Shooting @ Frankfurt Airport: OPSEC, Ladies!

Today, a man from Kosovo got onto a military bus full of Air Force servicemen sitting outside the Frankfurt, Germany International Airport & opened fire, killing two of the Airmen & wounding another two.  My heart breaks for the families involved as well as each incredible military member who was on the bus.  How terrifyingly scary our world is.  How scary is always will be.  How awful that our troops are targeted throughout the world.  And so, to all my fellow Military Spouses & family members, please do your part to keep our boys safe!  Operational Security is a serious thing!  When it comes to ALL information regarding troop movements, keep your mouth shut!  Speak in code.  That's my tactic.  And make it tricky.  Use family birthdays, wedding anniversaries, etc. to tell family members about your soldier's travel dates.  Never mention anything that a stranger could figure out.  Never.  And if you can't mention this info in a coded way, don't say it at all.  Don't even email it!  This may seem silly or extreme, but it's critical.  OPSEC.  Shhhh!

 Let's bring all our brave men & women home safe, up to their very doorsteps.  ♥ 

BEAT NAVY!!

Touchdown ARMY!  BEAT NAVY!  Anyone else watching this year's Army Navy game from Philadelphia?  If you are, you'd better be cheering for my West Point cadets!  Oh, I'm so proud!

While Don was at West Point, I joined him in Philly twice to go to the game & it was such an experience!  I'll remember those games for the rest of my life, being sneaked into the Cadet section & cheering on Army right by my sweetie's side!

This game is for my incredible husband, all those who serve with him, & all his amazing friends who were with him at West Point!  I love you all, especially you, Don!  :)  ♥  GO ARMY!  BEAT NAVY!

My Request: Say A Prayer +

The heaviness of deployment is starting to show its somber face. I receive an email every time that there is news of a fallen or wounded soldier in my husband's Regiment. In the two & a half months that he has been downrange, there have already been quite a few. There has also been news of some of my husband's friends being wounded or laying down their life for freedom.

Please, dears...whether you agree with the politics of this war or not, please stop for even just five seconds & pray to God for the protection of our troops & that they have success in each of their missions.

From Rev. Bill Wagoner Ministries

From Scripture Art Online

From White Eagle Ministries

Thinking of the brave & heroic men & women of our country's military makes my heart swell with pride & appreciation.  I pray that America as a whole will begin to feel this way.  I wish for parades in the streets at each homecoming, for handshakes from strangers as our soldiers walk through the airport, for smiles & "thank you"s wherever they go.  This is the least we can do for those who dedicate their lives to protecting our nation & bringing freedom to the unfree.  Oh, just thinking of them gives me goosebumps & teary eyes.  Our troops are amazing.

My husband is one incredible man.  Don, I love you with all my heart & am so proud to stand beside you as your wife!  ♥

Coffee Remedy & Napping With Danes

So, it turns out that PWOC is taking their two week "Back To School" break right now, so my friend & I were out of luck this morning! We did meet a nice lady who normally attends, though! I'm excited to be able to give this new Bible Study a try -- & at the beginning too!  ♥  Since we were already together, we decided to remedy the situation with coffee!  That's a nice way to start the day!

Now, that's better!

I must admit, though...  I did end up taking a nap with my doggies this afternoon.  Don't judge!  It was a rainy day, perfect for napping!  And I accomplished a lot afterward :)

Lucius at14 months...& about 130 pounds...  What a big baby!

I hope that you all had a nice Tuesday!  Cheerio!  {Said in my Queen's English as I pop off to fetch my tea!}

New Distractions, & Love Above All Else

Tomorrow, a dear friend of mine & I are going to try out a women's Bible Study on Post!  {Protestant Women of the Chapel, or PWOC.  Of course, everything military related is known by its acronym!}  It's something I've been meaning to do since, well, last May when we moved here to Germany! But, as always, not everything gets done when you'd like it to! Regardless, I'm proud of us for getting out & doing something new! Perhaps we will make some great new friends & find ourselves a new distraction for the next year :)

I hope it will be a wonderful surprise!  ♥

Don & I had such a fun talk on the phone tonight!  It's so good to talk with him & be ourselves.  No big discussion about how hard it is to be apart or how we want this year to go by so quickly!  Yes, we miss each other like mad.  Yes, I wish this deployment was over!  But we have each other & we're doing this together, in love.

...taken the night that he left for the desert...

More than I'm an Army wife & he is my soldier, we are a couple.  A happy, smiling, in love couple!  And oh, it's important for that to come first ♥  That is who we are!  What we do shouldn't make us.  And when he tells me about his day {as much as he can tell me!}, I still beam with pride & admiration!  I don't think I will ever stop being impressed with what he does, what my husband does!  And it should be that way :)

Ooh, now here is another cozy nook I'd like to curl up in with my book!

Off I go to read before bed {I cannot put down Outlander!  Thanks for the tip, ladies!}.  Goodnight, lovelies!  Hug your sweeties, & give them each a kiss!  Love first, before all the cares & issues of the day.  LOVE ♥

Shame On Me %

Today's post is not at all what I told you it was going to be... No London photos here, only a few quick thoughts & some pretty pictures to hold you over till I find the time to really sit down & write a good London review!  I've been spending my days really relaxing with my brother, going to the gym, sending boxes to Don, etc. etc. etc.  It's been nice!  And although I probably spent as much time writing this as I would have spent writing about London, well...whoops!

Oh no!  Not another day without my London review!

Today was one of those days.  For those of you who've gone through a deployment, you know what I mean.  Some days, you wake up with a smile on your face & the energy to conquer the world!  Other days, you wake up to see the emptiness in your bed & your day just seems to continue on that way.  The emptiness in your house, the emptiness during your drives in the car, the emptiness on the sofa, the emptiness in the kitchen & at the dinner table...  You can't put your finger on just what causes this loneliness except that, well, your husband is thousands of miles away fighting in a war.  Yes, that is reason enough to cause these feelings...

Oh, I'm awfully sick of this deployment thing...

Thank goodness that my brother is here to keep me company!  We've been making yummy dinners {or going out for them!}, watching funny movies & TV shows, reading, & lounging with Layla & Lucius!  And oh, hooray for technology that allows Don & I to be able to talk almost every day, even for just a few moments.

So, since many of you dearies commented on my last post about the new Twilight movie, *sigh*, I feel I must give a little review!  To be short & sweet, I'm not wild about these movies.  To me, they're a dumbed-down & cheaply made version of the books...complete with bad acting.  I don't know what it was about this one, though, because I didn't think it was too bad!  The quality seemed better, & the acting wasn't as cheesy!  Now, it was still a Twilight movie, don't get me wrong.  But something about Eclipse made me want to *gasp* re-read the books!  Comments, anyone?!  And as a side note...oh my goodness, could Carlisle's hair be any more blonde?!

Tomorrow is Tuesday--Travel Tuesday!  So I will have to start my London reviews then!  C'mon, Amanda!

Because Of The Brave!

After Church this afternoon {yes, my Church meets at 3pm! We have to share the Post Chapel, you see!}, I will be celebrating this wonderful day on Post while watching fireworks & The Lieutenant Dan Band! You know, Gary Sinise, Lt. Dan from Forrest Gump! Now there is a proud supporter of our incredible Military! Thank you! ♥

O'er the land of the free, & the home of the brave!  Happy Fourth of July, everyone!  What a wonderful holiday this is--without a doubt one of my favorites.  When I was little, I enjoyed the ice cream & the fireworks, the day with my family, the songs.  As I grew older, especially knowing more about my Dad's service in the Air Force during Vietnam, then after September 11th, I developed an emotional connection with this holiday.  Goosebumps all over my arms during the singing of the National Anthem, little tears in my eyes as I watched the people of our incredible country show their patriotism.  Now....well, now this holiday is even more personal.  Its very meaning embodies the most important part of my life: my husband, my soldier, his men.  Now, I cannot help but be overcome during each song, during each wave of our American Flag, during the fireworks shows.  How could I not?  My heart is far away fighting for our freedom & for the freedom of others.  And I couldn't be more proud!  Yes, it's tough, but it's what I want.  I want him.  And I'll always stand proudly by his side.

A photo of my husband's men shooting in Afghanistan.  There is nothing to compare to our brave soldiers!  ♥

Please, today as you laugh with friends & family, as you eat your ice cream & watch your fireworks, please stop for a moment & remember all those who have dedicated their lives to serving our beautiful America.  Please say a prayer for the families of those who have given it all to protect our freedom.  Please, if you see a soldier this year, give him or her your brightest smile.  Let them know that their selfless service does not go unappreciated.

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home!

{Almost Wordless}

It's been one of those days. I woke up this morning from a bad dream, tried to stay busy all day to keep my mind off of it, & even when Don & I got to talk, he felt so far away. We had a great conversation, I just felt the distance.  I suppose that's not strange considering all the distance that is between us right now!  I just keep repeating to myself, "We're almost done with one month, We're Almost Done With One Month!"  But anyway, not much writing tonight...just pictures.

I wish I could just curl up somewhere peaceful with a nice drink {I'm thinking wine tonight}, a good book, & a cozy surrounding...

Happy JULY, everyone!  Any big plans for the 4th?  I'll share mine with you tomorrow ♥

Breaks, Crepes, & Pink Polish

Welcome, my fabulous new readers! And hello again, my fabulous old pros! Thank you all for your comments; they call make me smile! Question: are the photos in this post Too Big?! Do tell! I don't want to overwhelm!

I'm taking a little break from my daily Italy travel posts{just one day...don't worry!} to do something a bit more simple.  Less writing, more pictures!  I always like it when I show up to one of my favorite blogs to find pretty pictures!  Do they brighten your day too?!

Ok, the Festival wasn't quite like this...but the costumes were quite similar!  And there were horses!

 I spent the afternoon with new friends, enjoying a nearby town's 600th Anniversary celebration in the form of a Medieval Festival!  Yes, you heard me!  Complete with knights & jesters, kings & queens, peasants & lepers!  Fake lepers, of course!  We had quite a time shouting the German cheers along with the crowd {still not sure what we were saying!} & eating crepes with fresh strawberries!  Mmm!  I also had one of my favorite German drinks: the radler.  Now, trust me...this is good.  It's light beer mixed with lemon flavored mineral water or Sprite.  So refreshing!  Mix one for yourself if you're interested!  You'll thank me :)  And I'll post pictures of this unique festivity later in the week!

Do you like Jane Austen?  Period piece movies?  Do yourself a favor & rent this gem!

Tonight, I'm watching the romantic girlie movie Bright Star, about the three year romance between the famous 19th century poet John Keats & Fanny Brawne, while painting my fingers & toes.  Light pink with sparkles.  {OPI's "Make Love" with "Princesses Rule" on top}  What a simple way to brighten my world...

Any other OPI lovers out there?!

Oh, along with the fact that Don & I were able to talk again tonight!  Even though it was just chatting, no voice or video, it's still so reassuring to communicate with him.  It makes it feel like we're somehow closer together.  Now, that, my dears, is what really brightens my world!  ♥

And next time that I say a post will have "less writing", well, don't believe me...

Happy Anniversary, Sweetie! + Army's Birthday!

Welcome to all of my new readers! Thank you so much for stopping by & for seeing something here in my humble little writings :) I really appreciate all of your sweet notes lately & all your encouraging words! Please, stick around & see what happens here! ♥

Two years ago today, my dream came true: I married my best friend & the love of my life! At the time, I thought our relationship was so good that it couldn't possibly get any better or any stronger, but it grew more perfect every day!  And even today, as we celebrate together while we're thousands of miles apart, I can still say that I couldn't possibly be more happy!  When you are this much in love, you know you can get through anything together!  Thank you, Don, for being my husband & for making my life so incredibly wonderful!  I love you more than anything in this world  ♥  Here's to many many more years of wedded bliss!

June 14, 2008: I love you, Don!

This is quite possibly my favorite picture of us from our Wedding ♥

.:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:. .:.

We didn't know it at the time {wait, or maybe we did!}, but June 14th is also the Army's Birthday!  How appropriate, right?!  And so, Happy 235th Birthday to the United States Army!  Thank you, more importantly, to all of those who have served this great country, past & present, along with their families who are just as brave!

We Jumped! + Update On Don

*Update from the "Sandbox"!* Don has safely arrived in Afghanistan & all is well! Hip hip hooray! He's been able to send me text messages still {how amazing is that?!} & emails as well! He says that it looks a bit like Southwest Oklahoma...with more sand :)

Remember my post from a few days ago? The one where I was a bit down in the dumps & needed a lift {pun intended}, so I posted some pictures of celebrities looking cheery & free as they jumped into the air for their TIME magazine photographer? Well, my fabulous MIL reminded me...Don & I did just this for a few of our wedding photos!  Now that I think about it, I wish we'd done some this way with just Don & me, but that's ok!  We have a lifetime for that :)  Having the entire bridal party jumping together was an awesome look!  It seems to be a pretty common trend in wedding photography lately, but I still like it :)

I can't believe this was almost two years ago.  June 14, 2008 was our fabulous wedding day!  It's almost time for our anniversary, baby ♥  Don bought me a beautiful bouquet of red roses before he left.  I love that man!  {Oh, & yes...I am barefoot in this picture!}

We had so much fun taking wedding pictures together!  Our photographers were fantastic.  It was a man & his wife, which made it all the more perfect! 

In just a few days when it's actually our Wedding Anniversary, I will post a few more of my favorite wedding photos.  I can't believe that it's already been two years!  And they have without a doubt been the best two years of my life.  I know that everyone says that; it's pretty cliche!  But I mean it.  Being with Don, no matter where that is or what life is throwing at us at the time, is exactly what I've always wanted.  Even now, with this deployment just beginning & an entire year of separation before us, I wouldn't have it any other way.  My husband is my hero.  My husband is my best friend.  My husband is mine & I am his!  Nothing in the world can change that!  ♥

So, here's to jumping for joy at all of life's blessings!  {I'm hoping that I'm blessed with a Skype call today!}

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Hooray For Modern Technology!

First of all, thank you so very much to each & every one of you who wrote to me through email, Facebook, & here on my blog letting me know that you're thinking of Don & me & praying for us both!  Your support was overwhelming & I cannot thank you enough!  I know we're not tackling this alone!

Don was able to call me about four times yesterday, send text messages, & I even woke up to find an email waiting for me! Hooray! Isn't technology amazing? I'm so thankful for telephones, cell phones, wi-fi internet, email!  Don is so far away from me right now, but that distance does seem smaller when we're able to communicate!  Thank you thank you, brilliant inventors of the past!

Image courtesy of Flickr.Com

If you've been following my blog for a while, you may remember that Don went to Ranger School back in the States last year.  While he went through this grueling process, I moved back home to Colorado to live with my parents.  Don was only allowed to call me twice during the School to let me know how he was doing, & our calls only lasted a few minutes each time!  Other than those two precious conversations, our only form of communication was through writing letters.  Every day, I would walk to my parents' mailbox hoping to find a letter from Don inside!  Whenever I did, I would hold it so close & read it over & over.  I know that people don't write letters as often as they used to, but my oh my there is something wonderful about that tangible form of conversation.  Knowing that the other person held that paper too :)

It made me think about the men & women who served our country decades ago when the ideas of cell phones, internet, & Skype hadn't even been born!  Can you imagine saying goodbye to your soldier & knowing that he wouldn't be home until the war was over?  Can you imagine waiting for months on end to receive just one letter in the mail?  This was the way that my Grandparents stayed in touch during World War Two.  And my goodness, if they could do that then I can do this!

Love letters straight from the heart
Keep us so near while apart
I’m not alone in the night
When I can have all the love you write

I memorize every line
And I kiss the name that you sign
And, darling, then I read again right from the start
Love letters straight from your heart

{From the song "Love Letters Straight From The Heart" sung by Nat King Cole, Elvis, & many more.}

I love you, Don!  You're doing great, sweetie ♥

Deployment... I Love You, Don! +

My baby is gone to Afghanistan, & he's taken the Big Guns with him!  Yes, I can say it now: Don has deployed & will be gone for twelve months.  Twelve months.  Twelve months.  Somebody pinch me; I still can't wrap my head around being apart for so long & where Don will be.  But at least we've started now.  It's underway.  The goodbyes are behind us.

Yesterday was without a doubt the hardest day that either of us has ever had.  Between helping Don finish packing up his things & holding onto each other for long amounts of time, I went through an emotional roller coaster like no other.  We went on two nice long walks with the dogs, enjoyed lunch in town, & took some last pictures together.  When we went upstairs together & Don changed into his ACUs {uniform}, it really hit us.  Hard.  This was really happening.  We were really about to say goodbye.  It was real.  We've never held on so tight.

We said our long goodbyes here at home.  We said everything.  And then, after Don had said goodbye to Layla & Lucius too, we went out to the car.  Don opened the door for me & off we went to Post.

Our plan was for us to say one last goodbye & then for me to head right back home.  Rip the band-aid off.  Make a clean quick cut.  But instead, I ended up waiting there with him for over 3 hours while the guys waited for the next step.  I'm thankful for that time we had.  At first, seeing the other families with tears in their eyes only made it more difficult for me.  Then, as a few friends came up to me for a few words, I became really aware that I wasn't going through this alone.  The Army really is a big family.  And families take care of each other.  We were all having to say goodbye.

Then it came.  The real goodbye.  I can't even begin to explain how difficult this was, but I'm sure you can imagine.  Don walked me to the car, opened the door for me & gently put me in the driver's seat.  Every time we finished a goodbye, I smiled through hazy teary eyes & then..."One more."

I love my husband.  I love his dedication to serving our country & protecting our freedom.  I love his leadership, his respectfulness, his care.  Yes, this life is hard.  But this life is our life.  This life is our love together, & this life is all I've ever dreamed of.  Together, we can make it!  With God's help, we will be just fine!  And I know His peace is with us.  We can feel it.

We have an incredibly strong relationship, Don & me.  We've been blessed with that!  We love each other so much more than anything, & we trust each other no matter what.  No distance can stop that!  No length of time can lessen it either!  We are going to do great, & when he comes home I'll be more proud of him than ever!

Here's to my handsome 1st Lieutenant, the platoon he leads, & the Regiment that he is serving with.  May God's hand hold them throughout their tour & keep them safe each step of the way.  May His angels surround them & protect them.  And may our great Country give them the respect & support that they deserve each day.  Thank you very much to those of you who have been praying for us & keeping us in your thoughts.  Your support means so much to us both!

I love you, Don.  You're my hero, baby.  We'll be back together before we know it ♥