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Updates!!

So, I figured I would separate my venting and my update post.  Just didn't seem right to complain about a deployment and then discuss Cason's accomplishments.  Here is what is new and exciting with us.
We had an amazing Christmas.  I made a full Christmas dinner on Xmas Eve.  Then on Christmas day, we opened gifts with Michael (via web cam.)

Then Dad, Cason and I went to Linds and Mike's for a wonderful ham dinner, gift exchanges and dart gun wars.  Yes, there were dart gun wars. 

New Years was pretty awesome. Gwen came down and surprised me. It was a much welcomed. We went to Tampa Improv Club. It was so much fun.

We are moving closer to base.  It is a 3bedroom, 2.5 bathroom,3 story town house.  Yes, I am crazy having 3 stories with a toddler.  But, it will be better for us in the long run.  Hubby will not have a commute anymore.  It is literally 1 mile off of base.  It is in a terrific neighborhood and is gated with 24 hour security.  Here are a few pics of the new place. 

Now for the "All about Cason" section
• Cason now says "Thank you" to everything.  You can sneeze and he will thank you.  Though, it comes out like "Tan Chu."  It is still ridiculously cute. 
• He has learned to open all of the doors in our house.  I have to keep the front and back door bolt locked other wise he would escape!!  He is getting so tall. 
• If you say please to him he will hand you whatever is in your hand and he will stare at you until you thank him for it. 
• He loves Cuban black beans.  And no, they do not upset his stomach , thank goodness.
• He calls the phone and computer Daddy on a regular basis.  If the phone rings he will scream "DADA" until I put whoever it is on speaker phone.  Sometimes the person I am talking to does not appreciate it, but they will deal with it.  I am not going to tell him to stop. 
• He will shake his booty to any kind of music.  It can be music on a commercial or one of his toys.  It doesn't matter to him. 
• He has started telling me when he poops.  He comes up and gets my attention by trying to take off his pants.  He has succeeded in doing so before.  Thank goodness the diaper remained on until I got a clean diaper and wipes.  That courtesy was greatly appreciated.  Haha.
• He loves the day care at the gym and church.  With our upcoming move I am praying to find  the same thing there. 
• He looks more and more like his father everyday.  His laugh to his pout are a mini Michael.

I will end this with one of my favorite quotes. 
"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think"

Ready to have him home.

We, as military spouses, all have our days/nights where deployments will seem to get us down just a little more than usual.  Where the sight of a happy couple/family can cause tears.  Not out of jealousy, but more so a longing to have what has been taken away from us.  I guess that it was my turn yesterday.  I must say that I have been rather proud of myself.  I have been pretty emotionally steady this deployment.  I focus on Cason as much as possible.  I clean, organize and prepare for the upcoming move.  I go to the gym in the morning and Taekwondo in the evening.  Still, it leaves long lonely nights.  And as we all know, that is when you think and when the thoughts haunt you.  There are no distractions.  There is nothing to clean, nothing to fold and put away.  Just you, your pillow and your thoughts. 
I truly can not wait for this homecoming and it seems the deployment is creeping by. 

Time for a really big update...

“Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" ~Swedish Proverb

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." ~Winston Churchhill

I am striving to live my life by those quotes.  I have them written down in several locations to remind myself of it when I tend to become negative with the cirucumstances thrown our way.    That is my goal for the New Year! 

Can you believe how 2010 has FLOWN by?  So many wondeful things have happened this year. 
Brief re-cap:

• We moved to Tampa in March (Though I might not always see that as a positive...lol)
• We've spent a ton of time with friends and family
• We've made new friends.  Some that have become family almost overnight, it seems.
• We moved into a beautiful home and finally finished decorating, lol.
• Cason learned to crawl, walk, run (kind of) and he talks up a STORM.
• Cason had an amazing almost one party(Hubby was here for that!), actual birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Though his Daddy was not able to be here for the majority of them, he saw all of the events through pictures and on Christmas he was able to watch Cason open his gifts on webcam.  It was truly a blessing.  Not only did Cason recieve a ton of gifts but it was the fact that everyone cares about him so much that made it that special. 

It has really been a busy year.  Next year is even more so.  We are patiently awaiting Hubby's return and are planning a wonderful family vacation.  I will be in school, Taekwondo and thanks to Linds, the gym full time.  I have many goals set for this coming year. 
I hope everyone has had a terrific Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
God Bless and God Speed for those deployed.

For those with a deployed spouse/signifigant other.

I know this entire season is hard having a deployed spouse or boyfriend. It seems like everything is based on couples and entire families. I find myself getting sad at the drop of a hat. Watching families shop for gifts together, holding hands while looking at Christmas lights, making dinner together, it is all rather depressing. Even when you have wonderful friends and families who are gracious enough to have you for the festivities, there is still something missing.



But, remember this: We are truly blessed. We have strong, kind, amazing, hard working men who are willing to give up their time with their families so that others may have it. They sacrifice for people they do not know and will never meet. When you feel alone think of that welcome home hug and kiss, the overwhelming sense of joy that we will feel, that first night back in their arms. Think of the look in their eyes knowing that you have supported them through their career, the ups and the downs the hard aspects and the ones that came easily. Think of your kids seeing their Daddy for the first time in ages. How thrilled they will be. Think of how he is their hero in all aspects .



Also, don't forget your friends and family. Those who understand where you are, why you feel the way you do, even those that don’t and just make the attempt to grasp the situation. Thank them for their ongoing support during this trying time and total emotional rollercoaster called a deployment. Remember, they are a shoulder to lean on. Utilize that.



For those who don't understand, for the ones who compare this to a weeklong business trip, for those who think that we are just being "downers" when we are upset or missing them, remember this: they do not understand. It is not their fault; they just have not and most likely, will not, experience this life style. Having patience during those conversations is hard. But pride yourself on keeping your cool. Remember we all cope differently.



I wish you all a Merry Christmas. I pray that all of our men are safe, warm, well fed and will come home soon. I love you all. Thank you for everything you do for me and my family.



~Alyie

Bad Blogger!!

I have been such a bad blogger.  I find myself getting behind on here so much!! So, lets play catch-up!!
Mike has left for training and will be deploying from there.  It was the hardest day of my life to watch my husband say "see you later" to our son.  I guess that I am still used to it (as much as one can be)...but, having Cason miss his Daddy is what gets me.  I know that time will fly and we will be back together again.  I just have to occupy my time until then.  We found out yesterday we will be able to see him before he leaves.  It requires an 8 hour drive and about $800 in hotel costs.  But, it will be worth every mile and penny. 
So far, my darling FL bestie, A day in the life of a Marine Corps wife..., has been keeping Cason and I busy.  We have practically moved into their house, well at least at dinner time.  She is an amazing cook. 
Last Monday, I was super proud of myself.  Went to the gym 2 times.  Went to the Fit Stops class and then to Zumba later that night.  In between, Cason and I went to her house for dinner.  Had a terrific meal.  She made orange chicken.  Well, on the way home from Zumba she and I both started getting stomach cramps...by the time we got back to her place we were ALL sick and getting worse by the moment.  She felt terrible, blaming herself for the food being bad.  Turns out...it wasn't the food.  It was a nasty virus that got to us all that quickly!! After 2 trips to the ER, several bags of fluids, and nausea meds I was feeling a bit better.  We all survived!!  Although, looking back, I really don't think that we believed we would make it.  Yes, it was THAT bad.  LOL!
Mike and I have made the decision to move on base.  After worrying about who would take Cason during an emergency with our closest friends leaving for JAPAN...we figured it would be the best for us.  I pray this is the right decision. 
It will be a little while before we actually move.  But, we will be saving a bit of money by moving there.  Not to mention be able to participate in more activities, meet others easier and feel a bit safer. 
I know that in our lifestyle, the military one, we find ourselves in some rather annoying situations.  We get upset, rant, vent, cry and pout.  But, one of the best things about this lifestyle is that when we meet friends they become family.  Maybe its because we are all so far from home.  Maybe it's because they just fit in...but saying goodbye is a part of this life aswell.  I am dreading the day I have to say goodbye to my FL bestie.  I know they are super stoked about moving to Oki, I just wish I could go with them.  :-)
Well, thats all for now.  I will post some pics tomorrow.  Goodnight all!

The week before "See Ya Later"

The week before you say "see you later" to your husband is the most anxiety filled week of the entire deployment process.  Time goes by abnormally quickly, leaving us to scramble to complete the pre-deployment check list and have some quality family time.  I can't believe they will not allow anyone deploying to take leave before they go.  Not only that, but they have to out process on their OWN time.  The result of that is fifteen hour days at minimum. 
I am still wondering if I am making the right decision by staying here in Fl rather than returning to Ga.  I just beleive in creating as much stability for Cason as I can in this absolutley unstable lifestyle.  Although, being close to my family and having the added help would be great.  I just hope and pray that I am making the right decision for us.  Sometimes, saving a few thousand dollars isnt worth what leads to the savings...make sense?
Cason is doing well.  His allergies are bad at the moment but baby zyrtec seems to be helping a bit.  I am trying to keep him in his room as much as I can.  I find him in the bed with us sometimes.  I think that Mike feels guilty that he can't spend time with him and brings him in there to cuddle and sleep close to him.  I can't get upset because I feel bad for him.  He is spending every moment he can with him, playing as much as he can.  It is really sweet...heartbreaking at the same time. 
On a good note...I am super stoked Glee and House are on!!