His voice

Friday was my last day with my family for the week.  I had such a wonderful time hanging out with my sisters, brother, nephews, and parents.  They are all such a huge blessing in my life.

Two of my sisters volunteered to drive me to the airport to catch my flight.  On our way there, my phone rang.  The area code was 803, from Columbia, SC.  I immediately told my sister to pull over so I wouldn't lose service, and answered my phone.  It was my dear, sweet husband.  I can not even describe the excitement I felt when I heard his voice.  I knew he might get a phone call on Father's Day, but his platoon did so well on a test that they let them call early.  I was completely giddy the rest of the drive to the airport.  Also, because I had been gone for over a week, I had 7 letters in my mailbox waiting for me from Landon as well.  Friday was like Christmas X100,000,000!

Week 2 Down

Keeping myself busy seems to help me from going insane.  Since my mom came to town, we stayed busy the whole time she was here.  We painted my laundry room an awesome minty green, watched lots of Army Wives, ran errands, and just spent some quality mom/daughter time.

On Thursday we drove to Amarillo so that I could go with one of my best friends to some friends' wedding in Colorado.  It was great to see friends from college and catch up.  Hard to believe I have been out of college for 3 years now.  

Friday was a hard day though.  Landon's battalion has a Facebook page and there are volunteers who post pictures of each company.  A lot of people on the page had posted that Thursday they had received their first letter from their warrior.  Because I left Denton Thursday morning, I wasn't able to get the mail that day, and I wouldn't be back until the following Friday.  I was just sick about it.  Then, on Friday, pictures were really starting to be posted on the FB page, but none were of his company.  Again, I was so anxious to hear from him or see that he is doing ok that I felt sick to my stomach, and finally broke down.  It was a hard day, but I think I just needed to get out my frustration.  On Saturday during the wedding, my mom texted me and said that Landon had sent a letter to their house knowing that I would be there the following week.  It absolutely made my day knowing that even with all that Landon is going through, he was thoughtful enough to send the letter to my parents. 

Landon seems to be enjoying his time there.  Some people were posting on Facebook that they had heard from their son/daughter and were exhausted, discouraged, and ready to quit.  I guess that was one of the reasons I was so anxious to hear from Landon.  I just wanted to know that he was ok.  In his letter though, he said, "I can't believe I'm getting paid to shoot rifles, throw grenades, eat 3 meals a day, and workout for 2 hours a day with 2 personal trainers."  He sounds like he is in his element, and that could not make me more happy.  I can't imagine the misery I would feel if I knew he was miserable too.

It's nice that he was already bald so it's not hard to spot it.  

This morning I woke up, and pictures from Landon's company had finally been posted.  I was ELATED! I do have to say that he looks dang good in uniform.  I'm a proud Army Wife:)

I'm so thankful for the time that I am getting to spend with my family this week.  It really does make time go by faster!  Only 57 more days until I get to see my honey!

1 Week Down

Landon left a week ago today.  Only 64 days until I get to see him.  A lot of people have said to me, "It's going to go by so fast!"  While I know that they are trying to be comforting, that is one of the least comforting things I want to hear because right now, it doesn't feel that way and I miss him more than ever.  It's been kind of a crazy week with him leaving and finishing up my second year of teaching.  I'm going to try to keep up with my blog every week, more for me in hopes that the next 9 weeks will go by fast.  64 days sounds like a long time, but only 9 blogs doesn't sound too bad.

Tuesday was a hard day.  We woke up early so he could eat at Old West one last time and then headed to the office he was supposed to be at.  Someone from the National Guard had to drive him to the airport, but I followed and was even given a pass to hang out with him in the airport until his flight left at 2:00.  As time drew closer to 2:00, both of our stomachs began to turn.  Right before Landon boarded, he told me "You know that feeling you get when you are about to go down a roller coaster?  That's what I feel right now."
For the first couple of days that he was gone, he still had his cell phone because he was just doing paperwork and getting his uniform.  His actual training did not start until Friday.  On Friday afternoon, he called me and gave me his address, told me he loved me, and hung up.  It was literally a 30 second call, and I haven't heard from him since then.
Since then, I have written him every day and his battalion also has a Facebook site, so between those two things, I somewhat still feel connected to his world right now.
My sweet mom decided to come down on Sunday after church and spend the week with me as well.  I have a couple home improvement projects that I want to get done this summer, and she came to help.
I'm also thankful for my sweet friend Amie who has checked on me often, gone to dinner, and invited me to do Painting With a Twist just in the few days that Landon has been gone!

I know the Lord is going to work in both mine and Landon's hearts this summer.  Over the last few months, I have been asking God to rekindle my desire for Him.  I want to truly understand that I am desperate for Him.  Landon used to always jokingly say, "Don't ever pray for patience if you don't want to be tested, because God will allow opportunities to arise to help you work on being patient."  I feel that's what this summer is going to be for me, a test of my trust in Him.  I have been praying that I would have that deep understanding and desperation for my Father, and this summer, the one person that I cling to is gone, and Christ is the only one who is going to be able to comfort me and sustain me like I need.

Proud Wife

Three years ago, I married a man who I thought there was no possible way I could love him more than I did then, but I was wrong.  As I dropped him off at the airport today to go to basic training for 10 weeks, my love and pride for my husband was simply overflowing and overwhelming.  

Now I know my ABC's

I know my last post was a "list" of some sort, but this one looked fun too.  Now you can know me a little bit better!

Age: 25.  The first year I have felt "old".

Bedsize: Queen.  Husband and I like to snuggle so anything bigger doesn't make sense:)

Chores that you hate: Dusting

Dogs: 2 year old Husky Mix and 3 year old black lab (my babies)

Essential start to your day:  hitting the snooze...at least 3 times, and then coffee

Favorite color:  Pink

Gold or Silver:  I have more silver, but I'm really digging gold right now.

Height: 5 feet/8 inches.

Instruments you play: Piano

Job title: 4th grade teacher

Kids: not yet

Live: Denton, TX

Mother's Name: Rhonda, or Mom 

Nicknames: Beej, Bren, B, Bub

Overnight hospital stays: none

Pet peeves:  smacking gum or any other food

Quote from a movie or tv show:  "Childbirth is just as disgusting as it is miraculous." Army Wives  

Right or Lefty:  Righty.

Siblings: 4 wonderful sisters and an awesome brother

Time you wake up:  6:00 but remember, I hit the snooze 3 times.

Underwear:  bikini

Vegetable you hate: lima beans   

What makes you run late:  hitting the snooze 3 times 

X-Rays You've Had:  none.  I'm pretty healthy.

Yummy food you make:  My husband would say poppyseed chicken, pizza, or chicken fried steak.

Zoo Animal: giraffes or elephants

99

I really haven't ever made much of a "bucket list", but there are plenty of things I say I would like to do before I am ___ years old or before I die.  This "little" list is a good starting place.  I saw it on a friend's blog and decided to give it a go myself.  The ones in bold are the ones that have been done:)

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo 

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightening storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 

15. Adopted a child dog

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetable

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked 

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb baby calf

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon 5K! 

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise 

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community --quite often!

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing && repelling 

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 

52. Kissed in the rain 

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie 

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business (does selling stuff on Craiglist count?)

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check-I don't even write checks
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar 
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee wasp

What's for dinner?

Pinterest has definitely been a life saver when it comes to dinner ideas. I have heard some people say that the recipes they have tried have been a total bust, but I have had some successes, so I wanted to share my favorite Pinterest recipes. Click on the picture to get the recipe.

This taco soup is super easy to throw together with ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

Crockpot Italian Dinner. This picture doesn't do it justice. This is the best comfort food to come home to after work! I usually do all the prep work the night before, and throw it in the crockpot the next morning.

I didn't make the individual lasagna cups, but I used this recipe to make a full pan. This was the first time I had made lasagna, so it probably is similar to any other standard lasagna recipe. But I thought it was delicious!

Crockpot Barbecue Chicken. I love coming home to the smell of this in the crockpot. I usually make a side of mac and cheese and some type of veggie with it. Then I shred the leftovers and put it in a tortilla the next day for lunch!

Crescent roll breakfast casserole. This makes a huge pan and the leftovers are GREAT! I usually make this on Monday morning for breakfast and then we can eat on it the rest of the week. I like to add green chiles to it for a little kick of flavor.

Baked Ziti. I could eat this almost every day for dinner and then left overs for lunch the next day. Another super easy dish that tastes delicious!

What recipes have you tried that are to die for? I have found a couple chicken salad recipes I want to try next and a homemade chicken pot pie! Happy cooking!