(638) I am thankful for...

I got inspired to write this from this blog. It's so easy to take things for granted. As I wrote this over the course of November, it was nice to look back when I wasn't feeling too great and helped me feel better.

1. a steady guaranteed paycheck (Army)
2. a decent apartment to live in
3. being able to work part-time
4. my cats and the way they make me feel not alone
5. being able to pay off our credit cards this year
6. being able to pay off our car loan
7. having a car that runs well
8. always having food in the house 
9. my wii-fit for when I'm too lazy to drive to the gym
10. being able to graduate college (2 years ago)
11. the ability to actually find a job in my field here 
12. having clean water to drink
13. having clothes that are in decent shape 
14. my phone, it's basically my life line to my hubby 
15. being able to always come back to God even when I slip away
16. my husband 
17. my father who has always been there for me
18. being able to talk to my husband pretty much everyday
19. the ability to workout 
20. zumba
21. being able to see and hear normally (even if it means wearing glasses)
22. the time I had with my mom before she died and that she taught me how to bake
23. having free health care (through the Army)
24. being able to worship how I choose to without fear
25. the deployment being almost over (2-3 more months)
26. my sisters and their kids
27. having a geeky husband
28. being able to drive
29. emails and text messages from Mike
30. free medication (through the Army)

What are some things you are thankful for?

(637) The Car Is Paid Off!!!

Mike and I paid off our car loan (It's technically my loan, but whatever). It was supposed to be a 5-year car loan and we paid it off in 1.5. Feels great to have one less thing to pay.

(636) What was the happiest moment in your life?

First place: When I got married
Second place: When I graduated college

Ask me anything

(635) MilSpouse Friday Fill-in #22

1. If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs – such as food and water – were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?
   
   I would probably want to bring a long book in case I was there a long time and a large notebook and pen to write with so I don't go completely insane.
   
2. If you were a salad, what kind of dressing would you have?
   
   Honestly I don't even know how to answer this question. What do different salad dressings mean?
   
3. If you had to live on a ranch, what kind of animals would you raise/own?
   
   Why would I have to live on a ranch? And I would have no idea how to even begin this.
   
4. If your life was was portrayed as a movie, who would you choose to play you and your significant other?
   
   No idea, I am not that familiar with celebrities.
   
5. What was the last thing you put a stamp on (envelope, duh, but what was in the envelope)?
   
   A letter to the hubby. That's pretty much the only thing I really mail.

Sorry this wasn't that interesting lol. :p

(634) Day 19: A talent of yours

Web development... I am not so good with coming up with a design, but I can take a design and make it into code. I can code web applications. My skills include database, client-side programming, server-side programming, and usability. I love psychology so my human interaction courses were a good combination of the two. Whenever I code something I try to focus on the user's experience and try to make it a good experience. I love the feeling of struggling with a programming problem and then solving it. (This usually just happens after a night of rest).

On a less serious note, a talent of mine includes being able to say the alphabet backwards really fast. Although this talent has no practical use, just something I learned when I was bored one summer.

(633) Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy

This has been on my mind forever, well maybe not forever, but ever since I got married, and especially since I moved on post.... the decision to have kids.

My nephew Michael and Me (he was a newborn and I was about 12)

Everywhere you look there's kids here. Everything it seems is centered around kids. Makes me jealous and I feel like I'm missing out. The only way you can go to some of these events without feeling awkward is to have kids.

Before Mike left we weren't trying but we weren't not trying. We were just doing each other and if it happened it happened. Well it didn't happen and he deployed. No big deal and right now I'm glad that it didn't happen because it's my first deployment and I'm still trying to figure out how to deal with this. And it would really suck to be alone and pregnant.

We've been talking about whether or not to try when he gets back. A part of me wants to wait until our debt is paid off. I feel like that's the smartest decision because it will be a lot harder to do with kids. I would probably have to quit my job and that will hinder our ability to pay off the debt A LOT. Every cent I make goes towards our debt (which is totally fine with me because it's my debt). And once he's back, he'll be making less money.

Mike wants to just see what happens. He pretty much feels that if we wait until our debts are paid off, then we'll find another reason to wait and then it'll never happen. I get his point... I also want to go back to school and get my master's degree. I don't know how having kids will impact that... Maybe we could make an agreement... the moment our debts are paid off, then I'll go off birth control.

Another thing, I don't know if I'm ready to stop being selfish. What I mean is that when you have kids, everything becomes about them. I'm not sure if I'm ready to make my life about someone else.

Also, we've only been married a little over a year, most of it he's been deployed for. I would like a lot more time of just figuring us out without the stress of a child. And right now I just want him all to myself.

Even my reasons for having a child are kind of selfish. I want a child so I have a constant companion especially when Mike has to be gone. I want to not feel left out here. At the same time, I don't want to be raising a child alone in the Army environment. I don't want my child to have to deal with his/her father not being around. I want a little Mike/Allison combination running around, a part of Mike that's here even when he's not.

The more I think about it and write it all out, I think the decision is clearer. Part of me just wants to leave it up to fate (don't worry, I won't be like the lady on a million kids and counting). I'm still very conflicted. I still have about 3-4 months before I have to make a decision. I'm only 24 so I have time. I don't want to wait too long because I'd like to have enough energy to actually play with my kids and all that stuff.

What do you think we should do?

(632) Day 17: An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)

I enjoy making art, but I don't really have much of a talent for it, but here's something I worked really hard on for school.

Relief that I made in high school for art class