Isn't it funny how smells can invoke such strong memories and feelings?
At the Bug's Life ride at Disneyland. He did it for me <3
And that ride's freaking scary.
The post we're stationed at is incredibly small so we try to sneak over to shop at our larger sister-base Grafenwoehr on a regular basis (please read that as, whenever we can!). These trips often involve carpooling, fitting as many people in to the back of our Ford Focus as humanly possible, a bunch of tough Soldier-boys squeezed intimately together, all just wanting to get out of our small town and to the big city!
I've even had offers for people to lay in the trunk, as long as they would get to come to Graf with us.
On this particular trip, the Hub's best friend needed a ride to Graf and so we packed him in to the back of our Focus and set off on our little trip. He ended up needing something that wasn't even available so we hunted around for all the "necessities" that we could EVER possibly need but would NEVER find at Hohenfels (please read that as, pretty much everything!).
After the Hair Fiasco of 2013 (to be explained later), I needed something to fix my Barbie hair. And you know, not the good Barbie hair, but the kind where you beg mom to let you take Barbie in the tub with you and when she finally agrees you're overjoyed until you realize that you've messed up your Barbie for the rest of her non-human life as you desperately try to brush her hair with that stupid little pink brush and end up pulling more hair out than is being untangled? Yeah, that's my hair after the Fiasco. Thankfully the Hubs is super understanding and even let me buy the fancy kind of leave-in conditioner.
The Matterhorn.
My butt it's not red.
We also hunted out some new body spray/cologne for the Hubs, leading us over to the Axe section. I'm pretty sure that section is also called "man haven", or maybe that's "lady haven" since I could stay over there just sniffing around all day. So I sniffed out the most perfect scent for my Hubby Lubby. Like, so perfect that I'm now sneaking around behind him trying to sneak sprays just to spread that delicious smell around (and for the record, the Hubs hates this, I'm shooed away constantly). Why is it so delicious? Because of the memories!! Oh, that smell is part of some of the best memories.
Waiting, patiently pausing my heart, for three months just to see his far-off ginger head, amongst all the other uniformed people, come walking towards me down the terminal. Overjoyed.
Telling my mom over the phone in a McDonald's parking lot that I'm engaged.
Late nights and late mornings cuddled in tangled sheets, planning our next adventure to all of my favorite childhood spots; the beach, the aquarium, Disneyland.
Spending an entirely perfect mundane day together waiting for my totally broken car to be fixed. Breakfast. Window shopping. Movie. Coffee.
Nights spent huddled in car seats at rest stops, trying to steal warmth and a few hours of sleep before the next leg of our adventure. Becoming incredibly, and almost too, familiar with each other.
Driving back in to town, feeling only dread, fear and sadness. I think that if I don't sleep then the next day will stay away longer.
Visiting that same terminal, a weight on my chest so heavy that pulling in breath is difficult. Saying "see you later" just like in the movies and painfully knowing that we have a dangerous nine more months to endure apart.
While ending on such a sad note, those two weeks were the absolute best of my life. There's so much negativity and cynicism that surrounds military life, but I can't thank it enough; I would never have known so much joy without enduring its trials. My memories would never be so sweet and smells would never make me swoon the way they do thanks to this military life we live.
The picture I took to send to my mom in that McDonald's parking lot.
Though there is little chance of my husband being deployed while stationed at this post, I still squeeze him a little tighter when he goes out for training and I still revel in the sight of his face when I see him walking towards me from a long day at work. And I still hope and pray that I never have to feel such fear and sadness again, but I will keep finding joy in the love that encompasses our memories.
The smell of that cologne brings such a smile to my face, and I think it's something that both the Hubs and I celebrate together.
Best. Picture. Ever. I don't think he tried to make that face, it just happened.
Don't ever tell him I shared this.
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