Spoonful of Sugah

I haven’t visited here in awhile.  Things are just a bit too overwhelming right now.  I’m experiencing first hand what it’s like to have the person I love most in this world away for a year of deployment overseas. 

I knew it was coming and I thought I was prepared.  I understood what it meant in theory.  I understood that physically we’d be away from eachother for a year’s worth of time.  I understood that we’d miss eachother.  I understood that it would be difficult at times but that we’d make it through.  I understood that the time away might even make our relationship stronger.   I honestly had no idea how difficult this year of our life would be.

We are very fortunate that we get to speak on the phone daily.   During these conversations I try really hard to hide the pain and worry from him.  (I’m not always good at it, but I try really hard) After all, he’s working 24/7 in a third world country day in and day out so that WE (You, yes YOU!, me, my family, your family and all of our neighbors in between) can live our safe and nestled lives here in the USA.   He gets up early each morning, says his prayers, puts on that beige & green camouflage uniform, and begins his day by eating in the same kitchen which a dozen rats (yes, those lovely large rodents with the really long tails) ramsacked throughout the night.   One of the main things I hear him voice over and over is how he really hopes he’s making a difference.  He CARES about the things he’s doing and the impact that he is making.

 So, I ask myself, “What in the world do I have to complain about????”  How can I sit here in my little suburban town with a nice roof over my head and plenty of food in my clean kitchen and complain about all that I am missing? 

I’m not here to gripe, and I’m certainly not here to share all the private details of my relationship with the world (or the 5 people that read my blog!), but I do need to remind those who read my blog to take the time to remember those who serve and why they are serving.  Try to remember that aside from all of the talk in politics and the debate on whether or not we should be at WAR, there are men and women right this very moment fighting for their very lives so that we can sit around and argue over who is the best candidate.  These men and women BELIEVE in what they are fighting to protect and they are doing this for US.  The families of these men and women SACRIFICE every single moment that they don’t get to share with those whom they love.  The next time you want to scream out to the world about what is and what is not worthwhile, just please remember that the woman or man standing next to you may have recently lost a loved one, or may be missing a loved one like crazy, to this cause that you find so unworthy. 

Inspired to start my first blog today.  Spent an hour trying to figure out how to maneuver the website and here I find myself posting.  I chose “Spoonful of Sugah”  inspired by the movie Mary Poppins (which I have watched countless times with my 2 little ones).   In this stressful world (the medicine) where our country is experiencing war and we are constantly trying to stay afloat in the fast pace of society embedded by an even faster jet stream of technology, most of us yearn for simpler lives.  I wanted to create a small place on the net where simplicity and small moments of joy are the focus of a life that goes by so very fast.  This is my “Spoonful of Sugah”.   

Today my 6 year old has been carrying around our video camera interviewing everyone in the family, including our 2 new little kitties.  I’ve witnessed her unabandoned freedom of expression as she’s turned the camera around and so close to her face that you can see every freckle on her nose.  She doesn’t make a point to say anything specific yet she sits there with only a portion of her tiny face showing and speaks whatever comes to mind.  She has tested out many new sounds screeching at the top of her vocal chords and has chased her older sister around with the camera, screaming, “Just one small interview!”  It makes me wonder what kind of career she may find herself in 15 - 20 years from now and I sure hope she doesn’t lose this freedom of expression.  For today this is my small joy.

 I’m somewhat apprehensive about posting here as I wonder where my words will find themselves 1, 5, 10, 20 years from now.  Where is this vast closet that houses the infinite amount of blogs out on the internet?  One day when I’ve left this earth, will there be a genealogical file with my name on it which contains my various musings?  I wonder what my ancestors would think of this.  It’s like creating a life and not really knowing where it will end up.  I guess I’ll take my chances.