tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49017175505484949212024-02-18T17:40:03.207-08:00A Sun-Kissed LifeChessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-50417903777528422082015-02-04T14:30:00.000-08:002015-02-04T14:30:17.680-08:00Mike's Post-All about my hospital stay<div class="MsoNormal">
Hello everyone! This blog entry will be a little
different. I’m Mike, Chessie's husband,
and I've hijacked her blog today to write about a pretty huge event/obstacle in
our lives recently. For all our friends
and family, these are the details for what has been a bit cloudy in our posts
on FB. This promises to be long-winded
but there’s a point to it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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First of all, my
story is not as tough as some have experienced, but I felt I needed to get my
testimony out. I have had a continuing medical issue for
about 7 years. In 2014 it began causing
more problems, culminating in a trip to the ER in November that caused me to
miss two weeks of work. So the doctors
and I decided it was time to schedule a surgery to remove the part of my
intestine causing the problem. On January 6th, my wife and I packed a hospital bag, since I was told I’d have to stay
for 3-4 days. Extra clothes, toiletries,
a book, cellphone charger and… Cookie. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Cookie is a doll
that belonged to my daughter Makayla from the time she was 4. At the time, her mother, Celena, and I had already
divorced. However, Celena and I were
both active duty Air Force and stationed here in Hawaii. When Makayla was 6, her mom got orders to
change station to the mainland. I knew
this was coming but it was very hard for me, knowing that I’d only get to see
my daughter for the summers. Makayla
gave me her favorite doll, Cookie, and filled it with hugs, so that I could get
a hug from my daughter anytime I needed it.
It’s a tradition that we have had for years, and she still "refills"
Cookie with fresh hugs when she visits, 10 years later. It sounds silly, but I will fight you over
that doll. Don’t test me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Being prepped for the first surgery.</div>
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So I had the surgery
on the 6<sup>th</sup> as planned, which the doctors said was a great
success. I seemed to be recovering quickly and they
decide to discharge me a couple days later.
However, right before Chessie arrived to take me home, I started feeling…
not so great. My symptoms included a
resting heart-rate of 140 and a temp of 103.
Needless to say, there was much fussing over me that night. I was moved to the ICU, but the doctors
assured me that it was just because they didn't have anywhere else for me at
that moment and they wanted to keep a little closer eye on me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Over the next two
days, I had lots of tests done on me.
Urine, blood, x-rays, CT scans, all of which came back negative. My condition didn't improve. These two days were the scariest of my
life. Something was wrong with me, and
the doctors couldn't figure out what. The
doctors tried to be reassuring but Chessie and I saw worry in their eyes every
time they came in. How long could my
heart handle beating at 130-140 beats a minute?
At what point do the doctors exhaust all their options? My daughter, my mom and dad, people I would
want to see if I were leaving this world were all so far away. At the same time I was terrified for my new
wife. Could she be a widow less than a
year into our marriage? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Nonetheless, Chessie
and I would hold hands, pray with the chaplain, talk (when I wasn't passing out
from exhaustion and narcotic painkillers), and pass the time while we waited
for the doctors to do another test or give us some news. I also almost completely emptied Cookie of
her supply of Makayla's hugs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Cookie!</div>
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On the third day,
the doctors told me that the only thing they could do at this point was an
exploratory surgery. This was terrifying
because Chessie was on her way to see me and I didn't really get any
notice. They said they were taking me
back to operate and the only thing I could do was text my wife that I was about
to go into surgery and hand my phone to the nurse to put away. When I woke up, Chessie was there. The doctors told me they had found the
problem and fixed it. A "nick" in my
intestine caused by withdrawal of the surgical robot arm thingy after the first
surgery. Apparently the "nick" was about
4 inches long and caused intestinal waste to spill into the abdominal cavity,
which is what was causing my problems. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My biggest incision. It's looking MUCH better now. </div>
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I immediately started getting better. I improved a little every day. All the while, my wife and Cookie standing
vigil at my side. And at night, when
Chessie went home, the lights were out and the hospital was quiet, except the
beeping of IV pumps, and the occasional nurse who would come in to shove a
fresh needle into me somewhere, I would talk to God. It was a comfort, at a time in my life when
comfort was very scarce. It wasn't until
I began improving that the doctors validated our worries and told us how
serious the situation had become. One of
my doctors told me she was "very very worried", and Chessie and I saw her eyes
well up with tears for a moment. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The first time we were able to cuddle after more than a week.</div>
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Fifteen days after I
checked into the hospital, I finally got to return home with the love of my
life. There was the pain of a very large
incision and it was very unnerving to not have the medical care close by if I
needed it… But it was home. Now, as I
write this, I’m getting a little stronger and feeling better every day. I have a bit of a road ahead of me,
especially as far as stamina. 15 days in
a hospital bed doesn't do much for your cardio.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the Air Force, we
talk a lot about "resilience". It’s the
topic of lots of briefings that no one wants to go to. It’s a fancy term for the pillars we use to
get through tough times in our lives.
Religion, family, community, friends, hobbies, anything that you can
lean when the going gets tough. I work
in a field with a lot of brilliant people.
It seems in our small community that religion is often not a popular
belief, and I know a lot of people who don’t put stock in things that they
can’t see and touch. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I guess the reason I felt compelled to write this post, is
that I think everyone should believe in something. Sure, believing in God isn't fashionable or
logical in the minds of some. But
believe in something. Fate, karma,
positive thoughts, whatever can get you through the tough times. For my ordeal, I had my wife, and I had my
faith, and I CHOSE to believe that hugging a silly little doll somehow
connected me to my daughter thousands of miles away. If I hadn't had those pillars, I would have
crumbled. Allow yourself to put faith in
something greater than yourself now.
Build and maintain those pillars of strength so they are there when you
need them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today I am flying
alone to Tucson to buy gemstones and minerals, the raw materials I use in my passion
of creating wire sculpture jewelry. This
is a trip that I planned back in November.
I know that without God, my amazing wife, and a silly little rag doll
named Cookie that I would not be able to go. <o:p></o:p></div>
Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-58694653417482287112014-11-01T19:10:00.000-07:002014-11-01T19:19:18.444-07:00My Vegan Journey <div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">*Disclaimer*
This might seem like a really random post, considering my last post was
announcing my engagement...in January. Sorry about the lapse, but this is one
I've been meaning to write for a while.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">In honor of World Vegan Day, I thought I'd
share why I stopped eating meat. While this is a subject<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>very</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>important
to me, I'm not trying to sound judgmental or self-righteous. Veganism is about
compassion and peace, not waging war against those who haven't made the same
choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I've been interested in vegetarianism/veganism
for a couple years. In 2011, I read a book called<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Kind-Diet-Simple-Feeling/dp/1609611357" target="_blank">The Kind Diet</a></i>. It was a gentle
nudge towards compassionate eating, full of pictures of cute cows and sweet
little piggies. I went vegetarian for a month, to see how I felt. Towards the
end of that month, I met Mike. We started dating and eating out and it just
became "easier" for me to go back to old eating habits. I was not yet
ready.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">My dad has been a vegan for a few years. When I
stayed with my parents for a few months before leaving Las Vegas, we talked a
lot about his decision. Despite working out on a regular basis for the last 15
years, he still had high cholesterol and some extra weight he just couldn't
drop. He had made the choice to give up meat, dairy and eggs solely for
the health benefits. His cholesterol is now perfect and he's the
healthiest he's ever been. Every time we discussed it, he'd tell me he's 100%
happy with his decision, but I was not yet ready.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In May 2014, Mike and I honeymooned in Maui. While
we were there, we visited</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.leilanifarmsanctuary.org/" target="_blank">Leilani
Farm Sanctuary</a><span style="font-size: small;">. This was my absolute favorite part of our honeymoon. It was
very hands-on and Laurelee Blanchard, the woman running the farm, was so kind
and informative. We met goats, donkeys, deer, chickens, pigs and
more. I loved meeting every animal and looking into their sweet faces. I
held an adorable chicken while she ate an apple out of my hand and I felt</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>something</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>stirring
in my heart. I was almost ready.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">In July, I watched a documentary called<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegucated/146947672024544" target="_blank">'Vegucated'</a>. It followed 3 regular
people as they adopted a vegan lifestyle for six weeks. Part of the documentary
shows just what goes on in slaughterhouses and factory farms all across the
country. It completely opened my eyes to the truth behind the
meat/dairy/egg industry. In the back of my mind, I always knew the animals
probably weren't living on some happy farm, just waiting to be magically turned
into someone's dinner. However, I can honestly say, I had no idea just how
horrific the conditions are in factory farms. Seeing undercover video of how
cows, calves, pigs, and chickens were treated literally made me sick to my
stomach. I remembered the sweet faces of all those animals I'd met in
Maui. <span style="background: white;">The disconnect I'd had
between farm animals and how they ended up on the table was gone. In that
moment, I was ready. </span><br />
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">My immediate decision was to
stop eating meat, but I knew I wanted to also quit eggs and dairy. Those
animals have it<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>just
as bad</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>as the ones awaiting slaughter. I started reading and watching
anything else I could find on the subject. The more I learned, the more
my empathetic heart broke. Once I pulled back that curtain, I knew
there was no going back. After you look past the food, there's the companies
that test on animals. Then there are animals being killed for fur and leather; the circuses and animal "attractions". It was overwhelming.
After just a few nights of research. I broke down. How was one person going
vegan going to stop the millions of animals being harmed and killed? I had to
face the fact that I'm not going to be able to save all the animals and that
was a difficult realization. However, I'm doing my part. I'm making a one
person difference and that is still a difference. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I made my choice firstly for the animals, but
I've discovered many more reasons that a plant based diet is better for
everyone. The amount of land, grain and water that is spent raising animals for
food could feed so many hungry people across the world. Factory farms are also
huge contributors to the air and water pollution in the United States. I
could go on and on, but I'm trying not to turn this into a lecture.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">I really haven't found it difficult to leave
animal products out of my meals. I don't miss meat, in fact it makes me kind of
queasy to see it now. I don't feel like I'm missing out and I'm not just eating
salads every day. There are<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>so many</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>vegan
options available now! I find lots of vegan products in my regular grocery
store. Target carries quite a few vegan brands and even just launched their own
Simply Balanced meat substitutes. We have a vegetarian grocery store nearby
that's kind of like a Whole Foods, but doesn't sell any meat. I've recently
discovered vegan items at Costco too. I picked up a couple vegan cookbooks and Mike
and I have both enjoyed all the recipes we've tried so far.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Speaking of Mike, he was definitely surprised
when I (out of the blue) announced I wasn't eating meat anymore. While he has
not made the same decision, he has been very supportive of my choice. He's open
to trying all the things I make, he's even become a fan of certain items. He
doesn't think veganism is for him, but he's already eating much less meat than
before. I'll take what I can get.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">In my ideal world, everyone would wake up vegan
tomorrow. I know that isn't going to happen, but I urge you to at least learn a
little more about where your food is coming from. Even just having a plant
based meal once or twice a week would make a difference. It's all about baby
steps; I'm still very much at the beginning of my journey.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">This turned out longer than I planned and I
feel like there's so much more I could (and should) say. <b>Please, please message
me or leave a comment if you have any questions or want more information.</b>
Again, this is something that I've become very passionate about and it's going
to be mentioned a lot more since it's now a big part of my life. I'm going to
mention a few sites and information sources that led me to where I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Documentaries</span>:<br />
<span style="background: white;">'Vegucated' (available on Netflix)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">'Forks Over Knives' (available on Netflix)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce4DJh-L7Ys" target="_blank">'Earthlings'</a> (very important, but
not easy to watch)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Websites:<br />
<a href="http://www.vegan.com/">www.vegan.com</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(their
YouTube channel is also awesome)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.peta.org/">www.peta.org</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(can
be a little intense, but I use them more as a reference regarding cruelty free
companies and vegan products)</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-82522984940771749872014-01-26T19:50:00.001-08:002014-01-26T22:41:27.146-08:00A Disney Proposal<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Today, Mike and I met up with some friends at Aulani Disney Resort. We've been there a few times and even stayed one night back in October. This time, we went for the character breakfast buffet...</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Or so I thought. </span></div>
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Before breakfast, we met up with a few characters. </div>
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After stuffing ourselves at the buffet, the four of us were just sitting at the table chatting. An employee walked to our table and set a cake in front of me. I was confused for a second until I looked down at the cake. </div>
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I looked over at Mike, but he was already making his way to my side. He knelt down and I started crying and giggling at the same time. </div>
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His words:</div>
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"You saw me cut the stone for this ring, so you know it's not perfect...just like me. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">But I hope you'll accept it, because it was made for you...just like me. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">And, if you say yes, I promise that I won't ever give up on us. Will you marry me?"</span></div>
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(I totally had to ask him what he'd said so I could write this. That moment was a blur to me.)</div>
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After I put the ring on, I heard cheering. I looked up and realized we had quite an audience of restaurant guests and employees. Minnie came over and handed us bride and groom ears. Someone else set sparkling cider on the table. I was still doing my giggle/cry and smiling like crazy. </div>
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So cute!<br />
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When Mike had asked what kind of ring I wanted, I said "something different...and pink". He cut the stone himself and I'm amazed by his skill. He did so well! Pink tourmaline is my birthstone and the cushion cut is my favorite. I love it! </div>
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After we had some cake, we went to take photos with Mickey one more time. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidUjwow8fJwdvi53Pqf8FINpvxAEinj1J72NupjjGXT15KoJjiyNhVbBGu7K0CeYWvq9XQFyrA0kTSsRwJhYnwJdZw1HUpNDhsMJAaMbC4ps0M4qCXmOMqkDgCa_PJ8h2SK1dfGSQohk/s640/blogger-image-1264328449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidUjwow8fJwdvi53Pqf8FINpvxAEinj1J72NupjjGXT15KoJjiyNhVbBGu7K0CeYWvq9XQFyrA0kTSsRwJhYnwJdZw1HUpNDhsMJAaMbC4ps0M4qCXmOMqkDgCa_PJ8h2SK1dfGSQohk/s400/blogger-image-1264328449.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I love how much thought & planning Mike put into his proposal. </div>
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I love that he knows me so well and knows what I'll love. </div>
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Most of all, I love my guy and can't wait to be his wife. </div>
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Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-75845800023582278192013-06-25T02:20:00.001-07:002013-06-25T02:20:16.907-07:00Life UpdateAloha!<br />
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Sorry for the lack of posts recently. Every time I sat down to write, I found myself struggling. I started this blog as a way to keep family and friends updated on our life now that we're so far away. The problem is...our life is not all that exciting to write about. I'm determined to stick with this though, so here's my random thoughts on life this past month.<br />
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I got a little flak on Facebook for posting <i>a lot</i> of pictures of the beach. While it might look like I'm spending all my time there, I've only been to the beach a few times since moving here. I *may* have gone overboard taking photos of the ocean, but I lived in the desert for 30 years and the joy I feel when I see that water has yet to fade. I got a snorkel and goggles and have tried them out a little, but we haven't really gone anywhere that has much to see. I really want a <a href="http://gopro.com/hd-hero3-cameras">GoPro</a>, but I settled for a $20 waterproof case that fits my little point-and-shoot camera and that's working well enough for now.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTcR3ysRZgyPEfDZD0V94XQvTImJ38Tj8tiGTFkVVSRaueYjVMyP1f40S6-12Lo3BPWL4cwcISZuz-LB7TRz_VayzB_szImrituzebu_1PWPwWV6rX_fRh1_OMeWNxqaJzugCMFiIoI0/s1600/KoOlina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTcR3ysRZgyPEfDZD0V94XQvTImJ38Tj8tiGTFkVVSRaueYjVMyP1f40S6-12Lo3BPWL4cwcISZuz-LB7TRz_VayzB_szImrituzebu_1PWPwWV6rX_fRh1_OMeWNxqaJzugCMFiIoI0/s320/KoOlina.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing out the waterproof camera case.</td></tr>
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Hawaii really is beautiful (duh) and I'm most happy when I'm outside. I love all the flowers, trees and green everywhere. I like going outside in the morning to watch all the little birds and throw them some birdseed. I smile when I spot a gecko and finding a tiny hermit crab in a tide pool made me more excited than it should have. Last week, Mike built some planter boxes for me and I'm trying my hand at a little veggie and herb garden. We have plans to add more plants and flowers outside near the front door and on the lanai. It's a good thing the weather is perfect for growing things outside, since we cant really keep plants in the house because of the cats.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFRrSn_1OfouzsyHRcTwGJzoIzgmRB47juyChnKLuHOaR131cg2HNjmIe7EzvgQH62FNA5IcPGw0suta9LQQQh4TvH-KcIs7QvCC4ilshyphenhyphen3R6z1dP4F3yI1Ef9WMtt7bfCXPiPEfts4k/s1600/Hermit+Crab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFRrSn_1OfouzsyHRcTwGJzoIzgmRB47juyChnKLuHOaR131cg2HNjmIe7EzvgQH62FNA5IcPGw0suta9LQQQh4TvH-KcIs7QvCC4ilshyphenhyphen3R6z1dP4F3yI1Ef9WMtt7bfCXPiPEfts4k/s320/Hermit+Crab.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermit crab</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_OXNhmSczXY-s4Y9Z7iPt-5s-1iyQC1zIYF3-0rVdS65iuiv2MnV2JCA8EbVUNTlYWyGqrt6mvjokd-_gLcEBUflOrKyodL7Vhqe7JDmdnQf8eVv9W5xwuWrg5ew7j8O3DqQZJVLHk4/s1600/Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_OXNhmSczXY-s4Y9Z7iPt-5s-1iyQC1zIYF3-0rVdS65iuiv2MnV2JCA8EbVUNTlYWyGqrt6mvjokd-_gLcEBUflOrKyodL7Vhqe7JDmdnQf8eVv9W5xwuWrg5ew7j8O3DqQZJVLHk4/s320/Garden.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully these will all be full soon!</td></tr>
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Mike's teenage daughter, Makayla, arrived last month and is staying until mid-July. She's a great kid and this is the second summer she's spent with us since Mike and I started dating. Last year, I was worried how she'd react to me, but we got along great, so this summer was no worries. Makayla lived in Hawaii for a while, so we haven't done a lot of touristy things with her. We've gone to the movies a couple times, had some girls only shopping trips and gone to the beach twice. She and Mike are taking a surf lesson in a couple weeks and she's pretty excited about that. She's definitely more "teenager" this summer and spends a lot of her time talking to her friends on Facebook and hanging out with our neighbor that is her age and knew her from when Makayla lived here before. She's turning 15 just before she leaves and we're planning to spend the day at the water park.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this one!</td></tr>
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<br />Mike finally has a regular schedule, although it's not the shift we've been accustomed to. His new schedule does give him more consecutive days off, so that is an upside to me seeing a lot less of him on the days he works. I'm still not working (that sounds so weird). We decided with Makayla being here and then my parents visiting for a couple weeks, now isn't the best time to look for a new job. Mike and I are going to revisit this subject at the end of the summer. We are doing fine on just his salary, but it seems silly for me to not work when there's really no reason for me to stay home. The job market in Hawaii is not great, so it's a blessing that I don't need a job right away. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Pandawire">Pandawire</a> is still going strong and hopefully will continue to grow. Our sales are nothing close to covering my missing paycheck, but it is a nice supplement. Since I'm not working, I'm trying my hardest to be a good <strike>housewife</strike> house<i>girlfriend</i>, but it's not easy! I seriously don't know how people do this with kids also factored in. I think I need to make myself an actual schedule so that I can divide my time between household duties and working on photos/listings/marketing for the site. Total honesty? Sometimes, I feel so overwhelmed with all the things I <i>should</i> be doing, I just give up and take a nap. So, yeah, I need to work on my productivity. <div>
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But honestly, could you focus with a view like this?</div>
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Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-11212741127246285492013-05-21T16:16:00.001-07:002013-05-21T16:16:29.185-07:00Living Like TouristsMike came home 2 weeks ago and we've been busy, busy, busy! We spent that first week getting the house ready in anticipation of our very first visitor. It seems like we have a never-ending stack of boxes to unpack. Even now, after going through <i>so</i> much stuff, we have a few boxes of decorations to look through. It's awesome to have Mike home and to know we don't have any more time apart in the foreseeable future. We have so much fun together, even running errands and cleaning the house is more enjoyable when we're together.<br />
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Our friend, Mark, arrived from Las Vegas last Friday. He'd been to Oahu a few times, but we used this as an opportunity to play tourist, since there was still a lot I hadn't seen. The first thing we did was visit the <a href="http://www.dole-plantation.com/">Dole Plantation</a>. I was super excited to go, just so I could get a Dole Whip. Whips are basically pineapple soft serve ice cream, insanely good and I've only ever found them at Disneyland. Every time I visit Disneyland I get a Whip; they're honestly one of my favorite things. The Plantation has a lot of things to do, train ride, gardens, shopping, but we only did the Pineapple Maze. It's one of the largest mazes in the world and I was legitimately worried about getting lost in there. They give you a map, but it's teeny tiny and I had no clue what to do. Luckily, the guys took full control and I just followed them through the entire thing. There are 8 different checkpoints to find within the maze and you trace little stencils at each one. We were timed going through and finished in 45 minutes, which seemed crazy fast! I swear I would have been lost in there for hours, never mind finding all the checkpoints.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The magic that is the Dole Whip</td></tr>
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We also visited Waimea Valley to hike through the botanical garden and up to a waterfall where you can swim. This was my favorite thing I've done since being in Hawaii. The hike was a nice paved walk with beautiful plants, trees and birds along the way. The pool at the base of the waterfall is deep and the force of the fall made a current that continuously pushed you back. So, I didn't really swim right under the fall, but I still <i>swam in a waterfall</i>!<br />
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I swam to about center of this pic. Next time, I'm going all the way!</div>
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So happy to be back together!</div>
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I have lots more to write about, but I'll have to save that for another day. I also have many more photos posted on Facebook, if you want to check them out! </div>
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<br />Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-21999223642694023332013-04-26T15:23:00.001-07:002013-04-26T15:41:59.752-07:00Happy CatA few days after the move, Evie started doing the strangest thing. At least once a day, she'll bring one of her toys from upstairs to wherever I am downstairs. She lets out a little meow and then leaves it at my feet, purring and looking so proud of herself. She doesn't seem to want to play fetch, which she has done in the past. I'm pretty sure she's doing it at night too. I wake up with cat toys in the bed or on the bedroom floor. <br />
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I've read up about this behavior and I understand that it's a sign of affection or gifting thing. I'm sure it helps that I always praise her and pet her when she does it, but she still started doing it on her own. I'm just trying to figure out why she started doing it. <br />
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My first thought is, I'm home ALL the time with them now. After the last year or so, maybe she's just really excited that I haven't left her for more than a couple hours since the move. <br />
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Maybe she loves having all this room to explore, as opposed to being kept in the bedroom most of the time (for her own safety) when we were staying with my parents. <br />
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Perhaps she's picked up English and heard me, repeatedly, say how much it was costing to move the cats to Hawaii. If that's the case, Evie, a toy mouse doesn't really make us even. ;)<br />
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Whatever the reason, I'm happy that she's happy. For a cat that isn't especially affectionate, this is a pretty sweet gesture. I'll keep praising her and trying to get some video of her bringing me gifts. That is, as long as the "gifts" don't become dead mice or bugs... Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-44140814550927587772013-04-16T22:17:00.001-07:002013-04-16T22:17:47.880-07:00First ImpressionsThoughts and observations after being here for one week.<br />
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<b>The humidity.</b> <i>Oh, the humidity! </i> I knew it was humid here, but I really wasn't prepared. It's probably due to growing up in the desert, but any kind of humidity hits me hard! Yesterday, I was told by a local that this week has been especially bad, so it gives me hope that it will get better or I will get used to it. My hair and skin LOVE the humidity; I haven't been using any lotion other than sunscreen. Chubbs is usually super static boy, to the point of his fur sparking, but he isn't having any issues here. In fact, he's looking quite fluffy!<br />
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<b>The bugs.</b> Thank goodness this is an issue I unnecessarily worried about. There are definitely a lot more little bugs around; ants, flies, tiny spiders and moths, but nothing to the extreme that I feared. So far, my only encounters with any especially creepy ones have been sweeping up their dead bodies and I'm praying it stays that way! I do have at least 3 bug bites on me now and no idea where they came from.<br />
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<b>The radio. </b>I am loving Hawaiian radio stations. They play traditional and modern Hawaiian music and covers of (mostly older) songs done with a Hawaiian spin. Mike says I'll get tired of hearing the same songs over and over, but it seems like all radio stations do that. At least this music is mostly "new" to me.<br />
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<b>The locals.</b> I knew moving here that I would be a minority. It didn't worry me at all, as I tend to get along with most people and am pretty open minded. Other cultures really interest me and, in this aspect, Hawaii really does feel like another country. I love hearing<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Pidgin"> Pidgin</a> and Hawaiian words dropped into most conversations. So far, everyone I've encountered has been really friendly and helpful.<br />
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<b>The house.</b> This has been my biggest source of stress. Mike was only in the house a couple of months before being sent to California and he unpacked what he could. We were supposed to have someone staying here and watching the place, but about 3 weeks in, that fell through. When I arrived at the house, tired, hot and sweaty (thanks again humidity) I was really frustrated to find it looking like...well...like no one had lived here for 3 months. The window style here allows some of the elements to get in, along with the lovely ocean breezes. That meant some small leaves,<i> dead</i> bugs and dust. Lots and lots of dust! Add to that the need to still unpack a lot of stuff, feeling alone and missing my loved ones and you have a pretty stressed out Chessie. I'm slowly getting things cleaned up and making a to-do list for my handyman when he gets home. We have company starting a week after he gets back (and throughout the summer) so I'd like to have the place pretty much ready by then and have a little time to spend together, <i>not</i> working on the house. The house does have a nice lanai and amazing views. The cats and I spend a good part of the mornings and evenings sitting outside watching the birds and butterflies.<br />
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I think we'll stay. <br />
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Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-83118117955780888282013-04-11T18:24:00.000-07:002013-04-11T18:38:35.587-07:00Moving Day<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Aloha from Hawaii!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Before I get into the details of our journey from Las Vegas to Oahu, I just want to thank everyone who has been incredibly supportive of me during this very emotional and exciting time. I feel so badly about not getting to see most of my Vegas friends one more time before I left, but those two weeks went by insanely fast! I don't know when we'll be back to Vegas (most likely not this year), but I will definitely give more notice when we do. Meanwhile, I really hope to use this blog and Facebook to keep in touch with everyone.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Wednesday morning I woke up at 3:30am and could not get back to sleep. I was feeling so many emotions; excitement, sadness, worry, anticipation. My dad, the cats and I left for the airport at 6am to be there in plenty of time for my 9am flight. At the Hawaiian Airlines ticket counter, I got moved to the First Class check in line due to my "special" baggage. It was then that we found out the flight was delayed about 2 1/2 hours. The agent offered to check my bags and check the cats in for the flight, but then we could leave and come back around 10am to hand the cats over to TSA. We opted to keep them with us, but not drive all the way home, just to be safe. My dad and I found a quiet corner of the terminal and I put the cats facing each other in hopes it would comfort and calm them. I would have loved to take them out of their </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">crates</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but it wasn't safe and probably not allowed in the airport. It was nice to have that extra couple of hours to just chat with my dad and not have to rush our goodbyes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> At 10am we went back to Hawaiian Air's ticketing counter and they escorted us to TSA so the cat carriers could be inspected. At that point, I did get to take them out and hold them. For all his meowing, Chubbs did NOT want to come out of his </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">crate</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Poor boy was shaking and meowing while I held him. On the other hand, Evie the Explorer walked right out when I opened her </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">crate</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">. She was squirming to get away and tried to get free while I was putting her away. After the inspection, I said my goodbyes and had to leave them with the airline employees. I double checked that the area they would be kept was temperature and pressure controlled and they assured me it would be. They also confirmed that the pilot was already aware of his special passengers. It was really hard for me to say goodbye to them, knowing how scared and confused they probably were </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> how long of a journey we still had. Once the cats were checked in, my dad and I said our goodbyes and I headed to my gate. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Despite my concern for my Chubbs and Evie, I did enjoy my flight. The airline served a complimentary breakfast/snack of fresh fruit, crackers, cheese, juice and chocolate covered macadamia nuts. They later passed out drinks and a bag of Maui Onion chips. They were even offering a free rum punch cocktail to the adults, but I'm not sure if that's usual or if they were trying to apologize for our delay. The seats had built in screens and I watched a short Hawaiian documentary called "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvgP8gsZajw">Listen To The Forest</a>". Other than that, I stared out the window, amazed at how cool everything looks from 36,000 feet. When Oahu came into site, I got really emotional. The whole thing felt surreal. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4b; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The flight was a little over 5 hours and we arrived in Hawaii at 2:30pm. I gathered up all my bags, hopped on a shuttle and headed to pick up my rental car. The shuttle driver gave me directions on how to drive back to the Animal Quarantine Center to get the cats, but I got confused and ended up parking at the airport. As I was trying to find my way there, I got a call from Animal Quarantine asking if I was still planning on picking them up that day. I said yes and took that as a positive sign that all the paperwork was correct and they wouldn't be in quarantine at all! Once they brought the cats out, I started crying. I cannot explain how stressful this aspect of the move was for me, although my family and Mike have a pretty good idea. It would have been tough financially, but even more, I couldn't bear the thought of them being confined in kennels for four months after all they'd already been through. Seeing that they were safe was such a relief, I kind of lost it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4a4a4b;"><span style="line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Everything went smoothly on our drive to the house. There was some traffic leaving Honolulu, but I've seen much worse in Vegas. The cats were totally quiet during the ride home. Poor things had been in their crates about 11 hours at that point and they were not happy. I called Mike (hands free) on the way and he stayed on the phone with me during the entire drive. I only got a tiny bit lost at the very end, which might be a record for me when going new places. I set the cats free as soon as we were inside. Chubbs timidly crept out and looked for the nearest hiding place, while Evie charged ahead in her typical fearless style. I spent the evening checking out the house, slightly unpacking and talking to my dad and Mike. I couldn't find the energy to go to the grocery store, so I ate my leftover airplane snacks for dinner. By 9pm, all three of us were passed out on the bed and I don't think I've ever slept so hard. </span></span></div>
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Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-42776573995926236382013-04-09T21:28:00.001-07:002013-04-11T16:21:37.936-07:00Adventure Is Out There!Tomorrow, I'm doing the biggest thing I've done in my life. I'm getting on a plane and leaving behind the life I've had for the past 30 years. The thought of not living in Las Vegas is so strange; Hawaii might as well be on another planet!<br />
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I have to admit, I'm getting pretty stressed and emotional about leaving. I'm trying very hard to fight my natural urge to think of all the "what ifs" and things that terrify me about this new journey. I've lived a very uneventful life, so far. Lots of love, but very little uncertainty or adventure. <br />
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I'm pretty proud of myself for stepping so far out of my comfort zone to make this move. It feels like I'm finally doing something really amazing. Not because it's Hawaii, but because it's CHANGE. I'm looking forward to this new chapter Mike and I are starting and excited to see the direction my life is heading! <br />
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Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-37805931227765016082013-04-04T14:37:00.002-07:002013-04-04T14:45:25.966-07:00Back and Forth I'm back in Vegas for now. As sad as I always am to leave Mike, it was nice to get back to my family and fur babies. I was able to talk to my family while in California, but obviously my cats had no clue what was going on. I was really worried they'd feel confused and abandoned. Happily, they welcomed me back with open paws! We've completed all the necessary paperwork and fees (so many fees!) involved in moving the cats to Hawaii, there's nothing to do except get on the plane next week. <br />
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It's crazy how time flies. It seems like I just got back and now I leave in less than a week! I've been trying to spend as much time with my family as possible. My dad and I work out together during the week and have just been hanging out since I'm staying at their house. Unfortunately, my mom left to help out my aunt in Japan shortly after I arrived. She won't be back until after I leave, so I'm not 100% sure when I'll be seeing her again. My parents want to come to Oahu for their 25th wedding anniversary this summer, so hopefully that happens. <br />
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I spent 4 days this past weekend at my sister's house, visiting with her and my nieces. Those girls are so awesome and growing up so quickly. It's really hard to think about how different they'll be when I see them next. Kaylee is 10 and only about 8 inches shorter than me. She says she'll be taller than me when I see her next and she's probably right. Lily just turned 7 and I was so happy to get back to Vegas just in time for her birthday. She promised me she will stay little so I can still pick her up when I come back. Leaving my only sister behind is really rough. We fought SO MUCH as kids, but are really good friends now. It sucks that we won't be going shopping or having lunch together any time soon. <br />
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My feelings on leaving go back and forth. I'm excited to be going somewhere so different from Las Vegas. Excited about the beaches, nice weather and whatever new adventures Mike and I find. I'm not happy to be moving so far from everyone I know to a place I haven't been in 30 years. I'm not excited at all about getting there before Mike and really worried about finding everything on my own. That's probably my biggest worry right now. He'll be out there about 3 weeks after I arrive, so it's really not that long. I am really looking forward to us finally being in our house together! <br />
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I know, it probably sounds lame to be whining about moving to paradise. Trust me, I know how lucky I am, it's just a lot to take in sometimes. Especially for a girl who really hates change. <br />
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However, there's no growth without change and that's what I keep reminding myself! <br />
<br />Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-3258802867783142542013-03-13T20:56:00.001-07:002013-03-13T20:56:33.801-07:002 Month Recap These 2 months living in Monterey have flown by! I feel bad about not blogging more, but I felt like I didn't have that much to talk about. While we've done some traveling and sightseeing, life has been pretty standard here.<br />
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Weekdays, while Mike is at work I just hang out in the hotel room. I was going a little stir-crazy at first. Having no job/responsibilities sounds awesome, but after a couple weeks it gets really boring! Now, I just try to enjoy this leisure time and know that it's a blessing. I read, work on photos and listings for <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/pandawire">Pandawire</a> or walk over to the nearby outdoor mall. When Mike gets home around 3:30pm we usually head to the gym and then go out for dinner or make something in the hotel room. Our <a href="http://www.mariposamonterey.com/">hotel</a> has been wonderful! They put us in a great room and have made every effort to accommodate our random requests, like a second mini fridge for all the groceries we buy.<br />
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On the weekends, we try to get out a little more while still trying to save money. Carmel-by-the-Sea is only 10 minutes away and it's fun to spend a few hours walking around the cute little shops. There are so many restaurants here; we've rarely eaten at the same place twice, just because we want to try everything. We've done 3 wine tastings which is fun, but pricey since we always seem to buy a few bottles. We drove to a gem & mineral store in Vacaville about a month ago and Mike was in heaven. Then we drove over to San Francisco to have dinner and check out Fisherman's Wharf. I like San Francisco (this was my 3rd time), but I HATE the traffic. It's especially bad near the "touristy" areas and we were happy to get out of there. We plan on going to Sonoma this weekend to visit my Aunt and <strike>maybe</strike> definitely do some more wine tasting.<br />
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While Mike is still here for another 6 weeks (at least) I am flying back to Vegas on March 24. The cats have to fly to Hawaii BEFORE April 15 due to the summer heat embargo, so our flight is April 10. This means I will still be in Hawaii alone for 2-4 weeks, depending on when Mike gets to come home. It's not the ideal situation, but it's how it has to be. I'm trying to remain calm about all of this, but every few days I start stressing about something new. We no longer have a car there, so my main concern is finding a reliable yet inexpensive car as quickly as possible. I know nothing about cars and nothing about the island so I'm really hoping Mike's friends/contacts can help me out. I'm also very worried about getting Chubbs and Evie there safely. Due to Hawaii's rabies/quarantine rules, the cats have to fly there checked as baggage. I've done lots of research on how to make it as comfortable as possible for them, but I'm still very worried about how stressful it's going to be on them.<br />
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I'm just crossing my fingers and praying everything works out. That's all I can do, right?<br />
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<br />Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-82082454372394022032013-01-12T19:03:00.001-08:002013-03-11T15:02:36.496-07:00Hello, goodbye I meant to post the day I arrived in Monterey, and then yesterday, but staring at a screen instead of my honey just didn't sound as fun. ;)<br />
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Obviously, we both made it to California safely. Mike flew in from Oahu Wednesday night. Some bad weather made his journey a lot longer than expected since the plane couldn't land in Monterey the first time. I flew out Thursday afternoon and had a pretty uneventful flight. Although, flying into Monterey, we were totally surrounded by fog & I was just praying the pilots could see where they were going. I had expected to have to wait for Mike at the airport for awhile, but as I was standing in baggage claim I felt a tap on my shoulder. He was standing there (in uniform, swoon) and I jumped into his arms. There may have been some squealing too...<br />
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It was rough saying goodbye to my family. My mom is such a wonderful, generous person and my dad and I are such good friends. I'm so very lucky to have two awesome people looking after Chubbs & Evie, who I'm also missing. It was hard to say goodbye to my sister, brother-in-law and nieces too. Those little girls are growing so fast, it makes me sad to think of everything I'll miss by living so far away. Right now, I feel like my heart is split between two places. I suppose I'll be feeling that way for awhile. <br />
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Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-65614957977173132582013-01-09T11:07:00.001-08:002013-03-11T15:02:51.131-07:00So close! Plan B is going well. Mike is on a plane to Monterey right now and I fly out tomorrow morning. I'm so excited, nervous, stressed that I'm an emotional basket case. Well...more so than usual. <br />
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I cannot wait to see him; the butterflies are in full force now! I'll probably be waiting at the airport for a little while, due to my arrival time/his work schedule, and I think that's going to be the worst. It's like Christmas, my birthday and Disneyland all rolled into one! Oh, the anticipation!! <br />
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This past Friday was my last day at the job I've had for 9 years. Leading up to that day, I was SO excited to be leaving. Then I got all sentimental on my last day (see above, emotional basket case). I think it was mostly due to the awesome little going away party they threw me. Mind you, my department is almost all men and I've had some sort of conflict with almost every one of them in the 9 years I worked there. I figured many of them were happy to see me leave. The fact that they took the time to plan this little party, full of my favorite things, was so very touching. I'll hopefully be seeing my few female friends from work when I come back to Vegas for the kitties. <br />
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I sold my awesome little Honda yesterday. It was the last BIG thing on my to-do list (until the cat stuff in April). Now, I just need to pack, because...umm...I haven't yet. At all. <br />
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Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-57221631911039183562012-12-27T12:15:00.000-08:002013-03-11T15:04:19.531-07:00Plan B<i>"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." - Woody Allen</i><br />
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Last week, I got a taste of what it'll be like to be an "Air Force wife". Two and a half weeks before I was due to fly to Hawaii, Mike received a temporary duty assignment in California...<br />
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For FOUR months.<br />
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Beginning the day I arrive in Hawaii.<br />
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I'll admit it. I freaked out a little. I would have freaked out a lot, but I was at work and had nowhere to hide and sob. It's been three months since I've seen him and I've been counting the days (hours, minutes...) until we are reunited. Suddenly, all our well-laid plans were useless. He wouldn't be at the airport to meet me. I would have to navigate a new city that I hadn't even visited. It would possibly be another four months without seeing him because flights to/from Hawaii aren't cheap!<br />
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The obvious answer was, <i>don't go to Hawaii yet; go to California</i>. Stay with him for the four months and then return to Hawaii together. So that's our new "plan". I didn't actually think this would be an option, considering I have our two cats here in Vegas. However, my parents are amazing. AMAZING!! Not only have they let the cats and me live here for three months, but they have offered to let my fur-babies stay another four months so that Mike and I can be together.<br />
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We're now in the process of canceling and booking flights, looking at places to stay in California, finding someone to house-sit our place in Hawaii, and getting the cats set to be as little a burden on my parents as possible. I'm also in my final weeks at my job; seven days left!!<br />
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I'm learning to assume all plans are tentative...and to <i>always</i> buy travel insurance. Mike and I have overcome a lot of stuff to be together and this is just another detour on our journey. I'm trying to just take it one day at a time now.<br />
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Still, I can't wait to see him...<i>in fourteen days, two hours, fifty minutes</i>...Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-53769195051222160332012-12-09T19:12:00.001-08:002013-03-11T15:05:04.366-07:00One month?! I leave for Oahu in ONE month.<br />
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First thought? "Yay!!!" Second thought? "Holy crap, I have a lot to do!"</div>
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I'm not even in Vegas right now. I'm in snowy, cold, beautiful Montana; visiting family and taking care of a few things. It's so nice and quiet here. I took care of what I needed to yesterday and have been sitting under a warm blanket, reading, ever since. I fly back tomorrow evening and really need to get myself organized with all the little things I have to do before I leave. This mainly consists of finalizing things for the cats, finalizing some financial things, and figuring out how much stuff I'll be able to fit in my suitcases. Exciting stuff, as usual.<br />
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I am so excited to see Mike! At this point, it's so close, that I'm almost nervous. We (at least I) have become so accustomed to Skype, texting and phone calls that I get butterflies when I think about seeing him again in person. Good butterflies...first date butterflies.<br />
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ONE MONTH! </div>
Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-72975739745534229422012-11-14T10:39:00.001-08:002013-03-11T15:02:23.180-07:008 Weeks! Eight weeks from today, the cats and I will be on our way to Hawaii! In some ways that still sounds like a long time, but I know, with the holidays and finalizing everything before the move, it's going to fly by! <br />
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All of our household goods were delivered yesterday. Mike was there to oversee everything and there were only a few minor casualties. Not bad considering the long trip our stuff had to make. I also got my first glimpse of the house via Skype. It's smaller than the place we had in Vegas, but I like the layout and you can't beat the view. We have a lanai (deck) in the back that overlooks the mountains, trees and, waaaay in the distance, the ocean. The fact that I'll soon be living that close to the ocean makes me so excited!! Sadly, I don't really have any photos yet. The camera on Mike's phone died about a month ago so all I have are some blurry screen shots I took during the Skype tour. <br />
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Getting the virtual tour and seeing all our stuff again has made me anxious to get there and really make it OUR home. Mike is probably only going to be unpacking things as he needs them, so I should have plenty to do once I get there. Also, after seeing the amount of space we'll be working with, I'm more determined to simplify what we have! I really wanted to go through things before the move, but ran out of time. <br />
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I hope everyone reading this is doing well, especially any of you on the East coast!! Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-28668530069643110512012-10-03T11:11:00.000-07:002012-10-04T09:14:55.243-07:003000 Miles Apart Everything is in motion as far as our move goes. Almost all our worldly goods are packed up and probably in some storage container and waiting to be loaded onto a ship in California. The cats passed their rabies test and we have an official entry date, December 28. Due to plane ticket prices and the holidays, we will probably be leaving the week after; I'm thinking the 9th or 10th of January. I'm still watching ticket prices and, if they drop, it might be a little sooner. There's a few little details that will determine the exact date. This also means my last day of work will be sometime between Dec. 30 & Jan. 4. Yay for starting out 2013 unemployed!!<br />
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Mike left a week ago for Hawaii. He's already found a reliable used car in Oahu and is settling in his temporary lodging. The cats and I are now camped out at my parents' house in the bedroom my nieces usually stay in. This means I'm sleeping in a twin size bed (monkey sheets included!), Evie has claimed the dollhouse as hers and Chubby is totally freaked out by his new home.<br />
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I miss Mike like crazy. Having someone who has been a huge part of your life move 3000 miles away sucks!! Thank goodness for all the technology we have now. We text and send random pics of what we're doing all day. We talk on the phone or Skype every night before bed. I'm bummed that the 3 months we're apart are all the ones when you <i>most want</i> to be with the ones you love. I'm really sad for him that he's in Hawaii all alone during this time too. He keeps reminding me he's been doing this for a long time and is more used to the distance and missing people you love, but it still breaks my heart. I'm very blessed to have this time with my family and for the fact that they're generously letting the cats and me stay here.<br />
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Three months to go!Chessiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08249409598854698492noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901717550548494921.post-45544578958927524932012-08-21T19:22:00.001-07:002013-03-11T15:06:41.019-07:00Ch-ch-changes! <div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">As most of my family & friends already know, 2013 is going to bring BIG changes to my life! I'm leaving my family, friends, job of 9 years and Las Vegas-the city I've called home for the last 25 years....and moving to Oahu, Hawaii. My boyfriend, Michael, is in the Air Force and has been assigned there for at least the next 3 years. He's leaving in late September and I'm joining him in January. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I've decided to start blogging as a way to keep the people who care updated on my (our!) life during this new adventure. It actually popped into my head in a dream, blog name and all. I don't want to overwhelm everyone on my Facebook with "Hawaii this" and "Hawaii that"; this way you can follow along if you want. I have no idea how often these posts will be, but they'll probably be more frequent once the move actually happens. Right now it's mostly boring and stressful stuff...sorting, packing, dealing with the <i>overwhelming</i> task of getting the cats prepared to move. Fascinating right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> I guess that's it for now. </span>Thanks for stopping by! </span></div>
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