Ode to the Corps - Or not?

Disclaimer: The following feelings are mine and mine alone so please don't be offended if you feel differently. This is not a gripe about others, but rather about a dispute between Mr. Marine and myself!

I love my Country. I love Mr. Marine. I stand behind our men and women in uniform.

That being said...I love my home and I love its modern design and unique artwork. If a picture is framed in something other than a sleek silver frame it bugs me to death! Hence the "discussion" that began the other night.

We have a lonely console table at the base of our stairwell and I was waiting to frame some of my fave pics and display them above said table with a vase of flowers displayed on the table.

Then Mr. Marine decides he wants to hang his 3 commissioning certificates there (in their nice antique frames). And put a huge 500 page Semper Fi book on the table. With his Company group pics from Boot Camp and OCS.

"You know, like a space for my Marine stuff," he explains

"No, you mean like some ate-up Ode to the Corps spot?" I laugh.

Now please don't misunderstand and think I hate the USMC; it just doesn't belong all over the house. If we had an office...it could go there. Or he could take it to his office once he takes over the XO position next year and gets his own space.

I have a very dear friend whose husband keeps all his gear in the garage and he changes before he ever walks in the door. She is very active in the OWC and works tirelessly for the Wounded Warriors, but she doesn't want the Marine Corps to take over the house and family as well. I agree. This job is all-encompassing. It does define us (ouch, that hurt to say). But I want a small piece of my life to be "normal" and that is my home. 

So I left the issue alone - for now - to avoid a fight. But I am putting my foot down on this one. I don't have USMC blankets strewn over my couch (though I do own one). I don't have Marine Officer paraphernalia in the house. I don't wear USMC shirts (at least not if I can help it). I don't tell time by the military clock. And I do not own a shirt that reads "I have one of the few," or "Sleep Safe. Sleep with a Marine." And I do not have a sticker on my car that reads, "Marine Wife - Toughest Job in the Corps" (though I wouldn't argue).

At the end of the day, I am not a Marine, I am married to one. I often have days I am angry with the USMC and I don't want to have to come home and feel like they own me too.

So...there will be no Ode to the Corps corner in mi casa. 

P.S. If you proudly display your husbands stuff, and the various objects they sell to represent the branch your husband serves in, you are the majority so don't be offended by my rant. Please. I know some very proud Marine wives who I have the privilege of being friends with who disagree with me on this. So in the end, I'm probably just being a b-atch and like a child, this is my way of showing my independence :) Hey, at least I'm not coming home with purple hair and a lip ring!

El Cap-i-tan...Mr. Marine Gets Promoted!

I am giggling with pride right now. I know I am not always a fan of the USMC, and God knows I can cuss them till I am blue in the face...but I can not be more proud of the men and women who serve this country, as well as the men and women who keep the home fires burning.

Today, my husband got promoted to Captain. And while I suspected he would, it was an honor when he asked me to pin his new rank on.

I wasn't there when he got promoted to 1st Lt. because he was deployed. So I was a bit nervous about everything today. They are all so big on tradition, and doing everything "exact" that I was sweating a little.

But the CO was sweet, told me what to do, and even told me, "After you pin the rank on, please feel free to show some affection. Embarrass him...we want you to."

Well of course, I wasn't going to embarrass Mr. Marine on his big day but I did give him a quick smooch and told him how proud I was of all he has accomplished.

Now I could make this a funny post, about how I pricked my finger and couldn't get the darn thing through the cardboard in the collar...but this post is about pride and my love for Mr. Marine...so I will keep my funny side out of it.

Here I am pinning the Capt. bars on Mr. Marine

Here is the quick "congrats" smooch. For you non-military readers...my hubs isn't standing like that because he can't stand being kissed...he just had to stand at attention the entire ceremony.

And here we are after. 

So stinkin' proud!

Is Texas the South? Or is it too great a state to be associated with other regions?

I must ask. Is Texas the South?

I ask because Mr. Marine and I got into quite the discussion last night. It happened when we went out for drinks with another couple. She (the other wife) is from the Midwest. He (the other husband) is from Mississippi. Mr. Marine is from Coastal Georgia and I am from Texas. 

I was simply noting that I am not a fanatic about Lilly. I do own one dress and I wore it to my rehearsal dinner. I do not like pastels. If you are going to give me pink, it better be Hot. I write on stationary, but it is monogrammed - not Lilly inspired.

As we are discussing this, the conversation rolls into the fact that I do not wear polo shirts. I own one and every.single.time I wear it, I ask my husband if I look "butch" in it. I never feel like myself in a polo shirt. My husband wears them and looks super hot...so I will stick to the flowing tops, dresses, stilettos, etc...and he can sport the pink Lacoste polo.

I was explaining how everyone in the south loves that stuff and this is what went down:

Mr. Marine: You aren't from the South. You're from Texas.

Me: What? Texas is the South

Mr. Marine: Noooo it isn't. Y'all wear cowboy boots and wranglers. 

Me: Technically, Lilly isn't Southern either. She is a Yankee!

Mr. Marine: Look babe. Texas isn't southern because....It is its own entity!

Me: You're right. We are better than the South! No one else is like us!

So I ask my blog readers...Is Texas part of the South, or is it too great a state to simply be grouped-in with other region comprising states?

P.S. He claims my fashion sense comes from my years in California (LA to be exact). He politely stated that people in Cali don't wear Lilly. Honestly, he is correct. My friends wouldn't be caught dead in a female version of a polo shirt. They sport dramatic colors, low cut tops and designer jeans...none of which are pastel!