A fabulous Week...No Advice, Just Bragging!

THE BRIDE AND GROOM

Well, this will be a quick post because it is just bragging about the amazing week we had as a family and really doesn't have anything to do with the type of blog this is.

Two major things happened this week: I became an aunt for the first time and I gained a wonderful new sister-in-law!

First, on Wednesday my brother and his wife welcomed their first little bundle of joy, Luke into the world! He is tiny, precious and perfect!!!! Congratulations to you both!!! I'm so excited to spend as much time with this little guy as I can before I head back to Texas.

And then on Saturday, my baby brother GOT MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to say, I didn't cry at all. I think it is because I am so incredibly happy for them and I couldn't imagine anyone else for either one of them! For a girl that doesn't have sisters you wait for the day your brothers get married. I feel like I hit the "sister-in-law jackpot" with Erin and Lisa. One, has been around for more than half my life and truly feels like my sister, the other I have grown to know and love over the last three and a half years! They are two of the most amazing women I have ever made the pleasure of meeting, and now, I call them family!

I feel so blessed to have welcomed two wonderful people into my life this week! I love you all so much and wish you all nothing but all the joy and happiness you deserve. Dustin and I can't wait to share all of our joys with you as well as be excited to share in yours!

What Is The Right Thing To Do

There is one thing I consistently struggle with during this deployment...When to say something and when to keep my mouth shut and handle it on my own! You hear two opinions when your loved ones are deployed: 1. Don't tell them anything because it only puts unnecessary worry in their minds. 2. If you don't tell them then they think you don't care. Well, in my experience it has come down to what the information was. We had a instance this year when we had a family member involved in a serious motorcycle accident. Well, this is something that we wanted to wait and see what the outcome would be and then figure out the best way to handle it. Was he going to make it? What were his injuries? So on and so forth. But this is not something we wanted him to be thinking about, so, we waited until our family member was on the mend and then we told Dustin what had happened. But then I have the times when I am just struggling to not be emotional while I'm talking to him. Does he want to hear how much I miss him and how lonely I am or how stressed I am that day or how much I worry? I could go on and on. Fortunately for me, I have a husband who wants to know everything that is going on and he knows that he is my rock and if I can't vent to him then who can I vent to. So he says it makes him feel like he is connected to us.

But I think we are the exception, because I know most people don't want to know what is going on. But it is what gets Dustin through. If he can come to the computer and talk to me about the things going on here, then he doesn't feel so far away. As a matter of fact, we get lost in planning and talking about what's going on here, he sometimes forgets where he is. However, he is quickly reminded when he walks out his door and is greeted by a giant concrete wall.

So I would say, have the conversation about what works best for your family because there is no right way, no matter what anyone says. So stop, breathe, and remember...THIS TOO SHALL PASS!

Driving Away From My Husband January 29, 2011

It was a day that I had been dreading from the minute I learned he would be leaving...Driving away and leaving Dustin behind. There were so many thoughts going through my mind. How am I going to make it through this year? How long will it be before I see him again? Will he be okay? How will I do this without the physical presence of my partner? Many things, but what I neglected to think of was what he was thinking as well. Dustin describes deployments as a switch he flips on and off. Once we left, he flipped his switch to Soldier. Initially I didn't consider how difficult this was going to be for him. He was leaving his three week old baby and wife behind, for a country who doesn't care about him at all. I didn't think that every night he would be laying his head down, not on his own pillow, but on a very small cot, all by himself. He would be thinking, "I hope we don't get mortared tonight, I would really like to sleep". Before we left him in Texas, we had such a wonderful day and I had almost forgotten what would be taking place later that evening. Fortunately for us, we have a wonderful family who were right by our side during this incredibly trying time. After the longest and most emotional five hour drive of my life, we were home and reality sunk in that I was going to be alone for the next year. And then something happened...my mom walked and reminded me that I wasn't alone, I had my family and they would get me through. There are so many emotions you have as a new mom, but those were multiplied ten fold when Dustin left.

However, now that I have been on this roller coaster ride for 7 and a half months now, I'm starting to adjust and just take things as they come. I know the only reason I have made it through is because I have the most amazing husband on the planet, who, even though he is 7400 miles away, can still make me feel like I'm not alone. He always reminds me that he is available whenever I need to talk. So for anyone who thinks they are alone in something, take a look around, because 9 times out of 10, your mom or someone you love and respect will be there for support when you feel like you are going to collapse. I would say that the most important thing I am "still learning", never be afraid to ask for help. So, stop, take a breath, and remember...THIS TOO SHALL PASS!

Welcome

There have been many cases when people have asked me, "how do you do it?" Well, my answer is always the same...I don't really know, I guess I just do. Because if I don't then it won't get done. I'm not the first person to go through a new baby and a deployment all at the same time. I'm pretty new to the military life, so there were and are still, a lot of things that take me by surprise. I'm going to back track a little so that you get a better picture of what brought me to this point in life. I hope this blog helps women who find themselves in unknown territory. Life situations have a tendency to overwhelm us and then we lose sight of what the initial goal was. So please, take a second, breathe and realize...THIS TOO SHALL PASS.