It's been 3 years

So.......
As happy as I have been for my husband in emails it has been a small roller-coaster here at home.
Nothing major! But definitely much more positive and upbeat that the last battleship tour!

On Friday, it was three years that my mom passed and it struck me as I was watching my students play on the playground.
Funny how life goes on, but yet I still felt a twinge of guilt.
I tried so hard not to dwell and strange thing, I could feel my mom telling me to stop it!

She was totally with me that day and from what I heard from my siblings she was with them too. They made it through the day with flying colors and I am so proud of them. We are truly growing up!

Friday was also one of my best friends birthday dinner and outing and I wasn't going to miss that for the world!
I am so glad that I went out and I had a blast.


I realize that life is definitely what you make it.

I want this deployment to be a good one and I am doing everything in my power to make it easier for my husband to do his job without worrying about me.
NO NEED TO!

Just like my note said from my friend, they are here to take care of me and in return I am here to take care of them!

Tonight as I begin a new week...I am just so blessed to have a great support group of wonderful friends.

I can't say that this week has been boring, I have been blessed with so many sending their thoughts and well wishes and dinner invites.

For all of you I am truly thankful.

For MY MAMA - YOU ARE MISSED AND LOVED
I hope you are smiling down on me and proud! :)
----R.I.P. January 23, 2006-------

Deployment blues are really setting in...

That is all I have to say.
I know that my best friend will be home soon.
I send him my love with a big wet kiss and hug.
I miss you but I love you MORE.

See you soon.

REPOST-Thought this posting was better!

Today.... my heart sailed away.

I watched until I couldn't see the ship anymore; I gathered what was left of my gut from the pier and made my way home.
We have all been through deployments and no matter how many times you've said "See You Soon" (we don't say good bye) it still stings. You still cry. Maybe you do not cry as hard or as much but it still hurts.

I am not home for 5 minutes when I see the light blinking on the phone that there is a message. NoBODY ever calls my house number! I am thinking, ok...DH must have called and left me a msg to find. He does this. I check it, and nope not him.

I have a missed delivery. Please call us back with a convenient time for you to have your arrangement delivered. WHAT??!!! No, I know DH...he's sneaky but it's not Valentine's and I know his mannerisms and I already peeked at my surprise last night. (Don’t tell him I peeked before he left)
No, I am thinking my sister. Either my biological or my non-biological sister!

I text the suspected person and she claims to know nothing about a delivery! NADA! Maybe your husband sent you something!?!?!? "Furniture", she says....yeah right....where in the heck do I put another thing in this house??!! I get another call that my edible arrangement is on the way...


I hear the doorbell not even 30 minutes since my heart sailed away; my frown is turned upside down by the most pleasant smelling edible arrangement EVER!

ALLBLUEZOO is sooooooo AWESOME!

She sent me an arrangement on HER birthday AND anniversary! (I KNOW!! I couldn't make this up, IF I wanted too!!! I MUST THINK OF AN AWESOME GIFT FOR HER!)
Not to mention she is working for me today on her special day!
She is so selfless, WOW!

We are truly sisters taking care of each other while our men are deployed. Thank you for taking me in!

She truly envelops everything a good friend and person should have instilled in their heart and soul.
She is a hard working, talented, loving, funny, strong willed, intelligent-wife, mother, sister, and BEST FRIEND!

Just a matter of months earlier I knew nothing of this woman, but now as we have banded together as Military Wives we are blessed to have such a wonderful friendship.

I thank you, M.
You have changed my life for a lifetime; our friendship is just beginning. Who knew that in a place where I felt so alone and frustrated, now I have a friend that I can call anytime and you have taught me so much!
You know that I would do anything I can for you or the boys.
I truly always wanted an older sister as cool as yourself.
Wishing you the best today and always sis!
¡Que Dios te bendiga!

Thanks for teaching me the "Navy Wife Ropes"; I am sure we will have a whole lifetime to laugh at each other with every mover whether we are near or far!!!
DH thanks you too! He told me before he left that I am in good hands with all of my newfound family here in Hawaii. (You, ShannonK, Patti, Erin, Susan,Steph, Lynn, Shadow)
<3
Jai

P.S.
Just when you think that you are alone or no one cares about you, I can testify somebody does.
Yes, of course my family and friends back home are there for me but NEW friends that make such a big impact on your life spread sunshine and teaches you how to carry the warmth on to others when they least expect it.

I am blessed and honored to be a military wife.

I hope one day to spread the same sunshine you have shared with me!

P.S.S.
I know, I know.
No makeup today...please excuse the photos.
There was no sense in wearing makeup that would rub off on a white uniform.
We are so eating this tomorrow night during the LOST premiere!

I AM LOVED!

Thank you M*!

You have shown me true friendship in such a short amount of time and I want you to know that it doesn't go unnoticed.

You are truly amazing and can only hope to aspire to be more like you.

I can't believe you took time to brighten my day! You did this on YOUR special day, HAPPY BIRTHDAY & HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

My Heart Sailed Away...

Today my heart sailed away.

I gather up strength and find comfort in my love and I know that he is safe.

This is his career, he is a military man.

I know that sooner rather than later he will be back in my arms safe and sound and making me laugh with something silly.

Today at the pier, I stood there all alone wondering how many more of these will I endure.

As I stood there, sounds of "daddy",  "dadddddyyyyyy", "byeeee daddy", really stood out to me.

WOW! I can only imagine what this is going to be like when we have a family.

I was blessed to see my love before he left even though he had duty the night before and we had some quality time on the ship.

I took him lunch and dinner and ice cream throughout the day, I started to feel like one of the crew.

Right now I am just a ball of emotions, I am not falling apart by any means but my brain is just so frazzled from the day's events and I need sleep.

I bought DH a TON of movies and TV shows for his iPod and well dumb me bought them under my Apple ID so it wouldn't let me put it on his iPod, so he left with my iPod. That doesn't bother  me, what bothers me is the non transferability of purchases!

Well, my brain is shutting down!

I need sleep!

I didn't sleep because I was on the phone with DH all night, why...well why not!

I love my hubs!

Our first...BAD weather day!

I am accustomed to Texas weather, which I swear changes on a daily basis.

I have seen snow, sleet, funnel clouds, and heard my fair share of sirens.

I have even endured a category 5 hurricane, "Emily" in Cozumel.

Today, I am at home, it's our first bad weather day. (Of course, the Navy doesn't have such a thing )but with me working at a school, I am at home enjoying a 4 day weekend.

Now, I am going to learn all about Hawaii weather! 

I assume the fear of another island wide power outage is feared.  Just a few weeks ago, a storm caused an island-wide power outage and better to be safe than sorry. 

Sorry kiddos, guess no library today! I must admit I am relieved! No librarian duties today!! I am going to enjoy the extra times with the hubs as he is going to play battleship soon. YAY! Quality hubs time this weekend!! Going a date....to be continued!

Love to you all! 

Happy Belated Birthday to My Sister!

21 is damn old!!

LOL

Wishing you the absolute best and you know you are cooler than Elvis, don't know why he has the nerve to share your birthday! LOL, I know you LOVE Elvis! Not many 21 year olds do!

Mama demands you take taxis and I wish I was there with you !! 

God's blessings and love to you!!

Continue to do well in school, oh my...senior year is just around the corner! Another UNT grad in the works!

Jai is damn proud!!

I LOVE YOU LULU!

I have to say...

I saw something the other day that I haven't seen in quite some time.... someone using a pay phone!! I don't see them anymore to begin with...I should have snapped a pic. I was nosey and as I walked by, this wasn't a little 10 second "where are you call" but....a real conversation.  Interesting! Hope everyone's new year is off to a great start! 

Jai

Question: When is the last time you used a payphone?

Answer: I have no idea, I had a cell phone for just about 10 years.

2008 in retrospective...

This past year was an incredible journey...My family and I experienced one heck of an adventure..

Sit back and enjoy....

January 

After Seashell and I rung in the new year...we took time to make some goodies to mail our favorite sailor...

February

 Last packages mailed to ship.... 

 Happy Valentine's from MY favorite Sailor...good thing the ship has the internet!! :) Don't look at my messy classroom! 

March

 

Cheer Banquet

I miss these girls!! :(

Happy Easter!

Seashell coloring the eggs...what a girl!

Sister time at the Easter egg hunt at Joy's

Easter Sunday! 

April

 Road Trip to Lubbock! We're cool! Happy Birthday MOM! (RIP)

We drove to Lubbock to put flowers on her grave for her birthday :)

 Seashell's personal letter from DH, he's coming home!! 

"THE ONE"

This photo was from my final alteration, those months of tae bo and jogging paid off!

 This was fun...wedding gown shopping!

 I thought I wanted a short gown for the beach...but I didn't

 Getting ready for homecoming!! 

Wedding shower! One of my very BEST friends in the world! I admire you, H!

 My sister and !! She always makes me feel so short!

 My wonderful department! I miss you ALL!!! RHS was so good to me! Thank you for giving Gabe and I a wonderful wedding shower! 

 Me and My fellow Texas peeps, we are the best cheer coaches EVER!! These two women taught me sooo much and helped me through my rough times! These two women are absolutely hilarious! They made me laugh so much, ahhh that was some fun stuff! Good times! 

May 

****(this month will have MANY photos, as we got married this month and DH went home to Dallas and left again for HI)****

 Getting ready for the ship to pull in!! Hanging up Seashell's sign on the pier! 

I am so proud of my sign and I am soo HAPPY and NeRvOus!

Where's Waldo???  (they all look the same!!!!!)

He's real!!! 

Getting our marriage license, we promise we are not related.

     We did it!! We're married!!

Field Day!

Back home in Dallas, riding the "Big" bike! 

June

Home Sweet Home Hawaii! Our first grilled steak! (We left our other grill in TX) (notice the no shoes already....)

Our first meal!

 Family Cruise on USS Some Ship

Our baby is born!

DH loves me!! Something to keep me busy while he was working and our stuff  was in route to our new home!

July

Cleaning up! What a great hubby! Our stuff is on it's way!!

It's here!!

 Are you getting those numbers right??

Yes, I am!

Unpacking madness!

 So many boxes!! Who knew that two people could own so much stuff?????

I pause here, as I am tired and so Aug- Dec will have to wait.....

Until then....

-Jai

Christmas and New Year has come and gone...

So, we have so much to update on and our first married Christmas was blessed with a visit from the MIL.

We have a ton of photos to share and recap the year! (thanks, KatieD, AllBlueZoo, and Megan for the idea) (although I think my recap will be boring as we don't have "kids")

Photos to come...

I am totally vegging out this duty day as I can, no mil, Christmas has been taken down and is in boxes, just time to relax.

Love you all. 

-Jai

Question:

Where do you plan on visiting this coming year?

Answer: Australia would be very, very nice. Perhaps, Japan?

 

And so it goes...

It's already January 4. Wow!

Where has Jan 1-3 gone?

I guess it's because I have been semi-permanently attached to my DH's side not wanting to let him out of my sight because of the impending  departure....

It's about that time again, DH is going to go play battleship.

This will be our first married deployment and just as everything else "married", I am sure that it will have it's own unique dimensions as well. We have been through one deployment engaged but this is different: I live in a military town with many, many others going through the same, in our home, in a far, far away place from family and friends.  I have hope that this will fly by way faster than the first one. And thank goodness God has blessed me with new friends and sisters who are seasoned pros to the seas of change with military life.

I better get to thinking on a good homecoming sign.... How do you beat NAME GOES HERE- has anchored my heart?!?! -Welcome Home, we are getting married in  5 days?  I love my husband, so much that I embarrass him with lovey dovey homecoming signs...LOL

Hey friends, help a girl out and think on that... will ya???  

I am going to go dust off the bicycle and go for a ride, must drop 30 pounds and start grad school this year. My two resolutions.  

Happy 2009 Everyone.... 

Happy New Year!

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

A big ALOOOOHA to everyone and wishing you and your family the very best always!

Jai and Gabe