Girls Night Out

UGH! Other than the stupid letter from the training center I have yet to hear from my husband! It is driving me insane! Good news is I can actually "forget about it" for once. I am going out with the girls tonight! All of our hubbies are out of town and momma needs a break! Before you start thinking anything....it is just innocent fun! I don't even drink so I am always the designated driver and I would never cheat on my husband. I honestly have never even cheated on anyone......just not my style. This is the same "girls" that my dear hubby "allows" me to go out with when he is in town! So that said, I am looking forward to a night to take my mind off of things. It has been a very stressful past couple of weeks and if this girl doesn't relax she is going to, "BLOW UP!" BBBOOOOOOMMM!

Today Is A Good Day

Today has been a good day. For the first time since my hubby has been gone I slept wonderful! I have had some "issues" with some family members and I have just prayed, thought about things and talked to some good friends. Now I have a whole new outlook today! I decided there is always going to be something that I do that people don't like, there is always going to be something that I don't do or isn't my fault that I will be blamed for and I can't please everyone. The decisions my husband and I make are our decisions and our decisions alone and we owe no one an explanation about it! If they are mad....so be it! I am not going to waste one second, that I could devote to much greater things, on a losing battle. SO I no that sounded harsh but for my sanity I needed to say it! Whew! This morning a coworker gave me the prettiest glass vase with a purple flower and a lady bug on it.....inside were Purple Iris'! BTW, purple is my favorite color! How sweet! Then my boss said that we are taking a late lunch and our office will be closed from 1:00 - 3:00! Yeah! Two-Hour paid lunch with a free meal at a good restaurant! Can't beat that! Not to mention today is pay-day! Oh yeah....the most important part...I lost 5lbs! I am sure it is just water weight but who cares! Today is a good day.....

Brian MIA: Letter From Training Center

I got my first contact from the training center today. I received a letter basically just saying he arrived safely and just told general information about boot camp. I was so excited to get the letter but I wish it were from Brian instead! I miss him so much! Hopefully, I will be getting a letter from him in the next couple of days. As promised....I will keep you updated!

What The HECK Is Wrong With Me!

I am going through MAJOR "missing my husband blues" today. Am I going to have to join some kind of HBCA? (Husband at Boot Camp Anonymous) Will this go away or will I be tortured for the next 46 days! (Yes I have counted!) The only way I can explain it ....it is like hot flashes.....one minute you are fine the next you are burning up. Well one minute I am fine and the next minute I am missing him like crazy. I promised him that I would write every night but I did not realize until now exactly how much we tell each other and how much we are involved in each others life. By the time he gets his first letter it will be like a novel! I just hope he is doing well.....I am sure he is fine but I just can't help to wonder. I have to hear these four things from my five (almost 6!) year old EVERYDAY. "Momma, when is daddy coming home?" "Momma, I miss daddy." "Momma, remember when daddy......" and "Momma, I bet daddy would like to do this." I sure hope the time flies by!

Weekend in a Wrap

Well the weekend was not as horrible as I had imagined it to be. I kept myself very busy in order to keep from missing my sweet hubby! After work Friday I went to a friends house to see her new baby nursery and then we took the kids out for ice cream. Afterwards, I went to my friend Jessica's house to help pick out paint for her living room. I then went home and crashed.....and actually slept late Saturday! I guess the week finally caught up with me! Saturday Jessica and I took our kids to the park for a picnic. Then we flew kites, ran a obstical course (that tired us adults out more than the kids) and then took the kids for ice cream. (As you can tell my daughter had a sugar rush all weekend!) It really was one of the most beautiful days this year! Saturday night I ate at a fish & chicken place with another friend and her family. (Cock of the Walk....funny name huh.) We had a wonderful time and the food was as good as usual. Baylee and I then came home and watched movies until we feel asleep and slept all night in the living room! Today we mainly sat around and watched TV. I did clean out the garage and wash a few clothes. My mom and my little brother came over and we went for a walk at this very peaceful Botanical Garden near my house. Afterwards, Baylee and I went grocery shopping and now I am getting ready to clean out the fridge and unpack the groceries. I just thought I would get a little writing in before bed. My daughter has been sleeping in my room with me since her daddy left but she is going to sleep in her own room tonight, so hopefully things will go well for both of us! This weekend was definitely bitter-sweet! Baylee has asked me at least twice a day when her daddy is coming home! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Brian MIA: I lied...

Okay I lied! That was not my last MIA post for awhile! I was checking my email right after my last post and I got this one from Brian at the USO. (If you don't know the USO is where the miliatary people go to "hang out" until their next flight or whatever.) It really touched me that he emailed me BUT made me feel so better! I will post the email even though he will hate me for it when he gets home! Oh well, I can deal with that!

To : tiffgarrett@hotmail.com
Subject : Hello From Philly

Hey baby,
I saw they had a computer with internet so I wanted to drop you and and everyone there a line. I hope no one misses me to much, and want you all to know I'll be fine. See you all on May 16. Love you all. Especially YOU and BAYLEE.

**One correction to his email - Actually I THINK they said his graduation will be May 14th and the 16th would be the day that we would fly home together.....BUT who cares at this point! I am just glad to hear from him and even more glad that he remembered my email address because he asks me AT LEAST once a week what it is!

Brian MIA: Sad Eyes

Well this will be my last Brian MIA (Missing In Action) update for awhile! If I could draw I would draw sad eyes because that is how I feel! Brian called me a moment ago to tell me that he made it to Philadelphia and that he was at the USO waiting on the bus to take him to Cape May, New Jersey. He said there was not really much to see this trip because it was dark but if I flew into Philadelphia that it seemed really pretty, at night anyway. He said the flight was fine and that he was just really tired. He definitely sounded that way! That really makes me sad! This has been very physically and emotionally draining on him. I will just pray, pray, pray for him! Then wish for God Speed on his first letter getting here because I miss him like crazy already! This too shall pass................boohoo!

Brian MIA: Sweetest Thing

I got an unexpected call from my husband! He was supposed to call me from Philly but called me from North Carolina and then he will call me from Philly, too! He said he missed me & Baylee already and used some pretty good logic with me. He said, "You know now that I am gone you are in a better situation because that means you are two hours closer to seeing me and when you go to bed tonight you will be one day closer to seeing me." YEAH! He is a sweetie! So I don't have my pouty face anymore.......even though there are still tears in my eyes at least I have a smile on my face!

Brian MIA: Not So Funny

Well I have been told by about 5 or 6 people in the past week how funny I am or how they like the "funny stuff" on the site.....well today I am not so funny. I am somewhat of a "Gloomy Gus"! The past two days have been two of the most emotionally draining days I have had in years. I won't get into ALL of it right now but basically it started out with me thinking I was going to be with my husband for a couple of hours why he swears in and finishes up paperwork. It ended up that I was with him most of the day (which actually consisted of me mostly sitting in a waiting room) and then Baylee and I got to eat dinner with Brian and walk him to his hotel room. He was devastated because he had to tell her good bye. No sooner did we get in the car did she ask about him. She slept with a bear that he gave her for Valentine's day and hugged/kissed it and said, "Good Night, Daddy. I love you." Of course, that got the tears rolling with me and when I told Brian about it this morning he had a few tears. We had about 22 phone calls yesterday but Brian would not let me answer the phone. We were both in the mood that yesterday and this morning we needed it to be about "us". We have been so busy doing stuff we forgot about "us" and he was really starting to feel the pressure of having to leave so he felt it was best not to add anymore stress. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE who was checking on Baylee and I. Brian really appreciates everyone that was trying to wish him well. I have seen the website and seen all of my emails but to be honest could not really respond at the moment. I am at least trying to hold it together while I am at work! His flight is in "transit" right now and he should arrive in North Carolina around 3:00. I know he will at least get to call me from Philadelphia when he gets there. I will give everyone an update when he gets there.I am so proud of him and I know he will do great I already miss him though! So in saying that.....I think I am just going to pout for the rest of the day....not because I am not happy for him BUT because I am sad for me!

Time Flys

Time flys not only when you are having fun BUT when you are not looking forward to something! I am feeling a little like this picture.....a SAD BABY! Brian found out that he will now have to stay in a hotel Monday night and I can't stay with him. That makes me sad because that is one day less that I will get to see him. WHICH means that Sunday night will be the last night we will be able to spend time together in our own house. ONLY THREE MORE NIGHTS....*sob**sob*. Thus far the game plan is to take him to the military recruit office Monday morning and then just play it by ear. I will know more later but as of now it seems like I won't get to go to the airport or anything with him. I guess that is to keep people from acting like fools when their "babies" leave! I made him laugh by telling him I would lay down on the floor and hug his leg and scream, "No!" like you see these crazy people do in movies! Ha! I just hope that this goes by fast, but unfortunately I don't think it will! He is not even gone yet and I miss him already!

Busy Week

This has been such a busy week! Monday night I ate out with some family members at one of my favorite resturaunts. (Kyoto's Japanese Steak House) It is one of those places where they cook your food right in front of you. It is YUMMY! The serving sizes are UNREAL! Every time I come out of there I feel like a stuffed cow! Tuesday night my daughter's grandparents came over to have a "play date" with her. Last night Brian, his mom, Baylee, Terry and I all ate at a new resturaunt in Flowood, Logan's Roadhouse. I thought the food was really good and the company was even better. I am so glad that my mother-in-law and I have such a good relationship now. She is a sweetie! Tonight Brian and I are going to the grand opening of "Headliners" (I mentioned this in an earlier post). I am SO tired but excited for the extra "fun" time I get to spend with Brian before he leaves. Tomorrow night we have to run around and do last minute errands before he goes out of town. Saturday night his dad's family is coming to see our new house and take us out to eat for Brian's "going away" party. Sunday afternoon will be interesting. It will kind of be a "come and go" gathering for any of Brian's friends and family who want to see him before he leaves. It has been a really good past couple of weeks and I have stayed busy which has kept my mind off of things but I do wish I would have had a little more alone time with him. Of course, anytime is special. I am just glad he has been having fun and had his mind off of things. I can imagine he is probably pretty nervous.

I know you are thinking....blah, blah, blah!!

How Sweet

Brian has his sweet moments but this one just got me. I was standing outside while he was working and he just started staring me down. I was like, "What??" He said, "Nothing. I was just trying to get a good picture of you to take to boot camp with me." Well, of course, I start crying like a big baby BUT come on .....who wouldn't! So I just had to add this for the world to see ......MY husband REALLY will miss me while he is gone! I guess absense does make the heart grow fonder!

*sniff*sniff*

Heart Attack...Nearly

Brian, my husband, has just nearly made me have a heart attack. He calls me and said Mark, his USCG recruiter, just offered him a position to go to Iraq. He told Brian that it would be more pay and he could get through school quicker. Basically, he would go to boot camp for two months, come home for a couple of weeks, go to school for nine weeks and then ship off to Iraq for 8 months! Ummm....hello.....I don't even know how I am going to make it for two months! I can't imagine going almost a year without seeing him! He, of course, turned it down for now and said he would consider it next year. (Yikes!) The reality of all of this is ......... there is ALWAYS a possibility of him having to go.......not just on a volunteer basis but because they make him. That will always weigh heavy in the back of my mind. I just have to remember that this is what he wants to do and I am VERY proud of him. It seems scary but I have to compare it to this.....would you really go to medical school and then never even practice medicine or deal with patients? More than likely you wouldn't so what he wants to do is protect his country so why get a job doing that and worry the whole time that you might actually have to do it?

USCG

My dear sweet husband is leaving in two weeks to go to USCG boot camp. Those who know me KNOW I will be a sobbing little baby! I don't know what I will do without my sweetheart for two whole months! I won't even get to hear his voice until the 5th week! BOOHOO!

Various people have had some questions about boot camp and what all it consists of. I am posting this site so you can check out what exactly Brian will be doing the next couple of months.

For the family and friends of Brian....several people have asked me about writing to him while he is gone. Since it takes so long to get mail and since he won't have time to respond to everyone individually we decided it would be best if you would send me the letter and I will send it to him when I send mine. I am SURE I will be sending him a letter AT LEAST once a week! *wink* Also, I will be updating via this website with any new information, letters or phone calls I get from Brian while he is gone!