Traditional College? Say what?!?!?

Smile! I'm not in "traditional" college and I LOVE it!!

I have just realized that I probably would have NEVER survived traditional college. 

As I'm typing this, I sit in my super plush yet firm queen sized bed (it's easier to move with the military), with all of my blankets around me, my amazing pup Maggie-May at my feet, my fan blowing perfectly in my direction and my skeet shooting ear protection on. 

I am comfortable and I can't hear anything going on downstairs, which is why I keep my phone on vibrate next to my leg. 

I totally would NOT have been happy going away to college and staying in a dorm for even a year!

Even in high school I had my room perfect, everything in it's place and the ONLY way I could study is if it was completely silent. 

Thankfully in school you take all of your tests in a room with people who AREN'T talking but none the less.

I recently spoke to a younger family member on the phone while she was in her dorm studying. We talked for about an hour and a half and it was a little after supper time. She had grabbed food from the cafeteria and went back to her dorm to study. 

As we spoke it was clear as to why she studied during peak eating hours. 

It was SOOOO LOUD!

Her dorm was considered to be "quiet" and because she didn't partake in drinking she rarely did anything during the school week. 

I felt so bad for her. 

She told me this; "If I had known how loud and obnoxious it was going to be, I wouldn't have chose dorm life. I would have gotten a place off campus and would have saved so much money in the long run." 

Her and her roommate are two peas in a pod so they have signed up for off campus apartments for the  coming year and may actually be able to move in spring semester. They are both ready to go and have their parents ready to drive over with furniture and household goods for them. 

College is scary enough. Add in loud nights were you can't study, and small dorm rooms it's a combination for a bad year. 

My family member told me that her roommate and her had already purchased fabric on sale to make curtains, pillows and table coverings. 

I think I would have been in the same situation as her if I had gone to a "traditional" college. 

Lucky for her, her "off campus" housing is closer to the cafeteria than her dorm, which means she's going to keep her meal plan and just stock up on food when she goes! How awesome is that??

Love my gun range earmuffs :)

My Life is REALLY a gift from God above!!

First I should say that we had an amazing New York vacation!! 

It made me realize that we don't need to search for a place to call home once we are done with the military because Upstate Ny IS home!

It was so cold there and we ALL got sick (because of the cold) but it was HOME.

Jeremiah had so much fun being with our family and opened up so darn quick! 

Our next step is to get back there as soon as possible! 

So now that we have been home for a couple of days, I'm sick like usual. I'm so thankful I wasn't sick there. I am so glad I was able to enjoy our two week break from hell (vegas). 

Please keep our family in prayer that we will be able to move either back home for good with decent jobs or that we can move back close enough to drive with really good jobs.

My dad (saba), my grandmother (oma), my aunts and uncles, my cousins, our friends, they all loved having us there. With Jeremiah and whatever future children we may have I know that we can depend on them being there for support, more support than we have had the entire time out here. 

Not saying that we don't have a support group here but really it is not the strongest group ever. 

So, we got a new puppy! His name is Cooper and he is a yorkie-poo! 

He's a spunky little guy but he fits quite well with our family!!

We got him in Ny at the same place we got our Maggie almost 6 years ago!

We are so happy to have him, even though Maggie is still the queen pup. ;)

So tonight something amazing happened. 

My husband who really didn't want to be a father this young; did something so astounding that I had tears in my eyes!

He had brought up Jeremiah's fish tank up to his room because he's afraid of the air vent on the ceiling and the fish help him sleep thanks to the light on their tank. 

Anywho, I heard him come upstairs while I was getting ready for bed so I knew that he was situating the tank on Jerm's dresser. 

I walk quietly up to the door and peek in and I see him laying in bed next to our son and he tells him;

"You are safe as long as I am here. Mommy is safe, BunBun (stuffed rabbit) is safe, Maggie is safe and Cooper is safe. As long as I am here you have nothing to worry about buddy."

To many, that would just be sweet. Awwws and how cutes and so on. 

To me, it means the world!

My husband has always had a hard time figuring out his role as a dad. His dad wasn't in his life the way that he is in our son's life. His dad is an amazing dad but his parents divorced before he could even roll over, so sometimes he is overwhelmed by everything that is thrown his way when it comes to parenting. 

(I'm not much better considering my mother was and is a deadbeat who didn't want me in the first place. So I've learned as much as I can from interacting with moms who I see as role models. Books, and using my "motherly intuition")

I think I have said this before but we have so many marks against us for our marriage, raising children and just living our lives to the fullest; so anytime something like this happens, I'm overjoyed! It reminds me how deeply our Lord has blessed us. 

No matter how hard we may have it at times (which honestly isn't that hard), and no matter how complicated our lives are out here in Vegas.

We are blessed with this AMAZING gift from the Lord!

I feel so LOVED when I hear my husband reading scripture, or saying the kindest things to our son or when he does something to HELP me around the house that honestly he doesn't have to do. 

Blessings from above, are life's biggest treasures!

&

Money can only buy so much, all of the rest comes from those who are worth more than their weight in gold. 

I really hope your Thanksgiving was a happy one! While back home we visited with my family and then visited with my inlaws whom drove up to Ny from Fl to visit with us!

It was an amazing trip even with all of us sick at the end of the trip. 

I also made a small thanksgiving dinner this past saturday because honestly, we didn't get any leftovers and that really is one of the best parts!

Hopefully I will be feeling better so our huge Christmas tree can go up along with the decorations for the house (nothing to fancy!). 

Well y'all! You all have a great night, until next time!!