BUT.....Only, because the U.S. Army is telling us we have to! :-) Here's the deal I am an Army wife. I am also a mama. But, I am also Dina. I live for the adventure and perfect plan that God has laid out for my life. I delight in the blessings, challenges and experiences that I am so grateful to have.
A couple of weeks ago Mike got THEE phone call. Yeah, the one that we have always sort of, kind of been waiting for phone call. He called me and said "I have an opportunity to go serve in Afghanistan what do you think?" What do I think!?!? At that moment my heart didn't really stop it just sort of teetered on the edge of my world and rocked, slowly back and forth. Questions and thoughts raced about the length of time and idea of him not physically being here with me. Then my mind settled a bit and I remembered my husband is a Soldier he has been for a long, long time. It's what he does. It's so much of who he is. He puts on a uniform and does things that to this day I have no idea about or really understand. So, with my voice shaking and tears in my eyes I said "Yes, go, you need this. We need this."
This past year has been one of the best years of our marriage. We both really focused on making each other a priority and now we have a huge insight as to why we may have been led to work on that. We let God lead our marriage. Its that simple. We both know and feel that this past year was silently and slowly preparing us for this next chapter of our lives. Here's the deal we are pretty much addicted to each other and our girls. You may see that on a day to day basis in our real life and our life online. The truth of the matter what we show you of our life is exactly who we are as a couple. We live our life very publicly. We are very secure in ourselves and us as a couple. Our level of communication includes everything and we have found that it is absolutely essential to our relationship even sometimes when it may be uncomfortable. I enjoy it that way. We come from extremely different backgrounds but both from homes that are built on unconditional love. I love for our families and friends all over the US to be so included in our life. Because, I love what it brings to my life by seeing all of their lives played out in words and pictures that we may otherwise miss being all the way over here in California.
The next year, that's right a whole year, is going to be one of tremendous ADAPTATION. I am not going to say hard or easy or sad. That word just sums it up perfectly for me. That's such a way for me to see it and to have control over my thoughts without being overwhelmed. Truth is we are still going to be married. We are still going to be parents. We will still be able to see and talk to each other thanks to the amazing powers of technology that brought us and kept us together in the first place. It will just be our crazy, beautiful life in an adjusted way. We have never been ones to be very conventional and with God as our foundation as individuals we make up one strong team.
I strongly dislike the idea of sitting around mopping and wallowing in self pity for any situation you may be going through. What is the point really? What you will not see from me is "Oh, whoa is me" or any other "lonely army wife" jargon. MANY have gone before me and survived and thrived and many will be after me and I will probably do this again in the future. My motto is that I choose to be the heroine of my life and never the victim. I am far too blessed to ever be less than that. If you have a question of "aren't you sad that he's going to be gone?" I find that my answer could never match such a ridiculous question. I may simply reply, what do you think? However, the answer here first and foremost is...YES!!! Of course! We are inseparable and love spending 24 hrs. a day, 7 days a week with each other. That's the main reason why we got married because not only are we over the moon in love we happen to really, really like each other.
We will gladly accept prayers . Oh, so many prayers we ask for . Pray that the whole process starting in a couple of weeks is a smooth transition. That our fears will be eased. That we will be able to thrive both as family, as a couple and also as individuals. Few couples get a master "reboot" on their lives. Time apart will allow for so much reflection on the already amazing years we have spent together and also rough times where we found ourselves wondering what was going on with us. It also is allowing us for a much needed financial boost that we are beyond grateful for. This will help to plan and prepare for our future. This impending separation has already allowed for so many longer gazes, tighter embraces and above all love and affection between him and I and with our precious littles.
So, consider this the official briefing. My Facebook and my blog here will mostly be flooded with my regular "God is so good" because I am #Jesusgirl, everyday life updates of the girls (for him mostly), ALWAYS support for the troops and a lot of I love my husband/I love my soldier stuff. Those are the key areas of my life they make and contribute to me as an individual. I am never a perfect example of Christ but I hope that I can always shine and reflect the message of his sacrifice for us. It ripples in all the areas of my life. God has shown me amazing Grace in every aspect of my life and I ask that you could do the same for me for those times in my life when I may not exactly be representing him. I am a work in progress. I seek spiritual progression not spiritual perfection. Perfection belongs only to the God that I humbly serve. So, Be kind, hold your loved ones, make each other a priority you wont regret it and appreciate every moment you get to be close to one another.
Mahalo!
Dina
