Yay for Tuesday!!

Yes, I'm still in the middle of moving.  I cannot wait to say that I am finished with the whole mess.  We will be heading down to Texas later this week and finishing up the move.  Yay!  Anyhoo, it is Tuesday and that means I get to be totally random...

**Moving sucks.

**My FIL has a rule that dogs aren't allowed on the couches.  Our dogs don't understand that so they keep getting in trouble.  He's not here right now so they are napping on the couch.  Honestly, I don't have the energy or desire to move them.

**I have come to the conclusion that I will never again do a major family event with both sides of our family.  From now on, birthday parties, holidays and whatever else will be divided.  Yes, I know that means that I'll have to do two of each.  But I just can't take the freakin' drama of it all anymore.  If you haven't figured it out, certain members of the family got a little bent out of shape at Baby Girl's birthday party.  Oh well.

**I think my iPhone may be the greatest thing ever.  I love it!

**Hubby and I are going to have another nephew.  Pretty exciting!

**We stayed last week at my parents' house.  Ever since we left, I keep trying to find things, then freak out that I left it at their house and text my dad to find it.  Of course, thrity seconds after I send the text, I find whatever I was looking for.  I kinda feel bad that my dad has to deal with my ditziness.

**It is really windy here today.  I'm not impressed.  I just hope the wind isn't blowing too hard on Friday when we're driving across west Texas because that really sucks.

**I cannot wait to see the house we're going to be living in.  Well, part of me is super excited and the other part of me is hoping that it lives up to the expectations I have of it.  But still, I can't wait to see it.

**Only in Arkansas will you here the following on a radio ad: "We're gonna be having a four man scramble out there at the golf course this weekend.  Come on out and join us."  Uh, yeah, I'll get right on that just as soon as I figure out where "out there at the golf course" is.  Give me a hint: which golf course you talking about?  It's not like there is only one in the area.  I love my hometown!

**I really do love it here, but I'm not ready to be back here permanently.  Maybe by the time hubby retires, I'll be ready for the whole live-in-the-same-place-for-more-than-three-years commitment...

**Middle kiddo has no filter on his mouth.  He informed my mom that she is a "dangerous driver" and my FIL that his driving isn't too great either.  Yeah, I love him.

Well, I really ought to get back to catching up on my homework.  Hopefully by next week, things will be settled down and I can get back to my regular blogging.  I miss my bloggy peeps (you know, the normal people in my life, even if you do live in my computer)!

RTT: Moving Edition

Sorry I'm so late with the normal Tuesday randomness...I'm in the middle of moving, so let's do some quick random thoughts...

**My hubby is driving my bonkers with his pre-move obsessive cleaning.

**Middle kiddo doesn't do change well.  He wants to take all his friends with him to our new house.  Yeah, honey, because 20 kindergartners under Mommy's roof won't drive her crazy.

**Is it wrong that I kinda like that Baby Girl cries when the MIL tries to hold her?

**I probably should've kept that to myself...

**I should be writing one of four essays I have coming due soon.

**I love Chai Tea Lattes...and coffee...and my crock pot.

**My crock pot is getting packed tomorrow and I won't see it for a month.

**I need a job...got one for me?

**Yes, that was a shameless plea for employment...yeah, yeah, I'll check the classifieds.

**My favorite cousin got her random on today...check it out here!

Alrighty, peeps, it's been fun but I must get some other stuff done now.

We Got a House!!

No, we did not buy a house.  But, we did find a rental place.  Yay!  The housing office where we are headed has told us that it would be over a year before they got us in a house, so we started looking for a place off-post.  After sorting through gazillions of listings, telling off some scammer on Craigslist and wondering why none of these houses had a refrigerator, I finally found a totally awesome place.  Hubby called the property manager on Monday afternoon and by Tuesday morning we found out for sure that the place is ours (well, not ours, but you know what I mean).  I'm totally stoked about this place.  It has 4 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms.  The master bathroom has a gianormous bathtub and 2 sinks!  Plus, the master bedroom has his and hers closets.  Um, heck yeah!  It also comes with a refrigerator.  Total score!  The nearby school is awesome and the area is really nice.  The only drawback is that it is twenty miles from post, so hubby's got quite a drive everyday.  But we decided that it was worth it.  Since I've got you all excited about the awesomeness of this house, I'll share the pics of it.  These aren't the greatest, but they're good enough to show why I'm stoked.

Learning from Place to Place

Each time we load up and move on to a new post, I end up reflecting on what I've learned at the one we're leaving behind.  I find myself doing that again.

Our first duty assignment was in Hawaii.  (I know, spectacular, right?!)  When hubby and I arrived in Hawaii, we were 19, had been married for about 10 months and had been parents for two weeks.  We were babies.  Leaving Hawaii, we were a little older, maybe wiser (maybe) and had two kiddos.  During our three and a half years there, I learned that I could take care of myself and my kids.  I learned where to put brake fluid in my car.  I learned that life sometimes throws you a curve ball, but you've still got to swing.  You might miss, but at least you'll go down swinging.

After Hawaii, we moved to Texas.  We went through another deployment, too much partying and a whole lot of heartache.  I learned that I am strong.  Heartbreak happens.  Heart healing also happens.  I learned that sometimes people don't care about you.  They'll use you to get what they want and walk away without even caring about the damage they leave behind, kind of like a really bad tornado.  But I also learned that when a broken heart heals, it is stronger.  I learned what was important to me and not to care what other people thought about that.

From Texas, we moved here to Kentucky.  Our precious baby girl was born here.  I've learned that some of the best things in life are worth waiting for.  I also realized that God gives us stuff when He knows we're ready for it, and only He knows when that is.  I learned that hubby and I can in fact live together.  (Sounds odd, I know, but until here he's been gone so much that we averaged less than a year at home together before he was off on more training or deployments...typical Army life.)  I came to realize how much I really don't like credit cards.  Most importantly, I learned how to look at past mistakes and not dwell on them.  I realized that I have to be realistic about life in general.  I maintain my optimistic outlook, and I'm still a dreamer.  But I do not expect perfection.  In fact, I understand, more now than ever, that I prefer my washable marker covered, mac and cheese all over the place, laundry is never finished, chaotic life to any other.

Just Another Random Day in the Neighborhood

It's Tuesday, people! You know what that means?  If not, you've not been around here long, huh?  Well, welcome to Random Tuesday Thoughts.  It's the day where I type a bunch of random stuff and pass it off as a post.  Enjoy!  Oh, and if you like the randomness here, head on over to The UnMom and check out some more.

**I'm considering one of those shock collars for my dog.  I'm seriously tired of her obnoxious barking.  She barks everytime the door opens, the UPS truck goes down the street...oh but the best is when she starts barking because I put something on the counter.  Yeah, she needs a shock collar like Lindsay Lohan needs rehab...

**Speaking of Lindsay Lohan...have you seen this??  Uh yeah, she didn't even cross my mind when I saw that little milkaholic on the ad.  Personally, that ad cracks me up.  Nothing about Lindsay Lohan cracks me up.

**I should be doing homework, but my computer hasn't been cooperating.  So, I've taken it as a sign that I should blog instead.

**Hubby called the housing office at the post we're moving to yesterday.  They told him the waiting list for housing is a year long.  Seriously?!  So I'm now looking for acceptable apartments for us to stay in until our name comes up on the list.  That'll be fun...3 kids, 2 dogs and hubby's plethora of tools in an apartment...but at least it'll make for some good blog posts.

**I was looking forward to this move, but that feeling is quickly fading.

**I love having a little girl to dress up.  Let's face it, baby girl clothes are way cuter than baby boy clothes.

**Oldest Kiddo and Middle Kiddo got Happy Meals last night.  They wanted the iCarly toys instead of Star Wars toys, so the lady gave them each an iCarly magic meatball.  Think they would notice if I destroyed those damned things with a hammer?

**Oldest Kiddo had a fabulous birthday (and thanks you all for the birthday wishes, I'd make him write thank you notes to each of you but I'm pushing it with the notes to family, so sorry).  He got a bunch of gift cards from family which he thinks is awesome because he can get whatever he wants.  He said that getting older was cool because people don't send you baby crap anymore.  Where does he get this stuff?

**Middle Kiddo walked around all day on Oldest Kiddo's birthday telling people that he was being nice to his brother on his birthday because "it is a rule that you have to respect your olders [he meant elders] even if he is just my smelly brother".  Yeah, I love that kid.

**I took the boys to see Alice in Wonderland on Friday.  I now remember why I don't go to the movies...I'm not very tolerant of rude teenagers who believe that they own the theater and yell things like "Hey fag face, over here" or "F*ck, I lost my phone again, guess the stupid parents are just gonna have to buy me a new one" or (my personal favorite) "Could you move your effing cup so I can put my phone there?"  And, no, I didn't move my effing cup.  But the movie was good.

And that's about it for today folks.  Hope you enjoyed my random thoughs and have a great Tuesday!

Yeah, Yeah, I'm a Little Behind

I have been a very bad blogger the last week.  I'm very sorry.  I would like to say that I'll be better, but with the move coming up I just can't promise that.  I will, however, try :)

So, I know you're all expecting some randomness, because it's Tuesday and that's what we do around here on Tuesdays, so here it is...

 

**I got myself an iPhone...oh yeah...it rocks!

**Apparently, oldest kiddo will now be riding the same bus as middle kiddo...found this out today when oldest kiddo didn't get off the normal bus and hubby called the school looking for him...I couldn't call because it's hard to speak coherently when you are hyperventilating.

**Baby girl is starting to take more little steps on her own.  She would still rather crawl though.

**Oldest kiddo is going to be 8 on Friday!!

**We are officially on Transportation's list to get moved later this month.  I'm glad that's scheduled.

**I'm reading a book called Taking Sides: Religion for a course I'm taking this semester.  It is really interesting.  Controversial issues are argued in "Yes" and "No" essays.

**Currently, I need a good 4-5 quiet hours to catch up on my school work...yeah right, there are no quiet hours around here.

**I made some cupcakes today...Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes...OMG they are fab!  Recipe coming soon.

Well, dinner is about to burn and the kids are losing their danged minds (neither of those things are new around here...), so enjoy the rest of your Tuesday!!

Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday!

Ya'll know Tuesday is my favorite day of the week!  I get to be my completely random self and have a good excuse for it...

 

**I'm multi-tasking...I'm listening to a lecture for one of my classes and writing this blog at the same time.  Go me!

**I made myself a schedule for the day so I could catch up on my school work.  I got a little behind, but I'm very proud to say that I have stayed on task all day and made good progress.

**Yesterday I faxed off the application for the job I posted about last week.  Now I'm waiting.  The deadline for applications is Friday, so I kind of don't expect to hear anything this week.  Fingers crossed, though, that I will hear something soon!

**See over there somewhere ----> I have a little link thingy for MyLikes...middle kiddo, who is in kindergarten, has been playing that CarrotSticks math game and is rocking it!  He's adding big numbers like 392 + 129...I'm amazed and oh-so-proud of him.

**The volunteer work that I do with oldest kiddo's class is also counting as my internship for college...which totally rocks...as I go through it though, I think of all sorts of questions.  I've been researching for answers, which is great, but I also want some real world answers.  So, I think sometime in the near future that I'm going to post a blog with the questions and see what all you moms (or not moms, I know, some of you aren't moms but still have experience with teaching kiddos) out there have to say about them....

**My little dog snores louder than hubby.  Seriously.

**The snow finally melted!  But it's still cold and has been cloudy for the last few days.  I'm so ready for spring.

**Baby Girl's birthday party invites came in the mail yesterday.  They are super adorable.  Now, I just need to get them addressed and mailed before the movers come and pack them up.

**The movers won't be here for another month, so you'd think I could manage that...

**Movers will pack everything.  I'm not even kidding.  We've opened boxes to find that they packed the trash cans with trash in them.  I've heard of them packing up snacks left out for the kids.  And if you aren't careful, they will pack your luggage which let me tell you is no bueno.  (Yeah, they did that last time and I made them unpack about 4 boxes looking for it...no way was I going for the next 3 weeks with only the clothes on my body at the time...)

Anyways, I've gotta go get the kiddos off the bus.  Head on over to The UnMom for more random fun and have a great Tuesday!!

Should I?

This afternoon I was checking out the job listings for the area we are moving to soon.  We've lived there before and I worked as a substitute, so I wanted to see what the listings were looking like for the school district.  I would really like to be a teacher, but I came across another job posting that would be perfect for me.  It is for a military family liaison in one of the elementary schools.  The position basically entails working with military families to make their transitions from place to place as smooth as possible for the students.  It requires knowledge and understanding of military transitional life, etc.  Duh, I'm perfect for that job!  Basically, it takes my life experience and my passion for working to ensure that kids get the best educational experience they can and melds them together.  Here's the problem: the application deadline is at the end of this month and we won't be there until after the first of April.  I really really want this job, but I can't start until mid-April.  Should I apply anyways and explain my situation in the letter of intent?  Or should I be totally bummed and let it go?  I'm so torn...

Quirky Rules of Living a Military Life

I spent the morning fighting with my paper shredder.  Right before lunch, I gave up on it and decided I needed a new one.  It was then that I broke one of the golden rules of living on a military post...never go shopping around lunchtime...especially on Thursdays.  This might seem a bit odd to you if you don't live a military life so I'll try to explain it some, along with some other rules of living a military life.

1.  Never go shopping around lunchtime...especially on Thursdays!  The PX (it's like a department store on post, think Wal-Mart...the old school version, not the supercenter versions) on each post has a food court.  It is a popular lunch destination for Soldiers, so around lunchtime the PX is packed.  Thursdays (at least on training posts, like our current one) are generally graduation days for basic training.  So, on Thursdays, not only do you have to deal with hungry Soldiers in your way, but you also have to deal with newly graduated Soldiers and their families.

2.  Never curse all those moving trucks blocking your street because soon enough those trucks will be blocking the street in front of your house.

3.  Whatever you do, do not piss off the people at the housing office.  They can make your life miserable.  They can assign you to some horrible house, ticket you for leaving your Christmas decorations up until Easter and nag you to death over parking in the yard.  Happy housing people will ignore all these things.

4.  Make sure you have enough groceries to get through all Federal holidays, because they shut everything down.  Seriously, you can't go buy a loaf of bread around here on Columbus Day.

5.  Don't get caught talking on your phone while you're driving.  It'll cost you $500!  I was reading the court proceedings in the post paper the other day.  Talkers got fined $500 while speeders going 10-15 over in residential areas got fined less than $100.  So, by all means, speed...just don't do it while talking on your phone.

There are so many more quirks that you pick up on when living on a military post.  Many are the same from post to post, but many posts also have their own quirks.  For instance, where we're at right now, the commissary (the grocery store) is closed on Mondays.  I'm sure in many ways it's like living a normal civilian life, just with a lot more moving!

If I Lived a Normal Life

If I lived a normal life, I might worry that my hubby would lose his job because of the economy. Instead, I worry that he will give his life for his job.

If I lived a normal life, I might worry that living in the same place for their whole life would limit my children's world view. Instead, I worry that they'll never know how to settle into one place for more than a few years. More than that, I worry that they will never form deep attachments to people because people come and go from our life so frequently.

If I lived a normal life, I might own just one set of curtains. Instead, I have about 3 sets because the windows are never the same size.

If I lived a normal life, I might think it was simply cute when my kids play soldier. Instead, I have mixed feelings about it. It is cute that they imitate Daddy, it makes me proud that they want to follow in his footsteps protecting our freedoms and it scares me to death that I might have to watch them go to war someday.

If I lived a normal life, I might never think about showing my ID to get into the grocery store. Instead, I have to remind myself that the greeter at Wal-Mart has no desire to see my ID card.

If I lived a normal life, I might appreciate those who sacrifice to keep us free but I would probably never truly understand just what that meant. Instead, I know all too well the sacrifices made. I know that soldiers give up their lives in so many ways. They miss birthdays, anniversaries, first days of school, first steps and words. They give up so much. Many have even given their own life. And it's not just the soldiers, it is their spouses and their kids that sacrifice too.

If I lived a normal life, I would probably go on vacation sometimes. I would go see new places. Instead, I don't go on vacation. I move to new places and get to enjoy the wonders of those places for a few years at a time. It's kind of like one big vacation. Actually, it is an adventure.

If I lived a normal life, it would be good. Instead, I live a great life as an Army wife!

The Joys of Cold Weather and My Middle Kiddo

My middle kiddo was born in Hawaii. For this reason, he firmly believes that he is Hawaiian. I have tried numerous times to explain to him that he is not, but he's not buying it. I swear, the kid will end up living in a little beach shack with a great view of the waves he plans to hang ten on. (At least I'll have a place to crash on vacation!) Most of the time, his belief that he is Hawaiian doesn't have a huge impact on our life. However, when cold weather rolls in, this belief becomes the bane of my existence. This is the fight we have on a regular basis...

Me: The bus is coming, get your coat on.

Middle kiddo: Nope, I don't need a coat.

Me: It's cold outside, you need a coat.

Middle kiddo: I'm Hawaiian, I don't wear coats.

Me: You are not actually Hawaiian. Put on the danged coat.

Middle kiddo: Noooooooooo.....

Me: Ok, my dear little Hawaiian, put the coat on...

Middle kiddo: I don't wanna!

Me: I know, but it's cold here on the Mainland and little Hawaiians do wear coats when they are on the Mainland.

Middle kiddo: Fine, but when I grow up and move back to my homeland I'm gonna throw my stupid coat in the ocean.

Me: I'm pretty sure that would be bad for the fish.

Middle kiddo usually mumbles something about stupid coats and fish, puts his coat on and boards the bus with a look on his face. Having this fight with him is really frustrating. But, it does amuse me too. I sometimes worry that our Army lifestyle with all its moving will make our kiddos feel a little homeless. You know, that they won't have a place they can always go back to like I have with Arkansas. Despite the frustration I feel whenever I argue with middle kiddo, it relieves me a little bit to know that he does have a place in his heart that is his "home". Now if I can just figure out how we're gonna pay for him to attend University of Hawaii, I'll have it made.

Happy Veteran's Day

Today is a very special day. (Well, actually, every day is very special, but that's another topic...) Veteran's Day is a time to remember those who have served our country. Some have lost their lives, but all have made sacrifices of some form. This particular holiday is close to my heart because I am married to a veteran.



My hubby is a soldier. He has deployed twice and is ready to do it again if necessary. He puts his life on the line to protect our freedoms and in order to secure those same freedoms for others. In my mind, he is a hero. He would never consider himself as such; in his eyes, he is simply doing his job just like anyone else. But, how many people are actually willing to be so selfless? It takes a special person to do a soldier's job and I am very grateful to each and every person who has chosen to do it. Happy Veteran's Day to you all!

A Tragedy in So Many Ways

Many people have asked me if I plan to blog about the tragedy that occurred yesterday at Fort Hood. This is a logical question based on the fact that I am an Army wife and that I tend to blog about pretty much whatever crosses my mind. My initial reaction has been that I would not. I say this because I'm not sure what to write regarding this tragedy. The Army is like one giant family. I know people all over the country, and around the world, including at Fort Hood. As far as I know, no one I personally know was injured or killed in this attack (Thank God!). That is a small blessing for me. However, my Army family is hurting. I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon and evening glued to my television set. I was holding my breath, waiting to learn exactly who or what was behind the attack. While I waited, I debated with myself. I was trying to figure out which possibility was scarier: an attack from an outside entity or an attack from within? I still don't know. The thought of an attack from outside the Army family scares me because it might not be limited to one base. The thought of an attack from within is scary based on something else. How one can turn on his brothers- and sisters-in-arms, plot against them, and actually take from them their physical well-being and their lives is beyond my comprehension. If we cannot trust our own, those who we are supposed to trust with the lives of our loved ones in war zones, then who can we trust. I know I'm probably getting a little extreme here. But I also know that I cannot be the only one feeling this way. My heart is broken for those who were personally affected by this senseless tragedy. I hope that my extended Army family can recover from this swiftly.

ID Card Not Required

I've been an Army wife for just over 8 years now. It is a pretty spectacular life, in my opinion. However, it is pretty much nothing like the show on Lifetime. Over the years, I have learned a lot of lessons about life in general from being an Army wife. So, today, I thought I'd treat you to a little list of my knowledge:

1. The greeter at Wal-Mart does not need to see your ID card.
2. A lot of people will complain about everything. Give them free medical care and it will be the most horrible thing they've ever witnessed. Give them a new rope to hang themselves with and they will find something wrong with it.
3. Attitude is EVERYTHING! Yes, somethings (like deployments) suck. However, if you walk into a situation with a bad attitude about it, you have very little chance of getting anything positive from it. (Like the medical care....walk in expecting bad care and that's what you're gonna get...I've never gotten bad care, in fact it has always been excellent.)
4. Being family doesn't necessarily mean you share blood.
5. Friends that will stand by you through thick and thin (or deployments) are more precious than diamonds.
6. AAFES really stands for "Always and Forever Extorting Soldiers", but they do donate their profits back to the post.
7. Every place has its own beauty. Some places, like Hawaii, the beauty is more easily found. Other places, like El Paso, you have to search a little harder but that just means you'll appreciate it more.
8. Home is wherever you have your curtains hung at the moment. It can be packed up and moved within one week, if necessary. Back home is wherever you visit on leave.
9. Letters rule your life. PCS, LES, ect.
10. This life isn't for everyone. But for those of us who survive it, it is the only life we can imagine.

This One Time At Band Camp

OMG, it's Tuesday! That means that is time to get down and random with it! If you haven't visited here before or have no clue what RTT is all about head on over to visit The UnMom.

**I actually never went to band camp. I just wanted to use that as a title. I was in band though.

**We are moving! In April, we'll be headed back to Texas. Woo hoo!

**The moving thing is seriously effing with my education though.

**Good Start/Gerber/whoever the heck they are sent me a new store of coupons today. In the packet, there was a flyer for new Gerber Yogurt blends baby foods. Awesome! I thought. They didn't send any flippin' coupons for said product. Got me all excited, then let me down. Don't they know that mama is cheap and isn't going to buy the new (probably more pricey) food without a coupon.

**I convinced myself this morning that animal crackers and diet coke were a decent breakfast. However, halfway through class, my stomach disagreed.

**I need to write a Marxist critism of Death in Venice for my lit theory class tomorrow. Exciting (not).

**You know the two Edies that Lorelei and Rory talk about on Gilmore Girls? Yeah, I saw the end of the 2009 movie based on them on HBO yesterday. Now I'm intrigued and trying to find time to watch it on-demand. Maybe I could give up a few hours of sleep...hmm, maybe I'm not that intrigued...

Yep, so that's all of my random babblings for today. Enjoy your Tuesday and come visit again (soon)!

Joys of Army Life

It has been quite a hectic week. (But then, what week around here isn't hectic...) The hubby found out that he is coming up on orders to move again soon. Happy happy, right?! Yes and no.

Yes, because hubby is not entirely thrilled with his job at our current location. He's not a desk kind of guy and he's been sitting at a desk since we got here. He would really rather be out doing the job he was trained to do. Also, happy because we will be returning to our last duty station. While many people don't like the place, we actually enjoyed the area and are looking forward to returning. Plus in this crazy life of ours, we don't often get to go somewhere that we already know. It's comforting to know that I already know where Wal-Mart, Target and the malls are located...I've got my priorities, you know!

No, because the move is coming at a pretty crappy time in terms of my educational pursuits. I currently go to college in hopes of someday graduating. Well, there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel. I was all set to graduate next May. Now we'll be packing it up and heading back to Texas in April. At the end of this semester I will be 9 hours away from my degree. Of course, all the courses I need are upper-level degree specific stuff. What's a girl to do?! I met with my advisor today and we may have worked out some options. Yay! But I still have many hurdles before the road smooths out. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

All in all, this move is one that we are looking forward to. There are many things to work out, but such is the story with all of our moves. I love Army life.

By the way, if any of you know anything about alternative routes to teaching certification in Texas, I'd love to hear about it. My goal is to finish my degree and find a teaching position that will allow me to pursue this option.

What to Expect

So, I don't have time right now, but later today (or within in the next few days, because there may be more than one blog idea in all this gibberish) here is what you just might read about on this here blog:

• I really didn't need a new gun, but thanks anyways babe...Or, why men shouldn't be left alone
• We need a nursing staff and a janitor around here...Or, how I spent my weekend...Or, the joy of sick children
• A fab report of all the books I've been reading/listening to lately...Or Stephanie Plum is the most hilarious female character I've read lately
• What are we teaching our kids...Or a generation that is rewarded simply for showing up
• For real, moving again? Would love to know where...
• And whatever else happens to pop into my pretty little head

Have a great morning and come back soon :)

Also, I am attempting to edit my layout, you know spice things up around here, so bare with me if things look a little funky. Hopefully, it will be beautiful before long!

Have You Forgotten?

United we stand. Divided we fall.

Eight years ago, I was a 19-year-old newlywed with a baby on the way. We were young and had no money. In August, we had decided that my hubby would join the Army. The benefits were great and he would be entering a peace time Army, so we were excited and free from worry for the first time in months. He went through the recruiting process and was set up with a date to leave for basic training: September 11, 2001. I remember marking it on my calendar with tears in my eyes. These tears came partly because of the hormones coursing through my body and partly because I would have to live without my new hubby for a few months while he underwent his transformation into a Soldier. The morning of his departure arrived and I stood in a hotel lobby at 4:30 am waving goodbye to him as he boarded a bus to go to the MEPS startion. He had told me to stay at the hotel and get some more sleep, but I couldn't. When the bus pulled out of the parking lot, I gathered my things and checked out of the hotel. I began the four hour drive home not knowing that before I got there my world would be changed forever. I listened to a tape (yeah, didn't have a fancy car with a CD player) for the first three hours. Then I turned on the radio and heard the news that a plane had flown into the first tower. It spiraled out of control from there. By the time I got home, all I remember is running into my parents house, finding my dad and crying to him that I had just sent my husband off to the Army and our country was being attacked. My dad had not been watching TV so he thought I was off my rocker. Soon enough, he knew. We spent the rest of the day watching the news with my grandparents and awaiting a phone call from my husband. It was the most gut-wrenching day ever. His call brought the news that his leaving had been delayed. We spent the next week in limbo waiting for him to ship out.

I tell you all of this to come to these points:

1. The feeling of unity that we shared in this country on that day and in the following weeks was incredible. Despite the scariness that the uncertainty brought, there was a comfort in knowing that we Americans were going to face it together. For a brief time, we actually believed in "United we stand".
   
2. I am proud to have been alive to feel this. I think that very few times in our nation's history has there been that collectiveness.
   
3. I miss that unity. I hope we can find a way back to it without suffering another unthinkable tragedy. People claim they haven't forgotten but I think they have. They've forgotten how it felt that day and in the following weeks.
4. Have you forgotten?

I'm Sick of Big Brother

No, not the TV show (I've actually never seen it)...I'm talking about Big Brother, you know, the man. I tend not to get very political most of the time, but this just flat pisses me off. If you click on the link, you will find an article that discusses an initiative to ban smoking in the military. Are you effing kidding me?! Seriously, these guys and gals lay their lives on the line for our FREEDOM and you are going to tell them they aren't allowed to have their smokes anymore?! To me, this isn't an issue of smokers vs. non-smokers, or a health issue. I admit that smoking is bad for you. It causes a lot of health issues, but life in general causes a lot of health issues. (No one makes it out of here alive, in case you've forgotten...) To me, this is an issue of rights that these guys work hard to protect. I think the whole thing is BS. And, if you read the article it says that part of this would be banning smoking on military installations. This part would effectively ban spouses from smoking as well. I think that our soldiers and their families make enough sacrifices to protect this country. This shouldn't be one of them. There just seems to be something innately wrong with telling the protectors our freedoms that they can't have the same freedoms as others. I'm stepping down from my soap box now...

Tuesday Attacks Again

So, I just realized that it is Tuesday again! I missed a whole week of blogging and I know that you, my loyal readers (all 2 of you) are incredibly disappointed. Never fear! Tuesday is here and as usual, here is your weekly dose of my randomness (AKA OMG she really thinks of all that at once, she may be off her rocker)...

**I haven't slept for more than 4 maybe 5 hours in a row since last week sometime. And it's not because I have an infant. Need more sleep!

**We had a great 4th of July weekend! Thanks to the neighbors for inviting us over!

**The hubby had PRK (corrective eye surgery) yesterday and he has been asleep pretty much since then.

**We went to Fort Campbell for his surgery. I LOVED IT!!

**My boys love IHOP....so much that we ate at the one near Fort Campbell twice within 24 hours because there isn't one near here.

**Smiling at me while you blow through a 4-way stop when it was my turn does not make it any better. In fact, it pisses me off even more. I don't care if you are 5 decades older than me, wait your darn turn!

**My parental units are coming to visit one week from today. Color me excited!

**iCarly cracks me up....yes I know it is for tween girls, maybe I'm a tween at heart...

**I have consumed 1019 calories, 2 diet cokes with lime and 3 bottles of water today (in case you care).

**My precious middle child just informed me that he farted...nice, huh?!

**Those shorts I mentioned a couple weeks ago in RTT still need a button sewn on...I'm getting to it....really, I am....

**At the hotel's gym on Sunday night, I rode 6.5 miles on the bike and walked 2 miles on the treadmill...it was awesome and now I totally want to go to the gym here, just gotta work out the schedule with the hubby.

And I'm out. Hope you enjoyed your weekly dose of randomness! And I'll attempt to be better about blogging this week :)