1 month since "See-You-Later"

1 Month Down, 11 To Go!

If you are going to tell me how fast that went by, save it.  Although I do think time has started to speed up a bit, I just can't stand when people who don't have deployed husbands and have never had a deployed husband say "that went by fast!"  Easy for you to say...you're not stuck home twiddling your thumbs, wondering, waiting, praying...(not to mention raising a family alone!)

Ok, now that I have put that (Semi-rude, I'll admit it) disclaimer out there, Wooo! 1 month down, 11 Months to go!

I went to Hail & Farewell tonight. It is a dinner that occurs every couple of months to welcome new soldiers to the batallion and say goodbye to the soldiers who are leaving the batallion. I usually dread these, but as my wonderful neighbor, Carleen, was willing to watch Julian, I quite enjoyed a dinner among friends and eating without sticky baby fingers touching me. My fork handle was clean through my entire meal, it was glorious!

A lot of great people (and their wonderful wives) were farewelled tonight, but the majority of them will still be in the area.  Jackie and Urban however are off to new adventures and I will miss them dearly.  Jackie was my first friend here and Abby and Sadie are half sisters!  We will miss you guys so much, but I know we will keep in touch and one day, we will meet again. I love you guys!

After listening to all of the thankyou's given out tonight, it made me feel like I had so much to be thankful for and so many people to thank.  Looking back on this past month, I really have to thank God for my friends and family who have supported me, loved me, hugged me, laughed with me, etc.  We had a very rough and emotional beginning to this deployment dealing not only with the loss of Andrew heading overseas, but the loss of our unborn baby.  I could not have gotten through it without Kim and MiMi holding me hostage in their home until my Mom could get here to take over.  So thankyou, Kim, MiMi, and Mom for stepping in.  With that, I will continue my thankyou's, in list format:

1. Kim, Britt, Caryn- girl's nights are key to our sanity.  We truly thrive on an environment of sitting back with some good food and the drama that unfolds on our TV sets! Our random weekend getaways and shopping trips are good too, but it's just not the same without the drama that unfolds with Jake, Vienna (sausage), and Alli (cat).

2. My sister, Deb, who has recently taken it upon herself to call me, no matter what time, to tell me Andrew is online and to get my hiney out of bed to talk to him.  And for not being offended when I get so excited every time that I just hang up on her without so much as a thank you or a goodbye.  Also, for letting me call to vent when the stupidist things irritate me.  Her husband has deployed to Iraq while she was left home with a 2 week old baby, and three other children.  So she gets it...even more than I do.

3. My sister, Karen, who knows when to zip her mouth when she is about to complain about her husband not being home from work yet.  It's sweet of you, Keek!  And for the daily phone calls just to say Hi!

4. My sister, Lauren, for having a wedding in May, giving me a chance to be distracted by all of her details and also the chance to get away to Maine and celebrate!

5. Kristin, for showing up on my doorstep yesterday with a fresh plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies just because she saw on facebook that I wanted some!

6. Kim (again) for bringing me flowers, just because, and arranging them beautifully on my end table!

7. Kerrie, for your random phone calls checking in and always being there for a good chuckle. I sincerely apologize for yapping your head off everytime I call, but as my sister (Deb) says "I need a Kerrie in my life!" (She wishes she could have you! But she can't because you're mine and you need to get back immediately so that I can claim you once again!)

8. Carleen, for all of your babysitting services, opening playgroup to us, all the phone calls and texts...really I could go on here!

9. Mom, for letting me wake you up from your naps, so that I can complain about stupid crap and for making me feel like it's not stupid.

10. Dad, for making me laugh when Mom is driving me nuts, or when Julian is terrorizing me, or when I feel like beating the dog, or when...actually, I should just say for making me laugh-it's inevitable.

11. Julian, for not terrorizing me too bad (although, I would like at least one day to pass where you don't have to sit on your timeout bench. Your day will come!) and for all of your hugs and kisses!

12. Andrew, even though you suck at writing e-mails, thank you for always telling me you think I am doing a good job and that you are proud of me.  Please forgive me though when you come home to a wife with gray hair because your dog is a psychopath and your truck takes up too much space in the garage.

And I know the list could go on, but it could go on forever! So real quick: Jackie, Christina, Dani, Laura & Brad, Shelby & JR, Rod, Heather, Aunt Karen, Aunt Dee, Aunt Donna, and Aunt Diane, My inlaws, Grandma & Grandpa, Steve, Heather & Brian, Amy, Audrey, Tara & Dom, Melissa & Chris, Kelly & Cliff, Hannah Jo, Nikki, Tiana, & Jess (yes you girls go together), Virginia...ok seriously, this list could go on forever too, so I am stopping.  Don't be offended if your name isn't on it, you know I love you!

Now that this turned all mushy & gushy, I am ready for bed an hour after Julian has fallen fast asleep (he went to bed late tonight).  So I didn't hold to my promise that I would go right to bed when he did, but I am pretty darn close! (And I napped today!)  Goodnight loves!

Peak: 3 hour nap. Enough said.

Pitt: Rain! Nothing but rain!

Andre Update: Again, Deb called and told me to get UP! Andrew was online, so we got to skype again.  (The inventor of skype probably should have been on my thankyou list also!) Julian was still sleeping, but just waking up when it was time to say goodbye, so I chose not to let him see Andrew, otherwise it would have been a complete meltdown when hanging up.  There is always next time.