So thats why they call it "digital"...

Many of you have been asking about pictures (and by 'many' of you, I mean 2 out of the 3 readers of my blog). While I am not the most technologically advanced of people, I do know how to upload digital pictures onto my computer. The hard part is motivating myself to upload and organize hundreds of pictures that I have neglected to upload in a timely fashion over the past 2 years. Well-I found my motivation, thanks to Amanda and Lindsay :) I am going to try to catch up with my blog and post some pictures and stories of my recent trips. Don't hold your breath though...I am still prone to procrastination (just checked my e-mail for the fourth time since starting this blog!--kinda kidding). Pictures to come :) :)

My glass is half full, but its also half empty.

I tend to think of myself as a pretty caring person. I am sensitive, but not overly emotional; moody but not raging; and pessimistically optimistic (yes, I made that one up). Jonathan will be going on what will likely turn into a 6 month business trip starting in the new year. When I think that he will be leaving so soon (1 1/2 months!!) I haven't decided yet if my glass is half empty or half full. The opportunities that Jonathan will have on this trip to learn, grow and protect our country are incredible!! After 5 1/2 years in his job, he will be finally be able to put his training to the test. While I will miss him so much when he is gone, I have been focusing on all of the positives that this separation will bring. Sometimes I feel a bit callous because I am really excited about some the things I will be doing next year during the time that Jonathan is away. I will be (hopefully) finishing up 2 more classes and will be OVER half way done with my DPT. I will be planning and going on amazing trips with girlfriends. I will MAYBE be working in the UK or doing a contract job in the states for a couple of months. Six months is a long time, but you know, in the scheme of things it really isnt that bad. I will try to feel thankful every day that I am sad and missing Jonathan, because at least God gave me someone who I would be so sad to be apart from.

Sometimes I feel like I need to hide my excitement of the girl trips that I will go on, the growing that I will do as a person, and the chance to eat grilled cheese and tomato soup everynight when Jonathan isnt home, because some may look at this deployment as a "glass half empty" time. But, my glass is half full for this upcoming separation. Both Jonathan and I will have an incredible amount of growing to do while we are separated--and our relationship will be stronger for that.


Jonathan is my best friend and I love hanging out with him. At the same time, I am a fiercly independent person and Jonathan is pretty independent himself. I love being co-independent with Jonathan and I think our independence and ability to be co-independent together makes our marriage that much stronger. Separation can be good for any marriage...although I'm not quite sure SIX months is necessary. Its easy to look at these separations with a "glass half empty" mind set--but you know what, my glass is half full today. I am looking forward to the adventures that both Jonathan and I will face on our own while he is away, but I am more excited for when we can share our stories with eachother.

Back to School...

I started school again this September...but I found that the start of it was rather anti-climatic. I was remembering all those years when mom would make an awesome breakfast, my new outfit for that day was laid out nights in advance just so I could look at it and try it on over and over, and I was actually excited at the prospect of another school year.

Usually, the start of school meant that I was in a new place because of my dad's job. When I was younger, this was so exciting for me because I knew that I would make lots of new friends at school when we moved. As I got older, the idea of making new friends every one to two years became less exciting and more...well...scary for lack of a better term. I realized that not all kids were nice, not everyone wanted to be friends with a military brat who was going to move in a year or two, and that lunch on the first day of school may be the most frightening thing a military child ever does. Now, don't get me wrong...I would not change ONE thing about my childhood...it has made me into the person I am today and allowed me to see the world long before my 18th birthday. It made me stronger, and weaker at times, but generally my life as a "brat" prepared me to face life's challenges.

After 12 schools (including three high schools), I finally graduated and headed to college in Boston where I would be able to live for over FIVE years! I remember thinking how weird it would be to stay in one place for SO long...after-all, the longest I had ever lived anywhere before that was three years (and that was when I was a baby). Though I interrupted my stay in Boston for a couple of months when I studied abroad in Sydney, Australia, I lived in the same place for over 5 years and loved it. I was definitely ready to move when I graduated, though. I couldn't wait to "start fresh" again.

SO, back to the main point (if there is one) of this blog. I am back in school. School always makes me nostalgic, and somewhat nauseous because I hate homework and papers. Despite this, I have subjected myself to one more degree. One month into this degree and I already have "senioritis"...if nothing else going back to school will help me to sharpen my procrastination skills.

Turbulence.

I got back to England on Wednesday, after the most turbulent flight of my life. I hate flying. It's getting worse the older I get. On this most recent tempt of fate (aka. flight), I gripped the in-flight pillow for over an hour with sweaty palms as our 737 was tossed around in the air. Even the flight attendants were instructed to sit down. I said my final prayers and prepared for the imminent plunge into the Atlantic. I checked for my life vest under the seat (thanks for the paranoia, mom), and went through the emergency landing procedures in my head. Needless to say, the plane held strong and I live to tell the tale of the HORRIBLE flight. It has come to my attention that my issues with flying may be past those of normal fliers; and yes, I am a freak. It's pretty ironic that flying seems so incredibly life-threatening to me, while Jonathan has decided to make a living out of it.

After my near-death experience (yes, I am exaggerating...just go along with it), I spent over 8 hours getting home from Gatwick airport (normally the trip should take about 2 1/2 hours). So that was fun. And very British. I forgot how "British" this country really is. But I did miss England while I was in the States. It's good to be home.

Honeymoon in Hawaii...with my parents?

My parents and I take off for Hawaii tomorrow morning, and I am just a little bit excited!! My mom and I are tagging along on my dads work trip. And yes, my dad will actually be working. In fact he is not really going to have ANY time off at all. So, THANKS to dad for working hard so that mom and I can play harder!

Initially I felt bad for tagging along with my parents to Hawaii...especially since they have never had a formal honeymoon (even though they have been married for over 34 years!) and my mom has never been to Hawaii. Though once I learned my dads work schedule while there, I realized that this might actually be a honeymoon for my mom and I to share. My husband will be working hard in Las Vegas for training (ONE more month to go until he comes home!), my dad will be in meetings all day and my mom and I will be holding hands while sipping cocktails next to the pool. By cocktails, I mean that my mom will be sipping a water (or some other non-alcoholic beverage) and I will be sipping some crazy good drink with an umbrella in it. KCamp (my mom) has NEVER had an alcoholic drink in her life. I will definitely miss the hubby, but I have no doubt that my mom and I will have fun. I keep trying to talk her into snorkling with me. Since introducing the idea about a week ago to her she has come up with multiple reasons why snorkeling is a very "risky" activity.
#1: Severe back sun burns have been increasing in the past several years in Hawaii--many tourists have been hospitalized with infections. (Note to tourists who are snorkeling without applying and reapplying sunscreen and/or wearing a shirt: YOU WILL GET A SUN BURN)
#2: Many snorkelers die every year...by drowning. Turns out people don't think to stop breathing through the snorkel when a large wave goes above their heads. (Note to tourists: Don't breath water through snorkel...your lungs don't like that.)
#3: There is an inherent risk of shark attack when snorkeling. Now, I am not going to fight this one with my mom...after all I am still convinced that I saw Jaws in the man-made British lake that I swam in.

I am determined to snorkel with my mom. I am just going to feel incredibly guilty if she drowns while getting a severe sun burn and getting attacked by a shark. Oh well, the risk is worth it!

ALOHA!

I love me some America. So should you.

My parents and I took a trip to Nashville, TN 2 weeks ago to go to the Grand Ole Opry. Included on the list of performers were: Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Wynona (Judd) and Lee Greenwood. The concert was pretty amazing...and a little wierd at the same time. The Grand Ole Opry is shown on GAC (a country music tv channel) and is also broadcast on the radio. Every 2-3 minutes during the first half of the show (before the big stars perform) the MC has to read an adverstisement. Very repetitive and slightly annoying, but somehow it adds to the charm of the show.



Back to the performers: While all of the performers were incredible(!!!) I had the most goose bumps with Lee Greenwood's performance. Lee Greenwood sang "God Bless the USA" and received a standing ovation from the minute he started his song to the moment it ended. Almost everyone sang the words with him and you couldnt help but feel the amazing amount of patriotism in that room.



In a time where the US is polarized between those who call themsevles Reblicans and those that call themselves Democrats, those that support the war and those that don't, those who are pro-life and those who are pro-choice, etc etc., I think that it is very easy to forget just how lucky we are to be American citizens. We live in a country where we can go to church on Sunday and not worry about being persecuted for our beleifs. A country where we can go to a pizza joint and not worry about a suicide bomber entering the restaurant. A country where we can speak out against our government to make our opinions known. A country where we can VOTE for our political leaders. Yes, there are many things in the US that should change, but overall this is a pretty amazing country to belong to.



In his song, Lee Greenwood states: "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me"



In times when you might be angry at America for its politics, its failures, and its wrong decisions you can NEVER forget the men and women that are serving and have served this country to keep it free. Military members are self-less, they serve and risk their lives so that we can be free and so that we can speak our minds, even if we are speaking out against the war that they are fighting.

So, thank you to every service member in the US military (and their families). Without your bravery and selflessness we wouldn't be living in the land of the free.

If you act classy, does that make you classy?

I am staying with my parents in Huntsville, AL for about a month this summer while Jonathan is "working" in Las Vegas. My dad keeps pretty busy with his job; usually he is out of town during the week but luckily there is a conference in Huntsville this week so he has been in town. Part of my dads job is schmoozing and small talk...and when I visit the parents I get to partake in this "socializing" as I attend events with them. Last night, my parents hosted a dinner party for some of the foreigners that were in town for the conference. My parents have an AMAZING chef (provided by my dads job...and NO my parents aren't rich) who made a very yummy dinner for us. Countries represented at our dinner table included: Israel, France, Germany and the Netherlands (not to mention America ;) ). Usually these dinner parties are pretty stuffy, and I have to act classy (NOT klassy). I sat up straight, folded my hands on my lap and made sure not to spill my milk (I am only 16 years old you know--please see previous blog).

Turns out, these Europeans are pretty cool. Some conversations began to focus on space ships and rocket science (Boring! no offense to all you rocket scientists out there); but the better conversations were about the similarities between men and women cross-culturally. The husbands at the table continually rolled their eyes as the women discussed shopping, not spending enough time with their hubbies and the fact that husbands should cook more often. I was able to sip on my wine and laugh the whole night.

At the end of the night, when the dinner party was over and we were cleaning up I began to ponder my own classy-ness. If I act classy, dress classy and hang around classy people, does that make me classy OR am I like a Prado purse: a cheap knock-off?