Dear Mrs. S. (Your Questions Answered!) Part 3

Questions from Chelle at It’s a Hooah Life (Serious Blog Bestie):

Do you put deodorant on before or after getting dressed? 

MMM it depends. Usually it’s after but if it’s a big t-shirt for bedtime or a nightey, I do it before. I don’t really have any method to this particular madness.   

Pee in the shower? 

No ma’am. I must admit I nearly had Gatorade come out my nose when I read this question though. 

Have you/do you shake Mr. S's beer/soda up before handing it to him after he's made a snide sarcastic comment and then blame it on the forces that be? 

He would kill me. I usually pinch his nipples or poke his side real hard if he is a smart-a, which, believe me, is often. We don’t drink soda anymore but there were times when we were dating that I’d dump water on him in the middle of the night. That was actually the very first time Mr. Superman got mad and yelled at me. It was extremely early on in our relationship and it genuinely frightened me and hurt my feelings because he was extraordinarily angry.  

Do you play video games? 

No. I have attempted his Need for Speed but I suck harder than a Dyson Ball. I have been begging him for the original Nintendo with Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt. He’s keeping an eye out for the perfect set on Ebay. I’m old school.  

Do you watch TV in the dark with closed caption on? 

I don’t know what it is about closed caption but I hate it. I mean like “wanna scratch my eyes and pull my hair out” level of hate. Its like nails on a chalkboard only silent. I hate it. I mean, kid you not, my skin is crawling at the thought right now.  

Can you write a whole sentence with your toes holding the pen? 

Not neatly, but yes. Mr. Superman hates my toes. Number one reason why? They pick on him. I can single footedly win a wrestle match. My talent with my feet is INCREDIBLE. 

Ever share an ice cream cone with a pet? 

Bleghch. Sorry, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit. No. 

What's your favorite  delivery food item? 

Oh this is HARRRRRD. (Insert major whiny voice) Um, I think delivery its gotta be Papa John's Pizza or some fabulous Chinese food. Anything that delivers is magical though.

Questions from Amy at Chicy-Creations (High school friend):

You mentioned you got an IUD...what kind? I got the Mirena the same day you said you got your IUD. I know you guys have struggled with infertility, do you plan on having it removed and continue TTC? I know that's way personal, sorry!

Amy, not personal! Ha ha I said ask anything and trust me, this is nothing. I got the Mirena. It took me talking to about 10 different OB’s over the last year to find one that would do it for me without me having actually gone to term and given birth. I was also warned that the pain from insertion and pain during the possible 9 month transition period would be A LOT worse than for a woman who has given birth. Let me tell you, she did not lie. I nearly passed out at the, “Okay now when I say 3, cough and I’ll release it” moment. I also had (she called them contractions) cramps so severe I couldn’t move. I mean Mr. Superman was helping me walk for a few days. It was bad. I am praying that if not before, but by my 9 month mark, my body and uterus will have acclimated and that it will be worth all of the pain. The reason I opted for the IUD was because it was the only form of BC I had not yet tried in hopes of regulating and diminishing my period down to a level that not only allowed me to live a somewhat normal life, but even leave my house. Before it was every 14 or so days, lasting 14 days, couldn’t leave the house, vomiting, passing out, trying not to die. I’ve also dealt with all of my endometriosis pain and my countless ovarian cysts and was told that in some cases, the IUD helps to diminish these things as well. If in two years, I am still having really bad pain and such I will be getting it removed and going on my merry way. Why two years? That is our timeline to hopefully be more financially stable, out of major debt, and able to start the adoption process. As far as continuing to try to conceive on our own, I was told that I physically, cannot. That said, I also know that if God wanted to, he could snap his fingers and I’d be able to conceive and carry to term and give birth to a beautiful healthy baby, right now though, those are definitely not the cards that I have been dealt.

What did you guys do for fun at EAC? I LOVED living in the Thatcher. Did you ever go to the mansion?

Oh boy well neither of us liked it there. We watched movies every day and night, we did a few dance parties and on a couple different occasions drove nearly two hours to Tucson for dates. I did the Mansion but Mr. Superman never did. 

 (Some of our Tucson date nights)

Questions from Caroline at The Transcendental Moose (My SIL):

Aside from your wonderful husband taking care of you, how do you deal with it when your pain gets bad?

It may be irony or just life’s way of messing with me but my pain level currently, is through the roof. I know its childish but I cry a lot. I mean I do all the time anyway but when there is no way of getting my pain to go down or go away, all I can do is curl up on my heating pads, have my bowl next to me, and cry. I also take a scalding hot bath nearly every night. I always combine lavender oils, salts, or bubble bath too because it helps soothe. Even when the pain is horrible, I do lots of deep breathing and try my hardest to stretch. Yoga stretches have been a lifesaver.

What's your favorite self-care method?

My favorite is allowing myself to cry and my baths. Yes I am a 22 year-old woman who has had this pain since I was 15 but I am not used to it nor do I think I ever will be. Allowing myself to acknowledge the pain and my right to feel miserable and cry may not make me feel better but it does help in a weird way. I could not say enough amazing things about my baths either.

What's your dream house look like? I've been thinking a lot about mine so it's on the brain. Whereabouts is it, city or country? Tons of rooms, or pretty small? Huge backyard? Garden? :)

My dream house is a giant, old Victorian style house. Preferably one with lots of history or character that needs work. I would want one that I could salvage a lot of the original wood-work like beams, floors, stairs, molding, paneling, etc. I would like it to be relatively close to the city but far enough out that we have at least an acre. I think maybe when I either have a miracle cure or treatment I’d be able to manage having things like a garden but I’d totally be okay with hiring a gardener too. Ha ha! In reality, we won’t be purchasing a house until Mr. Superman retires or is high ranking enough to request a permanent residence wherever we get stationed way further down the road. We also know we want to end up in AZ. We know we will end up in AZ. Not until he retires of course and since AZ doesn’t have houses like the one we want, we will build it on land and improvise for the things we look for.

Questions from Sarah Ann at Misadventures in Matrimony (Bloggy Friend):

I know you wear glasses so I have to ask- when you got married did you wear them or get contacts? Because I cannot stand the idea of wearing glasses with a pretty dress but I'm wondering if I'm weird because of that!

I did NOT. I am so with you on this one girl, I think wearing glasses with your princess dress is a little odd. I actually prefer contacts but haven’t had them for a good two years because they are so dang expensive. 

 (See, no glasses!)

I was reading through your older posts and I saw the one where you talked about your weight gain. I can 100% relate. I was wondering what your workouts consist of? Because I've been doing the same stuff for a month now and although I'm getting stronger I'm not losing any weight!

Okay this one will be a little long. I too, am not losing any weight but getting stronger. It’s frustrating because I don’t want to be Jillian Michael’s buff, I just want to be Nicole Kidman skinny. My work out as it currently stands: I used to do between 1 to 2 miles cardio either on the treadmill, track, or running trail but found that I get a lot more workout from spinning on the bike. I do about 4 miles average on the bike in 15 minutes. I then do all of my weights for legs and back which I alternate every other day. So If I do weights on Monday, I won’t do them again until Wednesday. They consist of: 3 sets of 20 at 50 lbs on the leg press, 3 sets of 20 at 40 lbs on hamstrings, 3 sets of 20 at 40 lbs for quads, 3 sets of 20 at 85 lbs for inner thighs, 3 sets of 20 at 85 lbs for glutes, and 3 sets of 20 at 85 lbs for my lower back. Weights are the only thing that I don’t do every day. For my abs I have a routine I do as well. I do 1-2 rounds of everything. 20 sit ups with my feet under a bar, hands crossed over my chest and I go all the way until my elbows touch my knees then all the way back down until my back is flat. I do 50 crossover crunches which is where my legs are crossed and bent at the knees in the air, arms behind my head, and I alternate the outside of my left elbow touching the outside of my right knee then vice-versa. Then I do 20 seconds of flutter kicks which is me on my back head held up and hands under my butt. Holding my legs straight out, together, and about 6 inches off the ground I do little flutter kicks right then left, right then left, right then left. Next I do ball twists. I use a 5 lb ball and with my shins and feet crossed, mostly sitting up I twist while holding the ball up and making sure it touches the ground on either side of my body. I do 50 of these as well. Next I do planks. Forearms down on the ground, feet together and body held up like I’m doing a push-up. I do 35 seconds then rest. After planks I do 20 center crunches then 20 on both my right side and left side where I have my arms behind my head, knees folded and together flat on the ground. I am trying to end with cardio so after weights and abs, I sprint two laps on the track. Phew! Sorry for all the long-windedness but there you have it, my work out!

What is the hardest thing that came with all the changes in your life since you moved with your husband?

The hardest thing since relocating from Arizona to Georgia is not being near family or friends anymore. I am extraordinarily close to my sister and her family (four of my beautiful nieces and nephews) and not being able to see them every day is really hard. We don’t have kids and our nieces and nephews help to fill that void so we are missing them really bad. I also miss being close to my parents as well as my best friends. I feel like I’m missing out on so much. I’ve had friends get married and I couldn’t be there and I have this fear of someone in my family getting injured or killed and not being able to get there in time.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

I don’t really feel guilty about it but I take a hot bubble bath nearly every night. I also have TV shows that are ridiculous and just drama but I love them. I also eat a lot of pasta, bread and butter, and loooove French fries with honey mustard.

Questions from Kara (High School Friend):

First of all, I am not judging you in any way, I'm just curious about your feelings towards the temple now that you've been and were sealed to Mr. S. I noticed in some pictures that you wore some clothes that you wouldn't be able to wear with garments. Have your feelings about the temple changed? How do you feel about the Church in general today?

I think you’re talking about the pictures of Mr. Superman and I at his BMT grad and such. I admit I’ve made mistakes and have had times where I wasn’t as strong as I needed to be but don’t doubt that I believe in the Church and everything it stands for. As with anyone, I have faults and have times where I stumble and I definitely have things I need to work on but none of that blame lies with the Church, its all mine.

Questions from Photina at One Guy in a House of Girls (Bloggy Friend):

Do you find it harder to keep going to church when your DH is deployed?

He has never been deployed but I do find it harder attending church when he is not with me. Even though it is so difficult I have vowed to make a much better effort next time, which will be the entire month of July.

Are you a flip-flop or sneaker person?

I do it all. I wear my pumps, platforms, wedges, Vans, Converses, flip flops, Nike’s, everything. My preference? Depends on my mood, outfit, and weather. Like today, its cloudy and overcast so I'm in jeans and my favorite Cons but yesterday it was hot and sunny so I was in red gladiator sandals.

Questions from Heather at This is a Story of a Girl (Bloggy Friend):

Do you know what you would like to specialize in after nursing school?

Again, not even sure if I want to do RN anymore because of certain things that’s have transpired but if I do continue on, I want to do NICU or PEDS or L&D.

What's your favorite Thai dish?

I LOVE Thai Toast. I love eggs, and cucumbers, and fried things. In a weird way it tastes like French toast with cucumbers. I love it. It’s always perfect. I also LOVE three flavored chicken. Its so gloriously delicious.

Questions from Molena (Bloggy Friend)

How did you know you loved Mr. Superman? How did you say it for the first time?

Well as with everything else about mine and Mr. Superman’s early dating relationship, this took what seemed like, FOREVER. There were a few times, where I was on the verge of saying it because I just knew. Now you asked how I knew. I knew I loved him within weeks of meeting him. I knew that I was desperately IN LOVE with him and knew I couldn’t live withOUT him on the day he nearly died. It was about a month and a half after we met and only 3 weeks into us dating. It was raining and I was at my house getting ready because he was supposed to be coming to pick me up to go to the fair. He was really late but so was I so I didn’t care. I was getting closer to being done so I texted him and he didn’t reply which was completely out of character for him. I finally got a text so I jumped for my phone. It read, “I just rolled my Jeep.” Um what the H? That’s all?! So I text him back because I thought he was joking. He wasn’t. After getting directions to where he was, I jumped in the car and went to go pick him up. The entire time I was crying and shaking, and just so sick to my stomach. I finally got there and my heart dropped. I didn’t see him anywhere but I did see his Jeep. There was no way he should’ve survived that. The entire top was flattened and all of the windows were shattered inward. He had been on a really steep and narrow mountain road. It had no railing or shoulder and he had hit a mud pit that made him swerve and go over the edge. I looked over the edge and by God’s good grace, his Jeep had landed on the ONLY shelf. It was about 12 feet down and just big enough to hold the Jeep. Had he landed even two feet over to either side, it would have continued to roll the hundreds of feet down.  I finally saw him and ran over to hug and kiss him. I took him and his friend that had been with him home and started cleaning both of them up. Yeah, the small town EMS should’ve taken him to the ER for stitches but instead just put a band aid on him. It took more than three hours of pulling out glass, cleaning up blood, and disinfecting before he looked alive. Poor guy. The entire time I was fixing him up, I just kept having the one thought of, “What if he had died?” going through my head. After fixing him dinner and making sure he didn’t have a concussion, I went to tuck him into bed and lay next to him until he fell asleep. As we were lying there he was holding my hand and tracing the back of it with his finger. I could tell he had something on his mind but I did too. I was trying to figure out how to tell him how much I loved him. Well lovelies, he beat me to it. He said, “There is something I’ve been thinking a lot about and after today I know I can’t wait any longer. When I crashed and I was stuck trying to get out, all I kept think was I had to make it because I needed you to know what you mean to me. I’ve completely fallen in love with you.” Insert my heart trying to claw its way out of my chest and me crying like an idiot. “I love you too. So much.” 

 (Our miracle day)

What is the story of your first kiss?

This was another instance of me nearly throttling him and taking things into my own hands. There were SO many times I thought he was about to kiss me but then he’d chicken out. Later, I did find out that there HAD been so many times but he had chickened out. The magical night was actually a night where neither of us was feeling well. We had just gotten done watching a movie with one of his roommates and a mutual friend. I went back to lay down and about twenty minutes later Mr. Superman wandered back. He came and snuggled next to me. He started up a round of The Question Game. Unbeknownst to me it was all part of his little plan. You see, he knew I would eventually ask, “What are you thinking about?” and when I did, his move would be perfectly set up. That’s exactly what happened too. After I asked the magic question he smoothly responded with, “How easy it would be to do this.” Then leaned in, cupped my face, and kissed me. It was PERFECT. Something really funny about our first kiss, is that Roxeanne (by The Police) was blaring through the whole trailer. His roommate had some playlists saved on Mr. Superman’s xbox hard drive, had selected Roxeanne and put it on repeat. It played over and over again for about an hour and consequently was the background music for our first kiss.

How did he propose?

Duh, on his knee with a ring. What? Not good enough? Okay, okay. We had actually already started planning our wedding and picked the date before I got my “on the knee with a ring” proposal. In August of 2007 we attended my aunt’s surprise 50^th birthday party and after a few hours in the Arizona heat (yes it was outside!) we decided to leave and go grab some food. We drove the half hour to my parents’ house where I was living at the time, so I could freshen up a bit. The whole day and evening he had been acting SO weird but anytime I asked what was wrong he replied, “Nothing.” Well I was walking back out of my room and when I got to the entryway I asked where we were going. He told me we were going to The Cheesecake Factory to celebrate. I asked, “Celebrate what?” and he dropped to his knee and said, “This.” while pulling out a ring. He told me he loved me and couldn’t live without me then followed it up with the age old, “Will you marry me?” I was shaking and grinning huge and asked if he was joking (yeah since we were already planning it huh?) and then told him he was crazy and to get up. I said yes, he put it on my finger, we kissed, and then we did indeed go to The Cheesecake factory to celebrate. 

 (Right after he popped the question)

(Celebrating with cheesecake and daiquiris!)

Have you ever struggled with your faith?

I have. Several times even. I still do at times. I think that since I am the natural man, it is something that I am doomed to repeat until I die and gain a more perfect understanding but I do strive to not question God and to always keep in mind that it could always be worse. He has a plan and He never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it.

What was your “first dance” song and what is the story behind it?

Oh I love this one! Again, this was before we were even ‘officially’ together but I already knew I wanted him forever. I was sick and he came over to keep me company. We had gotten done watching a movie and I was trying to go to sleep. I had my iPod on and he was playing with my hair. After a while, he thought I was sleeping, but I wasn’t. Tim McGraw’s, “It’s Your Love” came on and he began singing along. He sang the entire song to me and it wasn’t until six months later that I told him I had been awake. When it came to choosing our first dance song for our wedding we had so many we could’ve gone with but when this one came up to bat, we knew this was perfect.

(First dance)

What does your wedding ring look like and did you pick it out?

We actually looked at rings together and I picked out four different styles I loved. I told him I would be happy with anything he got me. He ended up choosing my favorite out of the four! It’s a 1.5 carat solitaire diamond on a thin, white gold band. Well that is actually my “engagement” ring. My wedding band is a thin, white gold band with 8 little diamonds that goes perfectly with my engagement ring. He’s incredible isn’t he?!

 (I adore my ring)

Were you a ‘wild child’?

You know I wasn’t sure if I wanted to answer this one or not because I didn’t want my readers, friends, or family (the ones that don’t already know) to view me differently but decided that my honesty is more important to you AND me than keeping my sordid past top secret. When I was a Junior in high school, my best friend committed suicide. I took it pretty hard and took the wrong path in ‘dealing’ with it. I got really angry and depressed and started doing things to my body, inside and out, that were extraordinarily detrimental. I started abusing pills of all sorts. I was abusing prescriptions, over the counter stuff, stealing others’ pills, as well as drinking, smoking, some other ‘hard’ drugs, and cutting myself. Despite knowing better, I broke myself down and damaged my spirit and mental capacities so badly that it took Mr. Superman coming into my life and in turn keeping me alive one fateful night before I realized how far off I had gotten. I still struggle with things but having him in my life and knowing that I need to be the best kind of woman he deserves, helps monumentally.

Three Fabulous Things in One!

First off, I have some insider info on something absolutely fantastic! Lindsay, the saint who designed my layout a couple weeks back, is having a terrific deal on blog designs. She is great to work with! She's having a deal on 5 different layouts at 50$ each. That's a steal! Go HERE to check it out :)

Also, I have found some great new MilSpouse blogs in the last couple of days. One of these fantastic women is Mrs. Top Gun. Her and her hubbs, Mr. Top Gun, have a great love story and I cannot wait to get to know her better! You should seriously go HERE to see all her fabulosity for yourself.

Alright lovelies, I gotta head out for school real quick but be sure to keep up on my 30 Day Meme posts and if you are new to the blog or just a little behind on reading, make sure to read my responses to all of my readers terrific questions at Questions For Mrs. S. PART 1, PART 2, and the brand new and freshly posted PART 3!

Dear Mrs. S. (Your Questions Answered!) Part 2

 Questions from JG at Me and My Soldier Man (Fabulous Bloggy Friend):

Were you raised Mormon or were you converted?

I was born and raised Mormon. My mom was born and raised in the Church as well but my dad’s parents converted right before he turned 8 so he was baptized as well. His parents got divorced and fell away but he stayed active.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was little, the only thing I ever wanted to be was an actress. I danced for a long time, I did theater (both musical and non-musical), and I always enjoyed the stage. I wanted to be an actress so badly. When I was fourteen I gave up on the dream but kept dancing and acting for fun.

Top five favorite movies?

Just five? Oh come on! I love the entire Harry Potter series. That only counts as one. I love anything with Tom Hanks. I love Seven Pounds. I love good action movies. I’m all about the bang bang and explosions. Mr. Superman loves it. I love anything with Sandra Bullock too. I’m sorry I didn’t list five, it’s way too difficult.

Where do you want to be this time next year (personally, not geographically)?

I want to be as far away from where I am now as possible. I have so much work to do as far as getting my health back. I need to drop my spare 25 lbs. and get my HHT managed and under control. I want to be writing more and reading more. I want to be close to being out of debt. I want to have a handle on my emotions and all the things that have transpired in the last 14 months. I want to be able to talk about it all without fear and without breaking down.  

Questions from Whitney at Everything Happens For a Reason (Bloggy Friend):

What kind of nursing do you want to specialize in?

Well…. I don’t know if I am going to stick with nursing but that is a whole separate story. Either a Labor & Delivery nurse, NICU, or PEDS.

What's the whole story on how you got together with Mr. Superman?

Oh that is a long story. Stick with me though ladies because it is a good one. I was engaged to another guy. The same guy I dated for a few years in high school. I had the ring, the date, about to buy my dress but I was miserable. It was a really bad situation. I got brave one night and went to my mom for help. After breaking down, she told me her and my dad would do anything for me to keep me safe and make me happy. I broke it off. About a month and a half later I was living three hours away and only my family and a few friends knew where I was. My first week there I met a guy. I forgot about said guy until a few days later when he and another guy just walked through the door of my friends trailer. Yes, trailer. We didn’t know these guys but they just walked in. They introduced themselves and invited us over to their trailer. It was actually the trailer of one of the guys I had met a few days earlier and I recognized him. None of my friends wanted to but I said yes. My friends thought I was crazy. Two strange guys? Yeah well, I have always been a guys’ girl.  The one guy who lived there, introduced me to his three roommates. One, I instantly connected with (it was not Mr. Superman), one I seriously thought was a mute, I mean kid you not (this WAS Mr. Superman), and one couldn’t handle my sarcasm and instantly hated me. He actually called me “The Mean Girl” for the first year he knew me. Anyways, after awhile, I noticed that Mr. Superman was the one guy that wouldn’t pay any attention to me. I took it as a personal challenge. I was dating his roommate by this time. You know, the one that picked me up in a trailer park? Definitely one of the most white trash moments of my life. I hung out with the rest of the guys all the time and Mr. Superman would never come along. Finally one night I called him and asked him if he wanted to come over for dinner and a movie. He said sure and asked if he could invite everyone else. I said no. Ha ha! Anyways I made him chicken and pasta and we watched the Interpreter. That’s when we found out we both love Nicole Kidman. We talked a ton that night and I thought it would take off from there. Wrong. It took me being over at his place ALL the time, making ALL the moves before he finally caught on. I asked him out first, I held his hand first, and when I realized he wasn’t in a hurry, I brought up our “status” first. One night I looked at him straight in the eye and asked, “When are you going to finally tell me how much you like me?” He got all embarrassed and said something like, “Well I do.” I said I knew but was wondering when he was gonna man up. After making him feel all awkward and fumbly for a few hours he finally asked me if I thought I could be his girlfriend. I said yes. Ha ha, then the next day I had to break it off completely with his roommate. The rest is history! This really was the shortshort version. 

 (A few months into dating, one of Mr. Superman's roommates taught me to skateboard. I practiced inside the trailer because I fell a lot so if I was inside, it didn't hurt as bad. Don't mind the nasty trailer, or the snowboarding goggles or the pink fuzzy slippers. The other picture: I tried to depants my man but he was super smart and had another pair of shorts on underneath. Tricky little man.)

Questions from Jaime at Fearfully, Wonderfully (Bloggy friend)

Tattoos? Got 'em?

Yes’m. One on my right shoulder blade and one behind my left ear.

Parents supportive of you being a military wifey?

Very. I don’t think anyone in my family really sees me as being any different than I was two years ago though. I mean they know he’s in the military and they know that he could be deployed and such, but I don’t think anyone really thinks of us as being any different. My mama and daddy are a lot more involved though. Always asking about his work and about how things work in the AF and such. My sister and brother-in-law are pretty fabulous about it all too.

Biggest pet peeve about your hubs?

Okay I don’t mean to be one of those nauseating women who are all like, “Oh my heavens! I just don’t know. I can’t find one bad thing about him at all! Gag, Gag, Gag…” Really though, I don’t know. I think one thing is that I can tell him something three or four times, bring it up a few weeks later, and he won’t remember. It tends to hurt my feelings and I’ll cry that he doesn’t listen to me but that’s not true. Its usually smaller stuff and I tend to be overemotional as it is.

Biggest pet peeve about yourself?

Well I already mentioned that I hate that when I get mad, I cry. I couldn’t think of anything else though so I asked Mr. Superman. He said he hates that I am a “picker”. It’s true, and gnarly, and gross but I pick. Bumps, zits, anything. He said, “I hate when you go to scratch my back and I think you’re being nice but then it turns into you picking.” Ha ha I am laughing right now because it is so true and I just can’t help it!

Questions from Ria at Life as a Wife (Bloggy Friend):

What are you most passionate about?

I am extremely passionate about children. I know I probably am starting to sound like a broken record but babies, children, their education, Pro-Life, children in foster care, adoption… Everything about kids. I get really enflamed about politics and my beliefs. I’m also pretty dang passionate about Mr. Superman. You know… Ooh la la!

What is it that makes you wake up in the morning and tick?

Right now it’s the alarm clock. Just kidding! Not really but I don’t feel like I have anything that makes me tick per say. I am alive because of the life God blessed me with. I am alive because Mr. Superman saved me. I am alive because I have work to do here, I just haven’t quite figured it out yet. Right now, I get up, and I try my best to be the woman Mr. Superman deserves. I try to make myself better and more worthy of motherhood. I think I have a long ways to go and a lot of baggage to sort through and unpack before God is ready to hand over one of his precious children to us.

When are you and Mr. S planning on starting a family??

We have been trying to have children from day one. We never used BC and both wanted a baby so badly. We have lost two and after surgeries, illness, and disease diagnoses, we have felt our path turned towards adoption. We are trying to get more financially stable and get rid of as much debt as possible before adopting.

Questions from Whitney at Army Wife (Bloggy Friend):

What day is your anniversary? Cause ours is the 13th of October 2007!!! Crazy I know same month and year!!!

We got married on October 19, 2007! I know that is crazy for sure. You beat us by a week. We had our original date as November 9, 2007 but moved it up. One of my brothers got married about a month before us so we wanted to give my poor mom some rest before delving into another wedding/reception. We also had to work around hunting season. No, I am not joking. After my dad sat down and figured out his hunting trips, the two dates we were left with were the afore mentioned.

How do you find other young couples in the military that are LDS too??

To be completely honest, I think we have met maybe two LDS Mil couples. They were both in our ward too and just quickly introduced themselves. They both were easily 10 years older with 4+ kiddos. I am hoping another young couple gets here soon. It’s getting ridiculous.

Questions from Steph at Watching Airplanes (Bloggy Friend):

What is one food that you could eat everyday for the rest of your life?

Well I would only eat it everyday if I didn’t gain any weight! I could eat Italian food everyday. If we’re being realistic here though, something I do have nearly everyday is oatmeal. Its super healthy and its also part of my diet. I put in some low fat butter, honey, and low fat milk so its naturally sweetened and it is just so tasty!

Questions from Abby at Dogtags & Pearls (Bloggy Friend):

What kind of cake is your favorite?

CHEESECAKE!! I am not a cake person at all. Mr. Superman loves cold Funfetti cake though so this year, when I made his shop cupcakes for his b-day, I indulged in a few. I would still take cheesecake over it though.

How do you handle everything? I think you should have the title of superwoman... just sayin’ :]

First off, you’re sweet! I really don’t see myself as “handling” things. I feel like I fall so short of what I should be able to do. I have breakdowns every other day if not daily. The physical pain of everything I have going on is something I have just accepted as a normal part of MY life. All of the emotional baggage I have dragging behind me really gets the better part of me more often than not. The only reason I haven’t lost my sanity yet is because of Mr. Superman.

Questions from Robyn at Team Mama (My MIL):

Are you going to have a party for graduation on June 7th?

No. Ha ha! I mean, who on earth would we invite? Really though, its just me getting done with a 10-week course so its not that big of a deal. Right now, I feel like I’m dying from the work and stress of it all but other people do more amazing things every day so, no.

Where would you like to be posted after Valdosta?

We are really holding out for hopefully being able to return to AZ next year. We want to get in an overseas post as well as one back East before retirement. We would both LOVE to go to Guam too.

Questions from Katie (My SIL):

Who's your favorite sister-in-law?

Tsk tsk Miss Katie. Now how can I choose between six SIL’s? I can’t! I won’t!

What's your top choices for boys/girls names?

Oh man I don’t know if I’m allowed to share these. We are very protective over baby names and don’t want to risk someone we’re related to using the name before we can. We chose baby names while dating so we have first claim! Okay Mr. Superman says I cannot share. Sorry! There are way too many duplicate names going on in our families as it is so we are not willing to chance it.

Dark Knight, or Batman Begins?

Oh difficult, difficult. In fear of sounding like a cliché, I have to go with The Dark Knight. I’m sure I’ll like the third installment, coming 2012, better though. I think that the Batman series is going to be an exception when it comes to sequels not being as good as the first.

Favorite Harry Potter book?

Warning: Harry Potter nerd-speak coming up. This is a toughie too! I enjoy the fourth, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but I like bits of the fifth, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as well. He’s much too angsty for my liking for the bulk of it though. I can’t really enjoy the sixth, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince because I am dreading the ending the entire time but I do love the developments in the relationship between Harry and Dumbledore. Now I think I’ll sound like a cliché here too but my favorite altogether is the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Celebrity you want as your best friend? Hahaha random!

Oh boy! As stated before, for very selfish reasons, I would like to have a well-known female journalist/talk show host/public figure as my best friend.

State you most want to live in? (Hint: It starts with a U)

Oh dear. I think Mr. Superman’s family may not like this answer, but we hate Utah. Utah was NOT good to us. We have lots of places we would like to live but our “home” is Arizona. That is where we will end up.

Dear Mrs. S. (Your Questions Answered!) Part 1

Leave it to me to collect a crazy amount of questions and leave it to the day before to start answering them. Lucky for me (yeah, right) Mr. Superman is on swings this week so I’m alone all night. I am so blessed to have so many amazing friends asking me questions! Thanks guys! (Sorry if you read the same thing twice. I am answering every question even if it’s a duplicate.)

Questions from Nicole at Flip Flops & Combat Boots (Blog Bestie):

What is your biggest accomplishment?

I don’t really think I’ve accomplished anything, let alone anything BIG. I guess my biggest accomplishment would have to be making it through the last year with my sanity and life intact. That’s not a cheeky, funny answer either. Dead serious.

If you and Mr. Superman could vacation anywhere, where would you go?

Oh this one is hard! We have so many dreams and ambitions to travel all over. I think as far as pure bliss, vacation, R&R, and being able to just let loose we would both agree on The Bahamas.

What song/band are you most embarrassed to admit you like?

I’m not really embarrassed but it is a little ridiculous. I like The Backstreet Boys. Yeaaah.

Have you ever thought of joining the military?

No. I mean, never seriously. I don’t have the self-restraint and I don’t do well with biting my tongue. Someone yells at me or tells me what to do… Boy you better back up!

What’s one thing you and the Mr. never agree on?

This one’s tough. There isn’t one thing we always disagree on but the thing that comes closest would have to be temperature. I love cold. He loves heat. The way I see it is you can always get warm. Layer clothing, blankets, heat, the like. I can only take off so much clothing before I get in trouble.

What are your favorite sports teams?

I am a basketball girl all the way. I am an Arizona girl all the way. What does that make? A die-hard, true blue, hardcore, Phoenix Suns fan. If we’re talking college basketball, (Mr. Superman is gonna be so mad at me for putting this into cyberspace), I am a Duke fan. Shoot me. Well no, Mr. Superman may. He hates Duke. If I am forced to watch football I wanna be watching the Saints. If it's college football, Mr. Superman will kill me if I don't say Ohio State and Alabama. Really though, I couldn't care less.

If you could change one thing about your past, what would it be and why?

This one was hard too. I have always tried to live by, "no regrets, just lessons learned" but there is one thing I wish I could change above all else. I wish that I wouldn't have gone to stay in Wichita Falls while Mr. Superman was in Tech School. There was something that happened that rocked our world, shook our lives, nearly ripped me apart, and put an unbelievably amount of strain on our marriage. Yes, we have come out stronger but we are scarred.

If you could have dinner with a famous person, who would it be?

I had to think long and hard because I didn't want to sound like a cliche. Picking just one is impossible because I tend to over inform from fear of sounding one layered or one track. As much as I wanted to throw out a massive list, I am going to go with three. You should know by now I have a hard time with rules. Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, or Oprah. It is for extremely selfish reasons, trust me.

What’s your favorite dessert?

Ooh la la! Now we're talking! Cheesecake. All kinds but cheesecake hands down. 

Do you crave salty, sweet or spicy?

I can't even explain to you the absurdity of my cravings.  I have them all. At random times.

Do you have/want any tattoos?

I do have two tattoos. The one on my shoulder was a "I was 17 and my boyfriend wanted me to get it" kind of thing. Ha ha! When Mr. Superman and I met, I knew I wanted to get that sucker changed. I changed the colors and design a little bit so now I don't think about that idiot I got it for.  I have double hearts behind my left ear. Left ear for Mr. Superman. He picked the colors and he really likes double hearts.  

Favorite artist?

Oh hard. You mean like paint/draw artist? I don't even know. I just like art. Yes, I realize I sounded like a total twat just now. "Like ohmagosh! I don't even like know. I just like, you know, all art..."

Furthest you have ever traveled?

Until I met Mr. Superman I had only been to Utah, California, Nevada, and barely over the New Mexico border. Well leave it to the AF to change that real fast. After 9 1/2 weeks of separation due to BMT, I drove from Gilbert, AZ to San Antonio, TX. Yeah I drove 15 1/2 hours straight through. Insane. After graduation I drove back to AZ then loaded up the car again and drove to Wichita Falls, TX. It was comething crazy like 21 hours straight through. When He was done with Tech School we drove from Taylorsville, UT to Valdosta, GA. So the furthest was a little over 2,000 miles in 3 days. 

Have you ever "experimented" with any other religions?

No. I mean I not seriously. I dated a guy in high school for a few years that wasn't Mormon. I really wanted him to come to church with me but he refused unless I went to church with him. I think I went 6 or 7 times with him but it got to the point where I just stopped caring if he came with me.

What's your favorite store? Your clothes are so cute!

MMM you are too sweet. I haven't purchased new clothes in like two years. My favorite store for tops is Forever 21. They have their boutique section which is a little more sophisticated and no matter what style of shirt or dress, I am always the same size and it ALWAYS fits. Shoes, purses, and accessories are from all over. I get my jeans at Buckle. After eliminating jeans that don't fit my criteria (fit my hips, my butt, and the length that my legs need) its the only place that remains standing.

What's your favorite kind of music?

I listen to literally everything. It kind of matches my mood or the weather. The one thing that never fails to make me happy is country. I grew up on country and I love it all. I mean old school Garth Brooks, George Strait, Clint Black, Tim McGraw, Lonestar, the good stuff :)

What's the best book you have ever read?

This one is hard too. I have so many favorite books. I love the entire Harry Potter series so so so much. I also love The Giver. No matter how many times I read it, from 5th grade to age 22, its always incredible. 

Questions from Ashlee (High school friend):

Do you watch any sports on tv, and if so- who are your favorite teams?

I used to watch every NCAA game I could as well as every NBA game. Things have changed in the sense that I just don't have the time to watch several 3 hours games a week. I check ESPN on my phone every morning though. I watch(ed) the Suns and Duke because as I mentioned before, I love them. Everyone else I just checked the score and updates when I could. 

Are you political?

You mean do I engage in political discussions? Ha ha I am about as fiery and passionate as they come when it comes to politics. 

What's your most embarrassing moment that you've had in public?

Oh Ashlee, if I got embarrassed easily I would never be able to go out into public. Seriously though, I have learned to laugh at myself when I do things like walk into the 30 foot high concrete pillars at AMC (movie theater back in AZ). When we first moved here though, I think it was our fourth week or something like that, I had an unfortunate run in. I so smoothly locked my self out of my house, with no key, no car, and no bra. Yeahhh. I begged my two AF neighbors to help me break in. It was definitely not one of my cooler moments.

What's your biggest fear?

It's always been that I would lose Mr. Superman. Now, never having babies comes in to tie for first. 

Are you and Mr. Superman regulars at any restaurants? Which ones?

I wish. That would mean we had money to go out ;) We both really like Chili's and Applebees though. 

What state would you like eventually settle down in and live?

Even though its 117 degrees 8 months out of 12, we both want to end up back in AZ. Its very much home for both of us. 

What was your favorite wedding present that you got?

Oh we were so lucky in this department! Seriously. I think its a toss up between the outrageous amount of cash, checks, and gift cards we got, and our fabulous bedroom set from my even more fabulous sister and brother-in-law. They spoil us. 

What has been the biggest adjustment you've made since you've been married?

I don't really know. I think the biggest adjustment was when Mr. Superman enlisted. We didn't have any real changes or adjustments that were difficult to deal with until then. 

Has your love life gotten better, or worse since you've gotten married?

Ooh la la Ashlee! Are you talkin' about boomboom love life?  Well, even if you aren't, that's how I took it. It's really not a surprise. Its gotten BETTER. I mean its incredible. Okay, enough. I apologize.

What is one character trait that you have that you love that you have? And what is one that you hate?


I think I am patient. I also like to think I am strong emotionally and mentally. I hate that I cry when I get angry. When I am passionate about something, and I get angry, instead of being able to state my feelings and opinions gracefully, I cry. 

  

If you could be on any reality show, what would it be?


Oh I don't know. One where I could win a crazy amount of money. 

Do you have any recurring dreams or nightmares?

Yes. Some of them are way too in depth to get into but I have two recurring, with slight variations, that never fail to make me even more terrified of my fears. I have at least one a week where I somehow lose Mr. Superman. I also have baby dreams. To some they may seem like dreams but to me they are nightmares. Some are I find out I am pregnant but the baby dies, or we somehow have a child but then they are taken away from me. Some are just simply we have a child. I wake up and realize it was a dream and i fall apart all over again.

Are you sealed in the temple?

Yes ma'am we are. We went back one day short of our one year anniversary. For those curious about what 'sealing' is, you can go HERE.

If you could go to the past and change one thing (promising that it wouldn't alter the future in any way) what would it be?

I think that no matter what I would change, the future would be altered. I think I would once again, not go to TX while Mr. Superman was in Tech School. It would change stuff but not where we are now. 

If you could write a letter to your future self, what advice would you give?

As cliche as this sounds, I would be very simple and straightforward with, "Listen to your parents. No matter what, listen to them. They are right."

How many of your school friends do you still talk to?

Hmmm as in people who actually went to Heritage? (Heritage Academy, my high school) Good friends would be: I still talk to my best friend Davey. I am still friends with Jill W. Of course my cousin Sammy. There are probably a large handful of people that I still consider friends though. We still talk, text, call, I visit them when I am in AZ. 

Do you have any pets? What are their names, etc.

We do not. I have desperately been wanting a puppy/small dog that can be MINE. I want to be able to have some sort of company and something to take care of whenever Mr. Superman is gone. We are not allowed to have pets here though. If he TDY's or deploys, and we are still here, I plan on breaking that rule. I can't be alone. 

Where is your ultimate dream vacation spot?

If it is purely vacation, it'd be The Bahamas. 

Do you plan out your meals for the week?

I do. I actually plan them out for every 2- 2 1/2 weeks. I didn't used to but it is so much easier doing it this way. 

Favorite thing to cook?

I don't know. I like cooking but I really love to bake. I haven't stretched my baking muscles too far yet but I enjoy making cookies, cupcakes, cheesecake, whatever Mr. Superman's shop is wanting me to bake....

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years? 20 years?

Well I know where I want to be but if the last year has taught me anything, its that you can't plan life. If you do, life takes it as a challenge to see how fast it can turn your world upside down. 5 years: Out of debt, Mr. Superman will be an Officer, we will be living somewhere different, and we will hopefully have a beautiful little boy or girl. 10 years: Oh my goodness! I will be 32 years old. Really though, the only thing that's certain is my age. the same goes for 15 years.20 years: Mr. Superman will have recently retired from the USAF. At least that is the plan for now. We will have several children and will be living in our dream home in Arizona. I hope to have made my dream of being a published writer by then.  

Questions From Cassandra at her personal blog (New'ish follower):

Where did Mrs S. come from? 

Well our last name is Steele, hence "Man of Steele" turned Mr. Superman. Whether you think of me as Mrs. Superman or Mrs. Steele, its all Mrs. S. Mr. Superman decided on the name.

What are all of your female issues? Disease or surgeries or what?

If ya'll are squeemish or easily made uncomfortable, skip this one. My entire life my periods have always been abnormal. Abnormal as in, ridiculously painful. The older I got, the worse they got. I mean so much so that my cramps hurt so bad I vomit and pass out. The passing out is from my anemia as well as the blood disease I was recently diagnosed with. Gross I know, but the bleeding is so bad I couldn't even leave my house. My periods last a good 10-14 days and it made having a "normal life" extraordinarily difficult. I also have endometriosis. I have had several miscarriages. I had an ectopic pregnancy last March. By the time it was discovered, I was 9 1/2 weeks along and had been bleeding internally for over a month and a half. My right fallopian tube was removed but the infection was so bad it caused my left fallopian tube to collapse in on itself. My doctor said to try to imagine a tube that is crushed but filled with concrete at the same time. Without IVF, I cannot get pregnant. Now I know that if God wanted to, he could snap his fingers and I would be able to conceive, carry, and give birth but for some reason it is not in the cards. I guess the answer is disease, surgeries, and God's own reasons.

Questions from Mrs. Ma'am at My Life As a Air Force Wife (Another Blog bestie):

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

10 years? I'll be 32 which seems utterly bizarre to me. I will still be married to the love of my life, who will still be in the USAF, but an Officer, and we will have at least one child. Hopefully more. 

If you could be stationed anywhere around the world, what are your top 5 choices? 

Oh I don't know! We would love to be stationed in FL.  We would love to go to Europe, either Italy or England. We would love to be stationed in Virginia. We both would LOVE to be stationed in Guam.

Would you like to retire as an AMMO wife?

I love being a part of AMMO. It has a whole extra side of camaraderie and family togetherness. Mr. Superman loves being in AMMO and loves his shop. He is really good at it and the job selection goes hand in hand with his major of Mechanical Engineering, however, he wants to be a Captain before retirement.  With our "plan" for the next few years, he should be a Commissioned Officer by no later than 2013.

Okay ladies, I do have a lot more questions to answer but I need to go work on the drawing for the winner of the Giveaway. Thank you a million times over for all the questions! Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Dear Mrs. S."