My Story...(Texting, and Drinking n driving)

   I was just watching the Extreme Makeover Home Edition and it was all about a high schooler named Alex who was texting and driving without a seat belt and was killed. I Signed the pledge to no longer Text and Drive- I will admit I have texted and driven (not when Toni was in the car, just me myself and I). I am going to truly not do it anymore. Did you know that texting while driving increases your chance of an accident by 23%? I didn't until now. The other reason I signed the pledge-I have a family and one that I love and one that loves me. I would never want to put them through that just because I didn't want to wait five-ten minutes to send a text. I also NEVER want my daughter to ever develop the habit. Here is the link if you want to sign the pledge and vow not to become a statistic. http://www.rememberalexbrownfoundation.org/take-the-pledge/index.php
 
  (Some of you know this, some don't  but here goes...)
   The other story I wanted to put out there is this one- I was a sophomore in High school, just 16 years old when my mother, me and three friends were hit by a drunk driver, who fled the scene (yes he ended up getting caught Praise God.). Less than Three inches and I would not be here today, Six inches and both me and mom most likely would have had life threatening injuries. So close and yet praise God, so far.
   My life changed from that day on. My freshman year I was super active I worked out like three to four days a week, I played sports, I was very hyper. After the accident and my sophomore year, my back and neck were very messed up (I now have a straight neck, literally.) problems I still live with today. I also contracted Mono shortly after the accident and doctors are finding a link between having a traumatic incident, something that traumatizes the body, and getting sick for long periods of time. I had Mono for almost a year. Yes, I pretty much slept most of my sophomore year away. I was put on different program and didn't get to attend the high school I supposed to be at. All because someone chose to drive when they have been drinking. I think it could be a huge cause of the migraines and the headaches I have now as well.
  I have family who have died, not just injured, but DIED because they also chose to drive drunk. So I am asking all of you please never drive when you have been drinking. Whether it be one beer or ten you are still putting your life and other people's lives at risk. Call a friend, call a cab, call me and I will find someone to come get you or come get you myself. There is always someone who loves you, depends on you, someone who wants you to be in there life for life and driving when you have been drinking could take that all away.

New Day...

    I did something crazy this weekend, I flew to a certain state and saw a certain person :)  It was crazy I bought tickets and got on the plane in less than 24 hours. Southwest is the most amazing airline, that's who I flew, they always save a couple seats for military personnel (dependents included). So I flew round trip for 400 dollars on less than 24 hours notice :). Oh and you can change your itinerary for free! (I had to fly home a day early and they switched my flight for free!) Needless to say it was a crazy trip and awesome and I think it helped both our spirits. I still can't believe I did that! Just had to get that out of my system.

 

Today...

Today was one of the worst days I had in awhile.. Toni bit me twice and hit me twice (neither of them hard but I don't want her to make habits of either one). She had two meltdowns and I almost had one. All the while I just kept thinking about would this be different if Husband was here? Could he make her behave better? I have realized that I have put so much of an expectation on myself to make sure that she behaves well. The last thing I want is for him to come home and her not know who he is and for her to have this kind of behavior be something that happens daily (yeah I know that is why you have to correct it early). I am honestly trying, and I honestly think that in my wildest dreams I never thought it would be this hard. I tell her no and she keeps going, I tell her no and she keeps grabbing it, I tell her no and she just keeps at it, and yes I smack her hand (not hard just enough so that she knows this is not something you do), I try and explain why she shouldn't do it (I doubt she fully gets it) and give her as much of a time out as I can (how on earth do you give a time out to a ten month old, I am not sure how but I will find a way). I pray over her every night and I pray that she is respectful and has a good night and so much more, but I think it comes down to the fact that she misses her daddy and no matter how much I try I feel like I am fail at trying to be both. (Yes, I keep thinking a good Army Wife knows how to balance things, a good Army Wife can be both Mother and Father because she has to, A good Army Wife can keep her children in line and have a clean house all in one day without breaking a sweat.) <--- I am beginning to think I need lessons from her, and yes I know women like that and I always thought I could be that person and now I am struggling to be that person... I hope I can get better and teach Toni better. In the end, I am just me and hopefully I have a well behaved kid who knows and loves her dad as much as I do... Anyways I just needed to get that out

School and other new adventures..

     I have officially qualified for a MYCAA Grant which is 4,000 dollars, and I am so excited to be starting school again. I know it sounds geeky but I really have missed going to school/ classes. The best part is it is all online so I can watch Toni and still be able to work. I am really hoping that I can use my certificate and help some local doctors offices to at least gain experience. I am hoping that it is something I can use where ever life takes us. 

    We (My mom, dad and I) have also decided to set a more strict schedule and try to keep it as much as possible which will help Toni get more sleep and me get more done around the house. (Plus I get to workout more :) ). Hopefully everything will pay off and I can earn a little side money and get more done.

   Update: Toni in the meantime almost has eight teeth and is loving the fact that she can crawl and fast. She keeps trying to stand up on her own (and is starting to get the hang of it.)  which means it is only a matter of time before she is walking/running. She is also 32+ inches at 10 months! Yeah she is crazy tall, people keep thinking she is like two... lol. She is my pride and joy and keeps me permanently busy. She makes our life an adventure.

My Thoughts on Michael Vick...

Since I am jumping in this whole blog thing with both feet I thought I should write about something that has been in the news lately- especially since the Eagles lost. 

   When Michael Vick first got signed to the Falcons, I didn't really like him. He looked a little to Thug for my liking (I am being honest here) but he did play really good football. Fast forward a couple of years and I actually enjoyed watching him play but I also thought he still seemed like he couldn't get around his thuggish persona. Fast forward another couple of years and he was arrested for his role in a dog fighting ring. Now I love dogs and how anyone could do that to innocent animals is beyond me, I also believe that not all pitbulls are aggressive by nature but it is people who train them, who are cruel, to be aggressive. He was convicted and did his time. 

   When he got out there was a huge hoopla about him coming back into the NFL and if he should be allowed to or if he should be banned for life, etc. But the commissioner gave him a second chance and the Eagles signed him (not that quickly but yes it did happen). It honestly bugs me to hear people saying that he shouldn't be allowed to play and he shouldn't have a second chance, and it bothers me even more when it comes from some of my Christian friends. I honestly believe he changed, he got rid of a lot of his old friends and quit hanging around places that used to get him into trouble. He cleaned up his life. The thing that stuck me the most was the fact that Tony Dungy was/is his mentor that got to me. He even went as far as visiting Michael Vick when he was in prison. (Tony Dungy has a huge heard for prison ministry which is awesome in my book.) I don't think a man of Tony Dungy's morals, ethics and character would continually back someone who didn't truly change. I honestly believe everyone deserves a second chance- Jesus died on a cross so we could have a second chance at heaven. I pray that more people would be willing to look at the person Michael Vick is now not the person he was 6,7,8 years ago. People grow people change and all it takes is a little bit of faith. 

   I just had to get that out of my system... Thanks for reading if you got this far...

Jumpin in

This is my first official post of my first official blog. I am completely new at this so please bare with me. I am using this much like a person would a journal or something of that nature.

This is my husband third tour- but there are so many differences in this tour it is incredible, for one thing we have our daughter, Toni Bug. So that changes things, I am a mom now and he is a dad and it just brings some new elements to the table, new worries and new fears. I hope this will help all of that at least on my end. Secondly, he got a new rank which requires more responsibilities and he has to devote more time to what he does because of it. I guess this is going to be kinda like my therapy getting emotions and thoughts out of my head and into the big wide world for all to see (kinda scary but kinda cool at the same time.) Anyways here goes wish me luck, oh wait I don't believe in luck....lol