The holidays

Its October! Which means the next few months are going to move fast!

I love the holiday season. I like to think I'm a nice person all of time, so its nice to see others doing the same.

And I especially love how people get sentimental about our troops at this time. So many people will gone for the holidays (my husband included!) and seeing others spend a second to think of them fills me with so much pride.

I love this time of year!

Delilah is two!

Yes, I am posting twice in one day. The first is a post related to what my blog is all about, dealing with the military life.

But this post...is pure celebration. My wonderful, amazing, beautiful oldest daughter turned two on the 20th. I'm so amazed at how she's grown so much and who she is growing up to be.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Family = friends

When you are a military spouse, you don't always get to be around your family. I have been so blessed to meet many spouses that I don't just consider friends, but also family. Holidays that you would normally spend along aren't so lonesome when you have people over to share a meal or some drinks. I learned in Okinawa that I LOVE entertaining. I just love people coming together and sharing thoughts, memories and laughter.

I really love staying in touch with people too. I love being some one that other people can rely on if they need it. I recently got a phone call from a friend that we knew in Okinawa for maybe the last 6 months that we were there. And it was so nice being able to talk and catch up. I love it. It was nice that after all this time, this friend came to me for advice. Its so nice to know that even though I don't have all the answers, some one still wants to hear what I have to say.

I am so thankful for Skype, not only because I get to talk to my husband and our families, but I get to stay in touch with the many wonderful friends I've made through out our travels. It helps when our actual families are so many many miles away to know that we have a pseudo family where ever we go.

Life is what happens while you're blogging...

Or rather, blogging is what doesn't happen when you're living. I swore I was going to update this once a week, and what did I do? Slacked the first 3 weeks I had it!

I was going to write about my impending trip to Phoenix, Arizona to see my mom and some good friends. But, of course everything was crazy and hectic like it is with 2 under 2. Then I was going to write when we got back, and we of course got sick. All of us.

Its funny, but I think one of our slogans as military wives is "Of course it happens when they're gone!" because it does. The very DAY Bob left my microwave tried to kill me. Then the kids seem to sense their Daddy is gone and they "attack". All hell breaks loose. This one is crying or that one is crying. All in all, it was pretty stressful.

But its not just me. I have heard countless stories of car issues, black widow scares (hell yes that's scary!), sick children, broken bones. You name it. As if we don't have enough to deal with. We have started to expect it though. And like everything else, we deal with it. We become stronger from it. What can I say? I'm bragging.

Mission comes first.

Firstly, I am a wife and mother. I have two beautiful girls. And a husband who is in the Air Force and plans to be for at least 20. Most of you that read this will know that being an Air Force wife and mother is pretty tough. Today my girls will once again say good bye to Daddy for an indefinite amount of time. Chloe is seven weeks today, so she won't notice yet, but Delilah is almost two. Tonight will be rough for her, as she will probably start begging for Daddy around dinner time. She is at the age now where she knows he is gone but doesn't understand he can't just be here. I used to think it would be better the older she got, but now I think maybe right now is the best time.  She loves her Daddy. She misses him. And in a day or two she won't scream for him any more. When he comes home she will be attached to him like no other, she is such a daddy's girl. But when she's older, there will come the why's. Why is Daddy gone? Why does Daddy have to leave? Why doesn't Daddy get a new job? The answer may or may not satisfy her, but hopefully it will give her comfort to know that her father has done some thing that a lot of us cannot or won't do. He has signed his life over for his country and to protect the people in it. His sacrifice is so great that he can't be with us all of the time.

Its not always fun, that's for sure. But its what we do. And we do it with pride.