I Want To Go Home

So does Joe.  For the past two years, we've been content with spending Christmas alone instead of with other family.  This time of year is chaotic enough, and sometimes travel and family on top of that is just too much.  But I know that this year we both wish we were going home.  Unfortunately, Joe had to submit his leave before Thanksgiving, which sort of messed us up, as we did not have time to make plans.  Then, as we were trying to get leave changed, he was tasked with a project (on top of studying for the boards), so that pretty much sealed our stay in GA.  He's fairly stressed, and the whole thing just pisses me off.  I hope we can just get through the next 21 months or so.  Of course the fact that he most likely isn't re-enlisting has its own repercussions.  Everyday he comes home, and there is new bullshit.  I almost want him to be deployed just so he gets a break from it.  Isn't that fucked up?  Sure, I maybe bias, but if my husband was a chump bastard, I'd be the first person to call him out on it.  I'm pretty sure, though, that it isn't the case, as does most anyone who has ever come in contact with him.  So wouldn't they want a guy who is smart, educated, worldly/cultured (hell, he lived in France in college, and then went back for his thesis project to study Franco-Muslim relations), good at his job (so I've heard from coworkers outside of his team), and is a fair, empathetic, yet mentally tough human being to stay with them?  Wouldn't they consider him an asset?  The short answer is 'no, not so much.' 

But alas, I could go on forever, and it still wouldn't make a difference.  It is what it is, so we will (try to) make the best of it.  Anyone ever seen Full Metal Jacket?  Joking, totally joking.

Well, it's a damn rainy day here in the Southland.  I need to go grocery shopping, but it's just gross.  I need to clean up the house as well, but with it being wet, the dogs just keep tracking stuff back in.  Also, we're puppy-sitting for some friends this weekend, so Zeus the half german shepherd, half belgian malinois is adding to the chaos.  I like him, though.  :-)  He's so little but unafraid.  Lu loves him, and Dex is pretty indifferent.  One thing for sure is that they both love to double team him on the barking front.  Corner him and get right in his face.  That's as much as Dex does, though - no real effort to play - just tolerates him.  Fine by me.  I just want to give Zeus back to his owners intact, free of Dexter attacks. 

Other than that, I think we're gonna drop some cash on a nice camera tomorrow - our gift to each other, which was almost scrapped (by me).  Seems we spent so much (combined) on everyone else - almost 30 people - WTF, that I was ready to just can our own gifts.  Joe says we should get the camera, though, and I do occasionally listen to him.  Next year for Christmas, everyone is getting a portrait of Dexter.  Get excited.