Whirlwind

I can't believe I have only been home for a week. It has been a whirlwind! Which, I guess, is better then being bored. I was definitely worried that home would seem quiet and boring after being around family for so long. Yeah, can't say that has been too much of a problem.

We've had some crazy weather (ice storm, snow) which kept things interesting. We have also had a couple of strikes from Murphy (every military wife knows about Murphy's Law- if it can go wrong when your husband is gone, it will), but thankfully it hasn't been anything that can't be fixed (flat tire, blown fuses). Eli's top two canine teeth have been putting both of us through the ringer though. Poor guy has had a low fever on and off since yesterday and sleep has been iffy. No fun. Obviously, the lack of sleep has zapped my motivation somewhat though.

So, needless to say, it's been a bit crazy around here, plus the effort of getting back into our routine and getting the house back in order. And, of course, we have to do very important things like have lunch and FaceTime dates, ha ha. But we just keep on trucking, and thankfully, there are days like today where nothing is really going on and we can catch up.

The good news is, we have surpassed the two month mark (I'm counting in 30 day increments, since the deployment is not supposed to "exceed 270 days" and obviously, not every month is 30 days). And God is faithful, even when I have a fussy boy who just wants to be held, or is up for a good hour in the middle of the night because his teeth hurt.

We're surviving, and doing a little bit of thriving. Speaking of, deployment goals to come soon, I promise! They are written down. Now I just need the energy to post about them. Until then...

Deployment Goals

Alright, here are my deployment goals, finally! I have a few different categories:

Fun
Read/finish one book per month
-And possibly write a review of what I read
-I'm halfway through a bunch of books right now, so maybe it'll help me finish them
Do one creative thing per week (baking, learning to knit, crafts, etc)
- As if I need another reason to feed my Hobby Lobby addiction
- I also have tons of fun projects pinned on Pinterest
Send Nick at least one care package per month
- I have a Pinterest board full of ideas!
Have one pampering/me time per month
- Get my nails done, go to a movie, girls night, etc
Cook 2 new recipes per month
Update this blog more regularly (I'll try to shoot for once a week, which seems feasible)

Eli
Intentionally take time to teach him because he is a sponge!
- Would love to have colors and shapes mastered and I have some great flash cards that he is totally learning from
- Work on letters and numbers 1-10
Activities geared towards him
- Gymnastics class, story time, outside time, field trips, art projects
Would love to get him potty trained, although it's ok if it doesn't happen

Health
Eat more fruits and veggies and be more conscious of what I am eating
Drink more water
Exercise regularly (I still have some baby weight I could stand to lose)
- Nick made me an awesome exercise plan before he left
- I now have a bike, a trailer for Eli and a trainer (makes a bike into a stationary bike), which makes working out so much easier
- I'm hoping to run another 5k- possibly the color run and/or a tough mudder
- I've been going to a stroller workout class at least twice a week and am really enjoying it

Organization
Get the house more organized
- Don't know if it's because of the new year, or the fact that I was away from my house for awhile, but I'm inspired to get things in order and really make things run smoother around here
- Even though we've lived here over a year, I feel like some rooms aren't "finished"
Do one organizational/practical project per week (i.e. organize Eli's old baby clothes)
Make better meal plans & shopping lists
Stick to cleaning/chore schedule and get Eli involved since he is loving being helpful
Plan my weeks better
- To-do lists, prioritizing

Christianity
Get back to memorizing Scripture
Get more involved in our church
- I'm going to start helping out in the nursery and join a military wife small group that I'm really excited about
Write down 5 blessings per day
- Inspired by the book 1000 Gifts
- Is really helping me keep perspective on this deployment and see God's hand in the day to day
Read devotionals daily
- I got some great devotionals for Christmas that I'm excited about reading

So there ya have it!

Home, Sweet, Home

Man, it is good to be home! On Friday, Eli and I returned home after a fabulous month spent in California with family (thus my little blogging hiatus). We got to see all of Eli's grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and Eli loved all of the extra love and attention! And I even got some wonderful breaks while Eli got some quality grandparent time. I think I'm going to be hearing about tractor rides, kitty cats, dance parties, and making coffee for weeks!

We're starting to get resettled, and my house isn't a total disaster anymore. Eli has fully adjusted back to Central time, thank goodness. He has even been sleeping in and keeps waking me up with a beautiful serenade of "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep". Man, I love my happy morning baby!

It was a bit of an adventure getting home! Guess that's what happens when you fly through Denver in January, ha ha! Our first flight was uneventful and Eli did great (although I recently realized that this was his 6th round trip and my 3rd solo flight). Our flight even got in early!

However, that meant that our gate wasn't ready yet, so we sat for a bit on the Tarmac. Thankfully our next flight was only 2 gates down. But then, as I walked on the flight, I realized I had forgotten our iPad in the seat pocket. Face palm! So I asked a flight attendant and they went to look for me. They didn't find it, so they offered to watch Eli while I went to look and he surprisingly cooperated.

But apparently I needed my ID to re-board and I just got nervous about the flight leaving without me so I came back to my seat. And they miraculously found the iPad and brought it to me! So totally amazing, especially considering how attached Eli is to that thing, ha ha.

But, oh no, it doesn't end there. It started snowing when we landed, which meant the plane needed to be de-iced before we could take off. We got in line on the de-icing pad...and found out that the de-icing truck ran out of fluid, ha ha. Eventually, we got off the ground, and I think we only ended up being about an hour later than our original arrival time. I know it may seem crazy flying through Denver in January, but I figured they could handle crazy weather, and I was correct! And it was better than my other option- Chicago!

Unfortunately, when we deplaned, I found out that our umbrella stroller was still in Denver. Eli was thankfully very happy to hold my hand and run through the airport after being on a plane all day. It only really got interesting when I had to get our luggage. It was a little bit like herding a cat, ha ha. But we made it, and my wonderful friend Megan was very flexible in picking us up.

Thankfully, I was able to keep a good sense of humor through the whole scenario. Honestly, it could have been so much worse than it was (stuck in Denver, lost iPad, etc), and I apparently have an expert traveler on my hands! He even took a nap! And God was definitely looking out for us in our travels.

And the adventure made being home again all the more sweet. And oh my goodness, the dogs were excited to see us! Hopefully I'll be updating the old blog more regularly. I have a few posts in mind. I'll leave you with a few pictures of my awesome travel buddy:

Catching My Breath

Life has been absolutely crazy lately. I finally feel like things have slowed down enough for me to catch my breath. I can't believe it's December already! That totally snuck up on me. Let's hope I can continue to say that.

I think we're getting into a good routine with communication with Nick (despite the 11 and a HALF hour time difference...why that extra half?), which is a huge blessing. Technology is seriously amazing! It's incredible how much things have changed since our last deployment 4 years ago.

So what have we been so busy with? Well, first off, my parents were awesome enough to travel out to see us for Thanksgiving! It was so nice not to have to hop on a plane with a toddler, and we were honored that they made the effort to come to us. We had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, hung out in Nashville and checked out the local holiday festivities. Eli loved all of the quality time with his grandparents and they even helped organize my house! Such a great visit!

After that, we got back to our "normal", although I have to admit, it was a little difficult after being spoiled with so much help! I'm not going to lie, this geographically single parenting thing is no joke. I've had a clingy, teething toddler who has ended up in my bed every morning this past week, since I'd rather not wake up for the day somewhere between the hours of 3:30 and 5am. It has been pretty tiring!

Add to that a broken dishwasher (which is really just an annoying inconvenience and is getting fixed tomorrow, yay!), the sun setting at 4:30pm, and training for and running in a 5k, plus just normal life, and it's a miracle that I survived the past week. Ok, I'm being a bit dramatic, but it was exhausting!

My 5k went alright. I wish my husband had been there to cheer me on. It was tough! I didn't realize how hilly the route was going to be, and my neighborhood (where I do most of my running) is FLAT! Plus, Eli's 25 pounds weren't terribly helpful to push. But we did it, and actually, I wasn't as slow as I felt like I was! It wasn't anything to write home about and I'm definitely not inclined to run another race anytime soon, but it definitely worked as motivation to get me to run.

We have some fun little things coming up, and have had some good times with our battle buddies. And there has been some sleep in there for both Eli and I, thank goodness!

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

We would appreciate prayers for sleep, energy, communication and productivity. I'll leave you with some pictures and with that I'm off to sleep!

Survival Mode

I finally had a chance to catch my breath today! Eli went to bed early, as a result of another very early morning and it was so nice! I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off since Nick left. We've been busy and social, which is good, but it made home life a little bit chaotic. And I just felt like I was wearing myself thin trying to keep up.

Add to that my early riser, and the fact that I have been staying up late for no good reason, and I have been pooped! I even took a little cat nap yesterday during Eli's nap. Oh that's right, geographically single parenting= exhausting! Can't wait for a little bit of backup when my parents arrive for a visit this week!

Before Nick left, I felt like I was gearing up for a storm. Battening down the hatches, if you will. And now the storm is here. And we just have to ride it out. Because he's worth it, and this is only temporary, no matter how long it may seem. But thankfully, there is One who is in control of it all.

And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?" (Matthew 8:24-27 ESV)

And, of course, in complete non-coincidence (because God knows all too well what I need to hear), today's sermon at church was completely related to my current situation. It was about the parable in Luke 19 about the servants and their return on the investment their master has given them.

I have been making excuses about checking in on people and having people over since the guys left. I wanted to wait until my life seemed less chaotic and my house was in order, or after the holidays. But between the sermon and the example and hospitality shown to me by fellow wives, I realized I had it all wrong. I need to be serving others all the time, not when it is convenient for me or I have my life in order. That's selfish, and people need some love now. I could make excuses forever and then I'm the one with nothing to offer God or others. Even a small gesture is better than nothing and now it is so clear what my priorities should be.

Although I shouldn't neglect myself and my family, there are so many others in the same or worse shape. It's not all about me! And God will take care of us too and give us just what we need. Which tonight means rest!

Reality

Reality is starting to set in. It was the same during the last deployment, and while Nick was at Ranger School for 3 months this summer. The first few days, there is a good amount of denial and just a fog surrounding life. And then it starts to sink in that he's really gone. And the fact that we have a long road ahead. And being a geographically single parent is tiring. Between keeping busy and taking care of Eli full time, I'm tired.

I think what really made it sink in today was sorting laundry, of all things. Seeing his clothes that won't be worn for 9 months. It was just an all too present reminder of our reality. Which is probably why I got into crazy cleaning mode the past few days and tidied up all of his things left throughout the house. I just don't want those reminders all the time.

Don't get me wrong, it really was an alright day today. It's just that that underlying sadness that I had before grew a bit and it's starting to sink in. But I don't have time to just sit and mope. Life goes on. And I have an adorably sweet little monkey to take care of and play with and be present with. And battle buddies to commiserate with. And family to talk to. And those deployment goals to work on. And my husband to pray for and FaceTime with (praise God for technology!)

And I have a God who is faithful and will see us through:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

Day 2

Well, we got through the first full day! Other than Eli waking up super early (thanks buddy!), it wasn't terrible. There was definitely an underlying sense of sadness and this new normal is going to take a lot of getting used to, especially at dinner time and around the time Nick would usually come home from work. But, let me tell you, Eli is a very good distraction! I don't think we'll have a problem keeping busy.

Eli is doing really well too, but I know it is because he really doesn't understand the situation. He asked for Nick a few times, but no more so than normal. And I made sure that we watched some "Dada story time" (videos of Nick reading) and our Daddy doll got lots of love at bedtime.

We also started our deployment countdown (see picture at the bottom) and moved our first toy soldier! Man, that felt good! I think Eli enjoyed it too. I liked that it was a tangible way to count down, while involving Eli, and didn't use a number (I can always add or subtract soldiers if I need to). Because if there's anything I've learned about the Army in the past 5 years, it's that things change!

If you're interested in stealing the idea, it was really easy! I made use of the beloved Pinterest and Hobby Lobby and got the biggest jars I could find (the first ones I got were way too small to fit all of the soldiers) and used stickers for the words. "Mission accomplished" was a close second for the wording on the second jar. Feel free to get creative The Army men/toy soldiers were an Amazon purchase.

As rough as last night was, I felt so incredibly loved and supported. Every prayer (and I know there were a lot of them!) was felt and God's presence was so evident. As much as I wouldn't wish this situation for myself (or anyone else for that matter), it is such an opportunity to trust God. And I know he has great growth in store for us as a family.

I am in the midst of a Bible study on Romans, and this verse totally stuck out for me this past week:
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV)
I think it is going to be my deployment verse and I am going to try to memorize it. I know that God will use this deployment for our good and His glory.

Oh, and check out my sister's blog for our (my 2 sisters, my sister-in-law and I) picture a day challenge #countingourblessings2012
We are posting a picture on Instagram every day for the month of November of things we are thankful and praising God for. I can't think of a better time to count my blessings and keep things in perspective.

Didn't quite get to my deployment goals yet, so those are still coming soon. Stay tuned!