ok, So I officially made it through the move, the cats are still reeling from it, and Maxwell gets lost when he goes upstairs, and doesn't know how to get down. I'm tired, tired, tired. I have homework that I want/need to get done, and still, more boxes to unpack. Sometimes I get angry about it though. I'm angry that he's not here to help. TO help me decide where to put things, which drawer he wants "that thing" to go in or "this thing" goes where? I'm trying to put things away the best I can, so it makes sense to him when he comes home, but I know that no matter where I put stuff, no matter how much I try to determine the logical spot for it, he's still not going to know where crap is when he gets home. I'm angry about that. I wish he were here to help me, not because I can't do it alone, but because I DON'T WANT TO. I'm tired, I am sure that I've mentioned it before, but I am. I am attempting to do a room at a time. Kitchen done, except for decorating, and all the empty boxes on the floor. Not to mention that the floor needs a good scrubbing! The people here before me were DIRTY. They did a decent cleaning job, but, not to my standards, I need to pour a gallon of bleach on the floor and mop with that so the grout gets cleaned. Then clean it with normal cleaning supplies. I am just ranting at this point. Tech keeps talking about all this stuff he wants to do when he gets home, and I am going to be so thankful when he is here to help. It'll be a much needed break. Well, I'm through complaining right now, I'm off to go organize the bathroom, then maybe I'll go dump that bleach on the floor... anyone have any suggestions for getting grout super clean?
OH BUT, I am super super happy that we've closed and we are officially into our first home!!!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
In a weird place
So, Tech and I were talking tonight about the new house, things we want to do, room we want to decorate when I realized, that all that ground that we had covered as newlyweds, the "coming together" on decisions like, what kind, style, color, of dining room table to buy, how to decorate a room, where to put silverware in drawers, those things, all that ground we've covered and come to agreements, it's gone. The distance between our similarities at this exact moment might as well equal our physical distance. The only comfort that I have is that we've already walked this path, we've done this. It's a little different scenery, but we've done it already. We will get through this like we did before. We will because we love each other, and I swear this deployment has made us closer. It's forced us to actually work things out instead of just letting them go. We can't get too mad, because, what if something happens (GOD FORBID!!!!). It's just so hard knowing that we are both in two different places, in more than one way.
Because I "needed" him today.
So, today is the first day I truly, really, no freaking joke, needed my husband home. See I have been dealing with a torn tendon that is seperating from the bone, k enough complaining about that. So when my battle buddy "J" told me to go to discount tire last night when I told her my low tire pressure light was on, and I scoffed at it. Stating that my brand new car's tire pressure light came on all the time. No big deal. So, I did some homework last night, and I went to bed somewhere around midnight and got up for work around 5:30. I left my apt, excited for the day, we're closing on our house tomorrow.:-) I get to my car, and what do I see!?!?!? A flat flipping tire!!! Not a kinda flat, drive to the nearest gas station, put some damn air in it, but flat, you're gonna get dirty, change the tire, princess rule quickly going out the window. So I say to myself, self, your a strong woman, you've been through so much already, you can do this!! So I get everything out, loosen lug nuts (by the way, they are super easy if you jump on the tire iron), get the jack out, set it up, and then try to turn the damn thing. Well, that's just great, I can not get the leverage to turn it!!! So I call my neighbor, after feveroushly trying to do it my damn self, but fail. THANKFULLY, my neighbor, came over and twisted it and jacked the damn car up. I put on the spare, drove to discount, got tire changed, blah, blah, blah. Mind you discount was quicker than me writing this blog on my iPhone. But the real issue here, is no matter how independent you are, no matter if you are willing to change that tire, pack that house & move by yourself, no matter if you can raise 4 kids by yourself during deployment, sometimes (dammit) you need the strength of your soldier. I just hope everyone else is as fortunate as I, and has a strong neighbor to help while I am injured. Off to a better day!! And nothing can spoil it, because I am closing on my house tomorrow!!!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Just for a minute....Humor me
Can I just talk for a minute on the topic of Family Readiness? First, let me preface this by stating that this IS my full time paid job. No, I am not FRG, (I was previously and it was wonderful), I am a Family Readiness Support Assistant. Basically I help empower commanders to build a healthy, helpful, educational FRG program. That being said, I still wanna talk about it. Because I live and breath this stuff. It's my work and more importantly, my every day life. If it were not for the amazing women and men I met while volunteering, I don't know what I would have done. I was scared, new to the state, "Tech Support" was gearing up for a deployment on top of working full time for the Guard. OH, and I had no job. Needless to say, there were some moments, moments I'm not proud of, but I've learned and I've adapted. I became the HOOAH Wife that I am today for three main reasons. I am going to share the secrets, right here :-)
1. TALK TO YOUR SOLDIER & get the "REAL DEAL" from them!!!! My hubby educated me as to how it might "go" while deployed. He gave me worst case scenarios. It was terrible to think that I might not talk to him, my best friend in the whole world, for weeks on end. BUT it helped me in the long run. Do not be delusional about this situation, there will be times you won't get to talk to them, and just because your friend "Mary" gets to talk to her husband every day, doesn't mean you will. Missions are different, schedules are different for virtually every person. Don't complain to every single person that get so to hear form their soldier. AND FOR THE LOVE OF IT, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT make comments like "It must be nice to have such a wonderful, loving husband that wants to talk to you". That's just nasty and makes someone NOT want to be your friend.
2. Find yourself a battle buddy. Now I know that I've already approached this topic before, but I don't think I can stress enough how wonderful it is to talk to someone, who understands acronyms, understands what it's like to have to learn over and over how to live with their spouse. How to get over tripping over those boots, and then miss tripping over those boots. Who else will understand the frustration of ruining a $27 pair of panties because they got into "that" load and you had to rip them away from the velcro (ya ya, I know, some of you still sew everything on, but some have the velcro - ruiner of all things it can) . This person will be your GODSEND when you need them. They will listen when you bitch, laugh with you when you need it, get drunk with you when you need that. They will help you through this even if you are not in the same phase (one of mine, her hubby is deployed, the other, her's just got a WARNO). My life would be incomplete without these two, as my life would be incomplete without my husband. YES, they mean that much. Find that bond within another military spouse, you will find the quickest and most amazing bond.
3. JOIN or help out with the FRG. When they have meetings, GO. Even if the unit is not deploying for 18 months, go. Get to know these people. They will help you prepare yourself for the next deployment. Because, let's be honest, with the political climate, at this point, it's not a matter of IF there will be a (or another) deployment, it's a simple matter of when. What happened last time, well, that will be different. Talk to these people and find out what is available to you. What resources are out there. WOW, we can get our pictures taken for free before and after the deployment, by a professional photographer? (Operation Love Reunited -if in the Central Texas Area, email me and I'll send you the info for the guy we used and he's amazing!!) WOW, we can get a free membership to the YMCA? There's free money for extra curricular activities for children ages 6-17 while mom or dad is deployed (ourmilitarykids.org). Ya, this an so much more. There is free counseling, free financial help, there is so much out there. All that aside, it is (supposed to be) a friendly, helpful, supportive organization that is there to help families connect during the most trying of times in their life. It will help children connect and bring people closer. One warning, Stay away from the gossip. FRG's are not the place for it, enough said.
Now I feel that I am rambling, but hey, again, as I've said, it's my blog ;-) I just want to convey how strongly I feel about family readiness, because the saying is true, a ready family makes a ready soldier. And you most certainly want your Soldier, Marine, Airman, Coastie, or Seaman "ready" when you send them to battle.
Any Questions?
1. TALK TO YOUR SOLDIER & get the "REAL DEAL" from them!!!! My hubby educated me as to how it might "go" while deployed. He gave me worst case scenarios. It was terrible to think that I might not talk to him, my best friend in the whole world, for weeks on end. BUT it helped me in the long run. Do not be delusional about this situation, there will be times you won't get to talk to them, and just because your friend "Mary" gets to talk to her husband every day, doesn't mean you will. Missions are different, schedules are different for virtually every person. Don't complain to every single person that get so to hear form their soldier. AND FOR THE LOVE OF IT, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT make comments like "It must be nice to have such a wonderful, loving husband that wants to talk to you". That's just nasty and makes someone NOT want to be your friend.
2. Find yourself a battle buddy. Now I know that I've already approached this topic before, but I don't think I can stress enough how wonderful it is to talk to someone, who understands acronyms, understands what it's like to have to learn over and over how to live with their spouse. How to get over tripping over those boots, and then miss tripping over those boots. Who else will understand the frustration of ruining a $27 pair of panties because they got into "that" load and you had to rip them away from the velcro (ya ya, I know, some of you still sew everything on, but some have the velcro - ruiner of all things it can) . This person will be your GODSEND when you need them. They will listen when you bitch, laugh with you when you need it, get drunk with you when you need that. They will help you through this even if you are not in the same phase (one of mine, her hubby is deployed, the other, her's just got a WARNO). My life would be incomplete without these two, as my life would be incomplete without my husband. YES, they mean that much. Find that bond within another military spouse, you will find the quickest and most amazing bond.
3. JOIN or help out with the FRG. When they have meetings, GO. Even if the unit is not deploying for 18 months, go. Get to know these people. They will help you prepare yourself for the next deployment. Because, let's be honest, with the political climate, at this point, it's not a matter of IF there will be a (or another) deployment, it's a simple matter of when. What happened last time, well, that will be different. Talk to these people and find out what is available to you. What resources are out there. WOW, we can get our pictures taken for free before and after the deployment, by a professional photographer? (Operation Love Reunited -if in the Central Texas Area, email me and I'll send you the info for the guy we used and he's amazing!!) WOW, we can get a free membership to the YMCA? There's free money for extra curricular activities for children ages 6-17 while mom or dad is deployed (ourmilitarykids.org). Ya, this an so much more. There is free counseling, free financial help, there is so much out there. All that aside, it is (supposed to be) a friendly, helpful, supportive organization that is there to help families connect during the most trying of times in their life. It will help children connect and bring people closer. One warning, Stay away from the gossip. FRG's are not the place for it, enough said.
Now I feel that I am rambling, but hey, again, as I've said, it's my blog ;-) I just want to convey how strongly I feel about family readiness, because the saying is true, a ready family makes a ready soldier. And you most certainly want your Soldier, Marine, Airman, Coastie, or Seaman "ready" when you send them to battle.
Any Questions?
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