Thoughts on a Rainy Sunday

Several people have asked me why I've stopped blogging, or at least writing so much. There are many reasons for this. One, admittedly, is Facebook. I post a lot of thoughts there, so the blog gets pretty much ignored. Then there's the fact that I completely and utterly decompress to Jon, so by the time I think to write about a given topic, I've probably already talked about it to death! Oh, then there's the small matter of being in school full time right now (should have my BA next spring!!!), and trying to do what I can to get ready for a new baby next month. (NEXT month? What??? When did THAT happen?)

The other reason is actually similar to why Jon stopped blogging. I started this out to chronicle being a Chaplain's wife, and I have few new experiences anymore. It's just life. Redstone is different from Hunter, which was different from Stewart, but at the end of the day, it's pretty much the same.

And, honestly, many of the things I would write about, I'm not really comfortable putting out there in cyberspace for anyone to read.

After listening to a story yesterday on NPR, Jon and I had a conversation about what it would look like to move "back home." I'll admit, there are times moving back to Cedar Springs seems appealing. My parents now live 4 hours away from there, so it's not "home" in that sense, but it is where I grew up. Every time I visit, I wish I could stay longer. Most of our siblings live within a 45 minute drive of there, and what I consider my home church - the one I went to and worked at in my early 20s - is just 10 minutes away.

But could I do it?

When Jon was in Iraq the first time, our plan was to go Active Duty. Long story short, that didn't work out. He came home in May of 2006, and we weren't sure where life would take us. We ended up moving back to Atlanta to work. I remember being completely terrified of this. Away from Michigan? Away from my family? Away from home?

But you know, home isn't Cedar Springs anymore. Home is not Savannah nor Huntsville. We often say that home is wherever we both are, but when he is deployed, I certainly don't consider THAT home! Many people use the phrase "Home is where the Army sends you" - and I think that right now, I tend to agree.

I feel more at home with other spouses than I do with friends from Michigan. I feel like I could walk onto any Army post and be integrated quite quickly.

A couple weeks ago I was on the phone with a good friend from high school. We used to do everything together. She got married a year after me, had a girl 7 weeks after Sophie was born, and had a baby boy in March. In that way, our lives have remained similar.

But really, they couldn't be more different. She lives in the next town over from our high school, in a small community. She is happy with her life, and I'm happy for her.

But it's not for me.

My life is the Army now. Jon and I have talked recently about how intimidated I used to be by it all. The first few social functions I went to I was scared to death. I didn't know when to stand, when to sit, how to interact with people. It was all so unknown.

Not anymore. Changes of Command, Hail & Farewells, Coffees, FRGs, even Memorial Services - they're all a part of life. I can tell rank by glancing at a Soldier's chest (though I'll admit, I still have to mentally count rockers), Taps playing at the end of the day has become common, and all my friends know exactly what it's like to have a husband overseas. I am more comfortable here than I would be anywhere else. I appreciate the diversity of people I meet, and I realize that, regardless of rank and position, that's all they all are - just people. People who introduce me to worlds quite unlike mine, people who might look at things differently.

I'm not done blogging. You'll still get your Sophie updates :-) - and I'm sure many more once Baby Boy arrives! And I'll still fill you in about what's going on now and then - but as far as the "Army firsts" - I think those are getting fewer & further between. And I'm realizing that what it means to be a "Chaplain's wife" is different with every person, every post, every year. I have other Chaplains' wives as friends who view this ministry vastly different than we do, so their experience looks different. So, I'll keep telling my story - just don't be surprised if I continue to not update very frequently. (If you DO want to know what's going on in my life, though, add me as a Facebook friend - that's a better way! :-)

Caption Contest!

Inspired by a family email (thanks, Dave) I am opening this picture up for captions-

Amy took a ton of great pics that I'll post soon, but for now, here is my favorite:


To get us going, I'll share a few of Dave's suggestions:

"Look, I can tell they're knees now!"

"At least I only have to wear one layer of diapers!" (a reference to the 3 layers she wears at night- we use cloth at home...)

"Mom, is polyeurethane foam toddler seating environmentally responsible?"

He had others that he probably liked better, but those were MY favorites! :-)

If enough people post captions, I'll post a poll to pick the best!

Saturday morning!!

If you frequent our family site, you have probably noticed that it has been a few weeks since it was updated... long story short, in the process of me getting Jon's old computer and him getting a new one, mine (his old one) lost the ability to publish to that website. It actually lost the ability to run iPhoto and do anything else at the same time. (I know- I too thought that Macs intuitively knew everything you wanted to do and made it happen...) Anyway- we got the problem solved, but now I will have to completely rebuild that site... I'll let you know when that happens, but don't hold your breath...

In the meantime, here are a few more pictures to give you your Sophie fix! (doesn't EVERYONE need one???)

Seriously??

This morning, while reading blogs for my daily "wake-up time," I came across this widget on another site. You can go here and enter the url for your blog to see the level of readability. I was sure mine would be elementary, but...



What?? That is quite the sad commentary, I must say. What is even more surprising is that my husband's blog, with fancy-schmancy words like "metanarrative" and "requisite fear and trepidation" scored in the elementary category.

Now, I fully realize that this is just a gimmick and probably completely random. But, still...

ETA: A quick google search made me realize what the gimmick is- When you post this on your site, it automatically posts a link to a "Cash Advance" site (which I had actually realized before I published this and had already deleted the link...). I then tried several other sites' URLs just out of curiosity... I wasn't convinced, until a site that shall remain nameless that is probably one of the worst I've seen (most pages read "This Feature Coming Soon!!") rated genius. Ah well, it's fun anyway...

Answers

Here are the answers from last post's game.

By the way, for those of you who commented- yes, this was my original blog layout two years ago... I was looking for something more "fall-ish" than "mac-ish," as my last template was. I'm currently trying to figure out how to import an outside template in to blogger... I know it's possible, I just haven't had the patience yet to actually do it.

Anyway, here are the answers to the 4th graders' attempts at spelling:

nurse=nresce
battle=batfall
pennies=penerd
confusion=kufshanr
discovery=bufen
resident=rebet
visible=vizetfall
trapped=chraped
distance=bistis
fever=feful
phone=phoesph
charge=jrash
drawing=braign
fraction=freken
scrape=craep

Dear Anonymous,

If you hate what I have to say that much, please refrain from commenting. If the thought of a husband doing loving things for his wife makes you ill, please keep that to yourself. Or, at the very least, instead of remaining anonymous, be brave enough to leave your name with an intelligent reason of why you disagree. I don't personally like anonymous comments to begin with, and what you wrote begged to be deleted.

Thank you.

technical difficulties

Comments are again allowed! Sorry for the confusion...

We're at Ft. Jackson in South Carolina this week for a conference. I just burned my finger quite badly on the coffee pot.

Anyway, read yesterday's post and tell me what you think! :-)

i am so stinkin high-tech.

here it is, folks...

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sweet autumn brew

sweet autumn brew. what's it all about? well, fall is simply my favorite time of year. the colors here in michigan are amazing. the crisp air. the smells, the feel...that's fall...

fall has always been a nostalgic time for me...it's interesting, in school it was nostalgic, yet it in that, it also marked the beginning of a new year. i suppose it's a time that i have always reflected on the past with anticipation for the future. and that is where my life is right now. with a husband deployed in iraq, i have no idea where i will be this time next fall. i am excited about possibilities, yet a bit sad for those possibilities taking me far far away from this michigan i know so well...

you know what's interesting about coffee? when you brew it, you're planning for the future. coffee is not an instantaneous commodity. it immediately brings an atmosphere of comforting anticipation... you brew it when you have a long night ahead, to enjoy an evening with friends, to begin the new day.

so this is my blog, my brew...