Blessings Over Battles

Sometimes, I let the weight of the "battles" around me play too big a role in my day to day life.  My husband is still away in Afghanistan, my wonderful family that I love is across the ocean in Colorado, my dogs aren't always so well behaved, I haven't been feeling well at all lately...  But Amanda, you need to stop & count your blessings!  I have to remember to let the things I'm thankful for be foremost in my mind, not afterthoughts.  Sure, we all have struggles, sometimes daily, but we mustn't let them take charge! ♥

Today, I Am Thankful For...

1. The sunshine


2. My husband's continued safety downrange ♥


3. My incredible family that lets me know I'm loved, even from thousands of miles away


4. The fast approaching end of this deployment {hoorah!}


5. Good books to keep my mind busy & knitting projects to keep my hands busy


6. The companionship of my two wonderful dogs.  Everyone's dog has bad behavior sometimes, right?  I just have the Great Dane sized version once in a while.  { To my fellow Military Wives with four-legged companions: have you ever seen a change in your dog's behavior when your husband deploys?  My Layla has become insanely over-protective of me, our house, & our yard.  I hope this stops when my husband returns! Any advice?! }

What are you thankful for today?!  Happy Thursday ♥

Happy Thanksgiving! // Apart, But Still So Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope that your houses are filled with loved ones & your kitchens full of your favorite holiday foods!

As for me, I may be apart from my sweetie today & my wonderful family as well, but that doesn't mean my heart isn't full of thanks for all God has blessed me with this year! Even when the most treasured things in life aren't right beside you, there is still oh so much to be thankful for!

Don's safety while he's been deployed,

My family's health & happiness,

Our cozy home & our cute little Mini Cooper,

Layla & Lucius, our two lovable Danes who keep me company,

& all the little things that make me smile, from new shoes to scented candles to delicious food!

Even the little things are blessings...the fact that we have the money to buy them & not just what we need.

Photos From Domino Magazine, Martha Stewart Magazine, & Southern Living Magazine

More than anything, I wish Don was here with me & that we were with our families today to eat a huge Thanksgiving dinner, but God's blessings are everywhere I look!  And next year, I'll be with the ones I love for this delicious holiday!  :)

I'm going to miss my Mom's apple dumplings today!  Mmm!  What are your favorite Thanksgiving foods & traditions?!  Does your family watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade?  Football games?  Oh, have a blessed day!  ♥

3 Months Down, Only 9 More To Go!

Yes, I know I just posted an hour ago, but I'm so excited that I have to share & commemorate this milestone!  As of today, we have officially completed three months of this deployment!  WOW!  At roughly 1 am this morning three months ago, Don & I said our goodbyes & off he went to the desert.  It feels like that took place a lifetime ago; I miss him so much, every moment of each & every day.  But I remind myself that every day is one day closer to being together again.  And the time really has been going by quite quickly.  Hooray!  We are 25% done!  You're doing so great, baby, & I am so proud of you!  You are incredible, & I love you so much!

Since my baby left, I've been doing a pretty good job of staying busy, I think!

+ My June trip to Pisa, Lucca, & Cinque Terra

+ My brother's five week visit & our trips to London, Munich, & Salzburg!  {I still need to finish these posts!}

+ Keeping busy with our FRG {Family Readiness Group}

+ Long daily walks with Layla & Lucius

+ Church every Sunday

+ Bible Study even Thursday night

+ Cleaning the house & generally taking care of everything

+ Working on some business projects for my Dad

+ Planning our R&R trip to Portugal!

+ Taking up knitting

+ Spending wonderful time with friends
+ And plenty more!

Here's to three months down!  Stay safe, sweetheart!  I love you!

+ Thank You +

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments & prayers after my last post!  I know that not all of you understand what it's like to have a loved one in the military, & perhaps you don't support the war.  But each of you supports our troops, the brave men & women serving each day!  And to me, that is what is the most important.  They deserve that much from us, at least.  Thank you, each & every one of you, from the bottom of my heart!  Prayer is a powerful thing!

I have such wonderful readers ♥

Hooray For Family!

Ninety-two degrees & no air conditioning--why, Germany?! Why?!

My wonderful little {6'4"} brother is here, & we're already having such a great time!  He's getting adjusted to the time change & sleeping well at night with Lucius as his snuggle buddy.  Lucius is in heaven!  Oh, to be given constant attention!  The entire house is more cheery since my brother got here :)

I'm in the middle of fixing dinner here, so this post will be short...  But I wanted to let you know I'm not MIA!  I'm just entertaining &, well, relaxing!  I showed my brother around Post today, re-seeded the lawn & did a bit of gardening, & I'm looking forward to doing some good reading tonight!  I love my current read, The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society.  Yes, that's right!  You know you're curious :)

I've still been able to talk to Don every day!  Isn't life fabulous, even through the difficult moments?  I'm focusing on the silver linings :)  I hope that you all have an absolutely fabulous weekend!!

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!

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 ♥