Band of Sisters

Recently, on several different occasions, I have heard different people state that the quality of one's life is in large part determined by the relationships we have with others. Each time I have heard this I have thought back to the times in my life when I have felt the most content and at peace.  The common denominator is always strong relationships with the people who mean the most to me. 

Lately I have thought a lot about those women who I call my Band of Sisters.  The women who at one point in their life agreed to be a part of this Army life.  The ones who fell in love with a man who's business is freedom.

I think of those women I met at our first real duty station as a married couple.  I am reminded of the women who shared in the fear and uncertainty of a nation going to war.  They are the women who made Fort Campbell my home and who helped to make our first deployment a time of growth and not just a time of loneliness and anxiety.  I think of those who showed me that while tough and painful at times, this is a wonderfully rewarding way of life that's full of amazing people and experiences.  I met women who felt the same sense of pride for our unit that I felt and the same obligation to serve that motivates our family today.

I think of the women who without any explanation simply get "it".  They understand that while redeployment is a wonderful, exhilarating time, it can also be a struggle to adjust to having this person who has been gone for a year back into our home and into our routine.  Those who know first-hand the feeling in your heart when you see your husband and the father of your child walk into that hangar after a year-long separation.  Those women who's hearts break a little more when someone tramples on our flag or disrespects our country and her Soldiers.   

I think of the women who get "me".  Those who understand my Type-A ways.  Those women who know that at my core, I'm really a homebody and that they shouldn't take it personally.  The women who understand that my love for entertaining isn't about being a spotlight ranger, it's about making something ordinary special for the people I love.  I think of the women like me who feel that regardless of how frustrating and exhausting it may be at times, they still have a love for this big green machine we call the Army and can't imagine their life any other way.

I am reminded of the women who have led by example, showing me and others what right looks like.  Those women who's grace and humility created a sense of camaraderie that others couldn't help but want to be a part of.  The women who wore no rank upon their collar but simply loved Soldiers and their Families.  (Yes, Families with a capital "F".)

Time has changed things.  Some of my Band of Sisters are no longer married to the men who's job brought us together in the first place.  Others have left the Army.  Time, distance, and the hectic pace of life have changed some friendships.  The most special of these friendships have flourished to the point where these women  are no longer just my friends, they are my family.  The thing that is always constant is that for whatever reason, at one point in time, we were brought together to love and support one another.  To be a Band of Sisters. 

My Band of Sisters is growing at our new home at Fort Riley.   It is growing at a time when I truly feel like I need it more than ever.  Our family is about to embark on a wild ride and I know these women were brought into my life for a reason--to share laughs, tears, victories, screams of frustration, and new beginnings.    I truly believe that there is no such thing as coincidence, only divine intervention. 

I am beyond grateful for the women who have made my life as an Army wife so rich.  Thank you, my Band of Sisters.

Valentine's Day

I love Valentine's Day.  I don't buy into that "It's just a Hallmark holiday" nonsense.  I see it as a special and fun day to celebrate our love for family and friends just a little bit more than we normally do.  Maybe it's the post-Christmas blues I always feel or how the house looks so bare after the holiday decor is packed away.  Whatever it is,  I always feel excited to pull out the pink and red and start crafting little treats for my sweets. 

I love the big fireplace mantles we have in this old home.  They are just asking for a few little holiday items to make the rooms feel special.  I don't think it takes a whole bunch of stuff to make things fun--just a few seasonal things are enough to make me smile.

 

The 14th started with pink waffles and balloons for Samantha. 

 I decided to make these super simple wrapped chocolate nuggets for Samantha's teacher and some of our friends.  It's an easy and fun little craft that you can adjust for any holiday or occasion.  I got the idea from my friend Amy who gave us chocolates wrapped in pink papers when Samantha was born.

 

I made smaller, less girly sets for the high school boys who help in Samantha's classroom. 

For Samantha's classmates and neighbor friends we made rice crispy lollipops.  We used a cookie cutter to cut out the heart shape, dipped them in white chocolate, and sprinkled them with Valentine sprinkles.  Samantha and I had a great time making these together.

We wrapped the lollipops in pink, heart bags and used a printable I found on Pinterest for the little tags.

Samantha was so excited to share her treats and balloons with her classmates.

But these days, trying to get normal pictures of her usually ends up like this...

...or this. 

Little rascal...

Before dinner, the three of us shared gifts and love notes. 

Samantha had heart shaped pizza for dinner.  Once she was down for the night, Tony and I had prime rib and loaded sweet potatoes.  For dessert, I made these pretzel Buckeyes--yet another Pinterest find.  Easy and perfect for the man in my life who doesn't like super sweet sweets.  They were the delicious mix of salty and sweet. 

I had such a great time making this day special for my two sweethearts.  This is one of my favorite parts of being a mom and a wife....making ordinary days just a little fancier for the ones who I love.