Happy New Years Eve

Happy New Years Eve from Iraq. Everyone was right, it is nicer here where we are than where we were in Kuwait. Hopefully I'll be getting internet access in my trailer soon and be able to post more.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Kuwait.

I hadn't expected rain here, but it rained the day I got here, rained yesterday, and rained today.

BTW, I'm dating a guy named Nick. He's a sweetie.

Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane...Don't know when I'll be back again....

I'll try and keep this blog going, but I'm not sure when I'll next be able to post or how often after that. Hopefully Joe Bear will be joining me in Iraq eventually. Thanks for all of your prayers and support. Have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. God bless.

Getting Ready To Go

Today I went to the range and zeroed and qualified with my M16. As long as all goes well tomorrow with getting some shots and a bit of paperwork I should be deploying Thursday. I'm still holding my breath just in case something happens and I don't end up going until later. I asked to be put on this flight because I didn't want to have to wait until January to go. I'm tired to sitting around feeling like I don't have a purpose, although my feelings will probably change pretty quickly once I get over there and find myself wishing for a break.

Currently I am tired and want to go to bed, or at least sit and stare at the tv, but I keep of thinking of things that I need to do, such as pack. The hardest part about packing is trying to figure out what I'll need most readily accessible because that determines the order that I pack my bags. I also don't have a packing list, so I hope that I am taking everything I need. I know I need to make a trip to the store to buy a few comfort items, such as a pillow, but I really don't want to go right now. Plus, I'm sure I'll think of some things I need tomorrow and so I'll have to go back to the store. Once again I'm thinking too much and making life harder for myself.

Stressed About The Unknown

There's a chance that I could deploy in a very short time, but I'm not sure how big of a chance. I've heard all sorts if estimates ranging from now until the middle of January. I want to deploy, so when an NCO told me on Friday about my possibly getting on the next flight I called my commander to see if it would work. He made it sound like it could be possible, so I called my parents and told them about it. They are now down in Texas in case I do deploy. If I don't deploy this week or next week, then I will feel rather bad for having them come down for nothing. I really hope this works out. It's stressing me out not knowing anything for sure, although I'm sure that is something I need to get used to.

Another thing stressing me out is that I'm doing PT for the first time tomorrow with the unit. Please pray that it goes well .

On a side note, today I went to the PX and when I was leaving I was stopped and ended up having to wait just outside the PX in the parking lot with a lot of people. I'm not sure what occured, but the PX was evacuated and we were not allowed to go to our cars. The MPs and Police were there patrolling the area, blocking off the parking lot, and making sure nobody went to their cars. Hopefully it was just a scare and nothing serious occured.

New Assignment

This morning I reported to my unit and got my assignment. I now have a position that a Captain normally fills. I'm excited about what is ahead, but also hope that I find some good mentors.

Dreams For The Future

Me: I've realized that my dream in life is not a professional career, but to raise a family and even be a stay-at home mom while they are growing up
Friend: no way
Me: no way to which part?
Friend: i love it
Friend: i am surprised that's it
Friend: i rarely heard female make it their priority
Me: its something i realized 1.5 years ago.
Friend: i am not expecting the woman i will marry to do it, but i am praying that she does
Me: but its not something i usually share with people unless i feel really comfortable with them because it is so unusual these days
Friend: same here
Friend: what do you wish to have a career in?
Me: i used to want to work for the NSA, but now what i really just want to do is raise a family, be a support for my husband in whatever he does(i'd prefer one in the military), and if he is in the military, than help other military spouses through FRG groups, church groups, and stuff like that.
Friend: i find this a little bit puzzling
Me: how so?
Friend: that you dream of that
Me: why is that?
Friend: one would think that you will have dream of the sort of type A personality
Me: what do you mean?
Friend: usually people talk about how they want to be CEO, be doctor,...mainly focus their future on themselves their success
Friend: i do
Me: oh
Me: i guess maybe i used to do that, but my dream really is what i just said.

That is not to say that I don't like being in the miltary. I do, I want to serve my country, and right now I want to get deployed (although that may change in a few months after I've been deployed for a little while).

I'm Not His Wife!

Army lost :(

This afternoon I called up Chris to see if he was going to the Officers club to watch the game with a bunch of other West Point grads. I wanted to make sure I knew at least one person there. He said he was going and we ended up pulling into the parking lot of the o-club and walking into the place together. Right at the door was a sign-up for the Texas West Point Almuni club, but I noticed the man was only talking to Chris about it. When I asked for a form to fill out as well he said "oh, are you a grad too? " He then asked if Chris and I were married, dating, etc. Apparently he thought I was Chris' wife and not a grad myself. After clearing that up, Chris and I walked in and a table with some grads at it greeted Chris and I. They then started to ask Chris about when he graduated, what unit he's with now, etc., but didn't ask me any of those questions. After realizing that they too probably thought I was his wife I asked one of the female grads at the table what company she had been in at West Point. She and her friend looked a bit suprised and asked if I was a grad, and after telling them that I was indeed one as well they said that they had thought I was Chris' wife. There was one more incident where I was mistaken for being his wife and not a grad myself.

I would never have guessed that so many people would make that mistake, especially the number of female grads that made that mistake. I was wearing my West Point ring on my right hand, and neither Chris nor I are married or wear rings on our left hands. The only thing that made people think we were married was that we walked in at the same time. I'll be sure to never again walk into a West Point gathering with a guy without some clear indication that I myself am a grad.

It's a Small World After All

Today at inprocessing I ran into some more of my classmates from West Point. I was sitting next to one of them when she saw me write down my hometown on a form and said, "I know someone from ****. He was in my OBC class." I was ready to say that I didn't know the person, but then she said a name I actually recognized from my middle school class, Joe B. If it is the same person then apparently he did ROTC and just finished up his OBC. She text messaged him telling him that I said hi, although I don't think he actually remembered me. It's a small world.

Army is going to beat Navy tomorrow and be the first one to claim the 50th Army-Navy game win. Go Army!

I've Arrived

A lot, yet nothing much, has happened the past few days. On Monday I started my journey to my first duty station by flying into Tucson, AZ and then driving to Fort Huachuca. I was planning on only staying a short time to check my PO Box for a final time and say hi to Kate and Jordan, but I discovered that I was too tired to drive any distance safely, so I spent the night in Sierra Vista. It turned out nicely because I was able to spend more time with Kate and Jordan and go out to dinner with them. Then next morning I got up at 6 and started my drive. I made it around 770 miles before stopping for the night. The next morning I slept in until 8:15ish and then headed back out on the road around 9. I made it to Jordan's apartment by 11:30am. Zack had deployed the morning before, so the timing worked out pretty well. I spent the rest of the day moving my stuff in and relaxing. This morning I didn't make it out of the apartment until 9:30am and had to make a stop at the post office to mail some letters that Zack had left for me to mail before I headed onto post. Once on post I got new decals for my vehicle and then officially signed in. Inprocessing begins tomorrow at 0630.

While I was waiting to sign in I looked up and saw Chris S. walking my way. I called out to him and he came over and sat down. A few minutes later Gretchen walked over and joined us. Gretchen had signed in the day before and so she had already started inprocessing, but Chris signed in with me. I said a small thanks to God for letting me run in to two people I know from West Point and who were in my OBC class.

Since I was done with everything I could do on post today by 1230 I decided to go back to the apartment and relax. I had drifted off to sleep on the couch when my cell phone rang. Charlie was calling me and so we talked for a little while. He's doing really well and graduates from IOBC in about 2 weeks. He is another friend who I find it extremely easy to talk to, and talking to him always puts a smile on my face.

After not running since Saturday night I figured I was in need of one. It was a rather short 20 minute run since I didn't know the area and was a bit wary because the homes had bars on their doors and windows.

When I got back from my run I cleaned up and then made dinner. Having nothing else to do after dinner I decided to check out the Navigators. There was a Navigators group at West Point, but they met at the same time as OCF, so I never went to it. Charlie got invovled with it at Fort Benning and raved about it a few times to me. He also gave me the link to the Fort Benning Navigators web site which I found very useful. Zack had also gotten invovled with the Navigators group here and recommended it to Jordan who then recommended it to me. I still felt a bit out of my comfort zone going since I didn't know any one in the group and hadn't made contact with anyone. I am glad I went and like the group so far. The topic of the night was right what I needed because we talked about courage.

One thing I realized while I was at Navigators was that I'm making progress, however small it may be, with stepping out of my comfort zone. Actually going was a big step, and then when I was there I made contributes to the discussions, which was something I didn't do for a few months a few years ago when I started attending OCF. Afterwords I went around the room and said bye to everyone and shook their hands, instead of trying to sneak out the door unseen. I hope this progress continues.