Tuesday, November 17, 2009

So obviously I'm not very good at blogging with Erik home, but I'm going to start trying to do better. Tomorrow.

We'll start with my random realization today:

Erik's camera cord has been to more countries than I have. This needs to be remedied. Who wants to go to Australia?

More later. And hopefully it will have a little more substance...

Friday, October 16, 2009

Erik's Home!

And I'm pretty happy about it.



Melissa's sign cracked me up!
About to head in!

Some of the coffee group ladies :)


Mandy and I were pretty excited even though it was really ungodly hot in the building, and as you can see my hair-do was really starting to reflect that.


They had this screen up in the corner so we could see the guys coming in. Would you believe they showed an Army commerical on there too? Hellooo, I think we're already committed.


The best part :)



Thursday, October 8, 2009

Where Men Win Glory

I came across this on Jackie's blog the other day. It's a little long but it's definitely worth watching. Though it really hurts my heart to think about the things they saw over there and they way they had to live, I also can't bring myself to ignore it. There are still soldiers living, working, and dying in Afghanistan and we can't forget about them.

You will probably notice the 10th Mountain patches the soldiers wear. While the footage was filmed during the time Erik was in Afghaninstan and these are 3-71 soldiers, they are from A Troop. I think it's a really interesting look into the way they lived and the things they encountered. And it reminded me once again that this deployment is nothing like the last and for that I am incredibly grateful.



Jon Krakauer's Afghan Diary - Long Form from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on Vimeo.
Okay, I'm getting sick of this tsunami business. In the last week we've had two watches/warnings and I'm afraid that soon the meteorologist is going to become the boy who cried tsunami and when there really is one coming no one will believe him. And honestly, why do I live in a place where these things happen? Give me a tornado any day...

Saturday, September 5, 2009

How Did We Manage?

So today is the 5-year anniversary of our first date. We don't really count it, because we didn't go on another date for a month afterward, but that's a story for another time.

Anyway, our first date was over Labor Day weekend in 2004. And somehow, in spite whatever the heck life was throwing at us over the last few years, we've managed to always be together over Labor Day weekend (inadvertent though it might have been at the time). We've only ever spent 2 Christmases together, maybe a couple of birthdays and only half a wedding anniversary, but Labor Day weekend - that's our time. Until this year, anyway...

But it's okay because we always have next year! We should go to Maui...

Friday, September 4, 2009

"Not Much Longer Now"

wait
–verb (used without object)
1. to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens


Tomorrow begins the several weeks I have deliberately crammed full of things to keep me busy and make the days go fast as I count down to redeployment. Tomorrow, my great friend Carmen and her little ones come back from an extended trip to the mainland. Saturday is a meeting with my coffee group and a roller derby/dinner/after-party event with some girls from work. Sunday is up in the air but I think it involves mopping - and best of all, KATIE ARRIVES late in the day. Monday I'm off, and the weeks that follow hold about a million other things. And I'm thinking about reading Twilight again...

I suppose the truth is that while I hated having to say goodbye to Erik and spending the last year without him, it's been good for me. I've learned a lot (like how to mow the grass), I've done a lot and God knows I have stepped WAYYYY out of my comfort zone. And it's just a good feeling to know that when he has to leave again, it'll be okay. I was very nervous about this deployment because we weren't married during the first one, we hadn't ever lived together, we only knew separation - this time, I knew his absence would be much more noticeable. It's good to know that a deployment doesn't break our stride (too much).

I've been thinking about Ft. Drum lately. Melissa and I discussed this once, and we both have a very romanticized view of Drum and we think it's because we moved there solely to be nearer to our (now - and then in her case) husbands - the one thing we had waited on for so long. I recently realized that I don't think I'm going to have a whole romantic view of Hawaii. I feel more *me* here than I did there. I have a life here. I like it here. In New York, I was a girl who was waiting on a boy, waiting in limbo for my life to really get going. Here I don't feel like I'm waiting for something, I'm waiting on someone; but I don't know that I'd even classify it as waiting because by definition, I'm not "waiting". It's more like ... I'm saving his seat (I do NOT mean this in the negative way I feel like it could be interpreted!). I feel like I have this whole life built up around me, different from what it was before Erik left, and I'm sad that he couldn't be here while it was coming together but I really can't wait to share it with him. I've felt rather nomadic over the past 4 years or so, but I feel like I have a home base here now, and that's a great feeling. I hope that he can be here long enough to begin to feel this way too.

Today at work one of the ladies asked when Erik would be home. I was far too excited to say "not much longer now"...

Tune in this weekend for a special "anniversary" post.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Inspired by Jackie, I've decided to make a list of random things about my (semi)new state of residence:

1. There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet. Vowels: A, E, I, O, U Consonants: H, K, L, M, N, P, W.
  • Bonus: There are never two consonants next to each other in a Hawaiian word, but vowels are often next to each other.
  • Pronunciation tip: Try to enunciate all vowels and you should be in good shape, and remember, W sometimes equals V.
2. There is a privately owned island in this chain (Ni'ihau) that you either have to be born on or marry someone who was born on it to step foot on it (and if you're only allowed here by marriage you can only come on for a couple of weeks per year). It's crazy and cultist and they don't hardly have any TV channels.
  • Only four of the votes cast on this island during the 2008 elections were for Barack Obama.
3. Hawaii has it's on time zone. 2 hours behind Pacific, 5 hours behind Eastern (during daylight savings, that is, because we don't observe here).
  • It's okay to be late around here, it's expected, and it's called Aloha time. People also drive, and live "aloha". I really don't.
4. To that end, it's called the mainland. It's still part of America even though I really don't feel like it sometimes.
5. Each island is a county (except for Maui county has Lanai and Mo'olokai) and each county has a mayor to lead it.
  • Mo'olokai has a leprosy settlement that dates from the 1900's and people still live on it.
6. Honolulu has the only royal palace in the United States.
  • Brittan owns a small chunk of the Big Island - just large enough for a monument to Captain Cook.
7. Hawaii is the largest state from east to west - counting the ocean...
8. The state fish is the humuhumunukunukuapua'a (Pronunciation: hoo moo hoo moo noo koo noo koo ap oo ah'ah. Now say it fast.)
9. When people are giving you directions, they like to use the words "Mauka" (which means toward the way of the mountains) and "Makai" (which means toward the way of the ocean).
10. Hawaii has nearly 1,500 confirmed cases of swine flu but the state government has opted to stop reporting the facts because tourism is already bad enough. *shudder* Also, recently a naval ship docked here with at least 69 confirmed cases. Yay...

Thursday, August 20, 2009

It's Been A Long December

If I've said it once in the last week, I've said it ten times. I have "senioritis" regarding this deployment. Last Saturday a bunch of us got together to make homecoming banners for each of the batteries in the BN and for the (single soldiers) barracks. Since then, I swear, I have NOT been able to focus on ANYTHING. I can finally see the light at the end of this tunnel and the closer it gets the more worthless I become. And we still have awhile...


Interestingly, this is the same "light at the end of the tunnel" picture I used last time I saw a light at the end of the deployment tunnel - pre extension.... Hopefully I don't have to break it out for a few years after this go-round.
My schedule for the next several weeks is filling up fast and that's probably for the best. I remember the last several weeks of Erik's last deployment and they seemed to last longer than the other 16 months combined - can't have that happen again!
In other news... Well, I have no other news because I can't focus on anything. I'm giving myself until Friday to stop acting like I have mush for brains, I have day-long meeting that day and I'm probably going to have to appear productive.
EEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Team Edward

I've been MIA because I was drawn in by a book series and I could think of little else until I had devoured every word of every line on every page. Honest to goodness people, I read about 2,300 pages in about 10 days, while working (at least) 40 hours a week. I don't think I read that much in college... At one point, I gave serious consideration to calling in sick so I could finish one of the books. Then I rented the movie of the first book and watched it 4 times in as many days so I decided I needed to own it. I've watched it at least 3 times since buying it 2 weeks ago.

Did I mention the series was written for teenage girls? That's right, I'm obsessed with Twilight. And I'm not ashamed. I can't believe I didn't read this sooner! I fought off the recommendations thinking "How am I, a reasonably intelligent person, going to believe this girl falls in love with a vampire?" Well, let me tell you, I believe it now!

I have several countdowns going on in my life currently, and I'd be lying if I said one of them wasn't a count down to the second movie coming out in theaters. Luckily, the movie comes out the day of our ball after Erik gets home so I don't feel one bit bad about starting my week long Thanksgiving vacation a day early so I can go see it. How lucky Erik is that he'll be home in time for this!

So there you have it. I'm 14 years old.

Friday, July 24, 2009

"...conspicuous valor above and beyond the call of duty"

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. -John 15:13

I've struggled for the last few days to figure out what to put in this post. I never met SGT Jared Monti so I don't feel that I can accurately pay tribute to who he was and what he did - but want to try.

Erik met and served with SGT Monti in 3-71CAV when he was at Ft. Drum. Even before they deployed I knew who SGT Monti was, and on the day I read of his death in Afghanistan, I thought I knew what a soldier the Army had lost. But as days went on and more information about SGT Monti's bravery and who he was became available, I realized what kind of a person the world had lost.

We were honored to meet Paul Monti, Jared's father, when he attended our wedding shortly after 3-71 returned from Afghanistan. Admittedly it was very difficult for us (and I'm certain even more so for him), but I know that we will never forget it. Nor will we forget his son who, it was announced yesterday, will be receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Soldier gets highest honor for ultimate sacrifice

Army Sgt. Jared C. Monti of Raynham has been posthumously named to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor this week for giving his life as he tried to rescue wounded comrades under heavy fire in Afghanistan in 2006.

The humble soldier never liked medals, his proud father, Paul Monti, recalled yesterday. The ones he earned when he was alive, he just tucked in a drawer. It was the way he dealt with many of his exemplary actions in life, his dad said - he didn’t feel he needed to show off about the good things he was doing.

Jared Monti, a 1994 Bridgewater-Raynham High School graduate, was the son of Paul Monti of Raynham and Janet Monti of Winterville, N.C. Just 30 when he was killed, he “was extremely selfless.

“He spent most of his life doing things for other people, even when young,” his father said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Monti received a telephone call from President Obama informing him that his beloved son has been named as a recipient of the Medal of Honor. It will be awarded in a ceremony at the White House in the fall.

“The president told me that he was very proud of him, that the nation was very proud of him and that I should be proud of him,” Monti said. He described the conversation as emotional and “bittersweet.”

On June 21, 2006, during a heavy firefight in Gowardesh, Afghanistan, Jared Monti dragged one wounded soldier to safety under fire. He went back to get another critically wounded soldier and was killed by a grenade in the process.

Monti recalled his son’s quiet, giving spirit, never wanting any recognition for the often surprising things he did. At 17, Jared asked to cut down a spruce tree from their yard, because a local family wasn’t going to have a Christmas tree. Then, “he bought them ornaments, presents, Christmas dinner, and he never told anyone,” his father said.

Only five other Medals of Honor have been awarded since 9/11. “I would rather have him back than all the medals,” Monti said. “But it’s fitting that (Jared) should be recognized for his act.”

He said his son, whose dream was to serve in the military and then become a history teacher, “would be appalled” by the attention he is receiving now. “(Jared) would say, ‘Dad, I was just doing my job,’ ” he said.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Monday, July 20, 2009

Are we or aren't we?

Our anniversary is coming up and I've been thinking: How long are you a considered a newlywed? I've heard anywhere from 6 months to 5 years. 6 months seems a little short but 5 years? That's a tad excessive. Unless your spouse is deployed every other year, in which case you're always in the honeymoon phase because you're never together long enough to get sick of each other! I jest.... Sort of...

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Our Lives Are Made In These Small Hours

Tonight Erik called and we got to talk for about 20 minutes. When he said he had to go, I was genuinely disappointed and said "But we JUST started talking!" then I realized we'd been talking for awhile and what a brat I was being. Last deployment I would have cut off a finger to talk to him for that long and now I'm grouchy because the man has work to do? I'm just getting antsy. There's finally a light at the end of this tunnel and I am really happy to be able to see it!

Truth be told, separations aren't really that hard on us it seems. Yes we'd rather be together, but if you consider that in our 5 year relationship we've spent a grand total of about 16 months in the same town at the same time what would seem the norm - togetherness or spending time "together" on the phone?

"For better or worse" that's been our relationship thus far, and I wouldn't change it. It's what got us here and I believe it's what gets us through. I know I'm luckier than most that my phone rings nearly every day and I recognize that we probably won't be so lucky next time, and that'll be okay. For now I'll just be grateful for the time we get to spend "together" knowing that it's much more than anyone can hope for in our situation, and I'm going to start counting down until the days I can pick up the phone and call him rather than wait for the phone to ring.

We're on the downhill slide now. The hardest part is over.

Our lives are made
In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists & turns of fate
~Rob Thomas

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Another Price of Paradise:

A (poisonous) centipede in my kitchen.

And seriously, Erik and I had just been talking that day (Saturday, the day it happened) about how there haven't been a lot of critter issues I've had to face on my own and I remember saying "they just have to wait a couple more monthss until you're home". Then BAM centipede under the kitchen table.

Such is life.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Alright, I’ve had it.

Note: This has been a long time coming, but I've been too busy to post it:

So, the other day I had to take a tour of the Hilton Hawaiian Village for work (long story) and they told us this story: They have several towers of rooms on the property and one tower is like a whole resort in itsself, for the famous folk. Well aparently, Michael Jackson stayed there in the mid-nineties and just recently someone knocked on the door of the room they found out he had stayed in and asked to take a picture. Seriously? That person needs a thump on the head. I am so freakin’ tired of Michael Jackson I could gouge my own eyes and ears out with a rusty screwdriver.

I’m I sorry he died? Sure. I’m sorry when any one loses their life, and especially so when they leave behind young children. Am I upset that he died? Not really. I understand: King of Pop, yadda yadda yadda, but honestly, what did he do for us besides sing a few songs and give us something to gossip about? Most of my generation doesn’t even know him as anything other than a freako in a jumpsuit with just one glove who may or may not have molested children. I wasn’t around to appreciate the Jackson 5 or even the Michael Jackson of yesterday, back when he was “breaking down racial barriers in the music industry” by “(making) culture accept a person of color" (Al Sharpon’s words, not mine). All I know is what I see, and what I’ve seen over the past 25 years hasn’t been all that great. And I certainly wouldn’t herald him as a cultural icon for African Americans when it’s obvious that he wanted to be white.

My question to you America, is why is this guys death more important to you than the deaths of the thousands of American soldiers who have died in defense of your freedom? Did they get a banner on msn.com? No. Are their funerals put on TV? No. Is anyone worried about their children? Well, CNN isn’t,that’s for sure.

Michael Jackson left behind 3 young children and a mountain of debt for his family to work their way out from under. America’s solders have left us the freedom to do pretty much whatever, whenever we please. Unfortunately for them, we use that freedom to obsess over celebrities instead of paying a little attention to those who fight to keep this nation safe and free.

Makes.Me.Sick.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

No News is Good News

at least that's what my mom always says, and after she says it she says "I always say".

I'll come up with something and post soon(ish)...

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

The Price Of Paradise

I am so freaked out about becoming "leathery" while we live here (this fear also includes skin cancer; a fear which has been exacerbated by this season Greys Anatomy storyline of Izzy getting the cancer). For the first, oh say, 6 months we were here I loved going outside and soaking up the rays with my SPF 25 (slathered on only on beach days) - then I got a terrible sun burn where I couldn't lift my arms and I blistered. I have since dubbed myself the sunscreen Nazi. I'm always harping at my guests to reapply their sunscreen, that they don't realize how strong the sun is, especially when the trade winds are blowing. And most of them don't listen, and most of them end up crispy, and then so they don't ruin their beach vacation they go back to the beach and get crispier. Yes, I was that girl too (what else can you do when you're unemployed in Hawaii besides go to the beach?) until I realized if I didn't stop it I'd end up looking like Leatherface (whose picture I wish I hadn't just googled because now I'm kinda freaked out).

I work with a few other Caucasian folks that have lived here for years and years and unfortunately, most of them have fared to well in the fight against aging, on the other hand, I work with one lady who was born in OK and her skin looks great! (I should find out her secret). I just don't want to have come here at 24 and then leave in 5 years only to look like I'm 44. So now I don't even go out of the house without SPF 30 lotion on and SPF 40 moisturizer on my face (and SPF 15 in my makeup and my chap stick). And I'm starting to wonder if 25 is too young to start anti-wrinkle cream.

It doesn't matter

how many times I watch TITANIC, I still bawl like a baby when its sinking. Like I don't know how it ends...

Thursday, June 4, 2009

2 Years Already...

So the other night we were on skype and the conversation went as follows:

Sheena: Can you believe you've been home for almost two years?!
Erik: Um.. I haven't...

But this deployment seems so different from the last, it's hard to call them by the same name. Don't think I'm cold-hearted. All I'm sayin' is that getting to talk on skype nearly every night (which is AMAZING, by the way - we are really lucky) is a far cry from 20 minute phone calls once or twice a month for 16 frickin' months. Besides, in the nearly 5 years we've been together we've spent a grand total of probably about 18 months together in the same place, so what do you think is the norm for us? That's right, separation bridged by phone calls. Not that that a deployment could ever be on par with him being safe and sound hanging out at his apartment in Carthage, I'm just making a point.

At any rate, the picture below still really moves me and portrays one of the very best moments of my life *cue cheesy music* You will likely find me thinking about this day every June 4 for a very, very long time.




See you and me have a better time than most can dream
Have it better than the best
So we can pull on through
Whatever tears at us, whatever holds us down
And if nothing can be done
We'll make the best of what's around.
-DMB

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Shut Up, Sheena.

On March 30th I blogged about the lack of paper towels in my office because the state is too broke to pay for them and said that if they would quit running the air full blast for 10 hours a day they'd save some dough.

Turns out Mufi Hanneman (the mayor of Oahu) reads my blog (or maybe someone just thinks like I do, but I'd like to think the former) because they're scheduling A/C time now. They run it starting at 7AM Monday since it is off all weekend, and then Tuesday - Friday it goes on at 11 and off at 4. FYI, the sun comes up at 5 here and is in full force by 11. You sweat just sitting at your desk. Then 11 rolls around, then 12 and you're freezing again.

Seriousy, I HATE being hot. HATE IT. Next time I'll just keep my damn mouth shut.

Or at least I'll try.

But Mufi, if you're out there, I have some other ideas for you too.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Couldn't Have Said It Better...

First, a preface (or two).

1)I didn't write this, my friend Jessica did. I did a little editing and removed some names, that's it.
2)Because the theory isn't mine, it is in no way based on anyone I know. And I'm not directing this at anyone either, I just thought it was brilliant and pretty applicable to my own life, in this moment anyway.

"I came to the conclusion last night that some women view a deployment as a 6/12/15 month-long event. It affects their every thought, decision, movement and mood. They're looking at the world through deployment-colored glasses and everything they see or do is tinged with the fact that they're currently in the middle of this 'event'. By definition, with an event comes expectations. You prepare yourself for the event and when it gets here you totally have expectations for how it's going to pan out and it generally consumes your every thought. I don't see Luke's deployment as an event, in fact its an non-event. Believe me, it's not like I can forget that he's gone, but I certainly don't let it affect every little thing I do. I am my own person, independent of his deployment, and I refuse to let my world stop because of it. I know that a lot of women feel guilty, like maybe they don't love their husbands enough if they don't cry all the time or spaz out at every little thing. I don't feel that way at all."

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Well I've Never Been to Heaven, But I've Been to Oklahoma.

So I moved away from home almost exactly 2 years ago but I don't think I've ever really been away from home until now. Sure I went away to college, but that hardly counts. It was only a 2 hour drive to get home, I could do it in a day if I wanted to and sometimes I did. Then I moved to New York. But even then, I knew we were moving back to Oklahoma for Erik's career course in a few months so it wasn't so bad. And now we're here and I can't just hop in the car and go home any more and it kind of sucks. That's right, sucks. Before we go on, I'm going to tell you that you shouldn't perceive the following post to be whining. It's not. Most days, I love living here, but sometimes I miss looking out and seeing wheat fields as far as the eye can see.

Did you know my hometown has the largest grain elevators in the United States? Well, you do now.

And did you also know that John Wilkes Booth allegedly escaped to Enid after fatally shooting President Abraham Lincoln and lived there for over 30 years? I bet you didn't, because I didn't either until a someone here told me and I googled it to find out.

Why the history lesson and ridiculous trivia, you ask? Silly though it might be, I realized the other day that when they conduct the 2010 census, I will not be included in the total for Enid. Also, clearly, I'm homesick. I'm homesick and I'm losing my accent, and I'm not happy about either of these things. Fortunately, the latter can be solved by watching a marathon of Paula Deen shows on the Food Network. The former requires a little more planning.

Erik and I decided (well I decided, he signed off on the idea) last night that we should go back to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving. All I know is that I want to fly into an airport named after a man who died in a plane crash, I want to see the ugly wooden ENID sign with the buffalo on it, and breathe in the (preferably early summer evening) air as I drive up Highway 81 with the windows down (and no, I'm not referencing the smell of cow poo). I want to take Erik to the Cherokee Strip Museum and go to church in my church (and maybe go to Sonic afterward). Going back for Thanksgiving just gives me another very exciting thing to look forward to this year but I'm a little skittish about it. I know Enid isn't "home" any more and I'm happy with my life here, I just don't particularly care for that notion.

It's funny, when I was younger, I couldn't wait to get out of Big Fat Enid, but I really didn't plan to vacate the entire state, let alone the continent! Right before I moved to New York I ate a fortune cookie and I still carry around the fortune it had inside: "Sometimes travel to new places leads to great transformation" - I suppose that's true.

Some say it's a backward place
Narrow minds on the narrow race
But I make it a point to say that's where I come from.
-Kenny Chesney

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

What a month!

So a couple of days after my last blog, Erik came home (a day early, and got to stay a day late!) and we had a great time. We flew to Kona (stayed in an AMAZING B&B - thanks to the recession for such a great deal!) from there we drove to Hilo and went to see Volcanoes National Park (because of which I'm still half dead from the sulfur dioxide). We also drove to the southern-most point in the United States. And, there is one tiny strip of land on the Big Island that is still governed by the British (it's a monument to Captain Cook). While we couldn't to the land its self (because one of us, I'm not going to say which one, didn't want to get muddy), we did get to see Britain from a bay in Kona and I think that's still pretty amazing. Then we went to Maui for a few days and drove to the top of Haleakala (well, Erik drove, I closed my eyes and willed myself not to get car sick). Then we came home and hung out here, spent a night in Waikiki (where we saw people we saw in Maui), and in a flash he was gone. I was able to take off most of the time he was here so we were able to go and do as we pleased, which was very nice. We ran around the islands, bought some "art" and too much wine, ate too much, drank too much and just enjoyed each other. Baxter and I both were very happy to have him here and very, VERY sad to see him go. I always feel like our time together goes far too fast.


In Kona

Still in Kona.
This is Hilo. We were at the Place of Refuge. Basically in ancient Hawaiian times, if you commit a crime (or, kapu, as they called it) like letting your shadow fall in front of the chief (serious, I know) you could be put to death. OR if you could make it to the place of refuge, you would be blessed by a priest and your transgressions were forgiven. Pretty weird idea, but a very beautiful area!


Now we're in Maui. So this is us in the 'Iao Valley. Google it, there is a very interesting story that I don't feel like typing out. It involved Kamehameha though, and we all know how I feel about him...


This is us in Maui at the top of Haleakala. It was windy and damn cold up there. Maybe 42* isn't cold to you, but when it's half of what you're used to it's awful!


And now, let us fast forward to 3 days after Erik left.

I'm laying on the couch, minding my business, when the doorbell rings. It's 8:30PM, so I cautiously open the door to find Dave, Vickie and Lori on my porch - apparently they had gotten a great deal on tickets and flew out here to surprise me. I screamed and jumped around so much that it looked like I had won the Publishers Clearing House (I know because they taped it). It was such a great surprise and really helped pull me out of my post R&R funk. I couldn't take off while they were here so they went to the beach every day and we grilled and drank champagne in the evenings. And on a whim we decided we'd go to Maui. And take a helicopter tour, amongst other things.
Everyone I tell about my surprise guests says "Wow! That takes guts!" but that's totally them. I wish I could be so laid back!


This may or may not have been in the car while they were waiting 4 hours for me to come home. Thing was, I was already home!

This is my face when I opened the door. I don't have the video :( Pardon my hair, I had just flung open my door.

We had a few skype dates with Erik!

This is us before our tour in Maui!

Dave during the tour.
Pardon the haze, we were above the clouds. ;)

Lori and I during the ride.

So anyway, that's my the recap of my amazing mid-April through mid-May. Hopefully I'll remember to update this thing before mid-June. :)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Ghost of R&R Past

I just wish the ghost of R&R present would get it's butt here.

Montreal. September 2006.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Big Mistake

I came home from work about 6 and had every intention of taking Baxter for a walk. I sat down on the couch for just a minute to rest my eyes and woke up 3 hours later.

I am NEVER going to sleep tonight.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

So tomorrow is our Hawaii-anniversary. I can't believe we've lived here for a year. Well, I've lived here for a year, Erik only lived here for about 6 months...

In other news, the state of Hawaii is broke. Buh-roke. Because of which, they have decided to stop buying paper towels for the state buildings - once they're out, they're out. My building is out. We've had to all chip in to buy our own or bring dish towels or whatever. Thing is, they took our trashcans out of the bathroom too so we couldn't throw away towels if we had them! I just hope they don't do this with toilet paper...

Dear State of Hawaii -
Maybe if you didn't run the a/c CONSTANTLY, ALL DANG DAY you wouldn't be broke. MAYBE if you didn't keep it as cold as meat locker in my office, you could afford a dang blowie thing for the bathroom.

Love,
Sheena

It appears Erik will be missing our skype date, so I'm going to head to bed. 'Night all!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Thanks Prince Kuhio!

The following article comes courtesy of some random googling I did earlier that I forgot to link.

Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole


Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole was born in Koloa, Kauai on March 26, 1871. When the Kalakaua Dynasty assumed the throne of Hawaii in 1884, Jonah Kuhio was declared a prince. He was next in line to become king when the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown in 1893. In the late 1800's he was sentenced to a year in prison for his role in a Hawaiian uprising against Sanford Dole's newly formed Republic of Hawaii. After his release from prison, he joined the British Army to fight in the South African Boer War, and he remained in Africa until that war ended in 1902. When he returned to Hawaii he was elected to served in the United States Congress as the Territorial Delegate from Hawaii. The achievements for which he is credited include the dredging of Pearl Harbor and establishing the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Prince Kuhio died in Waikiki on January 7, 1922. He is buried on the island of Oahu at the Royal Mausoleum in Nuuanu.
Prince Kuhio Day is celebrated on March 26 in Hawaii. Hawaii's second delegate ot congress Born in Koloa, Kauai. Youngest of the three sons of Kauai High Chief David Kahalepouli Piikoi and Princess Kinoiki Kekaulike. Served as the Hawaiian Territory's delegate to the U.S. Congress from 1903 to 1921. He was known as the "Citizen Prince" He was inline to become king with the monarchy was overthrown in 1893. he died of heart disease in 1922 at the age of 50. He is buried at the royal mausoleum in Nuuanu Valley on Oahu. best remembered for his successful effort to get Congress to pass the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which provides homesteads for native Hawaiians. One of his main goals was to save the rapidly declining Hawaiian race from extinction. He planned to return tenement dwellers to the land and encourage them to be self-sufficient farmers, ranchers, and homesteaders on leased parcels of reserved land.
End article. Begin commentary.
So here's to you Prince Kuhio! For being the "citizen prince", for being born on my birthday, for being cool enough to get a state holiday and for giving me a "free" day off from work so that I can wallow in the fact I am now closer to 50 than I am to birth - 'cuz I surely needed *that*.
Also, I like your 'stache. :)

Monday, March 16, 2009

Don't get pissy

I just thought it was funny.




Friday, March 13, 2009

My Life in a Freakin' Nut Shell

When Andrea and Scott were here they discovered an ant in my flour and they dumped it. Ants and roaches are a problem here, I seem to only have the former so I try not to complain. Anyway, I decided I'd order some of those old school tupperware canisters like my Mima used to have, those would definitely keep ants out.

>>>>>Fast Forward Here>>>>>

Yesterday I was minding my business in my cubicle when I started craving one of those Christmas tree Little Debbie pies. You know the ones, with the white frosting, red drizzle and green sprinkles? As you can see, I remember them fondly even though I haven't had one in as long as I can remember.

So I get up from my desk, collect my things, and since I need to go to Borders anyway, I decide to cruse by KMart (which is next door) to see if they have any Little Debbies (I knew I wouldn't get the Christmas ones in March so I decided I'd look for fancy cakes - they're the same, just no sprinkles or red drizzle, and no Christmas tree shape... Well you get the point). Anyway, there were none to be found at KMart, then I went to 2 grocery stores - STILL nothing. Finally, I go to a gas station and they have oatmeal cream pies but no fancy cakes. And when I asked for the fancy cake specifically the lady looked like I was talking Greek. Whatever, I accepted my lot, got a nutrigrain bar and moved on with my day. All the while thinking "How does this stupid rock not have fancy cakes?! This place is RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!"

So then I get home and notice a box on my porch. Part of my tupperware order has arrived!

And it was shipped in a Little Debbie box.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Some Gave All

The Department of Defense announced the death of 1LT Daniel B. Hyde, 24, who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. He died March 7 in Samarra, Iraq, of wounds sustained in Tikrit when an explosive device struck his unit vehicle.
He graduated from Downey High School in 2003. He lettered in three varsity sports in high school - football, basketball and golf. He was elected student body president twice, and was accepted by all three military academies. He graduated from West Point 23rd out of 968 before getting his Ranger tab and airborne qualification.

LT Hyde was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and is survived by his parents and a sister, who are residents of Modesto California.
It is not length of life, but depth of life.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday, March 8, 2009

This ones for you, Lyle

So the other day I got an email from Erik's grandpa, asking if Hawaii had stopped on February 18 (or whatever day it was I last updated). I get a kick out of him.

So I know I haven't updated in awhile, but I have good reason! Erik and I talk on skype at night and that was my prime blogging time - so be glad you aren't hearing from me. As it stands, the only reason I did it today is because he's late for our skype date.

This skype thing is pretty amazing. Certainly nothing like getting cut off every 3 minutes and some odd seconds when he was using the sattelite phone while in Afghanistan. My goodness, that time seems so long ago - I guess it was (well, started anyway) over 3 years ago.

He should be home in a little over a month for R&R. We're going to go island hopping because when you already live in paradise, why go anywhere for vacation?!

I really wish I had more to report, but I don't. I'll try to do better though!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Exciting!

Two exciting things have happened today.

The first was that Jackie sent me a package full of all kinds of exciting Maine-things! It was much appreciated and came on one of those days when it was nice to know that folks are thinking of you. Thanks again, Jackie!

The second exciting thing to happen today is that I got to talk to Erik on skype tonight. If you don't know, I sent Erik his laptop and he bought us webcams and skype is a program that you put on your computer that enables you to web chat, so we're able to talk to each other and SEE each other as we talk. It's really pretty amazing. Ask him, I just sat here saying "This is really amazing". It's already tomorrow where he is, and I'm talking to him on webcam! AMAZING! Anyway, since he works the night shift we're able to get together at what has turned out to be a perfect time for both of us. I'm eager to see if this makes the time go faster or slower. I'm just happy to be able to see him and to talk to him more. Baxter on the other hand was kind of weirded out by it all. "I see dad, I hear dad, but where the heck is he?!"

Sidenote: I went to the gym this afternoon and I decided that I'd put a little makeup on before I "met" with Erik online. Without even thinking I put on perfume too! Hah!

Anyway, I'm going to go to bed and crack open one of the half dozen tour books I got for our R&R trip. What a nice day.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Quickly

Scott and Andrea are here. Adventures are being gone upon. More on that later.

1. I saw the end of a rainbow today. No pot of gold. But I did get some pineapple whip.
2. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29152310 That's right. I can't get away from them.

Thats all for now.

Wish you were here, hun!!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

I stole this from a blogger who stole it from another blogger. Feel free to continue the cycle!

1 minute ago… I was emailing Erik.
1 hour ago… I was working on the laptop to send it to Erik.
1 day ago… I was in a grouchy mood.1 month ago… I was starting a new year at work.
1 year ago… We were starting to prepare for our move to sunny Hawaii!
1 decade ago… I was a miserable 8th grader.
2 decades ago… I was 4. That’s about all I can offer on that.
5 minutes ago… I was still working on the laptop.
5 days ago… I was happy the next day would be Friday.
5 months ago… I was STILL unemployed.
5 years ago… I was a few short months from meeting the boy I would marry.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Worth the Read

Death, like everything in their 62-year marriage, was something the Mosers faced together. Eighty-four-year-old Robert, whose health had declined steadily in recent years, always expected to go first. His 80-year-old wife, Darlene, had been his steady caretaker at the Seatter Road home they built with their own hands.

That is, until December, when a cancer gave her precious few weeks of life to live. When Robert learned Darlene was terminally ill, he quickly grumbled: "I'm terminal, too." The claim drew scoffs from his family. But he was serious.

And as his wife lay beside him in her last moments on Jan. 23, Robert, too, began to die, to the amazement of his family and hospice caretakers. Only six hours separated their deaths.

It was a bittersweet moment for the couple's five children and extended family. They'd lost their mother and father. But their parents — the couple who lived and breathed love for one another, who spooned together every night while watching the news, who even walked to their mailbox in tandem — had received their last wish.

"I don't think you can explain our rejoicing," said Marie Townsend, 55, their second daughter. "They ebbed and flowed together. They were truly one. And when she died, half of him died."
Like many couples of their generation whose marriages spanned half centuries, their deaths were close together. But in the words of Amy Getter, Kitsap Hospice's director of clinical services, the Mosers' case is "pretty remarkable." "Mr. Moser was adamant that they'd spoken for years about going together," Getter said. "That was sort of the plan."

Their story of love and long-term devotion showcases an aspect of humanity that even modern science has a hard time explaining: that sometimes strength of will decides whether we live or die. "I really believe it's one of the mysteries of life and death," Getter said. "We don't know quite how it happens." University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor Terry Trevino-Richard once studied the phenomenon, in a research article titled "Death Timing Among Deceased Married Couples in a Southern Cemetery."

"There is ample evidence that individuals may subconsciously or deliberately hasten or postpone their own death by aiming towards a psychologically important date," he wrote.
Simply put by Diana Moser, the couple's oldest daughter: "He could not live without her."

Robert Moser lived by a simple mantra, according to his son, Walt: "Happy wife, happy life."
An electrician by trade, his family said he was a straight shooter, an ethical man who never missed a day of work in his life.

Robert was an aviation technician in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He'd met Darlene briefly through their families before the war. When Robert returned, the family said he exclaimed, "Whoa, you grew up" to his bride-to-be. Three months later, they were married. Their chemistry was magical, the family said.

They got up from bed together and always waited for the other to get in bed at night. Mornings over coffee together developed a mutual plan of attack for the day. Darlene always made sure Robert's lunch was packed and clothes folded for him to wear. "It was an idyllic life," Townsend said. "We weren't rich, we weren't poor. I describe it as a lot like 'Leave it to Beaver.'"

Darlene was the eternal optimist, always keeping the family upbeat. "She was the most positive and outgoing person," Townsend said. "The cup was always half full."

The Mosers had brushes with death before — Robert a heart attack in 1982 and Darlene in 1947 when birthing their first child, Diana.

Excited at the prospect of raising children, the Mosers very nearly had none after Diana became stuck in the birth canal. Diana was "tossed aside" when she emerged, as doctors concentrated on saving Darlene Moser's life. Amazingly, both survived, though doctors told the new mother her chances of living through another childbirth were slim. The Mosers eventually had nine children, and it's safe to say they proved their doctor wrong. "They told me they wanted to have a family so bad, they would never give up," Walt Moser said.

They didn't come without tragedy, however. Two children died before being born, and one died after being alive one day. Yet another, Jackie, was killed as a kindergartener after being struck by a motorcycle. But another five — Diana, Marie, and Walt, who live in California; Robin, of Bonney Lake; and Marlene, of Bainbridge Island — grew up under their care.

Robert's first brush with death came in California. Darlene was headed out to her bowling league, but, as she told her sons and daughters, something didn't feel right. Robert, down for a nap, was blue when she found him. A Sacramento County sheriff's deputy, who had stayed home from work that day, answered Darlene's screams for help from her front yard. He had no vital signs, but the deputy's CPR saved his life, the family said. "Mr. Tough got more sentimental," after that, Townsend said.

He was given 10 years to live after the 1982 attack, the family said. Robert suffered strokes, kidney troubles, congestive heart failure and other ailments following, but he never complained. "I'm fine," he'd always say.

Save for the framing, their Kingston home of their last 17 years was almost entirely built with their hands. Darlene drew up the blueprints; Robert did the heavy lifting.

In retirement, they never left each other's sides. If a check needed depositing, they went to the bank together. Grocery shopping was done in tandem. The pair even ventured to the mailbox together everyday unless one was too ill to do so. They spooned on the couch as long as their bodies would let them.

The biggest shock came when Darlene was found to have a cancer growth. On Dec. 23, she went into the hospital, and learned the growth was terminal. She refused to be at the hospital for Christmas, however, and went home to be with Robert against doctor's orders.

It was then Robert began to say that he, too, was terminally ill. Kitsap Hospice came and cared for the couple. Robert even brought up Washington's recently approved assisted suicide law, which goes into effect March 4. "Sign me up," he told the hospice staff, and even his own doctor.

Before their deaths, they also knew their family was healthy and happy, including one of their youngest daughters, Marlene, who lives on Bainbridge. Though she'd fought breast cancer, she now had a clean bill of heath. The family had prayed for her to get better, and Robert added his special plea: To die with his wife.

In the days before their deaths, hospice had a special bed put into the couple's bedroom, where youthful pictures of Robert and Darlene hang above their respective bedsides. Robert, in their own bed, held her hand tight as she began to die.

At 2:45 a.m. Jan. 23, she went. The sisters, Diana and Marie, delivered the news to Robert. There were many tears, Diana recalled. "Are you OK," Diana asked him. And for the first time their oldest daughter ever remembers, he said in his last word: "No."

Not long after, the nurse came to check on Robert. Astonishingly, his vital signs began to fail. His breathing became broken. He was actively dying, the nurse told the family. There were no drugs or methods he'd used to quicken death; it just began to happen. They gave him two days to live, tops. Instead, he joined his wife in death only six hours after hers.

Robert and Darlene, whose services were held Thursday, will be buried in the same way they lived their lives — together. In the same casket.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Untitled.

I don't have any subject matter planned out so this post isn't looking so promising right now. It's been one of those days though, so I'd imagine that this is going to be the high point of the post.

Erik has made the switch to his new base and pretty much LOVES it there. He has a bed, with sheets AND a pillow (along with various other things). For this, I am grateful.

My mom is moving out of the house I grew up in (well, lived in since 9th grade) to move to Oklahoma City. I understand her rationale, and I support it, but I'm still a little homesick for that house and it's hard to know I'll never go back. So I guess *this* is home now but it doesn't feel like it. We've lived here for almost a year, but it just doesn't feel like we're any more than tourists. Enid is home, but I don't have a "home" to go to there anymore. I'll get over it, I just don't deviate so well.

So anyway, I'm a downer tonight because I watched a sappy love story on my Netflix and now I'm weepy. So instead of rubbing my poor mood off on you, I'll leave you with a quote from my sappy movie:

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches
we found that we were one tree and not two."
-Captain Corelli's Mandolin

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

I'm Cold

It's cold here. Scoff if you want, but it is. When we first moved here I couldn't figure out why some houses had fireplaces. I thought that was so silly. "Why do you need a fireplace in paradise" I asked myself (and others, might I add) "It's silly".

Want to know what I think is silly now? That I don't have a fireplace.

PS - It's windier right now than it was the day they called off work for wind. Nice one, Hawaii.

Friday, January 16, 2009

What Do They Know That I Don't?

The weather forecast says that we are in for 40-50MPH winds with gusts possibly up to 60MPH - this is for the whole state, which is strage. Most northfacing beaches are closed because of possible 35 foot swells. I "shore" would like to see that! (Get the pun? C'mon!). Anyway, the wind is blowing and aparently that has signaled the end of the world. Schools are closed, state offices are closed, and most importantly I was forced into a day off. OH DANG! The pisser is that they didn't say "Oh we aren't opening the GW offices tomorrow, have the day off - on us!" they said "We aren't opening the GW offices tomorrow and this has to come out of your personal leave"! Ridiculous. When I questioned my supervisor on this, she said she'd give me unpaid time off when Erik is home on R&R (since I had my PL counted to the hour for our island hopping adventure) to make up for the day of travels we might have lost if she didn't approve it (actually she said she'd give me as much as I wanted). Which did make me feel better, but this is not a day off of my choosing - and I would just as soon choose to get paid and not penalized. I know it's not her fault though, so I didn't go into it further.

And what the heck anyway, Hawaii? The wind blows 40MPH and you close up shop? You don't even KNOW wind until you've trekked across the SWOSU campus, into the wind, when it's blowing 40MPH IN YOUR FACE - which I'm pretty sure was about every other day, by the way. I'm pretty sure you're just disappointed that most of the mainland is on snow day every other day and you wanted a piece of that pie! And fine, I'll take my slice too! Being off Friday for weather and Monday for MLK day gives me a 4 day weekend! Whoo!!

And speaking of pie, I have started watching my carbs. I'm following the South Beach plan for the first 2 weeks so that I can break my "addiction" (because thats what it is, supporting evidence to follow) to carbs and then we'll see where it goes. It's not really for the sake of loosing weight (although I am, and that's exciting) it's because every one I know that is low-carb has SO much energy and always feels great. I want to be like that! So I'm trying it. So in the first two weeks you can basically have no bread, pasta, sugar, or anything delicious whatsoever. But you can have cheese and eggs (and a few other, less sucky things). Whooo.... Anyway, I told you all that to tell you about this - I had a dream the other night that I was eating a roll. A roll that I stole from a bake sale because I couldn't take the low carbing any more. Now I don't know why I didn't just go buy the roll, it's not like the entire universe knows I'm low-carbing (well, until I press "Publish Blog" anyway) but I distinctly remember stealthily stealing the roll and then buttering it and thinking "You're going to be delicious!". If that's not evidence of an addiction to carbs, I don't know what is. Of course, it doesn't help that in the book I'm reading the guy works part time at a bakery and they talk about all his delicious confections.

Okay, that's all I've got for now.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Still Alive

Well I know I haven't been blogging as much as I should lately but the truth is - I'm rather boring lately! I go to work, I go to the gym, I come home and I go to bed.

Also, I have a very VERY favorite author, Wally Lamb, and he put a new book out in November. I got my hands on it about a week and a half ago and I've been spending most of my spare time reading it (luckily it's almost 1,000 pages, so I have lots to look forward to) and watching West Wing reruns.

Anyway, Baxter and I are doing okay here, and Erik is too. We plan to start planning our R&R trip(s) in a few days (5, actually) - how exciting! We're going to go island hopping, and we can't wait! Hey, when in Rome, right? Now maybe you're laughing at the countdown to just starting to plan our extravaganza, but we are both people who like to work against deadlines, so setting a specific date to start planning gives us something to look forward to. We might be weird, but but we're weird together.

I have an entire list of things to count down to before he gets home, that way I don't get bogged down thinking I still have x months until I get to see him again. I've already finished a quarter of my list - because almost a quarter of the deployment is over! Next on the list is to start planning for R&R, then Scott and Andrea come, then Valentines day, the 10k (you read that right, I've lost my mind and signed up for a 10k), my birthday and before I know it we're halfway there! Meanwhile, I'm kind of dreading the month of March (the 10k and my birthday). I fear both of which are going to remind me how old I'm getting. Yeah, yeah, 25 might not be old to *some* of you, but good Lord I remember turning 10! Fifteen freakin' years ago!! Where the heck has the time gone? I need a drink...

Sunday, January 4, 2009

"Neon Green"

Last Tuesday at work we had a "coffee hour" to send off one of the girls who is moving to another office. Since we have had 2 other coffee hours in the span of 2 weeks, it was decided that it would be a potluck instead of someone just picking up some muffins. Well I've noticed here that you don't have to bring breakfast food to a breakfast time potluck, which I kind of like. At this one there were Vienna Sausages (they're a big deal here, you prepare them with some kind of icky sauce), noodles (take out noodles! What does it say to you that you can get take out noodles here at 7:30AM?), cake, cookies, cream cheese pinwheels, sushi, and this rice dish with dicon (which I now know is neon green colored pickled turnup, or is it radish?) , seaweed and SPAM.

Well, I was running late because I had a phone call and when I got downstairs to the meeting area, everyone had already gotten their plates and was digging in. Lynn, the secretary offered me some of her rice (and SPAM) dish, and I said "Sure... but, whats the neon green business on the top?". Everyone laughs, and it's brought up that for our Christmas celebration we went to a sushi bar/fish market and I thought this particular sushi roll had a slice of Velveeta on it but really it was pressed eggs (it looked like Velveeta!). Everyone laughs again and talk about how gross Velveeta is. HELLO! You're eating Vienna Sausages! But I digress. Anyway, the rice with the neon green stuff (dicon) was tasty! I even had a second scoop! (We laugh about it, but I really do enjoy trying out all their different dishes. I need to think of things to take for them to try. Calf fries, anyone?)

So I told you all that to tell you this: At 4PM that afternoon I get a call from Lynn. (Backstory: English is a second language for many folks in my office, including Lynn). She says "Sheena, I have some extra..." (long pause) "....neon green. Would you like it?" HAHA!

Food = Love here in Hawaii (much like at home). And they say if you're offered food, you're in. I guess I'm in. That or everyone likes to have a laugh at the crazy girl from Oklahoma.

PS - The "neon green" was delicious on my California Roll for dinner!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Today I HATE Hawaii

I left work at 4PM today and as I was walking out I noticed 2 kids setting off fireworks in the ball field across the way. It's 10:33PM and the fireworks have not stopped.. And we're not talking an every once in awhile crackle, I am refering to near constant booms and bangs. Some of the "shows" these people are putting on are better than the ones my hometown city goverment would do for 4th of July! And the best part is that they set them off RIGHT next to their cars... Way to go, Einstein. I get that its a new year and all, but oh my Lord, enough! My house is filled with smoke (we leave the windows open), my dog is about to have a panic attack, car alarms are going off all over the place and I feel like I'm living in the middle of an airstrike. People here take it SO FAR that the health officials warned Obama that it was "potentially hazardous" to be here during the holiday - what abou the rest of us?! Over 100 people were treated for burns in Honolulu alone on New Years eve last year. 153,000 citizens with lung problems are at risk.

It's starting to rain, so maybe that will keep my house from catching fire. Oh, brilliant. I just looked out side and the ass hat next door is setting his fireworks off under the canopy he erected over his driveway. Earlier I saw more than one person setting off fireworks in the street - no more than a foot in front of their cars. I figured out later they were using the cars as windbreaks.

I'm going double check that our renters insurance is paid up, then I'm going to bed. Hopefully I'll be less scrooge-y in 2009. In the mean time, start thinking of places that we can spend New Years Eve next year.