“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” – Jim Rohn
Above is the month of June in Instagram photos. Notice they are strikingly bereft of Jonathan’s handsome face? Jonathan left for Navy Boot Camp in Great Lakes, Illinois just four days into June, and will be gone for the entire month of July as well. This is the absolute longest we have EVER been apart.
And guess what? I didn’t curl up in the forest all Bella Swan style like I’d feared after Jonathan left. You know, depressing piano music playing while the camera pans up to better depict my epic emo pain? (And no, curling up on the couch with a bucket of ice cream doesn’t count.)
While it has been a hard month without my hubby by my side, it has been a time of growth and achievement for the both of us. I’ve kept busy with crafts, spending time with friends, growing a baby and planning for the future. And Jonathan has been busy transforming into a muscley sailor man in preparation for serving our country! Since he left on June 4 I have not received a single letter from him, and have had a total of 23 minutes on the phone with him. This is NOT the norm with Boot Camp, most wives have received three to four 30-40 minute calls, and about two weeks worth of letters at this point. Jonathan is in an unusually silent ship and division, which sucks for me. It’s been hard, but as the days march steadily on and bring me closer and closer to his graduation – and the ensuing whirlwind of life changes and activity THAT will bring – it’s been getting rather exciting!
I was teasing Jonathan relentlessly prior to his leaving that he would be going off to wear tight pants and learn tap dance routines, if watching Anchors Aweigh and On The Town and other 1940’s Navy musicals has taught me anything. So imagine my snickering (and surprise!) when I learned that he was put in the Performing Division upon his arrival to boot camp! He’s in the Navy Band and will be playing the drums for his graduation on August 2, as well as the two graduations prior to his own on July 19 and July 26!
I’m still worried and simultaneously excited about the many changes that lie ahead for us. I am relieved that the distance and separation from my husband is manageable and not the emotional stress tornado I’d feared it would be. I still worry about the details of moving to my husbands A School, and how the move will affect me, Tessa and the animals. I worry about having to manage a lot of the upcoming and inevitable major decisions and purchases and details without my husband’s help or input. I still don’t like that details of Tessa’s birth are so up in the air – will Jonathan be present for the birth? Will it be on a base hospital? Will our family have ample warning to fly out to see Tessa being born? Will Jonathan even be living off base with me at that time? I. HATE. UNKNOWNS.
But I’m taking it all one day at a time, putting our lives and our situation in God’s hands, and focusing on the things I CAN control and plan for. Like Tessa’s Winnie the Pooh themed baby shower. And flying out to Chicago to see my handsome sailor perform in the Navy Band and graduate. And tap dancing around the town eating deep dish pizzas and trying to reanimate Sue the Dinosaur for a Dresden File-esque joy ride. And hopefully, by next months “month in review” post, I’ll have a lot more information regarding where the rest of the year will see us!
And now. Here’s some of my favorite tweets from May:
With Jon’s haircut he looks like he’s in high school. Now I can finally fulfill my cougar fantasies…
Jonathan’s idea of a good pre-boot camp movie to watch the night before shipping out? Tropic Thunder. Yeah, he’ll do fine.
Tessa will be blessed with eternal youth. She has parents that are pushing 30 and still look like they’re in high school.
In my experience, I spend hours upon hours researching a topic, just to be told by others with inherited opinions “to do my research.”
So jealous Jonathan is gonna be off singing and dancing and practicing fabulous choreography with all his new Navy buddies all summer.
My interpretation of our parting: Me – “I love you.” Jonathan – “I know.” *carbonite hisses*
Peace of mind is not the absence of conflict from life, but the ability to cope with it.
I feel the most connected to other human beings when we’re both mutually outraged at a video game bug or game lag.
I’m pretty sure Jonathan instructed all of the cats to vomit on everything once he left.
I’m missing Jon so much I’m contemplating flying just so I can get a free grope from the TSA.
“I love you. I love you. Love me. I love you!” – My cats whenever the food bowl is 3/4 empty.
I experience the futility of life the most when I’m buying cat food then kitty litter then cat food then kitty litter then…
Nothing says “I’m unemployed” like collecting an epic clothing set to transmog in WoW in less than a week…
If you pride yourself on global awareness, social sensitivity and political outlook but can’t name a single state legislator, please stfu.
Confession: I still accidentally call my unborn daughter “kitty”, “kitten” and “meow meow” from time to time.
I heard epic WoW music in my head as I was being handed my sandwich of sausage and coffee of mocha at Starbucks this morning.
I knew Jon was the one when, after years together, I’d read / see romance novels / movies / anime and still think, “Mine is better.”
Whenever the cooking channel tells me that I’ve been using the wrong knife to cut various kitchen ingredients, I cry like a little bitch.
Me – *eloquent and logical defense* Them – “You misspelled a word therfore you’re argument is invalid!1!”
I am irate that my belly button is crooked and I can’t see my vagina.
My plans for pretending I have a seeing eye dog so I can sneak into “No Dogs” areas was totally ruined when I got a tarded golden retriever.
What would Jesus do? He’d be craving Chick-fil-a on Sundays. SO GET ON IT CHICK-FIL-A.
My body is a temple of Christ and it wants an offering of Chick-fil-a at the alter of my mouth.
