Stressed!!!

My overall feeling right now is STRESSED! I'm trying to fill out multiple applications for teaching jobs next year, along with trying to find a summer job that is somewhat related to my field/very flexible with my summer schedule and that is definitely not happening. My other feeling: scared out of my mind!!!!! I want to be busy so my mind doesn't think so much. I just do not know what to do or think. AHHHHHGHGGG. And we all know the importance of money...ugggggggg.

This weekend went surprisingly well. Monday was my highlight with going shopping with my cousin in St Cloud. I got some really good deals and didn't spend that much money! (As I talk about money earlier)
It was great to just hang out and chat.

Joe is doing well. We do talk everyday when he has time. They are sure keeping him busy, which he is ok with. Makes the time go quickly. He is tired though since his job is the first one up and the last to go to bed. He is an early riser so I'm thinking he will be ok and adjust easily.

Well I best be going to bed. Thanks for reading!

Pictures of Deployment Ceremony

I was looking at the pictures on my camera and realized I never put the ones from the deployment ceremony up there and of Abby's pre-school picnic. So here ya go!

Grandma, Abby and Daddy in her preschool room.

Daddy, Abby and Momma Chelsey

Walking into the RCC.

There is my soldier!!!

I think Abby took this picture...

And I know she took this one!!!

The ceremony was pretty neat and thankfully didn't go on forever. It just made it all seem more real to me that day.

I did go to work today. It went a lot better than I may have thought. It was good to get out of the house. Now for the rest of the holiday weekend not sure what I am going to do. Its "Awake the Lakes" here in Alex but not going to lie it seems pretty lame. So I think I'll head out of town or something.

I wish everyone a great Memorial Day weekend. Remember those who died or are serving our FREE Country! Thanks Soldiers and Vets!

The dreaded day...and other tidbits

Well all, my loving husband and the rest are on their way to Fort McCoy. What an intersting morning. Thats probably the only way I can explain it. The last hours seemed to go so quickly, definitely not how I wanted it to. The worst words of it all "Please say a final good-bye to your families" Instant breakdown. But I'm doing ok now and am thinking the worst will probably be in September. We shall see.

That was definitely a forced smile.

The sendoff was quite a sight to see. The streets were lined up with people that seemed to come out of the wood work. I was very happy to see teachers their with their classes. This is something that everyone should experience.

And there they go!

From there, Brenda (Joe's mom) and I rean some errands and ended up buying a Red Bull (not the drink) sign to put on/in our house. I'll take a picture and include that in another post.
All in all it was a sad day, but I look at it this way: 1) now that it has started, it is close to when he comes home for good, and 2.) they have potential pass dates in July that I will go out there for. I'm excited.

I also have an address for Joe in McCoy. If you would like that just let me know. I will be getting his Kuwait address during his pass dates.

Now, remember me talking about those links that we made Abby? Well, when we dropped her off on Wednesday, we got to see her "surprise" in her room. It was the links that her mom had put on her wall.

Joe even got to do the first one with her that night. It read "read your favorite book." I think this will work great.

And last but not least, what may you ask did we do on our last night together? Well, relaxed, cuddled on the couch watching t.v. (sports of course ;))  Oh and we had joes favorite food for supper:



TACOS!!!!

Sorry for the long post! Also thanks to everyone for all their support! It is greatly appreciated! Let the count down begin! 52 weeks........(sounds much better than 365 days)

Happy Pre-school Graduation!

On Monday, Abby completed her 1st year of pre-school and we had her end of the year program. They sang us some songs, some peoms, counted for us, and simply made us laugh! Her teacher is amazing and I completely love her. Her teacher for next year is amazing also and I got to meet and talk to her.

Here are some pictures:

Here is Abby on our front step. (I can't wait til I get my new camera! I love taking pictures!) 

Where the kids sat!

Singing away!!

Abby and her best friend Kaden!

The three of us at home afterward!



And this is what happened at about 8:30. All tuckered out!

It was a good day! Abby had tons of fun as did we!



What a weekend!

What a full and wonderful weekend!

Any weekend with Abby, Joe and I is wonderful, but this one was wonderful and great. Even though it was raining and kind of icky, it was still fun!

Joe's parents came up Sunday to visit. Brenda will be back tomorrow through Friday which will be good. Abby had a great time playing with grandpa and grandma! It is sure hillarious!

Thought I would add this picture in here also. Joe was packing his bags and Abby found his hat (sorry for the improper term) and was playing with it. So they had to have a picture with them both on wearing one! I think it is cute!

To finish off, I will tell, not show cause I forgot to take a picture of it, how to explain/show a year to a 4 year old. Over the past 2 weeks Joe and I have cut out and wrote on about 400 slips of paper. On these slips of paper, he wrote things like "Daddy loves and misses you" or "Make sure you pick up your toys" or "make some cookies and send them to dad" and so on and so forth. We then taped them all together into a long paper chain. Every day that Joe is gone, Abby will take off a ring and read it and do whatever it says! When the rings get to be less and less, she knows that Daddy will be home soon!!!!! We are also doing a jar of M&M's at our house. She gets to eat one M&M for every day that Joe is gone. The trick is just one!!! he he...
So that is how we are trying to get Abby to understand a year. We shall see how it goes!

Thats all for now! Night everyone!

I lied..

My next post will be about telling a 4 year old how long a year is. Instead, I'm going to tell you all of the funny things Abby has said to us lately. I have laughed so hard with this child.

When we moved into the house we are living in, Abby was outside and said:
:"I don't like this house."
I said: "Why not Abby?"
She replied: "It's not yellow!"
(Apparently when we buy a house, a requirement will be that it is yellow.)


Abby came up to me today while I was cleaning the kitchen and said: "Momma Chelsey, I just found out that I was hungry."
"Oh really? Who told you that?"
"I don't know, I just found out."


In a whiper voice: "Hey Daddy......"
"Yes"
"I LOVE YOU"


"Momma Chelsey, you need a new car."
"Why Abby?"
"Cause it's dirty. See look, there's things on the outside of the window." (Things that fell off a tree that I parked under.)
"Maybe I should get a new car so there is more room for you. And maybe a little sibling some day."
"That would be CRAZY!"
(and someday is not now)


Oh man there are so many more, I'll start writing them down so I can keep sharing. Happy Saturday! The sun finally came out!!

TV Shows....

I wasn't going to write  post today until.....I started watching the show: My Cat From Hell. Really? What kind of show is this?? Basically a "cat therapist" comes in and tries to make a cat a little more friendly.... 
Just weird I don't know. Maybe because the "therapist" is a bald guy with a very interesting and long beard....hummm...

I'm very excited today and probably again will not sleep very well tonight. Once I get to sleep I'm fine but its falling asleep thats the issue. Joe comes home on Saturday! And I get to pick up Abby on Saturday!!! My family together again. Though it will be bittersweet, I'm looking forward to awesome family time. We are going out for lunch with my aunts on Sunday, Abby has a pre-school program on Monday and probably just a weekend full of laughter and smiles!

My next post: how to show/tell a 4 year old how long a year is and will be!

Amish....

So, tonight I drove to Little Falls do drop off some food with Joe, (yes how nice of me lol) and lucky me I drove through Amish country. Now, I'm slightly obsessed and very interesting in their culture. Why? I have no idea. It all started when I went on a NHS camping trip to Lanesboro and toured an Amish farm there. I'm just so facinated with their, what I would call but they probably wouldn't, simple way of life.

I drove by three buggies, about 5 farms and was one of those annoying people driving by at about 45 mph. I had to slow down to look and see if I could possibly spot someone outside working! And...I DID!! A whole family was outside in the garden planting or weeding or something. The little ones were outside running around and waving at all the cars that drove by..so what did I do? Wave back and honk of course!!! The little ones started jumping up and down and that older lady just smiled.

What does all of this have to do with deployment...well nothing. Just that its on the way to Camp Ripley. Oh and I suppose that they are apart of this country that my husband is fighting for. 

Well thats all for tonight. Now I'm craving some of their homemade bread and jam....I should have stopped and bought some. My luck I would have started playing with the kids!! hehe.

Oh, and it was GREAT to see my husband!!!! Love you babe!

P.s. I asked Joe if we could be Amish for a week.. lol

And so it begins....

Welcome All! I'm new to this blogging thing so please bear with my while I get everything set up...right now I'm trying to figure out how to make my picture smaller.....it's driving me crazy!!

So the purpose of this blog: I am using this blog basically to vent what I'm thinking, my feelings, thoughts, concerns, helpful things I've learned, and the adventures I will have in the next year while my dear husband is deployed. I already have a  huge list in my head of things I want to write about but we shall see how far that goes! Oh, and as a disclaimer, I am definitley not a writer, and I write exactly what I am thinking. So for those of you that don't know me well, you may have to read these post a few times to understand what I'm saying, I tend to ramble and switch topics. Sorry in advance.

Right now: I am finishing up the school year with my para job and looking for something this summer. (Anyone need a Nanny?)  Also I am applying for teaching jobs around the area and crossing my fingers! The 45 mile drive one way is getting to me, not to mention the gas.......:(  
Joe is currently at Ripley for his 2 week summer A.T. He will be home next week and then leaves on the 27th at 7 a.m. Not looking forward to this day.

I think I will leave it at this for now. I hope you all have a wonderful week! Don't forget your I love yous!