Month: January 2014

by

…But on a lighter (or at least more thoughtful!) note…

While I was puking my guts out Monday night into Tuesday morning, I took a moment to Google some tips on relief. The first several links were – sadly – all about how to deal with cancer and chemotherapy. It gave me a serious wake-up call in the midst of my self-pity… I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, and again, and again… I am SO thankful for a healthy body.

I’ve always wished and prayed for health and happiness – for myself, for my loved ones, for everyone! I think those are the two most important things. But in that moment (I’m sure exaggerated by the situation in which I found myself), I decided that if I had to choose one, it would be health. Not that happy people are always healthy, or unhealthy people always unhappy, but happiness is so much more difficult to achieve if your body (and mind) won’t cooperate. All I could think about were the cancer patients reading the same links I was reading. All I could think about was my mother, homeless on that freezing cold night. I had it damn good, curled up in the loving embrace of my porcelain potty.

Freedom from disease of the body and of the mind is a beautiful thing. It’s so much more difficult to pursue happiness if you don’t have that. I hope I never take my freedom for granted.

by

What a goofy week…

1) Uncle dies. I was not particularly close to him, and his life was fairly depressing… but still. RIP, Uncle Bill 😦

2) Mom suddenly resurfaces. After 6 months of relative silence and “treatment” (aka punishment for her recent offenses), she is back on the streets of Colorado. What is even more depressing about the whole situation (besides the fact that it’s freezing cold everywhere lately) is that my Dad seems to have harbored a belief somewhere deep down that the “treatment” was going to help. He still clings to this shred of hope that perpetually leads to disappointment…

3) I got food poisoning Monday night, and while the puking has subsided, I still get bouts of wooziness and I tire easily. Damn you, expired Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls!

4) My sister’s dog basically has two bum lungs, and needs to have his chest cut open to have them fixed, at a very high cost. If not, he dies. He’s already had several liters of air pumped out of his chest cavity already. Basically, her dog is to her what Annie is to me, so… I feel Bonni’s despair.

5) I went to the doctor before Christmas for my pre-Japan medical clearance, all on top of things and ready to go. I repeatedly asked for confirmation paperwork and signatures, but was emphatically told I did not need any. Turns out she was wrong, wrong, wrong, so I get paperwork from some random source in Japan and go back this week, still woozy from the food poisoning. She doesn’t understand the papers, so she sends me home while she calls around to figure them out. As it turns out, she isn’t qualified to do medical clearances, and I’m supposed to go to some other place that does them. Now I’m trying to schedule doctor’s appointment #3, but no one will pick up their phone! Of course, we can’t finalize or book anything until we are cleared. I can’t decide if it’s the military at large that is incompetent, if it’s me, or if it’s just the Army. Ha! 

6) I have to take the Bean to the worst vet appointment ever, but you all already know about that. 180-day quarantine started yesterday (at least it’s in-home!)

Grrr. Can this week be over already? I need a fresh start.

by

And that’s a wrap!!

As of this past weekend, I am officially finished with wedding season! I know everyone has their crazy years, and this was most definitely mine, with eight weddings this fall and winter. I must say that I am very glad I went to them all, because it will likely be quite a while before I see everyone all together again. Each wedding was special, unique, and fun. I feel like Captain Jack Sparrow – “I LOVE weddings. Drinks all ‘round!”

Anyway, this past one was in Portsmouth, a Naval port city in southeastern Virginia. It seemed kind of random at first, but it came together nicely as I realized how well it fit the couple, both of whom graduated from the Naval Academy back in the day. I think this wedding wins for best DJ! I had so much fun dancing the night away 🙂

My poor little Sugar had a rough day today. One of the necessary procedures for getting her into Japan is a FAVN test, which requires a large sample of blood drawn directly from the jugular. They wisely left me in a different room so they could tie her down and draw the blood without upsetting me, but I could still hear her cry 😦

She ultimately got through it ok, but I am grateful she still loves me now that it’s all said and done! #traumatizedkitty #traumatizedmama #cat

by

Guilty confession

I may or may not have set my alarm early this morning to catch the online Lilly Pulitzer sale as soon as it opened. I NEVER do things like that! Unfortunately (or maybe quite fortunately), very little of what I’ve been admiring the past few months was actually on sale…

But still! No shame… no shame. The sales are just too dramatic to miss. And this particular style will be great for life in tropical Japan. Am I right??? Yes, I am right.

This was the most classy, low key, and expensive New Years’ Eves I’ve ever had, but it was also one of the most magnificently fun. My dear Roomie (with whom I lived for 3 years when I was in Arlington), recently bought her first home with her husband, right outside of Atlanta. They opened their beautiful doors for us, and we headed into the city for dinner and drinks at the Sun Dial Restaurant & Bar – a rotating establishment perched on the 74th floor of the Westin, featuring stunning panoramic views of the city below! We were even too high up for the fireworks that went off at midnight 🙂

I’m not sure it was the type of thing I’d ever do again (it was so overpriced!), but I am still glad we did it. I’d say everyone should do it once, if you are ever in Atlanta! It’s probably somewhat cheaper when it’s not NYE.

by

2013: A Year in Review

Actually, I’d like to talk about more than just one year. Specifically, I want to talk about the past 3 years! Only because I feel as though 2014 is the beginning of a whole new era, and it’s rather unbelievable how much has happened in that relatively brief period of time. The events of those years have ultimately culminated into what I am feeling at this very moment, and captures an interesting combination of emotion, growth, and self-discovery that I know is not nearly finished yet.

In that time as a new wife between 2010 and 2013, I’ve been through two deployments, two work-ups, three less-than-desirable moves (about to do a fourth), and said goodbye to two really good jobs – not to mention friends, family, and ready access to some of my favorite things. Sure, I’ve dealt with a little resentment in the process (and probably still will from time to time), but I’ve also experienced things that have added new dimension to my life, in all kinds of ways that I like to think make me happier and more interesting than I was before. I worked in the medical community. I lived on the beach. I diversified my resume in the business community. I visited beautiful Southern cities and held baby tigers. I learned the inner workings of (and made a name for myself in) a whole new city. And with frequent moves and long separations, I learned my own strength. Essentially, the past few years have forced me to create opportunity for myself in new and unexpected ways.

Now, I’m about to embark on a new adventure with my husband and partner in crime. I can’t lie – the first few weeks after hearing the news were really difficult and full of inner turmoil, but now I am remarkably at peace with it. In fact, I am even excited about it, and look upon the move with inspiration and hope for the great (and even the not so great) experiences it will bring.

I do struggle with some things that come with being a military spouse (and I try not to struggle too much out loud), but the truth of the matter is that Chuck is the best thing to ever happen to me, and I love him and my little Annie Bean more than anything in the world. I know how rare and special it is to find that kind of love and family and adventure, and I want to be sure I never take that for granted, in 2014 and beyond…