Airforce Wife, Airforce Life

I remember the day David's boss at his squadron back home called me. He already had David in his office and he placed me on the speaker phone so he could talk to both of us. I was at this point, 37 weeks pregnant with our daughter Harper. As I sat on our bed and listened to him talk, all I could think was... "Oklahoma can't be THAT bad." I wish I would have listened a little more closely as to what he was actually saying. I did hear that this year... from June 2013 to July 2014 was going to be the toughest year of our marriage. That what we used to know as "normal" was out the window. Mind you, Harper was due June 2, 2013. We were planning on driving to start our new life in Oklahoma on June 12th. It was crunch time. David was gone until May 31st. That night, he came home and I went into full blown labor about 2 hours later. Harper was born on June 1, 2013. The week and a half that we were home was a blur. Plus, she was in the NICU for 2 days which seemed like a lot more than it actually was. She was healthy, just having some difficulty breathing. The drive to Oklahoma was one I will never forget. Here we were, new parents, moving across the country, not knowing anyone or anything. We would stop every 3 hours to feed Harper and let Sadie, our dog, out and to stretch our legs. After 4 days of traveling... we arrived. We arrived to Enid, Oklahoma. Our new home.

We chose to live on base, which, I am so happy we did. However, our furniture and belongings didn't get to Oklahoma until about 3 weeks out. Which, i am sure you are thinking... so what? It's just furniture. Well... think about it. We had a newborn. We had a dog. I had JUST given birth... so I was not myself. David started working. It was JUNE in OKLAHOMA. I had maybe 4 pairs of clothes and the same for Harper and David. We had an air mattress and 2 lawn chairs. No TV. We didn't even get internet hooked up until a week after being there. I knew no one. I didn't have a stroller, so I couldn't go on walks. I didn't even have my front pack with me to carry Harper in. It was awful. BUT we DID survive! Barely. ;) I joke. I will tell you this. Never in my life, would I know that I would meet people here that I call family. NEVER. I was always told we would.. but I just couldn't picture it. I thought, yeah, I am sure we will meet some nice people. But I have truly met soul sisters and people I just couldn't live without. Lesley- She is the world traveler. She is a flight attendant for Delta. She will literally travel the country with you to make sure you are safe and feel safe. Lesbo, as we call her (no, she isn't a lesbian but for some reason, the name caught on), is the most laid back person I have ever met. She could care less what time it is, and as frustrating as it is for me at times, I adore it in her and secretly wish I could be like that. She has no problem walking into a place 20 minutes or an hour-two hours late. You can't ever be mad at her either because she is so sweet. Her cooking and baking is to die for. She is a tough cookie but yet, very sensitive wether she likes to admit that or not. Stacie- Probably one of the best cooks I know. She is very fun and down for anything you have up your sleeve. She specializes in parties and is an amazing host. She has been all around the world and made so many friends, I can't keep up with her. We didn't like each other at first introduction. She thought I was snotty and I thought she was way too pretty and belonged at a winery. Once we got to know each other (because we had to, our husbands took off and we had no choice but to talk to one another) we instantly clicked. Funny how first impressions are so off. She is so loving and truly cares about whatever is going on in your life. She will step in to take care of baby girl if needed, no matter how uncomfortable it might make her feel. She wasn't too keen on Harper when we first met. It could have been because Harper was so tiny, or maybe she just didn't like babies. It took her a long time to build the amazing friendship the two have acquired. It actually gets me a little teary-eyed just thinking about it. Sarah- Where to begin. This one is a spit-fire. She is.. by far.. the most passionate person I have ever met in my life. She is hilarious. Very sweet, but also has a spicy side in her. She is pregnant right now with a baby girl, Amelia. We cannot wait to meet her precious babe. I know she will be a great mom. Sarah is always down for watching Harper and is 100% Texan... if that explains anything. Plus, she has legs that go for days and it makes me incredibly jealous. She is so stylish and she is going to be the hip, in style mom I wish I was. You know the ones, that look great at all times and make it look easy. She is so up to date with fashion. I love it and I love her. Katy- Katy is the base sweetheart. She is so sweet and speaks so soft. She can bake a mean cheesecake and really any kind of sweets. She has a dog named Lana that absolutely loves Sadie and can't get enough of. Katy is the kind of girl that you could always count on to watch a baby, let a dog out, or just stop by to check on you. She, herself, is in the air force and just recently moved to Wichita for work. I am sure we will still see her on the weekends, as her husband Sean is still at Vance. Jenny- She is the doctor of the group. She is a PA and is always great to get advice from. She is also the one who will go with you to a colonoscopy and make sure everyone around you is doing what they should be. She rocks. She just got married to her man, Joe, and they recently adopted a yellow lab puppy named Bailey. Bailey makes us all want another dog. It is so cute to see new parents with puppies. I remember being that cautious and caring so much for Sadie... those days are long gone! Aven- Aven is the pilot. She is tough but also gentle. I have seen her shining in all her glory and I have seen her when she looks like she is going to melt down. She has had her ups and downs this year, thats for sure. She is a great baker as well. She is always bringing us cookies... which is great, but my pants would disagree. She is married to a Russian professional tennis player named Vlad. They make a great couple. They have a dog named Goofy, which fits his personality. I don't even know what breed that silly dog is, but he looks like something that got lost from his Pharaoh owner in Egyptian years. Cat- I wish I would have been able to get to know her more than I did. She is so fun and nice.She can out dance the best of us on the game Dance Central and makes a mean cheese fondue. She started pilot training and realized quickly that flying just wasn't for her. She has so much courage for making that tough decision. Her husband, Tony, is a civilian pilot and quit his job so she could follow her dreams. Plus, they have matching track suits that totally make them one of the coolest couples I know. They left Vance as Cat received a new job in Denver, Colorado. They are both missed bunches.

What people don't realize is that all these people in our life here in Oklahoma, they are all going through the same thing. It's hard to explain. We don't see our husbands but maybe an hour or 2 a day. They work 12 hour days. If they are having a great day, they are able to come home, eat, maybe talk a bit, and then study for the remainder of the evening. We usually get Saturday to hang out. Sundays are full of studying or flying to catch up. The guys can tend to be a little stressed out. If they have a bad day, or "hook" a flight, meaning they failed a flight or a check ride... it can be a rough night, or week. Us girls have learned to band together. We all know what the other one is going through. I feel like it makes us have more an understanding and more love for one another. When one girl is on the brink of a melt down, we all get together and talk it out. I love each and every one of these girls and would do anything for them. My love for them is deep like family. I will miss them all so much when I leave here. I know, however, that our friendship will continue on for many years to come. It just will never be the same.