Stillness

Our house is so still and quite right now.  P is upstairs sleeping in, which he totally deserves.  He was gone for 4 weeks for pre-deployment training.  This weekend and next he has "4 Days."  We will be heading home to see friends and family next weekend so this weekend will be full of together time and rest.

When he was gone the silence was at times deafening.  Now it's so welcome because I know he's here, relaxed, and we are happy.

 I was out to lunch with a friend while P was gone as was her hubby.  She said that the training was also good for the wives.  It get us ready for months of being alone, months of single parents,and  sole decision makers.  It is a good trial run.  I missed P a lot while he was gone, so much that I left for 10 days to be with my mom in Florida.

 Deployment will be different in that about 10 weeks after he leaves I will be having our baby.  Having the baby without him is at times hugely daunting.  I know I will have my mom here for about 10-14 days and the Douala we hired for the actual birth.  But my husband is missing this huge event and if I allow myself to dwell it breaks my heart.  Which is exactly why I have to focus on the fact thousands of women are in the same boat as me and I know I have the strength to do it.

Boy....

That was NOT the direction I was planning on heading this morning   I was going to tell you about the awesome taco pizza I made last night, the pretty mist this morning hanging in the changing trees, and the ham and bean soup I have in the crock pot.  I guess this was were my head was.

Life is GREAT!

I am here in New York!

I arrived on Thursday afternoon, the drive took exactly 14 hours.  I was really surprised how fast it went even with multiple potty/coffee/dog walking stops.  Once I got to P's apartment I was ready to run in pee and throw myself on the couch.... but my lovely fiancee moved the key from our planned hiding spot because he was out of the field on Thursday and thought he'd be home before I arrived.  But I got there before him, 45 minutes later he arrived.  I wanted to kill him!!  I was really tired (up since 1am) and exhausted from the drive.

Minus the minor arrival hiccup the weekend was amazing!  I slept in, which is amazing for me.  Cleaned and started organizing the apartment.  Helped P thin out a lot of stuff and get rid of old paperwork.  We are not moving into the townhouse until I am back for Memorial Day weekend, which is totally ok since it gives us more time to just really move what needs to be and take care of what doesn't.

Friday we went to a Hail and Farewell.  It was nice to meet two wives of guys that P works.  They were both extremely nice.  They had the event at an Italian Heritage Center, the food was really good!  Looking forward to meeting more and more ladies. 

Saturday we ran a million errands...brunch, Gap, joined Sam's Club, Petco, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Target, PX, and commissary.  Whewwww!

We have cooked some really yummy food.  P now even has some delicious meals in the freezer too!

Today I have a pot luck luncheon with some other wives in a town on Lake Ontario!

This trip already has been the best idea we ever have had, it's a great insight to how great life will be after July!

Check, Check, Check

I feel like I am in total CHECK mode.  Everything has a list or is on a list that I need to check off.

I have gotten a TON done since I finished working. 

My future mother-in-law came down today.  We went and pick out yarn for a afghan she is making (it's a pretty yellow for our guest bedroom), had lunch at my favorite place, and then stuck on custom labels onto 108 water bottles for our guest bags.  Then her and my mom helped assemble and address all of our wedding invitations, which where also mailed off today.  And we got all the rehearsal dinner invites addressed so I can mail them from New York.

I am super excited to meet some ladies while I am in NY, two lunch dates!!!!  Also was invited to a "Coffee" for P's unit.  It sounds fun, they are making soaps at a local place.  But I have no clue what a "Coffee" entails and it's one of the few weeknights P will be home.  So I am guessing I will pass and go to one once we are married and I have moved out there.

Leaving at 2AM for my loooooong drive on Thursday.  Next post from NY!

Thankful Thurday

Special time I have gotten to spend with my closest friend and her sweet new baby girl. 

We found a townhouse.  It's in the same neighborhood/complex P already lives in.  We haven't actually seen it or signed a lease, but they say it has new flooring and appliances.

P still wants me to come to NY, even though a big chunk of the time I will be there he will be in the field.  At least I will get him all packed up, apartment deep cleaned for move out, and moved into the townhouse (finger double criss-crossed)!!

People who love me and want to be at our wedding celebrating our new love and the start of out new life.

Blessing in Disguise

Sometimes things that seem awful are really just blessings in disguise. 

After some events that happened last week at work P and I talk about our options and decided that it would be best to give my notice on Friday.  After I gave it to my manager I was asked to pack my stuff and leave.  It was heart breaking.  I had no chance to say good-bye to my clients and felt like the past 3 years working for the company was not appreciated at all.

The upside is that I am going to New York for the majority of May.  I am driving out the beginning in May and staying for about 2 weeks.  Coming home for my shower, then flying back for 4 days over Memorial Day weekend. 

P went and checked out the house we thought we were going to rent.  Thank goodness he did because from the 2 pictures he sent and the shape he told me it is in there is no way we will be moving in.  Luckily he gave me the number for a townhouse subdivision right outside of post that has open rentals!!  I think it will be a much better fit.  Well maintained homes, lawn care, snow removal, close to post and shopping!  We are hoping that we can move in while I am out there in a few weeks.  Super excited to start getting settled in to our home.

Saturday my friend Jenny and I went to a bachelor auction that was to benefit a local organization that houses abused women and children.  Jen bought a date and talked with some nice guys.  I bought a fun photo package.  The best part of the night was getting all dressed up!

Finding a Nest

I have been having the strangest dreams lately.  I think it's in part that my stress is creeping up again.  I keep thinking I will forget to pack stuff for the move.  It's so silly since I will be home about about month after we move and my mom can always ship stuff to me.  I think the crazy warm weather is tricking my mind into thinking the wedding and move are much closer than they really are.  Last night I dreamt that gas was only $3.33 a gallon rather than the $4.40 it really is.  Sad, huh.

Right now P has an apartment off post.  It's 2 bedrooms, on the second floor, with a detached one car garage.  It's nice, has a huge kitchen and great living space.  But his lease is up the beginning of June and we (I) would really like a house with 3 bedrooms, a yard for Violet, a 2 car garage, and more storage space.  I have been looking on Craigslist and have found a few places that would work for us but for some reason landlords there only post places that are available NOW, not ones that are available in the future.  Totally different to what I am used to here.  So P thinks we (he) should just sign a lease soon so that we have a place secured and he can start slowly working on moving his stuff in and cleaning out the apartment.  We'll see what happens, not as easy as I thought it would be to find something from a distance as I thought it would be.

I am anxious to get out there and enjoy our life.  We found out that P will be deploying to Afghanistan sometime after the New Year.  I want to fit so much stuff in to the time we get together after the wedding.  I have put off posting this because I didn't know how to share it, if I wanted to share it, and if I wanted to continue this blog.  But there is it.

Thankful Thursday

Sorry for not posting in over a week!!  Trust me no one would have wanted to hear me last Thursday after my upper GI scope.  Lets just say the drugs won.  P was in the field and I could only inform him of what was going on via text.  Texting is not a great form of communication when one person is very drugged up and emotional :)

We did get some answers from the test.  Basically nothing is wrong with my stomach or GI system, but all this "stress"  they seem to think I have is what's causing me all this pain and sickness.  So I am now on some more stuff to help control that and have actually eaten really food in the past week.  I even had PIZZA!! YUMMY!

So this week I am so thankful for.....

This warm snow free winter.  I think it makes everyone happier

P working hard!  Not only had his demanding job but at working on our guest list.

All the big stuff for the wedding is DONE!  All I have now is the fun little details.

I meet with the priest and we are for sure getting married in the Church.  All we have to do for Pre Cana is NFP, which I am doing mine tomorrow night.  I was dreading it, but I listened to the CD portion today and actually found it very interesting.  I'm still not excited to sit in a class for 3.5 hours (on a Friday night) about having sex as a married couple alone....but that's life :)

I am so thankful for awesome bridesmaids that are headed on a shoe search with me on Saturday!  I am sure we will have sooooo much fun!

Free time

I actually have some extra free time this afternoon!  I got done with work early, which is not nessically a good thing since we are so slow at work. But it gave me some extra time to run around get returns done and come home catch up on blog reading and real reading.

P is leaving for the field tomorrow for a week.  Even though we don't live together I sort of dread it since we only get random texts and no talking.  I wish I could be there to help him get ready and enjoy some time together.

At least I can do lots of regular life catch up and not really worry about any wedding stuff for a few days :)  Maybe even more than one post a week!!! YAY!

Skype Stories

So P's ball is tonight.  I am really bummed out that I am not there.  He didn't tell me until shortly before Thanksgiving.  Along with him waiting to tell me about it until there was no possible way to plan to go, it would have also been hard to get time off this time of the year.  I have done pretty well with the distance lately, but today was super duper hard.  I am sure it's because I know he was getting all dressed up and I wasn't going with him.  I am really lucky since he sent a pic of him in his dress uniform and some really sweet text.

My mom and I had planned on making a ton of Christmas cookie dough tonight so we can bake like crazy.  We got 2 types of fudge done and 6 doughs chilling. I also made 12 half pints of body scrub to give as gifts.  I'll post that recipe and photos later.

We haven't seen my sister since July, she lives in Minnesota.  I suggested to my mom that they skype with each other.  So I got my mom, sister, and Steve all set up on skype.  It was really entertaining and awesome to see my sister.

I am grateful to have my mom and Steve around tonight to help keep me busy and not lonely :)

Chex

I am definitely back in the swing of normal non-P life.  Work is of course crazy as usual.  Next week will be the busiest of the year.

I only work until 4 on Wednesdays so after work I tried to take advantage of the free afternoon.  For Thanksgiving P is flying in early that morning and we are headed to his Aunt's house in Indiana to meet up with his family.  I of course always have to bring something with. I am going to make a pumpkin cheesecake since I think it will travel well.  And homemade Chex mix.  I went to Wal-Mart to pick up some random stuff and the chex indigents.  Although homemade Chex Mix is WAY yummier, it's also WAY more expensive.  But I guess it's the holidays and what better time to splurge.  I'll post both recipes later this week

P is in the field and we won't be able to talk until maybe Sunday.  It's funny that it's possible to miss him more when he's already gone.  At least I am working everyday except this Saturday until he comes home.

Almost There

One day left of work!  I have had a super crazy busy work week both at the salon and at home.  Love the $$,  but boy am I beat.

Tonight Mom and I are staying about 1/2 way closer to the airport.  We are flying out of Milwaukee and need to be at the airport at O'Dark Thirty!  I am thinking I'm going to pull an all nighter since by the time we get to WI we will have time for about 2 hours of sleep.  I plan on totally crashing once I get to the beach.  It will be wonderful.

So the Army is not really on my favorite list this month.  I have posted about they foiled P's and my plans to meet up in FL this weekend and then for his birthday.  We talked last night, he found out he has Friday night through Sunday night off now.  Arrrrggg!  If he could have know this before he left he probably would gotten a plane ticket to come see me.  He could drive, I'll be 6 hours from him, but I don't think he's up for that because although it's a ton close than we live it's still really really far for a weekend.  It's annoying to me, but par for the course of this September Shitember :)!  Even though it stinks P won't be joining me in FL I am so proud of what he does, am super excited to have my mom to go with, and even more stoked that he'll be home in about 1 month. 

Next post will be from the Orange State!