Two Months and Still Going

   Well, I changed my mind, I was going to continue blogging through reintergration and then reality happened and I decided to take some time for me and mine and walk through the transtion without sharing it with the world. We are finally at a place that we have a new routine for our family with work and school. The boys just got out of school for the summer and we kicked the summer off with a family visit to Branson to celebrate summer and my mother-in-laws birthday. So thankful to have my hubby back and helping out with things around the house and also to just have an adult to hang out with again. Hope everyone else is enjoying their summer.

He's Home!

   My hubby is home! He got home this past Friday. The welcome home ceremony was full of so many emotions, of course excitement that he was home, anticipation to get our reunion started, and also honor and grief for the soldiers that were lost this deployment and their family and friends. My hubby's Mom and her boyfriend came, along with Adam's best friend, Steven, and his wife, and then of course the boys and I. This was the first welcome home ceremony that the boys came too. They did really good. Nathan's smile was from ear to ear when he first saw Daddy and Jacob just kept taking pictures with his phone that he uses to play games. We are so glad to be back together as a family and are taking the reintegration transition one step at a time.

Spring Break and Reunion is Coming!

   I took some time off blogging over Spring Break. I needed a break. My sister's family came to visit from Pa for Spring Break. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it rained almost the whole time that her family was here but we stayed busy with inside activities and even made it to the zoo on the one dry day they were here. It's nice to be able to spend time with family.
They left early Friday morning and about the same time I found out that my hubby is back in the USA! Can't tell you how excited we are as a family that this time is finally here! Only a few more days and we will be a complete family again!

Whew what a week!

   It's been a crazy, busy, and productive week. I'm also anxiously awaiting for my sister and her family to arrive tomorrow evening to officially kick off Spring Break with them. Then my hubby is coming this direction soon so I've got lots to anticipate over the next couple of weeks. This evening the boys had their first t ball practice for this spring. I'm so glad that they are on the same team this year, less practices and games for Mommy. Jacob really enjoyed getting out there and playing with the older boys too. Last year it was hit or miss for him so I'm hoping he continues to enjoy it this year. He's already asking to play soccer and football. I told him Mommy is too busy, one thing at a time. Besides, Daddy will be home soon so then he gets to take it up with him. I'm going off Mommy duty for a little bit when Daddy comes home to let him experience a bit of what our lives has been like while he's been gone the last year.

Homecoming and Grieve

   This really isn't my post to write but I feel it needs to be said and I'm not one to keep my mouth shut when I think something needs to be said so here it goes... I'm just as excited as all the other wives and family members that our service members are coming home, especially my hubby! It's been quite the year. However, there is a whole different reality that this deployment has brought with it that the other two I've experienced haven't and that's the loss of life that our guys and us family members have experienced. I've been seeing all these homecoming pictures online. Yes, they make me smile, cry, or just think happy thoughts, depending on the day and mood. It also makes me anxious and excited for my own homecoming with my hubby soon. The boys and I are definitely counting down the days.
   However, the other side of the story is that at these homecomings there are 14 pictures of the men and woman that we lost overseas this deployment. Yes, they deserve this honor, and so do the families that have to find a way to go on with their lives. It just makes me sad for them because I can't even imagine the process that they are facing and I know words will never be adequate but my thoughts and prayers go out to the widows and family members that are only beginning this journey.

The Picture Perfect Vs Reality

   I just got done watching The Bachelor. Yes, I enjoy this show and The Baccalaureate but the truth is most of those relationships don't end up together because it simply isn't reality. They set you up on amazing and once in a life time opportunity dates and then they come back to the mundane of life and have to figure out how their relationship is going to work and stay strong. Plus, they go through some grueling media publicity that drags them through the mud. It can make them stronger but the going is initially hard.
   The reality of my life is being a Mom, work, being a wife, trying to maintain and grow in my relationship with God. The daily things matter because they are what end up shaping the journey.

Spring Forward

   Loosing an hour of sleep is not one of my favorite things. I set my alarm clock this morning to make sure I got up for church but I turned it off and barely woke up in time to rush out the door to make it to church. The boys got breakfast bars and I got coffee at church. We got to church and I realized Jacob had his buttons done wrong, I corrected Nathan's before we left for church. Nathan also wore his new Sunday shoes I bought him but forgot to wear socks with them. And then when I went back out to my car after dropping Jacob off at Sunday school and to get Nathan settled into his class one of my doors was wide open. Whew, we made it, with more caffeine for Mommy throughout the day, but we did make it. Hope everyone else had a good day.

Homecoming Outfit Strike Out

   So tonight I went shopping with another army wife. The whole idea was to get a homecoming outfit for the welcome home ceremony that is fast approaching. I didn't find anything that I like so I'm not sure what I'm going to end up wearing. However, we did get new swim suites ad we enjoyed getting to catch up with each other.

Girl's Night

   Tonight I got to hang out with one of my girl friends. We went out for a quick bite to eat and then to see The Vow. I thought it was a cute movie. Nice to take a break after a full week.

Sister Time :)

   This evening my sister and I scrapbooked together via Skype. This way we get to catch up some and we get to work on our pictures of our families. I've scrapbooked since my youngest son was born, who is going to be seven in May. My sister got into scrapbooking when her daughter was born, who is three and a half. Last deployment (which is the scrapbook I'm still working on finishing) my hubby was in Iraq and I moved back home to Pennsylvania. It was a good decision for that season of my life. It was great to be able to hang out with my family and friends again. Anyways, it gave my sister and I an opportunity to hang out more and get some sister time in. She had her daughter about two months before Adam came back from his deployment and we moved back to Oklahoma. So yes, I took tons of pictures, I wanted Adam to be able to experience some of what was going on in our life and I knew being back in Pa was a season of our lives.
   My sister and I got together a few times to scrapbook when I lived there. When the deployment was over and I moved back to Oklahoma we made a pact to continue scrapbooking together via Skype. Have I mentioned I love Skype! It's helped keep me and the boys connected to Adam throughout the three deployments we have experienced too. So now I don't have to leave Adam at home with the boys, or get a babysitter for a night out, I simply hop online after the boys are tucked in for the night and pull my laptop out and scrapbooking supplies and wallah! Good times and it doesn't even cost either of us money for some good old quality sister time :)

Today was a better day :)

   Yesterday was a rough day, today was much better. I'm thankful to have the chance to regroup and start over fresh in the morning. There, I guess I have found something positive about the mornings. Other than that, I'm usually trying to drag myself out of bed and get the kids to school and me to work on time.  

Whew, What a Day!

   Today was crazy, busy, and productive day. I will not go into all the details but I am beyond grateful for some great friends and my sister that lent me a listening ear to vent some frustrations. I'm so glad that I don't have to do this life journey alone even when I can't just pick up the phone and call my man.

Back to Work

   Busy day at work. Ready to have a good week. Every day this month makes it one day closer to having my love back with me. :)

Extraordinary Women Conference

   This weekend is the Extraordinary Women Conference. Check out this music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSQjSdU8VA. I'm thankful that God works through my imperfections. Today was a beautiful day for multiple reasons :) Looking forward to hearing some more wonderful speakers tomorrow.

Power of attorney

   So today I had to use my power of attorney to refinance our house. Paperwork and more paperwork, thankfully that is over and done with. Tomorrow is another full day so I'm headed to bed to get some more sleep.

Leap Year

   So this year has to be leap year with one extra day in February. I could do without it if it would bring my hubby home one day sooner. Hopefully within the month he'll be home. Now if the days would just stop dragging. At least I know the boys and work will keep me busy. There is always plenty of things to do, it's just finding the motivation to do it.

One Year

   Today marks one year since our family has been apart. In the last year we have been together twenty five days. Thankfully this will all soon be over. I spent the day busy with work and home stuff.

Being Intentional

   So I got a Valentine's card from my hubby yesterday. He wrote it on Valentines and it finally arrived here yesterday. It was very sweet and unexpected. It made me smile and think of him.
   Okay so the point of this post is that I've learned to be very intentional with my time. My job of being a therapist at an elementary school being a mother to my two boys, as well as being an army wife makes me realize just have much I have vying for my attention and time. I've learned that if I can get it done now instead of waiting until another day to just do it and get it done with, such as paying a bill that just came in the mail. I've also learned to try and schedule one fun thing for the weekend but to keep the rest of it guarded for family time and the weekly task of getting my house in order. I've also learned through being intentional with my time, just how much I really have on my plate and am once again looking at ways to cut back on my time commitments so I can be more effective in what I do give my time and talents in, anyways just wanted to share what I'm currently learning and trying to walk in. Hope everyone has a good week.

Little Boys Want to Be Like Their Daddy

   So my youngest son is all into the army thing right now. He is five and is in prekindergarten. I gave him a choice of two shirts to wear today and he wanted the army shirt (which wasn't even an option to start with). I let him wear it, no big deal. Then on the way home he says "I'm going to be an army man". Him and his brother have talked about what they want to be when they grow up quite a bit in the last several months. My oldest thinks he wants to be a teacher and has been pretty consistent in that. However, my younger son has changed his mind several times. First, he wanted to be a police officer, then an army man, and then a counselor. Now he's decided he wants to be an army man and be a counselor the rest of the time when he's not being an army man.
   I've not made it a big secret that I do not want my sons to be in the military. I feel like they and our family have given enough and that they don't need to be involved in the military world personally as they get older. I fully support my husband in his decision to be in the military but there is just something about thinking about my babies growing up and joining the army, or any branch of the military that does not sit well with me. Now I hope that I will be big enough to support my sons in whatever they decide to do career wise and more importantly with their life as they continue to grow. After all it's my job to help shape them, but then I have to let go of control, and let them go. Thankfully for me, the army thing, even if it happens is a long ways off so I'll cross my fingers that my son changes his mind once more.

Put on the Spot

  I had my yearly work evaluation today. It went well but it made me a little bit anxious. I do not like to be put on the spot. My thing is finding the balance in being humble but also being aware of my strengths and weaknesses. I'm glad that's over for another year.