Catching Up: There...and Back!

I think I set the record for the shortest deployment ever. Most everyone knows why, but I thought I'd catch everyone else up to speed just in case...even though I am almost two months late in updating my blog. Forgive me please! I have been busy. Now that I'm back and have a little bit more time than I did pre-deployment, maybe I'll be able to keep this regularly updated. Maybe I should make it a resolution for the new year. Hmmm....we shall see.

Okay, so on November 23rd, 2008, I had everything packed and ready to go to Iraq. Shoot, everyone did. We gathered all our gear and lined them up for inspection (by the K-9 guys) at our unit's pavilion.

My bestest work buddies and I waited in anticipation....

...to load the planes that would take us on and endless flight overseas. We made stops in Wisconsin and in Germany and then arrived in Kuwait after about a day of traveling. Once we got to Kuwait, we immediately started training. We were at the range, did vehicle roll-over training and spent what seemed like countless hours in predeployment classes. It was, by no means, fun.

And what sucked even more, is that it rained for days and the flooding did not make it easy to travel to and from meetings, our sleeping tents and to the bathrooms (porta-potties = yuck!).

However, what was nice was that we all got to spend a very happy Thanksgiving over there. Our meal was spectacular!

But, in the midst of it all, I didn't notice a lot of things that were happening to my physically. For example:

• Once we finished training (which happened over a span of three days), we had a lot of down time because we were pretty much waiting on our flights out to Iraq. So I would take long naps in the afternoon. I'm not talking about cat naps, but hours-long naps. I'd take a nap right after lunch (around 1300) until about 1800, just before my evening meetings--and I'd still be dog tired. But I didn't think anything of it. I figured it was the time difference. After all, we gained 10 hours in just a few days.
• To this day, I tell this part of the story...a friend and I went running at the gym while we were there. I felt like I was about a ton heavier than normal because it was more difficult. I didn't think anything of it because it had been a while since I had done some serious PT. All the deployment preparation had hindered me from doing it. But what was particularly different was that my boobs felt so much heavier, like I should have been wearing about three or four more sports bras. They hurt! Again, didn't think anything of it...I thought it was just the recent weight gain. I was eating...A LOT. But no one else thought anything of it...they say I eat A LOT all the time--which is true.
• I was peeing like a freakin' racehorse. I only remember this vividly because it sucked to have to walk to the darn porta-potty for what seemed like every half hour (and sucked infinitely more at two or three in the morning when I was trying to sleep) and mostly in the rain since that's all it did in Kuwait at the time. No problem though...I'm always peeing. All the time.To add to the porta-potty issue...they stunk. I mean, really badly. And it never bothered me before, but man, I had a hard time trying to use the bathroom without dry heaving. Man, I dry heave now thinking about how awful it was.
• Speaking of smells, it was hard for me to walk to the dining facility just to get a meal. Anyone who has deployed before knows that there is a certain smell that eminates from the dining facility and it's not just of food. But it was so bad, I could barely make it there, let alone stomach anything to eat once I got in.

Still, I pressed on. And all the way into Iraq. I'd settled into the our humble abode below--and the smallest room I've ever had to stay in (even smaller than the room I had during my first deployment).

Once I got there, I had gotten sick and had an inkling that I was pregnant. After all, I was still tired all the time and I my back was starting to hurt a lot. And when was the last time I had had my period? Gosh, I couldn't even remember. Because I was scared to go into the PX to buy a pregnancy test (which yes, they do sell over there), I'd asked my guy friend, Joe, to do it for me. It was the night that Kid Rock and a comedian, whose name I can't remember, were on the base entertaining the Soldiers. As a group of my friends stood among the crowds listening, Joe came out of the PX and handed me a bag with a pregnancy test. Thank you Joe! I waited until 0500 the next morning to take it. And seriously, the + sign didn't take but a few seconds to pop up on that darn stick to confirm what I pretty much already knew at that point. Great scott, I'm pregnant!

I had 14 days to get out of theater, because prenatal care was just not available in our area of operations. It was hard to be excited about being pregnant. Actually, to be quite honest, I wasn't. I was disappointed to leave my friends and my Soldiers at such a crucial time. Delivering news of pregnancy to co-workers while deployed is not actually welcomed by all. Thankfully, my superiors were very supportive and offered their congratulations and a speedy and safe trip home. However, I regret that the news of my pregnancy wasn't exactly good timing for some close friends--one had to find a new roommate, and some had to change jobs to accomodate my loss. To those individuals, I am truly sorry. But I am mostly sorry to my section, whom I left behind. I know they are currently doing great things under their new leadership!

Getting home...was a feat. My goal was to get home in time for the holidays! So I had an agenda. Malu was going to be in Colorado Springs visiting my family and we wanted to suprise all of them with the news. Okay--rewind: as soon as I found out that I was pregnant, I got a hold of Malu as quickly as I could and he was excited about the news. At the time, he was still mobilizing for his deployment in Fort Dix, NJ, but was being released for five days for Christmas. Before he found out I was pregnant, he had planned to make a stop in Colorado to visit with my family. So we planned to surprise them with the news on the evening that my parents were holding a Christmas dinner in Malu's honor. So for about two weeks, I held the news from my parents. Imagine how difficult that was! So yeah, I had to fight against all odds to get to Colorado Springs on time to meet Malu at my parents' house! I won't go into all of it, but I'll break down the sequence of events. In summary....in was a nightmare.

• (3 Dec - 12 Dec): I had to be out of Iraq in 14 days. It took 9 days for my release packet to be approved and completed at Division/Brigade headquarters.
• (12 Dec - 15 Dec): No flights available out of Kirkuk, Iraq. The waiting officially starts.
• (16 Dec): I finally leave Kirkuk, Iraq and arrive in Balad, Iraq.
• (16 Dec - 17 Dec): Wait for flight in Balad, Iraq. Slept in transient tents.
• (17 Dec - 18 Dec): Depart Iraq and arrive in Kuwait; fight to get flight to States.
• (19 Dec): Depart Kuwait; stop in Germany and Iceland on the way)
• (19 Dec): lose 10 hours due to flight and arrive at Fort Dix, NJ, where incidentally, (1) there is a huge snow storm (2) and Malu is training with his unit somewhere on Fort Dix in the middle of the said snow storm. The snow storm was said to be one of the worst in history. And indeed it was. The nearest airport was Philadelphia and the roads out there were pretty much closed. Malu couldn't even come to visit me because they were trapped out in the field because of the inclement weather. Go figure. Somehow, those guys were able to get us out to the airport.
• (19 Dec - 21 Dec): After four cancelled flights and sleeping on an armchair in the overcrowded USO facility because there were no taxies departing from the airport to the hotels (all of which were booked because travelers were trapped everywhere), and after Malu booked a $700 ticket for me (while out in the field) because I was sick of my Army-booked flights getting cancelled, I was able to leave the Philadelphia Airport. Still, the flight departed Philly late and caused me to miss my connecting flight in Dayton, OH. So I had to stay overnight. At this point, I'm panicking. Malu was going to be in Colorado Springs the next day.
• (22 Dec): I prayed that God would help me make it out of Dayton, OH and into Colorado Springs by way of Minneapolis, MN. At this point, I had been traveling in the same uniform for about a week and had no toiletries, as all of my baggage had gone out to El Paso in one of m previously cancelled flights. And God truly answered prayers, because I made it to Colorado on time. Malu had been picked up by my parents an hour before and I made arrangements for a family friend (sworn to secrecy) to pick me up and keep me at her house until dinner at my parents' house.

So, pretty much, the suprise went as planned and I wish I had captured it all on tape. When I walked into the house (which was filled with all my family and extended family and friends), you would have thought those people saw a ghost. They could not believe that I was there. And my mom was completely ecstatic. She kept jumping up and down saying that she's finally going to be a grandma. And Malu could not have been smiling any wider.

So all the pain and chaos I had to endure to get home...forgotten and well worth it! Not only did I make it home in time to see my family, but Malu and I were able to head out to Utah to spend Christmas day with his family--the first time in years.

Truthfully, it wasn't until I was in the midst of family and my true friends, that I was able to finally be happy about our soon-to-be baby. I hope that doesn't sound like a bad thing, but there is so much pressure in my career field, especially as an Army officer, to not get pregnant. Honestly though, was there ever going to be a perfect time for me to have a child? There was probably always going to be another assignment, another deployment, another whatever. But my friend, Chrissy (also an officer in the Army), told me that a female general told her Captain's Career Course class that any time is the perfect time for a female in the Army to have a child--because there really is no perfect time. And you know what? I am ready. I've been ready for quite some time. And I do not feel guilty for something wonderful that is about to happen in our lives...at least not any more.

I have yet to go to visit an obstetrician. Those of you who are familiar with the Army medical system should know that, well, it sucks. Here in El Paso, we're typically not seen until we're in our 20th week. I have my first appointment on the 29th. Well, it's an orientation, so I'll actually see an OB sometime thereafter. Because I'm impatient, I'm working to get an exception to policy to be seen at a civilian facility. I'm anxious to know how officially far along I am and better yet, when I will be due. By the 29th-ish...I'll probably be able to tell if I'm having a boy or girl, so I'll keep all of you posted!

On another note, Malu departed for Iraq just before New Year's Day. I posted his mailing address on my Facebook page, in case anyone wants it. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We're definitely going to need it!

Thanks for sticking with me through this entire catch-up entry. I start a new, and probably more stressful, job at the end of this week. Still, I'll endeavor to keep this updated more frequently. And since I'll be cooking a lot more regularly in an attempt to eat healthy throughout my pregnancy, you might see my cooking blog get updated every now and then! Until next time... and to my husband, whom I know is reading this...thank you for this special gift. I look forward to starting this new chapter in our lives!

Friday is Off to a Crazy Start

For the past few days, all I've been thinking is that all I have left to do is get on that plane and leave for Iraq. But luck would not have it that way as I am currently in a coffee shop waiting on my truck to get fixed over the next two hours! I had set out to go to work this morning, only for a few hours, only to find that the back left tire of my truck was flat. It wouldn't have been so bad if this hadn't been the second time this has happened over the past three weeks. Yes, no kidding! However, I was not surprised. There is tons of construction going on all over El Paso. A nail took out the other tire and, sure enough, there was a gigundo screw stuck in this one. Unbelievable! Now, I do actually know how to change a tire, but I "begged" a guy that worked at my hotel to help me change the tire, which he did. Thankfully, Fort Bliss was just around the corner. I dropped the car off at the Firestone, took my computer, and walked down the street to the Starbucks, where I am now waiting for a friend (our unit's Chaplain) to pick me up so that we can run a few errands. Thank goodness for great friends! I'm thinking that this day can only get better for a few good reasons...

Our departure was pushed back to this Sunday, which means one very important thing...

...that I get to see New Moon! Can timing be any more perfect! It's so funny...weeks ago, when we thought we'd be leaving on the 19th, my friends and I thought, "well, guess we have to see it on bootleg!" Well, bootleg no more! I'm actually going to see it this afternoon. Hopefully the crowds won't be too huge. I got the tickets for a 2:00 show thinking that kids would still be at school and most people at work. When I saw the last movie, I was stuck in the theater with a bunch of young kids who clapped, cheered, and talked for most of it. It was so annoying!

Also great, is that I was able to talk my parents into flying in for the weekend to see me off! I thought I had everything together, but when it boiled down to it, I really wanted my family here, especially with Malu being gone. I'm so happy that they will be here, although for a short time. Now I'm hurriedly looking for things for us to do in the 1.5 days they are here.

So the last time I did my Culinary Countdown to Iraq, I left off on last Saturday at Shogun's Steakhouse. Let me just say that not having a camera seriously sucked. After searching everywhere for the battery charger, I gave up and went and bought another camera. I decided against getting a high quality camera (which I've been wanting for years) and got something more practical (one that can get banged up and dusty overseas). After I got the camera, I tried to remember to bring it with me to dinners!

On Sunday, I went to Uno's Chicago Grill in Las Cruces, New Mexico, about 45 minutes from El Paso. A friend had told me all about the place and I was glad he did. It was wonderful. Although the place is infamous for its deep dish pizzas, I indulged in their fabulous broccoli cheese soup and had a Classic Cobb Salad. So thanks to my friend, Maurice, for the suggestion!

So on Monday, a few friends and I hit up PF Chang's, one of my absolute favorites. Let me just say that I absolutely love their Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I started off with one of those and finished it BY MYSELF. Oh yes, I can eat! But as you see below, we stopped at nothing to have more, more, and more food. Almond and Cashew Chicken, Beef Broccoli...yum!

After a while, eating out gets kind of old, so I opted for a break on Tuesday and can't really remember what I ended up eating. But I was in for a treat, because Wednesday, I met up with my Auntie Daisy at the Tara Thai Restaurant in downtown El Paso. Voted the best restaurant in El Paso this year, the place serves up a mean pad thai, which is pictured below.

Having been there only once before, I could not remember how big the portions were, so I ordered double the pad thai, which is great because I ended up having it for leftovers on Thursday night. So it's been a delicious few days. I can't believe I'll be giving it up for the dining facility and a much healthier diet for a year!

Well, it's Friday and who knows where I'll be eating today. My parents won't arrive until late this evening, so I'll be on my own. I'll have to clue you guys in later. And look at that! Time has flown by and my truck is just about done. Thanks for keeping me company you guys! Until next time...

M & M Do Philadelphia!

While I was on block leave last week, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit Malu, who was also fortunate enough to get a few days off from his mobilization training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Since Philadelphia is about a 45-minute drive from Fort Dix, we wanted to spend one full day there just getting to know the city and to spend some much-needed time together, relaxing before both of our deployments to Iraq.

The last time I was in the northeast was when my family was stationed at Fort Drum, NY from 1991 to 1996 and before that, we had been stationed at Fort Hamilton, NY in the late 1980's. One of the things I loved about being in this part of the country was being near water and having to cross cool bridges, like this one. Here is the Benjamin Franklin bridge we crossed to get into Philadelphia. I took this picture from our rental car.

Also in Philadelphia, Malu and I met up with a few of our historic friends at the Constitution Center. We truly enjoyed that place. There was a fantastic video presentation on how the Constitution was drafted and spectacular exhibits all over the center.

And we had good timing...because that whole week the Constitution Center featured an exhibit honoring Princess Diana. We were able to catalog her entire life and view some of her most treasured jewels and dresses. It was phenomenal. Not to mention, we got into the place for free, being in the military and all. A total savings of $46. Can't beat that! I love being in the military (most of the time)!

Malu also got to ring the infamous Liberty Bell! Okay, not really. But we surely got to see it in all its glory. We were relieved. We'd arrived to the place not five minutes before it was supposed to close. Whew!

Soon, it darkened, and we were starving! So we had to walk around to find a place to eat. And there were soooo many choices! What sucked was that I was stupid enough to wear heels that day and ended up getting blisters. We had to go into a Ross store to get me some more comfortable shoes. Hey, while we were there, Malu picked up a really sweet jacket, so we both made out! In any case, after trekking a good part of the city, we stumbled upon Chinatown. Here I am at the entrance!

One of our favorite Asian cuisines is that of the Vietnamese. We found a really cool restaurant and had our beloved cold noodle bowls, complete with grilled shrimp, beef, and eggrolls. To die for! They even had our favorite bubble (boba) tea drinks that we took to go and to walk through the rest of the city! Here is Malu with his mango boba in front of the restaurant!

Going to Philly was one of the few things that Malu and I were able to do in our short time together. There NEVER seems to be enough time! I was devastated when I had to take him back to Fort Dix, and even more depressed to make the drive back (alone!) to Philadelphia to catch my flight back to El Paso. But have no fear, folks! Malu and I will be reunited when we get to Iraq! He'll be joining me there in January. Although we will be in different bases, he may have the opportunity to visit me from time to time, so wish us luck!

At any rate, I will be departing next weekend and it has been a busy past few days. Heck, it's been busy for months now, but I'm packing up all my stuff this week and I've got so much more to do. As a matter of fact, the movers will be packing me up for the next two days and loading my stuff on Wednesday. As such, today, I've been busily readying both my apartment and the two storage units I have across town. Arghhh!!! I hate moving! Hard to believe that around the same time last year, I was preparing to move out of our new house to El Paso.

Since, in the next year, I will be deprived of the most delicious of foods and confined to eating at a dining facility EVERYDAY, a few friends and I have decided to indulge in our most favorite foods every night until our departure. It started on Friday and I will be blogging about all of these places as we go along.

On Friday, a whole bunch of my co-workers and I hit El Paso's infamous Cattlemen's Steakhouse in Fabens, Texas, which is about a 20-minute drive from home. I was forewarned to get there on an empty stomach and this place did not disappoint! Along with a cocktail drink, I had some ribs, a 6-ounce filet mignon, some shrimp, and all the trimmings (including pineapple-laced coleslaw, beans, and rolls!). I also did not forget the dessert--I had chocolate mousse! To die for! Wish I could have taken pictures, but I'm missing my camera battery charger at the moment. Otherwise, I would also have taken pictures of the meal that I had at Shogun Steakhouse last night. It's one of those hibachi places and long story short, I had the steak and shrimp meal and ate every last bite!

Still haven't decided what to eat for dinner tonight, but I cannot wait! Is this crazy or what? On the contrary, this is necessary! Anyway, please continue to keep Malu and I in your prayers as we move into Iraq soon. I will post both of our addresses soon!

Malu, if you're reading this, be safe in your training and your travels. I hope to see you soon! Love you!

Aetonu Family Update

As most of you know, Malu redeployed over two weeks ago and he and I have been spending some much needed time together both in Colorado and here in El Paso. Well, time certainly passes by so quickly, especially when you don't want it to. Because now, Malu is enjoying some vacation time in Long Beach with his sister, Lulu. I said goodbye to him this morning before facing my extremely busy work day....it was not fun. I was all tears! From there, he will spend a few weeks in both Hawaii and American Samoa with more family, namely his parents and younger brother, Vaea. While he spends his time with them on those beautiful islands, I will be enjoying an all-expense paid trip to the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California--hell on earth! My unit is doing a train-up for our upcoming deployment in November. Speaking of deployments, while Malu was laid over in Phoenix on his way to California, he got word that he will deploy in November as well--and to Iraq! We're not quite sure where he'll be or if he'll even be close enough to me, but I'm thankful we'll at least be in the same country and on the same deployment cycle. What sucks is that when I return from NTC on or about 4 October, he will return from his vacation on 6 October and has to report to Fort Dix, New Jersey on 10 October--which leaves us with only a few days to spend together. It will be difficult, but again, we'll be on the same deployment cycle and it'll be easier for us to plan on what to do upon our return. The plan for now is for Malu to go back on active duty. He'll most likely go to the only active duty psychological operations battalion in the Army, which happens to be located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina! From there, he will try to go to Special Forces selection, which means more school--still at Fort Bragg. So, looks like I'll be heading back that way in the future! Nothing set in stone, but that's how we see the next few years going down. So please, keep us both in your thoughts and prayers! We can sure use a lot of both! Well, see you all a month from now. Hopefully, NTC won't be as bad as I'm imagining it to be and I'll have some good stories to tell!

My Mini Vacay

The past two weeks have been a window of "opportunity leave" for our battalion. Since I took two weeks of leave in May when Malu was here and I intend to take some leave next month when he returns (and I've already confirmed that this is okay with my boss--he'd better keep his word!), I opted just to take a 4-day pass over the weekend. I didn't want to fly back home to Colorado Springs and I sure as heck wasn't going to drive, so I made it a point to stay busy the entire weekend. I'd previously read a magazine on El Paso and the surrounding areas and found some places of interest to visit! It's amazing how much you find when you actually take a moment to go and look. My first stop--Hueco Tanks State Historic Site. Hueco is Spanish for hollows and refers to the many water-holding depressions or pools that are found throughout the grounds, which are considered sacred to many Native Americans. The place is considered the premier spot for bouldering (which, I've learned, is rock climbing at heights low enough where ropes aren't necessary) and is inundated with hikers and climbers even on the hottest of El Paso days--which is precisely what Friday was. I had a guided tour of the grounds and it was quite a workout! If you're in the El Paso area and haven't checked this place out yet, you must! It's absolutely gorgeous. Those pools are full of interesting little creatures, the workout is awesome, and the view from the top is fantastic!

The first "hueco" I ran into. There were so many mosquitoes in there, I was eaten alive!

The guide was able to take a picture of me nestled into the rock...I had to hold on tight!

One of the bigger "huecos" that I ran into...and it was the highest one I'd reached

I climbed/hiked as high as I could go on that scorching hot morning. Scary!

Yesterday, my friend and co-worker, Jennifer, took me to her grandmother's church--the historic Ysleta Mission Church--for it's annual festival, complete with FOOD, live entertainment (including music and traditional dances), rides and other family fun events. I've noticed tons of church festivals around El Paso, but Jennifer insists this is the most popular as the Ysleta Mission Church is the most historic in the city. To learn more about the Ysleta Mission, click here. After sunset and the temperature cooled off, I had to agree that she was right. Flocks of people poured into the church area and the place was bumping--music and all--until the late evening. We got more than our fair share of festival food--roasted corn, gorditas, funnel cakes, aguas frescas--DELICIOUS! It was a blast. One of the highlights of my day and my new-found love....Jenn's son, Dominic. He is pictured below and is an absolute doll!

Our favorite part of the festival...the FOOD!

Children performing traditional dances in front of the Ysleta Mission Church

More Dancers

Love the Dresses!

This is the new love of my life--Jenn's son, Dominic

Lexi, Jenn, Jenn's Cousin and I at the Festival

Today, on the last day of my 4-day, I decided to take a short trip to Old Mesilla, New Mexico (see above), which is almost an hour west of El Paso. Mesilla, or "Little Tableland" is the most visited community in Southern New Mexico and is perhaps most well-known for hosting the trial of Billy the Kid, the infamous 19th century American Frontier outlaw. Many of the town's original, traditional adobe structures still stand today, although they have been restored and modified throughout the years due to technology and style. The charm and "hearty folk" qualities of the town, however, still remain. All my close family and friends know that I absolutely love old, historic towns and shopping for trinkets and souvenirs. Old Mesilla did not disappoint, as I left with a few bottles of locally produced wine and Mexican-style potteries.

Old Mesilla Village Square

Beautiful Handmade Rugs

The Building that Housed the Trial of Billy the Kid

A fountain in one of the town's most popular restaurants--love the tile designs!

Unfortunately, it is the end of my four-day mini vacation and I am absolutely dreading going to work. With our impending deployment, we are getting increasingly busy and within the next few weeks, we will go to the field and then head out to Fort Irwin to spend some time at the National Training Center. We will be there for the entire month of September. Thus, we will not be having any free time for a while. But it was fun while it lasted!

Just a request...on July 10, my father-in-law was admitted into the hospital in American Samoa for what all of us in the States thought was a heart attack. Instead, he experienced chest and back spasms and was sent to the hospital. He was said to have an aneurism and is currently functioning on one kidney. He is projected to be flown to Hawaii for surgery once his blood pressure decreases. I ask for your prayers for him and his entire family; especially Malu, who is still trying to get through the end of his deployment with all of this on his mind. Thanks to everyone for your continued love and support! Oh, and maybe my one-entry-a-week was a little bit over-zealous of me. Thanks to everyone who took the time to actually send me reminders. Even my co-worker, Amanda, was so kind enough to tell me that I was slacking...and didn't even know that she followed my blog! Craziness. I do thank her for the kick in the butt, though. I guess what I'm saying is....I'll blog when I can. I hope everyone has a blessed week!

Malu's R&R from Iraq

Hello! In case anyone forgot who I am since I haven't blogged in AGES, let me re-introduce myself. My name is Michelle and.....ha ha ha! Seriously, it has been forever since I've mustered the energy to blog. It's mostly been my job...okay, it's only been my job, and I just haven't had the time. Or maybe i just didn't make time. Whatever. Since I've missed blogging so much, I've decided that I'm going to post at least one blog a week until I deploy at the end of the year. In fact, I promise to do so. So my fellow bloggers, please help me keep this promise and send me a message anytime you see me starting to slack again!

Anyway, for the past two weeks, my sweet love, Malu, was here for his R&R from Iraq. Not knowing exactly when he would arrive in El Paso, we didn't make any big plans--only to visit family in Utah and Colorado, since we are big-time home bodies anyway. It was all so wonderful! I'm sad to say that he left this morning and I've been a wreck since he left the airport. I'm just wondering where all the time went, and even more so, when all these good-byes are going to get easier. Probably never.

Just taking a stroll down our R&R memory lane...when Malu showed up at the airport, I picked him up in our brand new Jeep Commander. The only thing is, Malu didn't even know that we (or I, rather) had purchased it the week before. So it was a complete surprise to him too. He wasn't all too upset, but quickly warmed up to his new ride. A few days later, we packed our bags, loaded the Jeep, and head out to Utah to see Malu's family.

This was my second trip to Utah to see Malu's family. My first visit had been in July 2006, so it was a long time coming and it was so great to see everyone--Malu's grandparents, his aunt and uncle, his cousins and even his sister, Lulu, flew out from California to be with us. Here is a picture of the gang at a local buffet in Ogden, Utah. The food was absolutely marvelous there--and even better at Grandma's house! We spent the majority of our time with the kids and sharing memories and laughs with Malu's grandparents. We were so sad we had to leave...but happy that we still had more family to see in Colorado.

Our first stop in Colorado? A Flores de Mayo celebration for the Fil-Am Community. We literally arrived on a Saturday afternoon, dropped off our bags at my parents' house, took showers, and head over to this party. Typical. But it was so nice to see the entire community, who have given Malu and I so much support over the years. Here, we're taking a picture with my brother and some of our close friends.

Besides seeing my family, Malu and I were able to spend time with our baby girl, Lucy. Back in March, I drove up to Colorado from Texas to drop Lucy off with my parents. I'd become accustomed to working 12-15 hour days (I know, ludicrous!) and I didn't feel it right for Lucy to be neglected like that. So, I thought it best that I leave her with mom and dad, where she has the company of my entire extended family as well as their dogs, Rusty and Misty. Here's our little fur-baby with her daddy! They're about to go for a long walk.

A few days before we left, mom and dad threw a huge party for us at the house. I don't have a picture here, but you would not believe how much food and how many people came. It was ridiculous! I swear, in total, I gained five pounds the entire weekend!

Another cool thing...Malu and I were able to meet our first (and only--so far) godson--Joshua James Tajuna--son to our closest friends (practically family), Charisse and Jacques. He was born, I believe, on May 8th and is a precious bundle of joy! Malu and I can't wait to see him grow and even more so, to give him a little playmate. But that's way down the road!

After visiting with family, we ended up spending Malu's last few days here in El Paso, just doing what we do best--lounging around, laughing, being silly, talking and getting reconnected. It's funny, despite how long we've been separated (and how often) we always seem to fall right back to where we left off. How comforting is that? It's also so makes our relationship that much more exciting. Absence really and truly does make the heart grow fonder.

Well, everytime Malu leaves, I always make it a point to take a picture of him getting ready to go. Here he is with that million-dollar smile early this morning. As always, he was a good sport, offering me encouraging words and doing his best to remain composed as I was falling apart at the seams, crying sporadically even up to a few days before his departure. I thank God for giving me a patient, understanding, and caring husband.

Not sure what the months ahead look like, other than the fact that I will deploy by the end of the year. Malu is trying to extend in Iraq so that he can be with me during my tour. If not, he will redeploy in September and attempt to re-mobilize for another deployment to Afghanistan. These are such busy times! Please keep us both in your prayers!

I just spoke to Malu a few minutes ago and he was about to board his flight to Kuwait. Baby, I love you and miss you so much. Thanks for a wonderful two weeks! Have a safe trip back and be safe on all your missions and travels.

Rest in Peace, Uncle Olo!

I haven't been great about blogging lately, I know. Tonight, I have cause to make an entry. My "Fort Bragg Daddy", as I called him, passed away today from a heart attack. Mr. Solomona Olo was a mentor, a confidante, and my father figure while I was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 2002 to 2007. As the pastor to the Samoan Congregational Church he was one of the first in the Samoan Community to welcome me with open arms. He, his lovely wife, Faye, and his children were my family away from home and I am deeply saddened by this tragedy. On the other hand, I am comforted by the knowledge that he is now in heaven with our Father and smiling down on all of us. Thank you Uncle Olo for all the great memories and the support that you provided not just to me, but to the Fort Bragg community.

This picture was taken on the late night that I redeployed from Iraq in 2005. Because my family was unable to make it, Uncle Olo and his family were there to greet me. You will never be forgotten. I love you! May God be with Auntie Faye and the rest of the Olo family during this difficult time.