2012 New Year Resolution's

2 days left of 2011 and I couldn't be happier. 

2011 was an eventful year for us, hubby completed his 2 years as a Drill Sgt & got Drill Sgt of the cycle in March. Met my biological family, PCS'd to Alaska, got pregnant, and started our first deployment (his 4th).

I am so happy that 2011 is ending, it was a chaotic, stressful year. 

2012 has some huge events happening:

February our son will be making his big debut & hubby will be coming home from deployment (yes we have so much longer to go but its still in 2012)

With 2012 starting I figured I would make some New Year Resolutions that I would keep, and not another "lose weight" one.

So here they are: 

1. Declutter & Organize the house using this 2012 declutter calendar 

http://www.mysimplerlife.com/2012/Decluttercalendar2012.pdf

&

2. Get our finances in shape & pay off debt 

What resolutions do you have? Do you usually keep them? 

Not so worldless Wednesday

Getting through this deployment, with good days & bad.

Surviving Christmas

Christmas has passed and I made it through the day. I wish I could say it was an incredible holiday but of course with my husband deployed there had to be some bumps in the road. 

Christmas Eve was a slow day, spent the day watching Christmas movies until I noticed something was wrong with my lil man. I went to Labor and Delivery with severe back pain, decreased baby movement and shooting pain in my thigh. Of course the thigh pain was just the baby on a nerve but the back pain was more then that. Thankfully I went in, because I got another (my 2nd of the pregnancy) UTI. I had another UTI and a Kidney infection in my 2nd trimester. So this was my second UTI, hopefully it won't get worse. But because it was my second one, they decided I needed to be on antibiotics for the rest of my pregnancy. 

I spent 4 1/2 hours in Labor and Delivery, they hooked me up to the monitors, gave me 2 bags of fluid and antibiotics through the IV. 

Thankfully baby was doing great, his heart rate was 130-160 so he was extremely active once the fluids went though. I got to go home around 11:30, basically just have to be aware of the pregnancy and baby since I can go into pre-term labor if the UTI gets worse. 

Christmas morning I woke up to an early morning call from my soldier. We got cut off 2 minutes into our conversation then he called back later and we got a real conversation. He had a good Christmas, he got to have brunch then dinner. His dinner was more like a feast, turkey, ham, and all the yummy sides.

I spent Christmas sleeping and watching more Christmas movies.

 For dinner I went to a neighbors for dinner then came home to relax.
Not to mention we had a white Christmas complete with thick snow falling most of the day.

I braved the stores today, Target & Petsmart. I picked up some children DVD's that were on sale, and Christmas wrapping paper for next year since we'll be wrapping LOTS of gifts for Landon's first Christmas! Petsmart I spoiled the heck out of my animals, and bought tons of treats and toys. 

Really excited because next Christmas he will be home, and we will be celebrating our first Christmas as a family... Just us 3.

Oh & here's an interesting fact... not one person on my husband's side of the family wished me a Merry Christmas... NO ONE ... What's up with that???? Interesting how things work when your husband is deployed. 

The Making of A Military Wife

When the good Lord was creating Wives, he was into his sixth day of overtime. 

An angel appeared and said, "You're having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?" 

And the Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be completely independent, but must be sponsored to get on post; have the qualities of both father and mother during deployments; be a perfect hostess to 4 or 40; run on black coffee; handle emergencies without a manual; be able to handle flu, birthdays and moves around the world; have a kiss that can cure anything from a child's torn Valentine to a husband's weary day; have the patience of a saint when waiting for the Unit to return home; and have six pairs of hands." 

The angel shook her hand slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands... no way!" 

And the Lord answered, "Don't worry, we'll make other military wives to help. Besides it's not the hands that are causing the problem, it's the heart. It must swell with pride in her husband, sustain the ache of separations, beat on soundly when it's too tired to do so and be large enough to say, "I Understand" when she doesn't, and 'I love you' regardless."

"Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve gently. "Come to bed... finish this tomorrow!" 

"I can't," said the Lord. "I'm so close to creating something unique. Already I have one who heals herself when she's sick, can feed three unexpected guests who are stuck in the area due to bad weather, and can wave good-bye to her husband, from a pier, off a runway and understand that it is important to his country that he leaves." 

The angel circled the model of the military wife very slowly. "It's too soft," she sighed.

"But tough," said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this woman can do or endure." 

"Can it think?" 

"Can it think? It can convert 1400 to 2 p.m." 

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model." 

"It's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear."

"What's it for?" asked the angel. 

"It's for joy. Sadness. Disappointment. Pain, loneliness and pride!" 

"You are a genius," sighed the angel. 

The Lord looked somber and replied, "I didn't put it there."

Where's the Holiday Cheer?

2 days before Christmas and there is NO holiday cheer in this house. 

 I've glued myself to the TV and watched every Christmas movie probably made on Lifetime Movie Network, watched my stock of Christmas movies (that after the holidays will restock with new ones) and of course watched 25 days of Christmas on ABC family. But there is still no Christmas cheer. I've stayed away from shopping, and feel like the snow has taken over. Last night we got over a foot of snow, leaving lil old pregnant me to shovel. Thankfully my neighbor sent her husband over to finish shoveling for me. I can't imagine how I would be feeling if I had to do it all. It took me an hour to do my driveway, and I've paid for it. I've spent all day in bed with a heating pad and will eventually make it to the bath tub with a book. 

Even with a beautiful winter wonderland outside, and Christmas movies playing non stop in the house I just can't find the holiday cheer I usually have. I know that it's because my husband is deployed and he has it worse, but being in an empty house for the holidays is just not ideal.

 I did send out hubby's care packages right after he deployed so he is equipped with Christmas cheer. His package included chocolate chip cookies, christmas lights, cinnamon scented candles, peppermint Oreos, christmas pop tarts and some other goodies. So hopefully he will enjoy his Christmas care package as he celebrates this holiday in Afghanistan. 

I know there are so many families spending the holidays without their soldier, and everyone celebrates it differently. I'm going to my neighbors house for Christmas. I was invited today, and thrilled to go. I'm planning on baking Chocolate Chip banana bread. She is also having another friend whose husband is deployed and her kids over. As for my neighbor, her husband is home (and the one who shoveled for me today). I'm looking forward to spending the holidays with my neighbors. She was one of the first people I met out here in Alaska, and I'm thankful she thought of me this holiday season.

Here's something going around on Facebook, that got me teary eyed. 

Twas the night before Christmas
And there all alone ...
I saw a young woman
Who sat by the phone
For what was she waiting
On this holiday night
Where were the stockings Christmas tree, lights? I saw one little tear
As it rolled down her face
And she curled up in a blanket
Then looked round the place
Something was missing
Someone not here
In her face I saw sadness
Did I also see fear?
I paused and I wondered
What could it be?
That would cause a young woman
To look so lonely
How could anyone so precious
Choose such a life?
Then I realized this woman
Was a soldiers wife.
Her gift for this Christmas
Is to hear that phone ring
“Hey baby, I miss you Don’t worry about a thing” Each day I thank God for the soldiers that serve Ever willing to fight and lay down his life
But how often do I ever remember think
About the young woman who is that soldier’s wife
Thank you God for these women
They are just as strong
They sacrifice daily
And without help get along
So God please protect our soldiers
On this holiday eve so late
And give an extra hug
To their wives who wait

I hope everyone has a great holiday season, remember to say a prayer for the deployed soldiers. 

Random Ramblings

I wish I could say this deployment is going by fast, but its not. I don't know if its because I'm all alone, with no kids (and recently little to no friends), if it's because Alaska is dark most of the day except for about 2 hours, or if it's because the holiday's are days away and I know that it will be just me with my frozen turkey lean cuisine. Maybe its all of them combined.

Trying to find busy work is getting hard. I've pretty much ran out of things to clean, organize and rearrange and I've hit my 3rd trimester in pregnancy and feel like I did in the 1st trimester. I am beyond exhausted and sick to my stomach. The anti-nausea medication isn't really working, and neither is the acid reflux medication. But I'm hanging in there, still shoveling snow (and sliding all of the place) and cleaning (almost daily). 

After the new year things will begin to pick up. 

In January classes start again, I'm only taking 2 (It's a start). There is also a Bible Study starting up, I am signing up for "Tour of Duty" by Sarah Horn, its one of the Bible Studies offered for spouses of deployed service members. February Landon will hopefully make his appearance (if not then March). With classes (they are online), the baby and the animals to take care of things will hopefully go by fast.

Here's some good news!

Starting tomorrow Alaska will start gaining some sunlight again, granted its only about a few minutes extra but its still SUNLIGHT.. Oh have I missed the sunlight, it really does make a difference in your mood. (who would of thought!)

Back to cleaning, (well maybe just relaxing on the couch)

 

 

Me against the world

I wish I could say the drama has ended but it seems to of just gotten started. After yesterday's fun day of drama and getting bashed on Facebook, today was just another day of getting bashed. But this time not from random strangers, but from the people I once called my friends. From the women that at one point before deployment said "I'll be here for you regardless"... But of course that wasn't the case, these girls are on Facebook commenting "poor her (me), she acts as if she's the only person whose been pregnant and gone through a deployment" Granted that was one girl saying that, but the sad part is my other "friend' was the one who didn't feel the need to defend me when I couldn't.... 

The best part are these are not only Army wives, but mothers.. Setting wonderful examples for their children.

 Well, first off... I think I'm doing pretty damn well for myself being pregnant & going through deployment. Scratch that... I'm doing great for going through a deployment.. Pregnant or not.. I'm not sitting home crying or dwelling that he isn't here. Yes I miss him, but I am still functioning and continuing my daily life. Being as strong as I can be and holding down the home front. 

Secondly, It would be a lot easier to get through a deployment if I had friends that weren't gossiping bitches. Simple as that. I have learned early into this deployment that the people your think are your friends are the first ones to screw you over and talk crap behind your back.

Here's what I learned in the 2 days that I have been bashed for everything possible (i.e not picking up a order placed on Facebook at the start of the week, not being able to function without my husband, thinking everything is about me..me..me). These women are NOT worth the time or energy. I won't let them get to me, because you have to care about people before they can hurt you. Yes it sucks that there are spouses like this out there, but they will be every where. There will always be the mean girls, that have to put everyone down to feel better about themselves, or the ones that feel the need to gossip on Facebook so other's can "back them up". 

If there's one thing I know, it's to move on. I'm glad this happened because the reality is I would of wasted my time being there for them and doing what a true friend does.

I'm looking forward to meeting other spouses through the people I know are there for me and have shown me that. I'm looking forward to January for bible study to start back up, and to meet new wives there. 

Not all military spouses are  drama or gossip queens, but it does take time to figure out which ones are worth your energy, trust & time. 

I won't let this get me down, I'm just making the best of the fact that the drama filled people are now out of my life and I can move on. FUNCTIONING, preparing for Landon, starting school again & taking care of the home front until my husband comes home. 

Deployment got the best of me

As I'm sitting here at midnight in tears I can't help but think why I chose to stay in Alaska during deployment. I might not of loved Fort Benning but it was a whole lot better then this place. 

Today was just a disaster, deployment got the best of me. If you don't mind ranting please read on...If you do skip two paragraphs to the end.

 There was drama with a credit card company telling me I had no authority to speak to them and they had to speak to the cardholder.. Well jack ass.. you have a power of attorney for me because the cardholder is busy fighting a war in Afghanistan. "well ma'am we can't speak to you if the cardholder isn't there"... my response "well then the bill won't be getting paid, you have the power of attorney there and it gives me the authority to do whatever is necessary on the account, I can sell his house if I needed to but yet you won't let me ask the damn APR". Needless to say, I hung up and will deal with it another day.

Then there was the wonderful Facebook drama with the psycho Alaska Army Wives.. Long story short... I was supposed to pick up an order of food today from another wife. Well the day got ahead of me and I didn't get to pick up the order. She called me out on Facebook, I e-mailed her apologizing to then find out a pathetically long thread on Facebook of her, and 5 other wives that I don't know bashing me. (Wonderful huh)... Deleted that Facebook page fast... 

If you jumped start reading HERE: 

Anyways, it was a long emotional day. Getting bashed by people you don't even know, and getting told your power of attorney is worthless is not what you want to deal with any day. Let alone when your pregnant, dealing with deployment & trying to get through being in a place you hate. I have learned in the 4 something months I have been in Alaska.. Trust no one.. They all bite you in the ass.. There are a select few that are trustworthy, and I plan on hanging out with them more... But as for everyone else... Not worth your time..Here's a travel tip: if you come to Alaska keep your guard up and watch you back. It's the worst of the worst of army wives out here.. 

I'm starting off a new day tomorrow, hoping that tomorrow's new day is better than today's. Putting my guard up, keeping to myself, and just going to get through this deployment on my own (with the select few people I trust, like literally few as in 3 maybe 4 people). Each day that has gone by whether good or bad is one day closer to my husband. 

Sorry for the depressing blog post, but I had to put it down somewhere. I don't tell my husband these things when he calls because his calls aren't often and I don't need to have him worrying about me here. 

So I apologize again, and hopefully will have something positive to post this weekend.

Until then... I plan on organizing the hell out of my house this weekend and upcoming week and staying away from the crazy's also known as Army Wives. 

P.S ( I know not all Army wives are crazy, but most of them seem to just gossip and wear rank)... I hope no military wives are offended by this post.. If you are, I am sorry.. but that's just how it is out here. They give us all a bad name. 

Worth the wait

After 5 1/2 days, I got my phone call from my husband. I must say I was sadly getting used to not hearing from him. But hearing his voice made my day. Luckily my body has been preparing for the baby so I wake up automatically every 2 hours, so when he called I was wide awake. 

I wish I could say he was doing well but he's not. He's having a lot of issues with his platoon Sgt, which pisses me off. They are the same rank, but his platoon Sgt out ranks him by a month. This guy treats my husband like he is a private in basic training. It was heartbreaking hearing my husband upset and unmotivated. They are so early into this deployment that I would hope his platoon Sgt would have his head on straight. But apparently he is going nuts on everyone causing morale to be non existent. 

I worry because this is the guy I am supposed to be trusting with my husbands life, yet he can't even keep his temper under control or have any organized thought process. I am hoping my husband will get promoted during the deployment so he can take over as platoon Sgt. 

So yes... other than hearing my husband so down things are going well. I finally got to tell him about the L&D visit, Landon's heart rate and of course my car issues. 

We got to talk for 30 minutes, probably the longest so far! It was amazing hearing his voice. My heart was racing talking to him, it was unreal. 

After waking up a few more times, I decided to bake again today. I made 60 chocolate chip cookies for hubby's single soldiers. 

Definitely needed to hear from my husband, just the boost I needed to get me going again :) 

Baking to pass the time

So it's now been 5 days since any contact from my husband. Heartbreaking I must say. The hardest part of the deployment is seeing everyone's Facebook status' about how they talked to their husbands, via Skype, phone, etc. I would just like to know my husband got to his COP safe and is there. I still don't know where he is. But that's the military lifestyle for you.

ANYWAYS...

So theres a wonderful wife out here in Alaska who started up this awesome website/blog. DEPLOYMENT KITCHEN 365 (<--- CLICK THERE FOR AWESOME RECIPES).

So today she posted a recipe for biscotti (my favorite) and I had everything I needed to make it so I baked my little heart out tonight. Baking seems to make the time go by faster so I bake. (daily..) So in terms of deployment.. I'm on my 5th care package for my husband in a month.. Yep he's spoiled. I have to much time on my hands, but once baby comes in Feb the care package factory will be slowing down. 

Mixed the yummy goodness (I have to admit I kept stealing pieces of it) 

Biscotti in progess

It looked just like her's! I am SO proud of myself..

So the biscotti was a SUCCESS.. Tomorrow I'm making more to send to family. Hubby's is already packed up and ready to be sent out tomorrow. Hopefully he enjoys it as much as I did. (3 of pieces are already in my stomach, had to pack it up ASAP)

In order to get the recipe, please go support her page and like her blog (link above). She has awesome recipes.

One day at a Time

Deployment has started and the reality of it has hit. With the trip to labor and delivery the other night and stupid Army wife drama it's more then every showing that he isn't home to keep me sane. I'm doing what everyone says to do.... STAY BUSY..

with no kids here yet to chase around or tend to I have had to figure things out to stay busy. So here is my attempt to stay busy the past few days..

Sent out a ton of care packages: This one is his New Years one, included is a bottle of sparkling apple cider, plastic champagne flutes, confetti, horns, 2012 hats (more like tiara's), awesome 2012 glasses and glow necklaces)

 

     Bought us a Semi New (used) 1000 Watt Microwave (our previous one was 700 watt) 

Finished the last page of ultrasound photos in the scrapbook( just waiting for him to get here now to do anything else)

Hung a shelf in the bathroom 

Got the dogs to sleep on the floor and not our bed (this was BIG  since the bed is so lonely now)

Organized the linen closet (before) 

After!!! (thanks Pinterest for the ideas)

Last night we had a blizzard warning, we got 6 1/2 inches of snow... If you don't shovel on post you get a ticket....

So today I shoveled the snow.. 28 weeks pregnant, bad back and all.. my best attempt!

& Today I also got flowers from my husband for our anniversary that was 12/8.. So sweet

So that's my attempt to stay busy... Sadly that was only 2 days of "busy work"... It's been 4 days since I've spoken to my husband. The longest we have gone without contact.. I wish I could say staying busy makes the days go by and I'm sure it does.. I just don't notice it.

Advice to anyone going through a deployment.. Have goals (already ready), challenges (again already ready for deployment), meet with friends often.. (Especially if it's crappy weather, find friends close by.. being "snowed in" because of road conditions on one of your bad days is NOT IDEAL... (which is why I stayed in PJ's ALL day in the dark, crying watching every emotional military youtube clip possible, trying to get my tears to just dry out).. that doesn't work by the way.. they won't dry out.. during deployment they seem to be never ending..

I know this day will end, and another one will soon begin. But that's just what you have to do when dealing with deployment. Take it one day at a time, don't look back.. Just live in the now and make the best of it! Every bad day will end and a good one will come.

Murphy's Law at it's best

Two nights ago I got what I have been waiting for, another call from my hero. Talked for a few minutes but he was exhausted from more traveling that we hung up kind of early. As I plugged my month old iPhone in I realized it wasn't charging. There I was with 20% battery left at 10pm and I did what any military wife waiting for a call would do. I FREAKED out.. Thinking OMG what am  I going to do, he said he's going to call later tonight and I won't even have battery. I forwarded my phone to the house phone and carefully put the dying iPhone down thinking I would save it's life. That night I didn't get my 2nd call, but my phone made it through the night.

Yesterday morning there I was getting up early with my then 10% charged iPhone rushing at 7am trying to get ready not even thinking that AT&T wouldn't be open at 7am for to save my dying iPhone. I ran some errands including sending Thomas 2 more care packages. Then went to AT&T about to just pay for whatever super charger they had to charge my iPhone. The guy looked at my like I was nuts for not bringing in the broken charger, and I told him I didn't even care and that money wasn't an issue. I just HAD to have my phone charged for the next call. I think this guy felt bad for me since he just gave me one for free. 

Fast forward to lunch, went to lunch with a good friend. We went to an Italian Greek restaurant. Ate, conversed and left. Well..... Here's one of the lovely times that Murphy's law felt the need to make itself clear. I started my car started driving out of the parking lot and BAM my 2010 Jetta stopped driving. The engine shut off MID driving, but the heater and radio still worked. I texted my friend letting her know something was up, she didn't have jumper cables. So I did what any clear minded person would do... I called my dad, 2800 miles away thinking he could save me. Yep, that just did not go as planned. So frantic not sure what to do I just shut my car off praying it will turn back on. And BAM it turned on and acted as nothing was wrong. Well, still freaked out I drove to VW sat there for over an hour just to wait and see if they could even look at the car. Screaming at the guy who said I would have to leave it, and that the lady I just hung up with said it wouldn't be a problem he "kindly" looked at my car after an hour and determined nothing was wrong... Um I know I'm not a mechanic or anything but your car is NOT supposed to just stop driving, but hey what do I know. So with my perfect car that shuts off and doesn't have any problems I drove home.

Fast forward again to night time. As I'm cooking dinner I realized I haven't felt the baby move all day. So there I am again freaking out. Of course I don't know what do expect and I don't have my husband around to tell me I was losing it. I tried ALL of the "move your baby" tricks, orange juice, ice, tabasco sauce, laying on your side and of course jamming your fists into your stomach. None of it was making the baby move. After an hour of flipping out I called Labor and Delivery and they told me to come in. There I was alone and scared when it hit me. Holy Crap, my husband isn't here for this.. He isn't here to hold my hand and tell me everything was going to be okay. I couldn't call him at work to tell him to meet me at the hospital. It hit me for the first time that I'm on my own. Went to labor and delivery and heard what had to be the most reassuring noise ever. The baby's heart rate.. We don't know why he wasn't moving much, but his heart rate ended up being a little low. 30 minutes later his heart rate went back up and I was released. 

As I drove home still hurting that my husband was not here for all of this, and didn't even know that I was at the hospital scared to death for our baby and worried he would hear it from someone else it hit me. Yesterday was a day of tests and challenges. It wasn't easy but I did it. I dealt with everything that possibly could go wrong in a day and got through it. I still haven't heard from my husband but I wrote him an e-mail telling him what happened and that EVERYTHING was okay. I didn't want to worry him but he needed to know before someone else told him and it wasn't the correct information. 

As much as I felt I needed my husband yesterday, I was so proud of myself for getting through the day, not giving up and not breaking down. It was an extremely emotional day but I made it. I will be okay this deployment and I will make my husband proud. We were given this life because we could make it through it.. And that is exactly what I did.. I made it through what seemed to be the longest and most challenging day since he's been gone. Because in the end.......

I WILL BE OKAY..

Celebrating Alone

Today was our my and Tom's 2 year anniversary. Of course with him being deployed we knew weren't going to spend it together. But what I didn't know was that I was going to spend my morning at the lab getting blood work done. I'll start with the update first then get to my day celebrating our anniversary alone.

Yesterday I had my 28 week check up with the OB, and boy was that a disaster. First off it was a new Dr. because when you see military Dr.'s you RARELY see the same one. So this new Dr. barely introduces herself before getting to the point. Not even 5 minutes in the room and she says "your glucose test came back abnormal, so come back tomorrow to take a 3 hour one". Then she goes to say "from the looks of it you are gaining to much weight". Mind you, you DO NOT tell a spouse of a deployed service member, who is pregnant that she has gained to much weight... (the picture below is me at 27 weeks).

I leave that appointment almost in tears, feeling like a fat unhealthy cow. She made it seem like I sit on my couch and eat 5 Big Mac's per a meal. I am NOT planning on seeing her again, I will be sure of that.

So today, I spent 3 hours of my morning at the lab. 8:30 in the morning with no food in my system getting blood taken. Then after drinking a horrible flat soda type drink I sat around for 3 hours. Every hour getting more blood taken. It was NOT the kind of event I wanted to start my anniversary day with.

The Anniversary part.. It has been 2 years since I married my husband. We barely knew each other when we got married. We met online in November, I flew out to Alabama the end of November & then we got married Dec 8. It was court house wedding and was quick, we moved fast and that was what was comfortable for us. We just rolled out of bed one morning and said let's get married. So here we are 2 years later, at the start of a deployment with a baby 3 months away from arriving. 

So after a rough morning and kind of lonely I went and did errands and put together a care package for the hubby. After some wise words from some friends went to the store, bought sparkling cider & strawberries. Popped in Sleepless in Seattle, enjoyed my sparkling cider, and ate my strawberry's celebrating our day for the both of us. Of course after not talking to my husband for a few days I was bummed out. But thankfully he called to say happy anniversary. He was tired, he traveled all night and barely could keep his eyes open but he still made the effort and that was the best anniversary gift ever. 

And just a quick update of the deployment

I am so proud of how well I am doing with this deployment. I have made such incredible friends that have provided me with good advice (some with crap advice) but have kept me going. I started going to bible study as well, they are on "christmas break" till January then they are doing the book "Tour of Duty". I look forward to that. I have learned that moving on with your life and not dwelling on your husband being gone really does help. It's not living without him, its living for him and holding down the home front. 

Getting through it

It's the start of deployment and it is probably the hardest situation I have ever had to deal with. Not having my husband around really showed me how much I depended on him. My biggest issue right now is hard shoveling snow is, I never appreciated the fact he would get up shovel snow and go to work. But after doing it once, and sweating to death in 15* weather I realized how much he does for our family and never complains. I sent him an e-mail immediately after my 30 minute work out of shoveling snow, thanking him and telling him how much I appreciated the little things he did. 

The hardest part of this deployment so far is that its just me. No kids (yet) but just me and the animals. The house is so empty, and quiet (other then my dogs barking). There is no one to talk to, which gets so lonely. I can't wait till Landon gets here. We have 13 weeks left until he gets here (assuming he is on time). I am hoping once he gets here that this deployment will go by quicker. The days just drag by right now and its so hard. Nights seem to be the worse, especially since I wake up in the middle of the night ever 2 hours. The dogs have been sleeping on the bed with us up to deployment, and they are still on the bed but I just bought new beds for them so they can sleep on the floor again. Also so I can buy some nice sheets for our bed and not have them ruined by the dogs. 

I haven't had a full on conversation with my husband since he left, it's been so to the point every time we have spoken on Facebook. The last time he called he was in Germany. I talk to him on occasion on Facebook but its so short and hard to get in a real conversation. But I'll take what  I can get. I think the part that hurts the most is I see my friends status' on Facebook saying they talked on the phone with their husband's for an hour or something. Their husbands are in the same unit as mine so why hasn't mine called? These are the things that run through my head all the time. I am grateful for what I can get but hearing his voice would mean the world to me. 

I'm off to clean some more, since that's what I've been doing to stay busy. What type of things do you do to keep busy during deployment?