The last couple days were really crazy with all the events taking place over Memorial Day weekend! Finally my one year calander countdown starts and I'm ready for a new and exciting (and fast) year!
One thing Bernie asked me to do while he is overseas is to make a scrapbook of everything I have do this year. I'm really excited about it, however I have never scrapbooked before so this should be interesting. I made the cover to it yesterday and titled the 12 x 12 book, "My Crazy Amazing Beautiful Wonderful Year" I can't wait for events to take place so I have pictures, quotes, and random items to fill my book with.
Tomorrow I start my new internship and I am SUPER UBER excited! I'll be the event coordinator intern at a reception hall. I start at 9 tomorrow morning- I better get used to getting up early :s
We had a crazy windy storm last night and a few tornadoes touched down further down the interstate. I haven't heard anything about damage yet, but I sure do pray that all families are safe. Because of the storm I think I should probably go on outside and tidy up the twigs and branches hanging around from the 90 mile hour winds.
Happy Tuesday
xoxx
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
I made the paper
Nicola brothers head to Afghanistan
These last couple years have been a whirlwind for the Ben and Jan Nicola family.
Bernie followed his big brother's boot steps a few years later and has been in the Guard for about three years. He is a Chinook mechanic.
"It was something I kind of always wanted to do," Bernie said. "Also my brother made it look like a lot of fun."
"There's some excitement to it," John said. "It kind of stinks to leave for a year, but it's our job, it's what we train to do. You train for 10 years and it's time to go do the real thing now.
"I hope I can make them proud while I'm gone. It will be exciting to come home and have a 1-year-old kid," he said.
Neither knows yet exactly where they will be based, but John flies with his crew, so even if they're at separate locations, he may be able to pop in on his brother from time to time.
"Hopefully we'll be able to be stationed at the same FOB (forward operating base)," John said.
Over a 19-month span that began with son John's marriage to Lissy Fauss on Oct. 3, 2009, all three of their children were married: Amy to Micky Jennings in November 2010, and Bernie to Molly Colgan this past April.
Then came the news that John and Lissy are expecting a child this summer.
And on Friday, the Fremont couple said goodbye to their two sons, both members of a Grand Island-based Army National Guard unit leaving on a year-long Afghanistan mission.
"We've known for a year that they were going to go," Jan Nicola said. "That's why Bernie got married so soon. They wanted to be married before he left."
Approximately 70 soldiers assigned to the CH-47 Chinook Helicopter unit will participate in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Primarily members of Company B, 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion, the unit will be responsible for an array of medium-lift missions, including aerial movement of troops, supplies and equipment.
It will be the first overseas mission for Staff Sgt. John and Spec. Bernie Nicola.
John, the oldest of the three Nicola children, is a flight engineer and trains other flight engineers on the big Chinooks.
He was considering joining the Army when the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 happened. A month later he signed up, and he did his boot camp between his junior and senior years at Archbishop Bergan High School.Bernie followed his big brother's boot steps a few years later and has been in the Guard for about three years. He is a Chinook mechanic.
"It was something I kind of always wanted to do," Bernie said. "Also my brother made it look like a lot of fun."
The educational benefits were appealing, too, he said. He is a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and put his senior year on hold for the Afghanistan trip. Eventually he wants to be a high school science teacher.
A recent newlywed and now headed for his first time in a combat zone, Bernie said his emotions run the gamut.
"I'm sure it will be quite the experience," he said. "Not a lot of people get to experience anything like this, it will be interesting I suppose. Mainly I'm just looking forward to coming back to (Molly). It's going to be kind of rough over there for a year."
The first stop for the unit will be Fort Hood, Texas. Soldiers are scheduled for a four-day pass before leaving Texas for Afghanistan, and John hopes that window will allow him to be home for the birth of his son.
"They're going to try to get me home for the birth," he said."There's some excitement to it," John said. "It kind of stinks to leave for a year, but it's our job, it's what we train to do. You train for 10 years and it's time to go do the real thing now.
"I hope I can make them proud while I'm gone. It will be exciting to come home and have a 1-year-old kid," he said.
Ben and Jan are no strangers to having a child overseas. Their daughter, working on her doctorate at Creighton University, has been a volunteer at a handicapped children's orphanage in the Dominican Republic, and was a volunteer at El Salvador. Her children have always been generous in their service, Jan said.
"We've always been very strong in our faith and go to God first in all things," she said. "Putting God first might have inspired them, and to realize what they've been given so to give back to others."
But going on a service trip is not the same as going into combat, she said.
"I tear up," she said. "When Amy went overseas I worried about her, but the boys are going into a battle zone, so that's scary."
Both brothers said they are glad to be deploying together, but aren't sure how often they will see each other.Neither knows yet exactly where they will be based, but John flies with his crew, so even if they're at separate locations, he may be able to pop in on his brother from time to time.
"Hopefully we'll be able to be stationed at the same FOB (forward operating base)," John said.
"It would be nice to have a face of family while I'm gone overseas," he said.
I made a couple edits to this article because Berne and John's mom said a few things she wasn't suppose to.
It's exciting to be in the paper, however I was upset when I read that Bernie and I only got married because of this mission and so quickly.
Bernie and I have been best friends for six years and have been dating for 4 of those years. Less than 3 and a half years of dating, Bern proposed. Our engagement was almost 8 months long-which is very average. There is a small benefit for being married in the Army when overseas, however that benefit is worth nothing compared to the long time away from my husband and DEFINITELY not worth rushing a marriage over.Less than a week after Bern popped the questions, (which he did so wonderfully) We had to decided- Are we getting married in two years or are we getting married in 8 months? Bern replied with, "I put a ring on your finger for a reason, I want to marry you."
There is a quote that reminds me of what Bernie really meant and it goes like this.
"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible" It's from the movie, When Harry Met Sally.
xoxx
Friday, May 13, 2011
Oh the places we'll go...
Bernie has asked me when I thought I'd like him to come back for his two weeks of R&R. I told him that it was completely up to him and that I really didn't want to know.
I don't want to know because if he picks a date to come home and I get my heart set on it, and get my hopes up and when he is nowhere to be seen because the Army changings things all the time, I'll be bummed out. Plus, I love surprises!
We recently learned that it can be easier on both the family and the service member to have the service member not go home, but to meet up somewhere. I was confused at first when I heard this, but it makes sense. When a service member comes home, it's a time of great joy, however the short time home means that the family and the service member have to start the whole process of saying good bye and readapting all over again. Of course, no matter where they meet, that'll have to say good bye sometime. But, it's easier to meet somewhere, where both parties have never been. I learned that family members catch themselves after the service member leaves home to finish his/her tour saying things like, "He sat in that chair yesterday." or other really sad statements. This is depressing and I don't like it.
After reading up on this, Bernie and I decided that 1. he's not going to tell me when his r & r is and 2. Where we will be going.
After this conversation with him, he told me to get my passport ordered. I'm so excited!!! I wonder where we'll meet up and where we'll go...
xoxx
I don't want to know because if he picks a date to come home and I get my heart set on it, and get my hopes up and when he is nowhere to be seen because the Army changings things all the time, I'll be bummed out. Plus, I love surprises!
We recently learned that it can be easier on both the family and the service member to have the service member not go home, but to meet up somewhere. I was confused at first when I heard this, but it makes sense. When a service member comes home, it's a time of great joy, however the short time home means that the family and the service member have to start the whole process of saying good bye and readapting all over again. Of course, no matter where they meet, that'll have to say good bye sometime. But, it's easier to meet somewhere, where both parties have never been. I learned that family members catch themselves after the service member leaves home to finish his/her tour saying things like, "He sat in that chair yesterday." or other really sad statements. This is depressing and I don't like it.
After reading up on this, Bernie and I decided that 1. he's not going to tell me when his r & r is and 2. Where we will be going.
After this conversation with him, he told me to get my passport ordered. I'm so excited!!! I wonder where we'll meet up and where we'll go...
xoxx
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Little something, something
My mom sent this to me. My parents live there in Fremont.
http://fremonttribune.com/news/local/article_2a597552-7666-11e0-8409-001cc4c03286.html
http://fremonttribune.com/news/local/article_2a597552-7666-11e0-8409-001cc4c03286.html
Zooming
Today was weird.
I'm in this stubborn funk and I can't find the energy to shake it.
Bern and I have been cleaning house all day and packing everything up in boxes and moving them to the storage unit. We just got the keys to our storage unit yesterday. We've decided to lock everything up for the year Bern is deployed. I took all the paintings and pictures down, wrapped some bubble wrap around them and taped up the box. I caught my heart feeling like it was sinking towards my stomach after every box I taped up, but after I took pictures down, it was hard to fight the tears. It's sad to have to pack everything up. Bernie, who seems to always be in a good mood, keeps mentioning how excited it's going to be when he comes home and how we'll open up the packed boxes as if it's Christmas. Gotta love his optimism.
By the time I drove to work, I was on the verge of tears. No clue why. The girls I work with said hi and I had a ten second bawling fit. After that I was fine. Happy to be at work and ready to start the shift. Why am I like this? What's wrong with me?
I've decided to stop being so zoomed in on my life right now. I keep thinking about what's going on tonight, tomorrow morning and maybe I think as far as the weekend, but I don't look any further because I know D-Day is right around that corner I refuse to peek around. In reality, I need to shake this ugly funk I'm in and zoom out.
I need to start looking at the bigger picture. Bernie's deployment is a year. Just a year. Not 7, not 5, not 3, but 1. One year. Bern and I plan on living to be somewhere in our 80's (at least) before we pass, so one year out of the next 60 I'm going to live, is soo small. So small. It's time to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. This year I have so much going on.
Here's the game plan:
May 14-Bernie and John's going away party
May - move to Grand Island
May- Bernie leaves :(
June 1- Start internship at the reception hall in Grand Island
July- Baby Nicola (John and Lissy's) is born!
July- Go to Texas to say a final farewell to Bern before going to Afghanistan
July- One of my best friends, Stephanie gets married!
August- Move back to Lincoln/Start my LAST semester of school
August- Another one of my best friends, Jenna, gets married!
December- Graduate
January- Get a real job
May- Run a half marathon with my mom
May- Bernie comes home :)
This year is going to fly by! I'm really excited for all the activities the rest of this year and the begininning of 2012 hold.
Random fact: 4 years ago, tonight, Bern asked me to be his girlfriend.
xoxx
I'm in this stubborn funk and I can't find the energy to shake it.
Bern and I have been cleaning house all day and packing everything up in boxes and moving them to the storage unit. We just got the keys to our storage unit yesterday. We've decided to lock everything up for the year Bern is deployed. I took all the paintings and pictures down, wrapped some bubble wrap around them and taped up the box. I caught my heart feeling like it was sinking towards my stomach after every box I taped up, but after I took pictures down, it was hard to fight the tears. It's sad to have to pack everything up. Bernie, who seems to always be in a good mood, keeps mentioning how excited it's going to be when he comes home and how we'll open up the packed boxes as if it's Christmas. Gotta love his optimism.
By the time I drove to work, I was on the verge of tears. No clue why. The girls I work with said hi and I had a ten second bawling fit. After that I was fine. Happy to be at work and ready to start the shift. Why am I like this? What's wrong with me?
I've decided to stop being so zoomed in on my life right now. I keep thinking about what's going on tonight, tomorrow morning and maybe I think as far as the weekend, but I don't look any further because I know D-Day is right around that corner I refuse to peek around. In reality, I need to shake this ugly funk I'm in and zoom out.
I need to start looking at the bigger picture. Bernie's deployment is a year. Just a year. Not 7, not 5, not 3, but 1. One year. Bern and I plan on living to be somewhere in our 80's (at least) before we pass, so one year out of the next 60 I'm going to live, is soo small. So small. It's time to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. This year I have so much going on.
Here's the game plan:
May 14-Bernie and John's going away party
May - move to Grand Island
May- Bernie leaves :(
June 1- Start internship at the reception hall in Grand Island
July- Baby Nicola (John and Lissy's) is born!
July- Go to Texas to say a final farewell to Bern before going to Afghanistan
July- One of my best friends, Stephanie gets married!
August- Move back to Lincoln/Start my LAST semester of school
August- Another one of my best friends, Jenna, gets married!
December- Graduate
January- Get a real job
May- Run a half marathon with my mom
May- Bernie comes home :)
This year is going to fly by! I'm really excited for all the activities the rest of this year and the begininning of 2012 hold.
Random fact: 4 years ago, tonight, Bern asked me to be his girlfriend.
xoxx
kissing longer
A lot has happened since I last wrote. I apologize- I know that I haven't been blogging much since all the pre-wedding activities.
Oh how time flies.
This deployment has started taking it's toll on me. I find myself at the most random times gasping for a quick breath to fill my lungs as if I forgot how to breath. I know how much Bern hates to see me stressed, or cry, and in all honesty I think I've been pretty strong. I have the most amazing friends and family to turn to for support.
Yes, I'd get teary eyed when I'd think, "This time next year, Bernie STILL won't be back," or when deployment got brought up in casual conversation. But while making my monthly trip to WalMart for a that-time-of-the-month box of tampons, we walked into the Garden Center. For those of you who don't know, the Garden Center is my favorite thing about WalMart. Absolute favorite. We walked past the flowers and I said, "Oh, Bern can we get some flowers to plant in the yard....just to freshen things up?" He'd smile and say something cute, but never really gave me a Yes or No. Finally, we were in the BBQ tools area and I informed him that we'd probably need one of those grate things that hold veggies on the grill and he said, "Babe, I'm leaving in 3 weeks, do you think we really need that?"
"Well...I'm just ready to start my life with you." I said.
And BOOM!
Tears started flowing for I knew that there wouldn't be the cute first starter home, no hours upon hours spent in front of the paint swatches trying to find the perfect color for our bedroom. No need to go through the rug aisle to find the cutest welcome mat for our front door. No unwrapping wedding gifts and trying to rearrange the kitchen so all the new cookie sheets, pots and pans could fit.
Keep in mind, I did mention that it was that time of the month, so of course my hormones were a mess.
For the longest time, when I'd think about Bernie's deployment, I thought, "Well, there is still plenty of time left...I still have yet to get married." Then we got married. I'd find another excuse like, "Well, we still have yet to come back from our honeymoon." We made it home with no delayed flights. "Well, I'm still in school." Finals got over last week. "Well, we still have our Mother's Days picnic." That was yesterday.
Now, I see that all the things that those experiences of being a new wife, that I felt I got cheated out of, are what we KNEW was going to happen. Everything is going according to plan.
When we got engaged, we knew we'd get married in 2 years or 7 months. We chose a 7 month engagement. We planned this. Shockingly, everything has been going according to plan. I can't be feeling sorry for myself. This is what we wanted.
I don't have long until he leaves and I am not about to take any second for granted. I'm going to hold him longer, kiss him sweeter, and laugh harder than I have ever before.
xoxx
Oh how time flies.
This deployment has started taking it's toll on me. I find myself at the most random times gasping for a quick breath to fill my lungs as if I forgot how to breath. I know how much Bern hates to see me stressed, or cry, and in all honesty I think I've been pretty strong. I have the most amazing friends and family to turn to for support.
Yes, I'd get teary eyed when I'd think, "This time next year, Bernie STILL won't be back," or when deployment got brought up in casual conversation. But while making my monthly trip to WalMart for a that-time-of-the-month box of tampons, we walked into the Garden Center. For those of you who don't know, the Garden Center is my favorite thing about WalMart. Absolute favorite. We walked past the flowers and I said, "Oh, Bern can we get some flowers to plant in the yard....just to freshen things up?" He'd smile and say something cute, but never really gave me a Yes or No. Finally, we were in the BBQ tools area and I informed him that we'd probably need one of those grate things that hold veggies on the grill and he said, "Babe, I'm leaving in 3 weeks, do you think we really need that?"
"Well...I'm just ready to start my life with you." I said.
And BOOM!
Tears started flowing for I knew that there wouldn't be the cute first starter home, no hours upon hours spent in front of the paint swatches trying to find the perfect color for our bedroom. No need to go through the rug aisle to find the cutest welcome mat for our front door. No unwrapping wedding gifts and trying to rearrange the kitchen so all the new cookie sheets, pots and pans could fit.
Keep in mind, I did mention that it was that time of the month, so of course my hormones were a mess.
For the longest time, when I'd think about Bernie's deployment, I thought, "Well, there is still plenty of time left...I still have yet to get married." Then we got married. I'd find another excuse like, "Well, we still have yet to come back from our honeymoon." We made it home with no delayed flights. "Well, I'm still in school." Finals got over last week. "Well, we still have our Mother's Days picnic." That was yesterday.
Now, I see that all the things that those experiences of being a new wife, that I felt I got cheated out of, are what we KNEW was going to happen. Everything is going according to plan.
When we got engaged, we knew we'd get married in 2 years or 7 months. We chose a 7 month engagement. We planned this. Shockingly, everything has been going according to plan. I can't be feeling sorry for myself. This is what we wanted.
I don't have long until he leaves and I am not about to take any second for granted. I'm going to hold him longer, kiss him sweeter, and laugh harder than I have ever before.
xoxx
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