Christmas 2010

So the week of leave went by way too fast!  It seems like we just went home and now I'm back in this darn room in Texas.  It took a lot to hold back tears as we took off from DIA and I looked out the window at the city.  God home never felt so good!  And it was so hard trying to fit everything into just a week, we wanted to do so much.   But a few of the highlites from the week are below....

*I finally got to go to the DMV to get my new license since I turned 21 back in OCT and my license expired, even though I just got a new one when I changed my name back in July.
*I got to drive my car again. Wahoo I missed being able to drive!
*I was reunited with my wolfpack (lol I love you two). We went to dinner at The Keg.
*I got to see Acasha and some of my kids from work. One of them gave me the biggest hug & wouldn't let go. I loved it.
*I got to see a handful of my favorite people and it was awesome!
*We got to video chat with my brother and his family, it was great! The kids were so funny :)
*The hubby and I had a date night at Texas de Brazil(finally used the gift card from way back in August)....OMG the most amazing food ever.  They had a salad bar that had everything, including amazing cheese choices and shrimp.  Then the meats were to die for.  There was a garlic tender loin, parmesan pork, and bacon wrapped filet mignon to name a few.  Then cinnamon coated bananas, delicious garlic mashed potatoes, a chocolate mouse cake, and one of the best glasses of Moscato wine ever.  Definitely a new favorite of mine! 
Christmas was great too.  I got my husband a very nice flag display with a shadow box attached for medals and coins.  It came with a slot for a photo of him in unirform and I got an engraved plate with his name.  He loved it.  Then I got him several other things like clothes and of course the Xbox 250gb hard drive.

My gifts included under armour, other clothes, Just Dance 2 (yes!) and the new Donkey Kong game for my Wii, cute black flats, and a silver/diamond necklace.  It has a heart with a ribbon wrapped around it.

And because I love it so much. I have to mention my new coach purse and wallet I got just before Christmas. I have always wanted one, but never bought one. Until now! Thank you Chris :)

Overall, it was a good Christmas and a good week. I can not wait to go back in a few months.  Until then I will be (not so) patiently waiting.

♥ Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. ♥

Welcome Home!

On Monday morning Chris and I got to come home for a week. I have never been so excited in my life!  An organization called Miles for Heroes paid for our plane tickets.  We didn't have to pay to check our luggage with United because we are military.  Then we got bumped from row 18 in Coach to row 1 in First Class!  This was my very first time ever flying firstclass.  I was kind of excited.  They pay constant attention to you, give you hot towels before serving a full course breakfast. Best plane ride I have ever had that's for sure.  When we got to DIA, and got off the elevator by the fountain where people greet you, we were surprised by a group of 10 or so of our friends and family holding signs shouting "Welcome Home".  It made both of us cry instantly.  It was so heart warming and I loved it so much.

The other night, while we were still in TX I couldn't sleep very well.  There is a train track right next to where we stay, and a train goes by like every hour blowing its horn super loud.  Then we have rude neighbors who seem to think repeatedly slamming their door after 10pm is ok. Anyways, as I laid awake at 2am I sent a "newstip" to Denver's 9news about my husband and us coming home.  I didn't really think they would respond, but guess what?  First thing the next morning I was exchanging emails with 9news producers and they wanted to share our story!  So yesterday morning they came to my mom's house and interviewed us.  I swore I wasn't going to cry, but of course I did :)  So below is the video clip that aired on Denver's 9news during the 6 o'clock hour (the big show, as I was informed).  Enjoy.


♥ What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. ♥

Old Folks Say The Darndess Things!

So today the husband and I had a few things to do over at the hospital.  In the midst of it all we stopped at the coffee stand for a little afternoon pick me up.  While I was in the process of ordering and waiting on our drinks, I looked over to notice an elderly man talking to Chris.  Turns out it was an old WWII veteran. For the most part by the time I got over there it seemed to me he was talking a whole lot about nothing in particular.  However, the main focus of his conversation  kept going back to his cane. After making both my husband and I hold it, he went on to explain how it was made from a bull's penis.  Hearing a man in his 80s-90s talk in depth about a wrickedy old cane made out of animal genitals is rather interesting I must say.  I couldn't help but laugh at this random and awkward conversation.  And he kept insisting we look him up, since he has been in films about WWII.  And most importantly that my husband buy one of these bull canes. Ahh only at BAMC....only in Texas!

On another note, we are supposed to be flying home next week for about 8 days. Can we say E-X-C-I-T-E-D much!!! I absolutely can't wait to go home to CO for a bit and get out of this little "BAMC Bubble" we are stuck in.  This place gets old real fast. It makes you feel like you are slowly losing your mind, and going insane.  Well at least that is how it makes me feel.  The other day we had an appointment with the behavioral health guy, where we talked about feelings and moods, etc.  Out of nowhere he turned to me and flat out asked "how do you feel about your husband being an amputie?"  I was taken aback kind of, and just stared and said "Uhhhh, I don't know..."  This is the first time since all this occured that question has been asked.  It is blunt and rather in your face.  How do you answer something like that?  And better yet, how do I feel about it?  After a minute of trying to spit out some kind of answer, I felt my face get hot and I started crying.  I mean how am I supposed to feel?!  How would anyone feel....crummy! I said that it was hard, but I typically don't think about it because when I do I end up crying.  I said that this is just what our life is now, and so I take it a day at a time and roll with the punches.  This is exactly how I feel about it.  But I also felt like saying "Well it freaking sucks! I am pissed at the world some days. I hate the Taliban! I hate Afghanistan! And some days I want to scream at the top of my lungs to the world."  I have said it before and I will say it again, no one is trained for something like this to happen.  Sure, you know it's a possibilty.  You know it could happen.  You hear about it, read about it, and if you're the soldier you probably have seen it.  But when it actually happens to you...yeah that's a different chapter in a different book.  One that you have never ventured in before. So for those wondering that same question, that's how I feel.  And if you think you may handle the situation differently or feel differently I want to say this.  You have no idea what it's like until you go through it first hand.

I am off my soap box for the day though :)  Just a few things to get off my chest. But on a lighter note, countdown to home has begun and I can't wait.

♥ Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. ♥

Critters!!

Yesterday our friends Megan and Jamie came to see us one more time before they head back to CO for the remainder of Jamie's R&R.  We hung out down at the River Walk with them.  We got lunch at the Hard Rock, did some shopping, then got some dinner.  We walked for what felt like miles up and down and all around the River Walk area.  At least I got my cardio for the day!  And it was great because Megan and I can find anything and everything to laugh about as we strolled along apparently.  At one point Megan's arm rubbed against a bush, which made a rustling noise. I jumped for a second and then realized it was only her.  When she asked what was wrong I said "Oh nothing, I just thought there was a critter in the bush for a second." She laughed so hard, when Chris & Jamie heard the story they laughed at me too.  Apparently the word "critter" is not used by people often.  Another great discovery of the night was when we saw a sign that read as follows....

The reason it is so funny is because Megan, Heather, and myself have a little inside joke relating back to the Wolf Pack speech Alan gives on The Hangover. It was great!

Oh and speaking of "critters" I killed a cock roach in our room this morning, for the second time in the last week.  Up until being here, I have never seen a roach in my life!  In a week and a half I have seen a total of four big ones, and two little ones.  I for one can not take it!  They are such disgusting things and the stupid long, wiggily antenaes they have gives me the creeps! Oh Colorado, how I miss you!

On another note....as some of you may know I am a proud coffee enthusiast.  I enjoy a warm cup of coffee in the mornings to wake up.  A nice cup of iced coffee mid day can keep me going.  And sometimes a cup at night can end my day just right.  Now this does not mean I have coffee three times a day, every day.  My point is simply that I can enjoy it any time of day. As long as I have known my husband he has never touched a cup of coffee.  He would say it smelt good but didn't think it would taste good. Which to me is just plain crazy talk!  I can go into coffee withdrawals if it's too long since I have had a good cup of coffee.  Earlier this week though, I was had some morning brew when he said to me "Let me try it."  I was completely shocked at this request!  And then when he took that sip, his eyes widened and he exclaimed "Wow, that is really good!"  OMG could it be, I have introduced him to one of the greatest things on earth. So it is official, my husband likes coffee now :) I am proud. And to make the week even better, I finally got a Carmel Brulee Latte from Starbucks. Sucks it is only a seasonal drink cause it sure is good!

 

♥ Laughter rises out of tragedy, when you need it the most, and rewards you for your courage. ♥

Busy Bee's

So for the first time since coming down here, I feel like I have had an actual busy week.  Since Chris got discharged from the hospital we have done quite a bit. Like maniacs, we went shopping on Black Friday.  I for one have never done that before because I do not enjoy shopping in large crowds.  Any who, Chris wanted to get a bigger TV for our room and a new Xbox, so off to Best Buy we went.  Then we stopped by Target and had lunch at Red Robin.  Did pretty good for his first day leaving the BAMC area.

Then we had a nice long weekend.  Spent lots of time together, hanging out enjoying being out of the hospital finally.  Rented movies and snuggled up a lot.  Which is a good thing because Monday began a crazy week.  Being his first week as an outpatient we had appointment after appointment and inprocessing to do.  What a drag! At least I got a free one hour full body massage on Monday night after a long day of running around.  There are some perks around here and I have no problem taking full advantage of them.
Yesterday was a great day also, cause Chris stood up for the first time, and did so several times throughout the day for a few seconds.  It was awesome.  But then I remembered how much shorter I am then him.  Proud of him every day though.

Also, our good friends Megan and Jamie came to visit. We were so excited to see them!  Jamie is home on R&R, and they came down to Texas for a bit.  The boys got some needed time together, as did Megan and I.  We had lunch at Olive Garden.  Then the boys played Xbox while Megan and I went to the nail salon.  We sat in massage chairs that included a butt massage!  Not the cheeks but there was like a piece that went right up the middle of your booty....very interesting to say the least.  It was so funny.  That night we had PF Chang's for dinner, which was yummy.  Chris had never eaten there before and he really liked it!  The night ended with going to see Due Date which Megan and I had planned on seeing since September! Was totally worth the wait. I thought it was hilarious :)

Today, Chris's medic from Afghanistan came to visit.  He was the one who first treated Chris after the explosion.  It meant a lot to meet him, and he is such a nice guy.  I told him "I know I don't know you, but I am going to hug you anyway."  As I did I thanked him for what he did.  It means a lot to get to meet him, and I will forever be greatful for what he did, along with the doctors in Germany and here at BAMC.  So we got to spend the day with him today.   I just want all our Crazy Horse boys home safe and sound.

Time to relax for the night, and get some rest for tomorrow's adventures!

♥ There is an energy field between humans. And, when we reach out in passion, it is met with an answering passion and changes the relationship forever. ♥

Internet is Back :)

So I haven't blogged for a bit now because since Friday I have not had internet access except for on my cell.  After several moves, and many frustrations, I have moved to the Fisher House.  I am on the first floor in a wheel chair accessible room, which means my husband can get discharged and stay with me here.  However, due to the short week and such he won't be discharged until Monday (booo) but the hard part of getting a room is over!

Basically, where we are staying is like a big house with a bunch of bedrooms that have their own attached bath.  Then there is a huge kitchen, laundry room, living room, and dining room which are all shared areas with the other people staying here.  It will take some getting used to, cause we all know how OCD I can be and sharing my living space is not my type of thing.  But it is much better then staying in the hotel, this is at least a bit more homey.

So earlier this week, there were tons of movie production people here filming a part of a movie called Battleship, which is due out in spring of 2012.  At first, I thought it was some small little documentary movie.  But turns out it is in fact a "real" Hollywood movie. We met one of the actresses, who apparently is married to the tennis player Andy Roddick.  I didn't know who she was until googling the movie afterward to figure out what in the world it was. But they were filming at the CFI, because one of the characters in the movie ends up being an amputie who is doing rehab there. 
Chris is doing well.  Working on getting the left leg down to size for a prosthetic still, making progress on it.  The right leg is getting straightened out day by day.  The docs say it is recovering well, and quicker then initially anticipated.  So that is all great news.  We are hoping for him to be walking (at least with a crutch) by Christmas.  That would be awesome!  Beyond that, not too much new is going on around here.  Turkey day is fast approaching, will be my first away from home.  I sure am going to miss the home cooked meal this year.  The smoked turkey and definitely my mom's ham.  But there is always next year, and Christmas. I will make them cook me a big meal then :)

♥ Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving. ♥

Yay for Holiday Flavors!

I must admit that one of my favorite things about the Holidays (among many others) is all the Holiday inspired flavors that come out.  It helps make the season so cozy and warm.  It wont be quite the same this year, being down in Texas.  As much as snow is not my favorite thing in the world to drive in and such, being a Colorado girl I do love it around the holidays.  It is what helps make the holidays complete.  To me it is completely unbelievable to meet people who have NEVER seen snow a day in their life.  And it is kind of a bummer that we won't beable to decorate our home and put up a Christmas tree while drinking egg nog and listening to Christmas music.  All of which have been traditions for me every year. Not that me being in another state, without a home is nearly the same as being deployed.  But now I can kind of feel the guys who miss all of this while being overseas.  It sure is crummy!  But my husband and I are hopeful that by Christmas the docs will grant him leave so we can go home for Christmas....keep your finger crossed for us!!!

Anywho, back to my love of holiday flavors.  I went to Target with my friend Krista yesterday and was so excited.  They have holiday flavor yogurts!! I got Vanilla Maple, Sugar Cookies, and Eggnog.  Sounds kind of odd but they are delicious!  And as I write this I am enjoying a cup of Vanilla Spiced Rum coffee.  Now all I need is for Starbucks to bring back my beloved Carmel Brulee Latte!

♥ This seems to be the basic need of the human in nearly every great crisis - a good hot cup of coffee. ♥

Veteran's Day

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day, and I am proud of this day.  It is a day that is much deserved, and quite frankly every day should be Veteran's Day in this country.  Our soldiers serve and defend us, even when you aren't thinking of them.  They work tirelessly and endlessly.  They get little in return, except a powerful bond with their fellow soldiers and the pride they wear on their backs.  Being an Army wife, obviously I am proud.  But it is more then a wife giving kudos to her husband.  I know first hand how amazing our soldiers are.  How selfless they can be to this country.  When they are called to duty, they step up.  They fight hard.

I am so honored to be surrounded by such amazing people.  For those in this country who don't have ties with the military, I truly feel sorry for them.  You can not understand the utter beautyof a human being until you meet a soldier.  The amount of heart, drive, and courage they have is beyond words.  I tear up as I type this because I am so humbled by the thought.  I love my husband to pieces.  He served in OIF 08-09 and OEF 10.  He has done more then paid his dues to this country.  He is a great soldier.  He takes his career seriously, and does it very well.  He gave a limb for this country, and I am proud of him every single day for overcoming this obstacle.  Beyond that, I am honored to know others here who were wounded.  And I have  friends still serving overseas, whom I think about and pray for their safe return every day.  I love these people whole heatedly.  I thank them from the deepest parts of my heart for their service to this country. And because of my husband, and my friends who serve, I am so proud to be an American.

And to those who did not come home, your memory will live forever!  RIP Millet and Chaplain Goetz.

♥ This nation will remain the land of the free, only so long as it is home of the brave. ♥

Month One

Well today marks the day I have officially been at BAMC for one month.  It kind of seems crazy that it has been that long already, but I am already getting home sick.  I miss hanging with my girls, I miss the kids at work, and definitely miss good food!  But it is very good to be here with my husband.  At this point I am just ready for him to become an outpatient so life can seem a little more "normal".  And it will be nice to be able to get out and do things with him once he is feeling well enough to do that.  We all know how stir crazy I can get.  Heck, I would love to go play around at Target for an hour or two even :)  I do love that store!  But for now, this is the way life is and that's ok. 

Chris's left leg (the amputated one) has been doing great.  Surguries on that one have been done for a bit now, and he has a shrink sock on it to help with getting excess fluids out and getting it down to size for a prosthetic.  His right leg was broken but then tissue began dying off from an infection.  The doctors broke in a few places in order to move good tissue around and save the leg.  The bone is crooked from the procedure, and is slowly being straightened out.  He has what's called a Halo Exfix on it, which in time he will be able to bear weight on it.  So we are making process, it's just a matter of finishing up a few more minor surguries on the right leg, and weaning of liquid medications so he can be discharged from the hospital and begin his rehab.

♥ Every man's life lies within the present; for the past is spent and done with, and the future is uncertain. ♥

From a battlefield blast to a bed in Germany - News - Stripes

This is an article that Stars and Stripes wrote on my husband while he was still in Germany enroute back to the states. He is so proud that he is a top result in Google search for "Sgt Chris Champion" lol. So for those of you who are curious, or want a little more info on what exactly happened feel free to read.

From a battlefield blast to a bed in Germany - News - Stripes

Another Week Down

I would say TGIF, but Friday seems no different from Monday around here for us.  The only noticeable difference on the weekends is that less people come in and out of the hospital room, and the hospital DFAC (dining facility) is less crowded.  Beyond that each day is pretty much the same.  Trying to patiently wait for Chris to be released and become an outpatient.  At least then we won't be stuck in the hospital all day, and maybe we can actually lay down together when we watch a movie.  Cause attempting to half lay on the side of a hospital bed is not exactly ideal.  And hopefully the never ending list of drugs he is on will go down, and maybe he won't be so sleepy.  I love him to pieces but man he sleeps a lot right now....totally understandable but it's a bummer watching tv alone in a hospital chair for hours and playing "Angry Birds".
It's Halloween weekend and I gotta admit it is the first Halloween in years I haven't dressed up.  I think maybe one year when I was in high school I didn't but beyond that, I have always had a costume.  Kind of a bummer, but it's ok.  Just means we will have to throw an epic costume party next year :) For everyone who is going out this weekend have fun and be safe! 

Beyond that I want to apologize to my followers because I am sure my blog has become a bit boring and monotonious in the last month.  No more random funny stories to tell from work or updates and the latest and greatest care package decorations I have done.  But hopefully you all still will follow me, I promise I will get more exciting in time :)


♥ We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world. ♥

Military Spouses are Heroes

Defense.gov News Article: Military Spouses are Heroes, First Lady Says

It is nice to get a little recognition once in a while. I don't think a lot of civilians understand the sacrfices military families make from day to day. But it's ok, because it's always worth it for me.

A Year Older

So another week has passed.  On Wednesday I had a birthday, I turned 21.  Not the typical 21st birthday by any means.  Spent the day at the hospital with my husband and my mom who came to visit.  Then went to dinner with my mom and a family friend.  Had one glass of wine (and wasn't even IDed at the darn restaurant!)  Then, today the husband sent me to the mall with my mom and told me to treat myself to a little shopping spree since he isn't able to get me anything else given his condition.  I even stayed under "budget" (he gave me a dollar amount to spend).  I spent 20 mintues debating which pair of jeans to buy at The Buckle, so when I told my husband this and he responded "You should have bought both." I was a bit mad at myself.  So I informed him I will return to the mall and get those jeans too!  Anyways I had fun, except my little feetsies were sore by the end of it.
♥ We accumulate our opinions at an age when our understanding is at its weakest. ♥

A Few Tears

So today my husband was still in the ICU hooked up to the ketamine drip.  He again slept most of the day but I stayed by his side.  Then, finally around 8pm I decided I should head back to my hotel room for the night.  I went over to him to let him know I was leaving, so he wouldn't wake up wondering where I went.  He laid there mumbling some complete nonsense.  I know it's the drugs and I understand that, but it is so hard being there with him knowing he isn't really "there".  And then in the midst of all his random ramblings he began to gently caress my face with his hand.  Unsure if he even knew where he was I asked him if he knew what he was doing.  He says "Yes, I am rubbing your face."  I said "Whose face are you rubbing?"  His response was, "My wifes.  Because she is beautiful and likes when I do this."  It just touched my heart and  brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't stop crying as I stood there holding my husband in my arms.  I love him so much and can't wait for all his pain and suffering to be over.

♥ Love's greatest gift is its ability to make everything it touches sacred. ♥

Elevator Disaster

So I like to think I have been holding up fairly well over the last few weeks given the unfortunate circumstances.  Now don't get me wrong, I have had my moments of crying and breaking down but rarely does anyone else witness those moments.  I try to keep them to myself, and remain strong on the outside.  I am not exactly sure why I do this, but it is my way of trying to make sense of everything going on in my life and all the crazy emotions that go through me day in and day out.  Any who, let me tell you all about yet another ridiculous thing to happen to me!  I have always joked that I deserve a reality show about my life, and that it would be far more interesting then some of the ones currently on tv.  And today reminded me how right I am about that!

Like I mentioned in my last blog, my husband did a "procedure" to kind of refresh his nerves so he can respond to pain meds better.  This consists of him going to the ICU and being hooked up to a drip of ketamine which pretty much made him sleep and have some hallucinations at times.  It was awful.  at one point he had his eyes wide open and kept saying "Where's my wife?"  The nurses assured him I was standing right there.  he was looking straight at me, but couldn't see me.  The only that settled him was hearing my voice telling him I really was there, and that it's ok.  My poor husband, but hopefully this will help with his pain management starting tomorrow.  But, this meant that he was completely out of all day.  So finally I was convinced to go ahead and leave the hospital and go relax.  So I walked back to my hotel, and was talking on the phone to my mom. I got into the elevator and pushed the button for the 4th floor.  So it starts to go up.  Passes floor 2....passes floor 3....is about to floor 4 then out of no where it like jerks and then just STOPS!  I go "No way..." My mom says "What?"  I say "I'm freaking stuck in the elevator, it just stopped!"  I then start frantically puching buttons, and nothing happend.  I start shaking and digging through my purse trying to find the hotel phone number.  Of course it is nowhere to be found so I hang up my phone, look up the hotel number (thank goodness for internet on my cell!) and call the front desk.  When the girl answered I yelled "Uhm I'm stuck in the freaking elevator!!!"  Then freaking out, I also call one of our liason's down here and inform him I am stuck.  I called back to the front office, eyes full of tears and sat on the phone until the fire fighters arrived.  By the time they got there, I was shaking and just praying the darn door would open.  They were trying and trying to pry it open and of course it would not open!  They then locked the elevator shaft, causing this god awful buzzing sound to go off and at that point I just lost it.  I began bawling my eyes out asking why in the world such things happen to me!  I mean whose husband gets injured in Afghanistan and gets stuck in an elevator in a span of three weeks!?!?  So after many failed attempts at opening the door, a firefighter pulls off a portion of the top of the elevator and pops his head in.  At this point I was squatting on the ground, crying hysterically and I said "I'm just having a horrible day!  My husband got injured, and now I an stuck in a freaking elevator!  This is just too much all at once!"  So they then slid a ladder down through the top of the elevator and had me climb out.  I would also like to add that the fire fighter said, "I am going to come down there, and you will walk up the ladder.  Now if for some reason the elevator begins to move as you're walking up the ladder, I will probably grab you and pull you back down...but that shouldn't happen."  Great words of reassurance...but luckily it didnt happen and after 35 long minutes I was out of that thing.  And I for one, will no longer be using the elevators here!!!

♥You will face many defeats in your life, but never let yourself be defeated♥

Todays Surgery

Surgery days are definitely my least favorite days.  I sit around waiting for Chris to get out of surgery and recovery, which always takes a long time.  Then on top of it, my hotel was evacuated from 9am-3pm for some air conditioning switch out.  I was like "great now what will I do to pass time".  Another couple from our company is down here doing recovery as well.  She saved me from pure boredom today!  She picked me up and took me to Starbucks for the first time since I got down here (and trust me that is all I have been craving for days!), took me to SFAC to finally get the paper work going to receive my per diem pay, and got a few things at the PX.  So thank goodness for that!  My husband was in surgery and recovery from about 7am-3pm.  Today they went in and cut the bone in his left leg about 3-4inches then stretched the muscle and skin around to close it up.  So as you can imagine he was in a lot of pain after surgery today.  I feel so bad seeing him on days like this, because I want to help but there isn't much I can really do, which sucks.  I always try to be super wife and do everything and keep our lives in order and organized, so things like this are frustrating cause I feel useless sometimes.  Luckily, the pain got a little better and he was able to sleep, which I think can be the best remedy sometimes.  Hopefully tomorrow the pain team is going to do some type of "procedure" that will kind of jump start or reset his nerves, so that pain meds have a better effect on pain control.  Since he has been on the same type of meds for a long period of time, his nerve endings are saturated and it requires higher amounts of meds to have any kind of effect.  So this procedure is supposed to fix that problem, and hopefully his body will beable to respond better to medications after that.
One last thing...I have decided I am going to try and end all my postings with a  quote of the day, which will in some way relate to how I am currently feeling. Hope you enjoy them :) Here is todays:

♥ One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love. ♥

Here at BAMC

So i got to BAMC two days ago.  When I first got here my husband was just getting out of surgery and going into recovery, sooo I had to wait a bit to see him.  Yay...more waiting!  But after about 2 hours or so he called me and told me to come up to his room and see him.  I cannot begin to explain the flood of emotions that over came me when I walked in and saw him for the first time.  He happened to be in a lot of pain when I got there, which maybe made it harder.  I was happy and sad and excited and wanted to cry all at once.  Even writing this I tear up thinking about that moment.  It is hard to see someone you love with all your being in so much pain, and to see his body different from what I last saw 2 months ago.  He has obviously lost some weight, but he is still just as handsome to me and I was so happy to touch him, and kiss him, and to just look into his eyes again.  So the last 2 days I have just spent by his side, staring at him a lot, and just being so thankful and happy he is home and alive.  Especially since according to the post blast analysis he is very lucky to be alive, and that he isn't a multiple amputie.

Today he was able to get out of bed and into his wheel chair for the very first time.  I was a nervous wreck the entire moving him in and out of the bed process, but he did great.  And he was so happy to get into a different position after all this time and get out of his room for a bit.  We walked around the ward a little, and just sat in the lobby by these great big windows in the sun light.  It was so nice to sit there with my husband in that moment.  Amazing how you find so much comfort in such simple things like that now.  We also got to start with some PT stretches for his legs, to prevent drop foot and keep his body parts moving and such.  I am very glad we got to do all of this today because he said it motivated him a lot, and that was great to hear.  We're taking it all day by day, but we're both doing well.

And here are the Friday Fill-Ins for you guys:

What is the longest road trip you’ve ever taken?
*From CO to Wisconsin for Christmas last year.  Second longest was CO to Fort Hood when hubby got back from first deployment.

Do you collect anything? Tell us a bit about it.
*Beyond clothes...no :)

What is your favorite part about being an adult?
*NOTHING...bills suck! haha Joking.  Being able to make you're own decisions in general I suppose.

What song brings a tear to your eye?
*My wedding song, but happy tears

Describe your first plane ride (how old you were, where you were heading, etc).
*Not sure really.  I believe I was like 3 years old maybe, going to Iowa from CO

I'm in a Glass Case of Emotions

So I am finally getting to fly out tomorrow to go to my husband's bedside.  It has felt like so much longer than just over a week, and I absolutely can not wait to be with him again.  It was 2 months ago today that I said good-bye to him in that gym.  I am ready to see him, hug him, kiss him and just remind him how much I love him.  And then mixed in with this is my anxiousness about traveling with tons of luggage, all alone.  I do not do well in situations where I am alone.  I do not even like shopping alone for goodness sakes.  So here's to hoping I have smooth sailing in my travels tomorrow.  Then there are the emotions of saying good-bye to my parents and friends.  I have never been more then an hour away from home, for more then 2-3 weeks!  I know, I know.  According to military standards I am extremely lucky, but hey when you are used to it, it's hard to leave home knowing you won't be back for months.  I know these months ahead will be tough, and I know I will get home sick, but I have faith that my love for my husband will be enough to pull me through.  I will try to blog and keep everyone updated as much as possible.  Wish me luck!!!

Friday Fill-In #4 / Update

So with everything going on lately my blogging lacked a bit this week (sorry)...hence why my Friday Fill-In isn't being done until Saturday. It has been a week filled with a range of emotions.  I would go from crying to angry to laughing just to keep myself from crying again.  I even turned into that crazy lady who screamed at a complete stranger out of frustration, shouting that my husband was laid up in a hospital in Germany because he stepped on a landmine and that they weren't helping the situation any.  You get some very interesting looks when you divulge such information around a bunch of strangers who have no idea the burden you are carrying on your shoulders.  I must admit I have been quite cynical this week, and annoyed by the ignorance of people.  I normally get annoyed by this, but even more so then normal.  It is hard seeing people go about their merry little lives, and complaining about petty things, and then knowing all that my husband is going through.  This is why I choose not to leave my house unless it is necessary.  I am not shutting myself out from people, I just choose not to deal with the general public if I don't have to.  I would love for friends to come visit me, and to not be alone.  I understand that most my friends have kids and busy lives so I am ok they can't come keep me company but I am getting lonely.  So this means they need to hurry up and get my husband stateside. He is doing alright.  Given the circumstances, I do not really know how to answer people when they ask how he is.  There is no real good way to answer this.  He is alive, he is in a lot of pain, I try to reassure him everyday.  Beyond that I do not know what to say.  He should be stateside within the next few days, and I hope time goes by fast until I am with him again.  And I must say, looking at this situation, our wedding song truly is the perfect song for us.  It's Never Alone by Lady Antebellum, the music video is below.



Now onto the random questions:

1.What is the silliest get-up you have ever worn outside of a Halloween party?
*Pretty much anything prior to highschool was "silly", and I am sure in another 5 years or so things from high school will seem silly too.
2.What is something that you gave up in order to live the military lifestyle?
*The whole school/career thing has not been a priority in my life.  I postponed school due to my own decision but going back has been postponed more due to the military life.  Having a steady job hasn't been easy either.  I had a job when my hubby was in Iraq.  When he got back, we moved so I quit my job.  Several months later I went back to work.  I then switched jobs (went from one preschool to a new one), and only 2 months into this job I got the news of my husband's injury.  So now I am leaving to go be with him through the duration of recovery.  My first "job" is being an army wife.

3.If money wasn’t a factor and you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? And why?
*First I would want to go to a warm, tropical island.  With super blue/clear waters, and white sandy beaches.  Secondly, would be Europe.  I would love to go to Italy and see the country, eating the foods and drinking the wines!  Also, would love to visit Germany someday, and I think Ireland would be beautiful.

4.If you were going to join the military, what branch would you join? Or which MOS/rating would you choose?
*I would never join the military.  I would however work as an Army Civilian.
5.What is your favorite thing to make for dinner?
*Any type of italian or pasta dish.  It's my husband and I's favorite :)

Worst Day Ever

So as an Army Wife you are put through a ton of difficult things.  From lonely nights when the guys have to go the field, to the long year apart for a deployment.  This deployment has been a tough one for our guys without a doubt.  Negative notifications came too frequently, and it has put a strain on all the families back home.  But today when my phone rang, and I was the one getting that call, your whole world turns upside down.  Normally when FRG calls to give a notificationa bout someone its a different states area code, and it's obviously always one of the other wives calling.  So when I looked down to see a CO Springs area code calling me I felt weird.  And when I answered to a man's voice asking if this Mrs. Champion, I knew something happened to my husband and my heart stopped.  You always hear people say this and can only imagine what it must feel like.  But yes, your heart literally stops momentarily.  Once it starts to beat again you begin to shake like you have never shook before.  When the man told me my husband had stepped on an IED, a million things ran through my head.  My heart broke for him.  I can't imagine going through something like that and what emotions are triggered from it.  After getting all these phonee numbers to call and etc, I hung up the phone and collapsed into my friend Megan's arms (thank God she was there).  I have never cried so hard in my life.  And then came the hard task of calling family and telling them he was injured.  That in itself felt like an impossible task to do.  They told me that once he was stable I would get a phone call, so I sat by my phone for hours staring at it waiting to hear his voice and reassure him I am here and love him with all my heart.  I finally got the call this afternoon and it was so good to hear his voice.  I don't know what the right thing to say is.  I aam so thankful my husband is alive.  I will be by his side through every step of the way.  Now all I have to do is wait to be flown to his bedside, where I belong.

Friday FIll-In #3

Here are your weekly random facts about me :)

1.What characteristic about yourself has either been strengthened or weakened due to your experience as a Military Spouse?
*Being a strong individual in general...learning how to balance my emotions.  Knowing what matters and what has less significance in my life.  I think you are forced to face yourself and your characteristics being an army wife and it can be a big eye opener.  I know I have grown a lot as an individual.  But you also learn that you and your own goals sometimes take a backseat to "The Army", which can be a tough pill to swallow at times.

2.What is your favorite vacation spot and why?
*Any place with a beach, cause what is better then laying out and relaxing on the sand with an ocean in front of you!
3.If you could have any fast-food restaurant in the food court on base/post what would you pick?
*Well I don't live on post so it doesn't really matter to me to be honest!

4.Where did you go on your honeymoon?
 *Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

5.If you could have any job in the world regardless of money, degree or experience, which job would you have and why?
*Anything creative. Whether it's blogging, interior decorating, being a preschool teacher.

Home Pampering

So I am discovering I find some of the most random ways to pass my time nowdays.  From blogging, to making photo books, to cleaning out my closet for the millionth time.  And now I have ventured into the whole, pampering myself at home.  Partly because I think I need to go to the spa monthly, yet I do not have the money for that.  And secondly, cause hey it keeps me oocupied on a Friday night.  So earlier this week I decided to try an avocado face mask (because my face was looking a little lack luster this week from poor sleep).  My mother came into my face smeared green and thought I was absolutely nuts.  But after much convincing, and a bit of a guilt trip ("I'm all alone, can't you just do a mother-daughter thing with me?") she decided to do it too.  And guess what...she wants to do it again!  It made our face feel so smooth.

Then last night, I tried an avocado hair mask recommended to me by my friend.  It was even weirder to put avocado in my hair then it was to put it on my face.  I had this stiff pile of green hair molded on top of my head for about 30 minutes.  And washing it out felt pretty strange too.  After I washed and conditioned it, I went to bed with it wet in a bun.  This morning I washed and conditioned it, then styled it as usual.  IT'S SO SOFT!  It feels like all the stuff that build's up in your hair from daily styling was wiped out.  I love it!  So today avocado's earn an A+ in my book.  If you are adventurous enough, here are the two "recipes" I used.

Avocado Face Mask:
In a bowl mix 1 ripe avocado, 1 egg white, and 1/2 a lemon squeezed.  If you want to make it smoother you can mix it in a blender.  Clean your face with your usual face wash, then apply the avocado mix.  Let it sit for about 20 minutes, then rinse.

Avocado Hair Mask:
In a bowl mix 1 ripe avocado, 1 egg yolk, and 1tsp of olive oil until smooth. (If this mixture doesn't look like enough to cover your hair, just double it, which is what I did).  Section your hair off and rub the avocado mix onto your hair from root to tip until your whole head is covered.  Let it sit for about 30 minutes and then rinse out (I suggest just hopping in the shower!)  Shampoo and conditione hair after it's rinsed clean.

Friday Fill-In #2

 

(via http://wifeofasailor.com/)

1. How do you spend your deployment money, do you save, pay off bills or enjoy the extra money while it is there to buy the things you do not normally have?
*We have a lot of wedding debt to pay off right now, and then we plan to save a lot. Yay for being debt free in a year :)

2. If you could relive one occasion or moment, what would it be?
*Most definitely our wedding day!  I went through all of our wedding pictures just the other day to (finally) put together our wedding album on Shutterfly (which turned out great!), and remembered just how amazing that day was. I would relive it over and over if I could.

3. What’s the worst job you ever had and if it was so bad why did you take it?
*Probably working at Hollister Co.  I was in high school and wanted the discount.  Retail sucks though.  Only did it a few months, and wouldn't do it again.

4. If you could play any character on TV, who would you be?
*No idea...I guess maybe a chracter from Army Wives.  Yeah I know real original but hey I do like my life.

5. If you could become the world’s expert in something, what would it be?
*Expert in how to make money hahaha.  Yeah I dont really know.

Work Adventures

So I meant to blog about this yesterday (after it happened) but haven't gotten the time to sit down and write until now.  So at work yesterday, we were finishing up lunch and getting ready for nap time.  One of our kids went in the bathroom to go potty and wash up.  After a few minutes I realize she is taking a bit of a long time.  So I go over to the bathroom and notice the door is shut (the kids don't shut the door when they go potty, only teachers do).  I go to open it and...it's locked.  There is another door to the bathroom, so I walk around to that door and SURPRISE....it's locked too! Ok first reaction is obviously "Are you kidding me?!?"  I placed my head on the side of the door frame and just started laughing...kind of a like "I can't believe this happening to me right now" nervous laugh.  Acasha see's me and asks what is so funny.  I tell her, and I am pretty sure the same thought goes through her head.  Well it just happens it is one of my younger, less cooperative kids who has gotten themselves locked in the bathroom.  First, I attempt to use a pen to poke in the hole and unlock the door.  FAIL.  Then I consider many other objects, none of which are small enough to fit into the hole.  FAIL.  I then come marching out of my boss's office with the wire replica of the empire state building. lol Acasha was laughing so hard because I had the most determined look on my face with a freaking empire state building replica in tow.  What?!  The top was small and pointy, a child is locked in the bathroom, let's just say you get creative.  However, it too FAILED!  Then, literally seconds before we were going to break the door handle and barge in Acasha shouted "Wait!" And reached up to the ledge above the door and wallah!  There is the precise, little metal object meant for exactly this occasion.  Crisis aborted :)
On another note...today at work I created a new snack for the class which is now known as "Happy Applesauce".  Sometimes you have to mix it up and find excitement in the little things...like kids do.  So below is a picture of my little creation.  Can you guess what it is?

It's a giraffe face!!! lol The kids loved it.  Us teachers loved it even more.

Patriot's Day

I know it is late in the day (better late then never) but I was out all day with Acasha so I am just now sitting down to blog.  It is crazy to think it has been 9 whole years since the 9/11 attacks.  And it is even crazier to see what an affect it has had on this nation.  We are still at war, and not only did that day impact so many Americans, it has impacted millions more in the years of war that have been waged since.  I want to take a moment to remember the victims of that day, and remember the soldiers who have lost their lives, and those who have fought for our freedoms every day since then.  I thank every single one of you, the ones I know and ones I don't.  I am proud to be an American, and I mean that.  I am even more proud to have my husband, my best friend, and my hero ♥ Here's to our nation, and our soldiers!

Friday Fill-In

I discovered this through another blog, and thought "Hey why not!"  Not like you guys couldn't get enough random info about me in the first place, right?! :)

1. Do you set goals for yourself during deployment? What are some of them?
*I think I am constantly setting some type of goal for myself, during a deployment or not.  Current goals include staying healthy, going back to school, and cleaning out my closet!!!

2. What would you say to someone dating a military guy or gal?
*It may not always be easy but it is worth it.  You need to learn how to take the good with the bad.  Know when to let things get to you and when to let it go.  Do not be selfish.  Know that you will face struggles "civilian" couples don't have to, but remember to be strong for yourself and your loved one.

3. If you have children, how do you prepare them to move to a new place?
*No kids for us yet

4. Name one hobby that gets you through alone time.
*Blogging :)

5. What’s the one food you don’t ever get tired of?
*Pasta.  My husband and I could live off of Italian food!

Mission Impossible...

So tomorrow after work I will commence mission impossible....to find a white summer dress in SEPTEMBER!  Yes Yes I know what you're thinking, I must be crazy.  Here is the deal though, my dear Acasha is doing photos for me Saturday and I have a vision in my head of what I want them to look like.  It involves 3 outfits and a white summer dress is one of them.  If I had planned ahead I probably would have just looked online and ordered one a few weeks ago buuuut since that did not happen, I will be spending hours after work searching for the dress.  Wish me lots of luck please...I could use it!

On another note...I am experiencing my first PMS week since this deployment began.  Wow...can we say water works!  I am a pretty tough cookie and can hold things together pretty well when I need to be strong for myself, and my husband.  But this week let me just say, everything is getting to me.  Perhaps all the sappy country songs aren't helping.  I mean, I was crying because I was hungry the other day! It was late and I was tired, and I couldn't find anything appetizing to eat.  In the moment I thought the world obviously hates me and the walls are crashing down on me, and the next morning I realized how utterly ridiculous it was.  On the bright side I can laugh at my own misery, once it has passed.  On top of this, is the fact that I am becoming oblivious to my surroundings at times.  Prime example, I was on the phone the other day when I went to sit down in a chair.  And smack! to my astonishment I completely missed the chair!  I didn't even kind of, almost make it in the right location.  I was laughing hysterically though, because I always look at my kids at work like they are insane when they miss the chair.  I guess I learn from the best :)

4 Years Olds Can Say the Cutest Things

So today at work two of my 4 year olds ending up talking about camo for some reason or another.  I asked them if they even knew what it looks like.  They said no and asked to see a picture.  I have this picture in a frame at work...

It is the closest thing I had to show them what some kind of camo looks like. So as I am showing them this picture one girl said "Are you and your husband leaving each other in this picture?"  I said yes we were and that this was the last time I saw him before he had to leave.  This child's father travels for work so I explained that my husband had to travel for work except he had to be gone for a year.  Apparently being far more aware then I though she went on to say " Wow that is a long time.  But he has to go fight, right?  That's why he is gone?"  Well informed I must say.  Then a little later on I said something along the lines of "I have to go home and get dinner after work."  My other 4 year old then said "Yeah you have to get dinner by yourself every night because your husband is gone.  You wish he was here so that he could get dinner ready, but he can't so you have to do it."  Yeah, I love those kids :)

Sometimes Ya Just Gotta Dance...

So this weekend, one of my Army wife friends Heather & I decided to head to CO Springs/Pueblo to have some girl time along with our other friend Megan.  On Saturday we got down there in the afternoon, and headed to the State Fair.  It was ok, but it was super hot and the girl's kids were getting hungry and uncomfortable (so were we).  So after an hour we decided to leave, grab some dinner, then head back to Megan's for the night.  After the kids went down to bed, the fun began :)

First of all, let me discuss the app's on cell phones that show you which star constellations you are looking at.  Megan lives out in the middle of nowhere Pueblo ( Heather & I are convinced that this is how bad things happen to good people in scary movies!)  So at night the sky was very clear and I decided to play with this app on Megan's phone.  You know a phone is smart when it can tell you where stars are located through the Earth.  IfI pointed it at the ground it still told me which constellation would be there.  Impressed much?

Secondly, I want it to go on official record that I am awesome at the Wii game "Just Dance".  Yes that's right, you are hearing from the 3x just dance Champion (my last name is fitting!). At first I was tired and said "No, no I will just watch"  But after much insisiting I got up and gave it a shot.  Heather & Megan immediately regretted that decision.  So much so that I swear they purposely gave me a bad remote so that when it died in the middle of a song, I suddenly started to "suck" at the game.  After realizing it, I quickly called for a rematch!  So we ended up moving & grooving until about 2:30 in the morning.  Not only have I proved my mean dancing skills, but I think we all sweated off a few pounds!  Who needs cardio when you can Just Dance?!?!  So I have decided to purchase this game, and my all time favorite dances to do last night were "Pump it Up" and "Hot & Cold"...Oh yeah!

Then today, Heather came with me to visit my cousin.  He is in the Army and happens to be at Fort Carson for a few weeks teaching an ALC course.  We went and got Greek food at a restaurant in Old Colorado City called "Jake & Telly's".  I would highly recommend it...the food was delicious!  Then we went to the Zoo.  I love Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, it is just so neat every time I have gone.  Today my mission was to face my fears and actually pet the giraffes (you are able to walk right up to them and feed them!)  After I did so, a person then held a cracker right by my face for the giraffe to eat.  I swore he was going to lick my face (and they have really weird, long, creepy purple tongues!)  Luckily, it did not lick me.  But I was all done after that. The MONKEYS are still my all time favorites here!  They are hilarious!  The ones with really long arms who swing around & show off are the best.  They look sooo funny walking around because they have adult size arms with child size bodies.  One of them put on a fabulous show for us...swinging to and fro and then stopping to spin on his back/head.  All in all, great weekend and much needed.

It's Friday!

Whew....I thought it would NEVER come this week. A long week all in all.  A lot happened! Where oh where to even begin!

Starting with work...we moved to the new school this week YAY!   It is cute, it is perfect!  We set it up exactly how we wanted, and I think it screams "Acasha & Angela" all over it. We even have our own teacher area that's decked out with black, white, and lime green :)  It is absolutely wonderful to feel at home, when you are at work.  PS our boss is awesome!  This week she gave us gift cards to a restaurant called Texas de Brazil just for working hard.  And I have heard it is a delicious restaurant.  As excited as I am to try it, I decided to save it for when Chris comes home on R&R.  Also, I grow to love my kids (at work) more and more each day.  They are awesome and have the best little personalities.  And I must add they are extremely observant.

Example:Today at work, I have a little boy who has "brown" skin as my kids say.  He was hugging me, and examining me when he looked up and said "Ms. Angela you are brown like me.  Well, kind of.  Actually we're diffrent kinds of browns".

In my attempt to describe the reasoning for this I responded "Well yes you are right.  That's because my daddy is brown like you, and my mommy is white like your friend (I pointed to another child in the class).  So when the two mix you get a 'diffrent kind of brown' like me"

Then another child chimed into this very insightful conversation saying "Yeah actually Ms.Angela is kind of like Pocahontis.  She is more of a like creamy peanut buttery brown."

I just had to laugh. Yes yes, I am officially a creamy peanut buttery Pocahontis type brown person :)  Gotta love kids!

On another note I would like to say I loved my pizookie night with Acasha, Cassie L, Kim and her daughter on Wednesday night.  In case you have no idea what a pizookie is, I HIGHLY recommend going to your nearest BJs Restaurant and ordering one!  It is a warm, cookie baked in a small pizza dish and topped with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream that slowly melt into the warm cookie and make you think for a moment you died and went to Heaven!

And lastly but most importantly.  Chris got his care packages.  He highly approved of my fabulous box decorating skills :)

Care Packages & Bronco Games

These two things will define my fall I have decided.   Sending my husband care packages makes me feel a little bit closer to him, knowing that he will touch the very things that I am touching.  Silly, but you learn to find meaning in the simplest and strangest of things when you're husband is deployed. 

As you can see...I love to put a little extra into my care packages.  1) Because it makes it special for hubby. 2) Because, hello I NEED HOBBIES....lol it is like scrapbooking onto a box I suppose.  And you would be surprised how much time it can take to add these little extras. So on the weekends it helps pass the time, and is worth while for me to do so.







**As a funny little side note, I have verified that I have lost my mind a bit.  Just a few days ago I was feeling lonely.  I found my self sitting on our couch, crying as I smelled the back cushion because I swear it smelled just like my husband!  I am ok with sharing a piece of my insanity to bring a good laugh and smile to lighten your day :) **

Anyways--  I am so excited that football season has begun.  I am a die hard Broncos fan!  Regardless of how good or bad we may be doing I will support my team to the end.  Every game day I am wearing my gear and ready for the game.  I could possibly get into the football game more than most men.  And I am proud to say it :) So you can imagine how completely ecstatic...thrilled...just plain happy I was to attend the Broncos Vs. Lions game this weekend.  Yes it is only preseason....however when you are attending for free and sitting in a suite (the suite next to the Broncos owner's suite infact), eating delicious food (for free), and drinking whatever you want (for free) then it does not matter what game it is!  It was a great time. My friend Heather's birthday was the day before, so I had her join me :) -- We barely lost by 5 pts in the last few minutes of the game...but it was still a great game.  I still have hope for my boys this season.

Sleep Talk :)

So last night in the midst of back and forth facebook comments, myself and two friends got into a conversation regarding the sleeping habits of our soldiers.  Looking back on it today I had to giggle, and post it on my blog.  And this is what the life of an Army wife is like at night!!!

•  Me: i miss him but i can do without the snoring/humming in my ear and getting elbowed in my face

   
• Megan: lol I never got any of the elbows :P

   
• Me: oh u lucky lucky gal

   
• Rosalin:  angela i totally feel ya about getting elbowed in the face and the head and the back...i feel much better now i know i wasn't the only one under attack at night lol.

   
• Me: haha yes by all means. and once he leaped out of bed except he chose to leap over me so he put his hands on me and leaped over me putting ALL his weight on me. yeah was not happy that time lol

   
• Rosalin: oh god lol...i would not have been a happy camper either. we just end up boxing it out...cause i wake up and he stays passed out.

   
• Megan:  one night Jamie told me he loves me more... his reason why.. "spaghettios... tomorrow" He always says the weirdest things while sleeping.

   
• Me:  ha yeah. chris woke up once stared at the tv watched the mascara commercial then started blabbering about cake. and i was like "shut up and go to sleep you dont know what you're talking about" and he yelled back "No you dont know what youre talking about!" then passed out again

   
• Rosalin: haha oh can you just imagine them all together having the funniest sleep conversation! i'd pay to hear that

   
• Me: haha that would be awesome!

What a Week!

So this week began my first full week without the husband.  It had it's ups and downs, but overall I am doing alright.  I must say that I am holding up better than I had anticipated.  Granted, I was able to still talk to my husband fairly frequently so it made it easier.  Now that he will be heading to his COP (combat outpost), it will get tougher not being able to hear from him nearly as much.  I plan to just keep busy with friends, family, and hobbies to keep my mind off the loneliness and pass time more quickly. Already wanting to countdown until R&R!!!

On the bright side...I began working at a new preschool this week and absolutely love it!  The kids are great and warmed up to me quickly, I work with one of my best friends,and our boss treats us great!  It is so amazing how working somewhere you love and being in a positive environment makes every other aspect of your life that much better!  We currently are running the school out of our owner's home but are moving to a new house, designated solely for the school, and we can not wait!  We have been working hard to get everything set up!

Oh and I have discovered my perfect little house!  It is down the street from where I work. Every day that we take the children to the park, we pass it and I admire it.  There really is nothing special, or spectacular about it.  But it is just so perfect to me!  It's painted gray, with dark blue shutters, a bright red door, and flowers galore in planters that run along porches on the main and upper level of the home.  I just had to take a picture to share with everyone ( silly I know, but you don't understand how much I love this house!) And it looks even better in person.

Deployment Begins...

  A year in Afghanistan is not my favorite thing.  It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  On his last day we went to The Garden of the Gods and enjoyed looking at all the neat rock formations.   I swore that one rock looked like two hands, palms together, like they were praying.  He laughed because apparently my imagination is so fabulous since just a few weeks ago in Mexico I swore I could see Scooby Do's head in a rock formation!

That night we went to the Texas Roadhouse for his last meal, along with my mom and Jamie (his first line supervisor/friend).  I must say that my steak medallions and loaded mashed potatoes were yummy :)

Then it was off for a long night of waiting to tell him good-bye.  I felt like I was in a fog all night, constantly holding back tears every time I felt them coming on.  I was pretty proud of myself for how well I held it together.  It wasn't until the guy came up and announced "Five minutes and then you need to say your final good-byes" that I began to cry uncontrollably.  It was the worst feeling in the world knowing that as I held him it would be the last time for a long time.

And here is a poem I love that fits this time in my life perfectly:

I hate to watch

Each time you leave

And I hide from you

How much I grieve

I know it’s your duty

And you will go

But once you are gone

I will miss you so

I know you’ll come home

As soon as you can

But right now you’ll deploy

Like an honorable man

So I’ll keep things together

Till you can come back

But, this is where you belong

Not somewhere in Afghanistan

Yet, I do understand

Why you risk you’re life

For that’s a Soldier’s job

And I’m a Soldier’s wife.

Here I go...

So I decided the other day I want more hobbies. And blogging popped in my head as a fabulous idea :) My husband and I just had our wedding on June 5th, followed by our honeymoon in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It has been a very busy summer, and it's quickly coming to an end. He is getting ready to leave for his second deployment, the first was Iraq and this time Afghanistan. He leaves in just a couple days and this blog is one of many efforts I am making to keep myself sane while he is gone. I hope to keep it up to date and hopefully everyone can enjoy it, and perhaps take something away from the things I say and post. I welcome you all into my life, my world, and all the adventures of being an Army Wife!!!