"Gunshot Kills Sailor Aboard Roosevelt"

That's what the headline says, followed by this article...

The US Navy says it is investigating the shooting death of a sailor aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in port in Virginia.  

The incident took place Tuesday night while the ship was docked at the Norfolk Naval Station, The Daily Press reported.

The victim's name was not immediately released and it was not known if the shooting was accidental or intentional.  The Navy told The Virginian-Pilot that no details of the incident would be released for the time being.

This is what I say...

Is this somehow supposed to make me feel better about my husband leaving?  I woke up to find this article in my gmail inbox.  It's quite disheartening.  This happened 1/2 mile from my house.  Justin's ship will be there soon.  My heart hurts for the family of this sailor...Other that that, I'm kind of at a loss for words--and that doesn't happen too often!

People are Nuts!

Just when I thought more random things couldn't happen to me...I went to Logan's with my friend Deborah last night.  I beat her there by about 5 minutes, and while I was waiting two older men who had quite obviously spent Happy Hour at the bar were leaving.  One of them stopped to harass the hostess by telling her he "needed a table for 47".  As if this wasn't strange enough, I felt something hit me.  I looked up and the other guy was pelting me (not tossing gently by any means) with peanuts.  The hostess quickly grabbed me and seated me, almost as if this has happened before.  

I was in a state of shock still when Deborah arrived, but we managed to have a laugh over it.  It was nice that we got to hang out...And she said she was totally telling Wilda (her mom) that she made my blog :)  

Tomorrow morning we are heading to Chattanooga!  My mom has business there, but we thought it'd be fun to tag along and hit up the massive aquarium that they have.  I am quite excited, because for those of you who don't know Chattanooga is BE-A-Utiful (in the words of Bruce Almighty).  I'll be sure to post pictures!

It's Jesse!

Holy ravioli!  DeAnna picked Jesse!  I remember saying a few weeks ago that I wanted her to end up with him, but knew it would never happen...Last night's show was fun to watch!  It was a hoot to see my mom running up and down the hall between commercials to play with Alana in her room.  It was my job to shout "It's back on!" and they would rush back to the chaise to watch.  Alana knows the show only as "the show where they give out roses".  As the show progressed, we decided that maybe it'd be better for her to pick Jesse, because she wouldn't have to step into someone else's life, she could instead create a new one.  My heart was breaking for Jason...but like Nancy said, the flights to Seattle are going to booked solid by women wanting to get in line for a chance at that :)  That is my paraphrasing!  

Nashville is great...I still haven't found that perfect pair of flip flops.  I think I'll stop trying and let them find me.  I did hit the jackpot at Old Navy yesterday...all the kid's clothing was like 50% off.  I got Alana tons of cute dresses and such for next to nothing!  

Tonight I get the rare opportunity to hang out with my friend, Deborah.  We don't get to do it often, but it's always a blast when we do!  She has definitely been there for me in some really rough patches of my life.  I couldn't ask for a better friend...and then, of course there was her wedding.  Haha.  For those of you not familiar, her mom threatened to "rip my nose ring out"...Good times.

Oh, and a lot of you have asked about the 4th of July thing.  Really...I don't want to go into it.  But it wasn't completely awful :)

Tonight's the Night!

It's the moment we've all been waiting for...Ok, it's the moment that I'VE been waiting for :)  Tonight is the finale of the Bachelorette!!!  Who's it gonna be?  I have no idea.  I think I want it to be Jason, just because I think that Jesse will have an easier time bouncing back from rejection.  I honestly will be happy AND sad tonight, happy for the winner, sad for the one who goes home crying...I guess that's what happens when your two favorites make it to the end.  I am thrilled to be here in Nashville so I can watch it with my mom...Last week we spent the entire 2 hours texting each other with our reactions!  The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!  So that's what I will be doing tonight, but today I am on a quest for new flip flops.  My favorite ones of all-time finally bit the dust after a horrendous 4th of July celebration.  I don't think I posted about that...mostly because I'm trying to put it out of my mind!  But back to the flops.  I guess it was just their time...I have had them (and worn them just about EVERY day) since before I met Justin!  Here's to good tv-watching and shoe-shopping!  

Nancy, feel free to text with YOUR reactions tonight :)

Peace, love and carpal tunnel syndrome...

Say Cheese!

For those of you who saw my "Camera Charity" and scoffed at it...I should let you know that one of my favorite blog readers sent me one!  Yep, and it was the exact one in the picture...(I should probably also let you know that the "blog reader" that sent it to me was my mom.  Haha.  I am on my way to Nash Vegas bright and early in the morning to spend my "summer break" from school.  I am extremely blessed :)  I guess what this blog should say is simply "Dream big!"  Because obviously the unexpected could always happen...

GI Justin

I am feeling a wide range of emotions these days...I'm completely excited about starting my actual nursing classes.  At the same time, I am terrified of how hectic my life is going to be and the fact that Alana will be going to school everyday.  Then there's the huge fact that starting July 16th (yes, less than 2 weeks away), my husband will begin work-ups.  For those of you who don't know, work-ups is a nice way of saying he's not gonna be home much.  He'll be gone for weeks at a time, all the way until February when they will just take him away altogether on his 6-month deployment.  I can't believe he's already been home for over a year.  Those 8 months he was out before seem so close in my memory.  Please pray for Alana over these next weeks and months.  When Justin was on cruise in 2006-07, she was still young enough that I didn't have to explain too much...However, now that she is a big 4 year old that has been spending lots of "daddy time" while I'm at school...it's going to be a hard transition!  Oh, and of course, I need prayer too :)  But that goes without saying!  So this really isn't meant to be a depressing, sad entry.  In fact, amongst all of my negative (yes, I admit it) emotions, I also am very excited about something!  On Monday, another love of my life, George W., signed to make the GI Bill bigger and better!  It really makes our post-Navy plans a lot more brighter!  Let's just say, Justin will receive 100% of his college tuition paid in full...money for books and supplies each year...as well as BAH equivalent to an E5 with dependents.  (BAH=housing allowance).  This opens so many doors for us as a family!   Sometimes we fail to fathom the fact that our Father knows no limits.  I am happy to say that I serve a God that never ceases to amaze me!

An Open Letter to Brad Womack and the Whack-a-Doodle::

Dearest Brad, 

Thank you for being such a piece of work.  Because of you I have a newfound love...It's called the Bachelorette.  As a result of your wishy-washiness and your decision to dump DeAnna Pappas on national television and humiliate her publicly (more than once), the show has become worth watching again.  Now she is left with two amazing men, one of which she is apparently engaged to.  I know I will be watching next Monday night when she reveals who that person is.  And while I don't know who it is...I know who it's not...YOU!  I'm sorry for your luck.

Dearest Jason's ex-wife,

I do not know your name, but I will call you "whack-a-doodle" for grins.  What were you thinking letting a good man like this go?  And leaving your adorable son?  I know that I have never met you OR Jason for that matter...but whenever he appears on-screen, I find myself smiling at the tv (like a dork, yes) because his happy energy and spirit for life are contagious.  I hope that Jason is left standing with DeAnna.  He deserves a woman who can keep that smile on his face, as does Ty.  Don't kick yourself TOO hard.