Lazy day...

Yesterday was a lazy day. We just spent time around the hotel room with the puppies. Today we went and did the walk through at our house to make sure everything was working and to write down anything that was wrong with the house before we move it tomorrow. Then we decided to check out the Dole plantation. It was amazing I can't wait to go back really soon. We had Pineapple soft serve for a snack and then we went to go window shop for washers and dryers. We haven't decided if we are just going to buy the less expensive washer and dryers or go big and get the nice ones and keep those and sell our others when we get home. Who knows we haven't really decided. We are now packing up our hotel room to move into our house tomorrow ;). It will probably be awhile until my next post because it will take a while for us to get internet. Nate has to do his Fantasy Football stuff soon so we are probably going to go to Barnes and Noble to use the internet. Well, I will write to you later.

Day 8: Oreo being lazy

Day 9: Our house and the Dole plantation

A day in HI...

Well, I guess it's time for an update since I have been a little slack. On friday Nate had to go back to base to wrap up his inprocessing and I just stayed at the hotel and played with the puppies. It was our 5 yr. anniversary so we went out to lunch at a local restaraunt. Our big date is next friday when we get to go eat at Top of Waikiki which I am really looking foward to. Nate has the next week or so off so we are just enjoying some time together before he starts work.

Yesterday, we decided to go see some of the more well known sights in HI. We went to the "Stadium Swap Meet". It was huge! It is basically where vendors come and sell there stuff. It was a lot of fun and we will def. go back to buy stuff for our friends and family. We then went to Pearl Harbor to visit the U.S.S. Arizona memorial. It was def. a sight to see. We then went and grabbed lunch and were back at the hotel in a descent amount of time.

Today we might go to the beach, but we haven't decided. I am having an amazing time here and will blog later about some of the fun things that we have discovered. Well, write again soon.

Day 6: The daily rain coming in...


Day 7: Swap Meet and Pearl Harbor...

The Rainbow Connection...

So I will do a quick post of yesterday (Day 5)...

Well, yesterday was kind of a roller coaster day. We got to base early for Nate's swim test and after that was a luncheon for soldiers and families by ACS just to get to know the base and the Hawaiian culture. It was a great lunch and we then were able to meet Nate's new Commander.

We found out early yesterday that Nate was pulled from 2nd Brigade and sent to 3rd Brigade. This means that Nate won't deploy until next Spring and it will be to Afghanistan. That wasn't exactly what we wanted to happen but God has a purpose and a plan for all things and this is his plan for us. I am excited to be able to spend some time with Nate over the next couple of months. We ask for your prayers for our new situation and that we continue to seek God first in all that we do. We were able to notify our families and they seem to take it well so that was a huge blessing. We are just waiting to see what God has in store for us and we are excited to experience all that HI has to offer.

Yesterday on the drive home we saw about 5 rainbows so of course I had to take pics. I love how I have a daily reminder of God's promises to us. God is good in all He does. I will post again soon.

Day 5: Rainbows...

Oh how I love this place!!!

Well, where do I start?

Yesterday we received a call that notified us that our car was ready to be picked up at the shipping place so of course I was really excited. We were looking at renting a car and that was going to cost about $300 or more for the rest of the week and who wants to spend that on a car you can't keep? Anyways, our prayers were answered with that phone call!!! Our friend Mrs. Shelia came to the rescue and took me to get our car. I picked up Ringo, that is our Rogue's name ;). He was in great condition and it was then time for my solo adventure...

Nate asked me if I could go pick up our HI insurance cards from the office in Honolulu and I was def. scared bc I HATE driving and now I would have to do it in a new place where I was totally lost. I set my GPS up and started on my voyage into the unknown lol. Long story sort I kicked major butt!!!! I found my way found a parking space got the cards and walked around a little bit in one of the biggest cities in HI. I had to pat myself on the back for that one. I couldn't stop tooting my own horn as I also proceeded to find my way back to the hotel in one piece as well ;). I now know I can beast this tiny island and make it my own personal highway haha.

Later that night, since we now had transportation, we decided it was def. time to get out of the hotel. We decided to go out to eat in Waikiki and that was craziness. We had no idea where any good place to eat was located. We finally found this HUGE shopping center and it looked like it would have a good place to eat and if now there would be LOADS of shopping ;). We searched over an hour for something to eat. We didn't want to just settle and eat at a place that we had back home. We finally decided to eat in the food court and I was a little bummed bc I thought great here we go with the BK and the McDonald's but boy was I WAY wrong. There was too much to choose from. I actually got exactly what I had been wanting to try, which is this Hawaiian dish called "Loco Moco"...so good. It is really simple rice with gravy and beef covered with a runny egg (pic at bottom). Nate got some chicken thing ( i liked mine too much to care about his). We had an AMAZING first night out. I am looking forward to living here so much. God really knew what He was doing, but doesn't He always ;).

Today was a little less adventurous. We were able to get EVERYTHING done to get Ringo registered in HI. It normally would have taken a couple days but we sped through it with ease and no complications. God is def. shining on us! Nate had one more class left and after he was done we decided to go to the Navy Exchange. The NEX is HUGE. I have never seen a place like that before. I def. have to take a good pic of it to post. We then had to go to Lowe's to look at washers and dryers bc of course we chose not to bring ours bc we were told you normally get one in HI. We are going to just wait and get one when we move into our house.

Oh, we got a house!!!!It is tech. on base but really it's off. We are about 7min. off base, but it is considered "on base housing". We are only like 3 min from the gorgeous Dole plantation...yeah for fresh fruit just down the road. The best part...North Shore is only 15min. away ;). I am very excited to finally get into a house. It is 3 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths. It is just right for us and has a fenced in back yard for the puppies. Our neighbors seem nice too. God is so good!!!! I will be sending out postcards with our new address so if you want one let me know. Well that is about it for now. This time change is killing me on my posting ;). Post again soon.

Day 3: "Loco Moco" and the Food Court



Day 4: Ringo gets tagged HI style!

Aloha!!!

Well, the Baloughs are now safe and sound in the lovely state of Hawaii!!! It has been an eventful trip and God has def. watched over us the whole way. We were able to get the puppies on a flight so they could come to Hawaii at the same time we did. They only had to spend 1 night at the quarantine facility and I was there as soon as they opened ;) to snatch them up. We had a short flight from TN to TX. Once in TX we went to the USO, which I had never heard about, it was so amazing how people care so much for our troops and their families to have such a place like that. We then got ready for our 8 hour flight to Hawaii. We actually did not get to sit together on the flight but we were next to each other so. It was crazy long and after awhile you will def. start to get stir crazy! We landed and were met by our friends the Scotts. Mrs. Shelia presented me with my lei ;). I was so excited. We picked up our bags and went to the hotel. Nate is doing his inprocessing this week so we don't have any cool pictures to post. We are going to rent a car and hopefully then explore the island more. I am getting really anxious to see this beautiful island. As promised I am going to try to take a picture of everyday I am here. That is about it for now I am sure I will have more stories as we finally get seattled. All I know is it will def. be an adventure to learn these roads they are crazy. I will post again soon....ALOHA!!!

Day 1: Airport ;)


Day 2: Me with my lei


I will try to post another pic tonight for day 3!