Showered and spit-up free...

It’s my favorite time of year. Not only are the holidays just around the corner, but also this month marks a celebration for our family- the Marine Corps birthday. It’s a time to celebrate, reflect on the past year and bond with peers as well as remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and are no longer with us.  

I love being a part of this tradition and feel so fortunate to have a husband who is part of this community. And who doesn’t love a reason to shop for a new dress and stand by a man in uniform! I might be a little bias but there is just something about those dress blues!

This year I bought a new dress and had my hair and makeup done. Since having kids, I haven’t put that much effort into preparing for our Marine Corps ball. This year we are at a new command and a new chapter in my husband’s career. I wanted to feel beautiful and sophisticated, like Cinderella - not only for myself, but for my husband.

The last few months, as we moved and welcomed a new baby, have been a whirlwind.  I am lucky if I get to shower most days, let alone put makeup on. My daily uniform consists of t-shirts and yoga pants with remnants of fresh spit-up. There are some nights my husband and I don’t even have a conversation with one another after dinner because we’re both putting a kid down for bed and one of us ends up falling asleep.

So this year the ball was a lot more than just celebrating the Marine Corps birthday. We had a night out on the town, kid free, and I was excited to spend some time with my husband away from our chaos: showered and spit-up free.

While getting ready, I remembered my friends at our previous duty station. I was definitely going to miss them this year but I looked forward to bonding with our new friends. The ceremony began with a message from the commandant and as always, was very motivating.

You cannot help but feel proud and fortunate to be surrounded by so many heroes. The cake cutting tradition when the eldest Marine passes a piece of cake to the youngest Marine stirs up chatter as everyone gasps at how young the Marine is and how old it makes you feel.

The table draped in black with an empty place setting represents those service men and women who sacrificed their lives for our country and freedom and are no longer with us. I always feel moved by this symbolic gesture and find myself squeezing my husband’s hand during the moment of silence as a little way to let him know how thankful I am to have him with me.

There were lots of laughs and lots of dancing. It was a great night with new friends and lots of memories were made. One of the best parts about the Marine Corps is that it is a small community. You always see someone you know and haven’t seen in years.

We met up with our neighbors from our first house on base in California from almost five years ago.  Although social networking sites make it easier to stay in touch, it was great to see familiar faces in person and catch up.

To top off our night out, we had a full night of sleep in a hotel away from the kids! We woke up to a beautiful day in Washington D.C. and were anxious to get to the Iwo Jima monument before we headed home. There’s just something about being in D.C. that makes you feel extra patriotic. We wanted to pay our respect at this particular Marine memorial on this special day.  

All good things must come to an end, however, and my night as Cinderella was over. Early in the morning we got the call that our kiddos had a rough night and grandma and grandpa needed back up. Mommy duty called.

I was a little disappointed to see our birthday celebration end, but there is nothing sweeter than your kids greeting you with open arms and big kisses. I am thankful for my night away with my Marine but more importantly I am thankful for the service my husband provides for his country and the opportunity it gives me to be part of such a great circle of military spouses.