Hearts and Flowers

Today is Valentine's Day.

I'm a little bit anti-Valentine's Day.

I am certainly not anti- love or anti-relationship or anything like that.  

I just think its a holiday created by Hallmark and a bunch of other retail establishments.  (I can safely say that, as I worked there for 2 fabulous years in college.)  The lines of men everywhere to buy their significant other a bunch of pink and red crap with hearts and glitter all over it always just cracked me up.  I never necessarily wanted to be on the receiving end of that stuff.  

I guess I just don't totally understand why ONE day needs to remind everyone to tell the people they love that they love them.  I am a firm believer in telling my husband and my family and friends ALL the time that I love them and that they are important to me.  I don't need one specific day.  

I've always told my darling dearest that I am not big on V-day.  Shockingly, he does not have a problem with that.  (Of course, after I convinced him that this wasn't some sort of test or trick!)  I would rather he just do something nice for me at another totally random time of the year, not because one specific day on the calendar says he should.    



So, we don't celebrate it. 

 No boxes of candy, no over-priced flowers (again, because its one specific day), no nothing. 

 It's just another day for us.  

And tomorrow I will wake up, and again tell my husband and my family and friends how much I love them.  Not because of a date on the calendar- but because it's just a nice thing to do. 

Onward to the New Year!

I'll say it again... Where the HECK did this year go?


How is it possible that we are 3 hours away from 2012?


Now don't get me wrong, I am happy that a large chunk of this year went as quickly as it did.  (I still can't believe a deployment has come and gone.)  But wow... where did the rest of the time go?


It does scare me sometimes- and make me feel old.  I remember when I was little feeling like time was standing still... my birthday, Christmas, and summer vacation always took forever to get here.  Now, it seems like its just all gone in the blink of an eye.


It makes me appreciate the time that I do have that much more though- and enjoy the time I have with my family and friends.  I have learned to take advantage of every opportunity I am given, and live each day to the absolute fullest.  


2011 overall was a good year- I honestly cannot complain.  Yes there were sucky things- deployments are never fun, the dog nearly sent me straight to the looney bin- but each and every bad thing made me appreciate the good that much more.  I cannot dwell on the suckiness- because then you miss out on all the good stuff- a trip to California, seeing high school friends that live on the other side of the world, and happy homecomings.  


2012 will be even better.  There will of course be challenges- the pup is already recovering from round 2 of surgery, the boy will be leaving for 6 weeks of training (and its just about making me crazy that thats about all I can say about it... ugh!), and there are always challenges that the Marine Corps throws our way.   But each and every one of those things will only make me appreciate the good that much more!


So here's to a great 2011, and an even better 2012.  

Happy New Year!

I found this picture on Pinterest- I just love it!

Home for the Holidays

Merry Christmas!

Ok, so I am a few days late.  Better late than never though!


I know- I've not been the greatest about blogging lately- I'm trying to be better about it- but its hard when  I don't feel like there's much to talk about that would interest you.  Hopefully 2012 will be exciting and I will have lots to write about!


Anyway, this Christmas I was lucky enough to have Randy HOME.  That right there was enough for me.  I didn't need one single other thing.  We've done a Christmas deployment, and they SUCK.  There's no other way around it.  Everything reminds you about your loved one- the empty seat at the table, spending time with their family, collecting their gifts for them to open upon their return... ugh.  It makes me teary eyed just thinking about it.  


We were also lucky this year that we were able to go home for Christmas.  While it wasn't a white Christmas in PA, it was still Christmas at home with our families.  I know the odds are against us at this point- the Marine Corps has been kind to us as far as proximity to home, but I know it won't always be that way.  So that makes each holiday we spend at home even better.  


I'm still having a hard time believing that there are only 2 days left in 2011.  I honestly don't know where the time has gone, but I'm happy that this year that included a deployment went by as quickly as it did.  I could not have done it without the support of my fantastic friends and family.  Thanks to those that called, wrote, visited, and supported me when I needed it.  It was definitely a challenging year.  


2012 will be great- although I am less than thrilled about my impending 30th birthday- blah.  The boy is gearing up for training that could potentially change his future in the Marine Corps, and I am just along for the ride here in VA.  We had to cancel the cruise because of that training- which really really sucks- but I know in the end it was the best decision, and hopefully once we are through the training, we will have an opportunity to cruise again.  It turns out those "grown up" decisions are not so fun!


I am looking forward to what the future holds... it will definitely be interesting!

Another holiday, another deployment

I can say with complete certainty that at some point in the last (almost!) 7 years that Randy and I have been together, we have spent every major holiday, birthday, and anniversary apart.

 
Heck, we accomplished that feat in the first 3 years we were together!

Because of that though, I think each holiday, birthday, and anniversary that we DO get to spend together is that much more special.  We know how lucky we are to be able to share that time together.

This deployment, we are missing both of our birthdays, Easter, and all of the big summer fun holidays- Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.  I'm thinking there's a strong possibility that we might miss our anniversary too.  But, instead of dwelling on what we are missing out on, I'm making the best of it. 

Or trying to.

I've realized that when Randy is away for holidays- major ones or otherwise, I try to just distract myself as much as possible from the fun everyone else is having with their friends and family.  I think in a way, I feel guilty that I get to celebrate these times, and he does not.  So I just don't celebrate them.  Not because he wants me to be miserable- because I'm not- I think I just don't want to be reminded of what he is missing out on.   

I distance myself from family- for example, instead of going home for Easter this year and spending time with my family, I'm going out to California for a week.  It's just easier for me to do things that way.  I'm lucky that my family understands, and is very supportive of the choices I make, especially when Randy is away.

I'll probably wind up skipping all the fun summer holidays too.  I remember when he was away in 2005, I spent July 4th at the pool and read The Da Vinci Code.  The entire book- in one day.  It was easier for me to get lost in reading than be sociable and pretend I was happy when I was really just bummed that we had to spend this day apart too. 

It's ok though- we have an entire lifetime together to make up for all the holidays we've missed together!

And P.S.- 7 WEEKS DOWN TODAY!!!!!