Baby, it's bad out there.

It's snowing, it's snowing, and I don't care who knows it!

Really though, if you are on the East Coast, and your state usually gets snow, it is snowing.

I think snow is pretty magical. I've never hated snow. Honestly, I've never hated winter.

I love wearing lots of layers, sitting by the fire, sipping hot apple cider. Eating tons of comfort food. Winter, to me, means red noses, and Christmas, and my birthday, and lots of snuggling with fuzzy socks on.

I hate the heat too, so even though I can appreciate summer, for me, winter is where it's at.

And it's snowing today! The day before Thanksgiving, which means I'll probably be able to leave early and sit inside my house, making pecan bars for tomorrow, and just basking in the fact that I have a 4 day weekend and I am so thankful to be spending it with my family.

Just the beginning of the glorious white stuff.

High Five

Well, I haven't posted in a while.  Busy, I guess. Also, I have a cold.  What a way to start a Friday!

1. This Saturday is our Friends-giving.  Very excited to eat tons of great food, watch movies, and be surrounded by my closest friends.

2. Nothing makes me feel better like a cuddle from a kitten.

Frank loves his mama.

3. I FINALLY found a new fall jacket that I'm loving. Of course it's basically winter now, but I'll wear the crap out of this next year.

(link)

4. The whole IUI procedure only cost us $175. Now, Jesse isn't too happy about it, but I figure that's better than the original $1200 they quoted us.

5. I have a 3 day week next week. And a 4 day weekend. Hip, hip, hooray.

Veteran's Day

I've been a little silent lately.  I've found it's taking some time to get me to feel like myself again.  I thought a couple of Fridays ago, I was there. But I was wrong.  I've been moody, depressed, tired. Like I don't want to go anywhere or do anything.

Jesse has been so supportive though.  My veteran (because if you can't say it today, when can you say it?) is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

My life changed dramatically when I started dating Jesse. Only a year and a half into our relationship, he deployed to Iraq.  That year changed me.

I was 21 years old, engaged to a soldier who was deployed to Iraq.  I lived at home with my parents, slept in a twin bed, and worked full time for a mortgage company that I hated.  I went to school part time at night and did my absolute best to stay busy.

Every now and then during that year, some commercial would come on, or a song would play on the radio, and I would stop breathing.  Even though I talked to Jesse all the time, I would constantly remind myself that something could happen. That I would have to be prepared.  That I needed to keep in contact with his father, because if something DID happen, I wouldn't even be notified.  The army doesn't care if you're dating, if you're engaged, only if you're married or a blood relative.  One of my worst fears during that time was Jesse would be killed and I wouldn't know it until much, much later because no one would notify me.  And I would just be wondering where he was or what he was doing. And then some call would come in days later with the worst news.

But Jesse came home. We moved in together. We got married. We bought a house.  And I remind myself every day, not just on veteran's day, that none of that would have been possible if our men and women just gave up the fight. If everyone decided to lay down arms, not risk anything or sacrifice themselves for my freedom.  If those men and women weren't selfless, I wouldn't have everything I count on today.  So I thank not only my gorgeous husband, but two of his brothers, both of his grandfathers, both of my grandfathers, one of my uncles, many of my friends, and countless others that joined, fought, and came home to their loved ones.  Thank you. Thank you for everything.