Memorial Day Weekend

Let's start out with what this weekend is about.

I already knew what an emotional weekend it would be and although I tried to mask my emotions most of the weekend it was a rough weekend with Chris deployed none the less. Let's start with my dad. He is a Marine and the most patriot person I know. He may be a "knucklehead" as he puts it but he is so proud to be an American and so proud of Chris and my brother Andrew for what they do for our country. Monday morning "Swoop" as my dad is called blared the story of Army Specialist Leslie Sabo and his recent medal of honor from the Vietnam War during out family breakfast. If you don't know the story check it our here Leslie Sabo. As my own father wells up with tears during the broadcast I have to walk out of the room. I cannot even listen to the story (as I already knew it) and pretend I have to use the restroom. As I dry the tears from my eyes and return to the kitchen my dad says that my husband is his hero. Woah, what do I even say. My dad is a rough, tough, in your face, drinking military man. But he is so proud of this country and our military I can't ask for a better supporter for our deployments. I knew I would be an "emotional nutjob" (as I like to call it) all weekend but although I had my meltdowns I knew we had to try and enjoy the weekend even if it was hard with Chris in Afghanistan.


Toby Keith's song Made In America reminds me of both my dad and Chris:

"he's got the red, white, and blue flyin' high on the farm
'Semper Fi' tattooed on his left arm,spends a little more at the store for a tag in the back that says U.S.A.won't buy nothin' that he can't fix,with WD40 and a Craftsman wrenchhe ain't prejudice he's just, 
Made in America."

I am so blessed to have such a military family. Not only my dad and husband but my brother, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends. There are countless people in my family who I am so very proud of.

But we have to think about what this long weekend was really for. It was not for me, Audrey, even for my dad or Chris even though I always think about our military members. Memorial Day is about the ones we have lost. The ones that have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We need to remember them. While we all enjoyed our long weekend we need to remember why we are able to do that. Over Memorial Day weekend and everyday, we need to remember our lost soldiers from current wars and past. With that being said and with thoughts of our fallen, our family being the military family we are, we did enjoy the family time together. We were able to talk to Chris via text message a little bit and I tried to not be an emotional nutjob all weekend and tried to positive and enjoy the time with my family. 

My dad's yard facing the street

Always paying respect

What an emotional but fun weekend we had. This is the first time in years that we have been up to my dads without Chris. Swoop lives about 2 hours north into Michigan and with our hectic schedule we are not able to get up there as much as we would like. But most long weekends or breaks we try to get up there and visit.

Life at Swoops is easy. That is the only way to put it. He lives on 20 acres with a huge house by himself. About an acre of it is fenced in which comes off of the back deck which is perfect for the dogs and Audrey. "The back 40" as he calls it is used for the quads, fishing, bonfires, and fun! So that's what we do up there...its for the country kids in us all! I wish we could live up there!

The Farm

Dad's partner in crime.... Calvin. He is literally the size of a horse. And even a flag tag on his collar :)

Audrey spent the weekend on the quads, at the beach and hanging out in the sun.

And this is how I spend most of my weekend....

I told ya, life is easy up there! Beer and quads!

She almost has the jump rope conquered!

Glow stick!

Swoop... "What am I suppose to do with this?"

And of course some baby time with Mr. Carter who is getting so big already!

So stinkin' cute!

Cassy's 22nd birthday was on Sunday so of course there was cake and ice cream

Twins!

22!

And some beach time

"I don't want to leave" Oh, look at that face!

If it were up to Audrey she would live in the water. We found mermaids and sharks in the water along with some sea monster.

What another relaxing weekend Audrey and I had. Although its just not the same at Swoops without Chris we had a lot of fun! Last summer Chris cooked a disgusting turtle and normally he is out in the "back 40" blowing things up or shooting guns. But this summer things were a little different... more of just hanging out and not doing much and I am completely okay with that. It was so wonderful to take some time out of our busy schedule and spend some time with the family. And it is also important that we all try and remember why we have that three day weekend and think of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

"They fell, but o'er their glorious grave
Floats free the banner of the cause they died to save." 

21 weeks down

21 weeks... well... week 21 was a tough one. I started my first week of summer classes and absolutely loved them! I have never been a huge school person... I mean I went to college because I "had" to, I mean it's what you do. You graduate high school and go to college but I never took it as serious as I should have. Even after Chris and I got married and after Audrey was born school always took the back burner...until now. I really do enjoy going to class. I am excited to finish out these last few classes and I even brought up the "G" word to Chris. Yep, Grad school! I'd love to go to grad school... but in due time. I want our family to grow and get settled after this deployment then we will worry about furthering my education... and my student loans for the matter lol. Of course, Chris is supportive of whatever goals I have but I know that I want to take a break for a little bit and let life settle down once he gets home from Afghanistan.

Anyways, after a week back to school and work Audrey and I took off to my dads for the long weekend. It was amazing :) Life is easy up there. 20 acres of back roads for 4-wheelers, sunshine, beaches and nothing but hanging out on the deck and easy living. But as excited as we were to spend time with the family I was equally sad that Chris would not be there. It had been years since I have been up to my dads without Chris so this made for a hard weekend. I can get through our daily routine alone but when trying to do things that we normally do as a family and having to do them alone is the hardest. But we did have fun and beast was hysterical... I will try and get a post of Memorial Day weekend up tonight or tomorrow. 

As we head past month 5, things are hard for Chris... I know they are. Even if he pretends that he's not, I know he is struggling. He will never admit it but I know he the days are long in Afghanistan without Audrey and I. He tries to vent to me but I don't understand what he is going through... this many years later you would think I get it. But I don't. I don't think you can ever understand what our servicemen and women go through overseas unless you've done it.  I try and be as supportive as I can but sometimes I just don't know what to say. What do I say? I mean yes, of course my life gets stressful but how can I even complain compared to what he has to deal with. He says he drinks a case of water a day and still is dehydrated.  And I complain about being "stressed"... or stress if I am out of coffee creamer. Seems if he is miserable every time I talk to him and it makes the days harder here for me. But we have to keep going... all I can think about anymore is homecoming. June, July, August and September then this one is over. 5 months of this and sometimes I know I am definitely at my breaking point but we have to keep going, we have to keep trying to be positive. 

21 Weeks and we are over half way through this deployment... so we look forward to week 22 and welcoming the month of June!! May was such a busy month while June should slow down a bit. We do not have a many plans until the 4th of July weekend so June should be a month of routine, school, work, and summer fun :) This coming weekend is the first weekend in a long time that we have no plans at all! I am really excited to just hang out, get some homework and housework done. Maybe Audrey and I will get out to Maumee Bay for some fun before another hectic week starts. 

Sometimes I cannot believe that Chris has been in Afghanistan for 5 months but sometimes I think its an eternity until he gets home. Some days are harder than other and some weeks are harder than others. Of course we had fun last week up at my dads its just not the same without him there. So excited for these next 4 months to fly by so life can go back to normal. I cannot wait until this is over and tears go away.

Girls Weekend 2012

So sorry for the delay on this post since it has been almost two weeks since girls weekend but I literally have over 300 pictures from that weekend and no time to sit down and update the blog soooo here it is... Hocking Hills 2012 with some really great people!

I needed a break. After finals of the spring semester and almost 5 months of Chris being in Afghanistan I needed some time away from life. So we planned a girls weekend to Hocking Hills for a nice little weekend away... and it was amazing!

A weekend of sunshine, hot tubs, laying out and relaxing... could not have asked for a better weekend away :)

 Audrey spent most of her time in the "hot pool" which is what she called it

The view from our patio

 Our cabin

We literally lived in our bathing suits

Laying out

Grilling out

 Campfires

 S'mores

Late night visitors

 And staying up way past our bedtime!

Catching bugs! A huge millipede!

Fun in the sun

Since we were in Hocking Hills I guess we needed  to see the caves so we packed a lunch and headed out for a picnic and some sight seeing at Old Man's Cave and Ash Cave

Audrey loved it but I was so nervous the whole time. Lots of high cliffs and slippery trails made it very nerve wracking for me trying to contain Audrey. When we went last year when Chris was home she was small enough for him to carry her but now there was no way I could carry her up hundreds of stairs so I was on edge the entire time. But everything went wonderfully :)

Breathtaking 

Audrey & I at Old Man's Cave

Seen this on the way out... a little creepy...

What a wonderful break from reality. Audrey was absolutely wonderful the entire weekend. We laid in the sun, relaxed, cooked out, had a few adult beverages in absolutely wonderful weather and it was just us girls. I "dragged" my friends Katie and Alyssa with Audrey and I and the weekend could not have went any better. Exactly the break I needed!