This is why I love technology!!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Day 18 : This is why I love technology!
This is why I love technology!!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Day 16 : Oggi è bel tempo!
Oggi è bel tempo! (Italian for, today is a beautiful day!) That's right, folks, today helped us to remember that Spring has sprung in Italia! It was 65 degrees with just a few clouds in the sky over the mountains. We had the kids outside at work on the playground until 6 o'clock, which was a new record.
Today I also decided that it was time to break out my pink toenail polish. :) Those who know me well know that I only use two shades of nail polish on a regular basis--hot pink and French manicure. Hot pink is a must during the summer, as it always makes me feel so happy that my toes are able to be out in the open (aka, I'm able to wear flip-flops).
So anyway, I painted my piggies a perfect shade of hot pink tonight. Pictures will come tomorrow! But painting my toes always reminds me of Momma... she was always willing to give me a pedicure after she got home from a long day at work. I wish I had returned the favor more often. In the last year that I lived at home, Momma and I would walk around poking each other and saying, "Pokety!" She would end up sitting on the couch and Pokety-ing me with her toes, and that became known as "Piggety!" We'd forever walk around saying, "Don't pokety me with your piggeties!" :) It makes me smile even to this day.
Work today was very trying, however. One of my kinders wasn't able to take his daily nap since they went on a field trip today, and he's already hard to manage normally, much less when he's tired. After I talked to him for what seemed like the 100th time, I asked him if he thought he could stop yelling at the other children and take a deep breath before getting upset. He said yes, and when I let him go to let him play he kissed me on the cheek. My heart melted! I wish he was always that sweet. But I hope that all the time us counselors end up spending one-on-one with him help him to overcome his issues and be that sweet all the time.
Anyway, that's all for today. Arrivederci!
Today I also decided that it was time to break out my pink toenail polish. :) Those who know me well know that I only use two shades of nail polish on a regular basis--hot pink and French manicure. Hot pink is a must during the summer, as it always makes me feel so happy that my toes are able to be out in the open (aka, I'm able to wear flip-flops).
So anyway, I painted my piggies a perfect shade of hot pink tonight. Pictures will come tomorrow! But painting my toes always reminds me of Momma... she was always willing to give me a pedicure after she got home from a long day at work. I wish I had returned the favor more often. In the last year that I lived at home, Momma and I would walk around poking each other and saying, "Pokety!" She would end up sitting on the couch and Pokety-ing me with her toes, and that became known as "Piggety!" We'd forever walk around saying, "Don't pokety me with your piggeties!" :) It makes me smile even to this day.
Work today was very trying, however. One of my kinders wasn't able to take his daily nap since they went on a field trip today, and he's already hard to manage normally, much less when he's tired. After I talked to him for what seemed like the 100th time, I asked him if he thought he could stop yelling at the other children and take a deep breath before getting upset. He said yes, and when I let him go to let him play he kissed me on the cheek. My heart melted! I wish he was always that sweet. But I hope that all the time us counselors end up spending one-on-one with him help him to overcome his issues and be that sweet all the time.
Anyway, that's all for today. Arrivederci!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Day 15 : 2 weeks down
Just a quick post to say that it's been two weeks now since Arron left. Luckily, the past week went by MUCH faster than the first!
Tonight was amazing. I got to talk on Skype with Jenny about all sorts of fun things that we used to talk about when we were together in the states. Right when I hung up with her, Makayla video Skyped me and I got to see my favorite nephew Elijah James! ♥ It's amazing to me how much I can love that little boy. He was smiling and flirting the whole time, and got especially confused when the computer started talking to him! :)
Anyway, I'll end with a quote of the day:
(A kindergartener was singing happy birthday to some plastic frogs we have.)
Tonight was amazing. I got to talk on Skype with Jenny about all sorts of fun things that we used to talk about when we were together in the states. Right when I hung up with her, Makayla video Skyped me and I got to see my favorite nephew Elijah James! ♥ It's amazing to me how much I can love that little boy. He was smiling and flirting the whole time, and got especially confused when the computer started talking to him! :)
Anyway, I'll end with a quote of the day:
(A kindergartener was singing happy birthday to some plastic frogs we have.)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Day 14: A Murder in my Kitchen
So much stuff has been going on in the past couple days that I don't know where to start!
If you keep up with my (or Arron's) Facebook, you have seen that there has been drama going on in our lives right now. Long story short, someone thinks they're so awesome that they can start problems in our marriage. News flash: You have no control over our marriage. We are just as strong as ever, and nothing anyone can do will change that. I am not going into more detail because I am not going to give the person the satisfaction of thinking they got into my head. However, if you did it and you are reading this, just know: If you are a dependent, you can lose your command sponsorship by harassing others. If you are active duty, you can lose a stripe (and probably worse). And this will be going up your chain of command.
In other news, Friday night I came home from work and it looked like someone had been murdered in my kitchen. A bottle of wine that I had opened, and corked, exploded, shooting red wine all over my kitchen. It covered everything except the fridge, our liquor rack, and the ceiling. It was all over my cabinets, my walls, my floor... ridiculous. Just take a look for yourself...
Mind you, these are the only two pictures I got. Like I said, it was EVERYWHERE!! I felt like Dexter, studying blood spatters to figure out where it came from. (The culprit is the bottle standing up in the second picture.)
That's about all for now. I've worked 7 days in a row now, so this is my day off before starting another week. Going to relax and clean this house (again). Although, I must say it's nice to only have to clean once a week with Arron gone! (Just kidding... love you babe.)
If you keep up with my (or Arron's) Facebook, you have seen that there has been drama going on in our lives right now. Long story short, someone thinks they're so awesome that they can start problems in our marriage. News flash: You have no control over our marriage. We are just as strong as ever, and nothing anyone can do will change that. I am not going into more detail because I am not going to give the person the satisfaction of thinking they got into my head. However, if you did it and you are reading this, just know: If you are a dependent, you can lose your command sponsorship by harassing others. If you are active duty, you can lose a stripe (and probably worse). And this will be going up your chain of command.
In other news, Friday night I came home from work and it looked like someone had been murdered in my kitchen. A bottle of wine that I had opened, and corked, exploded, shooting red wine all over my kitchen. It covered everything except the fridge, our liquor rack, and the ceiling. It was all over my cabinets, my walls, my floor... ridiculous. Just take a look for yourself...
That's about all for now. I've worked 7 days in a row now, so this is my day off before starting another week. Going to relax and clean this house (again). Although, I must say it's nice to only have to clean once a week with Arron gone! (Just kidding... love you babe.)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Day 11 : Thank God for Friends!
Within the first couple minutes of our Skype date this morning, I dissolved into tears. I'm overwhelmed. I'm stressed. Work and my classes are wearing me down. I'm tired of this deployment already, damnit. "Dear deployment, I hate you."
When I walked into work this morning, my dear friend Breanna walked up and gave me a hug. She told me, "This is from Arron. He says you need it." I almost cried.
After work, I got a call from my bestest mommy friend, Makayla. We talked for an hour about everything--the military, moving, babies, traveling, and just life.
And it gets better. As I write this, I'm Skyping my bestest deployment wife/friend, Jenny, and my favorite husband, Arron. (Okay, okay, he's my only husband... but still.)
Today, I'm thanking God for my friends. And for technology... there is no way I could deal with this deployment if computers weren't invented yet. I'd be going insane without being able to be a phone call or an instant message away from my family and friends. Not to mention being able to talk to Arron at all hours of the night/day.
I started today off horribly, with tears at 6 am. Now, at almost 11 pm, it has been a great day. It was a beautiful day, and I got to "spend time" with some of the people I love the most in this life.
Dear Deployment, I'm going to kick your ass.
When I walked into work this morning, my dear friend Breanna walked up and gave me a hug. She told me, "This is from Arron. He says you need it." I almost cried.
After work, I got a call from my bestest mommy friend, Makayla. We talked for an hour about everything--the military, moving, babies, traveling, and just life.
And it gets better. As I write this, I'm Skyping my bestest deployment wife/friend, Jenny, and my favorite husband, Arron. (Okay, okay, he's my only husband... but still.)
Today, I'm thanking God for my friends. And for technology... there is no way I could deal with this deployment if computers weren't invented yet. I'd be going insane without being able to be a phone call or an instant message away from my family and friends. Not to mention being able to talk to Arron at all hours of the night/day.
I started today off horribly, with tears at 6 am. Now, at almost 11 pm, it has been a great day. It was a beautiful day, and I got to "spend time" with some of the people I love the most in this life.
Dear Deployment, I'm going to kick your ass.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Day 9: Deployment Playlist
I have a playlist on my iTunes for those times when I want to wallow in self-pity over this deployment. Ok, not necessarily wallow... but you get my point. When it gets to the point where I miss Arron and I need to know that I'm not alone, I have a playlist. I wanted to share it with you. :)
What are your favorite songs when your man's gone?
- T-Shirt - Shontelle
- 10 Hours - Warren Barfield
- Wait for Me- Theory of Deadman
- Come Home Soon - SheDaisy
- Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue - Toby Keith
- Stay - Miley Cyrus
- Home - Michael Buble
- Letters from Home - John Michael Montgomery
- Welcome Home (You) - Brian Littrell
- If You're Reading This - Tim McGraw
- Sleeping with the Telephone - Reba McEntire and Faith Hill
- Her Diamonds - Rob Thomas*
- Home to You - John Michael Montgomery
- Camouflage and Christmas Lights - Rodney Carrington
- American Soldier - Toby Keith
- Is This Love - Thomas Anderson
- Ocean Size Love - Leigh Nash
- My Last Name - Dierks Bentley
- For Freedom - Avalon
- Missing Me Some You - Toby Keith
- Here Without You - 3 Doors Down
- Watching Airplanes - Gary Allan
- Fall - Clay Walker*
- I'll Wait for You - Joe Nichols*
- The Taliban Song - Toby Keith
- Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) - Alan Jackson
- 'Til Nothing Comes Between Us - John Michael Montgomery*
- Letters from War - Mark Schultz
What are your favorite songs when your man's gone?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Day 8 : Army Wives!
First, today has been one week since Arron left. Sadly, it's seemed like three. Blegh!
However, today I wanted to direct your attention to my overwhelming obsession with Army Wives. Since it airs in the states on Sunday nights, my Monday mornings are devoted to Skyping Arron and watching the newest episode, which was episode 3 of season 5 today. *spoiler alert* What I want to know is, how in the world can they leave us hanging like that?!? In the middle of Tonya's bridal shower a black SUV pulls up and out comes the CAO officers (Casualty Assistance Officers). Oh no oh no oh no oh no.
On to other things... It has been absolutely gorgeous here in Italia the past couple days! I grabbed a shot of the mountains yesterday that I forgot to post. :)
That's Piancavallo, the ski resort at the top of the mountains. As you can see, there's still lots of snow, but not nearly as much as there was last month!
Today I started my Italian class on base. This is my first face-to-face class since I've been in Italy and transferred colleges. It's also been a full year since my first Italian class at the University of Houston. I actually didn't do too bad when it came to remembering, although there were definitely some people who just got out of the first class!
As of right now, I will graduate Summer 2012, which is only 5 years after I graduated high school--not bad, since I took a semester off to move here and was only taking 12 hours/semester at UH to work. I'm so excited about graduating; I can hardly wait. If I wasn't this close, I swear I'd give up--I'm so tired of round-the-clock classes! I didn't get a Thanksgiving break, or a Christmas one, or a Spring Break. Plus I'll be taking a class over the summer so there goes my summer break as well! Blegh. Just so close, I can taste it!
Arron and I have been Skyping on a regular basis now. Of course, this means me getting up at 6 am to catch him when he gets off work. Oh, the things we do for love. :) It's been good, though. Every day (except for today) I've gone back to sleep before work... today I had too much to do before class started at 11 to go back to sleep!
Work was crazy today, but it was a Monday, so that's normal. That's about it... off to do homework for the week!
Arrivederci!
However, today I wanted to direct your attention to my overwhelming obsession with Army Wives. Since it airs in the states on Sunday nights, my Monday mornings are devoted to Skyping Arron and watching the newest episode, which was episode 3 of season 5 today. *spoiler alert* What I want to know is, how in the world can they leave us hanging like that?!? In the middle of Tonya's bridal shower a black SUV pulls up and out comes the CAO officers (Casualty Assistance Officers). Oh no oh no oh no oh no.
On to other things... It has been absolutely gorgeous here in Italia the past couple days! I grabbed a shot of the mountains yesterday that I forgot to post. :)
Today I started my Italian class on base. This is my first face-to-face class since I've been in Italy and transferred colleges. It's also been a full year since my first Italian class at the University of Houston. I actually didn't do too bad when it came to remembering, although there were definitely some people who just got out of the first class!
As of right now, I will graduate Summer 2012, which is only 5 years after I graduated high school--not bad, since I took a semester off to move here and was only taking 12 hours/semester at UH to work. I'm so excited about graduating; I can hardly wait. If I wasn't this close, I swear I'd give up--I'm so tired of round-the-clock classes! I didn't get a Thanksgiving break, or a Christmas one, or a Spring Break. Plus I'll be taking a class over the summer so there goes my summer break as well! Blegh. Just so close, I can taste it!
Arron and I have been Skyping on a regular basis now. Of course, this means me getting up at 6 am to catch him when he gets off work. Oh, the things we do for love. :) It's been good, though. Every day (except for today) I've gone back to sleep before work... today I had too much to do before class started at 11 to go back to sleep!
Work was crazy today, but it was a Monday, so that's normal. That's about it... off to do homework for the week!
Arrivederci!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Day 7: Shitty Day (Literally)
So I had to work today. It started out really fun--it was a beautiful day and we were able to keep the kids outside for most of it. We had a door propped open to one of the rooms so the kids could go in to the bathroom, and a table outside so they could draw if they didn't want to run around. It was super fun.
Until.
A little girl comes running up to me about two hours into the day and tells me there's poop all over the bathroom. I thought she was exaggerating. But, no. It was everywhere!!! Oh my gosh, it was ridiculous--finger marks and everything, which means they used their hands. We lined all 17 kids up outside and inspected their hands, but everyone's were clean. The culprit had at least washed their hands afterward...
The rest of the day was spent trying to figure out who did it. We have our suspects, but no one fessed up and therefore no one's parents were told.
The rest of the day wasn't so bad, but sadly, that one incident colored our whole day darker. Really, where do these kids come up with these ideas?
(Reminder: I work with 5-12 year olds... so I'm not talking about a toddler playing with their poo--it's a child old enough to know better!)
Ew, ew, ewwww.
Until.
A little girl comes running up to me about two hours into the day and tells me there's poop all over the bathroom. I thought she was exaggerating. But, no. It was everywhere!!! Oh my gosh, it was ridiculous--finger marks and everything, which means they used their hands. We lined all 17 kids up outside and inspected their hands, but everyone's were clean. The culprit had at least washed their hands afterward...
The rest of the day was spent trying to figure out who did it. We have our suspects, but no one fessed up and therefore no one's parents were told.
The rest of the day wasn't so bad, but sadly, that one incident colored our whole day darker. Really, where do these kids come up with these ideas?
(Reminder: I work with 5-12 year olds... so I'm not talking about a toddler playing with their poo--it's a child old enough to know better!)
Ew, ew, ewwww.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Day 6 : Spring Cleaning!
I'm taking full advantage of my one-day weekend and starting spring cleaning! I'm about halfway done, if you count laundry to be done as well. Lots and lots of loads! It's a beautiful spring day here; I've got all of the windows open and I can hear the birds chirping and the San Quirino church bells. ♥
So far I've:
grocery shopped
washed our comforter at the laundromat
made myself a handy dandy bleach/water mixture to spray around the house
swept/mopped floors upstairs and downstairs
done three loads of laundry
Pledged our wooden bedroom set
dusted
put Arron's shoes and jackets in storage
... all within the past two hours! Woohoo for me.
Arron and I are trying to set up a schedule to Skype everyday around our schedules... It's not working quite yet, but we'll get the hang of it. His internet is not always reliable, and will cut off in the middle of our video calls sometimes. Oh well! That's the military life, I guess.
That's about all for now. I have to run up to the base in a couple hours (again) to meet someone, and then I'm going to stop by the BX and get a big storage container to put Arron's old ABU's and boots in. It's not a Saturday in the Holden household if we don't go to base twice! Ha.
Today, life is good. :)
So far I've:
grocery shopped
washed our comforter at the laundromat
made myself a handy dandy bleach/water mixture to spray around the house
swept/mopped floors upstairs and downstairs
done three loads of laundry
Pledged our wooden bedroom set
dusted
put Arron's shoes and jackets in storage
... all within the past two hours! Woohoo for me.
Arron and I are trying to set up a schedule to Skype everyday around our schedules... It's not working quite yet, but we'll get the hang of it. His internet is not always reliable, and will cut off in the middle of our video calls sometimes. Oh well! That's the military life, I guess.
That's about all for now. I have to run up to the base in a couple hours (again) to meet someone, and then I'm going to stop by the BX and get a big storage container to put Arron's old ABU's and boots in. It's not a Saturday in the Holden household if we don't go to base twice! Ha.
Today, life is good. :)
Friday, March 18, 2011
Day 5.2: First Cry
I cried today. It shouldn't be that big of a deal, but I hadn't heard from Arron since our Skype talk Wednesday morning. With all of the chaos going on, I was really missing him the past two days, but I didn't realize how much until he interrupted my bubble bath tonight with a Skype call.
When I saw his dirty face with his coveralls, I started crying. I know it wasn't even the first time I saw him, but just seeing him and seeing his face so happy to see me just made me break down.
I'm going to stop typing now, because thinking about it just might make me cry more. Goodnight, y'all.
When I saw his dirty face with his coveralls, I started crying. I know it wasn't even the first time I saw him, but just seeing him and seeing his face so happy to see me just made me break down.
I'm going to stop typing now, because thinking about it just might make me cry more. Goodnight, y'all.
Day 5: Glad He's Gone
And not for the reason you're probably guessing!
With everything going on in the world right now, our base is on overtime, including my work with the kids! We're working this weekend and next weekend, and the weekend after is our big kick-off for the Month of the Military Child that starts in April. It will definitely be different working the weekends, but I know it will keep me busy and make time go by faster. And who knows, I might get some overtime out of this experience as well (overtime=money!).
Anyway, I'm glad that Arron's gone with everything going on here. I'd hate to be working weekends right before he left, and I'd hate for him to be here working 6 or 7 days a week right before leaving.
In other news, I filled up with gas today. I realize this shouldn't be a big deal, but as I was filling out my gas coupons, I found a note that Arron had written in them right before he left:
Quote of the day from a kindergarten child at work:
I caught her pulling up her shirt and showing a boy her stomach area. I asked her what she was doing, and she said, "Showing him my cute little tummy." Wonder who's been telling her that she had a cute little tummy?
That's all for today. :)
With everything going on in the world right now, our base is on overtime, including my work with the kids! We're working this weekend and next weekend, and the weekend after is our big kick-off for the Month of the Military Child that starts in April. It will definitely be different working the weekends, but I know it will keep me busy and make time go by faster. And who knows, I might get some overtime out of this experience as well (overtime=money!).
Anyway, I'm glad that Arron's gone with everything going on here. I'd hate to be working weekends right before he left, and I'd hate for him to be here working 6 or 7 days a week right before leaving.
In other news, I filled up with gas today. I realize this shouldn't be a big deal, but as I was filling out my gas coupons, I found a note that Arron had written in them right before he left:
"Hey sweetheart, by the time you read this I'll be deployed. I just wanted to let you know that I love you more than anything."
Oh, if I hadn't had to deal with giving the attendant my coupons and driving home, I would have broken down right there. Honey, if you read this, I love you, and I love how you can always surprise me in the smallest (and biggest!) ways. ♥Quote of the day from a kindergarten child at work:
I caught her pulling up her shirt and showing a boy her stomach area. I asked her what she was doing, and she said, "Showing him my cute little tummy." Wonder who's been telling her that she had a cute little tummy?
That's all for today. :)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Day 3: Hair styling
I got my new "waver" in the mail today. :)
Having lots of fun styling my hair. This is how it looked when I went to work, before braving the rainy day.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Day 2 : Skype and Yoga
I will not be updating this every day, but just a few things that I wanted to share:
Got to Skype with Arron tonight. :) He made it to his destination and is safe and sound. Even his mustache made it (shudder). It was hard to hear him because he was in his break room at work, which has free internet but tons of people!
I accompanied a dear friend to a yoga class tonight after work. I was super scared, since 1- I haven't done yoga in at least 6 months and 2- I've never done yoga outside of my living room! It wasn't too bad though, but I have a feeling that I'll be hurting tomorrow. I felt the burn!
That's all for tonight. Feeling much better today, despite the rainy weather that is part and parcel to this part of Italia. When it rains, it doesn't stop for at least a week, if not two! It makes driving all the more fun. :)
Ciao!
Got to Skype with Arron tonight. :) He made it to his destination and is safe and sound. Even his mustache made it (shudder). It was hard to hear him because he was in his break room at work, which has free internet but tons of people!
I accompanied a dear friend to a yoga class tonight after work. I was super scared, since 1- I haven't done yoga in at least 6 months and 2- I've never done yoga outside of my living room! It wasn't too bad though, but I have a feeling that I'll be hurting tomorrow. I felt the burn!
That's all for tonight. Feeling much better today, despite the rainy weather that is part and parcel to this part of Italia. When it rains, it doesn't stop for at least a week, if not two! It makes driving all the more fun. :)
Ciao!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Day 1
It's depressing coming home to an empty house.
Arron left early this morning. I still have yet to shed a tear. I don't think it's hit me yet... It just feels like he's back on swings schedule, like he'll be home in the early morning hours.
I need to do homework and turn off the TV, but tonight, I'm just not feeling it. I think I deserve a day to mourn, in a sense, a life to which I've grown accustomed. For a good part of the last 14 months, Arron and I have been together every night. There were three months that I was in Texas and he was not; there were several weeks where he was TDY and I was here. But, almost every night besides those, we shared the same bed, we cuddled on the couch, we sang to music together around the house.
Six months seems so long; so far away. Arron will be back after summer, after our anniversary, after our birthdays. I realize that we were apart for eight months while Arron was in Korea, and then another three when he went back after our wedding. That seemed to fly by... but I remember the first couple weeks, thinking, "How in the world am I going to get through this?"
The answer: Friends. Work. School. Europe. Life.
Tonight, I will mourn. Tomorrow, I will get up and embrace life.
Arron left early this morning. I still have yet to shed a tear. I don't think it's hit me yet... It just feels like he's back on swings schedule, like he'll be home in the early morning hours.
I need to do homework and turn off the TV, but tonight, I'm just not feeling it. I think I deserve a day to mourn, in a sense, a life to which I've grown accustomed. For a good part of the last 14 months, Arron and I have been together every night. There were three months that I was in Texas and he was not; there were several weeks where he was TDY and I was here. But, almost every night besides those, we shared the same bed, we cuddled on the couch, we sang to music together around the house.
Six months seems so long; so far away. Arron will be back after summer, after our anniversary, after our birthdays. I realize that we were apart for eight months while Arron was in Korea, and then another three when he went back after our wedding. That seemed to fly by... but I remember the first couple weeks, thinking, "How in the world am I going to get through this?"
The answer: Friends. Work. School. Europe. Life.
Tonight, I will mourn. Tomorrow, I will get up and embrace life.
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