A Look Back at 2009

2009 has been an interesting year.

We started the year looking at 4 months until Jon left for his year long deployment to Iraq. We really had to think about what was ahead of us for the year. January also began the never ending pre-deployment drill weeks, weekends and eventually a month and a half. I guess you can say that this time was preparing us for the separation. January was a busy month for us.

February was an even busier month. Pastors' Conference was this month - I worked A LOT during this time. Jon was gone during the week of PC for drill (of course) so Jack spent a lot of time with my mom and sister. We moved one month closer to deployment day. We also started planning our vacation for right before Jon left.

March was even crazier than the first two months of the year. Jon had drill from March 15th until April 20th. It was a crazy busy month with work and trying to juggle everything with Jack. Jack started daycare at the first part of March.

April - one month until "D" day. Since Jon was gone during almost all of April it meant that he was not here for the Passion Play. I worked double the hours that I worked during Pastors' Conference. Sometimes I didn't leave until 2 am and was back the next day at 7 am. Once Jon got home we were getting ready for a much needed vacation. We took Jack to Sea World and Disney World for 5 days. It was the best time for the 3 of us. Jack really enjoyed everything.

Then there was the month of May, to start the month off I celebrated my 26th birthday and then Jon and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. After that we had to begin packing all of Jon's stuff so that it could be ready to go to Tallahassee with Jon when he went. It was getting harder and harder for us to be apart. The month went by too quickly - Jon had to be in Tallahassee on the 23rd. The state held a very nice ceremony for his unit at the State Capital with the Governor. The 23rd also began the countdown for when he comes home.

June - the first full month of the deployment but it was also when I got to go to Chicago to see Jon. I was so excited to go. Number 1 - I have always wanted to go to Chicago. Number 2 - I am a HUGE Cubs fan and found out that we would be able to take a tour of Wrigley Field. I wanted to go to a game - they were playing the White Sox at the new field of the White Sox but the series was sold out so I got the next best thing. Number 3 - I was going to get to spend the whole weekend with Jon!!!! Sadly it was the last weekend before he left to go overseas. We had a great time and I was sad to come home.

July - my little munchkin turned 2. I can't believe how fast he is growing up. Jon left to go overseas. He flew from Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin to Shannon, Ireland. From Shannon, Ireland to Kuwait. He spent a few weeks in Kuwait and then left for Iraq.

August - was a quiet month. Jon was in full swing in Iraq. We were able to talk to him on Skype and see how he looked. Jack thought that it was awesome to talk and see his dad on the computer.

September and October were quiet months as well. Jack and I finally settled into a groove of working together as a team. In October, I took Jack trick-or-treating for the first time. He LOVED it - he was Thomas the train.

November began the busy holiday season. It was a very happy time but it was also a very sad time because Jon was not here. Thanksgiving was fantastic and it was good to spend that time with my family.

December has been great. Christmas was fun - Jack was fun this year. He really liked opening his presents. Jon was able to call on Skype and watch Jack open his presents.

2010 is going to be a great year. Happy New Year!!!!

Christmas 2009

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas day. I know that we sure did. My mom, stepdad, sister and brother in law all showed up at my house at 6 am. We decided to open presents at that early of a time so that Jon could call and see Jack open his gifts. I hadn't talked to him in 3 days so I really was hoping that he would get to call and see Jack. Well he did call and it was so good to talk to him. Yesterday was a happy and sad day all in one.

I was a bad mom and didn't get any pictures because I was too busy trying to make sure that Jon could see and hear Jack open his presents. I wish that you all could see Jon's face while he was watching Jack. I could tell that he was happy to see him opening his gifts but he was also sad that he was not here to experience it firsthand. All I could think was that in 5 months he would be home and we could celebrate everything together.

For now~

Moving Closer to Coming Home

Yesterday marked 5 months until Jon comes home. I am so excited!!!! I am also a little sad because he is not going to be home for Christmas. It is just not the same without him here.

On a happier note...

I don't know how many of you know that I currently hold a Class E license in the state of Florida for coaching soccer. I am also a member of the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America). I was looking on their website last night and noticed that they are holding a State Goalkeeping Diploma program in Jacksonville in 2 weeks. I was a goalkeeper in high school and on my rec teams and that is where my heart lies. In th near future I hope to get my National Goalkeeping license.

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!

Some new photos

Here are some new photos of Jack (and I).


I found Jack like this during a nap. He is sleeping with one hand on his trains and the other around a doll that is in Army fatigues with a picture of Jon in it.


Jack is playing with his train that is under the Christmas tree.


This is our Christmas picture.

He Makes My Heart Smile

This little boy right here

makes my heart smile everyday. I know that I have reasons to be sad, anxious, nervous, and any other feeling that goes along with a deployment but whenever I hear that little boy talking and taking in the world around him my heart just smiles as big as it can. When Jon left from Tallahassee they gave all the kids these dolls wearing the Army ACUs and there was a place on the face to put a picture of your soldier. Well tonight I FINALLY got a picture of Jon printed and put in Jack's doll. I called him up to the living room and showed it to him and he saw Jon's picture and said "Hi Daddy" and took him and ran to his room with it. When I tucked him into bed I asked him if he wanted his bear and he told me yes that he wanted the one from daddy and then he picked up his doll and kissed Jon's face and said "Night Night Daddy. Love you." He then laid him on his pillow right next his head.

Oh how I love that boy. I can't wait for Jon to get home to see how much he has changed since he left.