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5 Years and Counting

Marriage. So common. So mysterious. So...many things.

My husband and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary this past weekend. I consider it a milestone. According to Wikipedia, 49% of all marriages end in divorce. The average length of "first" marriages that end in divorce is about 8 years.  So if my marriage is going to dissolve, it's most likely half over. What a scary thought.

I've heard that the first year of marriage is the hardest. For Eric and I, it was a cake walk. We had a few financial issues (what new couple doesn't), but they were nothing. We had no issues with living together, no major adjustments. We became pregnant with our first child within 6 months of our wedding. My family was close by. We were able to travel to see his family. We both had jobs. Everything just worked out. Everything has always worked out. Our marriage is awesome!

When I learned that Eric would be TDY (temporary duty = training) during our milestone anniversary, I got pretty irritated.

Eric has never missed a birthday. He's never missed Christmas or Easter. He was TDY one Independence Day, but we were lucky enough to be able to go see him, so our family was able to be together. I suppose one anniversary is lucky in the grand scheme. I've just been pretty spoiled compared to some other military families/spouses.

I celebrated our anniversary with a nice steak, baked potato and grilled asparagus from Outback Steakhouse and a nice phone call with my love. We may be miles apart, eating separate meals at different tables, but our love is strong. It travels through cell towers and fiber optic cables to each other's hearts.

My Time

I'm in love with my children. They make me smile, make me laugh, love me unconditionally, give me something to do, etc.

But I have to admit, my favorite time of day is probably after the kids go to bed.

As any other SAHM (stay at home mom) I am ON once the boys wake up. I get up, shower, change my kids, get breakfast, clean up from breakfast, take Logan to school, go to Jazzercise, come home, dishes or laundry, pick up Logan, make and clean up lunch, put boys down for nap, attempt to clean while fighting semi-sleepy boys who don't want to sleep, get boys up from nap, play with my kids, make dinner, clean up dinner, bathe boys, put boys to bed. All generic, not the same every day, some days more, some days less.

Some days I amaze myself that the schedule, which is pretty monotonous, doesn't drive me batty. I'm a conundrum that way -- I hate change, I hate when things are ALWAYS the same.

But after the craziness that is a typical Angel day, I can kiss my sleeping boys, slip downstairs and turn on my DVR. I flip the footrest out on the chair, lean back with my laptop, and catch up on my shows. It's mindless entertainment. And I love it.

I have to wonder if this makes me a bad mother. I tell myself that "a happy mom makes a happy house." How many experts tell us woman to take time for ourselves? So I try. And while I upload my photos to Facebook and watch Desperate Housewives, I giggle to myself at the funny things Logan said and marvel at the progress Ian makes every day.

And I thank God for what he gave me.

Bonus of the Air Force Base

I was able to not only see the Air Force Thunderbirds practice RIGHT OVER MY HOUSE this weekend, but our housing area on the base is close enough to the flight line that I got to see most of the show from my front yard. It's times like that I thank God I'm a military wife!

There are so many sides to this lifestyle that folks in the civilian world never see. Some are good (like free air shows with the coolest pilots to walk the face of the planet), some are not (don't get me started).

This weekend was a blessing all around. Eric and I went four-wheeling with friends (sans children, thanks to a wonderful fellow military wife). During one stop, I could only pause and stare at the beautiful New Mexico scenery. "I get to live here," I told myself. I don't have to, I get to. We've lived in 4 states during the last three years. How many other people can say that? How many people get to go from the white sand beaches of Destin, Florida to the Land of Enchantment? The military can open so many doors for you, if you just let it. If you just have that right frame of mind. If you just look at every move, every job change, every policy/law change, EVERYTHING as an opportunity.

I'll be honest. I do not feel so happy-lovey-dovey with our government every day. The days when my husband comes home and tells me one trip has been cancelled (hooray) so that he can go somewhere else (NO NO NO!!!!!) are not my shining moments of perfect wifedom. His unit does so much training. The kids and I get emotionally worn out sometimes from the hellos and goodbyes. But we do get the opportunity to visit some of these places with him (not often). And all of this training will help Eric get a civilian job when he retires from the Army (8-10 years down the road).

Today, I thank God for my blessings. God gave me this amazing soldier to love. My soldier has taken me all over the country (and hopefully around the world, say, Germany? next post???). He has opened my eyes to more than the Midwest (although I miss home greatly). My children have the opportunity most adults never get. I pray I can remain strong through it all and show them how to take this lifestyle and make the most of it.