Musical Monday Valentine's Day

I can't believe that I haven't posted anything all week! It's not like we have been SUPER busy, there haven't been any sicknesses, and I have plenty of photos to share! Guess the week just got by me faster that I thought!

I came up with the idea for this Musical Monday months ago and it was pretty hard to not share the idea with Mike! I created this slideshow with many great OLD photos. Before the baby weight, and years of worry. (yes I once was skinny). I scanned in most of them because they were from before we had a good digital camera (10 years ago) or a computer to upload them (so they were printed). There are lots of red eye and blurry photos, but it was fun to see a bunch from before we were married and the early years. Don't get me wrong, I had a hard time choosing which photos to add and share, but I decided to leave the kiddos out mostly (then it would have been a 20 min video and not 5 min:-). They are featured, but not the focus. My first and true Love is the focus:-)

Anyways, here you go my husband, a reminder of where we started, the fun that we have had AND the fun that we will have. The first song is a remake, but I love the artist Jimmy Needham, and the second song is one that has already been featured on Musical Monday. Happy Valentine's Day my love, I hope your day has been and is a wonderful day full of love:-)

Musical Monday

I am sure you are wondering how many more of these Musical Monday's there will be, and I can assure you there are less than a handful...really less than a handful:-) As the deployment is winding down we look back on what God has taught us through this time. The ups and downs, the joys and hurts, the dry spells and consuming fires. I feel very blessed to have a husband, so strong and so amazing, and sooo in love with God. He holds me accountable and I try and do the same for him. So here is my prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you for the past 6 months, for keeping us all safe and alive. I pray that we are able to see your will done and your work done throughout the days that have passed. That as the decisions made, done and gone, that they were of you and bring you Glory. Jesus, be with our family as we get ready to reunite and come together again. That the transition is easy and fun. Thank you again Mighty God, for all the blessings you have given us, in your Son's Name.

The song is From the Inside Out

Musical Monday

Can you believe that I am actually on time with the Musical Monday? (maybe a bit early?) I guess our time is really getting close to being done and I am just so excited with each Monday that passes us now. Thank you Jesus that it is February this week!

When thinking about my hubby returning home and Valentine's Day coming up, I am smitten by thinking about the Love that I have. A Love that I have been blessed with, a Love I get to give, and a Love that grows. Each and every deployment and time apart teaches us different things. I have to be honest that this one has probably taught us the most about marriage and loving each other. I know that it will be hard to take Mike for granted ever again (something I never wanted to do anyways), that every touch and kiss will be savored, and all the moments together will be cherished.

This song, Brandon Heath's "Love Never Fails", I love because it speaks of a Love that a marriage bond should have, a love that has been shown to us through Jesus Christ. I sit and hear the lyrics and think about my loving husband. I also hear the name of God in place of the word Love. Remember this blog post. I know that the relationship between us and God is how a marriage should be. Be encouraged and uplifted with this song. I know I will be as my weeks turn into days and then days into hours and hours into minutes:-)

Musical Monday

I can't believe that I haven't done this song yet! As the weeks are winding down and we are getting closer to "walking up to each other" again, I am reminded of when I took that long stroll down the isle over 7 years ago. My heart skipped a beat with every footstep and I gazed at my handsome man in his Sailor uniform. I will get to again walk towards my handsome man seven years later in a different uniform with two kids in tow and one on the way:-) Our song that welcomed me down the church isle was different than most and I am not sure many people understood why we chose this particular song. At first my parents were hesitant and it was a small test in putting my husband first rather than "pleasing" others. Eventually my parents either warmed up to the idea or got tired of fighting me and my dad helped me put together Incubus' "Aqueous Transmission". We were able to cut out the words and enjoy just the beautiful music.

Probably a year to two years earlier when Mike introduced me to that song and we drove around town, star gazed, and dreamed about our future together; I thought how romantic it would be to walk down the isle to this song. So years before we actually got married, I already dreamed of what was to come one day:-)

Here you go my love, just sit and close your eyes and think about being in each other's arms again....

Musical Monday

I feel like I am running out of songs but I think it is just my memory being overloaded with so many tasks to get done lately. I just happened to stumble upon this one and it brought such a smile to my face. I know some of you will smile with me and most will roll your eyes. Not sure if there are many Jessica Simpson fans out there, but her song back in 2003 "With You" was a fun one for me while we were engaged. As I listen to it today I realize how much more true the lyrics are! I don't think that I ever felt the Love that I have for Mike and I am very grateful for that. Because I haven't felt that before I was blown away with how wonderful and great it was. I mean, to not have to worry that this person is going to wake up someday and NOT love me...that was and is never a thought that crosses my mind!

As this song shows a love that can let a woman be herself completely, no matter what if she is dolled up or just in her pjs, no matter if she says the smartest things or goofs up (yes I have been known to say things that just don't make sense), and no matter who is around the love radiates and shines through me. Now I just can't wait for him to get home. Even from around the world I still feel beautiful and like a queen, the Lord has blessed me with an incredible man. He has loved me in every way that I ever desired (you know like he put his hands around my waist in 12th grade and just made my insides melt:-). Anyways, I could gush over him all day long, I just can't wait to smile that huge smile with him right beside me!
Above: Our Thanksgiving in 2007...first as a family of 3!

Below: Our first homecoming when Mike was still a Seabee...just getting excited to have the homecoming again:-)

Tuesday Tunes...sooo late!

Yikes! What a bad wife I am! Didn't do Musical Monday and now I am doing this really late on Tuesday...oh boy! Well, this Tuesday Tunes is going to be dedicated to the Super Hero that my Husband is and the super heros that live here at home. Mike is good at helping our little guys' imaginations along even with song. Before Mike left he downloaded a few songs from the Ironman soundtrack and the Transformers Movie. This play list is labeled "Action Hero" on my iPod and is frequently played in the car. Actually quite good driving music. So this Ironman song is for the hero that Daddy is and what he is teaching our kids. Not to be power/money/ girl hungry like the heros that are portrayed on TV and in the movies, but to be men that want to "fight the bad" and do good no matter what people think or say. Mike works so hard (even though Iraq has settled down some on bombs) at his job and jobs that he wasn't even trained for, he truly works as though he was working for the Lord. That can be tough because when credit isn't given for the effort done it can be frustrating and hard to work the next time. I am not trying to be selfish, but I love how hard he works and would love for someone other than me of course, to say well done! We both know that the only "well done" that matters is when we stand before the Creator, the One who gave us our talents and ability to do what we do.

There are many hero characteristics that Mike is instilling in our boys and they are all lessons learned in his life that he can pass on. It is just so fun to see the little men playing super hero and I can't wait for Mike to be able to join in or just watch from a distance and see their hearts and minds grow. So speaking of super heros, yes my boys wear their hero outfits almost every day. Some days they have to be in the "shop" so they can be fixed and worked on so they work better for the next day (mostly so I can just have my boys look like normal people in regular clothes:-) From Ironman, to Bumblebee, to Woody and Buzz...they are pretending all day long. I even brought the costumes to MN...so here are the photos!

Musical Monday- Anniversary Edition

When I first started this Musical Monday I thought about when I would be able to post this song and decided on/or around our anniversary. Seven years ago yesterday we wed in the same church I was able to go to for Sunday Church. There have been some years where we have made it a big deal and other years just another day but with a sparkle in our eyes. Most years we have spent it on the road driving back from Christmas vacation to our designated home.

What a fun day our wedding was...here are some high lights that I can remember now:-)

-it was unusually warm and sunny that day...at least 30

-I absolutely loved my hair...there was a ribbon tied through it with neat curls

-we waited until I walked down the isle to see each other for the day...that would be 6pm!

-I could barely eat once we got to the church, but I know I needed to so I ate an apple

-I wasn't nervous, but so excited and very at peace

-my mom saw my second tattoo for the first time when putting on the dress...haha! It was of Mike's initials...good thing she saw it on our wedding day!

-we got to ride in a vintage (well 80's) limo driven by one of Mike's neighbor to the reception...we got no privacy and it was pretty funny

-I didn't get to eat anything at the reception, or let me put it this way, it wasn't a priority for me. We only had appetizers and desserts due to the late reception, but I wasn't even slightly concerned about food!

-I was in a dream world....I was all about my new husband and I could kiss him all I wanted and not get looks of disgust or "they shouldn't be doing that!". He was now my HUSBAND!

-It was fun to walk into a hotel in a wedding dress

Our first song we danced to as a married couple was Dedicated to You by Coltrane. Mike picked this song for us during his first deployment to Iraq. To this day I still sit and dream of our romance and dancing with him when I hear this song. I don't think he could have picked a more perfect song for us. Our marriage isn't a perfect marriage and to some would seem old fashioned, but I love our life together, I love the way my husband treats me and wouldn't have it any other way. Yes the deployments and separations have been hard and trying on our marriage, but they have also strengthened it in ways that wouldn't have been otherwise. This deployment has grown us together more than anything in the past 7 years and for that I am grateful for this time apart. I love you dear husband and can't wait to celebrate 8 years together next year (hopefully together) and many more January 2nds:-)

Here are some wedding photos taken by family members...I will have to put up some of the professional ones another time. 7 years ago they, or at least our photographer, didn't put our proofs on a CD.

Musical Monday

With the festivities of the Holidays being over, most of us look back on these days and cherish those moments with family. We laugh with our close loved ones at the joy experienced together. This is something I didn't realize how much I would miss this year. After having the past 5 Christmas Seasons together I guess I got spoiled. It was nice to have Skype work for the most part, but of course it still wasn't the same. I am very grateful to have two duplicates of Mike to help make me feel his presence.

Tomorrow is a major day in our relationship. You see, when we first met, I was the one to try and grab that first kiss from Mike. I was going to be his first girlfriend and his first real kiss...if he would only have done it! I tried so many times to kiss him, it actually became quite the game. Well, 9 years ago tomorrow I got that first kiss that is lasting the rest of my life. I wish we still had the futon that it happened on, or maybe a piece of the fabric or something. At least I know exactly what it looked like, exactly where we were, the movie we had just finished watching, and the sweet way he kissed me. I find it ironic how last night I had a dream about Mike and I having a first kiss:-) Wish I could have slept until he got back from deployment! Well, this song reminds me of that time in our lives and speaks my heartsong of wanting my husband home. Incubus "Wish You Were Here" says it all...feet in the sand, arms open wide, wanting my other half here with me now! I miss you darling! Thank you for kissing me and making me complete...

This was our Christmas from last year:

Tuesday Tunes-Something Beautiful

This morning has been a rough morning...up since 5 and most of the night (not sure what is wrong with Austin) missing my man, dealing with my two wonderful but sometimes tough boys, and just going through the motions during this Holiday Season. As always, my amazing husband knows just how to calm me down and of course he did it through music. I have posted about this group before, but their lyrics can be so touching and reassuring. NeedToBreathe has a song called "Something Beautiful", which is one of their more popular songs right now. It talks about needing this deep desire for the Lord to consume our souls, wash over us and let us be taken up in His arms, give Him all our cares, and we will feel something beautiful.

Recently I have thought about the question "is this what I imagined my life to be like?" Taking care of two kids ages 3 and 1 with another on the way? Having a husband who I desire and need so much but is so far away and in harms way? Living in a part of the country that is not at all close to family or even the close friends I have made over the years? Sounds kind of depressing and overwhelming at times...but my answer to these questions is ...an absolute YES. Without all this going on in my life, I wouldn't see the Lord work and see how beautiful and amazing He is. The timing of when I met my husband to the timings of his deployments, births, pregnancies, where friends are, etc. My family is far from us, but I have truly never felt closer to them. I have a few people that I depend on only because that is what I allow, and these people have never let me down...I love you guys! So praise God I am in this life! May not be what I had imagined, however, when I look back and try and think about what I wanted I don't think I really had a clue. Definitely wouldn't have it any other way and I am so excited for our future. I don't know where we will be in a year or what our plan will be, but I think that is the way to go for me. Just letting God do His thing and watching His beauty along the way! Thanks dear Husband for your encouragement and for always helping me up:-)

Minnesota and Tuesday Tunes

So after 4 days of traveling (when it normally takes us 24hrs straight) we finally made it to MN! I will be posting more about our adventure in an other post, but wanted to do my overdue shout out to my husband!

This is another fun and flirty song, guess I am just in that mood...wink wink:-) This song I loved for a period of time and always thought of my husband. Can't even tell you how many times he has "taken my breath away!" So glad that after 7 years (yes 7 in just a few short weeks) of marriage my man can still make me giddy and take a double-take at him like it was the first time I saw his sexy smile and blue eyes. I never knew as a little girl what my husband would look like, or dreamt about a certain description. All I know, that whatever expectations I had...both physical and overall, he has blown my mind! I could go on and on about what triggers such joy and desire for him, but to be honest that is between me and him and I highly doubt you would want to know...hehe. These separations sure make the time we are back together so special and give us an overwhelming sense of passion and love. One of the biggest perks of military life. I also love how we fit together so well, how when I give him a good hug, we mesh together in all the right places, even the kiss on the forehead is in the right place:-) Anyways, trying to keep this PG...love you my dear husband!

Musical Monday

I have been waiting anxiously to do this song for the post since I started this! In fact, this is probably the reason why I started it! About a year ago Mike and I ventured on a vacation to one of THE most beautiful tropical places, Antigua. I will talk about it every chance I get and brag even more just because of how enjoyable it was. Prior to that vacation Mike was on deployment and I saw that hilarious wedding party entrance dance thingy on youtube like millions of us did. That song "Forever" by Chris Brown was brand new to me then. I don't really listen to secular music any more just because I feel like I am too old or out of date to get in to it:-) Anyways, I fell in love with that video and that song. THEN...too cool...they had the song on Jim and Pam's Wedding on The Office. I know...some of you, well probably all of you are laughing at me for enjoying a TV show so much, but Mike and I LOVE the Office and have enjoyed seeing the "relationship" portrayed by Jim and Pam, as fake as it is. Therefore, that song officially became our song for that time being and when we planned our trip to Antigua I would dream about all the fun we would have while listening to that song. Wheww! Had to explain the history of it...sorry it is so lame.

That song sure did fulfill our thoughts of fun in Antigua and it is funny I am posting on this song now thinking about our vacation because we are already thinking, dreaming and possibly planning another vacation! Unfortunately it won't be for well over a year due to finances and nursing our new baby, but waiting will make it so worth it!

So enjoy the song and feel free to look at my old posts about our Antigua vacation. Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4andDay5 Day6 Some fun facts about our trip:

• I think it was better than a honeymoon because a vacation after having children and 3 deployments was WAY overdue. Plus we knew each other much better after 6 years of marriage that there wasn't any conflict as to what we wanted to do.
• Even though I had amazing God given boys to come home to, I was truly sad to leave on the last day.
• I probably acted like an 18 year old with all the freedom we had and love in the air
• It was so nice to flirt in 80 degree weather, swimsuits on, and a hot husband.
• The place was beyond gorgeous (I am partial though since I haven't been to any other tropical place) and I felt like I was seeing parts of heaven!

We got some professional pictures taken there, so here are a few!

Musical Monday

So this post is for two reasons, I found a Christmas CD that I am so in love with! I dream like a little girl dreaming, of dancing with her true love. Wishing and hoping. I think after Mike gets back in March I may still play this song just to enjoy it with him in person. Not much to say about this Musical Monday...all you out there with your hubby's snuggle in front of a fire (real or fake) for me and enjoy an evening just you two. I know I will be in a little over 3 months!

I don't really care for the video (sorry...) but the singer Dave Barnes isn't that popular so there weren't many songs/videos out there. I promise next week won't be another Christmas song!

Hey Hubs...write in the comments your favorite Christmas season memory of us! Love to know what you are thinking!

Musical Monday

Late again...in fact I barely even remembered it was Monday! I was up before dawn and had done more by noon than most people in a whole day! The boys took a short nap today so I decided we would decorate our tree tonight! It was a blast to get out decorations, each with it's own special memory. The tree at our house is a hodge-podge tree. Decorations from my childhood and Mike's, from our live's together and now our boys! It is a messy and FULL tree, but I love it! I try to do some matching and good looking decorating, but this year we are going simple! Anyways, decorating the tree this year definitely makes me miss my hubs. We have been blessed to have the past 5 Christmas's together out of our now 7 together. We have made many fun and wonderful memories. One of the songs I grew up with was "I'll Be Home For Christmas". I always heard this song and thought of a soldier/sailor, and now I am living that life! I will be wishing and hoping that my hubby would be home this year. To spend those cozy nights in front of the fireplace, decorating the house with the boys, and cooking Christmas foods. There is also the fond memories of driving across country during an ice storm, cold wintery nights in MN, snow fights and shivering in our warming up cars! I remember one Christmastime, way back when, Mike was driving us back to his parents house in his Mom's van and parked it in the garage. I was walking into their house and Mike stopped me beside the van. He told me the words that I could only dream about, and he wooed me as he always did. Then he got down on his knee and slipped the most beautiful ring on my finger. I so desperately wish I could remember those sweet words and how many times I kissed him and I wish I could go back and just re-play that moment over and over. So...Christmas season definitely has it's specialness to me as we were also married shortly after the holiday (not the same year:-). Thank you my dear husband for keeping every winter a wonderland for me!

I am looking forward to many more Christmas seasons as a family and will remember this one as a special one with "just" the boys.

Just for a fun side note...the boys get to celebrate Christmas with us (mom and dad) early in a few weeks! Hopefully skype will hold up and we will get to have internet that day. I started wrapping the gifts and am so stoked. I pulled out their toy Nativity Scene with the Christmas tree and they have a blast playing with them Can't get enough of "Away in a Manger"! Advent season starts this Sunday and I am excited to see how Logan reacts and enjoys our devotions and lighting of the candles. Traditions we are able to carry on every year. I hope that as we all enjoy the festivities of the season that we remember the reason for the season. What great news we have to proclaim to all the world!

Musical Monday

Better late than never right? Both my husband and I didn't realize it was another Monday until I figured it out late today. Glad that it seems as though the time is flying by! We ARE about 2.5 months done! YEAH! With the Holiday's coming, we will fly through the next 2 months and then should only have about 1.5 more to go after that!

Well, today's song brings us back to good times. We both fell in love with our church in CA...especially the youth group. We were previlleged to help out as youth leaders for a very rapidly growing high school group. It wasn't easy getting involved as I think we were more nervous than our first day of our high school career! It soon turned into our extended family as we had girls nights, went to events, planned events, and had Halo party's at our house. One of the MANY things that blessed us more than we ever knew was the wonderful worship that we would get to participate in on Sundays and Thursday nights. All of the worship teams were very talented and we loved them all. There were a few special people whose voices we won't forget. This song was one of the many that were so beautifully played. "Holy is the Lord"

So here is to those worship experiences where the Holy Spirit filled the room and every person there was lifted up. Here is to those times when Mike and I grew closer to the Lord because we were stretched and pulled out of our comfort zone. Here is to those young people we were able to be blessed by. However, they are not young any more as several of them are now getting married! What great memories we have, and how we long to have those times again. We are thankful that the Lord could use us in that way:-)

Here are some good photos for memories darling!

Musical Monday...take 2

If you aren't able to hear the song, it is by NEXT and called WIFEY. There should be a playlist on the bottom of the blog! Hopefully it starts up for you guys...let me know if it doesn't! (thanks casey!)

Musical Monday...

This will surely date me and my taste in music...but hey...one of the more fun and upbeat songs:-) Ok...so as every little girls dream of being a wife, I had my dreams too. I just jammed out to this song as I thought about all the fun we would have! Some of my dreams of being a wife were:

• getting to CALL him my husband
• moving in together
• sharing a bed together...how incredible those memories are of sleeping next to each other, flirting, etc:-)
• going out on dates still and enjoying a night on the town
• cooking and cleaning for my man
• for me (having most of our before marriage relationship being separated) getting to be physically next to and with my husband for more than just a 2 week visit!
• going to church together and worshiping/learning about the Lord...together
• having friends over and just being silly in our young age

These are just a few things that I can recall being so excited for when thinking about being married. I was 19...just shy of my 20th birthday, when that big day came. Before that I worked at Don Pablos-one of THE only mexican restaurants in MN. I remember driving to a from work (when home from college) jamming out to that song just being so excited to have a man who loved me and couldn't wait to by my husband and me his wifey. I would write him letters in boot camp and during his first deployment (yes there was a point when that was the only form of communication during this war) and I would sign it "wifey" from this song. Any one else out there love this song? Anyways, it was a must play at our wedding. However, it was such a magical night that I barely remember what songs were played! We are coming up on 7 years in two months! Enjoy the tunes and embrace what thoughts were yours when you thought about becoming a WIFEY!

(sorry these pictures are so small...they weren't our professional pictures, but just regular point and shoot...so kinda pixelated)

Musical Monday 2 for 1

I didn't realize how bad I have been with posting things on here! I will make an effort to do more blogs and more pictures! Not that what I post is SOOOOO interesting:-)

Anyways, what fun that today is a Monday AND a new month! By the way, we are 2 months down! Almost half way done. A fun fact: this week I will be half way done with the pregnancy! Can't believe it:-)

It's been another one of those weeks. One where life rocks your world and God is there to catch you. Both physically and emotionally this week it has been trying. My emotions have brought me back to our second deployment, when we lived in CA and were newlyweds. Mike and I have both realized in the past year (probably longer than that) I have been suppressing my emotions, both joy and sadness to the point where I don't feel it or express them any more. Almost sounds like depression...however, I know that isn't the case for me. For me it is that I have gone through things in life from one extreme emotion to the other, that my body can't keep up. My heart and my mind can't keep up and therefore push it all aside. Rarely can I even tell if I am excited or upset. Anyways, this week I have let it all pour out, literally. I like to blame it on this pregnancy, but I think we all know what is going on here. The Lord is breaking down walls, and doing it while Mike is gone so I don't lean on him, but on my amazing Savior. There are two songs this week I thought I would share. They are both by a group of amazing Christian men, of whose music I have listened to since high school. Their lyrics are almost always straight out of the bible, either Psalms, or incredible stories. They always hit a spot though, and their voices match together like God made them just for this. I have been able to fortunately go to several of their concerts, each of them I leave so refreshed and wishing I had a good singing voice:-) Like I said, one of the songs has brought me back to CA 2004.

Shane and Shane "I miss You". This song was different because I think the lyrics can be directed towards another human being or toward the Lord Himself. It definitely got to me as I could sing the song with all my heart, let the tears flow, and pray for my hubby. I have to admit that there were some nights where I would listen to the song just so I could cry. That is the song that is playing automatically when the blog opened up.

The other Shane and Shane song wasn't on the playlist, so here are the lyrics along with a video of the song. This has got to be one of THE most powerful songs ever. For the longest time I didn't want to listen to it just because of what the first verse sounded like. So down and dreary. But also so true. It is so scary, and incredibly humbling how we have nothing to do with our salvation. God's Grace is so abundant, so real, and is freely given to us. God has never shown that to me more than while we are alone on these deployments. As much as two people can be physically separated; Mike and I are. However, we have and are never closer because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. Forever tied to Him and in Heaven Eternally. Difficult sometimes doesn't even begin to describe the days I have, but Mike...there is no way that I would be so dependent on the Lord and love Him so much if it weren't for these times apart. Thank You Mike for loving me, missing me, and mostly for loving the Lord while we are separated. We can only become more dependent on the Lord which in turn will bring us closer together. Love you, Miss you.

Here we are at one of their concerts in FL...this was the first...or was it the second one we went to while we were in FL. Anyways, Mike was being goofy...gotta love it:-)


I am NOT trying to be mean, but they look like average guys...you wouldn't think such amazing voices would come from them! They are truly blessed!

Tuesday Tunes

Just for this week I changed the day of Musical Monday to Tuesday Tunes due to being so extremely busy and having a visitor until last night. The hubs already knew about the delay:-) So next week I will be back on Mondays.

I had fun with this song. I actually couldn't remember what it was called or who sang it for the life of me! My sister who is a country song lover tried to help me. I wasn't very helpful when asking her about the song because my clues were so vague. I called her around 9 one night and we were talking till midnight trying to figure it out. I finally saw what it was when I was searching around...Emerson Drive "Fall into Me".

This song meant a lot to me while I was in college right before getting married. The first verse really didn't apply to us during that part of our relationship we weren't scared anymore to be in love and getting ready to be married. The chorus was a fun song to drive with the windows down and many of the lyrics were encouraging to me while we prepared for this crazy adventure ahead of us. Who knew that I would have lived in 3 different states within 10 years after high school. Who knew the love that would grow from two people, and the beautiful children that would be given to us.

It also spoke as me as if I were talking to Mike " right here waiting, staying strong, come and fall into me". As hard as military life can be and being separated, I needed Mike to know that I wasn't going anywhere, and that I would follow him where he would go, trust and believe in him, and that I would be waiting for him until he returns. Being able to wait for a loved one can be hard yet so rewarding at the same time. Knowing that I have my true love, and yes we have to be apart, but I don't have to keep searching for that special person. I get to have a "honeymoon" after every separation: learning to live together again, having that person there when you wake up, cooking for them, and well...having those first "moments" with them all over again (wink wink).

Anyways, this song was a fun one I enjoyed listening to as I was preparing to be a wife and join military life. Nice and catchy!!

Oh yeah...I know I said I was going to get some pictures up last week, and I didn't. But this time I got out the old photo albums and scanned in some oldies...enjoy!

The very top on the beach is the first time I ever set foot on the infamous California Beaches...

The second one is the Christmas we got engaged. I made Mike dress up in his Dress Blues and walk around the Mall of America...haha! Ask him about that someday! (2003)

The top one here is in my dorm room on one of his visits. I think he only visited once...maybe twice. (2003)

The bottom one again is the Christmas we got engaged...(love the MN pale skin ...yuck!) Such a handsome man! I do have to say that He has become more good looking as we get older!

Musical Monday

For some reason this weekend has been a tough one, but also healing at the same time. I am so grateful that I was able to go through it with my best friend/husband even though he is so far away.

Back when the war first started in 2003 there were several songs that were associated with the soldiers. And yes, I was that girlfriend and then fiance who clung to those lyrics and cried to them every night. Not much has changed since then:-) Three Doors Down had a couple of great tunes, but the one that sticks to my heart this Monday is "Here without You".

Growing up in MN I NEVER expected to meet and fall in love with a military man. I mean...how many bases are in MN? I think just one reserve base...not sure. The point is, is that no guy that I knew growing up was joining the military and so I had never seen or witnessed a long distance military relationship. I don't think when my heart fell head over heels for Mike, it really knew what it was getting us into. However, God had a plan and equipped me throughout my life leading up to that point to be able to handle the stress and craziness of a long-distance, no communication during war, crazy in love relationship. I know for a fact though, that I wouldn't have made it, and our relationship wouldn't have made it if it weren't for the kind of man Mike was/is. He was so reassuring in every phone call, full of love and missing you's, encouraging and also loved me for who I was. Which is HUGE:-)

Just this weekend I told him that I would go through hundreds of deployments just to share this life with him. I wouldn't want anyone different even if they were able to see me every day of my life. I am sure most of you gals who have hubbies that aren't military or that don't go away for long periods of time wish that your spouse may deploy for a bit just to get some time away. That is opposite for me...there will never be a time where I am tired of Mike...every day with him (here or over seas) is a gift:-)

I think the longest we went being apart was for about 8 or 9 months...which isn't that bad! I know some guys deploy for a year and I pray God gives their relationships strength and love beyond all others. We have been very fortunate in our lives together to be able to see each other either in person every couple of months, or over the internet. God has been good! I love the passion we had in the beginning of our relationship and I love to see how it has continued and gotten even stronger and deeper. I could go on and on about separation, but dwelling on it has never done any good for us. We are just so excited and grateful to one day run into each other's arms once again:-) Love you babe, thank you for the exciting and fun early parts of our relationship...for making me have goosebumps every time you called (and also made my roomates roll their eyes), and for sticking by me. Thank you for the days we have now; sharing our children's joys, helping each other cope with the same separations, and for letting me fall more and more in love with you...oh tears...they come so easily these pregnant days! ha! Seriously, if you only knew Mike...how deep my love is for you

I am going to post this, but I plan getting some really old pictures up later today! Got some good ones from the good old days:-0

Musical Monday

Yes it is quite late and I apologize for the delayed Musical Monday! This weekend was super busy and super fun and this morning we had MOPS, then a killer headache which required a nap, and so forth. Glad these days go by fast though! Anyways, on to this silly Musical Monday:-)

Some of you may know this song and some may be confused. Well, let me tell you, it is the theme song to one of the greatest comedy shows ever! Mike introduced this uncomfortable humor to me about 3 years ago. I have to admit the first few shows I saw I was not impressed. (the sexual harassment episode!) But Mike kept wanting to watch the show and I was usually stuck on the sofa nursing Logan, so I saw more and more shows. Soon, I was hooked! This show brought such humor and great jokes between us and fellow Office lovers. This theme song is quite hilarious too because when Logan was younger, say around a year old, and whenever this song would come on, he would stop whatever he was doing and turn his head to the tv and stare intently. So funny! So this song represents a fun time in our lives and still does. We enjoy our Office episodes even from across the world. Can't wait till you come home and watch the shows with me darling!!

"Thats what she said!"

Here are some pictures from that time in our lives!!