I was going to wait till Veterans Day... but.....

My husband has been my husband for 2 years. (Almost). I have known my husband for 9 years. He was my friend for 7 years before we got married. He has a Mechanical Engineering Technology Degree from Purdue and he really likes to play beer pong. He is addicted to computers. He likes the history channel and the military channel. He can push all my buttons at once and it makes me laugh even though I am so mad at him i could cry. He cried with joy when when HE read the "You're Pregnant" on the pregnancy test. He painted my sons bedroom when he had a little too much to drink. He puts up with my bipolar. He puts up with my spending habits. He puts up with me.
He overcame diversity when he was three months old and was adopted by his parents. he knows he's asian. He knows he's awesome.
My husband went to basic training a week after he graduated from Purdue. Not by force, by CHOICE. He didn't do ROTC, his college was paid for. He didn't HAVE to join. He did it because he thought... No, he KNEW it was his duty.

My husband is a soldier in the US Army.

My husband is my hero.

My husband makes me proud every morning at 4.55 am when he wakes up and get's ready for Physical Training. He makes me proud at 8.50 am when he's showered and changed and ready to go in his army uniform. He makes me proud when he comes home at 5.35pm and takes a shower and puts his pajamas on. He makes me proud when he has to work over nights, when he works late, when he's on training, when he's at school......

My Husband Makes Me Proud.

In a month we will celebrate Veterans day. The day we honor those who serve our country so that I can go to college. So that I can study art. So that my son can have a decent chance to do something good. So that I can vote for Barack Obama. So that I can sit here on a sunday night slightly buzzed from beer. So that my friend Sara can teach Japanese in Japan. So that my friend Lindsey can be happily married to her wife. So that us Americans can be FREE.
I know that I sometimes pretend that I am Australian. Sometimes I hate this country (when I remember columbine, and when I think about our healthcare system).... when I realize I will not make money as an artist, or an art teacher.......

but that does not mean I am not proud of my husband and all of our friends that serve our country so selflessly. Who still like to come home and play beer pong after working on helicopters all day.

For the past couple of weeks I have been listening to this song by Toby Keith. 'American Soldier'. I remember this song and others like it after 9/11. But it hasn't been until this year that I really felt it.
I know I am counting down until June 10th, 2010. But, I'm counting down for my husband to be 100% safe. Not for him to get out of serving his country.

So - I will leave you with the lyrics to 'American Soldier'.

And to all you Veterans.

From the Bottom of my heart.
Thankyou.

And drew -
I love you.


I'm just trying to be a father
Raise a daughter and a son
Be a lover to their mother
Everything to everyone
Up and at 'em, bright and early
I'm all business in my suit
Yeah, I'm dressed for success
From my head down to my boots

I don't do it for money, there's still bills that I can't pay
I don't do it for the glory, I just do it anyway
Providing for our future's my responsibility
Yeah, I'm real good under pressure, being all that I can be

And I can't call in sick on Mondays
When the weekend's been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays
And sometimes all night long
You can bet that I stand ready
When the wolf growls at the door
Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady
Hey, I'm true down to the core

And I will always do my duty, no matter what the price
I've counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice
Oh, and I don't want to die for you
But if dyin's asked of me
I'll bear that cross with an honor
Cause freedom don't come free
I'm an american soldier, an american
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy, I will always do what's right
I'm out here on the frontlines, sleep in peace tonight
American soldier, I'm an American soldier
Yeah, an American soldier, an American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy, I will always do what's right
I'm out here on the frontlines, so sleep in peace tonight
American soldier, I'm an American
An American
An American soldier

Everyone else is doing it.....

What were you doing ten years ago?
1998 - Hmmmm..... I was living in Australia, getting ready to move back to America. My dad and Roxanna were in the middle of a nasty break up and I was living with friends of my Dads.

What are five (Non-work) things on my to-do list for today?
1. Help Sara decorate for her husbands(Travis) surprise birthday party at my house.
2. Clean my house for the party.
3. Take care of Alex (of Course!).
4. Do the Laundry.
5. Make Travis's 'pimp' cup for tonight!

Five snacks I enjoy!
1. Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies
2. Red Bull
3. Chips and Dip or Salsa
4. fruit
5. cereal

Things I would do if I were a billionaire
1. Pay off my student loans, and heathers, and my brothers.
2. Buy a house for my father, and one for my mom and one for Doug, my way-ward brother.
3. Take Drew, Alex, and a bunch of friends on a cruise or to vegas, or somewhere fun.
4. Buy a house for Drew, Alex and I in indianapolis.
5. Donate to Muscular Dystrophy.

Places I have lived
Singleton, Australia
Snells Beach, New Zealand
Okinawa, Japan
Indianapolis, Indiana
Banning, California

5 Jobs I have had
1. Server for Special Occasions in Australia at the Bowls Club.
2. Hairdressers Assistant at the Looking Glass in Australia
3. Dog Groomer
4. Carpenter for Ball State Theatre department.
5. Runner/Pee-on for Emens Auditorium in Muncie, Indiana

5 Things I want to do before I die
1. Take my whole family and rent a house on the Outer Banks for vacation
2. Go to Europe
3. Have two more children
4. Get my degree and masters degree
5. Move back to australia.

The ups and downs of being manic-depressive

Ehg. This week has just been one long drawn out depressed zone of yuckiness. Oh well. Hopefully I will get out of my funk soon enough.
I started working at the petsmart here in town on monday, and i have to work in a couple of hours. I'm really worried that I'm going to crash and burn before the end of this semester, and school hasn't even started yet. I'm freaking out because I don't think I'm going to graduate with my art degree before Drew gets out and we move, which means I'm going to have to just fall back and get my theatre degree - or stay here with alex for another semester after drew leaves. Ugh. At that point we will have another baby too. Maybe I should just give up and stay home and make babies. ...... no offense but BORING.
I apologise for this craptaskticness.

I'm done.

Oh dear, and other things.

So, I'm bad, I over-promised and under-delievered and now I suck. Sorry. But..... I've been busy. Yea, yea, you say - but really, I have. First there was the wedding extraveganza and then we went to Las Vegas, and then came home to normalness for about two weeks, and then went camping for 4 days AND THEN, Alex and I moved to indianapolis for a month to help Heather out with Ben while Matt was in California. So needless to say, the past two months have been rediculous. And, to top off on all that - i forgot how to spell. Can't you tell?
Ha.
So, Alex and I are back in Tennessee, finally to stay, at least until I get another bug up my butt and want to go somewhere. We got back on Tuesday night and for the past two days I have been unpacking and organizing and getting ready to go back to school in a couple of weeks. We start back the 26th and I'm already stressed!! To top THAT off, I'm going to be working this semester, like really working, at PetSmart because I need money. And they can give it to me.
AND Drew pretty much let our house shit on itself for a month, so now I've been trying to get the yard (front and back) put back together so that we don't look like the trashiest house on the street. But I think the abandoned house next door takes that cake, no matter what ours looks like!
There really isn't much else to say. Alex still isn't walking, and I don't think he will for awhile. He goes back to day-care on Monday, and I am sad - but I need a break, and will take it!! I'm glad that we have the option for me to have a break - even though next week I will be running around going to various doctors appointments. I think I have one everyday... so not much of a break, but at least it's something.
Drew leaves the end of september until right before my birthday, so that will suck - but I can handle it. I've done it before and will do it again.
OH - guess what I get to do for my birthday??? I'm going to Monday Night Football - Colts VS Titans!!!! YAY. My husband is the greatest!

oops - alex just woke up and drew is about to be home from work - back to my life!!!!

Update (again) - part ONE!!

Well, we just got home from travelling for the past two weeks. Drew, Alex and I left tuesday, June 10th for Indianapolis and our faux wedding. We stayed with Heather Tuesday and Wednesday night. Tuesday night we went to a bar on the Southside - Bubba's and met up with some of Drews friends from high school, drank some beers and ate some wings. Wednesday I was hungover (thanks to cheap tequila in my margaritas). Wednesday night we were going to go out downtown Indy and up to Ruths Chris to see matt, but I was exhausted as was drew and heather, so we stayed in. It turns out Peyton Manning went into Ruths and we missed him! Matt was very dissapointed in us!
Thursday drew and i moved into the Sheraton on the northside and went about our business getting things together for the party. Thursday night Drew, Heather, Matt and I went to Scotty's Brewhouse for some beers, martinis and dinner. It was delicious and a great time!!! (I came out much soberer then the first time I went there - when I spent $80 on shots for people!!). Heather and I had a 'flight' of martini's. They were three 4 ounce martini's in themes. Heather had the 'Keep the doctor away' and I had the unwind. Mine had a margatini (not a fan) and a lemon drop (very yummy!). Friday we tried to just relax all day - haha. I dropped drew off at his mom's to do laundry and Jessica (the babysitter) and I ran errands around the northside of indianapolis. We pick drew up around 2 and then he went to get my brother, chris, from the airport in a torrential down-pour!!! It took them about an hour and a half to drive back to the hotel - it usually takes about half and hour!!! So, during this time Jessica and I got ready and got alex ready for our drinks and appetizers at Ruths Chris's. We were supposed to be there by five. My crazy mother-in-law was there at around 4 wondering where we were!!! Drew and Chris got back to the hotel around 5 and we got ready and were at the resturant by 5:15. We had a Great time!!!! Much drinking and eating was done by everyone!!! We all had a great time and spent a lot of my father-in-laws money. But, just his side (including drews mom's side) of the family alone drank about $2000 worth of alcohol in the course of 3 hours, so they couldn't complain either!!!
It was awesome hanging out with my brother - as heather calls him - her second husband.... :) After dinner we went back to the hotel and Chris, Heather, Jessica, and James got into the hot tub for awhile - that was also fun and relaxing.


Ok - that was Tuesday until Friday -

Saturday and Sunday will be part two and then vegas will be part three!!!
Meanwhile - I've got to get drew, alex and I packed for Jazz on the Lawn at the winery here - Beachhaven - we haven't been before, but I'm excited. We're going to take some chicken and food from KFC, drink a couple of bottles of wine, and listen to some good music!!!



so -

to be continued!!!!

UPDATE!!

Oh my. Sorry about the long break in between updates. I had to finish finals. That was a job in of itself. Then I went back to work semi-full time. That tired me out (it's been forever since I groomed dogs more then one day a week!!). Then we bought a house to flip. That is crazy.
Ok -
one by one -
Alex update: Alex can now pull up to his feet!!!! It's very exciting. Now we have to take all the batteries out of the remote control so that he doesn't change the channel when he gets up on the coffee table. There really is no stopping him now. He officially is in that stage of stranger anxiety, and wanting his momma. The other day when I left his daycare he cried for the first time. That's weird to me!! It breaks my heart, but at the same time I'm like great! Now I won't get anything done!!! He is definately his fathers child however, he constantly runs for the computer, speaker cords, tv, anything electronic - it's all over!!

Drew update: Drew didn't have to go to the school this week he thought he was going to have to do, but instead he's been busy at work with change of command ceremonies. A whole bunch of people are retiring, or getting promoted or moving, so he has to get plaques and inventories and other Army stuff done before everyone leaves. But, he is officially in charge of his shop now, the other Sargeant retires this month. He has also been working on the house, last weekend was all the demolition and this weekend it looks like there will be more of the same!

Amber update: I passed school with flying colors. I made it on the Deans list, and if it hadn't been for a B in my Drawing class (thanks to a dumb teacher), i would've had a 4.0. But, oh well. My mothers day was..... disappointing (mainly because of my husband). I've been busy working and running around pricing things for this new house. I'm also trying to get ready for our faux wedding in June and vacation to Vegas, which is coming up FAST and I am crazy busy.
Well, I guess that's about it. Just living life, one day at a time!!!

Welcome back to the land of the dead... soon to be living!

Well, my whole house is on quarintine. Nevermind the spelling. Drew is sick. And he never gets sick. Alex is sick. But he always gets sick. I have a hurrendous cough and allergies. (Again, nothing new). Molly keeps eating the food that alex throws on the floor and has disgusting, nasty, vomit-worthy diarhea. Thank god that after roscoe left she stopped pooping in the house. Hopefully. Tomorrow is the last day of class and I'm not going. I didn't go yesterday or today either. I'm trying to take care of my sick men.

I have a favor to ask - yes, again. But this time it is a selfless one. A little boy, Hunter, that went to daycare with Alex was accidently run over by his step-father last friday. Hunter passed away as a result, and I just wanted you all to pray for Hunters mommy. I have no idea what I would do if this happened to me. The closest has been when my aunts ex-husband ran over her dog. And that was a dog, and not even my dog. So, please keep Hunters Mom in your prayers and goodwishes.


I have to go sleep, I've been up since 4 am with sickies. Bleh. Sorry for the short blog, will write more soon!!