May the force be with you.....

I just signed out for the last time with Eric and our regular morning chat sessions. HTIME (happy tears in my eyes).  I feel very fortunate to have been able to IM with him almost every morning my time..his evening.  From this point on, I won't know for sure when he will have computer access which is the way it is for many of our soldiers daily.  I have been incredibly blessed with having that luxury.  And on days when I didn't hear from him my anxiety level always rose wondering if he was still okay.  But I have learned to use prayer and humor to keep myself in check.  And, so, I thought you would all enjoy this last picture that came through today. 

Right after Eric left last fall, we sent him a light saber for "protection".  We are, after all, a Star Wars family and we knew his mission wouldn't be complete without it.  I am happy to see that it is still helping him and has made the customs inspection. 

I love you SSG Pugh and can't wait to see you face to face!

God Bless,
Love,
Monica

Prayer requests:
1) Remember that despite the fun pictures there is no safe place in that very dangerous country. Please continue to pray for all of our troops daily.
2) Please pray for Missy and Cecil Hoskins who married on their leave last month but haven't seen each other or possibly spoken to each other since they returned to finish their tours.  Pray they both stay safe and have a hedge of protection around them.  Missy graduated with Brady. 
3) Pray for our troops who are starting their processes to come home..timely flights and not too much hurry up and wait.
4) Pray for the next five-ish weeks and nine-ish weeks to pass quickly!

Let the summer begin!

Tree frogs can make a momma blood-curdle scream if they jump on her arm and subsequently make her "pond" overflow!  I was putting in the last of the annuals this morning by the fence when all of a sudden a slimy something landed on my arm and out of my mouth came the loudest scream.  Fortunately, the moment wasn't lost on just me because Logan was on the other side of the fence mowing..yes, mowing (I scream loud).  He stopped the mower and came running to my aid...(interpretation: he is tall and peaked over the fence).  But tree frogs are cute so I quickly caught it and showed him what was causing his mother so much distress.  It's not the frog..it's the jumping.  We have been possibly listening to this frog for the last couple of nights as he has enjoyed a late night dip in our actual pond.  So it was kind of fun to see what had been making all that peaceful racket.  Ayden snapped a quick picture and we put him back on the rocks below the deck. 

Speaking of my pond...it is running.  I mentioned this to a co-worker last week.  I said, "Our pond is running".  I was thinking she had enjoyed some time on my deck.  Apparently she had not.  Because she said, "What does that mean? Are you peeing your pants?".  I burst into laughter which at times can be dangerous for me and make my "pond" overflow!  We do have a wonderful water feature that Brady installed last spring and we are enjoying it very much (even though I think it has a leak :( ).  The frogs are enjoying it too and so are the birds.  We just need to go fishing and catch some small sunnies.  We are so looking forward to hanging out on the deck enjoying the summer sounds when Eric and Brady return.  We are ready!

Eric...you've been asking for some pictures.....

Silly tree frog....  I think I squeezed him so hard his "pond" overflowed...

One of your surprises... a new columbine...isn't it beautiful?!

The Bleeding Heart bush looks awesome this year...

Baby robins on my 2nd story closet window ledge...momma doesn't like me watching at all

And at last..the pond...including the baby mouse ears hosta at the bottom right....

God Bless,

Love,

Monica

Prayer Requests:

1) Please pray for physical stamina for Eric as he finishes up and for all of the soldiers in his unit.  They are worn and tired and excited to come home.

2) Praise for God's creations...they have given me great purpose this spring and helped to keep my mind occupied.  I have enjoyed them because Eric and Brady enjoy them so much.  Brady worked so hard on our yard last spring.  It is so much appreciated, son. 

3) Continue to pray for safety for them and for all of our soldiers who will continue on and those who will take over.

4) Praise for my health and my doctors who have gotten me to this point.  Last year at this time I would not have been able to do all of the yard work that I have done this spring.  I am so thankful that during this stressful year my health has improved immeasurably.

Back to the past Monica style

I woke early from a dream this morning....way too early.  And I was so possessed with words for my blog that I turned on my light to write (my laptop sleeps in Eric's space in the bed for easy access).  I dreamed I had gone back to college complete with two very young 18-year-old roommates and a loft bed.  I was welcomed with open arms and even announced to them, "Let's get this straight..I'm 46..and I'm going to get my second degree and I hope we have a lot of fun together".  To which the one girl said, "Oh, we knew you were older but not that old".  And I was wearing a very short pair of shorts and had my 20-year-old legs...which is the only part of the dream I enjoyed.  And in my now half-awakened state, I can tell you where this random dream came from.  There are a lot of college kids returning home for the summer, I would love to get another degree, and I've been watching an old show on Netflix called thirtysomething.  Remember that show?  It was a show about baby boomers in their late thirties and premiered in the fall of 1987.

Netflix is the best $10 I spend a month for entertainment in the absence of my husband.  I haven't seen this show since it ended.  I never missed an episode from start to finish..remember those were the days just slightly pre-VCR and we didn't record anything let alone DVR anything.  I was pleasantly surprised to see it on instant play and have spent the last couple of weeks watching an episode to help me drift off (sometimes Michael's skepticism and Hope's whining does get to me..funny how I don't remember that when I originally watched it).

The fall of 1987....interestingly enough I had  6-month old baby Brady and Hope had baby Janie even though I was 22 and she was well, thirtysomething.  Eric had just been informed he was to report for AIT and within days he shipped to Georgia and missed his best friend, Bret's wedding.  So it is no wonder  I have found comfort watching it again now all these years later because it was something that kept me company while he was gone those four months...and I was in college, too.  See where this is all coming together now?

I was really surprised as episode one started..the theme song took me right back to the late 80's.  And then the clothes hit me..we were really dowdy back then.  And I don't remember men wearing man jewelry but apparently it was the "in" thing because Elliot sports multiple pieces.  And most of their phones still had cords and dials..oh, yeah! there weren't cordless phones just yet.  And then all of a sudden I see Ellen in an outfit and I think, "Well, that's kind of cute".  What!!  But then again I recently spied a jacket in a fashion catalog that was a cross between Members Only and an Eddie Murphy jacket I vaguely remember.  Scrunchies, clippies, really high-waisted jeans and baggy clothes for women, and jackets that seem too small for men immediately took me back to that time-frame.  And I found myself able to examine myself and what I knew. 

By the time the show ended in May of 1991, I had graduated college, Hope and I had our second babies together, the Gulf War had started and ended with us escaping deployment, and I was due with our third son, Logan.  Eric and I had been married for five years and I had adjusted well to being military wife one weekend a month and two weeks during the summer and communication to soldiers overseas was still basically limited to hand-written letters. That's all I considered us....part-time military. I remember spending many nights praying back then and hoping Eric wouldn't be sent overseas.  I still to this day don't know how these young military wives handle deployment with small children and they all remain in my constant prayers.

Logan turns 20 in July.  Everything has changed so much in 20 years which is easily evidenced as I make my way through another episode (I am currently in season two).  Thankfully, the era of acid-washed jeans and really bad sweaters, men's and women's, has passed.  And thankfully I recognize now that we are full-time military all day every day and always have been.  Maybe I've just always known that but now I truly accept it in my heart.

And in my heart I am officially counting down...it won't be long now and these 400 day tours will be over for all of us.

God Bless,
love,
Monica