Post No. 400 ... making memories, looking to the future

It seems like forever since I last posted, but life and the deployment seem to have taken its toll on my time lately. Life has been so busy with work, school, FRG activities and planning the ceremony for our five year anniversary. That’s right, George surprised me with the announcement that he wants us to have the wedding that the Army postponed when he returns next spring, for our five year anniversary … Wow, has it been that long already.

So much has happened in the last four years, it’s hard to believe that we’ve really almost hit that five year mark … well we have to hit the fourth one first, but that will come May 24, so it’s right around the corner.

It’s funny to look back at the conversations and immediate goals for our lives then. Starting our careers, building our home and dreaming of all the adventures we’d have. So much of that has come true. Now he is a captain, waiting for his chance at company command. I have five classes left to finish my masters (fingers crossed for an August graduation!) I spent three and a half years my journalism career and now am working in a public relations field. I love it so much and though it was only temporary position, the recent announcement that it will be extended for another two is exciting. I love what I do. I get to experience so much.

Four years ago we started preparing ourselves for deployments so sure that we’d breeze right through them in a blink. Now, a two-time veteran of these long separations, the only thing we know for certain is that we’ll get through them together.

Building our home has been the best part for me, kind of like playing with a doll house as a child … but this one has bills! We’ve taken our make shift home filled with college hand-me-down furniture and slowly rolled our pennies to make it into a beautiful place where our friends can join us in laughter and conversation. It is (hopefully!) a reflection of both of us, though the pink teacups are definitely me! There are pieces of George everywhere and I am glad that I learned to let him have his say. He did a great job of picking out the livingroom furniture … the second time around! Kind of like our life, he picks the things that anchor us and I come in and make it softer, more comforting. You learn that you can make a home out of a cardboard box in military life … all you need is a few “universal” curtains, a throw pillow here and there and a place to plug in the coffeepot, everything else falls into place.

KG is still my battle buddy, my rock, that I know I can go to when I need to let it all out, but two newest friends, KC and BG are helping me see the lighter side of it all while learning more about who I am, which is apparently the “middle sister” though I am the older by three weeks!

We laugh and argue, and in the end sit down to a glass of wine (or recently a chocolate martini!) and let it all go. Recently, they made their own “house books” like I had created when George and I first married. It is a place where we make notes, store pictures and check off lists for the homes that as military Families we will constantly be uprooting and moving. It’s kind of a place where we can ensure that all of the things that make our house a home can be recorded so we don’t forget something in the future. BG and I look forward to making notes for our children to ensure that no matter where they are unceremoniously moved to in this life they will have the comforts that they hold dear even when they have to (again) leave behind friends and memories.

Looking at our books, we laugh about how different we are in personalities and design. Whenever we are out someplace we play “guess which one is me” with everything from paint colors to flowers and plants to curtain designs.

Looking back on the last four years I’ve come to realize how lucky I am. I’ve met so many people, lived so many experiences and made a million memories. If the last four years is only a glimpse of the next forty, I guess I’d better get more scrapbooks, because I don’t want to forget a moment!

Until our next cup of tea ...