Sharing With You: USS Abraham Lincoln coverage from HeraldNet

The Herald, the Everett and Snohomish area newspaper did a lovely farewell piece on the USS Abraham Lincoln leaving its homeport after 15 years in the area. 

Please think of all of the families on the ship that will endure another Christmas apart for the second year in a row.  Our hearts go out to all of them, and after 3.5 years assigned to this ship we are ready for some shore duty. 

Good-Bye Lincoln

Sailor-of-the-Year and Stand down is finally here!

We have had an absolute whirlwind couple of weeks. 

It all started when Ahron came home announced that he was up for Senior Sailor of the Year and his board would be on Halloween.

For Senior Sailor of the Year, Ahron competed against six other amazing, stand-out Sailors.  He was nervous going into the board, where he was asked certain questions by a panel of various Chiefs, as well as required to recite the Sailor's Creed.  But, in the end, he felt he did well and spoke honestly and from his heart.

Shortly after the board, he found out the results would be announced at the upcoming holiday party that Thursday.  Monday to Thursday.  And since he told me when Monday was almost over, I went into panic mode. 

We hadn't planned on attending the holiday party for three reasons.  One, the tickets were $50 too expensive and we're trying to save for Christmas.  Two, the drive is long to Everett (2 hours) and three, Lainie had school the next morning. 

But two days, a new dress and a haircut later, we were ready to go on Thursday afternoon.  The holiday party was fun and I'm really glad we went.  The food at Tulalip Casino was amazing as usual.  We had a couple of drinks and I taught Ahron how to do the Cupid Shuffle, ha!  The time came to announce Senior Sailor of the Year.  By this time we were exhausted and we wanted to get going for the long drive home, but it was worth the wait.  Ahron was chosen as the Senior Sailor of the Year for his aircraft carrier!

It was definitely a surprise for him.  MC's rarely get awarded this.  I was absolutely beaming inside and out, I was so proud of him.  This award was really a reflection of all of the hardships of the last 3.5 years at sea. 
Here's a photo taken of us:

And then this one of Ahron accepting his plaque from his Captain, John Alexander.

It was a great moment in his, well, I consider it "our" career.  Being a military family is truly a group effort.  The arms of the group stretch from my parents, to his siblings, to our children (among many others) and of course, the great God we serve.  God has truly given us the greatest of all blessings, and now as we look forward to this stand down and family time I hope we can share blessings with others around us. 

Almost Done!

Well we are 26 days into our final underway with our ship.  It has been a long 26 days and I miss my husband so much.  I'm so glad we're almost done. 

This past weekend we traveled down to my hometown to celebrate my Dad's 50th birthday.  Road trips alone with two kids and two dogs are often stressful but I'm lucky they are such great little travelers.  I decided to take Ahron's SUV.  I always feel a little safer in a bigger car.  Despite a little rain and wind, it was smooth traveling.  I've done so many trips alone it has become like a second nature but I always prefer to be the passenger on road trips.

The party went off without a hitch and I was really pleased with the turnout.  My grandma's neighbor provided a giant bouncy house for free and the kids absolutely loved it. 

This week I'm mostly going to be staying home and hiding out from the rain.  Fall is definitely upon us and I'm craving lots of comfort food lately.  Anyway, the wait is almost over.  I can't wait to have my best friend home where he should be.  Then it will be time for lots of fun Halloween and fall activities! 

Happy Anniversary

Nine years tomorrow.  It's been full of joy, sorrow, love, loneliness, laughter and fun among other things. 

We won't be together tomorrow, but we'll be thinking of each other.  And maybe I'll even make myself a cake.  And then we can celebrate when he gets home. 

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

This post title is inspired by the song off of Sara Groves' new album, "Invisible Empires"
http://www.saragroves.com/

Well, here we are.  On the first day of our final underway with our ship.  It's hard to believe we began this journey in January of 2008!  By the time it's completely said and done, it will have been almost four years we've been assigned to the ship. 

When we started, Lainie had just turned three and Miles was only nine months old.  Now I have a first grader at six and a half, and a Pre-K student, and almost four and a half.  Oh, how the years go by.

We are looking forward to the fall and holiday season.  It will be so nice to have Ahron home for so many special occasions this year!  There will be a separation period in January and February as Ahron heads back to the East coast to complete another school, but after that we have shore duty to look forward to! 

In so many ways we've all changed and grown as God carries us forward.  I may be lonely, but I'm never alone and that thought is comforting to me.  I'm looking forward to pumpkins, a chill in the air and remembering all of the blessings we've been given. 

Summer Roundup!

Wow, I have to say this summer is going by very quickly.  It seemed like Elaine just got out of Kindergarten.  Now she's less then a month away from starting first grade!  My little guy, Miles, will be going to a different preschool this year.  Though I dearly loved the one he was in last year, with so many new things on the horizon for me job and school-wise, it will be best for him to be in a non-co-op school. 

Having a child in all day school brings upon all sorts of new options for us.  Hot or cold lunch?  Bus or car rides?  Elaine absolutely loved riding the bus last year.  I'm a little excited and nervous for her to be gone all day.  It seems like a very long day for the both of us, but I'm sure we'll manage and get used to our new schedule. 

Speaking of schedules, our schedules were absolutely packed the first week of August.  I met my Mom and some of my cousins at the Seattle Zoo on July 30th.  We took the Southworth Ferry over to Fauntleroy (aka West Seattle).  This is officially my favorite ferry.  It's a beautiful and short ride.  Fauntleroy is this tiny little residential area with all of these charming little houses.  It's where I would live if I was ever a Seattlelite. 

The next day, Sunday the 31st. we decided to drive home to Yakima instead of waiting until Wednesday.  So in a rush we packed for the week, including lots of extras for my brother's upcoming Saturday wedding.

 In my hometown of Yakima, there is always so much to do.  Most of my family still lives there and we all seem to get together quite often during summer and holidays.  So between coach pitch games and shopping trips, movie nights and lunches out we A)went broke and B)were completely worn out emotionally and physically by Sunday night!  The wedding was lovely though and I'm so glad my brother married someone who loves him so much.  They both deserve happiness and good things.

On Monday we came home and since then, we've been getting ready for Ahron to come home.  He's been out to sea for one month today.  The Chief results came out while he was at sea.  It was another no-go for us this year.  Although it was disappointing, we are relieved that we can stay in our house for another year!  We love our house, and we love being just a couple of hours from family. 

Since we hardly have had any time together this summer, he put in for a week of leave in September right before Elaine starts school, and I am thrilled to have him all to ourselves for a week. 

Well, that's our summer round-up!  I worried we'd be too bored at the beginning, but it's been a great summer so far!  I'm really looking forward to having Ahron home, and now just 3.5 months until shore duty.   

One Day at a Time

I had not intended for this underway time to be so overwhelming.  It kind of just snuck up on me.  Obviously, we're fine.  The sun is shining in Western Washington today and that seems to make things better. 

But it feels like we're on deployment again.  Last night I pulled up my Bible verse-a day app on my iPhone.  It was the one about it not being good for man to be alone.  This is part of the reason God created marriage. 

Then I wonder, if God knows it is not good to be alone, why are we separated like this?  Why must we endure this?  Ahron has the most logical answer, "Because I'm on sea duty." 

I'm always over-thinking things.  Once my daughter drew a picture of our family, with me, her and her brother on one row, and Daddy down below.  I couldn't help but notice Ahron in his own row, separate from the rest of us and I questioned her about it.  All kinds of thoughts swirled in my head.  I'm damaging my children with our lifestyle.  She will be scarred for life!  Yet, without hesitation she answered, "Because I ran out of room on the paper." 

Sometimes things just are as they are and we must accept them for what they are.  I can honestly say I don't take for granted the time we are together. 

New Look

Thought I'd try out a new look on the blog.  Hopefully it's not too bright!

The Bleak Reality For Our Nation's Finest

I came across this article in The Los Angeles Times this morning:

Veterans and Unemployment

I am included in the "Gulf War era-II veterans."  Though I'm not technically unemployed as I'm not actively seeking employment at the moment.  But that should change within the next 6-8 months and I look to jump back into the workforce. 

The statistics are intimidating.  The US unemployment rate was 9.2% in June 2011.  According the the article, for military veterans it was 13.3%.  The article states that one of the problems is that most military veterans don't have the degrees that employers are seeking. 

The degree issue is a tough one.  I can say with all honesty that when I was enlisted ten years ago, there was a high importance placed, not on working toward a college degree, but on standing out among my peers and excelling among things like making rank and earning qualifications.  These ranks and qualifications mean very little to prospective employers in the civilian world.  This proved very frustrating for me as I knew all along that I was getting out of the military.  I wanted to start working toward a degree but I wasn't able to start until 2005, at the tail end of my service.  Even then, saddled with two young children and a dwindling GI Bill, I was only able to earn my Associates Degree at the time. 

The military made some strides toward amending this.  The Post-9/11 GI Bill enacted recently, added 12 additional months of paid tuition toward my college education.  That's great news for me! 

But here's where I differ from most veterans seeking employment.  My husband is still active duty.  We can survive off of one income, and we have for the last five years.  I don't have to work and we are very blessed in that regard. Our medical expenses are completely covered. I can't imagine being an E-3, 4, or 5 and trying to support my entire family, without a college degree and only a few years of military experience.

Some military experience can count toward college credits but not all, and it doesn't replace a degree.   

Within the comments section of the article, Gogogto said:
Let's start by giving veterans preferential admission to all public universities. 

Agreed!  Why are public universities not greatly lowering the cost for a veteran's tuition?  Why are there not more distance classes offered through these public universities?  Why are most distance classes offered only through expensive private schools that rob veterans blind of their precious GI Bill funds?  Yes, there are some public universities that offer discounted rates but that's just not enough.  Most veterans need to work some hours to supplement income while they are in school.  I believe if there were more laws for public universities to offer better programs to veterans we could equip these former Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen with the education needed to succeed in the civilian job sector.  With college tuition higher than ever, it often feels impossible to enroll in college and work at the same time. 

It might be easy for mainstream civilians to say, "Well, just stay in the military and don't get out!  Get to that 20-year retirement."  Here's the problem with that:  The Navy is downsizing.  They are kicking people out left and right.  These are people serving honorably, top performers even.  Not every service member has a choice as to whether they are currently seeking employment.  Veterans with PTSD and other medical issues have an even greater stress on them as they battle through the system to get coverage for physical and emotional problems. 

I am not one of those people who feels personally entitled to the easy way out.  I'm not saying all veterans should be entitled to every benefit and grant money under the sun.  But let's prioritize the needs of veterans and their desire for a good education.  The GI Bill needs to be more easily accessible for military members while they are still serving so they can get a leg up before they transition out.  There is no easy answer for this problem.  It's going to take a lot of money (of which there is little) time (of which most people don't have a lot of) and cooperation on the veteran and civilian companies part to fix this. Sadly, the sacrifices don't always end with service and a lot of veterans are learning this the hard way.  Our nation's veterans deserve so much better.   
 

Sharing With You: Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band.

Yesterday our USO and Triwest health care put on an amazing summer concert on base.  Best part of all, everything was free!  Free food and free activities for kids.  That's my kind of party. 

Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band came to perform for us.  Gary Sinise plays bass in the band.  It was great!  Family-friendly, dance-worthy, very, very fun.  He is one of those actors you feel like you'd want to sit down and have a beer with. 

Anyway, here's the link to his website.  I am so grateful they came to perform for us!

http://www.ltdanband.com/