Valentine's Day Care Package

I sent my boy a few days ago his Valentine's Day gifts. I'm super excited for him to get this care package...because I'm awesome.

I got him a bunch of Valentine's candy, including Skittles that came in a container shaped like a heart! I got him some mini gatorades to drink. A cute Valentine's Day card...nothing too mushy....Then my favorite! His actual gift...THUNDERCATS!

It's the new version, the re-make, that was on Cartoon Network over the past summer. As we were getting ready for his deployment, his brother left for Basic, and just about everything else in the world...we only actually watched one episode. My boyfriend was extremely excited about the show coming on and always complained we didn't have DVR so he could record it. So, basically, I'm awesome.

I'm super excited about him getting it. In the mean time I'm working on a care package for him because he's been asking me for certain things. I just had to make sure the Valentine's stuff got out in time for him.

I'm super excited about Valentine's Day. Even though I won't be spending it with my boy...I just love the day. Everyone getting flowers and stuff. It makes me smile!

My New Haircut

Got my haircut finally! Knocking things off my list :)

College, Christmas, and Weddings...

So, I haven't really been blogging much. Things got super crazy and busy for me lately.

I sent out his first care package last week. I finally sent him his new camera, as well as drink mixes and lots of beef jerky and other snacky stuff. And I'm currently working on his second care package. I'll probably make a post dedicated to it when I send it out.

I FINALLY graduated college! It was incredible and I had so much fun. My best friend Heather (who lives an hour away) came out. I felt terrible for her since she's four months pregnant and had to sit through a three hour ceremony with my family. But she was happy to be my make-shift boyfriend for the day.



My Christmas was great. For the most part. I was incredibly sick but I suffered through it so I could spend time with my family. My sister, who is incredibly liberal, went off on a tangent about how pointless the war is and how America is a big bully, etc. Which totally hurt my feelings. But people are entitled to their opinion. I'd just rather hear that what he's doing is a good thing, not a bad one. 
But on a good note, my boyfriend and I skyped on Christmas which completely made my day. :)

Another thing to add. My boyfriend's brother got married. His brother is currently finishing his AIT and they needed to get married for the housing, etc, etc. They had a ceremony at his new wife's sister's house. She looked great and I was super happy for them. Of course, it was "You'll be next, you guys are next" Blah Blah Blah. Okay, I kinda liked it. But it got old after the seventh person said it.

On top of that. I had four friends get engaged over Christmas. FOUR. I'm pretty salty about it because I feel like my boyfriend and I are in relationship limbo...We're stuck in one place until he comes home. And while all my friends are moving forward in their relationships with marriages and babies... I'm stuck home alone, waiting. (Side note: Two of these couples promised me it would be years before they actually got married...which made it a little less annoying.)

My boyfriend is great however. When we talked yesterday he tried his best to make me feel better and told me I had no reason to be jealous or upset because we're so much better together than those couples. (No offense.) And then he sent me a link to a house he really liked. Which helped.

Because even though we're apart, we can still plan our future lives together.

I know for a fact, my boyfriend and I will be together for the rest of our lives. And comparing our relationship with someone else's is just silly. We're different. Not just because we're military, but because we are so in love. We fit.

And I wish my friends the best, but I can't vouch for their relationship as much as I can vouch for my own.  

Life Goes On...

So I guess the second to last post was super depressing and sad and all that junk. I had about an entire weekend of weakness. I was completely struggling with everything and my heart was broken.

But I've picked myself up. I started focusing on his first care package as a way to make myself a little happier. I knew he's been super excited about getting care packages, and he'll be really happy when he gets them. So it made me happy to think about making him happy.

We decided together to get him a camera and SD card and then we would switch SD cards every month or so. Then we could take pictures of ourself doing things and a couple videos and what not. Kinda a once-a-month present to each other. I'm super excited about getting his first SD card back. I have to send him the camera though first...but I'm still working on putting things together. I wanted to have it out on Tuesday, but things fell through the cracks and I'm at square one again. Soooo basically, it'll probably be next week before I get it out to him. So I figured I'm going to send him a letter to tie him over until he gets the care package.

Working on OPERATION: KEEP BUSY...I bought myself a book called "Confessions of a Military Wife" by Mollie Gross. Amazing book. I haven't finished it yet but I haven't been able to put it down. It's hilarious and also has some great tips/stories about life as a military wife. There's so much I can relate to. Also, the jokes and funny stories have picked my mood up from depressed in the last day. I would recommend it to any military wife.

Great Book!

My mom forced me to put my tiny one foot tall Christmas tree up. When I say forced...I mean she made my dad bring it to work and place it on my desk as a "Melissa. You better put this up" notice. It kinda helped my funk also. Looking at the lights makes me smile. I totally thought I was going to hate having it up because it would make me sad that I couldn't share it with my boy...but instead it makes me warm inside. And I took a few pictures to send him, which I hope makes him feel warm too...and not sad he's not here to see it in person.

I'm trying to find my strength here. Taking things one day at a time. I'm sure I'll do it...I'm just trying my best to live my life while he's gone. Which is what you have to do.

Life goes on...

Pure Excitement

So my boy will be home on Tuesday for his leave... I'm going nuts. I've been trying to stay extra busy this weekend so I don't just sit around all antsy. Use my extra energy in productive ways. So I made some progress on OPERATION: KEEP BUSY. But first, I got my boyfriend's Christmas present together. He goes overseas on the 5th, so when I finally get an address and send it over it won't make it in time. So instead I'm giving him his gift while he's home.

First I bought him a Zune mp3 player. His 100000000 year old iPod finally died...about two days after he got to Mississippi. He had told me he wanted a Zune instead since it's cheaper to put music on. I got him a 16 GB one with a 30 hour battery life. Should be great for him with the long plane ride over.

I got him a OSU blanket to keep him warm. That he won't get until Thanksgiving Day since my sister is bringing it home with her (she's goes to OSU and works at the Buckeye Corner...so I got a great deal!) It's super warm and soft I guess. So he'll definately make some good use of it.




OH! IO!

My favorite part. I also got him a small picture frame with a picture of us in it: the same picture we have in our living room. Us at a Cavs game, his Christmas present from 2 year ago. It's nothing special, plastic so it won't break. And I put a little note in the back as a reminder that I will always love him.



Aren't we cute?

So Friday I went and saw Breaking Dawn with my mom. Scratch one movie off the list of 20. I'm totally obsessed with the books and can't help but love the movies (except Twilight...we have a love-hate relationship). Of course, I loved it. But there was the scene (spoiler alert) with the wolves that bugged me. I felt like I was watching a kid movie with them talking to each other. But, it happened in the books and I guess they tried their best to stay as close to the book as possible.

Next thing I worked on knocking off my list was decorating the apartment. I got some frames for some pictures of us and friends. And I've had these ones for the bathroom for about...I don't know...forever. And I put them up also. I have some art and stuff I want to hang too. And some curtains, but I never got around to it with all the homework and cleaning I had to do also. But I'm proud of my work of art in the bathroom.

Anyway, kept busy. Now I just have to make it through tomorrow and part of  Tuesday. They'll be the slowest days of my life...so far anyway.

So toodles Blogger! I'll see you at the end of the week.

It's Been Awhile...

Oh Jeez! It's been a week and a half since my last post! Life has just been pretty crazyyyy.

Well lets see. Halloween weekend I went with some friends to the House of Blues downtown. It was a pretty crazy Halloween party going on. And we got in for free since my one friend from work used to work there. They were staying in a hotel...and Velle was very uncormfortable with that. Which I totally get. So I went there beforehand and got some pictures. I couldn't really drink because I had to drive home. But I still had fun (Ohhh yea To Do List!)   Some pictures...


Me and Kayla :)

Salute!

So then Sunday night I went with my best friend and her daughter (my gorgeous god daughter) trick-or-treating.

The most gorgeous 3 year old on planet Earth.

RAWR!

Then Monday was Halloween. And of course that meant dressing up at work. The theme was movie characters. And everyone went all out. We have a costume contest...first place got $100. I didn't win but the people who won did a really good job. (Plus I won last year so I don't think they would have picked me anyway)

We were Jay and Silent Bob :)



My friend Mary Beth as Ace Ventura.

Monday was also The End Of The Month. Which equals death at work. We pretty much have to get all our work done for the month on the last day. The sales people try to wrap up their deals so it ends up on their commission check for the month. It's just pure CRAZINESS. So I was at work until 8 pm... dressed like a dude.

Then the whole week just sort of blew by. It felt like I looked up and it was Friday.

What's been nice is that my boyfriend and I have been talking a lot this past week. We've talked about our plans, our fears, our relationship. Everything. I feel like everything that was left unsaid before he left is being said now. Mostly because he's probably more comfortable saying things over the phone than in person. But either way.

And I can tell that he sees just how much he misses me and therefore loves me.

Example. The flowers I got yesterday "Just because I miss you" (Note: He signed the card SPC Gray. I think he needs a break from the base haha)

I can't wait until the buds bloom. They're lillies. It's all ready looking nice today. But I'll post a picture once everything is fully bloomed.

It was the sweetest thing in the world though. It just makes me realize how lucky I am. My boyfriend is hundred of miles away from me and he still treats me like his queen. He can't do it in person, but he can surely do it far away in a different way.

How did I become the luckiest girl in the world?

That being said. I had a very rough day today. He found out his mission yesterday and he told me he's nervous. Which completely broke my heart. If he's nervous...I should be too. I want so badly for him to just stay on base 24/7. But of course I'm kidding myself. But he's been completely reassuring and wonderful to me, so I'm going to do the same for him.

But life's been good. I miss him more everyday and even though I have rough days, I'm doing it and super proud of myself for it too.

My Deployment To Do List

So, he's gone. Gone. Gone. Gone.

I put him on that plane, cried the whole way home, curled up in bed, took a big whiff of his smell on his pillow and got up. I've been on the verge of tears since, but I decided to start OPERATION: KEEP BUSY.

That's what I keep hearing. "Keep busy. It'll go by fast." Yea but when you're at Day 0...Day 365 seems like forever away. So I can't help but be negative here and say it's going too slow. Go by fast all ready. But what the hell right? I was all ready planning on keeping busy to keep myself from spending all day dreaming about what he's doing and feeling sorry for myself.

So, tonight Phase 1 of OPERATION: KEEP BUSY went into action. Writing my Deployment To Do list. Here we go.

DEPLOYMENT TO DO LIST

1) Keeping up with this blog. Therapeutic and a time consumer.

2) Cut my hair. Velle loves it long. I want to cut it so bad. So, I'm doing it while he's gone so he'll never miss it.

My long, red hair.

3) Learn to cook. Cooking books and experimentation here I come!

4) Quit smoking. This one is Velle's goal while he's overseas. So, I'm going to too!

5) Decorate the apartment. We moved here only just in June...I've never gotten around to it.

6) Excercise everyday. I'm going to need to with all the cooking I'll be doing!

7) Graduate college and get a job. This is on my life list, period.

8) Get a tattoo. I've been dying to do this since I turned 18, just haven't had the balls...

9) Take a trip to Canada. I have family up there I haven't seen in ages.

10) Take a trip somewhere alone. I've never gone anywhere alone.

11) Spa Day! I got a gift certificate last Christmas and I have yet to use it.

12) Read 20 classic books I haven't read. I started Oliver Twist ages ago...I just didn't get past page 10.

13) See 20 movies in theaters. This might be another alone thing too. I've never done that either...

14) See as many plays and musicals as possible. Velle hates them. My mom loves them.

How can you hate this???

15) Go out with friends I haven't seen/talked to in awhile.

16) Save 1000 dollars before his return.

17) Send as many care packages as possible. Possibly some samples from my new cooking skills??

18) Learn the art of extreme couponing. You have no idea how long I've wanted to be able to do that.

19) Make a scrapbook. I've always wanted to do this. I just don't know what the theme will be yet.

20) Have fun.

That last one is super important.

The last thing he said to me before he walked away was "Remember to have fun." I know he's worried about me...that I'll sit around the whole year just waiting for him to walk through the front door. Because, I am a home-body. When faced with the crushing dilemma of going to a bar or staying home and watching a movie, home always wins. And I know he's worried I'll be sad the whole time. I'm worried about this too.

But he told me to have fun. Gotta follow orders right?