I'm Back! My Year In Review

A year off from blogging - though I've continued reading all y'alls blogs - but I'm coming out from under the rock I've called home and rejoining the blogging world. Excited, aren't you?

I stopped blogging around my 30th birthday... so it's fitting I pick it back up just after my 31st! 

A year in photos...

November 2010

USMC Ball - St. Louis, MO

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December 2010

Mr. Marine playing golf at TPC Sawgrass - Ponte Vedra, FL

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January 2011

Lot's of fun in the snow - St. Louis, MO

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February 2011

Visiting our friend's arboretum in Indiana

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March 2011

Went home to Houston for the Rodeo. My nephew saved a dance for me!

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April 2011

Spring snow showers in St. Louis!

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May 2011

The USMC called and wanted Mr. Marine in VA, so we had to leave St. Louis

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May 2011 (again)

Mr. Marine & I celebrated our dear friends' wedding on our 5th anniversary!

Sea Island, GA

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June 2011

Too much fun with one of my favorites. Pure insanity when we're together!

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July 2011

Mr. Marine helped coordinate Marine Week in St. Louis, so I had fun while he was working!

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August 2011

Visiting Mr. Marine's family in St. Simons Island, GA between moves.

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September 2011

Washington Redskins game in our new home city!

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September 2011 (again)

Helping my coworkers buy for Spring 2012 at Coterie, NYC

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October 2011

Mr. Marine and I apple picking in Northern Virginia

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October 2011 (again)

Marine Corps Halloween Party - White Trash Theme

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My 31st Birthday!

Spent my 31st cheering watching Mr. Marine run a 10k...then cheered friends on as they ran the USMC Marathon!

Before I Turn 30 Goal :: Accomplished!

Beep Beep :: Beep Beep :: Beep Beep ::

:: We interrupt our originally scheduled post about my birthday extravaganza to bring you the following news ::

As most of you know, my 30th birthday is fast approaching. Depending on the day, I may be excited or curled in the fetal position in my bed unwilling to move or even wipe the streaming lines of mascara off my face. Today, I am up and moving, so it is a good day so far.

Awhile ago, I told Mr. Marine I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and accomplish something I never thought I could do. I wanted to do something I hate, but do it well and feel great after! Well, what does this girl hate more than being stabbed in the eye with a fork? Running!!!

So, I signed up, with a girlfriend of mine (who is also married to a Marine) and we decided, come hell or high water, we would finish a 10K! I know, most people start with 5K's, but I was on a deadline and didn't think 5K could be bragged about. However, I am also not one to jump on the "I ran a half" bandwagon...so a 10K was perfect for me.

Looking back, I should've blogged about my training since I went from 1/8 mile to 6.2 in ten weeks! But I didn't tell more than a handful of people I was doing this, due to my fear of disappointing myself even more if I couldn't accomplish it. 

Mr. Marine is my hero! He made me run when I didn't want to. He pushed me when I was screaming, "I'm going to die!" He gave me a high-five or a fist bump after every run, no matter how good or bad it was. He even made me run on my birthday trip (I was pissed).

Then, I changed running shoes and the store peeps didn't tell me not to run far in them until I had gotten used to them. So I ran 10 miles in 2 days. Two weeks before my big race, I couldn't walk and later found out why...I had severe tendonitis. I cried in the doctor's office because this was my "before 30" thing and now I would turn 30, never having run a race in my life! So he did what any good doctor would do...he numbed my foot and told me to have a good race and he would see me when the numbing wore off for further evaluation!!!

So, last Sunday, Mr. Marine (and our friends) crossed the line together! I was set to walk a bit, and be ok with that, given the foot injury and my inability to train due to it. I was about to puke on Sun, knowing before I hurt my foot, I had only gotten to 4 miles and had to walk part of that. There was no way I would be able to run 2 miles further when I hadn't run in weeks...However, this chickadee RAN THE WHOLE TIME!!!! I got in my rhythm and pounded the pavement for 1:06:42

I typically run a 10 minute pace, so this was a little slower but I don't normally run hills and there were a TON of hills! So, I am very pleased with this pace! And now, I am one of those people who runs for "fun"...not! I do enjoy running with Mr. Marine though, and that's why I do it now. It is uninterrupted time for us to chat, see new things, share experiences, etc... I still can't run alone. I can't decide if it is mental, or if i just don't like my own company :)

Here is a terrible pic of me before the race... I didn't get one after, though I can tell you what it would have looked like: DEATH! 

30th Birthday Road Trip Extravaganza: Stop 1

I swore I'd be a better blogger. I failed. No excuses (though I could find a million). Instead, I will brag on my amazing husband. Last year, he turned 30 and I surprised him with 30 gifts for each day of his birthday month, along with a trip that included surprise guests, a beach cottage (aka Party Central), chartered sailboats, golf, and an exclusive golf package at TPC Sawgrass (more on that later). So, this month is my 30th and I had no idea what to expect. Mr. Marine is terrible, let me repeat terrible, at surprises. I love them. So once I knew he was up to something, I didn't so much as mention my birthday for fear he would cave or let something slip. Then I saw on my work calendar that I was off for a week. 

I was told what the weather would be, and nothing else. So, I packed my entire wardrobe and shoe collection "just to be safe" and we headed west. 

Funny Conversation:

Mr. Marine: "Obviously, we are heading west. Do you have any idea where we are going?"

Me: "No. No clue."

Mr. Marine: "What's west of Missouri?"

Me: "Colorado." 

Mr. Marine: "That's waaaaay west. What's on the southwest corner of MO?"

Me: "Arizona?"

I have to be honest. I rocked geography in school. However, I was, and still am, under the impression the Midwest should just be lumped into one giant state. They really don't have much to offer independently and would be much more noteworthy as one large entity.

Anyways, after a good chuckle - ok, more like a rolling laugh that came from the depth of his belly - Mr. Marine told me stop #1 on my birthday trip was Oklahoma. Norman to be exact!

We adore college towns and this was one I never expected to have the opportunity to see, so I was ecstatic he was making a stop here! 

We checked in at the most darling B&B and got ready for a fun evening...

One thing Mr. Marine is big on is going for a run in a new city. He swears you see more on a run than anything else. So, we laced up our sneaks and headed for a 3 mile jog through the OU campus. While we were there we saw the Road Trip crew (a show we love since it tours college towns) and we were able to get a quick pic with them! 

They were there doing a segment on Norman and that's how Mr. Marine revealed stop #2 (to be revealed in my next post!)

The OU stadium. I am a Longhorn fan so I was tempted to spit my gum out on this field. But my mama taught me better!

This was a gorgeous campus and a beautiful city. The people were friendly - since I wasn't wearing burnt orange, nor were we driving my car with TX plates. We really enjoyed Norman.

After a great run, a few cold beers and a yummy dinner, I spied a frozen yogurt place. God, I love that stuff! Vanilla, raspberries, chocolate chips...delish!

On our way to stop #2, we stopped by a liquor store that had "Texas Sux" beer and on the bottom of the box it reads, "Stupid Texan, Open Other End." Not sure Oklahomans should be casting stones :)

If you have never driven through Oklahoma and North Texas...I am sorry, because that means you missed out on Robertson's. We stopped there, in the middle of nowhere and enjoyed the best damn ham sandwich I have EVER tasted. Period. Oh, and it was like $2. Oh, I also had sweet tea with crushed ice in a Styrofoam cup. A-Maze-Ing!!!!!

Now, get in your car and drive to the middle of nowhere and get you one! Go. Hurry!

Well, that there was stop #1. Next, I will tackle stop #2 which was probably one of the most amazing things I have experienced. It was a dream of mine and the fact that Mr. Marine planned it for my 30th birthday made it that much better!

End of Summer Happenings!!!

Once again, I am playing catch-up! Summer has been crazy busy but I can't complain since it has been loaded with fun memories, time with family and friends, uncontrollable laughter, happy tears, and talks about the future and all I have to look forward to! So, rather than bore y'all with a thousand words...we'll do a story via pictures!

Celebrated/Worked the Grand Opening of the women's boutique 

(We were previously men's only)

After hours (13 in stilettos, to be exact) all of us celebrated our successful event at a fabulous after party!

Mr. Marine and I grabbed some of our favorite people and went to see Sugarland in concert. We stopped by the Marine tent to say hello to the recruiters we know.

We went home to Houston, and while we were there we went furniture shopping. I begged to take home this chair!

We ate yummy Greek food at Niko Niko's.

Ummmm...gyros

I got to see one of my very best friends before she pops! I cried when we said goodbye. I always do. True friends are damn hard to find and I am lucky to have this girl in my life.

Before my bestie got knocked-up, we used to hit this bar up every time I went home. Mr. Marine had never been so we grabbed the rest of my family and we had a wild time at Cedar Creek! Oh how I love thee!

We actually got to use our season tickets to the Texans game. So we went with my parents and watched our Texans whoop the Cowboys!!! Woot Woot!

We enjoyed lots of this. Shiner, BBQ and Football? Nothin' makes this girl any happier than that combination! 

I will try to be better about posting. We have some rather large events coming up...I'm running (or trying to), I'm working a lot and loving my job and the ladies I work with, I'm gonna get busy again with Junior League, etc...

Oh, and did I mention Mr. Marine is sweeping me away and planning something for my big 3-0 in October? This man cannot keep a secret so I am more than thrilled he has kept this one! I'm so excited I can scream!!!!

Honest to Goodness Frienship

"Friends are like melons; shall I tell you why? To find one good you must one hundred try." 

-- Claude Mermet

Do you ever wish you could go back to when friendships were determined by who was nice to you that day? Or who was willing to trade their twinkie for your apple? To be honest, I have never been that person. I have never changed friends like some women. I have never been a friend of convenience. I have never been someone who trusts easily. I am not quick to push myself into another woman's circle of friends, nor am I quick to welcome people into mine. 

As I have moved through the various phases of life: grade school, high school, college, professional career and now military spouse, I have acquired many acquaintances but only a select group of friends. I remember my mom telling me as a child, "When you grow up, you will be lucky if you can count your number of true friends on 2 hands." She couldn't be more right.

As a Marine wife, I move every few years and with that comes the need to find new friends. I have become more open to meeting new people, but remain selective in those I truly consider friends. 

With age comes trials and tribulations. It is during these times, we discover the difference between friends and acquaintances. When my cousin died, I collapsed into my best friend's arms. When I had alcohol poisoning in college, my dear friend rode with me in the ambulance to the ER, thereby giving up her Halloween celebration. When I called off an engagement, my friends didn't judge; instead, they told me I was brave and they then stood beside me as I married the man I'd loved since I was 16 but had only seen a handful of times over the course of 10 years. When my parents have had health issues, my girlfriends have listened to me cry. When my husband deployed, a woman I had known for less than a year brought me wine and tissues, and when he came home she took pictures though her husband would remain overseas for another few months. 

No matter what has gone on, these women have never been "convenient" friends, or (as we call them in the military life) "deployment friends." No, they have been there when life isn't convenient. When it is 2am and they are sound asleep. When God makes me really mad and I just need someone. 

They are also there when I am rolling on the grass laughing so hard I wet my pants. They are there when I need a drink at noon. They are there to tell me turning 30 and still being childless is ok, and that I am not destined to be the cat lady. 

These select few are some of the bravest, most generous, caring, supportive, hysterical women I know, and I thank God every day for the friends that are here when life isn't convenient.

Thank you all for letting me watch your kids (though I am always more terrified than you or your child). Thank you for letting me share in your "I Do" moments. Thank you for knowing what I need, even when I don't. Thank you for everything. 

"A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." -Bernard Meltzer

Who Knew NOT Having a Baby Would Be This Hard on My Body?

Y'all must think after my last couple posts that I am a diagnosed Debbie Downer, so I promise this will be my last serious post for a while. I thought about not even posting this, but I could really use some advice from y'all.

As you may recall from a while back, I have been having trouble with steady weight gain (22lbs in two years to be exact) despite not changing my diet. In fact, I eat much healthier and work out more. Unfortunately, my weight continues to rise. I have fought with doctors about that symptom, among others, and have received little to no response. They finally ran some tests and for the most part, my thyroid is "normal" with a slight "abnormality" to my cortisol levels. They are running more tests but "don't expect my endocrine system to be the problem."

Well, what the hell is the problem? That, I don't know. But I began doing some research on the only foreign substance I put in my body...my Birth Control.

I take Yasmin and have for the previous 4 years. I was not on any bc before I got married. 

Now that I've been researching this drug, I'm almost convinced it might be my issue. Online forums and medication review sites have listed a number of what I assumed were thyroid symptoms as side effects of Yasmin: 

weight gain, loss of sex drive, mood swings, depression, hair thinning, shortness of breath, cramps in legs, anxiety, ginormous boobs, etc...

People who have taken this drug describe themselves as being "off" like they just weren't themselves and that's EXACTLY how I have felt for almost 2 years!  I just attributed it to moving (again), inability to find a job in new city, husband traveling a lot, and everyday stress. 

But something is most certainly NOT right. I am not the person my husband married, the girl my friends know and love, the happy go lucky sister/daughter my family loves. 

Im thinking of stopping the pill and letting my body get back to its natural state for a while but the sites also say getting off this pill will make me have terrible acne (though I never had acne growing up), it will make me bloated, etc.. I thought if you were going to have side effects from a bc pill, it would occur immediately, not 1.5-2 years into it.

Have any of y'all taken Yasmin? Suffered these side effects? Gotten off it? 

Dreaming of Home

"You leave home and you move on and you do the best you can
I got lost in this old world and forgot who I am
I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
This brokenness inside me might start healing"

Once again, it has been too long between posts but it seems life isn't willing to cut me a break right now! I'm sitting here, alone, resembling a raccoon with mascara running down my face as I listen to Miranda Lambert sing about going home. My parents just left after a week here and truthfully, it is always a waterworks show when my mom and I leave one another. However, my dad seems to have joined in as of late, which is really hard for me. My dad has always been a rock in our family, so for me to see him with tears in his eyes...well, it just kills me! 

However, this time I dropped my parents off at the airport and headed home to an empty house. Mr. Marine travels all the damn time now, which I am adapting to in my traditional fashion...get annoyed and barely communicate to avoid missing him. In NC, these "vacations" from my hubby didn't bother me. It was more time for wine and chick flicks with my best Marine wife friends. Now, they are nothing but a reminder that this place ain't home.

There is quite a bit going on in my life that I have no control over and it is making me want my mama. I know I signed up for this ride, but it doesn't make these days any easier. I'm not one to divulge personal information; In all honesty, I don't even tell Mr. Marine certain things until I blow up on him and he insists I tell him "what my deal is." When things are bothering me, I don't want you to hug me, ask me how I'm doing, or tell me everything will be ok...unless you are my mommy. I will be 30 in a few months and I still find the most comfort in putting my head in her lap and having her rub my hair. 

North Carolina felt like home to me, so even though it could never be Texas, it was a decent substitute. I was close enough to visit my in-laws, my family, and I had the company of some of my best friends. Well, no matter how much I want it to be...our current Midwest home just doesn't feel like home. 

Do any of my fellow mil wives get so homesick you just want to pack up, grab the dog and head home to friends, family and familiarities that make everything else ok? 

P.S. Tomorrow, I won't be so pity partyish...As my Mimi says, "I'm allowed one night. Then I have to pick myself up by my bootstraps and move along."