I am finally feeling back to my normal self. I was pretty lazy for awhile thanks to having a nasty chest cold last month. I didn’t even read any books let alone write anything.

My mind was blank.

The last month hubby has been home more because he was going through his out processing for the Army. He was officially done wearing the uniform on Feb. 7th. 🙂 The very next day he packed away all those uniforms. It is so weird to not see them in the closet or hanging on the door.

A good note, more room in the closet! For me?

NO, well I guess he does deserve to get some new clothes.

I think the biggest change will be we don’t have to plan around the military anymore. 🙂 Yay!

I am proud of him for his service, a total of 34 years. He joined when he was 17, he was a rebel child. His dad told him to pick one and to be the rebel he was he chose the Navy because his dad was retired Army. 🙂 He was active duty for 14 years sailing on ships and seeing the world. The base he was at ended up closing down and that is when he chose to go into the reserves and go to college. He did that for a short time. He eventually got out of the military and moved back to his hometown area in Nebraska.

He went to work installing computer systems for none other than the warehouse that supplied the groceries to the little grocery store that I worked for. Low and behold we crossed paths. I believe it was fate for us to meet. He was a Navy recruiter the same year and in the same town I went to college after graduating high school. We use to go to the same places and yet we never met.

It was meant to happen. 🙂

Once again, his dad stepped in and said you really should finish your time with the military, you have too much in to not finish. So, while we were dating he reenlisted into the Navy Reserves. I had no idea what to expect. In fact, I really didn’t think anything about it. I think I just thought it was something he would go do once a month and have no effect on me. So not true.

He did many drill weekends and trainings. Once a year did the two week AT training. I got use to him being gone. No big deal. It was our way of life.

When I was pregnant with our second child, our youngest, I was at work and he walks in with this long face. My heart began to beat fast and already the tears were forming. He told me they just called him up to deploy.

I was like, what, you said it would never happen.

We didn’t know that terrorists would change that. This was in Sept 2002 before the war started. I was 7 months along. We dashed home to get things together because they wanted him in Denver the next day. It sucked.

We had been remodeling our bedroom and it was literally a disaster zone and open to the outside because we were adding on a bigger addition and tearing down the old stuff.  He did his best to clean it up and asked a friend if he could help enclose it for us since he had to leave.

My boss sent my good friend and co-worker with us so she could drive back since I would be too upset. He reported the next morning to the base to see what time he would leave. He came back and said, guess where they are sending me, Hawaii!

Oh, relief like no other.

They told him he could report back on Monday when he would fly out. Now why the heck couldn’t they have told us that on the phone. Denver was a four hour drive for us and we were worrying about everything. We headed back home and hubby spent the next two days enclosing our bedroom. He worked 24/7 on it. I helped where I could, but being big as a cow I wasn’t much help. 🙂

We already knew I had to have a C-section so it was scheduled and he was lucky enough to be able to schedule leave for then. But little Mr. Adric had better plans, he came early. Hubby missed the birth, but he was able to be there the next day.

It was one expensive plane ticket, but so worth it for him to spend two weeks with us.

On the upside, my two older kids and I were able to spend 10 days with him in Hawaii over their spring break. 🙂 My first plane ride. We were there on base when the war officially broke out in the Middle East. We all survived his 9 month deployment to Hawaii.

A few more years go by and they start talking about downsizing the Navy and making people get out. He starts doing some research and decided to transfer over to the Army. It made his dad happy.

He was able to be closer to home for drill weekends. Yes, he had to go to boot camp again. Once again, he was gone for a few months. I was becoming a pro taking care of four kids, working full time, and making sure the house didn’t burn down. I knew it was what he loved to do, so I backed him all the way.

I joked over the years that all his time away is why our marriage worked. We didn’t have to put up with each other 24/7. 🙂 I think it has made us stronger and appreciate each other more. Yes, it was difficult too but well worth it. He was military before I met him and I chose to accept it all. 🙂

At least the next deployment, we had a year to prepare. This time he did get sent to the Middle East, but to a fairly decent place Qatar. It was suppose to be 18 months but was shortened to a year. Thank goodness.

During the year before deploying there was a lot of training going on so it added up to being almost 18 months. This time I had a high school daughter, a junior high son, a grade school son and a pre-school son, and working full time. It did make the time go fast. I was glad he didn’t tell me about all the flying into Iraq and so forth until after he did it. Smart man, I would have been frazzled worrying.

About 3 years later, deployed again to the same area. He was part of a medical unit that kept track of supplies. This time there would be no flying into other countries cause they were getting ready to bring the supplies back because of the war ending in Iraq. It was to be a year deployment and was shortened to 10 months. 🙂 This time though, the daughter was deployed with him.

She surprised us her senior year and decided to enlist in the Army. We were stunned. We never once suggested it or talked about it. She was 17 so I had to sign the papers. It was with mixed feelings but yet more feelings of joy and pride. The last half of her senior year she was able to join hubby at drill weekends and participate. Two days after she graduated from high school we sent her off to boot camp. It was so hard. She has made us proud. She is currently still in the reserves and an E5. 🙂

While hubby was deployed he learned of a program where if you are at your 18 years of active time you could go active duty and finish to retire. So, he signed up. When he came home from the last deployment we moved to Ft. Riley Ks where he finished his 20 years active time. 🙂

It has been an interesting last year and half being on the active side of the military. I have enjoyed it. I am glad we didn’t have to do this all along though. I have met some terrific people but it is sad that they have to move all the time and especially with kids. I really think they could improve on that in the military, but again what do I know. 🙂

We are going to stick around here for awhile, it’s only four hours from home, so a quick drive. We like the area and boys are doing good. The oldest son has moved back in with us. He does have a good job, he swears he is going to live with us forever, don’t think so. 🙂 I think times are getting to be where kids are having to move back home unless they get lucky with roommates to split the cost or a high paying job. As long as he works and pays his bills and is out by the time we completely retire. LOL 🙂

Cheers to hubby for his time served!

No, he isn’t going be fishing and driving me nuts, he is now at school for driving trucks. He wants to truck drive. I guess I must smell because he sure wants to be away from me. Just kidding.

He says he has always wanted to and thought right now would be a good time before the boys were in high school. The company he is going to drive for has several different schedules.

He will be home regularly, I think. 🙂

 I feel special, my very own certificate. 🙂 It is too large to scan with the scanner, so sorry about the blurriness. 🙂