Happy 5th Birthday Samantha!!

WARNING: Birth story below!!

Nothing you can't handle...
but for those who HATE birth stories you have been warned!

July 20, 2005 at 6:30pm in Okinawa my water broke. I was in the middle of a meal which was good because you know they don't let you eat at the hospital while you are in labor... So we called the babysitter to come watch Jessica, 30 minutes (7 pm) later we were on the road to the hospital to 'get the baby' as Jessica would have said. From our house to the hospital was maybe ten miles... 45 minutes later (7:45 pm) we were pulling up to the hospital. I walked all the way up to labor and delivery (no one offered a wheelchair, but I didn't ask either...). 30 minutes later (8:15 pm) I was laying in a bed and the dr said I was dilated to 8 cm. Beau forgot the cameras in the car so he ran to get them, knowing how long this took the first time. 20 minutes later (8:35 pm) Beau got back and I was in a delivery room telling myself to calm down and not push. Thenurse said she had never seen anyone coach themselves as good as I did! 10 minutes later (8:45 pm) I kept telling them I couldn't not push. I wasn't doing it. My muscles were acting separate from my brain!! 5 minutes later (8:50 pm) I was SCREAMING, and I would find out that a tour was coming through at that exact moment and all the husbands put their hands over their pregnant wives ears and redirected them AWAY from labor and delivery. Apparently 2 of my friends who were also pregnant were touring the hospital that night and they told the story of this woman who was bringing down the house, and when we put the time together with the date they knew it was me. Thank you, thank you very much! At 8:58 pm I was the proud owner of a 10 lb 1 oz beautiful baby girl. What a joy it was to have her flopped up on my tummy, she wasn't very gross because she was 4 weeks over due.. She was PERFECT.

(Are you still reading? The birth story is over. *smile*)

And now, my huge baby is 5! And she is still perfect!

Samantha has a kind heart and a gentle spirit and a very loud personality. She loves pizza. In fact, she wanted a pizza party for her birthday. Even though we are in Okinawa and we can't really go out for pizza, unless it is Anthony's at $3 a slice, I was bound and determined to give her a great day! So, we began with breakfast and a gift from Jessica. We went to Toys-R-Us in Mihama the weekend before and picked up a few gifts. Jessica gave Samantha a baby doll with Minnie Mouse clothes on. Her name on the box was Suki, but Samantha said her name was Bella. Then she changed it to Melody, then she changed it to Suki-bell, and now her name is Strawberry. In any case, she loved it!

We continued our day of fun with preparing the birthday cake. Samantha wanted a triple chocolate fudge cake with pink icing. So we got a triple chocolate fudge cake mix with strawberry icing and Samantha also wanted to help make the cake, so she helped make the cake. Actually, she helping with the cleaning up!

Samantha didn't clear the whole bowl. In fact, she took three 'licks' and then declared "I'm done". When you are done with something and you leave it out inevitably scavengers will show up...

Next we had to bake the cake. It was not easy to be patient. Then the cake had to cool. And yes you guessed it, it was not easy to be patient. But when the cake was ready for the icing I had a very willing participant! Jessica took the photos.

When Beau got home we had the pizza which Samantha was very excited about...

Then she got to have her birthday cake...



And some more presents...

You must hear the dialogue for these last two photos:
Samantha: 'Mom, I know this toy. I was with you at the store when we bought it.'
Mom: 'Yes, you were. Good memory.'
Samantha: Shy and hiding behind the box after her declaration of NOT being surprised!

After our dinner and presents we took the girls out to have ice cream at the Blue Seal ice cream shop. It was Big Dip day which means you get two scoops for the price of one! Beau had Chocolate, Jessica had Okinawan Brown Sugar and Samantha and I had Mango. Mango was the best, hands down! It was a really great day! My baby is growing up so fast! She wanted to tell everyone who facebooked me for her Thank you and also everyone who sent birthday cards. It was a wonderful birthday. One she will not soon forget!

TLF

If you are in the military or attached to it in any way you don't need an explanation, but for those of you who are not... TLF mean Temporary Living Facility, also known as a hotel. So for lack of better terms we have been in TLF of some form or another since June 3rd. It is now July 13th. From June 5th to July 5th we were not only homeless, but also carless... It was difficult to explain to the children when they asked where we lived and we said no where. Obviously we aren't really 'homeless'. In our case it is just an expression, but a true one. So, let me give you the run down of each 'home' we have had in the last month.
Moody TLF in Georgia: Nice, one story, two bedroom, kitchenette family unit. Fridge, stove with oven, dishwasher, microwave and coffee pot. Three televisions all with dvd players and cable, three telephones and free wireless internet.
Our California accommodations: Beautiful, 4 bedroom, three bathroom, two-story house (we lived in one bedroom). A full kitchen (we are in a house, after all). Five televisions most with dvd players and or dvr's and cable, three telephones (plus a cell phone attached to every adult) and free wireless internet. And a VERY gracious host! Thank you sis!Eagle Lodge in Okinawa: Nice, 6 story walk up, three bedroom, stove top and microwave. One bathroom that belongs in a motor home (the entire bathroom is in the picture...). One television with one English channel and a dvd player, one telephone and internet used by plugging in the blue cord.

Oh, yea and get this, we have a balcony that is accessible out the front room and both little bedrooms. To both sides of you is a gray wall with the following sign...

Makes you think, huh!

Now tell me why is it that Japan is so technologically advanced and we don't even have wireless internet? We have running water but we can't cook anything, that is unless it goes in the microwave. We have eaten a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, oatmeal and hot dogs in the last ten days. Needless to say we accept the keys to our house on base tomorrow morning. It is a nice house. A little small. Terrible floor plan, but we will fit. And we will have internet, as of yet it is not wireless. No cable. One phone. Actually three phones, I was counting handsets above not phone numbers... No cell phone. A great kitchen, as long as everything works.

I am actually very excited. Life here is so...slow. I can't explain it any other way. They drive fast, and the turn signal is an invincibility sheild (more on that later) but otherwise everything is very low key, laid back, and slow. So enjoy where you are and what you have. It may be better or worse at the next place, but at least we can be happy with now.

Everything is temporary. Even the house I am moving into tomorrow is technically TLF, but it will be a little longer form of temporary...

I am happy with now. Are you happy with now?
*View out our front window to Highway 23. It was raining. Wonderful Okinawan weather!*

The Joy of Airports

So I have spent a fair amount of my life in airports. As an adult I have traveled at least once a year by plane and most of those planes were international. My travel 'obsession' began in 1997 with a return trip to America from Okinawa Japan. That time I was a dependent and all I had to worry about was my bag. Then it was Hawaii in 1998. I took a small break and just worked for a few years. Then it was back to Hawaii in 2001, this time for my honeymoon. Also in 2001 I flew to Texas. This was all pre 9/11 travel. Now airports changed dramatically after that tragic event occured. In 2002 I flew from Id to Ca and back. And in 2003 what do you think would happen, but I get to go back to Okinawa. Traveling with a 7 month old was not too difficult except for the fact that I had 3 changes of clothes for her and ZERO for me. Big mistake! In 2004 I flew back to the states. In 2005 I flew back to Okinawa. In 2006 I flew to the states and back to Okinawa with 2 in tow now. In 2007 I flew back to the states and then to Georgia. In 2008 it was from Ga to Ca and back. In 2009, ditto. Most recently we flew from Ga to Ca, then Ca to Wa, then Wa to Yakota Jp, Yakota Jp to Iwakuni Jp and Iwakuni Jp to Okinawa. You would think I really like crossing the Pacific Ocean or something. So this is the preface. I am a seasoned traveler. I am not afraid to fly. Crying babies don't bother me. Even 4 cats and 2 dogs IN the passenger cabin didn't bother me. My children travel well. There was very little upset and bouts of tears that lasted less than 3 minutes. So why do I choose to open my blog with the Joy of Airports? I'm not actually sure. Before Ugly Betty was canceled she had started a blog, a sort of vent blog. This in NOT a vent blog. I aim to keep my people posted on the progress of our family. And the first progress we have to report is: we are here! We are here! We made it. All 4 people and 16 pieces of luggage. That is 2 adults, 2 children, 7 suit cases, 1 car seat and 8 carry ons that were eventually cut down to 6 carry ons because of some creative stuffing... Airports are the same no matter how much they have changed. You wait in line, you show id, you check your bag, you wait in line, you show id, they check your bag, you wait in line, you show id, you stow your bag. And every once in a while you are asked to step aside, which didn't happen to me once this time and only twice in the past 10 years (one time I was pregnant and they were on high alert for people faking pregnancy to get 'stuff' through security, you want to talk about irritated!, the other time I was traveling through Shang Hai, which I would not recommend and would NEVER do again!) So, I have some photos to capture what it is like to travel with a family of four across the ocean. Enjoy!

J is on her DS, S is watching a movie on the Zune. We were first in this line for 4 hours! Yes, 1st in line, and we waited the longest...


This was our tower of luggage. Almost 6 feet tall!




We arrived here at 11 pm and waited until 3:30 am for the plane to board. The children definitely had the right idea! My angels!

Thank you for your undivided attention! I will try to be more entertaining next time!
Love you!