Still Alive!

I made it! 0500 this morning, I stepped off to run 13.1 miles for the Air Force Deployed Location Marathon! I feel like an old lady right now, but am VERY proud of myself! My finishing time was 2 hrs & 10 minutes, and it was 13.2 miles according to those with fancy GPS watches! And that was starting in the very back of the pack of 1,000 runners! (The timer started in the front....grrr....) My goal was to finish in less than 2.5 hours, which I did, and I only walked for a few seconds 2 or 3 times (...there were hills, wth? Where did hills come from on this base?!?!)

Anywho, this was the first race I've ever done, and it was quite an experience! It's also the first time I've run further than 9 miles... I think these little Cliff carb-gels "shot" thingys are a Godsend! I "sipped" on one throughout the whole race, strawberry flavored! Yum!

Aside from stations passing those out, there were water & Gatorade cups & bottles being handed out. The tree hugger in me refused to throw a bottle or Styrofoam cup on the ground, so I made my running buddy do the dirty deed and toss it aside. Cpl Courtney, the 30yr old chain smoker kept me from walking anymore than I did, and stayed with me. He was one of my training/running buddies too, and I'm glad he ran.

It's almost 2am on Sunday morning now, and I can walk only because at race end, I crashed in my bed with my heating pad, a Flexerol (non-narc muscle relaxer) and bottles upon bottles of Gatorade and water...fortunately, work was almost nonexistent besides 2 launches, so I slept through most of my shift with my feet elevated so my knees wouldn't ache so bad!

I suggest anyone who even remotely enjoys running a little bit try to find a race to run! My mom was my motivation, knowing she can run 5ks and such, I can too!
New running shoes are definitely in order, as the Nike's I've had are almost 2 years old...forgot sunglasses and sunscreen too, since we left camp at 4am...
OH! I forgot, someone kept track, out of 115 females, I finished 33rd!! I thought that was pretty cool! :)

Next task: College starts Monday! Got my books, time to study how to study!!! (No, seriously)

The medal my Mom sent on the left & the A/F medal on the right! YAY!

Head in the clouds again...Castles in the sky!

  I'm all about positive thinking, and asking the universe for whatever it is you desire... honestly, it's gone a long way in my life!

  Who would have imagined that I'd have 2 horses, I'm dreaming of 2 more (no seriously). I've gotten every platform, career choice, squadron, etc, etc that I have wanted in the Marines- even when I didn't have the SLIGHTEST clue what I was getting myself into. (I didn't even know what a "Prowler" was when I chose it to work on for the next 4 years...)

   This time though, I'm really putting myself out there to our Heavenly Father, the Universe and every other "greater being" out there that wants to throw well wishes my way.... 

I've pitched hissy fits, begged and pleaded not to have to live in the barracks when I return home to Cherry Point. I have a 2-bedroom apartment's worth of belongings in a storage unit, and an assortment of pets scattered up & down the eastern United States! (You all are wonderful, you really are! You know who you are! ;) 

They can't possibly make me reside in the "bricks", can they?!?! Ugh...they can & they plan on it... So I'm going to reapply for BAH, until they say yes. And they will!

BAH, for you silly civilians, is Basic Allowance for Housing, extra money every month permitting you to live out in town, which also comes with BAS, Basic Allowance for Sustenance, grocery money so you don't have to eat at the chow hall (Yuck). Normally these benefits are only granted to those of the betrothed persuasion. Well screw that crap, a girl shouldn't need a ball & chain on her finger to own her own home! Oh right, I want to buy a house....:

When they do approve my BAH, I'm going to try buy a house. This house, on the cutest 4.7 acres I have ever seen! Yes, my insanity level did just go through the roof as a matter of fact!

It may be a modular home, but I've lived in trailers before and look how I turned out! (No comments from the peanut gallery!!!)

    Anywho, when I announce things aloud, they become real in my little world, so I'm sharing, even if only to my little crowd of blog followers for now! You have to agree, aside from fuchsia, lavender & coral colored walls [that you can't see because they're too atrocious to post], it's fantastic!

   When I see these photos, I see 4 acres of land to let my ponies run free...with a milk cow (already went to Wikipedia for instructions!) and chickens to lay fresh eggs every day(even picked out a coop!)....my heaven on earth!

Part of "the yard"! That's a stream running through the middle of the property...

A cute country kitchen!

Ta-Da!!!

A Florida Room. This is how I know it's meant to be...

Princess Gracie can even have her own acre to rule! Bonfires anyone?!

So, now that you know what's weighing on my mind, please cross your fingers for me! I never do as much investigating, researching and studying as I do when I desperately want something. And this is one of those times.

Look out world!

..eek...!

PS I'm not disclosing the sale price, but you can guess! hehe

Current Events

Big things happening right now! Okay, at least in the works, ya know how that goes!

Training to run my first 1/2 Marathon. 13.1 miles on Sept 4th! Eeek! It's a free event sponsored out here in Afghani-land, so I figured I'd give it a try! I haven't run further than 9 miles yet, but I know I can finish it, running's all mental anyway (or so I tell my knees and ankles when they start aching! =) I think in the past 2 weeks I've run close to 30 miles total, 5 here & there, 7 1/2 to see if I can, 8 accidentally, and then a crazy, intentional 9 miles. ::gasp:: Must be something in the water...

Working on obtaining my CDI qualification. [Collateral Duty Inspector] A big to-do in my line of work, involves expert knowledge of my job, lots of tests & interviews with head-honcho officers, and means I'm no longer a worker required to lug around a tool box, my minions would do it for me! That's reason enough for me right there! Really it enables you to sign off completed work, and you have the authority to look it over and say whether it was done correctly, as well as knowing how to fix all our jets issues, and believe me, that old thing has plenty!!! I'm progressing, but not nearly where I should be for as long as I've been in the fleet!

Finally, for-real, for-real, starting college.... It's online college, which I kinda didn't want to do, but I need to start somewhere! I'm going to AMU - the American Military University. My first class is an Introduction to Online Learning, or something like that. It starts Sept 6th...not too far after that 1/2 marathon. Hmmm....  Books are included in the tuition which is convenient since I'm paying for it with USMC provided Tuition Assistance! I've signed up for an Associates in Early Childhood Care & Development. Just because...I don't know if I'll continue my Bachelors in the same field or go for something else entirely. I just have to get my degree to become a commissioned officer, and that's just what I plan to do!

Those three alone require lots of studying and/or training. All I know is that these things help to pass the time! I've already made it 4 months, about 75 days left! I can't wait! =)

Welcome!

Emails & Facebook are lovely and all, but sometimes I forget who I told what, or I have too much to post to one Facebook status, and so I thought I'd start one of these things and maybe reduce all my other internet-dumping techniques! Plus, my bestie Amy has the CUTEST blog in the world, so I'll be hassling her for tips & techniques!

I'm currently sitting in an Army MWR(Morale, Welfare &....recreation maybe?) with (Thank the Heavens) free internet, bored of Facebook & Farmville and contemplating writing back to my emails from the Fam that seem to be piling up!

At this moment though, I think I'll do neither, as the chow hall closes in 40 minutes and I have the ever-so-enjoyable chore to do tonight, of handwashing all my laundry!

So at this time, this is just a welcome! Afghansitan manages to keep me busy, though not entertained!

Until next time....(by that I mean a few hours from now when my insomnia kicks in....)