Love Doesn't Have to Be...

I have been listening to way too much country music, but I just can't help myself!  Check this one out while I start counting down the sleeps until I get to see my MonkeyHubby again!

Everlasting Friends

source

I got to have dinner with one of these always-pick-up-right-where-you-left-off friends tonight.  We haven't seen each other in well over two years, and probably haven't spoken past a "Hey, how ya doin?" text in the same amount of time.  But we sat and talked and talked over club sandwiches at McAlister's Deli for hours like it's something we do all the time.  It.  Was.  Awesome.  Friends like that are priceless.  So glad I can say I have a few of them.

Only thing that could've made tonight better??  If Monkey could've joined us...soon Monkey-man, soon!

C'mon Universe

Oh, how I hope this fortune cookie is true!  Universe - bring the hubby home!  Today for the most part has been an uneventful and good day.  It included PeiWei dinner with Toe and Mom (to include amazing fortune above!!), Old Man HB got his teeth cleaned - they're pearly white again, I finally managed a Sausage BOB from Whataburger for breakfast, and I'm watching way too much Family Guy as I lay in bed all lazy like and surf the interwebs this evening.  Pretty good Monday if I do say so myself.  How did y'all start of your weeks?!

Giggity, giggity, giggity!

Gifts from Afar

Dear MonkeyHubby, I got my small surprise in the mail today.  Thank you!!  You know I've wanted the box set of Friends for years but never felt it worthy of dropping $200 to make the purchase.  I guess we'll have to thank the hadji's in Afghanistan for this one.
Dear Oreos, Travie says you're just a convenient substitute for the time being.  After eating 8 of you, I'm thinking he may be right.
Dear Coach Coupon, I know I've ignored you for a couple weeks, but I promise to spend some quality time with you this weekend and then send you off in style, along with a chunk of my money.  Wee!
Dear Dad, I have had the absolute most awesomest time hanging out with you over the past few weeks while I heal.  I love chatting, four-wheeling, shooting, running errands, talking, watching history/military/how-to/mythbusters/scifi/smithsonian anything and everything with you.  I hope you have the grandest of times in Colorado, I will miss you, and already can't wait to hang out with you again.

My Dad and I have tons in common and can always find something enjoyable to do together.  What is one of your favorite things to do with your Dad?

Three Thoughts on Thursday

1. My favorite sushi and a lots of good girlfriend gabbing can cure the blech-est of moods.
2. Afternoon naps are fabulous!  I took an hour long one today.  S has always had it right.
3. Relationships are fragile.  They require more work, dedication, determination, and can be worthy of it all for the right person, than anything else in this life.  But even more so, that work, dedication, and determination that it takes to truly love someone, has to be two-sided.  And all too often, especially in my generation, it seems to be one-sided.  Now, Monkey and I have had our issues, as all couples inevitably do, but I am thankful, grateful, that we both put in tons of effort to our relationship, to bettering our marriage.  I feel blessed, and am blessed, to have a husband, a man, who is beginning to understand, and striving to always be better at loving me and letting me learn to love him better as well.  Loving your spouse is a job you go to every day folks, every day you have to make the choice.  But if you make the choice, and your spouse makes the choice too, my, oh my, how wonderful life can be!

Thinking of my hubby tonight and all the goofy things he does that make me smile...see above! :)

Pig's Ramblings

Dear Old Man HB, You acted like my dog again today!  You talked to me and told me all about your day when I came to visit you and you cuddled up on top of me right away.  It was fabulous to feel like a little family again.  Although, I do have to say, you do not fit on the couch well when you stretch out like above, hah!
Dear Pimple Growing Under My Nose, You SUCK.  And hurt.  And need to get a head so I can pop you and make you go away.
Dear Travie, Props on the book recommendation.  I'm about 50 pages in today and really enjoying The 5 Love Languages.  Your marriage can always, and only, get better than it already is when you put a little extra work into it folks!
Dear S, Why don't we live closer?!  I wish I was boozing and gossiping and laughing hysterically with you this evening.  Sigh.
Dear MonkeyHubby, You had me all smiles this afternoon!  Flirting with me like we're 19 again?!  I'm not sure what got into you, but please, share more!

When it comes to awesome love, what does your spouse do that still makes the butterflies flutter?!

Thinking About Military Things

So I spent yesterday and a good bit of today working on neatly combining all of the brilliant, encouraging, love-filled letters that I received while I was in basic training into one compilation binder.  (Yes, yes, I'm a little over-organized and anal sometimes, oops!)  However, over the course of this little project, I've mulled over a ton of different military things.  Military training, BCT memories, my current medical-military situation, my husband's current deployment, what our Army futures may or may not hold, how our friends are affected by their military realities, how my grandparents dealt with military life years ago, and, not the least of these thoughts,  how 9/11, 11 years ago, changed life in the service  for generations to come.  It entered us into a decade-long, and still raging, war, it boomed the numbers of men and women who stepped up to serve and sacrifice for their country,  and it reminded us what is really put on the line by our country's finest service members, not just military, but firefighters and law enforcement officers as well.  There are a lot of men and women, and their families, making sacrifices each and every day for this country's betterment.  Yet, if you have a conversation with most of them and try and thank them for their sacrifices, which I'm learning so many in this country aren't willing to make, they'll tell you, "It's just what I do".  And, speaking for Monkey and myself, it is just that, just what we do.  We go to work, we train hard, we carry more weight, literally, than we should, we travel from state to state and across the world, we spend months in separate, cold twin-size beds, and go weeks, or months, without communicating.  But it's just what we do.  And honestly, as long as we can talk, we love what we do.  We are proud as hell to put on the uniforms that we do everyday, and I'm sure so many of our fellow service members feel the same way.  So, even though they wouldn't want you to thank them, or make a big deal out of what they do everyday, think about them today.  Send up a few prayers and spread thoughts of good juju for the finest of men and women on a day that we will never forget.

By Maria Dryfhout