How it all Began

I can remember like it was yesterday. I was walking through the Marine Corps exchange before Christmas 2004. I was with my mom and looking for gifts. My husband of less than a year was preparing to deploy to Iraq for the first time after the holiday. She was worried ( as any mother would be). I was standing in the bookstore looking for a book that maybe would calm her fears. A feel good book, maybe written by a Marine wife about her experiences during deployment and how she survived and is happy. Nothing. Maybe a book about a military family and how positive their experiences have been. Nothing again. There had to be something, something that would get her off my back, but maybe also something to calm my nerves. Again NOTHING. It was amazing to me, amazing that with everything out there, not one story or book that was a "feel" good book about living the military lifestyle and being happy. (If there is something, please share it with me) At that moment I made a promise to myself to document my experience and share it with others. Good news is I did survive the deployment (three actually), I am still married and happy, but I did not write down one damn word!

Now fast forward seven years, two dogs, three kids later....that promise may finally come to light. My original idea of writing about life through a deployment has shifted a bit, you know with the kids and all.  I think I never actually took myself seriously, lets face it, I am a math teacher that sometimes can barely get a sentence out without a misspelling. Writing is not my forte. I have, however, always been able to tell a story. I got that from my mom. Good story telling...leaving out the boring details (still trying to teach my husband this one), getting to the point, and most important making people laugh. If I have learned anything in the past 7 years, it is to laugh. Regardless of the stress, you have to laugh. You know the minute your husband walks out the door, the dishwasher floods the kitchen, the lights in the bathroom mysteriously go out and the car will not start. How can you not laugh? Oh and don't forget the dog rolling in crap before you have to get to work in the morning! Laughter has helped me survive and knowing that whatever happens it could be worse. My close friends and family always ask how I do it? How do I survive with three kids, two dogs, and a husband that has a duty to his country and can be gone for months at a time. LAUGHTER. Do not get me wrong there are days of sadness, and I have cried and screamed, but I have learned to take everything in stride and find the best out of any situation (remember I do have three kids...the first couple weeks after birth you want to jump out a window- more to come on that). 

There is always another family that is dealing with something bigger than me. How could I feel sorry for myself and fall apart?  What about the mom of four who just lost her husband? Or the parents that watch their child suffer through an illness? It makes my night of two small children with the stomach bug throwing up in a bucket and on my wall seem like nothing. Now, do not misinterpret this,  just because people are worse off does not mean you should not be scared or worried, or plain  pissed off with the cards you were dealt. We all have our own battle wounds, whether it is making through a deployment, getting a degree while working full time, surviving your childs first year without going crazy, or just making it through a bad breakup.  Life is relative and if you do not step back, enjoy and laugh a little, you will never survive.

I thought is was time to share my crazy ORGANIZED chaotic life with you and hopefully keep you laughing. I have a good friend who spent this past year in hell with her teenage son and I admire her attitude and laughter through the entire ordeal. So if anything I hope I can make you laugh on a bad day or at least let you know there is someone else out there that cannot listen to their child ask "why" one more time without screaming to the hills! (trust me...i understand, just asked my son if he would ever stop talking!) I write like I speak, so I cannot promise any award winning essays here, but I hope it is enjoyable. To my English teacher friends (and mom) no judgements! Just enjoy!