Can you Believe....

The time is getting close, our little boy is soon going to be turning 1 year old!!! Where has the time gone, it seems just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital... He has done so much growing, Maddox is working on his 4th tooth and took his first steps yesterday!!! Sure, they may have been very wobbly steps, but I am still counting them!

We took a trip to the Nashville Zoo yesterday, besides the temperature we all had a great time! Maddox got to see elephants, giraffes, tigers, alligators, a bunch of funny looking birds and the monkeys! We got some awesome photos, I can't wait to show everyone...

Maddox is know drinking from a straw, he's not a huge fan of the sippy cup, but yesterday at the zoo he didn't mind it because it had nice cold water in it!! He is starting to eat more kinds of foods, I just can't get over how fast they grow up!

I do have to say, this girl above (Heather J.) has got to be one of the greatest friends someone could ask for! They say in the Army you don't make friends (usually) you make family, that is so true in this case. Her and her husband have been nothing but amazing, caring, grateful friends since the moment we got to Fort Campbell! Definitely, life long friends! Thanks girl, for always being there...

Letters From Home

My Dear Son, it is almost June,
I hope this letter catches up to you, and finds you well.
Its been dry but they’re calling for rain,
And everything's the same ol’ same in Johnsonville.
Your stubborn 'ol Daddy ain’t said too much,
But I’m sure you know he sends his love,
And she goes on,
In a letter from home.

I hold it up and show my buddies,
Like we ain’t scared and our boots ain’t muddy, and they all laugh,
Like there’s something funny bout’ the way I talk,
When I say: "Mama sends her best y’all."
I fold it up an' put it in my shirt,
Pick up my gun an' get back to work.
An' it keeps me driving me on,
Waiting on letters from home.

My Dearest Love, its almost dawn.
I’ve been lying here all night long wondering where you might be.
I saw your Mama and I showed her the ring.
Man on the television said something so I couldn’t sleep.
But I’ll be all right, I’m just missing you.
An' this is me kissing you:
XX’s and OO’s,
In a letter from home.

I hold it up and show my buddies,
Like we ain’t scared and our boots ain’t muddy, and they all laugh,
'Cause she calls me "Honey", but they take it hard,
'Cause I don’t read the good parts.
I fold it up an' put it in my shirt,
Pick up my gun an' get back to work.
An' it keeps me driving me on,
Waiting on letters from home.

Dear Son, I know I ain’t written,
But sittin' here tonight, alone in the kitchen, it occurs to me,
I might not have said, so I’ll say it now:
Son, you make me proud.

I hold it up and show my buddies,
Like we ain’t scared and our boots ain’t muddy, but no one laughs,
'Cause there ain’t nothing funny when a soldier cries.
An' I just wipe me eyes.
I fold it up an' put it in my shirt,
Pick up my gun an' get back to work.
An' it keeps me driving me on,
Waiting on letters from home.

~John Michael Montgomery

How Times Have Changed

GOOD WIFE’S GUIDE The Good Wife’s Guide Housekeeping
Monthly - May 13, 1955

-Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed. -Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. -Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it. -Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables. -Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction. -Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet. -Be happy to see him.
Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him. -Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours. -Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax. -Your goal: To try and make sure your home is a place of peace, order, and tranquillity where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit. Don’t greet him with complaints and problems. -Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice. -Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.

I Spy.....

Come on, this could be fun! The point of the game is to find or spy the one thing in the picture that is
out of place, not right, wrong, etc.
Ready, Set.... GO!!!

Did anyone find it...?!?

New Addition...

Meet Miss Bella B. Nelson
(the newest member of the Nelson Family)

She was born on April 1st 2008
Maddox and I are both in love with her,
she is the sweetest thing ever!
she is a purebred Shar Pei, she has wrinkles like an old man, snores and farts just as bad as Mitchell, and loves to play outside!

Today is....

Two Years and Counting....
Happy Anniversary Baby, I love you!!!

Not directed to anyone...

Things NOT to say to an Army Wife

1. “Aren’t you afraid that he’ll be killed?”
(This one ranks in at number one on the “duh” list. Of course we’re afraid. We’re terrified. The thought always lingers at the backs of our minds —but thanks brilliant, you just brought it back to the front. Maybe next you can go ask someone with cancer if they’re scared of dying.)

2. “I don’t know how you manage. I don’t think I could do it.”
(This is intended to be a compliment. Though, its just a little annoying. Here’s why: it’s not like all of us military wives have been dreaming since childhood of the day we’d get to be anxious single moms who carry cell phones with us to the bathroom and in the shower. We’re not made of some mysterious matter that makes us more capable, we just got asked to take on a challenging job. So we rose to the challenge and found the strength to make sacrifices.)

3. “At least he’s not in Iraq.”
(This is the number one most annoying comment for those whose husbands are in Afghanistan. What do they think is happening in Afghanistan? An international game of golf? Guys are fighting and dying over there.)

4. “Do you think he’ll get to come home for Christmas/anniversary/birthday/birth of a child/wedding/family reunion, etc?”
(Don’t you watch the news? No! They don’t get to come home for any of these things. Please don’t ask again.)

5. “What are you going to do to keep yourself busy while he’s gone?”
(Short answer: Try to keep my sanity. Maybe there’s a military wife out there who gets bored when her husband leaves, but I have yet to meet her. For the rest of us, those with and without children, we find ourselves having to be two people. That keeps us plenty busy. We do get lonely, but we don’t get bored, and drinking massive amounts of wine always helps keep me busy.)

6. “How much longer does he have until he can get out?”
(This one is annoying to many of us whether our husbands are deployed or not. Many of our husbands aren’t counting down the days until they “can” get out. Many of them keep signing back up again and again because they actually love what they do or they VOLUNTEER AGAIN and AGAIN to go back to Iraq b/c there is work that needs to be done.)

7. “This deployment shouldn’t be so bad, now that you’re used to it.”
(Sure, we do learn coping skills and its true the more deployments you’ve gone through, the easier dealing with it becomes. And we figure out ways to make life go smoother while the guys are gone. But it never gets “easy” and the bullets and bombs don’t skip over our guys just because they’ve been there before. The worry never goes away.)

8. “My husband had to go to Europe for business once for three weeks. I totally know what you’re going through.”
(This one is similar to number two. Do not equate your husband’s three week trip to London/Omaha/Tokyo/etc. with a 12-15 month or more deployment to a war zone. Aside from the obvious time difference, nobody shot at your husband or tried to blow him up with an I.E.D., your husband could call home pretty much any time he wanted to, he flew comfortably on a commercial plane, slept between crisp white sheets and ate well, paying for everything with an expense account. There is no comparison. We do not feel bonded to you in the slightest because of this comment and, if anything, we probably resent you a bit for it. Comparing a 12 month combat deployment to a few weeks business trip is like comparing a shitty ford taurus with mercedes convertible.)

9. “Wow you must miss him?”
(This one also gets antoher big “duh”. Of course we miss our men. There are some wives who do not and they’re now divorced.)

10. “Where is he exactly? Where is that?”
(I don’t expect non-military folks to be able to find Anbar Province on a map, but they should know by now that it’s in Iraq. Likewise, know that Kabul and Kandahar are in Afghanistan. Know that Muqtada al Sadr is the insurgent leader of the Mahdi Army in Iraq and that Sadr City is his home area. Know that Iran is a major threat to our country and that it is located between Afghanistan and Iraq. Our country has been at war in Afghanistan for seven years and at war in Iraq for five years. These basic facts are not secrets, they’re on the news every night and in the papers every day —and on maps everywhere.)

11. “Well, he signed up for it, so it’s his own fault whatever happens over there."
(Yes, ignorant, he did sign up. Each and every day he protects your right to make stupid comments like that. He didn’t sign up and ask to be hit by anything, he signed up to protect his country. Oh, and by the way, he asked me to tell you that “You’re welcome.” He’s still fighting for your freedom.)

12. “Don’t you miss sex! I couldn’t do it!”
(hmmm, no i don’t miss sex. i’m a robot. seriously…military spouses learn quickly that our relationships must be founded on something greater than sex. We learn to appreciate the important things, like simply hearing their voices, seeing their faces, being able to have dinner together every night. And the hard truth is, most relationships probably couldn’t withstand 12 months of sex deprivation.)

13. “Well in my opinion…..”
(Stop right there. Yo, I didn’t ask for you your personal political opinions. Hey, I love a heated political debate, but not in the grocery store, not in Jamba Juice, not at Nordstrom, not in a restaurant when I’m out with my girls trying to forget the war, and CERTAINLY NOT AT WORK. We tell co-workers about deployments so when we have to spend lunch hours running our asses off doing errands and taking care of the house, dog, and kids, they have an understanding. We do not tell co-workers and colleagues because we are giving an invitation to ramble about politics or because we so eagerly want to hear how much they hate the President, esp. while we’re trying to heat up our lean cuisines in the crappy office microwaves.)

last but not least….

14. “OH, that’s horrible…I’m so sorry!”
(He’s doing his job and he’s tough. Don’t be sorry. Be appreciative and please take a moment out of your comfortable American lives to realize that our soldiers fight the wars abroad so those wars stay abroad.)

If you want to say anything, say thank you. After all, we are sexually deprived for your freedom

Proud

Well, ladies and gentlemen.... this is Mitch, in Iraq! He used his webcam to take the picture. I sent him a disposable camera so I should soon be getting a bunch more! He got my first package pretty quick, about 4 days I think. Don't forget about the customs form!!! You can actually go onto the usps.com and order shipping supplies for free!
Anyway, I found someone to mow our lawn... now I don't have to bust my ass, and my wrist once a week! And, I even talked the guy down to $10 every time he mows!!! YAY~GO ME!!! Lets see, what else is new...? Really not too much, Mitch is doing good, besides his ankle bothering him he is great! He does feel dirty ALL the time, you can kinda see it in the picture.... He can't wait to start getting more letters and packages, so get it on top of that!!
Oh, here is a picture of Maddox on his first day of Day Care!!!

A change is in the air... Can you smell it?

Today was Maddox's first time in day care, and let me tell you I was more nervous than he was! I dropped him off at 9am and cried a little as I drove away. It's amazing how fast they grow, He is becoming such a big boy... and I can't do a thing to stop it! So, I spent my day in the doctors office, for them to tell me I have tendanidous in my wrist after injuring it doing... of all things... mowing the lawn!!! Now, I am fitted with the most fashionable brace and taking anti-inflammatory drugs twice a day! How cool am I?!? (please don't answer that) So, after my exciting day of visiting the hospital and not to mention the fabulous Post Office I was off to pick up my little boy, who I was sure would be crying in a corner somewhere because he missed his mommy so much!! And much to my surprise, he was ok... he survived his first day, as did I. The sitter said he was wonderful... and for the first time in a week or so, Maddox and I spent a stress free night together! It was awesome, seriously, I have the most amazing little boy in the world!
I hate to be the bearer of what some might find as "bad news" but Mitch is thinking about re-enlisting in the Army while he is in Iraq. What that means for us... an income, a place to live, amazing friends, a chance to travel, a way to see the world in a whole new way. What that means for our family and friends, I'm sorry to say... and I mean no disrespect to anyone in anyway... but Mitch, Maddox and I are our own family now. Yes, we love all of you back home, but we need to do what is best for our family and not what the family thinks is best for us. Sure, we may have tough times and get homesick... but we need to start our own life, not relying on other people or their opinions. Of course we will listen to your fears and reservations, but at the end of the day... it will be a decision that will be made by Mitch and I, and only Mitch and I. We will do whatever it takes to make the best life for our little boy, not all may like or even agree in any decision we make, but let us make it for ourselves. (side note: nothing is set in stone, I just though everyone would like to be kept up to date)

We love you all ♥

Live while you can, Laugh while you can, Love while you can

Yes, that is a picture of a ton of bricks. Over the last week one would hit me every now and then... but tonight, the rest fell... and they fell hard! I'm coming back to life, that is, out of my zombie state of mind and I have to say... it's hard, I almost wish i could go back. I think it was watching the season two premier of Army Wives that really flicked the switch. The tears have been rolling since 9:00pm and they haven't let up. Mitchell is away, he is far away, for an undetermined amount of time... And I won't know when/if I'll see him again (sorry to be so brutal to other family members, but it's a hard part of this life we chose, and I have to realistic). The Army always says "Plan for the worst and hope for the best", that's what I have to do... that's what we all have to do.

It's hard talking to people about what I'm going through and how I am feeling, because most of you will never understand. I'm not the same person I was only a few short months ago... I have a new life, new friends, new family, new routine. My main goal right now is to be the best mother to Maddox and take care of myself the best way I can. And for those of you who know my past, you know stress and I don't get along very well, it's like oil and water. That brings me to another thing... if I hear anyone say anything along the lines of "Well, this is the life you picked" or "You knew what you were getting yourself into.." seriously, call 911 because you will have a size 8 1/2 foot stuck up your ass! Yes, I know what the Army life means and what it brings... the heartache, the worrying, the sleepless nights, separations, but it also brings happiness, pride, reunions, love and a very close family that honestly I would never find in the "outside world". Again... you can't understand what I and all other Army spouses are going through, so don't compare our lives, don't say "Oh, I know exactly how you feel, my husband/wife/etc. was gone for 3 weeks..." I'm sorry if I seem brutal, but I'm putting the facts out there... I don't mean to be rude or self centered or any other words you may be thinking while reading this. I am being honest, speaking from the heart.

I have also come to realize a major fault of mine, I am a giver... by nature, it's the person I am. But one human being can only give so much. I was once told that when you give, you will receive back tenfold... right now I am having a very difficult time believing in that. It's a nasty game of tug of war and my toes are right over the mud pit! I'm tired of always being the one that will drop everything to listen to a friends problems, to give anything extra I have to a friend in need... but when the time comes, and I need someone, something... no one is around, no one has time. Maybe moving to another state 700+ miles away was a really good way of finding my true friends, even if that meant losing some along the way.

I can't be that person anymore, I feel as though I have nothing left to give... my advise and listening went out the window, along with the shirt off my back and my money I had in savings.... and for what?!? No one has shown me that caring is a two way street in a very long time. So, until someone hands me my ears and heart back... not to mention my shirt and money, I am closed for business... I know I say that now... but deep in my heart, I can't change who I am and I will always be there for whoever needs me, just know that each and every time I give... I give a little bit of myself... and I know (at least here on earth) You need pretty much an entire body and mind to operate...

Heart of a Sceaming Eagle

Today I was at the post office, sending off Mitchell's first care package. As I was standing in line, big box in one arm, Maddox in the other, I couldn't help but notice the screaming little girl standing one person behind us. She was about 4 or 5 and crying as loud as she could! The soldier behind me turned to her and asked her what was wrong... She pulled up her pant leg to show she had a very small scrape on her knee. Sure to us adults it was small, but to that little girl it was the end of the world! The soldier asked if she wanted it to feel better.... through sobs and gasps of air she quietly said yes. He bent down, and kissed her knee... she immediately stopped crying. She said thank you, and he got back up and took his place in line again. It brought tears to my eyes then and is doing the same now as I am thinking about it. To add to his kindheartedness, he held my box until we got to the counter...

I am so full of pride for my country and all the men and women that serve everyday, either over seas or here at the home front... even if it just means giving a little girl a kiss on the knee...

Down Range...

Mitchell made it to the other side of the world safely. Right now he is in Kuwait, but soon leaves for Iraq. There's not much I can tell you about his where abouts or what he is doing... There is a lot of "Don't ask, Don't tell, Don't show, Don't share", so I haven't even gotten any pictures yet. What I can tell you is that he is safe and he is in good spirits, and can't wait to come home on R&R!! I sent out an email with his address and email address in it, if you didn't receive it that's because I don't have your email address so send it to me asap!

I've been doing ok with holding things together, I still have yet to sleep in our bed... it's been empty for 6 days now. It looks just like it did the morning he left. I'm sure eventually I will get back in there, but for now the couch is suiting me just fine. Maddox has shown some signs of Daddy not being around... he is more fussy than usual... and those of you who know my son, know he is not a very fussy baby! But, he did get his 3rd tooth in! YAY, and this one is on the top!!!

I haven't talked to many people from back home yet, partly because they won't and never will understand what we are going through and how tough it is. I guess it's true what they say, We now have two families... Our real family and Our Army family. I have to say, I think some of the best friendships I am going to find are going to be behind these gates in this Army world. I don't want my friends from back home to take offense. There is room in my heart for everyone, it's something you wouldn't understand unless you were going through it.
I love you all, no less than I had before! ♥

The Plan...

Robin Williams, wearing a shirt that says

'I love New York ' in Arabic.

You gotta love Robin Williams......Even if he's nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan. What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message.




Robin Williams' plan...(Hard to argue with this logic!)

"I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan.



1) 'The US will apologize to the world for our 'interference' in their affairs, past & present.
You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein,
and the rest of those 'good 'ole' boys', we will never 'interfere' again.




2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany , South Korea , the Middle East , and the Philippines . They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.



3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are. They're illegal!!! France will welcome them.




4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don't like it there,
change it yourself and don't hide here Asylum would never be available to anyone.
We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.



5) No foreign 'students' over age 21. The older ones are the bombers.
If they don't attend classes, they get a 'D' and it's back home baby.




6) The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness.

The caribou will have to cope for a while


7) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production.
(About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)



8) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not 'interfere.' They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.



9) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good
homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.



10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us 'Ugly Americans' any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH..learn it...or LEAVE...
Now, isn't that a winner of a plan?

'The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.


She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'you want a piece of me?'"