Inspired by a Lifetime Movie

Wow! The past few weeks have been extremely busy. I've been meaning to share a few pictures and a conversation I had with my husband last weekend. The weather has been great and Mackenzie loves being outside, however, she seems to have an aversion to grass. It's very entertaining to watch as she tries to keep both feet off the ground. The babe has also started crawling and is into EVERYTHING! Some of her favorite items include dog bones, the dog leash, any electrical cord, cell phones and shoes. Who needs toys? And of course being the good mother that I am, I let her play with all of the above items......all at once.

Onto the conversation with the husband. I had the TV on (a lot) last weekend and kept seeing a preview for a Lifetime Movie, here is the description

Tia McLealand has it made: She's blissfully in love with Nick, pregnant with his child and successful at work to boot. Then Nick is killed in a chopper crash with his National Guard unit. Unwilling to let her child grow up without a father, Tia marries her powerful billionaire boss, Michael, after he offers to raise the baby as his own, a magnanimous offer that Tia doesn't question - until years later.

Well, surprise, surprise, Nick didn't actually die in the chopper crash and comes back wanting a relationship with Tia. Tia has to decide between Nick and Michael. Obviously, this is a very common situation a girl might find herself in so I started thinking about what I would do. Nathan was relieved to learn that I would probably go back to him. There was a brief pause after I told him this and then Nathan said, "Actually, I would just kill the other guy so you didn't have to choose and I would have my wife back." Is he a sweetheart or what? That man is spending too much time with his fellow Marines and needs a woman in his life again (that would be me).

Good Times at School

I currently have a student teacher and witnessed the following conversation today. The student teacher was working with a small group of students on subtraction with regrouping.

Student Teacher asked me a question about one of the problems, I answered, and she went back to instructing the small group. When she returned to the table one of the students said, "Teacher was wrong" to which she replied, "Yes, teachers make mistakes too."

The student looked at me and said, "Mrs. Miller doesn't make mistakes." Ha! Later the same student called me "mama". Double HA!

Denim Friday

Fact-I am a teacher.

Fact-I wear jeans to work on Friday and find this rather exciting.

I learned early on in our marriage that Nathan truly believes teachers walk around school on Friday giving each other high fives and saying things like, "Hey girl! TGIF!" I find this absolutely hilarious because it couldn't be further from the truth. He has never actually come out and said it, but I imagine he pictures the teachers to look like the lovely ladies in the above picture. Obviously all teachers wear mom jeans.

Another school related item, I returned from Spring Break to find that one of my first grade girls shaved off her eyebrows! Apparently her brothers were making fun of her for having a unibrow. She meant to only shave the middle portion, but ended up taking both of them off. She had a new haircut a few days later that included bangs. Well, in true teacher form, TGIF!

It's Finally Over....For Now Anyway

I find myself starting this post over and over again, I am struggling with what I really want to say. I want to share all of the details of the past week, but there are so many memorable moments, emotions, ups and downs that I don't know where to start. I am actually feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Nathan is now a Marine Officer, he is truly in his element. The commissioning ceremony was surprisingly emotional, almost bittersweet. I felt so proud of my husband and everything he had accomplished, but I could not deny what this moment meant for us down the road. I tried my best to stay present, however, as I stood there holding MC my mind was flooded with thoughts of separation, deployments, single parenthood and of course the safety of my man. When I saw Nathan after the ceremony I could tell he was also feeling a variety of emotions, we probably weren't thinking about the same things though. Nathan reminded me later that we aren't "normal" I think he was trying to make me feel better.

Nathan and Mackenzie together for the first time in 10 weeks.

She didn't cry and I think that is a smile.

Our little family.

The commissioning ceremony.

Pinning on his bars.

Nathan and Mac

OCS is "Done Sir Done!"

I would like to thank everyone who supported myself and my family through this last chapter of our life, whether you sent letters, commented on the blog, or made a phone call...please know that we appreciate your support more than we can exclaim.

Seeing Kelly and MC for the first time put butterflies in my stomach. Ten weeks away from a baby provides so many changes, and I will admit, at times it was hard to believe that MC was my daughter because of how much she had changed...but, as soon as I saw the hairline I knew it was true. My biggest fear was, and continues to be, that my daughter will not know her father. What a humbling experience to see that the world does not stop for you but continues to go on without your input or protest.

I would like to publicly thank my wife for holding down the fort while I went off to fulfill my duties, I truly believe that I could not have accomplished these goals without her. They say, "Behind every great man is a great woman", while I don't consider myself a great man I do know that I have a great woman behind me proving the saying holds a true meaning behind the context. One of the greatest honors I have experienced was having my wife pin my Lt. bars on my uniform, I couldn't have imagined a more fitting end to the struggle we have faced. Thank you Kelly, I would not have been able to do this without you.

As we move to the next phase, please continue to keep us in your prayers...I would like to close with the toast to the flag. For you wives and girlfriends, read the words and pay attention to the the stanza, "Womanhoods care for it, Made manhood dare for it" because you are who we fight for making this the most meaningful line contained in the toast. I will take the liberty for the men in your life and thank you for being our rock. Continue to look out for us...no matter how strong we are or pretend to be we still need you...

Here's to the red of it
There's not a thread of it
No, not a shred of it
In all of the spread of it
From foot to head
But heroes bled for it
Faced steel and lead for it
Precious blood shed for it
Bathing it red

Here's to the white of it
Thrilled by the sight of it
Who knows the right of it
But feels the might of it
Through day and night
Womanhood's care for it
Make manhood dare for it
Purity's prayer for it
Keeps it so white

Here's to the blue of it
Beauteous view of it
Heavenly hue of it
Star spangled dew of it
Constant and true
Diadems gleam for it
States stand supreme for it
Liberties beam for it
Brightens the blue

Here's to the whole of it
Stars, stripes, and pole of it
Body and sole of it
O, and the roll of it
Sun shining through
Hearts in accord for it
Swear by the sword of it
Thanking the Lord for it
Red, White, and Blue

Thanks again, there is no better friend, no worst enemy...Semper Fidelis

Very Respectfully,

Nathan

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Turbulence

Definition of Turburlence: great commotion or agitation


I had a moment the other day when I was talking with my mom about MC (daughter); we discussed how much she resembled her father. Yes, you may detect a bit of resentment there….I carried her for 9 months, gained an unmentionable amount of weight, endured 16 hours of labor and the only thing that seems to resemble me is her chin! And let me tell you, no one looks at that child and says, “Wow, she has your chin, what a cutie!” Anyway, back to my original thought. As we talked about MC and her father, it was like I suddenly remembered, I have a husband, I’m a married woman, Yes! I truly felt excitement at this moment.


I had the opportunity to see my DH (dear husband) this weekend and it was amazing! My flight got in a little late and of course I got lost driving my awesome Kia Rondo, so hubby arrived at the hotel before me. As I made my way to our room I had that nervous butterfly feeling in my stomach. I love that he still stirs up those giddy, school-girl emotions. He opened the door and the second I laid eyes on him I felt complete again. I was with my better half and we had the next 30 hours to tell stories, hold hands, and once again, kiss each other goodnight. The only thing missing was MC, but it was much too short of a trip to bring her. DH was able to watch a few video clips of the babe and was amazed at her development. I told him about her sassy, little attitude and he swears that comes from me. The weekend was perfect and I am reminded of how strong our commitment is to one another.


You can do a lot of people watching at airports and that is exactly what I did on my way out to DC. I seemed to zero in on all of the annoying people and it left me frustrated. Then something wonderful happened to me on my flight home from DC to Chicago. I sat next to an older gentleman, he smiled when I sat down and that was about it. However, when beverages were being served he would only use his right arm to take items from the flight attendant; I watched a little longer to make sure my observation was correct. After watching him spill most of his coffee onto the tray I offered to help open the small package of peanuts. He was thankful and began to tell me about the stroke he had almost a year ago. Later the pesky flight attendant asked him several times if the items sticking out from the seat in front of him were trash. I felt like snapping back with, “No lady, the items are not trash, they are a package of Kleenex’s this man is using and he placed them there because he has limited mobility of his left arm.” The lady was just doing her job and it actually reminds me of how I rush through my days not really slowing down to pay attention to the things that matter most. I am thankful for sitting next to that man; he reminded me that nothing in life is guaranteed and a little bit of kindness can go a long way. I need to slow down and breathe in all that is happening around me, especially MC growing up.