MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Another great set of questions!  Thanks Wife of a Sailor and you other great MilSpouse bloggers!

1.Do you set goals for yourself during deployment? What are some of them? (from Military Mommy)
I haven't during the past two but I did this time around.  My goals this time include:
- Read a book every day
- Spend one-on-one time with my girls every day
- Lose 15 pounds
- Make a plan on how to better use our basement
- Study Scripture every day


2.What would you say to someone dating a military guy or gal? (from Mothering Off the Cuff)
Talk openly with them about what they hope to achieve through their military careers and ask yourself if you're willing to commit to those goals, too.  If you're getting serious and thinking about marriage, I would suggest finding a military spouse who you can talk to so that you can really understand the lifestyle of a military family.

3.If you have children, how do you prepare them to move to a new place? (from The Random Ramblings of A Household 6)
We haven't moved since our girls were born.  I remember how time consuming our move across town was when it was Joel and I.  I can only imagine how much more difficult it'll be when the time comes to move as a family.

4.Name one hobby that gets you through alone time. (from My Sailor’s Mistress)
Reading.  I'm so glad that I've got back to this.

5.What’s the one food you don’t ever get tired of? (from That Army Wife Life)
Cereal.  I love it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Lucky Charms, Special K and Raisin Bran Crunch are 3 of my favorites.

Tag - I'm It

I got my first tag from USNchic at Have a Great Navy Day.  So, here it goes...

1.  If you could have any super power, what would you have?  Why?
The power to make money (you know, without a job).  Then I could finally get a minivan (yes, I want one), a house with enough room for us and visitors and be able to afford private school for our girls.  Oh, and I'd totally get my sister a dream grand piano - she deserves it.

2.  Who is your style icon?
Britney Spears.  Um, just kidding.  It is probably Jennifer Aniston - I like the simplicity and timelessness of her style.  Oh, and her hair is amazing.

3.  What is your favorite quote?
"Be still and know that I am God."  It's found in Psalm 46:10.  It's a great reminder that when life is hard, trying, exhausting and busy that we should remember Who is really in control and submit control to Him.  It's really freeing to know that.  I constantly need reminded of that.

4.  What is the best compliment you've ever received?
Joel wrote me an email about a month back where he told me how much he appreciated having a wife at home who he knew he could trust to take care of things here while he's away.  I work really hard to make sure things at home are squared-away so he doesn't have to worry about them.  Sometimes I feel/think that he doesn't notice, so it felt great to be encouraged in that way.

5.  What playlist/CD is in your CD player/iPod right now?
I've been listening to Lady Antebellum for the past month or so.  They're just starting to get to the annoying stage, though.

6.  Are you a night owl or a morning person?
I'm totally a night owl.  I used to work a security job where I would be up most of the night by myself - I loved it. 

7.  Do you prefer dogs or cats?
Dogs.  Joel and I are "in talks" about getting a beagle at some point.

8.  What is the meaning behind your blog name?
I had a few close friends help me with it.  Originally, it was going to be A Soldier's Girl, but Air Force peeps call each other troop instead of soldier.  I guess soldier's an army-thing.

Ok, so the rule is I have to tag 8 people.  So here you go:

Emmy Mom
Honey Bunches of "Oaks"
In The Grip Of Grace
Of Skype and Sand
One Tired Momma
Our Military Adventure
The Ever Changing Life of a Military Wife
There Goes Our Hero

Wednesday Weigh-In

I did it!  I met my goal - 15 pounds lost during this deployment.  15 pounds in 62 days.

I'm back in my normal pre-baby size clothes.  I'm 17 pounds lighter than before I got pregnant with Autumn and now I'm right where I was pre-Gracie.  Now, the question is do I continue on this path to get to my wedding weight?  Heck yeah!  I'm going to think some this week about what a practical, healthy and ideal weight for me is and then I'll come back next Wednesday and let you all know what I decide.

Who wants to donate to The Jill Wants/Needs New Clothes Fund?  Anyone?  Oh, there's also a Jill Wants New Shoes Fund.  You can decide which fund you'd rather donate to.

24 Hours

It's been 24 hours since I've heard from Joel.  I'm sure I'm not alone in this, but I go C-R-A-Z-Y when a day or more passes without a word.... Even a quick email that just said "Hi" would be great.  I'd be pretty satisfied with that.

My brain goes crazy thinking about what he may be doing, where he may be and what could possibly get in the way of him getting to a computer for a minute to drop a line.  I know there's so much there to keep him busy, that there are times that getting to a computer is impossible.  But I still need something.  Anything.

So, I sit here - refreshing my email, just hoping that something pops up from him. 

We're 60 days in.  I'm tired.

UPDATE:  I just got an email from Joel and he's safe and sound.  *big sigh*  I feel so much better.  Getting to sleep last night was rough, but I'm so glad to know he's ok.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Thanks, Wife of a Sailor, and all you other wonderful MiSpouse bloggers for this week's questions!

1.What is a weird/funny superstition that you have? (from A{muse}ing Mommy on a Pink Park Bench)
I don't really have any superstitions.  But when I was younger, I used to have a thing about having my right foot be the first foot to touch the floor in the morning.


2.What are your hopes and dreams for the years AFTER the military? After all, we aren’t in it forever! (from Stetsons, Spurs and Stilettos)
I would love to start a family business of some sort.  Joel and my interests are at opposite ends of the spectrum, so we'd have to be creative with this one.

3.Since [this] month is National Apple Month (no really!), I’d probably ask: What is your yummiest apple recipe? (from NH Girl Displaced)
This apple crisp recipe is super easy and really yummy.

4.How long have you gone as a military spouse without talking to your husband/wife during service? (from A Navy Princess and Her Little Sailors)
Two weeks.  It was at the beginning of this deployment and it was so hard.

5.I occasionally watch When I was 17… on MTV. So, what was something that was significant about your 17th year of life? (from Ashley Amazing)
I've talked before about working at a grocery store in high school - it was horrible.  I give major credit to anyone who can do this joy joyfully.  Anyway, my manager came-on to me and I had to deal with a sexual harassment claim against him.  It made me realize how naive and trusting I was/am and that some men are absolutely disgusting.

State of Our Union

Deployments are hard, I mean really hard on a marriage.  Communicating through email, quick phone calls and Facebook is not all that a marriage is supposed to be.  But since July 9th, that is all our marriage has had.

There are so many things wrong with that.  There's such a lack of intimacy when most of your marriage is through a computer screen.  And in order to make it work, there has to be a lot of work, effort and grace.

I want to start out a series of posts about marriage, with the current state of our marriage.  You ready?

Our marriage right now, is hands-down, the best it's ever been.  Can you believe it?  I can't.  But it's true and it feels so good.  Yes, there are major parts missing in our marriage.  Some are more obvious then others.  I'll just assume you get the obvious ones.  My mom reads this, for Heaven's sake.  *cough*

A few months before Joel left, we made the effort to be a united front.  We chose our battles, but most often we chose to let things go rather than battle.  Joel and I came together as a team and worked to make the last few months he was here fun, relaxed and special for us and our girls.  We didn't want to look back while in the midst of the deployment and remember the stupid fights.  We wanted to look back and hold on to the memories - taking walks, having dinner, playing Wii, hanging out with the girls, staying up late just talking in the dark and simply enjoying one another.

We said "I love you" about a million times a day - just to make up for the days when we wouldn't be able to hear those words from the other. 

Joel and I are still on the high from the months leading up to his departure.  We know there is always the possibility that he won't come back.  It's a tough reality.  We didn't want any tension in our marriage before he left.  So we chose to live without the tension, without the petty disagreements.  But why don't we choose that way all the time?  I hope we'll do better.

Knowing where we are at right now - how strong we are, makes this time so much easier.  Not that it's easy, but the state of our marriage is not something that I have to worry about at all.  Thank God for that.

Wednesday Weigh-In

I knew it was coming - the week when I would hop on the scale and not see any change.  So, there you go.  I didn't work out.  I didn't eat great.  *Ahem*... I didn't eat well.  I guess I could have gained weight. 

2 more pounds to go. 

Oh, and it seems Joel is a weight-losing machine.  I think the combination of it being hot as Hades where he's at, not having great food around and having nothing better to do then work out on his days off has helped him to lose one more pound then me so far.  We keep joking that by the time this deployment is over, we will both be at our 7th grade weight.  That would be the day