Fall is Here

Hello everyone!  I'm still here, safe and doing well in Iraq.  Hope everyone back home is healthy and happy.  It has started raining here, which is a huge inconvenience.  The sand turns to mud very quickly.  On the bright side, I just ran my first range the other day, and it went fairly well.  Also, my dear husband convoyed across Iraq AGAIN just to see me for our anniversary.  Isn't that sweet?  I think I got a winner when I married him.  Tomorrow morning is going to be early for me.  Hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful fall weather!

Can't wait to see you all again soon.

Waiting.

This past week I finished my Spur Ride.  If you don't know what it is, Google it or something.  Anyways, I proved myself to this battalion, so I get the privilege of wearing spurs for the rest of my time in the Army.  I'm pretty sore but otherwise I'm okay.

I have been out here in this sandy desert for 79 days.  I'm pretty tired of it.  It's so... hot, sandy, dirty, annoying, lonely out here.  My husband called me yesterday and true to him, we only talked for 12 minutes.  I wish he would just talk to me for an hour like we do at home.  Just talk about nothing.  Anything.  I miss him so much.

I finally got iTunes 10.4 yesterday and got the ability to download my past purchases from "THE CLOUD" ... it's a pretty cool feature, I mean I paid for the songs, I should be able to have them right?  Looks like since 2006 or 2007, I have bought 400 songs from iTunes.  Sounds like a lot but I'm sure there are many out there who have much more.  Also a lot of them were free from iTunes or Starbucks or something.

I can't wait to have another Starbucks and Shipley's donuts.  Nommm.  Send my husband out on a Sunday morning to get them for us to eat at home.  Sounds amazing.

Awesome Post

I have an awesome, wonderful thing to post.  I do not know the details.  So if you don't know me, I'm in the Army, and I'm in Iraq right now.  My husband is in the Army, and he's in Iraq right now too, but we aren't together.  I just saw a Facebook post from his squadron, and it said "Starting on x date, our mailing address is changing to ..." and then lo and behold, there was typed out MY ADDRESS.  Or, my base's address at least.  So I guess if his mail is coming here, then he should be too!

What an awesome day, I think I'm going to go do an awesome dance and then take an awesome nap.

Freaking awesome!!!!!

Greetings from the Middle East!

Hey Internet friends, and maybe some real life friends,

So I'm here in Iraq.  It's kind of hot, and the work hours kind of suck, but overall it's pretty good because the food is free and I'm not spending all that much on groceries.

My sweet little netbook died due to a freak overheating accident, so I'm now the proud owner of a Mac.  It's nice, the case is all aluminum and the keys are backlit... the screen is really pretty.  I like it.

I got to read the October 2009 issue of Every Day with Rachel Ray.  I still don't like Rachel Ray (her smile is creepy!) but it was nice to read some recipes and think about coming home and cooking in my gorgeous kitchen :)

I'm really excited for the near future, our patch ceremony is coming up, and I'll finally earn my right shoulder patch.  It'll show the world that I've been there and done that!

I will try to post some pictures soon, I have had some adventures here and I can't wait to share them!

Update

Hello friends,

I have made it safely to my final destination in sunny Iraq.  It has been interesting learning the lay of the land and setting up my office.  I got my first care package yesterday, so I have my Stetson all ready for promotions and other "It's a Stetson event" events, also I have my Just Corgis 2011 Calendar and best of all, Pugsley!  He's a camouflage teddy bear who's filled with those squishy beads.  My husband bought him for me at Gander Mtn. when we were only first dating.  My section is just about done taking over for the old guys who were here, and soon they will be off to home sweet home, Texas, but we will stay here for.... oh, a while.

I have been working a lot, I just recently restarted my workout plan, and in the evenings I check my email and get on Skype, waiting to talk with my husband, but the connection is painfully slow and we just can't get a call to connect.  Also, I have been reading the Scriptures like crazy!  I am reading the Bible in chronological order, which is a lot like front to back, but has some stuff changed up, like the Psalms are thrown all over, Job is near the very beginning, and when you get to the Gospels, you read them simultaneously.  I have gotten further along than ever!  Not to say I haven't read a lot of the Bible, but the last time I tried to read it, I just had a checklist of every chapter and I started reading randomly and where ever I opened it up to.

I have found that this trip I'm on has helped me to search my soul and be more comfortable just being with God.  After all, once the day is done, He's the only one there with me. 

Hope you all have a peaceful and great rest of your day.  As for me, it's bedtime.  Morning comes early around here.

I'm not in Texas anymore!

Far from it! I am writing this message from a little cafe. In Kuwait! I'm just here doing my job and eagerly awaiting my return home. I know no one reads this blog, but maybe one day they will. That would be great! In other news, my husband and I recently purchased a house! It is beautiful and I cannot wait to return to it. When I think of all that we have accomplished in just a year after graduating college, I feel supremely blessed. I can't wait to get back home with my husband and start purchasing furniture and having company over! We got a place that is roomy enough for multiple guests or for starting a family! Also, I am so happy that it has everything we want, from granite counters, an island in the kitchen, double ovens, ceramic cooktop, stainless appliances, to a jacuzzi tub and marble counters and a huge shower with two shower heads and marble floors to a roomy closet and high, cantilevered ceilings throughout. Don't forget the study, formal living and dining rooms. It is just a dream. The only thing is there is nothing to renovate! All these decorating blogs online are about DIY. Ok that's enough for now. I know it sounded like a giant brag session but this is a BIG part of our lives! Something to get me through this deployment, that's for sure!

Next time I write, I will more than likely be in Iraq, so I will be in a little more permanent place. Prayers are appreciated!

Hey again

No pictures today.  Just wanted to say I'm increasingly nervous about the movers coming tomorrow and all of my STUFF.  That is just here, laying around.  I have to sort it all out.  Also, getting really nervous about this house thing, half of the people say we should do it, and half say to not do it.  I think I found what I want, but I really wish I could just sign the contract and have them WAIT to build until I am almost home.  I don't want my house to just sit around for several months.  A stagnant house is no good.  I don't want any moisture damage to occur from it just sitting there.  But we really want to get in on this neighborhood...

Ok I have to go to the mall and buy new jeans.  Mine have a hole in them now.

Howdy, It's June

Hey Internet world.  It's June.  It's really hot.  And the Middle East is just going to be even hotter.  It's getting closer, I'll be gone soon and then... I don't know.  I will try to post but seeing as how our mission is to close everything down, I just don't know how much Internet access I'll really have.

In other news, my husband and I are considering purchasing a house.  We are torn between buying before we deploy (probably not although it would be nice to have a home to come home to), building while we are away (also probably not because we want to see it being built and be sure no one is cutting corners), or purchasing a lot now and building when we get back.  We really like this neighborhood/development, and we really feel that the city is going to grow up around it, raising the property value/potential rentability after we move elsewhere.  We are looking to live in it for two years and then move elsewhere with the Army and rent it out long term, we are aiming to get a house nice enough that it will attract company grade officers, who are historically really good renters.

I don't have any pictures for you today.  Sorry.

Oh!  I am knitting some green socks, that are going to be awesome.  I haven't knitted socks in forever.  I'll show you soon.  Oh, that reminds me, of the two houses we are interested in, one has an awesome bonus room where I could spin/knit, and the other has a swanky ensuite master bedroom with a sitting room and everything.  Plus it has like a "guest room lobby" or antechamber or something that is a quasi-room before you get to the guest rooms, it makes it seem almost like a separate part of the house.

We're getting the house fever!  Too bad I have to go live in a CHU for a while.

Goodbye World!

My brother just alerted me to the fact that the Sims Medieval was available online for half off.  So,  I don't have that much free time anyways, but for the next little bit, that's where I'll be.  Byeeee!

Hey World

What up, internet world?

I'm just here because I have been neglecting you and I'm feeling a little guilty.  Also I saw an awesome blog today called this & that and I was totally jealous of their awesome kitchen remodel (also jealous she owns her own kitchen to remodel, I'm getting closer but not there yet).  So I wanted to give this blog a little love.  Also I have some awesome pictures to post.  It's going to be great, I promise.

Let's start with a picture I took of my gorgeous husband at the squadron picnic a couple weeks ago:

No editing or anything!  (Because I have zero Photo Shop skills.  I know!  I'm working on it!  Maybe I should finally buy Photo Shop... ?)  I think he's pretty good looking, personally.  I know ladies, I know.  Yes, you did miss out.  Sorry!  (Personally, I find it a wonder he was single when I met him.  Or are we just both so weird that we're perfect for each other?  Wait, forget I said that.)

OK.  Now that I'm done with that, lets see if I can share any other awesome things that have happened lately...

Right!  My best friend and old lady Jennifer got married!  She was the prettiest wag on her wedding day, but unfortunately I was too busy being matron of honor to take any pictures.  But here are some shots from her rehearsal and rehearsal dinner!  Here's a shot of me giving my matron of honor speech where I said lots of endearing things about the bride to be and how we are sisters at heart and then I charged her groom to be to take care of her because I, unfortunately, cannot live in College Station in the year 2009 for the rest of my life.  Although it would be nice.  I might finally understand biochemistry if I kept repeating that year.

 

 And here's a shot of the lovely bride, Jennifer!  She looks beautiful as ever, although I do have to note that she was too good for the ribbon bouquet I made her at her shower!  I see how it is!  You can tell my level of enthusiasm based on the constant use of exclamation marks in this paragraph.

 

I guess that's it for now.  I'm staff duty officer for my battalion today, and I gotta go do my inspections.  My favorite part of the day is when it's time to inspect the DFAC (that's dining facility for all you not in the know) and after I make sure everything looks safe/healthy/according to the rules, I have to eat the food (for free!!!) to make sure it's of good quality.  Gotta watch out for my soldiers!  Then I have to inspect the motorpool (boring!) and then the barracks (not so boring).

Also, may I say:  I completed SRP today, and it was awful.  I am glad to not have to go back to that awful place until it is time to go overseas again.

Radio Love

I'm trying really hard to come up with a Valentine's Day playlist for my husband!  I want the songs to reflect my husband's musical tastes, which are mostly techno, electronica, and dance.  Of course, I'm going to throw in a few like our first dance song at our wedding, the last dance song at our wedding, and another one by Jason Mraz just because he's awesome.  Here's my list so far:

Edward Maya f. Vika Jigulina - "Stereo Love"
Rhianna - "Only Girl"
Darude - "Sandstorm"  (there are no words in this song because there are no words to describe my love! Ha ha ha)
Lasgo - "Something"
Sonique - "It Feels so Good"
Enrique Iglesias - "Tonight"  (yeah, it's a little suggestive, but I'm married to the guy so it's ok)
Jason Mraz f. Colbie Callait - "Lucky"
Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours"
Michael Buble - "Everything"

I'm searching Pandora for songs I love that say "I love you" that are a little edgy... hopefully I'll find a few more!

Well... Howdy!

Hi!  If you found me here, I appreciate your stopping by.  My purpose in being here is pretty simple, but maybe something more.  I want to explore my life, think about the things I care about, and share them with anyone who wants to read it.  I don't want to make any money.  I wouldn't mind making a few friends.  I just wanted to make a place where I can ramble at will about anything and everything that runs through my head.

What can you expect to find here?  Really, really, anything.  As long as it has to do with me, or something I care about, I'm totally game.

I might talk about my fitness efforts.  I might talk about the adorable thing my dog did today.  I might tell you all about my crafty side, how I like to make things from fabric and yarn and bits.  Perhaps I'll write about the most amazing thing I baked.  I'm trying my hand at photography and photo editing.  I'm sure you'll see some of the results.  Oh, and of course you'll hear about the joys and the infuriating moments of my job.  I might even throw in a post about my amazing and super handsome husband.  It's just a place to document my life, to remind me of where I've been. 

Right now is sort of a new beginning for me.  I graduated from college last year, and I left the great state of Texas to do some job training, but I'm back where I belong, this time in central Texas instead of on the coast, and I have a new home and I'm finally starting the job I've wanted to do for five years.  I'm learning the lessons of being an adult one by one, and enjoying all the experiences. 

Please feel welcome to follow me, but don't be a stranger!  Say hello.