MilSpouse Holiday Blog Swap 2011

(NOTE: The Swap doesn't go live until Midnight EST but my computer was too excited to wait)

Hey there Lovelies!! Merry Christmas! I am so excited to be participating in this year's

I jumped on that wagon as fast as I could! Be sure to head over to Riding the Roller Coaster's wonderful blog (or just click that adorable little button) to check out all of this year's participants and even if its just a few, go visit and leave them some comment love! 

Don't be a blog comment Scrooge otherwise you'll get some ghoulishly haunting visits from the Ghosts of Blog Comments Pas, Present, and Future. 

As for me, today my post for the Blog Swap can be found over at Faith & Deployments and lucky you, its a video blog! Go listen to me jabber on and on about our holiday traditions.

Now to the main event. I have the beautiful and wonderfully talented JG here sharing with us a little insight into her family's Christmas! 

One of my favorite things  about Christmas was always going over to my Grandma and Grandpa's  house. I have something like 60 cousins on that side of the family,  counting all of my cousins' kids. Not everyone gets to make it every  year, but it's the best day of the year, getting to see everyone who has  moved away and only gets to come back once or twice a year. Now, we're  one of them. We  don't do presents, really. The little kids get presents, 12 and under.  But before anyone can open any presents, we sing Christmas carols. Yes, we do.

this particular year was during an Oklahoma-style  blizzard, so it's a smaller crowd than  usual

Every year, we sit around my Grandparents' TV and pop in the old Mickey's  Christmas Sing-A-Long VHS in the VCR and sing along with the bouncing  Mickey head. It is by far my favorite 10 minutes of the whole season.  Everyone sings, the little kids and the parents and the grandparents.  And we've got a lot of talented people in my family, so it's actually a  quite enjoyable experience, with harmonies and embellishments. It's a  blast.

Then the video goes off and the kids say, "Let's open presents!" And my dad says,  "How about we sing the video one more time???" And they all yell, "NO!"  Every. Single. Year.

My Grandpa died a few years ago. My Grandma died in September. Christmas  won't be the same without my grandparents.

This year, we aren't meeting at their house. We're all still getting  together. We're going to do the sing-along. We're going to enjoy our  family. And we're probably going to talk about them a lot. I'm not  really sure what to expect, but I know we'll all miss them. And I know  it'll make them happy to know we're all together.

Sounds like a good time to me. Now get going on making the rounds! 

Merry Christmas Lovelies & Happy Holidays!

Thrifty Nifty Furniture Refinishing

My original post of this can be seen here at Annoyed Army Wife's bomb-a blog.

I adore Michelle. Seriously. Annoyed Army Wife makes me so happy and when she emailed me asking to blog for her I was like, "Duh!" Even better is that she gave me a topic. She's the best.

You see, Michelle has a problem. When I was at her adorable house back in November & December (yes, I got to go TWICE!), I saw this piece of furniture. It is the cutest dresser ever and I was fawning over it for quite a while.

She let me know that this particular treasure has been painted no less than 14 times. I know right? That's a lot. I love her even more for that. Did you know you don't HAVE to strip or sand paint down on a piece of furniture before painting it again? You can, and in some cases its best if you do, but it really isn't necessary. Depending on the look you are going for will help to determine the process you should go through when refinishing something. Now I won't go into refinishing a project in stain too much because that is so not my forte and to me, finding treasures and slapping on some new fabulous shade of paint is the way to go.

Michelle let me know she doesn't want to just paint over it again so there are two things she can do to thin out the 14 other layers before giving this dresser a face lift. One option would be to sand it down with a power sander and just get it smoothed out. I usually lightly sand wood furniture I plan on painting with a power sander and then wipe it down several times to make sure there are no left over particles before I paint. The other option would be to strip the wood completely. This is a bit more tedious but fairly effective if you have the patience for it.

You need to choose a varnish and paint stripper. There are two options, oil or water based. If you choose to use a water based for this particular project be prepared to re-apply it a few times. It is less effective at stripping multiple layers at once but is also the perfect way to go if you want to do your project inside. Since you are in Utard, inside is probably easiest and warmest. If you are able to refinish your furniture in a very well ventilated area or outdoors, I recommend using the oil based, it smells nasty but it works better and quicker. Also purchase a putty knife or steel wool scraper because this will help in removing the finishes if there are any below the paint. When scraping off the finishes go in the direction of the wood grain if you plan on staining. Since you're painting it again, don't worry about it at all. Strip the wood down a few layers and then take a power sander to it. If your piece is rather large, strip the finishes in sections. Make sure you take note of drying times before sanding, they'll be listed on the varnish stripper.

After sanding, you can use sanding sealer, although it isn't necessary and little ol' me NEVER does. If your piece has knicks or holes that you don't want there, go to your local hardware store and pick up a wood filler. There are different types for different wood types and colors. Pick one looking closest to the natural wood color of your piece and follow application directions on the package. Again Michelle, you won't need to worry about the color of the filler since its getting painted over. Afterward, sand with 150 grit sand paper till its smooth and blends in with the existing wood.

I never ever worry about wood filler because I like my furniture looking old. Knicks and scratches add character in my eyes and the more beat up something is, the more I like it.

Now I'll tell you about brushes. Whether you are painting or staining, the same sized brushes can be used but when I've used stain, I use an old rag or towel and just douse it before slapping it on the wood. Stain freaks a lot of people out and honestly, up until my latest project, I was a stain virgin and terrified. Lovelies, when staining, don't be scared. Worst case scenario you sand it off and start again. When you paint, its pretty self-explanatory. Don't just glop it on, use long, even strokes, and be sure to let each coat dry. As for stain, water based are easier to clean up and are much better for doing a project inside but the oil based stains do work better. When it comes to choosing brushes, I suggest getting a few different sizes, a 4", 2", 1" and small detail brush. They pretty much cover all the bases. Also don't get the synthetic bristled ones. You know the fake hair or plastic bristled ones. Invest in a good paint brush and you'll use it forever. Also consider a roller, not the sponge rollers but a bristled hair-like roller. They give you a nice even finish as well.

Depending on the type of paint you used, you may also want to use a finish clear coat. You don't have to go and splurge on a clear varnish or anything just go and get the clear acrylic spray paint. It is amazing and helps protect from scratching or scuffing. For stained projects use a polyurethane that you apply with a brush but realize additional sanding may be required to smooth it out.

That's pretty much it! I know it sounds like a long process and a little intimidating but once you've refinished your first piece of furniture, you'll realize how quick and easy it really is. Plus, think of all the money you'll save doing it yourself and how much pride in that freshly painted beauty you'll have.

Valentine's Blog-Swap!!

A while back, Wife on the Roller Coaster had this FABULOUS idea about having a blog swap. 

She emailed 10 of us fellow bloggers, explained it all, and we all in turn invited ten other bloggers to participate in said blog swap. 

We each got paired up with two bloggers. One that we hosted on our own site and the other where we wrote a post that got shared on theirs. 

Fun right? 

Since it is Lover's Day and all, they have a Valentinesey theme and please please PLEASE be sure to go check out every other post where its linked up at

Also, be sure to go check out the post I wrote which is over at Mrs. Muffins. 

Even though I'm not a big lover of Lover's Day, I do hope its a happy one at any rate <3

When I got the email telling me who my guest blogger was going to be, I may have squeeled a little.

Or a lot. 

Whatever though because I know most of you, well any of you actually, would have done the exact.same.thing. 

I am so giddy and excited to tell you that today's post is brought to all you Lovelies by the ever-talented and gorgeous Mrs. P. from A Little Pink in A World of Camo. 

Her and her darling daughter Ariana are so blessed to have Corporal Porto as their husband and daddy. She has shared her story of love and then tragedy as she has navigated life since he gave the ultimate sacrifice and was killed in action last year. 

Her blog is witty, blunt, and brutally honest which I just adore. Thanks you Mrs. P. for being my blogger today!

"Do you remember Valentine's Day back in grade school? Your mom would take you to the store and you'd get the little paper Valentine's cards, some came with lollipops or conversation hearts or some other cheap candy. You'd write everyone's name on a card and sign yours in the from section. Every one got one. Am I the only one who did it this way? That's how it always was for me in school, so if it wasn't like that in your school just follow me, work with me here.

So anyway, you went into school the next day with your filled out Valentines and possibly some candy… and everyone got one. Man, grade school was all about fairness. No one got left out.

I still remember though, the night before I'd get all nervous. I was always kind of afraid that I wasn't going to get any. Even though the teachers designed it so that wouldn't happen and no 3rd grader would feel like a complete loser, it was still on my mind. Even though that probably wouldn't have happened, I'd at least have gotten one from my friends (RIGHT?!) it made me nervous!

That brings me to my point. I think Valentine's Day is a little bit more stress than it's worth. Dudes running around trying to figure out how to make their princess girlfriends happy, ordering $50 flowers at the last minute, chocolate, Hallmark… and girls completely stressing because, let's face it… WHAT do you get a guy for Valentine's Day (I mean, obviously you can get him any kind of gift but if you wanted to stay in the Valentine's theme…. what is there for men? I guess men like chocolate). And then there's those of us without a Valentine… O Lord, I'm the biggest loser I don't have a someone  I mean… do we really need a holiday to point out to the single people that their single?! It's kind of like, "Hey look the rest of the world's in love while you're eating bon bons alone!!"

Ok I'm being a cynic. It's not THAT bad. I just never really was into the whole Valentine's Day myself. Now, the last two years I was a bit spoiled and I'll have to admit I really enjoyed Valentine's Day with Jonathan. But now being back to one of those "single" -ish people, I just don't get what all the hype is about. I can send myself flowers on any old day, why does it have to be February 14th? Your sweetie can (and in my opinion SHOULD) buy you flowers or gifts and especially tell you they love you just because. Why do we need a dictated holiday to profess and be in love? Isn't love about always loving?

So I say to you this Valentine's Day…. enjoy it, be thankful if you've even got a sweetie (EVEN if he forgets to order you $50 flowers) but carry it on through the days ahead. Be in love EVERY day not just February 14th. Hell, postpone your Valentine's Day and celebrate it on a day that most people don't! Embrace love but not just today, every day.

I love you bloggy friends!!"

Breathe, Count to Ten, and Let it Go

I had the wonderful opportunity to do a Guest Blogging piece for Katie and I loved every minute of it! Here's what got published on her blog. 

I’ll just start this off by giving a big fatty shout out to Katie and her hunky marine. Woo! Yay for getting married, true love, and all.that.jazz. I happen to adore Katie, consider her a dear friend, and couldn’t be happier for her. Seriously. Now onto the nitty gritty. Katie asked me to write something for her and then pulled a total cop out by saying it could be about anything. Nice. I joke, since whenever I have guest bloggers, I usually cop out too. It just ups the ante a bit and gives me an anxiety attack, but as long as Katie is breathing free, all’s well right? She hinted that it could be marriage advice, marriage stories, anything about marriage… I told her I don’t feel qualified enough to even think about giving marriage advice let alone write it all out for the blogosphere to delve in to. I told Mr. Superman (my much, much better half) this a few weeks back, and the things he said to me helped produce the shnazzy little tid bits below. Enjoy!

I have been married for a little over 3 years now. In those 3 years, I have learned a few things. 

The old advice of, “Never go to bed angry” is definitely at the top of that list. I cannot stress how important this is for Mr. Superman and I. There is nothing worse than having a ruined day/night and lack of sleep due to pride over a little argument. Suck it up, compromise, say you're sorry, go have some sexy time, and get a good nights sleep. 

Another bit of advice has to do with that snarky, sarcastic thing people always say when you're about to get married. “You don’t just marry your partner, you marry their whole family” is something I dislike quite a bit. For me, I don't believe this, I don't live by it, and I sure as heck don't accept it. I go by what my parents always taught me, what my siblings learned from their marriages and passed onto me, and by what the Bible says. ‘God’s Blueprint for Married Couples', a sermon written by Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D, lays everything out in a pretty straightforward way that I absolutely love. The sermon in its entirety can be found HERE. There are several times in the Bible that the importance of the marriage being between the husband and the wife is stated by God. Not the husband, wife, and each others’ families.

Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Matthew 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Mark 10:7-8 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

It is explained what these verses do and do not mean. I think these two points are especially important.

• The husband-wife relationship is now the priority relationship: Your relationship with your parents must now take a back seat to your relationship with your spouse. In fact, all other relationships must now be secondary. (Source)
   
• It means that you are more concerned about your spouse's ideas, opinions, and directives than you are of your parents: Some times there is a power struggle between the two sets of parents. A husband and wife must be careful that they do not allow the parents to manipulate them. (Source)

 Pastor Brown continues on and gives some very good pointers directly to parents.

“Parents, your goal should be to prepare your children to leave, not to stay. As they advance toward maturity you should train them to be independent of you, not dependent on you. Teach them to be decision makers and to manage their money carefully. When your children have married, don't try to run their lives! Don't criticize their spouse. You must allow the husband to be the head of his home, to make decisions for himself, to look to his wife, not you, as his helper and his responsibility. You must encourage your daughter to look to her husband for companionship, encouragement, affection, guidance, etc.”

I could not agree more. I understand every family is different but there is no quicker way to start a fight than throwing in the in-laws. Once you get married, whether you, your spouse, or a parent is having issues, its time to face the music and grow the H up. If issues continue, set boundaries, throw tact out the window, and scream, “Its time to cut the freaking umbilical cord!”

This is a great lead in to another lesson we learned very, very quickly. There are three people in a marriage but it is NOT the mother-in-law. Its you, your spouse, and GOD. I promise though, He won’t be emailing, texting, and calling every day inviting you to dinner or bugging you to come over. He understands the importance of ALONE time and will compromise by blessing you as long as you are doing your part.

Now moving onto to an important lesson, that isn’t just great for marriages and couples, but for individuals as well. It is that  YOU.CAN’T.PLAN.LIFE. Well, you can, but only if you want to see life laugh in your face. Seriously, life, the fate’s, Murphy, the ju-ju fairies, whatever you want to call it, will take it as a personal challenge if they overhear you say, “Oh we have a plan! We are going to do this and this, so then we can do this. We are going to have such and such by this date so then we can accomplish this. Its our plan!” Sshhh, listen. Can you hear that? It’s the roaring laughter of the plan destroying leprechauns thoroughly enjoying the satisfaction of ruining another couple’s plans for the future. 

Example: In the past three years, Mr. Superman and I have experienced the loss of three babies, countless hospital stints, 4 surgeries, a blood disease diagnosis, and a massive amount of medical bill debt most people don't see in a lifetime. We have lost family members as they passed away and friends whom we thought would stick around, but didn't because our lives were too fraught with hardships. We have gone through at least fifty job interviews combined, 12 jobs, 4 states, 5 houses, enlistment into the United States Air Force, months of separation accompanied by varying degrees of communication scaled from none to a little, a deployment that is still underway, and we have been on the brink of losing absolutely everything several times over. Do you want to know a secret? None of this was planned. In fact, almost all of this, minus the enlisting into the USAF, is the complete opposite of what we had planned or what we could have even imagined we'd go through in our lives.

Finally, the point of this post, and the final lesson I'll share. Breathe, count to ten, and let it go. It is something that is undeniably difficult but it is irrefutably helpful and essentially beneficial. When Mr. Superman and I were in pre-marriage 'lessons' with our Bishop, he reiterated something every week that is always at the back of my mind. 'Don't sweat the small stuff and its ALL small stuff.' Seriously. No matter what obstacle is placed in your way, you will get through it and no matter how bad you think it is, it could always be (and most definitely is for someone else) much, much worse. 

Let's re-cap shall we?

• Never go to bed angry= Suck it up and apologize/bite your tongue= Don't sweat the small stuff and its ALL small stuff= Breathe, Count to Ten, and Let it Go
• You don’t just marry your partner, you marry their whole family Leave your parents= Grow up= Its time to cut the freaking umbilical cord= When difficulty with the parents/families arise... Breathe, Count to Ten, and Let it Go
• 3 people in a marriage= Husband+Wife+Parents GOD= Happy marriage. Happy, NOT easy. Ready for it? Breathe, Count to Ten, and Let it Go
• You can't plan life= Be prepared for anything= Come what may and love it= Breathe, Count to Ten, and Let it Go

Ch-Ch-Check it Out! No, Seriously, Go.

I am a guest blogger for the lovely MRS. CARSON! I adored writing this piece for her and its my first in a while so go show me AND her some lovin' okay? 

She's a brand spanking new Marine wifey and I love her to bits. 

GO!!

Ghosts of Christmases Past

I wrote this as a guest post for G.I. Joe's Wife while her hubby was home for R&R. Thanks for letting me blog for you doll! Check out the original post here or read it below!

Ghosts of Christmases Past

Rewind to Christmas 2005. I know, you may need to sweep the cobwebs from your brain but I believe in you. For me, I was in high school. Blech. That Christmas was spent doing the same thing I always did. It always started on Christmas Eve for us. My whole life, we all got to open one present and it was ALWAYS new pj’s. Score! We always did the Nativity and read Luke 2 as well. The morning started bright and early and we all took turns going from oldest to youngest opening gifts. Then it was my parents turn and they took turns followed by us kids divvying up the “family” gifts. Afterward, we spent the next couple hours cleaning up and putting out all of our gifts on our beds for when people stopped by later. All of those shenanigans were followed by loading up and heading out for the annual Christmas Brunch. You know how I’ve mentioned that my mom’s family is BIG and LOUD? Yeah there are those two little understatements again. Thanksgiving is all about the volleyball game but Christmas is all about the omelets, muffins, basketball, and lots of talking and laughter.

Moving on to 2006. Life was different. Mr. Superman and I were together and I was so freaking excited for my first Christmas together with a man that I just knew was different too. About two weeks before the big holiday, he notified me that he would not be there. Yeah. A two week-long snow-boarding trip was on his agenda instead. He was sorry but not sorry enough to not go. I was more sad than mad but the gift he sent me that year was so worth it all. He topped it all off by fibbing to me and coming home early. What a keeper :)

2007 found us as a newlywed married couple. Booyah! Christmas was a blast and totally different just because of the feeling of finally being out on our own and starting our own traditions. I also had the beginnings of pneumonia. Sweet!

2008 was spent up in Utard uh I mean Utah with Mr. Superman’s family. It was really hard for me to not be with my family or even in our own space being able to continue with our own traditions, but we had a good time. Lots of food and snow! The snow was the bees knees.

2009... I guess all I can say is whoa. We were getting the hang of the married holiday thing, but it was our very first year of being in the military. We also had been in Georgia for a month and we felt a little lost being that far from everyone and everything familiar. We had a great time though. I made a Cafe Rio copycat feast for Christmas Eve dinner and we got to open one gift each. Whatdoyaknow? It was pj’s!!! We stayed up past midnight and then got to sleep in! Oh the perks of no longer living with younger siblings. We opened our gifts and then had cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We got spent the day together and got to have phone calls with the fam damilies and Christmas dinner was complete with a honey baked ham, mashed potatoes, and all the other trimmings. We were a little lonely but so stoked about beginning our brand new adventure!

Here we are, now in 2010 and life couldn’t be further from our expectations or plans. That’s the military though right? Here we are, another holiday upon us, and we are nowhere near each other. Once again, we are determined to make the best of it all. I organized a drive to get 100 or so stockings to his unit and I sent a Christmas tree. I just tried my hardest to send bits of Christmas to The Sandbox and with the help of family and friends, was able to do that. As for me, I will be spending it with my family back in Arizona, soaking up those traditions and making memories similar to my childhood.

One thing that I have learned as my Christmases have transformed and changed throughout the years is that no matter where I am, who I’m with, or what I’m doing, the reason behind it all is to celebrate my Savior. He makes all things possible and the best way I can honor Him is to show my love for everyone dear to me and continue to give thanks for life, love, and happiness. 

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all you Lovelies!

A Bit Late

Lindsey from A Day in the Life of a Marine Corps Wife asked me to do a Thanksgiving guest piece for her. You can go leave me love here or for you lazies, I'm re-posting it. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!

How The Superman's Eat Their Turkey

I don't know if you know this or not, but we haven't always been the Superman family. Shocker, I know. Technically, Mr. Superman has always been The Man of Steele, but me? I used to be A freckle faced strawberry with the last name of Organ. People always ask, "Like the piano?" and I always respond, "No, like the heart."

Thanksgiving for me, has always held a very special place in my heart. From a very young age, I looked forward to that extraordinary Thursday, every November. It may or may not have anything to do with the fact that I got to stuff my chubby little freckled face full of incredible food. When I was still very young, it was a time that I got to get together with all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins at the park. There was always tons of food and lots of laughter. My mom's side of the family is BIG and LOUD. Both of those are rather bit of an understatement. We usually would swing around and visit my dad's mother and sister as well and it was my dad's mom who got me hooked on and in love with sweet potatoes.

As I got older, and consequently, the rest of my extended family all began to grow up, get married, and started their own families, the Thanksgiving gatherings grew smaller and smaller to where now, instead of all 10 of my mom's siblings and all of their families coming, its dwindled down to a meager 4 or 5 families who still attend and come to enjoy the food, company, and the annual, sometimes competitive, volleyball game. My grandpa has passed away so its my grandma who we all flock to as the anchor of the family. Even though she has very few lucid moments where she knows who you are and which of her children you belong to, she is still the gentlest, kindest, most maternal person I know.

I also remember looking forward to my special task of making the gravy every year. My parents always get their turkeys smoked in a deep fire pit that is put on every year by the Scouts in my church. Its always the most deliciously moist turkey ever. My task was to take the turkey drippings and with my mom's help, make an incredible gravy to go with the rest of the feast.

Once I got married, I never once thought that my Thanksgiving's would change. Naivete? Maybe. Was I dreaming big? Straight up.

Our first year together as a married couple, we split things between my family (immediate and extended) and his family (immediate). We did lunch with mine, pie and afternoon meal with his family, and then a late dinner again with my family. Mr. Superman knew that Thanksgiving had always been one of the days that means most to me and since he happens to not care for turkey or pie too much, he was all for making me happy.

Our second year together was spent doing just about the complete opposite. We had arrived to Georgia two weeks previous and were over 2,000 miles away from everyone we knew and loved. We were in a brand new house with only an air mattress and our suitcase. We received a call the night before notifying us that the semi truck with all of our possessions would be arriving Thanksgiving morning. We spent the day moving furniture and unpacking. Mr. Superman knew me well enough that he was able to tell I was rather down about not having a normal Thanksgiving. He ran to the store under the pretenses of picking up toilet paper and came back with turkey, gravy, stuffing, corn, mashed potatoes and a pumpkin pie. This is why I love that man. We cooked our feast in the microwave and then ate off our our finest china paper goods. We wrapped up the night watching a movie on our mattress in the living room and telling each other what we were most grateful for.

This year, I could have never guessed that I would be spending Thanksgiving back on the Western side of the United States or that my loverface would be over 8,000 miles away from me. It is what it is though and we are determined to make the best and most of everything. I will be spending my Thanksgiving with Mr. Superman's family in Utah, enjoying great food, good company, and amazing, cold weather. I couldn't send a feast to Afghanistan but I did make sure to send my love some of his favorite snacks and a new book to keep him company.

Despite life happening, people growing up, and families and traditions changing, there is a universal truth that has always been and will continue to remain constant. Thanksgiving is a time to recognize the good in everything. Yes, we should always be grateful and thank God for our many blessings but I love that there is a day, specifically dedicated to that purpose. Its also a time to remember why we are all able to be here in this country. Very brave and courageous men and women gave up their lives and homes under threat of death, crossed the ocean, and started anew. People have fought to become and remain free. Hundreds of thousands of people are still fighting for that same purpose, including my husband. This Thanksgiving, I will be thinking and praying constantly for these wonderful souls who are so selfless and giving and thanking my Heavenly Father for all that He has given to me. Even though I know our family may not always be together for normal traditions, I do know that we will always be eating our turkey, wherever we may be, with our hearts full of gratitude and love.

From Civi to Millie

This was the post that Mrs. Gambizzle featured as a part of her fabulous


  

For those who missed it, here it is!

I was asked by Mrs. Gambizzle forever ago to do a post. She suggested I do a post about transitioning from civilian life to military life and I thought, “Oh, easy!” What am I thinking now? “Um, what was I thinking?!” I have also had more than a month to do this post and now I’m sitting here, nearly hyperventilating because not only do I adore her blog and I want to do it, along with all her other guest bloggers justice, but I am so stinkin’ new to the military life that I just don’t feel qualified. I also don’t think that the civilian to military or civi to millie transition is ever complete. There is always a new roadblock to get around, there is always a new burden to carry, there is always a new situation to navigate, there are always new orders, more deployments, new neighbors, new plans, oh scratch those plans, lets try something else…. There is always SOMETHING.

Mr. Superman and I had been married for a little over a year when we started getting feelings and promptings that we needed to look into the Air Force. It wasn’t the first time or even the second but all the other times, it just never felt right. We had recently moved to Utah and both gotten great jobs. A few weeks later, we both got laid off. We prayed and went to talk to a recruiter. He took the ASVAB, blew them all away with his score, and signed papers about a week and a half later. Making the announcement, jumping through hoops, not having things work out the first time, waiting, and finally getting in gave us our first tastes of the unknown, the frustration, the waiting and everything else that comes along with this military world. Shortly after everything was official and we were awaiting his leave dates is when we lost our Angel Baby #2. I was seriously terrified he was going to have to leave before I was healed, recovered, and okay. 

While Mr. Superman was at BMT we hit a few roadblocks. I had to have surgery which was no cakewalk without having my husband by my side. We also weren't one of those lucky couples who got a lot of phone calls and such. We had four phone calls over 9 weeks, two of which were less than two minutes. I would go weeks without letters and for someone brand new to the military life, living in a completely civilian world with no support system of fellow millies, it was really hard on me. Attending his BMT Graduation and spending time with him was absolutely incredible and one of my proudest moments. We had an incident that was semi Air Force related in October of last year that tested us as individuals and as a couple. It nearly broke us but we came out stronger and I daresay, better for it. We were assigned to our first duty station and arrived 2,000 miles away from everyone and everything we knew and loved in November 2009 and started our new life. 

Its been hard. Its been lonely. Its been aggravating, frustrating, and at times, down right depressing but you know what? Its been incredible. I have been doing this for and because of my husband. We are now in a new transition period. The transition of pre-deployment. It was unexpected and the way its come about has been a bit unfair but it is all a part of this life. This unpredictable, roller coaster ride of a life that we chose. Sure its tough. It is also so worth it. I'm already looking forward to our next transition. Next year, when I get to welcome my lovebug home from Afghanistan and we get to fall in love with each other all over again will be a fabulous time. It will be a uncharted waters and I'm prepared to get annoyed and overwhelmed but its a transition that will be amazing.

Mili Mondays!

Today I am a guest over at Mrs. Gambizzle's! Be sure to go check it out and leave me some love ;)

Be Sure...

To go read my guest post over at ACU's, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutu's! It's all about the love and support of my [Proxy] Husband.

Thank you Mrs. G.I. Joe! She is in the middle of birthing a book and I felt very lucky to be counted among those whom she asked to guest blog.

Sad Day.

It wasn't an entirely sad day but that is exactly how it ended. I know I have been MIA because one of Mr. Superman's little sisters and then my BFF have been here. My house is trashed, there is laundry everywhere, hardly any food in the fridge, the floors are filthy, dishes are overflowing, and I am sitting here on the couch just kind of staring at it all.

I will probably still be a little amiss for a few days because I have several guest pieces I am working on for other bloggers plus I will be attempting to piece mi casa back together. I am finally diving into my DVR from the last two weeks and working on my first piece which I will let you guys know about on Thursday.

I am super super sad because my BFF is now on a plane to ATL then PHX. It very well may be the last time I see her in two years. I'll explain that later. I am so sad though. I cried nearly as hard as when I dropped off my man.

I gotta suck it up and write.

I'm a Guest Blogger!!

Make sure you all head over to

to check out my guest blogging post!

Are You Hua?

I'm a Guest Blogger!!

I know most of you are all in love with Flip Flops & Combat Boots as much as I am and lucky me, she asked me to be a guest blogger. My post landed on her page today. Ya'll should be sure to click on the link to read my post but also keep reading her. She is incredible.