Source: heyawesome.tumblr.com via Min on Pinterest
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
So Lovely to See You
I love technology. Even though his internet connection is awful, it is still wonderful to be able to see my husband's face. The video feed lags and sometimes it's frustrating, yet I wait all day for his handsome smile. And of course Bella joins in on the fun...even if all she does is rest her head on my lap.
Friday, February 25, 2011
A Reminder
Source: redsilas.com via Min on Pinterest
Every now and then I have to remind myself to stop worrying. I have to trust in my husband's spectacular instincts and his years of training. Plus, he's pretty much a bad ass so there's that, too. Hooah.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Pieces from Home
There are so many men and women overseas who are away from their family and friends, and they need to be reminded that they have not been forgotten. Before The Hubby was even deployed, I had it in my mind that I would do my part back home and give some encouragement to our brave protectors in Iraq or Afghanistan.
I had the opportunity to work with several groups of children and I asked them to do me a favor. They were asked to write a letter to a soldier or marine and I mailed them to strangers whose addresses I found through a wonderful organization called AnySoldier.
This is how the site works: "This effort is 110% voluntary.You send your support, and maybe some stuff, directly to whatever unit or units YOU select. We have volunteer Soldier "contacts" on the "Where to Send" page. They list what the folks they represent want and need...All the Soldiers involved in this effort are military volunteers stationed in areas that are in harm's way. You send your support (letters and/or packages) addressed to them and when they see the "Attn: Any Soldier®" line in their address they put your letters and packages into the hands of Soldiers who don't get much or any mail first. Everything is shared."
So even if you do not have willing children to help you send encouragement to troops, just a simple card or letter will make a difference. And if you are feeling extra generous, you can ship packages overseas.
You can order a free military care package from the USPS by following the instructions found here. I ordered one on February 9th and I received it yesterday. In the kit were four medium flat rate boxes, two large flat rate boxes, five priority mail labels, six customs forms and envelopes, and a small roll of tape. It takes less than two minutes and you can request this kit up to four times.
You can also order more boxes and customs forms online through the USPS site. The large flat rate box gives you the best deal because you get a $2 discount when you ship to an APO or FPO address. Of course, these materials can also be found at your local post office.
This site had the easiest directions on how to fill out the customs forms using unusual military addresses while this one has detailed tips on shipping to Iraq or Afghanistan.
I hope this post convinces you to spread some encouragement to the troops. Please let me know if you are interested in getting my husband's address because I'm sure he needs a little love, too.
I had the opportunity to work with several groups of children and I asked them to do me a favor. They were asked to write a letter to a soldier or marine and I mailed them to strangers whose addresses I found through a wonderful organization called AnySoldier.
This is how the site works: "This effort is 110% voluntary.You send your support, and maybe some stuff, directly to whatever unit or units YOU select. We have volunteer Soldier "contacts" on the "Where to Send" page. They list what the folks they represent want and need...All the Soldiers involved in this effort are military volunteers stationed in areas that are in harm's way. You send your support (letters and/or packages) addressed to them and when they see the "Attn: Any Soldier®" line in their address they put your letters and packages into the hands of Soldiers who don't get much or any mail first. Everything is shared."
I received feedback from the actual people I've sent letters to, and they have all been absolutely positive. Their words reassure what I already know about soldiers: They are selfless, brave and remarkable.
One wrote:
Another wrote:
So even if you do not have willing children to help you send encouragement to troops, just a simple card or letter will make a difference. And if you are feeling extra generous, you can ship packages overseas.
You can order a free military care package from the USPS by following the instructions found here. I ordered one on February 9th and I received it yesterday. In the kit were four medium flat rate boxes, two large flat rate boxes, five priority mail labels, six customs forms and envelopes, and a small roll of tape. It takes less than two minutes and you can request this kit up to four times.
You can also order more boxes and customs forms online through the USPS site. The large flat rate box gives you the best deal because you get a $2 discount when you ship to an APO or FPO address. Of course, these materials can also be found at your local post office.
This site had the easiest directions on how to fill out the customs forms using unusual military addresses while this one has detailed tips on shipping to Iraq or Afghanistan.
I hope this post convinces you to spread some encouragement to the troops. Please let me know if you are interested in getting my husband's address because I'm sure he needs a little love, too.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Signs The Hubby is Away
I've never been on my own before. I commuted to college instead of dorming so before this month I did not know what it was like to be in a house by myself.
You mean I can decide on my own what I want to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner? I can go to bed when I feel tired, and not because the other person has yet another early morning? I no longer have to make a plea to watch "The Bachelor" on Monday evenings? Madness!
But I had been living with TH for ten months so getting into a completely brand new routine has been difficult. There are so many things that remind me that he is in fact deployed, and not just at work. I notice certain things around the house that are different from normal and they always jerk my heart a little bit:
-Only one toothbrush by the sink
-My shampoo-to-conditioner ratio is much steadier. I always seemed to run out of shampoo 2x faster
-Seeing a car in the garage
-No clothes on the bedroom floor
-A dog on the couch and bed instead of a person
-No random raisins dropped on the kitchen floor
-Fewer dishes in the sink
-I no longer trip over his boots
-I wake up at 0930 every morning naturally instead of 0515
-I can sleep the entire night without worrying about getting hit in the face or fighting over the blankets
-No need to shave my legs
-No need to shower. Ha!
-No late night baking adventures
-Less embarrassment when I develop a large zit
-Farting whenever I need to instead of walking into another room
-Cheaper grocery bills
-Less laughter and chatter
I guess you can say that there are benefits to living on my own, but that's only if you're trying to trick yourself into staying positive. The truth is, I would much rather deal with tripping over his combat boots in the middle of the night on the way to the bathroom than be on my own.
Anytime I see something I know TH likes or needs on sale, I reach for it, but have to stop myself. And I've realized that I am at my loneliest when I actually leave the house. This is because I used to spend so much time sitting at the house waiting for him to come home, but I rarely left the house without my husband.
What worries me about all this is that I will develop my own routine pretty soon. I don't want to have a routine separate from The Hubby. How will we adjust to being together again when he returns? A year is a long time to be away from anyone's life.
Almost three weeks down. Only 49 more to go.
You mean I can decide on my own what I want to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner? I can go to bed when I feel tired, and not because the other person has yet another early morning? I no longer have to make a plea to watch "The Bachelor" on Monday evenings? Madness!
But I had been living with TH for ten months so getting into a completely brand new routine has been difficult. There are so many things that remind me that he is in fact deployed, and not just at work. I notice certain things around the house that are different from normal and they always jerk my heart a little bit:
-Only one toothbrush by the sink
-My shampoo-to-conditioner ratio is much steadier. I always seemed to run out of shampoo 2x faster
-Seeing a car in the garage
-No clothes on the bedroom floor
-A dog on the couch and bed instead of a person
-No random raisins dropped on the kitchen floor
-Fewer dishes in the sink
-I no longer trip over his boots
-I wake up at 0930 every morning naturally instead of 0515
-I can sleep the entire night without worrying about getting hit in the face or fighting over the blankets
-No need to shave my legs
-No need to shower. Ha!
-No late night baking adventures
-Less embarrassment when I develop a large zit
-Farting whenever I need to instead of walking into another room
-Cheaper grocery bills
-Less laughter and chatter
I guess you can say that there are benefits to living on my own, but that's only if you're trying to trick yourself into staying positive. The truth is, I would much rather deal with tripping over his combat boots in the middle of the night on the way to the bathroom than be on my own.
Anytime I see something I know TH likes or needs on sale, I reach for it, but have to stop myself. And I've realized that I am at my loneliest when I actually leave the house. This is because I used to spend so much time sitting at the house waiting for him to come home, but I rarely left the house without my husband.
What worries me about all this is that I will develop my own routine pretty soon. I don't want to have a routine separate from The Hubby. How will we adjust to being together again when he returns? A year is a long time to be away from anyone's life.
Almost three weeks down. Only 49 more to go.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
A Package
I've forgotten TH's laugh. I just realized this now. I haven't heard him laugh in such a long time. Laughter always echoed in our sweet little home. And, now, where has it gone?
I chuckle when Bella does something quirky, which is almost every hour, but it is not the same kind of hearty laughter I would get when TH did or said something funny. He would break into song and dance often, especially during a good meal. Sometimes, he would run around naked just for the hell of it--something I'm sure he learned from his West Point years.
I haven't seen his face in so long. Pictures don't do justice to his handsome face. They don't show his little grey hairs or his forehead creases that are making their first appearances at the ripe age of 23.
And this is why I feel myself fighting away tears at the moment. TH had sent a video of him reading a book through the USO's United Through Reading Program. Soldiers are videotaped reading a story to their child so that kids can still listen to the sound of daddy's or mommy's voice.
The envelope carrying the book and DVD was addressed to Bella, which is appropriate since she is our child. I was so excited to have something that TH had held in his hands. I recognized his handwriting from all the letters he has written me over the years, and I stroked my fingers across the pen markings. I wanted to cry from happiness.
I needed this. It's a great thing to hear his voice telling me that he is okay, but it's an entirely different thing to see that he is okay. I popped in the DVD and waited for it to play. It never played. I tried wiping it down and loading it again. Nothing.
The DVD must have been damaged on its way from Kuwait. It had a long journey to Texas. And all I could think when I saw the notice "This disc cannot be played" was "Well, of course not. Just my luck." Shitty things always seem to happen to us.
So now when I see the book Mabel One and Only sitting on the coffee table in front of me, I want to break down in tears. I wish it had never come because now I know exactly what I am missing. How about that change of heart?
But at least we have our first book to fill our future child's library. We can tell him/her that Daddy sent it over from Kuwait. Not many people can say that, can they?
I chuckle when Bella does something quirky, which is almost every hour, but it is not the same kind of hearty laughter I would get when TH did or said something funny. He would break into song and dance often, especially during a good meal. Sometimes, he would run around naked just for the hell of it--something I'm sure he learned from his West Point years.
I haven't seen his face in so long. Pictures don't do justice to his handsome face. They don't show his little grey hairs or his forehead creases that are making their first appearances at the ripe age of 23.
And this is why I feel myself fighting away tears at the moment. TH had sent a video of him reading a book through the USO's United Through Reading Program. Soldiers are videotaped reading a story to their child so that kids can still listen to the sound of daddy's or mommy's voice.
 |
| Children's book and DVD |
The envelope carrying the book and DVD was addressed to Bella, which is appropriate since she is our child. I was so excited to have something that TH had held in his hands. I recognized his handwriting from all the letters he has written me over the years, and I stroked my fingers across the pen markings. I wanted to cry from happiness.
I needed this. It's a great thing to hear his voice telling me that he is okay, but it's an entirely different thing to see that he is okay. I popped in the DVD and waited for it to play. It never played. I tried wiping it down and loading it again. Nothing.
The DVD must have been damaged on its way from Kuwait. It had a long journey to Texas. And all I could think when I saw the notice "This disc cannot be played" was "Well, of course not. Just my luck." Shitty things always seem to happen to us.
So now when I see the book Mabel One and Only sitting on the coffee table in front of me, I want to break down in tears. I wish it had never come because now I know exactly what I am missing. How about that change of heart?
But at least we have our first book to fill our future child's library. We can tell him/her that Daddy sent it over from Kuwait. Not many people can say that, can they?
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