Month 7 is DONE.

Yes, month 7 is OVER. 

Good old March has drawn to a close.

One month closer to being with my hunny bunny!

This month has been a roller coaster.

I've felt every emotion you can imagine. My bipolar-ness kicked in.

But in all, I've gotten through it....

For my March Bucket List, I've gotten 80% of it done!! 

[yay me!]

April, will be my month I'm claiming it.

Murphy's Law strikes.

Murphy's law strikes again! 

I have no idea how this happened, but I was locked out the car by my lovely 2 yr old.

Yes, my TWO year old. 

 After doing a little retail therapy to cheer up my already  dampened day, I went to pick up the boys. Like most mothers, I had a long day and couldn't wait to see my babies. I leave my car running so the car would be nice and toasty for the boys when they got in. Just in case I got locked out I took my remote off the keys and took them inside with me. I gather the boys and walk outside. Anxious to get home, I hurriedly throw Kaleb in the car and run around to the other side to throw Darryl in his seat. "Yes, a nap!" my thoughts as I strap Monkey into his seat. Subconsciously, I placed the remote in his seat and shut the door. As I go to open the front door Monkey presses the lock button and locked the car doors. In a state of panic I run to the sitters door to ask if she knew how to open the door. She was no help (Love her dearly though) on that part. I start to try to coach Monkey to press the lock button.

[FYI: he knows how to take his self out of his seat, roll the windows down AND open the door]

He presses EVERY button except the unlock.

Sitter gets this great idea to call a locksmith.

I wait still trying to coach Monkey into pressing unlock. 

Then, I hear sirens get closer and closer.

A fire truck pulls up and out jumps three fire fighters as if the car was on fire.

They approach the scene with serious faces. 

After they accessed the situation, up comes two police cars. 

They on the other hand were already tickled pink with what was going on. 

The police officer walks up to the window to see if he can coach monkey into unlocking the car and Monkey just looks and laughs at the man.

10-15 min later pop a lock [the lifesaver] comes and gets the car open. 

Luckily, they don't charge for emergency situations! 

I'm sure I was the laughing stock of the Newport News fire and police departments.

I was a little upset and annoyed today but of course my babies always make me forget what I was angry for 

They are just so freaking adorable! 

Operation Homecoming.

I've been on some sort of blogging hiatus due to writer's block! 

But, I'm back now!

Yesterday marked month 7 of deployment and it's finally coming to an end which means it's time to think about OPERATION HOMECOMING. 

This is my first deployment so I'm trying to take in everything I can to make it the best I can for me and Butler. Today, I heard from two of my friends who have already gone through 2 or 3 of them already. What I learned is:

-Parking is scarce and you need to be there early to get a spot.

-There will be benches on the pier and if you want to sit on them, gotta be there early.

-It may take the boat about 6 hours to actually show up.

-It takes forever for them to dock and to let the sailors off 

-And traffic will be ridiculous.

   

Now, this has ruined EVERYTHING I thought this would be! For some reason I have the fairytale that Butler gets off the boat, drops his sea bag and runs to me and the boys (well not that perfectly, but something of that nature.) 

Now my worries are what should I wear if rains, what time should I make my way to NOB, what am I gonna do with the boys while I wait, where should I park, wear is Butler's sea bag going (I drive a tiny neon with 2 car seats and a double stroller in the trunk), whose gonna take pics son on so forth.... This should have been something I should have started a month ago! We'll see how this goes!

In other news, my Monkey peed on the potty today!! I was SUPER excited!!! Hope this is a good start to potty training!! 

I have so much more respect for the wives whose husbands are on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These men have sacrificed a lot. I never realized how scary it was to be a military wife and will never experience how scary it is to be an Army or Marine wife. Not that Butler hasn't sacrificed a lot in the Navy, but as I think about it, they don't put themselves into that much great danger as the Army and Marines do. 

I don't get how my mom dealt with my dad being gone for a year straight in Korea or Egypt. How she didn't dwell on the fact that he wasn't here and how she went on day by day not knowing if they would come to let her know her husband died. She did a great job of disguising that my dad was gone and I thank her for being both my mother and father at times. 

I feel scared and nervous with Butler being secure on a boat in the middle of the ocean away from danger so I can just imagine how she or anybody else whose significant other is on the front lines feels. This Libya Operation Odyssey Dawn has me shaken. I've cried for the past two nights. I know, really dumb. My head realizes it, but my heart isn't getting the picture. My heart tells me to cry my eyes out until he's home but my head is saying he's okay what the hell are you crying for!

I don't think I'll be completely sane until he is sitting here next to me and I can see that he's okay in person.  

My anxiousness is starting to get the best of my emotions. I can't wait to see him home! 

First day of the beach

I was  off work for the first time this week and we couldn't let the lovely 80 degree weather waste away.

So, we dug out the shorts and enjoyed a day in the sun! 

Our first stop was to lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Darryl decided to get his "GQ" on and pose on the curb 

(I love this little kid) 

After that we headed back to Hampton to take a stroll on Buckroe.

This was the first beach day for the summer season 

Kaleb's first day ever putting his feet in the sand 

Darryl being Darryl and exploring

He was interested in the sun setting.

In all, we really took advantage of this beautiful day! 

I hope more come soon! 

My deployment letter

Dear Deployment,

We are finally near a close. We've had our ups and downs, but I've grown to appreciate you and all that you have taught me. At first, I hated you and really didn't want anything to do with you but now I actually like you (but it's just a tad, so don't flatter yourself and keep appearing in my marriage.) You stole my husband, but we can call a truce since you'll be returning him soon. I thank you for teaching me what bills looked like and how to pay them, showing me that I really do need Butler as much as I rant and rave that I don't, and that I really need to go get birth control ASAP because my boys are ENOUGH right now especially because you're = the mistress that keeps coming back. In all honesty, you did more than I give you credit. Because of you, my bills are lower, less laundry, my grocery bill is twice as less than when Butler was home, I have the whole bed to myself and can sleep peacefully without the snoring! But, I'm really over you now and would really love if you gave my husband back.

Meaghan 

The End is approaching!

We are in the home stretch! 

It's finally time to start preparing from homecoming. It's like a mirage in the desert, we can see it but just can't touch it. 

 I'm a semi-perfectionist so everything has to be perfect, well on my end at least. No telling with the military how this will go.

I've been looking at homecoming banners, and I don't know what I want to pick. I'm still working on it.

Luckily, I'll get to stand under the "new daddy tent" since littlest Butler was born after deployment. 

Tomorrow I decided I am finally going to a FRG meeting. I decided I couldn't knock it until I try it, plus i want to know what I've been missing since Butler can only say so much and is somewhat clueless. I've had my doubt about the FRG and the negative connotation it has really swayed what I thought about it. I just thought that I wouldn't fit in with the wives because I'm not that wife. I'm very shy when i first meet people and especially when I go to places I have never been with people I've never met. Hopefully I enjoy my FRG meeting and become involved with what goes on with the ship. I'm a little nervous though and I usually amp myself more than needed. But this will go well tomorrow, I know it!

I'll keep you posted!  

Today was DJ & Kaleb's first day at daycare or home daycare. 

They loved it, I'm relieved!!

 I may actually complete all the things on my bucket list for the month!