I've missed you all! Hope things have been going well over here on the Beach! I am back on track with eating well and thought it would be good for me to check in to KEEP myself on track with eating well! I had a rough go of it when Tom was gone, and didn't even really realize how low I was until he came home. But he's back, safe and sound, and we're powering through reintegration. Here are some pics...http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...9&l=a4e39f4feb...from when he got back, if you want to check them out.

I cleaned up my eating about a month ago and I feel so much better. I've lost six pounds so far. Would like to shed another nine to get back to where I was when we were in Korea. I'm all about pumpkin now, so it's going into all my recipes. I had pumpkin in my cottage cheese yesterday and pumpkin in my oatmeal this morning. Both were super yummy!

Things are going well here. Looking forward to chatting again!

Kara

Well HI! dear friend! I've missed you and often wonder how you and your family have been doing! It's good to hear from you again, and glad that your family is all back together again, too.

Kara! It's so good to see you. I've thought of you often. Welcome back

Hi Kara

Nice to meet you! I've come across your posts many times. I, too, am into pumpkin right now.

Welcome back Kara! Nice to see you again.

Hi there!!! I have thought about you and your family often. I'm glad that you are doing well and Tom is back home with the family

Really nice pictures! Thanks for sharing them.

So nice to see you back, Kara. Enjoyed the pictures too.

Hugs all around! Thanks for the welcome back!!!

Hi Kara, I'm looking forward to getting to you.
I just looked at your pictures - what a beautiful family you have!

Thank you, Heidi! I love your name. So pretty!

Glad to have you back with us, Kara! Where was Tom? Crazy that you move halfway across the world to be with him and then he leaves!

Do they provide any kind of support groups at the base for spouses of deployed military? That might be helpful in the future. I can only imagine how hard it must be for you--but I hate to think of you hurting your health as a way of coping.

I'm really into pumpkin too! Two of my major favorites are Pumpkin Black Bean soup and Amanda's Pumpkin cakes. Really, really yummy!

Thanks for the links, Laurie! I will definitely be trying them. The soup sounds fantastic, and of course I can't pass up a cake!

Tom was in Qatar for six months. He had to make side trips to Dubai, Djibouti, Afghanistan, and Bahrain, as well. There were only a couple close calls and he came home safe.

The base does have support for families with deployed spouses, but you have to seek it out and I was not in a place where I wanted to reach out. I always have a hard time sleeping when he's not here and I anticipated having that problem, so I worked out in the evenings, which tired me out enough to be able to fall asleep at a reasonable time. I didn't really gain or lose any weight - didn't really focus on an eating plan at all but ate in a generally healthy manner. Could've done a lot better, that's for sure. The kids and I made two trips back to the States, which were life savers. It was very nice to be home and have extra hands to help with the kids. They took it hard that Daddy was away and I didn't have much extra to give as support because I was hurting myself.

Every trial makes you stronger, though, and we came through this one and have a new perspective on our relationship and family life. We definitely appreciate the little moments a lot more now. Tom has four years until he retires, so we're hoping this is the last big trip he'll have to take. Cross your fingers!

It's good to be back with you all. Without realizing it, I pulled away from almost all social networks I had. In retrospect I realize how silly that was!

hi kara- just putting my two cents worth of "welcome" in!!!

good to hear from you and even better to hear tom is back safe&sound. it's always a trial when ur loved one gets deployed..i remember well the unspoken worries and consequent relief when dad got back.
kudos to you&your family for making the necessary sacrifices for all of us!!

janet

KARA! we missed you! With Christmas almost upon us I was thinking of you and your kids decorating the AC unit!
I just friended you on FB
DOn't go away again! when you're hurting you need friends!