In January of 2000 I started talking to this really great guy. I knew him from high school but we didn't really hang out much then. Actually, our Freshman year of high school we were both in JROTC and he asked me to the military ball that year. I remember my grandma taking me to buy a dress and to get my hair done. I looked amazing for a dorky 15yr old with Koolaid streaks in her hair. My date was pretty dorky too... and I have the picture to prove it! However, he ended up getting a girlfriend just two weeks prior to the ball and while he still took me, I didn't see him all night.
Anyway, we started hanging out a lot right around my 19th birthday. And while we were just friends, we flirted a lot. We teased each other (I joked that he should be my boyfriend), we looked out for each other (I asked him to tag along on my blind date, just in case LoL) and we even held hands during a scary movie (Scream 3, yes I am a chicken!). Even with all that, I still was not really interested in him as a boyfriend. He was a great friend and a great guy but my heart belonged to someone else.
A month or so later my heart was broken. The guy I liked, that I thought liked me, just wasn't interested. I was reading all the signs wrong and I was the only one that didn't see he was not the one for me. I was the only one that couldn't see what was right there in front of me. That guy that chaperoned my crazy date... that guy that held my hand when I was scared... that guy that I joked with on a daily basis.
So on the night of February 28th, as we all sat around the apartment having a great time, I finally admitted to a friend that I might like him more than just a friend. She then took it upon herself to push us together... literally. She pushed me into his lap as I got close to him. I still wasn't sure if this was right. Yes, he was amazing. Yes, he was a great friend. I just didn't know where I wanted it to go. He made that easy though.
Sometime after midnight he asked me if I would go on a date with him. He wanted me to be his date to the military ball! 5 years after the last ball he ditched me at and now he wanted to take me to another. I laughed. Was he serious? I didn't want to be made a fool of again, so I said, "I don't know. Depends if you are going to get another girlfriend before the ball." And being quick witted and oh so smooth, he responded with, "Well what if my girlfriend is you?" How do you say no to that?! YOU CAN'T! And I didn't.
On that leap year in 2000 I became his date to another military ball... and I also became his girlfriend. Who would have known that 12 years later we would still be telling this story? Still debating over who ditched who at that first military ball. Still laughing about me joking about being his girlfriend. If you asked me 12 years ago where I would be today I don't think I would have said married to the boy who ditched me at a high school dance. Yet here we are. Happily married for almost 10 years, together for 12 and 5 kids, 2 dogs and 3 states later.
Through the good, the bad, the funny and the sad, I love you more than words can say. I cannot imagine what my life would be without you in it. Happy 3rd Leap-iversary, John C. Whitehead!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Why, Hello There!
It has been almost 5 months since I last posted. So much has happened that the outside world just does not know about...
For instance, did you know that my husband did NOT deploy in December like I previously reported?! Nope! He is still here with us. Prior to moving here to Washington we were under the impression he would be deploying this spring. Then we got here and they changed it to December. We were bummed that he would be gone before our Christmas vacation plans but then that changed too. The rest of his unit was deploying but he was staying back with a handful or so of others. Then they announced the remainder of the unit would be following this spring (yup, back to the spring again)... most likely the end of April. So yeah, he will be deploying soon. When? Well, I can't say exactly... and not because of operational security reasons but because WE STILL DON'T KNOW! Frustrating is an understatement. Yesterday I thought I knew when he was leaving and now today that changed. I know, I know, take everything the Army says with a grain of salt and don't believe it until it's actually happening. Trust me, I know all this. We still have not had this short of notice, or this many changes happen within a single unit in the entire 8yrs we have been an Army family. I imagine I will survive though. It would just be nice to know how much longer my husband will be home with us :)
On another note, that Christmas vacation I mentioned earlier... I posted about that previously as well. I mentioned that we wouldn't get to go because of the Army wanting us to pay back $6100 that they advanced us that we had no way of proving that we were entitled to because of the moving company's mistake. Well, we went on our Christmas vacation! My sister surprised the kids in California, we stayed at an amazing resort and had a great time at Disney and Universal. I got to meet a wonderful photographer (and great internet friend) and we had our family pictures done in Downtown Disney. They turned out GREAT! I was so excited to see them and I knew she would not disappoint. Our trip was expensive but well worth it. The kids really enjoyed it but man did I miss the traditional Christmas stuff with our family back in Ohio.
As for the issue with needing to pay back the Army for our DITY move, that is coming to an end this next month. We finally got a "bill" from the Army asking (HA!) for their money back. Thankfully we had it put into savings just for this reason. ABF paid us back in full for our entire move and even went above and beyond (after much deliberation) and sent us a check for an extra $2000. Of course that was not a negotiable amount... it was either take it, or leave it. We took it just so we could end the back and forth and get on with life. I am highly disappointed that all that money will have to go right back to the Army and that we got NOTHING out of moving ourselves (the only reason we even did a DITY move was for that extra money) but at least we got the moving company to cover our butts so that we can pay the Army back and not meet any financial burden. That is a big weight off our shoulders.
That is about all that has happened in regards to things I had previously posted about. Life around here is hectic as usual and with hubby deploying soon I imagine I will get back to a regular blogging routine. I am even thinking about starting up a new blog. So, I hope there are still some of you out there that like reading this drivel that I post.
For instance, did you know that my husband did NOT deploy in December like I previously reported?! Nope! He is still here with us. Prior to moving here to Washington we were under the impression he would be deploying this spring. Then we got here and they changed it to December. We were bummed that he would be gone before our Christmas vacation plans but then that changed too. The rest of his unit was deploying but he was staying back with a handful or so of others. Then they announced the remainder of the unit would be following this spring (yup, back to the spring again)... most likely the end of April. So yeah, he will be deploying soon. When? Well, I can't say exactly... and not because of operational security reasons but because WE STILL DON'T KNOW! Frustrating is an understatement. Yesterday I thought I knew when he was leaving and now today that changed. I know, I know, take everything the Army says with a grain of salt and don't believe it until it's actually happening. Trust me, I know all this. We still have not had this short of notice, or this many changes happen within a single unit in the entire 8yrs we have been an Army family. I imagine I will survive though. It would just be nice to know how much longer my husband will be home with us :)
On another note, that Christmas vacation I mentioned earlier... I posted about that previously as well. I mentioned that we wouldn't get to go because of the Army wanting us to pay back $6100 that they advanced us that we had no way of proving that we were entitled to because of the moving company's mistake. Well, we went on our Christmas vacation! My sister surprised the kids in California, we stayed at an amazing resort and had a great time at Disney and Universal. I got to meet a wonderful photographer (and great internet friend) and we had our family pictures done in Downtown Disney. They turned out GREAT! I was so excited to see them and I knew she would not disappoint. Our trip was expensive but well worth it. The kids really enjoyed it but man did I miss the traditional Christmas stuff with our family back in Ohio.
As for the issue with needing to pay back the Army for our DITY move, that is coming to an end this next month. We finally got a "bill" from the Army asking (HA!) for their money back. Thankfully we had it put into savings just for this reason. ABF paid us back in full for our entire move and even went above and beyond (after much deliberation) and sent us a check for an extra $2000. Of course that was not a negotiable amount... it was either take it, or leave it. We took it just so we could end the back and forth and get on with life. I am highly disappointed that all that money will have to go right back to the Army and that we got NOTHING out of moving ourselves (the only reason we even did a DITY move was for that extra money) but at least we got the moving company to cover our butts so that we can pay the Army back and not meet any financial burden. That is a big weight off our shoulders.
That is about all that has happened in regards to things I had previously posted about. Life around here is hectic as usual and with hubby deploying soon I imagine I will get back to a regular blogging routine. I am even thinking about starting up a new blog. So, I hope there are still some of you out there that like reading this drivel that I post.
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