Nolablog

Some of my Favorite pictures from the past few months!

2006-06-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

Donovan snuggling with Daddy on a Sunday morning!

And showing us all he's got Mama's sense of humor!

I had intended to post a few more photos...but it simply is not to be. My camera is low on battery juice and I am out of spares. Cannot download them tonight! I know...I'm sad too. Just enjoy these cute pics for now!

It's been a quiet weekend for us. We just went to the pool here on base. That was fun. Donovan thinks he's a fish. It's so scary that he wants to wiggle out of our arms! And he's strong enough that he has succeeded a couple times. He'll jump right off the side of the pool into our arms. We're trying to make sure he understands the effects of what happens if we're not there to catch him so we do say "You're gonna go under this time...hold your breath." He comes up grinning ear to ear and spluttering out a happy squeal of "AGAIN! AGAIN!" Yeah...I'm so nervous about what the future holds for me. I can already see the hours spent in Emergency rooms stretching ahead of me into eternity! LOL!

Hummer has had a great weekend spent with a Gunnery Sergeant's family. I'm so happy he got to do that...because I got a break from Puppy Patrol. I could focus on my boy and my hubby and not worry about anything else!

Well...once I get some batteries for this Samsung battery sucker of a camera, I will post some pictures from Donovan's birthday party. A Sergeant from Weapons Battalion Maintenance made the cake for us and he did a WONDERFUL job! He did a GREAT clown fish cake! Donovan is enamored of Nemo lately...as most toddlers are! We had a great party for him...it was just a blast.

Tomorrow starts another work week...I'll have to show ya'all what I look like in my spiffy uniforms! Have a blessed and productive week!

About Damn Time

2006-06-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Soooo...it's been FOREVER since I posted last. I'm sorry. Not many people ever read the doggone thing, so I figured "why bother?". Evidently, more people read than I thought. HERE is the the news. Donovan TWO years old now and he is just a kick in the pants. He calls me "honey" and "Pretty Mama" (capitolized because ahem...that IS a TITLE I have had to earn you know). LOL! I'm so blessed. I went up to Nebraska with Donovan in March to visit my older son Aidan. He's so handsome! We had such a blast up there. The boys got along really well and Aidan took the "You're a big brother" news remarkably well. I'm just proud of these boys of mine. I can hardly wait to see them grow up to see what wonderful young men, and husbands and daddies they'll be!

I am the proud foster Mama (read Mascot Handler) to Hummer...the new Mascot for Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC. I'm the one who gets to ferry him around...and pick up his poo and bathe him, feed him and clean up any messes he makes besides poo as well. I also get to be the main recipient of any puppy kisses and drool he wants to wipe on someone! That is Hummer in the pic! Isn't he adorable?

Pic from Halloween

2005-11-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

This is my tired little Chicken. I wish you could see the pants with this outfit. It was absolutely adorable! He had so much fun when we took him trick or treating. He would take the candy, say "thank you" and drop it in the bag which I was holding. He lasted pretty well...considering he walked most of the way holding Mommy's or Daddy's hand.

He'll be 18 months this month...I can hardly believe it. He's closing in on two years old so fast! And this week he's found so many words! He told his Gramma Sally to "go away" on the phone today. He must have just been ready to get off the phone. LOL!

I have duty the day after Thanksgiving. Oh goodie!

Playing Catch Up

2005-10-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

MARK IS HOME! I'm a happy camper to say the least. He's been home about a week and a half now. I'm still having to get used to his junk all over the place...I took leave to "decompress" but so far I've spent more time ON the base, AT work while on leave than actually here at home. I'm crazy. I started leave last Friday. I went to work on Monday. I had duty on Tuesday and came off leave to do that...then started leave again yesterday afternoon. I have a Doctor's appointment on base tomorrow morning...at 7:30, so I'll probably just go in with Mark instead of waiting till noon. UGH. This has been the most unrelaxing leave I've ever taken! THIS SUCKS!

Donovan has been learning animal sounds for some time now...his new favorite is "cockadoodledoo" which I often hear him "cockdoodoodoo'ing" himself to sleep at night. You can ask him "what does a chicken say?" and you'll get a VERY enthusiastic "cockdoodoodoooooo!" in reply or "what does a sheep say?" and you'll get a cute little "baaaa" complete with a slight warble in his voice as he tries to sound as close to what he thinks a sheep sounds like! He just cracks me up all the time. And, on another note...I believe that whoever marries this little boy of mine might be a very lucky girl...at 17 months...I do believe he might be destined to be the youngest gourmet chef ever. He's not exactly cooking yet, but he does have to be up there, on his chair, right next to me, taking in whatever I'm doing with his big, beautiful eyes. He can crack an egg quite effectively already. I'll be letting him get his hands in there before long I think. He likes to be a part of the action...And I really think that it will be good for him to know how to cook at a young age. At least he won't starve or have to eat out all his life if he doesn't marry. LOL! I would just LOVE it if my boy loved to cook as much as I do someday!

HURRAY!!!

2005-10-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

I am going to Savannah tomorrow to pick up my husband tomorrow at the airport! FINALLY!!! I'm so excited! I miss him sooo sooo much! He is really a big help with the Monster...who can be etraordinarily demanding of me. Cause I'm the mama and he can be I guess. Mark wants nookie as soon as he can get it when we get home and Donovan wants DINNER as soon as he can get it when we get home. I'm going to be pulled in more than one direction now...but I can at least tell Mark..."handle this and you'll get nookie faster". LOL! Problem is...I'm sick and I'm really NOT in the mood for nookie. You know men "can we have a quickie before we pick up the boy?". Sigh...Oh well. I DON'T CARE!!! MY HUSBAND IS COMING HOME TOMORROW!!!

I asked the Doc to do a blood test for Lyme Disease today. She was a little perturbed to say the least. She felt like I was trying to tell HER how to do HER job. OMG...I made a suggestion. Hang me. I fudged a little and said "A family friend is an MD and suggested I ask you about it. I'm sure he wasn't trying to diagnose me or anything" (Actually, Hilary suggested that my symptoms could trace back to Lyme Disease). The doctor thinks I just have anxiety. NO KIDDING! I'm also depressed...but you have not diagnosed THAT yet have you? Anyway...anxiety is a symptom (one of several) of Lyme Disease. So is Aphasia...a term where you forget the words for stuff. Of course, THAT is a symptom of Anxiety too. I suppose though...all the crap I'm sick with right now could also be symptoms for cancer, AIDS, cat scratch fever, chicken pox and syphilis. I'm pretty sure I have NONE of those. It just irked me when she looked at me and said "Seriously...have you EVER been bitten by a tick in your LIFE?" Ya shoulda seen the look on her face when I said "Yes...3 or 4 times". I mean, c'mon! I didn't expect her to know I was raised in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where the deer tick reigns supreme...but did she forget that I'm a Marine...stationed at Parris Island? She said she's only ever seen ONE case of Lyme Disease and that was in a Recruit. I guess he was way far gone. Ahem...I'm not a medical professional here...but different people react to diseases in different ways. And Lyme Disease doesn't always present immediately after the bite. But what do I know? I'm just an enlisted person.

I have a confession...

2005-10-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Someone please help me! I am addicted to "My Super Sweet 16" on MTV. If I am ever flipping throught the channels...and it's on, I have to stop there...mesmerized by the INSANE amount of money being spent on these girl's birthday parties and by how obnoxious they are as well. I'm revolted by thier carelessness (in regard to how much things cost and other's feelings), their rudeness to people, how demanding they are...it's just amazing to me. These little girls are supposed to be the "creme de la creme" and they are just trash.

They spend more on their BIRTHDAYS than most people spend on a WEDDING! I'm just praying that someday I will have money to have an extravagant church wedding! We'll renew our vows or whatever...since we've BEEN married almost three years now.

Anyway...I need to go take a shower now...since it's PAST noon and I got sucked into that stupid tv show....

I'm so cruel...

2005-10-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

First...I slammed the kitten's paw in the door. I'm a jerk. I said I was sorry, but he wasn't exactly interested in hearing it right then. I think he's forgiven me now though. He's lying on my lap as I type this purring up a storm.

Second...I starved the baby squirrel all day today. BUT...his hungry tummy got him to eat his kitten formula which he NEEDS to grow into a proper grown up squirrel. So...after slamming the kitten's tooties in the closet door and getting Donovan bathed and down for bed (after NOT starving him mind you...he had a proper supper.) I mixed up some of that kitten formula and put it in a shallow bowl and that little critter was ALL OVER IT! He ate like it was the best stuff on earth! I'm happy...he's got a full belly now.

I think that strep is coming back. My immune system must be zero to none right now or something because I've had strep, a stomach thing, a cold, another nastier stomach thing and now this cold and possibly the strep coming back all within like a month and a half. Add to that the whole "shortness of breath upon exertion, heart palpitations, heart murmur, dizziness" crap I've been going through lately...and I'm one exhausted little chica. By exertion I don't mean the whole running a PFT exertion. I mean I have to catch my breath when I walk up the stairs to my office at work. I feel like I must know what a 300 lb person must feel like climbing stairs! It's probably worse for them...but it's certainly no picnic for me lately either! I weigh a WHOPPING 125 lbs here! I'm 5'8" and they can't figure out what exactly is causing this. It "could" be asthma, but the preliminary tests have come back negative. My heart looks healthy, aside form the murmur...so why the palpitations? Why the gastrointestinal problems I have been having? Is my "age" just catching up to me? Are my genes finally starting to work AGAINST me? Is it all in my head? Perhaps...but I am pretty together (at least I'd like to think that I am.)

Any thoughts?

Feelin' a little Squirrely...

2005-10-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

Sooo...Cedar is getting mighty independent. I think I might have to either take him to the actual bona fide wildlife rehabilitator or put him up a tree soon. He (she?) refuses to partake of the kitten formula I spent nearly $20 on to "save it's life"...and it's taken a liking to wandering. Yesterday I found it in the upstairs hall bathroom! That could have been REALLY bad for the little thing if it hadn't been smart and hidden within the folds of the shower curtain! There are two cats living in this house right now. One great big one (watching her for a neighbor who's on vacation) and one little bitty obnoxious one. The little thing (Cedar) really likes to come up on the bed while I am reading a book and practice squirrely stuff on my arms. You ever see a squirrel go around the trunk of a tree? Yeah...that's what Cedar does on my arm. She (he?) also likes to perch on top of whatever book I'm reading and look at me like "what are doing just staring at this thing?". Funny little critter to watch...but so tiny I'm afraid to move for fear of crushing it. Though I'm pretty certain it'd move before I came crashing down upon it.

Cedar

2005-10-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

To your right you will see a precious little baby squirrel who fell out of her tree sometime last night during a crazy rainstorm we had over at the depot. Someone found her and taking her for "almost dead" they threw her, by the tail, into the street. When she didn't die from that, another person picked her up and threw her in the trash can because "she's gonna die anyway". (I got all this information from someone who was there.) Well, she did not die last night. But she did spend a miserable night in a trash can, during a rainstorm...cold, wet, hungry and lonely. Well...this morning I found her and fished her out of the trash (and I yell at Donovan for taking stuff out of the trash can here at home...I guess he comes by it honestly huh?). I called all the appropriate people. Taking this little girl home with me is perfectly legal here in SC. I plan on getting her healthy and a little older and returning her to the wild (I looked for her mama today...I think Mama might be a little squirrel angel now). If she does not want to be a wild squirrel...she might retain the name "Cedar" and become a part our household.

So now you know...

2005-10-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

What I look like and that my house is just as cluttered as yours is. My house used to be clean as a whistle. That's what happens when a) you don't have a job outside the house and b) you don't have an imaginative toddler streaking through your house like a tiny tornado getting into EVERYTHING. Tonight he had these two plastic storage bowls I picked up at Walmart...he was putting them on his head and walking around looking through the clear plastic having a blast listening to how funny he sounded to himself inside that bowl...he had it on his foot...trying to walk...he put it on my head...he put the kitten IN the bowl...whatever you could think of to do with a large bowl, he did. It was the funniest thing I've seen in some time! My mom got a huge kick out of listening to him talk to himself over the phone (I had called her to let her know I found the penguin fleece I needed to make her a blanket like the one I made for Dannan's baby girl!).

For whoever left me the comment down below..."hug, love"....thank you. I needed that! LOL!

Goodnight!

I could REALLY do with a hug.

2005-09-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

I just need some physical affection to be shown to me! And I don't mean the sweet kind from my son...or the "are you my mommy" kind from the kitten or the "Cpl Bender, you're the greatest" pat on the back I get at work. I need some lovin'. The kind ya get from someone who knows you, knows your body in all its stretchmarked scrawniness (or flabbiness, or fluffiness....fill in your own blank here) and STILL thinks you are the most amazing and beautiful woman on God's green earth. I miss my husband. I could really use some nakie time under the sheets with him. I think it would put me in a REALLY GOOD MOOD. I just need to have that physical closeness you know. It's nice to talk to someone on the phone...but it's so much better to talk to them in person you know.

Well...I'm thinking about this at home business thing. Premier Designs Jewelry. I was interested in it a few years back when I was still in Omaha...but I didn't have the money or the self confidence then that I have now. I think I could deffinately make it fly...and it would give me something to fall back on later when I am out of the Marine Corps. It's something I'm praying about...

Thank God for Penasillin

2005-09-25T05:58:00.000-07:00

Or however you spell it! I am already feeling better. I actually slept pretty well last night...my body doesn't ache, I can swallow without any pain...I'm actually interested in food. This is a GOOD thing!

Ok...I am just now coming back to the above...had to do a few things around the house...but now I guess one or both of those meds are trying to wreak havoc on my stomach. I ate before taking them...but Motrin likes to play tricks on me sometimes even though.

Hmmm...

My first ever....

2005-09-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

case of Tonsillitis. I'm fast approaching 30...and that ickiness I had last night...the aches and pain, all because of my tonsils. My husband actually said "You still have your TONSILS?" all surprised when I told him what my diagnosis was! Sooo...the doctor gave me Motrin, Penasillin and Tylenol 3 (with Codiene). I've taken the Penasillin and Motrin so far...Donovan is up and about so I can't take the Tylenol 3 for fear of falling asleep. But...I am already starting to feel better! I am actually interested in playing with my kid! And...I can swallow with less pain already. HURRAY! God is Good!

Donovan...

2005-09-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

Here is my little man straight out of the bath the other night. He's in desperate need of a hair cut...but he's still pretty cute. LOL!

I'm sick...took my temp tonight...It's 101.3 right now. Oh goodie...I get to spend my weekend sick with a 16 month old baby to take care of! LORD...MAY I PLEASE HAVE MY HUSBAND BACK SOON? I could really use his help. I could really use him to just entertain and feed Donovan tomorrow so I can sleep this crud off. I've got a sore throat, sore, swollen glands, head ache...stuffy nose, upset tummy...oh fun fun fun! I just want to cry. My neighbor thought I'd been crying...cause my face is all puffy.

I'm taking care of my friend Tracy's cat while she goes up to Pennsylvania to visit family. That cat HATES it here and she HATES Ira. The kitten just wants to play. Kiki is having NONE of it. Poor things. My house is a wreck. I really need a housekeeper. I'm too tired to take care of it lately. There's a foul smell emanating from my trash can. I'm too scared to look in there tonight and find out what it is. This kind of thing...this is what Hubbys are good at. Finding out what the gross smell is in the bottom of the trash can...too bad they don't always DO anything about it! HAHA! "It's a banana peel that slipped between the liner and the trashcan...".

So...I'm wondering...what am I gonna do to get to work when I run out of gas and they 've shut down the pumps (as the rumor mongers are predicting)? I live like 30 minutes from Parris Island. I live in base housing so don't give me any "you should live closer to where you work" jive...I took what housing was available at the time...and they won't let me move to PI's housing.

I saw the first autistic (I assume he is...he was showing signs I've seen in adult autistics) baby I've ever seen today. How's that for a sheltered life? The little guy is about Donovan's age...he's beautiful with dark eyes and dark hair. And my heart broke in two for him to be trapped in there...the essence of him...his soul, his mind...to be in there, looking out...unable to express himself. He had intelligent eyes...like he had a lot to say. I just wanted to reach out and touch him...hold him, comfort him. Instead all I could do was watch Miss Gina attempt to feed him. I tried to comfort him with words, but she said "he's special...he has a hard time with this sometimes..." so I let it go and thanked God that he has special people out there who are blessed with way more strength and patience than I have who have the ability and the grace to parent these little treasures...all locked up inside themselves. I should find out who this little man's Mama is and tell her if she ever needs a helping hand...or someone to talk to over coffee, I am here. I may not be able to understand...but I am always able to LISTEN.

God Bless the little children Lord...

Woobie for Dannan's Baby Girl

2005-09-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

Sooo...Dannan, (my "baby" sister) has a new little baby girl. Her name is Trinity. She's beautiful. I made her her first "homemade" baby blanket. It came out so cute. I'm so proud of it I can scarcely contain myself! LOL! I don't have much in the way of creativity so when I accomplish something this pretty...I'm deffinately stoked. I started it one night here at the house...but finished it last night while I was on duty. I hope they like it!

2005-09-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I had planned on posting a new pic of Donovan from last night's bath time. It's absolutely precious. BUT...my camera has other plans and I'm out of double A batteries! Oh well.

Tonight my friend Tracy and I took the kids for a walk (her two girls and baby boy and my little man too). When we got to my house, I discovered I'd left the sprinklers on for a bit too long...and water had run into our paved alley way and was going down the sewer drain. The kids started splashing in it some and before I knew it they were all having the BEST time! My friend said to me "My girls are gonna teach Donovan bad habits". All I could say was "This is the stuff good memories are made of...the times we let them act like kids and enjoy it along with them." I told her that 5 years from now those girls are gonna say "Mommy, remember the time we played in the water at Miss Jenna's house?". As the water started to fade away enough so that there was nothing to splash in anymore...I decided to prolong the fun some and turned on my hose and sprayed the kids down. They LOVED it! And I'm sure they are all sleeping well now. Worn out... I know Donovan is! I needed something to make me laugh like a little girl today! Thank you Lord for the little ones...and the little things they do!

Skeeved OUT!!!

2005-09-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

This is an email I recieved from my stepdad last night. He was supposed to come down and "help me" with Donovan for a few days...as well as maybe go golfing or something. I am currently waiting for my mom to call me from her work so that I can explain all this to her (why I'm telling him NOT to bother getting on a plane tomorrow afternoon!). I could totally have gone my entire life without hearing something like this from him. GAG! I'm pissed too...read on...

"Hi Jenna, I thought of another small detail. You said something; about leaving Donovan in day-care on Monday and Tuesday. You will, probably, need to sign me in; so that I can pick him up, on Monday afternoon. I had a very vivid dream, about you, last night; sort of "mildly erotic". You were standing in the middle of a room; just looking at me; wearing a feminine, white bra, and panties. Panties were not bikini; but just below the belly button. I was thinking; how very lovely, and beautiful, you were; and how much I wanted to tenderly hold you,; and kiss you gently, in a long, soul-kiss. I woke up, then; so that was it; but it left a warm memory. I may be "too old to cut the mustard any more"; but I can still dream. You know; that I've loved you, for many years. It was difficult, sometimes, not being able to show it. I never felt anything like that, with Sarah; or Dannan; although they were , probably, prettier than you; when they were younger. Not to worry; over me trying anything with you. I'vealways respected a "No", from any woman; almost to a fault; as many women have found out. Anyway; it will give me great pleasure; just being with you; and buying things for you. Try to wear your glasses; when we go shopping; or to restaurants; as that is how I've always pictured you. Not that you do not look absolutely wonderful, without them, also. I do enjoy talking with you; more than any other woman I've known; also. Love You, John "

I'm gonna go throw up now...

2005-09-11T08:31:00.000-07:00

This...is Donovan. His face has thinned out a bit since this photo was taken a couple months ago. But he's a cutie huh? :)

Meet Ira!

2005-09-11T07:58:00.000-07:00

So...I had to run to Walmart yesterday to get a birthday card for a baby girl in Donovan's daycare class. I also had to get a gift bag to put all her presents in. On the way out of the parking lot I decided to run into the shoe store to see if I could find a pair of sneakers I liked for Donovan. After purchasing the child a new pair of New Balance sneakers (he LOVES new shoes and new clothes! He's ONLY 15 month! I've given birth to a Metrosexual...) we were ready to leave. On the way out of the parking lot I spied a woman with the hatch of her SUV open and a small sign in her hand. I had to drive by her anyway and on the way past I saw the sign ready "Free Darling Kittens". No "to good home" so I figured I was in! LOL! I've been thinking about getting a kitten or a cat or a something...but I didn't go actively looking because I figured "if I'm meant to have a pet, the good Lord will put one in my path". He put one in my path. Directly. And soooo...I have a new male in my life. Isn't he cute?

I'm so Blessed

2005-09-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

My older son called me yesterday. I'm so happy about that! I have missed him so bad, but somehow felt like I had to sit back and let him and his daddy decide when is the right time to talk to me. I hope and pray that I can see him "soon". I'd LOVE to be able to go and get him and bring him down here to spend some time with us. I hate that we live so far away from each other. Our conversation was short...as can be expected from a male of any age. LOL! He told me some things about school and how he was kinda scared on the first day of first grade. It's absolutely crazy to me to think that he's in first grade already. Once upon a time was this little baby who nursed like there was no tomorrow...and then there was a chubby toddler who clung to my legs and then I turned around and here was this 4 year old little boy and today there stands a little man who still calls his mama "Silly". That's one thing I think I'll always be is "Silly" to Aidan. Heck...I think I'll be "silly" to all the men in my life. I've always been the cut up, trying for a laugh. Donovan thinks I'm goofy too. I can see it in his eyes...he's always got this look like "what's Mama got up her sleeve? What's she gonna do next? Is she gonna just sit there or is she gonna chase me across the living room any second?" All I want is for my boys to have full belly's, to feel safe and to feel loved. Most of all, to feel loved and safe. The food and lodging...God will provide a way for that always. The feeling of safety and love though...I have to provide that...God gives it to me to give to my children. For the past 4 years...my exhusband and his family have been providing that for Aidan. I wasn't sure how to approach them to give mine as well...so I let it be. I don't regret the decision I made to leave Aidan with his dad. I wasn't in a position to provide for him adequately. I knew his dad would be the best dad he knew how to be...he's a WONDERFUL daddy. It's not that I was a bad mom either. I just wasn't the best PERSON. It's absolutely amazing...if you could take a snapshot of Jenna at 25 and a snapshot of Jenna at 29...one would be dark and the other would be light. So much has changed in me. And I have to contribute that change to Jesus Christ coming into my heart and changing me from the inside out. I am a better person for it...better mother, better wife, better friend. I like me a lot more too!

Peace...

2005-08-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

So...there I was standing outside in the sunshine wearing a pair of black work out capri's and a cute little red t-shirt that has what looks like a Mike and Ike's label on it. Remember the red for later...

I'm watering my plants and just soaking up the sun...when I notice like 4 wasps on the small tree in front of my house. They each look different. One is actually a beautiful blue. I've never seen a blue wasp before. They are minding thier own business...chewing leaves on this tree. I make a note to find out what kind of wasp the blue one is...later when I get on the 'net. I hear a tiny chirping noise and hear the buzz of fast moving wings. I look up to the hummingbird feeder I placed near my front door a couple weeks ago. I love this thing. I love to watch the tiny birds move fast as lightning over my head. Watching them, I notice they are starting to circle closer and closer to me...there are 4 or 5 of them flying between my feeder and the feeder my neighbor has a couple houses down from me. A couple of them fly quite close to me...almost doing "fly bys" as if trying to figure out just what I am. One comes and lands on a tiny branch of the tree for a few seconds...inspecting me. It was so close, I could have reached out and touched it! Then I realized...I have a red shirt on! A BRIGHT red shirt...hm...and the wasps haven't noticed yet? Time to go inside before they do! LOL!

Anyway...I was thinking...here I was outside enjoying an absolutely gorgeous day...when...several hours away, in the place I called home for almost two years...people are preparing for what is promising to be the storm of storms. I just can't quit thanking God for putting me somewhere safe long before I ever had to worry about this...and for putting my husband and our friends somewhere safe too. All I can do now I pray for the people who are left there in the city...because every time I look...it's worse! God Bless them!

Hurricane Katrina

2005-08-28T05:47:00.000-07:00

I'm so thankful that I don't live in New Orleans anymore! Praise God that Donovan and I are here...and not there. I feel so blessed that Mark is out of harm's way as well. He's off doing concerts in Illinois. They are going to Memphis from there to wait out the storm and then they will go back to New Orleans to dig out whoever didn't make it out of New Orleans...or whoever chose to stay. I'm afraid that after last year's hurricane scare...people in that city are looking at the Weather and News people like they cried "Wolf!" last year...and so won't take them seriously this year as a result. This hurricane is HUGE. You can't get any bigger than a Category 5...Common sense tells ME that, if I was living in a city, shaped like a bowl, surrounded by water, and a huge storm was gonna come dump lots of water on that city in the form of rain, PLUS possibly break the levees around the city (which, btw were only built to withstand a Cat 2 storm at most), and most likely bust up some of the buildings in the city...to GET OUT NOW if not SOONER! Anyway...pray for these people in New Orleans that they will get out of the city as soon as possible...and if they can't get out that they will be able to weather the storm in a safe location.

Can I get an "OooRah"?

2005-08-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

So...um yeah. I'm not really feelin it today. I have felt like crying most of the day. It's August. Remember how I told ya'all my husband would be here by JULY? He's still not here. I'm sick of this crap. I hate to do this to you but I need to rant and hey...it's my blog, I can write what I want to here.

Mark has walking pneumonia. He's on meds for that and is really drowsy. He sounds awful on the phone.

I had heart palpitations a couple weeks ago. Freaked me out. I went to medical...they gave me an EKG...and listened to my heart. Did some breathing tests...took xrays of my chest...and I hear "You have a heart murmur and possibly asthma but we aren't going to call it asthma and jump the gun...we'll call it bronchitis". Ok...now what? "Here's a light duty chit for two weeks and come back and see me in two weeks...oh yeah, here's some albuturol". No one told me that albuterol makes you feel like some kind of freak. I'm a weird already...they didn't have to go and make it worse! It makes me have bad headaches and my heart races (um...did they forget that that was part of the reason I came in IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?)...I can't think straight...can hardly articulate a sentence and it makes me jittery, jumpy and anxious. Oh FUN! Sooo...now I had a followup appointment yesterday with the doctor, but the power was out on base...so I have to come back another time. Now, however, I'm on 30 days light duty because my condition is not improving. I need a nap.

This morning...I walked into Donovan's room to get him dressed for daycare. HE WAS NOT IN HIS BED! Heart skipped a beat...OMG! WHERE IS HE? I call him "Donovan?!? Baby?!?" I hear a little giggle and see his pudgy baby hand waving at me...FROM UNDER THE BED! Then I see two eyes full of mischief blinking at me from under the bed...He crawls out and stands up and gives me a big hug...and we begin our day...at least THAT made me smile today.

God bless!

Oh...Beaufort

2005-05-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

Mark is supposed to get here in July. I feel really selfish cause I've been here since late April without my husband and there are plenty of women around here who haven't seen their husbands in A LONG TIME. I'm a selfish bitch...oh well.

Donovan will be a year old on the 19th. WOW! I cannot believe that he has already been in my life almost a year! He's so fun. He can catch a balloon if you toss it to him gently. I'm so proud. He's only 11 months!

Donovan and I went to "A Taste of Beaufort" yesterday. It was pretty fun. I only disliked one thing about it. That thing is this; you have to buy tickets to purchase food from the booths. Local restaurants set up tents and booths with yummy foods and you paid for the food in tickets. They were mostly small versions of what the full meal or appetizer would be. (I had a delicious chicken salad made with craisens! YUM! Paid three tickets for it. Each ticket was a dollar). ANYWAY...I needed something to drink. All they had there was water and Coke products (non alcohol anyway). I had to pay TWO TICKETS for a 12 oz can of Coke. Highway robbery I tell ya!

Sooo...we meandered along the waterfront for awhile. They had some children's activities down there...Donovan was too young to participate in those still though. A little further down was a GREAT table where you could look at and touch some of the local flora and fauna. It was so cool! We got to see some tiny baby toads, and some enormous tree frogs as well as a baby aligator and an Eastern King Snake. We also looked at some less friendly cousins of Mr. King Snake, like a copperhead and water moccasins (all safely behind glass thankfully!). There was a stuffed river otter and some pelts from beavers and other furry creatures...as well as deer antlers. OH! Lots of sea turtles...dead and one live one. Also a tiny little turtle of some sort (not a sea turtle though) and some salamanders and dragonfly nymphs and other buggy things. Oh...I can hardly wait until Donovan is old enough to really appreciate all this kind of cool stuff! All he wanted was to get INTO the water with the baby aligator. He loves his bath time...with or without reptile pals!

Back to Donovan turning a year old...I am throwing a party for him. It doesn't look like Daddy will be able to be there, but that is still ok. I am doing a "baby dinosaur" theme for him. I called Publix (grocery store) and ordered two Dinosaur cakes. They are SO cute. I think they just take a round cake and cut it in half and put it on end and decorate it that way so it looks like a dinosaur. The cake only feeds 8 that's why I ordered two. I need to find someone's leftover easter eggs (the kind you fill up with stuff) cause I want to have a "dinosaur egg hunt". No...this was not my idea. I got it from a party planning book...but it's still pretty cute! I also bought this cool sticker project where you have a large sticker in the shape of a fish bowl and several smaller stickers shaped like fishes, plants, rocks, etc. and you create your aquarium! I guess I'm going a little overboard...since he's only gonna be ONE. But hey. He's the only kid I have here with me. If things were different, I'd have an almost SIX year old to spoil rotten. That is ok.

Happy Mother's Day to ME!

...just great...

2005-04-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

so...went out to move the car today so Sgt Graham could back his truck into my drive way. He wanted my old boxes from the move (he and his family are moving soon). Lo and behold! I have a FLAT TIRE! Upon further scrutiny...I have a screw embedded in the tire! Of all things to have happen. Anyway...I guess I'm not going to church in the morning. I'll have to put the "donut" on and go out and get the tire fixed. Oh the excitement! Thankfully I am blessed with neighbors and fellow Marines who are willing to help a person out when they run into trouble. Not that I can't fix it myself. I could. I just don't like to. And if I don't HAVE to...

I'm HERE!

2005-04-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally have a little time to catch up. First of all...I do believe that Hilary is THE ONLY PERSON ON EARTH WHO READS THIS. That being said "Hi Hil...I love you".

I didn't end up having my little brother drive out from NOLA with me. Nope...instead I got Mark's sister. It worked out ok. It's just that I have forgotten what it's like to be 15 and I have little patience for anyone who acts 15...regardless of whether that is their AGE or not. I need to get over this. Donovan will be 15 before I know it! He will be a year old in May though! My BABY....has already been in my arms for almost a year. I can't believe it. And Mark and I have been married almost THREE YEARS! HOLY COW! Neither of us has shot the other either. Amazing. Right now he's going through a sort of seperation anxiety. I don't know what it is...but he is calling me ALL DAY LONG...with nothing to say except "What're you doing? Who are you with? I miss you, I love you" But, he sent me a bouquet of roses the other day. They are beautiful, but the smell awful. They don't smell like roses. I guess when they get into genetically engineering roses for looks, the smell factor goes right out the window. They smell like a foot.

So, I checked into my new unit yesterday. Well, I still have some checking in to do, but they know who I am now, etc. They had to find me a job. It's weird that the Marine Corps would send me somewhere where they didn't have a spot for me...but that's ok. The job I normally do for the Corps is in one office...but I will be working in a different office, do curriculum stuff for the Recruit Depot. From what I gather (I have yet to really sit down and look at what I am gonna be doing) I will be making up a curriculum that the recruits will learn from while in boot camp. (They have classes on things like Marine Corps history, customs and courtesies, etc.) WHAT A RESPONSIBILITY! I will have a hand in making Marines in a direct (though indirect...) way. I say that because they will be learning from my material...(direct) even though I won't be present to teach it (indirect). I think I am starting to get a little goofy here...I should go to bed. LOL!

Grey Hairs

2005-03-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

I recently permed my hair. It looks great...I love it. It's layered and curly and it stays out of my face when I'm working and it's easy to do in the morning. It also looks professional but still cute when I'm in uniform. ANYWAY...the point of this whole thing is...I pulled like 10 grey hairs out of my head the other night. TEN! It's official. I'm starting to age! I always told myself that I would try to age gracefully. "Just let it happen". Early greying runs in my family. An Aunt of mine was completely grey by the age of 18! I'm 29. I guess that isn't so early. But...I have a young face. I have a young body. I am currently taking donations for hair color! LOL!

I saw something that struck me as odd yesterday while waiting at a light to change. You know how car dealerships put thier "mark" on cars and trucks now? "Don Bohn Chevrolet" is one around here that's pretty common. Well...what did I see on the Lincoln SUV in front of me? The dealership this vehicle had been purchased from was "Michael Jordan Lincoln, Mercury". LMAO! Even had a little basketball flying through the air above the name! Little things amuse me I guess!

Counting Down...

2005-03-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

Well...the boy is upstairs insisting that he's not really tired. Telling me in no uncertain terms in fact that he is not tired...as he sleepily rubs his eyes. I'll give him a few more minutes to cry it out while I catch up on my life.

Happy St Patrick's Day! No. I am not wearing green. Sorry. Though I do look quite fetching in the color, I don't often wear it.

Tomorrow I detach from this command and go on leave to catch up on some of the "stuff" that needs to get done before I can leave for Parris Island. (By the way...Donovan won the "I'm not tired" war just now). I have to pick up Donovan's medical records...my dental records (had a tooth pulled yesterday...yeah baby, I'm a sexy beeatch now, just kidding, it was one way in the back). Need to find a plane ticket...if I'm lucky to fly my little brother out here to ride with me to South Carolina. This should be fun. Um....Have to check out in my Alphas tomorrow. This should be fun since I haven't even gotten them from the alterations place yet...yawn. I hate jumping through hoops because other people don't know how to do their daggone JOBS. Oh well.

Donovan is crawling now. Woohoo! Except now the little precious is INTO EVERYTHING! He's pulling up on stuff now too...fun fun fun! Thankfully, there's a binky in his mouth most of the time, so there's no room for other stuff! He LOVES his daddy. Makes me feel a little jealous sometimes...but, then Mark tells me that he calls for me when he's with his daddy, so maybe it's just an "absence makes the heart grow fonder" kind of thing. In any case...the poor kid isn't even gonna KNOW his dad when Mark finally gets to Parris Island. I feel bad for both of them.

Anyway....I leave here on the 31st of this month. I pray that all goes well. I'm sure it will, but it is nice to know that I have the Man Upstairs looking out for me.

I have ORDERS!

2005-02-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

Well, Donovan is feeling much better (Thank GOD). He's been in Daycare all week with no problems except that he's really clingy now because he was so babied while he was sick. Last night he didn't want to sleep at all. He kept waking up and wanting to be held. I don't know what to do to "break" him of it other than to let him cry. HA! That boy is as stubborn as his dad and I put together. :) He just cried and cried and cried. Finally at 2:30 in the morning I just made him a bottle and told him "Enough. I've had enough of this. Hush and go to sleep baby boy...Mama needs to sleep and so do you". Soooo...he didn't wake again until I got him up to get ready for our day.

About my title...I have been awaiting orders for a few months now. Sgt Barrett finally just called my Monitor today and told him the situation (I'm a prior service Marine and I've been sitting here waiting on orders since January 3rd). The MSgt (my Monitor) said "Ok...you wanna go to Parris Island or Iraq?" Not in those words...but that was the gist of it. I "kinda" want to go to Iraq. But Donovan is still so little. If he were older and we could explain to him "Mama is in Iraq helping people who needed her help", it would be different. As it is, I might have to go to Parris Island without Mark and Donovan for at least 8 months! See...Donovan is listed as Mark's dependant...not mine. So when I leave, Donovan might have to stay with his daddy. I was almost in tears today just thinking about it. Donovan is my boy. He likes hangin out with his Mommy. He likes his daddy tons too...it's just that for 9 months, he's been primarily my responsibility. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't have to change any diapers or get up in the middle of the night for several months. LOL!

Okay...not to change the subject, but....I have a story to relate here. It's been nagging me and I actually was a little defensive over it last night when it happened. Let me lay the groundwork. I have a friend. She's a Christian. I'm a Christian too. Her husband is a Warrant Officer in the Navy. Their neighbor is also a friend of mine and HER husband is a nice guy who happens to be a Commander in the Navy. Welllll....the other day I was on the other side of the river and when I was finished doing what I needed to do, I found that I had about 45 minutes to kill before the ferry would arrive so I could go home. So...I decided to kill the time by getting something to eat at Subway. While standing in line, the Commander (the neighbor's husband) comes and stands in line behind me. In proper Marine Corps fashion, I greet him "Afternoon, Sir, how are you?" He returns the greeting with "I'm well, Corporal, how are you?". At this time I say "I'm well, how are your kids?". He then actually LOOKS at me and says "HEY! Jenna, I didn't recognize you...wow! You're back in huh?" (I was in Deltas). We chitchatted some while ordering and recieving our sandwiches and then we say good bye. I go and find a table and start eating. The Commander is looking for a table to sit at too and seeing that I am at a table with no one else, he says "Hey Corporal, do you mind if I join you?". Of course, not. Who am I to tell a Commander he can't sit in an empty spot I am not occupying? So we chit chat some more over our sandwiches about our kids and work...etc.

Here is the strange part. I mentioned in an email to my friend (the Christian friend) that I'd eaten lunch with the Commander. Last night I got a phone call...she read me the riot act for having lunch with another woman's husband! WHAT? It wasn't a DATE for heaven's SAKE. I was completely taken aback. I didn't understand where she was coming from. She said "You just don't know how someone might feel about something like that". Okay...but it was more like two military people sitting at the same table. It was NOT a man and a woman sharing intimate conversation over a cozy little luncheon. I just had to think of all the times I'd eaten lunch at the same time...and...at the same table as a married man.

Then she went on to talk about how I dress. She said "I just think that you want men to look at you". "You have to be mindful of their salvation. You don't want to be the reason that they are sinning". I was once more taken aback. Because all I seem to wear anymore is either track pants and a tshirt or my uniform. I DO like to look pretty. I probably won't ever be the Christian mom who wears long jumpers with long sleeve shirts underneath with Peter Pan collars. But I also don't see where what I've been wearing for the past several months isn't pretty modest. Granted...I do have a problem with cotton shirts that fit fine until you wash them more than once. I have a long waist. I'm constantly pulling on shirts to try and stretch them back to where they fit when I tried them on in the dressing room.

Anyway...I talked to my husband about these two things...I asked him if he thought that what I wear is too sexy. I think a man will tell his wife if he thinks that her clothing is too revealing (except in the bedroom! LOL!). And I asked him if he thought it was inappropriate for me to have said "Be my guest Sir" when the Commander asked to sit down. He said "Oh...if you'd told him "no, sir" you'd be ostracized...no one would talk to you. And that's not your personality anyway. You talk to anyone...from a bum on the street to the King of Persia, it would tear you up". And he's right! SIGH....I've prayed about it because she told me that it was Holy Spirit beating her up about it. I was hurt. I don't dress like a hoochie. ANYWAY....

What a crappy...

2005-02-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a shitty few days. Wednesday evening I got off work and went to pick Donovan up at Daycare. He looks like he's miserable and the "teacher" tells me that he's been clingy all day. So I take him and he snuggles up under my chin (the boy is sweet, but not much of snuggler). I go to walk out the door and he pukes all over himself, me and the floor. Poor little guy! Sooooo we go home and I baby him all day the next day (thank God I have an understanding command right now) and then Friday everyone (except Recruiters and the Band guys) starts their '96. I take Donovan to the Urgent Care Clinic because he's vomitting. They just confirm my suspicions of "The Flu". They give me Phenergan suppositories to stick up his bum. Then...Saturday he decides it'll be fun to start having diarhea AS WELL AS vomitting. Oh wonderful. Soooo...we try to push the fluids. He's not having it. But for most of the day he's at least trying to be playful. Then, after his nap (like number 3 for the day) he's acting kind of listless and whiney. We take him to the Emergency room. They took blood from him and tried to start an IV. They stuck the poor baby 4 times and no luck getting an IV started. They would have used the vein they took blood from, but they blew it getting blood from him. There is nothing in the world like having to help medical personnel hold your baby down so they can stick him with needles for his "own good". He's just looking at me like "you're my mama, why are you letting them hurt me?" Hubby's just as upset as the baby. I'm sick too...and tired and all I want by this time is for them to either admit the baby or let us go home! They tell us to try to get him to drink Gatorade an ounce at a time. Oh fun! He only puked three times during that little fiasco. But he started to perk up. He's sitting there on the gurney bouncing and playing with toys saying his favorite "words" "mama, dada, nana, nono, blablablabla" and while not looking like the picture of health, certainly making me feel like "great, now they are gonna think I haven't offered him anything to drink at all". The doctor let us go home around 1 am and both Mark and Donovan drift off into peaceful slumber. That is NOT to be had for me. I laid there and coughed so hard it made me puke a few times. I tried everything I could think of, Vicks Cough (that crap is a waste of money!), Tylenol Severe Cold and Flu (with Cool Burst), a teaspoon of honey, cough drops...you name it, I tried it last night. I was worried that I was keeping Mark awake until I got to coughing so hard one time that I nearly choked on a cough drop. Laying there, thinking "wonderful, I'm gonna die and he won't even KNOW it until he rolls over to a dead wife and a screaming baby in the morning!" Finally got to sleep (with out coughing fits) at 5 in the morning. At 8 or 9 hubby wakes up and cheerfully says "let's get up!". HA! Let's NOT! Thankfully, I got a nap this afternoon that helped me feel better for a little while.

Ahhhh....

2005-02-05T01:04:00.000-07:00

It's so beautiful outside today. The past week was so nasty...gray, rainy, windy and cold (for New Orleans).

Soooo....the cat got stuck in the baby's room last night (I shut the door to keep the cat OUT at night!) What did I find under the baby's crib? Cat puke. Lovely. She likes to eat and then bounce off the walls. Did she offer to clean it up? No...'course not!

Donovan's in a great mood today! He was jibberjabbering all morning. He's taking his nap now. I have to get groceries later, I hope his cheerful mood lasts all day!

Email me if you know anything about child custody laws... I need to bone up on that.

Later that evening...Well...I decided to go on base today and get some groceries. I left the house at around 1 pm and just got home about 45 minutes ago! HAhahaha! I never made it to the base. I had forgotten that there was a parade today on General Meyer. Guess who got stuck for an hour and a half in traffic on Shirley? Me and the baby. This child was SO good the whole time! I couldn't believe it. I kept waiting for him to turn into a pumpkin. I went to Walmart and they were insane too. I needed groceries though and a few other household and hygiene items for the family so I braved it...Donovan was being an angel after all. Usually, decisions like that bite me in the ass real quick. Not this time. We were in there for 2 hours! He was sweetness and light the whole time. Flirting with little girls, baby girls, old women...just little smiley boy. Until I got him into the car. Then the tears and the crying started. The pumpkin has arrived! LOL! He only had one nap all day too and he held out that long! What a little trooper! I'm so proud of him!

While sitting in traffic I was actually parked a time or two in the street cause I got sick of holding the brake pedal. We weren't moving anyway...why bother? Anyway...people sometimes have parties at their houses during Mardi Gras (like if the parade passes by your house). So I'm sitting there kind of daydreaming, staring absent mindedly into someone's yard where there are several people gathered...and what do I see? A woman...about my age...possibly a little older sporting the one hair cut everyone makes fun of, a mullet! WHAT WAS SHE THINKING? Big bangs are almost forgivable...I mean, I know a few people who had their glory years during high school and just never bothered to come into the next decade. But...a mullet? Really, come on. She couldn't have even passed it off as accidental. The hair in back was down to the middle of her back and the hair on top and in front was more of a guy's hair cut. Absolutely hideous!

My first post!

2005-02-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

Sitting here thinking...baby is sleeping. What a blessed life I have. Someday it will be perfect...or as near to it as the Good Lord will allow. Welcome to my Blog! I am Jenna, aged 29 years, Christian, United States Marine, mother to two beautiful sons, (ages 5 years and 8 months old...the five year old lives with his Daddy in Nebraska), wife of one handsome man. I am starting this blog to document my happy thoughts, sad thoughts, rants, raves and praises to God.

Donovan is my 8 month old...he looks just like his daddy. Well, both my boys look like their dads. Donovan waved bye-bye for the first time today. He's such a happy go lucky kind of baby. Smiles for everyone. He does have a temper though if you don't attend to his needs immediately. LOL...the kid's a slave driver! He wants a bottle NOW...if not sooner!

It's MARDI GRAS season ya'all! "Hey mista, throw me some beads!" Have fun all you revelers...it's too doggone cold out there for me to stand around with a baby on my hip just to get beaned in the nugget with a string of beads. Those suckers HURT when they hit you in the head or face! My husband is in the Marine Band here in New Orleans. Guess who's out there in the cold and rain playing his instrument for your enjoyment? My husband! I hope ya'all like what those Marines do for you!

I have this kitten. She's a Bengal...pure bred. And she's NAUGHTY. She steals the baby's binky and the nipples to his bottles! Chews the ends off of them! She got in the tub the other night while I was filling it for the baby. Splashed around for a minute and played then seemed to remember, "Oh crap! I'm a CAT! We don't like WATER!"