The Forecast

FORECAST

Today's forecast: Breezy, south winds up to 25 mph. Partly sunny day turning into partly cloudy night. Scattered windward and mountain showers.
Tomorrow: Breezy and mostly cloudy. Scattered showers, with southwest winds up to 25 mph.

Which, of course, is just what I need (insert sarcasm, since that is what I'm best at these days) since half of my roof is laying in my front yard.

I'm just sayin...

Because yesterday?...

It was almost like hurricane weather here. Well, not quite, but you know what I mean...

Oh... and of course, roofers don't work in the rain...

Go figure.

What Next?

Lesson learned...

Don't EVER ask: "What could possibly happen next?"

Because SURELY! You will find out!

Tenfold!

It will start out innocently enough, with maybe a bit of drama here or there... little fires that can be put out quickly before they spread and wipe out the village, such as rumors that need to be squashed regarding the deployment... bored, frustrated, deployed military spouses who have nothing better to do than start trouble in the neighborhood... kids who are tired of the deployment and are ready for their deployed parent to come home... whatever.

Before you know it, though, as soon as those words leave your mouth... You can count on it.

There will be Emergency Room visits... (that's PLURAL - meaning more than one...) several trips to the hospital... Extended hospital stays... Frantic Red Cross messages being sent across the ocean to the desert... Soldiers scrambling to get home as quickly as possible to be near a loved one during this emergency...

Ah... At least we had electricity, right? ;-)

Kerry Bows Out of 08' Race

Well that's good news!

Hawaii's Public Schools

$$$

I just don't get it.

Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle gave her "State of the State" address today. She said,

"It is important for us to have a concrete, shared understanding of where we want to go...

We all want a higher standard of living for ourselves and our children...and we want to preserve everything that makes Hawai'i unique...especially our cultural and natural resources...and our sense of 'ohana (family).

We want Hawai'i's young people to have first-rate educational opportunities... we want affordable housing...state-of-the-art health care that is accessible to all...and good-paying jobs...

Our $732 million budget surplus can enable us to dramatically re-shape our destiny, if we make wise choices."

$732 MILLION SURPLUS???

SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO MILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS???

Let me illustrate how many zeros that is... $732,000,000.00

The State has that much of a surplus and they still cannot afford to have textbooks for all of their public school students?

Or air conditioning in the school buildings? (Mind you, this is Hawaii, so the temperature is in the 80's or higher year 'round.)

My daughter's math "book" is a stapled-together stack of copied pages from a textbook. Seriously. The other classes do not allow students to remove textbooks from the classroom because there are only one set of books per room.

How does she study? How does she do make-up work? Good question!

She has to take careful notes (which she doesn't) and 'get with another student' to copy their notes when she's absent and then do a lot of after-school time in all of her classes to make up for one missed day.

And the school bus? It's operated by a commercial bus company and we have to pay for that "privilege!" It doesn't matter if she rides the bus to and from school every single day or if she only rides the bus one day a week due to extra-curricular activities. We have to pay the same amount.

I won't even mention the fact that so many of the public schools here FAILED the benchmark tests last year. Failed! They spent weeks on those tests... Doing NOTHING BUT those tests! Regular schoolwork was not a priority during that time.

As an Army family, my children have attended DoDDS schools abroad as well as public and private schools in five different states. We've seen great schools. We've seen schools that were "okay." I'm sorry, Hawaii Department of Education... I am simply NOT impressed at all.

You beg for the Federal funding and then call yourself a public school system. I look around and am not the least bit surprised at the number of private schools flourishing on the little island of O'ahu. I'm not at all shocked at the number of families I meet these days who have started homeschooling their children.

I pray that there is a bright future for the education of Hawaii's children. Gov. Lingle, you have your work cut out for you!

Staying Busy

It's been a busy week for us here. Doctor appointments every day, driving Thing 1 and Thing 2 all over creation for their different activities, dealing with issues, filing taxes.

Fun stuff.

We're looking forward to R&R, though who knows when it will actually happen. I have a rough guesstimate, but of course, this is the Army we're dealing with, so I know better than to count my chickens before they hatch... Or, count on my husband being here before the plane lands. :)

Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Tomorrow marks 6 months that he's been deployed. This should be the halfway mark, but again, I'm trying not to expect that. It feels like forever since I've been able to hold him.

They'll Be the Death of Me

I knew it!

Children can drive parents to an early grave.

Thursday Thirteen

I've been busy trying to find my way out of this dark place I've found myself in and haven't really been able to blog as I'd like... So I'm tryin' something new.

Thursday Thirteen...

Thirteen Things I Appreciate About Hubby...
(this will be a breeze)

1. Today I was reminded of how well Hubby takes care of me.

I mean, he provides everything I need. And he comes damn close to giving me everything I could ever want. (Ok. I'll admit it. I am spoiled... ROTTEN!)

Yesterday I was whining and complaining about the parking situation for the car. (That's an understatement. I was FUMING about it! And I just happened to get to chat with him as all this was happening. So he got an earful. Or an eyeful.)

My husband is a fixer. That's just his nature. If there's something wrong - especially where his family is concerned - he will do whatever he can to make it right. He will not stop until he makes it right.

By venting about the parking situation to him yesterday, I wasn't thinking about that fixer side of him. I was simply venting. It was a frustrating situation and I was upset.

Well, today my parking problem is solved. HE FIXED IT for me. I won't go into boring details, but I'll just say that I've got good parking and I'm thrilled. He did this from the other side of the world, while sitting in the middle of a desert. Seriously. One email and poof! FIXED. He's good like that.

2. Hubby always, always, always ends every conversation (by phone, email, chat, whatever) telling me that he loves me.

If we somehow get disconnected before he can do this, he will call me back or struggle to get back online until he can.

3. He is so sweet.

Every day (or pretty close to it anyway), there is either an email in my inbox or a letter in the mail from him... FULL of sweet nothings. I will treasure these forever.

4. He is so thoughtful.

He does things like sending me flowers for no reason, buying me big and little gifts just to let me know he was thinking of me, calling me throughout the day (before the deployment) just to hear my voice, doing silly things just to see me smile, he treats my family with such respect (especially my mom - and I swear she loves him more than she does her own daughter!). He picks up the slack ALL the time. If I'm sick, or busy, or justdon'twanna - no matter what the task is - he takes care of it so I don't have to.

5. He puts up with me.

6. He listens to me... and really hears what I say... and all I don't say.

7. He knows me better than anyone else does - and he loves me anyway.

8. He knows when to push me (to strive for something) and when to stand back.

9. He loves his job and is great at what he does - and he never stops trying to better himself.

10. On those days when he hates his job, he doesn't moan and complain and make everyone around him miserable. He puts on the brave face and just does what needs to be done.

11. He really cares about his soldiers. Really.

12. He loves to cook!

13. He loves to shop!

Boy... I could go on and on. The list would be endless.

I'm so blessed to have him in my life!

Thank you, honey. I appreciate all these things about you... and so much more!

Parking Issues

This used to be where I parked the car... in front of the house.

Some guys showed up and painted it red, indicating a no parking zone, today.

Isn't that wonderful?

The curb across the street is also a designated no-parking zone.

There is literally NO WHERE for me to park the car.

So now what?

Maybe I'll just stay in the car and just keep driving around and around the island until I find a spot to park it.

Insane in the Membrane

3 1/2 Weeks?

Ok.

So...

WHOSE BIG IDEA was it to give the kids THREE AND A HALF WEEKS (TWENTY-SEVEN DAYS!!) off from school for "Winter Break????"

I mean, HONESTLY!!!

The Emperor's New Clothes...

er...

I mean...

The President's New Iraq Plan

Homefront Six is very well spoken and she puts it all out there right here.

As she says, "I don't have to like it, but I'll deal."

Comments

From hubby...

I am back at the FOB and all is as good as can be expected. Enjoyed a couple of rides in the best aircraft in the inventory. It sucks being a passenger now. I would much rather be back on flight status flying around everywhere any ole' day. Thank you everyone for the thoughts and prayers.
Love Ya Muchly Babe,
CopterDr

From a great friend
in an email she sent out to family and friends (referring to the "When Are You Coming Home" video posted below)...

We have a very good friend that is in Iraq right now. We sent him a care package for Christmas and we are hoping he will get it soon. His name is CopterDr and he left his wife, and their two daughters at home. One of the things my friend has done on her blog is put on the following video. It is a very moving video.

Would you do me a favor and watch it and then reply to this message with something for our friend? I will post it on their site. I am hoping to get several comments from all of you. I think CopterDr would really like it knowing that we are all supporting him and everyone that is fighting for our country.

Thank you so much,
Love,
Maureen

*********************************

CopterDr, I don't know you personally but I don't need to..to be proud and honored for what you are doing for so many people. I pray for your safe return home to your wife and your two daughters. I give my condolences and my heartfelt deepest sympathies to any of your fallen friends in combat. Fight the good fight and come home safely because you are loved, needed and appreciated. We are all very lucky for you and men and women like yourself who are willing to ly down their lives for the safety and help of another human being, country or area. Thank you for being you.

Love from a Family in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Canada, Damara, Jayda, Devyn and Wyatt

*********************************

This video is very moving. Whether it's a Canadian or American fighting for our freedoms, they must have our full and continued support. I know, I for one, do not think enough of the sacrific these young men and women do to keep us safe on both sides of our borders. Our prayers go out for the safe return of your friend CopterDr.

Your cousin,
Larry

*********************************

Please tell CopterDr, and anyone else who this reaches, that we are SO proud of him, and all the young men and women who are serving our country overseas. We know they are there voluntarily, protecting us here at home. This war is lasting much longer than anyone thought, and we are eternally grateful for their courage, their loyalty, and in too many cases, their lives!

As the wife of a Viet Nam veteran, I know how heartbreaking the separation is, how frightening the tour of duty is, and how joyful the homecoming is! I think about them all the time and pray for their safety and for their families.

We will NEVER forget!!

Love,

Ann

*********************************
Maureen,

Once again, you made me cry.

My nephew was in the Army Reserve and did his time in Iraq. Fortunately, he returned home to us safe and sound and has completed his duty to the US Army. We no longer have to worry that he will be sent over there again. However, I have a godson and a nephew that are both still on active duty in the Navy, so there is a chance that I will once again have immediate family in Iraq. Even though none of my blood family is in Iraq at the moment, I have thousands of extended family members there. You see, I consider each and every soldier that is over there a part of my extended family. My most sincerest and deepest wish is that each and every one of our extended family members makes it home safe and sound. I believe that I have the best family in the world (both blood and extended) and I couldn't be any more proud of any of them!!!! Please let your friends know that they are appreciated and that each and every member of my immediate family is so very proud of everything they do for us. PS ~~ ask that they share my family's best wishes and sincerest gratitude with all of the fellow soldiers.

Toni

*********************************
That was extremely touching! I could not hold back the tears.

Linda

*********************************
It made me very sad. They should all come home yesterday and be in readiness for any war that actually threatens our country, not one started by that idiot and his minions in the white house.

I don't expect you to pass on the comment.

love,
mom
*********************************

Watching the video makes you realize how interwoven we all are. Everyone knows or is related to some one who has or is now serving in the military. For some who do not live near a military base like I do (Fort Drum in New York) I can see how you would not notice all that is done by those in the military. As our guard was once down and we thought that it could not happen "here", we were taught a valuable lesson. Since that time we have come together as a nation and our military has picked up where our politicians had let us down. Do not let the politics of the evening news bring your spirits down! The real people of this great nation are behind your endeavor and pray for you all daily. Give no quarter, never forget those who gave all and keep watch over your brothers in arms. We all are proud of you!

Ordinary, average guy. (Old family friend of Matt's parents)

*********************************

Thank you - for your messages filled with good thoughts and support. You guys are the best!

My Goal

This is where I need to be... (wish me luck!)

Then and Now...

10 months ago... (ugh!)




Almost there!

2007

I hope you're getting off to a great start in 2007!

This is the year that Hubby comes home! :-D

To be honest, I'm having a hard time getting motivated to do anything lately. My greatest accomplishment was to get that damn tree outta' the house.

I just feel so 'blah!' I'd like to chalk it up to the post-Christmas blues, but since it actually started BEFORE the holidays, I don't think that'll fly.

I have lots to do over the next couple of months... projects that need to be finished (or started, in some cases). What I really feel like doing, though, is just crawling into bed and staying there for 6 1/2 more months.

I made no "resolutions" this New Year. It's taken me this many years, but I've finally realized that I'm just no good with them. If I'm going to make a promise to make some sort of change in my life, then it's something that's going to have to be on-going and not dependent on the calendar, but on something from within myself to make it happen. Are there things I'd like to change about myself this year? Absolutely! But I won't name it a "New Year's Resolution" in order to try to make it happen.

I'd love to say that 2007 will be a better year. I think it's all in the attitude. There are too many things that are out of my control to ensure a better year (I'm an Army wife, I know all about lack of control in my life!) but a positive outlook and hope and a lot of faith will see us through.

Here's to a bright new year with a safe return for our troops!