The Gift I Found

A few weeks ago I was challenged to give 3 gifts to my husband ... one made, one bought and one found.  I quickly knew what it was that I would buy and after a few days I managed to come up with the one I'd make, but until today I hadn't yet managed to find a gift. . .

This image is one that most days causes me frustration; I love my husband, but his ability to leave his work boots, uniform, backpack and all his other various accoutrements here and there around the house drives me nuts!

But this morning I found it, I found the gift I've been looking for ... I found beauty in the pile that my husband leaves because this pile means that my husband is home, my husband is safe and my husband is a hard working man who spends his days working towards the greater good of this country; this pile represents what it means to be in the military and what it means to be a military wife.  This pile is not just any pile you'd find in any home, but one that can only be found in the home of an Air Force family.  I know one day this pile will no longer be in my house and when that day comes I will miss it!

So, I don't know if it counts as a gift I've found you, but Dennis, today I've found peace in this pile, and maybe it's a gift you've given me more than I'm giving you, but I've found thanks in the pile.  My gift to you is finding peace with this pile and working towards letting go of my frustrations of the "mess" it is making.  I love you!

30 Reasons to be Thankful ...

For my Husband.  Instead of doing 30 days of thankfulness over every day,  this year I decided to dedicate my 30 things to the most important man in my life, Dennis.  Below are 30 reasons I'm thankful that God blessed me with such a great man to call my husband.


1. I'm thankful that he's a God fearing Man
2. I'm thankful that he has dedicated half of his life (thus far) to serving and protecting our country
3. I'm thankful that he makes me laugh like no one else can
4. I'm thankful that he puts the toilet seat down after he uses the bathroom  - every time!
5. I'm thankful that he takes his role as head of household very seriously and supports our family financially
6. I'm thankful that he opens my car door for me (and other doors too!)
7. I'm thankful that he reads with me
8. I'm thankful that he prays with me
9. I'm thankful that he loves my cooking
10. I'm thankful that family is just as important to him as it is to me
11. I'm thankful that he takes out the trash
12. I'm thankful that he shows me he loves me by doing things like taking care of my car for me
13. I'm thankful that he tricked me into going out on a first date with him
14. I'm thankful that he is a kind an generous man with a caring and giving heart
15. I'm thankful that he embraces my crazy and loves me because of and in spite of it!
16. I'm thankful that he enjoys traveling and adventuring as much (if not more) than I do
17. I'm thankful that he challenges me and pushes me in every aspect of my life
18. I'm thankful that he's patient with me when I ask a million questions about how baseball and football work so I can better understand that part of his world.
19. I'm thankful for the intimate moments when we can share our hopes, dreams and fears with each other.
20. I'm thankful that he chose me to spend forever with.
21. I'm thankful that the first thing he does every morning and the last thing he does every night is to give me a kiss.
22. I'm thankful that he willingly tells me on a regular basis how much he loves me.
23. I'm thankful that we have the same love language; even though we speak different dialects!
24. I'm thankful that he always knows how to make me smile.
25. I'm thankful that we eat dinner at the table together (and plays Yahtzee)
26.  I'm thankful that he goes to the gym with me.
27. I'm thankful that he ins't bothered if the house isn't clean when he gets home from work
28. I'm thankful that on Weekend mornings he makes me breakfast ... Waffle Saturday!
29. I'm thankful that when I make a request of him he makes a concerted effort to do things differently
30.  I'm thankful because he's simply my favorite part of each and everyday

It's Here, It's Here, It's Finally Here

Well, here we are, moving week has finally arrived.  Most of the goodbyes have been said and the boxes are currently being packed.  It's never easy moving from one place to the next, although it's a lot easer when someone else is packing the boxes!  It's hard to believe that in just a few short day's we'll already be leaving our first home as a married couple and starting the next chapter of our livest together.

I've heard it said that moving and changing jobs are two of the top stressors on a couple ... well here we are!  But my own personal philosophy is that since we're doing both in under 2 months of marriage it shouldn't be a problem because we're still in the honeymoon phase, and with that logic, by the time reality hits, we'll have already fully transitioned into our new daily life; right, right!?!

Today the movers are here packing, tomorrow it's a goodbye lunch at work for Dennis that we'll be going to and possibly the start of some repairs to the house.  Wednesday the movers are actually loading up the truck, which means an exciting night of housecleaning afterwards, and then Thursday morning we pull out, headed for our next exciting adventure together.  And of course the evenings are filled with the last few goodbye dinners. Seriously, it may sound cheesy, but as long as Dennis is next to me, I'll follow him anywhere!!!

People keep asking me if I'm ready, excited, nervous ...  My honest answer is:  I guess, I don't really know what I'm getting myself into.  I don't know anything about living in L.A. or anything about being an Officer's wife in an actually military setting, I don't know where we're going to be living or what our new weekly routine will look like, so sure, I'm ready for all the new and exciting unknown.  Granted there are moments when I'm sad, and moments like last night when I was simply so overwhelmed at the idea of moving and not knowing when I was going to see my stuff again that I just sat on the bed for a while instead of packing.  But in each of those moments I've got a great man beside me telling me it's all going to be just fine, and every morning I wake up excited for what the day holds and what tomorrow will bring.

Who Gives the Orders Around Here Anyway?

So first off, let me start by saying, I'm so glad that now that I've found the right guy for me, I'm better able to give up some of my need to have control over everything in life .... that being said; I didn't realize marrying a military man was going to force me to give up this much control this soon!  Ok, sign sealed delivered, now that we're married and a military family we go where they tell us to go and we go when they tell us to go (not that any of this is new for Dennis); so tell us already!

We are supposed to be moving next Thursday, only problem is, we still don't have official orders, and without the orders we can't schedule the movers, and without scheduling the movers, we can't get our stuff down there, and without packing our stuff up we can't get the inside of the house painted and ready to rent; not to mention the most likely scenario will be that I'll have to come back up to deal with the move.  There's still a possibility that all will fall into place very last minute, but until then it's apparently one big waiting game; sort of akin to "If You Give a Mouse A Cookie."

So, one way or the other, I've already taken the leap and whatever happens, happens because now I'm married to a military man and that's just the way it goes.  But, please, someone just give us some orders already!

From Home to Investment Property in 2 Months

We are so blessed to be homeowners; but within less than 8 weeks of getting married this house is quickly transitioning from being our first home to being an "investment property." We never really intended to have a house as an investment property, but thanks to the housing market it's what we've got, and what we'll probably have for the next 8-10 years!  

It's all foreign territory to me; I've never owned a home and now here I am, not even settled in and I'm already dealing with property managers and all things involved in renting a house out.  As I write this I sit and wait for the property manager to come photograph the house and put the "For Rent" sign in the yard.  We'll be going over the list of things that need to be done to the house to have it rental ready, etc.  I'm the lucky one tasked with this assignment since I'm the lucky one who isn't working right now (first lucky sarcastic, second one not in the slightest!)  

I'm itching to really set up a home for Dennis and I, and it's a slight form torture that I cannot do it in our current home; ok, I could but what's the point, we're moving in 2 weeks.  So needless to say, during all this exciting transition and adventure, what I'm really looking forward to is having a home we can be settled in for a good long 4 years!

Our first home will always be our first home no matter what the years bring for us or for this house; and I'll always cherish the memories and moments spent in our home.

Letting Go of the Handlebars

As I was riding my bike this afternoon, I couldn't help but realize while I was trying to convince myself to ride hands free that riding a bike is much like the journey of life.  My mind tells me I can't do it and if I hesitate I can't, but it's as simple as just letting go.  As soon as I take my hands off the handlebars, I'm riding free and grinning big.

Life is like riding a bike, always a balancing act; sometimes the wind is pushing you left or right and sometimes it's pushing straight at you, but then there are those glorious times when the wind is at your back helping you cruise right along in the direction you want to go.  Sometimes you have to work extra hard to go up hill, and those hills can be steep, short or they can be long and gradual but one way or the other slow and steady always gets you where you want to go (even if you have to walk from time to time.)  And then again, there are those amazing times when you're headed down hill so fast you feel like you're flying!  The road can be bumpy, rocky, covered in pot holes or sooth as glass.  There are stop signs and yield signs and every now and again a flat tire, and don't forget about the bugs, they sting when you collide at high speeds (I should know, I think I hit at least 6 bees today, and one with my face!)  But it's all a ride and as long as you're moving forward with the sun shining down on you, you can't go wrong.

No matter what the ride might bring, sometimes you just need to take your hands off the handlebars, just let go and enjoy the ride ...

Today I let go of the handlebars while on my bike, I didn't know what would happen but I was grinning and enjoying the moment.  That's my whole life right now, I've let go of the "handlebars" and I'm grinning from ear to ear!

Cupcakes for the Colonel

Today I had what I feel like is my first duty as a wife and an officer's wife at that.  My husband's CO is coming to his office tomorrow to "check-in" after getting back from deployment and I'm making the cupcakes (instead of the donuts Dennis was going to pick up on the way).  It's a very exciting moment for me because all my life I've wanted to be a wife and homemaker, and this is my first real chance since we've been married.  I think it feels like an even bigger moment because now I'm not working, so at this point in my life I really am simply a wife and homemaker!!!

The ironic part is, I'm making the cupcakes I've made dozens of times; I made a double batch because we have an event this evening the we're taking a dessert to, and on the second batch I left the eggs out ... I never leave the eggs out!!!  I was a bit perplexed as to why the batter seemed thicker in the second batch, and was even more perplexed when I looked in the sink after the cupcakes were done backing and saw 2 eggs just sitting there. Needless to say, the eggless cupcakes are going to an event tonight; nothing but the best for my husband and the Colonel!

*Update; I wrote this post Sunday night, since then I've decided that they eggless cupcakes will now be considered the "low calorie" cupcakes due to the fact that they save you roughly 5.5 calories a cupcake!