Hola Friends

Well this blog is about over... I will likely begin another though but I see no reason to continue with this one since soon and very soon my honey will return from his deployment. I can not begin to tell you how happy I am. This year seems as if it dragged on.

WEll, we all got back from PR unscathed but friendships were damaged. I'll not go into it but just to say that I'm more than sad at the way things turned out. PR is beautiful though and most of the time was wonderful. I loved the beach and walking around the city in Old San Juan was just amazing. The people there are warm and so is the weather! I loved it. Paul and I are going to plan our own trip there in the future which should be fun.

Since PR my sister Melissa and her girl came to visit me for two weeks. We had so much fun. We took the kids to the beach, childrens museum, Monkey Joes, a farm where they had homemade ice cream, Jambbas Ranch and out to eat in lots of places they don't have where they live. They also swam in my pool almost daily. It was fun having them here and when they left I realized just how much I miss my sister. We always have such a good time together. She is an absolute hoot! Having them here also helped to pass some of the time away this month which is good because usually the last month of deployment drags by.

I can't say when Paul will be home due to operational security but it is soon. Trust me, when he is safely back in the country everyone will know it.

My son leaves for his overseas tour soon. I don't want to mention specifics about his dates, unit or departing post due to the same concerns I have about mentioning Pauls redeployment but I can tell you that I would covet any prayers you could pray on his behalf. There are days I deal with his leaving well and then there are days I fall to pieces, imagine the worst and just lose it so if you got any extra positive thoughts and prayers for me, well then... Please remember his wife as well. Being married just a year this is going to be very hard for her and him and their marriage.

Paul and I will be doing part two of our Gatlinburg trip in the fall. I am so excited because we are going to get to do the things we couldn't do when we went last time. Mama and dad are also coming and so that will be nice to share some time with them.

I signed up for the Disney Princess half marathon in February in Orlando. Paul is going to come with me and also Kara and her hubs, Shannon. Kara will run with me. I am super stoked because every review I read about it is positive. We are also going to do the Myrtle Beach half in October or November (cant remember the dates) and that should be fun. So far there are about 8 of us running plus some well wishers we know coming. I still need to register for that one. Should be fun though and Paul and I are going to make a weekend of our time at Myrtle:)

On a sad note, July 1 my sweet gram passed away. She was 84 years old. I was on my way to see her in the hospital after hearing she had a good night when she suddenly took a turn for the worse and had a cardiac arrest. When I got there she was gone. Just 10 minutes earlier... I'll miss her. She was funny and sweet and just loved everyone. Her funeral or going home ceremony as we call it was beautiful. The woman had planned her own funeral so nobody in the family had to do anything really. She had all the music picked, who she wanted to speak, scripture versus picked out as well as what she wanted to be buried in. She left us no details to wonder about so we know it was just as she would have wanted.

I'm hoping to begin running regularly again tomorrow as well as getting in some additional gym time. It has just been so hot (temps over 100) that I feel no motivation for anything. Ah well, I must get back on track. Ive gained a few pounds and I need to nip that in the bud ASAP.

Well that about covers it all. I hope the next time to check in I'll be saying my love is finally home!!

Ta Ta for now- JC

updating

Hey Bloggies-
Hoping that everything is going well in your parts! I am on half of Cloud 9. I say half because while I am trying to not dwell on the fact that Pauls leave is quickly ending it is very hard...

Paul got in on the 12th at around 7:30 am but he was unable to make it from Atlanta because of the impending winter storm which had all flights from Atlanta grounded. The next opportunity for him to fly in would be on the 13th at nearly 6:00 pm. I was crushed but after looking at the weather forecast decided to go on down to Atlanta and get him! I made it well before the weather but on the way home we had to stop for the night which was also just fine!

I showed up at the airport not looking the way I had wanted to after not seeing him for seven months but he could have cared less if I was in a sack. It was such a nice little reunion there in the lobby of one of the busiest airports in the country. He picked me up and spun me around. I am so glad I am smaller now as there really is nothing quite as nice as being able to be picked up by your guy.

When we left the airport we stopped and got some food since we knew we werent going to make it home then we checked into the Holiday Inn. I am fast forwarding to the next day seeing as how you can guess the hotel stuff...

On Saturday the drive home was not bad. The roads were fine and we made it home pretty fast. We spent the day relaxing, cuddling and more. Paul also used this day to get the dogs used to him again. Riley was very apprehensive at first. Molly was just Molly. She loves anyone who will pet her.

Sunday we packed for our trip to Gatlinburg and we also went to church. I cant tell you how nice it was that I had Paul next to me in the pew. I miss him so much all the time but it seems to be so much harder on Sundays...

Gatlinburg was so amazing. We had such a good time doing all the touristy things and we also shopped in some really unique places. We ate out a lot and I didnt pay close attention to it. I figure that I can relax some on vacation. I also know that he is going back in a couple weeks so I am not going to spend my time with him obsessing about food. We soaked in the hot tub with wine each night. So nice. The temps were in the teens but it was so great in the hot water. I loved it and have decided a hot tub beats pool any time. We were able to be a couple again and while Paul and I are by no means not connected we were able to fit right back into the comfortable couple we are when he isnt deployed. None of the weirdness so many others experience.

When we got home from our week in TN Paul told me he just wanted to do normal stuff like order pizza, rent movies, go bowling, walk the dogs, go to the gym... So, that is what we have been doing the last couple of days. Tomorrow we are going to dinner with our Pastor and his wife and then on Friday I am making us a modified Thanksgiving/ Christmas dinner since he didnt have a good one in Iraq. I couldnt find a small turkey or even a turkey breast so we are doing Cornish hens. We are also going to have buttered noodles, whole wheat of course and some green beans. I bought a can of Grands biscuits since I know he likes them. We arent preparing a dessert though. We are going to go out for a pastry and coffee at Starbucks so that I dont have to have that stuff in the house after he leaves on the 1st. Saturday we are going to go to crossfit, then if the weather is nice up to hike Raven Rock, cook on the grill and bowling in the evening. If we have bad weather the hike is off. We can always rent a movie or play Wii. Sunday is church, preparing his bags and then just spending that last night enjoying each others company. Le sigh:(

Well, thats it for now. Later I will post pics and then update after he goes back. I got some goals I want to put out publically...

Take care and be back soon!