Earthquakes & Tsunamis

Right now, along with the entire global community, I sit and pray for those who suffering in Japan from this historic natural disaster.  After an early check-in, I know our relatives and friends who are stationed in Japan are safe.  Thank God.

Through these disasters, I am naturally inclined to think of our military families.  I've already heard reports of ships being sent out to sea to prevent damage to them along the coastline in CA and subs being torn away from their mooring lines in Guam.  When natural disasters strike or are threatened to strike, Navy vessels often have to leave port to prevent damage to the ports or vessels.  But, while the men & women aboard these ships are getting them secured, their spouses are left behind with the job of making sure that their families are secure.  There is always the risk of families being separated during natural disasters, but with our military families, this separation is also a necessary evil to maintain the safety of our country's biggest investments (thereby the safety of our country).  I think being quasi-landlocked at this point in our military fam lives that sometimes I forget those times of being a single married spouse/parent and take them for granted.  Nothing like being home alone when there's been an attempted child abduction and the perps have taken a good look @ you AND your kids or being pregos & about to give birth while the city is about to be evacuated during a hurricane and your hubby is stuck in a steel tube out at sea or having someone try to break into your house while said hubby is out to sea AND while YOU are at home alone with your children (only to have the local nimcompoop sheriff tell you that it must have been a racoon bumping into your door...yeah, a giant 160+ lb. raccoon who knows there's a woman and small children home alone)....or the Noreaster that wreaks havoc and shuts down 7 cities but your husband can't leave the submarine that's drydocked because they are responsible for her safety...all the while the entire area is flooding around him and wondering if the sub will just drop him off at our doorstep since cars are being trapped in floods left and right.  But the thing is, you can never freak out about being separated during these times because ultimately, you are responsible for the health & welfare...and SANITY of yourself and any little human beings (and fur babies) you may have.  Start adopting a bad attitude and/or stress about it and your kids are sure to follow suit.

Now, I sit and wait to see if there will be any damage to HI.  Our friends, friends by way of the military turned family through love & time, are waiting to see what fallout from Japan's earthquake & tsunami will bring to them.  Please send your prayers/thoughts out to them.  Our brother Al escorted Jaimee and the kids to higher elevation, only to have to return back down to Pearl Harbor to man a communication center.  To be separated from your spouse and/or family during such an uncertain time is unfathomable but necessary when you are a military family.  Jaimee has encountered attempted break-ins (WHILE SHE WAS HOME ALONE WITH TWO TODDLERS...and we won't go into the joke of a 911 call that she had to place only to have them tell her that she would need to hang up and call base police...ALL WHILE THE DUDE WAS STILL TRYING TO BREAK IN), flooding, a 10-month long 6-month deployment, and other such dramas that you think would only happen on a t.v. show.  Still, this family faces everything with such grace and gratitude for the blessings in their lives...they are a constant inspiration to us...as people, parents, and partners.  They truly epitomize the saying "when life gives you lemons...make lemonade" as I have rarely heard a complaint come from these two with whatever hardship they may face.  Their three beautiful children have always reflected their parents' beautiful souls and strength...always being THE models for our children.

Praying for your safety!

11 years...

05.26.99

USNA

Annapolis, MD

11 years since he first put on his officer shoulder boards and almost 13 years in...

...so much for "Five & Dive" 

(for all the civvies, we thought he'd serve his 5 year commitment and be out).

I can't even begin to count how much of our 11+ years together you've been in a tube under the sea or just in the tube docked at the pier...missing birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, entire seasons, scary moments, sad moments, happy moments, days/weeks/months of our children's lives, and narrowly missing the birth of our first child (and the ensuing hurricane).

I'm thankful for all that you do...without complaints.

I'm grateful that you never undermine the role of a military spouse, especially a submariner's wife, and how much we go through as "single married spouses/parents" in an isolated and secretive world.

I'm so proud of you and all that you do for us and our country.

Thank you.

I love you.

ATTN: Military & HOV in Hampton Roads

In case you're active duty or know someone who is, military personnel may now use the HOV lanes to or from a military facility in Hampton Roads.  Now that The Hubs has more "normal" working hours, he's a bit happier that his commute will be easier.

Check it out here.


**UPDATE:  The Federal Govt. struck down this legislation despite state approval since they hold jurisdiction over interstates.  Boooooooooooooo.

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day

To all the military spouses doing what you do (and if you have children, often as a "single married spouse" doing the work of two people 24/7 for most of the year), without complaints (although you're definitely allowed the occasional vent), and sometimes without the credit you truly deserve...


Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

Hail & Farewell...finally.

It's been a week and a half since Sean finally got relieved and had his official hail & farewell...this ending our his department head tour and giving him a brief respite before moving into his post-department head/shore tour.  For those non-mil readers...let's start at the beginning...

My awesome partner was the Weapons Officer (WEPS) on the USS Tennessee.  That's a submarine and more specifically, a ballistic missile sub.  To be relieved simply means that the PWEPS (prospective weapons officer) finally took charge and became the WEPS leaving Sean to go on to his next duty station.

The Hail & Farewell (H&F) is a military tradition that is pretty self-explanatory.  It's a celebration to welcome incoming and thank/say goodbye to outgoing individuals of a group...in this case, the wardroom's (aka officers) H&F was to hail the new WEPS & CHOP (supply officer) and say goodbye to the Hubs & old CHOP.

Triste

For those of you not versed en Espanol...that means sad.

Well, the hubby's week-long turnover with the PWEPS (perspective weapons officer) has turned into a week and a half long turnover.  My goal during his turnover...bake a bunch of new cookie recipes to try them out and to feed the USS TN.  I was sick as a dog last week and managed to 1) be hygienic enough not to infect anyone but my hubby and 2) not infect anyone.

I'm all good now.

Last night I made these Martha Stewart PB&J bars.  But, before you cut them you have to refrigerate them.  Unfortunately, we had to go to sleep...so I told Sean to wake me up this morning so I could cut them for him and he could take them to work.  Mind you the man wakes up at 4am and I am NOT a morning person.

He didn't wake me up.  (Because he's thoughtful like that)

He took the bars.  (I'm sure without cutting them and with the IKEA kiddie knife I left in there)

He didn't leave me any.

I've been baking up a storm to try out new recipes and Sean could take 90% of them to work.  

But this time...the USS TN got 100%.

I didn't even get to take pics of my hard work...for my food blog that I rarely update but still take photos for.

Oh my hubby...I love that man.  But really, how can I blame a man who wouldn't wake me up at the butt-crack of dawn.  Who was probably too tired and too sick to even think of saving some of the bars.

Still...I do have a craving for them.

But really, it all goes back to...I've got a really good man.

P.S.

Don't forget to visit Becca's blog to enter in her giveaway!

Turning Over...

Yesterday started day #1 of the hubs turning over with the PWEPS.

I can't believe how fast these 3+ years have flown by.

We're in the homestretch...and I'm a little sad.  It's weird having been the "senior" wife in the wardroom during this past year in the shipyards with the CO geo-bacheloring and the XO is a newlywed.  We have a great wardroom and I've grown the absolutely adore all of the spouses.  From the rockstar newbie wives who don't even know how much MORE of a rockstar they'll be when their hubbies' tours are over to the more "seasoned" JO wives who have experienced so much as single married spouses/parents/women.  My fellow department head wives have all been pretty stellar and our XO's new wife...couldn't love her more.

I've felt blessed with this boomer tour.  The fast attack tour was rough and the schedule hellish at times...making this boomer tour (for me) feel like shore tour with a few underways sprinkled here and there.  Still, I know the crazy fast attack schedule made me thankful that even though he was gone for 90% of the time, he still was home for that 10%...unlike other branches of service where a 6-month deployment is only the HALF-WAY mark for others.

Still...as hardworking as our spouses are...I think plenty of kudos lie within the ones at home (those working outside and inside the home).  There's definitely a special type of personality that a military spouse needs to possess.  From the seasoned higher-up wife like Liza whose grace, wisdom, and strength has probably given her hubby an awesome piece of mind to know that his family has been more than well-taken care of during his various underways/deployments/patrols/geo-bacheloring to the nearing-the-end-of-the-tour-and-career-JO wife Melissa whose life as a mommy of 3 under 3 (two of them being the uber-adorable twin GallaGIRLS joining their uber-adorable big brother Jack) and hilarious exploits that would drive an ordinary person insane make her even more thankful for everything she has...definitely a woman who would've made an awesome DH/XO/CO wife!!

We'll be staying put...which is the main thing we wanted.  Giving our kids some piece of normalcy in this type of lifestyle is something we try to get when we can.  Although it would've been nice to be back home in DC...for once, we didn't want to go.  Let me clarify...I didn't want to go since with two mortgages (one being in the wonderful FLORIDA housing market)...buying a home in DC was not the best option.  We'll be home one day...but for now, I'll enjoy the constant uprooting to new places (although most of our time has been in VA so far...and by choice...hahahaha...nice to be close to home) and enjoying the culture of each different area in our lovely little country.

Hail & Farewell next week...can't wait and yet I can...

Happy 8th Anniversary!!

Happy Anniversary...to me...oh, and my extremely amazing hubby who has put up with me for all these years! ;o) I can't believe it was 8 years ago that we were freezing our tookuses off at the USNA chapel...waiting for the show to go on because our wedding time was double-booked (two couples who scheduled the chapel prior to us had the same last name...one couple canceled and another couple was scheduled in the same time slot as the couple that DID NOT cancel). Still, everything came off without a hitch and the day I had been planning for and that had almost not happened (there was a possibility of Sean going on his 6-month deployment earlier because of 9/11)...happened.

I still can't believe that I'm here...8 years later...2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 houses, and 2 cars later....a stay-at-home mom/military wife. I remember before graduating college, my advisor told me that she didn't think I'd fit in. She was right...and wrong. I don't completely fit in. I'm not a gung-ho military wife. I'm a woman of color...married to a submarine officer...which in a community that is really lacking in diversity. I'm a social justice advocate. I am not a homemaker. I'm liberal. The real thing...I've always been fiercely INDEPENDENT and never imagined that I would be "dependent" on someone else. Like her, I had this preconceived notion that these military wives were completely dependent on their spouses, may not have attended college, and a whole other slew of stereotypes.

But...we were also wrong. In my 8 years...I've met women of all different walks of life. All of whom, are amazing women. I never realized the type of strength and INDEPENDENCE that it takes to be a military spouse...often a single married military spouse. That strength is physical, mental, and emotional. With subs, you can expect to not hear your partner's voice for extended periods of time...if at all if he is on a boomer. Email is sporadic...if it works. Length of time varies...although I'd take the boomer life any day over the hellish fast-attack life. Still, it was both types of life (boomer & fast-attack) that prepared me to be the military wife I am now. The women I've known range from the seasoned and optimistic ('cause a a military spouse life is NOT the life that you can afford to be a pessimist) to the virgin and plaintive (shoot, it can be a pretty difficult life to adjust to)...still...all these women become the type of women able to handle what life throws at her when he husband is gone, to be the mother and father to her children, and to be overall...amazing.

I never knew that in that spring of 1987 and walking the grounds of the USNA on our 4th grade field trip and fantasizing one day that I would marry a midshipmen in that beautiful chapel that 14.5 years later that would become a reality. I never knew that I would be a stay-at-home anything. I never knew that the life I live now as a military spouse and stay-at-home parent would be this rewarding. I never even imagined living this kind of life.

I wouldn't have it any other way...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

From I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up...

I. Love. Military. Medicine.

Okay...not really. I don't love that Kaia had some freak accident and broke her ankle while hopping to the bus afterschool last Friday...HOPPING. I wrapped her ankle after seeing it was bruised and a bit swollen and we headed up to DC for her belated birthday party. So, the morning of her belated party, Sean takes her to the ER at Nat'l Naval Medical Center (yes, the same one the US Presidents often go to...formerly known as Bethesda Naval Medical Center). After an admitted mix-up at the front desk and a myriad of other people go in front of her that came way after her, she gets seen and is eventually released with a sprained ankle....a mildly sprained ankle.

We get home a little after midnight Monday morning only to find that the docs @ NNMC left us a message to call them back in reference to Kaia's x-rays. So, 36 hours after she is released, I call to find out that our daughter, who had been hopping on one-leg when she wasn't being carried around...more hopping than anything and in an uber-protective Ace bandage, had FRACTURED her ankle.

What's more...the doc was calling to set up an appointment for a cast...which was surprising considering Kaia was released with a sprain. He wondered if she was still getting around on crutches that were given to her, but I reminded him that none were given to her since they said she was too small for them.

Anyhoo...long story short, our 6-year old is a super trooper and you wouldn't even know that she was injured except for the chronic one-leg hop she utilized all weekend-long to get around. I'm just pretty ticked that a hospital would release a child with a sprain only to find out that she has a fracture along her growth plate that could potentially stunt her growth or lead to other problems if not treated aggressively. Nice. I'm also ticked that despite the efforts made to call our home in VA Beach twice (2100 & 2200), no one bothered to call my husband's cell since we were out of town in DC. Double Nice.

When I look at her, how I can not get super-protective? Especially since she doesn't complain or victimize herself!!!!

Puppy

Man, my puppy is a turkey...but I love him. He's also technically not a puppy since he's a little over 3 years old now. I also love the fact that he protects us and we need that when Sean's out to sea.

Today, the UPS man nearly pooped his shorts as he was booking it back to his truck. Nevermind the fact I was outside and Jax was inside...albeit barking his head off like Kujo in a way that said "Back up from this house and my mama!". Thanks, Jax. I love you. Remi, I still love you even though you are really our cat in a pit bull skin. 9 years old and slowing down, but still the sweetest girl ever.

Navy life has blessed us with keeping us from putting Kaia into 3 different schools in one year. Found out that Sean finally has a replacement lined up (he'll be graduating SOAC...sub officer dept. head school...@ the end of September) and will be rotating off in February/March. He'll most likely be doing a post-DH tour in Norfolk. It'll be nice to stay put and fix this darn house up.

Although we could've gone to DC, I didn't want to move again...mainly because I didn't want Kaia entering 3 different schools within one year. Also, 2 homes also does not afford us to buy a home in the DC area....hahahahahaha. It's nice to be close to The Fam but in an area close to the beach (you know, the beach we're so good at visiting....pu-hahahaha) and in a house with an amaing backyard...just mind the waterfowl poop.

Now...just on to deciding...#3, grad school, yes/no, when...

Oops...can't sign off without wishing the hottest WEPS on the USS TN a special shout-out!!

Germs, Viruses, Bacteria...Oh MY!

So, since January the total count of infections have been 3 colds and a stomach virus (a nasty one that was luckily short-lived but managed to incapacitate almost the entire wardroom).

Daddy's leaving to escort another boat leaving the shipyard and it comes at a good time...SIKE! I'm trying to get ready for my sister's shower in DC this weekend and just praying that we'll know definitively his schedule so that I can plan on traveling with or without him. I'm not going to lie and say that it's harder to get myself, the kids, and the big dogs ready for traveling...because it's actually easier. I don't know if it's a military spouse/single parent thing or what...but when you have to depend on yourself to do things, they get done quicker. HAHAHAHA. Then again, Mr. Muscles is definitely some much appreciated brawn and eye candy. Tee hee hee.

Anyhoo...regardless, this week is all about shopping, prepping, and baking for my neice's impending arrival and even with this amount of work...I couldn't be happier. Plus, I got my two turkeys to keep me on my toes and wit's end...oops, I mean...;o)

Waaaaaaaay Back

I was reading a sub blog from Boise, ID...which happens to be the namesake of the boat the hubs was stationed on for his JO tour...his very LOOOOOOOOOOOONG JO tour. We seem to like having extra long tours. His JO tour was longer than most and his DH tour is turning out to be longer than most as well. Ahhhhhhhh...oh well. This past summer, the Hubs did hit his 11th year, but 15 years in since the USNA doesn't count for years served...booooooooooo. Hahahaha.

Anyhoo...someone had posted a video from their deployment which occurred a week and a half after we got married. Notice, I say deployment meaning 6+ months out. It was funny being in Kings Bay, where SSBN wives refer to the underways as deployments when, as a former SSN wife, they were mini-trips out to sea. That's an exaggeration, of course...but still, the length of SSBN patrols during a year compared to SSN underways/deployments is NOTHING. Then factor in off-crew...NICE.

A recent irk I've been having reading other sub wives' blogs/facebook-stuff are POSTINGS OF SCHEDULES!! STOP DOING THAT. Gee whiz...talk about lack of security for our guys. We're not talking about the generic "he's going on deployment soon"...we're talking specific timeframes of schedules and homecomings and such. Subby wives are usually pretty well-versed that our spouses' schedules are so classified that often our own families don't know any specifics and are usually surprised when they get the "Ok, I love you & bye 'cause I'm going out to sea". There is no discussion of schedules on the phone, over email, in public, etc. My poor friends and family ask when Sean's leaving or coming home and it's usually (well, before we came up here to VA for dry dock) "Oh, soon-ish..." Yeah...anyway, NCIS is supposed to all over that, but I've been seeing it more and more. *tsk, tsk, tsk*

Anyway...the video shows my hubby before the Navy paid for his PRK surgery. Hooray for Geekers (well, the shot with him ducking out of the way is him w/o geekers)! You'll be able to notice him...he's one of the handful of people of color and one of two officers of color (which is RARE to have more than one person of color in a sub wardroom)!! This was back when he was a LTJG...now he's an LCDR select! Yay, Hubs...we're so proud of you!

Leaving On a Jet Plane...

Ok, not really...but I am leaving in my Sequoia and will be moving to our old house near a base that has lots of jet planes! Does that count? Hahahaha. Ahhhhhhhh, yes, back to our old casa in VA Beezy where we never saw airplanes overhead, just jets from NAS Oceana. Pretty cool looking overhead and seeing those suckers...unless they flew low and the whole house would vibrate. ;o)

Anyway...we're (we as in not 'we' did it together but 'we' in spirit....hahaha) done with the pack out and the loading of our junk...errrr, stuff. Sean flew in after everything was said and done...not that he wanted to be here after everything, but the needs of the Navy first. My awesome hubby was so apologetic for everything we were going through...because not only did I have to do this by myself, it also was rescheduled numerous times; we changed companies; dealt with typical mover shiet (although our packers were AMAZING); and then lots of other non-move related caca popped up for me...like BIG TIME CACA. I'm thankful that I have the supportive partner I was blessed with and that he is not like other hubbies I know who think they're stay-at-home wives/mothers do nothing but eat bon-bons and such...yes, even some hubbies of military wives think that! Again, it takes me back to military spouse entry I wrote about the quote Kelly found:

"A Navy Wife is no ordinary woman. Operating for months at a time without the companionship or assistance of her husband, she routinely overcomes challenges that would give the average person a nervous breakdown." - Jeff Edwards

Well, tomorrow we drive up to VA. We'll wrap up loose ends here and then bid adieu. We'll pop into DC for Xmas and back down to VA to move in. Despite all the stress and everything...it's just nice to have the hubby home for a winter holiday season...and that at least he wasn't out to sea for this whole process. ;o)

In the Homestretch...

Wow, I cannot believe our time here in FL is finally coming to an end. Although Sean's still got a bit left of his dept. head tour, we are almost done. Sean's boat already changed it's homeport. So, he's been up in VA since last week. I've got the movers coming to pack us up this Thursday and then they'll load on Friday. Sean'll join us Friday night. I was a bit freaked about doing everything by myself, managing packers/movers, the 4 kiddies, and my sanity. But, Sean came in this weekend and we got a few things done. We're flying Mom down Wednesday to watch the kids while I take care of bidness with the packers/movers. *whew* Still doing basically everything by myself, but I'm good with the decision now. At least we'll be in DC by Xmas. AND...this is the first winter holiday season we've had with Sean since 2005!!!! YAY!

I'll leave you with one of our blooper shots from our 2008 Lee-Espiritu Fam Annual Holiday Photo That Will Probably Not Go Out In The Mail...AGAIN. ;o) Yes, my big puppy is a crotch-sniffer...and has no shame/qualms about it. It's our annual holiday photo that shows my husband with an extremely pained/irritated look since he has to wrangle the dogs and the kids while I set up the camera & shot (luckily we had a tripod this year)...and yet, not really since I usually have to wrangle the biggest Mama's kids...Remi (the chubby pit who is trans-species...she's really feline) and Jaron. This was off-centered and Jax was sniffing my bidness and well, it was only take #1. Just FYI, Sean's smile has never changed in these holiday shots. HAHAHAHAHA....poor guy.

There are definitely parts of FL that I will miss and this pool is definitely one of them! ;o) Not too mention the 70-degree weather that we'll be having this week! ;o)

Argh

So, we said goodbye to the buffest member of our fam today from an old fort at one of the local state parks. I was informed by said buff member of our fam that our move date (in two weeks) will have to be rescheduled...AGAIN. We also pray for the safety of said buff member and the rest of the crew...and for the sanity of their families that are in the middle of moving and/or getting settled into our new homeport....which was our old homeport. Hahahahaha.

Yay. I hope we can make it to DC by Xmas.

Surprisingly, this darn military life has hardened me and I'm just rolling with the punches. The only actual stress I feel is GETTING THIS HOUSE RENTED!!!

I'm posting on MilitaryByOwner.com this afternoon.

And what! ;o)

Thankful

My kids are sick and I'm a newly "single" married mom. Still, I'm thankful that my kids have stuffy noses and are cranky (maybe more due to the fact that we woke them up around 5:45am to take Sean to the base) and do NOT have stomach viruses...probably one of the most contagious and ickiest things to go around a family! I CANNOT deal with nausea...so, yeah...I'm thankful my kids seem to just have a cold and hope that I don't get it ("The Fam" is coming into town this weekend). I'm also thankful that I got a few extra days to talk/see my buff partner. Stress was pretty high for us with our messy house, him leaving, the kids, and figuring out our home situaton ( when to list it on the rental market). Still...it was nice to have this weekend to see/talk to him for a little bit longer.

My spirits are good. Just have a butt-load of cleaning to do...but looking at it as a good thing. Only thing is...I DON'T LIKE TO CLEAN! ;o) I miss Sean and hate that he's not here since I hate to be the lone adult in the home. I always look forward to the adult interaction after a full day of refereeing/mediating my four human & canine blessings. I also have a total peace of mind when Sean's home since I hate being home alone at night...I'm always paranoid of what I'd do in a(nother) situation should someone enter/break in the house and how to protect the kids and myself. Jax is doing a great job with being protective. That big arse bark of his is enough to make Sean & I pee in our pants...and it's not even directed towards us. Plus, he's almost 100 lbs...so he's a pretty big deal. ;o) Jax gives me plenty of comfort knowing that he's an awesome deterrent...and can attack if needed. *whew*

Anyhoo...I stress as I write since there's so much to do.

TTFN.