Nail Files!

I saw this interesting blog post over on Fabulous but Evil last week and thought it seemed real fun. I am obsessed with Shellac manicures. I get my nails done every few weeks because that's the only way I avoid my horrible habit of biting my nails! Here's my nail files for this week:

Not a great shot, but I'm sure I'll get better in time :-) This color is called 'By the Bay' by Gel II (shellac brand that the nail salon carries). This may be the last bright color I wear for a while. I'm excited to start wearing "fall colors"

I should just kayak to Afghanistan!

KC was finally able to call me! Ok, so it has only been four days since he has left, but for someone who is new to this deployment stuff it was a long time with out talking on the phone. He emailed me Sunday evening saying he would call me when he got to his final spot. Today is Tuesday so I was expecting the call yesterday. No big deal though. I have been so happy that he has communicated via email, text, and phone call every one of those four days except one. It was great to hear his voice, and he sounds really good (although he's pumped to be over there and back in action so I should expect him to sound good!). I feel more secure the more I hear from him because it means he is alive and well. I'm so terrified of something happening to him and not hearing about it for days. We talked for about twenty minutes before his phone started to die. When we hung up I had the biggest smile on my face, and I feel it creeping up again now that I'm thinking about it.

After we got off the phone I decided to look on Google to see how far he is from me. I was looking for what the mileage was, but Google will always do you one better: They'll break it down to you by giving turn by turn directions, with no flight necessary! I started cracking up in my cubicle when I read down the list so I thought it was worth sharing some screen captures of the directions.

In order to get there I must Kayak the Pacific Ocean from Seattle to Hawaii, some 3,000 miles (according to Google), and then Kayak from Hawaii to Japan. I must then know how to read Japanese/Korean so I know which streets to take.

Next up, it looks like I need to Jet Ski some almost 500 miles from Japan up through Korea(I'm going by the map since I don't know what language is listed in the directions. I would have loved to Jet ski all the way from Seattle, but it appears Google is pretty smart and knows a jet ski's range in gas is no where near 3,000 miles. Some 996 hours later; I will be in Afghanistan with my boy. That equals out to forty days.

I love Google Maps. Thanks for the laugh, Google. I needed it.

Things to DO!

A perfect fall afternoon for reading on my balcony!

I have been preparing myself for this deployment for a month or two now, both in my mind and in my everyday life. I think it is very important to keep busy while KC is off doing his thing in the sandbox. I've been running ideas, thoughts, and possibilities through my brain about activities I could involve myself in during the next few months. I'm the type of person that has to write things out in order to give my mind a rest when it comes to my To Dos so why not do the same for my list of things I want to accomplish before KC returns? That way I can be held accountable on here to at least attempt and go through with some of those activities. I urge others to do the same whether or not your boyfriend is gone on deployment or not. I think this is a good idea if you are simply trying to expand your every day activities or want to be more social.
Here's my list!:

-Join a book club. I want to expand my horizons on what I read, so what better way? I joined an all girl book club and we have our first meeting soon. I feel like a nerd, but I'm excited!

-Take free online courses. I mean LEGIT free, good online courses! Why should I let my brain go to mush now that I've graduated college? I registered for some classes on Coursera. Seriously, if you haven't checked this site out you should! Professors from Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and Princeton (to name a few!) teach a variety of courses to people all across the world FOR FREE!! A list of the current courses . I signed up for a intro to sociology, and intro to irrational behavior.

- Join a (specialized) gym. I've decided that I'm tired of just going to a gym. I hate running on a treadmill, and I never know what to do with weights so WHY am I spending $50+ on a gym membership every month? Not to mention I have a weight room at my disposal when I go to work. I'm looking for a gym that can teach me how to learn a skill. Boxing, self defense ect. This is could be a very valuable tool in my everyday life.

-Join a running group. Motivation, accountability, and exercise. What more do I need?!

-Clean my junk corner in my bedroom. I've lived in my apartment for over two months now. I need to stop ignoring my heap of crap in the corner and sort it out.

-Organize my closet/get rid of stuff I don't need. two plus months is too long to let me closet sit with everything just shoved in it. I need order!

Those are just a few of my ideas thus far. I plan on adding to the list. What would be on your list? I would love to hear what your ideas are or have been when you have been in a similar rut as me. Did you stick to your guns and do 'em all? Which ones seemed to be the most successful for you?

The countdown begins

As a friend put it: Keep running this quote through your head every day until he returns.

Deployment happened today. Talk about a whole day of changing emotions! When we first got to the airfield to do the send off I was fine. When I say fine I mean not crying. :-) My stomach was in knots, and I was pretty quiet, and any one who knows me knows I'm not a quiet person. I had a lot to take in today. I hadn't been to a military base since I was a lot younger. Driving around and seeing where KC spends his days was good to see, it's a world in itself that I have never experienced before. I couldn't believe all that it has to offer. We drove by an arts and crafts building on post and I got all excited about it! I had no idea that a military base would have such a thing! Now I really want to know what they have in that building. If any one knows, please pass on the info..all I can think is there has to be a lot of glitter.

The main thing to take in today was experiencing a deployment for the first time in my life. It all seemed to go so quickly. There was a lot of running around on KC's part, but he always made it quick and would apologize that he had to run off to do something. Now that I think back on it, it was really so sweet that he was so concerned about me and not being left alone. I met a bunch of the guys that were going or were just there for helping with the send off. They were also concerned that they didn't take any time away from KC and I saying our goodbyes. It was so polite and unexpected. Once we had to say our final goodbyes is the time it got sad.

My chalkboard countdown frame (from Laura over at http://www.etsy.com/shop/afstrykerwife) was waiting at my door when I got home from seeing off KC..talk about GOOD timing!

When I began my journey back to my house I didn't even realize that I was traveling the wrong direction on the freeway for ten minutes! Once I finally got on the right path I started to feel a little better. I began thinking about my plans for the evening and this weekend. If I keep myself busy I won't have time to think about it was my logic. It worked for awhile until my evening was winding down and I was headed back to my place tonight. I started to feel so empty and lonely. It's just me and the cat watching Army wives now. This is my way to try and feel better. I've gotten some texts and messages from friends sending their regards; offering to hang out. I felt good when my one girlfriend (who's hubby is currently deployed) said she wanted to get together. I feel I will get comfort in the one friend I have who is in my same spot. It makes me want to scream/freak out when I think of how many days there are ahead of me before I get to be in the arms of KC again, but I'm sure as hell I'm going to do whatever it takes to make those days go by fast.

After our delicious fondue dinner on his last night. KC always makes the funniest faces!

Soaking up those last few weekends

Since KC leaves in less than a week, we have been trying to spend our weekends doing lots of fun activities. Also making sure that we soak up the last bit of wonderful weather we have been having here in the NW! August and September have by far been the nicest months of this year. I think every year it gets later and later into the summer before we have warm, sunny weather. I'll take whatever I can get though!

Over labor day weekend we hung around close to home, but still managed to partake in a few firsts. On Saturday we went to The Seattle Great Wheel. This great wheel is a big ferris wheel located on the Seattle waterfront. It was completed earlier this summer and has been all the talk among locals. This was an attraction that had been planned for some thirty years, but of course it got caught up in the usual problems that such a big structure gets caught up in (permits and such). The big wheel is one of the largest ferris wheels in the country. It stands 175 feet tall and goes forty feet over Elliot bay! It features forty two climate controlled gondolas--which is essential to Seattle because it's not warm all year round (surprise!). There are a few "VIP" gondolas. These include four leather bucket seats, and a glass bottom.

I had never been on ANY ferris wheel so this one kind of freaked me out at first! You do a total of three rotations: the first one is getting everyone loaded, and the following two go non stop. Not going to lie, I was a little freaked out at first when I saw how high we got! At that point I was happy we didn't shell out the big bucks for the VIP gondola that included the glass bottom. By the end though I was a lot more comfortable and couldn't believe how smooth the ride was.

KC inside the wheel!

The view from the top!

On Sunday we trekked down to the coast to go knock something off my bucket list..riding horses on the beach! I was supposed to go visit KC in August down in California while he was down there training, but of course the Army decided otherwise when the weather wasn't at their standards and their weekend was rescheduled for training instead of leisure time. Trip cancelled :-( We had beach horse back riding scheduled down in San Diego, but of course had to cancel that as well. KC wanted to make it up to me.

KC hanging on the beach

Chester and I

KC and Ed

Let's just say this beach riding wasn't all romantic like I thought it would be! Chester (my horse) would walk for about five seconds and then it would start trotting. Trotting is not comfortable. I don't understand why they don't make saddles more padded? I would pull back on the reins to get him to walk again and that would work for a few seconds and then once again he would start trotting. I would pull back on the reins again and he would sometimes slow down. It would get to the point where he didn't even want to pay attention. KC sure got a kick out of watching me though. Anyone else ever experienced something similar when riding a horse?

Overall it was a wonderful day, the sun was shining, and I spent the day with my love. Can't get better than that.

Live like he deploys tomorow..or two weeks from now.

Well here it begins. I told myself I would start a blog to at least get myself through these nine plus months to come. No I'm not pregnant, but I'll explain what all this nine plus months business is about shortly. I began reading blogs more regularly when I became a member of the highly addictive PINTEREST. Holey moley that site has sucked me in for hours at a time, and severely affected my productivity at work and at home. Pinterest is seriously never ending in whatever you are looking for. As I began compiling fun boards that included what I would love to have in my wardrobe, things I will (might) eventually cook, and too many funny quotes I came across something more than just fun pictures and sayings. I discovered wonderful blogs written by some very bright individuals (mainly females, let's get serious!). I found blogs on cooking, cleaning, crafting and much more. It's so overwhelming! It's a good overwhelming though. I felt so much inspiration, and I still get the "rush" of inspiration when I read through them. Sadly, I don't feel I am as creative as a lot of these bloggers. However, I decided I could use blogging to mold a blog into something that could benefit myself and *hopefully* others (fingers crossed). When I say benefit, I don't mean I'm going to give you an amazing new apple pie recipe or tell you what you should pair your newest heels with. I'm more looking to converse with people about things such as books, reality tv, activities we're involved with, and military life. There you have it. The final part of why I decided to start a blog. I'm an Army girlfriend who is facing her boyfriend's first deployment (Ok, he's already been deployed four times before this, but I've yet to ever experience such a thing so for me it's a first!)

I met KC on fourth of July 2011 at a fireworks show (Kind of funny because we both work for this fine country). We hung out a few times in early August, but we both were sent to places far away from our homes for over four months shortly after we were finally able to start going out on dates. I wasn't sold on him at first, but by about date three I really liked him. We were able to somewhat communicate while we were apart, but I wasn't sure what would come of this when we both returned to the PNW.

We were finally both back in town in mid Febuary and that's when we really started our dating relationship. We hung around each other a lot more. Went out to dinner, did fun activities, and really got to know each other. We thought KC was going to be gone for three months in the spring time, and that's what really solidified the relationship. I didn't want to be single anymore or date anyone else (after being single for a year a half. I'm picky!). The three months of being gone didn't end up happening, which was fine by me because I knew we both had other things for work that would take us to different parts of the country throughout the following months and a deployment was on the horizon. Anyway, fast forward to present day: September 2012. I found out a month ago that KC would be leaving in September for a nine month deployment to Afghanistan. He was pumped to get back into action over there. He's such an adrenaline seeker! I was not so pumped. I'd never been through anything like this! Not to mention the fact that I seem to come across every single horrible thing that happens over there, and can't stop my mind from fearing the worst. I don't even know how to even begin to deal with this sort of life event that has been placed in front of me.

To come full circle: I started looking on pinterest at deployment pictures and quotes. I started finding military spouses/girlfriends blogs and I loved reading what they wrote about because I feel like I could relate. I know one friend whose husband is currently deployed in Afghanistan. That's it. I don't leave near the post so I'm not surrounded by those in a similar situation as me. Even the wives of my boyfriends group members have left to go back to their families while their husbands are gone. It's a terrible feeling to go through something when there is no one around to relate to. I'm hoping to connect with people on here that have been through military life and deployment. I also plan on using this blog as a way to get creative and grow as a person and not just be bogged down while he's away. I don't have a goal of how often I'm going to blog or what about, but writing this post is a start. If nothing else, I know I will enjoy looking back at the journey when it's all over with.