Another Day Another Dollar

Greg is on another trip. It was hard saying goodbye again so soon, even if its only for a few days. Life will never be easy, but I am starting to enjoy my time alone. I can lay on the couch all day if I want to, or I can actually be productive and get things done without feeling like I have to keep someone else company. Dont get me wrong, it still sucks being alone, but I'm working on making the best of it instead of just moping around the whole time. I do have to say, he left Friday morning and its taking me until now to actually get things done. I managed to do Yoga today, research hotels for our California trip next year, I planted my herb garden (hopefully they actually grow true leaves now instead of just the sprouts that I have now) and I cleaned up the mess I've made around the house. I also defrosted the fridge, its working again (yay me). Though in my downtime I caught up on all my shows.. oo I also looked into careers. I've taken so many classes and I still dont feel like I've found anything that fits. I want a job thats mentally intriguing. I want to solve problems, or puzzles. Maybe accounting is right for me, I took a couple career tests today and they all tell me business is where I'm meant to be. Analyst, administrator, accounting are all my top jobs. So my goal is to actually call the admissions councelor for Ashford University and see what I can do and what I need and how soon I can actually graduate. Not that I really care about having a good job or anything, it'd just be nice to feel like I'm contributing to this partnership instead of living off my hubby's money. We're doing fine, but we could be doing great if I got my act in gear. Anyways, off to find some ice cream! Love to all!

New Friends Exciting Times

Since Greg got back from his deployment we've been hanging out with a new crowd. Its exciting, relieving, and they are just so much fun. Its a lot of couples, a few years older than us, but we're all on the same wavelength. There isn't as much childish drama, its just a bunch of people getting together and having a good time! We took our first camping trip in Texas with these guys. One of the best weekends of my life. We went up to Possum Kingdom, its about a 2 hour drive. We were doing some recon for the 4th of July when we head up there for 5 days. The park is great, the water is great, Hells Gate is awesome. Its this cove on the lake, and when you pull in there are 2 huge cliffs on each side that make "the gate" and you drive through in the boat, and everyone ties their boats together and you hang out and swim for the afternoon and make new friends. It was awesome. I had so much fun. To tell you a little more about how that Saturday went..we were all sitting at Hells Gate. Talking to the boats next to us as these clouds start rolling in. Soon it was raining. No big deal, it was 106 and the rain felt great..but then it started hailing, as we all dive and hide under the little sun top random hail hitting you, we start wondering about our campsite.. Well we finally went back just a little before dark, to find the whole campground (which was full previously) empty and trashed. All of our tents (with the exception of Bill who had a little one man tent) were knocked over and/or broken. Our tent was mostly ok, one of the loops for the stake ripped off but we'll get it sewed back on and it will be fine again. It was good times, things to laugh over. Trunks were knocked over and filled with water, but we had food, and the night was gorgeous and we all laughed about it and continued to have a good time. I'm so glad we went. Even though we're completely broke until payday now, its nice spending our money on actually doing things instead of unnecessary things.

We got our cordaroy! Its huge but its awesome! It definitely makes for more snuggling time :) We curl up on it and play video games, the cats love their new nap spot, and it significantly shrunk the sive of our livingroom but soo worth it! We're looking forward to the future and all the good times to be had! Loving life in Texas! :)

I'm A Slacker

So I've been meaning to update the blog, and I've even started a few but never felt like finishing them. We've had lots of fun news in the past month. We dont have roommates anymore, just decided living our own is the way to go. So since that, we've spent lots of time unpacking, moving, getting our house set up the way we want and planning for the future. So heres what we've come up with.

1. Our honeymoon is being changed. I've decided that if we have a really good chance of getting orders to Germany, there is no sense in spending $6000 on a honeymoon to Greece, when it would be a heck of a lot cheaper taking a train once we get there. So instead, we will be taking a trip to California. A one night stop in Venice Beach, then up to the Redwood National Forest for a 3 day camping trip, then down to Napa/Sonoma Valley to stay in a Bed and Breakfast for 3 days, and then a one night stop in Vegas on the way home. Super excited, should be incredibly fun. We'll be taking that trip hopefully next July 2012. *Keep fingers crossed*

2. We are building a cat tree. Cat "playhouses" are super expensive. We've made a "blueprint" (I use that term very lightly for the drawing is pretty hilarious and you would have no idea what it was from looking at it.) But we've figured out the exact amounts of wood and carpet needed and how much it will cost to make (roughly $60 instead of paying $200+ for one this gigantic) and we'll be buying parts slowly every paycheck.

3. We're buying a Courdaroy. If you dont know what it is. You're missing out. http://www.cordaroys.com/shop/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=8 Theres the link :) php Thats the exact one we're buying. A double king sofa. It will replace one of the sofas downstairs. Wooooo!! Super pumped about that!

4. We also are getting a patio set. Its a must. We wish we had one everyday.


So I'm super excited for our goals, our future, and having my family visit, even if its only one night. I cant wait for them to see my new place and all we've done with it. Love and miss everyone! <3

Deployment Update

So Gregory will be home no later than June 5th. Pretty much garunteed. I say pretty much because nothing is ever a gauruntee. (I dont know how to spell that word ever.) But I figured since I'm back in Abilene with nothing to do until move in tomorrow morning I'd post a "things I learned from this deployment and my thoughts" post. So here goes.

Things I've Learned:

-Murphy's Law is true.
- It does not get easier. Anyone who says this is a liar and only trying to make you feel better. I wish I hadn't lied to myself. I expected it to be easier, and when it wasn't, it made it harder, so be real.
- When you're married, moving back in with you parents is not the same. Personalities clash when you are used to running your own household.
- Fishing is a great relaxation technique.
- EVERYONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A BABY.

That last one is just because everyone I know is pregnant and I wanna be and obviously cant right this minute, and even when Greg gets back he's pretty iffy about the whole idea so we'll see what happens this fall/winter/next spring.

Song lyrics I liked on the way home:

"Damn these old wheels, rolling too slow, I stare down these white lines with so far to go, headlights keep coming, lonliness humming along. Who poured this rain, who made these clouds? I stare through this windshield thinking out loud. Time keeps on crawling love keeps on calling me home." -If my heart had wings Faith Hill. Perfect example of exactly how my drive went.

"I'm stronger than yesterday, now its nothing but my way, my loneliness aint killing me no more, cuz now I'm stronger" -Brittany Spears Stronger. Every deployment makes you a little stronger.

"I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive. I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise. To fly. I wish today it would rain all day and that will kinda make the pain go away. Trying to forgive you for abandoning me" -Fly Nikki Manaj Uplifting song about being strong by yourself.

Well those are my thoughts for the day. Peace out. :) I'll post pics as soon as we get settled!

Anxiety

I am getting so anxious to get back to Texas. Its sooo hard being patient. I just keep thinking about what needs to be done, even though its really nothing until I actually get back to the state. Then I need to get our stuff out of Alli's, get the storage unit cleaned out, unpack, and spend lots of time by the pool :).


I miss Greggles and I cant wait for him to be hooommmmeeee. Thats pretty much all I think about :D

Quel Jour!

Its April 19th. In Texas its 90 degrees with a chance of wildfires. Here its 28 and winter weather advisory. So you can imagine, when laying in bed and feeling really really cold air, my thoughts were as follows:

1. Did the cats turn off the furnace again?
2. Why do I hear birds..
3. Wait that was Leo chirping and that means a door is open.
4. Oh no how long? Will Abbers ever come back?

I found Abbi playing in the stones by the playground we have. I think she thought it was a giant litterbox. Maddi was hiding behind the hottub, and Leo had decided he was just fine laying on my bed. Disaster #1 taken care of. I walk upstairs, only to find Alli got diarrhea all over the kitchen. So as I'm trying to hold down puking while cleaning that up.. I start to think its not gonna be a fun day.

I wiped up the mess, swept the floor, then mopped the floor. Sometime in there Alli puked by the kitchen table. I found this out later by stepping in it. More mopping. Then I decided heck with it, and cleaned the whole upstairs. I lost motivation before I hit the dishes though. The kids can do those. Im pooped.

So now Im ready for the snow. What a day it has already been and its only 2!

Yesterday was me n Gregs 2 year anniversary. So naturally Im a bit bummed and I miss him lots. I wish he was home so we could have celebrated. <3

War Does Not Define Character- It Reveals It

I used to think that deployments were all about misery, and just learning to "deal". I've been reading this book lately called Confessions of a Military Wife by Mollie Gross. I suggest anyone and everyone to read it. (Thanks so much Kelly). Its about becoming an "independant" and all the things you can do and should do during a deployment. The more I read, the more I realize how much I have figured out on my own in the past 2 deployments. Sure they weren't 7 months, or a year, they were 2 months and this one will be around 3. But You can learn a lot in 5 months of separation, especially in the first 2 years of your marriage. You learn to try not to be selfish. You will fight over money. You will fight about not hearing from them, but its ok. Because at one point or another, we all pick fights. My mom would say "Gwen just stop fighting" I love my mother, but she doesn't quite understand. She can sit here day after day and see my ups and my downs, but she cannot tell me what I'm feeling. And no one can. Other wives or girlfriends or fiances can relate. But only you know what you are feeling.

I feel happy, sad, frustrated, angry, exhausted, awake, usually all in the span of 5 minutes. I feel motivated, and depressed, and then like I have no energy left for anything but mindless facebook games. Today I was tired, angry, worn out, my back and shoulders hurt, but at the same time I was laughing, and a few minutes later would just want to collapse. I worked through my furstration just trying to hang on until the moment Greg would call. And you know what: I lived. We all do. We work through masses of emotions everyday. Theres always the nagging feeling in the back of your mind, what if? But you cant let it rule you or even admit to its existance.

Anyway my point was, this book helped me realize that I am ok. I have hobbies, I have friends. I regret not making more friends with more people's wives, but the truth is, I just dont see many wives my age running around at squadron functions. If I did I feel like things would be different. I've started excercising again, and getting your blood pumping is a definite must. Anyways. I just wanted to say, I'm good. I enjoy painting, taking the parents dog for a walk, snuggling with my kitties, watching copious amounts of tv, reading, and scrapbooking. I have hobbies, friends, and a great family, and wonderful inlaws. I'll be just fine.

Love to all!