A Soldier's Wife

Hey Na, Hey Na, My Husband's Back!

2006-06-23T14:00:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm gonna keep this short because I have a husband here that I have been eager to spend time with for the last 18 months! I thank God that he came home safely and he is back in my arms where he belongs! :) Two deployments over, and we are officially DONE!

The Neverending Deployment!

2006-06-20T13:35:00.000-04:00

Well, I just got home last night from spending about 4 days in Mississippi with Sgt Wally. They gave the guys some off-time down there since they weren't ready to demobilize them yet. We took a drive down to Biloxi, stayed at the Island of Capri Casino for a couple of days. We were amazed at the extent of damage that remains in Biloxi and Gulfport. Most buildings located on the coast were completely wiped out...GONE. I'm talking: there's a foundation, steps, and that's IT. I had no idea it was still this bad down there. I took several pictures, but I will only post a couple of the most shocking.
As far as Sgt Wally's return, he should be home tomorrow morning. Of course, you're not going to see me hold my breath on that one! Anyhoo...check out myspace for more pics from my trip! www.myspace.com/walajenn

The first pic below is a church located on the coast in Gulfport. If you look closely, you can see the pews in the balcony. Surreal, isn't it? The second pic I took for obvious reasons, there were warnings like this spraypainted everywhere. The third pic was taken on the beach in Gulfport. You're allowed to walk on the beach, but still can't swim in the water...not that you'd want to, there is literally massive chunks of debris still in the water. The last picture I also took while walking on the beack in Gulfport. I wanted to show this as an example of what I was talking about in regards to steps & a foundation...but nothing else. This was everywhere.

Ohiopyle Adventures

2006-06-08T09:04:00.000-04:00

My dad, my sister Kayla & I took a trip over to Ohiopyle yesterday to do some hiking and bike riding. Had a little picnic, took in some nice scenery, we had a great time! Our butts are a little sore today from the two hours of bike riding, but it was nice to get a little exercise. It was also nice to have some distraction while I am anxiously counting down these last days until Sgt Wally's return. I'm still not sure what day he will be home for sure, but I have a date in mind that I have been counting down to. I'm hoping this upcoming weekend will be the last one I will have to spend without my husband! Of course, that means one more week to finish cleaning this apartment! Yikes! :-)

Fun in the Sun!

2006-05-30T19:43:00.000-04:00

OK, OK...since I wore a "tankini" instead of a bikini to the lake on Memorial Day, I will post a couple of pics! It was so nice to experience SUMMER again! I've missed it so.... We had a full boat at Tygart Lake this trip, my father-in-law & his wife, my sister-in-law & her husband, cousin Luke (in the picture below), my cousin Amy (in the picture above), & I (plus my "brother-in-law" Rocky, my in-law's 7 month old shih-tzu!). Rocky enjoyed his first trip to the lake, even though the water was still a bit chilly. Isn't he cute in his little life jacket?

Memorial Day Weekend! :-)

2006-05-28T23:39:00.000-04:00

Getting closer and closer! Trying to keep myself busy. So far I've spent the Memorial Day weekend bowling with friends, playing with my nephew Alex, and picnicing at my sister-in-law's in Ohio! We have Sgt Wally's cousin Luke up from Tennessee visiting for the long weekend (the guy on the far left playing bocce ball). Only my second time meeting him, so it's been great getting to know him better. We're all going to Tygart Lake tomorrow! Gonna be my first time strapping on a bathing suit this year...oh boy. Don't expect pictures of THAT! :-)

Yeeeeeeeuuuuuhhh! Goin home!

2006-05-24T08:54:00.000-04:00

Yes, the guys are getting pumped up about their upcoming departure from the sandy hell of Iraq! My Sgt Wally looks like he's been soaking up a bit too much of that desert sun! We're gonna look like yin and yang if this Pennsylvania weather doesn't start warming up! Anyhoo...hang in there, guys! It's almost over! Hard to believe JUNE is only a week away! :-)

Expiration Date Countdown

2006-05-22T13:03:00.000-04:00

A few more weeks... soon we will be thinking in terms of days. It may seem silly, but I have a habit of counting down Sgt Wally's return with random things.

For example, as I'm lugging the trash can down to the curb I'm thinking to myself, "I only have to do this 3 or 4 more times until Sgt Wally is home!" Or when I get my milk or cheese or anything, I look at the container and get excited because seeing expiration dates in June makes him feel that much closer to home. I even do it with grocery store coupons! I think, "Wow, he'll be home before this expires! Woo hoo!" Silly, huh?

Everybody looks forward to the weekends, I know, but I look forward to them because I know that another week has come and gone. I am one week closer to my baby. Once one weekend is here, I'm already looking forward to the next one. Maybe because I really don't have much control over the big things, counting those little things can get me through to the next day, the next week, the next month. Those little things get me closer to having my Sgt Wally home again.

Is This S*@# Over Yet?!

2006-05-17T08:39:00.000-04:00

I know that's exactly what these guys are thinking right now, and I am thinking the same thing. I keep telling Sgt Wally (2nd from right) that one day all of this will seems like such a long time ago, like it happened to someone else. We can't wait for that day. We can't wait to get a house and have babies and grow old together, then spontaneously combust when I turn 100 and he is only 98 (sorry, that's a running joke). We have so much life yet to live, so many joys to experience together. I couldn't imagine anyone else in the world I'd rather do it with.

A lot of people see what we are going through with our two deployments in three years of marriage and think that they should feel sorry for us. I always get the, "Wow, I don't know how you do it...I could never deal with that!" First of all, it is what it is...no one asked me if I wanted the love of my life to travel to the other side of the planet for a year and live in the desert. But that doesn't mean he isn't still the love of my life and the man that I will spend the rest of my days with. And as much as this deployment sucks, we are so blessed just to have found each other. I feel sorry for those people who will never have the love that we do. That is so sad to me. I thank God every day for brining me all the way up to PA to find him.

This hell is finally coming to an end. Then the rest of our life begins.

I'm ready...

Happy Mother's Day!

2006-05-14T22:11:00.000-04:00

Ptttttthhhhhhbbbbbbbtttttt!

2006-05-08T18:12:00.000-04:00

Last week, my mother-in-law had me over for dinner and shared some old baby photos of Sgt Wally that she discovered in her basement. She was nice enough to let me borrow the pictures so I could scan them and get my own copies! :) These two are a couple of my favorites. He was such a cute little thing! Still is, as far as I'm concerned!
We're getting closer and closer to that anticipated return home. Sloooooowly, of course. Will June ever get here? C'mon! I've been so stressed out lately about my crappy job. Nothing like having a Masters degree, working for $75 a day as a stinkin sub! Especially in combination with additional stressors: rude kids, disrespect from some teachers, awful parking spots! The title of this blog embodies my attitude regarding the situation. It's times like this when missing Sgt Wally seems the hardest. I keep telling myself this hell is almost over. My brain knows it, but the rest of me just isn't listening.

Kids!!!

2006-04-30T11:07:00.000-04:00

My cousin Naomi is visiting from Utah with her 4 little ones, so yesterday my dad & I took all the muchkins with my little sister Kayla & our nephew Alex to Chuck E Cheese. They had a blast! I was happy to get my nephew for the weekend, who's now 22 1/2 months. I can't believe how much he is growing up! He is getting so talkative. He's starting to become a little parrot, repeating everything you say! I had so much fun with that when my little sister was at that age! Fortunately for Alex's mom, that was 10 years ago and I've matured a bit since then! (maybe)
Trying to countdown for Sgt Wally's return, but not really sure when his definite return date is! I'm going with June 13th, which gives us a little over 6 weeks left. These last several weeks are feeling like an ETERNITY! I am so ready for this deployment to be over and never have to count my days with my husband again. I've had more than my fill of tearful goodbyes.

She's Baaaaack!

2006-04-24T01:23:00.000-04:00

Yes, I am back and jet lagged like crazy! It's 2am and I am wide awake...maybe because I slept til 12:45 this afternoon! I would have slept even later, but my dad called and woke me up to see if I'd had lunch. Hah. Anyhoo, I have a little Japan slideshow on my MySpace page so check it out! :)

I'm Leeeeeeavin on a Jet Plane...

2006-04-08T06:31:00.000-04:00

I'll be MIA for the next two weeks, I'll be on a plane heading to Japan in three hours! A loooooong batch of flights that won't have me getting to my destination until 8pm Sunday (6am Sunday EST). So as you lounge around and relax this Saturday, watch some TV, go to the mall...think of me sitting in an airplane seat ALL DAY. I know, I know...poor Jenn is going to Japan. Hah hah. See you in 14 days!

OH MY!!! THE GATORS ARE YOUR NCAA CHAMPIONS!

2006-04-04T00:14:00.000-04:00

Who woulda thought? Oh, that's right....I THOUGHT! My Gators went all the way, baby! Wooooo Hoooooo!!!! First the Steelers win the Super Bowl, now my alma mater wins the NCAA tourney! 2006 is turning out to be a excellent year for sports. Now I need my Gator football team to round it out for me.

2006-04-02T00:04:00.000-05:00

Nothing better on a hot Iraqi day than a good cigar...

2006-04-02T00:03:00.000-05:00

My Sgt Wally, such a beautiful man :)

George WHO?

2006-04-01T20:32:00.000-05:00

How Sweeeeeet it is!!! I told you George Mason's NCAA tourney run was coming to an end! Florida spanked those poor boys! I'm about as excited as Florida's head coach Billy Donovan is below! Joakim Noah didn't play his best game tonight, but Lee Humprey's 6 3-pt baskets made up for it! What an incredible game! NCAA championship, here we come!

My Favorite Flower

2006-03-29T22:48:00.000-05:00

A bloom from my hibiscus tree, which is somewhere in the ballpark of ten years old (I am the third owner) and approximately 6ft tall. Did I mention this tree is in my bedroom? I don't think I could get the thing out the door again if I tried!
This tree was handed down to me by my mother-in-law about two years ago, because she knew that the hibiscus is my favoritest flower in the world! Aren't they beautiful? The blooms only last about 2 days, but I am fortunate that my tree blooms like crazy, even all winter long!

The Cousins

2006-03-26T19:54:00.000-05:00

Here are my cousins & I (most of them, anyway) in a picture taken in 1997 and a pic taken at the family dinner we had last night for my cousin Adrienne who was home visiting from Phoenix. My little sister is sitting on my lap in both pictures, so that shows how long ago 1997 really was! I am very fortunate to have such a close-knit group of cousins, all of them are like siblings (ok, two of them really are). Family is such a blessing, I thank God for them. No matter how many miles or months seperate us, we are still the same goofballs as soon as we get together again.

FINAL FOUR, BABY!

2006-03-26T19:35:00.000-05:00

Yeeeeaaaah! Gators defeat Villanova to make it into the Final Four! George Mason, I hope you enjoyed your historic trip through the NCAA Tournament because it's coming to an end this weekend! Everyone's saying how crazy the brackets are and what a surprise these final four teams are, but I picked TWO of them! (Florida & LSU...gotta pick the SEC!)

GO GATORS!!!!

Hey, Cool Helmet!

2006-03-24T07:41:00.000-05:00

I sent the hubby some red, white and blue paint & look what he did! Sgt Wally and Spc Howes's artfully decorated helmets are propped on display in their bradley. And he thinks I'm the artistic one.

Grandpa & Boombie

2006-03-18T07:25:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been 3 weeks and a day since Sgt Wally has gone back to Iraq. Still don't know for sure when he's coming home...May? June? Ever? Just booked a 5 day Carnival cruise for us to Key West & Nassau at the end of July, so he better be home by then! Neither one of us have ever cruised before, so we're very excited. We're also going to drive down to Florida (our cruise departs from Jacksonville) so we can visit with my Grandpa. Haven't seen him in almost two years, since Sgt Wally got back from Kosovo. He'll be so thrilled to see his Boombie! (He's called me that my whole life and no one knows where it came from) He lives right on a big lake and loves to fish, so Sgt Wally and I are going to bring our poles down with us and do a little fishing with him. I still remember him crying when I told him that I was moving to PA almost 4 years ago. He'll be 76 next month, so I know time is precious. It terrifies me to think that one day he will be gone and I will have this regret that I didn't see him enough.

2006-03-15T15:31:00.000-05:00

Disney World! Wally's Wife (with uncle Dave) circa 1982 on left, little sister Kayla circa 1997 on right. Guess I'll have to claim her afterall... :)

I LOVE MY SOLDIER

2006-03-10T01:40:00.000-05:00

A Weekend With Wimpy

2006-03-05T23:14:00.000-05:00

My Dad, my sister Kayla & I had a blast this weekend with my nephew Alex, who is now 21 months old! We took Alex on his first trip to Chuck E. Cheese...he loved it!
Unfortunately, it was my first trip to Chuck E. Cheese in about 8 years and I have to say that I was a little disheartened, it seemed so much cooler when I was a kid! Dave & Busters is so much better! Oh well, it was worth it to see that smile on the lil "Wimpy's" face (as Sgt Wally calls him). Can't wait til our next sleepover.

Beware the Wolves

2006-03-02T19:20:00.000-05:00

Heard of the movie, "Vally of the Wolves: Iraq"? I just saw a snippet about this Turkish film on TV and thought I'd look more into it online. Apparently it stars Billy Zane and Gary Busey and tells a story about evil bloodthirsty American soldiers ruthlessly killing innocent Iraqis to get their organs. Basically a slap in the face to my husband and all the other soldiers that put their lives on the line every day. I think these two "American" actors just commited career suicide.

Here's a link to Variety's review of the movie:
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117929689?categoryid=31&cs=1&nid=2562

2006-03-01T15:42:00.000-05:00

Another month closer to the end of this deployment!

Sgt Wally Goes Back...on his BIRTHDAY

2006-02-24T22:38:00.000-05:00

Well...two weeks of bliss have come to an end and Sgt Wally is now on a plane somewhere between home and Iraq. What a shame that he has to spend his birthday cramped up in an airplane seat!
It was really nice to be able to walk with him to his gate this morning, I'm glad that the airport can relax the security restrictions a little when it comes to our soldiers. It killed me when I finally had to let go of him, to say goodbye AGAIN, but we tried to take comfort in knowing that this was our last goodbye. I miss him so much already...
I thought I'd cheer myself up a bit and post this pic of my in-laws' puppy being a lil romantic with the big fake rose I gave Sgt Wally for our anniversary (aka Valentine's Day). Isn't he tute?

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2006-02-17T08:06:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been awhile since I last blogged, due to the fact that I have been spending the last 10 days soaking up Sgt Wally while he's on leave! Since he's still snoozing away this morning, I decided to take this time to blog a little about the wonderful anniversary we just spent together!
We got married on February 14, 2003, and that was the last Valentine's day we had spent together until this year. Deployments suck. So anyway, since we were making up for three anniversaries in one, we decided to splurge a little (with our 50% military discount) and went up through the Laurel Highlands and spent the night at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. All I have to say is WOW! The place was simply breathtaking. About 5 minutes after we got settled in our room, a woman came up with a bottle of Cabernet and a card for us as an anniversary gift from the hotel. The bathroom in this room was literally the size of our living room at home. All marble. Just amazing! Our bedroom had TWO chandeliers! Like one wasn't quite enough.
We had dinner at one of the several restuarants in the resort. You can get to everything indoors, so no coats are necessary. We took about a 5-10 min stroll past libraries, marble rooms with fountains, sitting rooms with crackling fireplaces, a replica old towne road where each faux building is duplicated after an actual historical landmark...until we finally got to the end of the line, The Tavern. The pocket billiards were free, so we played a few games, had a few drinks, had a fantastic dinner, then strolled back through the hotel to a place called the Cigar Bar. Sgt Wally was dying to have a cigar since he had been home, so we decided to check this little place out. Aside from the bartender, we were the only people in the dimly lit room with dark leather couches around another crackling fireplace, bookshelves up to the ceiling covered with old books. Sgt Wally lit up his CAO Cameroon (with amazing cigar matches that the bartender gave him), then we leaned back and melted into the couch. The room was just so relaxing it was beyond description.
Once we stepped back into our room for the evening, my ears perked up to the sounds of jazz. My first thought was that a previous guest had an alarm set on the radio. But as we get closer into the room, we see that a jazz CD has been put on for us and more chocolates were placed on the bed (I ate one before dinner)! It's like these people were watching our every move! I definitely could have gotten used to that lifestyle....
We also splurged a little on the anniversary gifts this year (three gifts in one, really). Sgt. Wally's gift was a 46-in. Samsung HD TV. He had been wanting a big screen for some time, and I finally caved. It's incredible! We've got surround sound, our vcr/dvd player, our xbox & xbox 360 hooked up to this bad boy. My gift was the same price, but much much smaller...just big enough for my lil ring finger. When Sgt. Wally and I got married, he had given me his great-grandmother's ring as my engagement ring. The ring is antique and beautifully intricate, and I am getting it resized to wear on my right hand, but the diamond was tiny! So now I have a giant (for my size 4 finger) diamond ring! I can't stop staring at that sparkley thing.
So it was an exciting and romantic anniversary all around, and I can't wait to spend at least 60 more with Sgt Wally.

Keeping Sgt Dan & family in our prayers.

WAY TO GO, STEELERS!!!

2006-02-05T23:04:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it!!! We finally got the "one for the thumb"! (and when I say "we," I realize that I myself had absolutely nothing to do with it) I'm glad that the Steelers were able to pull this off, especially for Jerome. Ben made him a promise to get him to the dance, and boy did he! Ben may have thrown 2 interceptions during the game, but he definitely saved the post season with that tackle he made at the end of the Colts game! This was a team of DESTINY! The way the game was going during the first half, I was getting a bit concerned, but we managed to fenangle a WIN! The first 6th-seed to make it to the Superbowl, the first 6th-seed to win the Superbowl! We DO like being the underdog, don't we? Maybe that's why we struggled so much in this game...there were too many Steeler fans! It was a sea of black and gold and whilrling terrible towels! Wish I could have been there.

Heeeeeeere Wo Go!

2006-02-03T07:27:00.000-05:00

Well, we are fast approaching the "big dance" in Detroit...SUPERBOWL XL! Those lil seagulls aren't gonna know what hit em. I was watching a rerun of David Letterman the other night and he had Tiki Barber on the show. It must have been a few weeks old because they were discussing their "picks" for who would play in the Superbowl. Letterman was picking the Colts to go all the way, but Tiki argued that ol' Tom Brady hadn't lost in the post season yet and he was picking the Patriots & the Seahawks to play in the bowl, with the Patriots coming out on top. Well, they were BOTH WRONG! I guess they made one obvious mistake when deciding what team would dominate in the end...they underestimated the Steelers with Cowher Power!
Heeeeeere We Go, Steelers, Here We Go! Pittsburgh's Goin' to the Suuuuperbowl!

Ten Days of Heaven

2006-01-25T11:04:00.000-05:00

Well, if you've been wonding why I haven't posted any blogs in awhile, that's because I had the joy of meeting Sgt Wally in Mississippi and spending the last 10 days with him! He was chosen to escort a soldier that had to go back to the states, so the mission didn't take anything away from his actual leave time! The drive down and back was torture (about 14 hours down, with 4 dead-lock traffic stops and 13 hours back), but it was well worth the time I got to spend with my soldier! We drove a few hours over to Destin, FL and spent our time together there. Although I am a Florida native, I had never been to Destin. The beach is beautiful, the sand is so white it actually looks like snow. Sgt Wally found a little cigar shop near our hotel and loaded up on some goodies. The owner even gave him a huge military discount, which was awesome. Sgt Wally was also thrilled to be in Florida because they serve his favorite beer there, Yuengling. He filled up on pizza, steak, wings, Yuengling, and his wife's lovins, then headed back to good ol' Iraq. Actually, he messaged me last night, still in Kuwait because his checked bag got lost. Gotta love the airlines, right? When we said our goodbyes at the airport, Sgt Wally told me that I wasn't allowed to cry because he would be home for leave in a few weeks. He said, "Imagine I'm just going away for summer camp!" Yeah, it's just like summer camp....

Oh, to be a Child Again!

2006-01-12T09:12:00.000-05:00

Tuckered out from a long game of doggie door peek-a-boo, my nephew Alex (1 1/2) and little sister Kayla (12), plop down in the middle of the living room floor. Don't you miss the days when the little things could entertain you for hours? When I was a child, all I needed was a cardboard box and my imagination! What is it about growing up that makes everything so boring?
When you're a kid life seems so much longer, too. I remember thinking the span between birthdays felt like 10 years. Now it feels like 5 minutes. I'm starting to forget how old I am, and that scares me! If I'm losing track of em now, how hard is it going to be 20 or 30 years from now? Oh well, does it really matter? Once you pass 21, they all blend together anyway. I think 25 was the last milestone I looked forward to because my insurance rates went down and I could finally rent a car in my name! But that's boring stuff. So here I am at 27 and I know what that next milestone is...and I'm not very excited about it! Especially when my husband is a year and half younger than me, because he will tease me without mercy! Maybe if I play a marathon of doggie door peek-a-boo I can turn back the clock a few years! I'm open to suggestions.

Steelers Beat the "Bungals"!

2006-01-08T20:06:00.000-05:00

Way To Go, Steelers! 31 to 17 isn't too shabby! Let's just keep up the momentum against the Colts!

My, How Things Change...

2006-01-05T20:30:00.000-05:00

August 2002... doesn't seem that long ago, does it? I was thinking about what Sgt. Dan said regarding changes in your attitude toward life and what you desire from it. This picture was taken only 3 1/2 years ago, but to me the girl in that picture is a completely different person (and I'm not just referring to the hair color). Fresh out of college, I had only been dating Sgt. Wally a matter of days. Our lives revolved around boozing and staying up late (or early, depending on how you look at it). 3am Sheetz runs after Wally finished bartending, then sitting cross-legged on his living room floor counting stinky, folded up "bar funk" dollar bills from a Rolling Rock bucket. I was living in a 3 bedroom apartment that he shared with 3 other guys with one bathroom and NO bedroom door. Also, I am not exaggerating when I say this place looks like a crackhouse from the outside. But I was fine with this, I had no other expectations from my life at that time but to party and have fun. And here I am, only a few years later, and our worlds have been completely rearranged. I look at this girl and think, "See that guy you're hugging? In 6 months you are going to be his wife!" I wouldn't have bet a dime on that. But time and experience makes your priorities change. I still remember the first time my husband told me he loved me. It was 2 months after we started dating and he was on a two week training in Camp Shelby, the first time we had ever really been apart (two weeks seemed like an eternity then, how naive I was). He was afraid to say it those first couple months, wouldn't let me say it either, he worried it wouldn't be genuine. We were on the phone his last night there and he told me that he couldn't wait to come home...so that he could tell me that he loved me. I cried. He was immediately mad at himself that he let his emotions get the best of him and didn't wait til the next day to say it in person, but I didn't care. Of course I was thrilled because I finally got to say it right back. I love him more than words could ever describe. We have grown and matured together, through the Kosovo deployment, our first year of marriage that has been stretched out over three, and now Iraq. We will go through so many more transitions in our life together, and I am so thankful that I get to experience it with him. Thank God I don't have to count bar funk dollar bills anymore.

Auld Lang Syne

2006-01-01T01:54:00.000-05:00

Well, for those of you who don't know, Auld Lang Syne means "the good old times" or "days long past". I'd have to say that this new year I am not remeniscent of days past but am focusing on the excitement of days ahead. I can now say that my husband will come home to visit me next month (for our 3rd anniversary!), that this deployment will be over THIS YEAR! Good riddance, 2005. It was a year of struggle and heartache and I am looking forward to a new year when my world will be whole again. I rang in the new year with some great friends, always better than sitting at home feeling sorry for myself. Melissa, Gina, Carl (Melissa's hubby), & Tina (a fellow soldier's girl) are cheezing with me in the photo. Tina's boyfriend is a Command Sergeant Major at Habbaniyah, and is a super guy. It's been so great having Tina there during this deployment, it helps to have someone around that knows exactly what you're going through because they're going through the same thing. Plus, she's an even bigger football freak than I am! Love it. (notice: I am so obsessive that I'm even wearing Gator colored leis in the photo! Go Florida!) Anyhoo, that's all I have to say tonight. It's late and I have church in the morning! Happy New Year all!

REST IN PEACE, JENNIFER THE SHEEP

2005-12-30T21:03:00.000-05:00

Considering I am the namesake for this cute little sheep that seemed to irritate the tar out of all of the soldiers in Habbaniyah, I felt obligated to honor her. May she romp through the grassy fields of sheep heaven with a spring in her step and no spray paint in her fur. To read my husband's endearing eulogy, follow the link to J Barne's on the right.

Are The Holidays Over Yet?

2005-12-29T20:47:00.000-05:00

Here I sit, smack dab between Christmas and New Years and unlike most folks caught up in the "Joys of the Season," I am counting down the days until I can go back to work (as a substitute teacher, I don't have to go back to work until at least Jan 2nd). Although being a sub isn't as glamorous as it seems, it's still a DISTRACTION. Yelling at kids for 8 hours a day is a thousand times better than sitting here feeling sorry for myself. That's the one thing that makes me so happy about my husband's deployment. He tells me that it's going so FAST for him, he's so busy all the time that the months have just flown by.
But, as I am writing this, I have decided that I am absolutely NOT going to feel sorry for myself! There are two reasons why:
Reason #1: There are so many other people out there that have it worse off than me. Yeah, my husband's in Iraq. Boo hoo for me. But what about the people that have lost their loved one? And not just in Iraq or Afganistan, but people right here at home. Every day there is a tragedy. Every day you can turn on the news and see another child kidnapped or fatal car accident or a house fire or even a child drowning in a backyard pool. What about the people who are living with a terminal illness? The people who just had their last Christmas and they know it?
Reason #2: We have so many people that care about us. Sgt Wally is thousands of miles away, but my father, sister, brother, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and the greatest set of in-laws anyone could ask for are all right here for me (by the way, that adorable lil Shih Tzu is the newest addition to my father & step-mother in-law's family!). I am easily stressed, and Christmas is the mother of all stressors! We have a thousands places to go, and not enough hours to do it! Who can we move to Christmas Eve? What presents go to whose house? Should we buy for him? Do NOT let me buy another present for my sister! But then I remind myself of people who are completely alone. There are so many out there who don't have any family, no one to visit on Christmas. They say that suicide rates are the highest during the holidays. I thank God everyday for what I do have. I have a great family, wonderful friends, and a husband that "lovesh" me to the extent of making almost every guy he knows gag. He may be far away right now, but I know that he will be coming home and we have the rest of our lives to make a beautiful family together. I am the luckiest woman on Earth.

2005-12-28T04:04:00.000-05:00

Countdown To CONUS

Wally's Wife's First Blog

2005-12-28T00:57:00.000-05:00

OK, I'm getting the hang of this now. So let me tell you what it's like to be the wife of a soldier. I have been married just short of three years to the most wonderful man on earth. He's one of those guys that still opens the car door for his girl, even though he's got the ring on her finger and he doesn't need to impress her anymore. This wonderful man knew me 6 months before he found out he was getting deployed to Kosovo, got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. After enduring one deployment, he spent 11 months home with me before he was called up again, this time for Iraq. We are closing in on a year since he left our home for the second time, and I miss him terribly. Having said that, let me tell you how utterly proud I am of him. My husband has gone days without sleep, months without good food or a good shower (or toilet), and years without a stable home. He spends everyday folding his tall 6' frame into the turret of a Bradley. He doesn't get a weekend, he doesn't get a vacation. Call off sick? I don't think so. Privacy? Yeah, right. Back pain? Headaches? Heartburn? Absolutely. My husband's idea of dinner is a can of Beefaroni, a package of beef jerky or some ramen noodles. He works hard, to the point of exhaustion many days. Despite all of this, he still treks to the three hour phone line to call his wife. He still gets on his laptop every night with weary eyes to chat with me so I know he's alright. And this isn't even why I'm proud of him. I'm proud because I have watched this man mature from the carefree bartender that I first met into the responsible sergeant that he is today. He has seen and done things that I -and most people in our country- could never imagine. I see the effect he and his fellow soldiers have even on this little town. The pride and emotion people feel for these guys is amazing. I am here at home, while the other half of me is thousands of miles away in a place that I will never see. While I am standing in the kitchen washing dishes or sitting at my computer typing this blog, my husband is doing things that I will never imagine. So what can I do? Write to him, be there for him, love him, pray for him. I send him at least one package a week. The folks at the post office know me personally by now! (by the way, let me tell you how much I loathe filling out those stinkin customs forms!) I gather every newspaper clipping and photo I find and stuff them into the giant scrapbook that documents my husband's deployment. The baby is already 6 inches thick and we're only halfway done! I want our children and their children to see what amazing things this man has done. People always tell me, "I don't know how you do it," or "I could never deal with my husband being deployed for this long!" but for me there is no other option. My husband is serving our country. He is doing his job. And I am doing mine.

2005-12-27T23:55:00.000-05:00

Wally's wife with our 1 1/2 year old nephew! We can't wait to get one of these little buggers! This picture was actually taken the day AFTER Christmas, but he refused to take off the Santa coat!

2005-12-27T23:53:00.000-05:00

Christmas back home with Wally's wife and sister.

2005-12-27T23:51:00.000-05:00

Christmas in Iraq...just doesn't seem the same.

2005-12-27T23:50:00.000-05:00

Wally prepares the Thanksgiving feast in the "kitchen"

2005-12-27T23:49:00.000-05:00

Wally's Thanksgiving Cracker Barrel ham! For a vegetarian, his wife does pretty good.

2005-12-27T23:36:00.000-05:00

Wally Preparing for Deployment - Camp Shelby, MS

2005-12-27T23:30:00.000-05:00

Hello from chilly Pennsylvania! This is my first attempt at "blogging", so be patient with me. My husband is currently serving in Iraq and has started blogging with a small group of fellow soldiers. http://jbarnescoffee.blogspot.com/ It looked like loads of fun, so here I am!

2005-12-27T23:12:00.000-05:00

Howes and Wally - Camp Shelby, MS

2005-12-27T23:11:00.000-05:00

Wally with Wife on Deployment Day