Brian MIA: Letter Two

Yeah! I just got another letter from Brian! How cool is that!! I am so excited and I feel 100% (well 99%) better after reading it! He also wrote Baylee a birthday card! She is going to be estatic! He said alot of really good things that mean the world to me! I am really beginning to think that this is a good thing for us. I think it has made both of us appreciate what we have more. I will leave out the "mushy" stuff for his sake but this is all he really had to say about boot camp.....

Turns out the recruiters were right, we have a bunch of little punks that don't know how to act so we get alot of EXTRA TRAINING!! But things seem to be slowly coming togehter. Camp is really not that hard. You just do what you are told and act like an adult and everything is straight. The IT (initiative training) is the hardest part. That is what they use to motivate us. I am a squad leader so everyone comes to me or one of 4 other people with problems. It kind of sucks 'cause its like fighting a never ending battle to get these people to shut up........(add in other "stuff" here).....I've been yelled at a coule of times. Twice for cussing, once for looking at an officer while he was talking to me "you don't eyeball them", and then for responding to "carry on" you don't do that either. Just little minor stuff I should have been paying attention to.....(add in othere "stuff" here)......we start running today, no sweat though I've been taking a spinning class, we lift weights, we run, we do calistentics or however you spell it.......(add some really sweet stuff here about me and Baylee)...Well I hate to quit writing but I have to shine mine and my shipmates boots. He irons my uniforms and I shine his boots.....(finishes off with some really sweet things)

I think I will be sleeping with this under my pillow tonight.......I hope I have really sweet dreams!

BUNCO! Brian and Me!

Tonight is my bunco night. We play the second Thursday of every month. We have such a great group of girls! It is my favorite night out! (Just about only night out!) So wish me luck in winning the big bucks!

My mom is going to pick up Baylee for me and I am going to run home to see if I got mail from Brian and let the dogs out! (Who let the dogs out?!?) Brian can write letters on Sundays so I look for them anytime between Thursday and Saturday. Pathetic.....I know! I am ready to hear from him again! Especially, after today. My daughters grandmother brought some pictures to me that she took around Christmas. Two of Brian helping clean her house and two of us at Christmas. AWWWWW.......makes me so sad! I will live! Not TOO much longer now!

Going Thru 7 States To See My Baby!

I am so excited about going to Brian's graduation! (Yes, I know.....it is a month away!) The only problem is that I won't know until I am already there what flight he will be on coming back. I, also, won't know if he has to leave that day or if he can stay a couple. I do know that if they don't take the flight they have been given they have to pay for their own way back. We are doing good to be able to afford a plane ticket for me to go up! The problem is I can't hardly book a flight without knowing his information. First of all, we won't even get to be on the same flight coming home. Second of all, what if I scheduled mine to come home Sunday and he has to leave Friday? There would always be a possibility that I won't be able to move up my flight and I would be stuck in New Jersey for TWO days without my husband. (Which would be pointless!) So I decided that I am going to take the LONG 19 hour drive. I will actually get to go to states I have never been to before and I love "road" trips so this may be good for me. Then on the way home Brian and I will get 19 undisturbed hours together! Plus, he LOVES road trips and we would probably go through Washington coming home so we could both see the sites and/or just to say we have been there!

Friend OR Foe

I had a really good friend from Junior High, High School and I guess you would say "adult" life. We were so close we more often than not got called sisters. She had a boyfriend turned fiance that broke up with her over email and moved hours away over night. In the meantime she found out she was pregnant and she asked me to call him and tell him. They then decided to get back together and get married. I, of course, was the maid of honor. (Fast forward about two years.) I got two anonymous calls from a guy who was asking me to "do things" with him. The guy eventually fessed up to be her husband and somewhat made a joke out of the calls then asked me a couple of very personal questions. This made me uncomfortable and to make matters worse before he got off of the phone he said, "Don't tell her I called you. You know how she is." That made me feel even worse. A co-worker and my husband were each present during the calls. My husband was furious. (For obvious reasons!) I felt horrible and felt that I really needed to tell her and my husband wanted me to because he was so mad. The thing is she caught him lying and flirting on many occasions when he did not know she was around so this was not the first time he had done something shady. So I tried and tried to tell her but I never could. I finally wrote her a letter and that was three years ago. I tried on many, many occasions to contact her but she never responded. I did admit in a letter to her and of couse I am admitting now that maybe I should have told her in person. I don't think that would have changed things and I know she must have been going through a tough time especially since at the time she was going through her second pregnancy. I know that sometimes my words can "hurt" and I am trying my best to work on that but I still don't think it is fair that I was "punished" for something I did not do. If nothing else she could have at least written me and said, "Don't ever talk to me again!" I got nothing. It was as if she was "dead" to me and I went through a very long "grieving" period. Just last week at work I came across a letter that I had written her and figured, "Why do I even try." I then proceeded to rip up the letter and "write off" our friendship. The strange thing is this past Saturday I got a letter from her. Remember this is the first time she has contacted me in THREE years. I was not as excited as I thought I would be. I guess because like I said before I had just "written her off". I think I was mad because I was finally getting over things and all of a sudden she thinks she just pop back in my life like nothing happened. The letter was real short and sweet. She just asked how we all were and just gave me some details on her family. I thought about it all weekend and decided I would write back. I answered all of her questions and then very politely asked what changed and why did she write me. I then asked if we were ever going to have "some kind of" relationship again. In closing, I told her that if we don't talk again that I was very happy she wrote me, glad they were doing well and best wishes in life!

Mom Job Description

POSITION: Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Ma

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often
chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and
organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will
include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some
overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on
rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel
expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also,
must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero
to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the
backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face
stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously
sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain
calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have
ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and
mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an
embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always
hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete
accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also
include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:

Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years,
without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that
those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually
exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:

Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon
payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will
help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them
whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:

While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement,
no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies
limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you
play your cards right.

Brian MIA: We Just Got A Letter!

Yeah! My hubby just wrote us a letter! It really doesn't say much but short and sweet if okay with me! I am just so excited to hear from him! He said the hardest part was missing us and that made me feel so good! It has been a long two weeks with everything that has been going on. As far as, boot camp this is all he really had to say:

I don't have much time to write, but everything is going pretty good. The company commanders are pretty tough, but they are fair. As long as we listen we don't get in trouble. If several people screw up we all do exercises. It's not too bad. (He fills in this part with sweet stuff to me and Baylee...then he finishes with..) Well it's about time to line up so I will write again next Sunday, that's the only time we get to write. (He then of course finishes with his sweet ending)

Baylee is so excited! She has ran all over the house saying, "We got a letter from daddy! We got a letter from daddy!" Then she ran and got all of her markers and a notebook and said I have to write him back right now so that he will write us back! I knew she would miss him, but I did not realize exactly how much of a daddy's girl she was!

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.....

For Those That Can Relate...and Those That Can't!

1. If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it will always be yours. If it doesn't come back, it was never yours to begin with. But, if it just sits in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your telephone, takes your money, and doesn't appear to realize that you had set it free....... You either married it or gave birth to it.

2. Reason to smile: Every 7 minutes of every day, someone in an aerobics class pulls a hamstring.

3. They keep telling us to get in touch with our bodies. Mine isn't all that communicative but I heard from it the other day after I said, "Body, how'd you like to go to the six o'clock class in vigorous toning?" Clear as a bell my body said, "Listen fatty....do it and die."

4. My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.

5. The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

6. The nice part about living in a small town: When you don't know what you're doing, someone else always does.

7. Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.

8. Amazing! ! You hang something in your closet for a while and it shrinks two sizes!

9. Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I regain consciousness.

10. I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That's my idea of a perfect day.

Water...Ugh

Why is it so hard to drink water. I mean it is just water! It is like the more I try to drink it the less I want it. It is very important to have plenty of water and it has lots of good side effects ........BUT WHY CAN'T I DRINK IT! I have tried and tried but I fail every time. It is not that I don't drink it, it is the fact that I don't drink enough. To make matters worse when I try to cut back on drinking anything but water I end up going just about all day without drinking anything....just to keep from drinking water! Crazy.....

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!

Daily Devotional

True peace only comes from the Prince of Peace.
Peace does not mean that everything around you is calm and tranquil; true peace means that you are able to remain peaceful during the storms of life.

But this peace, which the Bible promises is available to believers, can only come from God. Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace" (John 16:33). In other words, Jesus came so that you could have peace.

Paul tells us, in Philippians 4:6-7, that we can have peace if we don't become anxious about life but instead give our worries to God: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Hand over all of your problems to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, and He will give you a peace that passes understanding -- a peace that is beyond comprehension.

Things Frequent Flyers Experience

1. No flight ever leaves on time unless you are running late and need the delay to make the flight.

2.If you are running late for a flight, it will depart from the farthest gate within the terminal.

3.If you arrive very early for a flight, it inevitably will be delayed.

4.Flights never leave from Gate #1 at any terminal in the world.

5.If you must work on your flight, you will experience turbulence as soon as you touch pen to paper.

6.If you are assigned a middle seat, you can determine who has the seats on the aisle and the window while you are still in the boarding area. Just look for the two largest passengers.

7.Only passengers seated in window seats ever have to get up to go to the lavatory.

8.The crying baby on board your flight is always seated next to you.

9.Guys, the best-looking woman on your flight is never seated next to you.

10.The less carry-on luggage space available on an aircraft, the more carry-on luggage passengers will bring aboard.