Tag: husband and wife

Better Than The Last Time

Posted in Beauty and the Beach, Life, Lifestyle, Marriage, Military, Military Life, Wanderlust: Travel and AdventureTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Sitting in the passenger seat, I looked over at him and smiled. The sun seemed to be resting happily on his shoulder. He kept one hand steady on the steering wheel and stretched the other out to me. I closed my eyes as he lifted the back of my hand to his lips and planted a gentle kiss. Life sure had a funny way of coming full circle…

A loud buzzing rang out and filled the room, startling me from my sleep. I reached over and quickly turned off the alarm then looked over my shoulder to see if my husband was awake. He was still resting peacefully, eyes closed tight. I decided to take a moment to reflect.

Today was the day. The first day of summer leave. We had waited so long for this vacation. It almost didn’t come. I still remember the day I received the email. It came from my husband’s company. These days, the emails that came could have literally been anything. For a moment after my phone vibrated, I just stared at it. One new message. What could it possibly be? The entire world seemed to be in both a fragile and hostile state. The perfect recipe for disaster. Regardless of how nervous I was, I knew it was going to be information that I needed. I swiped down from my notification bar and my eyes instantly grew wide.

‘Great news!! The travel ban has been lifted and we have official dates for summer leave.’ I teared up as I read it over and over. ‘Please check with your paratrooper for further details.’ I sent my husband a screenshot of the email and he replied back with about a million smiley faces and exclamation points. This is what life had become. Celebrating the smallest of things. Every positive was a victory. We were definitely grateful. I couldn’t wait to start planning!

‘You awake baby?’ He pulled me from my thoughts. When had he climbed out of bed? Did I fall back asleep? Last night had been a restless one for me. I was so excited that it seemed like sleep never came. It was like the night before the first day of school when your outfit is already picked out and you can’t wait to see your friends. ‘I’m awake!’ I jumped out of bed and right into his arms. The adrenaline rush had set in. It was time to start our vacation!!

The next two hours were a whirlwind of showers, breakfast and packing up the car. Finally, the time came to get on the road.

I picked up our puppy, Noelle, with one hand and slid my purse over my shoulder with the other as I stepped outside. The sound of the door locking behind us made me let out a little giggle. I instantly felt silly. He must have noticed. He flashed me a smile as he slid the keys into his pocket and let out a chuckle of his own that was clearly meant to match mine. It didn’t seem so silly after all. He reached for Noelle and she dove into his arms, leaving me with free hands as we made our way down the steps. The three of us piled into the car and we would soon be on our way.

I looked around at the bags surrounding us. The last time we were all in the car like this, we were headed home to prepare for my husband’s rapid departure overseas. I glanced over at him as he slid on his sunglasses. I called him Mr. Smooth whenever he wore them. He cracked his knuckles and put the car into drive.

I looked down at Noelle, she had already cuddled up to her favorite toy and was setting her sights on a good nap. Everything felt normal. It felt perfect.

My husband passed me the aux cord as the sunshine hit my face. It felt SO good. We were on the road again! But this time was different. This was better than the last time.

Green Eyes.

Posted in Life, Lifestyle, MarriageTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

His Green Eyes…

They take me by surprise.

The loving. The longing. The way they stare straight into mine.

His Green Eyes…

Look at me as though I’m his prize.

In awe. In love. Never in despise.

His Green Eyes…

They stare right into my soul.

Love In Lockdown

Posted in Life, Lifestyle, Marriage, Military, Military Life, Relax and RejuvenateTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

I slowly opened my eyes and was immediately met by his gaze. For a moment we just stared at each other in silence. Finally, I smiled and asked him ‘How long have you been watching me?’ He didn’t give an answer, only smiled in return…

I rolled over onto my back and looked out of the window. The sun was shining bright through the blinds. It had to be at least 10 o’clock.

We had slept in.

Memories of the night before flooded my mind. We stayed up all night laughing and talking and just enjoying each other’s company. It had truly been a wonderful night.

The warmth of his hand grabbing mine broke me from my thoughts. ‘Stay in bed baby, I’ll get us some breakfast going and we can enjoy it together.’ He flashed that killer smile at me and headed towards the kitchen.

I propped myself up on my elbows and watched him as he worked. Quiet, yet diligent. Out of nowhere, he stopped and glanced at me. A sly grin crept across his face. ‘Alexa, play…’ Suddenly, music spilled into every room of our home. He was dancing and swaying to the music while I held back my laugh. This was what happiness felt like.

Outside, the world was not so happy.

My eyes landed on the papers stacked on the bedside table. “‘MANDATORY 14 DAY QUARANTINE’ They were my husband’s official orders. We were home and enjoying special time together, but we were in quarantine. The world was in a state of what could only be explained as pure chaos. I shifted my gaze from the papers to my husband, who was now loudly singing to our puppy as he prepared bacon.

Regardless of the circumstances, I was blessed to be spending so much time with the love of my life. I threw my legs over the side of the bed and headed up the hallway, eager to join in on the fun. This was going to be a long couple of weeks and I planned on enjoying every minute. I had never been more excited to be in lockdown.

https://youtu.be/dGBU1utoO5w

Home.

Posted in Life, Lifestyle, Marriage, Military, Military Life, StorytimeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

My hands started shaking as I turned the wheel. This was it. The moment we had both been longing for. The moment that felt like it would never come. And then there he was…walking towards me with that smile that I loved so much. God, it was so good to see him again. Holding back tears, I allowed myself to fully breathe for the first time in months…

I stepped back and smiled, admiring the decorations that surrounded me. Hues of pink and red cascaded from the ceiling. Everything was so beautiful. It was perfect. I walked over to the couch and grabbed my phone. It was time to check the Redeployment Hotline again. My fingers dialed the number from memory. The familiar sound of the automated voice on the other end filled my ears. I quietly wondered to myself, just how many times had I called this number over the past few days?

This time was different. I replayed the message to ensure I had heard it correctly.

There was a last minute update! He would be arriving almost an hour earlier than expected! The smallest cry escaped my lips as the realization hit me.

In one smooth motion, I grabbed my purse and my car keys as I headed out the door.

Once in the car, I pulled up the GPS and said out loud ‘He’s finally home.’ It was finally time to bring him home. I met my own eyes in the mirror as I did a quick lookover. They seemed to twinkle back at me.

Red dress. I was wearing one of his favorite colors on me. Red. So bright and fiery, much like our marriage. I smiled as I thought about how much he was going to love it, and then buckled my seatbelt as I headed to get my man.

The sun was bright and the birds were chirping happily. I rolled the windows down as a light breeze filled the car and blew my hair softly in the wind. I didn’t need a feel good song playing on the radio. I was in a state of pure bliss.

Before I knew it, I had pulled up to the massive gates on base. It felt different today. My husband was behind these gates and I was here to bring him home. For a moment, my mind went back to the day I dropped him off…

‘I love you baby, see you when you get home.’ A tear crept down my cheek just as I tried to quickly turn and hide it from him. His strong but gentle hand grabbed my shoulder and stopped me. He pulled me close and rested his chin on my head as he had done so many times before. ‘It’s okay baby, it’s okay.’

I couldn’t help but smile as I thought about how long ago that now seemed. I pulled up and prepared to patiently wait. It had already been so long. What was a few more minutes?

The buses rolled in. We made a line to wave them on. Posters and pom poms flew in every direction as they disappeared farther down the road. It lasted only a few seconds. This was our official “Welcome Ceremony.” Thanks to social distancing, there would be no large gatherings or fancy programs. It had been an adjustment for all of us.

It was now time to reunite with my husband.

I drove to the meeting location and patiently waited. Almost immediately, I saw him heading my way. He seemed taller. He was a bit thinner. His eyes looked a little tired. But he was smiling at me!! He was happy!! I could’ve cried tears of joy at that moment.

We embraced immediately and shared the most passionate kiss. It was well overdue.

I couldn’t stop talking on the way home. I was so excited to update him on EVERYTHING. As we got closer, I glanced down at our hands locked together and resting between us. ‘I really missed this baby,’ he said it so low that I almost didn’t hear. I glanced over at him as he drove and quietly thanked GOD for bringing him back safely to me. Tears welled up in my eyes. I blinked them away.

We were headed to his Welcome Home Party!!

It was time for the big surprise! I quietly waited inside a life-sized box as he walked in, unaware of what was to come. He pulled it open earnestly but gently. My heart began to race as I prepared to jump out. A shower of rose petals fell between us and he flashed that smile at me once again.

We laughed and embraced and enjoyed the party. A familiar song began to play on the radio. It was the same song that had played on the night he left all those months ago. Our eyes quietly met. It felt too perfect to be a coincidence. He took me into his arms and in that moment, all was right with the world. We spoke no words for the duration of the song and slow-danced from start to finish. I could see the emotion in his eyes. When he released it, it was my turn to take him into my arms. It felt so good to be reunited.

He was safe. He was healthy. He was in my arms. He was Home.

https://youtu.be/3WxHJEZhQ3s

YoU KnEw WhAt YoU wErE sIgNiNg Up FoR…

Posted in Life, Marriage, Military, Military LifeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

You’re right. I did. So did he. Guess what? Because we did, you don’t have to. There’s nothing worse than realizing that the very people you spend your days defending, and making sacrifices for, are the ones that feel this way.

Negativity.

My husband chose to serve his country and by default I serve it too. Does that take away my right to have emotions? To miss him? To worry about his well being? Absolutely not.

Instead of judging me, say a prayer for me. Better yet, say a prayer for my husband. Then hold your family a little tighter at night and be thankful that they are able to be with you.

FREEDOM ISN’T FREE

Deployed.

Posted in Life, Lifestyle, Marriage, Military, Military LifeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

No one tells you this part. Even if they did, they couldn’t possibly prepare you for it. How much it hurts when you watch him walk away into the unknown. The feeling you get in your stomach each time you have dinner alone…

I turned the key and let out a deep sigh as I entered our home. The familiar smell of pecan brownies filled the air. Warm, inviting. A little white ball of fur came bolting down the hallway. Our dog, Noelle. She looked past me towards the door, looking for her daddy. Her hero. I looked away, holding back tears. For a minute I pretended that I didn’t see, hoping she’d quickly go on about her day. But we had anticipated this. I reached into my bag for one of her favorite treats. The ones she always went crazy for. ‘Mmmmm,’ I loudly said and placed it on the ground where she sat. As I hung my coat, I snuck a peek over at her. She had settled down right there. The treat was untouched. I should have known. A treat versus her daddy? He’d win every time. There she sat, staring intently at the door. Tail down. Ears up. Listening for his footsteps. ‘Come on Noelle baby, daddy will come a little later.’ I could barely get the words out knowing the truth. How does one tell a dog about these things?

For an hour, I watched her. Loyal. Patient. Perking up at every sound she heard. Tears silently rolled down my cheeks as I picked her up and carried her back down the hallway. It was so quiet in the house. Though I wore only socks, my footsteps seemed to pound in my ears. Each one louder than the one before. I sat down cross-legged on the floor and balanced her on my lap. She crawled right out of my arms and into her little bed. ‘Daddy will be home soon,’ I told her.

I glanced at my bible, still open on the bedside table. I had prayed. We had prayed. I was confident in the direction we had received. But why did I still feel so sad? ‘Because you love your husband and you’re human,’ I told myself out loud.

I headed into the kitchen to prepare for dinner and stopped dead in my tracks as my eyes landed on the sink. I had made his favorite right before dropping him off. His plate was still sitting there. Traces of brown gravy lingered on the smooth white porcelain. A mere hour earlier, he had been enjoying his meal at the dining room table, thanking me with a smile for making his favorite. I swore in that moment I could almost feel him. My phone vibrated and shook me from my thoughts. Why was it so loud? ‘How’s it going?’ It was my sister checking in on me. My thumbs quickly drafted a response and shot it back to her. ‘Doing great! Gonna call soon!’ I didn’t want her to worry. I didn’t want her to call. I didn’t want to cry.

I made too much food. Going from dinner for two to party of one had proven to be a little more difficult than I had expected. My eyes darted to that spot on the couch. His favorite spot. The one he loved to settle into after a long day at work. I loved seeing him sit there. Relaxed and content. Offering assistance if needed but otherwise waiting for the notification that dinner was complete. Usually around this time he’d smile at me as I made our plates and tell me that he loved me. A gentle forehead kiss always came soon after. Suddenly, I had no appetite. My eyes filled with tears. I angrily wiped them away as I sat to have my meal, irritated with the fact that I had become so emotional. He will be back. This was always a part of our lives. We had been here before. But this time was just so unexpected. So different.

I had to be strong, but I missed my husband…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUueZOKM4Eo

The Night Before He Left…

Posted in Life, Lifestyle, Marriage, Military, Military LifeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The bright flames danced in the fireplace, almost as if they wanted to escape at any moment. Warmth radiated and seemed to fill the entire living room. There was a certain peace, a calmness in the air. But things were far from peaceful.

I watched him as he finished up with the log, igniting a fire that would burn much like the passion between us. I took in every bit of him. I wanted to cherish this night. He turned to me and smiled ‘It’s ready baby.’ I joined him on the floor. We had opted to get a 4 hour log, a rare treat. He reached for the cream knitted fleece, the coziest one we had, and gently wrapped it around my shoulders. I smiled at him and we shared a kiss. He headed to the kitchen to grab our dinner plates and I got settled in.

Dinner was terrible. Absolutely terrible. ‘I’m sorry baby, I have no idea what happened.’ He looked at me with eyes that were apologetic. The corners of his mouth started to curl. He was holding back a smile. Maybe we needed that. It had been an extremely emotional night. We laughed, we cried, we stared into each other’s eyes. Most importantly, we made memories. I cuddled up with him right there in front of the fireplace. We only had a couple of hours left before it would be time to go to sleep. To my right, our dog was happily curled up in bed under a little blanket of her own. To my left, the fire had grown to a full blaze. And behind me…He was behind me. His big arms were wrapped around my waist. Tight enough to make me feel secure yet loose enough to allow me to freely move closer against him. He brushed my hair to the side and gently kissed my neck. I closed my eyes. ‘I love you so much baby,’ he said in a husky whisper. I wasn’t yet sure of what would lie ahead of us, but I felt a little more ready for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0nFS0RjSBs

Love From Down Range: Confessions of A Military Wife

Posted in Life, Lifestyle, Marriage, Military, Military LifeTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

I looked over at him and smiled, he smiled back and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. We had waited so long for this moment. An intimate little getaway for just the two of us. I gazed out of the window at the palm trees as I happily made plans in my head for the remainder of our trip. ‘We’ll visit the islands, have a romantic picnic…’ The sound of his phone pulled me from my thoughts. It was going off like crazy. I looked over at his face and the smile slowly faded from mine…

What seemed like a million fireworks rang out, beautifully illuminating the night sky. Through the window, I followed a glimpse of blue with my eyes until it disappeared over the lake, gone forever. I shifted my attention to you, trying to decipher the look on your face. Your eyes were focused on the task at hand. Jaw tight in concentration. You seemed to be lost in thought. What were you thinking? My eyes lingered for a moment.

Until you caught me looking at you.

Your features immediately softened. A smile crept across your lips. It was sad, almost apologetic as you asked me ‘You all packed, babe?’ I looked down at the bag in front me and didn’t recognize it as my own. The usually neatly folded, organized by color and style clothing had been quickly stacked and mixed amongst other belongings. ‘Yes baby,’ I said, unable to look back up at you. They were coming again. The tears.  Holding them back took everything in me but I was determined.

Determined to be strong.

I needed you. Your country needed you more.