Deployment To Do List

1. Get fit!  Hubs and I have a made a bet to see who will be the most fit after 9 months.  We have taken before photos and will compare at the end.  The winner get to make the first "post deployment large-ish purchase."  For me, that will be an iPhone or an iPad, for Hubs it will most definitely be a new gun.

2.  Repair our scrapbook album and add pages from the past year

3.  Sew curtains for various rooms in the house

4.  Reorganize the pantry and baking cabinet

5.  Have my favorite Georgia Peach come visit me...you know who you are Begins tonight!

6.  Attend the amazing wedding of two wonderful people in December

7.  Save lots of $$

8.  Reread the Harry Potter books

9.  Try one new recipe a week

10.  Improve my sewing skills

11.  Decorate the master bedroom...it's the most boring room in the house

12.  Visit the in laws in Florida

13.  Convince my favorite Michigan girlfriends to come and visit me

14.  See Les Miserables in Chicago over Thanksgiving weekend

15.  See Beauty & the Beast at McCain in December

16.  See Drumline at McCain in February

17.  See the Lion King in Witchita  Completed September 16

18.  Teach Othello to sleep on the bed Started September 17 (3 successful nights so far!)

19.  Secure a full time teaching job at FRMS for next school year

20.  Practice the piano at least 4 times a week

22.  Actually do some of my DIY projects I've pinned on Pinterest...let's say 2 projects per month

23.  Take photography lessons and dazzle Hubs with my newly acquired skills and knowledge

24.  Plan a vacation for when Hubs returns

25.  Go shopping with the writer of Something Clever, Cute and Classy

26.  Hang out with my Fort Riley battle buddies every opportunity I get    Started September 15

27.  Go home for Thanksgiving & Christmas

28.  Try to attend my sister's piano recital

29.  Make my mom/parents visit as many times as possible over the next 265 days.

Effects

At age 12, I had no real worries.  My biggest concern was whether my braces would be off in time for school pictures.  On September 11, 2001 at 7:45 am central time I was visiting Dr. R's orthodontist office, sitting in the red chair, waiting for one of his helpers to tighten my braces.  The lady came over and asked if I had heard about the plane crashing into one of the Twin Towers.  I didn't even know what the Twin Towers were.  After the appointment, my mom drove me back to LCS where I encountered many students and teachers who were talking about these Twin Towers that I had never heard of.  After much talk at school, I was finally able to come home and ask my parents about what was happening.  That evening I watched as former President Bush addressed the nation and declared a war on terror.  

At age 12, I had no idea how the events of 9/11 would affect my life.  I didn't know anyone in New York.  I didn't know anyone in the army.  I didn't fly very often.  I was sad that so many people were hurt or lost their lives, but that was it.  I didn't see how the events affected me.  

Now I do.  

I am 23 and it has been 11 years since the War on Terror began.  I am now 3 days away from saying goodbye to man I love so he can go fight the terrorists.  How would 9/11 affect my life?  How naive I once was...

Peace

The countdown has finally made its way into the single digits.  Hubs will be leaving sometime in the middle of the night on Friday.  Since we've been back from Michigan, the time has flown by.  I can't believe we have to be ready to say "see you soon" on Friday.  I don't have much to say about it other than they whole thing is kinda sucky.  I wish I could fast forward this next month.  I don't want to deal with the emotional turmoil of saying "goodbye."  I also don't want to deal with getting used to Hubs not being around.  I want to skip ahead a month.  In a month, I will have already said "goodbye" and I will have (hopefully) gotten used to not having Hubs around.  Someone press FFW on my life please.

That being said, I am surprised by how calm I have felt these past few days.  I know that I have tons of family, friends, and neighbors praying for Hubs and me during this time.  Believe me, those prayers are working.  God has been on our side this whole time.  I know that he is going to continue taking care of us.  Between finding a teaching job and making friends with our new next-door neighbors, I feel as though God has really set me up perfectly for coping with deployment.  I have many things to look forward to over the next 9 months.  (I post on my deployment coping strategies later).  Right now I want to thank each of you for lifting up our family in prayer.  I know that God is taking care of me and I am trusting that He will be with Hubs every moment of deployment.  It's so hard to let go and trust, but I am trying.

Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for this week.  Pray that Hubs and I will continue to experience peace as we prepare for deployment.  Pray that Hubs remains safe and that I will stay busy.  Most of all pray that God uses this time to help us grow.  (And that the time goes by super fast :) )

love
K