-2002/2003-
I have now dove in both feet first. I am 19 years old with a new born baby, imagine that, I had no siblings, I had never even so much as held a baby before her. So, I had a lot of learning to do. Fortunately, I think the saying is true, (for the most part) we are born to be mothers. (Some not so much)... but I was born to be a mother, I really believe that.
When Wesley and I were just getting to know each other back in high school, one day he looked at me and said, "Your going to make a great mother some day". Ugh, I instantly panicked. Oh great, this man just sees me as some maternal/sisterly type person and will never see me as anything more. So, naturally my face fell, and he asked me what was wrong... I said you, "you just said I remind you of a mother". He said, "I didn't mean it as an insult, I meant that I could possibly see one day you having my children because you are going to make such a good mommy" Well, didn't that cheer me right up, lol.
Now it's time to prove him right. I doted on my daughter. We lived with my mom and dad while we sorted our lives out so Serenity was absolutely spoiled rotten and to this day still has the closest bond with my mom.
Wesley started out working Full Time at Wal-Mart. Wasn't that dreadful? He had a full time job, never was taught how to drive, I had to drive him to work everyday with a baby in tow, he worked long hours and I raised the baby. Finally, I had enough with the driving him everywhere and asked that someone teach the poor man how to drive and we get a car. He wasn't allowed to drive my mustang that we were still paying on, so learning how to drive in that was out of the question. We finally got his uncle to teach him how to drive and he passed his test. My dad took him to mullinax where he picked out that hideous green focus he still has... (I tell you he would not have that car if I went that day).
Now comes the hard part. Paying bills. We are struggling to keep the baby in diapers, food, clothes, formula, gas money and now a car payment on a Wal-Mart minimum wage salary... wasn't happening. He tried many, many other places, they either weren't hiring or didn't hire him. He was getting frustrated. I tell you I've never denied his lack of commitment to his family. Since the day our daughter was born he has worked his ass of to provide for his children.
He comes to me one day in early June 2002 with this crazy idea... He wants to join the Air Force. Oh No, I say. Oh HELL NO, do I say. You aren't going to leave me to raise a baby while you get shot at overseas... hell no. He tried to talk to me and I refused to listen. I would have no part of a discussion that involved my man going to war. I shut it out.
Well, that's not how my Wesley works when he sets his mind to something. He starts doing research online. He comes back to me a couple of days later and tells me, he would be making a salary, have benefits for all of us, get money for housing and groceries and will more then likely be stationed somewhere in the United States and work like it is a normal 9-5 job. Sounds too good to be true, I tell him. He asks that I allow him to call a recruiter and we sit down and talk with him... alright, I say, but I still have the power to say no. He assures me if I still have doubts after talking to a recruiter then he will throw away the idea.
He sets up the meeting. Sgt O'Brien was his name. He meets us at the Wal-Mart cafe after Wesley's shift to answer all our questions. I realize now it was his job to talk us into the Air Force, so trust me when I say he made it look all like sunshine and lollipops, to where I would be a sucker not to say, yes.
In a flash starts all the testing, he must take the asvab and receive a 60 or better to qualify, he must have his eyes examed and a full physical. Asvab comes back with the score in the high 80's, he had perfect 20/20 vision, just what a pilot would need, and he was the perfect specimen of health. Round 1 complete.
Next comes all the paper work, shipping dates (my only exception to joining the military is he would NOT leave for basic until after our wedding in October), vaccines were injected, degrading physicals, more paper work, transcripts achieved both from high school and college and he receives his ship out date, December 3, 2003.
It's happening. My husband is a member of the United States Air Force. Well, he wasn't sworn in yet, but it was coming. The summer flys by and our wedding date is quickly approaching. After 3 years of dating it's finally time to marry my best friend....
When Wesley and I were just getting to know each other back in high school, one day he looked at me and said, "Your going to make a great mother some day". Ugh, I instantly panicked. Oh great, this man just sees me as some maternal/sisterly type person and will never see me as anything more. So, naturally my face fell, and he asked me what was wrong... I said you, "you just said I remind you of a mother". He said, "I didn't mean it as an insult, I meant that I could possibly see one day you having my children because you are going to make such a good mommy" Well, didn't that cheer me right up, lol.
Now it's time to prove him right. I doted on my daughter. We lived with my mom and dad while we sorted our lives out so Serenity was absolutely spoiled rotten and to this day still has the closest bond with my mom.
Wesley started out working Full Time at Wal-Mart. Wasn't that dreadful? He had a full time job, never was taught how to drive, I had to drive him to work everyday with a baby in tow, he worked long hours and I raised the baby. Finally, I had enough with the driving him everywhere and asked that someone teach the poor man how to drive and we get a car. He wasn't allowed to drive my mustang that we were still paying on, so learning how to drive in that was out of the question. We finally got his uncle to teach him how to drive and he passed his test. My dad took him to mullinax where he picked out that hideous green focus he still has... (I tell you he would not have that car if I went that day).
Now comes the hard part. Paying bills. We are struggling to keep the baby in diapers, food, clothes, formula, gas money and now a car payment on a Wal-Mart minimum wage salary... wasn't happening. He tried many, many other places, they either weren't hiring or didn't hire him. He was getting frustrated. I tell you I've never denied his lack of commitment to his family. Since the day our daughter was born he has worked his ass of to provide for his children.
He comes to me one day in early June 2002 with this crazy idea... He wants to join the Air Force. Oh No, I say. Oh HELL NO, do I say. You aren't going to leave me to raise a baby while you get shot at overseas... hell no. He tried to talk to me and I refused to listen. I would have no part of a discussion that involved my man going to war. I shut it out.
Well, that's not how my Wesley works when he sets his mind to something. He starts doing research online. He comes back to me a couple of days later and tells me, he would be making a salary, have benefits for all of us, get money for housing and groceries and will more then likely be stationed somewhere in the United States and work like it is a normal 9-5 job. Sounds too good to be true, I tell him. He asks that I allow him to call a recruiter and we sit down and talk with him... alright, I say, but I still have the power to say no. He assures me if I still have doubts after talking to a recruiter then he will throw away the idea.
He sets up the meeting. Sgt O'Brien was his name. He meets us at the Wal-Mart cafe after Wesley's shift to answer all our questions. I realize now it was his job to talk us into the Air Force, so trust me when I say he made it look all like sunshine and lollipops, to where I would be a sucker not to say, yes.
In a flash starts all the testing, he must take the asvab and receive a 60 or better to qualify, he must have his eyes examed and a full physical. Asvab comes back with the score in the high 80's, he had perfect 20/20 vision, just what a pilot would need, and he was the perfect specimen of health. Round 1 complete.
Next comes all the paper work, shipping dates (my only exception to joining the military is he would NOT leave for basic until after our wedding in October), vaccines were injected, degrading physicals, more paper work, transcripts achieved both from high school and college and he receives his ship out date, December 3, 2003.
It's happening. My husband is a member of the United States Air Force. Well, he wasn't sworn in yet, but it was coming. The summer flys by and our wedding date is quickly approaching. After 3 years of dating it's finally time to marry my best friend....
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