A common bond

"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Good morning readers! Today, I want to thank everyone for all your positive and supportive feedback. Last night, I got some truly amazing emails from people I had no idea even read my blog. You are the ones that keep me writing and keep me going on this journey of mine. I also received some very negative feedback, and to those people I have nothing to say. A deployment is not easy by any means, no matter where your husband is going and no matter for how long, and the majority of us military spouses need a lot of support. I started this blog to publicly display the trials and triumphs of a deployment. I wanted to be very open and very honest with my personal thoughts and feelings from the very first post, this includes last night's "Things you never say to a military spouse."

I don't expect everyone to relate to everything I say, and I don't expect anyone to agree with anything I say, but never in my wildest imagination did I expect to get anything but support from other military spouses. Is it possible that I am being naive? Sure, I suppose so. I guess in a perfect world military spouses would come together to share a common interest, and be there to support one another on this life-changing journey, but we don't live in a perfect world. This isn't "Saving Private Ryan." We don't all sit in a kumbaya circle, holding hands and letting others cry on your shoulder. At least, not anymore. I considered deleting the entire post, but what would that prove? I had to remind myself that this is my journey, my feelings, my blog and it needs to stay honest. I also had to remind myself of all the wonderful, supportive people that read my blog because of a common bond. These girls are only looking for a hand to hold; a friend to lean on. I want to make a promise right now, that I will always be there to listen and offer friendly advice to anyone that comes to me.

Being a spouse of a service member is unlike anything you will ever experience. Some may argue that it's not, but from my own experience and in my honest opinion, I live an extremely different life then "non military spouses" do. I've been noticing in the short time of being a Navy wife that there are basically two different "types" of military spouses. There are some women who will do anything to bring you down, even in your darkest of days, and that needs to be said. Bullying on what is advertised as a "support forum" has gone on for too long and something needs to be done about it. The other type are the ones that exist only to raise you up and offer nothing but love and understanding. I'm a member of three different "support forums" and I can only honesty say I actively use one. HOOT is hands down the best forum I have ever been on and the only one I feel comfortable recommending. They offer the positive support that the majority of military spouses are in search of. My husband is ultimately the best support system I could ever ask for, of course. But for the moments he's not available, which is a lot these days, I would recommend HOOT to anyone.

I hope everyone has a beautiful Sunday, I know I will. Brylie and I are going to go get some ice cream, rent a movie and enjoy this stormy day. Life is a beautiful thing if you let it be. 

"We can conquer the world, in love, you and I."

All by myself, don't wanna be...

The house is especially quiet tonight. It's just me and Brylie this weekend, and oh how I hate being alone in a strange place. Yes, I still feel like I'm in a strange place. It just doesn't feel like home, especially without Bobby. You could say I'm depressed. That's a fair assumption at this point. Brylie is laying next to me, ogling over a bottle of lotion. She's adorable as usual, but not quite satisfying my human interaction needs. I'm needy tonight. I'm a needy, depressed, lonely, emotional, anxious young... person, I suppose. 


But it's only at night, I swear. When the sun goes down, the frown comes around. Could it possibly be my new birth control? I have been a little... irregular the past couple of days while it's been kickin' in. Let's see, what can I do to turn this frown upside down? How about a list? Well, what a great idea Elyssa. Why didn't I think of that? A list of positives. Even more so, a list of things to look forward to. Here we go...


1. My trip to see Bobby is coming up very shortly. If I can just make it through these next x amount of days, I have a big piece of heaven waiting for me on the other side of the world. 
2. The joy in my heart that Brylie gets to see her daddy, and vice versa. Nothing makes a mommy happier then seeing the love in her husband's eyes for their daughter.
3. I have a whole weekend of embarrassment free singing at the top of my lungs. Time to break out the Glee Karaoke. 
4. Everything that is going to happen when I get back from my trip to x. I will be going back to Redding to see my family one last time before Bobby gets back and then I'll be moving into our new house back in gorgeous San Diego.
5. My life in general, I suppose. Yep, I ran out of things. Just the fact that Bobby is coming home in a few months pretty much overpowers everything else.


So if you take pity on me, then please, entertain my sad little heart in some way. Email me, call me, text me, chat with me... I mean really the possibilities are endless. Thank you Internet. 


Happy blogging,
Elyssa and Brylie.

Recap!

Brylie is taking her morning nap, and I was thinking about my blog and how I haven't posted in such a long time. I spent the last 2 weekends in San Diego. It seems to help fill the hole in my heart. Bobby and I made a life there, and having him torn from me was bad enough, but I also had my home taken away from me, and in a way, that's just as bad. It feels like I lost two huge loves in my life; my husband and my comfort zone. Going to San Diego was the best thing that has happened to me since Bobby left. 


The second best thing would be getting Brylie's passport! I had to jump through a few flaming hoops, but I did it and now she is coming with me to go see Bobby! He is unbelievably excited to see his baby girl, she has changed so much and being able to see her will really help him get through the last half of the deployment. And of course, it will help me as well! 


While I was in San Diego, I bought a nice new Nikon D90. It has really come in handy! The weekend I bought it was the Flight of Parade, which celebrated 100 years of Naval Aviation. Brylie and I along with a fellow Navy wife watched it from the 23rd floor of our hotel room. It was amazing! It will also come in handy when Brylie and I go see Bobby in port. After we get back from seeing him, I am going back to see my family in Redding, California for a few weeks and once I get back from there it will be time to start looking for a house! I'm counting down the days!


Happy reading!

I must be crazy... in love!

You will never believe what I just did. I just booked a ticket to go see my hubby! Obviously I can't post any details but I am so excited! I had to share my happiness.