Tagged (Man!)

Obviously I really suck at this whole blogging thing because Crooked Eyebrow tagged me for a post! Good times, eyebrow.

Here are the rules:

1. Each player starts with eight random fact/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose people to get tagged and list their name.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged and to read your blog.

Here are 8 random things about me:

1. My all time favorite Girl Scout is Ariel and my favorite Girl Scout cookie is Tag-A-Longs.

2. I am currently attending Dental Assistant school at which I have a 4.0 and hope to go on to Dental Hygiene school at some point.

3. I really do love the Army life even though my soldier seems to be gone quite a bit. It's the new places every couple of years that keeps me going.

4. I am the baby of my family with two older sisters and one brother.

5. I used to hate coffee with a passion but my coffee worshiping soldier and his family quickly changed all that. I must have yummy creamer in it and one packet of Splenda, however.

6. I not only love my mother-in-law, I really like her too.

7. I hate that I am pushed to the brink of road rage every day on my way to school.

8. Simple things like rainbows, freshly fallen snow on the mountains, vivid, green grass and the sun shining make me very happy.

Now I have to tag two people.........Congratulations:

Deconstructing Jen

A Day in the Life of the Ordinary

Tag! You're it!!

It's Been Awhile

I can't believe it's been a whole month since I've written last. Since then I have aced my finals, gotten certified to take x-rays in the dental office, have had a nervous breakdown (well, not technically but it sure felt like it) and have had the stomach flu in my house for an entire week. Crazy, right?
Since it is Veteran's Day I'd like to take this time to thank ALL Veterans everywhere for their devoted service to our country. I saw an older gentlemen with a Vietnam Vet hat on today at McDonald's and started to cry. I wish I could have had lunch with him or shaken his hand and listened to some of his stories. It's hard for me to fathom that my husband is a Veteran as well. Usually on this day I will make him a special dinner, bake his favorite cake (strawberry with strawberry icing) let him golf, not one but TWO rounds- and just celebrate him and all he has done for his family and his country. He is such an awesome soldier and one that the Army is very lucky to have. He is so strong and dedicated. I could go on for hours!
On that note, with a few tears streaming down my cheeks, I will get out of here as I have yet another 6 chapter test to study for tomorrow.
Please remember to keep all of our soldiers who are deployed and at home in your prayers and maybe look up the U.S.O. and see what you could do for them with the holidays coming up and so many of them being overseas during that time. Every little gesture or note or care package is so greatly appreciated and it really lifts their spirits- if even for just a moment.

Ok, so I know I'm a bad bloggy Mommy but I have been soooo incredibly overloaded with school that I honestly asked myself- just this week- "what the heck am I doing?" I have huge tests every week, 10 chapters of paperwork every week and not to mention lab days in the middle of it all that I have to test out of. CRAZY! I know I can handle it - I've done it before with surgery assistant school (he was deployed to Kosovo for that one...ugh.) but some days I come home and literally collapse.

My goal was to do school work and then blog before I go to bed. I'm so tired by the time I'm finished that I just don't have the brain power or the energy to write! So, I'm thinking I might try for once a week or maybe twice a week depending on my schedule. I was hoping to do so much more since this is the first deployment that I've ever 'journal-ed' before. There are so many things to talk about- so many things that a family experiences during a deployment that a lot of people don't even realize. So, I think I will truly make an effort to do better here. Maybe if I tell myself I don't have to write a short novel and maybe just a thought or two- it wouldn't seem so overwhelming!

So, to bring you up to speed- Thursday marked our 3 month milestone since he left. Three months down - 4-5 to go!! We don't know exactly when his return date is, hence the 4 or 5 months!

I also found out that one of my sweet boys (I won't say who to protect his privacy) is having a hard time adjusting to Dad being gone this time around. I guess I've been so busy that I haven't stopped to ask either one of them how they are coping. Major guilt here. I found out through a neighbor that he was really missing Dad and having a hard time thinking of anything else. Dang it. How did I not pick up on that? I feel so bad- like I missed the mark on this one. He talked to a neighbor and not me. This hits me hard. It would explain the report card he just brought home too. Am I being selfish with my own schooling that I don't pick up on the signals that I used to be so in tune with? I'm so worried about a 4.0 that I'm failing at home. I should be worried about getting a 4.0 at home instead. So, keep us in your prayers- that the time stretches so that I have enough to spread around to everyone that needs me.

On a brighter note, I actually put the books down yesterday to put up some fall decor and I took these pictures which I thought were just precious:

Isn't it fun to experience their first time to really notice things like pumpkins and decorations and be mesmerized by it? She sat there for the longest time just staring at Mr. Pumpkin and smiling and asking me what it was. It was such an awesome moment. One of those moments that I'll never forget and was so glad that I took the time to make the house decorative and fun for the season.

On that note, I think I'll go and watch a movie with my babies and enjoy them. I don't want to miss out on any more 'moments' this week.

A Real Live COPS Show

Ok, so remember how I told you I would tell you the kidnapper story over the weekend? I'm sorry, I lied. I ended up getting caught up in changing out the summer clothes to winter clothes for T-Monkey. This staying busy thing is kicking my butt! But, my hard work has paid off- I made straight A's for the first six weeks of school- I'm totally excited.
So since I have a moment and am actually caught up on studies, I will bring you up to date:
I get a call from my neighbor almost two Fridays ago during class. No one ever calls me during school so naturally I thought it was something to do with the kids. Anyway, she proceeds to tell me that there is a kidnapper loose trying to hide out in our neighborhood and not to go home but to come straight to her house so that the police could go in the house with me. Of course, this takes me a moment to process this info and I agreed with her and immediately called the school. See, Soccer is home alone for about 30 minutes after I leave and he is supposed to lock the door and get on the bus on time and so far this year he's done a fantastic job. I've always had reservations about this responsibility but a lot of family had said this would be good for Soccer. Reluctantly and with a lot of prayer, I decided to let him do this. My neighbors also peak out the window to make sure he makes it out of the house on time! My first thought is that I need to verify that he has indeed made it to school. They were able to find Football right away but were confused on what name I had given for Soccer and that he was in the middle school wing and not high school. They couldn't find him for about 10 minutes. They finally found him at lunch when they figured out his correct name. I have never had a panic attack before in my life- I had one that day. I sobbed for an hour at least. You know I would never forgive myself if anything ever happened to him because I didn't listen to my 'mother's instinct.' Needless to say, he goes to the neighbor's house in the mornings when I leave now. I think we all feel better about this new arrangement!
Ok, so I get to my neighbor's house after school and then she fills me in on the facts:
The man had kidnapped a woman and held her at gunpoint and forced her to drive him - Their car breaks down at the exit off the interstate where my neighborhood is. Somehow, she escapes from him and is able to make it to this tiny little museum at the corner and finds three gentlemen that help her and call the police. The manhunt is now on and he's been spotted in several different locations in the neighborhood and is believed to have robbed another woman in the area who had left her door unlocked- he assaulted her and took her money and jewelry. Scary, right?
By the time I get home, cops are at every block on my street- HE WAS SEEN ON MY STREET. I'm not sure how to handle all of this but my neighbor and I went to the nearest detective, told him I just got home from school and would he have someone go in the house with me. He sent two other detectives down to go in- without me. I had to wait in the car, across the street and watch these officers with weapons drawn screaming and yelling to clear my house. Again, I'm totally crying and just scratching my head that this is happening in my neighborhood.
The house is clear and they tell me to lock up and keep the lights on. Duh. I want Ft. Knox security at this point. Then one of my other neighbors comes yelling down the street that she'd been trying to call me all day (she was calling the house phone) and that she had noticed that Soccer had -LEFT THE FRONT DOOR OPEN this morning and wanted to let me know that she had stopped SWAT and asked them to clear the house for me while I was gone. So, the SWAT team and their dogs cleared my house too. Isn't this story just bizarre?
Oh and I forgot to mention that the local news channel had gotten word of my house being checked twice and came down and interviewed me. Of all the days for the house to look like a tornado had gone through. What are the chances? It was soooooo messy. Oh well, at least the freak didn't hole himself up in my unlocked open-doored house, right?
Oh- and I now have ADT installed and that's a whole other story for another time. It ends with me getting two months for free and waiting for the electrician today. Ugh.

I'm Still Here!

I'm sorry its been so long since I've posted and a lot has happened to include a kidnapper running loose in the neighborhood last weekend. That ended with SWAT in my house and me on the news. Interested? It's not as dramatic as it sounds but it was still scary. I promise to fill you in soon, k?
Anyway, I am currently enduring finals week so that's why the big absence. I have had 6 major projects due, finals over the material of the last six weeks to study for and about 40 brownies to bake for Football's team dinner tomorrow night. Yeah, I know....
So, I will be back in full swing this weekend. I will update you on everything this past week and let you know if I aced my exams or not- I'm really hoping I do! Next week I start upstairs in the Dental Lab and I can hardly wait. Football, Soccer and T-Monkey are all doing well and so is our soldier. Keep praying for him, though. He is working very long hours and I think it might be catching up with him.
Until we meet again, take care and thanks for reading!!!

Good Things Come in Two's?

I don't know if the title statement is true or not but two very good things happened to me today despite almost getting run over by a maniac on the highway pretending that he was in the Indy 500. Side note- Colorado drivers are nuts. I missed a big event yesterday- We have officially reached the 2-month mark since my soldier left!!! I'm so excited. I guess its good being busy even though sometimes I just want to take a Calgon moment and shut myself in my room for and hour and slow down. The 'busy' is what makes it so great when we can mark off another month. Only 6 more to go, my friends!
See! I even have it on my calendar and I just noticed it today! Scary...

The second great thing is that I captured another double rainbow right outside my house. God sure has been awfully generous with these rainbows during this deployment and its such a blessing. Sometimes I feel so scared and nervous - especially after watching the depressing news. Doesn't it seem like it's always so bad? Anyway- this rainbow lifted me up and helped to reinforce my faith. I just wish that I could be faithful like this all the time. It's that damn fear that creeps in and takes over when you least expect it. So, signs like this are like pure heaven to me. I am so grateful.

Isn't it just so vibrant and beautiful? I took this picture standing in my garage. P.S. I LOVE my neighbors yellow house- it's so happy looking, don't you think?

And finally- I would like to take just a sentence or two to thank all of you for commenting on my posts. I REALLY appreciate all of you and I can't tell you how much encouragement I take in just from reading your comments. Thank you from the bottom of my heart- it means the world to me!

Roller Coaster

I'm sitting here, in the dark with only the light of the computer and listening to the most sappy love songs you could imagine. From the likes of Celine Dion to Wham to Vanessa Williams- the list goes on. I feel so weird this evening. And its not from being sicker than a dog because I have been in a classroom with about 20 other dog-sick people for the past week. Ugh.
I think its because the weekend is here and that is when I miss him the most- because I have the time. Friday night, nowhere to go and no one to run anywhere. Just me and my computer and my thoughts.
I have his picture posted above my computer screen and every time I look at it- it makes my heart hurt. My bones literally ache for him. Too mushy, right? Sorry. Its amazing what happens when I let myself think- when I stop for just a moment its like every feeling associated with this damn deployment rears its ugly head. For instance, I managed to get T-Monkey's curly, twirly hair in a ponytail tonight and at first it made me happy because she looked so stinkin' cute but then, when I thought of snapping a photo and sending it to her daddy, I cried. I cried because I didn't know if it would make him too sad to see her look different and older. She did look like such a little girl instead of a little baby. He has expressed to me several times that he hoped things wouldn't change too much while he was gone. I'm doing everything in my power to keep things just as they were when he left but unfortunately I don't have a magic wand that I can wave to stop time until he's done with this damn deployment. Yes, I'm mad at this deployment - I hate having so many emotions go up and down like a roller coaster at any minute of the day. It really takes a toll on you after awhile.
I know some of you comment that you hope there are happy times and that its not always 'bad' for us. We do have happy times, I promise! In fact Soccer and I cracked up today all the way from the doctor's office because of something he said. Me: "Its so good that you've gained weight , Soccer! Now you can sit in the front seat because you're heavy enough to turn on the airbag!" Soccer, with a confused look on his face: "you mean its a good thing that I'm big enough now to get hit by the airbag?" I swear I laughed for 20 minutes! When you think about it - it's really not a good thing! He's such a comdedian. And yesterday, Football and I celebrated all the way home from his football game because he had some awesome blocks. That being said, this blog for me is to share what I feel when I feel it and not to censor. I hope that is ok....and obviously I don't write everyday- its too hard sometimes! So when I get the urge to write- I do. I don't want to write everyday just to say that I did it. I want it to mean something, you know?
On a better note, then, I can't believe how much of a positive outlet this has been for me as well. It does help me release the negative and it allows me to recognize what I'm feeling sometimes so that I can take ownership of it and learn from it. I have a few young military wives in my class who's husbands are set to deploy in May- I hope that what I learn or have learned so far will help them in some way. I've already passed out my number and offered any advice or information that may help them if they need it. They've had a lot of questions and hopefully I have helped in some way. I hope they are better prepared for this than I was the first time he left. That is my goal for them, anyway.
So there it is- my thoughts - up and down- just like my evening has been. Now what on earth can I do tomorrow to stay busy?