Moonlit Stroll...

Tonight I made James come with me to one of my jobs. The client booked their walk relatively late at night. Washington, as a whole, isn't very well lit so I used my girly weaknesses to appeal to my husbands protective nature. He agreed, grudgingly.

I realized tonight that dogs are definitely going to be a part of our future. Not now, because I don't think either of us wants to deal with the responsibility, but sometime. There was just something so peaceful, walking along through the darkness holding my husbands hand with the dogs walking quietly by our sides.

Of course not everyone can be blessed with dogs as wonderful as Kona and Sullivan but for now I'll just enjoy the time I get to spend with two of my favorite 'clients'. James agrees. He fell in love with them just as I did over a year ago.

I also decided that I am definitely more at peace in Nature. I couldn't live in a big city. Washington is perfect for me with it's huge pine trees and clean air. It's so beautiful. We were walking down a road that is very densely populated with driveways every few yards yet James and I felt as if we were the only two people in the world on that little walk, and I couldn't be happier.


Here is a picture of Kona and Sullivan. :) and a view from the house where they live.

Maybe an overreaction...

Today while I was taking a dog to the dog park, James called from the boat. He's on Duty today, so I answered while driving to explain that I couldn't talk, and that he should call me in an hour.

"Well.. We have to talk honey, I've got some bad news."

"Uh oh, What now?"

"They are probably going to make me go ride another boat."

To give some info, this essentially means that they (the Navy) would make James go help out another boat that is about to go on a deployment or an underway. Basically they would require that he leave his regular boat - which is FINALLY in port for a little while - to go out to sea again, on another boat!

I didn't have time to deal with the situation then, so I told him that I thought that sucked, and that I would talk to him about it later.

He took a few hours to call me back - and I put the time to good use, figuring out just how many ways I could get him out of it. It's not like I'm being crazy. I have waited two years to get some down time with my husband, and this stretch of time has been coveted since before we got married! The last thing I wanted was my precious time snatched away because the Navy felt like he would do more good out to sea. For the first time in my marriage, and my Navy career I wasn't going to take this sitting down. Nope, I was NOT going to agree to sending him back out to sea. If I had to chew out his chiefs, his captain, I didn't care, I was NOT going to let them take him.

When he finally did call back - our conversation went a little like this.

"Okay, honey, now what is this deal about you riding another boat?"

"Oh.. Yeah, they are probably going to make me, and Johnson (the only other married guy in the division) and Nichols - well.. probably not even him. Probably just me and Johnson out on-"

Well.. that told me all I needed to hear.

"WHY ON EARTH DID THEY CHOOSE TO SEND OUT THE ONLY TWO MARRIED GUYS?! Are they trying to break up our marriage? Are they trying to make us hate them? There are 6 other guys in your division who AREN'T married. Send one of them! This is Ridiculous! I can't believe that they would do this to us! I suffered through the whole last year alone, and maybe I wasn't clear, but it SUCKS. I EARNED this time with you."

"Uhhmm.. Wow.. you are really worked up about this."

"I AM. I'M PISSED."

"Ooookay, so, I'm going to see if there is any way to get out of this okay?"

"Thank you."

"Oh... and just so you know - it would only be a monday through friday thing. Just as a training to learn some new equipment."

"Oh. Just a week?"

"Yeah."

"Oh well... umm... You can go. Sorry - I just... I just really didn't want to go another few months or something. But a week isn't a biggie."

"... are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm fine now."

Moral of the story? Don't jump to conclusions. And sometimes the Navy ISN'T out to destroy marriages.

Support

I am trying to write a book.

I can't tell you the number of times I have spoken that sentence in my life. I have creative ideas and I love writing, but somehow putting my ideas into words leaves me with a whole bunch of jumbled, formal sounding ideas that isn't remotely like what I had in mind! Sometimes I feel that somewhere between my brain and my fingers there is a huge writers block that prevents anything good from coming out. It sounds fantastic in my head, and yet somehow everything i write up is thoroughly disappointing.

Well now, I'm up against a problem. See this book is different. Characters are already taking shape and just begging to be brought to life - and for the first time in all of my writing career, I have a story and an idea that just wont go away! After the first attempts failed, instead of scrapping the whole thing I took it from another angle, and it's actually not sounding too bad! But how long can it last?

One bonus that I have this time is James's support - and honestly, it's made all the difference. I've only trusted close friends with my story line and world simply because I'm scared that someone will snag my idea and run with it. I'm not the fastest writer - but I have goals to finish what I've started no matter how long it might take me to do it. Having James to support me has given me initiative and drive to keep going - because he wants to see it completed too! He loves my idea and he has a way of giving me new ideas without taking over the story to give me that little push in the write(haha) direction. I might not ever be a world famous author - and who knows if I will be satisfied with my book if I ever finish it, but for now I'm just glad that I have my husbands support and his willingness to let me have the spotlight for awhile in spite of the fact that he is arguably a better writer than I am.

I hope he knows just how much I appreciate him. Maybe I'll tell him - or better yet, write a blog announcing it to everyone who reads this...

Confessions of a Book worm

I am a book worm. I can admit it.

I forget relatively often about how much I love to read. I have tons of books, I bought a book shelf that still doesn't hold all of my books. My husband brings me home books by the boxful, and i can't get enough of them. But, as a true book worm, I get offended if someone doesn't enjoy the book that I recommend. I know I shouldn't, but this is why I'm confessing my problems!

If I genuinely recommend a book it's because I love it, and I hate when people say they are going to read - and then don't. Or start another book instead. Or, heaven forbid, read it and hate it.

*shudders*

It's a nasty issue, and one that I need to get over.

Here's to the future of positive book sharing! I CAN DO IT.

Ranting

I've seen several different sorts of blogs out there. And I'm always drawn to the ones where I'm not looking at the cute crafts, but rather reading the stories about their lives. I blog-stalk several navy wives, one ex-navy wife, and a few horseback riders. I stalk people's pets, and their kids. In the end, sometimes I just can't get enough stories. Maybe it just comes with being a writer. You want more to write with and their stories get added to my repertoire. Either way, I've decided that I need to do less pictures - and more ranting. Besides, I could benefit from a good outlet, it's not as if I have my husband here to listen to my whining!

1. If you get to do something snazzy. Don't rub it in. It seems all week I've had to deal with people telling me how excited they are to do things that I can't do. "Oh, you and your husband had a great Anniversary dinner? I'm so excited for you." "You get to go to Hawaii? Awesome." "You just won $4,000 at the casino? Splendid." It's not saying that I wont be able to do these things, and I'm ashamed to say that I am guilty of the second complaint, of not more than a month ago. But did I really rub it in?! Maybe I did, and for all of you whose toes I crushed? I'm sorry. Seriously, I'm never telling anyone about my great news. Or maybe I'm just over reacting, and maybe i'm just horrible and bitter, but dude, have a little consideration for those of us stuck at home, not gambling, or with out their husbands!

2. Sometimes I just don't feel like cleaning. My house, at this moment, is a disaster. For those of you who knew me while I was growing up - my definition of disaster has changed a bit. My house looks nothing like my room did in high school, and in general, it's clean. But right now, it's messier than it's been in months... no. Years. There are clothes upstairs and down in various baskets, there are blankets everywhere (honestly, why did I think I needed so many?!) loose socks, books, papers, etc... But I'm exhausted! I worked all weekend, I haven't had more than an hour here and there off in who knows how long. And yes I know I've had all sorts of trips - Missouri, Hawaii, Ember came to stay, but those aren't breaks. Vacations and visitors are nice - but they aren't very good about really making people relax. In general, trips are stressful! And the last thing I want to do when I get home is clean. I want to SLEEP. My house will be clean tomorrow - I've had enough of the mess and I'm ready to overhaul, but for heavensakes I REFUSE to feel guilty because my house got messy for a few days! It's not the end of the world.

3. Just because I miss church for a few weeks, it doesn't mean I'm inactive. I love my ward. They are wonderful. All of them. But as I listed above, I have been going on several trips in the last month or two. Well, for someone who has not one but TWO very important callings, my absence is -always- noticed. I got more "Welcome back!" "It's so good to see you Sister Mooneyham!" and "Been busy?" in church this week then I've ever heard in my entire life! Not that I mind, it makes it obvious that I've been missed, but sometimes I feel guilty enough about missing, can't I just slide by under the radar once? Oh well, I shouldn't complain, I got to see my visiting teacher and my Home Teachers both this week, and everyone knows I could use the company (messy house or no).

Last, but not least.

4. Never write something like THIS at the end of an email:

"Third, I have some huge news to tell you and I can't go into details. Just keep as much money in our account as possible. Thanks."

When I got my *one* e-mail from my husband, I was more excited than I can express. Until I got to the end of course. And now I am just extremely happy that I will be speaking with him this weekend, because if I have to wait another month to get that news I'm going to be hunting down that Submarine myself! I'll keep you all updated... if I can.

Photos and Fun!

Recently I took a trip to Port Angeles with Jenny and her two kids, Nivek and Mackenzie. We had a great time! I found out that fly fishing here in Washington involves catching 10lb steelhead and that Hurricane Ridge is so high that we had to drive through clouds to get to the top! We also got to see all of the hot Twilight spots, like the place that Bella ordered her mushroom raviolli when Edward told her he was 'special'. They even have a dish on the menu called "Bella's Mushroom Raviolli" Who knew?! We stopped and saw Red on the way and got these precious pictures that were touched up by myself and Tina - the third member of our neighbor trio.

Journaling

Today, while listening to conference I decided that I was going to compile all of my e-mails to James into a word document that I could use as a sort of Journal. I've been meaning to do this for quite awhile. As I write to him almost every day, it really is a great way to keep a journal - without keeping a journal! I just finished with 2009, and it's 113 pages! I was in shock! Anyway, while sorting through I found several entries that made me smile. They are a bit long, but I find them funny, I hope you do as well!

3/15

JayJay,

I'll have you know my sweet that I just hauled my comfortable butt OUT of bed to come write you an e-mail. You better be grateful! I know you are though, so that makes me happy. It just means that you get another e-mail from your wonderful wife. Me! So today started out pretty lame. I woke up this morning to a full on blizzard... which was horrible because of course, I had to go to church. Can't ditch out on leading the music! Or teaching my blasted sunbeams! Anyway, so I dragged my sick (I'm on my period too, YAY) lazy butt out of bed and get dressed in a hurry so that I can leave early for church and right as I'm about to walk out the door I get a call from the missionaries: "Hey sister mooneyham, think you can go drive down this road that nobody ever drives on in the snow because it is super steep and twisty and pretty much a death sentence to anyone who drives on it, to pick up the this girl for church?" And what do I say? "It will make me late." They reply that they will lead the music for me if I don't make it ontime. So guess who is suckered into taking the deadliest road ever to pick up some chick? Me. Terrified, but thankful I have the Tahoe, I head out. I get the girl with only moderate slipping and sliding. I prayed aloud just about the entire time... afterall, I was doing the lords work; he HAD to protect me! Sure enough, I get her and we make it to church in one piece, though I walk into sacrament meeting ten minutes late only to see that they DON'T have anyone to lead. They wave frantically at me and I ditch my stuff on the nearest bench and run up to the front just as the organist finishes her intro... she started it as soon as she saw me. So I open to the page of a song that I REALLY didn't pick out and have to figure out how to lead it as we go alone. Ok whatever, not the best start but I'll survive. Song two was easy.. and also one that I didn't pick. Song three was great.. but super difficult to lead, and the organist, bless her heart followed my every move. (BAD IDEA, YOU PLAY, I'LL FOLLOW!) my regular organist and I have this down to a science. Anyway, so after the entire congregation figures out that I don't know what I'm doing and start singing their own tune (I swear that it really happened. I wanted to cry) Finally it ended... and the last song was absolute cake. So the second hour starts and honey.. it was amazing. NO SUNBEAMS! Half our congregation was gone because of the snow and apparently I have less active families in my sunbeams because not a single one was there! YES!! Anyway, it gave me an opportunity to talk to the missionaries and the girl I brought to church and I got to hang out in relief society. It was fantastic.....

It continued, but it got mushy, so I'll leave that part out. Haha.

5/12

(I'm starting this e-mail mid way through too)

.... Today was sad. I had to take my mom to the airport. She came on my dog walk with me, and met that bulldog. It was really fun. We went out to Scenic Beach and the tide was way way out. So it smelled all gross and the rocks were all barnacle-y... if that is a word. So mom and I were just meandering up the beach in the manner that you hate when I almost stepped on one of those pig plushy blobby looking starfish. You know, the purple ones. Anyway, after shrieking in my typical manner when I see sea creatures we realized that there were starfish EVERYWHERE. Seeing movement beneath a rock I decided to kick it over, and you know what I found?! CRABS - not the sexually transmitted disease of course - It was AWESOME! Okay, so really it was terrifying. Combine tiny spiderlike size with swift skittering abilities and my 'favorite' crustacean and you can only imagine what my first response was when that first rock was flipped and all the creepy critters scattered. Yeah. I pretty much screamed like a banshee, and maybe I didn't run a half-mile (which you TOTALLY exagerate by the way) loop around my mom and the rock in question, but it definitely gave me a scare. But the adrenaline was great, so we spent the next hour flipping rocks and shrieking when the crab babies went nuts. In other words. We had a blast! We got squirted a few times by burrowing sea creatures, which was surprising and also terrifying, but I suppose I survived. After Scenic Beach, we hit the Airport and I dropped mom off and then came home. I read that book and watched some shows and had dinner with Tina and Dale. It was fun. :) Anyway baby, I'm off to bed. I love you with every fiber of my soul and I can't wait to see you. MUAH.

Forever yours,

Kara

I hope you weren't too bored! But I thought they were funny and they made me smile! Also, as a follow up. Inspite of my lame attitude, the girl that I picked up from church that day was baptized this past weekend. I'm so proud of our missionaries and the work they have put into that girl for the past year.