Stories

I am an English teacher and one of the reasons I chose this subject is because I am a writer. I write to sort things out in my head. I have been writing a journal/diary for as long as I can remember. I was drawing pictures in books long before I could even write words. I love paper, pens, and words more than anything. (Which is also why I love books.) I remember going on field trips and being sent with spending money and strict instructions to "not buy paper or pens!" I have been journaling the story of my life for years. When I met Dave "my story" turned into "our story" and I have been collecting items to put into a scrapbook ever since. I have a whole drawer full of things to scrapbook with in the spare room. I have been collecting these things and purchasing scrapbook items for the past three years. About a week ago I finally pulled the items from the drawer and created a mess on my living room floor and on my kitchen table. Thank goodness I don't have children yet because by the time I drug it out I was tired and only did one page. I completed another page this past week and am fixing to work on some more pages tonight. (Oh my, I really have been kidnapped by the South I just wrote "fixing to.") I hope to have this completed by Christmas so I can take it home and show it off. My only problem is narrowing down which small stories to include in "our story." I keep thinking of more things to include and I haven't even done the ones from the original list yet. I still have a month or so to do this, but I also have school stuff (lesson plans, papers to grade, etc), and Christmas shopping and cards as well.

I also had a revelation earlier this week. I was reading a list of 232 Reasons to Love the Marine Corps and laughing at over half of them because of the experiences and stories I've had when I realized a very important thing. I am going to really miss the Marine Corps. I may be just as "displaced" as my husband is when our time in the Marine Corps os over. I will miss going on base and seeing Marines. I will miss having "my boys" all together and over to our house for dinner. I will miss hearing silly stories from the field and deployment. I will miss watching my husband proudly put on his cammies or blues and go off to do his job. I know there will be other things to fill the void left from the Corps, but I know it won't be the same. I know from the stories written from retired and Marines who are no longer active duty. (There's no such thing as an ex-Marine.) Life without the Corps just isn't the same and while I'm looking forward to it, I'm also a bit sad. Shhh...don't tell Dave.

Good News: Only about 2 more months of being a single wife! (I know it sounds crazy, but you know what I mean.) My husband will be home soon!!!! Thank God! No really, I mean it, thanks to God that time is passing quickly and I am surviving.