One Year!

Picture taken Oct 2007

We have been in California for one year now. We arrived in San Diego, on September 28th. A Friday which met that we had to wait the whole weekend before we would have a chance to look at houses on Monday. Of course that all worked out and we are settled in, as settled in as you can get being military and renting. A lot has happened over that year. The things that stick out the most... the deployment, Madison starting kindergarten, my weight loss, and all the friends that we have made. I think most of the people we have gotten to know best are people from church, which is great. I have also started to like board games or at least Bunco nights. How could you not like Bunco night? Getting to spend a few hours talking with other ladies, snacks, gifts and oh yeah the game.


Life has changed since Madison started school. I had no idea how much homework kindergartens have, it's crazy. Everyday she has something that she needs to be doing. On Monday's she gets her homework packet and she has until Friday to get it finished. On Friday they bring the packet back to school so you would think that you are free of homework for the weekend. They bring a book home on Thursday. Everyday you supposed to read the book. I have to say that I have been slacking a little on the book but everything else gets done. I have been feeling a little overwhelmed with all the stuff going on here and was looking forward to the fall break which started on the 22nd or after school on the 19th. Yes I will have a chance to relax and enjoy time with Maddie. Not exactly what happened!


The last day of school before break, Maddie's class went on a field trip. I went on the field trip, it was fun. However I was ready to get back to school so we could start enjoying the break. I had a lot of ideas about where we would go and when just no set plans yet. After being home for a few hours I started to feel sick and by bed time I was not feeling well at all. The whole weekend I was puking, coughing and had a fever between 101 to 103 that wouldn't go away and stay away with meds. I decided to call the doctor on Monday morning but they couldn't get me in (military clinics suck). They forwarded my condition to a nurse who called me and I was told to take sudafed and tylenol, call back in three days if you are not feeling better. Wednesday afternoon I was still not feeling well and I decided that I would call now for an appointment tomorrow. Once again I was told that they didn't have an appointments available at my clinic or any other clinic, if I wanted to see a doctor I had to go to the ER. I was actually totally against going to the ER but I thought it's the only way I can see a doctor and I don't think I'm getting better. By this time I was totally annoyed to say the least with the military's healthcare system! So I get myself and Madison ready for a trip to the ER. We walked in and there were so many people there people where standing because there where not enough chairs. I was thinking great, this will be fun. I signed in and was about to leave the counter when I thought that I should probably have Madison checked out too since she was starting to have the same cough I had and she had been with me since I was sick. They checked us both in, we did all the paper work and vitals. We stood and waited for some chairs to open up. Shortly after we got the chairs and we had been waiting about an hour a doctor came out and said "There are more of you out here than we have doctors back here. However we will get to everyone who is here now but we are running behind right now. You are looking at a five to six hour wait! If you feel your condition has improved and you wish to leave you may but know that we will get to you." I was thinking five or six hours, we probably will not be seen until ten o'clock tonight. How sick am I really? Maybe I should just go. I mean I have already been sick for six days it will probably only be a few more days, I think I can handle it. Should I go up to the counter and tell them I'm leaving? Should I stay? Just then a nurse walks out and calls three people, one being Madison. We get into the room and the doctor starts asking me about Madison and why she is there. I tell her, I'm actually the one who is sick but I want her to get checked out since she has been home with me pretty much the whole time. Our charts where no longer together so she ran out to get them so she could check us at the same time. YES! Madison looked good. Me, on the other hand..... she's a little concerned with. "You need a x ray because I think you have pneumonia." I get the x ray and she comes back later, "you have pneumonia." I was thinking they were going to have to admit me, what was I going to do with Maddie? The good news is you can do it out patient. SO right now I'm taking my meds trying to relax and get rid of the pneumonia. I have to go to the doctor on Wednesday for another x ray to see how it's going. Hopefully the medicine is taking care of it because I think that I will have to go to the hospital if it doesn't get better. Right now I'm still having a hard time breathing. I have never had pneumonia before so I don't know if it's clearing up or not. I know that I'm ready for it to be gone so I can enjoy what is left of the break with Madison and so I can get back to workout. I know that even if they say it's gone and my breathing is the way it is now when I go back to the gym I'm going to be in trouble. There is no way I can run, jog or even do weights like this. I would be gasping for air to whole time. I think that we forget how important every breath is until we have a hard time breathing. I know that when I can breath normally again I will be thankful. This also makes me realize that I need to take better care of myself so my body will be able to heal quicker in the future.

Three Year Anniversary to the Chief!

Congrats, Honey you have been a CHIEF for three years! Also congratulation to all the new CPOs. Traditionally the Chief pinning cermony is held on September 16th. Since today is September 16th, I was thinking back on our journey to chief. I mean Paul's journy to chief, but honestly it was a family affair. I didn't do anything to increase the odds of him making chief but I was along for the ride. Since today is the day they celebrate the pinning I wanted to share something that I thought you might find interesting.

The anchor is the emblem of the rate of a Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy. Attached to the anchor is a length of chain and the letters "U.S.N." These identify a Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy. To a Chief, the letters and the anchor have a noble and glorious meaning.

* The "U" stands for Unity, which reminds us of cooperation, maintaining harmony and continuity of purpose and action.

*The "S" stands for Service, which reminds us of service to our God, our fellow mand and out Navy.

*The "N" stands for Navigation, which reminds us to keep ourselves on a true course so that we may walk upright before God and man, and in our transactions with all mankind, but more importantly, with our fellow Chiefs.

*The "Chain" is symbolic of flexibility, and it reminds us of the chain of life that we forge day by day, link by link. May it continually be forged with honor, courage, morality and virture.

*The "Anchor" is emblematic of the hope and glory, or of the fulfillment of God's promises to our souls. It is the golden and precious anchor, by which we must keep steadfast in the faith and encouraged to abide in our proper station amidst the storm of temptation, affliction, and persecution. (Taken from Lifelines)

Memories from the pinning ceremony:

I love you!

Reminder of the Greatest Love

Everyday you wake up and put on a face happy because you have stuff to do and a kid to take care. There is no time to fall apart. I have been trying to just suck it up and move on. One small set back after another and being disappointed in myself have left me feeling depressed. My weight loss is currently at a plateau. I'm trying to lose more but I'm not seeing results which results in me pulling away from the working out and watching what I eat. I think what the sense, it's not working. I think about working out at home....I could get on the elliptical but it's still broke. I have been trying to get it fixed and now replaced since Madison started school but it has been two months of frustration. We bought the machine so I could workout at home and I still have to go to the gym. Plus, I'm missing my husband. I miss his encouraging words and everything about him. The frustration of everyday things is starting to get to me. Madison was sick three days last week with a fever so she couldn't go to school but she acted normal. For anyone who doesn't know her, she's the Energizer bunny. Really that kid just goes and goes, even when she is sick. Sit down and relax. I think that being stuck in the house was the straw that broke the camels back. The downhill slide begins.

Last night I was in stuck in the muck, having myself a little pity party. This morning I wished that I could just sleep all day but I had to get up and get Maddie to school. Not to mention the list of stuff that I had to get done for the day. I got an email from my honey which lifted my spirts a little. Then for dinner tonight Madison and I decided we would have dinner on the deck. While we where eating I decided that I really need to trim some bushes. I trimmed the bushes but there were still dead leaves lying on the rocks below the bushes. It was time to get Maddie ready for bed but look I hadn't gotten all the work done I wanted. I looked at the flower bed, all the dead leaves were still on the rocks. Wait, what is that? A petal...a heart shaped rose petal layed on the rocks with all the dead trimmings. There was something beautiful. I went over to check it out. The first thing I thought was God Loves me. He's here with me even when life is loney and frustrating. He is here with me amd he will use all of my disappointments for good, whether I see it or not.

The petal laying just the way I seen it.

A message I try to read as a daily reminded to myself that my life is not my own.

I'm here to trust God to lead me to where he wants me to go.

I may not aways be where I want to be in life but there is always a hope for something better.