61% and 58% Dinners

I am lucky this deployment because I get to hang out with two spouse's groups.  My husband is part of a staff that oversees squadron operations on the aircraft carrier (just makes sure that flight schedules jive and that everyone is working together nicely) so he isn't really in a squadron right now.  The staff has it's own little spouse's group but we are really casual. We don't have a President or any dues or organization other than we like wine and lots of it.  Because of that, I have been adopted by the E2-C squadron in the air wing (since that is the plane my husband was trained on and the community we will go back to one day).  The spouses group for VAW-124, the Bear Aces, is much larger, more traditional, and just as interested in drinking our sorrows away having a good time.  Twice the support, twice the get togethers, lots of nice women who are going through the same thing.  Between the two groups there is always something fun going on. 

Last weekend we had a "halfway" (58%) dinner for the staff support group.  We went to a nice restaurant in Virginia Beach and proceeded to get really loud.  Last night I went to a "halfway" (61%) dinner for the Bear Aces at a beautiful restaurant in Norfolk.  (I am aware that non military spouses reading this are probably rolling their eyes at the percentages.  But seriously, every.day.freakin.counts. when your husband is gone 200+ days).  My babysitters are making a killing off of me this month, but that is okay.  I am happy to have something to celebrate and nice ladies to celebrate with.  Oh, and one gentleman (Mike)!  Mike is the one male spouse between the two groups and he got a lot of attention at the restaurant for sitting at a table with 10 young women.  Another table sent over a few bottles of champagne and claimed it was in honor of him and his "skills".  Later they did the patriotic thing and came to toast the military and our brave husbands.  But still, I think that it honestly was Mike and his entourage that got the generous table's attention.

Last night at the 124 halfway dinner we were given flowers, a note that our husband's had written and sent to the CO's wife to give us, a frame with our favorite picture (as a couple) at our place setting, and a pretty engraved wine glass.  The guys had put together a video for us to watch (which, in true aviator fashion was a bunch of footage of them landing on the aircraft carrier.  how romantic.) and we watched the video that had been mailed back for them to watch. 

The menu:

Yummmmm..... (btw, if you go to B&B you must have the Mexican Chocolate and Kahlua Mousse. To die for.)

The room:

I love the tradition of halfway dinners.  There are many things about deployment that really truly suck big time.  But there are many things that make it a growing experience laced with some major perks.  Last night went into the "perk" column.  Now we all get to look forward to finishing the last 39% and the biggest upside to deployment of all - HOMECOMING.