I know I have not been soo good about my blog but I will blame it on Josh. Since he returned from Afghanistan on June 19th of 2011 we have been busy exploring the rest of Europe before leaving for stateside in March 2012.
I know I have a lot of catching up to do but first I want to dedicate this blog to the reason I survived a year without my best friend, Mister mustard (aka Joshua David). First I will give you all a little background into the anticipation of the 12 month deployment. Mikey La (aka Mike Latza).
Josh was one of the last guys to find out he was deploying. He found out in plenty of time but it wasn't really his call if he was going to go or not. One of his best guy friends, Mike Latza, was currently the XO (executive officer) for the company that had been chosen to deploy. The mission they had in Afghanistan did not require anymore than just a company so it was Bravo Company that was picked (out of three companies total). Mike had to make a decision to deploy or to attend a course stateside. If he chose not to deploy it was Josh who would be going as the XO. When Josh first told me this news he ended it by "No worry, I know Mike is going to deploy." In the back of my head I did not agree with Josh and knew that this would be a tough decision for Mike to make. A few weeks later, Mike gave us the news that he had decided to attend career course...which meant Josh would be deploying. This news had its ups and it's downs but one plus to this was that I would be spending the next year with this pretty friend who's husband was also deploying with Josh. Lydia Henshaw. :)
Lydia and I spent many nights watching movies, drinking wine, making appetizers and her famous pizza. We also made it a point to work out each morning at 5:30 AM. When it was warm enough we enjoyed the 15 min walk to the gym together chit chatting and sometimes waking up our neighbors on our walk because we were "giggling" too loud. She was my deployment buddy and we were each other's sanity the days we hadn't heard from our husbands. I couldn't have done it without her.
Lydia and I had a group a girls who we hung out with.
The only thing was that they all had their husbands for the next 8 months (to when the Birgade would deploy and ALL soldiers on post suitable to deploy would go to Afghanistan) but they were all sweethearts about inviting Lydia and I to tag along on double date nights and couple outings.
All of us girls each got through our year without our husbands and I know it in my heart that God gave me these girls in order to get through this time. They truly were my little angels and I really don't think I would have had half of the experience without them. Some of the girl trips we took were too Dublin Ireland, Sardinia Italy, Champagne France (where we ran a 1/2 Marathon), countless wine festivals, Christmas markets and beer festivals.
While Josh was away for the year my best friend from highschool and college, Joelle, came to visit.
She managed to come out twice while I lived in Germany and it was something that truly meant the world to me. The first time she came to visit was in February of 2009 when Josh deployed three weeks after getting to Germany. She brought her sisters out and we had so much fun traveling all over. The 2nd time Jojo came out was in April. We took a big girls trip to Sardinia, Italy so she was able to meet all of my friends. We of course had the time of our lives and enjoyed one last trip with just me and her before her and Dane added their newest addition, Samual Walter, to their family. I had to include a family photo because little Sammy is just too cute for words and I was so fortunate to meet him this last month.
And then there was my sister.
She had moved to Germany in February of 2010. She has always been my biggest supporter and saving grace. No matter how different we are she always supports me and loves me despite how difficult or ugly I can be. She is the one I would run to when Josh was away and I was having an "ugly" day. She had this way of instantly making me feel better. I feel that my sister is one of the most blessed people I have met because I think many would agree with me when I say she is good at "Everything!" She could be a professional chef, photgropher and home designer. Heck she even knows how to sew. However, these are just things she does in her free time because she spends most of her time working as a chiropractor and she now teaches college classes at the University of Maryland. Soon she is going back to get ANOTHER degree in Woman's health as a Nurse Practioner. I say this only because when I go to her with advice I feel that one of her callings should have been family counseling because she can give some of the best advice around. Needless to say I feel fortunate everyday to even say I know her...let alone her be my SEESTER!:) She of course is another one to blame for me having the time of my life while in Germany. Seester, seester...oh how I love you!
I can't forget to mention all of my Baumholder Health Clinic staff. I worked at the Baumholder Health Clinic as a Nurse for 3 years and 2 weeks. The job was very challenging at first and taught me a lot about myself, communication and patient care. For about two of the years, I was the Charge Nurse of Team 2 and although it took me away from patient care from time to time it taught me a lot about leadership. Honestly it was my co-workers who made the job on a day to day basis. Some of the nurses and staff were some of the kindest, genuine people I had ever worked with. They all know who they are and boy did they make my days great and my weeks go by fast (perhaps a little too fast).
The Stehulaks, Lorintz, Jeaners, Ms. Shawna, the Lawhons, Roy, Kaleb, Mikey La and others I know have impacted our time in Germany. Our families have impacted our stay out here by purchasing long distance plans and having an easy way to contact them in the states even with the distance and time difference. Not to mention them visiting numerous times even when Josh was deployed!:)Finding the friends and family in Germany was the key to my experience. And one of the last final best parts about Germany was to see all of our husbands get to be close friends after they all returned from Afghanistan.
Now when I talk to my friends and sister in Germany I still can't believe the experience I had and was able to share with others. My sister is in Florence this week, one of my best girlfriends, Lauren, is in Scotland and my other girls went to a beer festival. I just can't believe that use to be me and I was able to experience so much of the world. I feel so blessed and miss everyone in Germany on a daily basis. Thank you everyone for making my three years in Germany three of the best ones of my life thus far:)
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