The Deployment Diary

A New Year, a New Direction

2006-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

and a new blog.

I've decided not to continue The Deployment Diary. My hope is, in the coming year, I won't need to come back to it. That all depends on the Army of course and the decisions husband makes later on in 2006. If he deploys, I'll be back writing about the deployment and all that entails. If he decides to retire, he'll drop his retirement paperwork in the ending months of 2006 and retire in 2007. If he decides to stay in, he'll start looking for a job at a few of the posts we'd be interested in moving to and hopefully retire in 2010. He's on the fence right now and since he's locked into this job for another two years, he has plenty of time to weigh his options.

As for Me...
I've been on my own fence of sorts, weighing options and ideas. For several months I've been considering redoing a website I used to have and get back to doing something that I used to enjoy.

Last month though, Sue at Turning 30 and a half wrote about a yearly writing challenge known as NaNoWriMo. The challenge is, between November 1st through November 30th, participants write a novel. To meet the challenge, they must have 50,000 words by midnight on November 30th. I believe the objective is to just get people writing. Quantity, not quality...to focus on getting something on paper. Taking that first step that often is the hardest - I know that first step is the hardest for me.

I've always dreamed of becoming a professional writer, whether it be writing books or articles in magazines and newspapers. One of the best feelings in the world is to write something that touches people...to get an email saying that what you wrote moved them to tears or put into words feelings they also have.

I've had 10 or so articles published in the past, but nothing since 2004. And, the article in 2004 wasn't something I submitted, but an article I wrote for my old website that an Army newspaper wanted to reprint in their Alaska paper. In other words, just a chance search brought the gentleman to email me for permission.

I thought really hard about signing up and trying to meet the NaNoWriMo challenge. When November 1st rolled around though, I simply chickened out. A dream is a dream until you work to make it a reality. If I started trying to write a novel, even one that focused more on quantity than quality, failure would end a dream I've had as long as I can remember. I couldn't seem to overcome the fear of that thought - so I didn't even try.

This did put me on a path of some soul searching though. Not long after Sue's entry discussing NaNoWriMo, she linked to writing classes that she was taking. I thought, now that is something I could do! I also started searching out websites that focus on writing and bookmarked other sites that accept submissions for online publication.

So, I'm going to start a new blog. I've not decided on a name yet, but it'll focus on things I'm interested in such as politics, my family and writing. I'll probably start it in the next week or so. If you're interested in following me to the new blog, give me an email at thedeploymentdiary - at - yahoo.com. Once I have the blog ready, I'll email you the link.

Thank you so much for reading, for leaving comments here and there - and for the emails over the past 23 months. I really appreciate the support and kindness and I hope 2006 is a great year for everyone!

New AC Adapter Arrives

2006-01-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

My new AC Adapter arrived this morning around 11. One four legged baby leaving one little tooth mark on the old one seems to have shorted it out completely. Thank goodness it didn't take Dell as long as I was told it would take to get it here. When I ordered it Tuesday morning, the lady said it'd be here by the 9th, six days later. Instead, it arrived in just two days.

Whew!

It wasn't any fun being without my computer. No AC Adapter plus the battery being drained completely equals one bored lady lol.

So, I'm back - and ready to get to work on my New Year's goals! More on that later though...

Death of the AC Adapter

2006-01-03T08:37:00.000-08:00

This morning started early. Have I mentioned that I'm so not a morning person? Ughh. I detest mornings.

Husband is back to working full days, which means his typical long hours. Little guy and I dropped daughter off at school this morning and our regularly-scheduled-life-after-the-holidays officially began, darnit. I've really been dreading this. It's been so wonderful having daughter and husband home with us.

This morning my laptop's AC adapter stopped working. My battery is now just about dead. I've ordered another and Dell said it'd be here by the 9th. So, until then...

Happy New Year!

2006-01-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

Usually on New Years Eve, husband and I will find a movie on TV to watch and end up asleep before the ball drops in New York. I think the last time we did anything other than that on New Years Eve was 1994 lol. This year though, we decided to have some friends over.

A friend of husband's at work and his wife came out. My friend, her husband (who also works with husband and his buddy) and their two children came out too. We had lots of food and a few drinks - and we had a great time.

Husband's friend brought the game Texas Hold 'Em. He and his wife taught us all how to play, which was a lot of fun. We played that until midnight. Around 11 pm, we all were yawning though. You could really tell we were not a bunch of young party goers lol.

It was a really fun evening and everyone will be back out for Superbowl Sunday. And, I can't wait! We had a wonderful start to 2006 and I hope you all did too! Happy New Year!

A Very Merry Christmas

2005-12-29T20:45:00.000-08:00

Last year's Christmas had a rather large dark cloud hanging over it. Just a few weeks before, we found out his unit was already slotted to head back to Iraq even though they'd just returned from a year tour four months prior. I felt like we'd barely gotten him home when worrying about the upcoming deployment began.

I was so thankful to have him home for the holidays, but the Christmas without him the year before still felt so fresh. Knowing he'd be gone for the next Christmas made even the tiniest detail bittersweet.

God truly blessed us this year, though. He wasn't deployed and we were able to spend Christmas together. The only rule? NO extended family were invited ;). It was just the four of us and it was absolutely the best Christmas we've had since leaving Alaska. We were able to enjoy a stress-free, no extended family drama, Christmas. It could not have been any more perfect.

He didn't take leave this year. He wanted to save it in case he does decide to retire. With the half-day schedule and four day long weekends, we've been able to spend so much time together, which has been the best gift I've ever received.

Christmas morning was magical. Being together to see our two little ones' faces light up when they saw Santa had been here. Daughter showing little guy the empty plate of cookies, the empty glass of milk and then reading the thank you note from Santa to him...life just doesn't get any better than that.

Santa brought little guy a battery powered four-wheeler and daughter a keyboard. They received lots of other gifts from Santa, but those were the big ones. Daughter and little guy have had the best time riding that four-wheeler. Husband and I have had just as great a time watching the fearless duo. The keyboard has seen some action as well, but its appeal wears off quickly for Mom who must listen to the artists' budding creativity ;). It could be worse though. Santa could have brought drums lol!

As I sit here tonight with our children safely tucked in bed upstairs, husband sleeping in his new cushy recliner next to me, our big dog sleeping on her dog pillow in front of the TV, fluffy cat sleeping soundly on the couch, the wild cat sleeping with our little guy upstairs and the Christmas tree still sparkling for a few more nights, I cannot help but to pause once again and thank God. Thank Him for not only allowing us to spend this Christmas season together as a family, but also for blessing me with a happy, loving and special marriage to a wonderful man, two beautiful, smart and loving children and our four legged family members. We have such a happy, loving home - and it is everything and more than I dreamed and wished for as a child.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas. May your New Year be filled with love, laughter and much happiness.

A Heartbreaking Job

2005-12-16T18:33:00.000-08:00

Just the thought of seeing two soldiers in Class A's or dress blues standing on my front porch frightens me enough to make my heart race. While my husband was deployed, the doorbell ringing unexpectedly would scare me so badly. After talking with whoever was there, I'd often cry just from the sheer relief that it wasn't a casualty notification team.

Due to the fear as the wife of a soldier, I've never really considered those who are tasked with informing the families of our fallen heroes. After stopping by Sgt Lori's blog and following the link from this entry though, that's all changed. I now feel that some of the unsung heroes of the War on Terrorism are those who inform families when their loved ones have been killed.

Time Magazine's photo essay, "Honor After the Fall" gives us a glance into the emotions of the families and the officer who must inform them.

Rocky Mountain News special report, Final Salute, takes readers behind the scenes and shares an in-depth view of what families go through and what one casualty notification officer, MAJ Beck, endures. In one telling example, MAJ Beck sits outside of a family's home just a little longer. He knows that once he knocks on their door, that family's lives will never be the same.

Final Salute is a long series with twelve pages in all, but it is well worth the time it takes to read it. An emotional account of both sides of a heartbreaking experience - the person who must notify the family and the families who must face a future without someone they love.

Cindy Sheehan in Vanity Fair

2005-12-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

Truthfully, had I not seen the Vanity Fair photo of Sheehan laying on her son's grave, I would not have believed it. It is one of the sickest things I've ever seen.

Sweetness & Light has the photo and quite a few comments that are worth reading through. Two in particular struck me. One, the fact that her son is in an unmarked grave. I cannot believe there is not a headstone on this hero's grave. Two, that she met with a spokesperson for Muqtada al-Sadr - the leader of the VERY group of insurgents who killed her son and seven other soldiers on April 4th, 2004.

She is a not just a nutcase, she's a disgusting individual.

Tookie Williams Vigil...

2005-12-14T18:29:00.000-08:00

I ran across this coverage of the idiots holding a vigil outside San Quentin for the murdering gang founder sentenced to death.

It sure takes all kinds - even a group singing an orgasm song of all things. Proof positive most protesters are fruitcakes who are a few bricks short of a load.

Idiots on Cell Phones...

2005-12-10T16:37:00.000-08:00

Before I begin this rant, I will fully admit that I not only have a cell phone, I never leave home without it. It keeps me in contact with my friends and family no matter where I am (very handy when husband is deployed). Most importantly, I keep it with me in case of an emergency - and it has come in handy during two different emergencies.

The first was three winters ago. It was an extremely cold day and I had the heat in the car on as high as it would go. Son and I dropped off daughter at school, then got on the interstate to head up to the commissary. Half way there, all of a sudden, the passenger window imploded on us. As I mentioned, it was an extremely cold day. I was able to call husband to come trade cars and take mine in to get fixed by the dealer.

The second incident was this past summer. We were heading to a larger town about 35 minutes from us to go shopping. We took the back way to the interstate and ran up on a pickup truck loaded with bales of hay that was on fire. We figure one of the teens were probably smoking, flicked it out the window and it caught the hay in the back on fire. While husband ran up to make sure everyone was out of the truck and ok, I called 911. The fire was so large, it bubbled the pavement. How the truck didn't explode is beyond me.

So, in my opinion, cell phones can be a godsend. However, in the wrong hands, they can be a freaking nightmare. For instance, in a hospital's waiting room as was the case this past Thursday.

Now, I frequent my primary care clinic once a month, so unfortunately, I'm at our military hospital quite often anyway. However, with my new doc, he wants me to make the specialists rounds again to see if there is a chance surgery could be an option for me. So, I'm currently at the hospital even more than usual. Thursday I had an appointment with a GYN.

I arrive 15 minutes prior as requested. I check in and take a seat in the waiting room. There's a lady to my left on a cell phone. No big deal really. She's speaking softly. There are two women sitting across from cell phone lady who are making small talk and also speaking softly.

My name is called and I go back to have my blood pressure and weight taken. When that is done, the nurse asks me to have a seat back in the waiting room and as soon as the doc is ready, she'll call me. No biggie. After walking from the parking lot, then going to the wrong floor and finding my way to the OB/GYN clinic, I'm hurting pretty bad and sitting is just what I need.

I sit back down in the waiting room. Only now, cell phone lady thinks the rest of us are interested in her conversation. She's talking loud enough to wake the dead - not to mention grinding on my last damn nerve. Admittedly, when I'm hurting more than the norm from walking so far, my personality goes straight into bitch no matter how hard I try not to allow it.

Usually, I'm able to keep my bitchiness to myself. Thursday though, the clock in that waiting room starts moving slower and s l o w e r and with each second that ticks by, cell phone lady gets louder and louder and louder. The two ladies sitting across from her and to my right also seem to be annoyed at having to listen to the dramatics.

After what seemed to be an eternity of no escaping the torture of listening to her, cell phone lady increases the volume even more and says, "Weeeeeelllll, I told HIM, he better let me see my kids or I was going to have his wife arrested for assault and battery on my girls!!"

That was it. I'd had enough. Bitchiness exploded and before I could stop myself, I stood, looked at the two ladies who were also suffering and said, "I have to move. It's like sitting next to the fucking Jerry Springer Show. Damn!"

I moved to the other set of chairs at the very back of the clinic and although I can still hear the dumb ass, I'm no longer close enough to feel like her audience. One of the other ladies also moved and sat near me. We had a quiet conversation all the while, cell phone lady kept yakking on and on as if she were on a bull-horn instead of a cell phone.

What is wrong with people? What ever happened to manners and caring about the feelings of those around you?

One, cell phones shouldn't be used in a hospital. THERE ARE SIGNS everywhere stating, "please, no cell phones." If you cannot read, the picture of the cell phone in a circle with a slash over it should help.

Two, it's rude to expose complete strangers to your dysfunctional trailer park-esque personal problems. If we were even remotely interested in you OR your dirty laundry (both your current attire and your conversation), we'd strike up a conversation with you. The fact that people get up and MOVE AWAY from you should be a good indicator that you are as annoying as fingernails on a chalkboard.

Good grief.

Have an ounce of consideration for those around you by hanging up your phone and sparing us. Your conversation is not interesting. We do NOT think you OR your conversation is cute. However, we are quite positive you're a complete and total idiot.

The TRUTH about Iraq...

2005-12-02T14:58:00.000-08:00

I ran across the absolute BEST article this afternoon.

Confessions of a Military Recruiter wrote it and shares with us the truth about what is happening in Iraq including how many lives have been saved by our toppling Saddam Hussein and his brutal regime. If you read anything this weekend, be sure to stop by and read Things You'll Never Hear The Main Stream Media Say. Then, be sure to share the link with other folks too!

Hat tip: The Adventures of Mausergirl

Veterans Day...

2005-11-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

I drove up to the installation today to do some running around. On the interstate, some folks were on an overpass with American flags and pro-veterans signs. I honked as I went under and they waved...

Just like the last time I saw folks stand on the overpass with flags, it made me want to cry. It's always such a good feeling to see people supporting veterans, our military and our country.

My family has numerous veterans in it. My Grandfather was in the Navy during WWII at Guadalcanal. An uncle served 27 years in the Army and was in the Korean War. My Father was in the Air Force and was in Vietnam during Tet. My husband - well, you know all that.

Years ago, my father sent me some photos of his time in Vietnam. For a daughter who never even knew her father served, much less was in Vietnam during Tet until she was 16 - seeing photos really hit home. These weren't just any photos. These were of a C-130 that had been shot to hell and back during Tet.

Well, before my desktop died back in August, my zip drive in that computer died two years before that lol. The photos my Dad sent were of course stored on a zip disk. Dad came to visit back in August while husband was gone for training. He brought a memory stick for me that had a ton of photos on it, including the Vietnam photos. I thought for Veteran's Day - and as a tribute to my Father, I'd post them here.

This one is the front end of a C-130 that was shot up during Tet. My Dad said they were the best pilots in the world. Anyone else would have never gotten it home...

Here's the same plane. I'm pretty sure he told me that it'd caught fire too...

Just so hard to believe that anyone lived through that kind of damage, much less flew it back to Cam Rahn Bay.

Happy Veteran's Day to all our veterans, but especially to my Dad and my husband. My two most favorite people in the world.

No WMDs? Nah, just NO REPORTING...

2005-11-10T19:14:00.000-08:00

I am so tired of the "Bush Lied" agenda. I'm tired of hearing there were NO WMDs found in Iraq. If you search hard, you can find reports of WMDs being found in Iraq. The problem seems to be that there is just no reporting of the WMDs that have been found. The MSM cannot report it because it would interfere with their political agenda and hatred of all things Bush.

I've read several articles linked from Boortz's website concerning WMDs that have been found. The most recent, Saddam's 500-ton Uranium Stockpile. Yes, you read that correctly...500 ton.

So, you're tired of the "Bush Lied" agenda and no WMDS found rantings, but just don't have the time to search the internet for more information? Well, thankfully, we have Banter in Atlanter out there doing the research the rest of America needs to hear.

In his entry Copy and Paste, he explains:

Upon completing my response to the commenter's post I realized that the bottom of the so-called comment included the name Kevin Drum. A little Google action and I find that Kevin is a fellow blogger for Washington Monthly. So anyway it turns out that the commenter copied and pasted some of Kevin's work rather than using his own original thoughts, not a very rare occurrence these days but intellectually flaccid nonetheless.

The commenter posted in an entry titled Reality Check, The Facts About Pre-War Intelligence. Reading Banter in Atlanter's response will provide you with numerous links concerning WMDS found in Iraq, from gallons of chemical weapons agent to radioactive materials in powdered form.

I just cannot help but wonder, when a reporter is interviewing a "Bush Lied" parrot, why do they not confront them with these facts and ask how they can continue the "NO WMDs found" myth? I know, I've answered my own question at the start of this entry...

No matter what the topic, it seems that facts are always a problem for the liberals. It saddens me that the Bush Administration and our republican politicians aren't doing a better job of standing up for the truth and getting the facts out on the airways.

Another Military Stereotype Disproven

2005-11-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

I think everyone in America, whether affiliated with the military or not, know the stereotyping of our military (especially of our enlisted service members) that occurs - not only by politicians, but by the general public. There are many, but the most often repeated stereotype since the start of the GWOT seems to be that the poor, the ignorant and minorities make up our fighting forces.

It was a popular talking point of the left during the last election season. The left accused President Bush and republicans of wanting to bring back the draft to scare ignorant voters into voting democrat. Meanwhile, the liberals were actually the ones gasping that our poor and minorities disproportionately made up the military. Hence, they were shouldering the burdens of war while the middle class and privileged reaped the benefits without the sacrifice.

One of the most vocal democrats to harp this stereotype on Sunday morning talk shows, in newspapers and in Congress was Rep. Charles B. Rangel of New York. He wrote a piece for The New York Times detailing his accusations. In Bring Back the Draft, Rangel makes the following accusation:

But as a combat veteran of the Korean conflict, I believe that if we are going to send our children to war, the governing principle must be that of shared sacrifice. Throughout much of our history, Americans have been asked to shoulder the burden of war equally.

That's why I will ask Congress next week to consider and support legislation I will introduce to resume the military draft.

[.....]

Service in our nation's armed forces is no longer a common experience. A disproportionate number of the poor and members of minority groups make up the enlisted ranks of the military, while the most privileged Americans are underrepresented or absent.

Not only did I disagree with his stereotyping, I disagreed with his assertion that throughout history Americans had shouldered the burden equally. During the Vietnam War, the draft Rangel is so fond of failed miserably at making sure Americans shouldered the burden equally. All too often, the rich and politically connected were allowed to get their children out of military service, completely avoiding the draft. It was too easy for wimps like Clinton to flee the country and party abroad while their peers were fighting and dying in the jungles of Vietnam. So no, Mr. Rangel, there was no shared sacrifice. Then - unlike now, the poor and minorities were all too often the ones who could not escape military service - not to mention, they were more likely to feel an obligation to fulfill their duties to their country instead of trying to run and hide from it.

Well, as research often does, a study by the Heritage Foundation has dispelled the popular and often repeated stereotype. The Washington Times reports in their article Middle class filling up military, study says:

Middle-class youths, not the poor, are providing the bulk of wartime recruits to the armed forces, according to a new study by a conservative think tank.

The Heritage Foundation research paper found that a higher percentage of middle-class and upper-middle-class families have been providing enlistees for the war on Islamic militants since the September 11 attacks on the United States.

Of course, Mr. Rangel was not available for comment. Sure as I'm sitting here, if the study had proven his stereotyping correct, he'd have been giving a press conference. As is typical with the left, when their convenient theories are proven false, they just move on to the next "say anything for political gain" theory regardless of the truth or whether they've tried to find even ONE fact. Their ideas and agenda are more important than facts, you know.

Mr. Kane said overall evidence "is at odds with the image, painted by some supporters of the draft, that the military exploits poor, ignorant young Americans by using slick advertising that promises technical careers in the military to dupe them into trading their feeble opportunities in the private sector for a meager role as cannon fodder."

And that there is the main reason behind the stereotype. Regardless of whether they served their country, the simple fact is, many liberal democrats just don't LIKE the military. The military "dupes" people into service because, of course, NO person would WANT to serve their country. The poor pitiful poor have NO opportunities (because we, of course, don't have ANY programs to help the poor get into college or receive technical training) so they HAVE to join the military and that takes advantage of them...

The truth is:

The Heritage report states that median household income for all enlisted recruits in 1999 was $41,141, compared with the national median of $41,994. By 2003, the recruit household income reached $42,822, when adjusted for inflation.

"In other words, on average, recruits in 2003 were from wealthier neighborhoods than were recruits in 1999," said the report, titled, "Who Bears the Burden? Demographic Characteristics of U.S. Military Recruits Before and After 9/11."

Another stereotype, another leftist rant proven false...facts seem to never be good news for liberals.

Riots in France

2005-11-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

It seems that every blog has put in their two cents concerning France's big problems with rioting. So, to keep from repeating what better bloggers have already written, I'll keep this short.

The most interesting debate I've read concerns whether the riots are an intifada. There are an abundance of links that support that theory in this entry on Iris Blog: Evidence the "Paris Riots" Are Actually the "French Intifada".

I found this article to be quite amusing: Hurt pride shows as France sees world report riots. Personally, although I am sorry France is facing such unrest, I do think it's high time the French got a taste of their own medicine. Having to read other countries' opinions of THEIR country and how THEIR government is handling (or not handling) a crisis is just what the doctor ordered.

My only thought on this concerns the riots escalating. For the past day or so, I keep expecting to turn on the news and see reports about a bomb going off on a bus or a suicide bomber walking into a cafe and killing innocent French citizens. I worry that eventually burning cars and buildings will get old to these nuts and they will escalate the situation. France has never had any empathy for the Israelis and I'm afraid that soon, they too will know what it is like to live in fear of being murdered on their way to work by a fanatic with a bomb strapped to their chest. I hope I'm wrong, but if the French government doesn't put a stop to this mess and soon, things are only going to get worse...

Top Ten Reasons Given for Rioting in France

2005-11-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

I stopped by Turning 30 and a half to see how Sue is doing with NaNoWriMo. In the comments of one of the posts I found a link to West Coast Chaos who linked to the Top Ten...too funny folks. Stop by if you need a good laugh.

Top Ten Reasons Given for Rioting in France

I'll be honest though lol, I was sure the numero uno reason was going to be "It's Bush's Fault."

Be sure to read the comments too! To me, one of the comments was the funniest of all:
This can't be good - Chirac just appeared on TV wearing a Burka.

Couldn't quite tell what the camel behind him was doing, but he seemed to be enjoying himself . . .

Vive le Allah!

I was ROTFLMBO!!

Yep, This Fits lol...

2005-11-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

A wonderful friend sent this to me the other day. Thought someone reading might need a laugh, so I'm posting it.

This really fits my attitude these days lol...

What Muppet are you?

2005-11-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

You are Sam the Eagle.
You are patriotic and devoted. And extremely anal.

HOBBIES:
Patriotism, Being appalled at what everyone else is
doing.
FAVORITE MUSIC:
The National Anthem of America

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"An American In....America"

LAST BOOK READ:
"Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus,
Eagles are from America"

QUOTE:
"Please stop that now! It's un-American!"

What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Ughhh, nausea....

2005-10-31T13:52:00.000-08:00

So, I left the doc on Friday with five separate prescriptions - nah I didn't wait too long to go or anything lol. One of them is making me so nauseous though, I could cry. The problem is, I have no clue which one is doing it lol. Bleh. I hate feeling like this. It just hits me out of the blue and I'm hanging my head over the potty. So, I traded coughing so hard I get sick to just sitting here and feeling sick lol. Yeah me LMBO! If it doesn't ease up in another day or two, I'll call my doc for sure.

The antibiotic is already working though...I'm finally feeling better as far as the cough and congestion is concerned. And I'm taking it with food AND milk, so I don't think that is what is making me sick. I've had this particular antibiotic before and it made my tummy hurt if I didn't take it with milk, but not nauseous...oh well, hopefully the upset tummy feeling will go away here soon. Stinks to actually feel half-way decent for the first time in weeks but keep having bouts of nausea lol.

It's always something lol...

Chelsea Dog 1994 - 2005

2005-10-31T13:44:00.000-08:00

Our little dog Chelsea passed away Friday. Husband came home while I was at the doctor, found her and buried her. I'm so thankful he was home...it would have been even harder on our little ones had they been here :(.

Our house feels so empty without her. She was the barker, the one that always let you know she was around and if anyone else was around ;). Our big dog rarely barks now...and without Chelsea dog following me around the house, it sure is lonely.

May God give her a soft bed to sleep on in Heaven and lots of love until we meet again...

I sure do miss you Chelsea dog...

Sick of being SICK and other whines....

2005-10-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm STILL sick. I had an appointment on Monday with my new, new doc (long story). I called yesterday to see if I could get in to see him today. Lady said no appointments for him, so I said I'd keep my appointment for Monday. Not thirty minutes later, my cell rang and it was the clinic nurse. She said my new new doc wouldn't be there Monday, but my new doc (got that?) would be back and I could see him on Tuesday. I explained I'd just tried to get in to see new new doc on Friday and she said, yeah you do sound awful, what's going on? I explained I'd had this sinus/cough thing for WEEKS now and I can't get rid of it. That I cough so hard I've puked up my regular medication (not good) and I'm generally sick of being sick.

So, she set me up with a PA I've seen before (idiot - or was three years ago, the last time I saw this guy), said that she didn't know if he'd refill my regular medication, but if he did, to stop by her office so she could cancel my appointment on Tuesday.

Next week is going to SUCK. Lets see, Saturday we're going to an all day BBQ with over 60 people attending. Monday is Halloween. Tuesday, doc appointment and FRG meeting (still leader unfortunately - another long story) that night, Wednesday is teacher conferences for daughter, Thursday I have to be in COURT (got subpoenaed two days ago because of our ELECTRICIAN of all things, another long story) then Thursday night I have to go to a pre-deployment briefing that's suppose to last HOURS....

Ughhh! And I feel like shit....did I mention that lol?

I have always HATED to go to the doc. Now my life revolves around them and I am just so fed up right now. I'm sure this guy is going to be an ass and say I have to come back on Tuesday to see my new doc. I already have to go to the doc once a month for checkups and my medication, having to go twice in less than a week just jerks my damn chain.

On top of all this, our small dog is sick. She's been having these spells where she wobbles and doesn't know where she is or what she's doing. She had another this morning and hasn't moved from the dog bed in front of the TV since 7 this morning. I'm afraid she's had a stroke...gosh we've had her for 11 years. My heart just doesn't want to face losing her :(.

Damn doctors, being sick and life sucking lol. Someone wake me up please...this can't be my life... sniff sniff LMBO!

Five Years Ago Today....

2005-10-18T13:36:00.000-07:00

We lived in Alaska at the time. Several months prior, we'd moved into post housing (the ONLY time we've ever lived on base and only time we ever will lol) after finding out I was pregnant with our second child. I had a job I LOVED and I was able to work from home. The company was out of Pittsburg, PA. Due to the time difference, I'd get up at 5 in the morning, get online and get to work.

Five years ago today, my day started like any other. I kissed husband good-bye, sat down at my desk and got to work at about 10 after five. I still had two hours before daughter would wake up and my main job would start ;). Our baby was due three weeks from then, but I'd be going in the next week for a scheduled c-section. MIL was flying up that coming weekend, so she could stay with our daughter while we were at the hospital. So, this week was going to be busy. I had to write several articles so my deadlines could be met while I recouped from the surgery and I had to get my house spotless before baby and MIL arrived.

Not long after getting settled into work, I noticed my belly was hurting off and on. My best friend called me that morning around 9 and for three hours, we stayed on the phone timing contractions. At first they were 15 minutes apart, then 10, then 8. By the time husband arrived home for lunch, they were five minutes apart. He called up to OB/GYN and they said to come on in.

Long story short, I was in labor. The doc was great. She said I could either stay and she'd go ahead and do the c-section at 6 pm that evening or I could go home and probably be back at the hospital around 2 in the morning when the contractions got so bad I couldn't stand it any longer lol. We decided to stay lol. There was no way I was going to deliver on my own - three days of labor with daughter confirmed that. I saw no need to go through hours and hours of labor when I didn't have to.

At 6:24 pm, October 18, 2000, we welcomed our little guy into the world. Our family has been so blessed by his arrival. He has the kindest heart of anyone I know. He's been blessed with the gift of humor and not only loves to laugh, he loves to make all of us laugh. He is such a loving person and I am a better person for having been lucky enough for God to choose me to be his Mother.

Happy Birthday little guy. We love you so very much!!

Sorry for the absence...

2005-10-17T23:53:00.000-07:00

The school year has officially started now that daughter has brought home a nasty cold/flu bug and dutifully gave it to the rest of us lol. We were all starting to feel a lot better last week. Starting yesterday though, husband was back to coughing, being congested and feeling like crap. I woke up this morning following suit. I had some running around to do today and just couldn't get going. So tomorrow, regardless of how I feel, I'll have to go get it all done.

Other than all of us trying to get healthy, nothing much else has been going on around here. Husband is still working long hours. If it isn't due to getting things ready for the deployment, it is a handful of useless soldiers doing anything they can think of to try and get out of deploying. Poor guy has really had his plate full the past month or so.

Here soon a new commander is taking over, so I am really hoping it will make husband's job a bit easier. The good thing for me is the fact that the new commander is married to a really nice and caring lady. Why is this good for me? It means I no longer have to be the FRG Leader lol!! WoooHOO! Much cause for celebration :). Of course I'll still help do anything she needs me to do, but she'll be leading and I'll be behind the scenes. Gosh I can't begin to explain what a huge relief this is....

We do have a new addition to our family. One of my friends had purchased a white Persian kitten. I was telling my husband about her new kitten one night. The conversation turned into how I'd always wanted a Siamese or a Himalayan. When I was six months old, mother had brought home a Siamese kitten. He was a part of our family until he passed away when I was 15 years old. He was so intelligent and loving.

After a lot of talking and searches on the internet, husband and I fell in love with the Himalayan. He went to work and asked around to see if anyone knew someone who had kittens. Several of his coworkers started searches of their own to help us find one. Husband and I searched the local papers and found one an hour away (they wanted a small fortune for it) and another two hours away, but it was a Persian, not a Himalayan. We decided to keep looking instead of paying an arm and a leg or driving two hours for a regular Persian. I'm so thankful we did...

Two or three weeks into the search, one of husband's coworkers found a litter of Himalayans in a neighboring town. They, too, wanted a small fortune for them, but we knew they were on the expensive side from what we'd read on the internet. Husband went the day we found out about them and picked out a male. We welcomed him into our family on September 26th. He was born on June 28th, so he was around 13 weeks old.

He is the most beautiful little thing I think I've ever seen! My goodness, we all catch ourselves just sitting here staring at him because he's so pretty :). He's a blue point Himalayan and has the sweetest big blue eyes. He also has a wonderful personality. His favorite thing is to be held like a baby lol! Our children can carry him around the house, hold him and play with him and he's just so gentle. He hasn't scratched anyone - whereas our orange tabby tomcat (who has been "de-manned" lol) had scratched us all when he was a baby by attacking our feet when we walked or trying to climb our legs lol. Our new baby seems to be the complete opposite of our tomcat. He's so easy going and calm. Early in the morning he likes to rip and roar through the house playing with our female cat, but otherwise he's eating or sleeping lol.

There is nothing as sweet as holding him like a baby, rubbing him under his chin (his favorite spot) and listening to him purr. He'll try so hard to keep his eyes open and stay awake (reminds me of our son when he was a baby and would fight sleep with everything he had lol), but his purr will eventually fade and he'll fall asleep. I could sit here and hold him all day if I didn't have other things I had to do lol. Nah, this baby isn't going to be spoiled lolol!

Well, it's now really late and I need to get to bed. I have to do all my running around tomorrow and between this cold I can't seem to get rid of and the insomnia, tomorrow is probably going to be an extremely
L O N G day...

Waiting For My Order to Arrive...

2005-09-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well, for the first time, I ordered some things from Amazon.com last week. I'm hoping the items will arrive today or tomorrow.

I was channel surfing one day last week and ran across Oprah. I've never been big on talk shows, so I rarely ever watch them. Once in a while Montel will have something on that I want to see, but other than that, I'm not a huge fan of the format.

When I flipped to Oprah, she was talking about surprising a woman in the audience. It looked interesting, so I continued to watch. Turns out, Oprah was introducing her latest choice of reading for her book club. She described a book that kept her up two nights in a row because she couldn't put it down. She said the staff would come in and ask what page each were on so they could discuss what they'd read. She made this book out to sound really incredible. The fact the book was non-fiction and about the author's own experiences added to my interest. And, the woman in the audience Oprah was surprising? It turned out to be the mother of the author of the book.

I was sold. I would join millions of others going out to buy a book because Oprah said so lol.

I went to search for the book on Amazon and quickly found it. I was pretty surprised to learn what exactly the author's experiences involved; what the book was about. It just didn't "fit" my idea of a book that would interest Oprah, much less her demographic.

I ordered A Million Little Pieces. While there, I decided to search for a CD I've been wanting, but never can find in any music stores. I found it and also ordered Mahalia Jackson's CD - 16 Most Requested Songs.

If you've never heard Mahalia Jackson, you're missing out. You don't have to be a huge Gospel fan to enjoy her music. She really just touches your soul and it's rare for people to hear her music and not get goose bumps - she's that talented.

So, that's the story for today. Just looking forward to my new CD and the book to arrive...

And if anyone else is planning on reading the book and would like to discuss it between blogs - let me know! It might be fun...

Grisly discovery gives Stuttgart students

2005-09-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

a lesson on the Holocaust:

The discovery was made Monday by contractors hired by the 6th Area Support Group, which manages the airfield property. They were digging in the area as part of renovation to the base’s main security gate.

Five skeletal remains were found Monday, and 29 more on Tuesday. They were found in shallow graves side by side. German police said there was evidence some had been buried alive by the positions of their bodies.

Further Reading:
Jewish groups debate fate of possible remains of Holocaust victims

Daily Reads

2005-09-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I updated the links in "My Favorites" on the right side. Since husband is watching Penn State play, I thought it was the perfect time to do some updating around here ;). Instead of just linking on the right, I'm going to list the new additions here and explain what I like about each.

This isn't a new addition, but always worth mentioning. Each weekday morning when I get online, after I check my email, my first stop without fail is Neal Boortz's Nealz Nuze. It's my absolute favorite site. Not only is his commentary worth-while reading, but his "Reading Assignments" are always full of interesting news articles and editorials. Definitely a good place to start each morning to see what is happening in our country and around the world.

After I read Boortz, my next stop is my new favorite blog Grouchy Old Cripple in Atlanta. His take on current events is straight forward and he calls it like he sees it. Not only are his blog entries great, but I enjoy reading the comments on each post too. If a troll dares to put in his/her two cents, the readers of GOC's blog generally take care of it. GOC himself also lets the trolls know of their stupidity in no uncertain terms.

Now, each Saturday he does an entry called "Saturday Boobage." I guess it's a guy thing and since I'm not a guy, it doesn't interest me in the least. Other than that though, I find the rest of GOC's blog entertaining and great reading.

I've ran across several blogs in the past few weeks that I've found to be consistently good reading. Regular updates, great links, good commentary etc. So, I'm adding them to my favorites and listing them here with a small description from their blog.

Reaganites Unite
A place on the web holding to the ideals of the most effective conservative of our lives, with news, commentary, satire, and links to the greater blogosphere.

Noble Eagle
Views on life, culture, politics, national security and such.

Radio Blogger
What is the radio blogger, you ask? On the air, I'm known as Generalissimo Duane, the producer of the nationally syndicated Hugh Hewitt Show, which is heard in more than seventy markets on the Salem Radio Network. This site is going to be a little different than Mr. Hewitt's, however. There are a lot of times when things happen during the course of a radio show that don't get aired. Blogging allows me to let all of you take a look behind the curtain and read a little about what goes on behind the scenes. There will be some snide and sarcastic commentary when appropriate, a little jousting from some of our blogger friends...

The Counterterrorism Blog
The first multi-expert blog dedicated solely to counterterrorism issues, serving as a gateway to the community for policymakers and serious researchers. Designed to provide realtime information about terrorism cases and policy developments.

I have several more, but I've ran out of time. I'll try to get them added tonight or tomorrow though. Hope you enjoy these...