New Changes for an Old Me

Well, a lot has happened since my last post and I don't want to say that it's good or bad. Jeff and I have split but are going to try to remain friends. He has things he needs to figure out and I support him but neither of us see a point in me hanging on. He's met someone who gives him the feelings he gives to me. The feelings of completion and love and of being alive. Part of loving someone is letting them go and seeing if they come back...... always wishing them the best. I do wish him the best.

I've done some pretty amazing things so far this year. I've toured the local GM plant, driven a 2010 Camaro and most recently I went to Parris Island, SC with the USMC. I was part of an Educator's Workshop and have really gained a greater understanding of the Marine Corps and can better identify kids when the come to my office.."Miss, I wanna join the military." Hmmm.... let's talk over goals, see where you fit, and then give you some info to take home to your parents.

During my trip I also go some news. See a friend who's in a miserable marriage and has filed for divorce finds herself pregnant by a co-worker. I understand why she went looking for love and comfort in another mans arms, but I don't agree with what she did. She's very early into her pregnancy and though there are problems she's decided to keep the baby. I want to support her but I just don't agree. The chances of something going wrong are too great, the quality of life that she and the baby will have is not what she's dreaming of. See, she's got 2 kids already and her future-ex-husband isn't going to make anything easy on her once he gets served. In fact he'll use this new baby to hurt her in court and paint her as a bad mother. The current children will be torn in so many directions their poor little heads will spin. I wish I could help, I wish I knew what to say or that I could support her unconditionally but in truth I can't. She's making more bad decisions and deep down only thinking of herself. What do you do?

Totally Blown Away at Tops

I was doing some running around and swung into Tops for a few items - I was dangerously low on toilet paper and peanut butter! LOL I swung into a line and was cashed out by a young man named Sal.

Sal noticed my ACU purse and the conversation went as follows:

Sal: "Are you in the military?"

Me: "No but my boyfriend is."

Sal: "Oh, what unit's he in?"

Me (sightly perplexed he asked what unit and not what branch) : "He's in the 1-64 in Mosul in Northern Iraq."

Sal: "Oh, has he been over there a year?"

Me: "No, he won't be back until the end of October."

Sal: "I've got two brother's going to Afghanistan in July. They're both really anxious to go."

Me: "Hasn't hit 'em yet." (laugh) "It will about a month before but they gotta keep their heads in the game.."

Sal: "Yeah, they just want to get going, they know they're trained and they want to get to work."

I finished cashing out at this point.

Sal: "Tell your boyfriend I said thanks. I'll pray for him."

I was so stunned I don't know how I kept walking to be honest. In a world where you can't say Merry Christmas, where you tell a kid he's grounded and he threatens to call CPS on you, this young man said he'd pray for a stranger. He didn't try to preach, he didn't try to argue the war was wrong or how upset he was about his brothers going off to an uncertain danger. He very calmly and comfortably said he'd pray for a stranger. I was so happy I smiled the whole way home, like I'd just gotten a hug from Jeff.

2010 Installation

Hi everyone, it's just before 4:00am so this will be rather brief. Tonight was our 2010 Installation of Officers Ceremony for the hall. I was installed as President of the Ladies Auxiliary and Donald was installed as Captain and Vice President on the Hall side. Here are a couple of pix. Will try to write more later..... must sleep for now.

Night

PS - Lest I forget, my awesomest baby bro also won Fireman of the Year!! I'm so proud!!

January Marches On

January continues to march toward December and the new year feels much like the old one. I got to talk to Jeff (instant message really) this past Wednesday. He's miserable, hates his unit and just wants to come home. Well, that makes 2 of us babe. He wants to switch units when he gets back but that looks to mean a year's deployment to Korea.
Right now he's still working 24/7 and he's been all over northern Iraq. So much for being bored and never leaving the base! He's sharing a room with 3 other guys which also doesn't help the situation. It kills me that I can't help him but I've met a great group of gals who are in the same boat and assure me I'm doing the right thing and the only thing we can do.
Keep him and all our troops in your thoughts (positive only please) and prayers.

A Bit Whirly

I can and I can't say that a lot has been going on. I'm back to work from winter break - also known as Christmas vacation for those who aren't afraid to use the "C" word. LOL
I continue to move forward with the plans that Jeff and I made before he deployed. I've found what looks to be a great apartment just outside Savannah and am still looking for a job - a major must for paying pesky things like bills. LOL
I've also started my next session in school, Business 115. I'm worried about how I'll do in this class because my 6yrs in the non-profit world have made me think more with my heart and my conscience than with my wallet. Oh don't get me wrong, I still want to stay ahead of the game and at least keep my head above water, but I worry more now about the people around me and less about the sources. I am concerned less with people research that no matter what is skewed. We can do all the research we want but now we present ath research skews the data even if we don't indend to.
More to follow!

2009 in review... 2010 in daydreams

It was about this time last year that a friend asked what my new years resolution was going to be. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves in regards to resolutions. To get a better job, better apartment, quit smoking or the ever popular, lose weight. When we don't achieve these goals we feel like a failure. Normally I'd have been in the "lose weight" group but the gastric bypass surgery a few months prior kinda took care of that. LOL No, instead, without thinking I said "to do more." When she asked what it means, I said it's simply to do something each month I'd never done before. So that's what I did and I'm here to share the highlights.

January - made Do More resolution, got notebook to keep track

February - installed as VP & Secretary of River Road VFC Ladies Aux

March - went to new Burchfield-Penney; met famous artist Simon Griffis and toured his studio; started UW Board Governance class; drove to the gym on the thruway (those who know me know why this made the list. lol)

April - attended Lew-Port AFJROTC military ball; drove the Grand Island bridge; bought first set at Fredericks; had date with Joel (we're rockin it as friends which is much better. lol)

May -became Jeff's "official" girlfriend lol; drove to Orchard Park alone via the skyway (a two time first!)

June - ran an aux meeting; joined Town of Tonawanda & Erie County Aux; took part in memorial service with the fire co.

July - went to GA alone to see Jeff - sailed the Savannah river, saw a dragonfly, toured Savannah, went to the beach, swam in the ocean, Jeff said he was In Love with me, drove to Alabama (mistake but I did it! lol), toured Ft. Stewart, saw famous Saddam statue, ended 11yr dry spell. also celebrated 1yr since surgery with a weight loss of 134lbs!!!

August - had lunch at Panos with Tony M to celebrate my 29th birthday.

September - took 400 high school students up to tour NFARB.

October - flew in a C-130H piloted by 2 full bird col's to Baltimore where I toured the Maryland Air National Guard base and the US Secret Service Training Center; also got to see Ravens Stadium! Rode on the USSS test track at about 90mph!!! Got accepted to DeVry University.

November - bought my 1st lap top; got my 1st call from Mosul, Iraq - Jeff 11/20

December - made all my own Christmas cards; attended a Pentacostal church; completed my 1st college course.

With all that's happened in 2009..... I can hardly wait for 2010!!!

A more recent update

It's been quite a while since my last update and for those of you who actually follow my blog (both of you lol) I'm sorry.

I'm back to work at the school and things are sort of settling into a routine. We're getting ready for an extended weekend and before we know it Christmas will be here. Hard to believe, I feel like I was just walking the beach and celebrating the 4th of July.

Jeff and I hit a rough patch in September and while we still love each other, I wasn't there for his deployment. No, we haven't broken up but some well-meaning family & friends didn't help. Now he's in Iraq and I KNOW he'll be ok, I still worry. He's settling in and was able to make the first phone call to me on Friday morning. Unfortunately I was in a meeting and missed it, damn it. He said he'd call back and I know he will. He is truly the love of my life and while the first 2 months of his deployment are over, the next 10 months will be so many things. We got to a very important point in our relationship very quickly and we both got scared. Now we've got 10 months to slow things down again, get to relearn things about each other and learn new things.

On a good note, Katrina's boyfriend Shay (also in Mosul) will be home in less than a month! YAY!! We're all really excited and she's already making plans to meet him at Ft. Campbell when he gets home on the 19th. I can't wait to meet him. :-)

Just so you don't think anything's wrong - or that I'm cheating lol - the picture is of me and my friend Kevin during the Celebration of Reading at work. I'm just showing off my new haircut & figure folks. Jeff's still my guy.