Home Sweet Home

So, Mike's home and the first day has been great. Just wanted to post a pic from the airport. Check back in a couple of days and we will post a little on what we are doing. Thanks to everyone for all the kind words and wishes throughout the past few days!

Love, Us

LAST LEG!!

IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!



After not hearing anything for another 32 hours or so, i just got a call at 0330 HI time to tell me he is boarding a plane in Atlanta to Honolulu! I am now very, very excited and can not sleep.



YAY, MY HUSBAND IS ALMOST HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 10 HOURS TO GO!

Update

Okay. So finally after 48 hours Mike has called to let me know he is still waiting in a hanger in Kuwait. So far the trip has been a lot of missed planes and bumps for more important people and cargo--apparently a group of guys trying to get home for R&R is at the bottom of the totem pole. Anyway, he is hoping to get out of Kuwait in the next 12 hours or so. From there, he has another stop to make before Atlanta and then finally to HI. Projected time to arrive at the earliest will be Wed. night HI time.

This waiting around stuff is killing me! Prayers for a safe and quick journey are much appreciated!

Hopefully in Kuwait!

okay so i haven't heard anything so i am hoping that is good news because he is so busy catching flights and actually flying he doesn't have time to call.


So..here's my projection of where he's at...and maybe he's even somewhere between Kuwait and Atlanta--that would be even better!

He's Coming Home!!!

R&R is so close now... I can hardly stand it! I just got word Mike should be flying out of his base about 1am EST. He has another stop in country before heading to Kuwait. I will keep you updated! ~YAY~

Little Helper

Today I had a helper to fold my clothes...such a sweet boy!

8 Passengers Set Sail That Day, for a 4 Hour Tour, oh a 4 Hour Tour

This past weekend was Hillary's 26th birthday. A couple friend of ours, Laura and Adam, have their boat licence for the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Marina, so we took out a pontoon boat around the bay and out to a sandbar for the afternoon. I have always heard about this opportunity but never actually gone and checked it out. We had a great time and now i have the "boat bug". So I am hoping to go get certified soon (preferably before Mike gets back for leave). It is way to beautiful out on the water and an awesome way to spend the day--i can't believe it took me 2.5 years to figure this out! So, sorry to all who have already visited...this is definitely on the list of things to take visitors to do now!

Anyway, we had a great day. It was good to spend time with the girls, all 5 of us hadn't been able to spend time together in a long while. It was good to catch up. Katie and Laura's husbands as well as Hillary's brother came too. They boys spent most of their time in the water playing.

Before heading back to the marina, we took a little detour around Coconut Island. This is where the opening scene and all of the long shots were filmed for Gilligan's' Island. Now the island is strictly a research center for the University of Hawaii and no one else is allowed on it.

A Good Time

This weekend I helped my friend out with her daughters 8th birthday party sleepover. Elizabeth wanted a "horse-themed" party--so that's what we did. I made country music CD's to set the mood, my friend Marybeth made a Saloon Door backdrop for the Cowgirl fashion show. We made cowgirl vests and belt buckles, put the girls hair in pigtails and braids, and taught them how to line dance to Alan Jackson's Good Time. There were times where us adults were having more fun then the kids--and we definately outlasted those kids with the dancing! I can't believe I am actually grouped in the "old people" catagory now--but Marybeth informed me that in the girls eyes I was old, like their parents...geez! When did this transformation happen??

Enjoy the pictures!

Making vests and belt buckles

Line Dancing
Wild Wild West

September Down Range

It has been quite some time now since I have taken the time to post anything tangible here on the BLOG, but I can easily say the past several months have gone by so quickly that I sparingly find time to catch my breath nonetheless write a summation of my experiences. During the past few months I have been traveling extensively to many key areas in which I inspect the sites for ammunition storage and safety violations. During my travels I had the opportunity to visit one of my great friends Jake Sweatland and hit a few balls on his driving range he spent countless tax dollars creating. I found that although I had not swung a club in quite some time, I could still hit worm burners without exerting any effort whatsoever. It hasn’t been often that we have been able to come together all in one place for a picture, but Jordan and I made sure to try and get out there on the same day. Although it was an especially long day on the road, it was well worth the time we were able to spend with our friend.

As I have explained in previous posts I spend a lot of time on the range honing my skills and learning new weapon systems in an effort to relieve the stress the builds up over time. I anticipate my “Therapy” sessions each week as I look forward to spending some much needed time away from the daily grind. Teaming up with some of my friends I have found something that I truly enjoy and appreciate that I can teach these same skills to my Soldiers.

As the time nears for me to come home for some much needed time with Jes and relaxation I can’t help but to get excited with each day that passes by. I am blessed to have such a great support network of family and loved ones who constantly check on my wellbeing and pray for my safety each and every day, but need for everyone to understand that it is the spouse that has the toughest job in the Army. While I am on leave I suspect I will do my fair share of lying on a beach and trying to think about anything but ammunition or Iraq, but I also will make sure to spend time telling my wife thank you for all of the sacrifices she makes on a daily basis. Jes you are the best…I love you!

The Month of Parents

Its been a little while now, but in the beginning of August my Dad and Stepmom, Anne, came to visit me for the first time. We had a great time--tried to fit in as much touristy things as possible and also get to see a little of my everyday life here as well. Their arrival was just in time for a minor car crisis of a dead battery that my dad came to the rescue for. It's amazing all the little things that can go wrong with the house, car, etc. that i have no idea how to fix and completely rely on my husband to handle. It was very nice to have someone else there to help take care of me for awhile.

Me and Dad at Volcano National Park

Dad showing us where we are Our kayaks and our rental after snorkeling at Captain Cook's Monument

Then for Labor Day, Mom and my Stepdad, Scott, came to visit. This was their second visit, and we really spent more time visiting and only did a few "hawaii" things. We had planned to go to the Big Island, but Scott got sick off (we believe) some questionable Asian chicken the night before our flights and we had to cancel the trip. Thankfully he was feeling better after 24 hours. We still did some fun things while they were here--and i took mom to her first ever pedicure where she got a Hawaiian flower painted on her toe.

Me and Mom

Getting our Pedicures

For more pictures check my Google Pics website at http://picasaweb.google.com/jessi.burns