5 Years Old!!!

My precious baby girl will no longer be my ‘baby’ tomorrow…tomorrow, she turns 5. She is convinced that overnight she is going to grow taller and think differently because she will be a big girl. I wish Daddy, My Love, was here to celebrate with us, but we know how much he loves us and are so proud of him for what he is doing.

I didn’t ever think I’d be celebrating my child’s 5^th birthday with her being an only child, but I actually kind of love it. I love that we are able to really enjoy her and learn who she is. She is smart, fun, goofy, kind, caring, smart-mouthy at times, and just amazing! Of course, I’m a little biased, but I get that right!

She came into this world in a dramatic way (see: Birth Story) and we are so incredibly lucky to have her, to be blessed with such a wonderful little girl.

Tomorrow, she will wake up to ribbons on her door and presents in the living room. I want to make it a fun day for her to play and enjoy herself. Friday, she will bring cupcakes (that she made) to her school. Then we will have a skating party for her in about a week! Hey, you only turn 5 once, right?!

I guess that is one nice thing about only having one child, I can do her birthday however I want and not feel guilty about it. 

Anyhow, Happy, Happy Birthday my sweet, precious, BIG girl!

I still sing this lullaby almost every night to her. 

11 year Anniversary

You know, I am not what most people would call a quiet person. In fact, most people would say that I talk too much, but it's me. What a lot of people don't realize is that I also keep my mouth shut more often than they'd think.  There are very few people in this world that I feel I don't have to hold my tongue for and one of them is my amazing husband.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating our 11 year anniversary. 

  

11 years that have passed by so amazingly fast and that have been absolutely wonderful. 

 

We have had so much fun and have built a wonderful life together. We have been blessed with a beautiful miracle of a child. 

 

I miss him everyday more than I could say.

Being the wife of a deployed soldier is hard enough, but celebrating holidays without him makes it even more difficult. I know it's just a day, I know it's going to pass with or without him, but I'd so much rather have him here.

I can't wait until he is home, safe again, in my arms and with our family. I can't wait to lie in bed together and be able to tell him everything I want to without holding back.

I know the next 11 years are going to be the best of adventures and the 11 years after that as well!

I love you and miss you My Love. Happy Anniversary!

I just wanted to stop the pain...

(I only feel it is fair to warn you that there are some graphic photos. If you have a weak stomach, maybe you shouldn't read/see this)

A little more than two years ago, my heart raced more than I could ever tell you, and as a mommy all I wanted to do was to stop the pain and trauma that I knew my daughter was going through. 

We had gone to a barbecue with some of my husbands’ coworkers. Some people brought kids, some brought their dogs. It was looking to be a fun afternoon with lots of laughter. Victoria was happily playing a few feet away, so I had just cracked open my first beer. I was interrupted as I was about to take that first, nice cool swig by the sound of my daughter screaming. 

She had been sitting beside someone’s Boxer playing with him, but the dog was walking away. My Love commented that the dog must have knocked her over as he got up, so I went over to pick her up and comfort her. As I turned her over, I saw blood on her face…and a huge gash in her cheek. I don’t remember much besides frantically wanting to leave and get her to the hospital. I remember showing My Love and rushing into the house for paper towels. Once in there, I remember saying over and over “let’s just go, let’s just go”. I was shaking, my baby was screaming, her face was torn open. It was horrifying to see my baby like that. My beautiful baby girl…I could do nothing…

We went to the truck, I climbed in the backseat with her in my lap, trying so hard to comfort her, but freaking out the whole time…adrenaline was going strong. My Love was driving as fast as possible while being safe and he dropped us off at the front door of the children’s emergency room. I rushed in and they immediately ushered us to a room.

It was very difficult to even keep her calm. This next photo turns my stomach...you can see the hurt and terror in her eyes and the cut is so deep you can see the nerves and the bone. EW.

The doctors and nurses were amazing there and made the whole process much better. A plastic surgeon came in and did the stitches (19 stitches. 5 internal stitches and 14 external) and today, it looks much better.

We are sooo incredibly lucky that he bit where he did…had the bite been a little higher, she could have lost her eye…a little lower and it would have been her neck…Thank God for small miracles.

So, why am I bringing this up?

Well, I just read an article about how dog bites account for over $479 million a year in insurance claims and I had recently read an article (though I can’t seem to find it now) about how there were law changes being made to become ‘stricter’ on dog owners with multiple bite charges. The owners would be charged up to a $10,000 fine for a 3^rd offense...third…three times of a dog attacking a human or other animal…three victims…and the owner gets charged…I just don’t agree. 

The owners of the dog had a 5 month old child at the time. The dog was taken by the state for a mandatory 10 days to check for rabies and then released back to the family. They kept the dog.

I’m sorry. If MY dog had done to another child what that dog did to my baby…there would have been a bullet in her head before we drove to the hospital. We are talking a completely un-provoked, no warning, bite of a child’s face…to the bone…

I know it could have been worse…I understand that…but will the next child who gets bit by that same dog understand that? What about the owner’s child? If that baby starts crawling around and tugs on the dogs ears a bit too much or just gets in the way and gets bitten by their family pet and has to have a scar to remind her of it every day of her life…will that be ok?

At the very least, they should have given the dog away to someone who had no small children, for the safety of their own baby. 

Do I fault the dog, no, not necessarily...he was in an unfamiliar place with new people all around him. Do I fault the owners, no. They did nothing to provoke this. 

So, I bring this up as a reminder that ANY…and I repeat…ANY breed of dog can and will bite.  

Well, after 2 years, the scar is healing well. You would never know it used to be that gaping hole...

I will have to see if I can remember to get a photo of that side of her face...just realized today that I don't have any recent ones I can find!!

My doorbell rang tonight...

The doorbell rang tonight…

The TV was on, probably too loud, but I swore that I heard the doorbell ring...a doorbell didn't fit into the show on TV. It was after 9pm, who could it…my heart briefly stopped. I got up and walked to the door. I turned on the front porch light and looked through the peep-hole.

It was my neighbor’s son, it was no big deal, really. I haven’t heard from My Love in a few days and...

Who knew such a familiar sound could cause a mini-panic attack? A military spouse. A military spouse whose love is deployed. 

I don’t dwell on negative thoughts or anything. It’s rare for me to think like that, but the timing…oh, man.  Like I said...mini heart-attack, and a huge sigh of relief after.

This is real...this is lonely...and scary...and too real.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

In Honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day I thought I would share this. I found it on a fellow blogger's, Not Just An Army Wife's, blog and thought it to be quite perfect. :)


Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIShouse; Moving curtains that won't fit; Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.

Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner...AGAIN!

They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.

She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...

She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
.....all with ONE Power of Attorney.

She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS; Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart .
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband, She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.

Busy...so very, very busy!!

Oh my! I haven't blogged in a VERY long time!!

Ever since My Love deployed I have been staying very busy!

I guess I should update!

My nephew is no longer living with us. I was just not a great me with both kids...having insta-twins was hard!! He is happy, healthy, and VERY loved where he is.

My daughter is doing so good in school! She is reading a TON of sight words and sounding everything out. She is writing letters to Daddy and loves to draw and color. She likes to draw/design dresses and clothing. She wants long hair but doesn't brush it very well and hardly ever lets me pull it up or fix it (this drives me crazy!). She is a girly girl who will climb in a mud-puddle, salt slugs, or ride the scary rides at the carnival!

I built and planted a garden (using the square foot garden method), I am building a flower bed in the front yard, I went down to Florida with a friend, still in school full-time, getting back to work, hanging out with a bunch of good friends, and trying to go to different events around town.

I do want to write more another time...tonight...I'm going to bed!

Ok, after this....photo BOMB!!