Operation Sage: July 2011

Friday, July 29, 2011

DIY Landscape

It's been awhile since I've done one of these! School has taken over my creative side which lets not even get into that subject. Jono and I did some landscaping! We did it all by ourselves and I have to say it wasn't that bad. Jono got a terrible sunburn and has been totally milking it for back rubs and frequent aloe vera. Here are our pictures!

Before

After

Jono made me a box for around my garden so next year we can build it up and add some good dirt!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Cracked Pot!

Grandpa Durlam and Brinn

My Grandpa sends these funny crazy emails all the time. Sometimes we have time to read them and sometimes we don't. Tonight it was totally fitting for what we are going through.

Subject: A nice story

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.'

The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'

'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.'
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.
Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'
Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

We all have imperfections and Jono and myself know each others pretty well at this point! It's been a good and rough integration process but we are doing it! Hope this made you smile like it made me :)

Monday, July 25, 2011

DONE.

We are done with the deployment so that means done with the 5050 cord bracelets. Jono made these when he was in the "black out" in California where they do intense training and they take all means of communication away. So we went a couple weeks with no communication and he said he just sat in the dessert and made these bracelets. So, when Brinn and I came to Mississippi to send him off he gave me mine and literally burned it onto my wrist. I've had it on since October last year and it's nice to have it off!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The End.

Now on with our lives. Our hero is home safe. Praise God.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Last Night.

Well it's here. The night I've dreamed of since day 1. A whole year ago coming home the first night thinking oh my... this is going to be terrible... pretty sure I didn't sleep because I was determined someone was waiting outside ready to break in my house and I was going to have to get my gun out that Jono and rehearsed and rehearsed over and over again before he left... ya I know a little over the top. Or closing all the curtains at 4pm because nobody was looking in at us. Or having my father in law place a steal CAGE over my window well so my nightmares of someone jumping in and coming up to get us would stop. Or running to my sister in laws because a Tornado is coming. Or waking up from a terrible dream and calling Mom to come stay.

I had my last dinner I hope I ever have to have alone well Brinn and I did. I cried to the whole time we cried and laughed because Brinn thinks its funny when I cry... totally Jono's child. I didn't cry because I was sad it was just insane how our little routine just worked every night. I also cried because Brinn prays with me now and I don't alone she puts her head and stares at me and yells when I say Amen! The shades are WIDE open and have been all night while I was cleaning so anyone could have watched. I think I even left the garage door open the other night? hmm... I"ve gotten a little bit more mature maybe or I'm just used to be alone. I don't know anyhow. Things change. I'm ready for him to be home. I've prepare and prepared for tomorrow and there is nothing more I can do! Just remind myself how different I was last year at this time. I was preparing to let him go and preparing to maybe never see him again. However, God has a different plan for us and I can't wait to get it started again with him!

August 1, 2010

I'll never forget how I felt at this moment. I didn't want it to end I could have stood here for days just saying Goodbye. The second Brinn and I left it was go time... Survival. I'm so grateful for this year I've grown as a woman, Wife, and Mom. Seems like just yesterday we stood here and that's what I call God's Grace.

Love you all hopefully see you tomorrow when we get him BACK!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Stars...

Tonight I find myself thinking about Jono... what's new people. Anyways... I went outside after repairing our flag that was viciously tore to pieces in a nasty storm last week. I found that it was killing me that we didn't even have it up! Our house isn't complete without our beautiful flag! Anyways... I went out to look at our house from the street and saw the stars. If you know me I LOVE STARS... and Jono being married to me knows how annoying I am about "lets go lay under the stars nights". It's usually like 11pm (like tonight) and I roll over in bed and say "let's go lay under the stars" usually it starts a fight of no I'm tired go to bed. I feel hurt and cry and then we end up under the stars! Well tonight I got to look alone and think about how amazing it will be to have him next to me again and the first thing I"m going to ask him when he is home... "Let's go lay under the stars" because for the first time in almost 365 days... we can!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Bungalola Oversize Clutch

Since all I can think about right now is Jono's return I've been preparing the house and pretty much everything! My outfit for the Homecoming has been a huge work in progress. I'm not giving it all away but I just wanted to show you what I got in the mail today! I ordered this darling new clutch....

Then because they are AWESOME they sent me this little gift...

How adorable? For Jono's homecoming!

Check them out, they have such a great little shop with adorable clutches!

HERE

Walk!

I finally figured out how to register myself for this military walk! If you are coming go here and register or you can donate too! Thanks all for loving us this year and for all your support and help. We really appreciate it!

Military Walk

Love you all!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Simple.

Simple He is my Husband. He is so perfect and simple... because I'm simple sometimes! He does the smallest sweetest things that just amaze me. He sent me this picture yesterday...

It said "I love the US and I LOVE YOU!"- Jono

Simple Right?

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

What Brinn's Wearing Wednesday!!!!!

It's WEDNESDAY can you believe it... today was a special Wednesday for us because someone is back in the U.S! Jono!!!!!!!!!!!! Couldn't be happier. It's weird I just randomly called and texted him a couple times today just to make sure he wasn't leaving again. It's great feeling I feel so safe and he's safe and he turned his weapon in! I was like TURN THAT GUN IN YA! Annnnnyways.... back to the Peanut. We had a fun day! Went to Nanny this morning and then cleaned the car this afternoon!

Hat: Gymboree $15

Swimsuit: Tommy $10

All I can think of today is Casting Crowns "I will Praise you in this Storm." I feel like this entire year was a huge storm... and all I could do was just Praise God for the experience and for the Husband he gave me.