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Comment by iris - Wahiawa, Hawaii on April 18, 2011 at 11:22am

Good Monday Morning Ladies! 

 

First the replies then my rambling. Lol...

 

Dyl's Mom - I'm soooo... excited for you. Enjoy D. being home. It goes by way to fast, but the peace you feel when your child is home is priceless. We expect to hear all about it after he leaves.Have fun!!!

 

Mary - Egads! I'm with you on the frustration of animal messes. Fortunately we don't have the peeing & pooing inside, but lots and lots and lots of cat hair. If you are the only one taking care of them, then it's your decision. Your family maybe pissed but if they aren't willing to share the responsibilities then you have to do what's best for you and the animals. I'd give them a heads up to how you are feeling and what you plan to do if nothing changes and then see what happens. Seems fair. Good luck. 

 

DO - No job for me yet. I keep applying, but nothing so far. Frustrating cause I'm ready to get back in the swing of it.

 

Lyn - I'm so happy for all your good family news. =)))  Have fun visiting.

 

Nicole - Hang in there sunshine. I'm sure it's bittersweet for G. too. Hugs!

 

Proud - Japan, horray. I'm glad she's off for her sake, but know it has to be tough for you. Hope she had a safe trip.

 

AJ - Love that you are wordy like me. Lol....  Thanks for the Prom pics complements. Your cut and paste idea is a good one. Although I never know if I'm going to ramble on and on for a really long time and need to make two posts, or if I'm going to ramble on for just a long time. Lol.....   Enjoy your Costa Rica time and I'm glad you had a nice time at the services. Who cares what denomination. Isn't it what's in your heart that matter's?

 

Okay - just in case I'm going to make this two. Getting paranoid.

Comment by LynB on April 17, 2011 at 11:03pm

Thanks for the candle AJ - that's lovely :)

Dyl's Mom - omg.  Decommissioning the Enterprise?  It's official.  That's it. I'm old.  I'm hitting that birthday with a zero tomorrow and it turns out she was commissioned the same year I was born. 

I still remember the first time I ever saw her - in Hong Kong.  I must have been about 14-15 years old (as was she).Have I mentioned my mis-spent youth entertaining young sailors in the red light districts of Hong Kong as a teen?  Those poor young men coming off ships for leave (Vietnam era) were just fools for young blond American girls.  Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't "that kind of girl" but the rules were different there and we went to bars in Wanchai to dance because who cared how old you were.  The madames would get very upset because the Navy boys wanted to dance and talk with us rather than pay their 'girls'.  Good times.  I had so many pen pals...lovely young men and never a bad experience. We'd dance, play pool, show them places to eat, take them to the scenic spots, took a few of them home to meet my folks.  Perfect gentlemen. 

If I didn't feel old enough from that I have to tell y'all, I saw Bob Dylan in concert at a blues festival yesterday.  Dude is turning 70.  Bless his heart, he's a star and put on a show but dang, the voice is so gone.

Comment by d o on April 17, 2011 at 10:17pm

Hi all!  Mrs.B such cute pictures!!!!!  Still praying for you, I know what that waiting game feels like.

Sounds like a good plan LynB.

Mary-I had a friend whose pet just "turned up missin".......

AJ thanks for your nice post.

Fair winds and following seas to your sailor Proud Navy Mom!

Hurely-as if you didn't have enough to worry about, now a scam?!

Iris-are  you back at work?

Nicole-LOVE the hair! 

Sorry so short, but it"s bedtime.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Comment by Mrs.B_Div 302_Ship9 on April 17, 2011 at 5:47pm

Good news! YAY, more good news! Ahhh, i love good news! We have a NICE place to live! It's really, really nice, in our price range, has 3 pools, a sauna and 2 hot tubs...yuppers...here comes the CA girl who loves to sit in the sun, loves to swim and get that tan! :) (yeah, I'm a red head that tans; but that's because my father is spanish and I tan pretty easily)

 

So yeah, I'm SO excited! We had to get someone to co-sign with us, but get this; we told the lady we didn't have a job for sure yet, but she told us to just show her our LES from the Navy and they'd use that as proof of income, since Paul is getting this job with Fry's! This is like a miracle for us. These apartments are individually owned, so they're able to make exceptions, unlike other corporately owned apartments. I am SO beyond blessed. Anyways, life is good and I'm just really relieved everything is working out SO well.

 

Also, I found out (not sure if I said this below) but I can get in Doula practice with UCSD for FREE! I can get trained and go to school there for about 2-6 months and then get my certification with DONA, which is just awesome. I am just thrilled. I'll be able to help women with their births, which is like a huge dream of mine and still be able to bring in some income, which will bless Paul too.

 

Have a great week everyone! We'll be moving this week, so I don't know how much I'll be on. I'll probably be updating FB more than this, so if you're not already my friend there, request me at "PaulandCourtneyBirkbeck" on there. I think that will get you to us.   And also, another "little thing" that is VERY exciting....

 

*drum roll*

 

We celebrate our 1st anniversary tomorrow! Ahhh, I know, it's not that long compared to all of you who have been married for decades, but for us, it's exciting and fulfilling to have gone through so much, yet made thru stronger than ever in the past year! 

Comment by AJ on April 17, 2011 at 3:04pm

And it's the candle on the right in the front.

Comment by AJ on April 17, 2011 at 3:02pm

Oh, and I'm not even Catholic!

Comment by AJ on April 17, 2011 at 3:01pm

Me again ..... three hours later, I'm back from mass ..... they have huge and colorful processionals and pilgrimages here during this entire week (Semana Santa = Holy Week) ... and today was one and then it was a full mass with the Eucharist and a special blessing for children to come up, and music, etc. ..... it was beautiful .... and it was long.

 

In any event, I want to share something with you ...... I know I must sound 'over the top' sometimes when I speak about our 'mother hearts' ...... but I do believe that there is something very special about a mother's heart ...... and today I decided to light a candle at mass for all of the mother hearts in our close circle here of the 9/10/10 N4M group (past and present) .... then I rippled it out to all the mothers on my son's ship, then to all the mothers with someone in the Navy, then couldn't leave out all the mother's with someone in the Marines, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, etc., ................. and then it was every mother that has ever lived or ever will live (no, just joking on that one!) ................  and then, last but not least, to light the candle for all the hearts of each and every one of our beloved Sailors, that they may be safe, protected, and happy wherever they are. 

 

So, I lit a pink candle on the circle of candles (picture below) .... you cannot make out the color of the candle at all, but it is pink ...... and I lit one before the mass and then thought that I should share a picture with you ....... so I went back up after mass and lit another one and took a quick picture with my cell phone (didn't have my camera) .... It's not a very good picture, but it is representative of the prayer accompanying it.  

 

I know I probably sound goofy, but this is who I am.  So, from my heart to yours, you were blessed this day from Parroquia San Rafael Atenas, Atenas Costa Rica.  And if I sat in mass for three hours, surely it went from my lips to God's ears!

Comment by Dyl's Mom 943 on April 17, 2011 at 11:07am

Happy Sunday all!  Hope everyone is doing ok!  

Love the pics Mrs. B... what a cutie!  They sure grow up fast though...enjoy every moment!

proud navy mom..thinking about you as your daughter heads off to her ship!  exiciting and sad all at the same time.  i feel for you!

Hey Hurley!  glad to see you on here!  it's been awhile!   hoping Matt does well on his upcoming test.  i'm sure he'll do great! 

mary, i don't know what to tell ya on the pups!  Yogi keeps me hopping all the time.  i watch the dog whisperer everynow and again.....you might try to find someone who can take the dogs on really long walks and wear totally wear them out.  I have to do that with yogi or he gets bored and thats when he starts chewing, barking, whining, etc.  drives me crazy!  i don't know what to tell you about the poop and pee in the house!   that is very frustrating!!   maybe doggie diapers?  lol! 

aj, costa rica sounds so nice!  i would love to be there for just one day..... well, let's make that 2!  ha!  i soooo need a vacation!  guess you'll have to vacation for me!

dyl's will be home friday!  yippee!  he'll then have to leave May 3rd....boooooo!!  i think he has mixed emotions about his orders.  they will be de-commissioning the enterprise in 2013 so he'll only do probably one deployment on it.  once they get the boat stripped, he'll be assigned somewhere else.  he said he should be able to pick and choose what he wants then.  he really wanted san diego and wanted to be on a destroyer.  i just told him that god has other plans for him and that everything happens for a reason.  I think he's got it better than he realizes but hard to tell a kid that sometimes. 

ok... that's all i have for now..... gotta go help get the rest of the deck stained so we can start using it this year.  ugh!   it's always something!  grrrrr!   calgon....please take me away.....preferrably to Costa Rica!!!  lol! 

Comment by AJ on April 17, 2011 at 9:57am

Sunday morning in Costa Rica ..... I have my perfect cup of coffee, the breeze is blowing slightly (just enough), the birds, oh my, the birds, are singing a symphony this morning .... and I'm sitting here thinking of all of you ..... still feeling grateful that we've all come together when and how we did ..... and that we are still here for each other.  I consider it a blessing.  I finally got smart enough that when I write so much, I need to place it into two posts ...... but then, you would get the last part first, and the first part last.  So, today, I typed it in e-mail and then cut the last half and posted it first, and then the first part last.  I am getting so smaaaaart ..... not!  

proud navy mom .... I can hear (in the reading) the mixed bag of conflicting emotions that this day brought for you .... happy and proud that she is on her way to her ship at long last .... happy knowing that this is exactly where she wants to be ..... hopeful for her future days of making her new life on the ship, new friends, new experiences, further growing into herself ............... and, the accompanying sense of the loss of the way life has been for all these years with her nearer, not seeing her face or hearing her voice as often as you are used to or will want to, anticipating all the weeks and months to come with her at sea ............. our mother hearts beat in cadence with each other on this separation and shift in our lives ........... and I reach out to give you a warm, understanding hug .... and send a further blessing for your daughter and her ship ...... may she be safe and happy.  As I read your post yesterday, I went to your page on N4M's and looked at all of the pictures you have posted there and was able to connect with her face and your face ..... lovely images of the two of you.

LynB ..... your posts say it all ..... A has been through a lot of ups and downs over the past year ...... and that has strengthened him and stretched him in unsuspecting and positive ways ...... it is so nice to read that he loves what he is doing in Coronado and that he has seen new glimpses of what he would like to do if the Navy thing continues as it has been ....... and that there is a maritime school right there with the GI Bill waiting on him.  I can only imagine how eager you are to see him and I hope that he does make it to your Mother's Day family reunion.  What a Mother's Day that will be!!  

Mary ..... OMG, I am one of them!  I asked you recently about Dereck and a ship ........ I am one of the ignorant ones who didn't realize that he wouldn't have one.  Geez.  To further display my lack of nuke intelligence, does this mean that all nukes are submarines?  I will make my paper dunce cap and wear it today!  It really registered with me when I read what you wrote about the dogs that you had reached your limit and that you were frustrated beyond frustrated.  I would be too.  I love dogs too, but if they were peeing and pooping all over my house .... they would NOT be in the house, not at all, ever, not any more!  It sounds like they have destroyed your back yard as well (if I recall earlier posts on this subject correctly).  Husband, children, anyone who wants those dogs to continue to be a part of your family need to kick in gear to help you.  And if they won't, then I am sure you can find a wonderful home for them.  I agree with proud navy mom, your dogs are no longer puppies.  A big change is in order.  You are working your butt off ........ or wait, maybe that is because of kick boxing!  Tee hee.

Dyl's Mom ...... YAY!  USS Enterprise is such good news ..... and even better yet, that means no more Great Lakes!  12 days at home will be such a treat.  Have great fun having him home.  You will blink and it will be gone.  

Continued below!

Comment by AJ on April 17, 2011 at 9:56am

hurley ..... Friday night I watched all 9 videos of 'It's just eight weeks' ...... so the yelling starts on the bus for the CG too? ....... Aaron had looked at the CG too, but opted for the Navy, so it was interesting to see how they do it.  When I read that you had missed two phone calls and how badly you were beating yourself up for not being there to receive them, I just knew how hard that was for you.  I hope that you have become more gentle with yourself about it ..... taking care of yourself with your doctor appointments is something he would want you to be doing .... and I know you know that.  It is so hard missing calls, no matter the reason.  And I would have felt the same way.  Just no more beating yourself up!  

Iris ..... can I just say that those prom pictures you posted on FB were outstanding ..... and the picture that you say is your favorite is mine too ....... those were probably some of the best prom pictures I've seen of the guy by himself ....... your eye for just the right shot is really spot on.  What kind of camera do you have?  I bet they had fun ..... wow, prom seems like ages and ages ago since I went to prom ...... and it has been ages and ages!  What a fun part of high school.  Handsome and beautiful couple ..... keeps you on your toes to double date with these young'ins!  

Nicole ...... sorry that your time is being cut short with your guy ...... I hope it doesn't hurt too badly so that you can still kick some butt on your exams.  You are a strong one though and you'll be okay.  You have lots to focus on to be ready yourself for December's sign up.  You know we are rooting for you here!

And finally, Mrs. B ...... the pics of TJ are adorable .... and the one of the three of you that you posted on FB is fabuloso!  You are a family.  And you guys are dedicated to being the best family you can be.  It saddens me to read how Paul's family has treated him, and still do.  But no matter the past, you can love and celebrate each other every day going forward, and create the kind of life for yourselves that lifts you up.  Your faith is strong, and even stronger still, after all you guys have been through over the past year.  It was interesting to encounter one of your favorite sayings on FB the other day.  When I was a teenager, that film 'The Hiding Place' came through my church .... and I loved it.  The lives of the Ten Boom family were remarkable.  There is no pit so deep, that God is not deeper still!  You and Paul will do great things going forward .... of that I have no doubt.  And lucky TJ, gets to experience it all.  Give the little guy a hug, give Paul a hug, and hug yourself, and then a group hug ...... because loving is what really matters in the end.

So, time to get showered and dressed.  I am going down into town to the Catholic church for Palm Sunday mass.  Even though my Spanish has improved a lot ..... I only get a few words out of an entire sermon.  I figure Spirit gets all it needs to get, no matter the language ... and they have incredible Easter customs down here ..... Easter is bigger than Christmas for Costa Ricans.  So, I am off to mass (misa).  Prayers will be lifted for all of our Sailors, and for each of you.  With love, AJ

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