Tango and Roller Skating

I've been silent for a few days. Jacob is doing much better at least I hope he is doing better. We will get his ears rechecked on Thursday. Jon has been home since Thursday on a 96 so that has been nice even though I can't really remember what we did. Probably because we didn't do anything and it was nice!!

Friday was our Okinawa wedding anniversary. We left Jacob with a babysitter for only the second time ever and off we went. We were gone for about 3 hours and thirty minutes. I was not the one timing the whole event. Jon timed it since we were on a tight schedule according to him. We ate at this delicious restaurant in American Village next to Tony Roma's but for the life of me I can't remember the name of the cute little Italian place. But, I know we will visit it again soon. We had a two person 'set' which included two drinks, a salad and spaghetti. Jon ordered me lasagna but I think we more so shared everything. After that Jon took me to a place called Round 1. I had heard of it but never did any research on it because well it didn't sound like a place to take my bouncing baby boy anytime in the near future. We went roller skating which was fun. I can't even remember the last time I went roller skating! We will definitely head back to Round 1 soon!! Then after roller skating it was off to Leon Eri Dance Studio. We had a private dance lesson of the Tango for 30 minutes. We can now Tango. We still have four more dance lessons to go to now so Jacob will for sure be left with a babysitter again.

Our date night 2009 was SUPER. I had a blast but the best part was I only got the babysitter. I didn't know about anything else. I love my husband and I am very thankful that I married someone who fits me so perfectly!!

If Toucan, You can..

Before Jon's last deployment he spent an afternoon at Zukeran Elementary school here, which is a DOD school, teaching but more so talking about what he does on a daily basis as a helicopter pilot. He went and spoke at another school for career day last year and wanted to do it again this year. He has to fly the day it was scheduled so they scheduled a day for him to come instead. He took Jacob's coast guard tonka replica of the CH-46 phrog that he flies along with a female pilot. If you know my husband, you know he can talk. He had a blast! The schools motto is "If Toucan, you can" so when I found this cute onesie on Gap.com (yes, i'm a little obsessed with shopping online for cool clothes that not every other American baby boy on Okinawa is wearing) that said the school's motto I immediately bought it. Little did I know that the day of Jon's NSI check flight would be the day I would decide to finally dress Jacob in it. Jon loved the shirt (or so I hope) and I hope it reminded of him throughout the rest of the day while he was getting ready for his very important flight.

Here's my little peanut in his shirt reminding Daddy that if Toucan you can!

The shirt must of helped. Actually I know it's God that helped because Jon is one of the newest NSI's in the Marine Corps now. I have to brag on him a little because I am so proud of him and I love him!!! =)

Father's Day!

It was love at first! I believe that Jon fell in love with Jacob at first sight...well maybe once all the goey slime was cleaned off but still I think he fell in love with him immediately just like I did. Jacob has changed both of our lives forever! That is the honest truth of it. I always knew that Jon would be a good dad but what I didn't realize was what a GREAT dad he would be and that when he became a Dad I would fall in love with him all over again. I absolutely love watching Jon and Jacob together. I seriously think that Jacob thinks Jon always comes home to play with him. They have a blast together whether it's playing their peek-a-boo game on our bed, bath time, spa daddy time or reading books. They both always have smiles on their faces! I love them both so very much. Happy First Father's Day Jon...even if you are surrounded by water on the tuna can!

Valentines Day!!

I've decided now after talking to a friend that the more Valentines Days that Jon and I spend apart the more good luck it brings us in our relationship. Now, after saying that watch Jon never miss a Valentines Day again!! Out of 5 Valentines Days I have only actually spent one with Jon and even then I had to work a 12 hour shift!

Our first Valentines Day, Jon was finishing or had just finished primary and was waiting for selection so I believe he had the day off. I worked a 12 hour shift and then went to his apartment afterwards. I'm sure that we had dinner and I probably had to work the next day. It must not have been super exciting.

Our second Valentines Day, Jon was in California at the rag. I had spent the weekend prior to Valentines Day out in California with Jon and had to fly back on the 14th so at least I got a Valentines Day kiss.

Our third Valentines Day, Jon was in Iraq and I was not about to buy a commerical ticket to Iraq even though I have heard of some family members doing so in order to see their service member over there. I sent Jon a nice Valentines Day theme package and that was all. I got flowers.

Our fourth Valentines Day, Jon had to fly so we were going to eat later. I had baked a red velvet cake. I got a phone call from Jon stuck up on the north part of the island saying that he had to shut the helicopter down due to mechanical difficulties and that he wouldn't be coming home till the morning. I was disappointed but at least he was over land when the helicopter broke so I was very thankful at the same time.

Today, our fifth Valentines Day, is spent with Jon 4,500 miles away off the shore of Thailand and Jacob and myself in Okinawa. Again another Valentines Day apart but I know I will get my Valentines date at Dharma Blue in Pensacola with Jon in a few weeks. I did get some beautiful flowers with very minimal pollen on Thursday from a company on Okinawa called Flower Drop. I love them and the flowers were a great surprise!

Happy Valentines Day to everyone!!!

A phone call changes your day!

This morning I woke up an realized it had been 4 or 5 days since I had last heard from Jon and even that email was a forwarded email about our upcoming Pensacola adventure. I always worry no matter what when he is gone and I haven't heard from him. I believe that is a part of being a pilot's wife and I've accepted it, I just still don't like it. My ears were itching this morning which probably makes no sense at all but I have this set of diamond earrings from Jon and I won't take them out till I hear from him for the day while he is away. I have done it every since he went to Iraq. Well, my ears had enough of the earrings and I took the earrings out before my shower.

I was sitting down and nursing Jacob for the second time for the day and my cell phone started to ring which I normally dread because that means Jacob will be done and not finish eating. He didn't even flinch when it started ringing and I looked at the number and it was a +66 number which I know is a country code that I've seen pop up on the screen before so I answered it and of course it was Jon. I was so happy. We haven't talked in almost two weeks and the communication from the tuna can has been less than adequate for my daily needs this time so I love every minute of our call.

I'm so thankful that Jon had the opportunity to get off the boat for a few days and was able to call. Trying to plan a trip to the states that revolves around his dates for school in the states has proven very challenging without being able to talk at all about it!!! The call made my day and for almost two hours I felt like my other half was back!

He is my white noise!

I can never get use to going to bed without Jon. I seem to just stay up later and later each night while he is gone. Eventually, I know I will get into the patten of going to sleep early and actually falling asleep but that pattern usually occurs a week before Jon is due back! I don't know what it is but I find any reason or excuse to stay up..like writing something in this blog will give me another 5 minutes to stay awake. I miss my white noise maker, not that he makes noise while he sleeps, he is just my comfort!

December 1st...

December 1st was our 'church' wedding anniversary. We have two anniversiaries each year in hopes that each year we will actually be able to celebrate one of the two together. This year we were lucky. We were able to celebrate our Okinawa wedding anniverary 6 days prior to Jacob's arrival and we were able to celebrate our church wedding anniversary two days after Jon's arrival back to the rock a.k.a. Okinawa.

For our August anniversary we went and tried out a restraunt called Pizza House. It took a lot of convincing on Jon's part to get me dressed and out of the hosue beucase the though of having to sit anywhere for more than a few minuets was very unappealing to me at that time. We ended up having a lovely dinner at Pizza House which turns out to have a whole other menu besides just pizza. I was very happy about dinner because I finally had found a restraunt on Okinawa that serves a baked potato with a meal! The host predicted that we would be having a baby boy very soon but asked that I hold off till after I finished eating. Jon bought me a wonderful electic can opener. His reasoning was so that I could provide canned food for myself and our unborn child while he was deployed. I was having a war with our manual can opener at that point so I loved the gift and now every time I use it whether he is here or not I love it and think of him.

For our December anniversary we ended up back at Pizza House but instead for lunch. It was just as delicious and Jacob didn't make a peep throughout the whole meal!! We ended up driving further south after lunch and went to a Japanese mall, BabiesRus and the duty free shops mall. We got Jacob a new stroller and just window shopped rest of the day. When we got home I got Jacob ready for bed and Jon grilled dinner. During dinner I got a beautiful leather bond book with empty pages in it. I was told that the book was to serve the purpose of helping us to remember our anniversaries together and that each year we are to write how we celebrate our anniversary because when we have been married 46 years we might not remember how we spent our early anniversaries. Then I got ready for bed only to find several anniversary cards hidden around our room as I got ready for bed. It was so very sweet!

Night Flights

This week we are lucky enough to have two night flights. Normally, I would not think that night flights are lucky but I've come to like them. It means we get Jon home for the morning and I usually get woken up with a McFlurry and a cheeseburger. We usually go out to eat breakfast if Jon does not have to do any flight planning but this week we are staying at home because Jon is flight planning. I do prefer going out to eat for breakfast and having a low key morning but making dinner for lunch is just as good. Today I made Hamburger Pie for lunch. It's a casserole of sorts that one of my friends made for us after Jacob was born. It's super easy and anytime I can use my KitchenAid mixer to make mashed potatoes from scratch I'm happy. (Yes, Christina I still agree with Tim that you need one!!)

Here is the Hamburger Pie Recipe:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 10 oz can of tomato soup
• 1 soup can full of water
• 1 15 oz can of green beans
• 1 tbs. dried onion flakes
• 3 potatoes
• Milk and butter to mash potatoes
• Shredded Cheese
  

Cook potatoes until tender. Drain. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter and milk. Mash potatoes and set aside. Brown ground beef in skillet. Add onion flakes, tomato soup, and water. Cook until well blended. Add green beans and warm all together. Place mixture in a 1 1/2 qt. casserole pan. Add potatoes on top of meat mixture. Place shredded cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes.

I added real onions to it instead of the onion flakes. Next time I have decided that I will only add half a can of water. I actually have a picture of the finished product because Jon came over and took a picture of it after taking a picture of Jacob swinging in his swing.

Daddy is REALLY home!

We are certainly glad to have Jon home. It has just been over a week and our week has been action packed. Jacob's routine has completely changed to accommodate some Daddy time each night. My routine has totally changed because now I am getting up before Jacob to make breakfast and lunch for Jon and I'm also cooking again. It is so nice to have my extra set of hands back to help with Jacob not to mention having my best friend by my side once again!

Thanksgiving a little late...

We are having our Thanksgiving this year a little late. We are very thankful now that Jon is home with us now for a few months hopefully! The 'tuna can' was within range this morning and so the guys were able to fly off to the MCAS here. I arrived on time but missed the fly in since they were earlier than I thought they would be but still we got to see Jon walking towards us from the helicopter. After some quick paperwork we were on our way home! Jacob was passed out asleep for the whole ordeal after Daddy started holding him!

We have since had lunch and now I am sitting in the office while Jon is attempting to give Jacob a bottle. Unfortunately Jacob isn't being suckered into the bottle yet! So, I think we have regressed to no bottle again!

I love SKYPE!!!

Last night I woke up around 3 to go and check on Jacob because he had woken up at 11:23 screaming for some reason. I wanted to make sure he was okay so I got up. Since Jon has been gone I'm use to checking my email whenever I get up in the middle of the night to see if he has written me email. I had email from him from his hotmail account so I knew he was where the squadron is suppose to be right now. I was going to head off to bed but decided to check my myspace to see if he had left me a message on there too! And of course he had and then I noticed it said he was online now. So, I sent him a message on myspace which he got and then he got on skype. We weren't able to actually talk because the guys he is out on liberty with were asleep but we got to type which in my world is just the next best thing. After a long hour of typing we both ended up going to bed but I am so thankful I was able to type to him for a bit!