I guess I just can’t stay away this morning.

Once again back to post after just 3 hours of posting. What is my obsession with this thing!? Step away from the computer!

That’s really annyoing.

Oh well. I just had to post about my bizarre breakfast moment.

I was pouring my Frosted Flakes into my bowl when “it” gently rolled out and landed right on top. Ahhhh, the much coveted and long awaited prize in the cereal box. When I was younger that was the holy grail- the reason I would be up to my arm in cereal digging in the box (gross). It was the whole reason I would eat cereal. Now, however, you almost have to pry the box out of my hand in fear that if you don’t step in things could get messy. Without supervision I could easily kill a whole box in a day. Any kind of cereal. I have no prejudices.

So anyway, “it” fell out. I have to admit, I wasn’t nearly as excited as I used to be, but I was still surprised at the elation it caused and the fact that I actually spoke outloud, “Wow! I got the prize!” What a huge dork. I know.

I sat down and started to eat and decided to open my new treasure. It was this top- you know the ones that spin, with a booklet attached (because kids need instructions to work toys that don’t come with a million buttons and gadgets and batteries I guess). So, I opened it up and it wasn’t instructions at all…

It was ring tones and phone backgrounds for your cell phone! What in the world? “All you have to do kids, is text message these numbers to this number and we will send you your very own anime background!”

Wow.

What is the median age for cereal eaters that really really want the prize (not including me)? What- like 6 or 7? These kids are barely able to fuse together meaningful sentences and they have cell phones now!?

What has the world come to?! “Hey Kayleigh, its Kelsey. I know you live right next door but I don’t believe in going outside anymore so do you want to come over to my house and call boys from my cell phone!?”

Kids have cell phones but still require their mom to hold their hand while they cross the street? Kids have cell phones but still wear pajamas that have the feet in them?

I think we’ve gone way to far.

<3

This is a record for me. 3 posts in one day? That’s pretty annyoing. The nest is going to ban me if I’m not careful!

Today I had my first hair experience in Kuwait and although it was different it wasn’t really that foreign. There are some strange quarks though. Today is “Saturday” here, which is seems to be the most convenient time for people to get their hair done in the States, but not really here. We went at 2 and it was dead. Things don’t get busy until night, even on weekends. A lot of stores are closed until 4:30. Its strange. Anyway, I also found it weird that no one really talks there. That was all I did back home! You go to your stylist- that you adore and you talk the whole 2 1/2 hours you are there! Not the case here. I kept wanting to strike up conversation, but it just wasn’t the same and I felt like I was in school and was talking out of turn or without raising my hand or something.

Anyway, the girl that did our hair was a year older than me, so that made me feel good- I figured since she was trendy probably wouldn’t mess my hair up. She is from London, which made it that much cooler.

Going to a new stylist was weird. I am such a dork because I feel that even though I’m about to get my hair totally foiled and combed and sprayed and everything else, I still have to get my hair all pretty and perfect before I see my hair person, and today was even worse because it was my first time with Layla. How goofy. I’m strange that way I guess.

I feel like I cheated on my lady at home. I really believe once you find “the one“ you have to stick with her for the rest of your life. Okay maybe not that long, but you know what I mean, right?

She foiled my hair and instead of putting me under the dryer for it to set, she just let me sit there for 25 minutes, which I thought was weird. I was worrying (which I do all the time anyway) the whole time if it was going to be just a good since I didn’t go in the dryer. Will it last as long? Will it fade faster? What a goof.

She foiled and the TCNs do everything else pretty much. They took my foils out and washed my hair- plus this awesome scalp massage.

Well afterwards I was waiting for her to trim my hair and she never did. I thought that was weird because home it is just this unspoken thing that if you want a foil you also want a trim unless you say otherwise. I was pretty surprised to find out that the cost of my foil- which was almost two and a half times my normal place- didn’t include a trim. Oh well.

The lady did an awesome job, and I now have a “mistress on the side,” but my lady back home already figured would happen.

I got home and my family went out to eat and Will and I sat at home and watched our Season 1 King of Queens boxset. Sara- I thought about you when I stuck it in. I thought Kari was an only child, I had no idea she had a sister!

Okay, off the subject.

Well I think- and I’m being serious this time- I’m going to remove myself from posting today, afteral I posted more today tham some people do in 2 months.

Thanks for listening to me talk about something few people probably care about other than myself and my new hair lady.

I’m afraid if I don’t post this very instant I am going to start taking large objects and launching them against the wall. I am so very angry right now that I may be humerous to onlookers that have no stake in our situation. I wish I could verbally get out how I’m feeling this instant, but I have to tell my fingers to keep typing so that I don’t really stop and contemplate how truly bad we have been screwed.

We should have known on the 8th-but there was no way to know.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you know we found a buyer on our house. Since that point we have gotten the runaround in massive proportions. The fact that we are half way around the world and have to use Will’s parents as liasons hasn’t helped the matter either. I don’t even know how to set up this story. I am honestly too frustrated to think and want to call our realtor and give him a piece of my mind! I tend to be the overly nice one when it comes to situations like this, showing mercy and trying to see other sides, but truly there are no other “sides” to see and I wanted to tell Will, “You just sit down, I am going to take this one,” because I’m mad enough to the point that after a few hours my hot temper will calm but I will have gained the freedom to really say what needs to be said. Okay, on a rant and off the subject.

So anyway, we were supposed to close on the 8th, but the guy wasn’t ready yet and couldn’t get his ducks in a row. So, we were forced to wait because he didn’t realize the loan he applied for didn’t cover condos- we know now, however, he was trying to stall.

Well, before the 8th we learned that the buyer and our realtor were big buds- this sounds like a conflict of interest for us, doesn’t it? Anyway, our realtor even walked through with the housing inspector, who was another friend, and the buyer telling the inspector to write down certain things that most inspectors wouldn’t have. I won’t go into details because it would take too long, but it makes my stomach hurt when I think about it. I feel like we were paying this guy and he wasn’t representing us and didn’t have our best interest in mind.

Anyway, so we were already mad about that- I think I was even madder than Will- but we just kept thinking that we would have no house payment a few days later and that would be worth it. Well, yesterday we get a call from Will’s mom and she says that the buyer is still not ready and may need until the end of the month and that the relator said we needed to make this month’s house payment.

We fell out of our chair. If we were going to pay the payment, he certainly owed us rent when he moved in. There was no way after signing paperwork that we were going to wait that long until he could get his lack of responsibility together and have his friend- our realtor- cover his butt.

Will told his mom to tell them we were close to pulling the plug and not selling the house to them if there weren’t able to figure something out today. He said that, truly meaning it, but I think we both hoped deep down that the house would just sell to this loser and we wouldn’t have to mess with the situation anymore.

Well, we got our wish I guess. Will’s mom just called and told us that the GUY DIDIN’T EVEN QUALIFY TO BUY THE HOUSE!

We’ve known since the beginning of June that this guy was going to buy our house, so how in the world was he able to get this far into the process without a prequalification or something like that? I have no idea what goes into the whole housebuying process, but how could no one have known he didn’t even qualify- as he was signing paperwork to buy our house!?

Well, according to some documents he signed, for breaking his deal he owes us money.

Here’s the sickening kicker. This guy is a few years older than Will- so he’s approaching 30, he has kids, yet he is going to have is lawyer father handle everything for him. From what Will knows of the guy, he is known for not realy owning up to responsibility- I wish we would have known we were selling our house to this guy before last week, that probably would have changed our minds… okay I can’t wish this away…

Our realtor’s company has been trying to get a hold of him and he is conveniently not anwering his phone. His dad told them that he will not pay a dime of what he owes.

There you go.

My heart is pounding. Being a grownup really stinks sometimes. I just can’t get over all of the events over the past couple of weeks. So, now our house is going back on the market. We lost a month and a half of having in on the market, who knows, with that time a nice couple that could qualify to buy our house may have been interested. I know I can’t wish this whole situation away, but it has been truly frustrating.

Poor Will, he was so quiet and sullen this morning after he got off the phone. I know he is going to worry himself sick about this whole thing. I hurt for him, because I know he thinks this his “his worry” since he is the only one with a job. We came over here to save, and between me not having a job and having a house payment again, plus having to pay for the reconnection fees, all we are going to do is spend spend spend until our house sells “AGAIN.”

I had to post today because if I didn’t get it out here I would have worried Will with my thoughts- and that is the last think he needs right now. I just want to scream and go on and on about how I’m feeling, but I think I’ve made my point.

It’s like the hits keep on coming. I have to stop and wonder, “Okay God, I know you have a plan, but it sure seems like its a mess right now!” I know He sees things I can’t, but from my perspective things look pretty ugly. I have been trying so very hard to stay positive over the course of the last couple of months, and I’ve done a pretty good job, but this threw a wrench in my plans. I know I just have to trust God- wow that can be hard sometimes!

My stomach is all in knots and I know Will’s is probably the same way. I just really needed to get all of that out. I figured today would be a happy day because we would no longer have our house payment, but it didn’t turn out so well!

So that in a nutshell is our situation. Thanks for listening, and sorry this was a depressing post. I think I will post later today again- a normal post. I (think) I got my pictures working so I’ll have to post them today.

Thanks for letting me rant.

This WPP (see Sunday’s post) stuff really chaps my hide. I could really use a good vent session today, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to remain under radar for a little while longer to make sure I’m in the clear. I haven’t figured out how I will know I’m in the clear… I’ll have to think about that later. I guess I’ll have to start talking in code or something. I could write about my “mom” and “dad” like they were other people… okay sorry everyone. Like I said I needed a vent session today and can’t really get one yet. Its a family related vent- if you hadn’t already guessed.

I got pictures today! I’m trying to figure out how to put them in my actual post, so it may be a year or so before they are actually up because I haven’t got it to work yet.

Since I can’t post about what I really need to just yet, I may as well stop talking about it so I quit thinking about it!

Will and I went on our first date last night. Awwwww. How sweet. I even had my mom take a picture before our big night out. Since we are living with them I just imagined her yelling, “You kids don’t stay out too late,” or “Remember, they arrest people that show too much affection in public!!!”

I really braced myself for that one. The only thing that was missing was my dad opening the door with a shot gun in hand or something.

It was good to get out- can you tell I needed to?

We went to ChiChis- after about a 45 minute drive trying to find it. Gulf Road is a little confusing and there are few places to turn around- you have to go miles down the road to turn around when where you wanted to be initally was across the street. So, it made for a long trip. Once we got there it was good to sit down and eat and enjoy eachother’s company and just be together alone- for the first ever time since we’ve been here.

Then around 2 this morning Will gets out of bed and slowly makes his way to the bathroom all sick-like. He was feeling miserable. He brought the trashcan in and two towels- one to put on the floor and one to put under the pillow incase something happened. I felt really bad for him and put a wash cloth on this forehead, but the whole time I was thinking, “PLEASE don’t throw up! I just don’t think I can handle it.“ Is that bad? He’s thrown up once before since we’ve been married but made it to the toliet, but if it was going to happen this morning, there was no way he was making it to the bathroom. I tried to be sweet and gentle with him, but I was praying the whole time that he didn’t throw up, but then I compromised and became realistic and was telling myself, “Okay Brittny, I realize he’s probably going to throw up, but maybe, just maybe you’ll get lucky and he’ll make it in the trash can.“

You know the whole thing about having a kid and not minding if it craps or throws up all over you because it’s your baby and you get used to it? The same doesn’t apply for husbands (or in my case babies either). Will- I love you, but please… please I beg you, do not roll over and throw up on me. That’s all I could think. Maybe if we had our own place I wouldn’t have minded so much, but with everything looming over my head, being puked on was the last thing I could have used.

Poor thing, he felt horrible. I caressed his head and he finally went to sleep.

Well, we made it through the night and I woke up unscathed. He finally went back to sleep around 3:30.

That’s the most excitement I’ve had today! Hope you Monday is just as good, if not better. Ha Ha

Thanks for listening

I’ve been caught redhanded in the worst of ways (basically), with my pants down!

I got quite a shock today when I checked my mail.

Let me first compare it to this:

I feel like I walked into Walmart on payday weekend, surrounded by a few thousand people, totally and fully and incredibly NAKED and didn’t even realize it. I casually walked up and down the frigid frozen food aisle with my cart making sure to open every glass door and just stand there staring for a few minutes. Then I strolled on over to the toy section and played a quick game of basketball with Will as I flopped everywhere. I even feel so “embarrassedly” caught that I probably asked for a test drive on one of the little tykes bikes. I then made my way over to the music and video area where I thought I would dance to the tunes they have over their stereo selection. It was only when I went to pay at the checkout that I realized I had no pockets- I was nude the whole time! The Horror! Had enough? I sure have.

That is pretty equivical to how I felt today. Let me explain.

I knew for a while there my mom had read my blog- a long while ago when I used her computer and she could just get on because I had cookies stored with the site so my own information would automatically just come up. Anyway, that stopped a long time ago and we haven’t talked about it sense. Well, today I opened my email from my dad and it was a letter he forwarded to my aunt- SENDING HER MY BLOG LINK because he and my mom had read it and wanted my aunt to read it too!

WHAT IN GOD’s NAME IS GOING ON HERE!?

My heart stopped. Trying to breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Am I breathing? I had to remind myself. Lights are getting dim, I feel like I’m faint. Is this a terrible bad dream where the girl wakes up in her OWN house only to realize the last two months worth of posting in her blog (and the fact she was unemployed) was all just a neverending nightmare? I’m afraid not.  Were my parents really reading my blog!? How long? What did they know? Oh my gosh! know What did they know!!!??

I was in a frantic panic to reread the last couple of months I’ve been here to see just what exactly I’ve written about them… and after reading through all I’ve done is complain about my situation. I can’t believe they’ve been reading my blog please someone save me now!!!!

So, I pulled myself together (sort of) and thought I would post about it, afterall I feel like I’m living with Big Brother and he is watching me at all times, so I might as well write this publicly too.

I use this as a release. I am aware that people read it everyday and I’m okay with that, but I was totally embarrassed when I found out my parents were reading it- that’s a TOTALLY different demographic that must be dealt with seperately. I cannot get over the fact that THEY KNOW!

Mom and Dad- since I have been caught redhanded and I know that you are reading this post this very moment- you too are caught!! I love you all very much and think you are great parents, but if you rewound (the past of rewind… what is it? rewound… I don’t know… anyway) you life and placed yourself in my shoes you would probably be ready for you own place too. Nothing personal. Believe me! You are great, but I can’t help but thinking you are ready for us to go just as much as we are ready to go! It’s not a bad thing, it is just time. No family should have to be crammed in an apartment for as long as we have, so I totally can believe you feel the same way we do- you love us, but for cryin’ out loud- Get Outta Here! Thanks for being so supportive and not complaining about the situation and I’m sorry we have totally ramrodded your living space, and although I complain about it in my blog, I really am thankful for your generosity… I’m just ready to have my own apartment. Desparately ready! Can you understand where I’m coming from?

So, in light of recent incidents I will be entering the Witness Protection Program in hopes of securing my sainity and dignity after my parents have read my blog.

Can I please hide under a rock for a while?

Nothing to write home about today.

Does that stop me from posting?

Apparently not.

This morning we went to Bible study and that was about the extent of the day! We came home and just hung out. It was so nice. It’s so ironic to me that I complain all week about being stuck in the apartment and don’t get to go out, yet on Fridays after Bible Study I am completely content just to sit in the living room with Will and watch our King of Queens boxset.

Well tonight was pretty fun. My mom made a big supper, so afterwards- while we are looking at the dirty dishes and making conversation for an hour(you know, the time that nightly drives me insane)- we somehow get on the subject of potatoes. We had potatoes for dinner, but I can’t be sure how the subject morphed into what it did.

I guess when I was a kid I would love to make these potato head sort of things that grew grass from their heads (I’m sure this information clears up a lot of questions you have about how I came to be so goofy).

I don’t know. I have no recollection of this. I think my mom must have made those things with her “other” first daughter that looked like me or something, because I was absent during these hair potato craft sessions. I vaguely remember a chia pet one time, but I think I would remember taking my dinner and growing grass from it’s head. Wouldn’t you?

Well, after having a 5 minute conversation about how exactly this contraption worked, my mom thought we should all make one and set them up next to eachother and watch them grow. I had flasbacks of Mrs. Smith’s art class back in grade school. She really would have been proud at my artistic improvements.

So, we each picked out our potato. I picked the long one because of my freakishly huge “fivehead.” (theres no need to be polite about it. I’ve come to terms with my forehead. I even have an annoying hair stylist story when I was in grade school that finally made me realize I was fine with it… that might be another post though)

So as I was cleaning my “face” my sister thought it would be fun to for us to do Napoleon Dynamite characters. Okay, so not only are my my sister and I turning a perfectly good complement to a steak into a grassy face, we are also transforming them into characters from a movie that-other than us- only junior high boys have a true appreciation for.

So, I made Deb. She looks pretty cute. I even gave her puffy sleeves and a piece of bread on her mouth (from the lunchroom scene… okay I’m talking to you all like you’ve seen the movie, which I have to believe you haven’t… nevermind). P did Napoleon. It was so cute. My parents made themselves. Will? He did a cross between himself and Brian Bosworth (this OU player from the 80s)- he gave his potato a mohawk.

So, you might be thinking, what random Kuwaiti family has grass seed lying around? Good question. We do. One of my sister’s friends thought it would be funny to give her some since we don’t really have any here. That’s why. We really don’t just go out and buy stuff like that to have on hand. I promise.

So, apparently we have to water their “hair” everyday and eventually it will start to grow. I got a picture, so I’ll have to post it sometime soon- after all, I’m sure you are “so stoked” about seeing your supper growing hair and literally looking back at you on my blog!

So, although my family is driving me on verge of insanity, and although I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and was in a bad mood about having to stay here and not have our own place, I ended up reverting back to my crayon days- and had a fun time doing it with them.

Potato Anyone?

I love “Saturdays.”

Today, as always, we got our morning wakeup call at 6 something in the morning. Poor Will was up after that. I however managed to go back to sleep. We are on totally different sleep schedules. He is preparing for bed as I type and I am just getting started.This is his weekend schedule. Normally he is in bed around 8:30. This is quite a change for me. I’m sure once I start working it will change, but for now I will relish my late nights.

Will woke me up around 9:30 just because he thought I needed to get up. Thanks sweetie.

The real reason he woke me up was so that I would play Madden with him. Do you ever do things you loate just because you know how happy it makes your husband? That is kind of like me and Madden. Will loves when we play together, which makes me feel good, but after about an hour I have my fill for the week. He, on the other hand, can play for hours on end. I cannot. So, I work through my bored feelings and do my best to get excited because when it comes down to it, it’s worth the little boy smile that stupid game puts on his face.

Then noon rolls around and everything at our apartment is put on hold. There is very important business to attend to. Trading Spouses is on.

Why we are in love with this show, I am not really sure. Maybe its because our tv selection is so poor that even the bad stuff in the states is oh so very appealing here. When I really stop and think of the concept of this show, it almost makes me want to throw up on the coffee table, but like Madden, I have worked through it and must not be interrupted from 12 to 1 (and tomorrow night because a “new” episode is on). We all gathered in the living room for some real quality time to watch two families get rid of their wives for new ones for the week- what a terrible show! Okay, I can’t believe I just told you all this. Oh well, my TV is bad. I said it. Now it has been officially confirmed.

After that we got ready and grabbed some lunch. Will had been wanting to go to ChiChis, which I thought would be a nice change. We haven’t been on a date since we’ve been here, so I was all for it. But then he said we probably should go out with my family because we already had told them we would and we didn’t want them to feel like we ditched them. I recluctantly agreed. So, then on the way out to the car Will brings up going on our own again. “Why did you wait to bring this up now!?“ They think we are on our way to go with them! I wanted to go on my own, but for some reason after living with my parents for the past few months its like they might have taken it a little personally if we all of a sudden decided to go on our own out of the blue. This probably makes no sense- be glad it doesn’t because that means you are living in your own house and only have to see your family at your discretion. We’ve been through this a million times. Its not that I don’t like my family- I do- its just that after a few months of living in a tight space there seems to be an awkward tension that has settled.

So, we head downstairs and Will asks what the game plan is after lunch. My dad wants to go to ACE hardware, and we want to see a movie. So, we decide to take our own car (Will’s boss is away now, so he has his car for the time being, which has been really nice).

This sounds crazy when I really think about it, but I had not been alone in a car with just Will since the beginning of May!! How weird. It was soooo nice just to have a few minutes of serenity. We were able to freely talk about things and just enjoy the silence and the fact that there was no obligation to keep interesting conversation going.

After we all had lunch I was hoping that Will and I would be able to go to the movie by ourselves, but my sister wanted to go. That was fine, but I had really enjoyed the fact that I was able to be alone with Will for a while and was hoping I could have him to myself for a few more hours- even if it was in a movie theatre.

We went to the mall and walked around because we were early. I hate shopping here. It is a very depressing activity. Nothing is reasonable, and they do not believe in stores that have nice clothes at “regular people“ prices. Anyway, we browsed around, pretending to be very interested in the selection. Honestly, even if I did have the money I think I would still shop online. The only store I’ve found thus far that I like is Zara. Okay, sorry for rambling. I didn’t really mean to go on a 50 page tangent about the clothing situation here. Too late.

Now, it is time to save you all 2 1/2 hours of your life and $7.50 in your wallet. DO NOT SEE WAR OF THE WORLDS

I repeat- Don’t see War of the Worlds.

I didn’t want to see it to begin with. I have some strange political type thing about supporting Tom Cruises’ houses and expensive lifestyle and new fiance. I know I’m one person and I didn’t really contribute a whole lot, but I guess it’s my own personal boycott and way I feel I can take a “stand.“ Am I completely crazy? I think we all know the answer here.

Anyway, Will really wanted to go see it, so much like Madden I decided to go. There was nothing else showing really, so it wasn’t like we could have struck a compromise. Wow. What a movie. It only goes to show that big stars and awesome marketing can make even the most terrible of movies successful. Sorry to anyone that liked it. I felt a little stupider as I walked out of the theatre.

So, that was my exciting day off. I hope you are all gearing up for a wonderful weekend just as I prepare to close mine.

Finally, my heart and prayers are with the people of London. I know we have someone who blogs from there, so I send my prayersto you as well. I know you are back in the states, but I can imagine the shake up you must have felt. God is so amazing that he looks after us even when we don’t know it. <3

It’s me again. The normal Brittny you are used to, posting about the daily exciting/monotonous events in a Kuwaiti apartment.

I’m back.

I guess I never really left, but you get my drift.

So, how could I begin today’s post without giving a shout out to my awesome nestie friends? I couldn’t. Thank you Sara, Renee, Tish, Jenny, and Christina for your encouraging feedback. This sounds funny, but I feel like I know you all from reading your blogs. Is that weird? Probably. Oh well, I’m a nest addict. I admit it. I have a serious problem. Can you blame me? What else do I have to do all day? Okay, anyway, thanks for your genuine and heartfelt feedback. I wish I could post a note on thanks on each of your blogs today, but since it’s “Friday” here I thought I should try and get off quickly so I can actually hang out with this guy I call my husband. His name is Will and I get to see him occasionally. 

I got to go grocery shopping today. Yesssssss. One of the sad sad realities I am facing. I actually get dressed “up” and look forward to a trip to one of the good old Sultan Centers. What has this world come to?

I want to complain about the cost of everything today, but I won’t- except this one thing, I promise! My sister needed some Skintimate shave gel. It was almost 8 US dollars! I almost choked on my gum! Okay, no more of that.

So ever since my foot surgery this March (for a inspiring recap you can look read my daily frustrations in the archive) I have become quite the louse. I wasn’t able to exercise until the beginning of May and even then I was only able to do it 20 minutes, not over exerting anything. So I decided I would go big or go home- I went home. I had been kicking butt up until my surgery, jogging 3 miles every other day, but I gave myself full permission to sit around and lift the remote for the last few months.

Well, the past 2 weeks I got tired of seeing the permanent hail storm of no return on my butt, so I decided it was time to suck it up and work my petrified stiff toe back to its normal bend. It has really sucked.

I can only go abot 30 minutes and my toe is cursing my name all along the way.

I don’t know why I told you all that whole block of information, especially since I just talked about needing to get off fast. Anyway, my main point today was how I was totally mad at myself today because I was able to have a pretty good workout, but then I give myself a license to eat whatever I want, which not only cancels my exercising out, but also plays tricks on my mind because as I’m reaching for the 5th cookie I’m thinking to myself, “Well.. I worked out today. I deserve it.“ Deserve it!? Deserve what!? Another hail dent on my butt? I think not.

I don’t know why I do that. Its all in my head. I burned 300 calories so I can eat 600 more. Hmmm, if only things worked that way! Guys are the worst too. They can eat everything but the dining room table and keep a normal figure. What’s up with that?

I sure do seem to talk alot about food in my blog. Sorry. I guess ever since my surgery I haven’t fully gotten back to my healthy lifestyle. Instead I eat what I want and then complain about it the whole next 4 hours. Much like I am now.

You have been warned.This has nothing to do with newlywed life. This is the disclaimer of all disclaimers, so the majority of readers would be greatly advised to click the big red X in the top right corner of this page and move on to something else. I’m serious. No, really I am serious. Todays post is serving as my personal outlet for my feelings, and most people will probably feel they need to excuse themselves to go throw up and write a letter to the editor of their local newspaper after reading this. Really, I’m serious. This may leave you cussing at me and leaving “love“ feedback on my blog.

Here I go…

The 3rd and 4th were two of the most incredible and emotional days I’ve had in a long time. I don’t even know where to begin, but I know that I have to start somewhere because I am so full of feelings that need a place to be manifested. I never knew how important Will’s job was until I was able to get on post. I am so full of pride for Will after getting to shadow him for the past two days. I just wanted to give him a big kiss and thank him for what he was doing.

You can’t turn on the TV anymore without hearing the fiery reports on the War in Iraq. It is unavoidable information that even people that live in the most remote of caves and are still are unaware of the invention of the wheel are able to tell you verbatim what is going on. Well, just as you have, I have heard so many bad things regarding the war and the soldiers. So many writers seem to be blending the issue of being against the war and being against soldiers. There is so much bad press. I was watching the news and one of the army’s commanders was talking about how soldiers will come up to him and ask him, “Sir, do the people back home support us?” He went on to talk about how we are getting the capabilities we need to fight the insurgents, but if the soldier’s mental capabilities aren’t the same because they are questioning whether their country supports them, there remains a problem in fully making a difference.

Do you hate me yet?

I’m pushing on.

Anyway, these past two days have opened my eyes to more than I could have ever imagined. I thought I was going to go and have a fun time with Will and see what he does and celebrate the 4th with him- but I got so much more than I bargained for. I don’t care who you are and what your take on the war is, I have to believe you would have been brought to tears just as I was these days. Whether democrat or republican, antiwar or prowar, Bush-hater, or Bush-lover… on and on.. whatever you may be I have to believe that if you were there with me for that very instant we would have been united in one accord and we would have been able to sit at one of Will’s tables and have a meaningful conversation. I wish I could have taken you all with me just to see what I saw.

I am a young pup-22- and there were so many young guys and girls- even younger than me (like 18 and 19) that were on their R&R. So many of their friends were on the beach about to enter their first year of college with no worries, while they were about to go into a whole new world. Everyone at this base are either just coming in from Iraq and are taking a short break, or they are about to go into Iraq. What a grim feeling, knowing you are just here waiting to go on to the war. I watched the soldiers come in and out, trying to take their minds off what they had seen only days before, or those that were trying to prepare their minds for what they were about to see. They would shoot pool, or play darts. Some would just sit alone and write. My heart broke for them.

My mom gets to talk to a lot of soldiers that come in and out of her office. She told me that so many of them just want to be talked to. She will ask them about their families and where they are from and their eyes will light up and they will talk forever. They will talk about their beautiful pregnant wife that is waiting for them when they get home, or about the wife they just married a few months before having to leave. Each one of these men and women have a story, unique to only them, waiting to be told if a person would stop and ask.

One guy came into Will’s work and asked if he could bring his friend in, who had just lost his legs, so he could watch the news. I choked up. These people have been through so much, yet they have to turn on the news and have to listen to “us” bicker about it back home when it is a bigger issue than just the soldiers. They are following orders, they do not deserve to be slammed for doing their duty.

I don’t care how much you already despise me now because I’m on a roll and this post is only going to get worse from here… so please just click off and read my “normal” posts tomorrow.

I truly never ever realized how much I took for granted in the states. Yes, we have a TON of issues to sort through and work on, but we live in the most amazing county. I live in a place where women just achieved the right to vote last month! We take our ablility to bash those in office and take a stand and be free to do as we please for granted. I lost sight of that until I got here.  So many of the men and women I had the honor to meet see their job as giving others the same opportunities as we have here. Okay, so you may disagree with that, but put yourself in their shoes for an instant. Honestly, even if we tried to do that, I’m not sure we could truly feel what they feel because they are in the fray- right in the middle. We just turn the news on or read the Drudge Report.

I want to tell you all story after story that I took in these past few days so you could feel your heart beat as mine does, but it would take too long. I am frantically writing all this just to get it out. My dad was in the army for 20 years and instilled in me a love for politics and for my country and immense patriotism, so I just chomp at the bit to get to talk about this sort of thing.

So, now you will never read my blog again, right? Well, then I might as well finish strong…

Like I said before, this is an emotional issue and we all have our own thoughts on it, but I have to believe if you could do what I was able to do, your disposition may become a little different- not a lot- just maybe a little. I have my own opinions about the war, which I’ve chosen to leave out of this post, but I write all this in hopes that we will all truly appreciate and thank our soldiers, whether we agree with what they are fighting for or not. I would urge you to call your nearest military post or you local national guard/reserves and get an address for the soldiers that are from where you are and just write them a letter of thanks for what they are doing. I saw so many young men and women eating alone or sitting by themselves and looked so lonely and tired and I wondered how much mail they got. I wanted to give them a big hug and tell them I would write them every day. I love getting an old fashioned letter, so I can’t even imagine how much more a crisp, white envelope of thanks would be to these worn men and women. We should all also remember to pray for their safety each and every day.

So, you made it. You are a brave soul. You are probably thinking a million rebuttals to my comments but that’s okay because we live in a wonderful place where we can do that and not be afraid of getting in trouble for it.

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Well, I figure if you made it this far I may as well throw in a few tidbits for fun.

We had a terrible dust storm that lasted all day. I felt like I was living in Oklahoma back in the 30s. You should have seen our kitchen. Of all the rooms in the house I would like the kitchen and the bathroom to be the cleanest. Not the case here. Our kitchen was so filthy with dust that we had to keep the door closed all day. We could see and smell the dust in the air. Ah, theres nothing like the smell of grime and grit getting all over the fruit you laid out to have for breakfast. Mmmm.

I also got a roll of film developed. Some turned out good and others were too dark and didn’t turn out as good as i hoped, which is a little disappointing.

Okay, I’m sure you’ve had your fill of me today. I promise I won’t turn into Bill O’Reilly or anything. I’ll go back to my normal Brittny self. I just had to get all of this out.

Thanks for the freedom to do it.

If my plans had gone right I would have been typing this post from Will’s work. However, as life does, there was a change of plans and I am still at the apartment.I have been SO looking foward to getting on post for the next few days, and though it was an act of congress to get a temporary pass, I am in!! It just wouldn’t have felt like Independence Day here any other way than being surrounded by Americans- especially those that are fighting- celebrating the day. Did I mention I’m excited? Anyway, on to life’s hold up.

We ran out of water.

Ran out of water, you may ask? Yes. Our apartment complex ran out of water. Things are very strange here. Very few places (if any) have water through the ground. We have large barrels that are placed on the top of the buildings that are full of water. Every so often water trucks connect to this hose and pump water to it so it doesn’t get too low. I guess they forgot to schedule the guy to come by last week or something because we were totally out- not even a drip.

Before I go on- while I’m still on the differences of things here- I had shock last week about the water system. We had been having trouble getting our water to get hot. So, we called the maintenance guy and he came up and told us that during the summer they turn the water heaters off. The sun serves as the hot water heater. The sun gets the water so hot in the middle of the summer that you can take blast the knob to cold and it will still get your bathroom all steamy. There is no such thing as cold water here during the summer. Wow.

Anyway, so I found out we had no water in the apartment in the sweetest of ways…

Will got up around 4:00. I usually sleep until 4:30 or so and then get up and iron his stuff. Ha. Not today. He comes in and flicks the light on and says, “Get up, baby. There’s no water.”

I’m not really awake so I just kind of hear him, but disregard him. (is that bad?)

So about 3 minutes later, he comes back in and shakes my leg and says, “Britt- wake up. There’s no water.“

What am I supposed to do!? Do you think I’m Moses or something and I’m going to tap a rock with my stick and water is going to flow from its cracks!?

Am I supposed to lay hands on it and command water to flow?

Why Will felt the need to wake me up because of the lack of water, I’m unsure.

Maybe he thinks I’m “so great“ that even the water will obey me. Sorry, going on a stupid and needless tangent.

So I just get a little irritated at the fact that he woke me up for absolutley no reason but to have me join in on the lack of water problem that cannot be fixed.

So, I made myself useful and was his official water bottle “pourer“ so he could wet his hair and wash his face. Very glamorous.

So, needeless to say I didn’t head into work with Will this morning. We just got water a few minutes ago. A nice, warm, low pressure water. Maybe the pressure will get better later in the day as they continue to fill it.

I guess I need to REJOICE in the fact that I have water to begin with, huh? Probably not a bad idea.

Well, maybe my next post will be on the 4th while I’m waiting for the festivites to begin!!

But for now, I’ll hit the shower while there is still water flowing.