A princess?!?

The other day I was sitting out chilling outside, sitting In my chair in what has now been deemed my spot, and one of my friends was sitting outside as well playing angry birds. This is a pass time we do often each with out iPod/iPad, sometimes we even switch around, anyway, we were sitting there occasionally talking and he tells me, "you know you are a princess right."

I laughed and thought about and said "a princess, what is that suppose to mean." He said he couldn't really explain it I just was.

I responded "well at least I'm not a FOB queen." (for those that don't know FOB queens are the nicknames for those women who, get around)

He got very embarrassed for a moment and quickly shuddered out, "no, no, that is not what I was saying at all. I just meant you are a princess, not the primp and prep kind but your a princess."

It made me laugh and I knew he didn't mean it as a bad thing but more as a compliment/explanation of me and the way I make friends. It did make me wonder more what he meant exactly but, I wasn't dwelling on it. Then the other day I was traveling and I was watching the wizard of oz on my iPad, and it hit me, he was saying I am Dorothy.

Sure enough I returned and ran into my friend and said, hey I think I am like Dorothy from the wizard of oz, And his response immediately was "yeah, like I said a princess."

I am not offended at all to be compared to Dorothy, and I knew he never meant to be offensive but I did at least in my head figure out what he was saying....

Dorothy is an independent girl who is happy and pretty much a joy to be around. She isn't afraid to stand up for those that she loves and she loves everyone she meets. She sees the best in them even when they don't see the good in themselves. She steps out and tries new things even when she is scared and she puts others ahead of herself.

Think about it, Dorothy stood up to the, witch when she wanted to take toto away, and she headed out on her own when she thought she was going to loose him. When she got to oz, and realized she wanted to go home she didn't sit down and wait she stood up and took the journey down the yellow brick road setting out alone. She met others along the way and knew that they had great qualities and asked them to come along, not for her but for them. (there is a whole lot more but you get my point I think). Anyway, there is no denying that those that she met along the way helped her and even rescued her, but, not because they had too, it was because they wanted to. They wanted to be her friend and help her just because of her personality, she wasn't helpless that is clear but she accepted help and was grateful for them. She was a princess but not a primp and prep princess she was a personality princess that others were drawn to for friendship.

Ok, all that being said I'm not suggesting that my friend thought that much into it, or even thought exactly that of me. And I am not saying I am those things or all the wonderful. I am not conceded at all, but, I'm just saying I'm not offended to be compared to Dorothy and I am ok with being a "princess". I know for a fact that I would not be where I am today if I didn't make friends who have helped me along during my journeys, the high times and the low times. Some of the lowest in recent years have been over here and I did meet my scarecrow, tin man, and lion (I won't call any of them cowardly), over here.

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I'm sorry I didn't write for so long!

When I started this blog I was realistic with myself that I knew I wouldn't write everyday, I was hoping once a week. When I first got here I had so much to write it was easy to keep things posted, then I got into a groove and finding or really making time to type became more difficult. But it was my laziness mostly that kept me from blogging more often but I at least got a few things up a month. Then some things happened here and I didn't want to blog, I was going through and have been going through a difficult time and honestly even now while I am nearing the end of it I still don't know what all to write about it but I am going to anyway because I know I need to. That is what this blog is about to remind me of everything that went on over here and to maybe help my family see what it is like or others.

So I am just at halfway through my deployment and I am vowing to do better, however don't expect a lot while I am on r and r because I intend to do a lot of relaxing!,


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Dorothy you are not in Kansas anymore

I haven't written in a while and it hasn't been because there hasn't been anything going on. Really it has been the opposite, so much going on yet stuff I don't really want to write about for several reasons. But slowly I will write about some if not most of stand other things I will keep to myself. Not because I can't write them but because it would not be the best thing to do.

Things have not or at least were not easy over here for a while. Not that it is ever easy being this far away from home with no family and no creature comforts but things were down right a nightmare for a while and it wasn't because I was stationed in a war zone. I was told I was too nice, that if I wanted to make it I needed to stop caring about people as much.this was after the battle I was fighting here that caused a lot of pain. (I'm not trying to be vague and information might come out slowly but right now I'd rather not share everything out of respect). Anyway I was told to stop being so nice, honestly I'm not even sure how to do this.

The statement did get me thinking, maybe I should not be so nice, or at least be more restrictive on who I am nice to. But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized nope I'm not going to change who I am or how I act because a group of people don't understand someone who is nice. I realized I was am surrounded by a bunch of people from the north and I am just a "simple Kentucky girl" to them. I realized I'm not in Kentucky anymore where people show respect to everyone by being nice and for the most part friendly.

I am not just a simple Kentucky girl, I have seen and done my share of different and new things learned a lot in my life and have a lot more to learn. I am honored though that a group of people do see me as a simple Kentucky girl, because even with the things I have seen and done, it means it hasn't taken me away from my roots. So I decided someone telling me I was too nice isn't going to take me away from who I am either. Who cares if everyone in a while someone takes advantage of my kindness or is crazy. You can't change those people but maybe I can have a positive impact on their life. All this is really to say some times difficult things occur and in the middle of it all, or at least at the end you can see true blessings in it. I am reminded that I like who I am and how I was raised, I could t imagine myself any other way!


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A Room with a View

Well at least a window anyway which is a huge difference.  This morning was my first morning waking up with light coming into my room it was a nice change.  My previous room as I have written about in other posts did not have a window, it was in the middle of a two story metal building, no light or air got into that room.  It was kind of depressing, and I figured out very difficult to wake up in the morning in.  I would be in a grouchy mood when I would wake up because it went from pitch black to florescent lighting when I turned on the lights.  Not fun!!  But I had adjusted and made it my own as much as a 7 by 7 room can be.  As of late I have been talking to people and I was offered the opportunity to move rooms.  I wasn’t going to at first, honestly I don’t know why.  I think part of it was not wanting to be superior to anyone, others are on the inside and without windows, but, then I started thinking about it and decided I would move across the hall and get a window.    

I am really glad I did, even though the sun does come up at 4:30 here, just so you know that is am early mornings.  But it is so nice to have light real light shining in and not always be under the florescent lights when I wake up.  It is nice to have a little bit of natural light.  This morning as I was waking up I realized I was happier, not as grouchy, and I was a bit more awake then I am when I wake up in total darkness.  But  I guess that is how it is with a lot of things, when you have real light you are always in a better place than when you are in total darkness.

Remembering

Most days I am so humbled by being here in Afghanistan, I see people working together from all over the United States and honestly the world.   On this post alone we have Bulgarians, Romanians, Canadians, French, Australian, Turkish, Georgian, and others that I know I am forgetting.  Although most do their own tasks and assignments we all work side by side and continue to show a unified front.  I am honored to be a part of it even a small part.

I am not here shaping laws or organizing local nationals, I am here to help the American Soldier when they are going through a rough time.  Sometimes that is honestly just an ear to listen to what is going on in their life and sometimes it is standing beside them right before they go to jail, being the last person who was there speaking on their behalf.  But it is a humbling experience to talk to someone who has been in the Army eight years and deployed 4 times, or has a 5 year old child and been deployed 3 years of the child’s life.  I remind myself of that when I am thinking how sad I am for what I am missing.  Because in the big scheme of things I’m not missing all that much, don’t get me wrong it is still difficult at times but man the sacrifices some of these people make for the Army, for the United States is great. 

It is also pretty cool to be over here and interact with all the different services.  The other night US was playing the French in woman’s soccer and a group of us were watching.  I sat down at a table in the square where they were showing the game and several French soldiers sat down in the same area.  It was a lot of fun to watch with them and realize that we aren’t so much different and so there is a language barrier there are a lot of things cross the cultural and language issues, sports is the big one. 

What is in a Year

          When you start out you think a year is nothing, it will fly by.  And for the most part it has moved quickly I am already 5 months in and it really hasn’t been so bad.  But stop and think of all the things happen in a year and you realize how much you miss.  How much someone is giving up by coming over here to insure continued safety and freedom.  You miss everyone’s birthdays, you miss every holiday that you gather with your family and share a meal, discussion and fun times.  You summer fun of sitting by the pool getting a tan or going on vacation.  You miss every back yard barbeque that your friends have.  You miss a year of everyone’s life, with limited communication with them you are out of everyone’s life for a year.  People change a lot in a year, they move on with their lives and keep things going while yours sits on hold for a year, because you are over here.

In a year friends get married, and have children, family and friends pass away, get sick are in the hospital, and you sit helpless halfway around the world hoping that people keep you informed.  You miss out on your high school reunion, you miss your dad’s retirement, you miss life for a year.  Sometimes it becomes too much because everyone around you everyone you love their life goes on while you are on hold.   The Soldier knows they are doing something they can be proud of that they are serving their country but when you add up all that is missed all that happens in their absence you start to understand a little bit that the life of a Soldier is not easy, no matter what job you have

 Life goes on for the people back home, the Soldier waits anxiously to be able to get back involved but people have formed new friendships adjusted their life and it is hard.  But a Soldier does it over and over again because we know that being a Soldier is a calling a way of life.  So just remember when you see a Soldier returning home or what that is gone remember all the things they missed out on so that you would not miss out on anything. 

Soldier’s Creed

I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and a member of a team.  I serve the people of the United States of America and Live the army values

I will always place the mission first

I will never accept defeat

I will never quit

I will never leave a fallen comrade

I am disciplined, Physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.  I always maintain my army, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life

I am an American Soldier

A Reminder of Why I do What I do

So for the second time I road in a Blackhawk at Night.  That is a very cool experience.  This year for the 4th of July I was traveling back from Kuwait back to Afghanistan not a very eventful or exciting day, in fact sadly I almost forgot that it was 4th of July, a day to celebrate America’s freedom and independence.  Last night however, the 5th I was getting back to my home base and I flew back in a Blackhawk, it was being flown by a pilot who I helped with some stuff and so right before I was getting in the hawk he got out and presented my a flag that he flew in a Blackhawk in my honor to thank me for my help.  It was very cool and reminded me why I am here doing what I am doing.  I am doing this so that others can get back to their jobs and continue to defend and serve and do their jobs.  After a rough week it was exactly the reminder I needed to keep me going.  And riding in the helicopter at night looking down on the area was amazing seeing everything so close from that angle, to see the area and the homes it reminds you why we are here fighting a reminder that I can help to give others a piece of mind so they can get back to the fight.  I do what I do because I enjoy helping others and I feel strongly that EVERYONE deserves someone on their side.  Thank for the reminder and the flag that will hopefully continue to remind me for years to come.