Military Life

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Christmastime is Here

Chuck and I managed to get the house decorated for Christmas before I dropped him off for pre-deployment training on Saturday morning… 3:30 AM came awfully early!! I always envy the beautiful themed Christmas trees (like the ones with ivory and gold ribbons and coordinated ornaments), but there’s something extra special about a tree that has all your old favorite trimmings on it. Needless to say, I never end up going the themed route 🙂 I opt for the nostalgia instead.

Anyway, the house is very quiet without Chuck. And clean!! Minimal laundry and dishes build-up too! But it’s lonely already. It should be interesting to see how this month goes with him gone, as a precursor to the big one in January. I do wish this month was part of that, and it was started already. By the time I get into a routine, he’ll be back, and then we’ll have to start over again! Ready to get the countdown started…!!

Regardless, Bean and I will stay plenty busy 🙂

P.S. Those two ornaments in the bottom right corner of the photo collage = Chuck’s and my baby’s first ornaments! 1984 babies all the way!

Had a lovely Thanksgiving here in Holly Ridge. Our friends Shane and Katy welcomed us into their home to celebrate with their family in town. Plenty of calories consumed and laughs shared! Lots to be thankful for this year. I feel like we’ve come a long way since our initial weeks here, as newlyweds!

Shane leaves for Djibouti next week, and Chuck leaves for 29 Palms tonight. It was good to get some time together before things change…

Now… off to get a Christmas tree! I’m making Chuck decorate with me even though he won’t be here most of the season, and we are spending Christmas in NoVA. But I love Christmas, so here goes! 😀

Last night we had an impromptu candlelit steak dinner with tomato caprese and red wine. Godiva chocolate bars for dessert. I feel like we should have used our nice china! But like I said – it was truly impromptu. The mood was killed when Chuck made me watch Mission Impossible 4 right afterwards anyway 😉

It’s Chuck’s last weekend before he leaves for 29 Palms for a month, for pre-deployment training. At least I get him for Thanksgiving Day – and he will be back just time for Christmas!

I’m actually so ready to get this deployment on the road! The limbo stage is annoying. I think both of us are ready…

Came into work today and the phones, Internet, and central network are down, so now is as good a time as any to update my Tumblr!

This past weekend was not only Veteran’s Day weekend, but the 237th Marine Corps birthday. The past three years, we celebrated with one of the elegant balls – Chuck in his dress blues, me in a gown, and a lot of pomp and circumstance to go around. They’re always lots of fun, but this year – since Chuck is now part of a motley 19-man team rather than a huge battalion – we celebrated with a low key “Ballbeque” at the Gunni’s house.

It was fun, if not a bit chilly for an outdoor party. I enjoyed the bonfire in particular 🙂 I didn’t so much enjoy the full roast pig all charred on the grill… It made me depressed.

Anyway, it was good to meet Chuck’s new leaders (I felt like I was at a parent teacher conference sometimes, with very drunk teachers!) It was also good to bond more with the Marines I already knew, and their wives and girlfriends.

We are all just gearing up for this deployment over here – won’t be too much longer now. Then I’ll have a two-time war veteran to be proud of and thankful for!

…a Facebook post from one of my fellow military wife neighbors that suddenly warmed me up. Her husband Steve was injured in Afghanistan last year. His leg injury stubbornly refused to heal. Finally, this fall, he was diagnosed with lymphoma and is currently undergoing chemo treatments. They are a beautiful, young, upbeat couple of just a few years, and they’ve already been through so much together. We can all learn a great deal from an experience (and subsequent attitude) like theirs!

P.S. Sorry for the crappy blurring job – I was in a rush 🙂

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Yesterday Was a Great Day…

… The weather was fab. I ate a healthy breakfast and felt amazing. Chuck came home at noon. I GOT A JOB… yessss!

So finally, after a whole year of retail pharmacy and temp jobs, I got a full-time, salaried  offer at the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, managing events and member services. My bank account and resume are not doomed after all. I am so relieved!!!

Plus, I’ll now have something to keep me occupied while Chuck is gone. Deployment should go at least somewhat easier for me then!

Anyway. SOOOO happy!! 😀

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Freedom Isn’t Free…

A while back, I noted the strength and solidarity of the community here when even mass retailers will demonstrate personal support for our troops, who – in a town this small – are also truly their neighbors, customers, and friends.

This past week, I snapped this shot at the same CVS – equally supportive in nature, but a lot more foreboding in the sense that things may not have worked out well for Lt. J. Moore.

There are more signs of loss around here in Holly Ridge. I noticed the flags at half-mast first. Businesses, fire stations, and churches have replaced their advertising with notes of remembrance and prayer for another young service member, Sgt T.J. Butler.

It’s an important reminder – even to myself – that freedom isn’t free. A reminder that I live in an area where someone has to give a family bad news on a regular basis. I take it for granted and live in this bubble, but it’s happening all around us.

They won’t even get a shout out on the national news, but it’s beautiful to see how a community will honor its fallen, and support those they left behind.

Sorry for the downer – but Lt. Moore and Sgt Butler have been on my mind quite a bit lately!

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Two years ago today, I married the love of my life in a quiet family ceremony on a Friday afternoon. He left that Monday and I went back to life as normal…

… One year ago today, my returned war hero husband and I celebrated the beginning of our actual life together with a big crazy fun wedding 🙂 While I still don’t know whether to call this my first or my second wedding anniversary, I can say for sure that married life is wonderful and I am one happy girl!

We had the most wonderful time this weekend in Savannah, which I will post about soon. In the meantime, here’s to many more anniversaries with my Chuckles!