Location:William Ln,Carrollton,United States
I had the chance to bake some cakes to send over to Chad and some of the other guys/girls he is deployed with. I am kind of jealous they get to eat these. :)
They are a chocolate peanut butter bread cake with a butter cream nutella icing :)
How lucky – 2 posts not only in 1 month but check it out – in the SAME WEEK!
So I just wanted to share a great experience I just had. About the time Chad deployed I joined a military wives support group in Dallas on meetup.com. I have been skeptical to actually go – but I bit the bullet today and headed to a dinner in Plano with some of the other members. I am soo glad I went.
I don’t know anyone around here who is experiencing this or has experienced this so it was great to talk to other women like me. We already have our next meet up planned and I am excited for it!
We will be backing care packages to send to all the husbands/boyfriends/fiancés – very excited! Anyway – it was just nice to relate to people about this experience – I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone for once.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
JCW
Here we are - 56 days away from the big reunion – yup 56 days my friends. I can’t put in to words my emotions – eek! Now – this isn’t the last one – he has to return overseas afterward but – I’ll take what I can get at this point. Can you hear the flutters?
For all of those that don’t talk to me on a regular basis – Chad and I are spending 2 fabulous weeks overseas in Europe. My plane ticket is booked, our hotel reservations are made, and the train tickets arrived in the mail today! Sweet! I have been lucky enough to make it to Europe twice in my young life – but this will be Chad’s first time – well – first that he is able to step foot off the plane :)
We will be visiting 3 countries during our stay: Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. I have never been to Germany – I am excited – I don’t have much of a liking for beer – but maybe I can make an excuse to like it while I am there!
I am pretty stoked to see Chad – he has lost 60lbs since February – wow! I feel pretty fortunate that we get to talk on a fairly regular basis. Though it doesn’t make the situation any better it does give me a little more piece of mind. I can’t put in to words how much I miss having Chad at home. I don’t know how Chad manages – but somehow he still seems to make me feel special from 9000 miles away. He is a keeper for sure. He even sent me a handwritten letter – who does that anymore – I love it!
I’m pretty sure Bruno misses his Daddy – sometimes we can get him to “talk” to Chad on the webcam, it’s stinking cute. He hears Chad’s voice and he looks for him. The other day he realized where it was and he was staring right at the computer screen (see below photo) with his paws on the keyboard – what a goob.
Sorry for the randomness and scatteredness of my posts – I find myself sleeping a lot.
- JCW
Back to life… back to reality. A Joint update from the solider and his wife today: it’s a special occasion.
The hubby finally landed at the airport, terminal E this time…too many chicks in terminal D told him he couldn’t hang out around there anymore. :) Hes lookin good, going to have swat them girls off like flies when he comes home for good next year.
Friday we got up early, signed an apartment lease, and headed south! Mid-day we detoured off the path to attempt getting a military ID card for the misses…epic fail. We landed in DEERS about 5 minutes before closing time only to get to the conclusion that Jenny isn’t enrolled… they need our marriage license… AGAIN! So we turned around, no really, Chad headed north for 20 miles before he realized “Shit, why does this say WACO?” So we flipped a U-ey.
About 5PM the GPS landed us in a cement factory…pretty sure that wasn’t our private cottage… and another U-turn. FINALLY we arrived to our beaten path…you know… the unpaved redneck jokes…insert them here.
Ok really, the cottage was actually really nice. Well, Bruno liked it, so of course we did, he’s much more picky. We headed to town for dinner. This in and of itself was an adventure. We headed to Marcos Fine Italian pizza joint… mistake numero uno. We were assigned to a 90 year old waitress. She was moving a mile a minute…literally. Poor thing, think she forgot we were there, old age does it to you. 2 hours later we finally ate, what appeared to be pizza sauce in soup form. Yum. However, the night was filled with great laughs…at her expense.
Saturday morning we were up early and headed back in to town for an hour or two. The art festival was going on, we bought something neat for above the fire place. Then we went to Ino’s “like Rhino without the Rh” where the beer flows like wine and the liquor is stronger than the sound of Capistrano. (Chad wrote this, can you tell?) We were pretty much worthless the rest of the day. Bruno would agree, until he got his hamburger. Yes, my dog ate a hamburger… porker!
Well here we are today, it’s Sunday. Chad leaves tomorrow afternoon. (I bet Jenny will cry like a baby… poor baby lovey) Anyway, awesome weekend, great food, and the best dang company in the world.
- JCW^2
P.S. Jenny will post pictures from the trip tomorrow evening.
Yes, I miss Chad, horribly.
Now that everyone is on the same page as Chad and I, can people PLEASE stop asking us that question.
ANYWAY! Chad got his weapon at the end of last week, he spent most of his weekend sick and cleaning up all the rust.
Guess this means the deployment date is getting closer…
- JCW
OR KUWAIT! Yes, that is excellent news!
The new unit Chad is attaching too is stationed in Kuwait and will not be going to Iraq! This is amazing news. The not amazing news..Chad could be leaving to go overseas by the end of this month. :/ *insert boo boo face here*
Now, I just ask that the Army not change their minds anymore and lets keep it like this! This could mean a large amount of stress off of us over the next year.
Keep on prayin’ y’all, it’s working!
In other news, still no internet on Chad’s end. He has to go to the rec center to get online and there is generally a line so he doesn’t get much time on the comp. However, he does have better cell service (trust me this isn’t saying much), so you might have some luck if you call him.
For those wondering… Chad is down almost 20 pounds from when he left. I’m not going to recognize him when I see him next!
- JCW
Congrats to Cole and Amanda Williamson!
Chad’s younger brother got married yesterday morning to sweet Amanda! Unfortunately, I couldn’t make the nuptials, the stack of work on my desk was calling my name.
I got to spend Saturday with Cole after I picked him up from the airport, weather was nice, Cole put the top down on the Vette…nice. We stopped off and got Cole outfitted for his big day and then grabbed a bite to eat.
Sunday I headed down to Cowboy Church with Chad’s family, had lunch with them, and then went with Glen to see Nana. Always glad to see Nana.
Thanks for spending the weekend with me Williamson’s!
Was going to try and go see Chad this weekend…but he got new orders. He is leaving Benning and heading to Camp Shelby, MS to start pre-deployment training. Bummer.
A HUGE THANK YOU to two of the guys at the office for being so supportive and offering to help me out so much to try and get to Chad. I consider myself to be so lucky to work with such great people.
- JCW
“It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag." - Dennis Edward O'Brien
Happy Wedding Weekend to my pretty pretty older sister, Lisa! You looked gorgeous,but then again you’re a Dessi, I expected nothing less. :)
Bride, Dad, Me @ the Rehearsal lunch
Lisa – Lisa and her two cute new kiddos
Sunday was rough at the wedding… This was our first, of many, big events apart. I know how much Chad wanted to be there and how much I wanted him there.
To the Bride and Groom: Congrats from A Solider and his Wife – we love you both!
- JCW
I guess the ones at Ft. Benning do. For the time being Chad managed to kill them with Lysol…who knew!
Chad informed his higher ups earlier this week. Army motto “sit around wait” right? He still has termites. My guess, he will have them until he goes to his next station.
-JCW
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
--George Orwell--
Does it feel like a minute takes an hour to anyone else around here?
So Chad is at Ft. Benning, no internet and thanks to all our fine tax dollars building all those concrete barracks, he has little cell service too.
Long week, past, another long week ahead.
- JCW
I dropped Chad off at the airport this morning. He is headed off to training for the next month or two. Today, Chad left for Ft. Benning. Thanks to my sister Lisa, her fiancé, RJ, A.J. and Kathy for coming out to the airport and keeping my spirits high!
Below are pictures from our last weekend together and the last picture is from today at the airport!
Dinner at Wolf Gang Puck in Reunion Tower
Last full day together. How cute are my two boys?
Last minute errand before heading to the airport.
My super boo boo face. Check out Chad’s fresh shave!
About to say goodbye. :(
I should get to see Chad one more time for a long weekend before he heads overseas. We have no dates or details at this time. As I know where Chad is going I will let everyone know. However, I will not post the dates he will be leaving for his deployment, just time frames.
- JCW
DC was a blast! We landed around noon on Sunday, got to the hotel, put on our walking shoes on and headed out too see the sights!
On Day 2 we rented a SMART car and drove up to Baltimore and spent the day on the harbor. We had some pretty awesome crab cakes and visited the old historic ships. We both really enjoyed this entire day. (AND I am totally buying a SMART car for my next set of wheels)
One of the main reasons we ventured to D.C. was Chad really wanted to get to see the National Cemetery. Even covered in snow, it is a sight to see. We were lucky to see the changing of the guards, which is as amazing as the stories you hear. Those guys are nothing short of perfection!
I would like to add that while we were visiting the cemetery I think we were very humbled to witness the funeral of a solider. Very honorable. I was extremely upset when a group of young high school students came walking by and didn’t stop to pay respect nor did they even stop talking and shouting… I was saddened at their disrespect to one of our fallen. One young boy was even so disrespectful as to start taking pictures of the soldier's service…
The Iwo Jima memorial was just around the corner, so we made the trek in the snow. I probably should have worn jeans and not a dress.
On our last full day we took a taxi over to Alexandria, VA. We got to visit the church of General Robert E. Lee and our first President, George Washington! The below picture is us sitting in the Washington pew.
The last two pictures are both walls by memorials that I couldn't agree with more.
We had an awesome vacation, and if you have never made the trip up there, we recommend it!
- JCW
Chad’s last day of work was earlier this week, so he has been getting everything ready to ship out. I feel like they need my entire life biography as well as his. I was ready to stick my arm out and give them a pint of blood, might have been easier!
Getting everything together and packed for Chad has been a pain! We got him a new laptop though the other day…built in webcam, we already tested Skype! :) (TO ALL FAMILY: DOWNLOAD!!!)
An exciting plus, we leave for DC on Sunday! Can’t wait for our 5 days away from everything! It’s just us going, so we will be able to really enjoy each other before Chad leaves.
We might have splurged a little on our hotel, we are staying 2 blocks down 16th Ave from the White House @ The St. Regis (www.stregis.com). We’ll update with photos when we get back! We will be flipping our cells off for most of the trip. :)
Hope everyone has a good week.
- JCW
Since we just booked a 5 day vacation to Washington, DC the week before Chad leaves, we decided to skip the fancy dinner out and enjoy a day downtown yesterday.
We started off at the Dallas Aquarium, then had a disappointing lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse and attempted to go to the bodies exhibit. Thanks to the MBA All Star game and cold weather everyone was seeking shelter in the exhibit…boo.
We headed over to the DMA instead. Probably a bit more entertaining for me than Chad… he was a good sport though.
Before heading home we stopped at the Galleria, Chad needed some shaving supplies to pack in his bag (www.theartofshaving.com). I went on the hunt for a new purse for a bit so Chad made his own turn off, when I got out he had a small turquoise bag in his hand to surprise me… yes, Tiffany’s! He got me the bracelet I have been wanting for forever. Always full of surprises that one :)
We cooked a yummy dinner at home and enjoyed a relaxing evening together. Can’t get enough of those with him leaving soon!
By a little… we mean record breaking!!
Chad and I got outside last night and had a snowball fight and built a snowman… hey us Texans don’t get this stuff often!
Yes, our snowman kind of looks like a burn victim… We don’t get much practice?
An unexpected day of fun before Chad ships off!
- JCW
Thank you to all the family that made it out to the going away party for Chad and Cole last night! It meant a lot to both Chad and I!
A big extra special thank you to Heather for helping find a location with such short notice, Glen and Vicki for picking up the room, and Christine for grabbing the flowers!
Below are a few pictures from the party:
- JCW
