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.

Operation: Military Kids- Family Day

I got a flyer for Operation: Military Kids- Family Day and it looked like it would be fun. A chance for Madison and I to meet some other military families. It was at a Marines' base that is about thrity five minutes away. I know I have been up in the area before but I couldn't picture it. I wanted to leave myself plenty of time. I was thinking that we would get there early and Madison could play at the park a little while before it started. That was not true, we got there at 9:30 and there were already 200 people in line. So I decided to get in line too, they were handing out backpacks and school supplies to the first 600 kids which was what everyone was in line for. I forgot to mention that they gates didn't open until 11:00, which actually turned out to be 11:20. Anyhow, while we were waiting in there was a couple ladies talking. The one lady asked me about what branch of the military my husband was in," Navy." "Oh mine too," she said. I said the ship mine is on and she said "mine is too." She was telling me that her husband was the CMC. Then she was like my husband probably know your husband and visa verusa. The CMC is the third in command on the ship and he meets with the Chiefs everyday. Ah I learned something today. She was asking if I was aware of the different groups they have for the ship and the wives. Nope! So she said she would add my name and email to the list. I was a interesting wait.
Once we were in the gates we ate the boxed lunch they gave us. Madison petted the turtle, pig and bunny. The only animal she didn't pet was the llama. They only had four animals in their petting zoo and I was a little dissappointed. That was the main reason I brought Madison. We looked at all the information booths, she rode the little car below, we went to get her face painted and they were finished painting face so we left because there wasn't to much more to do. And it was HOT! I was still pretty fun. Madison was really excited about the car ride and I was excited to meet someone who's husband works with my husband.

A Thousand Thanks for All you Do!

A salute to America's military children. A couple from church send me information to request a letter be sent to your child thanking them for their parents role in the military and also thanking the child as well, signed with a cartoon character. I send out the request and didn't know what to except. We received the letter today and Madison was so excited to receive mail from Scooby Doo and the Gang. She wants to write Scooby back and tell him about her dad and her life. How cute.

Flag Day

I Miss You

I miss you in the moring,

I miss you late at night,

But I know what you are doing

Is good and just and right.

You're always in my thoughts;

I hope that you can see

I'm proud of you for serving

Our country, God, and me.

And when you're home again

I won't miss you anymore,

But I'll always admire your courage

For fighting in this war.

By Joanna Fuchs

I just want to thank all the military who are out there fighting for this country and all of those who have fought in the past. Thank you, without you we wouldn't have the freedom we have today. God Bless you all.