frustrated.

I've been feeling very frustrated and overwhelmed lately. I can't seem to snap out of it. Nothing really in particular- just a lot of things in a lot of areas in my life.

I miss Joe. No one is as comforting as he is. I have people who come in a very close second thankfully but it's still not the same. I was having a really crappy day yesterday and I swear that the 3 year old I watch knew it. She's not a cuddly kid. She's hilarious but not into snuggles. She's got bigger and better things to do. Not only did I get snuggles....I got.. " I love you mantha's" ALL DAY. Kelly snuck in a cheerful visit and Stephanie was online when I was getting into bed to tell me my feelings were normal. I love Regan, Kelly and Stephanie- but Joe snuggles would have been nice. See.. Me? I'm not hilarious- I'm cuddly!

New schedule starts in a week- Since High School will be starting and I start speaking (YAY) again.

Monday - Girls
Tuesday/Wed - Speaking
Thursday - Girls
Friday- Store/ Sometimes Speaking
Sat - Store (every other)
Sunday - Store

My speaking schedule is already pretty booked up- Which is great. I really love the program in the fall. Nothing else very exciting to report in August. We're ( About ten families ) having a huge yard sale in my yard on Sat the 16th. I'm psyched to try to get rid of the rest of the leftovers from the YARD SALE and the new stuff I've collected.

Joe's still in the transition period(6 weeks) of making Chief. This is a really tough time for him especially because he is the only one on his sub to have made it. He's always in my thoughts. He'll get pinned on/around September 15th on the boat. Normally I would get to pin him-but not when he's on deployment. I just hope they take some good pictures. I can't wait for him to get pinned. I'm making the cutest announcements in the world to send out!

Well- that's the update for now!
Samantha

Decisions/Decisions....

*sigh*


Email from Joe about where we go from here...

PMT billet opens Apr 09. He needs to submit a 1306/7 for a Mar 09 xfr and I
will have the detailer pencil him in. Subschool billets are an option, but
from my perspective PMT keeps him involved on the waterfront (which is
better for him). So shore duty in Groton is not a problem.

That is what they said to me in an email about billets. I already talked to the COB and the guy who talks to detailers here. COB talked to me about going to another boat and I told him I would have to talk to you about it. It's more career enchancingand it would put me in a position to re-enlist tax free. It also would BE a short sea tour only about 24 months or so. I wanted to know what you think we should do. It would be be me being gone for longer since any boat I go to will be deploying soon if I had to guess. I am tired though so I am not sure that would be the best thing. Not to mention it would mean putting our lives on hold for another two years or so and that's not a choice I am willing to make without talking to you. Not sure with the houses and thoughts to have kids soon... It maybe makes more sense to go to sea and set us up better financially. I want to come home and be with you Monkey but it may be better for our family not to do that just yet. But man does that suck. Some thing to think about.

Did I mention *sigh* There goes my plans for shore duty...

Basically I told him I would support whatever he wants to do.
It's so frustrating making life decisions on email.

It's very overwhelming.
I'm exhausted.

GREAT CPO lists

Joe had to write this for his charge book:

Ten reasons why I will be a GREAT Chief Petty Officer
1. I will receive great training
2. Have the support of the Chiefs Quarters
3. Unwilling to compromise my core beliefs or values
4. I want to pass down the lessons I have learned the hard way
5. To try and make a difference in my peoples lives
6. My desire to learn how to make the job better
7. Constant willingness to learn more
8. Sense of humor
9. I think leadership is best done from the front
10. My great singing voice

SO DID I :
Here are mine:

Ten reasons why my husband will make an AMAZING Chief Petty Officer

1. My husband will be a great mentor and role model to his sailors.
2. He understands that he is now the "go-to" guy for worried parents, spouses and children. He is in trust of their loved ones while deployed, at war and in everyday tasking. He will be accountable to them. He will be dedicated to them.
3. He will be dedicated to the sailors excellence. He will do anything to help them attain their goals.
4. He will always do the right thing. Not the popular thing. Thr right thing.
5. He understands the special responsibility to his comrades. He will check in with them both emotionally and physically. He will know how to empower them and strengthen them.
6. He is a fantastic leader - He leads by example. He will never ask a sailor to do something he hasn't done or wouldn't be willing to do.
7. He is a good teacher. Steady. Knowledgeable. Patient.
8. He is a family man. He was a single man for a long time first. He has experience with supporting both lifestyles. This gives him diversity and knowledge to be understanding and helpful to his team.
9. He loves what he does. He is proud to be part of the US Navy. He will inspire his team to feel the same way. He will show them why a positive attitude makes everything much more manageable.
10. He never settles. He always shoots higher. He will want to be the best and most knowledgeable at his job. He will continue to learn and better himself.


PROUD WIFE,
Samantha

Certified~

My own ( very small in comparison to my husband ) success: I certified this weekend. I will be presenting the High School program- Making High School Count this next semester.

No easy task- as a VETERAN- We didn't get to only present two segments of the presentation- Oh no no no. Our task? Pretend you got to the presentation and instead of the 50 minutes you should have- You have 25. Show us the shortening techniques you would use.

Ready Go.

I was ( thankfully ) VERY prepared script wise. Knew it cold.
Did well and certified.

Already have a few presentations booked. Ultra psyched for a great semester.

CONGRATS to my other vets. It was an amazing uplifting weekend as always. You all rock. It was great to be with you all for a weekend of "me's".

Samantha ( favorite part of the script- Oh and by the way... to get it done in the classroom- you have to be IN THE CLASSROOM(insert sassy here) - haha. Until next semester road warriors...until next semester....

CHIEF- WOOOHOOO

Joey made it.

For any enlisted submarine wife- You know WHAT a huge deal this is in our lives. I cried when Jeannie called me at the airport... ( I was on my way to Indy - and still in INDY for MIC training- so more on the whole chief and what it means things later! ) I am so proud- we were an EP (early promote) and STILL Joe made it. He is the only one to make it on the boat- so the "reindeer games" have already begun- You should see some of the requests for information I'm getting in email- I feel bad for him but AM so excited that he's taking part in it- and almost sad... I can't be right there... Of course I got the following email- which just produced more tears:

I am glad that I made it and it's due in no small fact to you, if it wasnt for you I would never be able to live this life and do well at it. You are the most important factor helping me get through this. I love you very much and I am glad we got to do this together, in the spirit of together I need some help....


Words couldn't explain how much I love this man. I am truly blessed to be married to him. I am so glad he picked me to spend the rest of his life with!

I'm sad to know - I can't pin him. His COB will more then likely do the job. I was promised pictures too!

CONGRATS to JOE!


Love-Samantha

View from the Mediterranean

Well I hope this finds everyone well, I am now on my second stop in the Mediterranean Sea and it's a lot more relaxed then the last one. The underway to get here was my own personal Hell though. We had a big piece of gear break that had to get fixed. We had to make a special tool to take a strange lock nut off. The first tool we made bent at 480 pounds of torque, the second one was way beefier and did the job, either way it made for an underway of very little sleep.

The deployment so far is going as good as it can. I have a note from Sam for every day that I am underway so it's like a little slice of home. This port we got our first mail call. I want to thank Cindy and Ray for the things the sent, Ray the pink sticky notes were funny as Hell- you know what I mean. Thank you also for the food and the other things. My wife sent me a package too that had a bunch of great stuff; a cool Teddy bear, food, cards and more puzzles, which are loads of fun to do.

I also remember why I love it in Europe so much, the Siesta. Where else is it expected that everything closes in the middle of day and it's time to take a nap. It's a great way to live, you stay out late get up eat breakfast then call the wife. Then take a nap and go get some food and see the sights then come back to boat and call the wife again. Stay up late. Rinse and repeat.

So I hope to get into town today and do some shopping. I remember something from the last time I was here that I am sure Sam will love so I have to find that. Hope all is well with everyone and I will call when I can.

Joe

EDIT: I added some pictures from the NAVY website of them pulling into Crete!

Loving and kissing me from GREECE

Ah. Kisses and I love you's all the way from GREECE!
He woke me up early this morning. I had my skype ALL ready. Nothing like waking up to the skype ring ( knowing is was him ). And hearing....Good Morning Monkey- you there? He's in his uniform beause he has duty but was able to sneak away.

So wonderful......