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 :)