The last few days have been tough ones. Sometimes during a deployment it's easy to get depressed when things at home aren't going well and friends aren't there for you when you need them to be. I know that I had about 2 days where I didn't want to leave the house, I probably ate too much and watched too many sad chick flicks during that time too! That was before I took a moment to regroup, to think about others before myself (sort of like Service Before Self which I learned in the AF).
Instead of focusing on how sad I was, I wrote my husband and told him how much I need him in my life and appreciate him. I told him I was proud of him and that he will do great things in his career, and I'll always be here waiting for him to come home no matter how long the wait. I realized that no matter how much things suck sometimes, when people aren't treating me well, when I get sick, when I have a huge list of things to do alone, A. It is all worth it and B. He has it worse. So instead of nursing myself back to happiness with doughnuts and Drop Dead Diva, I wrote him and I cleaned, and I thought of sweet things for us to do together when he gets home. My mom gave me good advice once when I was younger, she said that you'll never be happy if you are always focusing on yourself, on your flaws, on your problems. But once you start to look at others, look at what you can do to help them and make them feel good, you'll find your own happiness.
So yes, I'm not perfect. I have my off days where I want my husband home so bad I cry. But I am very happy for the life we have, and I feel blessed for all that God has provided for us. I think sometimes I need those days, where I don't have to do anything, I can rest and have my emotions and cry. Then the next day I can start over, work out, do chores, be strong again and renewed. No one keeps going at 110% every day. If they tell you they never break down, they are lying. Everyone needs time to recharge.
Anyways, today I got a letter from a friend that had written "You may be far away, but you are NEVER FORGOTTEN." I think that's a good message, and I think it's important for me to keep that in mind when talking to my husband, to include him in my life as much as I can. And also to be understanding when he comes home and needs to recharge. I feel forgotten being 3,000 miles from home, months go by without calls from my family and sometimes I get tired of always being the one that has to call and make a point to leave messages and try hard to get through. So it is hard not to feel alone. But for my husband, it is unimaginable. Being so far away while life goes on for your friends, family and wife back home. I just hope that I can remind him that he is always in my thoughts and prayers and that writing him is all that I need to get out of a slump.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
What The Navy Gave Us
I have often found myself getting caught up in the negatives of having my husband in the Navy, I won't lie and act like I've been perfect and positive this whole time. It seems like it is expected of you to be sad, to be lonely and depressed the whole time your s/o is deployed or even when talk of deployment is brought up.
People often say thing such as: "Your husband is leaving again! He just got home! That must be so hard. I don't know how you two make it." Yes of course, it is hard for us to be apart. We haven't had much time together. But I know exactly how we make it :D We communicate, we always are open about our feelings, we respect each other, and we truly love each other.
But do you know what really keeps me grounded and positive? My husband from the start of our relationship would tell me "The Navy gave me you, it's the least I can do for them." It makes me tear up just to write that. I was in the Air Force and we were working together at the same base. As soon as we spent time together outside of work we feel fast and hard in love. We both admired each other for having the guts to voluntarily sign up for military service and go through training and give up our homes and move thousands of miles from our families. He always told me he was meant to join the Navy so that it would not only bring him to me, but prepare him to be my husband.
You see, the Navy taught him to be clean (who doesn't want that in a husband!). The Navy gave him the ability to not only provide for a family, but to be independent of his parents and start a new life. It gave him the tools to further his college education, to travel, to save for retirement. He believes the military made us better for each other, and better as people.
So when I start to feel like complaining about "The Navy taking my husband away for months at a time." I also remember the Navy sent my husband to my base where we met, they gave us a place to live, they pay our bills, they take care of him, they take care of us.
Of course, I'm not saying it isn't ok to be sad. I do miss my husband every second, of every day for the last 4 deployments. But I don't blame the Navy. He has a job to do, and he can't do it if I'm not supporting him and the service that he is in. I am so grateful to the military for all that they provide and for keeping my husband safe every time he goes out to sea. I could not be more proud of him for managing his job so well, his duties at sea and at home. He intends to stay in for about 17 more years and I will stand by his side through those years remembering where we came from, how we met on that Air Force base many years ago. I never want to take for granted or forget what the Navy gave us.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Til Debt Do Us Part
I have been watching this show on CNBC 'Til Debt Do Us Part.' As a woman who grew up poor, knowing that I would need to get a scholarship to go to college and rely on myself to pay for my own car and rent, I know the value of money. My husband comes from a different background, he had a steady home life and family income. I've always heard that money is a big issue in marriage. We have really grown as a couple and been able to increase our communication on money, I think the biggest mistake I made at the beginning of our marriage was NOT TALKING ABOUT MONEY. Worst thing you can do is not talk! You must talk about what each of you brings to the table, income, debt, savings, retirement, etc. Especially before deployments so that you both have an amount worked out that is ok to spend. Deployments are also a wonderful time to put some money in a savings account.
My husband is very receptive to ideas that I have to save money. So when I found this worksheet and 'money jar' method to manage money he was on board. It will be an interesting experiment. I've read online reviews and people are raving about the money they have left over each month from using this method. So I am sharing it!
About the money jars:
http://www.money-saving-ideas.net/money-jar
Budget worksheet:
http://www.gailvazoxlade.com/resources/interactive_budget_worksheet
My husband is very receptive to ideas that I have to save money. So when I found this worksheet and 'money jar' method to manage money he was on board. It will be an interesting experiment. I've read online reviews and people are raving about the money they have left over each month from using this method. So I am sharing it!
About the money jars:
http://www.money-saving-ideas.net/money-jar
Budget worksheet:
http://www.gailvazoxlade.com/resources/interactive_budget_worksheet
Reciepes I Heart
I enjoy using deployments as a time to practice new recipes or try to get creative with old ones. Because I am the only one that has to eat it, no one will judge me if I was a bit heavy on the pepper or if it didn't come out looking too appetizing. When my husband first left on this last deployment, I was not eating good! I thought "Why cook when it's just me here?" but I realized that I didn't have to be cooking for 2 in order to take care of myself and eat good food while actually enjoying trying new recipes. I also lost weight after cooking for myself versus eating out or eating boxed dinners such as Lean Cuisine (they aren't really that Lean I guess). And I've saved money because I freeze or refrigerate the extras and eat later. Of course I love saving money, who doesn't?
Here are some of my favorites! Let me know if anyone tries these and how it turns out :)
1.Easy Chicken Pot Pie
1 2/3 frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup cut up cooked chicken
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup Original Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Heat oven to 400. Mix vegtables, chicken and soup in ungreased 9" pie plate.
Stir remaining ingrediants until blended. Pour onto pie plate.
Bake about 30 min or until golden brown. Serves 6. (You can freeze the rest for later!)
2. Monkey Bread
2 16.3 oz cans of biscuits
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
Preheat your oven to 350° & grease a tube pan. Place a layer of tin foil on the rack before you set the pan in the oven. TRUST ME. It drips.
Mix your sugar and cinnamon in a large ziploc bag.
Cut your biscuits into fours.
Shake a handful at a time in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until covered.
Arrange them in a greased tube pan as you go.
In a saucepan, melt your butter, brown sugar & vanilla on medium
Pour your mixture over the biscuits in the tube pan.
Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. (check to see if they’re done, and watch to be sure they don’t burn)
Be careful when you take it out, the sugar/butter mixture is hot and messy. Let it cool a few minutes before picking it apart and enjoying!
3.My Momma's Chicken Enchiladas (I don't know where she got the recipe but they are my favorite!)
Heat oven to 325
You need: 2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced.
1 small pkg. Corn tortillas
1 large can cream of chicken soup
2 cans chopped green chilis
1 loaf hot pepper jack cheese
Take your 9X13 pan (my mom wraps it in aluminum foil)
Spread 1/4 can of soup in pan bottom and sides
Fill each tortilla with the chicken and green chili's and cheese (you can add jalapeno slices if you want, I don't like them)
Roll them closed and place them in pan.
Cover them with rest of soup
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, peel back foil and top with more cheese. Bake an additional 15 min or until cheese melts.
Enjoy!
Here are some of my favorites! Let me know if anyone tries these and how it turns out :)
1.Easy Chicken Pot Pie
1 2/3 frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup cut up cooked chicken
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup Original Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Heat oven to 400. Mix vegtables, chicken and soup in ungreased 9" pie plate.
Stir remaining ingrediants until blended. Pour onto pie plate.
Bake about 30 min or until golden brown. Serves 6. (You can freeze the rest for later!)
2. Monkey Bread
2 16.3 oz cans of biscuits
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
Preheat your oven to 350° & grease a tube pan. Place a layer of tin foil on the rack before you set the pan in the oven. TRUST ME. It drips.
Mix your sugar and cinnamon in a large ziploc bag.
Cut your biscuits into fours.
Shake a handful at a time in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until covered.
Arrange them in a greased tube pan as you go.
In a saucepan, melt your butter, brown sugar & vanilla on medium
Pour your mixture over the biscuits in the tube pan.
Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. (check to see if they’re done, and watch to be sure they don’t burn)
Be careful when you take it out, the sugar/butter mixture is hot and messy. Let it cool a few minutes before picking it apart and enjoying!
3.My Momma's Chicken Enchiladas (I don't know where she got the recipe but they are my favorite!)
Heat oven to 325
You need: 2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced.
1 small pkg. Corn tortillas
1 large can cream of chicken soup
2 cans chopped green chilis
1 loaf hot pepper jack cheese
Take your 9X13 pan (my mom wraps it in aluminum foil)
Spread 1/4 can of soup in pan bottom and sides
Fill each tortilla with the chicken and green chili's and cheese (you can add jalapeno slices if you want, I don't like them)
Roll them closed and place them in pan.
Cover them with rest of soup
Bake for 1 1/2 hours, peel back foil and top with more cheese. Bake an additional 15 min or until cheese melts.
Enjoy!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Turning My 'To Do' List Into a 'Done' List
I am one of THOSE people. I make lists, I organize things, I relish checking off the things on my lists. At the very beginning of this deployment I came up with this list.
1) Workout consistently
2) Compile a Valentines Day care package
3) Clean the fireplace (ugh)
4) Detail the car
5) SUPER clean the house :)
6) Start my online college classes
7) Save up money for my husband to get new clothes
8) Get hubby a BBQ
9) Get an actual hair style
10) Remain POSITIVE
We're past the 1/2 way mark and reflecting on how I've done. I'm very happy to say that I have been working out often. I have lost about 10 pounds and I feel like I have more energy. It's a fun part of my day, it is a reason for me to get out of bed. When I wake up I think "It's time to go kick some butt." And I think my husband will approve of the change in me and my new outlook on working out. He loves to workout and be active so I think we'll have fun doing that together when he gets home.
I did send him a Valentines day package, and an Easter package. :)
I cleaned out the fireplace! UGH!
I did detail the car, it wasn't fun but it looks good.
The house is SUPER clean! I love cleaning and keeping our home neat. It looks great.
I have not only started online classes, I have a 99% in my college courses.
We decided to use part of our tax return so that he can get some clothes and I'd like some new work out shoes.
I did get him a BBQ :) I used the money from my last job to buy it. I think he'll really enjoy it and I'll enjoy eating what he makes.
I think I have a hairstyle, I've started loosely curling the ends and I really like it.
Last, and most important REMAIN POSITIVE! I feel like I have done this very well. Of course I've had my days. I have cried, I have asked "Why me?", I have been sad and missed my husband so much that I didn't want to do anything that day. But I was always picked back up. I would reach out to God for strength and go on with my day, or when my friend is in town she would take me to the mall, make me laugh and get me out of my rut. But I'd always find my way out. I remind myself of how good this deployment has been for my husband's career. He got a coin from the Secretary of the Navy, he's testing for his Air warfare pin, he's testing for E-4, he's on his longest deployment so far out of the other 3 trips. And for myself, I am doing very well in school, I'm taking good care of my body and getting healthier, I'm able to spend quality time with my best friend when she's in town or when I visit her. (She lives in a neighboring state.)
I also talked to my dad the other day who served in the Army. He told me that he wouldn't take back his deployment or his trips. If he had to do it over again, he'd do it the same way. He got out when my mom got pregnant so he could be home with her, but for the first 6 years he was away from her for pieces at a time and he said that he had experiences and met friends that he would always look back fondly on. It made me realize that one day my husband will be home with me, and we'll be talking about his trip, his achievements and the places he saw and it will seem like so long ago and such a short amount of time. He only has a year and a half left of sea duty, and after that we get 5 years of being together, starting our family, and having our own adventures at home. Waiting this small amount of time is so worth all of that!
Overall I feel that we have turned this deployment into a productive time. The best way I can describe the way I did what I did, was to trust the Lord and give him my fears so they aren't on my shoulders. I also pushed myself to workout and stick with it, to listen to music and dance and be happy in myself, to cook for myself and treat myself well. To let my friend in and talk to her and let her get me out of the house to see a movie or go to the mall. That is how I survived, and will continue to survive until my husband is back in my arms.
1) Workout consistently
2) Compile a Valentines Day care package
3) Clean the fireplace (ugh)
4) Detail the car
5) SUPER clean the house :)
6) Start my online college classes
7) Save up money for my husband to get new clothes
8) Get hubby a BBQ
9) Get an actual hair style
10) Remain POSITIVE
We're past the 1/2 way mark and reflecting on how I've done. I'm very happy to say that I have been working out often. I have lost about 10 pounds and I feel like I have more energy. It's a fun part of my day, it is a reason for me to get out of bed. When I wake up I think "It's time to go kick some butt." And I think my husband will approve of the change in me and my new outlook on working out. He loves to workout and be active so I think we'll have fun doing that together when he gets home.
I did send him a Valentines day package, and an Easter package. :)
I cleaned out the fireplace! UGH!
I did detail the car, it wasn't fun but it looks good.
The house is SUPER clean! I love cleaning and keeping our home neat. It looks great.
I have not only started online classes, I have a 99% in my college courses.
We decided to use part of our tax return so that he can get some clothes and I'd like some new work out shoes.
I did get him a BBQ :) I used the money from my last job to buy it. I think he'll really enjoy it and I'll enjoy eating what he makes.
I think I have a hairstyle, I've started loosely curling the ends and I really like it.
Last, and most important REMAIN POSITIVE! I feel like I have done this very well. Of course I've had my days. I have cried, I have asked "Why me?", I have been sad and missed my husband so much that I didn't want to do anything that day. But I was always picked back up. I would reach out to God for strength and go on with my day, or when my friend is in town she would take me to the mall, make me laugh and get me out of my rut. But I'd always find my way out. I remind myself of how good this deployment has been for my husband's career. He got a coin from the Secretary of the Navy, he's testing for his Air warfare pin, he's testing for E-4, he's on his longest deployment so far out of the other 3 trips. And for myself, I am doing very well in school, I'm taking good care of my body and getting healthier, I'm able to spend quality time with my best friend when she's in town or when I visit her. (She lives in a neighboring state.)
I also talked to my dad the other day who served in the Army. He told me that he wouldn't take back his deployment or his trips. If he had to do it over again, he'd do it the same way. He got out when my mom got pregnant so he could be home with her, but for the first 6 years he was away from her for pieces at a time and he said that he had experiences and met friends that he would always look back fondly on. It made me realize that one day my husband will be home with me, and we'll be talking about his trip, his achievements and the places he saw and it will seem like so long ago and such a short amount of time. He only has a year and a half left of sea duty, and after that we get 5 years of being together, starting our family, and having our own adventures at home. Waiting this small amount of time is so worth all of that!
Overall I feel that we have turned this deployment into a productive time. The best way I can describe the way I did what I did, was to trust the Lord and give him my fears so they aren't on my shoulders. I also pushed myself to workout and stick with it, to listen to music and dance and be happy in myself, to cook for myself and treat myself well. To let my friend in and talk to her and let her get me out of the house to see a movie or go to the mall. That is how I survived, and will continue to survive until my husband is back in my arms.
What the "Shutdown" scare taught me...
During the scare where everyone thought that the military either would not get paid or only receive half of a pay check, I realized how much we depend on a large percentage of our income. I saw a few military wives sharing ideas on how to save some money every day. I want to share some of my own and if you have more please post them as a comment here for me :)
My husband is the bread winner right now. I'm in school for Medical Billing and Coding and putting my heart into getting a 100% in my classes, so I've decided not to work until I graduate in a couple months. Also the only jobs I qualify for until I receive my diploma are retail jobs. The last job I got to help us out with money required me to stand for 6-9 hours and did not give me any breaks. They said that I needed to stand and eat at the register and that I was not allowed to leave...well after a week of that my knee was swollen and in so much pain I had to quit.( I injured my knee about a year and a half ago and it has been a slow recovery process.) I felt really bad for not bringing in that income, but I'm pretty sure the way they treated me wasn't legal. After that my husband and I talked and he doesn't want me to be at a job that would not only hurt me, but isn't at all what I want to do. Once I graduate I will be able to apply for a Medical Billing job where I can sit and do something that I enjoy. Saving money is something that I'm committed to. Here are some ideas!
1. Unplug appliances you aren't using. I unplug my microwave & laptop/phone chargers at night or when I'm not using them.I unplug the t.v./xbox/phone when I go on a trip.
2. Cut fabric softener dryer sheets in half. I did this, they still work :)
3. Use Icefilms.com instead of paying for Netfilx and Cable!
4. Turn your a/c a couple of degrees higher at night and turn it off before you leave (unless you have pets at home)
5. Instead of buying video games, use gamefly.com to try them out, play them as long as you like and send them back. That way you don't end up with a ton of games you only played a couple weeks and probably won't play again. My husband loves this!
6. Instead of buying movies or dvd's, watch them for free on Icefilms.com whenever you want.
7. If you pay to play WoW...you could play it for free on a private server and save yourself some money.
8. Buy meat in bulk when you see it on sale or for a great price. Wrap it up and put it in the freezer for later.It saves you trips to the store and is usually cheaper than buying it in singles.
9. Use the workout center at your apartment complex or a friend's, or use the gym on base. Gym memberships are way overpriced.
10. Eat at home. You can eat for a week at home on the money you would spend on one night out for 2 people at a nice restaurant.
11. Use the library instead of buying books. On base there is also sometimes a book exchange, I use that all the time.
12. Eat leftovers for lunch the next day. It saves you the cost of lunch and you are not wasting the food.
13. Deposit around $50 to your savings or to make an extra payment on a credit card instead of making a purchase. Instead of buying a $50 game, rent it or borrow it, and deposit the money you would have spent in savings. It will add up.
14. Set up an allotment to your savings account. When you get paid, the money will go right into savings automatically and there's no way to accidentally spend the amount you intended to save.
15. Pay off debts faster, increasing the amount that you pay a month from $50 to $75 a month can actually save you hundreds of dollars in interest charges. It's even better if you do that twice a month.
16. Don't use credit cards unless you can pay the amount off in full. For example, you have $200 and need to spend it on tires or a car repair, pay for it on the card, and immediately make the $200 payment to your card. That way you are building your credit by using the card, but not incurring debt.
17. Use parks or the beach. Go camping or hiking. It will give you something to do and save you money you'd spend on the movies, dinner out, etc. Free entertainment is always good!
18. Use energy efficient curtains. They block out the heat and keep in the a/c. I keep them closed and it really helps vs. no curtains and replace your old light bulbs with energy saving ones.
19. If you own a house, there are so many ways to be energy efficient. Do some research to find whats best for your home. New water heaters, lighting, appliances, windows, etc can all save you money.
20. Think about if you NEED something! If you like an outfit, put it on lay away. Think about it. If you still love it and must have it then get it. If you change your mind don't buy it, or return it if you already did. I return stuff all the time. If I'm not happy with it, I get my money back. If it's a big purchase, do research, compare prices, read online reviews about it. Is it worth the price? Will it last? Do you NEED it? Save up the money and wait a couple weeks. If you still think it's a good idea, proceed.
These are just 20 that I could think of.
We have a few savings accounts. There is one for our future child, one is to help us save for a trip, and the next one is a long term savings fun. After this whole ordeal, I am considering putting some into an emergency fund. I read an article where they said to put 8-18 months of wages into an emergency savings account in case you ever do not receive the pay you were counting on. We don't have anything like that. As soon as I start my job we will restructure how things are paid and I'll be able to contribute to our savings.
I hope this list helps and gives you some ideas. Please share any that you have :)
My husband is the bread winner right now. I'm in school for Medical Billing and Coding and putting my heart into getting a 100% in my classes, so I've decided not to work until I graduate in a couple months. Also the only jobs I qualify for until I receive my diploma are retail jobs. The last job I got to help us out with money required me to stand for 6-9 hours and did not give me any breaks. They said that I needed to stand and eat at the register and that I was not allowed to leave...well after a week of that my knee was swollen and in so much pain I had to quit.( I injured my knee about a year and a half ago and it has been a slow recovery process.) I felt really bad for not bringing in that income, but I'm pretty sure the way they treated me wasn't legal. After that my husband and I talked and he doesn't want me to be at a job that would not only hurt me, but isn't at all what I want to do. Once I graduate I will be able to apply for a Medical Billing job where I can sit and do something that I enjoy. Saving money is something that I'm committed to. Here are some ideas!
1. Unplug appliances you aren't using. I unplug my microwave & laptop/phone chargers at night or when I'm not using them.I unplug the t.v./xbox/phone when I go on a trip.
2. Cut fabric softener dryer sheets in half. I did this, they still work :)
3. Use Icefilms.com instead of paying for Netfilx and Cable!
4. Turn your a/c a couple of degrees higher at night and turn it off before you leave (unless you have pets at home)
5. Instead of buying video games, use gamefly.com to try them out, play them as long as you like and send them back. That way you don't end up with a ton of games you only played a couple weeks and probably won't play again. My husband loves this!
6. Instead of buying movies or dvd's, watch them for free on Icefilms.com whenever you want.
7. If you pay to play WoW...you could play it for free on a private server and save yourself some money.
8. Buy meat in bulk when you see it on sale or for a great price. Wrap it up and put it in the freezer for later.It saves you trips to the store and is usually cheaper than buying it in singles.
9. Use the workout center at your apartment complex or a friend's, or use the gym on base. Gym memberships are way overpriced.
10. Eat at home. You can eat for a week at home on the money you would spend on one night out for 2 people at a nice restaurant.
11. Use the library instead of buying books. On base there is also sometimes a book exchange, I use that all the time.
12. Eat leftovers for lunch the next day. It saves you the cost of lunch and you are not wasting the food.
13. Deposit around $50 to your savings or to make an extra payment on a credit card instead of making a purchase. Instead of buying a $50 game, rent it or borrow it, and deposit the money you would have spent in savings. It will add up.
14. Set up an allotment to your savings account. When you get paid, the money will go right into savings automatically and there's no way to accidentally spend the amount you intended to save.
15. Pay off debts faster, increasing the amount that you pay a month from $50 to $75 a month can actually save you hundreds of dollars in interest charges. It's even better if you do that twice a month.
16. Don't use credit cards unless you can pay the amount off in full. For example, you have $200 and need to spend it on tires or a car repair, pay for it on the card, and immediately make the $200 payment to your card. That way you are building your credit by using the card, but not incurring debt.
17. Use parks or the beach. Go camping or hiking. It will give you something to do and save you money you'd spend on the movies, dinner out, etc. Free entertainment is always good!
18. Use energy efficient curtains. They block out the heat and keep in the a/c. I keep them closed and it really helps vs. no curtains and replace your old light bulbs with energy saving ones.
19. If you own a house, there are so many ways to be energy efficient. Do some research to find whats best for your home. New water heaters, lighting, appliances, windows, etc can all save you money.
20. Think about if you NEED something! If you like an outfit, put it on lay away. Think about it. If you still love it and must have it then get it. If you change your mind don't buy it, or return it if you already did. I return stuff all the time. If I'm not happy with it, I get my money back. If it's a big purchase, do research, compare prices, read online reviews about it. Is it worth the price? Will it last? Do you NEED it? Save up the money and wait a couple weeks. If you still think it's a good idea, proceed.
These are just 20 that I could think of.
We have a few savings accounts. There is one for our future child, one is to help us save for a trip, and the next one is a long term savings fun. After this whole ordeal, I am considering putting some into an emergency fund. I read an article where they said to put 8-18 months of wages into an emergency savings account in case you ever do not receive the pay you were counting on. We don't have anything like that. As soon as I start my job we will restructure how things are paid and I'll be able to contribute to our savings.
I hope this list helps and gives you some ideas. Please share any that you have :)
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Intro to My Life + My 4th Deployment
Welcome to my blog, first of all. I have really enjoyed other military wives blogs and decided to start my own. If you know of any good blogs please share them with me :)
**Please note that I will be very vague about deployment, I was taught OPSEC first hand being in the military and will not include any deployment dates, locations, ANYTHING. My husband is seperate from the ship, so the dates he leaves and comes back is in no way the same as the ship but I still don't share it. I believe that it's better to be safe then sorry.**
As of right now my husband and I are experiencing our 4th deployment. I've heard for so long "It gets easier after a while." from other wives. But as my husband hugged me and left for the most recent deployment, it sure did not feel any easier! But the farther in that we go, the better I feel about this, the more I can tell myself "You can do this! He will be home in no time." So I am here to tell you, it does get easier. Now that I know what to expect, it's easier for me to deal with deployment.
My husband goes out on ships, and I know everyone has different amounts of communication with thier loved one, but for us it is only emails. No skype, MAYBE 1 phone call. It is very hard not hearing his voice or seeing his face for so long, but it makes it all worth it when I see him. So this time around, I already know not to expect phone calls or massive amounts of emails. I know that there will be days that go by where I don't hear from him but everything will be ok.
Right now I am just trying to make projects for myself to get me through this deployment. Here are ten:
1) Workout consistantly
2) Compile a Valentines Day care package
3) Clean the fireplace (ugh)
4) Detail the car
5) SUPER clean the house :)
6) Start my online college classes
7) Save up money for my husband to get new clothes
8) Get hubby a BBQ
9) Get an actual hair style
10) Remain POSITIVE
I am going to fold the laundry, watch some Keeping up with the Kardashians and workout (gotta do #1 on my list!)
Hope that everyone is having an awesome weekend <3
**Please note that I will be very vague about deployment, I was taught OPSEC first hand being in the military and will not include any deployment dates, locations, ANYTHING. My husband is seperate from the ship, so the dates he leaves and comes back is in no way the same as the ship but I still don't share it. I believe that it's better to be safe then sorry.**
As of right now my husband and I are experiencing our 4th deployment. I've heard for so long "It gets easier after a while." from other wives. But as my husband hugged me and left for the most recent deployment, it sure did not feel any easier! But the farther in that we go, the better I feel about this, the more I can tell myself "You can do this! He will be home in no time." So I am here to tell you, it does get easier. Now that I know what to expect, it's easier for me to deal with deployment.
My husband goes out on ships, and I know everyone has different amounts of communication with thier loved one, but for us it is only emails. No skype, MAYBE 1 phone call. It is very hard not hearing his voice or seeing his face for so long, but it makes it all worth it when I see him. So this time around, I already know not to expect phone calls or massive amounts of emails. I know that there will be days that go by where I don't hear from him but everything will be ok.
Right now I am just trying to make projects for myself to get me through this deployment. Here are ten:
1) Workout consistantly
2) Compile a Valentines Day care package
3) Clean the fireplace (ugh)
4) Detail the car
5) SUPER clean the house :)
6) Start my online college classes
7) Save up money for my husband to get new clothes
8) Get hubby a BBQ
9) Get an actual hair style
10) Remain POSITIVE
I am going to fold the laundry, watch some Keeping up with the Kardashians and workout (gotta do #1 on my list!)
Hope that everyone is having an awesome weekend <3
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