Pearls while road marching

Here's a nice recap of the last few days since I've been meaning to post since Saturday!

This weekend was really great! Really, we had one of the best weekends and we never left far from home (and honestly spent very little money).

So Sgt. is training/getting ready for Air Assault school which is coming up in... oh... 8 weeks? August. Anyway, Air Assault (I was going to put AA but... didn't want anyone confused on were he's headed) has this 12 mile ruck in a 3 hour time limit. So, Sgt. tells me earlier in the week that Saturday he's going to walk to the University and back. Well my first thought was "cool, can I come?" and since I don't really have much of a filter I said "Cool, can I come?"

Saturday morning rolls around and our goal of a 8am departure turned into around 10am but head out we did. Sgt. was in his ACU's with a ruck sack and about.... 20lbs(?) added. I was in normal workout attire and to top it all off, a baseball cap and pearl earrings. I'm pretty classy, what can I say? The truth is I wore them just because I really don't take them off often, they're my every day earrings, but it amused Sgt.

Well all in all it ended up being a little over 4 miles and really a good time spent together. We talked and joked around, all the while attempting to keep his pace. The only problem there is that the man is a good 8 inches taller than me and I have short legs to boot so in order to keep up I was taking almost two steps to each of his. There were a few times where I was over compensating thinking "I don't want to walk behind him because I don't want him to slow down thinking he's got to hold back for me, he's supposed to be training" but after being asked three times to quit speeding up because I was throwing off his natural pace I figured a step behind wouldn't kill me.

Sunday we did the normal household chores and errands and then we decided to go hiking at one of the national battlefields close by. We packed a picnic, the camera, and headed out! That was a lot of fun too! Just spending time together.

A lot of pictures were taken of me, none of him because he's much more fond of snapping the photos. And after walking probably a mile we found an off beat trail and laid out our blanket. I had a blast and later that night in bed we talked about what a great weekend it had been.

THEN.... yes, there's more, yesterday was just one of those days. By 8am I had already called three different companies concerning one problem or another. Trying to deal with getting my car totalled out (which by the way, I think if someone hits you, and they end up totalling your car and that car is completely paid for, they should add 5,000 dollars to your settlement so that you can actually afford to buy another car ....which will likely require you to now budget for car payments.... grrr) and when I got to work I had to sit in the parking lot for about 5 minutes to finish getting the cry out and compose myself. It didn't get a whole lot better from there.

Sgt. knew it had been an awful day (because he had to hear about it multiple times) but he kept a really calm composure and was extremely reassuring and encouraging for me. When I rolled into the door around 7:45pm I was beat and just glad to be home. He helped me set my stuff down and wrapped me in a big hug and then took me by the hand and led me into the bathroom.

When I walked in the door there are candles lit around our tub and a hot bath that was drawn only a couple of minutes before. He kissed me and told me just to relax. After I got in the tub he came back in with a glass of wine and I'm completely speechless. I just kept smiling like a fool and saying thank you. Strange part is that this is not the first, or even the second time he's done this on a bad day of mine... I'm just always still so surprised and thankful that he's who he is.

After my much needed bath he brought me a robe and finished up dinner while I sat and just watched him. A little Michael Buble mix on Pandora and a faux fireplace screen saver playing on our TV.... life doesn't get much better than this.

Now it's today. He's sitting behind me studying for a physics test he's got tomorrow. We ordered Chinese food and had a beer earlier. There is a basket of laundry sitting in front of me that's saying "no, you don't have to fold us tonight... we'll wait... you can always throw us back in the dryer if you want..." and now he's actually reading his Physics out loud. Yep.... really, I just hear the words "kinetic energy"

Life still doesn't get much better.

Life is good

So Sgt. and I were goofing off on the computer the other day when he went to my blog link and I knew I hadn't posted in a while but a whole month? Seriously? I don't think that's happened since... well.... ever?

Honestly? Life is so completely wonderful and going so well... I have nothing to say, other than just that. It's great. SO SO Great!

Sure, Sgt. and I have had our disagreements since I moved here. I think I've stomped into the house on more than one occasion, but nothing that isn't solved by the end of the day. Still though, coming up on three months living together and I still look at him and say "I love our life together"

Just last night Sgt. was sitting out on our back porch that's right off the living room. He had the door open because we were chatting, and I was leaning on the couch thumbing through a book. He was quiet for a minute and then he said "Ya know, looking into our home at night like this... it really looks... homey, like a home... it's been a long time since I've lived somewhere like that... thank you honey." Cue the huge cheesy grin on my face. And it's true. I love our life here. Tennessee has been good to me, I love my job and I even got a huge compliment from what would be the equivalent of our superintendent the other day. She got me a gift card because she just happened to visit our school and was "blown away" with my room and me, and everything I had done. I could've been walking on clouds the rest of the day, I'm tellin ya. The best part though, is of course, him. Our life is wonderful. It's content. It's growing. It's learning. But above anything else it's loving and full of life. We don't do gloriously exciting things every weekend. Some days we cook dinner together, other days we order out, and some days, we don't eat dinner together at all because of our schedules. There are days when the apartment is a mess and both of us would like to clean it, but we'd rather spend the two hours we have home together, together, and not cleaning, so we leave it be. The laundry isn't always done and sometimes we're even snappy and frustrated. He is annoyed that I wait until the dish washer is packed full before starting it in order to save water... because we're left with no dishes. I could stand for him to actually wake up the first time the alarm goes off so that fifteen minutes of my morning isn't spent trying to coerce him out of bed :). But that's our life. One I wouldn't change for the world.

Out of all the ordinary there is the extraordinary. This morning he came home after working the graveyard shift. Up all night and the first thing he does is quietly close the bedroom door so he doesn't wake me. I wake up an hour later at the sound of the same door opening and this gorgeous man walking in with a tray full of breakfast for me. Breakfast in bed, for me, after working from 11pm to 7am. Why? Because he loves me he says, because he's lucky he says, and then he makes a joke of personal nature ;). And that's not the first time he's done something wonderful like that.

I suppose I could blog a lot more, but it all seems so simple when I go to write. I'm happy. So wonderfully, blissfully, sickeningly happy. My day is pretty much the same every day. I wake up to the person I love, I get ready for work, he helps me rush around the apartment to find the things I've forgotten, he kisses me goodbye, I head to work where my day is filled with "Ms. KJ I love you." and also "*student* please stop. Is that something you're supposed to be doing? No? Then make a better choice" I chat with co-workers and then head home after work to a smile at the door, some kind of dinner, and an early bed time. But I feel more alive than I've ever felt.

So there you have it. Things are going wonderfully. I have been keeping up with reading the blogs, though I've been a crappy commenter and I apologize. The good news is I'm so wrapped up in what I'm doing here I don't sit down a lot to talk about it. I know some loved ones have returned home and some are getting ready to leave. Congratulations and good luck! I do still think about my little blog family out there :)

Hope everyone is doing fabulously!

Should be doing lesson plans....

But I'm not.

Because I'm actually awake after 9pm!! Can you believe that? Seeing as I've been falling asleep on the couch beginning at 8:40 lately and Sgt. has been getting a nice nightly arm workout by carrying me to the bedroom (yeah, he actually does :) although I'm halfway incoherent and probably drooling most of the time).

I don't know what it's been these past few days - I hope to God I'm just PMSing because honestly this is just too many emotions popping up one after the other. Tonight it's homesickness, yesterday it was just frustration? I don't know what it was. Monday it was something, although, can't remember now on that one either. To be completely 100% honest, here it is:

I love living here! I love living here with him! I love my job!!

I miss knowing whats going on. I miss Mexican food and going out and doing something (anything.) I miss making plans with people.

Still no friends and it's starting to wear me down. Like I told Sgt. tonight, it's not that I'm unhappy, heck, I'm not even lonely!! I certainly have no room to complain with everything I've been blessed with lately but.... listen, I get up at 3:30 am... I am at work from 6am to usually at least 5pm (but I love it, the hours fly and I absolutely adore all the work I put into my kids and my class) and get home a little after 6pm, where I eat dinner with Sgt. (a dinner he cooks because he's wonderful and doesn't want me to have to feel obligated to cook after such long days... and probably because he likes eating before 9pm) watch a little TV and pass out. (read above) It wouldn't be so bad if I was starting to mesh with the people at work but still nothing... they're not bad people, or even mean people, they just kind of stick to themselves. So I don't ever really feel like "a part of the club" (how 8th grade.... I know), I talk to 4 year olds all day, and then get a couple of hours with my boyfriend before sleep hits.

Ok done complaining, I was just missing home a lot this week and it seemed appropriate to blog about. Did I mention Sgt. is going back to Texas in two weeks for a family thing.... and that I'm unable to go? I'm a little jealous. Not his fault... mandatory inservice for work... but dang. Alright, moving on.

Living together is still so far, so good! I'm hoping that with his new work schedule we'll have a little more time to do things together other than sleep and eat. I know, I know, not long ago there was a time when we would go weeks and months without seeing each other - so, no, it's not going to kill me, but that's the point, if I have the opportunity to spend time with him, then why not take advantage of it? I just don't want us to get into a routine of being "room mates" rather than an actual breathing, living, madly in love couple. Did I mention he brought me dessert tonight, which included chocolate brownie ice cream with sliced strawberries on top?? Never had a room mate do THAT for me! ;)

Oh, and side note, Sgt. is tracking for another 4.0 this semester!! Whooo hoo! He can downplay whatever he wants, but it's my blog so on here I can brag about whatever IIII want. He also got some outstanding cadet of the year or something.... which, and don't tell him I said this, but which I'm also happy for him for. The ROTC/green-2-gold thing is still push and shove for him. A couple of weeks ago he came home from a FTX all sorts of angry and frustrated and it set off a sort of week and a half isolation for him. He began feeling really stagnant again and I got a whiff of his "I"m not happy and something needs to change quickly" mindset. However I didn't take it so personally this time and I like to think I did a lot better handling it than I have in the past. This time it was just more of, me wishing he wasn't unhappy. And wanting to be able to help. No one wants to see the person they love unhappy. Anyway, doing better now!

Maybe this weekend I'll go explore some of the city.... who knows what the deal is. I'll leave you with a funny quote though. Yesterday on the playground one of my students was standing near me and she saw me rub my head. She asked what was wrong and I told her I just had a headache.

4 year old blonde girl: "I know why you have a headache"
me: "You do?"
4 yobg: "Yup, you drink too much"

:) Happy Day everyone!

You're gana miss this....

That's the song that's playing right now so I figured it appropriate for a blog title. Why not, right? Potato Patato... or something like that.

Hiiiiiii!!

No, I don't have a good excuse for not blogging...

So want to hear what I've been up to? I know you're very interested. For starters it's been a little over a month since Sgt. and I made the big leap into living together and it's going so great! It's so wonderful to feel like it was the right thing to do, that we made the right decision, and that it was the right time. Things completely fell into place once I moved down here, I see him every night (sans this weekend while he's in the field), I got my dream job (more to come soon), and I'm just downright HAPPY!

There is certainly something to say for spending most of the first two years together, apart. We don't bicker about petty things, it's not really us anyway, but the bottom line is, what's the point? We're together.... after everything we've been through, the little stuff is not something to argue about, it's something to be treasured. Sure, we have our moments of annoyance or frustration, but nothing that's not overcome within the hour. And let me tell you, it is SOOOOOOO much easier (unbelievably so) to handle bad moods or bad days when you live together (for us anyway). Before, if Sgt. called and had a bad day he was snappy and I in turn would feel a little hurt blah blah blah, you know how it goes. Now, if he's snappy I just give him some space.... start dinner, whatever, and 10 times out of 10 he will realize how he reacted and apologize and tell me about his bad day or he will get his time he needed and walk up behind me to give me a hug. Nothing to fret over. When I am frustrated it's a million times easier to talk to him about it face to face rather than through the phone. I can see his reaction and read his body language... I don't get nearly as worked up or freaked out about it, which I'm sure is a relief to him :). We have FUN together. We're homebody's but some of our best times are just laying on the couch watching TV together and getting into a huge tickle fight (which I inevitably lose...) and goofing off. He's incredibly thoughtful and will start dinner when I have a long day at work, or make me coffee and time it so it's exactly perfect when I walk in the door. He's appreciative. I tend to do a lot of the house work, but not because he won't... I just get around to it quicker, and he's always telling me thank you. Life is good. It's goooood :). I'm very happy with where we are.

As far as work is concerned - awesome. Want to hear the really really good news? I'm officially a teacher!! They finally gave me my own classroom. My own pre-k class first door on the right when you walk up the stairs :) In fact there are a few bee hives and butterflies that are calling to be cut out as we speak for my new bulletin board. It came out of nowhere. My first few weeks they were kind of vague about where they were going to put me. I was expecting that to last but my director came to talk to me one day and Monday I started in my own room! I love love love love love it. The only downside is sometimes it can make for a long day for me. I wake up at 3:30am to get to the school by 6:00am (it's about a 40 min. commute and I don't like being rushed) and if I stay until all the kids go home (it's a day care/early childhood school so longer days) I leave by about 5:15 and get home after 6:00. On Wednesday night I was dead set on making us chicken and dumplins for dinner before he left for the field on Thursday and I also had lesson plans due on Thursday afternoon. Well, I ended up not finishing dinner until almost 10pm (sad, I know. I got a late start) and I fell asleep sitting up on the couch trying to finish lesson plans. The UP side is that most days I get off earlier than that... I should only have two days a week that are over 8.

So out of all the goals I had upon moving here I have just one left to cross off. Friends. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with Sgt. but a girl needs someone to shop with or grab a margarita with should she so choose. In fact, SGT. probably needs a girl to have a girl to go shopping with ;). You'd think that living in a college town and close to a major city it wouldn't be hard... but on the contrary. First, major city (and work) is at least 40 minutes away, so if I make a friend up there, it would be very hard for us to hang out often what with the trip and all. Living in the college town, everyone who does anything "clubby" (volunteering or sports or whatever) all do it through the university so I have very little to no contact with them. If Sgt. had a bff who had a great girlfriend that would be ideal but right now, no go. Plus, I know he's tired of me asking every single time we run into some guy he knows from one class he took last semester (i.e. not really a friend) we promptly get in the car and I ask about said guys dating history and relationship status. I need help lol. Maybe I'll put an add in the paper:

"Just moved to town. Outgoing, bubbly, talkative, enjoys chick flicks, shopping, tasty drinks, cooking, movies, decorating and double dates. Seeking like minded female who can appreciate good gossip and sarcasm, has a penchant for road trips and a good listening ear. If this sounds like you and you're in the market for a friend as I am, please call or e-mail. "

What. A. Loser. Who ever thought it'd be so hard finding a friend as a grown up? School made it much too easy. Friends were always accessible. Of course I still talk to all my friends from Texas, but I can't hang out with them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not unhappy at all. I love my evenings and weekends with Sgt. or alone relaxing and cleaning and window shopping while he's at work. I don't really feel this void or anything... I just think I need some friends, ya know? Any suggestions?

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Thank you Sam.

My blogging is sporadic. I know, but mostly it's because I do not get on a computer at work anymore. Not once, the entire day. When I get home in the evenings, I like to spend time with this guy I know :) so... basically moral of the story is I haven't checked my e-mail in 4 days. Ooops!

However, I couldn't pass this one up.

I am now working as a teacher at a day school/learning center/fancy schmancy day care center - whatever you call it where you are. It's younger age kids, but set up in a classroom, with a curriculum, and lesson plans, and circle time too. Ya know, that sort of thing. Anyway... today is about Sam. You see, Sam is getting ready to move up to the "big boy room" (3 year old class) soon. But the trick is that before he can move up, he has to go two weeks accident free. Yes, we are in the potty training stage my friends. So it was no surprise when during center time, Mr. Sam walks past me....

Scene: classroom. Young blonde, two year old boy who resembles Spanky from the little rascals.

Sam: drops toys and stiffens his hands by his sides "Ms. KJ!! I need to poop! THE POOP! It's coming out of my butt!!"

Me: looks down at Sam "Then go! Hurry buddy!"

We then run to the bathroom where he promptly pulls down his pants and goes poo-poo in the potty! Whoo hooo Sam!!

And guess what else? No accidents today. :)