Deployment Positive Thursday- Week 46

(slightly delayed due to the craziest work-day ever yesterday)

Well lookie there....

Its finally that time of year where it's socially acceptable to countdown to something!

I've been waiting since MAY to hang this sucker (can you guess where I got it? Hint: It's the happiest place on earth!)

And, as I hung the first ornament on my wonderful advent calendar, I also did a small victory dance for having started our last full month of this deployment. Yep, you heard that right: Andrew will be home next month. I think I'm more excited for this advent calendar to be over than for any other countdown ever in my life. We are so close, 2011 is almost over and then just a few more wake-ups until I see my soldier!



Where are you, Christmas?

With Thanksgiving officially behind us, it's time to roll out the Santa carpets, put up the tree, string the lights, and generally make the house look Christmasy. Woo! My favorite time of year.

But it just doesn't feel right this year.

For the past 316 days (not that anyone is counting), I have been looking forward to the Christmas Season. It was a sign that the last month of deployment is coming and this whole year will eventually end.

But now that the "Christmas Season" is actually here, something is just not right. It doesn't seem like Christmas. At all.

It could have something to do with the fact that (other than that freak Halloween Snow Storm) we haven't seen any snow, or temperatures even remotely resembling "cold", but I'm not entirely convinced that's it. Being a New Englander, we almost always have snow accumulated on or before Turkey Day (and that snow will basically cover the ground until March or April), so not even a threat of snow at this point feels a little weird to me. At least if it was cold, I might feel a little more Christmasy, but it was sixty degrees today! Do you know how funny Christmas Wreaths and ribbons on shopping plazas look when you wear capris and a short sleeve blouse to work? Absolutely ridiculous! This isn't Florida, people... last time I checked Pennsylvania is still a part of the North East! Let's see some snow!

I guess I always pictured this part of the year snow covered and blistering cold, like it was when Andrew left. To me, when the weather got back to where it was when he left, it would mean he was returning to me soon. Two nights before X Day, we rode the motorcycle to the Sushi Restaurant down the street. A ten minute drive in 27 degree weather, even with millions of layers on, will absolutely chill any human being to their very core. Where is that blistering cold weather? I want it now... give me a sign that my soldier is coming home soon!

So yes, I'm disappointed that I'm not freezing my tooshie off right now, but part of this lack of Christmas feeling, is my heart feeling so wrong about celebrating Christmas without Andrew. Thanksgiving, Easter, Veterans' Day, Fourth of July all felt a little empty, but Christmas is Christmas. You're supposed to be with the ones you love. Getting excited about not spending Christmas with Andrew feels like getting excited to ride a roller coaster alone, or go on vacation alone, or play Monopoly Deal alone... It's just not right.

I'm working on it though. I decided I don't want to be like Charlie Brown this year.

So I asked myself, how did Charlie Brown get out of his Christmas funk? He asked "Isn't there anybody who can tell me what Christmas is all about?" and Linus and his blanket told him the story of Christmas.

Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. 

Lights, please.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'

 That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown. 

I can hear exactly how Linus says it. 

So, I decided to enrich myself this holiday season. If the story of Christmas can make Charlie Brown feel better, surely it can help me. I found a Bible reading plan app on my iPhone that tells me key passages in The Bible to read each night. The one I chose picks passages about the prophesy of the Messiah coming as well as the birth and life of Jesus Christ. I'm on day two, and I can feel myself relaxing as I read my passages each night. It's almost like I can feel a peace passing over me. So I know, that slowly but surely, I will come to celebrate this joyous season. 

And one of the most calm feelings I got was last night, when I turned to the inside cover of my bible and read :

To Kristina, Love Mom Dolan

January 16, 2010

Mom gave me this bible exactly 365 days before Andrew deployed. If that doesn't give me peace, I don't know what will.

Deployment Positive Thursday- Week 45

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Today, I am thankful for so much in my life, but mindful of those who are not celebrating with us... especially that empty seat at my table.

I wanted to share these pictures of the Comanche Thanksgiving Fest (which came after a pretty long mission for Andrew). What are the soldiers thankful for? No corn dogs or MRE's today!

 There is Andrew all the way on the right, on the far side of the table!

And here is a better look at the amazing turkey day spread at the COP. 

Giving Thanks

I saw this posted online today and wanted to share it in lieu of my DPT this week just incase I don't get around to posting on Turkey Day.

Dear deployed service member:

Last night, I packed my suitcase for a trip to see my family. The last time you packed your bags, it was for a yearlong trip away from yours.

We’ll soon crowd into our car and head to my parents’ house at the shore. You’ll step into a Humvee and convoy through a combat zone.

Tomorrow I’ll sit down for a Thanksgiving feast at a table surrounded by my loved ones. You’ll join your battle buddies in a dining facility.

At night, I’ll lay my son down in his bed for the night. You’ll lay down your rifle to catch some sleep in between missions.

I’ll check on my children one last time before I head to bed. You’ll blow a kiss to yours through a computer screen.

This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for your service. For being among the 1 percent of Americans willing to part from your family for up to a year and put yourself in harm’s way for me and my family.

Even though you’re thousands of miles away, rest assured your sacrifices don’t go unnoticed. It’s my family’s tradition to say what we’re thankful for at our holiday dinner. This year, I’ll be sure to say how thankful I am for you.

Enjoy the holiday, everyone! And please don't take for granted the gift of spending this All-American day with those closest to you.

I miss you, Andrew. Only a few weeks til we are together again and can start traditions of our own. A few. More. Weeks. Wow!

A Little Place Like Kokomo...

Since Andrew has returned to the sandbox, the best way to put a smile on my face is to look through our pictures from the most wonderful 5 days of the entire year... our trip to paradise.

Andrew and I visited Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic for a little getaway while he was home for Midtour Leave. It was simply P-E-R-F-E-C-T. There is no way for me to explain how amazing it felt to sit on the beach, reading our kindles, drinks in hand and have not a single worry in the world. For the first time in a long, long time I was completely, totally 100% happy. We had no schedule, no watches, no where to go and nobody to answer to. I guess you could say we were quite smitten with ourselves and our decision to take this vacation.

Our view from the room!

 Tiki Hut where we got a moonlight massage on the beach

Good-bye Paradise... until next time :)

We sure do miss our mojito's on the beach, maybe someday we'll venture to paradise again!

For now, as the holidays (rapidly) approach, I'll be busy fast forwarding every clock and calendar I possibly can to get through these next few weeks of "joy and happiness on earth" until my soldier is back home safely in my arms again.