It's All Apart of the Military Life

Many of my real life friends know we have been contemplating getting out of the United States Air Force when Jesse's enlistment is up in Sept. 2012. Jesse and I have been going back and forth, weighing our pros and cons, and trying to figure out the best route to take for our family... do we stay or do we get out... do we stay or do we get out. It's been the biggest topic of conversation in our household, especially over the past two weeks. See, Jesse has been giving an opportunity to leave our Air Force base in Ohio 1.5 years early to become an instructor at an Air Force base in Texas. We just found out about his waiver yesterday. In order to do this, Jesse will have to re-enlist, and we have decided it's in the best interesest of our family to have Jesse retire out of the military (did those words come out of my mouth?). It's been a rough road for me trying to get used to all the nooks and crannies of the Air Force, in fact I've been the one pushing for Jesse to get out. I wasn't a fan of not knowing our future (I'm not a fan of change or instability), the constant changes in Jesse's schedule (deployments, and TDY's, being apart, etc), and being so far away from my parents and sister. After talking to a few of my close friends, they were able to open up my eyes to all the positive/benefits the military life has to offer. Not only are we surrounded by the continuous support of families going through similar situations, but the financial benefits are something you won't find in a normal everyday job. Yes, there will be more time apart for Jess, myself, and the kids, but the health care for life, access to AAFES, and a retirement check definitely outweighs those small bumps in the road.

Trying to predict your future in the military is like trying to gamble on a $200 million dollar lottery ticket...things are never set in stone, especially not until you have orders in hands, but even those can change at the last minute. Making the decision to stay in Ohio or head down to Texas is pretty much a gamble for us. We just want as much stability as we can get being in the military. Making our decision to PCS (permanent change of station) to Texas wasn't as difficult as we thought. With Jess being an instructor at Tech School (training in their specific career field after basic training), he won't deploy, and he will be teaching what he'll be tested on to make a higher rank... pretty much a win/win situation for us. The only downfall is being another 12 hours from my home state of Nebraska and being 23 hours from Jesse's home state of Virginia.

Jesse will be submitting his package to teach by the end of the week, and we should hear something soon. We're pretty positive we're heading down to the Lonestar state, but again it's up to Jesse's commanders at his current job to sign those papers... nothing is set in stone (another drawback of the military life). It has been fun dreaming over the past few days, especially looking at different houses and schools for W. I'm really excited about the possibility of this new chapter in our lives. It's so much fun exploring a new community and seeing another part of the United States, meeting new people, gaining new friends, and still continuing to have the wonderful support of our United States Air Force and the families involved.

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Change: Sometimes It Can Be Unwelcoming

One thing I dislike about getting older is how many things change...your body...your appearance...your energy level...your patience...friendships/relationships, etc. Being back in my home state of Nebraska has definitely made me stop and think about how things are just not the same anymore. My old room is now a room for my two boys. Instead of walking in and seeing a full sized bed with a purple comforter on it, a desk filled with college homework and a computer, and a dresser with old memories... I now walk into to the same room where two twin beds are placed to make room for two sweet little boys. Closets are filled with old clothes I used to wear or I guess I should say, used to fit. Pictures and old high school and college memories are stored away in old shoe boxes. High School Yearbooks are covered in dust (I've now been out of high school for 11 years... yikes). Where has the time gone?!?!

Another thing I have come to realize is how friendships change. Coming home, not only do I have the excitement of seeing my family, but being able to catch up with old friends. Now, not many of you realize this, but I'm horrible about keeping in touch. My days are filled with keeping my boys entertained, keeping up with the housework and laundry, and honestly by the end of the day I'm ready to relax with my husband, or have some "me" time. Now, I know that sounds selfish, and I need to be better and making phone calls, emails, texts, etc. With that said, I may be horrible about keeping in touch, but I do know once I am back, I want to be able to spend a huge chunk of my time with those I miss. I've also come to realize people's lives just don't stop once I come into town...some of my friend's have full-time jobs and are working 60+ hour work weeks... some have planned vacations, etc. We are all on different timelines, which is understandable, and one of my "excuses" as to why I'm horrible about keeping in touch.

There are times I wish I could go back when I had half the responsibility, to come and go as I choose, to stay out late, to have all the time in the world to be on the phone, or just being able to sleep in. Last night, I went through all my old photos from different milestones in my life (high school sports, high school graduation, the college experience and graduation, summer camp, etc.) and many of those included people I thought would still be actively involved in my life today, and I look at those photos and know why that is. People move on, take different directions in life, start families, have challenging yet successful careers, travel the world, finishing college, etc. Would being able to stay in touch through all of that mean things would just pick up where they left off?! Unfortunately, that's not always the case. I guess I'm blessed with the few people who are still in my life, and for that am extremely blessed.

Time will always tick away, wither you're ready or not, and sometimes it can be welcomed as a good thing or a bad thing. Being a military family, I've come to accept change. My husband's schedule constantly changes. I know the house where we're currently living in is only temporary. The friendships I make being in the military will constantly be challenged, especially by every PCS (permanent change of station). Change happens, and I'm starting to finally welcome it with open arms. I love being able to come back to my "old" life and home, but now I have this new and amazon life, and realize home is where ever we go. It may only be temporary, but it's home. It is what it is, and it's up to me how I will challenge the ticking time clock. I'm ready to accept whatever life throws at me, even if it's grey hair and wrinkles.

Welcome Home Mike

My good friend, Cassy, and her two children welcomed their airman home from Iraq yesterday. I was very honored when she asked me to come with her and her family to welcome him home, and asked if I could take a few photographs. Of course, I said yes! It was a very exciting, happy, and emotional day. It definitely brought back tons of emotions for me when we welcomed Jess home from South Korea two years ago. Every body waiting in the terminal applauded Mike and another airman as they were departing the aircraft, what an amazing thing to witness. It makes me smile when I see the support our troops receive when they come home from being stationed abroad.

Anywho, I wanted to share just one photo I took yesterday. It's the moment when G and daddy embraced in a hug from being apart for such a long time.



God bless our troops abroad, their families, and God bless America!

Military Life is Like Predicting the Weather

Being a military family, you never know what the future holds. Predicting our future is like predicting the weather, or comparing it to the ever so changing weather. Anywho, we have been preparing for Jesse's deployment since November. The boys and I were planning on packing our things up and head back to Nebraska to stay during Jesse's deployment. It's been really stressful trying to prepare for that, a first birthday party, a baby sprinkle, etc and trying to be emotionally and mentally strong for not only myself, but for my family; as D-day was rapidly approaching.

Last week, a good friend of mine found out that her hubby was coming home early from deployment, because his job was canceled. Well, this job happened to be this same job Jesse was deploying to do, so we had this feeling his deployment would also be canceled. However, no "official" word from San Antonio. This was almost a week ago, and we finally got "official" word that Jesse will no longer be deploying this morning and all his out processing has seized. This is wonderful news for our family, because saying "see you later" is never easy, especially when this was to be our first actual deployment to the middle east(Jesse did a one year PCS to South Korea from 2008-2009).

Again, we don't know what the future holds for us. We do know Jesse is still high on the list for deployments, but only one can hope and pray he will be able to keep his feet on American soil. We also know how time is so valuable and important, especially being a military family. Right now, we celebrate, because we will be welcoming home another airman very soon, who put his life on the line for our country overseas. May God continue to watch over and bless those who are abroad fighting for what we believe in and our freedom, and God bless the USA!

MOPS and Donation

This morning was a MOPS morning for the kiddos and I. MOPS is something I look forward to every other week, as it's a Christ-centered community group for moms.. We get to converse, eat brunch, participate in Bible Study, and learn new and different ways to improve ourselves as a mother and wife. The kiddos also enjoy themselves in the Moppets program.

Right before our morning prayer, our moppets coordinator, Nikki, was needing a prayer request. She was telling us about a co-worker who had just given birth to a baby boy. He has an extremely severe congenital heart defect, and wasn't expected to make it past birth. He is currently being treated in the CICU at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Please keep this precious baby boy and his family in your thoughts and prayers. The mother is still in the hospital, and the father has been traveling back and forth from his wife to his newborn son. I will definitely keep you all updated if I hear anything more. Right after she told us about this brave little heart warrior, I stood up and mentioned the importance of this special week, Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. I gave everyone information on why it's so important for CHD to gain awareness, etc. I also told them about my plan to donate in memory of my good friend's baby boy, and told them about the non-profit organization, It's My Heart.

We also had a lovely couple, Steve and Loretta, from Marriage Works! Ohio come and speak to us. They spoke about the many tools needed to utilize marriage and relationship. Those being, relationship assessments, understanding personality differences, communication skills, conflict resolution techniques, intimacy & understanding the 5 love languages, and setting goals and achieving growth. Being a military wife, I have found that many of these "tools" have been placed in the back of the tool box. Both Jesse and I sometimes take are precious time together for granted and I learned how important it is to just have 16 minutes a day of our undivided attention. Once Jesse returns home from the middle east, we're planning on taking one of the Marriage Works! Ohio class sessions. I think it's very important for married couples, or any couples for that matter how valuable relationships are. Jesse and I are definitely looking forward to learning different ways to help keep that intimate spark alive in our marriage, even at the most darkest times(Jesse's upcoming deployment).

After Steve and Loretta spoke with us, Loretta sought me out to talk about Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week and the organization I was discussing earlier in the morning. She then told me she would love to donate, and wrote me a $25.00 check to send to It's My Heart. It definitely brought a tear to my eye, because it made me feel like I was able to gain another supporter of CHD awareness. I thanked her from the bottom of my heart. I wish the world was full of more people like that. "You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back."

Military Monday

My good friend, gave me this wonderful idea. Every Monday, I'm going to post something "military" in my blog, it could be a photo, poem, article, etc. Today, I want to share my most favorite picture in the entire world. I captured this photo just moments after Jesse marched in the Veteran's Day parade. W was only 5 months old at the time.

Snow Day

A snow day is usually something school children just dream of...waking up...looking outside to fresh fallen snow...and then having someone tell them school is canceled. I remember those days all to well, especially growing up in the Midwest where we were prone to significant amounts of snowfall at least once during the winter. One of those came the week of Halloween in 1997, I was a sophomore in high school, and we had a huge snow storm with lightening and thunder. We ended up with 15-20 inches of snow, and an entire week off school. The downfall to all the school closings was having to attend school one hour later than normal for the entire second semester. Anyway, I really thought snow days were something of the past, well at least until my kiddos start school...

I woke up this morning, right around 6 am, to get ready for my MOPS meeting. There was a snow storm predicted, but told us it would hit later on this afternoon. I looked outside, and there was no snow in sight. Our area schools were still on, as was my meeting. Not even 45 minutes later, it started to snow lightly, and then as I was driving to MOPS it began to pick up a lot reducing visibility. We didn't have a huge turn out this morning, due to the weather. However, I had fun getting a mini-manicure, visiting with other mamas, and a yummy waffle breakfast. A little before 11:30, a friend of mine got a text from her hubby, they were being released early due to the weather. I was ecstatic. Yes, military members do get an occasional "snow day". We actually encountered quite a few at our current base, and a few back in Nebraska. It definitely made for an exciting day ahead. Jesse is getting ready to take William out in the snow to go shovel, which in turn gives me a chance to blog. Anyway, it's pretty exciting being able to bring back all those fun memories of "snow days", and being able to share them with your family now. Happy Snow Day everyone!

Yikes, so that's what I look like? The Guide on the how to's and what not to do!

Becoming a mommy of two has definitely kept me on my toes. Sometimes I forget to brush my teeth, brush my hair, or even use the restroom. However, this morning while looking into the mirror, I noticed my eyebrows are literally growing into one nice bushy one. Right then and there I knew I had all the ingredients to one HOT MESS!

Here is the recipe to "One Hot Mess":

First we add a hubby who is currently on night shift...sprinkle a baby who doesn't sleep and a 3 year old who gave up his nap at 2 1/2...a house that never seems to pick itself up...and you have yourself a "hot mess".

I've usually been the one to have a positive perspective on everything, but since Jesse's been on this crazy shift, I have found myself being a huge bum on a log! Now, don't get me wrong, I know things could be a lot worse, and so grateful and lucky this job is a. temporary and b. not over in Afghanistan. However, I feel like I'm being tugged in every which direction known to man. There are times when I wish I could lean on family just for a few hours every weekend so I can try and clean a toilet without it turning into an experiment for W or even to just take a short cat nap (I've tried that once and W ended up going into the shower and emptying an entire bottle of body wash, thank goodness it was just body wash and not something like bleach all over the carpet). However, being a military wife you learn to adjust without that much needed help. P-man has never been a terrific sleeper, and we have had many, many nights of rocking, patting, singing, bouncing, dancing, etc. I will admit, I never take that time for granted, because I know he's only little just this once (I wish I had that perspective on it when W was that little, now he could care less if he gets a snuggle or not). With that said, I'm finding it more and more difficult to let P-man cry-it-out. I tried last night and gave in at five minutes, resulting in us having a party in "P-man's Crib" from 10:45 p.m. until 2:30 a.m.

I'm totally okay with putting myself on the back burner, but there are things I'm not okay with. The fact I'm so fatigued has really affected the way I've been parenting W. Now, this is one main thing that I really need to work at and put it at the top of my priority list. Most of my day seems to be mainly directed at meeting P-man's needs... hold him...feed him...change him...etc. So, during that time, W doesn't get 100% of my undivided attention. While P-man naps, I try and play or do something fun with him, but I'm so exhausted I've been finding myself nodding off. When W behaves poorly (usually while I'm attending to P-man), I've often found myself shouting over to him to change is behavior, instead of walking over there and talking to him about the consequences and then redirecting. I never wanted to be that parent...never! I'm really going to work hard on being strong, and overcoming my fatigue. I'm a definite mind over matter person, but lately that's not seem to be the case.

The housework will get done, however lately I've been putting it off to the last minute (i.e. having company over, my mom coming to town, etc). I really need to set a schedule and stick to it. Why does this always come back to being tired?! I have a lot to accomplish on my short term goals, but I truly believe I can get it done. I used to be quite the goal oriented person, again it all goes back to being a "hot mess". I always tell myself this, "No, Leyna, the house will not clean the mess, now get off Facebook and actually get some stuff done around the house!!!!!!!!" I really need to turn those words into action.

Planning meals will be an entirely different blog post, but I will talk about it very soon. I just realized the huge mess I made in the kitchen that probably shouldn't be put off. We have decided to do baby-led weaning with P-man (tomorrow's blogpost), and I boiled an apple for him to eat and cut up some toast.

I guess the unibrow, the split-ends, the chipped nails, the unpolished toes, the showers, and the dark circles will have to do for now. I guess in all reality, I'd rather be a hot mess physically than a bad mother.

Cheers!

Military Puppet Show

This week has definitely been filled with emotions. Being a wife of an airman definitely has its ups and downs. I definitely knew what I was getting myself into the moment I said "I do". However, there are times when I get so mad at how we are literally their puppets...we move where they want us to move...they control my husband's leave...and they can toil with emotions of an upcoming deployment...

Two nights ago my husband got word his name was third on the list of three deploying overseas and they would be leaving extremely soon. This was something we knew could possibly happen, but we knew things could change (this is the 2nd time they brought up deployment and my husband hasn't gone). Plus, my husband was supposed to be on a non-deployable duty for six months during his deployment window. We thought this all was a misunderstanding. Then yesterday morning, Jess got a phone call from the Captain in his shop telling him he was in fact scheduled to go. As soon as he hung up the phone we knew this deployment was happening and we only had a very short time to prepare. Jess had let them know of his legs and the fact he was on profile, however it was not mobility restricted. He got on the phone to reach his doctor to see what was going on...the fact he hasn't been able to run in a very long time...he knew his military days are probably numbered. Jess wasn't sure if he was even strong enough to deploy, especially since he had no idea what he would be doing. His Captain was going to let us know by the end of the day if we would be saying goodbye to Jess for six months. As soon as the phone rang...my heart sank...

Prayers were answered and with the help of Jesse's doctor they would be finding an alternate person to fill Jesse's deployment slot. I can't believe how close he was to leaving. Now, I understand military members deploy, some military members deploy every other six months, miss important family events, miss out on births, birthdays, anniversary's, etc. I just didn't think it was his time...he had already done a 365, however when the strings of the military puppeteers moves in your hubby's direction...you have no other choice but to be there to support, love, and be there with open arms for reassurance that everything will be okay. One thing being a military wife has taught me is patience, love, and how valuable time is.

I hope I can only continue to learn and grow, and no matter where the military strings lead us...I will only be that much stronger and accepting. It's only fair since they are providing us with a roof over our heads, dinner on our table, and resources only reached out to military families.

May God continue to watch and protect those serving here in the United States and afar.

God bless America!

The glass is really half-full - Acknowleding PPD

**This has taken me weeks to write this all out, and a lot of courage to get my word out**

"A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn’t see the clouds at all – he’s walking on them" – Leonard Louis Levinson

For those of you who have known me most of my life you usually think of me as a pretty optimistic person. I'm usually the one filled with laughter, jokes, and just a pretty fun girl to be around. I would always see the glass half-full. However, this all changed about 539 days ago....

January 20, 2009 brought an entire different chapter into my book of "Life". I was preparing to move to Ohio with my 19 month-old to meet my husband at his new duty station. Jesse was still in Korea at the time, so with the help of my parents I packed up our life and headed out east. I was really excited at the time and looking forward to creating a new home in Ohio. Jesse had heard a lot of great things about his new base, hence the reason he put it at the top of his dream sheet. I was really pushing for him to either stay at Offutt (why change something that's going good?) or PCS to Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. However, I realized how much the job meant to him, and supported his decision to come here.

Moving away from home in the dead of winter is never a good idea, especially to a place where the winters contain 10% sunshine. This was my first time ever away from family, and thus was definitely an adjustment. The first two months there were exciting and new, especially because we welcomed Jesse home after a year long PCS to South Korea. It was great having him home to discover new things with. However, after the initial high of being there, I started to realize this was not "home" and began looking at the glass half-emptied. I had no friends, and no playmates for W. The walls started caving in on me, and I started feeling extremely overwhelmed. I was definitely looking forward to May (2009), because we would be getting to see a lot of family due to a college graduation, wedding, an a high school graduation.

July came around and we found out we were expecting our second baby. I was just over-the-moon excited, especially when we were trying for six cycles. That month brought a lot of ups and one major down, with the biggest up being baby #2, and the down was having Jess in the hospital for four days. After finding out we were expecting, I started become close to my neighbor who was also expecting a March baby. I knew this was the opportunity I was waiting for to get out of the house and meet people. Through my neighbor, I was able to meet other military wives and mothers. I was having the time of my life, attending playgroups, MOPS (found out through another friend who is also from Nebraska), and GNOs. As my pregnancy was progressing, I started having these overwhelming feelings, and my negative emotions started to take over. I was realizing my mom and sister were not here to experience my pregnancy with me and would be missing out not only the birth, but the shopping and belly rubs. The holidays came and went without being able to spend them with either sides parents. See, I'm a very family-oriented person, and at the time I didn't feel spending it with my "military family" was good enough. I tried to put on a happy face, etc, but honestly I felt a lot people could read through my fake happiness.

February was another exciting month. Not only did I get to help celebrate my neighbor's baby shower, but she also co-hosted a sprinkle for me. I was so grateful for that, as I knew I was appreciated and people really cared for me. I knew after February came March. March not only brought the birth of our second born, but family being able to come out and visit. Shortly after I gave birth to P-man, I started suffering from what I thought was just a simple case of the baby blues (had them for three weeks with William). I was always teary-eyed, and couldn't stand to webcam with my sissy back home in Nebraska, because I so wished I was there with her and the rest of my family. I felt as if I was missing out on so much. As April and May came around, my negativity was in full force. I started feeling all the friendships I had developed in Ohio were slowly fading away. I was feeling like a terrible mother. With that, I didn't want to struggle with two kiddos in public by myself, and my three-year-old wasn't getting the much needed attention from mommy (P is a nursing addict). My marriage was starting to feel the effects as well. I had no one (again this is what I thought, my husband was very much supportive and understanding through this all). I was stuck in this place where I didn't want to be, I had no energy, was extremely fatigued, and started to dislike the person I was becoming. It was so easy to put up this facade to everyone outside of the four walls that I called home. I was/am a victim of postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression has been a huge struggle for me, especially dealing with it in a surrounding where at times you feel uncomfortable. I always told myself I would never let my emotions get the best of me, wow was that a lie! I'm currently on the path of recovering without the use of medications, but from the support of my family. I'm hoping to make a lot of changes, but one step at a time. The only one true thing that is important to me is my family. I really need focus all my energy on the three people who matter the most...Jesse, W, and P-man. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself. The glass really is HALF-FULL.

Exciting News!

We found out this a.m. that Jess got promoted to Technical Sergeant. We are so very proud of him. Out of 37,185 eligible only 7,752 got promoted. It looks like he will officially put on his fifth stripe sometime in January. I also want to take this time to congratulate the rest of those who are eligible for promotion. Way to go.

Here's the link to those who got promoted: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/promotions/tech/index.asp

Cleaning off the dust and clearing the cobwebs

Wow, it's been forever and a day since I've last blogged. I guess I'll blame the fact it's been hard to sit down for a few minutes and concentrate on writing what's been going on. Anyway, huge news in the S household...I'm currently 15.5 weeks pregnant (insert cheering and clapping here...HAHA). It took Jess and I exactly six months to conceive, and I honestly thought I was out that cycle due to the stress of Jess being admitted to the hospital for four days (long story). We will found out in a few weeks as to what we're having. W keeps saying there's a "baby sister in mommy's tummy", and I have a feeling it's a girl, but who knows?!?! We are 90% sure of the names, if it's a boy he will be Jackson, and if it's a girl, Ava Marie. It's not set in stone yet, especially since we still have about 5 months until gummy bear arrives.

15 Weeks:


Baby Gummy Bear at 13 weeks:


Everything has been good here. We went back to Nebraska for 4 weeks while Jess had training to attend to in Colorado Springs. It was great being back home, and it was DEFINITELY hard to leave. However, I was ready to be in my own house, bed, and W really wanted his train table. I really need to finish getting my Halloween decorations up, which I'm thinking I'll do tomorrow. I'm hoping we can stop by a Halloween store today just to look around and see if I can add anything to our decor. Oh, last night I got the opportunity to meet other Air Force wives in the community I live in, and it was a blast. My neighbor who is due with her 1st a few weeks before me included me in the girls night out. It was a lot of fun. I'm definitely looking forward to more nights like last night.

Well, this blog isn't completely dusted off yet, but I got a dent in it. We have to get the boys haircuts today, because W's hair is seriously out of control.

Ohio

Well, it's been a very long time since I've updated this blog, and thought tonight was a good night to pick it up again (no Jon & Kate Plus 8, no Secret Life of the American teenager, and no Bachelor). My family has been back together again since Feb. 6th of this year, and it's been such an amazing ride. W and I packed up our house and made the move to Ohio in late Jan. I wanted to make sure Jess had an easy transition back into the states. My parents were a huge help by making the trip with us, helping with W, moving us in, painting, and arranging everything. I don't know what I would have done without them.

Since living in Ohio, we've had quite a few visitors. Shortly after my mom and dad left, Cheryl my mother-in-law came to visit and help with W so I could unwind from the move, etc. My father-in-law, Dennis came in the night before Jesse was scheduled home. Then that Monday after the in-laws left, my sister came and spent the week with us. It was such a blast, plus she babysat so Jesse and I could spend a lovely Valentine's holiday together. Finally, we welcomed Jesse's two brothers and our future sister-in-law over their spring break. It's definitely been amazing being surrounded by all of our family. I truly believe that's helped me immensely getting acquainted with my new surroundings and not focusing too hard on missing home. Oh, and I forgot to mention my family in Indy...we've been able to see them a few times, which has been great too.

We're all still adjusting to our new home/life in Ohio. The weather is crazy here with more cloudy days than sun. It still has yet to reach above 75 degrees. The drivers are crazy and rude. Outside of our house in base housing, it's pretty much ghetto, and would be scared out of my mind to walk outside the gates alone. It's been hard trying to make friends, especially with our neighbors on both sides and across the street from us have no children. Plus, it doesn't help that the turn over rate is extremely high on an air base.... I guess ask me a few months from now after enjoying the summer sun how I feel about Ohio. I'm really hoping my attitude changes, and I learn to like it. I really don't have a choice, so I might as well deal with it.

Welcome Home Jesse

Okay, so my new project is going to seriously maintain this blog. I know it's been a long time, but things have been so incredibly busy for me and my family. We recently moved to Ohio, welcomed Jesse home, and now we're currently in the process of adding another member to our family. I'm really hoping to use this blog as a form of family updates for our friends and family. Being this is my first time away from home, I'm going to need a way to let everyone know what's going on.

With all that said...W and I are so excited to have Jesse home. He arrived on Feb. 6, 2009. I thought this day would never come, and looking back...this year really didn't seem long. I know in the beginning it seemed like everyday just dragged and dragged. Anywho, Jesse was greeted at the terminal gate by W and I and his parents (who came in from Virginia). It was a very emotional homecoming, and I didn't want to let go of him. I knew this time it was okay to hold on, because I wouldn't have to let go again. W is also enjoying his Daddy being home. They are so precious together.

Just A Dream

Okay, I just watched the Carrie Underwood music video, "Just A Dream". OMG...I'm over here just hysterically crying. I'm so lucky to have my Airmen here on earth, and the fact he's in South Korea and not in the war zone. I can only imagine the pain others are feeling whose loved ones are over there. My heart and many prayers goes out to all those who have lost a military member during this ongoing battle to protect our country. God bless to our men and women in uniform!!!!! I also wanted to yet again send my love and appreciation to my husband Jesse. Thank you baby for everything, and I'm so thankful for you not only as my life partner, but the father of our W and are children to come. XOXOX!

**The video isn't Carrie's music video, I just wanted everyone to hear the lyric and the message**

Okay, it's been a while....

I really need to get back to blogging, but it's been difficult to sit down and type. Jess came home on his mid tour, so I definitely didn't have time to get on. Then, not even a few days after Jess left, W came down with a bad cold, which turned into a bad sinus infection. The dog also had a bad case of diarrhea that needed to be treated with antibiotics.....this is like the third time of them both being on antibiotics at the same time..... I don't know how mom's of multiples does it. Anyway, I thought I'd break away from taking a nap and type a quick blog before W wakes up from his nap.

I'm slowly starting to get back into the working out scene again after taking a break while W and the dog got better. I was going five days a week for 1.5 hours +. I've been going back to the gym three days a week now for 1.5 hours. I'm hoping once W is 100%, I'll be able to go five days again. I'm trying to lose another 25-30 lbs before my brother-in-law's wedding/graduation in May. I really want to look good on my husband's arm, because this will only be my 3rd time back to Virginia, and my 1st time meeting many of my husband's family and friends. This will also be W's first time to his daddy's hometown, and we're so excited to show him many things about the great state of Virginia. We were hoping to bring along some good news with us, but God decided now wasn't the right time. Yep you guessed it, Jesse and I tried for baby #2 while he was home on leave. It would have been okay timing (I would've been 9 months preggo at the time of all these family festivities in Virginia), but I was really looking forward to not only a June baby, but a baby brother or sister for W. I've been a big believer in things happening for a reason, and I just think the good Lord upstairs wanted Jess to be here 100% for not only me, but for W during my pregnancy. We hope to continue trying when he comes home in Feb. hoping and praying for a November baby.

W's definitely getting bigger and smarter by the minute. I can't get over the new things he learns every day. We're still using baby signs, but his vocabulary is growing so much he doesn't seem to rely on the sign language to communicate with us. Here are the list of words W speaks to us daily:

• Mommy
• Papa
• Daddy
  Doggie
  Kitty
  "phutball" a.k.a Football
  "butch down" a.k.a Touchdown
  Car
  Truck
  "Ca Ca" a.k.a Tractor
  Ball
  "eese" a.k.a Reese
  Eat
  Bye
  Hi
  Juice
  Baby
  "ilk" a.k.a Milk
  "loon" a.k.a Balloon
  Nona
  Bear
• Katie
• Cracker

We have our 18 month appointment coming up, so we'll see how great he's doing learning and growing wise. Oh, yes, and I forgot to add I have a climber. Yep, W loves to climb on everything. The other day I was putting dishes in the dishwasher, and W pushed Reese's kennel to the table, crawled on top of that, and then onto the table. He about gave mommy a heart attack.

Moving day is coming up quickly, and it's starting to hit home a little bit for me. I'm so anxious to get my family of three back together, and explore a new city. However, my comfort zone is going to be so far away and in the hearts of my family back in Nebraska. I'm just so thankful I have such a wonderful family to help me not only move, but paint, unpack, help with W, and help adjust me to a new city. I decided to move with out Jesse, because I want to enjoy his homecoming, and make the transition from an international duty station to his new one an easy and comfortable one. The big "M" day is set for Jan. 20th. I have the government moving our things around the 16th of January, so not only are the holidays going to be busy with shopping and seeing family, but preparing for a huge move to the great state of Ohio. Oh, and no, we will not become Buckeye fans. LOL! Here are a few pictures of our new residence in Ohio:

I'm going to save our Halloween adventure for tomorrow's post. I really need to get off and get some stuff done around the house. We were stuck inside this past weekend due to the Stomach flu visiting our house, so I have a bunch of cleaning to do. You gotta love disinfecting a house. YAY! Could you feel the sarcasm. LOL!

Just trying to pass the time...

Okay, most of you know that Jess will be here on Friday, and I can't believe the huge to-do list I've created for myself. I know I did this on purpose, but wow...I'm just hoping I get all of it done. I've spent most of my week so far preparing for Jesse's return. I got all of W's laundry done, and put away yesterday. I also and time to work out for two hours last night. I worked again this morning, which was a piece of cake (it was so slow). After W's nap, we headed to Lost In Fun (definitely fun, but probably won't spend another $5 until W's much older), and Target was our last stop. I was out of some of my cleaning supplies, and I definitely need them for Thursday and Friday. I'm hoping to have this house sparkling clean for Jess. Plus, we're leaving for the lake on Sunday (after Jess and I attend the first Husker game, Go Big Red!), and I love coming home to a clean house. Anywho, this is my huge to-do list by Friday at Noon.

- Clean Kitchen
- Sweep and Mop floors
- Clean laundry room
- Vacuum entire house
- Clean powder bath
- Scrub W's high chair
- Finish my laundry
- Wash towels
- Wash sheets
- Dust entire house
- Clean master bath
- Dust W's and my bedroom
- Wash Rugs
- Put shoes away in garage
- Replace light bulbs
- Sanitize W's toys in playroom
- Clean fridge
- Wash W's carseat cover

Wow, does that seem like a lot.... crazy, crazy, crazy. I know this is a huge list, but it will definitely help me to just pass the time. :)

Happy 2nd Wedding Anniversary Baby

Today marks me and Jesse's 2nd Wedding Anniversary. I can't believe it's been two years already. It was such a beautiful day. People thought I was crazy to have an August wedding, especially since the male wedding party wore all black (black tux, black shirt, black vest, etc) with it being so hot. Anyway, the weather cooperated and it was a very gorgeous 83 degree evening wedding. At exactly 6:00 p.m., I walked down the isle looking at my gorgeous hubby to be, and thinking, "How did I get so lucky?". It's definitely been a whirlwind of events since we said "I do". In a very short two years..... we became pregnant (well, I did), moved into a new townhouse, had a baby, found out Jesse was being deployed, moved again (this time to Lincoln), became dog parents, and now we're currently 6 months into a deployment to Korea. Our strong love and commitment to each other has helped us definitely through our most wonderful moments, to our most dreaded (a.k.a deployment to Osan AFB, S.Korea).

I woke up this morning, and was surprised to find a dozen roses sent to me via South Korea. Yep, Jess some how found a way to send me roses.... it was the sweetest thing, and I definitely got teared up. Today has definitely been bittersweet.... I am a little bummed for the fact we don't get to spend our special day together, but I'm looking forward to next years Anniversary. Here are a few photos from our beautiful wedding day (8/04/06):

August Oh My!

I can't believe today is the 1st day of August...I really never thought this day would come so fast. In case any of you are keeping track with me, Jess gets home in 28 days!!! We're so excited, and my heart literally skips a beat every time I think about being able to hold him in my arms again soon. W's walking full time, so I'm super excited to see him "run" to his daddy. Jess will arrive at the Lincoln Airport on Friday, August 29Th around 7:30 p.m. I was thinking about pulling together a welcome home celebration for Jess, but it would have to be maybe the 2ND weekend of Sept. We'll be out at the lake celebrating the Labor Day holiday. I will let everyone know what I come up with.

My mom, sister, and I took W to the Lincoln Zoo on Wednesday. It was his first time, and mine in a very long time. We took him on the train, to the butterfly garden, the camels, the seals, the ponies (he was too scared to ride), and he even touched an African Millipede. Mommy was definitely grossed out, and hopefully he doesn't ask for one for a pet when he gets older. Here a few pictures from our fun trip to the Lincoln Children's Zoo.....

Summer Fun

Wow, I'm so sore today. We spent the entire day yesterday at the lake, and I made my 2nd attempt ever at wakeboarding. We don't own a speed boat, so I invested some cash to take a wakeboarding lesson from a professional through http://www.wakeboardnebraska.com/. I had an absolute blast. Ronnie was quite impressed with my form, etc, so we decided to attempt a few tricks. First off, I've never ridden outside the wake, so that was my first goal. I was able to get out, but getting back in was a different story. I kept getting the front of the board caught on the wake, so finally after a few attempts, I was able to make it. Ronnie also had me practice a surface 180, where you have to place your weight over the center of the board, and in one smooth motion, you swing the board around leading with your rear foot. It was so fun trying to attempt and finally make the trick. I was so proud of myself. I made it through the lesson with only one pretty nasty fall.....which is why I think my upper body (back of my neck, arms, etc) is really sore. I am looking forward to the next time I get out on the lake....who knows...maybe I'll learn and make a tantrum... hehe.

W also had a blast yesterday with swimming and playing in the sand. He absolutely loves being out on the lake. I think one of his favorite things to do is going on the pontoon. He definitely enjoys sitting next to my grandpa (great-grandpa) trying to steer the boat. W was a little cranky yesterday during our boat ride, and I knew he was really tired. So, with his Nona's (my mom) help and mine, he fell right asleep. It was the cutest thing ever, and I wish I would've brought my camera onboard. However, I was able to take a few pictures of being out on the lake over the 4th of July:

We head out to Denver, Colorado this week, and I'm definitely looking forward to it. I'm so excited to embark on a much needed vacation. Plus, W will be able to enjoy his relatives company, and the sites around Denver a lot more, compared to last summer when he was only a few months old. My sister and I are planning on hitting Water World, which is a local water park attraction. Plus, I'm hoping to get W out to see the Denver Zoo. We're only there for four days, but I want to jam as much as we can in, especially since this will be our last trip out there for a while. I am sad knowing we're taking a vacation without Jesse, but I am happy to report he will be home on leave in 39 DAYS!!!! I'm getting so excited. Even though his plans to return home aren't on "offical documents", I'm pretty positive he'll be arriving home via United Airlines on Friday, August 29th. He will be home for around 25 days before returning to Korea for another 4 months. Feel free to join in the countdown with us!!!!