6 months

Last night I was lying in bed reading a trashy novel when I realized that Jack Bauer has been home for six months today.

Gosh, a lot has changed since then.

In some ways it seems like he just got back. In other ways it has been like he never left.

Time in C-ville is winding down

Fall. The temperature has dropped. The windows are open all day and all night. Change is coming.

Just a few more days left here in C-ville. My time living in a hotel with no oven is coming to an end. I've struggled with changing from struggling to feed just myself to struggling to feed me and Jack Bauer. My jeans got tight. It is back to Weight Watchers when get to our new home.

Change is around the corner.

Our time here has really given Jack and I the opportunity to know each other again. We shared nearly every meal together here. We've watched a lot of TV together; I've started watching more news and he's started watching more Project Runway. We've spent a lot of time laughing. Some things haven't changed at all, like our perpetual debate over what to do for dinner. (Neither of us likes to make that decision. It is a discussion that can begin shortly after breakfast.)

Hopefully some things won't change. But I am really hoping for our new home to have a proper kitchen. With an oven.

It's the little things

A couple things I've noticed since Jack Bauer has come home.

Parking: It appears that when you've spent 20 months in Iraq not driving much or spending time in insanely large vehicles, the lines in the grocery store parking lot in the US have little meaning. They apparently are just a "guideline."

Sleeping: It appears that when you've spent 20 months in Iraq with sand that gets into every single crevice and in your sheets, you get used to this. So when you come home and start doing large amounts of work in the backyard with fresh dirt, and some it gets in between the sheets, you don't mind so much. Even though the wife can't stand even the slightest bit of grit between her and the sheets. Good thing I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers tracking in dirt.

Brown-eyed girls???

Hmmm. I think Jack Bauer was definitely away from here for too long.

The other day Moo and I were sitting on the couch and Jack walked up and started showering Moo with attention. And then in a very sweet voice, he said, "Look at those big brown eyes, just like her mommy's."

Hmmm. My eyes are not brown. Never have been. In fact, they are a rather distinctive blue. Hmmm. Yeah, he was gone way too long.

Season 2

Coming back from a week-long vacation is a major bummer. Lots of little daily things to get back to, like laundry and grocery shopping. And thinking about getting the house ready to sell. But we did together, um, except for the laundry, which I have gladly turned over to Jack Bauer.

After errand running, we got a little organized then had hamburgers and roasted red peppers. Yum!

Then we watched the season premiere of Army Wives. I had tears in my eyes for the entire show. I found that fact to be interesting mainly because I don't recall having that much emotional attachment to the show for the first season. I think the tears come from (besides the good writing of the episode) letting my guard down now that Jack is back.

But some of the tears I think is the coming back to together with some of my battle buddies, the characters that represent different aspects of me, of all of military spouses, that I completely identify with. As we sit in the comfort of our living rooms, relaxed and logical, I am sure we all know that 2 men in civilian clothes at our doorstep means something other than they are there to tell us our husband is dead. But their confusing presence isn't much comfort when we are all worked up with worry in those first days of the first deployment. And some days those pajamas are the only comfort we can find and hanging out in them all day seems perfectly reasonable. It is wonderful to have friends who will point out the obvious -- like the Army will tell you if something has happened to your husband so no news is good news -- and snap you back to reality, even if it is just for a little while.

I didn't watch last night's episode alone. Jack watched too, but it was difficult for him (although he did mention that the uniforms looked pretty good) I think seeing the what Roxie was dealing with. But I completely identified with it. I doubt I am alone on that.

Read Andi's take on the episode over at SpouseBuzz.

R&R & G&B

I've returned to (close to) sea level and I definitely prefer the oxygen content down here. We got as high as the Continental Divide (~10,500 ft).

We rested, we relaxed, we shot guns, we ate beef. Lots of beef. It was GREAT!!!

We saw lots of aminals in the wild. Ducks, geese, horsies, buffaloes, elks, coyote, antelopes, cows, doggies. And we went to a zoo, too, with the niece and nephews.

But best of all was that Jack Bauer and I got to get away and relax for the first time since he's been home. We didn't have to worry about the house selling, the moves, the school, the Army. And since our Internet access was seriously limited, we didn't have to think much about what was going on in the rest of the world. Not being perfect, some of the worries that come with the real world crept in, but we didn't let it ruin our time with his parents.

More to come.

To the mountains

Jack Bauer and I are heading off to the mountains of Colorado for a little rest and relaxation with his parents at 9,000 feet. We'll be forced to rest and relax at that elevation -- what else is there to do?

But I am leaving my computer behind. His parents only have this thing called "dial-up." I am not sure what that is. I think it is like a typewriter or rotary phone: an alleged something from the past that people make up to talk nostalgically.

Anyway, what I am really trying to say is that I won't be around here and I will be going through some severe computer and doggie withdrawal.

Catch y'all later.

Ooops!

When Jack Bauer and I got home from Pilates yesterday, I sat down and started reading and responding to emails. And like most evenings for the past 2 years, I quickly became engrossed in what I was doing. It was very quiet, the dogs were eating dinner, some mindless TV show was playing in the background. Ten, 15 minutes must have passed before I realized that Jack Bauer was home. I had completely forgotten that he was here. Really. I forgot he was back from Iraq.

Once it dawned on me that Jack was in fact in the US and was supposed to be in the house, worry quickly set in. I had no idea where he was. Was he laying on the bed reading? Was he in the basement doing more cleaning? Was he upstairs going through the stuff he brought from Iraq back in foot lockers? I called for him, but no answer. It was quiet and my concern began to grow.

By the time I made it to the backyard, he was walking in from the garage where he had been putting new license plates on my car. Boy, did I feel stupid. First, for forgetting that he was home. Then worrying needlessly about his whereabouts, especially when I am gone all day long at work.

Once back inside I told Jack about forgetting he was home. We laughed it off. But what a thing to forget.

I'm still here

We had a busy weekend, but tried to take it easy. Jack Bauer is getting settled in and is balancing working out with working on the house. He has done a great job working on cleaning out our basement and doing some yard work, both of which I have put off, well, for years.

Yesterday, Jack and I were coming home from yoga in separate cars. We pulled up to a light, me just ahead of him. For some unknown reason, this light has a "No right on red" sign and we needed to turn right. I looked in my rearview mirror, smiled, and picked up the phone and call Jack. I asked him if I should turn despite the red light and the sign. I called him, just because I could. :D

I think Jack is enjoying yoga. He was able to do a shoulder stand last night, with some help, after snickering at the seemingly impossibility of such a pose. But he did it, even though it is super scary the first time. I am so proud of him.

The doggies are very happy he is home to give them the love and attention that they haven't been getting for the last couple of years. Last night, Jack was reclining on the couch with Moo all leaning up against him for an hour-long tummy rub. Poor Moo definitely get did not that from me; she was luckily if she got 5 minutes. (And it sounds like our dear sweet cat is having a grand time with grandparents.)

Bottom line: It is great to have Jack Bauer home saving the world one house at a time.

Still learning

It is interesting what things I am learning about myself now that Jack Bauer is home.

Sunday night I was still not feeling well, and before I went to bed, I made a pass through the kitchen. Staring exhaustedly at a sink full of dirty dishes, I sneered at the plates and forks and wondered why Jack Bauer hadn't finished the dishes before he went to bed. "Screw it," I thought. And I went off to bed without raising a finger in the kitchen or my voice in the bedroom.

Monday morning came super early as we've started new hours at work and I don't really want to be hitting snooze 25 times in the morning (lest I get smacked in the nose from Jack crawling over me to turn off my alarm). I stumbled into the kitchen to make some morning brew. Those same dishes were there, dirty, staring at me, mocking my frustration. Then it occurred to me, I really like to have the kitchen clean, especially in the morning. Perhaps that is why for the last 2+ years I have cleaned the kitchen every night before I go to bed. (Mom, I blame you for passing this gene on to me.)

So this takes me back to the night before. Why hadn't Jack cleaned the kitchen before he went to bed? Wait, wait, wait. Could it be that cleaning the kitchen isn't as important to him as it is to me? How could that be?!? Maybe I could get him to do it? And then for the second time in one morning and before a single sip of coffee, I got struck with insight. Since the having a clean kitchen is important to me, maybe, just maybe I should just make sure I that it happens. You know, do it "myself."

Now, I know, you are probably sitting there thinking "duh," but to me this was an epiphany. Old me habits showing themselves and finding a new me solution to the problem. I think this is representative of the new me working along side my new husband. I think it will work just fine.

Priceless

In less than 2 months, we will no longer reside in Middleville. So we are looking at the things we want to do around town before we head out.

Today we are doing one of them. I scored some sweet seats to today's baseball game. We haven't been to a game in the new stadium. (Those old law firm contacts sure come in handy for unwanted season tickets.)

Let's see what we need to take with us:

• Sunscreen? Packed.
• Binoculars (necessary to properly check out those guys in their white pants)? Both sets are in the car.
• Umbrella (in case that sprinkle the weather guy is talking about actually pans out)? Thought about and almost in the bag.
• Appropriate sports gear (hat, shirt, large finger, beer sipping cap)? Well, maybe just the hat and polo shirt.
• Cash so we can buy $10 for a diet coke, $12 for a beer, $8 for a hot dog? Still need to get that.
• Jack Bauer? Oh yeah, won't forget to take him.

This should be a fun day. You all doing anything fun this weekend?

Back to work

So it is Friday and I am going back to work. Hmmm.

I've had a whole week off to spend with Jack Bauer and get some of the big things done around the homefront. We bought a new car, got some of the house moving-selling things done. Luckily, a big potential problem was inspected and seems to be just fine and dandy. Even got a video of its fineness and dandiness!

I hope we set things up enough for Jack to begin to feel like he might be able to settle in before we pack up and leave for good. Which is a crazy notion. But, hey, this is the Army and it's going to be a crazy 7 weeks until we hit the road for school and a Residence Inn with 2 dogs.