Wives of Hope

Day ones question, tell about your first military experience. Let's see should I tell you about how I cut my hero's hair before inspection and well let's just say he will never let me do that again. Nope, I think I will tell you how the army messed up our pay and we were staying in the army lodging and I was pragnant. We had just found out we were pragnant. Somehow the hotel employees found out (we told anyone who would listen). Someone from ACS came over everyday and spoke to all the new people staying in the hotel. When they found out we were pragnant they told us about some program that gave new parents either a car seat or a high chair. We chose the car seat. I remember thinking man the army really does take care of you. Which is comical because at the time the only thing we were eating was peanut butter sandwhiches because we had NO money and that is what we could buy using my husbands STAR card. What was it called then?

Letters to my Hero

Dear Rob, what a day. First let me say I am watching smallville because I am scared that if I turn the channel it will not record. We have had a great day. The highlight was you calling and saying I love you instead of something like “I cannot hold it anymore”. I love you and miss you and feel a little sneaky that I did not let the kids talk to you today but it was nice having a real conversation.
So back to our day. Let’s see we woke up after a night of rough sleep. The kids stayed int here bed but I swear I heard a million noises. I am so glad you made us install the alarm system. So we started chores and then I decided to start the lawn. You forgot to tell me something was wrong with the riding lawnmower and it only works in SUPER FAST MODE. I got maybe a quarter of the lawn mowed and then it made a real noise and stopped working. It sounds like it is turning on but never does. Do not worry this evening I pushed it all the way across the yard and with Michael’s help got it into the shed although I was tempted to just leave the stinken thing. I pulled out the NEW push mower and did another quarter of the yard before it died. The whole time the girls are not cleaning up there messes. I am finding things like your shirts and our good bowls and match box cars. I wanted to scream and shout. But you would be proud I did not. I prayed. Why do I always make that the last option. By this time Michael was done with school. I know I was shocked too.
So I had him pull the lawnmower into the front yard. It had gas in it but I thought it needed more. So first we realized the van was left unlocked all night with the keys in it (thank you faith). Then that we had a empty gas container. So we ran to the gas station. Then came home. I had a talk with the girls and all the sudden they were motivated. We got all the stuff around the bushes cleaned up. I mowed the hill and then Michael mowed the rest of the yard.
We came in and took showers and then headed out. Did I tell you that I cannot remember my pin for the ATM card and tried a million different ones on Sunday. We went to the vet and bought flea meds and then scheduled ACU’s surgeries and guess what they made it for 8 weeks from now. Then we went to butcher. Did not get great deals but got good meat. Then we went to walmart. Michael got his game and I picked up a very few pieces of groceries and we came home.
We have done nothing all evening. Well I did spend about 20 minutes laying beside our bed looking at the kittens and trying to convince ACU to bring them closer.
We watched little rascals tonight. The kids laughed and laughed. And guess what? Domino’s delivered to our house. I wanted to hug the man. Except he was kinda creepy and would only speak like daffy duck.
The kids are thrilled that I am letting them stay up a little tonight.
Ooh I forgot to tell you when I was at wal mart they denied my bank card four times. I was almost in tears. I knew we had money. I had just used it and there was a line of people staring at me. So I used Michaels card. I came home and called USAA, apparently when I tried to use it as a ATM with the wrong pin they locked it. The man was really nice and un locked it.
Oooh one more thing, Faith made oatmeal this morning and put salt on it and then later Grace was pouring salt on a spoon and eating it. This is exactly why I do not like salt shakers, haha.
Okay, I am going to get your babies in bed and get there myself. I am going to try to go to a church yard sale and then take the girls strawberry picking in the morning.
I love you babe.

1. If you could, would you go back to high school? for the fun part, no way no high. although I wish my husband and I kissed like we did in high school. actually we almost got suspended for kissing in high school. for the learning part HECK YES. I wish I would have really learned more. Tried hard

2. If a genie appeared and granted you two wishes, what would they be? (And, no saying "more wishes".) That my family could be healthy mentaly, physicaly and spiritually. and that we would have enough money to quit working (my husband and extended family) and do things like travel the world for years together and help out other soldiers with PTSD

3. What kids show do you secretly like? hmmmmm, I use to watch Dog the bounty hunter but stopped because of how his wife dresses, so silly because I think they have good hearts. I did stay up one night watching pragnant at 16. normally I watch law and order and CSI when kids are not around. although my son told me that he hears law and order when he is in bed

4. What is your beverage of choice? HAVE YOU READ MY BLOG, I can not go a day without mountain dew. I seriously considered having my background being of mountain dew cans. I drink mountain dew to wake up, I drink mountain dew to go to bed. it is bad, I am addicted and need help. I would choose a cold mountain dew over food any day

5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change in yourself)? So many things but right now I am trying to not be so lazy. I need to be more active physically, spiritualy, and with my children

1. My absolute favorite movie of all time is? Practical majic for the music, but Fire proof for real
2. My favorite movie as a child was? Annie, what little girl does not wish she was taken away to such a house and fought over
3. The best movie quote ever is? Heck if I know
4. My favorite actress is? Julia Roberts but only because of her hair
6. My favorite movie genre is I could watch over and over is? the little house on the priarie, cosby show, 90210 time
5. The movie I could watch over and over? mary poppins, please do not laugh
7. A movie I'd like to watch this weekend? the new animal movie, I do not remember the name
okay, this one is hard for me because I am horrible with movies. I honestly fall asleep. I can honestly list on one hand the names of the movie stars I can list.

Bible vs Cell phone

BIBLE VS. CELL PHONE

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several time a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible? Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being Disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities?
And no dropped calls!

So, let me ask you......Do you know where your Bible is and when was the last time you used it?

Letters to my Hero

Oh Rob you did not call today and it is killing me. Why today more than normal because our last words yesterday was can't hold it anymore gotta go. I know it is comical that the bathroom is so far away but you really should have said I love you and good night.
We have had a good day. Michael was done with school by noon. He is doing so well. It is 8:30 and all but Faith are asleep. I am putting them to bed early and it is working.
Oh honey, these kittens are so stink en cute. I want my hands on them but know better. I so need you here. I had to squirt the cat today. She attacks curly if he is in the house. So what I have been doing is only letting him in when she is outside and reverse. Every time I see her walking around the house I take a peak and a picture of the kittens. If she is under there she just talks to me for a second and then she starts covering them up with her paws and head. She has not tried to move them yet. They are so stink en cute. I think the kids have named them behind my back. I keep telling them they can not name them because we are NOT keeping even one.
This morning when we woke up it was freezing in the house. The kids begged me to start a fire and I am sure if you were here you would have. I decided to make bread and guess what it came out beautiful. I made my same double recipe but used 3 loaf pans instead of 4 and it was perfect. I will take pictures tomorrow. It was not crumbly or too hard. I also made you cookies but well they did not come out so well. I really wanted to get a package to you tomorrow but I do not think it will happen now unless you want yucky cookies.
I love you baby and miss you more than I thought I would. I am really trying hard to make sure we get to bed early. That means I am not staying up all hours of the night on the computer. The house is holding up, well except for the door knob I have not dealt with. I am going to need to mow this weekend.
I have to make you laugh and hopefully not cry. Hope was writing you a letter today and lost it several times. When I asked what was wrong she said, I miss my baby brother who died. I said NOPE you were not even alive then, she said I miss Bridgette, I said NOPE not going there and then she lost it. She said I miss daddy and Faith thought I was writing a friend but I was writing daddy and he is daddy not a friend. I love you babe and hope why I am writing this you are sleeping well.

Friday

This week Frugal Friday is something I have been thinking about for a while. I love childrens clothing consignment stores. I love to shop at thrift shops. I love yard sales. But you know what? I also love Gap and childrens place just as much. We recently moved I know you know, it is all I talk about and we live in the middle of no where well kinda, wal mart is 15 minutes away, a mall is 25 and target is even father. There is a Dollar General about 2 minutes from my house so I find myself there all the time. One day I saw a little girls outfit and thought I would try it. So I put it on Grace and fell in love. I have gone back and bought her 5 more Dollar General outfits and we love them. I also have started making the girls skirts. Last week I made Faith and Hope a skirt and Grace a pillowcase dress. If you include the shirts I found on sale for $3.50 each I still did not spend $20 for 3 new church outfits for the girls.

This is going to be a fun neat way to meet other military families. I thought I would tell you a little about our military lives. When we got married my hero was in the reserves. I had a good job and he had a good job but neither of us had insurance and I wanted babies. We decided to go active. I remember those first years. We went from two income to one. We moved to Ky and quickly found out we were pragnant with our first child. ooh how I remember how we lived pay check to pay check. We were stationed at Fort Campbell and then 8 weeks after my son was born we moved to Germany. I loved Germany. Then back to Campbell. Then to Redstone Al for 5.5 years and then we moved to Fort Bragg Nc and have been here for 2 months. My husband has deployed to Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iraq and is currently in Iraq. He is a Warrant Officer in the ammunition field.

Thursday 5

Just post 5 things that have made you..


Happy


Giddy


Grateful


Joyful


Gleelful


or all of the above..


What makes me happy this week?
1. I am grateful my husband made it to the sand pit safely
2. I am joyful that he has been able to talk to me on line and on the phone, even through a sand storm and bad connection
3. I am experiencing GLEE at the site of our new kittens, I did not think I would make it through her being pragnant
4. The site of these kittens makes me giddy, and I hope to be able to touch them
5. I am thankful for my friends who has been there over the last week as my husband deployed and I whimpered and whined about it

Thankful Thursday

Through all my crying and whinning we did it, well she did it. We have babies. Four of them. They seem to be healthy. These pictres were taken this morning. It does not look like there eyes are open yet. Mommy cat is doing great but she is in attack mode towards our little dog and it is making for lots of drama in the house.

A typical homeschool day

We do not always do school at the kitchen table. Actually Michael does most of his in his room. But on this day the kids had been playing in the snow before shool and were cold. A typical day starts out with chores and then breakfast and then school, lunch. After lunch Grace takes a nap in my room while Hope either takes a bath (she lives for 3 hour bathes) or plays in her room. Honest my kids could be done with school by 1pm easy but sadly that just does not happen. We try to stop whatever we are doing when dad says he is on his way home and straighten up and make dinner. After dinner someone unloads and someone loads the dishwasher. Hopefully we are done with school by then and can have a quiet evening

Letters to my Hero

Dear daddy, I love you. And ACU has kittens out of her belly and it was like blood to the kitten
Dear daddy I miss you and I love you and it was very sad when you went gone, please come back, pretty please. I didn’t ever see will again. It is time for me to write a letter to him.
Love Gracie

Dear daddy, I love you and guess what ACU’s kittens are out, I am going to say that one more time her kittens are out. Isn’t that amazing. I love you so much that I think you are handsome and grace is laughing at me. I love you more than anything else. I peeked under moms bed. So dad what are you doing today I really really super want to go camping with you in the back yard. Please send me a message. I do not care if mommy has to sleep on air mattresses I love you because I like you. I like Santa clause
I love you and love hope
Good evening love. We had a amazing day. I had a attitude a little today but was able to keep my cool. We got school done and Michael had a appointment. We stopped by gamestop on the way home from our appointment and would you believe Michael did not buy anything. They wanted more than he had and he was willing to wait. I could not believe it. I did not even push him.
I am so glad we got to talk on line for a couple of minutes although it cracks me up that your last words were “I cannot hold it anymore bye”. I really hope you made it to the bathroom. HAHAHAHA! The kids did well today, Grace only cried at bedtime. We read a story today about when dads are deployed and all they miss. It took a lot not to cry the whole time. I love you baby and miss you terribly.
I wish you were here to see these kittens, I wish you were here to hold my hand last night when mama cat was having babies. I wish you were here to read with Faith. I wish you were here to see the wonderful behavior Michael has had the last few days. But I know you are where you need to be doing what you need to be doing. I love you and we are already counting down the days until you are home with me.
Oooh the vet said I could not have the vet fixed for 4 MONTHS, I said wait you said 8 weeks not 4 MONTHS. So I guess she may or may not be de clawed and fixed before you get home. I Love you and am going to get in bed because the kids have been asleep since 8pm which means a early morning.

Poppers

Rob asked me to buy him poppers to take to a boy scout camp out. We called all over town to find them and no one had them. He was disappointed. A couple of weeks later I walked into the dollar tree and they had them. So we decided to surprise daddy when he came in the house. Only one problem Grace was not strong enough to get hers to pop and then Hope's did not work. Daddy eventually was able to get Hope's to work. He got a kick out of it and we saved some for a special occasion

We have kittens

She had her first about 8pm, I am so mad I was not in the room for the first one. I saw the second one being born and then I left her alone.

We have 2 babies, they r under my bed, i want her to come out

Zoo

I did not have my good lense so we did not get very many pictures of the animals. I do not mind because it encourages me to go back. It is only about a hour away. And the drive is all country roads. There was a road called pottery highway and I promise you we counted 75 potty shops and almost as many antique stores. I would like to spend the day just visiting all the little shops. We really took the time to enjoy the zoo, play the games they had for kids and talk about the animals. The cost was amazing with our military discount we got a membership for a year for $49. I could not believe it and now we can use that membership at hundreds of other zoos.





We went to the zoo, we love going to zoo's. I love walking around. I love animals.