New Year, New Beginnings

We just celebrated the ending of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. With this new year comes new beginnings. For some, it may be just making a new years' resolution to change some aspect of their lives. For others it may be more serious changes - a new house, a baby on the way, a move cross country, or one of many other possibilities.

This year, as in years past, I have decided to make a new years' resolution. Of course, it's easy to make the resolution. The hard part is keeping it. I think one of the hardest parts of keeping it is the lack of accountability. It's easy to say you'll do something, but then when no one holds you accountable (including yourself), it's a lot easier to break it.

So, as one way of accountability, I decided to write down what my new years' resolutions are. I'll be writing them here and then it's viewable to the public and I have it to look back on to know how I'm doing.

First, I'm going to begin eating better and exercising more. I know that I need to get healthier - as my doctor has told me. So, I've decided to cut back on calories and fats. I'll also be focusing a lot on not eating as much red meats, white pastas,high fat dairy products, and junk foods. I'll be increasing fruits and vegetables, fibers, and drinking more water. I'll also be trying to exercise for at least 30 minutes 3-5 times a week. This may just be walking around the neighborhood or doing the Wii Fit, but it's better than what I have been doing.

Second, I'm going to make sure that I'm reading my Bible every day. I know how important this is, but often times I put it off and neglect it. I have a devotional Bible that I'll be using for this. I want to, and I need to, spend more time studying His Word.

Third, I'm going to strive to be a better wife to my husband. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I've been a horrible wife. I just know that everyone can stand to improve. I'm going to try to be more encouraging, do more around the house, be more respectful, and love him even more than I have before.

Last but not least, I'm going to try to update this blog more. I've realized how much I miss writing on it so I've decided to come back to it. Hopefully I do better this time than last. I also am working on another blog project that I'll hopefully be introducing soon.

So, those are my new years' resolutions. Did you make a resolution this year? If so, what is it?

- Jenn

What's Going On?

You may wonder what has been going on in my life (or maybe you don't really care to know). Either way I figure I'll share some of the highlights....

• I quit my job. Yes, you heard me right. I gave my two week notice near the middle of July and my last day of work was July 29th. There was a lot going on in life, both inside and outside of the workplace, and Josh and I felt that this was the best decision for our family. It was definitely a very difficult decision, but one that needed to be made. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss it - because I truly do each and every day. But, I did quit and now I'm beginning a new leg of my journey in life (even though I'm not sure exactly what that is).


• My sister got married on August 6th. She and Brandon had a beautiful, little outdoor ceremony at a local campground. Despite the fact that it was a rainy day, it was still beautiful. I'm so happy for the both of them and their little family and happy to have another brother added into our family!


• Josh and I just celebrated our third anniversary. It's hard to believe that we've been married for three years, but it's the truth. It's been a wonderful three years together though! We went away for two days to the beach and had a great time (beautiful weather too). I'm so grateful for a wonderful, loving husband and am looking forward to spending many more years with him!


• Josh and I also added onto our family at the end of May. No, there weren't any babies born that you didn't hear about. We got another cat - well a kitten to be exact. My cousin found him and didn't have anyone to take him so we volunteered. We named him Minion. He's about 16 weeks old currently and is a giant ball of energy. Our other cat, Titan, has slowly gotten used to him. I think they've finally come to terms with each other and actually love laying around together now.
  

Well, not much else that I can think of to write. Hopefully I'll be writing more often now (although I'm not making any promises).

- Jenn

It's Been Awhile

It's been awhile...a long, long while. I guess I'm not so good at the whole blogging thing. Or maybe I'm just not disciplined at taking time to write. I do really enjoy writing though. I guess it's just a matter of putting aside the time to actually do it.

Anyways, life has been busy and sometimes chaotic. I've been keeping myself rather busy at work. Between the normal hours, trainings, and preparing materials and lessons it takes up a lot of time. I do love my job though. I love the children that are in my class (and many who have moved up out of my class). I love seeing them learn and grow everyday. I also like the trainings I go to most of the time. It's nice to continue learning. It kind of reminds me of college all over again (and sometimes makes me regret that I didn't appreciate college as much when I was in it).

I've also been keeping busy at home and with family and friends. Often times I feel like I don't get as much done at home as I would like. I feel like my house is always a mess and I'm always trying to keep my head above water as far as getting things done around the house that need done. It can be slightly stressful at times, but somehow it always gets done (or at least the important things get done). I also feel like I don't get to spend as much time with people as I would like, especially Josh. It seems like life gets so busy sometimes that there's not enough time in the day to see the people who are most important to me. I guess that's something I need to work on (as far as re-prioritizing things).

Anyways, that's mainly what's been going on in life. Now very exciting - I know. But, as has been said a million times before on here, I'll try to update more often. No promises though, but I will try. Leave me a comment if you read this so that I know at least someone is still reading. Otherwise, take care.

- Jenn

Guess What?!?

Hello blog world! Guess what?!?!?

I'M STILL ALIVE!!!

I know you may not believe it and you may have thought that I dropped off the face of the earth, but I haven't. Life's just been extremely busy, sometimes busier than I'd like it to be. Between working full time, moving at the beginning of November, taking care of the house, spending time with my husband and family and friends, Thanksgiving and Christmas life's been pretty chaotic and I've completely neglected this blog. I decided today that I'd write a quick post just to say hi and let you all know that I haven't completely forgotten this. I'll try to blog more, but I'm not promising anything.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as you celebrated the birth of our Savior! Have a great night and take care!

- Jenn

Lots of Happenings

There's been lots of things happening here in PA. I'll make a quick list of a few of them...

- I GOT A JOB!!! I went for an interview at a childcare center on Tuesday and was offered a position that day. I, of course, accepted the position. I started training on Wednesday and trained for 2 days. Today was my first day with the children and I loved it. Monday will be my first time all alone with the children in my class for a full day. I am working with 6 darling one year olds. They're absolutely precious! I'm excited to see how things go and excited to see them learn and grow.

- We've been apartment searching for a few weeks now. We've found several apartments that are and/or were possibilities. We went and saw one last night that we both really love. We submitted the application for it so we'll see what happens. We're praying we'll find one soon, especially since the 31st is our last day in this apartment. I'm definitely excited to find a new place!

- I started teaching Sunday School at our church a few weeks ago (at the beginning of September). It's been a lot of fun and I'm enjoying having an avenue of ministry in our church. I definitely love the kids there too!

- Josh has been keeping busy with work, the Marines, and helping out at the house and calling prospective apartments. He has a lot of things to keep him busy at work. I really appreciate how hard he works, both at work and at home! I'm thankful for the blessing of a wonderful husband.

So, those are some of the happenings here. As you can see, there's lots of new adventures and lots of exciting things happening. It's great to see how God provides opportunities and opens doors. I'm so thankful for the doors He's opened already. I'll be sure to keep you posted on how things are going with all of this.

- Jenn

This Week's Events

A lot has happened this week. This past weekend (the 11th and 12th) was a busy one. On Friday night we went to Allentown because Josh had drill on Saturday. We got to stay in a hotel that night, which was nice to get away. Saturday, as I said, Josh had drill. He was up bright and early to do his Combat Fitness Test (CFT). I slept in. By the time the CFT was over, it was afternoon. We headed out to a park to enjoy his unit's annual Family Day. It was a gorgeous day outside and a really nice family day. It was definitely the best one I've been to.

Here's Josh after Family Day

After Family Day, we headed up to my parents' house for the rest of the weekend. On Sunday we celebrated my nephew's second birthday. It's so hard to believe that he's already 2 years old!

His 3D Thomas cake

Playing with the train table that we got him for his birthday

On Sunday night we headed home after a busy, but nice weekend. Then the week happened. Both Josh and I worked most of the week (of course he worked more than I did). Also, during this week (after a series of events) we decided that we're going to be looking for a new place to live. We can't stay here much longer than we need to now. So, we're officially apartment hunting (which I've found out isn't very fun). Hopefully we'll find one very soon.

Besides what I've mentioned, there's not much else happening here. It's been a long, busy week and I'm sure glad that it's the weekend! Hopefully it'll be a relaxing one.

- Jenn

Photo Highlights of Summer - Part 1

A lot happened this past summer, a lot of things which I didn't blog about. I figured it'd be easiest (and most interesting) to highlight my summer using photos, instead of babbling on about some of the things that I did. So, here is the first part of my photo highlights of the summer of 2010. I'll describe each picture a little bit so that you know what's going on. Enjoy!...

My niece and nephew came and stayed at our house for a week at the end of July/ beginning of August. We had a lot of fun with them and I think the kids really enjoyed it too! This picture was taken at Chocolate World, one of our many stops with them.

In July a few of us friends went away for a weekend to our friend Marv's family's lodge. The lodge is absolutely GORGEOUS and is up in the Northeastern part of the state. We had a lot of fun swimming, walking around, playing games, watching movies, and just relaxing together.

In July, my friend Emily came and visited for a week from Vermont. We got to enjoy the whole week together, which was really nice. We spent some time with her sister, Becky, too. This picture was taken when we went to a petting zoo on Friday night.

At the end of Emily's week here, her boyfriend drove up from North Carolina to surprise her with a visit. He's in the Marines too, so he doesn't get to see her much. Josh and I got to spend the day with them and be part of the surprise. To get to Robert (the surprise) we took a hike that lead to an old tower. Robert was at the top of the tower waiting for Em.

My big brother got married this summer, August 7th to be exact. They had a beautiful backyard wedding and it was a gorgeous day. Their reception was the next day. Overall it was a gorgeous weekend and now I have a new sister-in-law, Abby. I'm so happy for them!

Those are some of the photo highlights from my summer. Watch for part 2, which will have even more pictures of what went on this past summer...

- Jenn

Our Life

Since it's been well over a month since I posted last, I figured I would update with a post about what's been going on in our life...

- It's hard to believe that today is September 1st! It seems like it was just May and we were preparing for summer. Now summer is pretty much gone. Kids are going back to school and the weather is cooling down (well a little bit). It's crazy how fast time goes by!

- Speaking of going back to school, I didn't get a full time teaching job for this year. That means I'll be substituting this year. I'll also be working on my resume and cover letter, trying to make it better as I apply for new jobs as they are posted. I actually don't mind subbing though. I kind of like the adventure and the unpredicatability of it. So it should be an interesting year.

- Josh was gone for over a month of the summer. In June he had his normal Annual Training with the Marines and was gone for 2 weeks. In August he was involved with another training exercise and was gone for 17 days. To say I missed him would be an understatement. I missed him more than I could have imagined! But, now he's home which of course makes me happy. Hopefully he won't have any more long training exercises in the near future.

- We celebrated our second anniversary in early August (right before Josh went away). It's hard to believe that it's been over two years already since I married my best friend! I do have to say that each day is better than the last and I fall more and more in love with my husband every day. It's great to be able to spend my life with my best friend. And, although there are challenges and trials, it's great to know that we have each other to go through them together. I'm looking forward to many more years with him!

- We went away for a little weekend away earlier in the summer. It was actually over the 4th of July weekend. Of course, with our luck, we both were sick with pretty nasty colds over the weekend, but that didn't stop us from enjoying our time with each other. We didn't go far from home. We actually just went to Allentown. We went to the drive-ins together and out to dinner on Saturday. On that Sunday we went to Dorney Park. Josh actually got in free because he was military, so that was nice. The park was definitely interesting, but we still had fun there. Then on Monday we just hung out and then headed home. It was a relaxing weekend and was our early anniversary getaway, since we knew we couldn't get away on our actual anniversary.

I can't think of anything else to write about from this past summer. I'm sure I'll think of more later. Hopefully you all enjoyed your summer as well and are enjoying the cooler weather!

- Jenn

I'm not... but I am

I know you probably read the title of this post and are saying "Huh? That doesn't make any sense." You're right. It probably doesn't. But hopefully by the end of this blog post, it will make at least a little bit of sense.

- I'm not dead... despite the fact that I haven't written on my blog in exactly one month.

- But I am a slacker. That's my only reason for not writing on here.

- I'm not working. Hopefully I'll be substituting in the fall. It'll be nice to be productive in the outside world.

- But I am trying to keep busy around the house. It's not always easy to find things to do in a little apartment, but I'm trying my best.

- I'm not promising that I'm going to be better at writing on this blog.

- But I am going to try to be better at it.

So there's an update. Now you know what "I'm not" and what "I am". And you also know that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. Hope to be back writing soon. Until then...

- Jenn

Our Happenings

Well, as usual, I've been a slacker and haven't written in awhile. I guess the last time I wrote was two weeks ago. Yikes, time sure does fly!

My mom's knee surgery went really well. The doctor said that everything went perfectly and that things looked great. She was in the hospital for 3 days. The day after surgery they had her walking a little bit and progressed a little at a time from there. After the three days she went to in-house rehab at a local rehabilitation center. She was in there for a week and had rehab every day there. She came home from rehab last Thursday and is doing great. She's getting around wonderfully with her walker and has been out and about every day. The doctor is very pleased with her progress and she is pleased with how things are going. We're just praying her recovery continues to go smoothly and any pain that she has left goes away soon. But it's definitely a huge praise that she's doing so well!

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I had a job interview today. It's for a tutoring position at Sylvan Learning Center. I'm not sure how the interview went... it was hard to judge. But it'd be for a part time tutoring position. So we're praying for God's direction and for His will to be known regarding the position. I should know by the end of next week whether or not they want to hire me. So for now we're just waiting and praying.

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It's hard to believe that it's already almost June! The month of June is going to be crazy busy for us. Josh has his annual training with the Marines from June 5th until the 19th. During that time I'll probably go to my parents for a week or so. I plan on helping my friend Christina with anything she needs to get done for her wedding on the 26th. Then we have her wedding on the 26th, which I'm in. Of course during the month we also have Josh's birthday (the 10th), his dad's birthday (the 11th), my niece's birthday (the 18th), and father's day. So the month is pretty jam packed. I'm sure it will fly by too.

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I know that I still haven't posted about my the roadtrip that Emily and I took last month. I plan on posting about it sometime, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. I promise I will do it sometime, even if it takes another year...

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Anyways, there's not a whole lot else to write. I'll try to post again sooner. Otherwise you can leave me comments and harass me for a post. Let me know that there are still people reading this. It makes me feel better about spending time blogging. But, I'm off to make dinner and enjoy the evening with my husband...

- Jenn

OIR Begins...

Tomorrow morning my friend Emily and I are beginning OIR (One Insane Roadtrip). I'm quite excited about this trip and will be sure to share stories and pictures when I get back. We're heading down to North Carolina tomorrow to visit her boyfriend who is stationed there (he's in the Marines too). Then, after visiting him, we're heading to Virginia on Wednesday to visit one of our friends from college. Then on Thursday we're returning home. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and such to share. I'm sure it will be quite an adventure and one we'll remember forever. So, let the fun begin!

- Jenn

It's Been Awhile...

It definitely has been awhile since I actually wrote out a blog post that had some meaning to it. Of course the past several months have been quite hectic with student teaching, holidays, graduation, and more. But now I am going to try to get back into a normal blogging routine. I like to blog - but I just haven't really had the time to do it.

Let's see what's been going on lately....

First of all, I finished my student teaching and graduated from college. It's hard to believe that 5 1/2 years of college are over and I am now a graduate with 2 bachelors degrees - one in Bible and one in Education. Graduation was a great day! It was a nice simple ceremony and I had 7 people there cheering me on (aside from friends and people who work at the school). After graduation we went out to dinner at the Olive Garden and then went to my in-law's house for dessert and hanging out. My mom, dad, sister, nephew, husband, mother-in-law, and father-in-law were all there for me on graduation day. Others would have been there but were unable to be. It was definitely a blessing!

Second, I am officially on the job hunt now. I had an interview for a long term subbing position which I didn't get. But now I am looking for other positions. I haven't found anything yet, but I know that in God's time I will find the perfect job.

Third, Christmas has obviously come and gone. It was definitely a great Christmas. We went to my in-laws' house on Christmas eve and spent time with them, as well as my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. We exchanged gifts there, had dinner, and watched a movie. It was a lot of fun. On Christmas morning Josh and I opened our gifts at home together. It was a blessing to spend our second Christmas together. On Christmas afternoon we headed up to my parents' house for the rest of the weekend. My sister and her fiance hosted our whole family at their house for a great dinner. Then we opened gifts and visited with family. It was a great Christmas all around!

Of course the New Year has also come. It's hard to believe that it's 2010 already! Time sure does fly! I'm eager to see what God has in store for us this New Year. There are alot of things on our hearts and minds and alot of decisions to make, but it's exciting to see where God is going to take us and to see what He is going to do in and through us!

I guess that's about it for today. Hopefully I'll be better at blogging now that I have more time!

- Jenn

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Remember the real meaning of Christmas as you celebrate - the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

- Jenn

Half Way There

As of yesterday, I am half way done with my student teaching. This means that I only have a half of a semester until I am a college graduate. This is incredibly exciting, but somewhat surreal! I can't believe I've made it this far and that I'm almost done with college. It's just crazy!

You may wonder how my first student teaching placement went for me. Well, for those of you who are wondering, I'm about to answer that question...

My first placement, if I haven't mentioned before, was teaching 5th and 6th grades in a Christian school. Overall, the experience was great and I definitely learned a lot throughout it.

I do have to say that initially I was intimidated at the thought of teaching 6th graders. In my head, they were going to have an "I don't care" attitude and were all gonna be tough guys. Once I got in the classroom I was proven wrong. Not all of them had an attitude and not one of them was a real tough guy. The class did present it's challenges, but working with my co-op and through a lot of prayer we overcame those challenges.

Looking back on the past seven and a half weeks, I can see one re-occuring theme and that theme is growth. Whether in the students or in myself, there has been a tremendous amount of growth. I've seen the students change so much over the time that I was there. God's been really working in their hearts and lives and it's quite evident. It's such a praise as well! I've also seen myself grow over this time. On the days when things seemed impossible, I've learned to rely more on Him. God's shown me that there's no way that I can do this on my own. I need His strength. I also feel that I've grown as a teacher. I've tried to take the advice of my co-op and supervisor and implement it into my life to make me a better teacher. It's so great to see how God's has helped all of us to grow over this time.

It is definitely somewhat surreal to be done with this placement. It was weird walking out of the classroom yesterday and knowing that I wouldn't be walking back into it ever again as a student teacher. It's weird to know that on Monday I'll be starting my second placement with a whole new group of kids and a whole new set of lives to pour into. It's definitely a joy and priviledge - and a tremendous responsibility- to be able to teach these students and invest in their lives.

So, looking back on this first half I guess the theme of it would be learning and growing. God's taught all of us so much and helped us all to grow in numerous ways. It's been a truly wonderful experience and I am so incredibly thankful for it!

- Jenn

Random Ramblings

I'm home sick from school today. I acquired a nasty cold courtesy of my students and have also been having weird stomach pains. After much persuasion on the part of my husband, I decided to stay home today to rest. I'm hoping that I feel a little bit better by tomorrow. As of right now I feel like a truck ran me over and then put itself into reverse and ran me over again.

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Student teaching is going well. Today actually marks the halfway point at my first placement. It's hard to believe that it's already halfway over. I've been enjoying it so much, and in a way I don't want to move on to a new placement. I'm definitely going to miss my students a lot, but I'm sure that God has great things in store for me next placement as well.

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Our kitten, Titan, is as feisty and active as ever. I don't think I actually mentioned him on my blog before. But over the summer we found a kitten along the road who was in horrible condition. His eyes were caked shut with dirt and manore and he was horribly malnourished. We took him in, cleaned him up, and fed him. By then we were attached to him and decided to keep him. His eyes were in terrible shape at first and looked badly infected. We knew he was going to be blind. We took him to a vet, who was very pessimistic and wanted to remove his eyes first thing. We didn't like that idea and thought that there was hope for Titan's eyes so we took him to another vet. The second vet was optimistic and wanted to give his eyes time to see what happened. Now, almost two months after that vet saw him, his eyes are almost all cleared up. He's still blind but his eyes look SO much better than before. Maybe sometime I'll post some before and after pictures of him. Anyways, by watching him you would never know that he was blind. He's as active and mischeivous as any other kitten. He gets around the house in a flash and climbs stairs well too. He's definitely adapted to being blind. We love the little guy to pieces!

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Last weekend was a great time (up until I got sick). On Saturday we went to Hershey Park with my sister, my niece, my nephew, a friend of my sister's, and her daughter. It was a whole lot of fun. It was so nice to see them after we hadn't seen them in over a month and a half! My nephew, who recently celebrated his first birthday, is getting so big! Kids grow up way too fast!

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I guess that's enough of my random ramblings for now. I guess much randomness comes when your home sick and bored. But, I'll write more later.

- Jenn

Full Swing

Well student teaching is officially in full swing (well I guess it's officially been in full swing for the past two weeks). I am loving my first placement so far! The students can, at times, be challenging but I still love them. I love the upper elementary grades and it's been so much fun teaching them. So far I've picked up teaching two subjects - 6th grade math and 5th grade science. Next week I'll be picking up 6th grade science as well. It's really been fun getting to know the students and to see how they learn best and how I can change my teaching to best fit their needs. Student teaching is definitely a very rewarding experience, despite the huge workload. It's hard to believe that I've already completed two weeks worth of it and I only have 5 1/2 weeks left in this placement. Please pray for me that I continue to do well and continue to effectively teach the students in my class. Also pray for my students, that God will continue working in each of their lives. Thanks!

Aside from student teaching, not a whole lot else is going on. That's pretty much taken up a good chunk of my time. It's been challenging trying to balance my time and to assure that my school work is done, but that I also get to spend quality time with Josh. Some nights I feel like I get back from school, sit for a few minutes, and then the rest of my night is spent preparing for the next school day. Nights like this have made me realize that I really need to get things done as early as possible so that I have time to spend with my husband. That's my biggest struggle right now, so if you think of it, can you pray for me in that area? Thanks!

I guess that's all for now. Sorry it's not a whole lot more exciting. I guess I should go now and try to get some lesson plans done. God bless you!

- Jenn

Time Flies!

Goodness, it's hard to believe how fast times goes by! It's been almost three weeks since I posted last and now summer has come to an end. I started student teaching orientation on Thursday and it concluded on Friday. On Monday, I'll be starting my first student teaching placement. I will be teaching fifth and sixth graders for the next seven weeks. I am really excited about it, but at the same time I'm also nervous. I'm sure I'll be fine once I get into the swing of things, but for now it's nerve wracking. I'd appreciate any prayers for me, my students, and all others involved as I begin this journey. I'll try to keep updates on here about how my student teaching experience is going as well.

It seems like just yesterday that I started college, but now it's coming to a close. I'm in my final semester and the end is near! I can hardly believe that in 3 1/2 months I'll be walking across stage to receive my diploma. It's one of the things that I've always dreamed of happening and I'm so close to achieving it. I've learned so much during my college career and grown a lot. I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to attend a Bible college and to be trained among other believers.

There's not a whole lot more to say at the moment. We're currently enjoying our last weekend of freedom before student teaching begins. It's nice to be able to relax a little bit! But, I guess that's it for now. I'll post more later - perhaps some summer pictures.

- Jenn

As Promised

As promised in this post, here are some pictures from the time that Josh was away at Annual Training with the Marines and I was here at home and at my parents house...

My friend Katie making dinner when I went to her house

My sister in law, Jen, and me at her church's campfire/picnic

My niece, K's, 5th birthday party

One of my best friends, Erica, at the riverfront

My brother, Joe, and my niece, K, at a baseball game

My adorable niece and nephew

While all of these adventures (as seen above) were going on, there were some busy Marines in Nevada (as can be seen in this post)...

Josh on armory watch one evening

Josh and his fellow Marines taking a break in the barracks

One of the state parks that the Marines visited (while Josh was on base on watch)

By the way, we did eventually get to be back together again (in case you couldn't figure that out). And when we got back together, we were really happy! Here's a picture of us the morning after Josh returned. We went out to lunch at Applebees and then headed back home.

But, these are some pictures from our two weeks apart during Annueal Training. Hope you enjoyed looking at them.

- Jenn

JT09

Javelin Thrust 2009 (JT09) was a huge success! The Marines of Det 2 Allentown completed their mission, directly aiding in the overall fulfilment of the operation. Comm Company maintained their systems with nearly 100% up-time and quickly resolved any and all issues that arose. We spent the "down time" providing and receiving training on our equipment and the equipment of the other communications company that was present. Marines received instruction on proper radio procedures and customs, set-up and operation of the RSAM and other switchboard related hardware, and the set-up, maintenance, and troubleshooting of the Support Wide Area Network (SWAN) satellite suite.

During the operation, we had the opportunity to qualify for the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) grey belt, learn proper foot patrol techniques and operations, take an instructional course on IED recognition and attack prevention, and also receive our Combat Life-Savers' Certifications (CLS).

After completion of the operation, Marines received improvised Professional Military Education (PME) on a variety of subjects including future weaponry and warfare, Operational Risk Management (ORM), and wilderness safety.

-Josh (Cpl Burky)

Time Well Spent...

Since Josh is gone away for Annual Training with the Marines for two weeks, I have had a lot of time alone. I knew from before he even left that my time without him would be what I made it to be - I could either spend the time sitting around moping because my husband wasn't home or I could spend the time finding things to do, spending time with people, and passing the time away quickly. I chose the latter.

It hardly seems possible that I've been "husbandless" for eleven days already (it'll have been 16 days by the time he comes home). I decided to do a lot of things to keep busy while he was gone, so that the time would go by fast. It has gone at a decent pace (rather quickly), though at times it has seemed to move slowly also.

The first week he was gone seemed like a week of re-connecting. He left on Thursday June 11th. On Friday I worked. On Saturday I took my Praxis exams in the morning, and then in the afternoon I reconnected with a friend, Katie, who I hadn't seen in at least seven months. It was definitely nice to see her again! On Sunday I spent time at my in-laws house and then spent the evening with Jen, my sister in law. It was definitely nice to hang out with her and have some "girl time". That Monday I spent by myself, cleaning and doing things around the house. That Tuesday I reconnected with another friend, Bethany, who I also hadn't seen in about six months. That Wednesday I spent the evening at my in-laws house also. That was my first week while Josh was gone, a pretty packed week indeed. It flew by and I feel as if I got a lot accomplished and had fun as well.

The second week (which we're only midway through) has also been rather busy. I headed up to my parents house for the rest of the time that Josh will be away. When it's all said and done, I will have spent 9 days up here. The time here has also been busy - my niece K's 5th birthday party, graduation parties, shopping with my mom, church, spending time with family, and much more. There will only be more to come in the rest of the week - babysitting my niece and nephew, spending time with friends and family, a movie night with some friends from church, a possibly baseball game, and other things as well.

Though these weeks have been busy since Josh was gone, I consider it to have been time well spent. I could have spent the time moping around and being depressed that I missed Josh (which I definitely do miss him). But instead I spent the time busy and having fun with people I love. I consider these two weeks to be time well spent instead of time well wasted.

By the way, I'll post some pictures of the two weeks on here once I'm home. That way you can see some of the things that I've been doing these past two weeks.

-Jenn