Homecoming

On June 6, 2011 Alex finally came home to me!! I can't tell you how amazing it was to see him after those 5 long months!! He flew out of Bahrain and made the almost 24 hr flight home. I was trying to get the house ready and me ready for his arrival and there just didn't seem to be enough time! You would think I would have done a lot in the time that he was gone, but it just didn't work out that way. And on a funny note, I decided to get a spray tan so I could "look my best" for his homecoming, but I didn't get the desired effects. I ended up looking pretty spotty/multicolored. It's a good thing he missed me so much and didn't really care about the spots. :)
Now that he is home, its like he never left. We just fell into our normal routine. I think we just have a greater appreciation for each other. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder!!


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May is for Birthdays!!

As of May 14, 2011 I am officially 25 years old!!! Where in the world did the time go?? I don't feel like I am 25. I feel like I should have a couple of kiddos, be settled in my career, and have my educated completed. Not even close on any of that! BUT I am married to my best friend. That is one thing that has been crossed off "the list" for a couple years now. But there just seems to be so much unaccomplished. And I didn't like turning a quarter century without my husband at my side. He told me he didn't like being away for my birthday either. He needed to be home to wake up to and spend the whole day off with. I know I am kind of whining right now. I know that there are plenty of other families out there missing their loved ones while they are away. I just REALLY miss him! Although I can't complain about the friends and family here that did a wonderful job about making the whole weekend special for me.

I went to the salon on Friday afternoon for some pampering. The stylists at Bombshell in Chesapeake were wonderful at helping me feel my inner "Bombshell" I walked out with pampered feet, pretty nails, and a great new hairstyle. And I went on over the Joe and Nichole's for dinner. She was sweet enough to make me a cake too. Delicious chocolate cake with homemade white frosting. Scrumptious!! Dinner and friends, just a wonderful way to spend a Friday night!!

My second birthday cake was from my Dad and Phyllis. They drove in from the farm on Sunday to bring me cake and presents. They were also nice enough to take me out to Dinner and Mcormick and Schmidts in downtown Virginia Beach. I stuffed my face with fresh Flounder, fried calamari and spinach artichoke dip! YUM YUM!! And that cake is red velvet with cream cheese frosting which happens to be my second favorite besides chocolate cake. So much for dropping a few pounds before the end of the deployment!! :)

I have such a wonderful husband. He couldn't let my birthday go by and not spoil me rotten. I got this in the mail on Friday from Amazon. He had bought me 1500 thread count sheets with a 1500 thread count down comforter!! Pretty nice, huh? I had been talking about getting new sheets like this for a while, but didn't want to spend the money on them. Well, my birthday was a good excuse to spend the money according to my baby. And I can't forget that he had already sent me a pair of gold and diamond earrings from Bahrain when Rob came home in April. I am so spoiled. Thank you, baby!! I love you!! Can't wait till I can spoil you in October for your birthday!!! xoxox

More of my birthday spoils from my dad and Phyllis. That Betty Boop shirt looked great with my jeans and my red pumps. :) Thank you guys!! (Oh, and $50 was nice too!)

I also can't forget to mention that my visiting teacher Kendy, once again came to my rescue and took me out to lunch on Saturday to the Broken Egg Bistro! Food we delicious and the company was great! Thanks for thinking of me, Kendy!! OH! and for all the cards, calls, and facebook shout outs, thank you. It helped make me feel not so alone.

At the end of the day, I might not have all the things I have hoped for, but I do have A LOT!!

Easter 2011

Here are a couple pictures of how I spent Easter this year. I don't want this to be a blog just about me, but there isn't much to report about Alex. He is still stuck on a ship in the middle of the ocean. He did call to wish me a Happy Easter. I sent him this picture via email and he loved it! I had to work on Easter, but it always makes my patients smile when I get into the spirit.

Happy Easter to my patients and my wonderful husband!!!

That night after after work Nichole (in the silver dress) made all of us Easter dinner. As Michelle (in the purple) has pointed out, this is our "Navy Family." Alex is missing, but I know if any of us needed anything, we are just a phone call away. And nothing is expected in return. If it weren't for a Navy family, life in the military would be a hundred times harder than what it is already. We had a great dinner and it was one of the last nights with all of us together. About a week and a half after this, Rob and Michelle left us for Chicago. Good luck with everything Rob and Michelle. We will miss you!! Happy Easter!!

Mary Kay March

I am a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant!!! I am sure most of you know that by now, but just in case you didn't. :) I decided to sign on to the Mary Kay dream right after my surgery in February. It might have been the the residual of the pain medications that made me finally say "yes" but I haven't regretted the decision since. I have had a wonderful time meeting new people and making women feel beautiful. Not to mention I definitely enjoy my 50% discount for my products! It has also been a great way for me to stay busy on my days off work. Keeps my mind off missing Alex, even though I do every day, all day. Alex had been very supportive of my decision to be a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant. He was kind of worried at first, but when he found out I could become a Mary Kay Millionaire he seemed to embrace the idea that he could have a "sugar mamma" :)
Here are some pictures of Career Conference that I attended in March. What a great night of inspiration! And how many career conferences start with prayer? I really liked that about the conference. So from here on out, I will be dreaming in pink!!

The wonderful Kim Hundley's Home Run Hitters!!!

Here are all my accomplishments so far in Mary Kay in just one month!!

Handy Roomates!!

Our hard work!! :)

I can't remember the exact dates, but my friend Michelle moved in with me in the middle of February. Her husband was also on the USS Enterprise and is friends with Alex. When they sold their house soon after the deployment started, she moved in with me since I had an extra room. I couldn't have asked for a better roommate. After she moved in, I was joking with Alex that Michelle could win husband of the year. She takes out the trash, does dishes, cooks dinner, etc. :) He didn't find that very funny, but she really was helpful and it was so nice not to come home to an empty house and have some one around that knew EXACTLY what I was going through.

Soon after she moved in, Michelle was telling her husband, who told my husband, who told me that Michelle thought my house looked like a bachelor pad. (what a way to communicate, eh?) I wasn't offended by that statement at all, because I knew exactly what she was talking about. I just put her to work! One evening we put up a few shelves, a sconce and even some vinyl lettering. It was quite an adventure figuring out the cordless drill and dry wall screws. Michelle had a little bit more knowledge about it than I did. Her husband had taught her well. She also helped me clean out my pots and pans and silverware so now they all match better. We had a fun night putting a girly touch on my house. It's starting to feel a little bit more like home!

Valentines Day 2011

Valentines Day is one of those holidays that can be tough and unfair without a special some one by your side. Or in my case, I do have some one VERY special, but we had to be thousands miles apart. After all the dreading I did about this Valentines day that would have to be spent alone, I still had a couple things that brought a smile to my face. :)
Here is the first thing that had me showing my pearly whites. My awesome visiting teacher had thought about me and brought me a cute little plate of goodies. It made me feel special and those delicious treats you see pictured are actually mini cheesecakes!! How cute is that!?! Thanks for making me feel special, Kendy!

And my wonderful husband ALWAYS finds some way to make me smile. A friend of Alex's was flown off the USS Enterprise right before Valentines day and when I picked his friend up from the airport he had a little package from Alex for me. In it was a Turkish Sultan's puzzle ring and a handwritten note. I don't know if you can tell from the picture above, but it's actually a flower ring that you can put together and take apart like a puzzle. The note had said something like "this ring may only fit on your pinky, but it's the only flower I will be able to give you this Valentines Day." I wish I had a picture of the ring all put together but I haven't been able to put the "puzzle" back together since it came apart when I bumped it while taking clothes out of the dryer! But I absolutely love the ring and he couldn't have chosen a better gift!! I am one lucky girl!!! :)

Under the Knife

A lot of my friends have been asking what surgery I had and how everything went. So I thought I would spell it all out here for everyone. I went in early Friday morning for laproscopic surgery to investigate some fertility issues. I had a test done called an HSG that indicated that one of my fallopian tubes might be blocked. So the doctors wanted to go in and take a closer look.
I was nervous the morning of the surgery, but I don't think I was as nervous as my dad was. He went with me since Alex wasn't able to. I was so grateful to have him there. He sat by me and talked with the doctors. He took care of all my belongings and my dog. And Phyllis was a real big help with all of that too. I am a very lucky girl to have them here.
They took me in to pre op and the nurse anesthetist was really nice. He explained exactly what he would be doing and I felt at ease. The doctor also came in and spoke with my dad and I again about what they were going to be doing. Basically, they took a camera and inserted it into an incision they made near my belly button. The looked around and did find that my left fallopian tube is blocked. At least that is what I heard afterwards. The last thing I remember in the operating room is them strapping my arms down and that was it. I woke up to them telling me to stand up and get in a chair. I had to sit in the chair and drink some soda and they had to make sure I could walk and pee before I could be discharged. I was in such a fog from the drugs they had given me and I hated it. I don't know how anybody can like that feeling. After I passed all their requirements, they put me in a wheelchair and sent me out to the car. It all happened relatively quickly. I was on the operating table at 0730 and home by 1130.
So far the recovery has gone well. I have been sleeping and my dad and Phyllis have continued to take care of me. My dad brought me every meal in bed. Speaking of meals, my wonderful visiting teacher was nice enough to bring dinner on Friday night. Lasagna and salad and even Oreo ice cream for dessert. It was delicious and not to mention extremely kind.
I would have to say a very big highlight in all of this is that Alex was able to call and check on me. I haven't been able to talk to him on the phone since the 23rd of last month. It was so great to hear his voice. I started crying when we went to say goodbye and it was a quick goodbye because Alex said he would have started crying, too. I was so glad I got to talk to him. I just miss him so much.
As for what the results mean for us, I am not really sure. Not only is one of my tubes blocked, but they also found mild endometriosis. They didn't remove anything, so for now, I don't really know what this means for us. I will probably find out at my post op appointment. I am sure they didn't want to discuss our baby making options while I was still as doped up as I was. All I know right now is the old saying there is more than one way to skin a cat. I really believe that we are going to be parents someday, come hell or high water.
I also wanted to thank everyone for all your kind words and prayers. It really means a lot to us and I think it is due to all of that, that I am recovering so well. My in-laws and all my close friends have really been a force to rely on lately and I can't express enough thanks to them. I love you and miss you. Thanks again.