I had my first OB appointment today. Everything looks good so far, and the doctor did an ultrasound for me. We were able to pick up the heartbeat right away, so that was really neat to see. Here's a picture of baby #2!!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
A Perspective on Freedom
This is kind of a long post, but it's something I feel strongly about, so my hope is that when you make it to the end, you feel it was worth reading.
With Chris embarking on yet another deployment, I've been thinking about a few things. So many people have made comments to me (upon finding out that Chris was leaving), along the lines of "don't you wish we'd never gone into Iraq?", and "the whole thing is so pointless". I don't agree with either of those sentiments. Do I believe that some wrong choices have been made in Washington when it comes to the war in Iraq? Probably. But hindsight is always 20/20, and having never actually run a war myself, I don't think I would have done much better. And I think that the same could be said for the rest of the American people.
But having said that, do I agree with the reason that we are there in the first place? Absolutely. One of our faults in this country is that we believe that freedom is a right, and therefore something that we are entitled to. In a perfect world, freedom would most certainly be the unalienable right of all men, but we don't live in a perfect world. Freedom is not a right but a privilege, one that must be fought for by those who wish to enjoy it. Freedom was not simply given to us by virtue of our being "Americans", it was bought by the blood of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Have we become so apathetic in this country that we feel we should be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their sacrifice, but not put forth any effort ourselves? America is not invincible; 9/11 anyone? Terrorism has breached our borders, and unless we want to lose our precious freedom, we must seek out terrorism, wherever it is. It is the duty of every free man and woman to continue the fight for freedom, not only in this country, but around the world, and not only for ourselves, but for our children. Some fight with bullets, some with tears, all with sacrifice. It is an ongoing battle, one that will never be finished. Our enemies are also fighting for freedom - the freedom to oppress and subdue those they consider weaker than themselves. And since we are not weak, is it not also our duty to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves? Are we so selfish that we think only Americans should be free? So yes, I agree with why we went into Iraq.
As to it being pointless, that I simply cannot accept. I have lost too many friends, my husband has lost too many brothers for it to all be pointless. These brave men (and women), laid down their lives to free an oppressed people. If we throw in the towel and decide it's all pointless, then they bled and died for nothing. It is up to those who are still standing to ensure that their deaths mean something. To strip a fallen warrior's death of all meaning is the worst kind of insult. And it's not pointless. Ask any Iraqi woman who now has the freedom to attend college. Any Iraqi child who can go to school and learn about the outside world. The people have a voice, and that is all any of us can ask for.
So I send my husband off to war, knowing that the cause he fights for is just, and do my own little part to preserve freedom for my children.
With Chris embarking on yet another deployment, I've been thinking about a few things. So many people have made comments to me (upon finding out that Chris was leaving), along the lines of "don't you wish we'd never gone into Iraq?", and "the whole thing is so pointless". I don't agree with either of those sentiments. Do I believe that some wrong choices have been made in Washington when it comes to the war in Iraq? Probably. But hindsight is always 20/20, and having never actually run a war myself, I don't think I would have done much better. And I think that the same could be said for the rest of the American people.
But having said that, do I agree with the reason that we are there in the first place? Absolutely. One of our faults in this country is that we believe that freedom is a right, and therefore something that we are entitled to. In a perfect world, freedom would most certainly be the unalienable right of all men, but we don't live in a perfect world. Freedom is not a right but a privilege, one that must be fought for by those who wish to enjoy it. Freedom was not simply given to us by virtue of our being "Americans", it was bought by the blood of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Have we become so apathetic in this country that we feel we should be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their sacrifice, but not put forth any effort ourselves? America is not invincible; 9/11 anyone? Terrorism has breached our borders, and unless we want to lose our precious freedom, we must seek out terrorism, wherever it is. It is the duty of every free man and woman to continue the fight for freedom, not only in this country, but around the world, and not only for ourselves, but for our children. Some fight with bullets, some with tears, all with sacrifice. It is an ongoing battle, one that will never be finished. Our enemies are also fighting for freedom - the freedom to oppress and subdue those they consider weaker than themselves. And since we are not weak, is it not also our duty to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves? Are we so selfish that we think only Americans should be free? So yes, I agree with why we went into Iraq.
As to it being pointless, that I simply cannot accept. I have lost too many friends, my husband has lost too many brothers for it to all be pointless. These brave men (and women), laid down their lives to free an oppressed people. If we throw in the towel and decide it's all pointless, then they bled and died for nothing. It is up to those who are still standing to ensure that their deaths mean something. To strip a fallen warrior's death of all meaning is the worst kind of insult. And it's not pointless. Ask any Iraqi woman who now has the freedom to attend college. Any Iraqi child who can go to school and learn about the outside world. The people have a voice, and that is all any of us can ask for.
So I send my husband off to war, knowing that the cause he fights for is just, and do my own little part to preserve freedom for my children.
Bye-Bye Daddy
I'm having a hard time writing this. Chris left this morning for Fort Riley. We won't see him again until probably April, when the baby is born. He'll be doing non-stop training for the next 3 months or so, and then he'll deploy. This is always the hardest part, the saying goodbye. I know it will get easier, but right now it doesn't feel like it.
We miss you, Daddy!
We miss you, Daddy!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Sick, Sick, Sick
I was going to try to post the pictures from our trip last night, but I ended up spending some quality time with my "morning" sickness. I am waaayyy more sick this time than I was with Aiden, I'm not sure what's up with that. And I don't know why they call it morning sickness - I have it all day, all night, just constantly. And I never thought it would be possible to be throwing up and feeling hungry at the same time! I'm trying to be grateful for it, because it means that things are progressing as they should, but I will definitely be glad when this part is over!!
Monday, August 20, 2007
We're Back!
We had a great time in Florida, we went to Destin on Friday, stayed the night at the Ft. Benning Army Recreation Center, then went up to Panama City Beach on Saturday. We stayed the night there at the Naval Base in Panama City and had lots of fun at the beach. We headed home Sunday around noon, and made it home in time for dinner. Another perk of military life is being able to stay at the on-post hotels at any military base worldwide - provided they have vacancies, of course - and that can save you some money! For a decent hotel in Panama City in the Summer, you are looking at at least $100. We stayed at the Seashore Inn on Naval Support Activity Panama City, and it cost us a whopping $26. Can't beat that!! Anyway, I have some pictures to post, hopefully I can get them up tonight.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Vacation
We are leaving tomorrow for Destin, FL for the weekend. We decided at the last minute to take a quick trip down there for our last weekend together before Chris leaves. Hopefully we will get in some nice, relaxing family time! I'll post pictures when we get back. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Pregnancy Amnesia
No, I'm not talking about the forgetfulness you experience during pregnancy, but rather the total memory loss that occurs sometime after giving birth. You don't forget everything, but somewhere along the way you forget about all the bad things that accompany pregnancy, labor and delivery, and you start to think that maybe you'd like to have another baby. It wasn't so bad, right? Sure...
Then you get pregnant again and it all comes flooding back. Morning sickness, headaches, backaches, weight gain, that wonderful feeling of being kicked in the ribs from the inside, not to mention the horrible wracking pain of labor. Of course I also remember how totally wonderful an epidural feels, so that's a positive! The sleepless nights - make that sleepless months - both before and after the baby comes. And it makes you wonder - I wanted to do this again?? This was by choice?? WHAT have I gotten myself into?? I thought about all of that this weekend while I was lying on the couch trying not to throw up.
Then Aiden climbed up on the couch next to me, said, "hi Mommy!" and gave me a kiss.
Oh yeah, that's why I wanted to do this again....
Then you get pregnant again and it all comes flooding back. Morning sickness, headaches, backaches, weight gain, that wonderful feeling of being kicked in the ribs from the inside, not to mention the horrible wracking pain of labor. Of course I also remember how totally wonderful an epidural feels, so that's a positive! The sleepless nights - make that sleepless months - both before and after the baby comes. And it makes you wonder - I wanted to do this again?? This was by choice?? WHAT have I gotten myself into?? I thought about all of that this weekend while I was lying on the couch trying not to throw up.
Then Aiden climbed up on the couch next to me, said, "hi Mommy!" and gave me a kiss.
Oh yeah, that's why I wanted to do this again....
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Under Construction
I've been really hungry lately. I mean really hungry! I feel like I need to eat constantly. I wake up at 3 am starving. Then I started having to, you know, go all the time. I started feeling sick. Then Aunt Flo missed her train. 5 days in a row. Yep, you guessed it -
Baby #2 is currently under construction!!
Baby #2 is currently under construction!!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Why I Love the Army Life
As Chris' deployment grows closer and closer, I decided I needed to remind myself why I love the Army life. There are times (like now!) when it can absolutely suck, but the fact is, I wouldn't trade this life for anything! Okay, maybe for untold millions, a chateau in the south of France and a young Paul Newman, but other than that - no way!! And I'll tell you why....
1) That Army Smell. Fellow Army wives, you know what I'm talking about!! That mix of diesel fuel, deodorant, and sweat that all soldiers smell like when they come home from work. It's familiar, comforting and makes any house at any post feel like home.
2) The Commissary. Less than $3 for a gallon of milk. Need I say more?
3) The Ability to Make Instant Friends. Let's face it, unless you want to be a hermit for your entire Army life, moving from place to place forces you to make friends quickly. And there is a camaraderie that exists between us Army folks, we can live near each other for a year or two, and be friends for life. After a few years, you end up with friends scattered all over the US, so you always have someone to visit on vacation!
4) The Travel Opportunities. I will never understand the need to spend one's entire life in the same place. I would go insane, literally. The Army gives us the chance to experience new places, new cultures, new everything, every few years! I have been to places that I never would have dreamed of setting foot in thanks to Uncle Sam. And not just visiting, but actually living in different countries! How awesome is that?!?
5) The Pride You Feel When You Hear The National Anthem or TAPS. It's really a great feeling to know that you are serving your country. And YES, us wives are serving, too!
6) All The Little Unit Pins You Collect Over The Years. They are just cool. And I love to wear my Operation Iraqi Freedom pin. Proudly.
7) The Bazaars. I love having German crystal, French wine, Dutch cheese and Swiss chocolate all in one place. Now THAT is one stop shopping!
8) My Military ID Card. Aside from the military discounts you get with it, it just makes me feel special! Plus, my current one has a really good picture....
9) Free Health Care. Even though Tricare can be a headache at times, it's free, and it's comprehensive. Whatever medical care I need, it's paid for completely. When I had Aiden, it didn't cost a dime. I'll take a headache or two for that!
10) Being Fluent In The Army Language. We do have our own language. Sometimes if I'm talking to a civilian about Army things, they get a glazed look in their eyes and I realize that I've slipped into Army Speak. "Last time we PCS'd, we didn't get our DLA in time and we had to contact DFAS and the PAC office to get it straightened out." Huh?
And the list goes on. Bottom line - the Army life has it's ups and downs, but I'll take it.
1) That Army Smell. Fellow Army wives, you know what I'm talking about!! That mix of diesel fuel, deodorant, and sweat that all soldiers smell like when they come home from work. It's familiar, comforting and makes any house at any post feel like home.
2) The Commissary. Less than $3 for a gallon of milk. Need I say more?
3) The Ability to Make Instant Friends. Let's face it, unless you want to be a hermit for your entire Army life, moving from place to place forces you to make friends quickly. And there is a camaraderie that exists between us Army folks, we can live near each other for a year or two, and be friends for life. After a few years, you end up with friends scattered all over the US, so you always have someone to visit on vacation!
4) The Travel Opportunities. I will never understand the need to spend one's entire life in the same place. I would go insane, literally. The Army gives us the chance to experience new places, new cultures, new everything, every few years! I have been to places that I never would have dreamed of setting foot in thanks to Uncle Sam. And not just visiting, but actually living in different countries! How awesome is that?!?
5) The Pride You Feel When You Hear The National Anthem or TAPS. It's really a great feeling to know that you are serving your country. And YES, us wives are serving, too!
6) All The Little Unit Pins You Collect Over The Years. They are just cool. And I love to wear my Operation Iraqi Freedom pin. Proudly.
7) The Bazaars. I love having German crystal, French wine, Dutch cheese and Swiss chocolate all in one place. Now THAT is one stop shopping!
8) My Military ID Card. Aside from the military discounts you get with it, it just makes me feel special! Plus, my current one has a really good picture....
9) Free Health Care. Even though Tricare can be a headache at times, it's free, and it's comprehensive. Whatever medical care I need, it's paid for completely. When I had Aiden, it didn't cost a dime. I'll take a headache or two for that!
10) Being Fluent In The Army Language. We do have our own language. Sometimes if I'm talking to a civilian about Army things, they get a glazed look in their eyes and I realize that I've slipped into Army Speak. "Last time we PCS'd, we didn't get our DLA in time and we had to contact DFAS and the PAC office to get it straightened out." Huh?
And the list goes on. Bottom line - the Army life has it's ups and downs, but I'll take it.
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