Fire Ball

When Brandon decided to join the military one of the things I was looking forward to doing was going to balls! We so rarely have a reason to get all dressed up and spend an evening out, so I was pretty excited to find out our first ball was coming up. Even more exciting was the fact that my husband was actually off on the day of the ball, so he could not only go, but also get ready at home and Take me to the ball. We originally thought he would be working so I would have to meet him there! Of course when I had imagined going to my first ball, the most exciting part was going dress shopping...well being pregnant definitely made this a little tougher. Living over seas and not knowing any good stores made it even harder, then trying to gauge how fat I would be by the time the ball came around was another difficulty! After searching online for weeks, I finally dragged Brandon to Bury to go shopping. I only found one place with semi-formal dresses, so at least he didn't have to go to too many stores. Plus my baby bump limited my choices of dresses (especially if I didn't want to be looking a little sleezy in the dress!) I ended up finding only 4 dresses to try on that came in my size...and only 2 ended up being options once I tried them on. I finally decided to go with the dress in the pictures because it fit, and I thought it would look good with Brandon's blues! I wont lie I was a little bummed because it was not at all the style of dress I would normally choose, but I was happy to have found something! Of course I didn't think the colors and fabric through too well, and a week before the ball I realized with the shiny, smooth, gray color I was going to look like a total whale! UGH Plus as I started trying to get my accessories planned out I realized I suck at being a girl! Not only do I not have any "fancy" jewelry, I don't even own a curling iron, and I only own 1 pair of black dress shoes, plus I suck at doing my own hair! So I made desperate calls to some really great friends on base here (Candace, Jen, and Ashley) and begged them to help me! In the end I was happy with what we came up with...and only felt slightly whaleish!! Plus my awesome neighbor Jen came over and took a few pre-ball pics for us!


So, of course me being me could only mean one thing...I had to fall at some point! As we were walking out to the car to head to the ball I tripped, and fell into the car. Luckily I wasn't hurt and Brandon and I just laughed at my gracefulness. Now before I finish my story I might add that I decided being 5+ months pregnant and not being able to see my feet, it would be a good idea to wear 4 inch stiletto shoes! Seriously folks what was I thinking!! Anywho we were about to arrive at Lakenheath Base (where the ball was at) and I look down at my feet and see that when I fell earlier I had actually broke my shoe! We hadn't even made it to the ball and I was falling apart! I desperately called my friend Holly to see if she had any superglue to attempt to fix my shoe! She didn't, but she told me the shopette on base sold it, so we headed to the store to try to repair my shoe. Of course we go there right as everyone else on base is getting off work, so the parking lot was packed, so Brandon just dropped me off at the curb to run in and buy it. So there I am all dressed up, everyone staring, and limping because my shoe is flapping. I tried to walk in with as much dignity as I could, but of course it is me so can you guess what I did? That's right, the first floor mat I came to I caught my shoe on, stumbled forward and tore the bottom off my shoe! Of course all the people staring at me, had to stop and watch. One kind woman asked if I was OK, and what they heck had happened. I just start laughing because it was that or cry. I am standing in the middle of a gas station convenience store in a formal dress holding a chunk of my shoe! The woman came over and took a look at my shoe and realized that if I stood just right you really couldn't see that there was a chunk missing, and it only left me slightly lopsided. Me not being able to see my feet and all, decided to take her word for it, and dashed out of the store to hide from all the people watching. So of course I get outside hoping Brandon was on his way around to pick me back up...and I can't find him! As it turned out he had found a spot and parked, thinking I would take longer to find the glue, and stand in line to buy it! Luckily for me another curious (but kind) watcher of my graceful entrance had seen me get out of the car, and saw me on the curb and showed me where Brandon was! So that was the eventful start to our first military ball!

We made it almost on time, and met up with some good friends on the way! As you can see in the pictures my husband thoroughly enjoyed himself...and I did too. Not to the degree that he did, but it was fun! The dinner was OK, but I am pretty picky when it comes to meats, so Brandon ate a lot of my meal. Just when I was eyeing the rolls for the empty seats next to us, someone came and sat with our group. I was definitely glad I hadn't stole the role when someone higher ranking sat down :) Now the meal may not have impressed me, but the dessert was AMAZING! Brandon of course thought it was funny to ask me to go get both of our dessert, since I was pregnant he said it would be ok for me to have to plates! Of course by the time dessert was set out, 90% of the people there were drunk, so my walk back to the table with 2 plates of amazing peanutbutter and chocolate cheese cake, was interesting. There were a lot of stares, laughs, and of course the random strangers who felt the need to stop me and make the eating for 2 joke! Oh well it was all worth it once I got to sit down and eat my cheese cake!




Also I was able to get Brandon out on the dance floor for quite a while that night, which was great since he usually doesn't dance a lot! Of course like I said before most everyone was drunk, which made it interesting. When a song came on and everyone was jumping I decided to join in...my husband proceeded to grab my belly and tell me to stop jumping I might hurt the baby. To that the girl next to us yells, "Oh no, she is going to go into labor" then it kinda became a ripple effect of drunk people thinking I was in labor! Oh fin times :)

Here is a pic of most of the people at our table and a few extras...they grabbed Brandon for the picture and told him he could be the token white guy in the shot!


Our Lakenheath Fire Department in all their drunken glory...well A shift at least :)

Yeah at one point the fire chief saw me and asked when I was due, when I said not till February he said "wow you are..." and made a huge circle with his arms! "You must be having twins" he said "you are HUGE"...yeah thanks for that :)



Me and a friend Amanda!



Me and Holly!!!!!

Gee aren't we cute :)

Well all in all it was a great night! I was totally pooped by 11:30, and had to work in the morning, but had a great time. I definitely am looking forward to the next ball, where I won't be pregnant, and can enjoy it even more. And fingers crossed I wont break my shoe at the next one!