www.milspouse.com is holding a "why my husband rocks" contest. I decided to submit a short essay about why my husband "rocked". Here it is.
My husband rocks because he is not only a wonderful husband, but he is an even more amazing father. Before we got married, we had only been dating a short while, and I became pregnant. Since we had been in an open relationship due to him being stationed 2 states away, I wanted to have him take a paternity test. I didn't want to burden him with a mistake I had made (or rather a failed birth control). He agreed to take it, but told me regardless of his paternity, he wanted to be the child's father. He wanted to marry me, and spend the rest of his life with me and my child. The results showed it was indeed his child, thankfully, but by that time, we had already been married.
Since then, he has not only provided everything our growing family needs, but he has been my rock to lean on whenever things get rough. He is my best friend and I couldn't have asked for a better man to grow old with. Our oldest child is now 2 and a half and loves Disney movies, especially about princesses (like any little girl), and my husband is more than happy to sing along to her favorite songs, buy her princess dresses, and dance around our living room and kitchen.
Every time we watch a new Disney movie (most of which I haven't seen since my childhood) and they burst into song, my husband knows all the words. I cannot stress how impressive this is. I know he doesn't secretly watch these movies without our daughters, yet he knows a majority of the words! It always makes me laugh and I fall even more in love with him when I see my oldest daughters eyes light up when she sees her daddy knows all the words to Sleeping Beauty or Beauty and the Beast.
In short, my husband rocks because he is absolutely amazing. He understands parenting should come before anything else, helps me out whenever I need it, and volunteers to watch our girls so I can go out and have some time to myself. The only thing that could make him better was if he still gave me back massages on a daily basis and liked to snuggle! I suppose I can live without those, for now.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
I am awesome!
No, that's not what I said to myself in the mirror this morning, although I'm beginning to think I should have. I'm talking about the website I created yesterday! It's almost done, and I'm so excited! Feel free to check it out. It's for my squadron. Since I'm key spouse, it's going to help me keep in touch with all the spouses as well as make it easy to convey information to all of them about things going on around base for them.
http://388thMOS.webs.com
I pretty much spent all day on it, besides the usual mommy things I do during the day. I did't do ANY cleaning, which I really regret now that I am looking around the front room. It's amazing how quickly a clean house gets dirty with a toddler.
Incase you're interested in creating your own website, I highly recommend webs.com. They make it very easy to get one started and make it look professional. I wish I could say I was skilled enough to do it all on my own, but, alas, that is a template they provided for me. I just filled in the information.
Also, if you have your own squadron and you wanted to make a website to help you communicate with other spouses, do make sure you speak with legal on your base. You also need to follow OPSEC rules about posting classified deployment information. Other than that, I highly recommend it! Keeping in touch with your military family is just as important as calling your mother on a daily basis. ;) Love you mom!
http://388thMOS.webs.com
I pretty much spent all day on it, besides the usual mommy things I do during the day. I did't do ANY cleaning, which I really regret now that I am looking around the front room. It's amazing how quickly a clean house gets dirty with a toddler.
Incase you're interested in creating your own website, I highly recommend webs.com. They make it very easy to get one started and make it look professional. I wish I could say I was skilled enough to do it all on my own, but, alas, that is a template they provided for me. I just filled in the information.
Also, if you have your own squadron and you wanted to make a website to help you communicate with other spouses, do make sure you speak with legal on your base. You also need to follow OPSEC rules about posting classified deployment information. Other than that, I highly recommend it! Keeping in touch with your military family is just as important as calling your mother on a daily basis. ;) Love you mom!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Quite a night
After years of pining after every Subaru Outback we drove past, my husband has finally got one of his own this past Friday. Granted, it's not a brand new one like I wish I could have given him (I will one day get him a new one), he loves it. My original plan was to have one like this for him when he returned from Afghanistan months ago, but I just couldn't make it all happen. Maybe next time I'll upgrade his. Hmm...
Anyway, it is a really nice 30th anniversary edition with leather, so he is really excited. After we picked up the car, we decided to stop at In N Out Burger (AKA: Amazing idea!). It was really good, especially since we hardly ever get it now that we're not in California anymore. We scarfed out double double animal style burgers while Tori and I shared my fries and Neapolitan shake and some pink lemonade. A little boy was playing peek-a-boo with Tori through the windows, and made a few threats to John with a his straw when he kept giving the little boy bad looks (foreshadowing?). John thought it was hilarious though. That and when a little kid spilt his soda behind us, mouthed off to his mother, and then slipped in his soda (instant Karma).
Finally, the time came to leave, and I loaded up the girls into my car, and John and our friend Derek got into John's new outback. The second I started the car, Annie started screaming. I knew she was just a bit tired, and figured once I got on the freeway, she would pass right out. Oh boy was I wrong!! The entire trip home, which was an hour, she screamed at the top of her lungs. It got to the point where I started thinking of maybe pulling over and feeding her, despite the late hour and my growing exhaustion. I never did, I just kept trucking home and telling Tori how much I loved her. Ha. She was really good the entire time and would talk to Annie and sing to her in hopes it would shut her up. No such luck. Neither of us were successful, although we both kept trying, over and over, and over again.
Once we got home, I was so frustrated that I decided giving the girls their baths would help calm everyone down. I put Annie in her exersaucer, stripped Tori down, and got her bubble bath going. She got in, and Annie started screaming. No biggie, Tori was in the bath, so I ran to get Annie and bring her back with me. In that short amount of time, I come back and Tori is saying "Mommy, I peed." Oh well, wouldn't be the first time she peed in the bath, right? Wrong. She had actually pooped. Now, I won't give you a detailed description, but lets just say this wasn't an easy to clean up poop. I put annie down on the carpet, pulled Tori out, and rinsed the mess down the drain. Tori decided she had to pee again, and sat down on the toilet (Really? Now?). I cleaned the bath with some bleach, rinsed that out, and then ran the bubble bath again for Tori.
All of a sudden, Tori stands up and screams "I WENT POTTY!!!!" Sure enough, she peed in her potty. I was very excited for her, but the anger that had been boiling since the trip home, masked my full enthusiasm. I told her good job, and it was time to clean up. I had just had enough, and wanted to put everyone to bed, myself included. I quickly soaped Tori up and rinsed her off, got her her vitamins, brushed her teeth, and put her in her pjs. Next up: Anneliese.
John walked in from dropping off our friend Derek, and I handed him Annie and said, "PLEASE please please, give her a bath?" I think he saw the desperation in my eyes and agreed. Once she was all clean, we put them both to bed, curled up on the couch together, and I passed out while he played video games until super late.
It was a long night. But, I suppose you can say it was a good one. Ha.
Anyway, it is a really nice 30th anniversary edition with leather, so he is really excited. After we picked up the car, we decided to stop at In N Out Burger (AKA: Amazing idea!). It was really good, especially since we hardly ever get it now that we're not in California anymore. We scarfed out double double animal style burgers while Tori and I shared my fries and Neapolitan shake and some pink lemonade. A little boy was playing peek-a-boo with Tori through the windows, and made a few threats to John with a his straw when he kept giving the little boy bad looks (foreshadowing?). John thought it was hilarious though. That and when a little kid spilt his soda behind us, mouthed off to his mother, and then slipped in his soda (instant Karma).
Finally, the time came to leave, and I loaded up the girls into my car, and John and our friend Derek got into John's new outback. The second I started the car, Annie started screaming. I knew she was just a bit tired, and figured once I got on the freeway, she would pass right out. Oh boy was I wrong!! The entire trip home, which was an hour, she screamed at the top of her lungs. It got to the point where I started thinking of maybe pulling over and feeding her, despite the late hour and my growing exhaustion. I never did, I just kept trucking home and telling Tori how much I loved her. Ha. She was really good the entire time and would talk to Annie and sing to her in hopes it would shut her up. No such luck. Neither of us were successful, although we both kept trying, over and over, and over again.
Once we got home, I was so frustrated that I decided giving the girls their baths would help calm everyone down. I put Annie in her exersaucer, stripped Tori down, and got her bubble bath going. She got in, and Annie started screaming. No biggie, Tori was in the bath, so I ran to get Annie and bring her back with me. In that short amount of time, I come back and Tori is saying "Mommy, I peed." Oh well, wouldn't be the first time she peed in the bath, right? Wrong. She had actually pooped. Now, I won't give you a detailed description, but lets just say this wasn't an easy to clean up poop. I put annie down on the carpet, pulled Tori out, and rinsed the mess down the drain. Tori decided she had to pee again, and sat down on the toilet (Really? Now?). I cleaned the bath with some bleach, rinsed that out, and then ran the bubble bath again for Tori.
All of a sudden, Tori stands up and screams "I WENT POTTY!!!!" Sure enough, she peed in her potty. I was very excited for her, but the anger that had been boiling since the trip home, masked my full enthusiasm. I told her good job, and it was time to clean up. I had just had enough, and wanted to put everyone to bed, myself included. I quickly soaped Tori up and rinsed her off, got her her vitamins, brushed her teeth, and put her in her pjs. Next up: Anneliese.
John walked in from dropping off our friend Derek, and I handed him Annie and said, "PLEASE please please, give her a bath?" I think he saw the desperation in my eyes and agreed. Once she was all clean, we put them both to bed, curled up on the couch together, and I passed out while he played video games until super late.
It was a long night. But, I suppose you can say it was a good one. Ha.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Is now a Key Spouse!!
As very few of you know, I have recently been appointed "Key Spouse" by the commander in our squadron, 388th MOS. I will be working with 2 other women, one of which I am good friends with. I'm very excited to start my training and help support the program.
Here is a small article explaining what a key spouse does. I found it at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2190653/the_role_of_a_key_spouse_pg2.html?cat=31
Here is a small article explaining what a key spouse does. I found it at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2190653/the_role_of_a_key_spouse_pg2.html?cat=31
A Key Spouse is a volunteer in the U.S. Air Force appointed by their spouse's Unit Commander. Successful Key Spouse candidates act as an official unit representative and work closely with their spouse's unit and relay
important information to other military spouses, often during military deployments. But what else does a Key Spouse do?
Duties
According to the Commander and First Sergeant Reference Guide, the Key Spouse Programme was implemented to help improve the quality of life for Air Force families by promoting closer links between various base agencies and family members. A Key Spouse is not employed as a babysitter, counsellor, or a fundraiser. He or she is trained to provide a link between unit leadership and families. Key Spouses also provide assistance during emergency situations such as when a deployed member needs to be recalled quickly due to a death in the family. Due to the nature of the job, Key Spouses are required to be professional individuals who are team players in their spouse's unit and to be able to maintain strict confidentiality. Key Spouses assist with the unit newsletter, sometimes even contributing to it, and take part in the distribution of the newsletter to families. Some other duties are determined by unit leadership to meet the specific needs of families.
Training
Key Spouses undergo 12 hours of training to include Initial Key Spouse Training, Heartlink Orientation, and Spouse Suicide Prevention training. Key Spouses should have a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher.
Keeping in Touch
However, not all military spouses want to be kept informed of how their spouse is getting along from a Key Spouse and their decision should be respected. The choice is entirely up to them to be kept on the list or to be removed. But if you do want to hear from your Key Spouse, make sure your name is added to the list before your spouse deploys so that you can receive regular calls and updates from your Key Spouse who will be able to let you know of unit events and functions that may be of interest to you, key dates and other important information.
Key Spouses work hard behind the scenes to ensure that they are carrying out their duties to the best of their abilities, for no pay. Be sure to keep this point in mind when you liaise with your Key Spouse.
Sources:
http://30fss.com/Downloads/A&FRC/Key%20Spouse%20Guide%20May%2009.pdf
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