Getting up to date

I'm awful.  I forgot about this blog.  *Hides behind couch*

Alright...since last September what all has happened??  Let's see...let's see....???

Well we still live in Japan.  
We haven't traveled anywhere else. 

Yep.  I'm boring. 

Ahh well.  I still have an awesome husband, kids that are awesome 80% of the time, I have all my limbs and they function as they should, so I can't complain about anything.   I'll just take this time to post some photos of major things I want to talk about.  

 OCTOBER:

          Kendall and I went to the Navy Ball!  Isn't the love of my life handsome? LOVE that man!

My babies on Halloween! Kaylee was Snow White (again) and Dylan was Flash Gordon

NOVEMBER:

The little humans

The LASSEN FRG took me out for my birthday!  Good dinner and then karaoke in the Honcho!

DECEMBER:  
- So by this time Kendall had been underway for some time and we were gearing up for a homecoming just in time for Christmas! :)  Those are the best Homecomings!

Kaylee had just finished her first tap recital! 

The sign we made for Kendall! We surprised the kids that night, they had no clue he was coming home!

Best. Feeling. EVER. 

I just feel the need to share with you all the look he gives me when I want a picture of or with him. He'll kill me for this, but hey, this is what a good wife does.  She posts pictures she knows her hubby will hate.  This is just payback for him snapping a shot of me being sick as a dog on our family day cruise. BAM BABE...this just happened. 

Christmas in the White House! 

 JANUARY: 
- Besides ringing in 2012 with my family, nothing of importance happened.  I mean, I don't know for sure, but judging from our pictures we didn't do much. This is what I get for not updating my blog for 7 months.  What is WRONG with me?!

FEBRUARY: 

Kendall had told me a while ago that he wouldn't buy me  any more flowers until I bought him some.  I'm sure he was joking about that, but I took it seriously. So this is from me to him, not the other way around as the picture might suggest to the normal viewer.  

MARCH:
-Apparently nothing of importance happened in March either, but here is a photo taken by our 4 year old daughter.  

Not bad, eh?  I thought she did rather well for such a novice photographer.

APRIL:

Oh yeah...I started working out in December.  I have lost 15 pounds total and 3 inches off my waist! I know...go me.  Hold your applause until the end of the caption.  THIS dress, my husband sent me while he was on our first deployment together back in 2005-2006.  I was 20 years old at the time and had no children, size 0, 98 pounds. And look...it fits again!!!  6 years after getting it, 2 kids later and it fits again!  NOW you may erupt in applause.  Thank you!  You're embarrassing me.  NO, keep clapping! 

Dylan turned 3! Leave it to Kendall...the man hates pictures. We had to celebrate  before his birthday though since Kendall was underway on the actual day.  Yay Navy life! 

Dude's actual birthday!  I can't believe he's THREE!

Yeah, that's us...petting a dolphin.  Big deal. Happens all the time if you're awesome like I am. But seriously...this was during an MWR tour to Kamogawa Sea World here in Japan.  Amazing place and yes, I paid 1000Yen to be able to pet this dude.  I'd do it again too.  Although next time we go, I'm getting a kiss from a killer whale.  Pray it doesn't find me extra sweet and decides it can't let a little morsel like me go.  

Us at Sea World.  

Random shot because I love this top.  Women are allowed to post shots that aren't relevant to a conversation as long as cute clothes/shoes are involved. 

MAY:

First trip out to Zushi Beach and I've lived here for 2 and a half years.  Shame on me. 

Bought myself some golf clubs.  Kendall plays and I'm hoping we'll be able to have this in common.  If he'd ever be home for longer than a week. So far though, I have been able to hit the ball almost every time.  Not bragging or anything.

JUNE: 

-Ahh June.  June brings the beginning of Summer and the pool being open every day. It also brings us to the current month.  So as of now, Kendall is currently on what is classified in Japan as a "Deployment."  Obviously I won't be putting any dates/lengths of time out here, but this is the longest we've been apart since my first "actual" deployment with him.  However, we got lucky and they had to come in to port for a pit-stop for 3 days so we got a little break in the middle of this thing! He surprised me and took leave.  Sneaky old man.

I may be a little biased...but I think we're an extremely good looking and simply awesome couple. Just sayin'.

We went to eat one night at a place whose name I can't even begin to read.  Traditional Japanese place where you have to take off your shoes upon entering. You have private little rooms where you eat.  So far, this is probably my favorite place to get Japanese food.  Now Coco's is my FAVORITE, but it's curry and that's a whole other post. 

Now...people who have never been to Japan think, "Ohhh...I love Japanese food, I'd love to live in Japan."  I know, I was one of them.  But REAL Japanese is NOTHING like Americanized Japanese. These, my humble readers, are dried fish of some sort and they were casually hidden in our fried rice. They are either a constant ingredient in their rice, or they were put there maliciously by our waiter.  Either way, once we realized what they were, we casually put the rice back in it's bowl and covered it with a plate.  Even my husband, who'll try anything once, didn't eat it anymore.  Come on...dried fish babies in fried  rice?!  Should be a sin...

We had an amazing 3 days together.  It was the best time our family has had in months. We aren't complete without our main man home.  We just kinda cruise through the days until we're whole again.  I can't speak for every couple in the world, but for Kendall and I, the Navy life works for us because it makes us appreciate the days we do get together.  In our case, absence really does make the heart grow fonder.  Not to get all deep and mushy on you, but he is truly my best friend in the entire world and I consider myself to be the luckiest woman alive because we have each other and the strong, happy marriage we have. 

Not a Daddy's girl at all. :)  

And look! The sun came out long enough in the rainy season for me to get burnt! WHOO HOO!  I know, yall must think I'm crazy.  I don't LIKE getting burnt, but it turns in to a tan soooo.....      Next time I'll use sun screen. Happy?  

And my final photo for the day.  My Nanny sent me some of my PawPaw's things.  You may or may not remember the sweetest, most caring and understanding man in the world left us this last July.  In some of the photos she sent was this newspaper clipping.  It is a story about Kendall's first ship, USS Cape St. George, getting in to a gun fight with Somali pirates. Immediately after seeing this, the tears started falling. He was an Army Veteran himself and loved to poke fun at Kendall calling him a "Swabby" but he was beyond proud of my husband and his career in the military. Just last week I found a movie my mother made me for my 25th birthday. After the pictures came videos of my friends and family and the first one was Nanny and PawPaw.  His first sentence, like it always was when I'd call him was, "Hello there my little Navy wife." He continued with, "I never thought you could make it in the military life but you have and I'm so proud of you."  I will hold that movie near and dear to my heart for the rest of my days just to hear that man tell me he was proud of me and the life Kendall and I have made together. 

So there you have it.  A long post, yes, but I've gotten you up to date and I promise I won't fall behind again.  If we could pinky promise through the internet, this is where we'd do it.  

Yo ho, A Sailors life for me

Right now, I could go on and on about the crapass part of the Navy, but instead I'm choosing to focus on a fun part of the Navy.  I COULD say things like, "THEY SERIOUSLY LEFT WITH ALMOST NO WARNING AND WITHOUT TELLING US WHEN THEY'D BE BACK? AGAIN!?!?!?!?!"  But I won't.  I could say, "I can't wait to get back to the states so we can have a more solid, structured schedule."  But that would just be silly of me. 

So, as I said, I'll focus on the latest fun thing our ship has done, the Friends and Family Day Cruise.

1. I just want to bring attention to the fact that a water fountain is called a "Scuttlebutt" on Naval ships.
2. I can't BELIEVE grown ass Sailors need to be told to NOT put noodles down the drain.

Kendall and I.  We have so few pictures together while he's in any sort of uniform.  And I'm just going to say it...coveralls are hot.

The Roostertail.  We were cruising right along at 32knots, with rough seas. It was quite a thing to see.

Here we had a weapons demo.  This reminded me of the Wives Cruise I took with Kendall on his old ship.  I remember being amazed by the sheer sound and amount of rounds that were used. This time around...still amazed. 

And like last time, we made me a bracelet of the shell casings.  :)  One from the CAPE, and now one from the LASSEN.

Speaking of rough seas....

USS George Washingston (CVN 73), our Aircraft Carrier.

We were able to get a demo of GW's jets.  I have NEVER in my life heard ANYTHING so loud.  Absolutely amazing!!

Flyover from GW's helo.

LASSEN'S Battle Ensign.  Such a large flag. 

And a purely accidental shot of my husband.  As I stated earlier...Coveralls are hot. 

It was actually a very fun day, even though we had to work and the fact that I got sick once.  It was pretty amazing to get to do all that with Kendall.  To him, it's just a job and I guess I can understand that, but to me it's something I don't get to see everyday. 

Loss

We lost my PawPaw last month.  My second blog post was about him and Nanny, about how important they are to me. 

PawPaw had gotten sick, he actually asked to go to the hospital and if you knew my PawPaw...you know what a big thing this is.  After a few days, he was making progress but out of nowhere, he took a turn for the worst.  I took my daughter to the doctor for a check up and when I came home I had a message from my mom saying to call her.  I just knew.  She told me that PawPaw had passed.  While I was at the hospital with Kaylee, my Grandfather died.

Words can not express the pain we as a family felt the moment that sweet, sweet man took his last breath.  He was our rock, our hero. He was the strongest man I've ever known, to have gone through everything he had, to still keep good spirits...   We take comfort in the fact that we knew he was ready.  He told Nanny he was ready. We know he's no longer hurting.  He's not being poked and prodded by doctors, nurses and home health care workers. We know he's in a better place.

But, I want him to be here with us.  Why wouldn't I?  I was so close to him and Nanny.  I am a military wife and no one understands that better than they do.  I miss hearing, "Hey there my little Navy wife" when I call their house. And today I called to talk to Nanny...as we were hanging up she said, "Tell Kendall we said hi." 

We.

I know thats what shes used to saying, but that one got me.  I choked through the, "I will, Nanny." and I had to hang up so fast.   What about Nanny?  How will she get by without him?  53 years of marriage and now he's gone.  She'll make it, she's a fiesty woman...but I hope you know what I mean.  How will living without her best friend and lover of 53 years effect her?

Questions. There are a lot of questions about that. 

He was brave, strong, loyal, smart, handsome, loving, caring, tough when he needed to be, fun, understanding.  I could keep going all night.  He was so important and it hurts to know that even if I live to be 100, I'll never be able to talk to him again. It's hard to call Nanny and NOT ask about PawPaw.  I know that next time I go home, I'll drive away from their house and he won't be on the patio waving and blowing me kisses.  I'll never get another rose from him. I'll never hear another Army story, or get his advice. 

But speaking of Army stories.  I remember a time when our whole family went to the beach together.  My cousin, Ryan, wanted to bungee jump.  PawPaw told him to yell out, "AIRBORNE!!!" and  he'd give him something...or it was a bet that he could/couldn't do it.  I can't remember, I'll have to ask Ryan.  Either way, he did it.  And the look on PawPaw's face...I'll never forget it.  He was so proud of all of us, he loved us through all our mistakes, all of our triumphs. Our marriages, the births of our babies.  They travelled 750 miles to Virginia when my kids were born. He had his great-grandbabies pictures on his wall and he'd give them all goodnight kisses every night.  I wish I had been able to be  home more.  I was given, in an odd way, two more months with him thanks to the Earthquake Japan got.  I wouldn't have had that time with him.  He was at my sons 2nd birthday party, he would've missed that.  And during the party he gave my best friend $50 to buy a Bible for her newborn daughter...just to show you what kind of wonderful man he was.

Kendall and I wouldn't have paid some very unexpected bills had it not been for PawPaw and Nanny.  Everytime we had to borrow money from them, we made sure we had it to give back. Every single time...I'd hand it to him and tell him it was a tax refund, and every single time he'd hand it right back to me and tell me to keep it and spend it on the kids.  He gave me a blank check before I moved to VA with Kendall to get me home if I ever needed it.  He got us home from Japan after the Earthquake. He'd slip us all money on the sly for no reason other than he loved us.  Those are the memories I'll never forget.  Who gives a CRAP about the money you know?  It's the light in his eyes as he did it that I'll miss. 

I wish I had more time with him.  I know that he was proud of me and that he loved me though and that will give me strength to make it through my darkest days.  To know all that he went through...I can surely do anything if he went through all of that.  I called them all the time, always made sure to talk to PawPaw if he was around, and sometimes I'd hear him on the phone even when I was talking to Nanny.  God I miss that man, and I always will.  He truly is my hero.  It's hard to imagine a world without him in it... 

And.....after 77 days of being apart, USS LASSEN finally returned to homeport in Yokosuka!! 

I was so excited for homecoming.  That was the longest since 2005-2006 that we were apart.  It was totally worth it.  The FRG board members got to go down to the Mess Decks to meet the Sailors, but before I got to see Kendall there...I saw him here...

Ok, I know you can't tell which one is him, but thats the beauty of being completely in love with someone, you can spot them from a mile away.  I saw him as soon as he stepped on the brow. <3 

And finally, after 77 days.....

The moment every military wife longs for as soon as she even HEARS the word "deployment"....the moment she gets her love back.  It was well worth the wait. 

We got a week with him before he left again, lol.  7 days seems like crap after 77...but I'll take everything I can get. We had a great time though while he was home.  He took leave for a few days, so no work at all. We just did whatever we wanted to do, took the kids to the playground, went bowling, put a TV up in Dylan's room, etc.  It was so nice, just being a family again.  Not being second fiddle to the Navy. 


But like I said, now he's gone again. 

Know what makes a good Navy wife?  It's not her courage, or her strength.  It's her ability to hear that he's leaving so soon after getting home, to bitch for 5 minutes, but then she puts on a brave face and deals with it.  Which is basically what I had to do.  Once again, I'm just ready to have him back home. 

Church pew or bar stool kinda town (Courtesy of Jason Aldean of course)

So I'm sitting here back in Japan, alone.  Kendall's ship had a last minute schedule change (whats new?) and the kids are (thankfully) asleep.  It hasn't been the best night for me.  It was a good day, the kids and I did alot together...but Dylan was freaking out because he had to go to bed. It's like its a new concept for him that he has to sleep.  Anyway, I stole my 3 year olds iPhone (LONG STORY) and downloaded Jason Aldean's "My Kinda Party" album.  I hit shuffle, like I always do.  The song "Church pew or bar stool" came on and he's talking about a small town and how he's gotta get out. Yada yada yada. As I'm listening, I realize I'm crying.

Church Pew or Bar Stool is my hometown.  It's Morgan City. So is Tattoos on this Town, but that's another post.

I just spent 2 months back in 'Bama.  I got a ton of time with my parents, my family and my best friend. And as ready as I was to come home to Japan, because lets face it, home is where my husband is...I still find myself wanting to be in Morgan City.  I don't think that will ever change. That was where I grew up, where my roots are.  My roots there are deep. My roots here are short. I know we'll be leaving Japan in 2 years. I don't know when we'll be back in 'Bama.  I don't know when I'll see my family again.  I don't know when I'll be driving down Pine Ridge Road with my windows down, Lynyrd Skynyrd blaring and my bare foot out the window. The sweet smell of honeysuckle, or the kudzu that seems to invade everything in the spring, I miss those. My babies got to eat the dew from a honeysuckle, just like I did when I was growing up. I always said I'd never leave that place...and look at me now.  I have days where I long to be there, in my parents house...with Daddy picking on me and Momma buzzing around.   I just got back here 8 days ago...

I guess sometimes a girl just needs to cry because I can't seem to turn it off tonight.  I miss so much being gone. Things go on, my friends get together and do things without me. We have family things I'm never there for.  I miss births, graduations, birthdays and anniversaries.

When I was home I saw so many of my "stompin' grounds." (Here's where Tattoos on this Town comes in.)  There was the 7-11 we all used to hang out at.  While taking my brother somewhere, I drove down the road where I used to go parking, lol  I even found the hidden driveway.  There's the tree with eyes, the broken bridge, yellowbluff. The cold hole.  The spot where I had my first kiss. The spot where my first serious boyfriend told me he loved me...and the spot where he first broke my heart.  The river where we used to jump from the bluffs. I remember how I lied to my best friend, Amanda telling her I had jumped when I hadn't, without realizing I'd HAVE to do it now. Amanda and I ate at the same resturant we all ate at on prom night, sat so close to the same table. I could almost see us all there, laughing and talking about our plans for the summer.  Everytime I drove in to Huntsville I passed the spot where my husband gave me his last name.  Driving up the mountain and looking at the rock seeing if someone had spraypainted it with something different. My home. It is me. 

"Whiskey or the Bible.  A shot glass or revival."  That's me, that's my hometown.  We take things slow there.  We take the time to get to know our neighbors and we love get-togethers.  Every car I pass I can pretty much guarantee the driver will hold up his or her first 2 fingers to wave...and I'll do the same.  I'll even know most of them by name. When I walk in to our drug store or grocery store, the people will greet me by my name and ask me how my Momma is. I haven't lived there in over 6 years now if that tells you how amazing my hometown is. The people there will give you the shirt off their back if you need it.  I am the same way, like my parents are. We don't even have a caution light and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Morgan City, Alabama will always be one of my favorite places.  I can travel all over, see the 7 wonders of the world...and they will never compare to driving down Pine Ridge and pulling in to my parents house where I grew up.  Knowing that just for a few days, I'm "home."  I do have two homes.  I have my home with my husband and our family.  I'll always want to be there.  I have my home in 'Bama with my friends and family.  I'll always want to be there too.  I know why I hang around that church pew or bar stool kinda town.