what we've learned.

What we've learned since being a Marine Corps family:

• How much time you spend together is not as important as how much you value the time you spend together.
• Whining and crying about anything Marine Corps related does nothing. It's the new lifestyle and it will come with some annoying aspects.
• Just because we have more money now than before doesn't mean all of it has to be spent! Time together at home is the most valuable anyway.
• How movies/books portray military life is in no way related to how it actually is. We've both found that out. You can't go into this lifestyle expecting a mil-family get-together every weekend, you can't expect tons of friends to always come over and be super close to you, you can't expect this to be a normal 9-5 job and always have your husband home for dinner. You're lucky if he makes it home for dinner.
• Don't be The Wife who always nags and complains about EVERYTHING. These guys have virtually no freedom (like mine (and many more) who, is currently stuck in the desert with virtually nothing fun around them to do. If they want to drink, let them drink. If they want to gamble, let them gamble. It's harmless mostly harmless fun.
• Don't ever, ever assume that he doesn't miss you as much as you miss him. Because HE DOES. We went through this and it ended with us on the phone at 3am while he was at MOS school (on firewatch!) and me saying "Okay okay we'll have a baby." Yes, long story. But me saying, "Omg, how come you don't even miss me?!" doesn't get anyone anywhere.
• Marines may seem like big tough guys who don't take junk from anyone, they may seem like killers (which I guess they are thanks to MCMAP),  but I think all of them have a soft spot for something. Since boot camp especially my husband has really mellowed out and is just so chill compared to what he used to be. He loves kids more than ever, loves our puppy so much. He always teases me that I have less of a heart than he does now, which might very well be true!

I'm sure we'll learn more. These are just some of the basic things, and I think the biggest, that we can both agree we've learned since May 2011.

Graduation day- coolest day ever.

Also if you guys could like my Facebook page I'd appreciate it! I've been trying to go through and like everyone else's blog page as well. :)