I have to jump back to Japan because I have so much left to share. Especially this particular day that will forever be engrained in my brain as one of the neatest most amazing experiences of my life. Not many get this opportunity and I was honored to be a part of it.
The day after arriving in Japan, I got to go on the USS George Washington, the nuclear aircraft carrier, for an entire day. I got to experience it leaving port, going out to sea, an airshow, fighter jets taking off, landing, a personal tour throughout the entire ship (by my one and only), and it returning to port.
In one word it was AMAZING
We had to get up fairly early to get breakfast on the boat, and let me tell you…ship food is something to pass up. I feel for the deployed. It was served in the hangar bay, and holy moly, it was so incredibly humid there, every single person was dripping sweat, and all the military personnel had to be in their uniforms. I felt for them even more.
The halls and ladders require a person to be in shape. Stepping over, climbing up, walking through, going down… it had me lost and turned around, all while {quietly} (…I have a reputation to uphold) huffing and puffing as we took ladder after ladder to go higher and higher.
Walking around the flight deck had me so giddy and nervous inside. Between you and me, I get really nervous around G-man’s work because I want to act proper, not mess anything up, and play by the rules. It’s like I imagine myself as a child walking through a china shop and having to hold my hands together so I won’t bump or break anything. I get that nervous. I loosened up eventually but as I told G-man at one point, I just don’t want to embarrass him in any way around his peers.
-he quickly put it to rest that I could never embarrass him-
Like everyone else, we had free reign of {almost} the entire ship, walking around at our leisure, enjoying all the little ins and outs of the ship, so G-man let me take my time as I walked around the flight deck, soaking it all up. It was memorable.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Once in a lifetime experience
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Facebook official
I got the official word that my sister’s news has become Facebook official. And if you know, NOTHING’S official unless it’s Facebook official. So I’m extremely excited to finally gush, myself.
#4, here we come!! My dear sister is beyond sick with this one. I think sicker than she’s ever been with any others, so my heart’s going out to her.
This little one will make number 11 for the family. 11! craziness! They’re taking care of me not needing to have any… kidding. but really, by the time I have some kiddies they’ll all be, ‘meh..been there done that.’ but I hope not. or maybe to stand out, I need to get them to a big number. Say like 20!
Ok, so that would mean I would need 3 sets of triplets...or 4 sets of twins and a single...or 2 sets of triplets, 1 set of twins and a single…but that single would always feel left out..so maybe 2 singles, 1 set of triplets and 2 sets of twins.. yes! yes! that’ll work perfectly!
aaaaand I’ve returned to planet earth.
I have to say, I’m eternally grateful and flattered that quite a few friends and family entrusted me with their expectant news before announcing it but I need to tell you all, it was difficult stuff keeping it under wraps! You know who you are.. with that said, for all you secretly expecting ladies out there, this is a testament to me being an EXCELLENT secret keeper so feel free to gush to me your exciting news.
You’ll be in good hands. Promise.
Monday, September 26, 2011
I’m thankful for 32
AH! What a weekend. I’m still recovering from it! It was a crazy boozing it up kind of weekend. Ok, not really, I’m not a boozer. But it was a very busy busy weekend for me that I’m still yawning over.
I’m thankful for:
- playing photographer to my sweet friend and her newborn. It was my 1st ever actual photo shoot…that didn’t involve fruit and I have to admit, it wasn’t easy. at all! I know some have asked to see them, and I promise I will show a few once they’re all good and ready…but soon.
- my skin clearing. I know its bad when I tell my friend the name of what I have and she texts back saying, ‘how yuk! The online description sounds terrible.’ …ah, thank you friend for your unabashed honesty. It was yuck..a yuck I dealt with for 8 months since I thought I could ‘treat’ it on my own. Silly me.
- waking up at 3am thinking someone was climbing into my bed only to realize it was my dream instead. A very very bad dream. {in the dream} the guy was about to kill me. Yep, awesome.
- finally bringing my gun back into my bedroom from the living room. {yes, I have a gun..more than one. yes, I had it in the living room for awhile…} After that dream, I knew I needed to bring it back for peace of mind.
- winning Sam’s giveaway. I’m pretty darn happy about it and she really is the sweetest ever. She has killer recipes too, if you don’t know Sam, you have to go meet her.
- a great weekend with my mom and sister. It was chaotic and stressful but so much fun.
- my whiteboard on my fridge that gets me through my ‘want to be down’ moments. Every time I see this, I start singing the song and can’t help but get upbeat.
You know this song, right?
Yes, I sing this, almost all day long I sing this. And because I know you want a livelier version, here’s a cat’s version. You’re welcome.
Your turn. What song do you sing to keep your spirits up? Its ok, you can be honest, this is a circle of trust, here.
ooohh, stay tuned tomorrow. I’m telling a little story you may or may not just like. Some have asked for it, all have secretly longed for it <some may not be aware of their longing, just yet>, so come on back tomorrow to get your fix. = ) Pin It Now!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
A walk through the vines
I have this thing for vineyards. I find them so absolutely beautiful in every stage they’re in. They look beautifully eerie in the winter and lush, soft and full of life in the summer. It’s easy to love them even more since I live around a whole bunch of them. Many vineyards around me actually make raisins for Sunmade and I hope to capture those stages in the future.
The other day, however, I was intent on taking pictures of my friend’s vineyard (who coincidentally does raisins) yet, she wasn’t home. But determined I was, and set out any way to find a random vineyard.
I always get nervous when I think of pulling over to take pictures. I don’t like to be ‘seen’ and the fact that people driving by will see me with my camera gets me very uncomfortable. In fact, anyone EVER seeing me at any point, makes me uncomfortable. Amazing I wanted to be a model right?!
I’ve always been one to hunch my shoulders forward to drop a few inches so I wouldn’t stick out so much or blend in with neutral clothes or stay toward the back so I’m not visible to others. Even though people are zooming by and probably won’t think of me 5 seconds after seeing me, it still keeps me from pulling over to get a picture.
And naturally, the one time prior I DID pull over to take pictures of a vineyard at sunset, a car honked at me…which I hated and proved my point of people ‘seeing me’ at which point I promptly jumped back in my car and drove off.
But thankfully I found this absolutely stunning (to me) vineyard. The kind where I can walk through and get lost in. The kind that are taller than me and looks like trees flowing with grapes that you could just reach and pluck off the vine to savor…and did I mention it was on a side street off the main road!? –mmmhhmm, my kind of vineyard!
After taking a few from the outside, I became bold and walked in between 2 rows and oh the fun I had. I got lost in there, taking so many pictures. No one could see me and I didn’t feel an ounce of pain as I was squatting and walking through the dirt. It was joyous. I felt God’s beauty while I was in there and kept talking to Him as I snapped away.
Whew, a lot, right? If it’s a bit of an overload for you, just know I look through these at least 5 times a day, I’m that enamored with them right now (and yes, I have some that I've kept from you) . I don’t know when the last time was that I had so much joy as I did taking these. I loved it.
and for the record, I didn’t touch or disturb anything in this vineyard.
John 15:5
”I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
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