Fridays

It's Friday again! You know what that means...it's my day off!

Apparently it's also special delivery day because for the second Friday in a row, I was awakened by a knock on the door. I thought it must be flowers again, knowing that my anniversary was coming up. When I looked through my peephole, however, I was surprised to find no one there. I opened the door to look down the hallway and discovered a small package on my doorstep. I opened it to find this:

...the first six seasons of One Tree Hill and a sweet card from my best friend, Sarah! She is so thoughtful--she even overnighted it to me so I wouldn't be bored at home this weekend. I am so grateful for our friendship and extremely excited to be the Matron of Honor in her wedding next May!

And now for a description of FRIENDS Friday (I told you I love pneumonics!)

Friends is, without a doubt, my favorite TV show of all time and despite his best efforts otherwise, Justin has come to love the show as well. Although I have shared with him the digital files for the entire series, I recognize that there often is not enough time to sit down and watch an entire episode. That said, there are SO many hilarious moments in Friends, several of which Justin and I quote and joke about frequently. I chose 30 of my favorite scenes and uploaded one for every Friday he is gone. Just a little comic relief to get him through the day! Here's today's clip:

Friday is also the day we read The Love Dare. Since I've already described this in a previous post, I'll hold off on a more detailed explanation. 

Fair winds and following seas!

Stephanie

A Brilliant Idea

I knew I wanted to do something special for Justin's deployment. I've always sent mounds of greeting cards with him during underways but I knew cards just weren't going to cut it this time around! I'm normally a very creative person, but this time I was just stuck. It was just so hard to think within the space constraints of berthing 6 (see "staterooms and seasickness" for explanation). It wasn't until I was driving my sweet friend Bethany back to the airport after she visited me in January that my plan began to take form. She planted this idea in my head that was just too good to dismiss.

"What about an iPad?" 

It was brilliant, really. So brilliant that I didn't know why I hadn't thought of it first. I wanted to share music and photos and letters but had such limited space. But this one tiny thing, this iPad, could hold all of that and more. Not to mention Justin had been drooling over them since they unveiled the first one. I made up my mind and went straight to the store from the airport and purchased a black 32G iPad. 

Me and B!

I instantly caught flack from several of my most tech-savvy friends. Why would I purchase one now when the second generation iPad was just around the corner? Good question. So I returned it. And waited. 

Meanwhile I fine-tuned my idea. After many more phone calls with Bethany, I settled on a theme for each of the seven months he would be gone, using the "fruits of the Spirit" as my guide. I also tossed in a creation of my own for good measure (and because I was lacking from doubling up on a few). Justin is a very responsible person but when it comes to being away, he has absolutely no self-control. He inevitably tears through everything the first few days he is gone. For example, during the last underway I sent his Valentine's present with him knowing he would be gone on the 14th. He opened it the second night he was gone, four weeks before Valentine's Day! While this may work for a four to five week underway, I knew it would not get him through an entire deployment. Working within the constraints of my theme, I planned something for EACH DAY he would be gone. Yes, it took a ridiculous amount of time. No, there is (almost) nothing I wouldn't do for my husband. He needed this.

A few weeks after returning the first iPad, they did indeed come out with a second generation. I'm glad I waited! Although I was number eight in line at the Navy Exchange, they were still out of the one I wanted (white 64G) so I settled for another black 32G. I loaded it up with everything and PASSWORD-PROTECTED much of the content to prevent him from ruining it the first day/week/month. I had the joy of sharing it with him last weekend as he prepared to leave. There could not have been a more rewarding feeling than the look of utter shock and delight on his face.  

My daily surprises start tomorrow. I'm so excited to finally let some of these secrets I've been harboring these last four months come to light! And to see the "fruits" of my labor. More details tomorrow.

Fair winds and following seas!

Stephanie

Sweet Surprises!

Today is Friday, which means yours truly has the day off to be completely productive, wash clothes, clean the dishes...

Oh wait, what am I saying? It wouldn't be a DAY OFF if I spent it doing any of those things! As I mentioned, I am an accountant and I love my job. I only work Fridays during tax season. This means three-day weekends from now until Christmas! This also means that my Memorial Day weekend will be a FOUR day weekend. This knowledge has given me a severe case of travel itch! I've been throwing around ideas since Justin left about what to do with four whole days to myself--Home? Alabama? Georgia? Beach? Somewhere new? Bed and Breakfast!?! 

Turns out fate answered my question! My awesome Uncle Jim texted me this morning to ask if he could fly me down to Atlanta to spend the weekend with him and two of my cousins. Hold on while I contemplate...

YES!

As if this day couldn't get any better--while I'm searching for itineraries for him to consider, I hear a knock on my door. I'm definitely not expecting anyone and extremely surprised to find a flower delivery guy holding a huge vase of flowers! Who is sending me flowers? Only the sweetest husband in the whole world, that's who!

 

One of the ways Justin and I have chosen to help stay close in spirit during this deployment is taking "The Love Dare" a 40-day devotional aimed at bringing couples closer together through a series of daily dares. We originally passed over this book thinking we could not get the full value out of the book without being physically together. Then a few weeks ago I ran across the website Excellent or Praiseworthy and discovered they had adapted the book specifically for deployments! I was so excited I immediately went out and bought two copies of the book. Today's dare required buying something for your spouse. The flowers were his purchase for me!

Needless to say, it's been a great Friday so far and I absolutely cannot wait to see my precious Georgia family!

Auburn (65) - Arkansas (43) Football Game, Oct 2010

Fair winds and following seas!

Stephanie