Holy schnikes was I shocked

So, Brent left for AT until the first week of August. It totally sucks! I dropped him off on Saturday morning, and then I went and invaded my sister’s house for a few hours. I have found that when I drop him off at the armory, or airport or whatever and he will be gone for a lengthy amount of time I can’t return home right away.

Saturday morning started at 0430 for us, call me cruel and unusual, but I couldn’t bring myself to take my children in their pajamas to drop daddy off. Sometimes people gather outside prior to them leaving, so I wasn’t going to let my angels prance around with bed-head and morning breath. And I sure as heck wouldn’t tell them they had to stay in the car when other kids were bidding farewell to their daddies. So, we were up and at it and out the door by 0515. Daddy was actually early too! I’m late for almost everything but I refuse to be responsible for being late for Army stuff. Late in the Army = push ups.
Well…there was no hangin’ out in the parking lot that morning, so once we dropped him off we went to aunt Jamie’s house for a bit. By the time 0930 rolled around it seemed like 2130, so we went home and snuck in a nap! Yeah…everyone knows I love naps.

Some of my dear friends from church took me to PF Changs for an early B-day dinner on that night. It was so fun!! I seriously love these girls, and we couldn’t have done it on a better day because I was feeling down after dropping daddy Fisk off, to say the least.
So…a super special thanks to all the girls who went, and those who wanted to go but were unable to make it. On a side note…the PF Changs in Goodyear hooked me up big time! The manager comp’d my whole meal, gave me a Changs bag, some coupons for free food, and a massive slice of chocolate cake to boot! No worries though…I shared the cake, we all know I don’t need any extra help making my caboose any bigger than it already is.

After dinner Jenny, Jessica and I went back to Jenny’s house since we met there, we were chit chatting when Jenny brought out this box and set it on the half wall in her house, she said something about her gift to me is the coolest (or something along those lines), really when I saw the box, I knew immediately what was inside and everything got all blocked out for a minute. The weirdest thing happened though, I knew this was going to be my gift from her about two days prior but I kept calling myself crazy thinking I was setting myself up for disappointment because we don’t really go all out for each other.

So let me fill you in…Jenny and I make trips to Mesa for various things, but she took me to this one store that I just LOVE, one side is an art gallery/ décor store, while the other side is a boutique of things crafty women make, many of which are for children etc. The store is owned by a member of the church, and I easily get choked up because I feel the spirit so strong there. Between the artwork, the owners, and the music it is just amazing.
So, we happened to go to this store the week after Brent found out he would be going back to Iraq. I saw a picture there on a canvas that I just fell in love with. When I saw it I started crying. It is an old picture of a soldier saying goodbye to his fiancé at the train station, after being called to fight for WWII. The name of the picture is “I’ll hold you in my dreams”. I can’t even tell you how much I love it. Well, fine artwork like that is hard for me to justify buying. Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t buy myself anything unless it is very justified and or on sale (BIG TIME SALE). So, I would just go in the store and look around, and stare at this picture that I wanted so badly.

Okay…back to Jenny’s house on Saturday. The box was just plain cardboard, with one end peeking open. I automatically got all choked up because I KNEW it was that picture, and what better day to have it given to me…right? I started jumping around freaking out, then thought to myself “Holy crap Jill…you better open it, what if you are sadly mistaken and then you feel like junk because you expected something different”. So I did…

I opened the box, slid out the canvass and slowly peeked over the edge to see the picture in MY HAND, exactly the way I remembered it in my mind. It is MINE, MINE ALL MINE!! I never thought I would have this piece of artwork in MY HOUSE. I love love LOVE IT, and have taken it out of the box at least five times already. I even took a picture of the picture so I will have it in my phone (and so I could show Brent). I can’t wait to have it framed.

Jenny told me that when she bought it, the owner of the store said “Oh…your sister has been wanting this for a long time.” Seriously, even HE knew how bad I wanted it. I think it is the best gift ever.

Come to find out, the picture is based off of a song from that time. And my Grandpa Winburne was in WWII for two years soon after he married my grandma. I’m sure she knew of the song. I just think it is interesting that I have longed for this picture that is based off a song that my grandma probably listened to so long ago when she was in my shoes.