MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Go over to Wife of a Sailor to see other MilSpouse responses!

1.What is your spouse’s best feature?
Physically?  His eyes.  His eyes are this piercing grey/green color and change depending on what he's wearing.  I miss seeing them!
2.Mild, Medium or Hot sauce?
All 3, please.  It really depends on my mood and whether I've had heartburn that day or not.  I went through a Hot Sauce love affair with this past pregnancy.
3.What is the worst uniform you had to wear for a job?
My worst uniform was from my worst job - grocery store checkout girl.  I wore a white shirt with a really ugly small black necktie, black pants and comfy shoes.  I was 17 at the time and had to dress like I was 70+.
4.You have invisible powers… where is the first place you would go?
The Middle East.  I would love to see my hubby in action.  But if I was invisible, I'd be safe, right?  Maybe I'd bring along invisible body armor.
5.What’s left on your “to do” list for this summer?

1. Get the trees trimmed.
2. Get the front door painted.
3. Organize all the paperwork laying around in the basement.
4. Organize my closet (again - I swear I do this every other month)
5. Finalize our family budget
6. Finish Proverbs, start on Colossians and get a few books to read in the fall.

Wednesday Weigh-In

Another edition of Wednesday Weigh-In...

As of this morning, I'm down an additional 3 pounds, bringing my total weight loss to 6 pounds.  I celebrated with a plate of Mac 'n Cheese for lunch - it only seemed appropriate.  You know, I wouldn't want to lose too much weight.

Don't Go, Daddy

Sometimes I feel very selfish.  Let me clarify - sometimes I feel more selfish than usual.

I often feel that our life is always in someone else's control (ahem, military) that I need to control everything in my life in order to feel somewhat balanced.  If the military's going to dictate our life, then I want to be able to at least feel I can control something. 

Just a few days after Joel left on this deployment, my dad left with a group from church, to work in Haiti.  This is his second trip since the earthquake.  The two main guys in my life were going far away at the same time.  I was in freak out mode.  I had come to deal with the fact that Joel was leaving, but the closer it got to my dad's trip, the more I felt the urge to sit on his foot, grab his leg and tell him he wasn't going.

Selfish.  I know.

I already felt my world was tipping and the guy who has always been consistent, my dad, was leaving and suddenly my world felt even more off kilter.

I should be proud, and I am really, that I have two great men in my life who are willing to work hard in a place far from home, working with people who need so much help.  But having them both gone at the same time was hard.  I really lean on my dad when Joel's on deployment and I didn't know if I could do it knowing he wasn't right across town.

But it's not about me.  It's about all the people in the middle east and in Haiti who need help and support.  And my two guys are so strong to go and do that hard work.

Dad came back last week so invigorated from his experience.  He got to help build homes for the homeless, love on children who were parentless and witness to those who don't have God in their life.  I'm so proud of him for that.

Here's a picture, from a Sunday church service, I believe.  My dad loves kids and is so great with them and kids just naturally flock to him.  There are so many better pictures of him with kids, but I wanted one that didn't show their faces.

Love you, Dad.  I'm so proud of you!

A Letter to My Husband

Dear Joel, 

Happy Anniversary, Love!  Seven years ago, today, we became husband and wife.  One of the best days of my life and I am amazed how far God has taken us in the years since then.

I miss you so much already.  I know we're just a few weeks into this, but I really wish you were here so we could celebrate together.  I think this makes the fourth anniversary that you've either been out of state or out of the country.  Next year we'll have to get away for a few days to celebrate - a big bottle of champagne is in order!

I don't know where in the world you are today, but wherever you are and whatever you're doing, I hope you know how much I love you, how proud I am of you and that I pray for you every moment you come to mind.  I am one of the lucky few who can really say that her husband is her hero - and for so many reasons, you are that to me.

Thank you for always standing up for what is right and for doing the hard task, even when that task requires a lot of sacrifice.  Thank you for loving me, even when I'm difficult to love.  Thank you for supporting our family and working so hard so that we can have a bright future.  Thank you for always encouraging me, always seeing past my flaws and for always thinking of your family first. 

Seven years ago, Glen challenged us with this at our wedding:  "God will lead you into such situations and will bless you and develop your characters as you walk together.  He will give you enough tears to keep you tender, enough hurts to keep you compassionate, enough failure to keep your hands clenched tightly in His, and enough success to make sure you walk with Him."  God has certainly brought us through a lot since we've been married - I wouldn't want to walk this road with anyone but you.

I pray that God would continue to lead and guide us as we journey through life together with our girls.  Wherever you are today, know that your wife stands beside you in what you're doing.  I love you with all my heart and cannot wait to have you home again.

Love,
Jill

17 Days

It's been 17 days since I've seen his face and heard his voice.  We've only been able to Facebook back and forth so far.  Joel just messaged me and said he thought he'd be able to call tonight.  I'm so excited - it'll nice to be able to hear his voice again and I know Grace will love being able to talk to Daddy.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Thanks again to Wife of a Sailor for the questions!  I have to say, that these were really hard for me to answer.

1.Besides the horizontal mambo, what do you miss most when your spouse is deployed?

HA!  Very funny.
I really miss the companionship.  Joel's my best friend, so he's the first one I go to when I'm happy, sad, frustrated, in need of a vent session and a hug.  I miss him being here to offer an ear to me.  Right before bed is kind of my time to decompress - talk about the day, get things off my chest.  So, I've been finding myself calling my mom or sister in the evening and just letting them know what I did that day.

2.What do you miss least?
Honestly, I don't miss his little messes.  Joel leaves his things scattered throughout the house.  If I ask him to pick them up, I feel like I'm nagging.  So I just kinda suck it up and deal with the little piles.  Right now, the only messes are mine!

3.You only get three crayons to finish your picture… which three do you choose and why?
Gosh, I wish I knew what we were coloring!  I'd say red, brown and green.  I've been doing a lot of coloring lately, thanks to little Miss Grace, and I find I reach for those colors most often.

4.If you could have your own fragrance, what would it be called?
Beloved.  It's from Song of Solomon 2:16 - "My beloved is mine, and I am his."  If I were to get a tattoo, it would be beloved in Hebrew.

5.If the shoes make the man (or woman), what do your shoes say about you right now?
That I'm fairly practical, always in a hurry, but still need to be cute.  Thus my flip flops with sparkles or a turquoise stone and lots and lots of ballet flats.  Rarely do I wear shoes with ties, because who has time to bend down to tie your shoes when you have kids to get ready and out the door?

Wednesday Weigh-In

So, Wednesday's the day that I get up and hop on the scale to see how my good eating and workouts are paying off.  My goal is to lose 15 pounds during Joel's deployment.  As of this morning, I have lost 3.  I'm pretty happy with that number.

I don't know how other military wives are when their spouse is away, but I always eat so much better when Joel's gone.  (No offense, Honey.)  I don't keep the junk food around that I do when he's home, and meals are a lot simpler, not as fatty, and well not nearly as tasty.  With just Grace and I to cook for right now, I don't feel like I have to make a big 'ol dinner with all the fixings.  And without the bread and desert, we're eating much healthier.

But I do get cravings.  Usually around 9:00, when the kids are in bed, I really, really, really want a bowl of ice cream or a bowl of Oreos with milk.  But without them in the house, I have no choice but to reach of the banana or string cheese.  I usually sit down at the computer, with my healthy snack of choice and read a couple food blogs, and just pretend I'm eating all that beautiful, glorious food. 

Note:  I know the title's alliteration will drive some of my friends crazy, but I had to do it.  It was too easy.