More Deployment Positives

As I am getting along and finding my groove with the kiddos, I keep thinking of the positives of deployment and more and more are cropping up. I love how no matter what a person looks for – they will find it. If I am looking for the positives or the negatives of a situation – I will find it. It really is about direction of focus.

So here are my additions to the positives of a deployment:

Military movies! 

I love a good military movie whether Eric is home or not. I love to ask him all kinds of questions about the authenticity of the uniforms, the filming locations, etc. He laughs and usually rolls his eyes reminding me that it’s Hollywood, and not real but I still think it’s fun. Military movies help me to feel closer to him when he’s far away. My favorites include:

Top Gun (Hello beach volleyball scene?!)
Men of Honor (Cuba Gooding Jr. and Robert DeNiro – need I say more?)
Pearl Harbor – Total chick flick, and I dig it! Plus having lived there, it’s fun to see our stomping grounds!
Officer and a Gentleman – An oldie but a goodie. I also like that it was filmed in the pacific northwest!
Antoine Fisher – Kind of a sad/dark movie, but anything with Denzel Washington in khakis is alright by me!

Little projects and things I like to do that I rarely have time for now can get done. Such hobbies/tasks include scrap booking, keeping up with the kids’ baby books, reorganizing the files (I love my label maker and rarely get any quality time with it!), reading, deep cleaning (I seriously need a 12 step program), blogging, writing, and trying out adventurous recipes!

Reading Books!!


I LOVE to read (as well as write!) and my Kindle makes it so convenient especially when I usually read in bed before I fall asleep. I’m currently reading The Black Stallion. I’ve never read it. It’s quite good so far. Some of my other recent reads include:

Three Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas Sparks. Seriously anything by this author is sure to elicit a sob fest!
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I had to jump on the bandwagon and see what all the fuss was about. Very interesting, an original storyline if a bit on the dark side.
Born To Run by Christopher Mcdougall. A must read for all runners!
Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. Coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat by Jeff Benedict. So amazing! Also interesting because this outbreak was HUGE in the pacific northwest at the time it occurred. I also love anything on this subject by Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan. Also check out Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. I read this in high school and it forever changed the way I look at food and I credit it with starting this journey with food and how to eat healthier.
Bossypants by Tina Fey. Just good brain candy!
The Shack by William P Young LOVE LOVE LOVED reading this book! I cannot tell you anything about it because it would give away some of the plot – just a must read!

Sappy Music

New Friends

I’m always proud when people stop Eric and thank him for his service, and I’ve even been thanked too (totally made me cry!) but I love the little gestures and kind words my neighbors have offered. More than a few have offered to lend a hand if we need it. I love that!

We were even invited over for dinner the other night by a neighbor! The old me would have probably just stuck close to home and politely declined or made an excuse not to go out of fear, having to be social – what if they don’t like me? Ugh. All of those insecurities.

Since I am no longer the old me – I went.

And had a blast! This neighbor also invited another friend and her 3 daughters. It was so much fun getting to know these two ladies and then the opportunity to share this past year’s fitness journey presented itself. It was amazing as I watched their eyes fill with tears as I spoke – I realized that this whole process for me was about more than just miles and marathons and pounds lost. It has been about getting comfortable (and liking) who I am as a person, in my own skin. And then come to find out, one of these ladies has also done triathlons!! (Which is my goal for next year!) Oh – and she knows my sister! What a small world – and so cool how the evening unfolded.

And I would have missed out on all of this had I been too afraid to step out of my comfort zone. While I am so thankful for my physical strength, my smaller size and the “fun” side of losing weight – I am SO much more grateful for the things the fitness “vehicle” has brought me to: cherished friendships, amazing experiences, testing my mental and physical limits (and SUCCEEDING!) and a loss of FEAR.

And that brings me back to this whole deployment stuff….I will not be afraid. There are just far too many positives to waste any time being afraid.

Bring it!