135 days and counting!

Well, Rich is on his way back to Baghdad. Our two weeks of time together has come to an end. But as Rich has said repeatedly we did get a whole lot of livin' in during those 16 days we had together. And now we are focused on the magical date of June 11th. This is the rumored date that Rich's tour of duty will end and he will be back on American soil; this time for good. So, the way I see it, only 135 days to go!

I am amazed with how the time just flowed during Rich's leave. You know how some weeks seem to just fly by in a blink of an eye? These 16 days were not like that. But they did not labor on super slow either. It just kind of happened as time does. We really made it a point to plan where we could plan and leave our days open where we wanted them open. The blend was perfect and for a moment it seemed as if time just stood still.

Rich held my hand through a bit of the wedding planning process and did an exceptional job both touring possible locations with a wedding coordinator and looking through my incredibly thick wedding planner/notebook. We are further along in our planning and with decisions and I could not have done it alone. I am working on a few more details, but soon I will be able to officially announce the where and the when of the wedding. And then the fun can really begin!

And with all the talk about the wedding and spending so many wonderful days together, I was reminded just how thrilled I am to be marrying Rich Brown and how blessed I am to have him in my life. Things just feel right and right is such a good feeling to have. At last.

In many ways (and Rich said it too) our time together this month was a "sneak peak" of what is to come and how life will be after his tour is over. How great it will be when the norm will be talking to each other in person. How great it will be when the norm is being able to kiss each other hello, offer hugs when we get overwhelmed, and hold hands as we walk down the street. How great it will be playing Jenga one night because we just don't feel like watching TV. It's hard to do those things right now. . .our norm has been email, Instant Messenger and quick phone calls. But in 135 days that will all change and I will be ready for it. Let the countdown begin!

Back to the grind. . . for a short while anyway

Ahhhh. What a wonderful Christmas vacation. Florida. Sunshine. Family. No real worries. No real chores (thanks Mom, Linda, and Mark for doing the dishes so often). And really, very little thoughts about work. . . or at least anxiety producing thoughts. It was a great R&R holiday.

But now it is back to the grind and all of the things I thought I'd do over the holidays that was work related really does need to get done. After the pleasantries of welcoming everyone back from the holidays, I quickly quarantined myself into my office to develop a plan of attack for the week ahead. Much to accomplish and a huge motivating force to get it all done: RICH IS TAKING LEAVE AND WILL BE COMING HOME THIS WEEKEND!

I am ecstatic. It will be so wonderful to see him and to be with him in person for the next two weeks. Wow! How wonderful that he is able to take leave. But his return is kicking me into high gear at work and at home. You see, the more I get done this week the more time I can take off work (and feel okay with it) when he is in town and the more we can be together.

Despite the work load I am feeling right now, the timing of Rich's homecoming is quite perfect for me. The students are not yet back and as a result my schedule can be a bit more flexible. I know that this semester is going to be a busy and stressful one for me. We are reorganizing the office/job responsibilities, expanding the Creating Chapters of Excellence program to more chapters, and hiring more staff (graduate students). And with all of this change, I want to make sure that I am right there in the think of it calling as many shots as I can for the success of the program and for my own job security.

So this week I am learning the meaning behind the proverb "work now, play later". While it is my preference to constantly go back and forth between the two (work and play) I know now is not that time. I have to condition myself to go all out at work this week, for next week there will be plenty of time for play.

Travel safe Rich and I'll see you soon! Hot dog.