Well, we hit a small hiccup. Unfortunately, this already unwelcome deployment was extended a little bit longer. We were very excited to finally hit what we thought was the half way mark. Then, in keeping with the Marine Corps theme, the deployment got extended. Now we are eagerly awaiting the half way mark to roll around again. I've unwillingly accepted the extension. I think my husband and his team are unwillingly accepting it will be just that much longer till they are back in the United States.
School could be going better, but it could be going worse as well. I haven't done as well as I have in past semesters but honestly my mind is elsewhere. My motivation and drive with school is dwindling quickly. Only two more weeks of school and then I am free for the summer. I've gathered quite a few little craft projects for the summer. I'm very excited to get my mind off of stressful school work and preoccupy my time with something a little lighter. One project I've posted here before that has our wedding vows included. I would love to have our vows displayed somewhere in our home. Deployments make you acutely aware of each vow and how much you deeply cherish your marriage. Not to say that those who have never been through a long separation don't cherish each other. It just goes along with the saying, "you don't know what you have till it's gone."

My little bass!

Easter weekend has come and gone. For the most part it was fun, filled with things to do but it still came with that tinge of another holiday missed with my husband. The weekend itself was nice though. My brother's birthday came, along with a wonderful visit with my precious niece! It was wonderful to see how much she's grown! I can't believe she'll be turning three this summer. I still remember going to the hospital to see her and loving her tiny little features. I went fishing with my father in law and got my nails done with my mother in law. Easter service with my mom. And a full Easter dinner cooked. I successfully made prime rib for the first time ever. And this week brings me up to midterms week! After this week I will be four weeks away from a much needed school break!

I have been a terrible blogger lately. This term has proven to be more challenging that I originally thought it would be. Most of the challenge though is probably due to some lack in motivation. It feels like I've been going to school for an eternity! Also as homecoming draws closer and closer, the less and less I want to do any school work! I'm thrown off a bit about my classes. Before I started I prepared myself to have trouble in statistics and do well in microeconomics. So I'm a bit surprised it's quite the opposite. It seems I'm doing very well in my statistics class and should have no problem pulling out an A. Economics on the other hand is a different story. I am going to need to reread everything we've gone through. There is just so much to remember.
We are finally into April! I'm so happy to see Spring weather finally making it's appearance in Georgia. I love the flowers blooming, the birds coming out, the trees starting to blossom. It just looks happy outside. I can't help but to feel a little bit better when there is so much going on outside. April also means deployment is nearing it's 100 days down mark soon. I torn between being happy and annoyed. I want to be so happy we are finally getting through this deployment. I can't help but been annoyed. It seems like it's been so much longer than just 100 days since I last saw my sweet husband. I miss him dearly. I try not to worry too much but sometimes it's hard to see so many people affected by deployments. Not everyone's husband comes home. There are so many widows younger than I am. So many wives that now have husbands that are unable to walk. Life isn't fair and danger doesn't care who it hits or misses. I feel like I already got lucky that he came home last deployment! I can't wait to have him home again. I will try to err on the side of happiness though! I am very happy we will soon be on the downhill side of things. The next month will be very busy with school, Easter, my brother in law's wedding, and many fun activities!

Well, I came out with a "B" in both of my classes. I will be happy with that! I obviously would have preferred an "A" but I am still happy. Onto statistics and economics next week. Or this week if I am feeling extra productive (and get through my massive to do list!). As a reward for our hard studious work, my mother-in-law and I went to go get our nails done. It was amazing! Somehow I went two and a half years without getting my nails done. The last time was before my wedding! I don't know what took me so long because I love having my nails look beautiful. I also got my fingers done with gel nails. I am totally happy with the results! Regular polish lasts forever on my toes and hardly ever gets chipped. Different story with my finger nails. They get chipped on the second day. The gel nails have been wonderful. They cure the nails under a light for each coat. Not only do they harden but they are dry instantly afterward so there is no awkward paying or driving afterwards! Just beautiful nails! I will be doing gel nails again!
We are fast approaching the half way mark! And it seems the weather has turned into summer. I can feel it getting hot and humid!

Finally, two months completed of this deployment! Nine weeks down!

Another great thing, only two weeks left in my current classes! There are just a few more assignments to complete per class. I absolutely can not wait! Spring break is just around the corner along with March! It has crossed my mind more than a few times to take off the second half of this semester, but I will push through. I have been planning to take off a semester when my husband returns from his deployment and I don't want to take too much time off. No matter how mushy school makes my brain feel I'm going to get through this semester. Up next, economics and statistics! Oh so much fun!

I almost feel as though I am neglecting my poor blog, but honestly not much has happened lately. I think time moves in slow motion while my husband is away!

I am still trudging through school work. Made it through mid-terms quite successfully! Now I just have to finish out these two classes strong.. and start my next two classes till May. The running has not been going very well due to the weather. I am not terribly interested in running in the cold and rain. It seems to be warming up a bit but I'm not so sure it isn't just the tricky Georgia weather. I got my hair cut, which I am loving! I did treat myself to a bit of shopping this past weekend. It was a nice treat! I do miss shopping with my husband though. I think I may have an anomaly of a husband! He enjoys shopping with me so we always have a good time at the mall. He enjoys treating me and I of course enjoy him telling me I look beautiful! There are a lot of things that are just more fun with your husband and best friend.

Besides all of this, in one week from today we will have finished two months of this deployment! Two long months. I am trying to be patient. And in reality I am being incredibly patient. I think going through as much separation as we have due to training and deployments proves how amazingly patient I am. Sometimes I have to give myself more credit. It isn't easy. I don't believe everyone could handle it. We are kicking deployment butt!

YAY!! I officially rocked my accounting final! I got a 90! I am sooo proud of myself. It was such a hard class. Now I just have to sit back and wait for this extremely slow teacher to grade the rest of my work.
I have the next week off between classes. I really need to be a week ahead since I'm confident that getting my tonsils out and the Marine Corps ball will push me behind. So my goals for this week are to go ahead and start on my school work and get the house as clean as possible before the surgery. I'll admit, I'm terrible at house cleaning. There are some things I don't mind, but then things like the dishes that I hate. Dirty dishes gross me out so much. I wish I were a master at house keeping!! If anyone has any tips, let me know!

I am just one test away from being done with this term! Sadly, it's an accounting test. I'm so ready to get it over with. I just need to retain all of my accounting knowledge until my next accounting class in January. Next week I'll start the second half of my semester. It feels like school is going to go on forever! I know it won't though. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. And I will get a break as I'm planning to take off a semester after the upcoming deployment. The hardest thing about school is just getting back into it. I only took off two years between college classes but it seemed like so much longer. And anyone that says online college is easier is crazy! Having done both, I can confidently say this is harder. It was so much easier to show up to class and do what was asked of me. Now I feel like the teacher and the student!
While I'm not excited about the reason, I am happy that this week we bought tickets to fly home in December! I am so excited to go "home" with Travis for a bit. It will have been two years for him! I just wish we weren't going to miss fall. Fall in Georgia is so beautiful! I've always loved the crisp air and the leaves changing. There is no such thing in California. The palm trees are always green and the grass is always hanging on for dear life.
It will be a wonderful, hopefully relaxing, trip with my great husband and family.

I have made it to finals week alive! I can't believe the eight week courses have felt so long. Two classes (almost) down.... so many more to go. I'm trying to decide between a minor or double major in something. I have a certain amount of months worth of school benefits through the VA so I figure I should use the entire allotted benefit. I have a while to decide but it bothers me not knowing.
This weekend is our Pebble Beach and San Francisco weekend! I can't wait! I'm super excited to see more of California. I looked up the weather online and it seems much colder up in San Francisco so I'll have to plan ahead for that. But before we leave I have finals to take, thirty tomatoes to make some sauce and freeze, family fun day for Travis' company, a ton of laundry to do, and re-trellising my tomato plant. The plant has gotten out of hand! It must be six feet tall by now!

Hello all! Sorry to have been away for so very long! Things have been a bit hectic so there is lots of catching up to do.

First off, Hawaii!!!! Best vacation ever! We had the most wonderful time. I so wish we could have stayed longer. We ate tons of amazing food, hiked to Diamond Head Peak, went snorkeling and snubaing, saw a ton of sea turtles, visited Pearl Harbor, and much more! It was amazing. Having that time together was such a gift! At the same time, it made me a little sad. We do not get a lot (if any) stress free time to really *really* enjoy each other. It took a few day in Hawaii to really relax and it was so refreshing to see that side of both of us. That was priceless! I just wish we could be that way more often.

Just a few photos from Hawaii!

At the Peak of Diamond Head Crater

  

At Alan Wongs for Our Anniversary

Two Years! :)

Sunset Near Our Hotel

North Shore

North Shore

Now we are back and things are in the normal hectic full swing. I was sick over the 4th of July. Though Travis really pushed for me to go to the ER, I was obviously not bleeding out or anything so I just stayed in bed for a few days. That was no fun! The following short week, which was his first days back from vacation, was a very stressful week! Lot's of trouble with other people not planning training. Glad that's over. Then we celebrated my 23rd birthday with some friends. Travis got some good training last week. We went to a play and The Melting Pot in LA this past weekend. And now he's off to 29 Palms for a few weeks before his parents and grandmother come to visit. Whew!

Despite all that has been going on, I have started school!! My first day was actually our first full day in Hawaii but I've managed to stay on top of everything and I have As in both of my classes!!! I'm super proud I'm doing so well since it's been over two years since I left my college in Ga. This week is the halfway midterm week, which I am a bit nervous about. While I'm glad to be back in school, I already can't wait till it's over! Taking small breaking in semesters has made it feel like I've been in school forever!

Ah! I am so nervous for school!! My summer classes posted tonight and they start in just five days! I don't know why I'm so nervous. It seems like a life time since I've written a paper or studied! Two years has gone by so quickly. I think I'm just working myself into a mess. I tend to do that! Hopefully I rock these classes! Hopefully I can manage to rock them before we leave for Hawaii! Our trip and anniversary is coming up so soon!! Last night I convinced Travis we should open our anniversary gifts early. I half couldn't wait, half out of necessity so he could put leave in. I got him tickets to the Pebble Beach car show! So we are going to the car show of all car shows and then going up to San Francisco for a couple of days!! So if anyone has San Francisco recommendations, I'm all ears. I can't wait!! He can't wait!! lol It's been a long time since we've been car show-ing together. This will probably be our once in a lifetime chance. Next year he'll be deployed for Pebble Beach and the year after we should be getting ready to PCS. And I got a pasta machine! I have always wanted to try and make home made pasta! When we come back from Hawaii I will try it out and post my wonderful pasta!

Finally all of my school stuff is coming together! I have classes ready for the summer semester and it's books are on their way. I just registered for fall semester classes. I can't wait to finish! I'm not quite sure on what the spring semester will look like. I want to go full time but I don't want to overload myself either. Though "official" dates haven't been released, Travis will be deploying sometime during the beginning of the spring semester in the new year. Sooooo not looking forward to him leaving but this should at least be his last deployment for his current enlistment. That's at least something to look forward to!

Well we're off to Shelter Island for the weekend!! :) I'm so excited since we've never been. We really haven't explored San Diego as much as I thought we would have. We've been stationed here for a little over a year but Travis has been gone for like 9 months of that! There is still so much I want to see before our time here is up!