Learning...

So I have really been neglecting this blog thing...

Nate has officially started prep for deployment. He is at NTC right now preparing and training for Afghanistan. He seems to be doing pretty well. He wakes up at 6am and goes to bed at 12 midnight, and people say he doesn't do anything? Anyways that is another rant for another day, trying to pack up my soap box slowly, but surely. I just get a little upset when people accuse Nate of not doing stuff after I see the long hours he puts in and the work that he does, that's the protective wifey in me. Nate is really good about not caring what people say, that's just one of the reasons why I love him. Anyways, like I said before another rant for another time.

I am doing pretty well with him being gone. We have done separations before. I am keeping super busy. I have such great friends here that are constantly inviting me out or over for dinner. I have tons of FRG stuff to plan and do, which takes up most of my time. The dogs seem to miss Nate a lot. Oreo sleeps beside me now and snuggles up close. It's weird how dogs can sense change!

Nate's mom is coming in Feb. We are super excited! We are going to take her to a real Luau and to the beach to teach her how to surf. I am looking forward to having our first official guest in Hawaii. My family comes in June to visit so that will be something to look forward to after Nate leaves. I might start looking for a job as well to keep me busy. Hopefully, Nate's cousin Sara can come visit. We would have so much flippin fun...I LOVE her!

So what's new with me? I am learning new things about myself everyday. Things that are important enough to fight for and things that are just meant to roll off your shoulders. I am learning to be thankful for all that I have and not ungrateful and jealous of the things I don't. God is so good to us and has truly blessed us with so many things. Life is so precious and I am learning not to take anything for granted. I was thinking how lucky I am to live in paradise. I know some people get stuck in the same place for years and years and I am so lucky to say that I have traveled and lived all over. I was talking to my mom and telling her how I never imagined the places God would take me and now here I am a mile from the ocean on one side and a mountain on the other.

Talking about experiences and leaning new things, I learned how to make an egg roll! I have been attending 'coffee groups'. These are groups for the spouses and they meet once a month just to get together and have fun. I am actually leading the one in Feb. for the Battalion. Anyways, the one I went to the other night was run by the Brigade Commander's wife and she is from Korea, again it is so amazing the people God will put in your life (esp. in the military). She showed us how to fill and wrap them and then fry them. They were so delicious! I am so blessed to have these little groups that I can go to and know they are experiencing the same things I am and get advice from the Senior Spouses.  

I have a lot coming up in the next month with our Feb. fundraiser and Pre-deployment briefings. I will hopefully update more often when Nate leaves ;(. We thank you for all of your prayers and ask that you continue praying for safety and protection. Well, until next time...Aloha!