So here I am. I have finally succumbed to the online world of blogging. GASP! I suppose this was going to happen eventually but here I am at 3:00 am, wide awake with enough caffeine pulsing through my veins to propel a tank or some large flying object.
I guess the best way to begin this blog would be for me to give a background of my life...my Life is an Interesting Fairytale.
It all began for me back in November 1998. I was a senior in high school on the accelerated graduation program about to graduate in December and begin college. Little did I know that the "computer geek" in my mandatory computer class would become the love of my life. I walked in on one cold November day to a computer class that I was sure would be nothing but boredom. I knew how to use a computer and desktop publishing was a breeze. I take my seat and look to my left at this student assistant in an ROTC uniform and my heart melted. Never in my life did I think I would be attracted to the "uniform" type but being the daughter to two ex-military parents, it was inevitable. What seemed like an instant crush turned into so much more. I went home that night and told my mom about this really cute guy and was just gushing over every detail. Little did I know that my mom KNEW him and his mother and had for about 10 years prior to this encounter. I did not know what to say to this boy as I was not the one to date. I played sports and went to school and was the homebody type. I never really wanted any part of "that"scene as it was just not me. My mom, in her infinite wisdom, told me to ask this boy, "hey, does your mom still call you Kenny?" Now those who know my husband know his name is John but in his family, everyone was named "John" so they went by middle names, Kenneth (AKA Kenny). So I get up the nerve to ask and his reply was, "well, my name is John but my mom calls me Ken. How did you know that? Wait, your mom is that sub-lady isn't she." Ah yes, my mom was a substitute teacher and was that lady. That was the end of the conversation. I just knew I blew it BAD. Lucky for me, and it being high school, a good friend of his that he worked with was my lab partner in computer class. This poor guy ran through hoops to get John to notice me. I found out that John was a bit like me. He was the homebody type and he played those nerdy card games that separate the boys in high school from the have and have nots. I was totally cool with having the D&D boy. One day, I got up the nerve to call him and ask him to a movie. Sadly, he was not home so I left a message. John, not really knowing who I was, called me back. So I asked him in my nervousness and he said YES. Holy buckets, I was so excited and scared. His car was not working at the time but mine was so I went to pick him up and we went to a movie and then to the local DQ close to his house. Oddly enough the movie was ok but it was the stop for ice cream that just sealed it for us. He had a butter pecan blizzard and I had a mint chocolate chip ice cream. We talked for a long time and got LOCKED IN the DQ. They closed and forgot to see if people were there. That was it for us. We were now locked into a fairytale life...our life. John and I never shared a first kiss until a month of us becoming inseperable. He took me out to a fancy dinner one night and I wore a cute dress. Little did I know that it was going to be cold out. After the dinner, I had to change clothes into something warmer. It was when we went to the park and after we rode the swings that we both finally got up the courage to have our first of what would be many kisses. I can still remember that evening fondly in my heart.
The months rolled on and we were a pair. Where you saw one, you saw the other. I was out of school and going to community college in our town and he was still in high school. He gained instant popularity amongst his friends because he was "dating a college chick". Graduation day came in May and a few days later, John was gone to basic training. At the time, I was an emotional wreck. I was 18, he was 17. He was leaving me and I was none too happy.
That summer DRAGGED on. I worked my cheezy summer job until it was time to go to school that August. I was an adult and it was time for me to leave the nest. I packed up all my things and my parents, my sister and I made the 3 hour journey from my home, the only home I knew, to the dorm in San Angelo. I started school and made good grades. I worked my job there to afford school but all the the while, my heart yearned for John. He was still at Fort Knox in training.
Finally, I got a call one day and it was John. It was Family Day at Fort Knox and he was calling to tell me that he got hometown recruitment for a month and that he would be there the next to see me and spend the weekend with me. I was so excited. That first weekend in October 1999 was all I could think about. I wanted to see my now soldier and hear his voice. Again, I was a wreck. My roommate was not amused. This is a town where there is nothing to do with the military as its in the middle of the oil fields of West Texas. The moment arrives when he finally gets to me. He walks into the Girls ONLY dorm and asks for me. They call me down and in slow motion, I come around the corner to see my boyfriend...decked out head to toe in his military uniform. 14 months later he would be wearing the same uniform for our wedding day. We went outside to his rental car and he began to rifle through his bags. I just knew he was about to propose but he did not. He wanted to give me something though...his military class ring. Even though he did not propose, he still put it on my left ring finger. It wasn't until a few weeks later when he came to visit me for another weekend that my life would change forever.
A few weeks later, my parents came to bring me my car. I really needed it but they wanted me to prove myself as an adult before letting me have it so far away from home. That same day, John came to visit for the weekend so he could show me his new-used truck that he bought. We had a great time with my parents and ate a nice meal. It was on the way home that my dad told my (who later told me), "that boy is going to ask her to marry him this weekend. You can see it in his eyes." Lo and behold, he did! Because I was a poor college student and John was just a PFC in the Army, we decided to use his Army ring as my engagement ring but neither of us were to tell anyone until Christmas came.
Christmas 1999 came. John came home from Fort Carson to see me. I was at my parents and he was at his. We spent every waking moment together. Again, we went out with the family and John sat on an opposite end of the table from my dad. He wanted to ask my dad to marry me but wanted to do it in a public place so no blood would be shed. Yes, John was scared to death of my dad at the age of 18. He could not get the courage and my sister knew that he asked me so here goes my sister who blurts out, "hey, he wants to marry her and asked and she said yes. So they're gettin' married." Oddly enough, everyone was elated and plans began to hatch. Of course John's mom was happy and she asked what he was doing about a ring for me. He had nothing. She went to her jewelry box and pulled out her great grandmother's engagement ring and said to John, "give this to her. She will LOVE it." He took it to get it sized and put it on my finger. I was indeed, on my way to becoming his wife.
12 months later, I was married to John. He had one deployment under his belt and I was a senior about to graduate from college. I moved all my things to Colorado in the apartment that he picked out for us. We began living together as man and wife 6 months after we got married (he had school, training and NTC and I had to graduate). 3 months later, I was pregnant with our first child, Michael. July 4, 2002, Michael was born. He's been a firecracker since the get go.
Less than a year later, John deployed to Iraq for the first time. Little did I know that it would not be his last. He returned in late 2003 when I got pregnant once again. This baby did not stick. I was a school teacher under a lot of stress and he was about to deploy again and it was just too much I suppose. 9 months to the day that we lost baby 2, I became pregnant once again with Morgan. John deployed to Iraq a second time and I founf out I was pregnant the day his boots hit the ground in Kuwait. I did that pregnancy on my own. John had his R&R when Morgan was due and was able to see her come into this world. He left a few days later leaving me to figure out how to care for a 3 year old child, a newborn and go back to work. He came home in December 2005 but by June 2006, he was gone again in support of OEF in the Sinai Peninsula. January 2007 came around and John was finally home but was gone again by February for school and would return in July. August 2007 was when we PCSd to Fort Campbell and have been since. Upon arriving, John was set to deploy to Afghanistan in January 2008. He arrived home on Christmas Eve, one day after our 8th anniversary and one day before Christmas. Indeed, I got the best Christmas present ever...my husband!
Fast forward 9 months and here we are. I work in childcare, take care of my two children who are just too grown for their own good and take care of my husband who has always been the love of my life.
My fairytale has had a few bumps in the road and a few hiccups but by in large, I have gotten my happily ever after. I have two of the most wonderful children ever and a husband who adores them and me. What more could a person ask for in a world full of destruction and hate?
