Graduation Day Finally Arrived

Those of you who have been following me...not only know that my husband, Justin, has been at Army Basic Training since January...but are probably tired of hearing how much I miss him!

I have GOOD NEWS! 

It is ALMOST over!  He is coming home soon!

All my pining away, long blogs of self reflection, moping, sadness, etc. is about to end! Well, at least for now!

Last weekend I went back to Fort Benning, GA to visit Justin for his Basic Training Graduation! 

The first day started with a  

Turning Blue Ceremony.

This is where he is awarded his Infantry blue cord, representing he has graduated.  Each soldier asks someone special to put it on them.   It is an honor to be asked.

How he asked me:

 "There is only one person I want putting the blue cord on my arm. You have been with me through a lot and supported me going into the infantry so you will be the one and only one who puts the blue cord around my shoulder!"

 The Blue Cord represents the Infantry. 

As they say, "God loves the Infantry. That's why he made the sky blue!"

I only had time to give him a quick hug, hand him back his ring, and sit back down so the ceremony could continue! Below, he is the one closest to the brick pillar.

Justin with his battle buddy, Gunnar, below. 

 

I was so thankful to have my In-laws with me for much needed moral support! My fabulous m-i-l, Kim, is with me below!

 

Of course Justin always has to have his game face on, but I got a tiny glint in his eyes this time! :)

 

After Turning Blue Ceremony, Justin got a weekend pass so we took him out for steak! 

It was not easy returning him to base at the end of the day. It felt so wrong saying goodbye again.

Graduation Day

Graduation day was a lot more difficult. 

I was horribly under the weather due to a bad cough and sinus cold.

It was all I could do to stay focused throughout the graduation ceremony. 

The weather was overcast and chilly...nothing like the rest of the weekend. 

 This is the closest we saw them during the graduation ceremony. Not close enough to distinguish which one he was!

After the ceremony felt like a scene from a movie!  

By the time I got out of the bleachers and in front of the Infantry Museum where the soldiers were allowed to take pictures with their families, Justin was already running down the road to where they were loading buses for Airborne holding. He called me and told me he couldn't wait for me, because he was not allowed to miss the bus! So I am practically running/walking to where all the soldiers are going to get their bags by the buses!  

I am searching frantically trying to find Justin amidst hundreds of soldiers all dressed identically, praying I make it to him before he gets on the bus! 

Can you imagine my dilemma and stress?

Now technically we thought he would be getting on the bus just to go report to Airborne holding, and then released for a weekend pass, but it wasn't a definite, so I had to find him to say goodbye just in case I didn't see him again!

Thankfully I found him standing by his bags, waiting for me! We had about 5 minutes to say I love you's and goodbye. 

This is about the only picture we had time for!

 We said our goodbye, with the hope we would see each other in just an hour or two.  It was a few hours later I was told he might not get a weekend pass...and I cried....a lot. 

Thankfully my prayers were answered and Justin was released that evening around 8pm. 

I would have more pictures for you of us going out, but I was so sick, that I wasn't really in picture mode!  But it was still wonderful to spend the weekend with him! 

Here he is in his dress uniform! 

I am so proud of my Infantryman!

 

Now he is in Airborne School, and I will see him jumping into his graduation in 2 weeks! 

And then bringing him home with me! *sighs*

~ Elle

Decision Making Thoughts

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you."    Matthew 6:33

Why is it so hard for me to put this into practice? It isn't that I intentionally ignore it, but I allow myself to get caught up with everything going on in my life. I get stressed out and overwhelmed by all the decisions I have to make that I forget to continually pray about it and ask for God's help.

You think that would be the first thing I would always do since when I do make the effort He always guides me, and gives me a peace towards the right decision! It is amazing how I can feel so lost as to what to do one moment, and so at peace the next. God has an interesting way of working things out, and getting you to trust Him!

 I am going to have to say goodbye for a little while...

For example, my husband informed me he wanted to join the Army Reserves back in September.  I was caught off guard and annoyed that he was bringing it up again. (He has wanted to join since before we met.)  I was really frustrated and tired of people asking me how I felt when he had barely given me any serious info on it. I was angry that he could just leave me behind to do this. I was angry that he was telling other people he was serious about this when we had barely talked about it.  We had a long talk about how serious he was about joining, and that I needed him to be upfront with me and not keep information from me if he seriously wanted me to consider it. After that I prayed long and hard about it. I prayed that if it was God's will that He give me a peace and help me through this, and that if it wasn't his will that Justin quickly forget about this and move on.  A couple of days later Justin called me at work to give me some more info, and I just knew.  I knew he would be joining. I knew he needed to do this, and I knew he needed my support...and oddly enough...

I was totally at peace about it. 

So much so that it was nothing short of a miracle! My attitude toward the whole thing had done a 180 in a matter of days!  I can't even explain the peace I felt...it wasn't natural!

I've been called to stand by my man and support him in his calling.

Another example.  We didn't think we would be able to buy a house yet due to the fact my husband had moved to sales in his company and was now making commission (you have to have 2 years history for them to use commission). So now he was going to be leaving me for 6 months to go to basic training and we rent in a not-so-great neighborhood. (We have been vandalized, broken into by a someone on meth, and Justin had to shoot the intruder!) Live there by myself for 6 months?  

I don't think so! 

Lenders told us they wouldn't be able to approve us enough for a decent neighborhood. Long story short, we found a wonderful lender who everyone was telling me not to trust, and that we wouldn't get the loan, but the whole time I had an odd peace and instinct telling me to trust him. We found a house in a good neighborhood! The seller agreed to pretty much everything we asked! And now my sister, Jenn, from Contemporary Harbor, is moving down here and will be staying with us till they sell their house! So I won't be alone while Justin is gone!  It's amazing how things work out!

 This is what Jenn & I will be doing at the new house come spring! Can't wait for my sis to get here so we can hang out! It will be like old times! (Probably both the good and bad!) Love ya Jenn!

I'm so glad things don't always work out the way I plan or 'think' I want them to! Otherwise I would miss all these wonderful blessings God gives! I may not be rich, with all the nicest clothes, driving fabulous cars, but I have a husband who is wonderful to me, a roof over my head, food on my table, a family who loves me,  and a God who somehow works out every little detail for me!  

Trust me I am blessed!

I hope you have a blessed week!

Married to the Military

As of yesterday I officially became a military wife! My husband signed up for the Army National Guard.  I am so proud of him for doing what he feels is his duty, but it doesn't make it easy. Next spring he will be leaving for 6 months of training! That is scary considering we have never been away from each other longer than a couple of weeks!

I can't imagine how hard it will be to say goodbye to him for such a long time...

This is a such a great prayer/quote that I think I will memorize it!

 An adorable vintage photo of a couple reunited!

I've always loved the military fashion trend so here are some fabulous examples of that look!

I just LOVE thier boots!

I actually have an olive military hat like this.

 

I know the military trend was last year, but I still plan on bringing out some of those pieces this fall!