Happy Memorial Day

This weekend we were able to spend time together as a family, which doesn't happen very often between Jay playing shows, studying, and he's been traveling a lot more often.  We spent last night after Siri went to bed watching several programs memorializing the military, which was really such a great way to commemorate the fallen and really put into perspective what our freedom has cost.  It was also interesting to sit and watch these programs with Jay, who has lost friends in Iraq and is incredibly close mouthed about a lot of what he's been through and seen in his deployments.  We were watching a show about "Operation Proper Exit," where military personnel that have PTSD have been taken back to the site of their stress to see if they can get some closure.  I was crying, probably harder than was warranted due to hormones, about all of the things these men deal with and was talking to Jay about it when I realized, no one walks away from war unscathed.  You don't make the incredible bonds these men make with each other, watch them die, and come home the same person.  

I tease Jay all the time about being obsessed with the Marines. I will definitely never understand the bonds he formed with his Marine buddies, but I'm super thankful he decided to be one of the 1% that serves and let it form the person he's become.  

Jay looks up Marine quotes on the regular, here are a few of my favorites.  

A Marine is a Marine.  I set that policy two weeks ago - there's no such thing as a former Marine.   You're a Marine,  just in a different uniform and you're in a different phase of your life.  But you'll always be a Marine because you went to Parris Island, San Diego or the hills of Quantico.  There's no such thing as a former Marine.

General James F. Amos, 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps

There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.
Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army

The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!
Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States, 1945 

Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.
Ronald Reagan, President of the United States; 1985 

Marines die, that's what we're here for. But the Marine Corps lives forever. And that means YOU live forever.
GySgt. Hartman, USMC

Summery Goodness

Alright, I know it's been a while but what's with the new blogger layout deal-yo?  Don't they know that some of us only post maybe once a year and changing things up could be detrimental to our already lack luster blogging abilities?  Get with it blogger, get with it.

School has eaten up every spare minute of my time for the past nine months.  It would still be eating up my time but a lack of funds has made it impossible.  So, I will be easy, breezy until my new semester starts in August.  Not a bad deal.  There's lots to catch up on, but it's been so long and none of it really seems blog worthy so we'll just start right where we're at.  We took the most amazing camping trip to Goblin Valley and I've been begging Jay to go back ever since.  It was great weather, gorgeous hikes, yummy food, and some much needed time with the family. 

The Family.  Don't worry about Jay's seemingly grumpy exterior.  He comes off as a crotchety, old man but it just hides his gooey insides.  Seriously, I just found out today that Jay's been using my deodorant and body wash and keeps some pomegranate spray in his car to make himself smell nice.  No joke.  I told him that I've never read a romance novel but I'm pretty sure when the men lean down to kiss the girls the authors probably don't say that their "well oiled chests smelled like pomegranate breeze," they say "His beard smelled like sun, sweat, and man."  That's because everyone knows that women innately want their men to smell exactly like that, men.  To this Jay's reply, "Girls don't care what men smell like, as long as they know what they're doing in bed."  Can't argue with that.

My favorite picture from the camping trip.  I ran up this hill by our camping spot to take a look at the sunset and Siri couldn't have been more tickled.  She exclaimed "Pretty!" and settled onto my shoulder for some delicious cuddling.  Best deal ever.

A Siri face, one saying that she's way done with the hike but she's still trying to muster up a smile for the camera.  That's my girl.

Deliciousness. 

Our camping spot, get jealous.  Also, how much do you love the short bus?  Jay's friends were there and this is the vehicle in which they travel on a regular basis.  Gotta love quirky bachelor friends that keep life interesting.

Jay and Siri, being into each other like always.  While we were hiking I was carrying the baby pack.  At one point Jay veered off course to take a look at something and Siri immediately started crying and calling for "Da."  So cute.  It does make me feel a little like chopped liver though.

The scenery on our hike the second day.  We didn't realize that when we climbed into the slot canyon we'd be committing to a nine mile hike and couldn't turn back.  It was gorgeous though and had we been better prepared I truly believe we would have enjoyed it.  However, when our planned three mile hike turned into nine none of us were super pleased, most of all Siri.  She sang for the first four miles, cried for the next three, and kept saying "Sorry" over and over for the last two, like we'd gone on the hike to punish her for something.  I think she's a little traumatized from the whole experience.  The silver lining...Jay lost 7 pounds on that hike.  

Can I tell you how strenuous hiking was with that pack on?  But I felt good, I've been doing my darndest to not gain any weight whatsoever.  I'm failing miserably.  I'm only a couple months pregnant but already look as though I could be four months along.  I guess I look two months along, if I'm carrying twins.  Alas, the joys of pregnancy.  Watching yourself gain weight and not being able to do anything about it, actually having to eat more because if I don't eat on the regular I get hungry and getting hungry makes me throw up.  Also, I get super anxious when I'm pregnant about weird things.  That's actually the reason for this 1:00 AM blog update, so anxious about who knows what I can't sleep.  I unplug everything in the house before I go to bed and have been known to sleep on the floor of  Siri's room, just because I'm anxious about some unknown thing.  I don't even always know why I'm anxious.  So, if anyone reads this that deals with the same thing, I'd love some advice on how to alleviate anxiety over nothing.  I work out on the regular so tips on anything else I can try would be most appreciated.