3 months down! Update

Ok, I really feel like I JUST wrote my 2 months update.  Time is flying, and I am loving it!!! 

The last 4-5 weeks have been busy, busy, busy, which is exactly what I needed.  

~I went to California for a week to visit one of my good friends, Christina.  Her husband is also deployed, so we had a great time doing things I KNOW Cory and Randy would have absolutely hated. (Although I'm pretty confident that they would have suffered through it all as long as us girls were happy!  What great guys we have!!!)  We went to the Flower Fields, did some shopping, went to a winery, watched the sunset on the beach (twice!), and just hung out and relaxed.  I had such a fabulous time- Christina did a great job of convincing me to go West Coast some day! 

Wilson Creek Winery, Temecula CA

on the beach- Camp Pendleton, CA

The Flower Fields, Carlsbad CA

~My parents came down to help me celebrate my 29th birthday.  We went to Historic Occoquan and did some shopping, and visited the old workhouses where the suffragettes were taken during the Womens' Rights Movement.  I'm still a little bit in shock that I am less than ONE year away from 30.  I've always told Randy he would eventually surpass me in age- I think we have finally reached that point... ha!  Osama bin Laden kinda put a damper on my happy day- but I still got my phone call from Randy on my birthday, so I guess I can't complain too much!

~Mocha hurt her leg..... ugh.  Everyone already knows about this.  But she's slowly getting better, and the treatments she is getting will stretch out until Randy gets home.  Then he can help me deal with this! Haha!  But that was a HUGE distraction this month- which really was a good thing.  I was so busy worrying about my poor puppy that I forgot to worry about everything else!

~My mommy's retirement party, and a fabulous trip to NYC with my family to see Mary Poppins.  I LOVE that movie.  It's definitely one of my favorites, which is the same reason my sister HATES that movie.  I used to make her watch it with me all the time, and then act it out with me too.  Oh, the joys of being the "big sister" haha.  It was such a fun weekend, and I was so happy to be able to spend time with my fam.  We also ate at this fabulously fun restaurant called Ellen's Stardust Diner.  The waiters and waitresses are all trying to make it on Broadway- so they sing and dance the entire time you are there.  Apparently one of the waitresses was recently hired in Sister Act on Broadway, and now is up for a Tony Award... so cool!

SURPRISE!

Me and Liz- at Ellen's Stardust Diner

so exciting!!

~Randy is still doing well, as are all of his guys.  I still hear from him about once a week, which is good.  I've been very lucky to have predictable phone calls at normal human hours.  That's good too, because we actually have normal conversations, instead of me trying to shake myself out of a sound sleep and piece together some sort of response to his questions. I write him a letter every day, and he has been keeping a journal for me.  He also hinted that he is working on something else for me- although I am completely clueless as to what that is!

~I've already got homecoming on the brain- big time.  We have a photographer booked to be there when he gets off the bus, and I am super excited about that.  I am also planning a homecoming party for him when he gets home.  That will be up at my parents' house in PA.  I'm pretty excited about that too. 

~All in all, I have a lot to keep me busy, and I've only had a handful of "those days", as well as a few minor problems.  I'm definitely not complaining though! 

***Next stop- HALFWAY, and the 4 month mark!  I LOVE knowing that soon, there will be more time BEHIND us than in FRONT!***

Follow the Yellow Brick Road!

Friday night was a big night for the Sedlak Family. 

Follow the Yellow Brick Road.... Happy Retirement, Pat!

It was my mom's SURPRISE Retirement Party.

It was pretty hard for the 3 of us- Daddy, Liz, and me- to keep a secret from my mom.  I really don't know how we all managed to pull it off.  I give a LOT of credit to the 2nd grade team at Middle Smithfield.  How they managed to hide all the party planning from my mom is beyond me!  I was actually kinda happy to live away during all of this- it was hard enough to just talk to my mom as often as I do and not blow the surprise!!

Anyway, everything went perfectly.  Liz and I had told her that we wanted to take her out for a belated Mother's Day dinner when I was home.  She thought we were wonderful, thoughtful daughters.... and I guess we still actually owe her a Mother's Day dinner... ha!  She was completely surprised when we made it down to the room where the party was- she stood there for a full 30 seconds just in absolute shock.  I can't wait to see the pictures of her face!

The theme was "Wizard of Oz", one of my mom's favorite movies.  It was pretty hilarious to see my mom with a Dorothy wig on!

Daddy, Mommy in her wig, me and Liz.  I have no idea what my face is all about, but it cracked me the heck up when I saw this picture!

It's still kind of shocking to me that I have parents that are old enough to retire from something.  Maybe it's because my parents sure as heck don't act their age, and I don't really feel 29.  But, my mom is retiring.  After 32 years of teaching at home in East Stroudsburg, and in Newark, NJ, it is definitely well deserved.  She has dedicated a lot of time and energy to her job- and she truly loves what she does.  We are very excited for her too.  It's a whole new chapter and beginning for the 4 of us, and I can't wait to see what she does post-retirement!

So, I'll end with the speech that I wrote.  It's pretty hard to write about someone I love as much as I love my mom.  There were so many things that I wanted to say.  But between my speech, the letter that Randy wrote to my mom, and the fabulous speech my sister gave, I think we did a pretty good job of summing her up!!

Hi Everyone.  I’m Pat’s oldest daughter, Meghan.  I wanted to start by thanking you all for being here today to share in my mom’s retirement celebration.  I know it means a lot to her to have each and every one of you here with us today.

I still remember when my mom started working in the district.  She started out as a substitute at my elementary school, JM Hill, when I was in first grade.  I remember tracking my mom down wherever she was in the school, and trying to get her attention by frantically waving at her from the hallway.  I’m sure she was thrilled by that.  I also remember she was a substitute on a field trip- to Trexler Game Preserve- and I kept getting myself in trouble for finding my mom and not staying with my chaperone. 

She was hired to teach 2nd grade at Middle Smithfield when I was in 2nd grade.  I was so excited- I thought I was so cool to have my mom as a teacher.  Clearly I didn’t realize what that really meant!  Not that I was by any means a bad kid- but it meant I could NEVER be a bad kid- because all of my teachers knew my mom was a teacher.  Just the thought of them being able to call her at any second and report my bad behavior was enough to keep me walking the straight and narrow! 

Having a teacher for a mom meant my sister and I had someone who was just as excited as we were about snow days and summer vacation.  We also had someone who was just as depressed as we were when summer vacation came to an end.  It meant being tricked into educational family vacations- although I’m not sure what the educational value was in our family cruise this past summer!

It also meant that Lizzy and I had a mom that had a lot on her plate with a busy career, but still managed to find time to read with us at night, help us with our homework, sit down for family meals together, and have random polka parties in the rec room. 

She always found time to take us to dance classes, gymnastics, and Friday night football games.  She was my brownie leader, then my senior Girl Scout leader in high school.  She volunteered as a band parent and a cheerleading parent- and dragged my dad along for all of that too. 

It seems that there was always a lesson to be learned, or something to be taught when you have a mom that’s a teacher.  For instance- it’s NEVER “yea”, it’s always “YES” (I still correct myself when I happen to make that mistake).  There’s a LOT of power in one LOOK (enough to make even marines look away and think twice about whatever they are doing- or about to do!)  But most importantly, my mom taught me to be the person that I am today.  I realized a few years ago that I am, in fact, my mother’s daughter.  And that’s really not such a bad thing to be!

So, Mommy, congratulations on everything you have accomplished, all the lives that you have changed, and the differences you have made in your students’ lives.  I love you very much, and can’t wait for your first post-retirement visit to help me move to North Carolina!

  

the 4 of us! :)



A second opinion

Whew.  

Relief does not even begin to describe what I feel right now!!!

I just got back from our 2nd opinion at my NEW vet.  (Aquia Garrisonville can kiss my ass!!!)

I was actually taken in on time- not forced to wait in a crowded waiting room for 30-45 minutes.  The vet tech actually made an effort to get down on Mocha's level, and really make friends with her.  (The constant treat feeding probably helped too!)  She also sprayed something in the air to help Mocha relax too- I think I might need some of that stuff!

Dr. Farthing is WONDERFUL!  Seriously.  I didn't know vets were supposed to be like that!  She asked what was going on, and listened to my concerns, and explained things in a way that I could actually understand.  She immediately said that for her, surgery is a last resort, not a first option.  She is very much into all natural and homeopathic treatments.  I loved that too.

So as of now, surgery is OFF the table, and I now have a splitting headache from the relief I feel, and the tension finally going away from constant worry over the last week.  Mocha is taking 4 different supplements for joint health, and to help rebuild her ligaments.  She got aqua-puncture as well as laser therapy today.  Aqua puncture is an injection of something directly into her knee.  Apparently dogs usually need to be sedated for the procedure, but Mocha handled it like a champ- no sedation needed.  I was a very proud pet parent today, as well as a very relieved one.  

Dr. Farthing also gave me the name of a surgery center in Richmond- in case we do eventually need to do that route.  I just looked it up, and the same procedure I was told would cost $3500 is $995 there!!!!  

So- regardless now, Mocha WILL be treated, and WILL get better.  And cost won't matter now.  That's a pretty good feeling too.  

Plus, this all is just another way to count down the deployment!  I guess Mocha figured I needed something else to distract me!

Too Much Time to Think.

That was the story of my life this weekend.  

Too much time to think is a bad thing for a girl whose husband is deployed.  

Too much time to play the what if game... to miss him... to wonder what he's doing at that very second.

I guess I'm lucky though.  This is the first weekend I've not been very busy, which of course led to me thinking.

I tried to distract myself by reading a book.  I finished one, and started and finished a second.  I ran a ton of errands that have been piling up and I've been meaning to do for a while.  I took the dog for a walk (don't tell Dr. Farthing- Mocha is supposed to be "resting"- but again, she didn't get that memo!) I tried to get sucked into mindless TV- Hello Mob Wives.... but nothing could distract me and keep my mind busy.

I had all these weird emotions welling up too, but most of the time, I just kinda felt empty inside.  I felt lonely, jealous, sad, angry, envious, mad, discouraged... you name it, I'm pretty sure I felt it this weekend.  

Now, I don't want everyone to freak out and worry about me- because I am OK.  It's just been a weird couple weeks, with everything going on with the dog, and Osama bin Laden being killed, and just all these stupid, strange things that happened at once.  I also think I am overly emotional because I will be heading home to PA this weekend for the first time this deployment.  My first trip home since Christmas, and my first trip home without Randy.

I'm also just emotionally exhausted, and ready for this damn deployment to be over already.  We've had a lot of friends come home from their deployments in the last few weeks, and that's made it a little bit harder.  I am so incredibly happy for them, and for their families, but... blah.  It's just hard, and even harder to explain.  I just want that to be me already!!!

But- as I've learned, and as my wonderful friends have reminded me- this is just a blip.  A small bump in the road that I will get through.  

I am positive that I will feel better tomorrow, and I will be back on track and back to feeling that I can kick this deployment's ass.   

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Today is a day that goes largely unrecognized, but has been around since 1984. 

It is Military Spouse Appreciation Day, a day to recognize the sacrifices and the commitment of all military spouses.  (Since we've always been in infantry units, I don't know any military husbands- but they are out there too!)

So, I will step up on my Marine Wife soapbox for just a minute.  (It's my day, I'm allowed! ;))

I have been a Marine Wife for about 3 and a half years now.  I have been involved with the military community for 7 years.  The strength, courage and commitment these women constantly show in the face of adversity is truly humbling.  From the highest of highs, to the lowest of lows, these women show such grace and dignity, and it is truly remarkable to me. 

We as spouses patiently wait for our husband's return, we become single parents when they are deployed.  We manage to push through the face of adversity, and come out better on the side because of it.  We can create a household at the drop of a hat, and lean hard on strangers, who in 2 weeks will be our best friend.  We must learn how to do it all on our own, but still know how to ask for help when we need it.

 Many people have told me that I am strong- but please know that I am only as strong as my fellow military wives allow me to be- and I am so lucky to be completely surrounded by some of the toughest and strongest women I know.  I am lucky to have their support through anything and everything, and I am blessed to have such amazing role models to turn to for guidance.

So, to my fellow military spouses, thank you.  Thank you for showing me what it really does mean to be strong.  Thank you for teaching me that when you reach the end of your rope, you just need to tie a knot and hold on.  Thank you for showing me that each sacrifice has a reward.  Thank you for showing me what it means to be "Semper Gumby" (Always Flexible!!)  And thank you for continuing to care about me and teach me a new lesson each and every day.

Presidential Proclamation--Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Military spouses serve as steady and supportive partners to the heroes in uniform who protect and defend our great Nation every day.  Across America and around the world, military spouses serve our country in their own special way, helping families and friends through the stress of a deployment, caring for our wounded warriors, and supporting each other when a loved one has made the ultimate sacrifice.
     
Our service members and their families seldom ask for support or recognition.  They carry out their duties to family and country with the quiet courage and strength that has always exemplified the American spirit.  On Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we have an opportunity to not only honor the husbands and wives of our service members, but also thank them by actively expressing our gratitude in both word and deed.
     
When a member of our Armed Forces is deployed, an entire family is called to serve.  The readiness of our troops depends on the readiness of our military families, as millions of parents, children, and loved ones sacrifice as well.  This means supporting our military spouses is also a national security imperative.  Earlier this year, my Administration released the report on military families, Strengthening our Military Families:  Meeting America's Commitment, which marshaled resources from across our Government to identify new opportunities to support these patriots.

     

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden are working tirelessly to enlist all sectors of American life to address the unique challenges of military families.  Their national initiative, "Joining Forces," mobilizes Americans to give our service members and their families the opportunities and support they have earned.  Americans can find service projects, send messages of thanks to military families, and learn more about this initiative by visiting:  www.JoiningForces.gov.

     
On Military Spouse Appreciation Day, let us join together to show our service members we are taking care of their families back home as they serve our Nation across the globe.  As neighbors, teachers, parents, and fellow citizens, we can reach out to military husbands and wives in our communities.  We can show our appreciation in countless ways, from offering to help with household maintenance and childcare to encouraging the community involvement and career development of military spouses.
     
It is through our actions that we show our commitment to our service members and their spouses.  By embracing military families, we demonstrate our partnership in the defense of our freedom and the security of the United States.
     
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 6, 2011, as Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  I call upon the people of the United States to honor military spouses with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
     
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
          
BARACK OBAMA
(from http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/05/presidential-proclamation-military-spouse-appreciation-day)

Days like today...

....realllllly make me wish Randy was here.

That's Mocha- our brat.  And our baby.  Well, mostly Randy's baby.  (She loves me only when he isn't around.)  I give her a lot of credit for helping him through his PTSD issues last year- I'm betting she knows more about his deployments than I do.

This dog, for some crazy reason, has become my world with Randy being gone.

I'm not exactly sure when that happened, but I'm pouring a lot more time and energy into her because Randy isn't here, and because she's my responsibility... and because besides me, Randy loves her bestest haha.  

Which is why I freak out about the smallest thing going wrong with her- and why I am freaking out today.  I got a phone call about 10 this morning from daycare.  (Yes, she goes to daycare, laugh all you want!) She had played pretty hard with her puppy friends all morning, and now wasn't putting any weight on her back leg.  I told them I would come pick her up and take her to the vet.  

We got to the vet, and were seen by a newbie, whom I like to refer to as Doogie Howser.  What he told me sent me slightly over the edge, and I did cry a little bit, but I managed to keep it together.  Apparently my dog had blown out her knee, and/or torn a ligament.  I can't be completely sure which- because he kept using all these smart person big boy vet words.  He gave me the name of a specialized surgeon, who I needed to call and schedule an appointment.  When I called, the surgery would be $3500.  For a dog.  UGH!!!!

Now onto my meltdown.  (This is only my second for this deployment- so I am averaging about one a month- not too shabby!)

I am completely beating myself up over this because I am responsible for her, and I am responsible for her being hurt.  I know its completely irrational, but its how I feel.  I take one look at her and start crying- because she's such a good dog and would never let me know that she is in any sort of pain.  She just kinda hangs out, and looks at me while I sob, and licks the tears off my face.  She's walking around- just not putting any weight on her back leg, but she just breaks my heart.  I want to be able to help her- but I just can't.  

So this time, my mommy got the brunt of my meltdown.  I really am not sure what I would do without my parents!!!  She told me to call Doogie tomorrow, and ask him all the questions I am just now thinking of, maybe get a second opinion, and shop around to see if I can get this surgery done for cheaper.  She also volunteered to come down and pup-sit after Mocha does have the surgery, if it comes to that.  Based on what I've read, the recovery is 12 weeks.  

Today was just another one of those days that I realllly, realllly, selfishly wish Randy were here.  If he were, he would completely take over and figure this out for me, because really, I am not good when the crisis is happening to me.  And he knows that about me, and loves me despite that... ha!  I really wish that I wasn't waiting another week for a phone call, and that I could just pick up a phone or shoot him an email and know I would get a response.  

Blah.  

Today, deployments suck.