OOH My 5 months later

I can't believe it has been five long months since I last blogged.  SOO much has happened.  Lets see if I can catch you up.  First of all we did finally get off this island and into the states.  For Alan and the kids, it was the first time they had been off island in almost a year.  Alan claims that being back in the states wasn't overwhelming for him, but it was for the rest of us.  It took us a good two days to get to TX complete with a detour through Haiti, but we arrived and spent a great two months with the family.  We saw Jesse graduate and helped Chy celebrate her 30th.  It was wonderful.  So great in fact that when Alan left we were supposed to follow in a week.  We didn't.  We changed our plans three different times in fact.  Finally flying back to Gtmo the middle week of August.  We had time to connect with all our old friends and lots of family.  We got to celebrate Llaurel's 20th birthday with her and even got a chance to fly into GA and visit with my Dad and Step mom.  It was the best summer I have had, and I know the kids had the time of their lives.  They are still talking about it and are planning for next summer.  In fact I have turned down two jobs that would make being off island for the summer impossible, just in order to ensure their return to TX and GA.

So the school year started and although the kids still love going to school we are having some issues.  Poor Adam is struggling with reading and we are working like mad to try to get him up to speed.  I think he is improving, but it is a very slow process for him.  He does love his teacher and she is really does care about him and his ability to read.  She was Madie's teacher last year and so we have a great relationship with her.  It is great living in such a small place because you become close to those who are close to your kids.  As for Madie, she is still going strong is one of the strongest readers and mathematicians in her class.  BUT her teacher is a stick in the mud and only teaches by worksheet.  She does very little hands on activities which is beyond boring for the kids.  And then there is Maegan.  She is in Sure Start which is basically the Head Start program in the states.  I am NOT impressed.  For Maegan she is more than ready for kindergarten, but her birth date is too late in the year.  I can homeschool and we have talked about it, but for now she is getting some play time with kids on the island and it allows me to work.  So she is staying in for the time being.

Alan is still going ninety to nothing.  He finally started up the Cub Scout program here, which is taking up quite a bit of his time.  That said he is having a ton of fun with Adam and the other kids.  He has meetings every week and they play games and whatnot.  I am just so glad he has finally gotten the chance to start it up.  Of course that means he is the Cub Master rather than just a leader, but he is thrilled to have Cub Scouting active on the island again.  He has also learned the love of golf. While the kids and I were gone this summer he our friend Matt started golfing together.  They try and go once a week.  I still don't get the desire they have to smack a small ball with a stick, but Alan is having a great time.

As for me, where to begin.  I didn't really have any intention of going on and on about me, but as I sit here I realize that I have a ton of things going on.  I started substitute teaching this year.  I have subbed for both the elementary and high school, and although I can relate to the high/middle schoolers, I definitely like the elementary school subbing better.  They listen, plain and simple.  I have had a chance to sub for Madie's class and for Maegan's. Tons of fun in each one.  That takes care of the extra money.  Now for all the stuff that I do that isn't earning us cash, but is filling up my emotional/mental/spiritual bank.  I am the coordinator for both the book and cooking club, which is a ton fun. Book club is self explanatory, but for cooking club we choose a theme and then make something along the theme and then meet and share our cooking.  We have a blog in which we share all our recipes.  I am also the PTO secretary as well as just being voted in as the Spouses Club secretary.  And last but not least, I have been asked to teach the youth of our parish.  We have a few who are not ready for confirmation and I was asked to help these youth find their faith.  I am overwhelmed with the task of helping them find God, but I feel confident that God has called me to this and is working through me.  I am really enjoying myself and I think the kids are having a good time and actually learning something, as they regurgitate things I have taught them, and when I see them at the high/middle school they go out of their way to make sure and say hello.  In fact this week have subbed in each one of their classes, and they have been the most respectful. Oh that isn't the last thing.  I just had my first two Le Leche League meetings this past week as well.  I have had a lot new mom's needing help here and the hospital isn't providing any type of birthing education of breastfeeding education or help.  I realized that the new moms on this base really need help and so with the help of our WIC officer I am now leading meetings and offering breastfeeding help to anyone who needs it.  I think birthing classes will be soon on the way as well. 

Now for the present. Today is Maegan's 5th birthday.  How is it possible that our baby is already 5?  We had a Halloween party for her.  We painted the only 12 little pumpkins the island had and we played some games, ate a huge pumpkin cake Alan made and open her presents.  We had a ton of fun, but it makes me miss the days when all the kids we invited were little.  There were too many kids who got a bit bored and too many older kids who wreaked havoc.  But all in all a good party.

This week I am subbing, I think I already said that, and then on Friday we have the Fall Fest here at the school and on Saturday Alan and I along with our friends Matt and Monique are hosting a neighborhood block party.  And then finally we will be done with Halloween, only to get started with Cheer leading and Girl Scouts.  SOOO MUCH going on.  

Now that I have updated you all I promise to blog more often.  I send you all my love and prayers 

Adam, my Adam

                                                                  OH MY BOY!!!
So this is how it started.  Adam and Maegan are taking swim lessons both last week and this coming week.  Adam was moved from the new swimmer class at 4:30pm to the advanced swimmer class at 5:15pm. Why is that important?  It isn't until later.  Just keep the timeline in mind. 
Okay so we showed up to swim class on Monday and THE life gaurd, Mr.Tony, tells Adam he isn't swimming until later, at which point Adam comes to me in tears.  The class he is going to be in is the last class of the day, and it is as far as you can go for swim classes here.  It is challenging to say the least.  Madie's first day in class she cried because her legs hurt so bad.  The life gaurds have you swim back and forth, the length of the pool mind you, repeatedly...Hard work for a boy who couldn't swim three weeks ago.
So Monday sucked for the kid.  He was so tired, and hungry, well he was just plain miserable.  Come Tuesday he was upset about going to swim class, but you all know me.  It wasn't an option. Anyway, he had a much better swim class and even went down the big slide.  I had to catch him of course, but he still went down the darn thing.
On to Wednesday. We snuck Alan out of work early and made him come with us to the pool.  Alan hasn't been to the pool more than two times since being on the island.  We were all kinds of excited.  We got there at 4pm, which left each of us time to play with Dad before the first swim class started.  The major reason for having Alan come to the pool, besides giving him a chance to relax? We all wanted to show the Dad how each of the kids love to go down the slide now.  Madie is in love with the dang thing, the one thing she has refused to do for the last two years is go down these slides.  Now?  She can't get enough of them.  Anyway, I am instructing my little man to show his dad how brave he is as he is getting out of the pool.  He is so engrossed in what I am saying that he turns around to go to the slide and smacks his head into the damn thing.  Madie was waiting for him so she walked over to him and was asking how he was doing when her face went white.  That was when we knew.  BLOOD...Madie freaks, not over the blood, but over the pain her siblings may be feeling.  She slaps Adam's hand back to his head, at which point Alan has reached the boy.  As I get out of the pool and retrieve the pager, Alan administers first aid.  Mainly lots of pressure and a towel.  We get to our lounges that have all our crap when one of the life gaurds comes over and says he has a first aid kit, lets slap a band-aid on it.  So we walk over and he pulls out the alcohol swab and swabs the crap out of what we can now see is a gapping wound.  To give my son credit, he didn't cry when the insane amount of alcohol hit his open wound.  Naw he just squeezed blank out of my hand.  But no tears.  At this point I am telling everyone who is around, but not listening that if I can see tissue, I want to take him to the ER.  But who am I?  Just an over reacting mother?  I am telling you, there was no over reacting.  I mean there could have been when the gushing blood was pouring out, or when the well meaning life gaurd scorched my son with alcohol.  But really I was just repeating to the life gaurd, the kids, the husband, hell even the mama sitting with her baby, that a trip to the ER was needed.  Of course no one listened to me.  Nope we had to wait until MR.TONY says go to the ER....Mom's know shit apparently.
The good thing about Gtmo?  All of our friends are docs.  And one of them happened to be at the pool.  SO we dragged Adam over to her on our way out and asked her opinion.  She said it was deep enough and big enough for stiches...SEE!!! But she informed us that the ER doc on call was the bad one.  The doctor that would require us to be there to do a cat-scan and observation time.  Yea not what I wanted to do.
What did we do?  Yep, we strolled down Alan's hallway and asked our three good doc friends, including Adam's doc, to look at his wound.  In no time we had the boy steri-stripped and glued back together.  They suggested stitches only to prevent scarring.  But the men in the group all decided that boys with scars are way cool, so they just glued him and off we went.  We had to get back to the pool to pick up Maegan who stayed to do her swim class.
Now this is where the time-line comes in.  We left with Adam right before Maegan's class started.  We got back to the pool before it ended.  That's right.  To the hospital and back in less than what forty five minutes.  LOVE GTMO!
                                                         But that's not all!!

So now my beautiful little man has his first big noticable scar...It is ugly right now too...The steri-strip glue is dark brownish red and the glue is all caked up on it.  GROSS....
Okay so I hosted a bon fire on Friday night, as a goodbye to the people leaving the island this summer.  Good times were had by all.  At least I thought so.  Not for Adam. It must have been fun for him because he didn't show me his NEW wound until we got home. 
Alan was in charge of the fire, and while he listens very well to me, add two Marines and a pile of pallets just begging to be burned, and you have a fire that rivals a homing becon.  I mean I think Jamaica saw the fire.  Anway...the sand on the beach around the fire for a good two feet was HOT.  My little guy grabbed a handful of sand that burnt him.  He told his dad and Alan put some ice on it, but by the time he got home and showed me, he had a blister that covered a good portion of his hand and it had small little seed blisters around the mammoth mamma blister.  It is bad my friends.  He also shows me his ankle which he twisted and it is swollen and to top it all off, his Mr parts have some eczema inflamation...
So not only does he have a wound on his head, he now has a blister straight from the bowels of hell, a strained ankle and his junk hurts and itches....He is a mess
As of today the family jewels are much better and the ankle is back to its normal size. BUT his head is still healing and that blister?  Still huge and unpoped...
Needless to say the kid has taken his lickin's this past week.  I am praying the kid stays safe this week, add him to yours as well....until later I send you all my love

whew

Okay so banners are done.  Made the actual cakes for the Brownie Investiture tomorrow night, just have to decorate them, that is later tonight.  Got actual brownies made for Sunday and the reception after first communion.  Went through coupons with my chickie Leslie.  Got the ivite out for the Bon Fire I am organizing next Friday (a Gtmo Goodbye, something like 50-60 people) and made Chy's invites....
Long morning.  Two days ago Alan and I finally got all our goodies boxed up for our families back home and got those off in the mail...and last night I sat down to make some more crafty stuff out of sea glass, but was un-inspired so that got put back away.

Now I am waiting on the Bremcor men to get here and change/replace my smoke detectors, something they have been trying to do for the last week.  And then off to lunch with the ladies, back for nap time.  Once the kids get home we are all taking our showers early and then heading to the hospital to get Alan and then off to church for Madie's First Reconcilitation.  The new priest here is very into confession and has asked all the parents and all elgible kids to go to confession as well.  So I am gearing up for that....I'm not nervous at all, I just don't know what I will say.  I confess my sins to God everyday and ask for forgiveness through him, not the priest so I am at a loss really what I should confess.  Do I confess that I am not to thrilled with the catholic church and it's stance homosexuality or the fact that my son may not be able to have communion, all because using gluten and dairy is a must in communion wafers.  Do I confess that I am only a practicing catholic right now because it is what I know and am unsure of what other faiths are out there.  Or that I am too scared to leave the church?  See too much for a quick confession.  Alan is confessing today. So it may be a one parent confession today...

Then after confession we have the rehersal for Brownie's at six and then back home to finish Adam's homework, get dinner and get the kids in bed by 8. Then I will be decorating a cake, then I can hit the sack.
Tomorrow is not nearly as nuts.  Only story time at the library and then some light cooking for Sunday.  I am making charro beans, avacado salad and a quiche for the communion reception.  So I am going to make the beans tomorrow, because beans are always better one to two days later.  Then tomorrow evening Madie's brownie thing....Sat is easy just rehersal for communion and decorating the church and hall and then Sunday Communion...that will take care of this week.

Next week we have little flowers and laundry.  We have to get our laundry all together so that I can start the long ardous task of packing for two months away from home.  I am only packing enough clothes for five days as I figure we will be purchasing clothing once we get back home...

The countdown has begun and I am super excited.  We really haven't sat down with the kids and explained when we will be leaving but they know it is soon....

Okay now I am off to shower, the Bremco bozos still aren't here....figures...Until later I send you all my love!!

Busy as Bees

Holy Moly I had no idea that I had taken so long to write...All I can tell you is that it is the same old excuse.  I have been so flippin' busy and things don't look like they are going to slow down for some time.

So let's see....Madie is doing spectacular in school.  She has learned to do diaramas, she LOVES them.  She did one over Little Red Ridding Hood, and then one at school over Elephants.  She had to do all the research and everything.  This summer while we are in TX she is going to do another one, complete with research and all.  Keep her mind a working.  Two weeks ago the Nation celebrated Take Your Child to Work Day.  Well amazingly enough the base CO approved everyone to participate.  So Alan had Madie come to the hospital.  Mind you I was off island at the time for a check up.  Anyway, Alan arranged it so that Madie could spend about an hour with a number of different woman at the hospital.  Madie spent time with the XO of the hospital CPTN Kinney-Gutshall- who is a nurse and second in charge of the entire hospital.  She then spent an hour with CPTN Nunely- the nurse directorate, the person in charge of all nurses, they toured the ward together and visited with patients.  She spent time with LT St Clair our internalist and got to take her Dad's vitals.  And to top the day off she spent time with LT CMDR Griffin, the lab directorate.  She had a great day and she and Alan came home and made a presentation banner for the class.  AMAZING.  Alan never told me he was planning all this, so when I found out that he did all this and to top it off made sure she spent time with WOMEN...lots of bonus points for that man I assure you.

As for Adam he is having a bit of a hard time.  The boys in the neighborhood have gotten out of control and been mean lately so he hasn't been venturing outside very much. But he does seem to be doing pretty well despite not romping out of doors.  School is going great for him, and he is loving it.  His reading has gotten better, not the best, but not the worst.  So we are going to focus on reading this summer to get him a little stronger on that front.

As for Maegan, she is doing well.  She is a bit bored being at home with me and would like to start school, or have the kids home all the time.  That said she and I are working hard on her letters and she is getting so good. 

So during the kids Spring Break I took them to the pool everyday.  While we were there one of the lifegaurds stopped me and asked me why Maegan and Adam were in life vests.  I explained that despite numerous swim classes for each of them, they refused to actually swim.  He looked at me and told me in his Jamiacan accent that if I enrolled the kids in his swim class, which lasts two weeks, that he would garauntee that they would be swimming like fish by the end of class.  So I enrolled all three of them and have spent the last two weeks running from school, to swim class, to the hospital to get Alan and back in time to eat and get to meetings.  INSANE, but THEY SWIM now.  Both Maegan and Adam are swimming un-aided and doing great.  Adam is swimming the width of the pool and having a ball, and Maegan is swimming a bit from the side of the pool into my arms and back.  At any rate I am amazed at what they have accomplished and that being such, I will be enrolling them once again next week for another two week period.  They will finish the classes just in the nick of time, we will be leaving for TX two days after their last class.  Bring on the fun in TX.

Alan is doing better.  He is getting very excited about his vacation coming up.  The fact that he hasn't had a day off in almost a year combined with the fact that we get to go HOME, he is thrilled. 

As for me.  Shoot I am doing so much my head seems to be swimming.  Let's start off with my trip back to VA.  I saw the doc who told me that my vitamin D was was low, so I have supplements to take now.  Since my D was so low I have been very lethargic and out of sorts, but now that I am taking the supplemnets I seem to be doing much better.  Anyway, I have lost a total of 155lbs as of the end of March and am only 35% BMI instead of 62%.  He told me that I am doing great and for the size I was compared to now, he is amazed.  He doesn't think I will be losing too much more, but I assured him that I wasn't going to stop losing the weight, although it is much more difficult now.  I can tolerate sugar again, which is a bad thing, because ever sinceI had the surgery sugar seems to be the only thing I want to eat ALL the TIME!! So now I have to deal with cravings and I have gotten my hunger pains back.  I am trying to combat all of this with staying as active as possible.  I am hoping to be just as active when we hit the TX border...
Okay so I am doing well in the weight area, although I seem to have pissed off my family by not posting any pics of myself.  I am wanting to have a big reveal dang it and since I have had to work my ass off for this, I plan on enjoying myself....
As for what else I have been doing.  Let's see, I am the Secretary for the PTO and although being secretary shouldn't require alot of my time, it does.  And I seem to have about three thousand activities I am involved in.  How about I just give you a run down of what we have to get done BEFORE we leave for the states in three short weeks
First up this week tonight I have a PTO meeting as well as a spouses club meeting,TUE- Adam is due for a check-up before we leave the island.  His pediatrician will be gone by the time we come back from the states so Brian, his doc, wants to go over Adam's meds and stuff before we leave.  We are getting the car checked up, no air at this point.  And then the mom's of all the first communionites will be here to help me finish making their banners.  The church didn't plan on banners, but three of us mother's decided we needed them, and the church graciously gave us royal blue and royal purple felt. Now mind you, we don't have a Walmart or a Michael's so we have had to just use what we have.  I have it all.  Alan says I am a craft supply hoarder because I don't like to part with what I have.  He is right, but it is for projects like these that I hoard.  Needless to say I had plenty of ribbon and material to make great banners.  And we will be finishing them up tomorrow.  Then Wed is our slow day with only coupon clipping in the morning and then parish council in the evening.  On Thurs Madie is making her First Confession and all the parents have been asked to make a confession as well.  Our new priest is really into confession.  We shall see what happens there.  Madie says she isn't nervous, but assures me that she will be crying because "that's just what I do Mom!" We also have Brownie rehersal for the bridging and investitiure ceremony.  So then Friday is here and we have Feild Day in the morning and then Madie has her Brownie Ceremony.  Sat has us practicing for her First Communion and something else I just can't remember what it is. And then finally Sunday will see us celebrating Madie and her First Communion.  We are having a reception afterward in the Fellowship Hall, but us mother's are in charge of not only decorating the hall but making the food.  And then after Madie is communionized we will go home and I am hoping that I will finally be able to nap.
That brings us to the following week, which starts swim classes again as well as getting ready for Little Flowers Girl's Club.  It is coming to a close and it ends with a luncheon and a final bestowing of patches on the girls. I am helping get the luncheon together, and on the same day the girls will be doing the May Crowing of Mary at mass.  Our house will also be celebrating Father's Day since we won't be with Dad for Father's Day. 

Then to top all that activity I am planning a huge goodbye Bon Fire for all the residents that will be heading off to greener pastures this summer. We are losing A TON of our friends while we are off island this summer and the kids and I wanted to have a party for each one of them. So instead we decided to have  huge bon fire.  A lot of my friends have pitched in and have helped me get this together.  So come the 14th we will be hanging out at the beach and enjoying each other for the last time.  I figured a good time was better than heading to the pier and crying my ass off as people leave.

And then we have our big trip off island. The Chronister Clan is heading to TX and OK for a few months.  Alan only gets to be with us for three weeks, but three weeks is so much better than nothing.  I can't wait to see the family and the kids are about to bust a gut waiting.  Today in fact I have all the stuff we have been saving for gifts stacked up in the living room and hope to get them in a box and mailed off tomorrow.

So I hope that you forgive me for my lack of communication.  I hope to get better while we are off island.  But knowing my family I will be just as busy back home. That and at least here we operate on island time.  I am both excited and worried about our trip back home.  I mean home is HOME, but island life is so...I can't explain it.  It is is chaotic here but everyone and thing is so relaxed that it is hard to get stressed about anything....

okay the kids will be walking through the door any minute and I am getting typers cramps...so until we meet again, I send you my love
Oh and I apologize for the spelling.  Still haven't found the spell check!

Earthquakes and busy times

So this past week has been jammed packed, complete with a St.Paddy's day feast, Texas Breakfast I hosted here at the house, Cooking club, game night-again here, baby shower, basketball awards and girl scouts.  The family has been going since Wed.  and Alan and I have had a time of it.  Not only have I been too occupied getting the house clean and cooking my ass off, I managed to forget to call my mom on her birthday.  I have been really sucking on the family front...My apologies family..

We'll begin the story on Wed. I wanted to have our traditional  St. Patrick's day meal. Potato pancakes, smoked sausage and green applesauce.  I decided we needed to share our tradtion with friends, so Alan and I invited the hospital crew over to eat with us.  Just a side note here: the year I married Alan I changed the traditional potato pancakes for zucchini pancakes, it was a decilious change.  Since then the kids, Alan and I have foregone the potato for zucchini.  But this year I thought I would offer both.  That and I wanted to make enough for my cooking club on Friday.  For all of you who have made potato pancakes, you know that although making the pancakes is easy standing there and cooking then is a whole other ball of wax.  It takes forever!!  Anyway, our friends loved our meal and all was good. 

On to Thursday. I offered to host a Texas Breakfast for my girlfriends.  I have been craving biscuits and gravy and I have two or three Texan friends that have been as well.  So I had a big ole Texas breakfast, it was so nice to just sit around and gab Thurs morning with my girls, but still a bit stressful considering I had to clean and cook all over again.

Then on Friday I had cooking club, but I also had to make a diaper cake.  I offered to make a diaper cake for my girlfriend Stacy's baby shower.  I also offered to make the cake, so I baked the cake Friday night after I got back from the cooking club soriee and then finally hit the sack.  

So Saturday..The BIG day!!  First and foremost we had a basketball game to go to.  The plant nursery was open as well, so we hit the nursery first to get our free plant ( You can't buy plants here like you can in the US.  There is no Lowes or Walmart to run to and get a house plant and the NEX doesn't sell any, so PWD-pblic works dept- has a nursery set up and is open every other Sat.  Anyone can come and take away ONE plant for free) and then off to the game.  I of course had to leave the boys to play the game while the girls and I ran to the NEX to get more supplies for my baby shower cake I promised to make. Once Adam's game was over we headed back home to hit the kitchen.  Mind you the house is now a big mess and the dishes are piled high.  I had no desire to wash dishes for the like 10,000th time and Alan, well Alan was busy.  Anyway between Alan and I, we got the kitchen cleaned and I started on the cake.  Now I am not a baker.  I hate baking in general, but cooking, that is my thing.  Alas, I was having trouble getting started on the cake so my amazing husband stepped up and took over for me.  He made the icing-his delectable butter cream- and iced the darn cake for me.  Beautiful I tell you.  Another side note here- I am PMSing, so Lord knows decorating the cake for me was a challenge for poor Alan.  But he did a great job.... Now I am sure you are wondering why I was having trouble getting started on a cake I promised.  Well, as I was finished making the raspberry mousse filling I felt a vibration under my feet.  We live off a main road that runs to the prison so I thought for a second it was a large truck.  But the vibration continued and started to get stronger, for a spilt second I thought it was thunder.  It sounded like thunder, but the vibration turned from a vibration to shaking and A LOT OF IT!! Mind you by the time I realized we were having an earthquake, a mere seconds, the house was really being shaken.  I hollered at Madie who was in the kitchen with me to come get in the door way with me, Alan had already gotten Adam under the table and was already on his way down from upstairs with a sleeping Maegan.  The shaking continued.  It lasted for a good minute or two.  Like I said enough time for all of earthquake virgins to understand we were feeling an earthquake and for Alan to get upstairs and back down with Maegan.  He even got her under the table a good thirty seconds before the shaking quit.  It was so freakin' scary.  All I kept thinking was Thank God we have good contruction...Madie and I had to have a good long cry.  She from fright and my from both fright and adrenaline.  It was amazing, frightening and exhilirating all at the same time.  A few minutes after the first quake we got a few aftershocks that didn't last long at all.  So we got back to making and decorating the cake, when BAMMM we got hit again.  This time, none  of us panicked, we got to the doorway and under the table and it was over.  Mind you by this time Madie and I are beyond frazzled and the rest of my family, well they were great of course.  The boys were excited and Maegan was indifferent.  After a good thirty minutes of nothing more Madie and I ran to the store to get yet more crap I forgot.  Apparently on our way there we had yet another earthquake...Alan got on the Geological Society web page.  Apparently we live on a fault line.  The same fault as Haiti! The epicenter of the quake was about thirty miles away in Guantanamo Bay City...That first quake was a 5.6, the second was a 4 somthing and the last one Madie and I didn't feel because we were driving was 5.2.  Yeah I was prepared for hurricanes, not too worried about those in fact, we have hurricane proof housing and there are caves we can evacuate to if it is a big hurricane.  But earthquakes...had no clue.  No way to describe the feeling of having the very ground beneath you move. Other worldly.  I have a whole new respect for Californians and anyone else who lives with this all the time.  It was very unnerving...

So the rest of Saturday Madie was on gaurd.  If she heard any sort of deep bass noise she would get all glassy eyed and turn toward us to see if we needed to take shelter.  However, by Saturday night she seemed better and we sent the kids to bed before all our hospital friends came to play games.  I made fried avacados, something I had at our cooking night, and they were a huge hit...a good time was had by all.  So off to bed Alan and I go, only to be awakened at 3 am by Maegan needing water.  She went back to bed, only to wake again at 4:30 and get in bed with us.  Needless to say I couldn't go back to sleep.  I was up until 6 and was all kinds of willing to NOT go to church for the first time since getting to the island when Alan reminded me he had to be at work at 8:30..then as I am drifiting back off to sleep, now I am pissed mind you, woodpeckers started pecking our roof.  It started with one of the little bastards, then two more joined in.  I figured that must be God telling me that I had to go to church and to get my lazy butt out of bed.  So off to work we sent Alan, then off to church.  I dropped the kids at CCD and then ran to the store once more for one more blooming thing for the shower, ran to the house to get both the shower cake and the diaper cake, ran to the Bayview resturant to set up for the shower and drop off the cakes, and then back to the church to get the kids.  I got the kids, got to the shower, was incharge of all the games, and got all the presents taken care of and boxed up.  Then I got the kids together, and Alan who walked from the hospital to the resturant, and we headed home to change clothes and get ready for Adam's basketball awards.  Once we got home he decided to forgo the awards, which is when I should have had a nap, but alas I didn't. I had took Madie to girl scouts to make sea glass jewlery.  Then I was back home to get dinner ready.  But Alan and I decided to have a quick "crap" run and get a movie, and he had to go back to work once more.  So I dropped him off, went to the movie store only to find out I had no wallet and while I was trying to remember when I had last had it, Adam started getting upset and apologizing.  He said he had it at the shower, and he left it on the table.  I then got everyone back in the car and went to the resturant, mind you they aren't open past 2pm, it was about 4:15, but the officer's bar is open at 4:30, which is in the same building.  So after spending twenty minutes trying to find someone who had worked the lunch shift I left, sans wallet.  We went back to the hospital to get Alan and tell him about the wayward wallet and finish our treck.  Truth be told I was exhausted and pissed by this time.  Exhausted, anemic- I get that way around that time of the month, and PMSing.  I was a pleasant person I tell you...Anyway we got back home, ate and I headed to bed.  Yep I was asleep by 6.  I was semi-aware of the kids and Alan getting ready for bed and all that but quickly fell into lala land.  Only to be ripped out of sleep at midnight by a miserable Maegan.  Her "gina" was hurting her.  And once again I got her in bed and couldn't fall back asleep.  So I was up until 3.  I got back in bed and was almost asleep when Maegan got up once again.  She was whimpering, but went potty and seemed fine.  Then at 5:15 I heard her whimpering again and sent Alan who was up to get her.  Apparently she was having none of him and stayed in her bed.  While he showered I hollered at her and she came into bed.  She was burning up with a fever and she croaked her throat hurt.  ARG!!!

So the day has begun.  I gave Maegan some Motrin, sent Alan to work with the car, got the kids on the bus this morning and have called all my girlfiends to tell them that I was not going to make it snorkeling this morning.  Now of course the Mortin has kicked in.  Maegan has had, count them, TWO pancake and sausages on a stick, and is dancing around to Sid the Science Kid.  She has also come in and asked me to help her put a band-aid on a scratch on her nostril.  "Do I look wierd Mom?" 

"Umm yep you do!"

A shrug of her shoulders, a quick little jig and "who cares? You think I am beautiful huh!"

Yes I do.

So now you are caught up with what I did just this week.  It has been a long one.  I am hoping to hit the gym at 6 tomorrow morning.  My girlfirend Terie teaches total body conditioning on Tues and Thurs.  I went Tuesday past and felt sore all week, but it was a great workout.  Hell I even ran.  I haven't run in a good ten to fifteen years....other than that, I am going to work on getting my bottles ready for the craft fair in April and I have crafts I want to get done BEFORE the end of April so that I have all my gifts ready for when I come home...

Know that I love you all and think of you constantly~

bird crap

Yep, I said bird crap....Well really I want to call it what it really is, but I'm trying to keep this entry somewhere under the PG rating....

Okay so bird crap is what happens when you don't roll up your windows at night.  That's right my friends!  This morning the whole family went out to the car to go to work and school when low and behold our car had become a roosting spot for birds overnight....

Imagine if you will this scene: the kids and I are in a rush to get to school and of course we are waiting on Alan...so the kids and I walked up to the car oblivious of the chaos we are about to be a part of.  As we approach the doors we hear flap, flap, FLAP!  Birds!!  I swear there were like 6,000 freakin icky yucky birds in our car.  Their wings were a going and they were squawking, although not as loud as the Chronister's...the darn birds had a hell of a time getting out of the car, and by the time they did we were all in hysterics.  Madie who says she loves animals but in reality is scared to death of them, Maegan who thinks all animals were put on the earth just for her and Adam who wants to disect the damn things to see how they work.  And then you have me.  I have seen the Hitchcock great The Birds, and I tell you it scared the hell out of me.  Complete with nightmares and all....I HATE BIRDS.  I do.  It is that simple...anyway, you can imagine all of us screeching, the 20,000 birds screeching...and the neighborhood watching. 

Yep...the kids waiting for the bus across the street, the moms waiting for the kids to diappear and Alan.  He walked out of the house just as the last bird took flight.  Once the comotion and hysterics ended the street started laughing.  First the punk kindergarten and high school kids waiting across the street started giggling and then our neighbor lady starting gawfing and then, the damn little traitors, my children.  YES MY CHILDREN started cackling.   I wasn't ready to laugh.  I wanted to get a gun and shoot first the birds, then the neighbors and finally my children, who laughed all the way to school. 

I did finally get a good laugh out of the whole thing when we got to school and both Madie and Adam had bird crap on their bums...Yes, it was a great day, oooh and the bird poop...EVERYWHERE..we must of scared it out of the roosting birds.  How in the world do you get bird poop out of upholstery???

Hoe your days are free of birds and their poop.  I send you all my love....

Revelation

First and foremost, we can have visitors again...wait I think. Well they lifted the leave and liberty ban at any rate, so Alan can leave the island come May.  Now all we have to hope and pray for is that the command lets him take a full month off....Pray people, pray.  The man hasn't had a day off since we got here, he NEEDS to be able to take a break....

Secondly.  I was sitting here blowing my very stuffy nose for like the trillionth time reading Facebook.  I am looking at a friends status that says she is celebrating her son's ten birthday and am blown away.  My thoughts:  Good Lord, TEN...Geeze I thought she was my age, that would mean she would have to be like a teenager when she had him.  Hummm let's see, 33-10 is what 23..23!!!  WHAT THE $#%^ ??  23, that isn't young.  Crap, I have an eight year old...When the hell did this happen.  She's eight!!

Then I channeled Joey Trib from "Friends,"- Why God WHY???  Aging sucks...I am just now getting into the body I wished I had had in High School and yet, well wait a minute...I'm not that old.  I mean hell I still have a good 50-60 years left right?  So really I am still a newbie...Ahhh see all's good in the world again...

And that my friends is a look into the crazy that is Monica...I send you all my love

no new pictures

My Mom...So Llaurel calls me and asks if I had talked to mom recently.  I had just gotten off the phone, but we hadn't talked about anything in particular.  So Llaurel tells me this:  Apparently Randy had seen a picture of me posted on Facebook and emailed it to mom.  Mom asked him why in the hell he was emailing her pictures of random women.  At which point he told her it was me.  She couldn't believe it.  Mind you, I have cut and permed my hair and the weight loss is still going strong, so I don't blame her for not realizing it was me. 

Now I tell you this story for one reason only.  For those of you who will be seeing me come May, well I don't want you to see me BEFORE then.  So all pictures will be stopped, at least as much as I can.  I want a big reveal and so getting sneak peaks of me aren't allowed.  Granted that means I have to get my friends to play along with me, but they are good sports so this should work. 

So things here aren't nearly as crazy as they were before I quit working at the Treasure shop.  I have taken to watching girlfriends kids, which is nice since Maegan loves playing with the kids.  And I have a big craft fair this Sunday that I will be participating in.  I will be selling bottles.  Bottles are big here, and no one sells them.  Esentially, we are slowly cleaning up the litter left behind in the 30's.  The bottles are so cool.  Most of them have Cuba stamped somewhere on them, which is huge here.  I was going to sell salsa as well, but just found out that I need a special permit for that and I haven't gotten that yet.  Oops.  So I will sell salsa at the next craft fair in April.  Until then, it will be bottles. 

Okay quick news today and I never blogged about the kids.  Crud...well I am late for a date so that will have to be next time.  Until then, I send you all my love....-Monica

three weeks...good Lord

I have a ton to tell you.  But in order to catch up on all the happenings, I will have to go back in time.  I will try to do a quick recap...well you know with me, I have no clue how to make it quick...
Okay the last time I wrote, lets see...Devin Lewis had come to visit and Llaurel was giving all her babysitting props to Chy...
Okay so the last week of Jan I left the island and headed to the states.  I was sweating it I tell you.  As I am sure you all know by now the DC area was hit by snow-magedon and snow-pocolipse and my personal favorite, snow-gasim.  Well I flew into BWI on the tail end of one such storm and subsequently was snowed in for two days.  But lucky me I got to hang with Spencer, Jen and Eric.  It was great.  Spence took me to a fantastic play called "I am my own wife" and then we  had a great dinner with Jen and Eric. The following day I encouraged Spence to call in sick and we headed out to explore the white city.  I promised the kids pictures of all the great sites in DC in the snow.  So Spencer took me to the top of the Washington Monument and I got pics of all the sites, which freed up our after noon at which point we had lunch at the Tombs and a great Hot Cocoa from some little chocolate spot.  It was a great few days.  I missed all my kids and Alan somethin' fierce, but I did find it in me to enjoy my first time alone since being pregers with Madie.
After all that fun with Spencer I was finally able to head to VaBeach and my Peyton.  It was amazing driving in the snow and just going fast.  It took me a good hour to get brave enough to hit 60mph and I never passed anyone that first hour.  I finally got my driving nerves back and was able to actually hit the speed limit and pass people by the time I hit Richmond. 
Once in VaBeach I played and played.  Peyton and I hit every store imaginable.  I went to Victoria's Secret for the first time in my life and bought myself a few bras.  Then Peyton hit and made me go to her bra fitting lady at Dillard's.  Can I tell you, this woman rocked.  I think Vic's Secret is really all about selling their bras, not really getting you into the right size.  The lady at Dillard's?  Holy Moses, she got my girls up and sitting pretty.  I am so happy...First time in my life that I can remember being in a, get this, 34....Yep that is right, a 34.  Who would have imagined??  Not me that is for sure.  But I look a thousand times better.  So the other bras went back to Vic's Secret.  Then I shopped for my Gtmo family.  I had a long old list with everything from breast pumps to bingo games.  I am telling you I was running around VaBeach everyday.  I bought things for the kids that we have been living without for the last six months.  I got Adam his yogurt and butter.  Bought him donuts and ceral bars.  For Alan and the girls I bought Chipotle, Bojangles and Dunkin' Donuts.  I am telling you, I went to VaBeach with two very large empty suitcases and a small carry on suitcase.  I left with 184 lbs of new crap and to top it off, I had to send myself two boxes weighing in over 70lbs together.  But I think our family as well as my Gtmo family is set for the forseeable future.
Then it was time to come home.  I was scheduled to leave out of BWI on Sat the 6th of Feb.  Alas that was when the next wave of snow hit DC and I was stranded in VaBeach.  So I made the most of it, of course hanging with Peyton and her family was no big sacrifice I tell you.  She cooked for me, let me rent an ass load of movies and even indulged me by going to the movies with me.  I had a great snow in.  Then on Tuesday the 9th I finally boarded a plane out of Norfolk headed to Gtmo.  I got on the plane with sweat pants, two jackets and gloves.  I stayed dressed like that and added two blankets until we flew over the Bahamas.  I then shed my sweat pants for a skirt, took off the gloves and packed up my jackets.  By the time I hit the island I was still freezing, but looking forward to the sun.  I made Alan ride on the top of the ferry, no shade mind you, and by the time the ferry was docked on the winward side I had thawed out.  I could feel my toes for the first time in 10 days.  It was glorious being back in my Caribbean Home.  Have I mentioned I love GTMO??
And now that I am home I have been so busy.  I would like to say I have been busy doing lots of productive things, but I haven't.  Nope I have been playing with the kids, and hanging with my peeps.  Sat night I was out until 2am with girlfriends hanging and visiting.  Well we did have a go at a bounce house.  Nothing like six grown women trying to jump in a bounce house at midnight.  Can you say alcohol much? 
And yesterday our good friends Matthew and Monique Ford renewed their wedding vows.  It was so beautiful and touching.  We then went to the reception at Rick's Lounge, complete with kids- can you imagine going to a bar with kids in the states? and then our hospital friends came over and played games until midnight.  Whew
Tonight my handsome husband has a date planned for me, a surprise. And then the week starts all over for us. 

And now I sit here, contemplating life, and I realize that I am one blessed woman.  I have a husband I love and and adore, kids that are amazing, and friends that love me.  Not to mention my families, and well, I am a bit swooshy right this minute.
My next blog will be all about my amazing children.  I have things to say about them.  Until then I send you all my love
PS sorry about all the mispellings, my spell check button is missing and I can't find it on my blog page.  Until I figure this out, you will have to tolerate all my mistakes..

My Llaurel

I just read Llaurel's blog so for those of you who don't read hers, please bear with me.  In fact you can just ignore this blog...Now for the rest of you. 

First and foremost..Llaurel made mention of Chy and her great babysitting rule of cleaning up the house before the parents come.  It results in ooows and aaahs from the parents, more money AND they call you back...I, me, Monica, I taught Chy that rule.  Of course Chy had much more sucess of it.  And I love the fact that I taught some one something that they thought was important enough to pass along.

As for Llaurel and her great story...I really could see you making outfit choices and telling that little Whataburger man that you would come back.  I can hear your voice and the excitment you must have exuded.  I miss you too Llaurel.  And I miss fighting with Jess, getting frustrated with Chy and how long it takes to tell a story, rolling my eyes at Llaurel and her dramatic ways, laughing at mom and dad, and playing games.  I MISS YOU ALL SO FREAKIN MUCH!!
Soon my family.  I will see you soon

Our First US Visitor and other info

So I am running around in my tank and flannel pj bottoms cleaning this morning.  Now mind you, I have no new clothes, well not many at any rate, and so my tank is 20Xs too big for me and body parts aren't covered very well.  First to come to our door.  My girlfriend Gail came to drop her daughter Rachel off.  I had invited her mind you, but completely forgot as I finally had enough time and energy to clean.  I am sure Gail got an eye full, but hey we are talking about one of my island peeps and well we share EVERYTHING, so it wasn't that big a deal. 

Then as I am scrubbing our disgusting toilet when I hear Alan cusing as his pager goes off.  A few minutes later, and I am still scrubbing the awful toilet, I hear Alan giving directions to our house to someone.  I am thinking it must be the other pharmacists they just flew in to help with the Haiti relief.  Then Alan comes in and says Devin Lewis is here and on his way over....DEVIN??  As in Devin?  I ask.  After Alan laughs at me and says yes I go into panic mode.  Shoot I have no clothes on, the downstairs isn't very pretty, yikes...So I do a mad dash for the clothes and the broom.  And of course the house is fine and in comes Devin.  He is here are part of a flight crew that is flying stuff into Haiti every day.  It was so nice to sit and talk to him and see him.  I miss the Lewis Family, such good friends....At any rate he stayed for about an hour and then told us to come see him on the Leeward side sometime this week.  He said if we go later in the day when his flights are taking off we'll get to see LOTS!  Yippee.  So hopefully we'll get to go over and see the relief effort we are doing here in Gtmo.  I was just so happy to see one of our off island friends, and having Devin be our first visitor was great.

Now for me and my plans.  I am supposed to be going to VA this week coming up.  Maegan is staying here with Gail and I am nervous as can be.  Of course I still don't know when I will be leaving.  The hospital is in charge of getting me on a flight and making my appointments and that is taking too long or something.  Anyway I will be sure to let you all know when I am headed to the US.

So other than our visitor we are having friends over tonight to make friendship bread and have dinner with us.  Of course I am sure we will fit a game in there as well.  Then tomorrow we will finish our aborted cleaning upstairs and Alan has to fix our lawn mower.  I hired two local boys to mow our lawn for a whole $16 instead of the $60 the Filipinos wanted to charge me...So now I will have a nicer mowed lawn.  Lets see what else?  Oh on Monday night Treasures and Trivia is hosting a wine and cheese night to bring in all our memembers to shop.  That and the board wants it to be my "thank you" night.  Then I may be leaving on Tuesday.  If I don't then back to work on Wed and all that jazz.

Nothing new with the kids.  It is back to being pretty dang hot outside, today it is 95, and so even though Adam has been outside ALL afternoon, he is now here in the house complaining that he is bored.  Madie and Rachel are playing PayDay and Maegan is moping and sweeping with her cleaning stuff from Santa.  I am about to go check my roast, mop my kitchen and make the kids clean up their crafts that they did earlier.  Good times...I hope your lives are as fun packed as mine, I send you my love

Haitian evacuees and other such info

We finally got some sort of official word yesterday.  Since the quake last Tuesday we islanders have just been hearing and passing along the rumors.  But finally this Tuesday the CO of the base, Capt Blaisdell got on our local radio station and did a Q&A session.  Then they posted some info on our roller channel on the TV, the roller is like the newspaper as we don't have one...Anyway, as of right now we have no Haitians on base.  We had UN and American's come in for medical treatment the first few days after the quake, but since then nothing.  That doesn't mean NAVSTA GTMO hasn't been busy.  The hospital is gearing up for thousands of Haitians.  The hospital has converted their ER into an ICU and the ER is now out in tents.  They have flown in extra help as well.  Alan ordered enough drugs for 10000 people and they are converting the office space in the pharmacy to store meds.  They are also in the process of adding people to Alan's office so that other offices can be converted.  As for the rest of the base..We have an old airport here on the Winward side of the base.  There are two sides to the base, Winward ( the side we live on) and Leeward.  There are a few residents on the Leeward side, but for the most part all base activities happen on the Winward side.  The Leeward side has the airport.  Anyway, we have an old airport here on the Winward side as well as a huge complex that isn't being used at the time.  So for now that whole area has been closed off to the residents, in order to put Haitians there if the Leeward side gets too many.  However, most of the tents and supplies are over at the Leeward side of the base.  The only thing that has really affected the residents is the cancellation of all visitors for the forseable future and they closed our favorite beaches.  Girl Scout and Glass Beach are now off limits.  I will have to go snorkleing in order to get sea glass now....Small price to pay to help so many.

So that is the update on the base goings on.  There are not plans to evacuate us any time soon.  Heck we don't even have any Haitians yet, so.....

As for other news.  I am leaving Treasures and Trivia.  My last day is Feb 15th.  It is a bitter sweet end really.  I loved working there for two reasons.  First it gave me a great opprotunity to meet new people and two Maegan made a ton of friends.  But alas, Momma needs more money, so I am hoping to babysit and/or sub at the school.  We shall see what happens. 

I am leaving the island sometime next week.   The down side, Maegan has to stay on island.  I am being medivaced out,I am getting an MRI as well as my post sugery check up. Since I will be a confirmed seat, and Maegan would be going as a non-paid seat, the chances of her getting on the plane are slim.  If the quake hadn't hit, then it wouldn't be a problem, but all available seats are being used, so...I have some wonderful girlfriends here and two or three of them have offered to shuttle Maegan around next week for me.  Which means I get to go to VA, and be with my Peyton all by myself.  YIPPEE...I have shopping to do, appointments to go to and chit chat to catch up on.  I am so flippin' excited.  Nervous too, I haven't ever left Maegan for this long.  I know, I know she is four, but Lord you know how long it took me to leave Madie and Adam.  I will be worried about the family the entire time I am gone....and with the earth moving the way it has been, what if I can't get back to my family???  Yeah I have to stop going down that road or I will never get on the plane...

The kids are doing great.  Madie has now spent the night at another friends house.  That makes two times she has had sleepovers.  She has gotten so sure of herself...Adam is, well Adam.  He is still dirty all the time and he is turning into such a BOY.  Just two days ago Maegan found a lizard in the bathroom and instead of calling on Dad, who was laying in bed by the way, she yelled for Adam.  Adam came into the bathroom, scooped up the little dying lizard and ushered it outside.  Course the damn thing died and ants ate it within minutes, but he tried to rescue the lizard.  Go boy go.

So that is it for now. I am missing the family somthing fierce.  I just read Llaurel's blog.  I love that girl.  She is too much.  Too cute, too sweet, too MUCH!!  Jesse, well shoot I have no clue on.  I know he was starting P90X, which Alan has started again, and he is headed to school somewhere and lets see he graduates soon.  I know nothing about this boy...And there is Chy.  I have been praying like crazy for Chy and her job situations, but we don't talk like we used to.  Who coould, heck it costs a ton to talk to each other.  As for mom and Randy.  Well quite frankly I just want to be with them.  And my Dad hasn't been hinting enough that he misses us and would love to visit with us as well.  Lord I love Gtmo, but I miss the ability to just get in a car and drive to family...

Okay until later I send you all my love

Earthquakes, Gtmo and Haiti

Hello All.  Boy has it been busy here, I thought I would fill you in.
We felt an after shock or our own earth quake about the same time that Haiti got hit. We have had a lot of earthquakes here in the last few months, nothing big just slight tremors but the seismic activity has definitely increased according to our environmentalist. The kids and I didn't feel it at all, we were driving, but almost everyone I have talked to felt it, as did Alan. We were on tsunami watch for the 12 hours right after the quake, obviously nothing came of that.


Alan was called into the hospital the yesterday morning around 5am, we had inbound wounded and all essential hospital staff has to be on premises...Alan being the only pharmacist on island, in he went. On top of being the pharmacist he was the Command Duty Officer for the day, essentially he was the man in charge of reporting all the goings on to the Commanding Officer (CO) and he was the gofer. I saw him this morning and he seemed to being doing good regardless of his lack of sleep. He is needed at the hospital until all the surgeries are finished ( and they flew in an extra surgeon last night) and no wounded are immediately inbound. Being the ONLY pharmacist on island means he has to be at the hospital to make all the drugs needed for the surgeries and then he has to stay until the surgeries are complete in case they need anything else. Same with the incoming wounded. At any rate according to Alan as of this morning:

We have had at least 8 wounded helo-ed in, and four have had to be evacuated to the US. All of our wounded that have come here are from the UN or Embassies...We are supposed to be getting at least 8 more wounded sometime today.
Since we are such a small hospital, think rural country size here, I think we only have something like 12 beds if that...anyway, since we are so small and we are not a trauma center by any means most of the wounded are going to other places. We are ready and able to support refugees but that is still up in the air. 10 years ago when Haiti was in the middle of their civil war Gtmo was turned into a tent city. We had thousands here apparently. And if that needs to happen again, all the dependents ( the kids and I ) will be evacuated. However, as of right now, that isn't in the works. I think the US and UN are still just trying to get there to help.

As for any of our personnel being deployed to Haiti, that isn't what this base does. We do not have helicopters, airplanes or ships of any kind. We are simply a functionary base. All the troops and relief will come from Norfolk and/or other bases in VA. The Norfolk base in VA is the largest Naval base in the world and they will do all the deploying. There is a naval carrier on its way, and an LHD which is smaller than a carrier, but is equipped with a hospital area ( this is the same type ship Alan was on last year) and either the Comfort or the Mercy will be headed there. So, here on Gtmo we are just going to be helping here, not out there.

As for the wives here, we have been busy. We raided the thrift store I manage and packed 20 trash bags full of clothes for people there. And I know the chapel is getting together a bunch of food. Haiti has had a time of it...I have been praying for them for years. I am sure God has a plan for that little island, just wish it wasn't so devastating....

I will keep you posted as things happen here. I send you all our love, keep sending your prayers...

Some pics

A few pictures of our little one right before the Christmas Pagent

And here are some pics of what I did on New Year's Eve.  I was invited to go snorkeling for the first time.  I had a great time and can't wait to go out again.  This first picture is what I usually find on the beaches.  The sea glass we have here is mostly browns, greens and clear.  We can usually find some small shells, nothing huge.

Blue sea glass and larger shells are rarer.  Not an impossiblity to find mind you, just rare.  For example jewlery made with blue sea glass will cost you about double what other colors will.  On New Year's Eve I did find some blues, nothing too big.  But I did find the mother of all reds.  Red and Black sea glass is the rarest, at least around here.  There are many ladies here who haven't found any red the entire time they were here.  I never expected to find any.  But I did.  The best part, I had no glasses on.  For those who don't know I can NOT see without my glasses on at all.  I can see blobs of color, but in order to actually see something I have to have it no further from my face than five inches.  So while we were snorkeling the girls would watch for jelly fish and lead me to where I needed to go, because I couldn't see.

So at one point we swam up to a small beachy area and Kristene was sitting in the rocks digging for glass.  It took me a good five minutes to get to where she was.  I had to get my fins off and then make my way up to her.  When I got there, I looked down and saw some red.  I thought it must have been a rock since Kristene wasn't bothering with it.  It was right between her two feet.  So I bent over and picked it up thinking that I could use the rock since the red was so briliant.  What I picked up was NOT a rock.  What it was was a gigantic piece of red sea glass.  It is huge.  Worth somewhere around $400-$500.  I was screaming, Kristene was screaming and then Chris, our other friend made it over to us, and she screamed.  An amazing find....

 

This is the piece next to greens I usually find.  You can tell how much bigger the red is.

Kristene makes sun catchers, ornaments and jewlery with the sea glass she finds and then sells it at the craft fairs.  She suggested I make a sun catcher out of it.  Chris however thinks I should get Rebecca, our jewlery maker friend to make me a necklace out of it.  Now I must say as far as jewlery is concerned, Rebecca is a class act.  She makes the most beautiful jewlery I have seen.  So what to do with it is the question. 
News of my find has traveled fast and I have been called a lot of names, all in good fun of course....My favorite being the "Red B####"  Everyone is jealous in that nice kinda way, at least none of the comments hold malice...
So I just thought I would share my finds with you.  I send you all my love