Well, today makes almost five months since my husband left for Iraq for the first time. Since that time he has had one break (over Christmas, thankfully!) and we've logged A LOT of hours on Skype :) My last blog was about Casey getting ready to leave, and I posted a lot of plans/goals that we had...how are we doing?


(a) All of our revolving (aka credit card, student loans, car note, etc.) debt will be completely paid off. We're getting there! We're making lots of headway---recently paid off 4 pretty sizeable debts and my car was paid off in November!
(b) We'll both be skinnier...him from the profuse sweating, I'm sure, and me because of my intent to rejoin a gym somewhere. Um....not quite where we want to be, but better than we were :)
(c) We'll both be very savvy in the area of overseas communication via webcam and skype. We are both Skype savvy now, more than either of us have ever been. We've found creative ways to communicate, especially when there is a technical glitch or bad reception (this happens quite often where he is!) Casey is a much better typer than he was 5 months ago, too!
(d) We'll have some money in our savings account (to this point, we have said, 'savings? what savings?'...) :) Yes! We do! How long will it be there? Hopefully a while...but it's nice to have something to fall back on just in case.
(e) We'll be closer to one another. Oh, yes. We're newlyweds so we're close anyway, but I cherish every.single.second. that we get to spend together or on the phone. Sometimes we talk for hours. Sometimes all we can do is text. Sometimes we sit, look at one another and cry. I love my husband more than I ever thought possible, and we've grown soooo close because of this season of separation.
(f) We'll value the time we have together much more than we do even now as newlyweds. Absolutely. When Casey was home over Christmas we milked every moment that we were able to spend together; times when I would normally sit in the car while he ran inside, I went too. Casey came to sit with me while I gave my final exams just so we wouldn't have to be apart. I love him that much more for it.
(g) We'll be spiritually stronger because of all the Lord will have brought us through. I could write a novel right here. Scripture after Scripture has been shown to me--the Lord has revealed so many things in His word (proof that it's LIVING), and He has sent friends to share scripture with me in times of fear, anxiety, doubt, worry, and sadness dealing with His protecting hand, grace beyond belief, and refuge in times of the storms.