military, it just might be!





16. Take lots of pictures, so you can remember what each other looks like!





17. Don't even TRY to compare your military member to ordinary men. You can no longer complain about broken plans, that phone call you were supposed to get but didn't, missed birthdays and anniversaries, his snoring (hey, at least he's sleeping BESIDE you), spending more time with "the boys" than you, etc., etc., etc...





18. Always look on the bright side of things. How many of your gal-pals get their first encounter, first date, first kiss from their men over and over again?





19. Gotta be able to keep up with your man. We give our military man a whole new meaning of PT =)





20. Even if he says he will, he probably won't. Maybe really means probably not OR probably not when he said he would (example: "I might be able to call you tomorrow" but he can't find the time to call until a week later or "I might be able to come home next month for a week"...that might turn into 2 weeks)





21. Being a military girlfriend/fiancé can be one of the toughest jobs. You have to deal with stress similar as the wives, without the promise of forever or the benefits and support they get.





22. We find ourselves using military lingo. "I'm gonna go get my room squared away", "It's chow time", or using military time





23. Patience is the biggest key to making the relationship work...you have to wait a lot but in the end, waiting is what made it all worthwhile♥

9.24.2010

My AH-HA! moment:

Well, as I was sitting outside, just getting off the phone with my mother in-law, a song burst into my head like I had never heard the song before and it started to make sense. The "song", "Why Can't I" by Liz Phair doesn't at all refer to anything BUT the chorus. I used to make fun of this song. "Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?", well I would say "Get the d*ck out of your mouth!" and I would laugh. I constantly made fun of the emotions this woman was "feeling" for this "wonderful" man and now I realize, hence the "AH-HA" that I, too, feel these emotions for a man. The whole chorus goes, "Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you? It's inevitable. It's the fact that we're gonna get down to it so tell me, why can't I breathe whenever I think about you?" and, well, I kind of know what that feels like. It's been almost 2 months since I married the-man-of-my-dreams and to this day I STILL can't believe how lucky I am. Yeah, so what if he isn't here? So what if we don't get to spend NEARLY enough time together? It's the simple fact that we are exactly what we want and that is more then enough for us :)

Now, I have a completely new subject matter that needs tending to. I kind of had 2 AH-HA moments today. I realized earlier that my husbands world does not revolve around me. It revolves around, well, the world. I have been finding myself getting mad or sad every time I see that he had been on facebook or anything else and he didn't email me. I boohoo it up for a while then I put my big girl panties on and "deal with it". Now, don't get me wrong. I am not going to be able to cut these bitter feelings off right away but in due time I will stop being such a baby. I expect a lot more then I will ever get. It doesn't mean my husband doesn't love me. It just means he needed that time for something else. Heck, maybe he emailed his mom while he was on facebook that one time, who knows. I just know I need to quit being so selfish!

Finally, 4 more followers and I am going to be hosting a give away! Ever since I started my blog over a year ago I have DREAMED about being fortunate enough to be able to have a give away and "give away" something to someone totally awesome :) SO keep on the look out for said give away cuz as soon as I hit the big 1-0-0 it will be SO on!

9.21.2010

Marriage survey!

Found this on a fellow bloggers blog and can't help but do it! It's the first marriage survey I have done so it excited me!


1. When is your "engagement" anniversary?
We got engaged on May 30th, 2010 <3
2. When is your "marriage" anniversary?
July 30th, 2010 :)
3. How long have you known your spouse?
We were best friends for 2 years before we became a couple. At this point we have known eachother for about 3 years.
4. How long did you date before you were engaged?
5 months
5. Where did you meet your spouse for the first time?
My best friends apartment back in Indiana.
6. What is your spouses full name?
Gonna pass on this one.
7. Do you have any children?
Nope, not yet at least.
8. How many? Boys/Girls
N/A
9. Do you have any house pets?
Unfortunately not. We would love a dog though!
10. Do you own a house or rent?
Rent an apartment.
11. Do you live in the country/town/city?
City :)
12. What is one of your favorite activites to do together?
Watching our shows, driving while blaring music and singing along and basically just being together :)
13. Do you have a favorite vacation spot?
Not as of yet. Our honeymoon just might change that though :)
14. When did you first kiss?
December 23rd, 2009 <3
15. What church do you attend?
We don't. I would like us to though.
16. Is this the church you were married in?
We weren't married in a church.
17. What town is current adress at?
Pass!
18. Do you work or stay home?
Both, I work when I get someone that wants me to babysit. I also do other odd jobs but for the most part I stay home.
19. Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We haven't yet. After the big ceremony we plan to go to the Florida Keys :)
20. What was the funniest gift you gave while dating?
Our sense of humor? Lol I can't think of any funny gifts. Don't believe we gave eachother any.
21. How long have you been together?
Well, we lived together before when we were just friends for 7 months and since we became a couple we have lived together for almost 9 months.
22. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
About 2 years.
23. Who asked who out?
He asked me if I would "go steady" with him. Lol. Cutest. Thing. EVER.
24. How old are each of you?
We are both 25.
25. Where do each of you go to school?
We don't.
26. Which situation is hardest on you as a couple?
Deployment. Hands down. Period. The end.
27. Did you go to the same school?
No.
28. Are you from the same town?
No, he is from a town about 30 minutes from my home town.
29. Who is smarter?
We are both smart in different things. He knows things I don't know and I know things he doesn't know though if you ask him, I am smarter then him. He's crazy.
30. Who is more sensative?
I'd say we are pretty equally sensitive.
31. Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Hmmmmmm... I really don't know. We tend to eat in a lot.
32. Where is the farthest you two have traveled as a couple?
Indiana.
33. Who has the craziest exes?
Me, for sure. Lol.
34. Who has the worse temper?
I'd say him. I don't have much of a temper at all.
35. Who does the cooking?
While he's here, he does. He loves to cook. I need my cook back!!!
36. Who is more social?
Oh lord, probably me.
37. Who is the neat-freak?
Niether of us though I may be a bit of a neat-freak by the time he gets back.
38. Who is more stubborn?
I'd say we are equally stubborn.
39. Who hogs the bed?
Niether of us hog the BED but we don't share covers because he is a blanket hog. :(
40. Who wakes up earlier?
Him.
41. Where was your first date?
Lol that is very open for discussion.
42. Who had more boyfriends/girlfriends?
Me.
43. Do you get flowers often?
I do! He's awesome :)
44. How do you spend the holidays?
However the military allows us to.
45. Who is more jealous?
I don't think either of us are very jealous and he hasn't ever really acted jealous so based on my feelings sometimes I am going to say me.
46. How long did it take to get serious?
Well, it was pretty stinking serious to me from day one but I think it got REAL serious after about 2 1/2 months when we finally said "I love you" to eachother.
47. Who eats more?
Him for sure.
48. Who does the laundry?
We both do.
49. Who is better with the computer?
I'd say we are pretty equal there.
50. Leave a piece of advice for other couples.
Gotta agree with the last person that posted this. Love this song for sure :)

"Be a best friend, Tell the truth
Overuse I love you
Go to work, do your best
Don't outsmart your common sense
Never let your praying knees get lazy,
And love like crazy."

9.20.2010

It has officially been too long and shhhh a GIVEAWAY!!!

It has been WAYYY too long since I last blogged. I just haven't been able to come up with the words lately. Nothing much has changed since I last blogged except for well... my age! My birthday was last Tuesday :) It was pretty bittersweet. I tried to pretend like it was just "another day" because I was totally bummed that Ryan wasn't here for it. I did get a surprise phone call and these gorgeous flowers though!
The day came and went then that night my lovely friend April took me to dinner at Chilis and another darling friend, Morgan joined us. Woohoo, I am officially 25 and 6 days... Bah humbug.

Anyway, I also got a gift in the mail from Ryans cousin and it made so so happy I almost died lol. I had been wanting Faith Deployed for quite some time and I mentioned it to her and she ordered it for me :) I am soo grateful to have such wonderful people in my life.

I ordered a bunch of book for free from Military One-Source and I got them the day before my birthday. I was soo excited! I was like a little kid at Christmas when I opened that box! Here are all the things I got from them:
Other then that things have been going pretty good. I hear from Ryan every day whether it is just an "I love you!" email, a text email or a regular email. I still miss him like crazy but guess what? We are 18% down! I am super stoked!

Last but not least! I decided I am going to do a giveaway when I reach 100 followers! So tell your friends all about me and lets get me there! Only need 7 more people :)

P.s. Go check me out! I just guest blogged for Mili Mondays with Mrs. Gambizzle :) The post is up! I would love to know what everyone thinks!


9.11.2010

A day like this:

It makes me think about why Ryan does what he does. I try to not be selfish but sometimes my emotions get the better of me. 9 years ago on this day, terrorists attacked and killed thousands of Americans. It's hard to believe that it has been 9 years already. It feels like it was just yesterday that I was watching in horror as the second plane hit and the towers went down. I couldn't believe what I was watching. I cried. I was scared. I mourned for those that lost their lives and I prayed. I don't want to feel that way today so I will NOT cry. I will NOT be scared. I will NOT mourn. I am going to make today a great day to honor those that lost their lives that day, have lost their lives in the war it caused and are still fighting for the freedom we all have today. Here's to you baby! Hooyah!

9.06.2010

Deployment Day x: Labor [Day] pains


Today Ryan left the last port they are going to be in the safer area of the big D. Now it's on to the scary part. The part where I worry about him more. The place he is going. It makes me sick. Mentally and physically. I know I need to quit worrying about this stuff. I know he is more likely to get killed or injured in a car accident on the way to work, but that doesn't change the fact that he's out there in that big scary ocean, going into "those" waters.It's not going to make me worry any less about him.

Another thing I got going on is, I am SICK TO DEATH of hearing people complain about such petty things to ME. Why are you whining about something so easily fixed to me when you KNOW I have far worse problems right now? You whine that your husband doesn't pay enough attention to you when at least your husband is HERE. There have been plenty of other examples since I got to Indiana and none of them involve any Navy wives or anything so please don't think I am talking about you ladies. We are in the same boat here, no pun intended lol.

Other then that, I have just been missing my Sailor man. I really wanted to get that phone call from him today but it just didn't happen and I am dealing with it. He did send me 2 emails today so at least I got that. I can complain, I'm just trying real hard not to.

I hope everyone has a safe and great Labor Day!