One Month Down

As of the 30th of October, we are one month down, eleven to go. The phrase "take a picture, it lasts longer" applies to this life.. So, here is this past month, in review, with pictures.

Here is Bubba after his big crash into the entertainment center... As you can see, he did not care at all, except he did ask "why no lolly?" after we went to the ER. Maybe we go to the ER too much. Also, who looks this good all banged up...?

This is my new gal, Leela. Big Guy was so sweet in encouraging me to get her. Yes, she is a Golden Retriever. Yes, I bought her from a breeder. No, there is probably not a damn thing you can say that will make me feel bad about it - we rescued Egon from the shelter in town, and after Dona Dog... well, I couldn't take the heartbreak of having to put down another of my yellow dogs. Sure, sure. I could have found a rescue, but I didn't. I found a delightful gal who owns the mom and dad, is in the Air Force, and she had two girl puppies left when I found her. I knew Leela was my dog from the moment I saw her - she came right up to me, and hasn't left my side since. She is affectionately called "Pisser", because she pees when she is excited... "happy puddles".

Oh, my Sassy, little girl. I can't believe it - we have a gymnast in our family. Not sure how, or why, that happened, but we are so proud. You can see in the left corner her coach writing something down. This was test day... I didn't know it at the time, and neither did Sass. This was the day she was bumped up from beginner to level two. Next stop is "Hot Shots", or the advanced class, then team. Oooo, then we are talking leotards, and meets, and makeup, and hair... I am excited. And, yeah, if she wants to quit gymnastics, no biggie. We aren't mean!

Have you ever met someone, and knew right away they were for you? Facebook can be such an annoying pit of despair sometimes... It's is very rare to join a "group" and find people you actually like. And then it is even more rare to hang out with those people in real life! I have this fear that when I meet new people, they will immediately see all my flaws and say "No Thanks!" I am a deeply flawed person, but don't hide this from people. This past month, I have had the great pleasure of adding a new little chick to my coop... I seem to accumulate children while Big Guy is gone - I should probably open a daycare. Her momma calls her Beauty, and I will call her momma Lovely. Lovely lets me watch Beauty, and always pays me in the best ways - one time I got a Diet Coke, a handful of cinnamon and brown sugar roasted pumpkin seeds, and a Hershey's bar. Are you jealous? You should be! Beauty is probably the sweetest soul I have ever met, next to Sass. She is beautiful inside and out, and the boys, especially Little Baby, love her dearly. Lovely has become such a dear friend to me, and I honestly don't know what I would do without her, and my other girlfriends around here. They keep me sane when I am feeling like I am loosing my mind...

People. My oven died. And when I say died, I mean the god damn heating element literally melted in half. Like. What? I was without a oven for an entire day... Not too bad really. The guys at our local Lowe's took pity on me, I think, and had my new oven delivered next day. And the dead oven would not have been such a big deal if I hadn't been baking banana bread when it died. Half baked banana bread is the worse.

And finally, I leave you with this. 

Skunk removal consisted of: towel on the head, dish washing gloves, an old outfit, the diaper pail, a can of tomato sauce (duh, that's how you get skunk smell out), a trash bag, and my snow shovel. No. There is no picture of that. And I cannot make this shit up - when I went out there, I could see where it had been hit, then the skunk slime from there to the end of my driveway where it crawled to die.

Life is fun.

......

We aren't sure what I did to the deployment Gods to make them so mad, but it is everyone's firm belief that enough is enough. 

Big Guy is off across the ocean tomorrow - send me good vibes that nothing else breaks while he is gone.. no more road kill... only more happy days spent with good friends and their lovely children.

When He Leaves

There is no other experience quite like a deployment. There is so much paperwork, stress, and tears to be had before it all happens... then your spouse leaves, and the kids are insane, the dogs are insane, and you maybe just want your mommy to come rescue you. But, somehow a new normal happens, and you get on with it all.

In the very short three weeks that Big Guy has been gone, middlest smashed his face into the entertainment center, causing a possible broken nose and a definite concussion. Littlest was stung by a bee, our first bee sting of the family, and was luckily not allergic. Sass graduated from level one in gymnastics, up to level two without even realizing she had been tested. The washing machine has sprung an odd leaks that happens sometimes, and sometimes not. The newest addition, our Golden Retriever puppy, peed on me while laying in bed with me. And I swear to God if one more person comes knocking on our door, during nap time, the house better be on fire, or they better be delivering free case of wine, or be The Rock offering to do topless housecleaning.

.........

I do not handle these kinds of situations with grace. I do not hold on to my dignity, and I am not above bursting into tears in the middle of the Walmart. I stress about money, laundry, house chores, and my own sanity more often than I probably should. I hate when people treat me like I am delicate, and about to break... I just want someone to make me laugh. Unfortunately, the person that makes me laugh the absolute hardest is the person that is gone.

And I suppose that is what hurts the most while Big Guy is deployed... How little I seem to laugh. How little I feel like I smile. It is so quiet with out him, and that's saying a lot considering just how loud or house is... Because, I swear, our kids and dogs can't hear me unless I am screaming at the top of my lungs for them to "please, just come eat your god damn dinner already!!"..



......

Yeah. I miss him. No. It does not go away, or get easier, or any of that rubbish people say. It just sucks the whole time. The. Whole. Time. But, he will come home.. he has to. I told him to, and I am bossy, so I know he will obey me.

Until he comes home, keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Until he comes home, send me chocolate or wine, or just come a visit me, gosh darn it. I will find a space for you to sleep. Until he comes home...