Day 25: My day

Today's theme is a picture that describes your day, I had trouble coming up with just one picture. So I thought I would just use many pictures to sum things up.

My day started in a delightful couch potato form, although I did break to make breakfast, clean a bit, and see what was going on in my virtual world. 

Since it was such an amazing day out, I sat outside in the sun while the kids played.

The kids and I went to a birthday party for Alyssa.  It was an Olivia theme, which was amazing.  Lori is so creative and made all the decorations and such.  It makes me wonder if I could be that creative too with the help of a Cricut....but somehow I think I'm not that talented.

All was great until the clown entered.

I just don't like clowns.  I like magic.  I like balloons and face painting.  I even like the bunny.  But I don't like clowns.  Especially when it looks like they haven't washed their costume in a while.  Mia wasn't thrilled either...but did enjoy the tricks and I have to admit that the clown was amazing at face painting and did a pretty, glittery butterfly on Mia's hand. She also made Mia a balloon kitty, and Mikey a T-Rex.

There were plenty of treats...and LOTS of sugar.  LOTS.

My weekends revolve around Nascar so we came home and watched the Nationwide Race.

And now I have resumed my rightful place on the couch!

Day 24: If only I could change this.



A few days ago I was putzing around on Facebook and saw a mysterious status update from a Kiwi friend...followed by more statuses of friends saying they were OK.  OK about what?

A quick google search later my heart sunk as I realised what was happening.  Yet another earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand, and this time it was really bad.

Really bad.

I've felt my fair share of earthquakes, but I have never seen this kind of destruction or been as scared as I was with this one.  My heart broke as I watched the news seeing familiar buildings crumbled, and my usually unemotional Kiwi's breaking down in terror and sadness. Hundreds have died, and many are missing.  All my family are in the North Island and are fine, but I do have friends that live there and are without power or water, and are left to clean up a big mess.  But they are safe which is most important to me.

But I'm sitting here safe, unable to do anything.

I am very grateful for Facebook for once because it does provide instant information and updates.  And I'm overwhelmed by people all over the world and here at Ft Bragg who have contacted me to make sure my friends and family are OK.  It really does help. And I know that there are so many prayers and well wishes for New Zealanders and those affected right now.

I wish I could be at home to donate food and clothes, to offer a room or a safe place to stay, or to donate blood.  But I can't.

Just make sure you tell people how much they matter to you, because you never know what will happen in a minute from now. Life and Love is the most important thing.

Day 23: The Power of One

A picture of my favorite book:

This has been my favorite book for the majority of my life. I must have read it for the first time when I was about 14 years old, and I've read it so many times since.  I have to say that it really changed my life, and my views.

It's about a kid called Peekay who was born in apartheid South Africa.  As an 'English' child, he attends an Aafrikaner boarding school where he first discovered racial intolerance.  It follows his journey where he meets a German Pianist/Scientist who is detained in a prison because he's German, and Peekay is taught to box by a mixed race prisoner. It highlights all the intolerance and violence, while celebrating peoples best qualities at the same time. He grows up to become a World Champion boxer.

It's not so much Peekays journey that I love, although his story is incredible, but it's the real historical events intertwined in the story that I love.  Most of Bryce Courtenay's books follow this format where stories are based on real events. Apartheid, Soweto Riots....so many things are included. 

I used to be obsessed with South African history because the injustice towards all racial groups and ethnicity astounded me.  Not just the appauling treatment of the blacks, but even the English and Affrikaaner interactions.  The history behind it all is just so interesting. I can't stand racism at all, and I'm proud that as a New Zealander we have pretty good (not perfect though) race relations, to a point where we don't notice peoples ethnicity, or it just doesn't matter. I think as a culture we try to celebrate different cultures.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll read with your jaw dropped to the floor, but you'll love this book. You'll look back to it during challenging circumstances in your own life, and be inspired.



I'm back!!

So I definately haven't been keeping up with my goal of blogging daily.  You see, Jeremy took the laptop with him, and the computer upstairs....well, it's time a sledge hammer is taken to it.  Jeremy broke the disc drive on it during R&R on deployment number 1, and well, we're on number 3 and its just not worth fixing it. 

So my wonderful husband allowed me to get this new laptop.  It's not the best or most expensive, but I am extremely grateful for it. It makes my life much easier.  Mikey can research for projects with more supervision, Mia won't have a tantrum everytime I need to do work for the FRG, and I can multitask a thousand times easier! Now I just have to figure out how to get all the pictures and music off the computer upstairs and on to this laptop. (If anyone tech savvy knows how to put whats on my IPOD directly onto here, that would be great!)

Anyway, if you're wanting a brief summary of whats been going on, I've officially started my FRG Leader duties, I've been diagnosed with TMJ which makes it feel like I've gone a few rounds in the ring with Mike Tyson...ie OW!! Nascar season has started in the most wonderful way possible.  Mikey is doing great at school. Mia is still having a hard time without Daddy, but I have her enrolled in CYS now and can take her to Hourly Care on post so we can at least have a break from each other. We've had many birthday parties to attend which the kids love, and I've got a few great friends who are really supporting me! I'm one lucky gal!!

Day 22: Miss Suzy Homemaker

So today my picture is of something I wish I was better at.  And no, I do not want to be Miss Suzy Homemaker, but that's what I googled to get this picture!  I mean more of a modern times Miss Melania Magnificent!

You see, I am jealous of those people who always seem put together.  I don't feel the need to have designer clothes, but you know people like I'm describing.  They find great deals, always dress appropriately, always look wonderful - hair, clothes, make up....but have many other talents too.  Take for example my sister-in-law Jenn.  She's works damn hard, but always looks nice.  She can dress up and not look overdressed or try hard, she looks made up without looking like she's going to a bar, her hair is always nice, and she's one of the kindest, wittiest people you'll ever meet. She's super crafty and can see beauty in so many things.  Take an ugly, beat up dresser, and she can make into something I would drool over. She's smart, well read, and excellent at pop culture, travels a lot, and the best friend or aunt anyone could ask for.

Now, I know I have many talents that I don't give myself credit for.  I can cook, but I'm not confident to cook for others (with the exception of my Pavlova!).  I can sing in tune.  I can color great with crayons - I tell people that and they laugh at me, but I'm really good! 

I would also like to be wittier, and have a larger vocabulary. I would love to be well-read, and be one of those people who are decisive and not notoriously vague like me.  I would love to be the girl who can open her pantry and whip up something delicious with the bare minimum ingredients. I would love to be a bit more like the "typical officers wife", but part of me is glad that I'm not.

Maybe there is someone who thinks of me in the same way that I think of so many other people?  Smart, laid back yet classy, talented, a great Mom, a good cook. I know most of us don't see ourselves the way others see us, and if they do it's often a negative quality. Maybe it's something for me to work on?  Like just accepting one compliment at a time. And maybe I should be more complimentary?

Or maybe just one way I can achieve Miss Magnificent status is looking back on my attempts throughout life when I'm 80 and about to kick the bucket and see the fun I had trying to get there.....

Day 21: I wish I could forget this....

The worst two hours of my life. This sucked.  I saw it at a Film Festival back when I lived in Sweden and it's still by far the worst movie I've ever seen.

OK, so it's not exactly "A Picture of something that you wish you could forget" but some pictures just aren't appropriate to post, or something you want to remember, such as 4 month old Mikey in the hospital with RSV, or a funeral, or a 3rd Grader breaking down talking about the loss of her father.

So for keeping me positives sake, it's this movie.

And it gets more complicated...

I can't for the life of me remember if I blogged about getting Mia allergy tested....

Anyway, to cut a long story short, she gets a boogy nose once a month, gets many ear infections, hives on more than one occassion, rashes....I noticed it was really bad after having high doses of Whole Grain. So while talking to the doctor and explaining myself, the doctor agreed with me that it wasn't just my imagination and that I was right to be fed up with the Benadryl the Army kept shoving at me.

So a few weeks back she had her initial testing done at the Allergists office.  They did the skin pinch test on her back which was just unpleasant for all of us. That all turned out negative which was surprising, so he gave me a page full of blood work that he wanted done.

Her next appointment is tomorrow, so I swung by today to pick up the lab results just incase they weren't faxed to the specialist.  And me being the nosey person I am, read it, googled it and I think I may know what's up.

Her ...I don't know what they are but there are are a lot of IGA's, IGG's, Gliadin....which is hinting at Celiac's Disease.  That, and it says not to rule it out.  I guess a level of something (NOTI IGA and GLIADIN IGG) is pretty damn high, but it doesn't completely mean Celiac's, but may suggest it.  Whatever it is specifically if it's known at all, means that she'll be on a Gluten Free diet for the rest of her life.  Sux for her since she loves bread, pasta, crackers.  There are a lot of Gluten Free products available, and it will be hard and more expensive at first, but I'm guessing we'll all feel healthier when it comes down to it.

The next part says: ASAP TBILI 14.9 (0.2 - 1.0) mg/dL; DBILI 0.2; BILI UNCONJ 14.7 mg/dL.  From what I can gather her unconjugated bililalalalalala levels are rediculously high.  Thats something to do with something being processed in the liver, and bile and poop color. (This is why I am not an allergist!!) Then further googling suggests this thing called Gilbert's Disease...which is to do with these Bili levels...and hereditary....and EVERY DAMN SYMPTOM DESCRIBES ME!!  They even say it's usually something that isn't diagnosed until it's stumbled upon, so you bet your ass I want a needle jabbed into me for testing.

So yeah, it all sounds like doom and gloom, but it's all treatable with diet for the most part, so just reinforces the need for permanent change. Now, just getting a diet that is good for IBS, Lactose Intolerance, Gluten Free, and good for GERD.....hahahahahahaha....hence the reason I say it's gotten more complicated.

Day 20: Vancouver Island

Day 20 is a picture of a place that I would love to travel.  Well, if you know me, that's pretty much anywhere in the world. But for the 30 day challenges sake, I'll choose Nanaimo in Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.

That's where my grandfather was born.  He moved with his family to New Zealand when he was 8 years old, and he always had the softest Canadian accent.  Maybe growing up listening to him talk was how I'm picked up this mess of an accent that I have now.

I don't remember him talking about Canada at all - I was only 9 when he died, but I do remember Mum telling me about his mother who never quite got over leaving Canada.  I guess her husband (my Great Grandfather) was a miner and met her in Canada and moved the family to New Zealand for work.  I know what it's like to leave everything you know and live in a new land. Heck, there will always be parts of me that longs for New Zealand.

But just look how beautiful this picture is.  Can you imagine me just sitting at the top of one of those mountains looking down at the water, just watching the ferries go by?  I've been to Canada briefly, but not out to British Columbia.  That's partially why I would love to be stationed at Ft Lewis just so that I could have the opportunity to vacation there.



Well, it's that time again...

Jeremy left yesterday.

It was pretty uneventful.  I was very thankful that my sister-in-law, Jenn, was with me to watch the kids while they were knocked out in the car.  To fill in the time when Jeremy was doing "Army Stuff", and to keep me occupied during the 'hurry up and wait' phase.  The three of us played Uno (which has an Oogie Boogie card which I have to say is entertaining), and Phase 10. Then without warning they were boarding and gone. Like ripping off a bandaid.

Mikey was so sick, and he understands what is going on. So he did really well.  The quote of the day had to be "Now they are going to have to take down the 'Welcome Home Troops' sign in the PX because Daddy left".  Haha....that was funny!!  We explained to Mia that Daddy had to go bye-bye on the big airplane...she didn't like that.  But she happily waved good-bye to the plane....and every other plane since then. And this morning the first thing she asked was if Daddy was at work.  She doesn't get it, and while she's doing great now, it will hit her in a few days.

As for me, I'm doing fine.  I'm a little bummed, but oddly calm. Of course I'm sad and lonely, but I also think that I'm so used to separations that I'm numb to it all.  Again, it will hit me soon, and I'll be prepared for a major meltdown which would be normal.  But I'm fine.  I guess the key is to keep busy, which I am achieving so far.  It's almost racing season which gives me a lot to look forward to!! And I know that I have dear friends praying for us, and if you're one of them reading this, they're being recieved loud and clear.

Just a little amusing side note though.  It's really weird just cooking for the kids and I.  I thought I was cooking less, but I had so many left overs that it was rediculous!!  And since we didn't cook for a few days leading up to yesterday, I have a tonne of veggies in my fridge that I don't know if I'll be able to eat them all....I just hope I won't turn orange from eating too many carrots!

As for the 30 Photo Challenge - I'll get back to that tomorrow after I find the paper with it written on...which Jeremy kindly put away for me.  Thanks hun.  I'm heading off to watch American Idol!! Yay for mindless time-consuming shows!!