Getting ready for baby

The last few days have been so busy around here & I've finally been able to get some important things done. Last week I ordered the invitations for our couples baby shower next month & I am so excited with how they turned out! I custom designed them on storkie & they are so adorable! :-) 

Although I'm excited for the shower it's also a little bittersweet because I'm so far from home & don't have that many friends out here in Virginia. I do have a few great friends here & my coworkers from the bank but I am really sad that none of my family will be able to come. I have really been missing my mom & sisters a lot during my pregnancy, even more so lately. 

 

I am just hoping the few friends I do have here are able to come. It was a little tricky choosing a date to have the shower since my husband will be going underway a few times next month & the thanksgiving holiday is coming up. We are doing a couples shower so people can bring their so's and also because I always hated the traditional baby shower. 

 

I was never a fan of passing around the diaper with a melted candy bar inside it and trying to guess what kind of candy it was. Or the oh so fun "who can drink from a bottle the fastest" game. No thank you. ;) I just want to hang out, eat some good food & celebrate the blessing of our baby boy with good friends. I still have quite a bit of planning to do with our lovely hostess Megan, and it should be fun to put the shower together. :-)

I also had the pleasure of taking the dreaded glucose test last week & throwing the whole thing up right in front of my doctor. Fun times...

At least I was able to keep it down for 45 minutes & they still took my blood for the test. Next week I am getting my tdap shot so that should be fun as well.

I also scheduled our 3d/4d ultrasound for next month & I am so excited to finally see some more pictures of our little boy. We haven't had an ultrasound since I was 19 weeks and that was already 10 weeks ago! This one should be interesting as well since we will be able to get a better look at Baby Taylor & hopefully see some of his facial features. ♥ 

Along with the ultrasound I also scheduled our lamaze classes & am anxious to attend them with my husband. Being that this is my first baby, I am really nervous about the whole labor/delivery part & would love to get some tips & information so I can at least feel a little more prepared.

We still have a lot to do in preparation for Baby Taylor but I am beginning to feel a little better since I'm making progress on my to-do list. He's not even here yet & I am already realizing that being a mom is a lot of work but the best job in the world. ♥

Homemade Orange Chicken

Last week my husband and I were at our local Kroger picking up a few items when we came across this Panda Express Orange Sauce. 

We decided to give it a try and make our own orange chicken. I was a little nervous since we didn't have a recipe to follow but we gave it a shot and we were both very pleased with the result.

 It came out delicious! I posted the picture on my instagram and had a few requests for the recipe so I decided to post it here.

This is what you'll need:

-One package chicken breast (about 3 pieces of chicken)

-Panda Express Orange Sauce

-Chicken breading

-mayonaisse

-olive oil

For the chicken breading we use a brand called House Autry but you can use whatever brand they sell at your local grocer. Now lets get started! 

1) First you'll want to cut the chicken into bite sized pieces, kind of like little nuggets. 

2) Next take the chicken and toss it into a large bowl. Pour in a couple table spoons of mayo and evenly coat. 

3) Then coat the pieces with the chicken breading. Once they are coated brush the pieces with olive oil. Coat in the chicken breading one more time. 

4) If you have a deep fryer this is the easiest way to cook the chicken, but if not you can always do it the old fashioned way. I set my fryer to 360 degrees and dropped it in the fryer for about seven minutes. We had enough chicken that we had to do three batches. 

5) Preheat your oven to 360 degrees. Now you'll need a pyrex dish. We used a 13x9 but an 11x7 would work just fine too. Coat the bottom of the dish with olive oil and place the cooked chicken pieces in the dish. 

6) Now you are ready to coat the chicken pieces with the orange sauce. Once you have poured it over the chicken use a spoon to make sure the sauce evenly coats the chicken. 

7) Now pop it into the oven for 7 minutes and voila! Delicious and easy orange chicken. ♥ 

Hopefully you like it as much as we did. 

Baby Bump-date Week 27

Hello Everyone! I hope you're all having a great week so far, I know I am. :) I can't believe I am already 27 weeks along. It seems like we just found out we were being blessed with a child and now we are almost done with this pregnancy. There's only 91 days left until my due date! I know my third trimester is going to fly by with all the holidays fast approaching. Anyway, I am feeling good overall just a few little bumps along the way. 

I have officially switched and already seen my new Doctor and I am so glad I did. I have the dreaded glucose test next week to determine if I have gestational diabetes or not. I am not too worried about it but am not looking forward to having blood drawn again. I had to spend three hours at the doctors last week for my first appointment. That included a urine test, blood work, a flu shot and of course a full exam. Baby Taylor's heartbeat was strong and he seems to be doing great. ♥ 

I love feeling him move and kick, and lately I have been able to feel it a lot more! It's an incredible thing and pretty indescribable. My back and feet have been hurting more frequently now, but other than that I am still able to do most things with no problem. I'll admit getting out of bed and off the couch is a lot harder than it used to be but I know it will all be worth it in the end. I keep joking with my hubby that he needs to invent some sort of device to make these things easier, like a pregnancy cane! Haha. 

I am wearing pretty much all maternity clothes at this stage in my pregnancy and am so glad I invested in some maternity jeans. I have been lucky enough to find some that fit great and aren't too long since I'm pretty short, (Thank you Motherhood!). As for tops Target has seriously been a life saver for me. They carry extra small tops and have such a cute selection. I just got a few new sweaters yesterday at our brand new Target here in Virginia Beach ♥. 

I have been cooking and baking a lot more now that I am staying home and it has been so nice to have time to do these things for my hubby. As far as cravings go, my love for Mexican food has returned and I am craving it all the time! I have also been wanting ice cream after dinner nearly every night, and thank goodness we don't keep it in the house all the time, otherwise I'd probably gain 100 pounds. Other than that nothing too unusual. 

We still have a lot to do to prepare for our little one, like tour our hospital, take a birthing class and register for our baby shower. I am a little behind on all this and it's starting to stress me out but we plan on getting a few of these things done this weekend. Overall I am just looking forward to the next few months and meeting our son! :) 

Here's the info on our little boy this week. It's so interesting to know what's going on in there. ♥ Happy Thursday Lovelies. 

Baby Size

14.5 in

cauliflower

Baby Weight

2 lb

Baby

This week your baby looks like a thinner, redder, more wrinkled version of what he will look like at birth, but in the next few weeks more fat will fill out his appearance. Your baby's immune system is continuing to mature as are your baby's lungs which are still practicing breathing amniotic fluid.

Body

Just when you were getting used to your second trimester, you may find new uncomfortable symptoms beginning during your third trimester. You may notice more leg cramps due to the pressure of your uterus on your veins and nerves running from your torso to your legs. Remember to stretch and move your legs to ease or prevent cramping.

Activities this week

Now is a great time to sign up for a breastfeeding class. If you are a first-time mom and planning to breastfeed your baby, it's a good idea to take a breastfeeding class or sign up with a lactation consultant. Ask your doctor or midwife for a recommendation or call La Leche League who can help you locate breastfeeding resources in your area.

Inspiration

For so long I felt uninspired, it was like my brain had bloggers block. I prayed God would send me some wisdom and a dash of creativity to launch my blog in a new direction, because the truth is I love writing. It gives me a way to release emotions that otherwise have no place to go. I can't stress enough how much I missed it since Isaiah came home from deployment number one. During that first deployment I wasn't working and had time every single day to write my blog, as well as reading other blogs & building relationships with my fellow bloggers.

Since moving to Virginia and starting work right away, my free time was basically next to none. Spending time with my husband in the rare moments when we both weren't working took priority. I am glad it did because he was only home for a few months and in February 2011 he deployed for the second time and was gone for an excruciatingly long eleven months. The day he left marked the beginning of the hardest year of both of our lives. Even though I had more free time with my husband deployed, I just couldn't seem to find the words.

My faith and our marriage were both tested and there were so many times when I felt like giving up entirely. There was such an utter sense of hopelessness and my heart ached only for us to finally have some time together. When it was finally time for him to come home, it didn't even feel real. I couldn't actually grasp the fact until I was driving to Naval Station Norfolk to pick him up. Our first two weeks together were perfect and after that reintegration really began.

Sometimes when I think back on it all, it seems like a bad dream, a blip in time. Although while going through it, it felt like the longest eleven months of my life. I am so thankful to God for getting us both through it and bringing him back to me safely. You know the funny thing about love is, you think you love someone more than anything and yet somehow as you go though life and endure it's hardships that love grows even deeper. You realize you love that person even more than you thought possible, and this realization makes you thankful for that love. I look at my husband now and can't believe how far we've come. I wonder how I got so lucky. What did I do to deserve a love like ours?

I still don't know, and perhaps I never will but I am blessed and thankful for it. Sure we have our spats and plenty of obstacles have shown up in our path, but somehow God has gotten us through it all. After the hardest year of our lives he has blessed us with a beautiful little boy growing inside me. Every day is one day closer to meeting our son and our dream of finally having a family will soon be coming true. With every kick and movement I feel so lucky for all that the Lord has given us.

It is because of this gift that I choose to share our story with you all, the story of our love and our lives. As we embark on our newest adventure into parenthood, I want to remind myself to live in the moment. To soak in everything around me, embrace the changes, and enjoy the little things. Welcome to my new blog and I hope you all enjoy reading about the next part of our journey!

Busy, Busy Days!

Monday was one of those great days, where I got so much done that I almost didn't believe it myself! :) I had a doctors appointment in the morning and then got some Halloween decoration shopping done at the Dollar Tree. I have been itching to start crafting this season & to decorate the apartment for fall so I was very excited to go out in search of a few things. Yesterday on the blog I gave a sneak peek of a few goodies I snagged. You can read about it HERE. 

After my first shopping trip I headed home to take care of a few medical things and to cancel our house phone & cable. Cox was charging us some crazy amount for our bundle so I cancelled the phone altogether & lowered our cable to the standard $20 a month deal. Now that I'm not working dvr isn't a necessity and we already use hulu and netflix, so to save $105 a month I will definitely take it! :)

After finishing up with that stuff I headed over to my bloggy buddy Brittany's house and we hit up Target, Michaels, & Wal-Mart in search of fall crafty goodies. It was a great day, but by the time we got back to her house my little feet were aching so badly & my toes were sore! I know I am six months pregnant and all, but I am not used to my feet aching after being on them for an hour! It's definitely something I don't think I'll ever get used to. 

After running our errands and getting our supplies we headed back to Britt's house to hang out with her hubby & fur babies. She made an amazing chicken pita dinner and needless to say it was so nice to be spoiled and have someone cook a meal for me! :) I appreciate little things like that so much more now that I am pregnant! 

Yesterday I decided to keep up with trying to exercise a few times a week and headed over to Mt. Trashmore with my friend Megan & her adorable son Cody. We walked around the park about three times and after an hour and a half of walking my little pregnant body was so worn out! But it felt really good to get outside in the fresh air and know I am doing something to help stay in shape. Plus it's just nice to walk with a friend and have some girl time! :) 

I am really enjoying not having the stress of my job and being able to get more things done around the house. I finally have time to take care of myself and spend time with my husband and friends. Plus with this little baby coming in a little over three months I am running out of time to prepare for him too! ♥ 

Hope everyone is having a great week so far! We're already halfway through it!! :) xoxo! 

Goodbye Prime, It was nice knowing you (not really)

Yesterday flew by in what seemed like a flash! I had a doctors appointment in the morning and had to get my medical records printed out since as of today I am making the switch to tricare standard. I can not tell you enough how happy I am about this. Tricare prime is free (other than the allotment they take out of hubby's check each month) but the standard of care, at least in my own personal experience has been horrible. It took me a year after moving to Virginia to even get into the clinic closest to my house, and I almost died when they tried to force me to go to Langley Hospital which would have been a 45 minute drive or worse in traffic. Umm, no thank you!

Once I was finally able to be "squeezed" in and started trying to schedule appointments I could never actually get in to see my PCM (primary care manager or basically my regular doctor) and to this day I still have not had a visit with my actual doctor. I have seen others, but never the one I am supposed to see. The whole system is flawed and extremely impersonal. I literally had two appointments within four days of each other last year and the doctor I saw both times didn't even remember seeing me!!

Now don't even get me started on my  experiences during this pregnancy. It has been a nightmare! The clinic I go to doesn't accept sick appointments or have an urgent care so anytime you are actually sick & don't have a scheduled appointment you can NOT get in to see your doctor. Instead you have to drive all the way to Portsmouth Naval Hospital and go to the emergency room. Can anyone else see how this doesn't make sense? If I have a severe cold & need a doctors note for work I am not going to go to the emergency room. It would be a waste of time for myself and the people working there! Or say for instance when I was suffering from severe morning sickness at all times of the day and night, but didn't have my first appointment scheduled for another month, I had to go to the ER just to get some anti nausea medication.

I found out I was pregnant at about 6 weeks along and didn't have my first actual appointment until I was 12 weeks! Before that the only thing they did at my 10 week appointment was make me pee in a cup & draw some blood. They also made us sit in a group and listen to a power point about being pregnant and blah blah blah. It was a waste of my time! My friend who is pregnant also & about two weeks behind me, is on standard & she was able to be seen at 8 weeks! Her doctor did an ultrasound and actually checked her out. I had to wait until I was 12 weeks to even get that kind of care! From then on she was being seen every four weeks or about once a month. Up to this point (I am already 6 months!) I have only been seen every six weeks.

So finally I have had enough and did the research on costs and what I need to do to switch. I've gotten myself a new doctor and am so glad I don't have to have my baby at Portsmouth Naval and worry about not knowing who the heck is gonna deliver my baby. I can make a birth plan and will have my own doctor who knows me and I can get in to see if I am having an issue with something. I feel like it's such a relief and I should have done this so long ago! Anyway, I'm off to get ready for a walk with my friend Megan & her adorable son Cody. I am trying to walk as much as possible to help me prepare for labor and not get too out of shape since I can't do a lot of other physical activities while I'm pregnant. I hope you all have a great day & sorry for the healthcare rant! ;) xoxo!

Halloween Decorations Sneak Peek

Happy Monday everyone! :) Today has already been a busy day for me here and I am so excited to get started on my fall crafting/Halloween decorations this year! Since it's officially fall and near the end of the month I figured it's time for me to start getting our apartment all decked out.

Being that we live in a smaller place, I don't have too many decorations yet but I started collecting some last year and have gotten a few new things so far this fall. One of the best places you can hit up for inexpensive fall/Halloween decor is the dollar store...No lie! I was skeptical at first but when I stopped by the local Dollar Tree I found so much great stuff!

I couldn't pass up these adorable hanging signs. I also got some fake spiderweb & a felt black spiderweb for a centerpiece on one of our tables. I still have to play around with how I want it to look, but I have some ideas rolling around in my head! :)

I also got these great little headstones to put out and I know I will find someplace to put this creepy crow. ;)

Hello Creepy Crow...

One of my favorite Halloween decorations is actually a sign I found at Michael's last year. It's just too cute!

I can't wait to figure out where I want everything to go and to make a few more things that I have found online as well. If my husband ever made an appearance on my blog he would tell you that I love Halloween probably more than most people, (it's my favorite holiday!) so I'm sure you can imagine how fun this is for me! :)

My mom always made Halloween very special at our house and that's a tradition I want to carry on with my own family. Are any of you decorating for Halloween this year? If so & you are looking for some cheap & easy craft ideas check out The 36th Avenue! That site is amazing & I have been perusing it daily in search of new ideas!

Anyway lovelies, I am off for a craft/shopping date with Brittany from Tales of a Sailor's Soulmate aka my real life bloggy buddy! ♥ Hope you all have a lovely Monday!! xoxo!

Changes!

Hi there everyone! It has been so long since I blogged & there have been so many changes in my life these past few months. If any of you remember reading about all my health issues/embarrassing encounters at the Drs. office a few months ago then by now I can officially tell you all why I was so sick...is the suspense killing you yet? No...ok, well I'll tell you anyway! ;) 

We are expecting our first baby in January!! Those of you who are friends with me on fb or instagram already know this because I revealed it there about a month & 1/2 ago. I was super paranoid during my first trimester that I waited until I was 16 weeks to pretty much tell anyone other than my family and closest friends. I am now about 24 weeks and can't believe how big my baby belly is getting! 

(Here is my most recent baby bump pic taken 2 weeks ago, or 22 weeks!)

It is such an amazing feeling to know that my husband and I have been blessed with this pregnancy & God is using us to create a life! We are absolutely thrilled & I feel so lucky to finally have the opportunity to start our own family. I have wanted this for so long & now we only have to wait a few more months for our little baby to make an appearance! ♥ Until then I am no longer working as of this week & will have lots more free time to update my blog. :) 

I would really like to change the direction of my blog & start adding more recipes and diy crafts I plan on trying. I have so many new things I want to make for fall, so we will see how that goes. I also plan on doing a weekly baby bump update so stay tuned for that as well! Anyway, I hope you all had a great weekend!! xoxo! 

Doctors Office Embarrassment

Sometimes I look at my life and all I can do is laugh. The things that happen to me really are amazing...I had a doctors appointment today bright & early at 8:00 am. After tossing & turning all night I woke up around 6:15 so I would have enough time to shower, eat and leave the house by 7:00. I had to drive all the way across Virginia Beach over to the Oceana Base in order to go to the Dam Neck Branch Clinic for my appointment. So I am driving there and get lost twice before I even find the street the clinic is on, then I had to phone the nurse and ask for directions cause I am obviously terrible with finding places. By the time I actually locate the building and park I am already five minutes late and have no idea where I am supposed to go.

So I head in the clinic to check in and a clerk points me in the right direction. I sat for awhile and waited to be checked in and then proceeded to go to an orientation of sorts. I'm sitting in the room waiting for the nurse to stop talking when all of a sudden it hits me. My stomach churns, and I can feel my face start to get hot. I was starving by that time since I ate around 6:00 am and desperately wanted to eat the granola bar in my purse but wasn't sure if it was alright. I sat there for ten minutes hoping the presentation would be brief until I finally couldn't take it anymore! I grabbed my purse and headed for the door without a word.

 I staggered down the hallway searching desperately for a bathroom because I knew it was coming. I was going to be sick...I passed a nurse and asked for help but before I knew it I couldn't hold it back anymore. I told her I needed a trashcan and she quickly grabbed one for me. And I just did it, right then and there. I couldn't help it. As much as I was embarrassed to be sick in front of a complete stranger, there was no way to prevent it. Some other male nurses happened to hear me from the hallway and brought me to the break room to sit down and drink some water and gingerale. My whole body was shaking and I was hot and embarrassed. They grabbed a doctor and she was so nice and quickly checked my blood pressure and heart rate and made me sit for awhile before going back to my appointment.

I basically missed the whole orientation because I was sick, but mostly I was just concerned that I still had to do blood work after all this was said and done. Lucky for me, the nurse I had was one of the ones who had helped me when I was sick and was a pro at drawing blood, so it was easy breezy. Now I am just hoping I can get better soon and not have to be sick anymore. My next appointment is in two weeks and I am hoping I can make it through that one without hurling. It really is a drag, but I guess one day it'll make for a funny story. ;)

A bit lonely at times

Maybe it's because I have been cooped up inside my house for the last week, or maybe it's because I live 2,700 miles away from home but I have been feeling so lonely lately. I feel like I have no friends, which I know isn't true, but it just seems like everyone is just too busy for me. I stop to think about the friends I had throughout middle/high school and how close we were. We did everything together...sports, football games, parties, shopping and just had fun. I know that after high school things change and we all have to actually grow up but I guess it just makes me sad when I look back at those friendships that have disintegrated over the years.

After high school I made other friends and became really close with them, only to drift apart once we moved to Virginia and they all still live in California. Being a navy wife really can be lonely. Sometimes you feel like no one understands what you're going through. I come from a family of all girls and my sisters, my mom and my nieces are all extremely close. My husband doesn't really understand this bond because 1) He is a man and 2) His family is not very sentimental. They are close in their own way but not the way my family is. Everyone kind of just does their own thing. It's hard sometimes that he doesn't understand how much I miss them and I feel like there's a piece of me that is missing when I'm away from them.

My mother always used to say, "Be nice to your sisters, cause one day they'll be your best friends," and she was right. As I have seen so many of my friendships fade away my family has always been there no matter what. Are they perfect? HELL NO! But do I love them dearly? Of course! Looking back at so many memories of my childhood and my adult life, I just wouldn't be the same without them. I want to raise my future children to love one another and embrace family the way I was taught. I want us all to share a closeness and most of all to be close enough to my family that they can know and love my future children as well. I hope the navy makes this possible next year for us when we are supposed to pcs. Keep us in your prayers and I will try not to be so melancholy when I write. :) 

I'm alive, I promise

It has been so long since the last time I blogged, but I promise I am not dead! I took a hiatus from social networking (for the most part) and completely cut off facebook, twitter and blogger because it was all just getting to be too much. There were certain people that were driving me insane and I just needed a break from it all. After a few months I am trying to get back into the swing of things and am gonna start updating my blog more often. Recently I have been having some health issues and was unable to go home to California for our family vacation this year. :( To top it all off after that I caught a nasty cold my husband brought home and have been trying to fight it off for the last four days. Sometimes it feels like I can't catch a break but I am trying to remain positive and believe everything will work out for the best.

My poor husband has been dealing with me being sick and emotional and has been a champ at taking care of the house and cooking dinner, doing laundry etc. which I really appreciate. It is so hard to do those things when you are not feeling well! Anyway, I am on "vacation" from work until Thursday but since I have been so sick I haven't even left the house since last week. At least I don't have to worry about work for a few more days, and I am praying to be better by then so I can go in. I would love to get better a little sooner so hubby and I can have a beach day or just enjoy our time off together but I'm not holding my breath.

On a happier note, exam results came out a few weeks ago and my husband passed! I am so proud of him for becoming a petty officer and knew all his hard work would pay off. We have been through so much together since he joined the navy and it has made us both change and grow. This year has a lot of anniversaries for us, it will be five years that we have been together, three years that we have been married (In August) and three years of navy life! Its amazing how fast time flies when you're spending your life with someone you love, (and how slow it goes when you're apart!). We are still waiting to here back on the status of his PTS results, (for those that don't know PTS stands for "Perform to Serve" which is basically the navy's way of weeding out sailors and deciding who is allowed to reenlist.) It's a pretty scary thing, not knowing if you're husband will still have a job once his contract is up, especially in this horrible economy.

Since we are almost done with sea duty we are praying and hoping that his PTS gets approved so we can get the heck out of Virginia and hopefully get back on the West Coast. If all goes as planned and PTS is not a problem then we will be scheduled to leave Virginia in March of 2013 and head to our new duty station. I am so ready for a change! It has definitely been a good life experience moving across country and starting a life together, but this just isn't where we want to be. I know there are no guarantees with the navy but I am a California girl all the way and I need my sunshine and beaches! It's just not the same here in VA. I am also looking forward to a job change when we move because I am so bored and hating my work situation right now. Over all I think we are both ready to move onto the next chapter in our lives and see what God has in store for us! :) 

Lemon Basil Penne Pasta and Grilled Chicken

Have I ever mentioned that I love to cook? Mostly cause I'm a fatso at heart and I love to eat. This week I've been trying to change things up in our house and make a few new recipes.

 I'm obsessed with all the recipes from Ree Drummond, aka "The Pioneer Woman." You may have heard of her because she's simply amazing and if not well, then you've probably been living under a rock or something. Seriously, she's fabulous. 

Every single recipe I've tried has come out amazing. I made my first turkey, fried round steak, au gratin potatoes and so many more because of her delicious recipes.

 This week I was scouring her website trying to find some interesting new ways to prepare chicken when I came across this recipe. Lemon basil penne pasta with grilled chicken. In a word...delightful! 

The combination of the parmesan and romano cheeses with the lemon/butter sauce is to die for. The basil gives it that little something extra to make it taste complete. I'll definitely be making this again because it was  inexpensive and simple to make. :) 

I can guarantee this isn't the healthiest dish, but who eats healthy anyway? ;) If you haven't checked out her site do yourself a favor and go check out her delicious recipes. Your stomach will thank you, and so will your husband! Bon A petite! 

Spring is here...

Yesterday was such a beautiful day that after we came home from church I decided I had to take advantage of this gorgeous weather and wear one of my new sundresses. The sun was shining and it was the perfect day to sit outside on our deck. Here are a few pics of my outfit. 

I can't wait for it to warm up a bit more so I can wear shorts & dresses all the time! 

I am loving this little sundress by roxy, normally $39.99 but I got it for a steal of $25.00 at the NEX and didn't have to pay tax! :o) I love finding a good bargain! I also got these adorable metallic sandals at target for $19.99 a few weeks ago. They are so cute! 

I really love when the seasons change and you get to start switching out your wardrobe. I'm definitely ready for spring/summer! What are you wearing this season?

Lovely Sunday

Today is Sunday, one of my most favorite days of the week because I have a day off from work! We had a wonderful day because the sun was shining and it was just so gorgeous out. The husband & I went to church and the message was really moving. Isaiah has been pretty reluctant to go back to church but I know it's really important for us to go. It recharges our batteries for the week and reminds us to keep focused on what matters most.

We've been going to a new church that I found recently and each time we go Isaiah seems really impatient, like he can't get out of there fast enough. It really bothers me because I know that my husband should be the spiritual leader in our family but he is having a tough time fulfilling that role. I know the navy has made it nearly impossible for him to have any sort of spiritual guidance and or normalcy over the past two years due to his back to back deployments but it is still frustrating to me as a wife. I know that in order for us to have a happy & successful marriage it all starts with our relationship with the Lord. I want to let him lead, but most of the time he refuses to take the reigns.

I've been praying about it recently and this morning I prayed before church that God would speak to him and he would have an open heart to receive the message. It was funny because we got there and he had a sour expression on his face as usual and even sat down halfway through the worship. Part of me was getting mad but I pushed down my anger & told myself to let God handle it. I wasn't going to let his bad attitude ruin the service for me. After the worship was over and our pastor started preaching the message, I started to notice that my husband was listening, laughing & was engaged in what the pastor was saying. The subject he was preaching on? How much we need the church in our lives & that the church needs us.

As he spoke I could see my husband's mood change & it was as if the sermon had been perfectly tailored for our situation. Our pastor went on to say that there will always be certain things at church that you might not like...the music may be too loud, someone might say something that offends you etc. etc. The list could go on and on, but the point is we all need the fellowship and we need to grow up and get over ourselves! I love how frank he is, it's very refreshing when you meet a christian who will actually be real! Anyway readers, the point of this story is that even though things started out bumpy today, they ended beautifully because of the Lord's love. Today I was reminded that if we seek him, he will make himself known to us. :o)

So now I leave you with a scripture from today's message that I love, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:35

Dreams VS. Reality

One day. That was all it took. One day to realize how boring my job is. Right now I am getting back into the swing of things and although I was growing weary of staying home for a month, I'll admit I missed the people I worked with and my favorite customers more than the actual job.

I think the reason I am so bored with this job is that is goes against everything that I love. It's completely void of any creativity and basically requires me to be a robot for 8 hours or more each day. It's the same thing day in and day out. I never really considered myself to be a creative person until I sat down and thought about who I really am. The things I love, my hobbies and what I want out of life and a career. In short, what makes me, well...me.

I have always loved music & have been singing pretty much from the time I could talk. I know I probably annoyed my mom and sisters so much growing up! I was in show choir, an audition choir, dance, drill team, cross country and track and was always keeping busy and trying to be involved at school. As I got older I really got into fashion and started working as a sales associate at a clothing retailer and after a few months was promoted to manager. Although working retail had it's pitfalls I had a job with a lot of creative freedom and the ability to create beautiful things.

I would place new merchandise throughout the store each day and create looks for customers and displays. Although we were given an outline for our floorsets (which colors, fabrics, patterns etc go with each wall theme) I had the chance to create something lovely each day at work. It was almost like making my own puzzle. It used to make me so happy when customers would come in and want the outfits I put together and the walls I would merchandise would sell out.

When I think about it, I guess it makes sense that I would be more inclined to want a creative job. My mother & grandmother are both very creative. When I was a child my mom would sew all the time and I still remember the year she recreated the entire pocahontas costume from the disney movie, (it was one of my favorite films at the time) for me to wear for Halloween. It was way better than any cheap costume I could have bought at the store and she even found me some real moccasins from the thrift store. I was in heaven.

She's also very talented at interior design. Anyone who's been to my Mom's house can tell you, it's decorated beautifully and she is always changing things or adding something new. When you walk into her house it looks like something out of a magazine! My grandmother is also very talented at painting and design.  She is always finding new diy projects to make her home more interesting! They are both amazing cooks!

I've heard people talk about the whole "Right brain VS. Left brain" theory and decided to take the test to see which one I was. Not surprisingly I am more "right brained" than "left brained." According to the online test this means, "The right side of your brain controls the left side of your body. In addition to being known as right-brained, you are also known as a creative thinker who uses feeling and intuition to gather information. You retain this information through the use of images and patterns. You are able to visualize the "whole" picture first, and then work backwards to put the pieces together to create the "whole" picture. Your thought process can appear quite illogical and meandering. The problem-solving techniques that you use involve free association, which is often very innovative and creative. The routes taken to arrive at your conclusions are completely opposite to what a left-brained person would be accustomed. You probably find it easy to express yourself using art, dance, or music. Some occupations usually held by a right-brained person are forest ranger, athlete, beautician, actor/actress, craftsman, and artist. "

The whole analysis was pretty interesting and a lot of the things they mentioned were right on for me personally. I'm not sure how accurate this test is but I wasn't too surprised at the results. I know I am a more creative person than a logical one and I have a hard time dealing with math and other boring things. Which would explain why I am bored to tears working at a bank. How did I end up here? Lol!

Lately I have been doing a lot of soul searching and praying about my future and career choices. I know I am not doing what I am meant to do, but at the same time I can't really afford to just quit my job and "follow my dreams." I would love to go to school for fashion merchandising and make a career out of something I enjoy so much, but getting the education to do so would cost me about $80,000 at The Art Institute which I of course don't have. I would feel terrible putting us into so much debt if I were to get student loans and pursue this dream.

I guess what I am trying to articulate is that there is so much more out there than what I am doing right now. The dreamer in me wants to dive in and go for it, while the realist's voice is in the back of my head saying it would be foolish to do such a thing. I know it's extremely important for me to work considering today's economy and the fact that the military doesn't exactly pay well for enlisted service members. I also have to think about the fact that as a military spouse who can be told to pick up and move at any time, and told to go anywhere that my school and career options are limited as long as my husband remains in the service.

 I know he won't be in the military forever, but until he is out for sure and we can stay in one place I feel like it's going to be extremely difficult for me to have a successful career doing something I love. Heck, even having the opportunity to finish school in one place would be nice, which at this point won't happen since we don't have too much time left in Virginia.

I guess I am just trying to figure it all out and the fact that I'm not getting any younger makes me feel even more pressure to do so. I really just want to have a career that will challenge me yet allow me to be creative and enjoy working! I dislike coming home everyday and complaining to my husband how unhappy I am with where I am with my schooling/career. I want to be proud of myself for completing a degree and have a job that I love. Maybe that's just asking too much? I don't really think so, but I guess only time will tell. It's definitely going to be an interesting journey of self discovery! Is anyone else out there struggling with anything similar to this?

Last Day of Freedom

Today is officially the last day of my hubby's leave and we both go back to work tomorrow! I am amazed at how fast the last two weeks have flown by and that he has already been back in Virginia for a month now. Why does it seem like time goes by insanely fast when they are home but drags on endlessly while they are gone??? It's something I'll never understand! 

Although it has been so nice to have a month off of work I'll admit I was starting to get a little bored. I am excited to see all my coworkers and to be making some money again! :) I'm hoping things are less stressful once I go back but after talking to some of my coworkers I suspect things have only gotten worse. I'm just gonna keep praying and trying to stay positive and get through each day so I'm hoping that will help. 

Since today was our last "official" day of freedom we spent it relaxing at home & watching movies. We also took a drive by the ocean and got some yummy pizza and wings for dinner. Now I'm off to snuggle with my hubby before we both have to hit the hay! ♥ Goodnight! 

Family

"Family means putting your arms around each other and being there." 

Since I kind of slacked off in the blogging department over the last few months I never did get around to sharing photos of my trip home for Christmas while my husband was deployed. I recently learned how to make photo collages & wanted to share this one of my beautiful nieces & sisters. 

It's still so odd to me that I live 2,700 miles away and can't see them more than once or twice a year. We are all very close and when I lived in California we were always together. ♥ 

I miss them all dearly & hubby & I are hoping, praying, & keeping our fingers crossed for San Diego orders next year if hubby's pts gets approved.

 Please say a prayer for us so we can be close to home & our wonderful families. We miss them all so much!

Are you lucky enough to live close to family?

Homecoming Happiness

After 321 days of being apart my husband is finally home!  He has been home for almost three weeks already & I am definitely over due for a homecoming post! I can't believe how fast this month has gone & that next week his leave will be over & we'll both be headed back to work. Time really does fly when you're having fun. ♥

The whole week leading up to his return I was in a state of disbelief. He had been gone almost an entire year and I just couldn't grasp the concept that in a few short days I would have my husband back again. I wasn't as nervous or stressed as the first deployment. It really didn't hit me until the morning of when Sarah and I were driving to the base and I started to get those infamous butterflies that make you feel like your about to be sick. It was cold and windy when we got there but the sun was shining and it was definitely a beautiful day!

I thought I'd share a few photos from that very special day. I hope you enjoy! :o)

This was the homecoming sign I made for my sailor. He loved it! 

Here's the ship when we could finally start to see it pull in. Probably one of the best things I've ever seen in my life. ♥

Here's Sarah and I all smiles while they are slowly getting closer! :)

At this point I was so anxious for them to hurry up and finish pulling in! Lol

I was waiting very impatiently if you couldn't tell. ;)

And finally they started to moor the ship and I knew it wasn't much longer. ♥

To my surprise my hubby was one of the first to get off the ship since he won Blue Jacket of the year.

Here's our first hug :)

And of course the kiss♥ I waited 11 months for that kiss & it was worth every moment!

I couldn't be happier to have the love of my life home safe & sound again.

Although the obstacles we faced over the last year often seemed insurmountable I am proud & thankful to say we survived our 2nd deployment (and a hell of a long one at that!). I couldn't have done it without God, my family, friends, bloggy loves & of course that man of mine. I have grown so much stronger over the last year and learned so much about myself and love in general. No matter how hard things are when you love someone and are willing to keep going you can get through anything. 

Dark Waltz

I haven't linked up for "What's your song," in a long time so I thought I'd share this one. Lately I've been having a hard time sleeping so I was looking for some soothing music to help me relax. I really love Enya and after listening to some new artists on Pandora I came across this song. 

Her name is Hayley Westenra and she's from New Zealand. In short she is AMAZING! Her voice is so beautiful to me it sounds like an angel. It's just so....effortless. ♥ I hope you enjoy! And don't forget to go link up with Goodnight Moon. Happy Thursday loves. ♥

Homecoming Happenings

As my husband's homecoming gets closer and closer it's the little things that have finally made it start to feel real for me. Last night I finished the amazing homecoming sign I made for him, (with the help of the always lovely Brittany, my bloggy & real life friend & her AWESOME cricut) and I am so proud of how it turned out. I hope he loves it and it makes him smile. :) I would post a photo but my dear husband actually reads my blog so I'll have to keep you in suspense until the official homecoming post, sorry to be a tease! ;)

I also got an email last night from our FRG about the end of deployment party and I am so excited. This deployment has seriously felt NEVER-ENDING and so the fact that it is finally almost over is a little hard for my brain to process. I attended a homecoming readiness and reintegration meeting through the fleet and family center and it was actually really great to talk about the feelings this event brings out in all of us wives waiting eagerly for our husbands' returns. The excitements, fears, worries, things we plan to do etc. 

We actually wrote them all out on some posters and the women from fleet & family took them to the ships and had the same meeting with the sailors on board my husbands ship. I got to send along with them a card to be hand delivered and I loved hearing from my husband how much he loved it. Today they had the meeting and he said it was actually helpful and made him feel like it was finally real as well. He also informed me of a few sweet things he has planned for me the day after he gets home. ♥ 

 Although my husband is far from perfect, (as am I) he is the one person on this planet that really gets me. He knows me inside & out and I am always amazed at how hard he tries to show me his love. Sure we've had more than our fair share of disagreements over the last 11 months but any couple who says they "never fought" during deployment or that they have a "perfect marriage" is full of crap. (Excuse my french).

Marriage is hard. You have  to consistently try to be a kind and loving spouse, to make time for one another, to make each other feel loved & valued and all that is hard enough without throwing the military & never-ending deployments into it. The navy has thrown a wrench in our marriage several times and there were a few I'll admit I wasn't sure we'd make it through, but somehow we have.

Were there times we both wanted to call it quits? Sure. Giving up is always easier than trying. But I am so proud of us both because neither one of us did. I love my husband 100 times more today than I did two years ago when we said "I do." We've been through hell and back but it's all part of our journey. The love we share isn't perfect, but it is real. And for me that is more than enough. ♥

Almost There

I can't believe it. In a few short weeks we will have survived deployment number 2. This has been an extremely long one and my husband's ship has made history for being on the longest naval deployment since WWII. As crazy and hard as it has been I am thankful for this journey. I've learned so much about myself over the past year and more than ever I have faith in the Lord and my marriage.

I hate to admit it but I'll be completely honest in saying there was a big part of me that felt like we wouldn't make it through this deployment. I am still amazed that we did. I truly believe God used our circumstances to stretch us out of our comfort zones, test our limits and make us reach out for him. I know there's no way I'd have survived the last year without his love and the love and support of my amazing family and friends I have made here in Virginia. For all of these things I am incredibly grateful. 

Now that we are nearing the end, I ask for prayers to give me the strength to get through the last leg of this deployment and to help my husband and I have a smooth readjustment period. I am really nervous about him coming home and us being "married" again. I have lived completely alone the last year and know that sharing my space and just getting used to each other again is going to be difficult at times. Thank you and the prayers will be much appreciated. :) 

And last but not least I'm sorry for being a ghost over the last year. Blogging used to be my outlet but I found that the only way I could get through this never-ending deployment was not to dwell on how depressed or lonely I was, but just to live my life. Even if that meant not writing out every detail of it. Anyway, if anyone still even reads this, Thank you. ♥

Goodbye

There is so much meaning behind those words. Leaving something in the past and moving ahead towards your future, bright and uncertain. The New Year always brings about a sense of nostalgia for the year that has passed, remembering your tragedies & triumphs as you hope for a better year to come. This year you can bet I was happy, no ecstatic even, to kiss 2011 goodbye & welcome 2012 with open arms.

Over the last year I have learned a lot about myself & life, but mostly I've learned that you can't control everything. You can try, but you will always fail. One person can change your life in the most inexplicable ways & it's really all up to fate. I guess what I'm trying to say is that 2011 was a tough year. The toughest year of my life so far, but I'm sure there will be more exhausting days to come & more tears than I'd like to cry.

But if I have learned one thing from 2011 it would have to be resilience. To pick myself up again & again after falling flat on my face. When my husband deployed in March I thought there was no way we could possibly make it through another whole year apart after we just got reacquainted. We had our share of fights, ups & downs & there were times when I think we both felt like giving up, but neither of us did.

There is no way I WILL EVER forget 2011, because it was the year I grew up. The year I officially became an adult & took care of myself. When most people went home for this deployment I stuck it out here by myself. I had some amazing friends of course, and my loving family back home but the one person I really wanted couldn't be here...And being here without him was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever experienced.

I am so thankful to God for making me get out of bed everyday & keep going. To find the strength to get up & go to a job everyday that I hate, because as my husband says, "Everyone has to pay their dues." For keeping me sane, (ok, most of the time) & for reminding me to just breath. To take things one day at a time. To Forgive, to love & to let go of the things I simply can't change. If I didn't have my heavenly father watching out for me, guiding me through these trials, there is no way I'd still be standing. He loves me even though I'll never deserve it, & makes me want to be a better person.

With all that being said, I bid farewell to 2011 and hope that 2012 is a year of happiness, love and peace for myself & all the ones I love. You only live once, so remember not to waste a second of it. ♥