About that time

Well it's that time again. DJ is on yet another underway, the longest one. This one seems to be affecting everyone more than the past ones. Maybe its because it is so much longer or maybe it's because they weren't home very long in between the last one and this one. Who knows? I just know none of us are really liking it. This time, I dropped DJ off, which is usual. But afterwards, I came home got ready and went with a friend to actually watch the ship pull out. It was such a bittersweet moment to be there for. So hard to watch the ship leave knowing my husband was on it, and many of my friends husbands and their babies fathers. It was hard not to jump right in the water and go after him! But the jellyfish stopped that idea pretty fast. As much as I wanted to break down and cry, I smiled, I smiled because I know how hard not only DJ but thousnads of others sailors have worked to get that this point, to have the Big E on the move again. It makes me so proud of all of them! But especially DJ! As he packed uniforms, washed uniforms, and folded uniforms the night before I just watched him in awe! Not that I haven't seen him do all those things a million times before, but he just amazes me. One of the few men I know on the ship that loves his job, even on bad days he finds something great to tell me about, he takes pride in being squared away at all times in uniform. And he loves the Navy, for all they have given him and us. Alot of people would disagree with the both of us on that, and thats okay. I'm not always a fan of the Navy, I mean I miss my family so much it hurts and then having DJ be gone to is just very difficult at moments. But all in all the Navy has been good to us, pays the bills, puts food on the table. And not to mention we love the command. They have always been good to us. I see so many people say that the Navy isn't "real" military, that they don't do anything but "float around". And being 110% honest I used to think the same. And its not an argument I am going to spend my time in with someone, I know that's not the truth and I know how hard my husband works, and to me it doesn't take being on the frontline or handling a gun to be an American Solider or in our home an American Sailor. Or a hero.

Now to my sweet husband, I have to take a mintue to brag on him! I was completly down the other day(the day before they left) and dreading it coming so soon. As I watched some TV and was putting away dishes I heard to front door start to open! Much to my surprise there he was!!!!!!!! Home at 10am! I helped him get things out of his car, and as he leaned in to get something, I just stood behind him waiting. He turns around with that HUGE smile of his and handed me a gift bag...I asekd what it was for and he told me it was my anniversary gift! Our one year anniversary is this month and we will be celebrating it apart. I was in such shock he was even thinking about our anniversary. Especially with everything happening on the ship. But little did I know he had been thinking about it for a while. All week he had been taking people's working parties so he would have enough money to buy me a gift ( he didn't want to use our account because I check it daily lol) smart boy! He bought me an awesome Navy wife shirt & key chain, he said it wasn't much, But I don't think he knows just how much it meant, I had butterflies like the day he first asked me to be his girlfriend 3 years ago! We agreed to do gifts that day but save our cards for our anniversary! I just can't think of a better way to send him off!

Here we go again...

Just realized it's been a little while since I have blogged! Need to keeps friends and family that are in Texas updated on life here in Virginia!
Well we are preparing for yet another underway this week, I know another one...fabulous! Not! As much as I am not looking forward to DJ being gone, I am looking forward to spending time with my girls here!!
Lately there hasn't been too much going on, DJ and I have been spending a lot of time together in relazation that the Big D is right around the corner and is sneaking up on us a bit faster than we hoped. We have had a great month! 4th of July weekend was amazingly fun with a going away party for a friend Saturday night, which had 7 of us adults on the trampoline..you can only imagine! And Sunday we had a cookout at our house with great friends!!!
This weekend I bought DJ tickets for Toby Keith...and boy does he put on a great show! We had a great time! Other than me being sick :( I am starting to be convinced that I just might stay sick, been this way for 4 days now. I very much dislike sinuses there isn't much you can do about them though, so I am just dealing.
Today I am having a girls day with some wonderful friends, just talking, food, and hanging out! And DJ is going fishing with the boys!! But then we are making plans for an evening to relax together at home!! The hosue hunt is over, even though we have had difficulties with our leasing company we decided this is our home, we like our house, and this is for us!
I can't think of much else. Being away from home has still be hard. But I have learned to adjust so much lately I have impressed myself! The Navy is our life, for the next 2 years!! And we are going to make the best of this adventure together!

So good:)

Well I don't have anything to complain about!
Life lately has been just amazing!!
I mean sure there are the usual bumps, like bills and the boy being gone so much, but it comes with the job!
But other than that I have been having a fabulous time!!! DJ and I have been spending quality time together, laying in bed talking, taking walks, and enjoying marriage! This past weekend we went to Busch Gardens with friends and then spent Sunday together relaxing, after officially becoming members of our church!! So all in all it was a great weekend!!
The upcoming month has a lot going on but I am looking forward to it! Finally getting things started as the Big E FRG's secretary and getting all our events going!! This weekend is sure to be fun with two cookouts and fireworks! And not to forget the UFC fight at Hooters with friends! I can't wait!! Great friends and a great holiday for this country!!
Life is fast paced lately and has had many changes.
We have had to deal with drama here and there, but I realize that some people are meant to come and go, and I'm okay with that. Doesn't mean you have to treat them badly, they just weren't meant to be in your life. And I have my arms open for the ones I love and friends to come!
More than anything I am just enjoying life!

The D I'm dreading.........deployment...

Still months away but I know that the day we will say "goodbye" for months is quickly approaching, and it's already breaking my heart. Wives are already begining to post quotes and songs for while our boys are away, and as I listen and read, then thought of our last kiss flashes in my head. It's 5:35 am and I have been crying a river already. Scared my wonderful husband to death when he got out of the shower...poor guy!! He came and helped me and wiped away my tears. Its the moments like that I treasurer the most, and the moments like this that will get me through this upcoming deployment. Thinking of these moments and waiting for these moments will keep me sane and give me something to smile about.
I can feel the pressure of it all coming and coming so soon, not to mention this crazy workup schedule we are dealing with literally right up until deployment. My husband is doing all he can to be very positive, as he always has been. Telling me it's still forever away, and that we will make it. I know we will and I don't doubt it. It just already hurts...sheesh how bad is it going to hurt on that day? The day the ships pulls out, taking my heart with it.
I'm very lucky to have the support team and family and friends that I do. As much as I love them all, nothing will replace the support and love I have in his arms...
For now we are going to make the best of the next couple of months and soak up all the little moments!

Moving forward!

Well this week they have the boy cranking again, filling in for someone thath had to make a trip home. But the positive side is that means days off, and more time together! Which I am very excited about!
This weekend we went to the FRG pool party, and although we didn't have many people show up, we still had a blast visiting with everyone and making some new friends.
This week contains more house hunting for us, and hopefully stumbling across something! We are looking forward to a new house and a new start! And people not knowing where we live this time!
I have had a lot of people cause drama in my life since we moved here, whether it was that they couldn't deal with having a friend in a new state, or whether they were mad I wouldn't stoop down to thier level. Or disrespect my husband for them. But after a lot of thinking and time with friends that just care, without stimulations and rules. I have decided I don't want those people in my life, but I am not going to treat them like a door mat. Because every person that has come into my life was put there for a reason, and taken out for a reason. I am blessed to have the people I have in my life, and I couldn't be happier to have them.My life as an indvidual is growing. And our married life is growing, it amazes me that we have been together 3 years, and although some days are rough and I could hurt that boy, he still gives me butterflies! I am lucky to be married to my best friend. And I consider myself lucky I don't have to hide my feelings or change them to post on facebook or myspace, I don't have to fake my love for him. Its there all the time <3

New adventures!

The voting for the FRG board was last night, and I made secretary, I know it was a close race!! I feel honored to have been given the oppurtunity though. I am so ready to jump in and get going!
We have a lot of exciting events coming up!
Other than that exciting news not much has happened around here. We have decided I will be staying during deployment and starting school back up, and why we wont be saving nearly as much money as we had planned, we just had to make adult choices and realize this is what is best for our family.
So with that said we are on the house hunt! We have big hopes for what we are looking for. Hoping for another townhouse or maybe a single family house. I have been spoiled with our backyard now, and just don't think I am willing to give that up, its so nice to be able to let Sassy out to play whenever she wants, and me not have to be outside at 3am with her. So I will keep everyone posted on how that goes!
We are also preparing for comapny later this summer. My in laws will be coming down next month, and hopefully DJ's leave gets approved. After they lleave him and I will be taking a get a way, just eachother, no computer, no phones, no distractions! Oh I can't wait! And then for Labor Day week my best friend is coming from Texas! I can't wait to have her here again!

Another duty day

Well the boy is on duty today, which kind of stinks after having the whole weekend with him! We had so many big plans all weekend and when it came time to go out and do them, we decided to just stay home all weekend, be lazy, and relax and enjoy eachothers company..with the exception of church on Sunday.
We are pretty excited, we finally we and took the Connections class at the church on Sunday morning, which means we will officially be joining VBUMC on June 27, and finally have a church home here. We are also looking into quite a few new advenures with the church, such as woodcarving for the boy, and working the nursery for me. So it should be a very exciting new adventure for us individually and as a couple!
The next two days I have quite a bit going on, and I am looking forward to it greatly. Sassy probably isn't. :( We have been having a hard time with her adjusting to DJ being in and out of the house so much with these workups. Hopefully she gets used to it soon. I hate to punish her for not understanding, but I can't allow her to destroy our home or be mean to him.
Anyways...tomorrow myself, and a few other Big E wives will be doing an FRG fundraiser on the ship! Selling pizza for the sailors, so they don't have to eat in the galley! DJ is very excited! I have a few quick errands to run before I meet the ladies at the pier in the morning, and then my monthly grocery shopping after I pick DJ up from work. Wednesday, I have an ortho appt, sassy has to go to the vet, and then we have an FRG meeting that night. I am running for a spot on the FRG board. I am running against (hate to use that word) some wonderful ladies, so I just hope it goes to the lady that is best for the job and can best take over the postion whether that be me or not. And Thursday I am hanging around the house because the boys new phone is being shipped!
Other than that we are still trying to decide whether we will be moving into a new house in the next couple of months or staying here by bimonthly leasing until he deploys. We like our house, but are ready to be out of the neighborhood and REALLY ready to be rid of this leasing company, not to mention they are wanting to charge us more money monthly for bi monthly and we already pay a very high rent compared to most all of our friends in the area.

Friendships & Lessons Learned

You know sometimes life can be tough. And you think "wow I thought I knew you". But part of becoming an adult is learning who your true friends are and who you just get to know . Sometimes there can be confusion the two, but most people you come by will tell you that their true friends are counted on one hand. The kind of friendship I am talking about is, when the phone rings in the middle of the night they are there, simply because you need them, the time, the gas, the money, none of it matters. The kind of friend who gives just as much as they take, not always taking with no giving. One who you can be honest with, even if its something they may not necessarily want to hear they take it and realize that you are just looking out for them! Learning who your true friends are can sometimes be a heartbreaking process. You get attached and share things then realize it just wasn't meant to be. Not in the way you had hoped. But it's always best to remember God put them in your life for a reason, and the same applies to the reason he removed them. A quote that hangs on my parent’s fridge comes to mind...." God chooses who walks into your life, its up to you to decide you let go, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go." She hung it there my senior year of high school to help me survive high school drama. Me being me, I didn't realize the drama I would go through again as a Navy wife.
Now lessons learned, today I complained to myself about little things around the house and how my head kind of ached. Within a matter of minutes of the complaints. I got a text from a dear friend, stating her husband would be leaving to go IA today..he was due to leave Saturday and within his time at work this morning found out he would be leaving his wife, 7 month old daughter, home and family for 14 months, tonight! As I text her I thought to myself..."and I was complaining". Sometimes I tend to forget how lucky I really am. My life has twist and turns, and I do have health issues that tend to hold me back from things. But I have an amazing husband who loves me, three dogs that worship the ground I walk on, a father who is still protective from states away, and a mother who is my closest friend, and that I can truly cherish my relationship with. I have friends that are there for me, even through the tough times. And my husband not only protects my freedom but protects this countries freedom. I didn't know what exactly to say to my friend accept "I'm so sorry" But knowing her and how strong she is especially being a Navy wife, I know she is going to make it through this, and handle it like a champ!

He's home!!!!

My WONDERFUL husband is home from his underway!!! He has duty today but we are going to have a wonderful weekend when it starts for us tomorrow!! A day at the beach then grilling out!! Monday again he is one of the few that actually has to work, but his chief being the great guy that he is, is letting me spend the whole day in the shop with him since all the other guys/gals will be with their families!! So thats great news! And will be so much fun to see my husband is action at work! Having him back is the best feeling in the world. And we got to celebrated his 20th birthday last night! We just have a fun filled week planned until he leaves again :/ very bittersweet. But we are making the best out of the life we chose for ourselves!

Buy the rumor and sell the fact

So..If you think rumors were bad in high school try being a military spouse. Not that all of them are all necessarily bad rumors but they get everyone in a roar of either excitement or disappointment. And very quickly. Someone is either texting or calling about shut downs, later dates, earlier dates, change of schedule. When the fact is none of us are aboard the ship and none of us hear what the CO has to say everyday. Not to mention it needs to be considered that there are well over 3000 plus people on my husbands ship. (I am talking Navy talk, but this applies to all military!) So with that many people it is bound to get mixed up, either one person higher up tells them something they heard and they aren't for sure of, so that person contacts family and tells them and family contacts everyone they know. Just to find out when you hear from your loved one, it wasn't true. This isn't calling any of these men or women liars or saying they are wrong. Just stating that there is one CO and all these other sailors. They are bound to hear five hundred different stories a day. Some work nights, some work days, and the mix up happens there. I use to get all upset when anybody told me of a change or something was going to happen, or get excited when in fact there was nothing to get excited over. So now I am living by what my husband tells me, when he calls and says "I'm home" I will believe they are here and when he tells me I have to be on the ship at _____ time I will take him then. There is just no need to me in getting worked up over rumors. Once again I know people don't mean them as "rumors" to hurt anyone or upset anyone. This is just simply how I am choosing to find out my information. I respect all my fellow spouses, all military and especially the spouses of the men and women aboard my husbands boat. I just don't want to be the one to upset anyone or get up any ones hopes and something that may or may not be true. What my husband tells me, I am 100% sure is what he heard or was told, but it may be completely different then what my best friends husband heard. Then we look like idiots when the complete opposite happens. Fact is it's military, there schedules are never for sure, and from the time one spouse emails his family, by the time the Next sailor gets on the computer its pretty likely that news has already changed....gotta love the life!!

Learning to deal...

I must admit, I have never been good at being alone. Especially in a two story house at night. I am probably the most paranoid person you will come by.
But over the last couple of weeks I am learning to branch out of my shell and learning to live on my own.
A month ago, you would have never caught me talking to others wives, or exploring out to meetings and get togethers with the FRG especially without someone with me. But now I see it as a very important part of being a Navy wife, one to keep my sanity and two to learn all I can about my husband's ship. I have loved reading about the ship lately, even finding pictures of the past ships. I love sending them to my husband, so he remembers he is making history.
The more I branch out and learn about the Navy the more I swell with pride when I think of seeing the ship pull into port or seeing my husband walk to me in his uniform. I don't know that the American flag has ever meant so much to me.
I have also learned in the past couple of weeks, that if you let the drama of the military wife circle into your life, it can be just as bad as high school. Which is something that shouldn't have to be a part of your life, especially when prepping for deployment. But it's true that not everyone you come across, will be your best friend. I do believe in being nice to everyone, because you never know when your smile or a kind word will change someones day or mood, even if it is someone you don't necessarily care for. Now going out of your way and kissing butt is something I am not for...fake. I don't believe in that. Especially just to get something you want such as a promotion, lead part, or new position. I believe you work hard for those things, but you need to be who you are and learn you are going to disagree with people, that's just a part of life. For me that's difficult, because I had always been on that had to have everyone liking me, and in no time, me trying to please everyone turned me into a doormat...ever happened to you?
Just within a couple of weeks I have made some great friends, something I didn't think I would find here. Some ladies I'm sure I will never forget. It's funny the lessons you can learn from people in such a short amount of time. It's also funny how today people judge you at the drop of a hat, they hear one thing you say, catch you on a bad day, or in a horrible mood, and automatically put a label on you as if they know you or what has happened in your past.
Moving from home has been a shock, one I never expected to go through, my husband joining the military threw us all for a loop, especially since we were a few months away from moving to college together. It has been a scary, undefined, twisty, fun, and adventurous roller coaster ride! One that I wouldn't trade for anything! As much as I miss my family, and I do..trust me my heart aches for them all everyday. I have learned how lucky I am to have a man in my life that loves me the way he does, still looks at me like we were 17 again! And a man that loves his country just as much, he would sacrifice his life for his country! And even though I understand I am not the first priority now, in his heart I know I am. It's been tough but I love my life, never though I would be the one to say that, but the past few weeks, I just do!! For the first time in a long time I am truly happy and very blessed!