I'm sorry my dear....and many thanks

Yes its true...I have been a very bad blogger lately, and I have missed reading all my favorite blogs and of course writing my own and hearing from all my lovely followers. I am sorry my dears and hope that you haven't given up on reading about my crazy life. I am sitting here eating a bowl of strawberry shortcake and trying to make myself wake up and realize that I am really here. It is finally all happening, and yes my hubby will be home soon enough and we will finally be able to live together and have our own home. All I can say is that I am so excited, but somehow it still doesn't even feel real. I can't believe we are almost done with this awful deployment and I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that I will no longer be cooking for one, or taking out the garbage by myself. I will have my love sleeping beside me every night and have him home to make fabulous dinners for. We can finally go on a date...since its been almost a year since we were able to do anything like that, and I get butterflies in my stomach when I think about all these tiny little things.

I am so blessed that the lord has been by my side each day and placed so many wonderful people in my life to help me along the way this past year. When I stumbled across some military spouse blogs back in March and decided to write my own, I had no idea that it would turn into something I absolutely love doing, and I certainly didn't realize how many amazing and supportive friends I would make via my blog. I realize now that the Lord had a hand in that also, and that he knew I would need the support of fellow milspouses and so's to help get me through this deployment. Being so far away from an actual base in Ca, it was hard because there was literally no military presence in my town.  I had my family and friends back home, and they were all wonderful, but sometimes it was frustrating because they just didn't always get what I was going through. My blog has been a place I could come and vent about my feelings, whether it be sadness, happiness, or frustration and I have had an amazing amount of support, compassion and friendship that has helped to keep me going, often times when I felt like giving up. So I want to say a big thank you and bravo zulu to my fellow milspouses and so's. You have really helped me through the hardest time in my life so far, and I hold you all very close to my heart.

Along with that thank you, I have many more thanks to give to my family for putting up with my emotions and helping to cheer me up and spend time with me while my husband has been deployed. My mama always used to say that someday my sisters were going to be my best friends, and I am so happy to say she couldn't have been more right. I know the lord used this deployment to make me a stronger woman, as well as help me to become closer with my family. One of the best things I can say about this deployment is that it has helped me have a much better relationship with my mama and has helped us both to overcome things in the past that we were letting keep us apart. I love my mom so much but it is no secret that we didn't always see eye to eye. I can honestly say however that this deployment and the lord has changed the way we relate to each other and treat each other. She reads my blog every time I write one, and always sends me cheerful emails to help me when I am feeling down or to encourage me. It is so nice to have that support from her, and means so much to me. I love you mom!! :)

And last but not least in my long line of thank you's, would have to be a huge thank you to my in laws. They have taken care of me the entire time my hubby has been away and always tried to make sure I was doing ok. My Mil especially always did her best to cheer me up and tried to stay positive, even when I was feeling down and sorry for myself. We have had many happy times together and always have lots of fun on our lunch dates or trips to target. I am so thankful for everything she and my Fil have done for me along this trip, and that they were here to help me with my move and getting settled into my new home. Right about now I am feeling extremely blessed and happy to have so many wonderful people in my life that love and care for me and my husband.

I am a little sad tonight, because tomorrow my Mil is going home and I am really going to miss her. I have been missing my family already so much this week and tomorrow the reality is going to set in that I am really living in Virginia and am 2700 miles from home. I have to admit its a little daunting at times, but I am telling myself it will all be ok. I know that the Lord has a plan for our lives and that this isn't the end, but simply a new beginning...the next chapter in the book of our lives, and I can't wait to see where he leads us.

P.S. Please say a prayer for the families of the two sailors who were missing and later found dead in Afghanistan this week. They need all the prayers, love, and support they can get right now as I'm sure you can imagine their worlds have been turned upside down.