Often Wish I had Superhuman Powers

What a weekend.  Started with an infamous military ball.  All-in-all it wasn't bad at all.  Decent food, great people, okay food and some quality time with my hubby.  Dave absoutely hates those formal functions.  They usually have a speaker who talks about space or signal- this tends to be rather uninteresting to the common layman and just about every military spouse.  He had me giggling as he was watching TV on his cell phone while the guest speaker spoke of military satellites and pictures from space. 

Saturday morning was spent at the hobby shop.  I have to make "First Communion Banners" for Kaleb and Brian's first communion which is on May 9th.  I don't think I have a creative bone in my body, but ended up not doing too bad at all.  I went fairly simple-  Banners sit at 26" x 34".  They have their first name going down the side and their last name going across the bottom.  I cut out grapes to make bunches of grapes, a cross, and a chalace.  Now everything just needs to be glued together.  They look like they were put together by a child, but I guess it's the thought that counts.
 

Kaleb played his second football game of the season yesterday.  They won 36-0.  He loves football.  I hope he sticks with it. 

I took a 2 hour nap on Saturday afternoon.  It reminded me how much I love sleeping.  I think I would accomplish so much more everyday if I wasn't so exhausted all the time.  So much to do all the time and never enough time or energy to accomplish it.

Saturday night, I went to my good friend, Kristen's, house.  I love talking to her.  She gives me perspective on life. She's a great friend and I'll always consider myself fortunate and lucky to have her.  Everyone needs 1 good friend that they can confide in. 

Today was spend catching up on a paper that is 4 months overdue.  I took an incomplete in a class.  Only one paper left to complete the class.  I need to finish it today.  The class is just so boring and time consuming.  The class is "Documentation in Social Work Services."  Very, very boring.  If I don't finish the paper by tomorrow, I will have to pay my Tution Assistance back and that would really suck.  Doesn't help that I'm a god-awful procrastinator. 

Going this week to see the dentist about getting a snore guard.  I snore horribly.  I officially do not have sleep apnea, but it doesn't change the fact that I snore enough to keep Dave awake. 

It's A Good Week- and it's only Tuesday

So Gabriel is potty-trained.  I think he is anyway.  He's only had one accident in the last 2 weeks.  Not bad.  So I think that classifies him as potty-trained. I wish I could say what finally did the trick- but I honestly have no idea.  We didn't change anything.  He just started going on the potty.  All those tricks we tried and books we read.  I think the only two things that really helped or made a difference were encouragement and then not getting angry when he had an accident.  When he had an accident, Dave would sometimes get angry with him.  We switched to- "I'm not angry Gabriel, just disappointed."  Or Dave would say, "I'm not angry, just upset."  Gabe would say- "Daddy's not angry with me- he's just upset."  That seemed to help.  Especially since he had gotten to a point where he would go in his pants and then lie to us about it because he didn't want us to be mad.

A conference has started this week.  I was supposed to give a presentation yesterday.  I had typed out my discussion points, practiced and everything.  I ended up only having about 3 minutes to talk 6 points that I had planned on having at least 7 minutes to talk.  I get really anxious and nervous when I speak in front of people I don't know.  I'm not sure why- but I do.  I think it might have something to do with all those eyes and ears critiquing what I'm saying at once.  I hate being critiqued.  I spend enough time critiquing myself.  I know external input is necessary for self-improvement- but it doesn't mean I actually have to like it. 

But anyway- back to this conference.  I call it a meeting of the "oils."  They're the ones that make things run smoothly.  I wonder if these people know how much influence they have on the way things tick around them.  This is where I make my money- so to speak.  If I talk to these people and get them to understand what my team sees- the possibilities for the command are limitless.  I see so much potential in all the people we evaluate.  Some do things well.  Some could do things better.  But the key thing, there is potential.  Just need them to SEE what we SEE.  Potential, discipline, motivation and little "oil" is all it really takes to make a unit great. 

It's a good week already.  And it's only Tuesday...

Not knowing everything

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
~Edward Everett Hale
 
 

Missing My Boys

As usual, I'm spending my night missing my boys.  I've been at Fort Meade, Maryland for about 9 days now conducting an inspection.  I wonder if they miss me as much as I miss them.  Xander has been waking up at 6am every day, which completely annoys Dave.  He's not a morning person.  Most mornings, I try not to talk to him until he has been up for at least a few hours. 

Brian got frustrated with his homework last night.  He has Karate on Mondays and Thursdays and couldn't go because he didn't finish his homework.  He was sent home with 60 problems for math.  Ridiculous for a 4th grader if you ask me.  Had him on the waiting list for The Classical Academy since last year.  Found out today he's number 438 on the list.  Ridiculous.  Kaleb starts basketball tonight.  Practice is at 730pm every Tuesday night.  His bedtime is 830pm because he, too, is a bear in the morning.  Not sure how this 730 practice is going to work out. 

Gabriel keeps asking me to bring him back Transformer candy as a surprise from Maryland. What the heck is "transformer candy"? He's still not using the potty yet.

I still haven't finished my college class yet.  All work was supposed to be submitted on December 23rd.  I took an incomplete even though I only have one paper left.  I am such a procrastinator.  I hate it.  I get done with the work day and the very last thing I want to do is sit and do a research paper.  Tired of trying to be superwoman all the time.  My hubby and kids deserve better then that.

2010- New Memories

Why am I starting this blog? I discovered over the last couple of years that I have a terrible memory. I couldn't even tell you what we did for my 10 year old's 10th Birthday without looking for pictures. I figured if I blogged, then it would be easier for me to remember things. I was blogging epiphanies while I was stationed in Kuwait, but got myself into trouble when I voiced my opinion about various military related things. My blog was discovered by the wrong set of eyes and I got a nice little slap on the hand. Figured if I tried to stay away military related blogs (opinionated one's), then I would be okay.

I have been married to my husband David since July 1, 2006. We met on December 31, 2004. He is my rock. We have 4 boys - Kaleb (10), Brian (9), Gabe (4) and Xander (2). The two older are from my former marriage (another blog for another time). We have two dogs, Kooper and Diesel. I love Kooper- even though his skin allergies are really starting to annoy me. I could do without Diesel- she's 10 months old and she is a typical hyperactive puppy in an adult dog body. We bought our first home (in Colorado Springs) in June of this year.

So, where am I in my life now. I am a Sergeant First Class in the Army. I'm technically a Satellite Network Controller, but I'm currently assigned to an S-3 shop and my title is Battalion Operations NCO. My responsibilities include conducting inspections on the Company Operations, dealing with various current operational issues, helping plan for future operations and helping to develop two Soldiers that I have assigned to me. What that really translates to is - passing companies on operation inspections, because everyone in the battalion would have a fit if I ever failed everyone; putting out small fires; making decisions that I have no business making decisions about; and pretending to be in charge when I have no idea what I'm doing.

I am enrolled in college. I hate college. I have 7 classes left before I finally have a bachelor's degree. I honestly wonder if I will ever finish it. I hate online classes. I hate having to write paper, after paper, after paper. I hate responding to online discussions where everyone says the same thing over, and over and over.

I have 8 years left in the Army before I can retire. Even though it's not, I feel like 8 years is forever. I just got home from Kuwait in June (a year away from the family). Now my job takes me traveling at least every month for a week- usually longer. I am going to Maryland for 2 weeks this month, coming home for 3 days and then going to Germany for 8 days, home for 5 days and then back to Maryland for 14 again. Just thinking about it makes me miss my family.

Facts about my kids as of today, January 2, 2010:

Kaleb- loves playing football; can never get enough attention from anyone; can be really sweet at times, but won't hesitate to make others feel bad if he feels bad; is very messy and doesn't take care of his things; has the cutest freckles; frustrates the hell out of me on a daily basis

Brian- loves bionicles; would surf the internet day and night if I would let him; is very, very smart; will give in to his older brother every time

Gabriel- is not potty trained even though he's 4-years old; loves watching cartoons; is spoiled rotten; loves eating; is afraid of the dark

Xander- is a snuggle bunny; sucks his thumb and has a blankie he carries everywhere; knows many cuss words that he can use in context (this morning he said "Ah, $hit" when he couldn't get something open); whines way too much; will probably be potty trained before his brother.