Every woman should have a power tool!!

Reading the title, if you're anything like me, you might be thinking a little on the dirty side. Sadly, I'm not being perverted...not today lol

By power tools, I mean the kind you use to put things together around the house! Two days ago I decided I wanted a lamp in the front room, only I had no table to put it on. So when I went to Walmart, I saw a table/lamp and grabbed it. That was easy to put together. It took me about 20 minutes between doing the actual work and drinking my coffee.

While in Walmart, I also picked up a little "3 drawer chest"/dresser for Alexis. I was feeling kind of good that I put my first thing together so easily. Naturally, I'm thinking in my head, "I got this. When Darrell comes home I'll have it in Pookie's room and I can brag that I didn't need his help."..you know, all smug like in my head lol...well, putting that thing together was hell. It took me HOURS!! I started early in the day, like before noon... I didn't finish it completely until after dinner!

Let me be a baby for a second and say, "whaaaaaaaaaaaaa my frikkin' hands hurt!!" Okay, I got that out. LOL.. After only having the screws in the two sides, I had a blister on my middle finger...which my daughter doctored up with an "angry birds" band-aid.

I plan on getting the boys the 4 drawer ones, but this time I will have a power tool. I want to go buy it today but Darrell won't let me. He insists that he picks out the power tool because "you won't know what to get! and how's it look that you got a man at home and you're buying a power tool...that's a mans department"... okay hon, you be the big bad man and go get my damn power tool =) I'll just buy the furniture =)

My "masterpiece" -

((after the first step is when I needed my band-aid))

Side Note - I'm proud of myself!! I did it without asking Darrell to help me. I may be a "spoiled princess", as he said when I complained about my hands, but this "spoiled princess" got the job done! =)

Great Adventures

Our adventures in this army life began in 2002 when my husband went off to Kentucky for BCT. I just KNEW it was going to be a piece of cake because he was only going to be gone for a few months. It was easy at first, but I had two toddlers to keep my busy. I soon found out that nothing was going to be easy about this adventure and everything I thought I KNEW was wrong.

You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you’re so excited you think you might burst? I had that feeling, magnified by 100, when I finally got to see my husband graduate BCT. The first time I saw him I was completely shocked. He had always been athletic, but he changed so much from the high school boy I knew, physically and mentally. Watching him graduate and getting to hold him again was one of the best feelings every…. Until I had to leave him there for AIT. The morning we left, I cried in the van for 3 hours because I couldn’t stand to leave him there. Lesson one for me: My teddy bear is a great comfort when I want to cry like a blubbering idiot. He muffles my tears and says exactly what I need to hear, nothing.

I joined my husband at his first duty station and was excited to begin our new life. The apartment we had was small and a bit uncomfortable but we made due. It was better than what we came from. During my first few weeks in Kansas I met some wonderful ladies from a military outreach church. These ladies ended up being my strength when all I felt was weakness. My husband came home one day, a few months after me uprooting and leaving everything behind with two toddlers and moving half way across the country, to tell me some news. He broke to me that he was leaving for Iraq for a year. I was devastated because he was suppose to be going to NTC, not war. We knew it would come, just not so soon. Lesson two for me: Nothing in the Army is for certain and can change anytime. They don’t have to give you notice for anything. Having friends is a must!! In order to survive, we need some kind of support network.

Fast forward to nine years later, present day, I have been through many big and small adventures during my husbands time in the Army. We’ve now been through 4 deployments, one of which was 15months long. I’ve been trying to spread awareness about PTSD with the military, but over the years I’ve noticed that soldiers aren’t the only ones who can suffer mental problems from war. I’ve seen so many wives suffer from depression and other conditions. I was one of them but I refused to listen to my friends and get help. I finally caved and sought counseling one year and I’m so much better for it. If you need help, get it. I kept thinking, “he is strong enough for the both of us” but I was wrong. We both needed to be strong for eachother. Lesson three for me: We, the wives/girlfriends/fiancés, may be the backbone of our men when they are gone (and here), but we ARE NOT superwomen! We are strong! If you need help, seek it. Admitting you need help and seeking it, only makes you stronger, not weaker.

What lessons have you learned about yourself or life in general since living this great adventure? I have tons, but not enough space here to share.

❥More Jersey Adventures...

Before I left New Jersey I got to see two of my oldest friends and their kiddos... I have known these gals for just about all of my life.



First I got to see Dawn again with her two adorable ones...my only wish is that I could spend more time with them, but such is our lifestyle =)

RJ & Shai...


Than I got to spend the day with Steph and my lil gal Brianna. Got to see Papi (my name for Steph's husband and my buddy) before he went to work. Me and Steph took a ride to ShopRite and my receipt was $6.66 LOL... she yelled at me to get some gum, but I refused, I like to live on the wild side!



Brianna and Pookie...


Just for laughs, me and Dawn in 6th grade LOL


Just a little update on my time in NJ... a few more blog posts to come about my visit back home. =)

❥New Jersey Adventures

Let's start with the drive here... insane!! I will never drive at night again, lol. The drivers were crazy, the ride was long and I was frozen to the bone every time I stopped to pump gas. One time my bones were literally shaking. I was ready for the nice GA weather again before I even hit Virginia. I stopped 2 times for 45 mins to rest my eyes, but I couldn't get any "real" rest cramped in the car at the rest area with lights shining in my face. Alexis however got tons of sleep. Lucky gal...

My in-laws threw a Christmas Eve party and that was a blast. Great food, great people, great visiting.... I got to see my brothers-in-law for the first time in years that night which was cool. On Christmas, after the kids opened their presents and we hung out a bit, we went to see my family. Oh how I missed them!! I hadn't realized how much I missed them until I actually saw them. I have really wanted to go by my mother's old place, but I'm afraid I'll break down since she is not with us anymore... maybe I'll still go, I have some time to decide.

The day after Christmas it snowed. Not just a little bit either. It snowed so bad I had to postpone my visit to one of my old friends house until the next day. The next day was crazy driving!! I don't know what I was thinking about, but I made it there. The highway was covered with snow most of the way...see?

Here's the hubby diggin' me out after he did his car....


Here's the highway I was driving on...boy was I nervous!!...


After a wonderful visit with my old friend, I went to see a new friend. Now, I have known Kliff for some years...and years...lol...but I only knew his fiance from online and wanted to meet her. So, I drove again in the crazy snow. It was worth it though because Kristi was hoot!! Even when her and Kliff attacked me, taped my mouth shut and held an Eagles jersey in front of me...all because I'm a Cowboys fan.



Today the hubs and did some shopping for me because we're going to a New Year's Eve party with his parents. I still have to go tomorrow and get shoes and a throw to put on over my clothes since it will be cold. Of course I'll post pictures after we take some!! So, that's an update on me and I'll write again soon... =)

Creepy Adventures =)

Last night was quite an adventure to say the least! I had gotten something for another army wife and was taking it to her after my daughter's birthday party. I had never met her and I had no idea where I was going so I had Sharon come with me...boy am I glad she did!!

I had called the girl when I THOUGHT we were getting close to her house. It turns out I went way too far and she had me go down this back road in between Ludowici and Hinesville. Now, when we first left we had seen lightening, but really thought nothing of it. Then, it started pour!!

We were having a fit and freaking out! It was pitch black, except for my headlights, pouring so hard my windshield wipers were the highest they could go, and we looked like were in some scene from Jeepers Creepers or Wrong Turn with how creepy the back road looked! I couldn't pull over because there was no side of the road, it was more of dip. All we kept saying was, "keep going, don't stop!!"

Finally, we got to the end of the road where it met up with E.G. Miles road. I pulled over into a church "parking lot" (if you want to call it that, it was more dirt and gravel than anything else). Sharon's telling me not to get stuck in the mud because than we'd have to call her husband to come rescue us! Anyways, I call the lady and tell her where I'm at and she sends her daughter to meet me.

While we're waiting, we lock the doors and keep looking all around us. It's pitch black except for the occasional car and the crackling of light in sky, still pouring, still creepy. We were just waiting for someone to come sneaking up on the car and scare us to the point of losing control of our bladders!

After the girl gets there and leaves again, we head on our way back to Fort Stewart. The closer we get the more the rain lightens up. Once we got to the main gate we were out of the rain completely, and quite happy about it too!

Not long after I got home I went to bed since I had to get up early for the doctor. I tossed and turned all night with dreams of cannibal hick families trying to kill me. LOL. The things our minds get crazy with amazes me. Had it not been storming like that, I would have slept great.

All is good in the end though because I did what I set out to do (and made it home in one piece).