My son has this adorable little walker that he runs all over the house in. He loves having the freedom and control to walk around and do as he pleases. He'll roll over to a little table we have and open the drawers, he'll explore the handle of the vacuum, and of course--he chases our dogs. He'll get going really fast and run into furniture and over your feet if you're in the way. I cannot even count the number of times that my poor little toes have fallen victim to this walker.
Today I was walking down the hallway back into our bedroom to finish getting ready. As I heard the munchkin chasing after me--at a full sprint, I couldn't help but be freaked out. Let me explain. I have issues being chased and followed. When I was a kid--tag wasn't a game I enjoyed much. I cannot tell you why--it's just one of my idiosyncrasies. Whenever I am chased or followed--I freak out. My husband seems to think this is hilarious. He'll add in the phrase, "I'm gonna get you" and hold out his hands like he's the tickle monster. My immediate hysterics always result in oodles of laughter from him. I, however, am not amused.
Aaaaand we're back.
Today, I was actually a little freaked out because I was being chased. By my 8 month old. Who can't even walk. I quickened my pace and as soon as I got into my bedroom, whipped around and talked myself out of the anxious feelings that were welling up. As soon as the babe came around the corner, all I could think was about how ridiculous I felt for having such an irrational fear.
Why does this make me miss my husband? He would love this story and we would laugh together about it. Because he can appreciate all of the little weird things about me. And because he knows me like no one else does.
Seven years ago tomorrow, he and I met in college. And now, his little boy is learning to tease mommy while daddy is away just like daddy would. I'm thinking that once this kid is old enough to play pranks with him, my life is going to get a lot more interesting...
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Reflection.
Warning: No editing or filtering for this post. Just transparency and honesty.
One of the things that I love about the military lifestyle is that it defines "seasons" in your life. Time still moves quickly, but with each PCS (move), you are prompted to reflect upon your time at that particular duty station(at least I am). It's so neat to have this "default slow down" in my life. I love to think about who I was when I arrived, and how different I am when I leave. It's amazing how much your life, your viewpoints, and your relationships can change within the course of a year.
Although we are not leaving our current duty station, we did receive orders to stay here for the next three years. After living in three states, and four towns in the past four years, staying in one place for three seems a bit daunting. We are currently in the process of buying a home here--which means we will move again--but this time, on our own without military help.
I can't help but feel so incredibly blessed about the past year. I have an amazing, healthy baby boy who brightens my life everyday! I am FINALLY starting to feel like I didn't JUST have a baby. (I don't know about other women--but it's taken a long time for me to recover physically and hormonally) We are in the process of buying a beautiful home to raise our precious little one. But, one of the main reasons I feel so blessed and happy is because of my relationship with my husband. Marriages have seasons. There are challenging times that stretch you and your partner to be better. There are wonderful times, that are just so easy--and you just work so well together. Either way, a marriage is a living, breathing relationship that requires work daily. For this duty station, I reflect upon my marriage and am realizing that we have had our tough days while here. That we had to work at this thing called marriage--especially with taking care of a new baby. But, for the most part, we were in a state of bliss. We developed a rhythm here and I can honestly say that not only do I love my husband more today than the day I married him, but I can say that I am just so IN love with him. He is such a wonderful man, provider, and friend.
It is bittersweet though. Because this next year, will be a challenging one. He will be deployed for more than half of it. I know that our relationship will pass this test. I know we are committed. I know I can handle the requirements of being a single parent at home and keeping the "home fires burning" while he is away. And I am so thankful that we are in such a wonderful place to start this journey. But, I am also sad--because I will miss him terribly. I know that watching him leave, watching the distance between us grow, will be gut wrenching. But, I also know that it's the life we have signed up for, and that this is what we are called to do.
As I watch my friends and their husbands join the fleet around us, I see husbands leaving and returning. And it has suddenly become all too real. For so long, we've all had our men around--for training. Sure, they would leave for a weekend here and there, but we've been blessed to have the deployments left for the future. They have been locked away with words like, "One day" and "a long ways off." Here we are...not a long ways off.
As hard as it's going to be, I wouldn't trade it. I wouldn't trade the friendships, the experiences, the beauty and intimacy that a military lifestyle builds in a marriage--having only each other to rely on, and I wouldn't trade the good parts of deployment (the return--a second honeymoon, the appreciation that comes with not taking your spouse for granted, and the pride that comes from the everyday tasks that you accomplish by yourself--consistently doing things that you didn't think you could do).
I am so thankful for this past year--for this time with my family before deployments begin. And I know that this next year, although difficult, will provide opportunities to build rich, relationships with other wives and with my husband. It's going to be a good year.
One of the things that I love about the military lifestyle is that it defines "seasons" in your life. Time still moves quickly, but with each PCS (move), you are prompted to reflect upon your time at that particular duty station(at least I am). It's so neat to have this "default slow down" in my life. I love to think about who I was when I arrived, and how different I am when I leave. It's amazing how much your life, your viewpoints, and your relationships can change within the course of a year.
Although we are not leaving our current duty station, we did receive orders to stay here for the next three years. After living in three states, and four towns in the past four years, staying in one place for three seems a bit daunting. We are currently in the process of buying a home here--which means we will move again--but this time, on our own without military help.
I can't help but feel so incredibly blessed about the past year. I have an amazing, healthy baby boy who brightens my life everyday! I am FINALLY starting to feel like I didn't JUST have a baby. (I don't know about other women--but it's taken a long time for me to recover physically and hormonally) We are in the process of buying a beautiful home to raise our precious little one. But, one of the main reasons I feel so blessed and happy is because of my relationship with my husband. Marriages have seasons. There are challenging times that stretch you and your partner to be better. There are wonderful times, that are just so easy--and you just work so well together. Either way, a marriage is a living, breathing relationship that requires work daily. For this duty station, I reflect upon my marriage and am realizing that we have had our tough days while here. That we had to work at this thing called marriage--especially with taking care of a new baby. But, for the most part, we were in a state of bliss. We developed a rhythm here and I can honestly say that not only do I love my husband more today than the day I married him, but I can say that I am just so IN love with him. He is such a wonderful man, provider, and friend.
It is bittersweet though. Because this next year, will be a challenging one. He will be deployed for more than half of it. I know that our relationship will pass this test. I know we are committed. I know I can handle the requirements of being a single parent at home and keeping the "home fires burning" while he is away. And I am so thankful that we are in such a wonderful place to start this journey. But, I am also sad--because I will miss him terribly. I know that watching him leave, watching the distance between us grow, will be gut wrenching. But, I also know that it's the life we have signed up for, and that this is what we are called to do.
As I watch my friends and their husbands join the fleet around us, I see husbands leaving and returning. And it has suddenly become all too real. For so long, we've all had our men around--for training. Sure, they would leave for a weekend here and there, but we've been blessed to have the deployments left for the future. They have been locked away with words like, "One day" and "a long ways off." Here we are...not a long ways off.
As hard as it's going to be, I wouldn't trade it. I wouldn't trade the friendships, the experiences, the beauty and intimacy that a military lifestyle builds in a marriage--having only each other to rely on, and I wouldn't trade the good parts of deployment (the return--a second honeymoon, the appreciation that comes with not taking your spouse for granted, and the pride that comes from the everyday tasks that you accomplish by yourself--consistently doing things that you didn't think you could do).
I am so thankful for this past year--for this time with my family before deployments begin. And I know that this next year, although difficult, will provide opportunities to build rich, relationships with other wives and with my husband. It's going to be a good year.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Family Pictures--pilot style
I just wanted to share some fun pictures of our little family (minus our pups). My husband is an E2 Pilot for the Navy. One of the perks of being a pilot's wife is getting to take fun pictures, like these:
We were literally feet from the runway--the wings of the plane were almost over us! And, my wonderful husband, was flying the plane. Some day, the munchkin will be old enough to point and say, "Daddy" with that wonderful childlike innocence. On this day, he just stared and enjoyed the breeze as his Daddy flew by.
Pretty cool. :)
Monday, August 29, 2011
Easy Vegetable Stew
I'm really looking forward to the fall--which has me thinking about my favorite fall dishes! Cue the delicious vegetable stew!! This one has a lot of ingredients, but only a few steps. There isn't much preparation, it requires few dirty dishes, and is done within an hour! Give it a shot--I committed it to memory after a few attempts. It's worth it!
1 1/2-2 lbs stew meat
32 oz frozen bag of vegetables (I buy the bag that has corn, green beans, carrots, and peas in it)
1 Can tomato Sauce
1 Can diced tomatoes
One Garlic clove, minced.
One medium onion, minced.
1 large or 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped.
1/2 Cup Ketchup*
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Two bouillon cubes
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
Water--about six cups
Optional: Better than bouillon
*Ketchup is very important to this recipe. It tastes very bland without it. So, I wouldn't recommend skipping it.
I love to serve this stew with cornbread. Also, I'm convinced it's more delicious the next day. Even my husband, who isn't a huge fan of vegetables, loves this recipe! Best of all, besides the potatoes--you can consider all of this non-perishable food! So, you can keep it all on hand for when you are in a bind! :) I hope you enjoy this stew as much as we have!!
1 1/2-2 lbs stew meat
32 oz frozen bag of vegetables (I buy the bag that has corn, green beans, carrots, and peas in it)
1 Can tomato Sauce
1 Can diced tomatoes
One Garlic clove, minced.
One medium onion, minced.
1 large or 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped.
1/2 Cup Ketchup*
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Two bouillon cubes
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
Water--about six cups
Optional: Better than bouillon
*Ketchup is very important to this recipe. It tastes very bland without it. So, I wouldn't recommend skipping it.
- Sear meat in oil and garlic. Add "Better than Bouillon" now if you wish.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and cover with water (usually at least 6 cups)
- Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Make sure potatoes are soft before serving.
I love to serve this stew with cornbread. Also, I'm convinced it's more delicious the next day. Even my husband, who isn't a huge fan of vegetables, loves this recipe! Best of all, besides the potatoes--you can consider all of this non-perishable food! So, you can keep it all on hand for when you are in a bind! :) I hope you enjoy this stew as much as we have!!
Crawling, diarrhea, and a hurricane! Oh my!
Aren't you jealous? Wouldn't you just LOVE to spend the weekend dealing with these three items? Well, the first is kind of exciting. The munchkin has finally started to crawl! He has spent the past few weeks rocking back and forth--and scooting along. But, this weekend, he FINALLY put it all together in the fluid "crawling" movement. Hooray!! I'm so excited! (and slightly terrified!!!)
Then there was the diarrhea--happy day!! (Note the sarcasm) My little one had issues this weekend. I feel so bad for him. At first I thought it might have been the cold that he was finally getting over, or perhaps the change in his schedule. But it occurred to me that his formula cans that were delivered looked a little different than the old ones. (My son has formula delivered because he has a severe allergy to the protein found in milk. So, he has to drink prescription formula--which is delivered.) I wondered if that could be the problem. Perhaps they had changed more than the packaging. So, today, I called the company. They changed the formula--and somehow, no one informed me. More than 36 hours of diarrhea later, they are overnighting the old formula to me so that I can slowly switch him to the new stuff.
Finally, the lady of the weekend--Irene. Of course, the men are away right now, which left the women and children (and dogs) to fend for ourselves. The actual hurricane part of a hurricane isn't where the work is. The work is in the preparation and cleanup. Ugh. I won't write the details, but let's just say that us women did a fantastic job of prepping our homes and vehicles for this storm. We survived TWO storms this weekend. Irene, and the storm of having three wives, four kids, and two dogs in one house. For an entire weekend. Ah...memories.
Then there was the diarrhea--happy day!! (Note the sarcasm) My little one had issues this weekend. I feel so bad for him. At first I thought it might have been the cold that he was finally getting over, or perhaps the change in his schedule. But it occurred to me that his formula cans that were delivered looked a little different than the old ones. (My son has formula delivered because he has a severe allergy to the protein found in milk. So, he has to drink prescription formula--which is delivered.) I wondered if that could be the problem. Perhaps they had changed more than the packaging. So, today, I called the company. They changed the formula--and somehow, no one informed me. More than 36 hours of diarrhea later, they are overnighting the old formula to me so that I can slowly switch him to the new stuff.
Finally, the lady of the weekend--Irene. Of course, the men are away right now, which left the women and children (and dogs) to fend for ourselves. The actual hurricane part of a hurricane isn't where the work is. The work is in the preparation and cleanup. Ugh. I won't write the details, but let's just say that us women did a fantastic job of prepping our homes and vehicles for this storm. We survived TWO storms this weekend. Irene, and the storm of having three wives, four kids, and two dogs in one house. For an entire weekend. Ah...memories.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Military law.
mil·i·tar·y law [mil-i-ter-ee law] : The proposition that if something can go wrong, it will (the instant your husband leaves town).
It's military law. Everything is fine....things are going great....no major repairs on the house. All electric appliances are working. All children are healthy. Then, BAM! Husband leaves and it all just goes haywire.
This week, military law has struck. With a vengeance.
Let's start with my seven month old having a terrible cold. TERRIBLE. He can't breath when he lays down--poor lil guy. So, laying down to sleep can be quite precarious.
Then, yesterday, my phone was stolen while at the mall. My lovely, wonderful, iphone4. :( It had all of my pictures on it, my applications, my music....
So, yesterday, was spent running around looking for it, then running to AT&T to suspend my account, running home to get my husband's old phone, going back across town to AT&T to get the old phone working, and finally heading home. All of this with a baby....with a cold.
Today, my dogs broke down the fence and got into the neighbor's yard. Joy. I had to run a few errands, and while leaving walmart, I spilled coffee all over the driver-side floorboard. Awesome. (It had cream in it too--so I'm sure my car will smell delightful...)
Dare I ask what tomorrow, or this weekend holds? Oh wait! There is a Category 3 hurricane headed our way. Glorious! Have I mentioned that we haven't had a hurricane all year? Of course, it makes perfect sense that we would have a hurricane roll in during the ONE weekend that my husband won't be here. -_-
I am not enthused.
So, let's HOPE and PRAY that this hurricane doesn't cause major power outages. Because THAT one, my friends, would really just take the cake.
It's military law. Everything is fine....things are going great....no major repairs on the house. All electric appliances are working. All children are healthy. Then, BAM! Husband leaves and it all just goes haywire.
This week, military law has struck. With a vengeance.
Let's start with my seven month old having a terrible cold. TERRIBLE. He can't breath when he lays down--poor lil guy. So, laying down to sleep can be quite precarious.
Then, yesterday, my phone was stolen while at the mall. My lovely, wonderful, iphone4. :( It had all of my pictures on it, my applications, my music....
So, yesterday, was spent running around looking for it, then running to AT&T to suspend my account, running home to get my husband's old phone, going back across town to AT&T to get the old phone working, and finally heading home. All of this with a baby....with a cold.
Today, my dogs broke down the fence and got into the neighbor's yard. Joy. I had to run a few errands, and while leaving walmart, I spilled coffee all over the driver-side floorboard. Awesome. (It had cream in it too--so I'm sure my car will smell delightful...)
Dare I ask what tomorrow, or this weekend holds? Oh wait! There is a Category 3 hurricane headed our way. Glorious! Have I mentioned that we haven't had a hurricane all year? Of course, it makes perfect sense that we would have a hurricane roll in during the ONE weekend that my husband won't be here. -_-
I am not enthused.
So, let's HOPE and PRAY that this hurricane doesn't cause major power outages. Because THAT one, my friends, would really just take the cake.
Monday, August 15, 2011
A message, from a member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2006! Whoop!
As I was perusing facebook today, I saw a nasty comment directed at Texas A&M about this whole SEC thing.
If you aren't from Texas, then let me prep you with the background info. UT (or t.u. as my Aggies call it) and A&M are big rivals. I will admit that the University of Texas has done very well in football over the past decade and A&M has been hot and cold. Because of this, there are a lot of fair weather fans of UT. These people pick which school to support based on their football program. Which is fine.
I don't have a problem with people that support UT football--whether they are UT students or just people that like UT football. But, if you didn't go to UT, yet are a UT football fan--why do you then feel entitled to put down the A&M football program? As if you are a PART of that university? NEWS FLASH!! You are not. Just because you went out and bought a burnt orange shirt with horns on it doesn't make you a Longhorn.
I understand that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and that's fine. But, go back to your ACTUAL school and pick a rival in your own division. Or, graduate from UT. Until then, you should keep your opinions about my Aggies to yourself.
Thanks and Gig 'em!
If you aren't from Texas, then let me prep you with the background info. UT (or t.u. as my Aggies call it) and A&M are big rivals. I will admit that the University of Texas has done very well in football over the past decade and A&M has been hot and cold. Because of this, there are a lot of fair weather fans of UT. These people pick which school to support based on their football program. Which is fine.
I don't have a problem with people that support UT football--whether they are UT students or just people that like UT football. But, if you didn't go to UT, yet are a UT football fan--why do you then feel entitled to put down the A&M football program? As if you are a PART of that university? NEWS FLASH!! You are not. Just because you went out and bought a burnt orange shirt with horns on it doesn't make you a Longhorn.
I understand that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and that's fine. But, go back to your ACTUAL school and pick a rival in your own division. Or, graduate from UT. Until then, you should keep your opinions about my Aggies to yourself.
Thanks and Gig 'em!
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