Party of one.

So I can't remember if this has been discussed or not...

Being the wife of a pilot is an often lonely life. Just like my birthday, Easter, and Memorial Day, I'll be alone on July 4. In years past, you'd find me hanging at some body of water, with a planned visit later to visit a very special birthday girl... my MP. This year, I'll be working. And will come home to an empty house.

Bob and I have been married for a little over a year, and I'm still not used to this lifestyle. Just when I think I am, I throw myself a pity party and regress a smidge. It doesn't help that Bob has been on an irregular schedule for the last 2 months. His training is over and now he's back at the airline with an extremely full schedule.

Sometimes I go back and forth between whether or not I want to be working right now. If I didn't have a job, I could go home and hang with the family, with no urgency (besides Bob and Hank) to come home to. I could take off to where ever (with unemployed BFF, Jess) and not feel guilty about leaving my patients. I fly off to meet Bob for long overnights in parts unknown.

Then I remember how much I adore my job. I think about how much it makes my life meaningful and and important. The things I do at work make a difference in my seniors lives. I think about how miserable I was last summer, unemployed and depressed, just sitting at home.


So tomorrow when you're enjoying family, friends, water, sand, hot dogs, and fireworks, think of me. At work. Making a difference, keeping my patients active and healthy. And then coming home for a pity party. Boo hoo.

Happy Birthday to us!

So Bob was at home all last week and went back to work today. It was awesome having him here for so many days in a row, which included my birthday!

Back when we were in college, Bob's Mom brought him some flowers from her garden on HIS birthday. Being the slick neighbor he was, he gave them to me as a gift. This started the swapping of birthdays. I get gifts on his, and he gets gifts on mine. It's a tradition that confuses the shit out of our friends, but we like it. As Jay says, Bob's birthday is my birthday and my birthday is my birthday. That's kinda what it's become.

I like that I get to focus on someone else on my "special" day. This year, I started looking for Bob's gifts well in advance. He received a set of ceramic red solo cup shot glasses. Those were his gag gifts. He got a movie he loves... 12 O'Clock High and a Santa for his Christmas collection. He has quite a few Santas from a specific line of collectibles. He's got patriotic ones, pilot ones, and golf ones. Yesterday, he received a Braves Santa. Boy, was he excited! I made me so happy to give something so special, that he wasn't expecting, that he had never even considered. I like things like that.

So anyway. It's been a weekend of my favorite foods, favorite drinks, and favorite people in Charlotte. I got a facial yesterday morning. We met Jess for lunch and petit fours, then she and I got pedicures. We all went to dinner (Sushi) and came back home for more drinks and a girl movie, Jane Austin Book Club (Bob went to bed). Today, Jess and I went to Bravo and had an amazing brunch, with Bellinis, of course. Then we went shopping. I didn't get TOO much... a Michael Kors clutch that I've been drooling over for months, some clothes, and boxers for Bob.

All in all it's been a fantabulous weekend! Woo hoo!

Meet Hank.

Remember those life decisions we were trying to make a week or so ago? Well, we figured a couple of them out. Namely: Hank.

Meet the newest member of our family!

Jess and I drove to Nashville to meet Hank's foster Dad for the adoption. 

I loved him at first sight. Hank, not his foster Dad.

How could I not love this sweet face? 

He was so good in the car for the 7 hours from Nashville to Charlotte.

He made himself right at home. Obvs. 

He has a bed downstairs that matches our living room. He also has a monster pillow in our bedroom where he will sleep at bedtime. He loves it. And yes, he's using his puppy dog as his pillow. Adorbs.

He met Jack. And they did fine. Today, Jack has had fun playing with Hank's tail, boxing his new brother, and playing chase. It's such a pleasant change from our last experience. 

We love our new baby brother!

Upcoming Fight.

My Charlotte bff, Jess, recently married one of Bob's friends. Jess, Chris, and Bob have all been friends for a few years now. Jess is one of those people you just instantly love. The first time I met her I knew we'd be good friends. And we are. Her husband, Chris, is also a pilot and is gone a lot too. He and Bob have similar schedules, which means Jess and I are usually "single" at the same time.

And what do we do when we're "single" together? We go to the bar and watch football games. No lie. It's so sad, but we both love football. Usually we end up shopping or baking afterward, so it all works out. This past Sunday after the game, we spend 3+ hours in Target. At least 30 minutes of that was spent on the baking aisle and another 30 picking out wrapping paper. I don't know why. We just ended up parking on an aisle and talking about random stuff. Which apparently we did all over the store since we were in there for so long. By the time we left, security was tailing us. I assume they thought we had sticky fingers. We did not. Hmpf.

Anyway, a couple of weekends ago we ended up at the mall, where we each purchased the most amazing blankets ever. She had already received one as a wedding gift, but they were on a pretty massive sale, so she bought another (as a "gift" that she'll never actually get around to giving to anyone, but Chris doesn't need to know that).

I'm telling you... This is the blanket to end all blankets. We bought them during a $25 flash sale in store, but the full price is worth every penny. I have snuggled up to it every single day since the day I brought it home. And even better, Jack hasn't found it yet. He still molests his old regular blanket. I'm dreading the day when he realizes what I've got. It's going to be an all out fight to the death to see who will win. It's that good. Pinky promise.