My Friends Rock

Bad day? Yes. But that's ok, because I am lucky enough to be surrounded by some awesome friends. Most of them have no idea what it feels like to have your fiance across the world in a war zone, or what its like to be planning a wedding, and attending nursing school, and working on top of it. 

I really am glad my friends aren't going through all these things, because one of them is tough enough alone, but each of them knows at least a small part of how I feel, and they all have a special part in making this doable for me. I couldn't have better friends here by my side, and even states away that help me everyday. 

I owe these girl much more than just saying "Thank You" and one day I hope I can help them nearly half as much as they've helped in these past couple months. We still have a ways to go but I know I've got these girls behind me and that I can make it.

So to all you girls who offer words of advice or just an ear to listen. Thank you. You may not understand just how much that really helps. Because of you I have made it another day, and we have another day down! 

I miss you

It's been a long weekend for me and yet I am off again tomorrow too. That'll make 4 days, and after a few days off all I know for sure is that I miss my fiance. Spending 4 days home alone doing nothing but homework and reading boring nursing books doesn't keep your mind too preoccupied. Although, I did get a lot accomplished. 

Andrew got a couple packages this week and he was thrilled. Gave him a little boost of energy.  I learned something new about him too! He does NOT like dried fruit. Haha. I sent him a bag of dried pineapple. It was "the most disgusting thing" he's ever eaten apparently. It's funny how long we've dated and yet there are a few things that have never popped up between us, such as dried fruit! 

This week I get start my clinical rotation at Liberty Hospital!  I'm pretty excited, this will be our first rotation in a hospital setting, it has to be better than long-term care, right? 12 hour shifts may be long, but I might as well get used to it. 12 hours, 3 or 4 days a week! sounds good to me. (Andrew would tell me I'm a baby, because he works 12 hours everyday, all week.) haha. I just tell him he's tougher than me, so he'll be quiet ;)

As far as wedding planning goes, well it's going. Finally starting to pick out some bridesmaids dresses we love and talking to caterers and cake makers! Everything is coming right along. 

I almost feel as though time is flying and not moving at the same time. I feel like I have so much to get done in 9 months before the wedding, yet at the same time the months left before Andrew gets to come home seems almost unbearable. How can that be so? I hope both days hurry up and get here because I know it'll be two very special days in our lives, and I cannot wait to have him home.

As always, keep the 603rd MP Co in your prayers for their safe return.

We have another day down! <3 

I sure do miss this boy. He's one special guy.

Oh and if you knew the story behind this picture. (I don't just hug trees for pictures!) 

    

Weddings Plans Are Moving Along

Unfortunately winter break is over, and I am back in St. Joe. It's nice to be back on a set schedule and getting another semester out of the way. It is definitely going to be keeping me very, very busy. I'm looking forward to my 12 hour clinical at Liberty Hospital this semester. Other than that, I'm just the same. Having a relaxing night, watching the hunger games and doing some wedding surfing online. No class on Tuesdays is something I can get very used to. 

Andrew has been keeping very busy overseas. Isn't able to talk much about what they are doing (or chooses not to tell me) either way, I'd rather not know. He messages me, calls me, and Skypes me when he can. He's safe and being taken care of. That's what is important anyway! My countdown on my phone changed from 16% done to 17% done today and that makes me happy. It's one step closer. 

Wedding planning is well underway. Things are starting to fall into place, each vendor booked makes me even more excited to have him home and to be married! My mom, sisters, and I attended that Kansas City Bridal Spectacular on Saturday. It was very crowded, very, very crowded. It was pretty fun and we got loads of helpful information. We even booked a DJ! We are narrowing down that tasks of things left to do, and it feels good. Bridesmaid dresses and cakes are next! Yay! Oh.. and.. we are going to be doing a photo booth, so plan on having a great time and posing for some fun photos! If you can't tell, I am extremely excited for this wedding! I can't wait to have all our family and friends help us celebrate our big day! 

As always, keep Andrew and the entire 603rd Company in your prayers. 

As the Army says, "HOOAH!" because we have another day down! 

See photo booth is so fun! 

Thank You!

I want to take this blog post to say Thank You. Thank you to all my family and friends who have been showing me unconditional love and support through the holidays. It's been very much appreciated, and it definitely made them bearable. I've been home from school for nearly a month and it made the first month of this deployment a little less stressful. I've spent a lot of time with family and visiting with friends. What I love most is that every single one of them has told me that they are here for me, if I need them. The truth is, I need all of you. I need you all to do exactly what you've been doing, just let me talk to you and vent when I need to. It's more helpful than you'll ever know. 

I've learned that deployment is super tricky to explain and talk about. It's a feeling that's indescribable. It's something that I wouldn't want anyone to understand unless they've been through it. I don't ask my friends or family to understand, because they won't, and that's ok. I don't want them to. I don't want them to know what it feels like to say goodbye to their loved one, their best friend, knowing it'll be months before you see them again. I don't want them to experience the lonely nights, the 5 minutes phone calls, or the blurry Skype sessions. It's completely exhausting and overwhelming yet humbling all at the same time. There is not time to take things for granted, the little things seem much more important, because they are. Those 5 minutes phone calls mean everything. The Skype session that's so blurry you can hardly make out the outline of their head, it more exciting that I can describe. People keep telling me, "oh it'll get easier" and "you'll get used to him being gone." Truth is, I don't want that. I don't want to get used to being alone! That's crazy. I want to survive this, come out stronger than we were before, and marry my best friend!

Alright, so enough of how crappy deployment is. I hate it! Ok. Now I'm finished. 

This weekend I have to head back to school, where I am likely to find myself buried in stress, school books, and care packages. I'm looking forward to getting back into a set schedule and even my 12 hour clinical days! I'm hoping school keeps me slightly busier than work has been but still sane enough not to lose it. I'm about to find out how much I can handle. Lord, lets hope it's a lot.  

Andrew is still doing well. He absolutely loves getting mail! Letters and boxes. You name it, he loves it. Haha. That being said, if you would like to send him anything, please contact me and I will gladly give you his address. 

Wedding planning is well underway. A dress has been ordered! No pictures! So don't even ask! It will be revealed to everyone on the big day! :) Still looking for caterers and things. If you have any wonderful people in mind or just ideas, please feel free to throw them my way! We are going to the Kansas City Bridal Spectacular this weekend and I am so excited. My mom and sisters are coming with me. It's going to be fun. I'm crossing my fingers that we get lucky and win that honeymoon giveaway! How cool would that be?

Please continue to keep the 603rd MP Company in your prayers as we still have a ways to go. Although...

We have another day down! <3 

Boxes are off, Birthday is over

Hello All! I don't really have all that much to talk about. Yesterday was my 21st Birthday. If you know me at all, then you probably know that it wasn't a wild, crazy, drunken night. I went to dinner with my parents and my sisters. Ryan bailed on us and went to Chicago for work, what a loser. We went to Texas Roadhouse and had a nice steak dinner, although Jennifer and Alli wouldn't let me celebrate without at least one shot. So we all had a Pineapple Upside Down shot. It wasn't to bad actually. 

Andrew of course celebrated my birthday a day earlier than I did. By celebrated I mean worked. Hah. But I also had two boxes full of snacks and goodies sent off to him, he will be thrilled when he gets them, I'm sure. Last night I got to skype with Andrew for a short time, which was the best birthday present I could have, he told me about how he won a Ping-Pong Tournament on base there in Afghanistan! He even won a trophy! My dad got quite a kick out of that, and takes credit for Andrew being pretty good. He "taught him how to play," or at least he thinks he did. He says it's because he's been beaten by my dad so many times over the past 6 years. Whatever you say Melvin. Haha. 

As for anything else, I started registering for gifts for our wedding. Talk about stressful. I really just Andrew was here to give his opinions (or sarcastic remarks). I'm happy my birthday is done and over with, one more special day he will miss is out of the way. I know there are going to be many more to come, but one less than before. We're making progress through deployment, slowly but surely. I just keep reminding myself, he'll be back home soon.

All in all, we both had a fun past couple days and Andrew is safe. That makes me extremely happy. Don't forget Andrew and his entire MP Company in your prayers. Until they all come home. 

We have another day down! <3 

Here is a picture from our Birthday Dinner :)

Happy New Year

New Years Eve has never been my favorite Holiday. I like my sleep. This year was no different. I didn't even try to last till midnight. I wasn't going to get my New Years Kiss anyway, so I opted for a few extra hours of sleep instead. When I woke up to a 5:30AM phone call from Afghanistan I was happy for those hours!

Andrew spent the New Year in Afghanistan working his usual night shift, "nothing exciting" he says. When he sent me a message to wish me a Happy New Year about 1AM his time, he told me there was one good thing about being on opposite sides of the world for New Years Eve. I thought he was crazy, I couldn't think of one good thing about it, but being his sweet self that he always is, he said, "We get two New Years Kisses, even if its online it still makes me pretty lucky." He never ceases to amaze me in the things he says, it was all I needed to make it through the finish of 2012.

Looking forward to 2013 has some really exciting things coming up for us. Andrew will complete his first deployment! YAY! Also, we are getting married this year! A lot of people think its crazy, but I've been waiting for this day since I was 14 years old! It's finally the year it's going to happen :) 

That's really all that happened for us, nothing to exciting. Oh well, we will make up for missed time next Year. 

Happy New Year!
We have one more day down! 

Getting Started

So here we go. I am going to try this whole blog thing. It'll be all about the wedding planning and keeping everyone updated as Andrew is deployed in Afghanistan. We'll see how long I can keep at it. Here we go!