Hockey in Dallas

^^Luna every morning^^

^^I made these sour cream pancakes and we both really liked them^^

^^it was set up all wrong so Kyle had to fix it^^

^^sparkling lights and fire pits at the restaurant!^^

This weekend we went to Dallas to see the Penguins play the Stars, and they lost horribly. WHOOPS. But this was Kyle's first NHL game and my third, and it was a really nice time. We had a delicious dinner before the game at the beautiful Saint Ann- their bacon wrapped chorizo stuffed dates were amazing. There were at least as many if not more Penguins fans at the game, actually, which was very cool.

On Sunday I did some work, took Luna to the park for a nice walk, baked a blueberry banana loaf, got groceries, did laundry, meal planned, and I settled in with some wine to watch the Grammy's because I enjoy the frivolity of award shows.

- S

A Certain Someone is Coming Home Today

I'm pretty excited about it!

- From the desk of Mrs. M

Birthday Boy

It's this handsome guy's 25th today, he's three weeks younger than I am. :) As Kyle wrote to me in my birthday letter, this is going to be the last birthday that we're apart. Kyle, I love you the most.

- From the desk of Mrs. M

Deployment Number 2

As some of you know or kind of know, Kyle has recently left on his second deployment, this time to Kandahar, Afghanistan. We're told he will be gone for nine months, but with the military you never really know until they are actually on the plane leaving or returning. This deployment has been and will be quite different than the last, for both of us. I have experienced pretty extreme highs (feeling such kindness on d day, when anonymous strangers paid for our breakfast and friends checked in on me all day) and lows (pulling over on the highway because I was crying) already. But one thing is for sure, I don't think I've loved my husband more (or my cats; they're the best buddies).

Saturday at the ER

As a wife to a military man who commutes via motorcycle to work every day, rain or shine, there are a couple calls I dread getting every day, as you can imagine. One of those calls I received on Saturday. Kyle was calling to tell me he was in an accident on the highway and was being taken to the ER. Luckily it was Kyle himself calling; if it was the police or the hospital I would not have reacted in nearly the same way. 

Kyle was on his way down to Austin for a motorcycle event, actually. Traffic on 35 came to a very sudden stop; the car in front of him screeched on the breaks, nearly slamming into the car in front of them and swerving a bit to avoid it. Kyle braked as well, but couldn't reach zero in time. He ran into the back of the car, went over the handlebars, onto the hood, and rolled off the car and into the median. Someone else called the police, and they were there shortly. People in the cars around got out to help him up; everyone seemed surprised that Kyle got up himself and seemed to be OK. The bike was not rideable, and the ambulance took Kyle to the ER at a hospital in Round Rock, where I met him. MRIs and X-rays were done, with results coming up clear. He had scrapes and bruises, lots of pain and a sprained thumb, but was otherwise OK (though very frustrated). He was very lucky. Motorcycle crashes do not usually end with the rider walking out of the hospital. If Kyle had been wearing his open-face helmet instead of full one, his jaw would probably be broken. Kyle is a safe driver and adheres to all of the military rules for riding- helmet, long sleeves (leather jacket), boots, gloves, safety vest, etc. In TX you do not even have to wear a helmet, which has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard, but I guess that's the choice some people make and we can only trust that natural selection will take the reigns from there. 

And now, since he has worried me so, I get to show pictures of Kyle in his hospital attire. 

What a week, eh? :/ 

- From the desk of Mrs. M

Date Night, Work and Beer Brewing

I've come to realize that Kyle and I have very little time together before he likely heads out. I'm in school through the first week of May, he's gone in May for training in Louisiana, I'm gone at the end of May for my trip to DC, and he'll be going to PA for some of his leave in June.  So anyway, it's important to make time in our busy schedules for fun activities, funtivities if you will. I think our collective favorite movie is Jurassic Park, so of course we had to go see it in 3D. I'm not sure if technology has just really progressed, or I had some bad glasses in the past or what, but 3D is much better than I was expecting. Usually it makes my eyes go bonkers until half way through the movie, but this felt more subtle, even wearing the glasses over my regular ones. Anyway, Kyle and I both highly recommend JP 3D. Afterwards, once we got over the surprise of it being bright out at 6pm, we went to The Gin for dinner, stocked up on some drinks and snacks, and went home. We are simple people, who like good food, dinosaur movies, and each other. Side note- I guess prom season is upon us(?) as we saw a bunch of overly tanned girls in neon dresses clomping around the restaurant, accompanied by their be-cumberbuned dates.

Sunday was spent doing work, preparing for an interview, laundry, groceries, and Kyle brewing another batch of beer. As our usual Sunday evening show, The Walking Dead has finished for the season, we watched Taken 2, which was pretty awesome except that the ending/credits song was that dumb song from the Internet Explorer commercials. Oh, Kyle is also planning on building a chair to take overseas. Like you do. The cats were super into the big bag o' leather Kyle brought home. 

- From the desk of Mrs. M

Reenlistment Ceremony

On Wednesday, Kyle re-signed his life away to the Army for another two years. So, yes folks, that means we'll be in Texas until at least April 2015. It also means we will likely experience a long separation starting sometime this summer. There was a cute little ceremony and nice words were said about Kyle; I also got an appreciation award (well, Sarah T. McPhearson did), and awkwardly took pictures while the soldiers were doing their soldier thing. Kyle perfectly planned his reenlistment so that he'd have basically a five day weekend (since you get the rest of the day and the next day off when you reenlist, and he already had Friday off). Smart guy, my soldier. 

After getting our names on the papers fixed, we celebrated with lunch at Mooyah, a burger place Kyle recently discovered and wanted to take me to.

- From the desk of Mrs. M

2nd Anniversary

For our anniversary we did our usual meal at IHOP :). We were in class and at work all day, and we're generally not big celebrators, so it was low key. I guess it fits, considering our wedding day involved a court house, IHOP, waiting in lines at Army all day, and a night sharing a twin in the barracks. Oh, and we watched Away We Go; it's our special movie. Maybe we will watch it this weekend; and I think we're taking a trip out to the Salt Lick to try something new and spend some time together before I head to Boston on Sunday.

- From the desk of Mrs. M

Two Years Ago

I married a good man.

- Mrs. M

Date Weekend

Kyle and I last minute got a spot to go on a free military marriage retreat last Friday through Sunday; I had class until 5pm on Friday and the program started at 4, 2.5 hours away, but they said it was OK if we came late. I had never heard of Great Wolf Lodge and didn't really know what to expect, so I was pleasantly surprised when we drove up to hear their own theme song playing outside, and giant wolves welcoming us. This place was pretty amazing, especially for a couple of Northerners living in Texas, who wouldn't expect to see anything moose and forest-themed anywhere near here. We didn't go in the water park at all, but enjoyed the atmosphere and amenities. It was a really nice weekend; the marriage training part was fine, and we had more free time than expected. I doubt Kyle and I would come to such a place ourselves, and spend close to $200 a night, but it would be really fun with kiddos I imagine. The room keys were wristbands (to not be lost in the water park, and I had no sound issues at night. 

lego version of the resort!

awesome as it would be if the wine was waiting for us when we arrived, I brought it from home :)

oh, and there is a Starbucks at the lodge!

Saturday night Kyle and I went to dinner at Rainforest Cafe, which was crazy. I would have loved this place as a kid, though it was pretty fun as an adult and being able to drink their delicious drinks. I do have to question the research that was put into rainforest wildlife in planning this establishment, but I forgive them their inaccuracies. :)

While I did work on homework when we had some down time (Kyle was napping so it was OK), it was the perfect opportunity to get away, before the semester really got going. We got home Sunday early afternoon, and continued date weekend by going to see Silver Linings Playbook (which finally came out here!); I loved it and I think Kyle enjoyed it too. It was a good weekend with my love.

- From the desk of Mrs. M