Still

On the weekends Sgt. works double shifts from 3pm until 7am. The house is quiet when he's gone and I often occupy myself with laundry or cleaning or movies, sometimes all three and then some.

I go to sleep early because there is no one here to play chess with or to cuddle with on the couch listening to the Michael Buble station on pandora, like we do lots of nights. (which is a FABULOUS station by the way) I don't cook dinner because there are enough leftovers from the week and honestly, cooking for one is never very fun. (plus I just cleaned the kitchen right?) It's a nice relaxing time but my favorite time is still when he gets home in the morning.

Since I moved in here I can't think of a weekend morning that's gone by where he hasn't done the same, wonderful, perfect thing.

He comes in and changes out of his uniform, and does the usual "going to bed" rituals. He sneaks into the room, careful not to wake me. Usually he doesn't (wake me, that is). Then he moves the covers and climbs in to bed which usually gets my eyes open, and he pulls me close and kisses my forehead and whispers sweet and charming and loving things before he falls asleep.

I like to lay there with him. Even when I'm already awake, it's nice to have him by my side for a little while. I still watch him sleep for a few moments, thinking about how lucky and blessed I am to have him by my side. To have gone through everything we've gone through... PCS's and deployments, over a year apart, the confusion and mess that was October, and still we are here. Together. As if, it was always supposed to end up this way. (I think it was)

Living together, it's easy to be used to him here every day. I don't spend my days thinking about all the time we've spent apart but there are moments, moments when I catch him pouring us coffee as I walk out of the bedroom in the morning, and moments where I feel his presence quietly behind me as he sneaks over to kiss my neck, when the world gets quiet and all can think about is "I'm so glad you're here."

This morning he layed there sleeping with my head on his chest and his arm draped across my waist. I watched his chest rise and fall. And that sense of relief washed over me. He has still not been home a year, but I am thankful for every moment that he is. I have seen him in many lights since last August. The settling that comes with time from one environment change to another certainly had its way with us both :)

He is not impossible to keep up with, although he certainly gives me a run for my money. He is strong and sure and loves me in a way that restores my faith in pure and uncostly love, every day. He makes me laugh and supports me with encouragement that is his alone. He's able to do this because he has learned about me, and continues to do so. The hard work (however last minute it may be ;) ) he has put into school is quite a sight to see. I admire and respect him so much for the unstoppable force he is when it comes to achieving his goals, and when it comes to the attention and care he puts into us.

I'm not sure why I felt compelled to blog about it. Maybe it was just one of those moments when you know you want to be able to look back a year from now and remember it. And all it took was laying next to him, watching him sleep, knowing he's here beside me and knowing I wouldn't change a thing.

Lazy Saturday

So lets re-cap my day shall we? I got up, showered, and started coffee. About then, the man of the house made me some cereal ♥ and we finished watching the movie "The Lucky Ones." After cereal, I put a load (yep, just one...) of laundry (cough:uniforms:cough) into the wash (dried them too). Then I read exactly two sentences of "On Killing".

After my exhausting two sentences I wrote up the report I needed to do after observing all of the classrooms at my new school on Friday (ok, that was important)... while eating a plate full of fruit and cheese that the handsome man who lives here brought in for us to munch on.

I talked to a friend on the phone for about 10 minutes. Hung out with Sgt. before he left for work around 3 and then I actually did go running today, did 30 minutes (despite the insistent voice in my head that was telling me I didn't want to go) now, I just finished watching "The Express."

Laaaaazzzzzzyyyyyyyy

The Ugly Kite and Me.

Some of you may or may not know about the Ugly Kite travels. A while back I was browsing through blogs and came across one who had posted one day about people hosting "Ugly Kite" which is apparently a decorative item people in Germany put all up in store windows and on front doors. Well my turn to host Ugly Kite came a few days ago and I thought you all might enjoy a little view of what we were up to!

This is Ugly Kite enjoying some Tennessee sweet tea

Here's Ugly Kite in front of the Welcome Home sign Sgt. made me :)

Ugly Kite participating in our near nightly ritual... a game of chess! (and wine...)

Ugly Kite with my new Tennessee license

and with my old Texas one...

Ugly Kite making chicken salad

So there you have it folks! Ugly Kite had a nice visit and is now off to California. Safe travels Ugly friend.

I love loud music

Ya know, in the car when it's just you driving and it's a pretty day outside... the sun is shining and you would roll the window down if you hadn't just spent 30 min. straightening your hair. Good thing is, I'll have plenty of time to listen to the radio now on my drive to work in the morning.

What's that?

I GOT A JOB!!!

One I am SUPER excited about... back in the classroom folks! :) I have to get back to supper now as I have a delightful spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove and a boyfriend coming home soon (that's right, home as in our home.... I have a JOB and a wonderful man to welcome home each day) but I wanted to make sure and tell you all that.

As much as I've loved being a house-girlfriend and am glad I had the time to unpack and settle in... I'm feeling incredibly blessed and joyful that the job search didn't turn into a dreadful and torturous experience. It doesn't make for a very harmonious living situation. I told Sgt. earlier this afternoon that even though I wasn't doubting me living here, it's nice to see that it's the right time by the way things are working out so much better. I guess what they say about timing is everything, is true.

Speaking of time. Spaghetti sauce.

One last time for good measure though, say it with me, paycheck....

Tennessee Two

Good morning good morning!

I'm in a good mood, sorry for all the cheer fullness, I know it's a Monday and the last thing anyone wants on a Monday is that upbeat person fluttering around but I need to be in a good mood today, I need to be positive and upbeat because today I need to find a JOB.

A job, along with my camera cord, an iron scrolly thing, and a couple of other miscellaneous items are about the only things left that I have to locate. Ever since we arrived on Thursday night I've been unpacking and rearranging and putting things up on walls (only to have Sgt. come and help because for the life of me I can't hang a damn thing straight). It's been fun, and my wonderful amazing boyfriend has been absolutely encouraging in all my decorating desires. Not that I've done anything crazy... no paint and very little moving of the furniture. A few pictures, vases, and wall decor here and a bathroom rug and shower curtain there, but he seems to like it!

As soon as we got here Thursday night (after Sgt. drove the entire 18 hours himself in rain the ENTIRE time) there was no adjustment period needed to feel like home, it already was home. Even though the very sweet "Welcome Home!" sign Sgt. made and put on the wall was greatly appreciated :). (it's still up by the way lol.) The apartment and I are well acquainted, mainly because it's been housing the one thing that is always home to me, him. TN town and I will get to know each other with time. I'm still not quite sure where to find everything, but I successfully navigated my way to the grocery store, Target, and a restaurant to find sweet tea yesterday so I'm starting to get a feel for it.

When I left Texas everyone kept asking me if I was ok. "I'm good" I'd reply. I didn't have the heart to tell them the truth: "I'm ecstatic! I can't wait!" Sure, saying goodbye to my work family was a little difficult and saying goodbye to Sgt.'s family was hard. Saying goodnight to my dad and hearing him recite fatherly advice for long trips in bad weather made me smile and miss him before we were gone, but Sgt. was always there and it was easy to see where I was heading and why. The decision couldn't have been easier. I kept expecting some wave of sadness to hit, and as we were driving out of the hill country I got a little choked up when I said something like "Wow, I can't believe this is the last time I'll make this drive for a while" but all in all.... it's wonderful. I couldn't be happier to be where I am, and with who I'm with. He makes it right. Who knows, maybe it'll still come in time, but I somehow doubt it.

Ok, now to find a job. (Maybe if I say it like it's so easy I'll start to believe it?)

I have a blog, right?

Hello out there. Can anyone hear me? It's me, KJ... I vaguely remember having a blog before moving. Sgt. arrived without incident and it was wonderful to finally say hello to someone and not just goodbye.

We got lots of visiting done today, and my wonderful boyfriend installed a new stereo in my car as a surprise for our trip (and because I've had the most god awful radio for two years)... oh and we got the storage shed. Yep. We're going to head out tomorrow around 6:30 pm, see my folks, and take a short nap. We'll hit the road and then we'll be home in TN by around 10pm Thursday night... exhausted, and dead tired, but HOME! I can't wait :).

Sgt. walked into my room Monday night and while I was in the bathroom washing my face I hear him call to me from the other room.. "So honey, which half of this is going with us and which half is going to storage?" "hahaha.... half? Umm... everything but that box in the front is going... right... it'll fit right babe?" he's quiet for a moment and then I walk out to see him, he looks up at me with a smile and says "uh... yeah... sure, we'll see what we can do."

Hahahaha, half. Men.

I apologize for my sever lack in commenting and posting... I'm hoping to emerge from my moving bubble next week sometime. Until then, take care. See you on the other side :)

8 days

Well, we're 8 days away from the big move! Packing is progressing along nicely... although I have no idea how I ended up with so much stuff. I think gremlins are sneaking into my apartment at night and putting things conspicuously around the room, because there is absolutely no way I have acquired that much stuff, right? RIGHT?

This weekend I said my first "goodbye" and it was probably one of the hardest ones I will have to make. It was my brother. My brother and I are extremely close and if that didn't make the goodbye hard enough, he's kind of going through a rough time right now so it stinks feeling like I won't be here for him in the months ahead. That's silly though, I will be there for him, I'm only a phone call away, and Sgt. and I will be back to visit soon enough... like I told Sgt. though, relatively speaking, I won't see most of these people (the ones I'm saying goodbye to) much less than I see them now, it's just that now I know I am states away, and not just a couple of hours. I am still confident in the decision I've made and I couldn't be more excited about it... I can't wait to be there with him, to be home, but closing a chapter is always a little hard.

This weekend I dragged my brother to the San Marcos outlet malls to shop with me. I got throw pillows for our couch and bed at the Pottery Barn Outlet.... for $35.00 y'all!! 5 throw pillows, and two inserts (they didn't have the other sizes so I'll have to order them) for $35.00. Need I say anything else about why I love that place? (yeah, and gremlins are the reason I have so much stuff packed/to pack)

Other than all that, everything is going pretty smoothly. I don't feel rushed or stressed as of now. I'm hoping that I arranged everything in a timely manner so that I can get through it easily, but we'll see. 8 days left! Can't wait :)