Week 2 - Day 5

I GOT MY HUSBAND'S LETTERS AND ADDRESS YESTERDAY!!!!  I think the last time I was this excited about getting a letter it was during college acceptance season my senior year of high school.  I was on the phone with my Mom and I squealed as soon as I saw all FIVE letters for me.  It was a magical moment.

The first letter I opened was from the army telling me what his address was and his unit, etc.  The rest were all from his first week there, and I cried so much reading every word.  It made me miss him so much more, but I'm so HAPPY he can finally start getting mail.  I restrained myself and mailed 5 of my letters and 1 card.  I'll send more each day, it took even more restraint not to just send the whole pile of mail in an envelope 1st class overnight.

It was bittersweet hearing about my soldier's experiences, I'm pretty sure my favorite part of the letters was hearing that his Drill Sergeant's nickname for him is "Tenor."  Innocuous, and yet not, haha.  The Drill Sergeant also made him sing for everyone after learning his MOS, his comments about the experience were, "you can guess how that went!"  Which means he pulled the Star Spangled Banner trick.  When the Star Spangled Banner is sung, all military company must salute for the entire time, even if it's sung really... really... really... slowly.  Go Hubby!  I'm glad he's sharing his fears with me about the experience, it keeps up connected in important ways.

After my letter bliss, I sat down and "enjoyed" the Sound of Music Live.  Suffice to say, it was okay, Audra McDonald completely stole the show.  The rest was meh.  I cooked myself a little dinner and relaxed while writing more letters.

This was such a perfect day and unfortunately it was ruined by some family drama which I don't want to go in to in detail because it's actually not important at all.  Suffice to say, I wish I was an only child and am not so confused as to why my digestive system is in the crapper (no pun intended) with all the external stress.  It's so hard to let go when you see the people you love making the wrong choices, but sometimes, for your own health and sanity, you must let them make those decisions.  I am definitely guilty of being a  meddler and not filtering what I say, and I need to stop and focus on my own life.

Hopefully, I will get a little bit of relief from the drama over the holidays, even if it means spending them somewhere else.  I've been accused of having a bad attitude and being negative, but part of that has to do with being around negative situations.  I need a break from it, I don't have time for, not when my solider and I are working so hard for our future.

1) Get a Christmas Tree - going tomorrow
2) Decorate mantel shelf
3) Go see the Nutcracker Ballet - going 12/8
4) Attend a Christmas tree lighting ceremony
5) See the Macy's Center Light Show and the Comcast Holiday Spectacular
6) Visit the Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum - going tomorrow!
7) See A Christmas Carol at Walnut Street Theater (I bought tickets for us 12/21, shh don't tell him it's a surprise!!)
8) Make a Christmas ornament wreath 
9) Sit by the fire and drink hot chocolate
10) Sing Christmas Carols - Singing in a holiday concert (with my husband) on 12/22
11) Volunteer and donate - donating a toy for tot
12) Finish my Christmas shopping/wrapping before husband gets home
13) Bake Christmas cookies - in two weeks! - got my cookie press yesterday, almost there!
14) Go ice-skating (including getting my ice skates sharpened)
15) Make a gingerbread house - 12/14 :-)

Week 2 - Day 4

T-minus 14 days until my husband comes home!!  We are more than halfway there... wooooahhh we're halfway there, woaaaaaoh livin' on a prayer... okay I'm done, I promise.  It's crazy though, the limited contact, it's messing with me.  I keep looking at my wedding pictures and my ring and thinking, "I know this happened, but did it?"  It all feels a little like a dream in someways.  It's bizarre.

The good news is, I am having a BALL planning all kinds of fun activities for us to do when he gets home.  For example, I know that one of the first things my husband will want to do when he gets home is... no get your mind out of the gutter... go see the Hobbit Part 2.  So that's what we are going to do Friday and some kind of restaurant, I'm thinking Ruby's for burgers and milkshakes.

Serious time, I'm going to admit something to you all, because I feel like we're gotten close and I can share things with you.  I'm kind of nervous to see Adam again.  Don't get me wrong, I'm excited, but I'm pretty much the same person he'll be coming back to, plus or minus a gastric disorder.  I've pretty much had to lay off the diet/exercise concept until I get seen by a doctor, so those goals are shot.  I know he'll be happy to see me, but he's going to come back half a soldier.  He's learned so much by this point, is probably in the best shape of his life, and has something to be extremely proud of.  I am thrilled he has all this, but I hope it doesn't make me feel less about myself.  Yes, this is a stupid irrational fear, but there it is.

Plus he's going to look scary without hair... I might need to get him a wig.  Although, I can then refer to him as Gollum as a new pet name... hmmm... maybe this will be fun.

Another day in the life of a low-residue diet, and I had to throw out 2/3 of my lunch.  Stupid pre-prepared tuna with icky carrot and celery bits and WHEAT crackers.. ERG.  Honestly, I may lose weight just trying to do this damn regime.  Exercise is definitely out though considering every time I take the stair I run the risk of getting a headache.

Still no news on the letter front, no address, no unit, no nothing.  According to the website I should except this information 10-14 from "my soldier's ship date" so Thanksgiving messed everything up so hopefully I will get this info today or tomorrow.  I feel bad because he's going through this alone and not getting any mail.  Even though it's partially his fault for not just giving me his address when he called like he was supposed to.

On tonight's agenda is watching the Sound of Music, LIVE!  I really wish I could drink alcohol while watching this... hopefully it's enjoyable.