The truth...

You know, it is hard trying to be tough all of the time. It is hard trying to be strong and positive all of the time... actually it is exhausting.

I am not one to tell people about my problems. Normally when people ask how I am I reply with "Fine!" or "GREAT!" when I really am not. Why do I do this? Because I truly believe that people really don't want the truth when thy ask this...

Yes, I am happy I have lost almost 70 lbs since April. I feel great, I look great (aside from saggy skin, blech), and I have a ton more confidence than I ever did before; but there is a side of my life that most people do not see because I am (believe it or not) a private person. I do not want to give the illusion that my life is perfect, it is not, I just don't want everyone knowing what goes on behind closed doors... but part of me feels like I need to step out from behind the closed doors and speak out because I know there are a lot of military families that are going through what I am now... and I chose to write about it because there is finally a resolution in my life.

Some of my closest friends know what is going on because I have chosen to share with them. For advice, for support, as a sounding board. Most do not know because it is embarrassing for me. My husband has PTSD, I know it, most people who know him know it, but he has not been formally diagnosed yet. With Combat PTSD come a myriad of issues and struggles that "normal" families never encounter.  Allow me to share.

My husband has been deployed numerous times, I believe that the one he is currently on is his 4th or 5th deployment. He has seen death, and I am pretty damn sure he has caused death (I would be stupid to believe he hasn't). What must this do to a person? To know that you ended a life, to see your brothers-in-arms die right in front of you while you are still alive by some grace of God. To see your fellow soldiers deal with being cheated on and divorced while they are fighting in another country and helpless to do anything; afraid that you are next for personal turmoil or death daily.

I cannot count how many times my husband has gotten angry over something and told me he wanted a divorce. I know that it has been a lot... and this past week I had enough. I agreed to the divorce, I was tired of hearing it, tired of the damn hurtful things he would say. I just resigned and said "Ok, fine." I guess he thought I was bluffing, but I had called my father, called my cousin, talked to my friends, talked to an FRSA, ready to go back "home" and stop the madness. I was looking at places to live, looking for work... I was ready to start over no matter how much it scared me. It would have been better than the alternative of continuing to live with doubt about my relationship. I was ready to go.

I guess my husband realized I was serious... but he was not. He did not want a divorce. He did not want to lose me and the kids, he said he did for reasons unknown to him, but he saw that he was about to. He agreed to go get help. In the past I had asked, begged, and pleaded with him to get help. He refused saying there was nothing wrong with him. I knew better.

Knowing he was FINALLY taking the steps to get the help he needed gave me some relief, but I am still wary. For now I am putting off leaving him to see what progress he makes. I KNOW he can be a good man, a good husband, and good father... he just needs help to get past all of the hurt, anger, and fear within him. I cannot help him, I know this... but I know I could not continue to live with him the way he was (and I really hope this helps him).

So my life is not perfect, my marriage is not perfect, and my husband being in the military does not come without added heartache, pain, and turmoil- things the movies do not show. Being married to a soldier is not like being married to a "normal" man. Living the military life is not all glamour. Being a military spouse IS the hardest thing to be if you have a man that has seen war, been injured, and seen death. No man comes out of that unscathed.

I just hope that people do not judge him too harshly. He has his issues, and he is taking the steps needed to fix them. He is not a violent man, he just gets angry and says some really hurtful things and wants to stop that so that he can have a family that loves him as much as he loves us but has such a hard time showing.

I ran my first 5K!!! And other stuff...

I have been so busy lately. I am just 5 weeks and 3 days from completing my Bachelors degree and I am SUPER STOKED about it! I have been trying to defuse my husbands "SGT Jekyll" moments from afar (and believe me, this deployment has been hell on EVERYONE downrange) as well as trying to defuse some other "brother" soldiers  SGT Jekyll moments as well. I am feeling so bad for these guys and what they are going through, and it has been hard for me to put my thoughts together to blog. My kids are going through a lot themselves; my daughter has a boyfriend and is "Miss Popularity" so she is either gone, on the computer, or needing me to be her personal chauffeur. My oldest son is getting burnt out at work and vents to me, and my youngest is constantly asking for the newest video game that was just released... that shit gets expensive!!! 

I have been at the end of my rope a few times, just barely hanging on by the last knot. I have been able to get through with the support of friends, gym and Zumba time, and wine :)

Yes, I am still at the weight loss thing. I have lost over 65 lbs now, I go to Zumba class twice a week, and try to hit the gym the other 3 days. On the weekend I turn on the XBOX Kinect and do Zumba at home or Dance Central (so much fun and makes me SWEAT!). This week I am struggling not to binge eat... I have been making a few bad food decisions, but I think that is attributed to TOM.. I will be right back on track with my eating soon.

Last month I ran (OK, I walked and jogged) my first 5k. I completed it in 47 minutes and was super proud of myself!! It was 32 degrees outside but that did not deter me. I put on my Under Armor, gloves, jacket, and polar bear hat and drove on post to get to the starting line...

After the race... I was so ready for a smoke! My friend Bre... she is like a size 0... seriously...

Crossing the finish line

Watching everyone sign up

This year was the easiest Halloween EVER! My daughter went out with her friends, my youngest son went out with his friends, and I got to sit back and relax...

Youngest son as Master Chief from Halo

She was supposed to be a zombie nurse, but she did not want to wear a lot of makeup, so she just looked like a sadistic/evil nurse... ever see Silent Hill???

Evil....

Yeah well... so sue me

OK, I know... I have been kinda MIA for a bit... but I have been BUSY!!!! I mean, it is HARD to spend time with a husband home on R&R, continue with college, go to work, and try to keep up with the diet and exercise thing AND blog!!!!

OK, so I am a slacker... deal with it.

So this is what is up. I am on my second to my last class before I finish my Bachelors degree, then in the beginning of next year I will start on my Masters. I have lost almost 60 pounds total since I started dieting and exercise and am feeling pretty damn good about myself. My husband was even so excited about it he spent almost $1000 at Victoria's Secret on me. Him. Shopping. Online. Without my knowledge. I ended up with a bunch of TX Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys, and Army gear! He bought all smalls, but lucky for me they are all from the Pink line and all fit.

All of my kids keep growing up and having lives outside of the home without my permission and I am having a really hard time with that. My daughter has a boyfriend, my oldest son is seriously interested in someone, and THANK GOD that my youngest son is still ok with being home, playing video games, and being my little boy.






I find myself getting increasingly annoyed with misspellings, or just ignorant remarks... like one person I know just got diagnosed with PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) and:

#1 Insists on calling it Pulmonary Cystic Ovarian Syndrome

#2 Is acting like she was just diagnosed with cancer or AIDS or something

OK, I have PCOS. I have had it for YEARS. When I found out I never acted like I was going to die, I never was "in shock" over the news. I never blamed the reason I was fat on it either. I know it is hard to lose weight when you have it, but not any harder than losing weight normally (I think). When I started dieting in April I began eating like a diabetic (for the most part), I watched my portions, I watched my calories, etc, etc, etc... the weight started coming off. It was a lot easier than I thought! I just had to get the "I have PCOS so I cannot lose weight" out of my head.


I AM SO SICK OF PEOPLE FEELING SORRY FOR THEMSELVES! OK, I know this deployment is hard on the spouses left behind. I know it is hard not hearing from your spouse for days or weeks at a time. I know we miss our spouses... BUT STOP DWELLING ON IT AND FIND SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE TO DO! Also, to the women who's husbands leave for a one week business trip: I am so sick of reading about how hard it is to be away from them. You. Have. No. Idea.

I keep myself busy because I do not want to become a blubbering mess. I talk to people about anything BUT Army or my husband because I have a life away from that. Talk to me about shopping, True Blood, Game of Thrones, new movies... hell GOSSIP about other people so I can giggle, but don't be a constant downer. It is ok to have moments, but not 24/7 moments.

So yeah... whew... been a while since I had a good rant! On all of that I will leave you with this: