C is for Corps Devotion.

Never in a million years did I think I’d end up married to a man in the military. And never ever in a million more years did I think I’d end up married to a Marine. Never ever, ever.

So, with His great sense of humor, that is exactly what God allowed to happen. Of course, I always let it be known that I did not marry a Marine. I married the man of my dreams, my college sweetheart, who then became a Marine. After we were married. Only seven months after we were married, but afterwards nonetheless.

With all that said, I am extremely proud of my husband. Of how hard he has worked and how much he loves his job. I am proud to be the one who stands beside him and the one who takes care of him. To be the one he took with him to Japan. To be the one who will soon start receiving letters from far away. Even though this is not exactly the life I had planned, I’m honored and gladdened that it’s the life I have. I wouldn’t trade this devotion to “The Corps” for anything the civilian life has to offer.

Wisdom teeth are gone!

My wisdom teeth are now in Tooth Heaven. I bounced back pretty quickly, I think and feel just fine (until the Motrin starts wearing off). We'll see how I feel in the morning. Thanks for all your prayers and concern.

B is for Best Friends.

As kids, we believe that we can only have one "Best Friend" at a time. I have been fighting against this delusion for much of my life.

As an Air Force kid, I was always "the new girl." The one plopped into the class after friendships have been made and solidified. The one in the clique by herself when everyone else buddied up. It wasn't until sophomore year of high school that I really, truly learned what a best friend was. And it seemed as though everyone else had it wrong.

A Best Friend is not just someone you sit by in every class or call every evening. And you can most certainly have more than one.

My best friend is someone who, regardless of what is going on in her life, would always ask me how I was first and sincerely wanted to know the answer.

In the past few years, I've realized that my mom is my best friend. We have the same nutty sense of humor and the same compassionate heart.

I have a best friend who I've hardly seen. We forged our friendship over a year of rough waters, while she was in Phoenix and I was in Flagstaff.

A best friend is someone who sets aside 5 hours in her busy schedule so sit and sip coffee (and raid Justice: Just for Girls) so I'd felt like I'd done something that week.

And a best friend made me feel closer when I'd just moved to the other side of the globe. Ask me how that works...

These women are all my best friend, each in their own beautiful way. (And I'm sure I've missed some.) They each enrich my life and I am luckier to have all of them now, than to have ever had a partner in Earth Science class.

Goodbye #'s 1, 16, 17, and 32.

I am getting my wisdom teeth extracted on Thursday. I am less that thrilled on three accounts:
1. The obvious.
2. My husband is in an exercise, so I am paying my neighbor-friend to baby me.
3. I have been dieting during the week, and now my eat-whatever-I-want-weekend is replaced by an eat-whatever-I-can-liquefy weekend.

I am thrilled on one account:
1. No more of that bothersome aching jaw pain I've been dealing with the past 2+ years. Wooo!

Things I Have Shouted At Work Today.

"I voted for David Cook in the last American Idol Finale!"

Attn: Weather.

Dear Okinawan Weather,
You are perfect today. A little windy, maybe, but absolutely beautiful. I did not even work up a sweat walking back to work after my lunch break this morning. The sun is shining, but not blaring and the temperature is just right at 24 degrees Celcius (so says the thermometer in my car). Please stay this way forever.
Love Always (well, at least for now),
Andrea

A is for About Andrea.

So this little idea piece is stolen quite shamelessly from Hootenannie, Annie Parsons, probably my most favorite blog to read, ever, ever, ever. I think the reason I don't blog as much as I should (or as much as people want for me to blog) is because I don't have the parameters I need. So from here on out, every Wednesday I will post an entry inspired by the next letter of the alphabet. It gives me the direction I crave and the time table I need.

What can I say ABOUT ANDREA?

I have always considered myself to be ARTISTIC, and I thrive on creative endeavors. I never really know what to say around people and even when I think through what I am talking about I still come off incredibly AWKWARD. Although I've always considered myself quite AFFABLE, it seems as though a lot of times my quiet demeanor causes people to think I am cold or stuck up. I promise I'm not! An ATTENTION to detail is something that I pride myself on, be it with my friends and family, my job or just in every day trivial life. It's also the reason why I kick butt at Cash Cab. And I would be remiss to forget the one word I use to describe myself most often: AWESOME. I think that says it all.

Things I have grown to enjoy as of late.

Rob Dyrdek.
Matching my socks with my shirts.
Root beer chapstick.
Anoop Desai.
Neutrogena Shampoo and Conditioner.
Boot cut jeans.
Sprinkling rain on my head.
Okinawa (maybe, just a little bit).

Work on a Saturday.

I have become so spoiled. I've been working my full time, during the week job since November (I would call it a "9 to 5" but its more like a "5 to 2" which is pretty sick). It is a far cry from my days of retail, having to beg to get Sundays off, crazy hard to predict hours. Back then, I would have been so glad to only have to work 1 week end day, once a month. Now I'm cranky because I haven't really seen my husband since Thursday and I have done not one useful thing since I got here at 8 am. Nothing that couldn't have waited until Monday morning, anyway.

My boss is in the kitchen blaring gospel, so I've got my head phones in listening to David Cook, with the phone right in front of the computer monitor so I can see it light up if it rings. Seriously. Why am I here?

My only consolation is that I am earning what amounts to free vacation hours. And listening to David Cook.

(P.S. When did I become such an American Idol geekoid??)

Work in Progress.

You may or may not have noticed a few changes around here. Some of the links are a little defunct but I promise I'll fix it all tomorrow morning. Should be a bright happy new site in 24 hours.
xoxo- Me

Rainy Season.

Well, it's 4.37 pm and I've already eaten dinner and donned my PJs. I've also already been up for 13 hours.

I could not control myself and checked VotefortheWorst.com constantly all day for any clue on Anoop's Final 12 status. With great joy I tell you, he is in! I'm still watching the show in a couple hours, though. I never said I wasn't obsessed.

Matt is at work still and will be until late. He is picking up new guys at the airport... Hopefully this doesn't turn out like last time when he spent the whole weekend sponsoring two single guys and not even a week later the guys were transferred to a different battalion. Awesome. Tomorrow is a work day for me, so Matty doesn't have to worry about keeping me entertained, too.

I just a got a key to the center so tomorrow morning I am top dog. What I say goes! Too bad it will be just me and one other. I may take some scrapbooking supplies because, really, there's no reason for me to be there.

Sorry I'm so boring all the time!

Family Visits.

The Orrs came to visit last week and we had a really, really nice time. We took lots of pictures, many of which are posted on my Picasa. We kept busy busy busy nearly the entire week but still didn't do all the things we had tentatively planned.

We went to: The Aquarium, Katsuren Castle ruins, American Village, three different Starbucks, several 100 Yen stores, China Pete's, Shuri Castle, Kokusai Street and also watched a full season of Survivor. We sure know how to party. And I'm sure I've forgotten something.

So when you all make your plans to come out here (I know you all are making plans, right??) make it for more than a week if at all possible.

Let me know if you want more info about any of these places - my brain is a little mushy right now. I'll try to update more later about the trip.