Happy happy, joy joy, happy happy, joy joy....yup, I am doing my famous happy dance (well, famous to my friends who have seen it, LOL) because tonight, we are boarding a plane for Jersey! Oh, and let me tell you what happened yesterday - I promise there's a point. It's funny, I was walking around in Wal-Mart and started chatting with another lady who was in town on vacation. We were discussing what we planned on doing for the holidays...hey, Wal-Mart was crowded and occasionally I like to strike up conversations with perfect strangers. Totally not a Jersey thing to do, but oh well. So I mentioned that I was flying back to the East Coast for the holidays, and she looked at me like I suggested we go out back and smoke a crack pipe or something. She then asked rather nastily, "Why on EARTH would you want to leave a beautiful place like this to go out THERE?" Like Jersey is the armpit of the nation or something. Hey, let's clarify something - I am from SOUTH JERSEY, land of farms and cows. Completely different from the stereotypical place depicted on TV (Sopranos, anyone?) Really, we should be divided into two different states...but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, the interesting thing about her question was that at another point in my life, I probably might have seen her point.
But that's where the change lies...as much as I love it here, and as much as I love the life we have managed to carve out for ourselves with our dear friends and children, the bottom line is that sometimes it feels a little empty without my parents, brothers, sister, and the rest of the Colon crew. It's hard when there is this huge time difference, and something exciting happens, and the first thing I want to do is call somebody out there and can't. Or when I hear about the milestones in people's lives that I have missed, or will not be present for, like birthdays, graduations, hospital stays, weddings, etc...
But no complaints - just sharing - because that's life in the military. I am simply happy that I will get to spend some time playing catch up with awesome friends, much-loved family, and even try to appreciate a bit of the cold weather...after all, I do miss my winter clothes and I am getting to be something of a thin-blooded pansy out here, LOL....
So back to the lady in Wal-Mart. I didn't even hesitate. I just smiled and told her, "My husband is deploying overseas, so we will not be fortunate enough to spend the holiday season together. However, I AM fortunate to say that if I cannot be with him, I am blessed to spend Christmas with the folks I love best in the world."
That sums it up pretty well, don't you think?
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3 comments:
Totally, totally agree. :) I hope your trip was safe, and maybe we'll get to see each other at some point!!!
It is a sad thing that I've only lived in Jersey for 2 1/2 years and I still nodded my head at most of those, lol.
Whoops! I thought I was commenting on your "South Jersey" list. Wrong post! (I read your blog in Google Reader so I got mixed up somehow coming over here to comment)
And speaking of that- your new family pic in your sidebar is gorgeous!! I haven't seen it until now.
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