30 June 2010

Other Spouses...

Saw this post on ColorArmy.com and thought I'd share it...

The Difference

Over the years, I’ve talked a lot about military spouses…how special they are
and the price they pay for freedom too. The funny thing about it, is most
military spouses don’t consider themselves different from other spouses. They
do what they have to do, bound together not by blood or merely friendship, but
with a shared spirit whose origin is in the very essence of what love truly is.
Is there truly a difference? I think there is. You have to decide for
yourself.

Other spouses get married and look forward to building equity in a home and
putting down family roots. Military spouses get married and know they’ll live
in base housing or rent, and their roots must be short so they can be
transplanted frequently.

Other spouses decorate a home with flair and personality that will last a
lifetime. Military spouses decorate a home with flare tempered with the
knowledge that no two base houses have the same size windows or same size
rooms. Curtains have to be flexible and multiple sets are a plus. Furniture
must fit like puzzle pieces.

Other spouses have living rooms that are immaculate and seldom used. Military
spouses have immaculate living room/dining room combos. The coffee table got a
scratch or two moving from Germany, but it still looks pretty good.

Other spouses say good-bye to their spouse for a business trip and know they
won’t see them for a week. They are lonely, but can survive. Military spouses
say good-bye to their deploying spouse and know they won’t see them for months,
or for a remote, a year. They are lonely, but will survive.

Other spouses, when a washer hose blows off, call Maytag and then write a check
out for getting the hose reconnected. Military spouses will cut the water off
and fix it themselves.

Other spouses get used to saying “hello” to friends they see all the time.
Military spouses get used to saying “good-bye” to friends made the last two
years.

Other spouses worry about whether their child will be class president next
year. Military spouses worry about whether their child will be accepted in yet
another new school next year and whether that school will be the worst in the
city…again.

Other spouses can count on spouse participation in special events…birthdays,
anniversaries, concerts, football games, graduation, and even the birth of a
child. Military spouses only count on each other; because they realize that
the Flag has to come first if freedom is to survive. It has to be that way.

Other spouses put up yellow ribbons when the troops are imperiled across the
globe and take them down when the troops come home. Military spouses wear
yellow ribbons around their hearts and they never go away.

Other spouses worry about being late for mom’s Thanksgiving dinner. Military
spouses worry about getting back from Japan in time for dad’s funeral.

And other spouses are touched by the television program showing an elderly lady
putting a card down in front of a long, black wall that has names on it. The
card simply says “Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. You would have been sixty
today.” A military spouse is the lady with the card. And the wall is the
Vietnam Memorial.

I would never say military spouses are better or worse than other spouses are.
But I will say there is a difference. And I will say that our country asks
more of military spouses than is asked of other spouses. And I will say,
without hesitation, that military spouses pay just as high a price for freedom
as do their active duty husbands or wives. Perhaps the price they pay is even
higher. Dying in service to our country isn’t near as hard ad loving someone
who has died in service to our country, and having to live without them.
God bless our military spouses for all they freely give. And God bless
America.

By Colonel Steven Arrington
17th Training Wing vice commander
Goodfellow AFB
San Angelo, Texas

God Bless Colonel Steven Arrington for telling it like it is...and God Bless Lindsey Riel for reposting this! :) 

29 June 2010

Happy 2nd Anniversary....

...my Honey Bunches of "Oaks"! 

I love you       with all of
my heart! Marrying you was the best
thing I have ever done or will do! You
make me the happiest girl alive! I don't 
know where I'd be if I didn't have you!
You are my Sunshine! You make me laugh 
like no one else can! I could never 
love anyone as much as I love you!
You're my knight in smelly camo
You're my Hero!  I can't wait 
to spend forever with you!
I love you honey and
don't you ever
forget it!
MUAH!
Nov. 2007 "Dating"
 March 12, 2008 "Engagement Pic"
 29 June 2008 "Wedding Pic"
 29 June 2008
 Nov. 2008 "Murried" :P
 June 2009 "First Anniversary Trip"
 25 December 2009 "Christmas Day"

28 June 2010

"Moon Day"...



Just your typical Monday...
Went to Nana's, the bank, the grocery store, 
the post office, library and gas station.

Came home, washed 5 loads of laundry. You wouldn't think
one person could produce so much laundry!
But I've been putting it off lately, 
so I had 2 weeks worth of clothes
and towels! 
To top it off...I hang my laundry outside on the 
porch to save money on the electric bill.
(FYI, using your dryer during the day 
heats up your house and makes your air-
conditioner work that much harder! Save money
by hanging your clothes on hangers outside
or on a clothesline! :)

And just as soon as I finish the first load of
towels...it starts to thunder.
But that's ok! I just grabbed my camera and took
a few pics! You know how much I love clouds
and storms! 





   

















Unfortunately, because I was oggling the clouds...
I missed 5 calls from Jeremy. :( 
*Sigh*...he'll call back later. 

On a more positive note...
I was featured in a blog over at the Mom-tage.
So, be sure to read my post and check
out the rest of the site! Feel free to leave a 
comment!
Hope everyone had a great "Moon Day"! 
Love,

Summer Sunday



Sunday has always been my favorite day of the week. 
I don't know if it's because we have church
or if it's because things just seems to
slow down on Sunday. 
I remember it being a lot slower when we were younger,
but it's still the slowest day of the week. :)
This Sunday, Mom and I were a little too burnt to go 
to church. Being as neither of us slept very
much at all last night. It's so hard to get 
comfy when you're skin is on fire.
But Miranda, my sister-in-law, had invited 
us to go to a fireworks show at the local
park in Locust Fork. The church she attends,
Locust Fork Baptist, provided the 
firework show for free and all 
beverages, snacks and food plates bought
went to help support the missonaries that
the church sponsors. It was all for a good 
cause and we all had a great time! 

There was a beautiful sunset with gorgeous clouds.
It was another Summer Sunday well spent. :)
If only I'd thought to bring my camera with me.
I did however get a few photos with my phone.
However blurry they may be...

I hope everyone had a beautiful Summer Sunday! :) 
I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to
my favorite summer holiday next week...
The 4th of July!!!

22 June 2010

"Um..what if I don't have a #2 pencil?"-Random Tuesday Thoughts

 Remember all those SATs and other government-required tests we had to take in school that required a #2 pencil?

Why were they so specific as to what number was written on your pencil? Are we to assume there are other numbered pencils? 

And why did they want us to use those crappy yellow pencils with the erasers that don't erase. I think they were made out of plastic...Everyone knows it's the Lisa Frank pencils that don't say #2, that write the best and are most effective at filling in those little circles...good grief.

I liked to consider myself a rebel in school...(or the poor kid, whose parents bought whatever pencils were on sale, that just so happened to not have any markings whatsoever that categorized them as the appropriate #2 pencil....same difference). So one time in 6th or 7th grade when we were about to take the test...after the instructor had read off the directions on our forms...I realized that my pencil didn't say #2...or anything at all on it. And the rebel in me, went ahead and filled out the test anyway. Did I get credit for taking the test? Yes. 

Those people didn't know who they were messing with!

Be sure to head on over to The Un-Mom for more randomness! 

21 June 2010

Cape Henry 2008

Not much going on lately...
Haven't had much ambition to do
a whole lot of anything...
I'm probably depressed,
but, now that June is almost over
And my favorite summer month is 
close at hand...
I'm starting to feel a lot better. :)

It was quite warm on this first day of 
summer. So I opted to stay indoors.
I read, watched a little t.v., snapped
a few pics of a lizard in a flower pot, checked 
Facebook and Myspace, and lounged
in the living room talking to Mom
and then Jeremy when he called.
Then I did a couple of scrapbook pages.
It seriously took only about 30 
minutes to do two pages!



I'm quite impressed with myself!
I may finish 2008 before Jeremy comes home.
Haha. Wishful thinking...

20 June 2010

Father's Day in Heaven

Father's Day 2004

Daddy (12/18/63-12/28/05)

Paw-Paw James (03/20/28-11/14/06)

Roses grow in Heaven, Lord, would You please pick a bunch for me?
Place them in my Dad's arms and tell him they're from me.
...Tell him
that I love and miss him, then when he turns to smile, place a kiss
upon his cheek and hold him for a while.
Remembering him
is easy; I do it every day.
There's an ache within my heart that will
never go away.
I LOVE YOU DADDY AND PAW-PAW AND I MISS YOU BOTH!!

Happy Father's Day in Heaven.

17 June 2010

Babyshower time...




Yes, it's that time again...time to buy lots of little outfits, bottles, diapers, wipes and toys. But this time, in pink! Amanda's having a girl! YAY! Not that we don't love Booger with all our hearts, but it's time we have a baby girl around. Time to pass down all those Barbies and baby dolls!
 Diaper cake made by Jennifer A.

Amanda had her babyshower last Sunday, the 13th. There were upwards of 20 people crammed into her living room, kitchen and dining room...along with 3 little boys, ages 6,8, and 9. And 3 toddlers; 2 almost 2-year olds and one almost 3 year-old. It was hectic, to say the least. :)

Wings were eaten, cake was served and presents were opened. I personally, sat beside our 16-year old male cousin, who was less than thrilled to be attending a "girl" function. LOL. But fun was had by all. Check out all the cute outfits and other baby items for the coming princess...










I can't wait to meet baby her! And I know Jeremy is excited to have a new baby niece waiting on him when he gets home from Afghanistan! I can't wait to take pics of him with her!! Stay tuned! Not much longer now!...

14 June 2010

Flag Day 2010



On this day, 14 June 2010, we commemorate the adoption of the flag of the United States. 
The flag, (nicknamed Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and The Star-Spangled Banner) consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red, alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty, small, white five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows of five stars. The 50 stars represent the states and the 13 stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that rebelled against the British monarchy and became the first states of the Union. 
It represents our freedom, unity, and equality. I pledge my allegiance to this flag and to the United States of America.

Star Spangled Banner
-Francis Scott Key (1814) 
 O! say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O! say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
 

07 June 2010

Do Ducks Eat Sunflower Seeds?....


I've been feeling a little artsy/crafty lately, so I've been working on our scrapbook. I say "our", because it's just of pictures and stuff since Jeremy and I have been together. I'm not even attempting anything before then, since I didn't even have a camera. LOL. 
 So, I'm still in 2008. I know, I know...I'm way behind. But I'm trying! I was going through the pictures that I've printed off, trying to do them in order, and came across some from Virginia. We were looking for somewhere to have our wedding. We knew we wanted it on the beach, so when we found Huntington Park, we knew it was THE spot! We'd been munching on salted sunflower seeds *in the shells* and as we were walking along the beach to the dock, we saw a small group of ducks. Jeremy asked, "Do ducks eat sunflower seeds?". I remembered this because it was so funny to me. I didn't think they would, but the answer is Yes,...they will try! :P 
I really enjoyed looking back at our memories while doing these pages...

















Another page I worked on is "Feelin' Froggy". I love it too! Jeremy was just being silly and blowing me kisses and the other pic is of the frog I got for him @ the B'ham zoo. It's his car's mascot. lol. All cars have to have one! (My old car's was a little pink lizard!)
 And the other page I worked on is from a few pictures of Jeremy that were taken at Virginia Beach, VA by one of the guys in Jeremy's AIT class....

I Love scrapbooking! I can't wait to finish 2008! Hopefully, before Jeremy comes home! LOL...Wish me luck!
Sweet Home Alabama
Lilypie Pregnancy tickers

Sabrina

PitaPata Dog tickers

Tobias

PitaPata Cat tickers

Reba

PitaPata Dog tickers