Soaring Above New Heights

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 Soaring Above New Heights

Last weekend was a very emotional weekend for me. I traveled to Fort Benning, GA to watch my husband, Milton, graduate from Airborne School.  He’d already finished his JAG training and now needed to successfully complete five jumps to also have the title of Airborne Paratrooper.

The five jumps were supposed to happen Monday-Wednesday.  On Monday they met at 4:30am, each were carefully inspected and then they waited to see if the weather  would cooperate.  They couldn’t eat, sleep, use the bathroom or really even touch any body part.  If they, for example, touched their belt it could come loose and they would no longer be considered fully inspected.  SEVEN hours later, they realized the wind was not going to let up and Monday’s jumps were canceled.

Similar things happened on Tuesday.  So now I’m starting to think it will be another week before my babe is able to finally come home to me. Uggg!  Luckily, they were able to get in four jumps between Wednesday and Thursday and they saved their fifth and final jump for Friday (Graduation Day).  This was exciting because I would get to see Milton jump live!

Friday morning rolls around and there are 400 men/women that will be jumping.  Although Milton doesn’t know when he’ll jump, he asks me to record all of the jumpers.  This seemed like an impossible task but I tried to be a good wife and comply.  I recorded the first three jumps for Milton’s plane and saw the guys as they started running in.  Of course I was looking for a “dark” spot running in.  A couple ran past, one had different posture than Milton, another had a bigger booty and another was too short.  In the distance I saw someone that looked like Milton.  I looked at his helmet number, yelled out his name, and he waved back!  My baby was safe, successful and had accomplished an amazing feat!

I had a surprise for Milton by inviting his dad to attend.  Milton’s face lit up when they caught sight of each other.  It was even more meaningful when they asked for second generation paratroopers to come forward and Milton’s dad was able to pin his wings from back in the day on Milton.

After graduation we quickly left to head back home.  Nine hours later Milton walked around the house reminiscing on all the things in our house he missed.  It was his first time since July 3 that he was was home and not leaving in a couple of days.  He’s already started work at Legal Services in Fort Knox.  And I am overjoyed because my husband gets to be a husband and I get to be his wife. Milton became one of my heros last weekend and I was proud to be Mrs. Turner…. now if I can only get rid of this loud snoring habit he’s seemed to pick up! Lol!

Click the photo below to watch the video of Milton’s jump, landing and graduation!

December 2011

Burp Baby Burp (11 weeks/1 day)

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Unfortunately I’m not talking about burping a baby in my title – I’m talking about myself!  My new found talent is burping/belching and letting it all out through my mouth.  Luckily there is no after taste or smell, but they can be loud and proud!

I’m over 11 weeks pregnant so I assume it comes with the territory.  Each day is a new day and a newly learned skill.  Baby Turner is moving, grooving and doing his/her own thing.  He/she gets the activeness from me so I’ll take full responsibility!

December 2011

1st Trimester Belly Shots

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Lil ole me shouldn’t be this bloated just yet, but lil ole me is holding water, digestive juices and some of everything else.  I know this isn’t the official “pregnancy belly” but it’s making people pretty suspicious.  Once we tell people and I can just let it hang out I’ll be okay, but it’s this in-between stage that’s driving me crazy!

Insomnia, Lifetime Movies and John Grisham (10weeks/ 4days)

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Insomnia – no like

Lifetime movies at 3:00am – no like

Any book by John Grisham – LOVE!

I haven’t been able to sleep at night and that’s not fun.  I don’t make up for it during the day and that’s not fun either.  There is absolutely nothing on television to watch at 3:00am in the morning!  I’m actually in Fort Benning, GA right now waiting to watch Milton graduate from Airborne School.  It’s a little intimidating to be on an Army post without knowing where I can and can’t come, but I hope to see Milton soon- and hopefully one day get a good night’s sleep!

December 2011

Thanks Giving

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Thanks Giving

It always feels nice to do something for someone else, but it seems to be a special lasting memory when you do it for someone you’ve never met!  I had that experience this past Sunday when ladies from our fitness/Zumba studio went and decorated the outside of someone’s house for Christmas.  The wife and husband had gone on a motorcycle ride right before the 4th of July.  She hated motorcycles but they decided to go on a couples ride with their friends.  On the way back from lunch, their motorcycle was involved in an accident.  He died instantly at the scene, she was thrown 90 feet and it was unknown if she would survive.

After month of hospitalizations and surgeries she was released.  It took many sessions of physical therapy for her to learn how to walk again. One of the most difficult things about the entire incident is that they have two sons (now ages 8 and 10).  The Anderson family’s life has been turned upside – just like that.  This holiday season will not be as joyful as usual.  The family wasn’t sure if they were going to decorate inside the house and knew they weren’t going to decorate the outside (because that’s what dad did and it was too much physically for the mom to do solo).

So, while the family was away, we snuck over to their house and started decorating the outside of the house.  We used some of their decorations, but also added some new items.  It was cold.  It was rainy. It was nasty.  I would have much rather been in bed, HOWEVER, I knew that my little inconvenience was nothing compared to all the struggles they’d been through.  My entire body warmed as I saw the family pull up and the smile on the mother’s face.  After hearing her story and how hard these past five months have been, I knew we helped bring them a little joy this holiday season.

The horrible ironic part of the entire situation is that while I was helping a complete stranger, around the same time, a high school cheerleading friend of mine drove up on the scene over her husband’s overturned car and now her family is struggling as he fights for his life.  Unfortunately for Helen’s situation, the main thing they need now is prayer is hopes that Chris will wake up and be able to celebrate their first Christmas with their four month old son.  So if you’re prayerful, please say a special prayer for the Vaughan family and all those struggling with family loses this year.

December 2011

10 Week OB-GYN Visit (10 weeks/ 2 days)

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I always get excited and nervous about an OB-GYN visit.  I know that some of my fears can be put at ease but I am get nervous because I want baby Turner to be okay and healthy.

So, today was another visit and another ultrasound.  It’s amazing how much the baby has grown in just two weeks.  Luckily everything is going fine.  I had a little brown spotting this morning but the doctor said it was nothing to be worried about. She did suggest to hold off on doing something for a minute (watch the video to see what that is). Baby is starting to look like baby!  We’re on the downward slope now for the first trimester – which means announcing our news to our family and friends.

Next stop, Fort Benning, GA to watch my husband graduate from Airborne School and come back home to me for good after five months!