April Fool's!

Man...it feels like forever since I've written in here.

This will be a long post, since I have a ton of catching up to do...so bear with me!

My last few weeks since St. Patty's day has been INSANELY busy!

With Nick coming home early unexpectedly, my knee surgery that happened the day AFTER he got home, and BOTH of my parents being out here at the same time...life has been one giant roller coaster.

I guess I'll start with the homecoming.

Nick was scheduled to come in at 2230 on Wednesday evening, so I took the entire day off from work to clean the house and do last minute things to get ready.

When I found out Nick was coming home early (2 weeks ago), the first thing I thought of was, "Oh crap! I haven't even ordered a welcome home banner for him!"

That's probably my A.D.D. kicking in, so I had two banners rush delivered to my house JUST in the nick of time!

This one was hung on Pulgas Road right on the baseball field. 

I wanted to make sure it stood out :-)

Thank you and a shout out to my Marines who took 30 minutes out of their workday to drive me down to Pulgas to help me zip tie my sign up :-)

The sign over our garage...Rated PG-13....

I headed down to Pendleton at around 2200 lookin' extra purdy to pick up my man.

I don't know what I was thinking...I should know better than ANYONE that if the Marine Corps says 2230, it really means 0100.

I guess every time the Marine Corps gives me a timeline of some sort, I pray for a little miracle that they will actually be on time.....I'll keep dreaming.

Did I mention I was wearing 5inch heels on a bum knee that got operated on the DAY AFTER we picked up the boys?!

Oh, and it was like FAH-REEZING outside, and I wore a short dress.

Maybe not my brightest idea, but gosh darnit, I looked cute!

Just waiting on daddy....

Patiently waiting for our men....

The boys...ahem...men...started marching in at around 2330.

It's weird because I felt that I wouldn't feel the same as I did last deployment because he wasn't gone the full 7 months.

As soon as I heard Nick's voice marching the platoon in, I immediately began tearing up, my heart started pounding, and the butterflies felt more like hummingbirds in my stomach....just like always.

I realized that when you're in love with someone, it's not the length of time that they are gone.

I wrote this on Nick's facebook wall:

" Even though our time apart has been shorter than we anticipated...the feeling and anxiousness I have right now of seeing your face and kissing your face again is like I haven't seen you in a year. In our love...a week can feel like a month, months can feel like a year, and years can feel like a decard. Even if it's for 2 short weeks...I am going to cherish EVERY minute I get with you..."

Pretty much sums it up :-)

I LOVED Dannika's reaction!

When Nick walked up, she gave him a dirty look at first because she couldn't recognize him with him cover on.

As soon as she realized who it was, she screamed, "Daddddyyyy!" and lept into his arms like they had never been apart.

That's when I started to uncontrollably tear up.

It is definitely one of the most memorable homecomings of my life thus far!

THANKS TO TAMARA FOR BRAVING THE LATE NIGHT AND THE COLD WITH ME TO CAPTURE THIS MOMENT!!!

Like we've never been apart.

First Newcastles...their favorite beer :-)

Dannika giving Jackson a goodbye kiss!

We got home around 0100, and we were up by 5am to take me to my knee surgery!

Tired and ready!

My knee surgery went just fine.

I haven't had my post op appointment yet, so I don't know the exact findings.

I do know that she found extensive cartilage damage in my patella and trochlear (????) and shaved a lot of cartilage down.

 I have been in a lot of pain...needless to say.

Here's my gorgeous swollen leg.

 

LASTLY...

Nick surprised me on Friday night at the Swallows Inn (a dive bar by our house) as a late birthday gift to me.

When we got there, a bunch of my closest friends had made it out to celebrate!!

The Gilbert family and the Yubetas!

It was SUCH a fun night.

Even though I couldn't dance.

Just sitting there hanging out with everyone and drinking made for an amazing night!

Here is Nick and I at MY final Sundried Tomato date of the deployment...

He actually made it this time!!!

Curve Balls and the Irish

Happy St. Patty's Day weekend!

Man...my week has been CRAZY!

I have lots to share and lots of big news!!!

 Life tends to throw some crazy curveballs at you, and instead of letting that ball hit you in the fact, dodge it or catch it...and just go with it! I received a phonecall from Nick last week on my way to work....here's the gist of the convo...

Nick: Don't send me anymore care packages...

Me (thinking...OMG...No more care packages?!? The Easter care package is my favorite one to send!!!!) : umm....ok....why?

Nick (in his serious voice) : I'm coming home with 2nd plt

Me (frantic with my heart in my throat jumping to conclusions) : WHY?!?!?!?!?!??!!? Are you hurt?!?!? What is going on?!?!? 

Nick (calmly as always) : No no no...I have orders on April 15th to attend the Bulldog course in Quantico at OCS.

yes....Nick is coming home early...unexpectedly cause his orders are "non-modable" 

I was stunned and shocked because just a few weeks prior, he told me there was NO way the command would send him home early because he was the Battery Gunny.

The bulldog course is a course that is a prerequisite in order for him to be an AMOI at Boston U (ROTC instructor duty). 

I'm thrilled and feel extremely blessed to having him home early out of Afghanistan, but it's almost a tease because just two weeks later, he'll be leaving us again for 8 weeks to go to VA...and if he doesn't get selected for WO, he'll be going to Boston U by September(ish) without Dannika and I. 

My date to get out of the Corps is still so up in the air, so it could be as soon as November that I am out or April of NEXT year.

This gives me anxiety. 

I'd rather him be gone until August on deployment like planned than all this craziness...

I'm looking at being separated from him for longer than 7 months at this point...

But I'm excited about our future.

So...here are our pics from our 11th Sundried Tomato Date...

For St. Patty's day, my friend Jenn came up from San Diego to hang out with Dannika and I.

We went over to our neighbors house who was having a St. Patty's Day party to eat the most amazing Corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, guiness cupcakes with bailey's icing, and my first attempt at Irish nacos.

She threw an awesome party!

Dannika made lots of friends there, and one of our neighbor's friend even let Dannika wear his cowboy hat.

A true Southern Girl...

I had am amazing weekend, and I realized today that today is my LAST Sunday as a 27 year old!

I turn 28 next week!!!!!!!!!

Have a fab week y'all!

Sundried Marine Corps Church

This weekend marked our 10th week Anniversary at the Sundried Tomato!

Dannika keenly observing her sweet roll

"Always faithful" forever...

Work has been work.

To be honest, I enjoy going to work to be around Marines and to take care of my Marines.

The work part...bleh.

I'm just burnt out with the Marine Corps, and I think as Marines, we all get to that point at some point in our career.

Even those who make the Marine Corps a 20-30 year career experience this, but they get through it and move on.

For me, I've been at this point for the last 3 or so years.

That's how I KNOW it is now time to get out.

I don't care as much about the little things as much as I used to, and when 1600 rolls around, my butt is out the door driving off the air station way too fast to get home to my little one.

I used to be "that guy" that lived at work.

My priorities have changed...

It used to be Marine Corps, friends, partying, and repeat.

Then it became marriage, Marine Corps, friends, and partying.

NOW it's marriage, Dannika, Marine Corps, friends, and sleep...lol.

Notice how the Marine Corps just keeps going down on my priority list?

Doesn't mean I don't like the Marine Corps.

I love the Marine Corps.

I love being able to call myself a Marine, and I love the fact that Nick and I don't have to explain so much to each other.

We both just "get it".

So there ya have it.

As for our weekend, Dannika and I ran all over town yesterday running little errands, and played outside.

She got to ride her new tricycle, and I got to take some St. Patricks Day pictures of her for Nick (which I will post on St. Patty's Day!).

And lastly, Church.

Our family attends Pacific Coast Church in San Clemente, CA.

I love it there.

I strongly encourage anyone who would like to join Dannika and I on Sundays to come with us!

You will not be disappointed :-)

It's weird how God works in my life.

It seems that the sermons are always so fitting of what is current in my life.

We have been studying the book of Ephesians through a series called "Behind Enemy Lines".

Right now, with Nick and I both in the Marines and having Nick deployed, it just so fitting that we would be studying about our daily spiritual battles.

It's a great series....as is all the other series I have gone through with this church.

I started going back to church hardcore more often since I realized that everything wrong was going on in my life when I quit going (out of sheer laziness).

Dannika is also at an age where she is starting to understand concepts.

I really want her to grow up having a better relationship than I did with God, so it is extremely important to me that we go to church together.

She absolutely loves Sunday school, and I love going to pick her up from Sunday school to see what arts and crafts she did that day :-)

She colored a dove today :-) I guess the eyes are a bit creepy looking....

 

PAAHHHK THA CAHHH IN BOSTON MASS

Boston? 

The Romers?

Possibility?

yes...yes...yes...

Our family is facing a lot of new changes and challenges in the upcoming year.

I will be happily saying "goodbye" to life as a Marine and saying "hello" to life as JUST a Marine Wife and Mommy.

Nick also has lots of changes coming ahead in his career!

As y'all know, Nick was selected for GySgt (rah!) and will be picking it up in April.

I know I brag a lot, but it is a BIG deal to pick it up the way he did.

First of all, he had only been in the Corps NINE years when he got selected.

The average Marine picks up SSgt between 6-10 years and does not even see GySgt until their 13-16 year mark....and lots of Marines RETIRE as GySgts.

So as you can see, Nick still has a while before retirement and has up to another 20 years (if he wants to stay in that long) to get promoted.

He's on the fast track :-)

That makes me a very proud wifey :-)))))

It was time for him to make some changes in his career to start thinking about what he truly wanted out of the Corps when he retires. 

He has seen his share of combat in Fallujah, Iraq before we met.

I'm so glad he got that "young guy...I want...I NEED to kill a terrorist" feeling out of his system.

Now he's looking at the professional aspects of the Corps and making himself more marketable for civilian life.

He put in a package to become a warrant officer (I'm not gonna explain this if you don't know...just google it).

It's highly competitive, and we will be thrilled if he gets selected!

Just in case, however, he does not get selected, he put in a back up plan.

He requested to go on ROTC instructor duty at Texas A&M University (GIG 'EM AGGIES!).

WELLLLLLL.....

His back up plan came up faster than we thought!

Last week, he received orders to go to BOSTON UNIVERSITY (W-T-F!!!!!).

While his check in date is April 15th, he obviously won't be able to go since he's in Afghanistan.

But if he does not get selected for Warrant Officer...

yep...

you got it.

To Boston we shall go.

I'm scared.

I'm excited.

Honestly, As long as I have my little family, I'll be happy transplanted anywhere.

I just hope if we go there, Nick buys me a nice Burberry winter coat and cute winter boots.

It's scary that I don't know where we're gonna be in a year, but I guess that's the whole excitement of the Marine Corps life!!!!

Traditions

Today is the official TWO month mark of this deployment, and Dannika and I's NINTH Sundried Tomato date!

I seriously look forward to going there EVERY week!

They have the most AH-MAZING food.

My favorite is their signature Sundried Tomato soup.

I can't get enough of it.

I have it pretty much every single time I go there.

My friend Jen took her family there when they were visiting from Missouri, and they all loved it.

I always recommend it to people who visit Orange County from somewhere else!

I think it's important to have traditions. 

It gives you something to look forward to.

I love that I've made my little brunch/lunch dates a tradition with Dannika.

It's funny cause it happened TOTALLY by accident.

The LAST time Nick deployed, I was so depressed, so my girlfriends dragged me out of the house the day after he left and took me there for lunch, and I had such a great time there.

It made me temporarily forget about the emptiness and sadness I had in my heart.

So this time, when Nick left, it just kind of seemed natural to go there for brunch.

I realized how happy it made me to go there, so I started going every week.

While I miss Nick with a fierceness...when he deploys, it is mother/daughter bonding time for me. 

I love our lunch dates, just the two of us, and I love the time we spend during those lunch dates.

It has seriously made the days just F-L-Y! 

This is my cute little date stuffing her face with bread and the Sundried Tomato mac-n-cheese :-)

My note to Nick that I write on the table every week :-) I found out today that the staff has been saving the paper every week that I write on. 

Dannika and I made cupcakes today :-)

It was her first time, and I must say, she is a mighty fine helper.

Her very first cupcake. I'm such a proud mama.

So with that said, thanks for all the love and support from my friends. 

It means the world to me.

I also found out that some of the staff at the Sundried Tomato read my blog!

So, if you're reading this right now...

Thank you for being so kind to us when we go, and thank you for such a wonderful restaurant experience that gives me something to look forward to every week!

I can't wait for the first Saturday when it's not just Dannika and me...

You better believe it that the week Nick gets home, he will be joining us on our final Saturday brunch there :-)

And while we may not come EVERY week like I do when he's gone, it's one of our favorite restaurants, so we will be back plenty more!!!