MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

It's been a few weeks since I've participated, so I thought I'd better get back into it!

1. What is one of the things you always do special when your husband returns from a deployment?  submitted by Keep Calm and Soldier On

-Well, we've only survived through one deployment so far (thankfully!), but before the hubs got home, I made sure the fridge was stocked with his favorite foods/beer and I planned a surprise weekend getaway to Asheville, NC just to have some alone time in the mountains! It was perfect, all except the food poisoning I acquired on day 2 of our trip. Ugh. Such is life. :)

2. What do you do to help your spouse and/or yourself re-adjust after a deployment or long separation?  submitted by Diapers, Dogs and Deployments

-While the hubs was deployed, I had the headache pleasure of moving into a new home all by myself, so when D got home, he had to learn his way around the new place. I had to show him where I put all of his stuff and even then, he couldn't remember where things were. It was kind of hilarious at some points. I was cleaning the bathroom and D was walking around the bedroom with a blank stare on his face. I asked him if he was lost and he said, "Yeah, like last year's Easter egg!" So funny.

3. Are you a crazy coupon clipper (I’m becoming one, so share your secrets with me)?  submitted by Married My Airma

-Not as crazy as I'd like to be. I use coupons in almost every shopping trip, whether it's for groceries or for clothing. I try to never buy things  (especially clothes and accessories) at full price if I can help it. It may not always come in the form of a coupon, but I'm always looking out for sales! I sign up for emails with all of my favorite stores to get their weekly coupons and sales updates. Sometimes I even sign my hubby up to get double the savings!

4. What’s your most treasured memory of you and your spouse (not counting your wedding – that’s a given)? submitted by Scrubs, ACUs and One Crazy Rid

-Oooo, that's a hard one. I'm going to bow out an say every moment is a treasured moment when I'm with him. There are so many times when we aren't together (not out of our own free will) so every second I get to spend with him is one to remember. Although, right before he deployed last July, I felt the closest to him that I've ever felt. It's true what they say about hardships bringing people closer together. 

5. If you could live anywhere overseas, what would you pick and why? submitted by Little Moments Like This

-Funny you should ask....because we're moving to Germany in 5 short weeks! It was our #1 pick on the dream sheet and we got it! We've always wanted to live in Europe and what better way to do it than through the military! We've truly been blessed.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Link up and join the fun at Wife of a Sailor!

1. With PCS moves happening every few years, do you take the time to paint and decorate your home? submitted by Life as Mrs. JPT

--Heck yes! My philosophy on this is simple. You have to bloom where you are planted. I believe part of that blooming is making your house, no matter where it is or how long you'll be there, your HOME. There are so many inconsistencies in the military lifestyle that it is only natural to want to have your home be your safe haven. Decorating it, painting it, landscaping...all these things provide stability and a sense of normalcy. While the hubby was deployed, I had to move us out of our home to a newly renovated home down the street. I had my dining room painted in the old house and I loved it. So, even though I knew (for a fact) that we would only occupy the new home for less than 9 months, I painted the new dining room. I have to paint it back to eggshell white in a few weeks...but I have no regrets. Never will.

2. If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? submitted by Standing By Him

--I would want to live in the apartment that literally the entire cast of Friends has lived in at one point or another. I love that show. And that apartment, the one Rachel and Monica lived in most of the time, is iconic. Could you imagine having those people for roommates? I would love it. Comic relief on a daily basis.



Google images

3. What inspired you to start your blog?  submitted by Pink Combat Boots

--Well, I started reading blogs a little over 6 months ago and fell in love with reading and relating with other military families (like myself) as well as people from all over the world. I thought it was a great way to keep family and friends updated on our life because, as you know, it's always changing. So, I created a blog. It has turned out to be a very wonderful thing. I've gotten such positive feedback and support that I can't remember my life without blogging. What better way to keep documentation of your life and have a creative outlet? It's like a diary, only less private. :) And, bonus! I've made lots of new friends!



4. What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen on base? submitted by Adventures in Life

--I've seen a woman walking her morbidly obese cat down the street...on a leash. That's not even the best part. She was also wearing a pink tu-tu. The cat, mind you. Not the woman. Although, I wouldn't have put it past her to wear one too. See boys! This is what happens when you leave your wives at home alone for to long! They go a little...crazy.

5. Which historical figure (politician, writer, artist, scientist, actor, etc…) would you like to have dinner with?  submitted by Army of Two

I have two people I'd love to break bread with. First of all, Princess Diana. Something about her, and the entire royal family for that matter, fascinates me. I can't wait for the upcoming nuptials of her son and the classy Kate Middleton! Secondly, but definitely not in that order because I think He's second best, I'd love to have dinner with Jesus. Who wouldn't? I've got tons of questions and I know He's got all the right answers. Guess I will have to wait until I'm welcomed inside the pearly gates for that one. Oh what a dinner that will be!

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

1. What is your must have gadget? submitted by Flying High With My Flyboy
- My cell phone. I feel naked without it.

2. How does your adulthood compare to what you imagined it would be like when you were a little kid? submitted by L to the Third
-I wanted to be a rock star. I used to stand on the hearth in my parents living room and sing into my Mr. Microphone for hours upon hours. And if there was a video camera around, I was gonna stand in front of it and put on a show. Nowadays, I can hardly carry a tune in a bucket and if you get a video camera anywhere near me, I clam up.

3. What is your favorite chocolate recipe?  submitted by Our First Deployment
-I really don't have a favorite chocolate recipe, but I do have a favorite chocolate dessert! Ben and Jerry's S'Mores ice cream. This stuff is clearly sent from heaven just for me to devour. I know it's nothing I can make myself, but boy if I could!!! My mouth is watering just thinking of it now!

4. How do you deal with military life when it gets to be to much or to hard? submitted by Combat Boots And Pointe Shoes
-I pack up the hubby and the pup and we head home to NC for a little family time to get centered again. Nothing will shock you back to life better than spending quality time with your family and friends.

5. What piece of advice would you give a new Military spouse facing their first deployment?  submitted by The Albrecht Squad
-Talk about all your worries and concerns with your spouse before they leave. Lay all the feelings and fears out on the table and keep the lines of communication open. The worst thing you can do is push each other away before D day arrives. It's also a good idea to take some time to travel away together, just the two of you. This will give you time to decompress and enjoy each others company before the long months apart. Besides, this is what you'll have to look forward to:

D's Homecoming--January 2011

MilSpouse Friday Fill-In

Sounds like fun, so I'm jumping right in! Head on over to Wife of a Sailor to learn more and join the fun!

This week's questions are:
1. What are some of your ideas for staying connected with family…you know, those people we moved thousands of miles away from? submitted by Live it. Love it (or not). Write About It
--Living only 5 hours from home has been a huge blessing the last 2 1/2 years, so a quick trip to visit the parents, in-laws, and friends has become a once a month occurrence. In addition to the occasional drive home, I have a weekly phone date with at least 4 of my close girlfriends...and of course my mother (except with her it's almost daily!). I am also a self-proclaimed Facebook junkie, so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't on there at least 3 times a day! Facebook is a wonderful tool for staying in touch with loved ones. And seeing as we will be making a move across the Atlantic to Germany this summer, I'm hoping this blog will be a wonderful way for my family and friends to keep track of our crazy European adventure as well!

2. What’s the most romantic gift you have GIVEN? submitted by Painting My Canvas
--Ooo that's a tough one. I guess I'd have to say it was the gift I gave the hubby for Valentine's day last year. I surprised him 4th row tickets to see Michael Bublé! He's one of our most favorite artists, so I couldn't pass up an opportunity to surprise the Mr. and get to see that handsome Canadian in person! I guess it could also be considered one of the most romantic gifts I have ever given myself. ;)

3. Would you encourage your child, if they came to you and wanted to join the military?  submitted by Perfectly Imperfect
--Even though D and I don't have any children (yet), we have talked about what we would do if little Max or Sally ever decided to join the military. Seeing how the military has been such a wonderful blessing to us (so far), we'd be very supportive if our child were to decide to join. We know what it's like to move from place to place, go through family separations and lots of waiting and uncertainty...and it's not for everyone. So beforehand, we would lay all the cards out on the table for our child to see the pros and cons of the military lifestyle. No one should make a life changing decision without knowing what to expect whether it be good, bad, or ugly. And after being an Air Force brat, they'd probably have a good idea of what they'd be getting into anyways.

4. What is your least favorite bill to pay and why? submitted by A Little of This, A Little of That
-- It would definitely have to be my car payment. It's a hefty one. But with our pending move to Germany, we may be selling it! As much as I love my Murano, it will feel nice to have the extra $$$ in our pockets each month!

5. What is the proudest moment you’ve had as a military spouse?  submitted by Our Okinawa Life
--Wow, there are so many! His commissioning as an Officer, watching him put the medals on his dress blues before a ceremony, seeing him walk down the corridor of the airport terminal into my arms after 6 months of serving his country at GTMO...I'm proud of my hubby and what he does to serve our country everyday! But if I had to choose one thing, it would probably be the day he won CGO of the Year for his squadron! At the time, he was deployed, so it was a little bittersweet since we couldn't celebrate the way we normally would have. Regardless, he had been working so hard and I had been praying even harder that he would get it. When he finally gave me the good news I was bursting with pride! It wasn't my award simply because I put in no physical effort to deserve it, but what D told me as he raved about his award made me the proudest I've ever been. He said that if it wasn't for me and my support, he couldn't do what he does each day; that this award was just as much mine as it was his. *Tear*. Sweetest words I'd ever heard. It was just like I had won it as well.