The things life, love and R & R bring...

The recollection of driving to the airport with my dad to pick up a family friend

The shot of cold blood that flows from my spine to my outer extremities when I realize that we’re not getting this fictitious family friend from the airport, we’re getting Bernie

The word, delayed

A six inch American Flag

Locking eyes with my husband in an empty airport

Smiling

Hugging

Seeing my dad get teary eyed as Bern hugs me

Getting into a car with him

Eating at our favorite restaurant

Hearing our dog, Jenny, whine when she saw Bernie

The way his face lit up when he saw our apartment for the first time

The way he rearranged everything (for the better)

Colorado

Grocery shopping with him

Seeing our Vacation Rental

Late nights

Skiing

Hot tubs

The thought of getting tattoos

3 hours in IKEA

Seeing the expression on people’s faces as Bern danced around with a shopping cart

Buying our first bedroom set

Bernie singing Happy Birthday to me

Lit candles

16 hours in the car with him

Picturing Bernie in Home Depot trying to figure out when power tool is the best

Watching him put together our bedroom set

Cleaning our apt

Making our apt a mess

Clothes all over the bedroom floor

Half unpacked boxes

Laundry

Potato chips and French onion dip

Spooning

Measuring out 2 tablespoons of medicine for his horrible stomach flu

Getting a military haircut

Watching 2 and a third movies together in one day

Laughing so loud the whole restaurant can hear us

Eating the same food we did on our wedding night

The joy of acting like 80 year olds with our after dinner coffee and carrot cake

Making check lists of things to do before he’s home

Buying energy drinks because we’re convinced we’ll stay up all night

The feeling of him brushing my hair behind me ear

The sickening noise of the Alarm going off screaming, “It’s time for him to leave.”

The stuffing of tissues into pockets

Driving under the speed limit on our way to the airport

The nice lady at the registration desk

The ride up the escalator

The thankfully slow moving line in front of security

Tears

Our final hug and kiss

Holding tight

Tears in stranger’s eyes

The nice officer who told Bernie I was still waving at him

Our final wave and air kiss

The words, “I love you,” that quietly echo through the empty airport

You can't get rid of me yet, Lincoln!

I don't know what it is.
Maybe it's because I woke up to my phone ringing to the ringtone that means Bernie is calling me from Skype. Or maybe it's because my roommate and I cancelled No Shave November and I finally got to shave my legs. Or maybe it's because I spent Friday and most of Saturday with my family for my little sister's birthday.  Or maybe it's because I ran to Superior street without my iPod and got some "me time" out of it.  Or maybe it's because I spent the extra $3.00 on name brand body wash. Or maybe it's because I went to Startbucks today and got my first Peppermint Mocha of the season. Or maybe it's because I know this week is going to be awesome!
I don't care what it was that has put me in such a good mood, but I'm liking it.

This week is going to be awesome! I just know it! I can feel it.
Tomorrow I have two classes and then I have my second to last day of work. 
Tuesday I have three classes with a nice break in between them to go for a long run.
Wednesday is my last day of work.  Which I am excited about.  I LOVE the people I work with, but I wasn't getting the experience I need and I frankly never liked my job, just the people.  I need more expericene in the event planning industry so I am applying at a few different places.  It'll be hard to say goodbye, but I told my boss to keep me as number 1 on their sub list.
Thursday I have two classes, lunch with my aunt, Heather and dinner with my friends.
Friday I have one class and then I'm headed to Grand Island to work two weddings.  I can't wait!  I'll be staying with Lissy and Jack again!  I love them soooo much!

Ahhh! It's going to be a great week.

Three weeks ago Bernie and I had a long talk about what our next move will be.  I was suppose to graduate this December, but because I still have to take Accounting II, I won't be able to because I'm taking Accounting I right now.  I will finish all my classes at UNL this semester and then I will take my one class at SCC next semester.  SCC goes on a quarterly schedule so class will go from December to March and then I'll walk in my graduation ceremony in May.  Anyway, so three weeks ago I had a melt down trying to figure out what I should do because starting in the middle of December, I can work full-time, I just won't have a degree until May.  Bernie told me to apply everywhere.  So I started to and after sending in my resume to a few places in Minnesota, I didn't hear anything. 
After much discussion (whenever we could talk) Bernie and I decided to stay in Lincoln until he gets his degree.  His deployment has kept him from school, obviously, and he won't graduate until (we think) May of 2013. So, Lincoln, you're stuck with me until at least May of '13. 
It was such a relief to finally figure out what we were going to do.  After decideing this though and a phone interview, I found out I got offered a job in St. Paul, Minnesota.  I was a little sad to have to decline, but I rather move into that next chapter of my life with Bernie, rather than ahead of Bernie.
When Bernie comes home after his year of deployment I want him to feel like he's home rather than starting a new school, new job, living in a new house in a new town with his new wife.
Now, I wait. I am focusing on my last full-time student semester and looking at houses with Bernie, thanks to the internet.  I am so excited for Bernie to come home!  Not too much longer and we will be half way done with this stinkin deployment!!! Can't wait!

I hope everyone is as excited as I am for this upcoming week.  It's going to amazing!

xoxx

Is this for real?

Found this on pintrest and it really caught my attention!

http://www.joannamontgomery.com/138095/Pillow-Talk

Go to this website.  It's about pillows that light up when your long-distance lover is asleep. 

I wonder if it'd work all the way around the world...Although, Bernie and I sleep at opposite times.
Anyway, enjoy.


xoxx

Secret's out...

Secret is out; I've gained weight...

No more deneying, no more excuses, it's just fact.  But the best part is, I'm doing something about it.

I've been a runner since 8th grade...track for 3 years, cross country for 4.  The best time in my running career was my freshmen and sophomore years of high school.  I had an AMAZING coach, Coach MacElravy from Fairfield, IL.  He's the reason I made it to state.  After we moved to Nebraska, my love for running faded.  Running used to be fun for me, I loved practice and the competition, but most of all I loved being in shape and being confident at pool parties.  That all changed after high school.  I'd swim a lot and joined the University of Nebraska Swim Club, but it became so time consuming and eventually I stopped going to practices and stopped swimming.

Well...I hardly worked out and let myself go. 

Ladies, don't let yourself go.  It's just gross.  Those love handles have their own orbit around your core and the stretch marks aren't pretty either. So if there is anything you take from this post; take care of yourself.

So what is it exactly that I'm doing about this, you say?

Glad you asked.  I'm running the Lincoln Half Marathon 2012! 

I'm really excited and really motivated right now.  I'm training through the Nike+ Half Marathon Training.  I have a pair of the Nike+ shoes with the microchip sensor thingy in it that connects to my iPod and records my distance and times and pace and everything you can imagine which basically means no cheating. 
I started the program yesterday and I had to do cross training for 30 minutes...nice and easy.  It suggested swimming or swim running, but I could also bike or jump rope or any kind of cardio workout.  I decided to swim.  It was nice to get back in the water and be reminded of my love for swimming.
It's a 12 week program and 12 weeks from yesterday is CHRISTMAS EVE!!!
Today I had to run 4 miles (6.45k)  which I JUST finished! ...seriously, like I just now finished...I'm still sweating and my face is really red.
I wanted to blog this now because later when I feel like I don't have much motivation, I'll be able to look back and see that even after a 4 mile run I was feeling pretty good.

Motivation?
Yes, I'm finding most of my motivation through Bernie.  I keep thinking, Bernie is in a war zone having the worst time of his life, let's reward him with a hot wife to come home to! So I'm trying my best to get all sexy-fied.
My other motivation is my best friend, Travis.  He has played the role of my punishing trainer.  I came up with this idea of a Workout Jar (WJ).  What the WJ is used for is when I don't comeplete a workout I have to put $5 in the jar.  Every week the price goes up.  Next week, Week 2's price will go up by $1, meaning I'll have to put $6 in the jar if I don't complete a workout. Third week, $7. Fourth Weed, $8 and so on.
Also, if I eat something not heathing for me, I owe $1.  Yesterday, at work there were (the most amazing) cookies sitting out and I kind of sort of accidently ate one.  It wasn't until after I throughly enjoyed that cookie that I realized, I have to pay the WJ $1. Because Travis has been my trainer, he gets all the money everyweek.  He gets to decide where the money goes...keep it himself, give it to charity, pay for my marathon entry fee, or give it to me for completing the marathon (hint hint) but he gets to decide what happens to the mulah...but there won't be much because I'm going to complete ALL my workouts!

So...bottom line....May 6, 2012! 7am! Memorial Stadium. 50 yard line is the finish line.  Be there!

This is me. 5 years ago. I miss me...and my runner's body. (Please ignore the crazy game face)

xoxx

Can't even describe the love...post from July 14, 2011

I don't even know where to begin.

Last Wednesday, I was walking the halls of the delivery floor at the hospital with Lissy as she was connected to bags of clear medicine.  As we walked, the anticipation of being an aunt grew and grew!  Finally, the contractions got stronger and much more frequent (don't think she ever got a break).  Then it was time for pain medicine.  I hugged Lissy and John told them I love them and congratulations!
My eyes filled with tears as I left that room and slowly walked down to my car.  I drove to their house (where I've been staying this summer) and then it hit me: I get to see Bernie TOMORROW! 


That night I could not sleep for the life of me. My excitement lasted until about 3 am and FINALLY I had fallen asleep.  I woke up at 5:30-realizing I slept in a little, grabbed everything I needed and drove to the airport. As I'm getting my boarding pass I get a text from John telling me that Jackson Hunter was born weighing 7 pounds!  He was born at 5:10am!

I met up with a few of the Army wives at the airport as we prepared ourselves for the flight to Dallas.  We drank a Jack and Coke in honor of my new nephew Jack.

Now known as an "inside joke," when we got off the plane in Dallas, us wives had to stand on the ramp and wait for our carry ons.  As we waitied, we welcomed everyone off the plane with a nice greeting: "Welcome to Texas!  Everything is bigger here!"  Most passangers rolled their eyes at us, but some said thank you and some just laughed.  It was a lot of fun!

Finally, Kecia and Addi and I waited and waited and they even changed planes on us, but we made it to Killeen airport and got to see Mr. Spofford.  He greeted me with a big hug and said, "I'm sorry, Molly, but Bernie couldn't make it to the airport.  You'll have to meet him at the base."  I was still very excited--just not too excited for the feeling of walking into an armpit as I walked out of the airport to find my rental car. 
I gave a soldier a ride to the fort and he told me everything I needed to know about the fort, the people, the rules, how I need to watch out for free roaming cattle and things like that.  He told me where to drop him off and I had about a block more to go until I'd see Bernie.  I parked the car, walked into a room and waited...and waited.

And waited.

Really I waited for about 3 minutes, but it felt like 3 hours.  I could see a man in a green shirt getting closer to the doors and immediately, I knew that it was Bernie.  I ran to the door and basically tackled and scared him.  He had to get a shot in the arm before he left and finally he was checked out and all mine.

All mine.

Sorry, Bern.

It's been over a week and when I started this blog, I told Bernie I'd post something at least once a week.  Sorry, babe.

A lot has been going on a work so I've been busy there.  I went home for Father's Day last week and hung out with the fam for a little bit.  I also got to see my G'ma and G'pa May for a quick visit!  It was nice to be home!

AND I get to go home for a little bit on Sunday for Lissy's Baby shower in Fremont.  She'll be pregnant for a little under 2 weeks yet.  Then Little Man will finally come home!  Name hasn't been picked out yet so I just call him Little Man, as if it's his name! I'm so excited I get to be an AUNT!

Lissy's co-workers threw her a little baby shower on Wednesday this week! It was cool to meet the people she works with everyday.  They also got her this cake!

Sorry, I don't know how to rotate it on here.  It changed automaticaly!

While I was in Fremont, we had these CRAZY WINDS that came out of nowhere. Lots of trees were down and they declared it an F1 tornado.

I have some more messages from the bottle.  2 actually because I didn't post last weeks nor this weeks.  Here they are:

xoxx

Message in a bottle

Remember when Bernie's aunts and uncles through a wedding shower for us and I mentioned how I got a wine bottle that everyone wrote a message to me and I get to open one a week for every week Bernie's gone?  Well I haven't opened up my two yet!

This bottle is filled (cram packed) with messages from Bernie's family little messages to me as he's away.

The first message read:

Now I can only assume that this is from Bernie.  :)  What a sweetie!  

Thanks, babe. I love you too!

Here is my second message:

It reads, "Challange of the Week- Design a geocaching adventure for you and Bernie the summer he gets back.  Send the plans to (e-mail address) and I'll leave a surprise there for you!

Awww...Thank you, Amy!  Looks like I'll plan a geocaching adventure for Bernie.  I'll plan one out this week and then I'll set everything out before Bernie gets back next year!  Thanks, Amy!

Wow! I feel so loved.  I'm so excited to read all the other ones.  Can't wait until next week when I open my next one....hopefully I don't have to break the bottle.

xoxx