Calling On My Favorite Blogs...

OK so you know who you are..I do not need to name names! So our Battalion is gearing up for yet another deployment and I have been asked personally to chip in with some Family Readiness stuff and of course I am all in. It will be nice to help out and give me something to do while I figure out what my new life direction is going to be...actually this will be part of it. I want to take some of the energy I used to direct toward my sons needs and re-direct to our battalions family readiness. I have already met our Family Readiness Officer, she is a fellow Marine spouse and I think we are on the same page and want to move in the same direction with how exactly we envision getting our ladies ready and motivated up and through our upcoming deployment, I know I said ladies, it's an Infantry Battalion so we have no male spouses.
So we were thinking about our Newsletter. I proposed to work on a portion of the newsletter that would point wives in the direction of the blogosphere and social networking sites that will offer up "positive" help in dealing with deployment and other things milspouse friendly. I would also like to highlight our spouses own blogs with a "blog roll" and highlight maybe one spouse blog entry a newsletter or maybe more than one if we have a lot of wives blogging. What I would also like to do is from time to time introduce the wives to some of your blogs, of course I would never do that without asking your permission in advance but I read some great stuff and I want to share.
I think a lot of times some of the newsletters I have seen are really out of touch with what is going on with the military spouse, and social networking in general. I want to highlight the positive aspect of this because I know there are a lot of blogs out there that are less than supportive. A lot of our spouses will be dealing with their very first combat deployment, as most of you know it never gets easier but the first one is hard, not having any idea what to expect. I think I have a great bunch of blog friends and I think you could all help so much.
So wish me luck with my new project...and I look forward to introducing the ladies from our battalion to some of you!

This Sums up My Sunday

Terminal Lance and Knife Hand

I will from time to time post the comic strip off of Terminal Lance. First I clear it with the hubs because he has a clearer perspective than I do in some of his strips...this kid gets it right 90% of the time, the other 10% I say he lacks the big picture..but here is a good one..

Milspouse Friday Fill In #10

 

1. What secret indulgence do you act on while your spouse is away? (from Devil Dog Darling)  Hmm..not sure if it is an indulgence but I go on nutrisystem.  Ya, I know it isn't indulgent in taste but it's expensive and when hubs is gone I can do it without it breaking our bank and since this time it will just be me it will be even cheaper.  It's a great way for me to get back to eating right and the food isn't horrible, and it really makes me feel better.  I am a "happy" eater, and when hubs is gone I am not too worried about eating all the time.When he is home..It's a food fest, we love to eat out and go out on dates and we just enjoy life.  When he is gone I just use that time to get back in shape.  I have actually started to do that regardless because it's not healthy living the way I have the last 8 years.  I have always exercised and taken care of myself that way but not always have I made the right food choices.

2. If you were a spice, what would you be? (from New Girl On Post)  I would say vanilla, the only reason for that is because I LOVE all things vanilla, candles, perfumes and ice cream.

3. Where do you go for support when your significant other is deployed? (from Texas Meets Washington)
I have a few best friends that I rely on tons ...one is  a military spouse and one works for the State Department.  We have been through thick and thin with one another and we are always there for one another.  I also have a few great twitter friends that I know I can count on no matter what.  Our last deployment was tough and without those ladies and a gentleman...I don't know what I would have done.  It was also sharing homecomings with the ladies as each one of our spouses returned home.

4. What is the oldest thing you own? (from A Troop's Girl) I have an initial ring my mother gave me when I was 11 years old.  I still wear it every day.  And I have only had to have it resized once!  It is literally a part of my body; I don't know what I would do without it.  It's rose gold and it's just a very sentimental piece of jewelry that I love.

 

5. How did you vision your future pre-military? (from Daddy's Duty) Well growing up around the military my whole life I had a pretty good idea what life would be like.  I didn't know I would get to travel the world too.*thank you MSG Duty* and really who would have predicted 9/11 and our lives changing in a way we could never have planned for.  As Marines you deploy during peace time as well, and that is hard but there is no comparison as to when your loved one deploys to war.  So even though we had been through the separations I never thought it would be so my hubs would go fight in a war. My mother had such reservations about us girls marrying Marines, since she was a young war widow.  But she passed before 9/11 so she had no idea that we would know what it felt like. 

 

 

 

Official Midshipmen

Well yesterday we went to see our son get sworn in as a Midshipmen in the Arizona State University N.R.O.T.C. Program. It was amazing and we couldn't have been more proud. This is something my son has been talking about since he was in middle school, it was a single minded goal that he worked hard for every day of the last 5 years. Yesterday we watched him take the oath, and officially start his long journey to becoming a Commissioned Officer in the United States Marine Corps. It was definitely a very emotional day for all of us but it was all good.

Capt. Borland reciting the Oath.

Our son in the maroon, pretty obvious he is the Marine Option in this picture (lol)

Swearing his Oath.

Michael's suite mates in order, Patrick, Michael, Doug and Jimmy. They skipped class to come to support Michael, I was very moved by it and I am sure it meant the world to Michael. By the way, what a good looking group of young men!

The Marine on the left was one of my hubs MSG's in Africa, he watched Michael grow into the young man he is now. We were thrilled he could attend and this is him, Michael and Greg, I don't think I have ever seen my hubs so proud.

Dear Blog, I am Sorry

Dear Blog,
I am so sorry for not spending more time with you lately. I have just been so busy with all the new changes in my life. I promise you I am not seeing any other blogs. Well ok, maybe that isn't completely honest, I have been reading others blogs, I know I am sorry....please forgive me. But I have needed to put some space between us for a little bit so I could come back to you a better "me". I am coming around, soon I promise. I won't be long...thanks for being patient.
Me

Mil Spouse Friday Fill In

1. If you could be a fugitive from the law for whatever reason, what would your crime be? (from It’s a Hooah Life)
Hmm…I wouldn’t want to be a fugitive, that would mean leaving my family, hate to be a party pooper but there isn’t one thing in the world worth that.

2. How long do you think you will be a military family? (from Julie the Army Wife)
We will always be a military family, Once a Marine, Always a Marine. I am a Marine Brat, Marine Wife and soon to be a Marine mom so I guess I am in it for the long haul..hubs has 5 years before he can even retire and I don’t think he will do only 20.

3. What’s your favorite recipe? (from Keep Calm and Soldier On)
It’s in the yellow pages under, Restaurant Reservations…sorry I don’t cook well.

4. What would you want your last five words to be when you leave this life? (from My Goal is Simple)
It’s been a wonderful ride.
5. Where do you hope to retire? (from Pennies from Heaven)

We are thinking of joining the State Department and travel the world some more. Honestly we can’t think of one place we would want to be forever.