Weather Fighters

Ben said something in one of our conversations a while back that has stayed with me and I roll his words over in my mind from time to time.  He said 'they are weather fighters' meaning they hide out during the winter and only fight when the weather is good. 

I suppose it stuck with me, because it just goes to show what a shining example our American soldiers are.  One of my favorite quotes says it perfectly:

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated."

My husband is not a summer soldier.

Speaking of my husband...Ben your mom wanted me to tell you that she loves you.  I thought I had better throw that in here in case I forget to tell you she said that...ya know cuz I won't forget to tell you to go read my blog ;)

Let's see what's new with us?  Um I got new black pants, Ben finished his master's class,  the government wasn't going to pay any deployed troops this month.....hmmm it seemed like there was something else.

Haha I just wanted to talk about the government shutdown affecting pay to deployed troops and I wasn't sure how to introduce it.  It's a crime of course.  I finally realized why congress came up with a budget so quickly.  No, it's not because they're afraid of our soldiers...it's because they saw how scary the women standing behind 'em can be when their husbands don't get paid on time.  If you think our soldiers are scary, you should see the women standing behind them.

Seriously we are a scary sight after 8 months of deployment!  I can't remember the last time I shaved my legs, I've given up on perfume and bath & body works lotion...I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

We of course would have been fine if Ben didn't get paid for a while.  Plus I could add it to my list of responsibilities: protector, provider, caller of stuff while Ben is gone...you know the really important things!

I was really looking forward to teasing Ben about being a stay at home husband in Iraq. He could've really used the vacation.  Well maybe in 6 months.

Thanks family for all your prayers and support.  It means a lot to us and we love you for it!

First Date

These pictures were taken the first night we finally met in person.  Notice how he's leaning? Yep. He wanted me from the beginning and here's the photographical proof!

More leaning.  The infamous jean jacket....

 He's holding on for dear life.  You can tell that I am unsuspecting, because my eyes are closed.

My friend Alyssa was there to witness the whole thing and then help me analyze every small detail afterwards!  I wish I would have tape recorded that conversation.  Hindsight is 20/20!

It was a great first date.  He couldn't wait to call me the next day and ask me out again.  He's a smart guy.

Ah the good old days...

I had a pleasant surprise this week and a blast from my past. A twist of fate brought my old roommate Amy from my freshman year of college to my town.  I hadn't seen her in years!  Our apartment was the best apartment I had my entire single life, so you can imagine what a treat it was to spend time with her.

We did the math and it has been almost 10 years since we shared an apartment at BYUI....we had to count again to make sure...yep still 10...ugh!  How did we get so old??  After comparing aching bones and pace maker stories we got caught up on the old days.  I felt like I was 18 years old again I was tempted to come up with some diabolical plan to meet boys...but then I remembered that I was already married to that guy I had to kiss first.

Anyways, Amy was a fun roommate!  She was the sporty one that was always joking around and in a good mood.  She also was the one to pull back the reins on some of our more wild ideas.  Probably a good thing, since I always seemed to have some sort of shenanigan up my sleeve!  I really wish she would have talked me out of the dry ice idea though....

And the pixie hair cut that had a striking resemblance to Joseph Smith's....and that time I tried to bleach my hair and it turned out lemon yellow...

Well let me just say Just Dance 2 for wii was a great investment!

 Where did Amy's arm go? 

 Eeeeek!!!  Help!!!  Someone flattened my head!!!

Notice how Amy's sporting the BYUI shirt? Yeah I planned that.  "Amy, I have a shirt you can borrow"  Mwooohahahaha!

 It looks like the snow flakes are coming off of Amy's pants!

Yup.  That was fun.  Come back soon Amy! 

Kissing!

Melissa: You should tell your version of our first kiss.
Ben: Why you already prefaced your comments with how mine will be embellished? And by-the-way your story was wrong...it was in your apartment not the lounge.
Melissa: Please tell your version it is so much fun!
Ben: No I don't think so.
Melissa: Don't be mean!
Ben: How is not blogging being mean?
Melissa: PLEASE!
Ben: Fine I will get to it when I have time!
Melissa: Oh good! I love you!
Ben: I love you too!

OUR FIRST KISS

Hello world I am about to share our first kiss with you...I know you cant wait...how exciting you are saying to yourselves. Well if I run for President of the United States you will have material to slander me with...

It all started with a DTR (define the relationship). We had only been actually dating for around two weeks....years in BYU-I standards! I told Melissa that we needed to talk. She ignored me knowing what was coming. It took me two days until I could corral her into a discussion.

I explained that we had only been dating for about two weeks and that I wanted to make sure we took our time and really got to know each other. I was just back from Iraq and so I was still pretty bold. I laid it out for her...No kissing...and that's about all I said.

Little did I know that when I said the "NO" word I sent Melissa into her challenge mode. I will not give out any numbers (I had only ever kissed 1 other girl she had kissed thousands of boys). Her carnivorous side came alive. She was out to kiss my head off!

Not two days later I was at her apartment...Melissa likes to get up close and personal...I looked at her and said "You are trying to get me to kiss you". She gave me a grin that I can only describe as dangerous! I told her right then that we weren't supposed to do that. Her reply was to move in really close and whisper into my ear..."you want to kiss me...you really like me".

What in the world is a guy supposed to do in that situation? I liked her so I couldnt run for the door...not two days prior I had just given her my "No Kissing" policy. I decided to be strong! I would win this game!

I told her that I would not be the first to kiss. She didn't like that! I have to give it to Melissa...she was tough. She held out for a whole 24 hours of telling me how badly I wanted to kiss her and getting really close before she was all over me. Naturally if a girl kisses you...you kiss back.

Well it was over. I was in trouble. All it took was one of Melissa's kisses for my "No Kissing" policy to go out the apartment window (Melissa will debate the location but trust me I know!).

In the end I have to thank the thousands of boys that made Melissa into a carnivorous kisser! She sealed the deal with the first kiss which happened to be her kissing me!

First Kiss

So there's a song on the radio that always makes me think of me and Ben's first kiss. 

"Are you gonna kiss me or not?"

It was in the Snow View Apartments lounge in the very cold month of February...ok maybe January.  Ben was taking way too long to take care of that detail!  For a man with a plan he was way behind.  So naturally I did what any woman in my situation would do.  I took matters into my own hands.


Kind of like Eve in the Garden of Eden.  I like to think I knew exactly how she felt.  Kidding!


I always like Ben's version of how our first kiss went down...let's just say it is dramatically different from mine :)  Maybe if we're lucky he'll respond to this post with his version!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDUOcHg5ijg

Name Change???

I propose a blog name change. Does anyone else feel like this blog should be named something like BenandMelissaBrubaker....huh what do you think? I think it has a ring to it! Just throwing that out there for consideration.

Dance space at last!

At last the New Year's resolution people have finally given up on the gym. Ha!  I knew they weren't in it for the long haul!

I finally had plenty of dance space at my Zumba class.  Yay!  I can dance as big as I want to.  And the teacher has finally noticed my potential, because she tried to get me to come up on stage.  Really she did.  Funny, that I turned her down isn't it?  The old Melissa would have been all over it!

New Melissa isn't as concerned with being the center of attention.  Instead I just like to get a good workout and come home and cook delicious healthy meals like this lovely concoction I pulled off P-dub's website:

It was divine!  I think Benjamin might even eat this one.