Category: Deployment thoughts

Deployment thoughts, Uncategorized

Sometimes everything hurts

Movin' it with Michelle

There are some days, when I can honestly say everything hurts.  The ache in my heart seems to permeate throughout the rest of my body, and I just don’t have much left.  That’s my last week in a nut shell.  And it sucked.

So here are a few things that made me smile over the weekend.

Pictured is the watch I spoke about in my previous post.  It was an anniversary gift for my husband, and he truly loves it. My daughters have truly rallied around me (the 16 year old has her moments of course) and keep me smiling.   This weekend was my friend Carolyn’s 40th birthday, and although I couldn’t make it to the city with the girls, I was able to meet for her surprise birthday dinner.  YAY! I miss these ladies dearly, but the stressors in my life have taken front seat unfortunately.  I also made a yummy roast for dinner tonight, with a sweet potato mash topped with parmesan cheese and chives.  YUM. Oh and naps.  Yup.  I had my running clothes on today….but a nap seemed like a much better idea. See, sleep just doesn’t happen anymore so I take what I can get.  #dontjudge

Check out my dress.  I LOVE pretty clothes!  #giddy This is one of the dresses my hubby picked out during our anniversary weekend.

12-6-15dress

This week my husband will be traveling for a leadership meeting for his deployment.  It all got very real, very quick. Today he was called in for another emergency meeting, and it’s so very hard to digest the whole situation.  I can’t obviously go into it, but let’s just say S#@! just got real.

Tonight, while was cooking dinner I looked over and watched him. He was sitting in his rocking chair, drinking a glass of wine and reading his favorite magazine, Wine Spectator.  But he wasn’t reading.  He was staring at our Christmas tree.  I asked him, “Are you ok?” and he looked down and nodded.  I went to him, hugging him tightly, and he choked back sobs.  This big, strong man was crying.  And everything hurt, a little more.

But this too, in time, shall pass…We WILL get through this.  Thanks to you all for your amazing support and patience.  My blog has obviously taken a turn, but it helps to get it all out there even if just once a week or so.

How was your weekend?  Did you cook anything yummy? What makes you happy during tough times?

❤ Michelle

Deployment thoughts

Counting my blessings

Movin' it with Michelle

This post is about my favorite time of year.  Thanksgiving.  Not only is Thanksgiving one of my favorite holidays, it always lands right near my wedding anniversary so it’s a double whammy of happiness.

With that, I thought I would type up a little list of things I am most thankful for this year to share with you all.

Coming up on the 4th anniversary of this blog, I am truly thankful for all of my readers.  I have met some amazing people through my blog, and this makes my heart so very happy. Thank you so much to you all!!!

I am thankful for the health and wellness of my family.  If you recall last March, my daughter was in a pretty bad accident.  You can read about it here.  She is now 100% back to her normal snarky teenager self, and I wouldn’t change a single moment because her snarkyness means she’s healthy and happy, LOL.

I am thankful for my own determination and perseverance.  I have finally started to REALLY catalog my recipes, and although my dreams of a cookbook may be far off still, I am at least moving forward with this goal.  You can see the most current list of my recipes here.

I am thankful for the strong family bond I have with my immediate family.  Upon hearing the news of my husband’s deployment this coming spring, I have been supported more than I even imagined possible and this makes the sting of his leaving a little easier to bear.

I am thankful for my amazing co-workers, friends, and neighbors who have been there for me through thick and thin this past year, and remind me daily that I am not in this alone.

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And I am most thankful for my husband who continues to selflessly serve his country, all while taking extra steps to remind both me and my daughters how much he loves us and appreciates all that we do to serve our country as well.  He truly is a hero, the love of my life, and just a really amazing man.  I swear I don’t tell him enough, but he’s my rock.

How are you celebrating Thanksgiving? What is your favorite part of this holiday season?

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all!!!

❤ Michelle

 

Deployment thoughts

Reasons to smile

Movin' it with Michelle

Last week was difficult to get through, to say the least.  I think the week compounded by some crazy work drama that I was NOT expecting.  You know the old saying, “When it rains, it pours!” right?  Well, someone forgot her umbrella last week so I was drenched by the end of the week.

photo cred: tumblrgifs.com
photo cred: tumblrgifs.com

I was completely over myself, so Friday night we had “family movie night” and watched “Raiders of the Lost Arc.”  I then proceeded to have an extra couple glasses of wine, LOL, which led to an uninterrupted night’s sleep.  Something I haven’t had in weeks.  I woke up with a purpose, and that was to SMILE as much as possible over the weekend.

Here are my reasons to smile over the weekend, via photos.

lunch with my daughters
lunch with my daughters
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We found a new dress for our Chicago staycation weekend next month. We’re going to see “The Lion King” and S wanted a new dress! 12 bucks at Once Upon a Child! Score!
Because wearing deodorant for the first time warrants a pic, at least according to her, LOL!!
Because wearing deodorant for the first time warrants a pic, at least according to her, LOL!!
Back at it with my planking after a few days off.
Back at it with my planking after a few days off.

And this:

My heart is full, indeed.
My heart is full, indeed.
My new wrap bracelet, and daily reminder.
My new wrap bracelet, and daily reminder.

Thanks to my friend Teri for getting me up and out the door on Sunday morning.  We ran at a nice easy pace and both got a lot off our chest.  Having felt pretty alone the last few weeks this is JUST what I needed.  6 miles later, and we were both smiling.

How was your weekend?  What do you do to make yourself smile during tough times?

Have a great week, y’all!

Michelle

Deployment thoughts

Tuesday truths

Movin' it with Michelle

I haven’t worked out very much in the last few weeks since getting the news of my husband’s deployment.  (FYI-I’ll be discussing a lot about what I am going through with my husband getting deployed – to include the next few months of preparation and the year long deployment. Please bear with me as this is a much needed outlet.)  Between lack of sunlight and lack of physical/mental strength I’ve just sort of been going through the motions of work, and home life.  I’ve managed a couple runs each week, and planking 4-5 times each week, but that’s about it.

I do however, cry. Kind of a lot. I sure try not to do it in front of my husband or kids, but sometimes I just can’t seem to wrap my brain around another year of worry for my husband’s safety.  This man is the rock I lean on, for everything.  And maybe I didn’t realize it truly until receiving this news, but it’s become very apparent that I need him as much as I want him in my life, and that maybe I am not as strong as I thought.  And with tomorrow being Veteran’s day and all the shows and commercials on T.V. I’ve found that lately it’s just all a bit too much.  So then I cry some more…Gah.  Stick a fork in me already! :/

I’m going to attempt to run on the treadmill this week and my friend Teri invited me to run with her this weekend.  I really need to let myself have ‘my things’ too, because in the last few weeks of doing everything for everyone else but me have left me very…tired.

Today my sister reminded me that it’s ok to feel this way, but to not waste the next few months I DO have with him being sad.  I suppose it’s just hard because even though he’s still “here” he really isn’t because he’s knees deep in preparation for the deployment, working longer days than I can even fathom. He truly is my hero.

This afternoon my husband texted me thanking me for all of the love and support and that he understood how hard this was on me.  And sometimes just hearing that helps lighten the load, even if just a little.

I truly appreciate everyone’s amazing support through all of this craziness.  It really has helped knowing I am not going to do this alone!!!!

❤

Michelle