Our Awesome Homecoming Pics

 The following were taken this past Homecoming, April 2009. 

A big MAHALO to Gwen at Butterfly Kiss Photography!
Gwen is an awesome, kind person to begin with.

She follows her instinct and captures true emotion.

I am so blessed to have found her, she was more than my photographer that day, but my friend!
Thank you for capturing our memories Gwen! Check out her website for our complete portfolio! :)

One Whole Year, Plus Some

Well friends...

I have been living in Hawaii for over a year now. My love has been here for over 2 and we are really loving the Aloha life.
The past year has been full of events:
-I survived my first deployment (his 1000000)
-We got MARRIED! (here on the island) and had our honeymoon in Waikiki
-became an "official" Navy Wife
-We finally PCS-ed our stuff from Texas
-I moved from Texas to Hawaii
-We moved into our first married home
-I have travelled to two neighboring islands, Kauai (with my love for our anniversary) and the Big Island (thanks M*)
-I was an extra on Lost
-I was on the set of Lost all day
-I have survived countless luaus, the first 3 were great...
-MIL has come to the island
-My bro and sis have visited the island
-My first principal I have ever worked for came out the island and we had a great dinner
-I finally found a job at the Navy elementary
-I became a librarian (I NEVER SAW THAT COMING!!!)
-I am going to grad school for FREE
-I will be teaching at the University of Hawaii-Manoa
-I have met some wonderful new friends
-My old friends haven't lost contact with me
-I have survived my SECOND deployment (his 1000001)
-We celebrated our FIRST anniversary TOGETHER!
-survived countless FRG meetings
-learned how to garden, grill, and keep my sanity during deployment
-welcomed new friends into this world, congrats to the new moms

I am sure that I haven't listed all of the things that this past year has brought, but it's an awesome feeling to have found the love of your life and wake up every morning happy with your life.

God Bless Everyone....

I hope to update more soon.....

Happy First Anniversary!

My love and I have celebrated our first wedding anniversary on May 7, 2009.
Wow!
Where has the year gone?
Words can't express how fast and amazing this year has been.
We have survived our first PCS move together, second deployment together, job hunting, sharing one car (because I left the Honda for my sister) and various adventures in our new home state of Hawaii.
I am so astonished at the fact that DH has been here on the island for just about 2 years and myself for one.
Where did the time go?
I can't believe it!
Our anniversary was absolutely beautiful!
It was full of emotion and love.
(I guess the fact that he just got back from another deployment also added to the emotions)
You would have thought that we had just gotten married with our tears of joy and absolute bliss.
I wish I could say that this first year was a piece of cake and marriage takes away all of your problems, but it doesn't.
You just learn to make decisions together and the problems and struggles are no longer your own to carry but "ours" and now that is easier.
When you have a spouse who will help you carry the weight and make decisions together that is something to be proud of!
I am very proud of all that we have accomplished this past year.
I pray that each year we will continue to build on the previous years and our relationship will continue to grow.
We both have committed ourselves to letting the seeds of ourselves grow and we will decide together which direction we will go.
We are so proud of our home and all that we have accomplished.
I still live in amazement when I look around at the island of Hawaii and think, WOW, this is OUR home!
I love married life!

More to come...
I have to cover my dear friend Susan's baby shower and HOMECOMING!
(but the season finale of Lost is on...gotta go!)

A Whirlwind Month

Hi ALL!

It's been a whirlwind of a month! I am gearing up for homecoming soon enough and this past month has been crazy.
I have been blessed with the greatest news in regards to my education. I will be attending the University of Hawaii beginning this fall as masters degree candidate in Spanish. Here is the best part: for FREE! The next two years will be covered by the university as I will be a TA, teaching undergraduate Spanish while I pursue my degree. How awesome is that?!?! I will even be paid a stipend! My husband and I are so happy that this opportunity has come our way.

This past month, I have been out of it as I gave myself a concussion.
For those of you who really know me, I am a short, clumsy person.
I do not know how I manage to hit my head on things but I do.
I have had bad headaches and just trying to get back to normal.
I had to go to the ER and had a CT scan and thank the Lord all is well.
I will need about a month to recover completely.
BTW, I will go ahead and admit it...I hit my head on a sink at work in the restroom.

I have started jogging again and it feels so good to get outside when the wind isn't pushing me around and jog.
I have also taking up jogging on a treadmill those days that the trade winds are just so powerful and working out on the elliptical and lifting weights.
I am back on track to losing 30 before 30.

This past month, I have also continued my regular church schedule.
I really enjoy the bond that I have reestablished with the Lord and thank him everyday for all that we have been blessed with.
I feel and live his presence in me even more.


Seems like the last month has been full of birthdays, baby showers, and meetings.
I have been going non stop!
Much happiness to all that celebrated this last month!

Last but not least, I am giving one of my new good friend S* a baby shower.
Well, if you know me...I don't like to skimp on details.
I am from Texas and everything has to match and have a bow.
Needless to say, even the water bottles we will be serving even have bows.
I really hope that all will have a great time at the shower, it is coming soon and I will breathe much easier once it is over.
I really want the "mommy to be" to have a great shower surrounded by friends and family.
Every mommy deserves this.

Well, thanks to all for reading my latest rambling.
I may be gone for quite a bit as MY BELOVED is coming home soon.
We are planning to spend some quality time on vacation on another rock in the middle of the ocean.
I can't wait to see him and know that my husband is a real person.
Not just a man I get random phone calls from at odd hours or emails on a nearly daily basis.
LOL
He is my love.
I know that for some; deployments can crush a marriage or put unneeded strain.
I want those who have faith to know that it doesn't have to be like that.
My husband and I are blessed in that we know that our love is strong and has endured so much way before my last name even changed.
We know that this time apart gives us the strength to endure many things.
We value each other and know that we made the right decision by choosing each other to continue on our paths in life as one.
As one very wise man told me: "I may not be the luckiest man who has luck in his everyday life, but you are the best thing that has ever happened to me".

All of our love,
Jai and Hubby

Happiness

Aloha Everyone.

I wanted to post that all is going well here on the homefront.
I have been very blessed to have found my way back to church and I feel that it has given me a renewed spirit these days.
Actually, the last month.
I wish I would have brought myself to remember the good memories I have of my entire family going to church, EVERY Sunday and talking about the word of the Lord. My heart warms itself with those fond memories of my mom and dad. I am ashamed for not giving God the chance to help me more in my life. I know that we all have to come to terms with our own self first and that is exactly what I am doing. After my mom and dad died, with each individual death, I felt resentment towards God and especially organized religion.
But, now I find myself remembering nothing but good memories because of God's love and acceptance.
I have found strength and courage also, in being a Military Wife and have come to accept the challenge with open arms.
I have learned to embrace our Navy life and really appreciate all that it has to offer.
I can not wait to share all of this with my loving husband.
He is the greatest!
He never pushes himself to be first but always tells me, take care of yourself that is the best thing you can do for me.
I agree.
We can not waste our lives while we are here on this earth, live life to the fullest and make everyday count.
I am very proud of my life .. :)
I LOVE MY FAMILY!!

Jai

The Men CURRENTLY in MY Life

Here they are... I promised I would share this a few posts back...They keep me company while the hubs is playing battleship...

Target Goodness!

Target has finally arrived in Hawai'i!

This makes me VERY HAPPY!

Now, if only I could have ONE more thing!

It is a beautiful store, upon entering the lights of the Target gods where shining on me and I felt like a celebrity with the team members lining the aisles clapping and cheering upon our entrance.

What a magical experience!

I will share my buys in a future post.

Thanks to all of my HMW friends for stopping to say "aloha", especially S* who was my partner in crime and is doing VERY well in her pregnancy which did NOT impede her shopping today!! She was toooooo cute!

YAY for Target! :)