Brotherly Love....NOT

Not a lot going on this week to post about so I haven't done much blogging. This video clip was sent to me on Mother's Day & it made me laugh so hard! I can totally seeing this take place in a few years in my home. I know the boys "love" eachother, but some days it's hard to tell. But when it comes to taking pictures, making cards, showing me they love me - they always try. That is way with out further ado, I share the following video. That all you moms out their can truly appreciate the effort your children make to show "brotherly love"-HAHA!!

Smother your Mother

Sunday is always a busy day for us in our family. I wanted to post a day early to take a moment to say Thank You to my Mother as well as my Grandmother on my dad's side. Both wonderful women hold a special place in my heart. I know that I don't get to see them as often as I would like but such is the military life. The last Mother's Day we spent together was my first over fourteen years ago when my oldest son was only nine months old. I can hardly believe I now have four handsome boys who surprise me daily with their spunky beautiful personalities. I now know what my mom meant when she said you never stop loving your children no matter what they may do in their lives. I have experienced it first hands on days when sibling rivalry occur, report cards come home, testing of boundaries happen as they spread their wings. I am grateful for my mom & my grandmother who always set the best christian example for me to learn so many things. How to have never ending patience, how hugs through tears & laughter are the best. They always made me feel special & they still do today. Thank you so much for your loving guidance all these years.

Now to have a little fun for all my Mommy friends out here in Blog world who need a good laugh because we are right in the trenches these days. We are wiping tears, snotty noses,putting band aids on cuts,teaching life lessons daily. We love the little monsters angels with all our hearts, but are very sleep deprived. I hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day full of Love & Laughter. To help you with the laughter part go take a look at this hysterical video I came across thanks to a friend.  Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there.

  In tha Muthahood , lyrics that we can all relate too! It's not all Rainbows & Birthday Cake all the time. Some-days it's throw up, poopy diapers, fussy kids, & talking back- it's called Living in tha Muthuhood!!  Any mom out there who says her child is perfect is obviously in DENIAL!! Don't hate just smile because you never know what she might be going through with her kiddos. I know I sometimes say my kids are GREAT ! I figure if I say it enough on the days they are driving me completely insane maybe I'll actually believe it before they make me loose it. Enjoy your hard earned day moms- may you get Smothered in Love!!

You have my Appreciation

 

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day here in America. I want to say Thank you to all those who are currently serving as both mom & dad. The ones giving the hugs & wiping away the tears . Those who volunteer for countless hours with the FRG to make sure all our military families are taken care of while their soldier serves our nation.The ones who spend time putting together just the right care package to ship every other week overseas so their soldier & sometimes others always receive mail.Those who do carpool, take children to the doctor, dentist,baseball, football,soccer ,gymnastics, & school alone most of the time. This Thank You is for those who stand beside their soldier not behind them to help them do their jobs. This is one of the toughest jobs around so Thank You for volunteering to do it & doing it well.Not everyone is born to fulfill this role so take pride today in yourself. If you are doing the job of Military Spouse

Thank You .

For All Military Spouses:

The Silent Ranks

I wear no uniforms, no blues or army greens
But I am in the Military in the ranks rarely seen
I have no rank upon my shoulders - salutes I do not give
But the military world is the place where I live
I'm not in the chain of command, orders I do not get
But my husband is the one who does, this I can not forget
I'm not the one who fires the weapon, who puts my life on the line
But my job is just as tough. I'm the one that's left behind
My husband is a patriot, a brave and prideful man
And the call to serve his country not all can understand
Behind the lines I see the things needed to keep this country free
My husband makes the sacrifice, but so do our kids and me
I love the man I married, Soldiering is his life
But I stand among the silent ranks known as the Military Wife

Great Blogs for Military Appreciation Day: 

If I were a toy,I'd be a high-bounce ball

Operation We are Here 

The Army Wife (DUDE) 

Thursday Tune Time Link -Up

My week started off pretty good & the sunshine around western Washington has definitely improved my  mood! When I had a few moments of me time early into the week I went to Netflix & decided to finally watch the movie Easy A. I had heard it was a cute teeny bopper comedy I would enjoy. It did not disappoint. My favorite was the references they gave to the old 80's classics for me Can't Buy Me Love & Say Anything.I think McDreamy riding away on the lawn mower is still one of my favorite romantic love scenes today that I remember from Jr. High.Oh how I wanted a cute boy to love me so much he would lie, cheat, & eventually grab a lawn mower to whisk me away on for all my friends to see....ahhhh. Then the best part was the last scene in Easy A where the super cute guy from Gossip Girl plays John Cusacks role by holding the boom box up over his head by the girl's bedroom window. I remembered once again thinking how totally cool & awesome (those exact words when I was thirteen) if a boy did that while he was trying to date me, again, ahhhh.It is also one of the only romantic chick - flick type movies my husband will admit to liking. He told me about it more then once when we where dating. 

I have chosen my song from Say Anything & Easy A this week as a fun flashback to the carefree days of Jr. High. When first loves where new every other week & anything seemed possible. Boys weren't so dumb yet, they actually tried to impress us with their romantic sides.
Peter Gabriel  In your Eyes now you go Link Up with Amber from Goodnight Moon to share your favorite song of the week & listen to some more fabulous music.

Reflections on One Year Ago

Excited, nervous, scared,exhausted, & grateful these where just some of the mix of emotions that where going through me this time last year. On this day in May 2010 I had barely slept due to all the conflicting feelings I was having. My husband was finally coming home after 9 months in Iraq! I had my hair,nail, & toes looking as good as possible. The house was as clean as I could get it with four boys & two dogs running around behind me. It felt like I was going on our first date all over again after seventeen years together. I had no idea if my husband would be staying for only the allotted R&R two weeks or for good? We had been told there was a possibility since he had done his Change of Responsibility in Iraq they  might allow him to remain home early to find a new job on post. I didn't tell the kids as I didn't want to get their hopes up as you never know in the Army what can happen. Things change on a dime all the time.

As I sit here today it is hard to feel like he has been here twelve months already. The time seems to have flown by so quickly.It turned out that he was able to stay & change units to a new job that was suppose to be undeployable. Of course we learned after he was home only six short months that was not to be. The Army had changed it's mind & he would deploy again in 2011. The emotions I have running through me again today are some of the same- nervous,scared, anxious, & a little anger. I know this is normal as the deployment is getting so close now.  We anxiously watch the days fall away on the calender at what seems like an increasing rate of speed. I will try to remember that I have done this before & it all worked out OK. That I became a more independent successful wife & mother for my family. We will survive another deployment no matter how much it hurts from the loneliness at times. I will try to remember those moments of sheer joy I will get to experience again as he comes home to us on R&R and for good at the end of the deployment. I will not dwell on the negative for long but move forward & make new memories for my children. It doesn't mean I won't have days of crying,stress,& every emotion in between. I just hope that I can stay focused & move past them . It still just amazes me that it's been a year already.I am so blessed to have had this time as a family. I will not be sad today I will thank God for allowing Paul to come home safe to us last year. 

 

Waiting for their dad to return after nine long months in Iraq.

 

So anxious & excited we arrived two hours early to wait. 

 

He Landed!!

 

The boys rushed to him!

 

We are a Family once again.

A favorite quote I will keep in mind for the upcoming months.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

History is Made, What Now?

I took a moment tonight with  my husband, my children,my friends, & all America to breathe a long awaited sigh of relief. The monster was dead- the man who was the figure head behind the 9/11 attacks. The man who collectively changed my life that day, the life of all those who lost a loved one on 9/11, all Americans around the world . We never have looked back after that day & tonight we can celebrate. It seems strange to celebrate the death of another human being, but from my view over the past ten years it is long awaited victory for our country & our Military.

I refuse to type his name, put up a picture or give him any more celebrity in death- that is why he started this attack on our nation.He wanted his name on our lips , his face burned into our minds- NO MORE!! I will have a small brief moment of happiness for all our hard working men & women in the Armed Forces who have given so much over the past ten years. Yet so much has been taken from them & their families - no one can repay. I say thank you for standing up when others wouldn't & saying Not in my country- you WILL PAY!

Another wonderful BLOGGER posted about her grief & wondered if it was really worth all the heart ache? She lost the love of her life because of this monster. Will it really change anything?? That is now my new concern & worry. My soldier will still deploy & now will this happiness be short lived by us all when retaliation happens for his death? I ask you now to pray for our Military tonight who are still serving around the world. Pray for their safety & for all those who are still yet to go to continue this battle against evil. 

Celebrate tonight America it was a hard earned victory, then remember it's back to work for that 1% of America tomorrow. Back to War (s) that aren't finished & still have our loved ones in harms way. Pray for safety, wisdom for our leaders,as well as comfort for those who stay behind & wait.

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.” (Proverbs 24:17)
 

 

7 years ago he came home from Deployment #1

 

This photo was the day he came home from Deployment #2

 

This was the day he came home from Deployment #3

It's not over, but thanks to my husband & his brothers in arms it's OK we can sleep safe tonight.