January (2012 looking back)

Ohhh January.

To talk about January, I have to go back to December for a few minutes.

December was the month, where we were adjusting to our new home in NC as well as shuttling back and forth all over for Christmas celebrations. It was SO nice to get to travel home and see everyone, but it was also very exhausting for the both of us. It was one of those things where you literally have a BLAST while you are doing it, but feel totally drained afterwards. 
(Don't believe me? It took me six, yes SIX posts to recap all we did during our little two week break!! We really had so much fun, we visited all our family, went to UK basketball games, and just acted like hoodlums in general. It was pretty awesome... you can read them here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6)

Apart from all the fun we had, it was the last visit most family and friends would have with my husband and me before he left for Afghanistan. 

Of course, (and understandably) everywhere we went, everyone wanted to know about the deployment, ask him questions, and learn about what he would be doing for the next 9 months!

It was so awesome that everyone was interested, but, an impending deployment is not an Army wife’s favorite dinner conversation topic. 
Let’s just say, I spent a lot of time refilling my wine glass through the last few weeks of December.

 ;)

Once we returned home to NC after our holiday tour of 2011, we spent our New Year’s Eve together, just the two of us. It was SO NICE to just relax and pig out on the couch together, in our own home, after two and a half weeks of running the road and staying at people’s houses.

That New Year’s Eve, will probably always be one of my favorites. It was our first one as a married couple, and we spent it alone, relaxed at home. Some of my favorite memories from the night was just us sitting there cracking jokes together over what was on the t.v. 
Remember the show on TLC about the 30 year old virgins first kiss on their wedding day? Yeah. We had a lot of fun with that one. (see photos here: {Happy New Year})

January also meant that February was around the corner, which meant that “D-day” was coming up too. (deployment.)

I would be lying if I said that January was a “good month”. I had a harder time the month before deployment than I did at almost any point DURING the deployment! I was flipping out that our days together were running out, and to make matters worse, he was working super late, every night the month of January and February. (Like, not getting home until 9-10 at night, and leaving for work again before 5 the next day.) He was exhausted from working, I was exhausted from worrying, and I just wasn’t sure what to think about the whole “military thing”.

I specifically remember thinking, 
“WHAT THE HELL DID I SIGN UP FOR?”

Looking back now, I wish I could tell myself to R E L A X, because, I was about to kick this deployment’s ass. I was about to handle this thing like a seasoned Military wife pro, but, at the time, I just couldn’t get past the thought of him leaving.

January was a month of a lot of unknowns for me. Regardless of the looming deployment I still managed to make some really awesome memories. We went on a ton of dates, and went ahead and did the extra things, spent a little extra money, and enjoyed our time together.
Week in review posts from January: 
{Week 1} {Week 2} {Week 3} {Week 4}

Our moms (the giggle sisters) came down to NC for a hilarious/fun visit too. Their visit was definitely a bright spot in the month of January! We all had such a good time shopping, lunching, hanging out, visiting THE CREEPIEST random museum I’ve ever been to, and just goofing off in general. It’s always fun to have your moms come take care of you :)

They also surprised us one night and basically unpacked, arranged, and organized our house for us while we were asleep!

If going to bed with an unpacked house and waking up to an organized crib doesn’t make your month, I’m not sure what would.
(Read about their visit here:)
{the giggle sisters are coming to town}, 
{the time we got lost in a creepy museum}, 
{spoiled rotten}

January was a hard month for me emotionally. It kind of was a culmination of many things. 2011 was an amazing year, but it was JAM PACKED with changes, and stressful situations. They say wedding planning, and moving are two of the most stressful things you can do in your life, and we planned a wedding in 3 months, followed by 3 moves in 6 months. That’s a lot for anyone! Toss in a deployment, and you’re asking for a freak out.

Regardless of the stress inducing things I dealt with that month, I still have some really awesome memories of fun date nights with my hubs, and hilarious moments with the giggle sisters.

So, thank you January. I’m hoping our next go around will be a leeeelte bit better!