9/11/01

I was a junior in high school when the tragedy of 9/11 happened.  We were outside playing golf for gym class and the teacher told us we had to go inside.  I remember being happy about this because I hated golf.  It wasn't until I got to my next class that I realized what was going on.  Watching the television footage and seeing the second plane hit the tower is something that I will never forget.  Little did I know at the age of 16 how this would effect my life.

I joined the military in 2003 shortly after high school.  I will be honest and say that I joined mainly because of the educational benefits & the opportunity to travel.  I've been extremely lucky to have never had to be deployed anywhere dangerous.  My list of deployments include Colorado, Mississippi, Texas & two weeks in Turkey.

In 2006 I started dating my now husband.  In 2008 our unit was set to deploy to Afghanistan.  They asked for volunteers first.  I said "no" to overseas but if they needed me to come backfill at the base, I would do so.  LC and I had talked about our decisions before hand I knew that he wanted to deploy.  As much as I didn't want him to go, I told him that if it's something that he really wanted to do, I would support him 100%. 

At our next drill weekend, they put up a list of who was going overseas and who was backfilling.  I waited until I got home to cry.

If someone had told me on September 11, 2001 that I would have a boyfriend serving in Afghanistan seven years later, I wouldn't have believed them because that was not how I had envisioned my life.  But I couldn't be more proud of him and the decisions that he has made.  His bravery and selflessness is something that I truly admire about him and that make him the person that he is.

Let us never forget all of those who lost their lives that day, who continue to put their lives on the line for our freedom daily and their families who are supporting their efforts.  God Bless America :-) 

 

LC's Tough Mudder Recap + SIDI for the Week

Sorry this posting is a day late, but I hung out with my parents all day on their boat yesterday & the time just got away from me :-) It was a glorious way to end the weekend and I didn't want to leave.  We didn't get back to Chicago until after 9pm, and after sunning & swimming all afternoon, I was beat.  But not as beat as this guy...

Hubs had his tough mudder race on Saturday and he completed it like a champ :-) I'm not going to lie, I had my doubts about him finishing only because this race sounded so intense & the night before, we were laying in bed and I asked him when the last time was that he ran 10 miles.  He told me 8 or 9 years ago...EEK!   

We woke up EARLY Saturday morning to get ready and drive up to Devil's Head in WI.  We got on the road at 4:30 a.m. and guess what...there was a traffic jam!  At 4:30AM!!!! To be honest, I was not the least bit surprised...it's Chicago.  But we later found out that the highways had standing water and there was a part of the highway that was closed all together.  Needless to say, we made in there just in time for LC to start his race.  

Pretty much, he had to complete run/walk/ crawl :-) 10 miles and complete 25 obstacles.  I tried to make it to as many obstacles as I could, but being a spectactor at these things are no joke.  One, I definitely wore the wrong kind of shoes.  My old school Adidas flip flops are shot :-(  And two, the maps were not helpful at all.  I pretty much just walked around, asked the people what obstacle # it was and waited for him to show up. (Tough mudder, get better maps and some guides out there to direct you on where to go.)

This was obstacle #10.  But the first one that I saw him at.  I was so happy to see him alive & not hurt.  And I'm pretty sure he was happy to see me :-) 

  (No thanks buddy, we'll save the hugs for later.)

Some of the obstacles included runnning through walls of fire (so mad that I missed this), climbing up a wall, carrying logs, jumping into pools of ice water, low crawling through barbed wire in the mud, and last but  running through yellow tenticles that had electrcity running through them.  Most people made it out of that unharmed, but hubs was not so lucky.  He got shocked with a BIG one and, therefore, fell into the mud.  This was the very last obstacle and why he looks so dirty compared to everyone else...

I think he's still feeling the effects of that shock!

After they finished the race, they got a beer, a clean t-shirt and those groovy sweatbands :-) Oh, and a facebook badge that says you complete Tough Mudder.  He keeps asking me to do it with him next year, but I told him the ONLY way he could get me to do it is if we get to do the one London or Syndey Australia ;-) If I'm going to put myself through that kind of punishment I want a sweet vacation out of it, or at least a medal :-)  The money went to a great cause & I was just so happy he finished successfully AND injury- free.

So below is this week's Say it Do It.  I saw one of my BFF's for a bit yesterday and she roped me into doing a 1/2 marathon with her.  It's her first one and I thought it would be nice if she had a buddy to run it with her.  Did I mention that it's over Labor Day weekend? 6 weeks to go, so I better get running! I also got my turbo fire DVDs in the mail.  So far I LOVE them.  They're so much fun :-)

Monday: Fire 30 + Stretch 10

Tuesday: Run 4 miles + Turbofire workout

Wednesday: Run 2 miles + Bar Method+ Volleyball playoffs!

Thursday: Run 4 miles + Turbofire

Friday: Turbofire workout

Saturday: 5k Race to Zumba in the Park :-)

Sunday: Yoga!

I'm off to the grocery store & to grill out with hubs.  Grilling has become our Monday ritual since it's his day off and the only day he gets to perfect his grilling skills this week ;-)

My 7 Links!

Special thanks to Lindsey over at A Running Tale for tagging me in the 7 links post! As a fairly new blogger, I'm excited to play along :-)

Most Beautiful

So far my most "beautiful" post to date, has been a birthday tribute to my then fiance, 27.  I think it's the most beautiful because I put it all out there, he read it & got teary eyed.

Most Popular-My recent bar method review has hands down been my most popular post.  Thanks to a tweet by Bar Method and a facebook post, that one post got almost 500 views.  I love the Bar Method because it works!!

 Most controversial-My post about strippers @ bachelor parties. I knew LC would be having one, I didn't haven't a problem with it, but I knew some of the GF's of the guys did and I just wanted to see what everyone's opinions were.

Most Helpful-I'm going to go with my honeymoon recaps. Part 1-Arriving to San Fran.  Part 2-Big Wineries & Lodging.  Part 3-Small Wineries & Restaurants. I want to go back to Napa!

Surprise Success-My wedding shower post! haha! I didn't think that many people cared :-) It was a bit long a huge picture overload, but I had so much to say & I didn't want to forget anything.

Not Enough Attention-When I decided to withdraw from the Chicago Marathon I thought more people would comment.  It was a big decision (and HUGE disapointment) for me and a lot of different factors went into it.  Spraining my ankle has almost been a blessing in disguise.  It has taught me A)listen to my body, it knows its limits B)Not take exercise or simple things such as walking for granted C)forced me to try different things besides running (I got turbofire in the mail yesterday! Trying it out tomorrow!!)

Most Proud Of- My first 1/2 marathon with my sister :-) Something I never thought I'd be able to do.  I miss you MissE Childs :-)

And now I pass the 7 links torch onto:

Elvi@ Life.Wedding.Nonsense

Legally Fabulous

Jill @ Life After College

Meesh@ Postively Meesh

Okay, I'm off to bed...being a spectator at Tough Mudder is exhausting in itself!  I will be back tomorrow with an update of LC's race.  It will be a dirty one ;-)

27

Happy Birthday to my best friend, who knows everything there is to know about me and wants to marry me anyway.  Who challenges me to be a better, more patient person every single day. 

Happy birthday to my travel companion. Who shares the same sense of adventure and goals that I do.

Washington DC summer 2010

New Orleans February 2010

Cozumel Mexico (our first vacay together) Spring Break 2007

Happy Birthday to my workout buddy, who challenges to me to run faster and give it my all, even when I'm ready to give up.

Happy Birthday Dad, love Oliver.  I appreciate everything you do for me & for taking care of me when I was really sick. Mom is really happy you're home, she missed you those last 6 months :-) Please never leave me home with her for long again.     

 Happy birthday to my solider.  You're so brave for volunteering to do what you've done.  And I'm so extremely proud of you!!! I agree with Oliver, try not to leave me for another 6 months again. At least for a while.

Happy Birthday to the man who can always manage to make me laugh.  Even when I don't want to.  This makes it very hard for me to stay mad at you :-)

Happy Birthday to the father of our future children.  I can't believe that in just 2 months and one week, we're going to be husband & wife.  We've been on one crazy/wild journey and I could not be more content with where we are right now.  I'm looking forward to what lies ahead of us and being your wife.  I love you.    

Happy Homecoming

Last Monday, I got the best Valentine's gift ever...LC came home from his 6 month deployment! For a girl who doesn't believe in celebrating this Hallmark holiday, I couldn't have asked for a better gift. Since he's been home, we've been doing nothing but wedding planning and catching up with his family and friends. We registered at 4 different stores, did our food tasting (sooo good!) and met with the pastor who's marrying us. I'm having a lot of fun planning our wedding, but this past week has been so busy with wedding stuff, I'm looking forward to a date night that doesn't involve the talk of bar packages and meal options.


I love having him back home, but I'm not going to lie, it's been a big adjustment for me. For the past 6 months it's been me, by myself, coming and going as I please. No one else to clean up after except for myself. And if I want to eat cereal for dinner, I'm more than okay with that. Also, we only have one T.V. which means I had to sit through the slam dunk contest as well as the NBA All-Star game. However, it is nice to have someone to cook nice meals for, go on date nights with, and make Saturday morning brunch for. I'm truly happy and can't wait for our wedding. I pray that there will be no more deployments in our near future. Since LC and I have been dating, we have yet to spend a full year in the same city/state. Hopefully, this will be our year.


Pics to come! I tried uploading them tonight & my internet was being really slow and/or I was being really impatient :-)

Chemical Peels & Bar Method

Lately, my face has been less than "perfect". Growing up, I've always had clear skin, but within the past few months it's been giving me some problems. I blame it on stress. A few weeks ago, Living Social was running a really great deal for a chemical peel. So impulsively, I purchased. I have never had a chemical peel before and I was very nervous going into the appointment. I did not want to come out of it looking like Samantha from SATC when she gets her botched chemical peel done.


So, this past Thursday I had my first ever chemical peel, hoping that this would help clear up my skin. I got the the medspa and filled out my paper work. She had me lay down on an exam type bed and she cleaned my face. Then she applied some topical cream that smelled absolutely awful. I could barely breath. Then came the chemical peel. It tingled. It almost felt like someone was pouring a lot of astringent on my face. The whole process took about a half hour tops. I barely noticed any change in my face except for the fact that it was very pale. I picked the perfect weekend for my face to peel off, because I ended up having to stay in all weekend due to a sinus infection and general cold. By Friday, my face just looked like it was sunburned. My boss sent me home early. Not because of my face (I think) but because of my illness. Saturday my face was dry. And by Sunday it started flaking off. Today my face is still dry and I'm not entirely satisfied with the turn out so far. I have noticed that some fine lines from my forehead are gone, but my face is STILL breaking out. So my verdict on the chemical peel: I should have seen a dermatologist first. I'll be paying one a visit in the near future.


This weekend, I also got notice that my bridesmaids' dresses are in. I'm going with my sister this weekend to pick up hers and I can't wait to see them!! I'm positive they'll look fabulous but all of a sudden nervous that the color might be too much. Nothing I can do about it now. I can't believe the big day's in 5 months! AGHH! So much to do!!!!


I've finally began working on some DIY projects. That's the great thing about these bitter cold Chicago winters. Lots of indoor time. My table "numbers" are almost complete. Pics to be posted shortly. And I've FINALLY decided on centerpieces, which is a huge accomplishment for me.


Today, I've finally started my 6 month commitment to The Bar Method! I haven't done this class in about a month and it felt oh so good tonight. Just what my body needed after not working out all week. I'll be feeling it tomorrow. I literally missed going to this class and I was looking forward to it all day today. I've never felt this way about any workout except for maybe running outside on a nice day. Tomorrow is February. LC comes home in February :-) I'm crossing my fingers and praying for THE BEST Valentine's gift of all time.

What Now?

I got a text message today from a co-worker of mine at the base. "Call Kenny ASAP". Right away I get sick feelings in my stomach. I HATE when people add ASAP to their text messages because I always think the worst. So I called Kenny and this how the conversation went:

Me: Hey, "A" told me to call you, what's up?

K: So you know how you were supposed to be going to the "Deid for a month??

Me: Yeah...(what's going through my head: they're sending me for longer and I won't be home when LC gets home and we will have to postpone our wedding!! Dramatic I know)

K: Well, you're not going anymore. They already have active duty crew com in place

Me: Okay. So the smallpox vaccine that's blistering and itching on my arm, that was for nothing?

K: Yep!

Military life is pretty sweet (sense the sarcasm). I called my mom and told her the news and she said to me, "Well don't unpack just yet, you never know!!" She definitely knows how this works. But for now, orders have been canceled and I have enrolled in an online Intro to Nutrution class that's required for the program I'm applying for.

What does this mean for me? Well, I pray that the holidays go by quickly. I hate being in Chicago when LC's not here during Christmas time and with this deployment I was supposed to be going back to WI this Saturday and staying until I left at the end of December. So I would have been with my family and friends. The city is utterly depressing and everything reminds me of him. There are certain Christmas songs that are off limits. This is the hardest part of the year. It also means that I will forced to make NYE plans, because it's simply not acceptable to sit home alone on NYE (wise words of my younger sister). So back to real life I go again. School, work and Oliver.

Happy Veterans Day!

To all the service men and women who have served and are currently serving in the armed forces. This day's for you. And to my favorite airman, soldier and husband-to-be! I'm so proud of you and everything you've accomplished. You are the most selfless person I know. Get home to me safely so we can start our lives together!

4(ish) More Months to Go!

LC's been overseas now for two months and one day (but who's counting). I must say that I'm holding it together pretty well this time around. I've been keeping myself busy, almost to a fault. But now things are slowing down, we're getting closer to the holidays and it's starting to hit me. This is where it will mentally start to get tough.

Deployments are hard. I never envisioned myself being a "military wife". It happened by chance. I truly feel that your relationship has to be strong in order to survive 6 months apart. 6 months without feeling his kiss on your forehead. Without hearing his voice every day. Without a shoulder to lean on and someone to cheer you up when you've had a really bad day. 6 months of lonely Netflix nights (although I have enjoyed having free reign of the queue) and the end of date nights. I will say that I take comfort in knowing he's out of harm's way and that there's no violence going on where he is. Last deployment, he was in Afghanistan and I was a mess. I'm thankful for the wonderful support system that I have in my friends and family. Without their love and support I don't know what I would do. And my mom has been so great and patient. (I call her an average of 2 times a day).

I'm proud of my fiance, and the job that he's volunteered for. He's the most selfless person I know with the a heart of gold. I can't wait for him to get home so that we can begin the rest of our lives together!
"Lucky is the man who is the first love of a woman, but luckier is the woman who is the last love of a man."

Please, Come Home Soon

Here we go again, another 6 month deployment to the Middle East. LC left on Tuesday to go overseas. Another 6 months. We've done it before, and I've learned that it doesn't get easier with each deployment. This time was different though. Unlike the last deployment where I was sad before he even left, it really didn't hit me until the day of that he was leaving for that amount of time. On the morning that he left, we just kept telling each other "no tears" followed by a kiss. And surprisingly I didn't cry...in front of him. As soon as he got on the plane, the water works came. But all in all, I held it together pretty well.
Tonight, I finally got around to watching this youtube/facebook video that's been going around. I've been putting it off for obvious reasons. It's a compilation of military members reuniting with their families. It's wondering and amazing. The feeling you have when you see that person cannot even be put into words so I'm not even going to try. The video is 10 minutes long and I cried from start to finish. I couldn't help myself.

I have some candid pictures of our "reunion" from his last deployment. A friend of ours took them and I think it captures the emotion as best as possible.

A year ago Today...

Larry asked me to be his wife. And of course, I said YES (or else this blog would not exist)! I had never anticipated that our engagement would be this long, but the past year has gone by very quickly. I originally had wanted a winter 2010 wedding, but God had other plans for us. After we got engaged, Larry got word that his unit would be deploying overseas for 6 months, interfering with our winter wonderland wedding. So, we moved the wedding to the summer of 2011 and decided that we would get married on the same day that we got engaged, July 3rd. So next year on this date, I will be a wife and no longer a fiance. I'm looking forward to planning the all the details of our wedding, both big and small. We already have all the major things booked: Church, reception hall, photographer and DJ. I pray to God that the time he's away, will go by quickly and that he gets home to me safe and sound. We've done this before, this is nothing new to me, but it never gets any easier.