An Emo-Military post....yeah, I have 'em, so what?

I have handled many things military life has thrown my way. Maybe not to nicely or easily, but I have done it. I was not raised military so didn't expect much of what this life was.

12 hour shifts that often turned into 15...did it. Not without kicking and throwing a fit, but after 7 years we are passed them. I like to think it made our marriage stronger, because ya know...that's what they say, right?

2-year-long great friendships that were amazing veer off into "just friends" category. After years of not seeing one another finally land themselves into that ever growing pile of "just an acquaintance". Tugs my heart, but that too I can overcome.

The one thing I can't seem to master and overcome is being so distant from my family back in Indiana.

It makes me sad and jealous to see my sister and parents watch other babies and kids grow up every day yet only see mine twice a year. They have missed out on some of their cutest moments. They haven't seen Declan laugh while doing his side smile grin or heard him coo and flirt with his sisters. This baby that I think is the cutest boy in the world they will never know.

I have got around a lot of military issues. There are a lot of disadvantages(and advantages...trust me, living in Hawaii was a big perk) you get use to being a military family. However this is always the one that sticks me. I can never seem to get past the sadness of knowing my family will be absent through my little babies growing months. It started when Lilia was a baby. I cried and cried after leaving my parents. Not so much because I was sad to leave, but because I was sad they wouldn't be around my sweet little growing girl. It doesn't seem so rough after the age of 3. It's just the baby age that gets me.

All the pictures in the world don't do him justice. He just isn't as cute, when the photos amplify his baby chub that really isn't so puffy. Pictures just don't capture the color of his blue/grey eyes brimmed with long lashes that would make any girl jealous.

We could Skype all day long, but the random coos and eyebrow flirting is lost over the craziness that comes with Skype in the few quite moments he gets to be the star. Usually his sisters are fighting for attention as he sits nicely in the background watching. They miss how his face lights up with the brightest smile when I walk into the room.

I realize I am blessed to have Skype, since back in the day the didn't even have that. I am even more blessed to have family to miss. Family I am close enough to that it does matter when they are far away. I focus on how blessed I am to have such amazing kids fill my day. These are the thoughts I try to put in my mind when I have an off day.



Sometimes though, those thoughts just don't cut it. Sometimes I wake up, get on facebook and see a picture of my sister holding her friends baby who is the same age as Declan and it hurts in a hundred ways. She's held her friends baby more. Smelled her. Heard her coo and laugh. Felt the warmth of her snuggle. Most likely she will grow to know this child more than my own. That's when those above "happy" thoughts don't mean much.

So how do I shake this off? These lost moments of my babies life that the military gets and my personal family doesn't? I struggle often with this. I try very hard to push it away when the thoughts start to creep into my head and my eyes cloud a bit with tears.

Days like this I am tempted to pack all our suitcases and hop on a train for 20 hours to be home....or at least Hawaii where the warm beach or mountain hike could drown away my sorrows.

8am

It's a scientific fact that there are indeed 24 hours in a day. Usually, 8 of those are spent at work.

Now tell me, why it's needed for the maintenance guy to schedule his visit at 8am on the dot?!

There are 7 other perfectly GREAT hours.

I go through great-lengths to never schedule appointments at 8am. I'm kind and leave them open to people who work and can then go into work late.

I'm a stay-at-home mom. That means, 8am, is my lazy hour. After waking up at 7am and getting Lilia ready for school. I sit...as much as I can, between milk demands and cereal tantrums...and I veg, while I wake up. There isn't a soul on this planet who could mistake me as a morning person.

When maintenance people come over, I like to appear busy and important. I usually save all my dishes and laundry for when they come over.

So roll with me here-->How can I possibly veg, and be lazy while appearing busy? This means at 8am, I'm actually going to have to be productive. Arghh.

What is my zip code?

I'm not fond of being a military wife. It's hard, hard work. Some people are masters of it. Usually those are the ones that grew up being military brats. One of the hidden, trivial trials is when websites you haven't used for a while ask you for your zip code or phone number or address...you're stumped. Literally, I would have to enter about 7 different zip codes or addresses. That isn't to say I even remember them all.

Trails End, Scarborough, Whiteman, Maass, Mack, Ohana Nui, Can't Remember, Amethyst, Present.....and that is only half way through. I guess I should start a list somewhere so I can remember them all.

At this very moment, ebay wants me to enter my zip code and phone number to verify my password. Yeah, not gonna happen.

Honu

There once was a beach called Laniakea (and still is to be exact). It was the most glorious beach on the North Shore of Oahu. Endangered green sea turtles frequented the beach, along with numerous tourist. In between the tourists cramming the beach and invading the turtles home, bliss was found. We found this bliss, one blistering day in early May. Here are some photographs to prove our findings:
See all the tourist during a bus drop....the beach is empty when they are gone.

**We've been to this beach a number of times and seen monk seals and turtles basking in the sun. Truly another one of our favorite beaches!

Nuu'anu Falls and Judd Trail

We made a bucket list a bit ago and have started checking things off. One thing was to see Nuu'anu Falls via Judd Trail. The water level was higher than usual due to how much rain we've gotten recently. It kept us from reaching the end falls at "Jackass Ginger Pool". It was just too dangerous at one point with little kids. Had there not been kids/or the water level been normal we would have made it easily.

These falls were put on the bucket list, because of the rope swing which allows you to jump over the falls into the pool below. If that isn't something you should experience in Hawaii, what is?!

Never fear, while my hopes were dashed (I like to pretend they weren't)...I do realize I have one other chance at Maunawili Falls.

Anyways, here is what the Judd Trail looked like when we hiked. If you're a LOST fan you may recognize a bit from the show.

Central Oahu Regional Park

A couple days ago we went to Central Oahu Regional Park .

I stumbled upon this park well over a year ago, while trying to find the YMCA. From a quick glance, the park looked like something I had to walk through. After doing so, it is pretty great. There are large open areas, a slew of playgrounds sprinkled throughout and little league baseball fields that would put a lot of minor league fields to shame. Not to mention an awesome running/walking path. The park reminded us of something you might find in the midwest, yet placed right in the middle of a tropical city life.

Yokohama Beach

Yokohama Beach might just be heaven. It's always been one of my favorites. Secluded, Beautiful...everything. Today we drove out there and this is what we saw.


I took some pictures of Lilia under the rainbow. While standing in the grass, some fire ants started attacking her feet. By "some", I mean they covered one foot entirely....so actually A LOT of fire ants. The poor thing was terrified and screaming bloody murder. I can't blame her, I would have freak too. In the midst of her freak, she says "I AM NOT posing for another PICTURE!" Today her feet have recovered. The welts are almost all gone, but she'll never look at an ant the same way again.