THREE, TRES, SAM, TROIS!

Well...we are at week THREE!

Again....

The weeks are FLYING.

Work has been insane with stupid Marines doing stupid things...like drinking and driving...drugs...and domestic violence.

It's just been really bad lately, so I've spent the week sitting in briefs and formations about these things.

I got to have my FIRST skype date last sunday with Nick!!!

I was so excited!

Check him out...

What a handsome guy, huh?

And Dannika and I went on our 4TH SUNDRIED TOMATO DATE!!!

I love how the staff ALL know us now, and everytime we leave, they always tell us, "See you next weekend!"

The weekly "table note" for Nick...it actually hasn't been a month yet, but we've been there 4 times since he's left, and to me...that's a month!!!!

This is the infamous "silly face" or "funny face" (whichever she feels like calling it)

I'm so glad that Nick joined us today. I was really starting to miss him.

I've kept up with my weekly care packages.

I've been working out the way I did before last November hit....crossfit, weights, elliptical...6 times a week, and on my rest day, I put Dannika in the jogging stroller and walk 6 miles.

I have not had any red meat since the boys left.

I had chicken once (at my friend's Scentsy party).

I feel great!

I have started inquiring about a custom closet makeover.

And Dannika has only had ONE accident in her big girl panties (she was potty trained the day before Nick left).

Next weekend, I am painting a wall in my house and doing this cool thing to my hallway that I saw on pinterest. 

I get sad every once in a while cause I feel like I don't get to talk to Nick as much as some of the other wives (except for Becca...she's heard from her man the least out of everyone), but Dannika has been keeping me so busy, I don't have time to go into depression about it....lol.

I have yet to spend time with my girlfriends like I planned on. 

Work has just been tiring me out.

Work, the Marine Corps, single motherhood, and everything else that comes with that.

Either way,

I am blessed beyond belief, and I never stop counting my blessings.

Hope everyone had a blessed week...

"If you don't love a Marine....Raise your standards!"

(a funny bumper sticker I saw)

Week 2 Down

The days are LITERALLY flying by.

It's totally strange because the last deployment, one day seemed like eternity!

I think it has to do with how busy work has been keeping me and how busy my toddler has kept me.

We went on our THIRD Sundried Tomato brunch.

I look forward to it every week.

I look forward to it so much in fact that I decline invitations from friends to do lunch on Saturday.

I am determined to keep this tradition up until Nick comes home...rain or shine!

Nick finally received his first care package I sent him!

I can finally post a pic of a "Romer" care package.

I actually do a lot more to it than the picture deceives....but I have to have a couple secrets that I get to keep to myself.

Afterall, Nick was the envied Marine of his last deployment because of my few little care package tricks :-)

Maybe I'll share some of those later into the deployment. 

I'm gonna be a little selfish though and let Nick bask in "envyness" from his fellow teufels...lol.

I also found this adorable poem:
Dear Lord,
Give me greatness of heart to see,
The difference between duty and his love for me.
Give me understanding so that i may know,
When duty calls him, he must go.
Give me a task to do each day,
To fill the time when he's away.
When he's in a foreign land,
Keep him safe in your loving hand.
And lord, when duty is in the field,
Please protect him and be his shield.
And Lord, when deployment is so long,
Please stay with me and keep me strong.
Amen.

Message #3 at the Sundried Tomato

 My bangs were all in my face in this pic. Shoulda had the host retake the photo. Oh well!

My Valentine's Day care package. I'll post more pics of my other ones as my husband receives them!

One Week down!

This deployment (so far) has been flying by for Dannika and I.

I got promoted to SSgt, and it couldn't have happened at a better time.

With the extra pay comes extra responsibilities which has been keeping me super busy at work.

The days at work just kinda fly by.

I also think it's the fact that I convinced myself in the weeks prior to Nick's departure that I was excited about him deploying.

I made myself look forward to all the fun things I was going to plan and do while he is gone. 

These are things that I normally would not be doing if Nick was here.

Here's my deployment list:

1. I plan on hiring an interior designer to come and do a custom closet makeover in all the bedrooms and redo my dining room.

2. I have a fancy Canon DSLR camera that I am slowly learning how to shoot on manual with. I would like to get a nice L-series lens for it and take even nicer photos of Dannika for Nick while he's gone.

3. I am on a detox/cleanse. I bought a 10 day kit from GNC. On top of that I cut out processed foods and red meat from my daily intake. 

4. Nick and I have always been hardcore Crossfitters, but we always tended to lean towards the same WODs. So this time, I have been trying new WODs, and I purchased (even more) Crossfit equipment for our makeshift gym in the garage.

5. Lots and lots of girl time with my friends Becca, Kim, Kari, Lindsey, Vic...and the new Tango wives that I've met. I am finding this one to be the most challenging for me. My work schedule is crazy and on top of that, I am on "single working mom mode". That, and I live farthest away from everyone. The drive......I hate driving. I am gonna have to get over that one.

6. I started a weekly tradition with Dannika. Every Saturday, we do brunch at the Sundried Tomato. We've only gone twice and the staff there already know us by name and even comp'ed our meal yesterday.

7. Send a care package out every week to Nick. My care packages aren't your typical packages either. Once Nick gets his first one, I will do another post on what goes into a "Romer care package".

8. Start teaching Dannika piano this summer. My parents got her a Wurlitzer piano for her 2nd Birthday, and all she's done on it is bang on the keys. I plan on actually starting beginner piano theory with her!

9. Nick has all these fancy new power tools. I plan on learning how to use them and possibly redoing our kitchen cabinets.

10. Take Nick's motorcycle out and ride it!

Just those 10 things have given me something to really look forward to for the next 7 months!

It's weird cause this deployment should be harder than the last cause Nick is now the Battery Gunny and he is a lot busier than he was last time. 

I hope anyone else who is going through deployment right now can find some of this useful.

Everyone takes deployment differently.

My motto:

"You can cry and be sad all day long, but it's not gonna make them come home any sooner. Suck it up, take a deep breath, and find ways to fill the empty space in your heart with other fun and healthy things!"

This was the day they left at the Sundried Tomato (Jan 7, 2012)

 You can write on the tables there and we write a message to Nick and take a pic of it every time we go!

On my way to work! Keeping me busy busy. And yes, I am taking a picture of myself while driving on Camp Pendleton. Don't judge me!

Sundried Tomato Week 2 (January 14, 2012) I actually took my good camera this time.

Message #2!

Nick's not in Afghanistan! We're secretly hiding him for 7 months in our house. This is him chilling on the couch and enjoying a Newcastle.

Dannika handing her daddy his favorite beer.

Kisses for my daddy!

Favorite Photos of 2011

1. We got family pictures done this Summer. I'm always the one taking the photos and never actually in them. I had Two/Eleven Photography take the photos for us at Calafia Beach in San Clemente. This one is my favorite shot!

2. Our friends Victoria and Gavin got married last July. It was the first time since Sarah and Ben moved to Florida that all of us were together again. We had so much fun, and it was seriously one of the best weddings I've ever been to!

3. Erin from Erin Dietrich Photography has been photographing my family since Dannika was 3 months old. I was devastated when her husband got out of the Marines and they moved all the way to South Carolina. Luckily, she had an opportunity to come back out to California and take our family's Christmas card photos in the Fall. This is my absolute FAVORITE one! It's on a HUGE canvas in our bedroom!

4. I just love this photo taken by yours truly :-)

5. We had so much fun this Summer in our backyard playing with Dannika. She was obsessed with water!

6. One of those moments that I will cherish forever...

7. We're Southern people. We LOVE college football. Every Saturday, Dannika wore her Aggie jersey or Alabama shirt to support our teams! Although...she thinks every football team she sees on tv is the "Aggies" and when she sees football, she screams "Go Aggies!" (that's my girl!)

 8. Dannika has an obsession with Hello Kitty. This adorable hat was made for her by her SUPER talented Aunt Becca (MooseINK). This is her "model pose"....oh, what a diva!

9. Dannika loves driving Hello Kitty around with her in her Camaro that Ma-maw bought her for her birthday this last year!

10. Dannika's "Guncles" came out from England this Summer for an entire week! She fell in LOVE with them, and we had the best Summer yet!

11. This is the piano that I had since I was 5 years old. My parents were generous enough to give it to Dannika. I think she's the next Mozart....

A Letter to my Love

January 2, 2012

To: My main squeeze.

Well, here we are at deployment number 2 for us as a married couple…deployment number 7 between the two of us. Strangely, I feel at peace and not as crazy as I thought I would feel. I guess that’s a sign that our relationship as husband and wife has matured and we’ve both matured. It gives me a great sense of calm to know that I feel much stronger for the mere fact that we have a vibrant and beautiful 2 year daughter that will feel more pain than she did the last time you left. I know these last few months have been packed full of emotions and drama, and I’m so grateful that you stuck by me through all of my turmoil. I give you all the credit for me being where I’m at today emotionally. I’m excited for your homecoming already, and you haven’t even left yet! I’m thinking about your welcome home banner and what I’m gonna wear already!

I know in your line of work, there’s always a possibility of danger, and I want you to know that I know that Dannika and I are your number one, but when it comes to your work, take care of your Marines first. I understand what our job entails. Just know that you have 2 girls back here in the USA that love you more than life and more than you will ever imagine.

I know you know this, but I’m gonna miss you every minute of everyday until we are together again. Not a day will go by that I won’t think about you.  I’m sad that I won’t be there for your promotion to GySgt. I wanted to be a part of it because I’ve seen just how hard you’ve worked for it since the first day that I met you. I’m just forever thankful and grateful that you got to be a part of my special day. Without you, I wouldn’t have gotten to where I’m at today. You’re the reason why I got promoted, and I am forever thankful.

So with that, I hope that you make the best of these next 7 months. Dannika and I will be busy bonding and doing mommy and me things. You have nothing to worry about. We are surrounded by so many wonderful people that will take care of us. Focus on your job and take care of your Marines. Kick some taliban ass and keep your head down.

I love you with all my heart, my love.

Love,

Your Wife

P.S.  Say your prayers everyday, change your socks often, and don’t forget to hydrate!

First Blog of 2012!

It's the eeennndd of the world as we know it...

It's the eeeeennnddd.....

WELCOME 2012!

So far my year has been off to an AMAZING start.

For New Year's Eve, Nick surprised me with a night at the Hyatt in Newport Beach, dinner reservations at Bandera, and a sitter to watch our munckin OVERNIGHT!

We started off at our hotel room to get ready for the evening with champagne.

The room was gorgeous (I wouldn't expect anything less in Newport Beach).

Afterwards, we headed down to the hotel lounge to have a few drinks before grabbing a cab to go to dinner (we are responsible adults).

We got to Bandera and the wait was HORRIFIC!

But we decided to wait for a table anyway and just hang out at the bar to have more drinks.

We ended up meeting a really sweet couple named Marcel and Suzy who we ended up hanging out with the rest of the evening.

Nick and I went to dinner there cause my little sister and my daddy got Nick and I a generous gift card to have dinner there, but we didn't even get to use it!

Marcel paid for the entire dinner.

I'm pretty sure it was like a 300 dollar check.

Afterwards they took us out to a bar right across the street from Bandera for New Year's festivities. 

No one would let Nick buy a single drink there because he was a Marine.

Nick's a humble guy and he insisted on buying drinks for the couple we were out with, and they were still hesitant to let him buy them a round!

It was a blast!

We met so many cool people, and it was nice to just let loose without the baby.

Thank you the best hubby in the world for the AMAZING night!

**We didn't make it to midnight because ONE of us passed out early....oops*

And lastly...

I got promoted!

I am officially a Staff Sergeant of Marines.

Here were my thoughts the day I was promoted (via my facebook page):

I never give myself any credit and never feel that I deserve good things to happen to me and after a long discussion with Nick and some Marines that have "raised me" the last 8 years of my career...I feel like the Marine Corps saw more in me than I saw in myself and just as I was losing all motivation and faith in the Corps....the Corps was there for me. So thank you to all the Marines who have inspired me, taught me, led me, and took care of me when it was at the highest points of my career and the absolute lowest. You're the reason that I'm a SSgt today :-)

I never thought I deserved to be a SSgt because I had lost so much drive as a Marine in the last year.

Everyone kept telling me otherwise, and I refused to believe them.

But I realized the day I got promoted that it wasn't about me.

It was about the Marines who saw something in me in the past who set me up for success.

It was about the Marines who gave me a chance when I thought I would for sure fail. 

It wasn't me who got me promoted.

It was the family I became a part of when I joined the Marine Corps...

So thank you....

To everyone who believed in me.

Yup...there are only TWO SSgt Romers in the ENTIRE Marine Corps!