Deployment Season

Tis the season... for deployments... and humidity! As you probably guessed Damian is underway... or as I refer to it as his big metal cruise ship!!! He is gone for an undisclosed amount of time- I certainly can't tell you because "loose tweeets, sink fleets!" (I like that they updated the saying to adapt to social media... although loose lips could still sink ships) Anyway, I think he was pretty excited before he left... not to leave ME of course, but since he has already deployed with the GW I think he knew a little more what to expect this time around! I borrowed this picture of the GW from the FB page because I thought it was so pretty... I can't even begin to imagine how awesome it is way out there in the middle of the ocean. Damian talks about the water being so blue you wouldn't believe... sounds kinda magical to me!

I don't have much to write about, I almost didn't even write this blog because I have nothing really to update everyone on. I've been a little under the weather so I didn't do much this past holiday weekend except for rest up for my work week ahead... this whole working 5 days a week.... it's for the birds!!! I have a newfound respect for all of you out there that work 5 days a week... and I also understand why you are so excited on Friday! I think when this is all done, I would much rather go back to my three 12 hour shifts... at night and be done for the week! I am not cut out for office work... I have a very hard time sitting still at my desk most of the day and sometimes instead of picking up the phone to call someone in the hospital I get up and walk to their office/unit instead... I'm way too much of a busy body to be chained to my desk! PLUS- I want to see patients... that is why I became a nurse... but I'm up to my neck in paperwork so I don't usually see any patients! This is definitely a different side of nursing than I have not previously been exposed to... it's good to get exposed, but I'm pretty sure this is not my passion! My boss is pretty cool and is going to let me volunteer in the family practice clinic a few days a month to get some experience as a Nurse Practitioner- which is fantastic!!!!

It's starting to get pretty warm here... and humid too... I've already got the dehumidifier running at full blast! Not that I needed the dehumidifier to tell me it's humid... I just look in the mirror every morning at my ridiculous hair and that says it all! :) haha! I haven't had any fun Japanese adventures lately but I do plan on having some while Damian is gone... I've got plenty of time.

I'm off to San Antonio in a few days for an Infection Control & Prevention Conference (contain your jealousy!), on the Navy's dime.... whoop whoop! The conference is only 3 days, but with travel I will be gone almost a week! It'll be quick, but hopefully very beneficial to this new job! Will update all again soon! Hope you are all doing well! Miss you ALL!!!!

Japanese Word of the Day:
Shikke no oi (shkay no oy): Humid

Cinco de Mayo & some other stuff too!

WOW! Has it really been 2+ weeks since I last blogged... sorry... a lot going on over here in Japan! Cinco de Mayo came and went and we had a little fiesta at our place to celebrate... what better place to celebrate than... err... Japan!?!? That's completely besides the point... it was a Saturday and sunny and margaritas were in order! We had margaritas, sangria, and lots of Coronas! Chips, dip, tacos, quac, etc along with Eugene's famous fried chicken which I stayed away from but is always a BIG hit!!!! We get really great afternoon sun on our patio and it was nice to sit out there and get a little sun and enjoy the night with good friends. It was also the "super-moon" that night and the sky was clear and from the other side of our building we could see it perfectly! It was a perfect evening.... now the next day was a little rough for me, but well worth it!!!!

I started my new job at the hospital here on base as the "Infection Preventionist" last Monday and have survived my first week and a half... barely. It is basically an infection control nurse job and very different from any other job I have ever had in nursing. It is not bedside nursing care which I have always done and I am up to my ears in paperwork, policies, and military politics... it is quite interesting actually! Hopefully I can survive the next year doing this until we move back to the U.S. The REALLY great thing is that i have a real JOB... finally!!!! It's a little strange to wake up every morning and have to actually get dressed and go to work instead of hanging out in my sweatpants, but it is definitely a nice change of pace!

The U.S.S. George Washington is out and about in the ocean conducting "sea trials" for the past 5 or so days to get the ship ready for deployment, so Damian has been very busy with that! The week before he was working very long hours getting ready for their upcoming deployment so I wasn't seeing him much anyway!

I really do need to keep up with these blogs because so much has happened in the past few weeks... crazy! My grandmother passed away last week... she was the most amazing woman I have ever known and feel very lucky to have so many memories of time spent with her. She has influenced my life so much and I am a better person because of it! If you would like to see just how amazing she was... click on this link.

Happy belated Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! I will try to keep up on the blog a little better!

Japanese Word of the Day:
haha: mother (that's funny... really I can't make this up!!!)