Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

It has been snowing here for about 4 hours straight. At first it didn't stick, but after time the ground has covered in about an inch of white blanket. I never really realized how much I have missed snow all these years until today. It really makes me miss my kids too, since I know that would have a great time outside.

I started my countdown today to my mid-tour. As long as everything goes according to plan I will be home for a little over three weeks in just 59 days. Doesn't seem that far away when I put it into days and not months. Thanksgiving and my Anniversary has come and gone, now all I have to get thru is Christmas and New Years and I will start to feel a little better.

I was sitting here earlier thinking about how freaked out I get about coming up to work and I started to wonder if I was really scared, or if I was just so bored and lonely that I was screwing myself up. I mean its not like I have a whole lot to do around here except think about my life and the things that go on in it.

I guess it really doesn't matter. I will never know what it is, cause even after 4 months I still get that same aweful feeling in my gut when I go to sleep. Its just one of the many crappy things I have to deal with. 59 days...59 days!

Until next time...

Temp Job Change...

I guess I actually have something to talk about this week. The only other Air Force person here on base is going on leave for a week and a half and I get to fill in for her while she is gone. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Well I guess there is both good and bad involved in it. The good news is I don't have to work up at the DMZ till the first of December. I also get holidays and weekends off which means that I have Thanksgiving off next week. Not really sure how good of news that is, I mean its not like I get to do something special except feel sorry for myself that I can't be with my family.

The bad news is that this other job is not easy at all. It is very high speed and high profile. My other job is definitely high profile as well, but it is also very simple and very basic, just very important. This job is a bit less important, but takes much more concentration and is much more stressful as a whole. I am probably just creeping myself out though. I am sure I will be fine.

Yesterday I started adding a very serious weight lifting routine into my workout. I am very pleased with my weight loss progress and my running that I really was starting to feel like I was missing something. I really hope that I can stick with it and really improve my overall fitness and appearance. It will not be easy (the colder it gets outside the harder it is to find any motivation to leave my warm room to go out into the blistering cold) but it is really important.

Not really a whole lot else going on. I think I covered everything...Workout, Job, Holidays...yeah I think that is about it. I hope all of you are doing well, and I hope to see you all real soon.

I love you and miss you!
Until next time...

Same Shit, Different Day...

I am quickly approaching my 3 month mark here in Korea and I think it is time I sat down and really expressed how I am feeling. I know that my blog is becoming more about my feelings than actually what is going on over here but I really feel they are the same. So what is different now than 3 months ago when I first got here...?

Not much. Anyone who has told me that it gets easier is either a really good liar or they do not really have the same kind of love and passion for their family the way I do for mine. To say that I get home sick is an overstatement. I think a lot about my mother, father, and sister just as much as my wife and kids. I spend so much time away from my family in New York that sometimes I forget what they look like, but I never forget how much I love them and miss them.

My kids are growing up so fast that I feel almost like they are strangers to me. Gabriel is learning so much in school that talking to him on the phone gets easier and easier as his speach gets better. The only problem is that most days he doesn't even want to talk to me anymore. I know its not personal, he really isn't a phone person (he is 4 after all) but from time to time it still gets to me. Lily is growning up quicker than Gabriel did when I was deployed. She is rolling over now and trying to sit up...soon I imagine she will be crawling and walking all over the place.

I am trying, I really am. I know it seems like all I do is complain, but I am really not trying to. This is my out. This is where I get things off my chest. I swear I don't talk like this all the time. There are some things that have gotten better. I finally made a friend, who I hang out with often. I also have a long time friend from New York coming to Korea in February that I intend on spending a lot of time with. I stopped playing pointless online computer games and am dedicating a lot of free time to learning how to play the guitar and focus my life around fitness, health, and music.

But no matter what I do, the fear is still there and I can't shake it. The night before I go up to work is always the worst, I have no idea why. I try not to read the news on North Korea yet I still find myself doing it at least once a week. Some times the news is good news, like last week when North Korea destroyed their nuclear cooling tower. Some times the news is scary, like this week when North Korea threatened to burn South Korea to the ground. I know news is just news but it is hard not to take it all in when you are in the heart of it.

So I hope I haven't completely depressed you, that wasn't my intention, but I feel a little better getting all that out. I promise to try and keep the blog posts a little less depressing and emotional from now on, but be warned I might not be able to keep that promise, unless I can find another outlet. I love you all!

Until Next Time...

A New Beginning...

Wow, it has been a lot longer since I have written in here than I thought, almost a month. I am sorry for that, but I have been doing my best to keep myself busy. I will try and write more but it gets harder and harder to write when most days I don't even have much to say, at least not to the public.

My time here has started slow down some, and with the holidays around the corner I have a great fear of going into a depressive state again like when I first got here. Halloween is next week and while it may not be a major holiday to most people, it has always been a big deal in our family. Amanda and I always decorate the house as spooky as possible and Gabriel is always so cute and has so much fun getting candy. Last year was the best because I actually handed out candy for the first time while Amanda took Gabriel around to the houses to get candy of his own.

Today is the clearest day we have had since I have been here. There is no fog coming off the mountains and with the trees changing a nice fall color it really is very beautiful here. There is a nice cool breeze during the day and it is very cold in the mornings. The geese are headed south for the winter and for the first time in years I am finally looking at 4 seasons. I can't wait for the snow next month and I hope I get enjoy it.

Amanda sent me our digital camcorder a few weeks ago so I am planning on starting a video diary of my time here. The chances of being able to email them out are small considering the file size, but it will be nice to show folks when I get home. For now most of you will just have to settle for pictures. I have not taken any yet but I will, I just have to get off my lazy but and do it.

I had a nice little adventure a couple days ago. I decided since I have made all these life style changes with my diet and going back to school (Lost 22lbs. so far by the way), I was going to do one more thing I have always wanted to do but never I guess "got around to it". I decided I was going to learn how to play the guitar. So my friend Smith and I went to Insadong, a small town within the city of Seoul. There we found a HUGE music story that was store upon of people selling musical instruments and things like that. With a lot of luck and help from this very nice Korean man, I found my new baby. I will post pictures of her as well as my playing experience in my next post.

Anyway there really isn't much else to say right now. I miss all of you very much and I hope everyone out there is doing well. I love you and I will write more soon.

Until next time...

Gabriel is dressing up HULK this year! So cute!

Topic of the Day...

Okay, I had a thought about the blog. I know many friends and family are out there reading (but not making comments - shame on you) but honestly I am running out of things to talk about. I enjoy giving weekly status reports about what has been going on, but people want more...And I like to give the people what they want. So that is EXACTLY what I am going to do. Starting with this post, I want people to post comments (or send me emails) about topics they want me to talk about. Ask questions, learn about Korea, learn about me...anything you want. So after this entry, post a comment about what you want, and so on and so forth. To start things off I will answer a question that was asked not to long ago, to give you an idea of what I am looking for.

TOPIC OF THE DAY!

Question: "Louie, what is the food like in Korea?"

Well this is a hard question to answer on paper, so I am going to break it down into two Categories: Things I like but are hard to get! and Things I never ate, but now I do!. I am not going to get into things I don't eat anymore simply because you all know I am on a diet and I can't eat more than half the stuff I used to so I am leaving that out. So here is your answer (or at least the best way I can put it).

Things I like but are hard to get!

#5) Side Dishes - Seriously in Korea, they don't believe in Mashed Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Corn, or French Fries. When you go to Korean restaurants all you get is meat, veggies, and this weird noodle stuff that tastes like death on a plate (no offense to those who enjoy eating poop).

#4) Chicken Strips - Everyone who knows me knows the HUGE love I had for the Chicken Strips at Jim and Nicks! I miss them so much, mmmmmmm...Oh yeah, but seriously every restaurant in the states, even Mexican places, have chicken strips for those that don't like cultural food. Here you either eat it or go hungry.

#3) A Knife - Yes I know this isn't food but it is pretty important when it comes to food. You go out and they give you this huge slab of meat that you cook yourself in front of you. But them how the heck do I cut it? Well this is when the "waitress" comes over, picks up the meat with tongues, pulls out a pair of scissors from her apron and CUTS IT!

#2) Condiments - You will not find salt, pepper, or ketchup in Korean, at least not a restaurant. Why I don't know. I think everything I have mentioned so far is why every Korean I have seen is skinny and the US has the largest over group of over weight people in the world. Huh...

#1) PIZZA - OMG I think I am dying without it. There is no pizza here. There is a Anthony's pizza in Seoul on base, but every time I have gone (probably 10-12 times in less than two months) they are either closed or out of pizza and not making more. First thing I do (food wise) when I get home is order Papa Johns!

Things I never ate, but now I do!

#5) Hot Wings - I love chicken wings, I always have. But never really been into anything hot. Well the DFAC (chow hall, dining facility) here on base makes the greatest chicken wings I have ever had, and guess what they are HOT AS HELL. It takes at LEAST 5 or six full glasses of water to get through 8 wings, but I love them!

#4) Fruit - No I don't mean apples and bananas, everyone eats those. I mean oranges, mangos, grapes, melons, pineapple, kiwi, and pears. I love them all. They are great for my diet and I can pretty much eat as much as I want.

#3) Lean Cuisine - Oh Swedish Meatballs, how I love thee, let me count the ways...I LOVE THEM! Very healthy, great for my diet, and cheap! What else can you ask for from a guy who has no way of cooking anything that doesn't fit in a microwave!

#2) Water - Okay its not a food, but lets face it...I never drank enough water. Diet Coke was my life. Oh Diet Coke...How I love thee...sorry. But seriously I have gone 27 days without a soda, and aside from the occasional cup of coffee/tea, and the milk from my slim-fast...I only drink water!

#1) Onions - Yes that's right, Mr. I hate Veggies is here to say, that onions are amazing! Well the way the Koreans prepare them anyway. I will have to see when I go home if I still feel the same way. But they just fill a saucer dish with Soy Sauce, chop up the raw onion and soak it in the dish and serve it to you that way! My life is complete again.

So there you have it! I hope you like the idea for the blog and begin to participate in it. I think it is a fun way to keep things moving and keep you guys interested. WE CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING!

Until Next Time...

Two in one day...too cute not to post!

Okay, back real quick just to say something I don't want to forget to write about later. I was just running on the treadmill down stairs in my office. Watching the news of course, a Navy article came on about the return of one of the ships that was out at sea. They showed a short clip of all the families waiting on the shore line for the sailors to get off the ship. They showed this little boy (about Gabriel's age) holding a sign that said "Move it, or Loose it! I am hugging my daddy first!". How awesome is that! It was so cute that I wanted to laugh real loud but wanted to cry at the same time. Anyway I thought it was worth sharing.

Check out my blog post from earlier below if you haven't already!

Until Next Time...

Long Time, No See...

Just as a warning this blog post will probably be relatively long, since I have not written in several days and I actually have a lot to talk about. I apologize to my "fans" that is has been this long but I have been fairly busy while at work and not really thought much about it while I wasn't. So here is a weeks worth of blogs crammed into one :)

Chop Sticks! Thats right, I am going to start by talking about chop sticks. Now most people know what they are and see them all the time at Chinese and Japanese restaurants but not very many people use them; except maybe for parents who are trying to entertain their kids. Well in Korea, and I imagine every Asian country, it is all they use. When you go to a restaurant off post you will find a spoon for your soup, and a set of stainless steel chop sticks. They are much thinner than wooden chop sticks, and much harder to use (most chop sticks are for Americans). Well I love them! So much in fact I use them with all my meals, even frozen dinners. I took a set from my kitchen in my office and I am just obsessed. I plan on buying a few sets before I leave so I can continue the fun even after I leave.

Squirrel and Ants! The United States insect and animal is Ants and Squirrel! Not really, but they should be. They are every where you go, no matter which state (at least the ones I have been to). Growing up and seeing these creatures makes you not appreciate them at all. In fact I think most people hate Squirrel and ants, for that very reason. But as soon as someone sees a Chipmunk or a Butterfly its like, "huh look hunny, its a pretty butterfly". Well in Korea, its the COMPLETE opposite. There are chipmunks everywhere, and butterflies in more shapes, sizes, and colors than I have seen since the last time I went to the zoo or museum. Not really much else to say about that, just thought it was a funny twist on normal life for us Americans.

Podcasts! Holy Crow are these cool or what? I have heard of them before, and Amanda has mentioned them a few times, but I always dismissed it because honestly why would I want to listen to someone talk about random things, when I could be listening to music? Well I sure as hell do now. For me it was 4 hours worth of Warhammer Online news and comedy and a little 45 minute series of podcasts called The Guild (if you haven't seen it, you NEED to...its free). What better way to blow free time at the cost of nothing to hear people talk about your favorite topics?

Okay so I guess it was not as long as I thought it was going to be. I tried to sum up a lot of that and I had plans to make a Warhammer vs. Warcraft blog post, but I am going to save that for another day. I need to go work out here in about 15 minutes and I still have a few peices of work to wrap up. So,

Until next time...

Another 3 down...

I finally get off of work in a couple of hours. This rotation wasn't as bad as previous ones. I managed to stay very busy with all the tours that came through and some busy work I decided to do just so no one else would have to. I slept fairly well every night, taking my mother-in-laws advice by praying everynight...which seemed to help a lot. I didn't get to talk to my family as much. My phone card didn't have a lot of minutes on it and I was just to busy. So I am looking forward to the break so I can get caught up with my talk time.

I didn't get to read much of my book this time though, which I am bummed out about. For those of you who don't know I am currently reading Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight series. I was not looking forward to reading it, in fact I didn't plan on reading it at all. But my wife loves the series so much I decided to read to, if nothing else, add another conversation point to the dinner table. To my surprise the story is amazing. It's a lot like Romeo and Juliet, but instead of being from rival families, the female is a human girl and the boy is a vampire. I know it sounds crazy but it is really good.

What can I say, I am a hopeless romantic I guess. I love stories like this one...but don't confuse that with loving chick flicks! I can't stand those. Most of them have the same stories...boy meets girl, girl falls in love, boy screws up, girls heart is broken, boy does something cheesy to make up for his screw up, girl loves boy again. I just descirbed more than half of the romantic comedies out there today. Romeo and Juliet, The Notebook, For love of the game, The Story of Us...these movies had an amazing romance story that just melts my heart. Like I said, hopeless romantic.

I am going down to Seoul today finally, I haven't been able to go in over two weeks. I am hopefully going to pass my driving test today so I can finally get my license and not be held back by depending on rides everywhere. I am also going to try and take my math placement exam for college so I can start school in a couple of weeks. I hate math so I figure I might as well knock that out first. Then I can hit up the PX and the Commisary and be good to go for at least a couple of weeks.

My relief should be here soon so I am going to log out of here. Until next time...

Is the end coming...

...of the blog I mean. My first few posts seem to get a lot of responses. I know I don't write in it but a few times a week but is anyone still reading? I know my mom and my mother-in-law read it often but is anyone else out there?

Speaking of my mom, I want to let everyone know how awesome she has been. If it wasn't for her I definitly could not be on a diet and stick to it the way that I have. She has helped my plan my menu, my workout schedule and find the motivation to get where I need to be. I miss her a lot, it seems like I haven't seen her in so long.

My father and my sister have been awesome too. My sister calls me all the time, asking how I am doing and keeping me up to date on the latest news from back home. I definitly have seen them in a long time. In fact I can't even remember the last time I saw them. I guess it was a year ago, around Thanksgiving last year when my family came to visit. My mother came to visit in May, right after Lily was born but my dad had to work and my sister had school.

Hopefully I will get to see them when I come home in May. It is too expensive for all of us to go to New York in addition to the expensive plane tickets I have to buy just to come home in the first place. So we are thinking of meeting somewhere in the middle. We did this before, a few years ago when Amanda was pregnant with Gabriel. We had a lot of fun and I imagine this will be the same.

The time I do get to come home is going to go by so fast. With a weekend trip planned and probably a party or two for us and our friends, as well as doing things with the kids and going a few dates with Amanda. Its going to be so crazy busy that the month will come and go so fast that I won't even know what hit me. And leaving to come back here will be harder the second time than it was the first. But I will have less than 5 months left once I get back and then it is on to Germany for three years.

I think when we get back from Germany, on our ten year wedding anniversary, Amanda and I are going to renew our wedding vows. We didn't really have a wedding in the first place because we didn't have the money and plus we got married on a weeks notice. So this would be much more special for us, we can have my family there which would mean a lot to me, and our children can be with us too. Who knows maybe we can have a little second honey moon too. That would be nice.

Well, Until Next Time...

I've been tagged...

"I'll be back so soon you won't have time to miss me.
Look after my heart ------------- I've left it with you"
~ Edward Cullen (Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer)

Today marks exactly one month since I left my family at the airport and headed for Korea. It seems like it was just yesterday, doesn't it? I guess that means that time is moving a lot faster than I gave it credit for. Anyway I was tagged by our friend Dianna over @ http://possumgrape.typepad.com/my_weblog/ to write in todays blog:

Six things about me that you may or may not know ~

1. I sleep with a stuffed animal everynight. That's right people, and I am not afraid to say it. It is something I have been doing my whole life and I can't seem to break the habit. I actually forgot it when I came to work on my first rotation and the nights were hell those three days. I thought when Amanda and I got married I would be able to break the habit but Amanda can't sleep if I am suggled up with her so I still have my stuffed animal. (BTW the stuffed animal is Mickey Mouse)

2. Back in high school my best friend Tony and I had made plans that after college/air force we would hook back up and open our own hotel/restaurant. Tony was going to run the hotel and I was going to run the restaurant. We both had jobs at the time, he was working the front desk at a Best Western and I was a waiter/chef/host at a family restaurant down the street. I never had any intentions on staying in the military longer than 4 years.

3. For 12 years of school, I never missed a single day. I had PERFECT attendance every year and I was given certifactes of attendance for every semester which I still have. I never skipped school, I was never out sick, and the only days I did miss were two days back in pre-school when I had the chicken poxs and that doesn't count. I did skip lunch period once and went to burger king but I was pretty stupid to return with a burger king crown on my head and was given a day of in school suspension.

4. I got picked on a lot in school. Mostly about my height. It wasn't really until I joined the wrestling team my freshman year that I started getting respected. My wrestling career however was cut short when I popped my knee during the Lockport High School Annual Wrestling tournament. Back then I was 4 foot 10 inches and weighed 88 pounds. I had to eat ALOT the night before a match to meet the 90 pound weight limit for my division. Once I got hurt I stopped wrestling, but I kept eating, hence the reason for the diet.

5. The single greatest day of my life was the day my son Gabriel was born. Not that Lily's birth wasn't wonderful or the day that I got married, they were both very special to me as well. But the day Gabriel was born was the day that I knew that nothing else in my life matter anymore except for my family. I was with Amanda from start to finish, all 24+ hours of it, and when he finally decided to come, I cried...for a long time.

6. Amanda, Gabriel, and Lily are my best friends. Most people say that about their spouses and kids but actually have other people their best friends. I have a few guys I consider to be the best guy friends that I have, Tony, Ryan, and Josh...I don't tell them everything. I don't talk to them about the meaning of life, fears, or love. I don't cry in front of them, or have long deep meaningful conversations with them. They are the guys (although I used to do that with Tony before I met Amanda). But my wife and my kids are a different story. I share everything with them and every secret. I love them all with all my heart and I am counting the days until I can be with them again.

Until next time...

And Now...On with the Show!

Well here I am back on my third work rotation. I would have posted yesterday but I was actually pretty busy for the most part. A Two-Star Air Force General came thru for a tour and since I am the only Air Force person here, my boss wanted me to be the one who took pictures. I basically went on a mini version of the tour I went on Friday, only this time I had a camera. So that means you are in luck, cause I have some pictures to go with my explanation. And now...On with the Show!

Our first stop on the tour after a 3 hour bus ride and two very boring hour long briefings was lunch at the NNSC. The NNSC is a camp just off of the JSA and home of the Neutral Nations which are the Swiss and the Swedish military. The lunch was very good, and very fancy. We were SERVED shrimp cocktail over salad, grilled dear meat in a creamy butter sauce, and a fruit salad for dessert. It was the best meal I have had here, and probably the best meal I am going to have until I go home. After lunch it was back on the bus and onto Conference Row. Conference Row is the road we call that runs next to the MDL (Military Demarcation Line), and this is where the real tour started. The guide explained the purpose for the guards, and the usage of the three blue building in the middle of the JSA.

All ROK Soldiers stand at a ready stance of Tae Kwon Do, or what we call ROK Ready. The stance as well as the sunglasses are meant to intimidate the North Korean Soldiers.

After leaving conference row we move on to Check Point 3, which is an outlook onto the bridge of no return as well as into North Korea. Here are a few pictures I took from the outlook.

A North Korean Guard standing on a Watch Tower out in the distance.

The mountains in Korea are beautiful. It makes me sad to know that something as beautiful as this place is also considered the most dangerous place in the world.

After leaving the check point we continued on to the location of the 1970's Axe Murders and the Bridge of No Return. If you do not know the story behind the Axe Murders I suggest you read up on it. You can find more information on it here...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axe_Murder_Incident.

This statue now stands where the tree once stood that was the cause of the Axe Murders. The circle base represents the size of the tree trunk, to give us an idea of exactly how large the tree was. For more information please see link above.

The round grassy area shown here in front of the bridge of no return is where the actually fight broke out and ultimately where the Axe Murders took place.

The next two photos really don't require captioning. The first is a picture of a sign marking the MDL, and is meant to give you a good idea of exactly how close I was able to get to it. The second is a look down onto the Bridge of No Return which I was actually able to go onto yesterday. If you do not know the history of the Bridge of No Return here is some information...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_No_Return.

For the rest of the tour we were not allowed to take pictures. We visited Freedom Village, The Third Tunnel, Observation Post: Dora (OP Dora), and the Western Transportation Corridor (TC West).

After TC West, that concluded our Tour of the DMZ. There are A LOT of other little facts and tidbits that I know and didn't mention but if I covered the WHOLE history of just this little area it would take forever. Somethings will have to be left for stories when I get back. After all if I tell you everything n0w I won't have any stories when I get back.

Until next time...

Tour of the DMZ

I know that I haven't written in a few days and honestly it is because not much has been going on. It is pretty boring here on my days off with not much to report. I spend most of my mornings and early afternoon talking to Amanda and the kids and the rest of the day I either watch movies or play video games until it is time to work out.

My diet is going well. I have lost 6 pounds this week and I am beginning to adjust to the eating habits and workout routine pretty nicely. I have a long way to go still, but with the continued support from my friends and family I think I will have no problems at all reaching my goal.

In other news, today was the single greatest day in my military career, and also one of the most depressing days I have had in Korea. I know that seems odd but it's true. Today I took a full guided tour of the North/South Korean DMZ. From 0600-1700 I was on the go visiting everything there was to see, and learning about the US' true reason for being here.

Why was it sad? Cause all I thought about all day long was Amanda, and how much she would have LOVED to be on that tour. Amanda has always talked about how she wants to travel and see the world, and boy I'll tell you what I saw today was probably the coolest, most interesting "sight seeing" spot in world (IMO). I know I talk about her a lot but I don't think anyone, not even her, can understand how much she means to me. All you girls out there should envy that woman because I don't think anyone in this life could love anyone as much as I love her.

Unfortunately I did not have a camera so I could not take ANY pictures at all. However tomorrow when I go up to work, I will make a blog entry and tell you about the tour in detail and give you web-links to sites that have pictures and information about each spot (for those who are interested in what I do, why I do it, or just want to know the history.

Until next time...

Officially...

Today there are a lot of things that are official for me. First and foremost, I am officially a SSgt in the United States Air Force today. I won't be wearing the uniform until Saturday (cause I am off till then) but I have everything all ready to go.

Second I am officially moved into my permanent room, my phone and internet is hooked up, and I should be receiving my household goods in a couple of hours. That means that you can call, write, and email me whenever you want. For those of you that do not have my number, just call Amanda and she can give it to you.

Last but not least today is the first day of my year long diet to loose about 50 pounds. Yes I know that seems like a lot but I need this so much. Not just for my job but for my wife and kids. My weight has started to (in my eyes) effect my marriage, my activity with my children, and my health. So wish me luck and I will do my best to keep everyone in the loop about how it is going.

That is all for today. Until next time...

3 weeks today...

I have officially been away from my family 3 weeks today. It is so hard to believe it hasn't been that long. It really feels like it has been longer, months actually. I remember the day that I left like it was yesterday. Gabriel knocked on the glass of the security check point as I was going thru it and he waved to me and blew me a kiss. Amanda was holding Lily right behind him and waved to me. My chest hurt and my stomach dropped. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, and I hope that after this I will never have to do it again. A family belongs together, we belong together.

The official word came yesterday that by the end of the day Monday, I should have internet, phone, and my household goods all set up and ready to go in my new room. To me that is when this journey officially starts. It will be like sealing the deal that this is actually going to me my home for the next 11 months or so. Bare white walls and a thin old carpet. A 20 year old bed and a community shower. Some home...

Do any of you ever put off going to sleep because you just get this gut feeling that you shouldn't? Like if you go to sleep it's like you are wasting time or you won't wake up? I feel that way sometimes here. I don't know if it's the fear that something will happen to me in the middle of the night or fear that I will have a bad dream about my family. I have found that most nights I have to actually count sheep in my head in order to get to sleep, otherwise I will lay there for hours before falling asleep. One of the many joys of being here I guess.

In addition to it being my three week anniversary here, today was also my promotion ceremony. I thought I would be a lot more excited about it when the time came, but I wasn't. I have been working so hard for this promotion for a long time and when I finally make it, my family and friends couldn't be here for it. Just like they won't be here for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's. Wow I am in a really depressed mood today. Definitly not my strongest moment since I have been here. I guess there will be good days and bad days. Today is just the worst I have felt.

I am going to post the pictures of my promotion ceremony on my facebook page because there are to many to put on here. As the New Zealand officers would say...Cheers! Until next time...

The Second of Many to Come...

"I still press your letters to my lips,

and cherish them in parts of me

that saver every kiss.

I couldn't face a life without your light..."

~ Snuff by Slipknot

Today is the beginning of my second 3 day shift up at work. I only got one day off this week with all the other crap I had going on. My day off (yesterday) however was very nice. I spent most of the day on the internet with the kids, my parents, and my wife. Amanda and I have this thing that we do where we get on the webcam and play games thru Windows Live.

I really think that being here is making our marriage stronger which is definitely not at all what I thought was going to happen. I mean we still fight sure, even on the phone, but it doesn't last. I just can't bring myself to be mad for more than a few minutes before the situation hits me and I instantly cool off. Without her being there for me I definitely could not make it thru this.

It still kills me that I am missing so much stuff with the kids, but Amanda is doing such a great job of taking pictures and videos with her phone and then emailing them to me. Not to mention I try my best to see them on the webcam every chance I get. Hopefully in a few more days I will have internet and phone hooked up in my room and most of my stress and being bored will be gone for good.

I am going to leave off today with a picture of Gabriel and his new hair cut. I absolutely love it.

Until next time...

The beginning of a beautiful friendship

Yesterday something amazing happened to me. Some of you may know, that shortly after I started a web blog, Amanda decided to do the same. Well yesterday she made her first post and wrote something very special about me in it.

After I wrote my post yesterday and headed back to my room, I really started to think about what she wrote. Well some of you may know that years ago I used to write, poems mostly, and since have found next to no time to start again.

Years later, I have found the perfect place and plenty of time to start again. So last night I cleared my mind, put on some music and went to work. A few hours later, this is the result. I think it turned out great. Possibly the best I have ever written. And all thanks to my beautiful wife, Amanda. I love you hunny...

The most amazing person
that I have ever known
Raising our beautiful children
completely on your own

As the days pass by
that we are apart
My love for you grows
inside my lonely heart

Days come and go
as if you were right here
But when night comes
I wish you were near

My dreams are filled
with the beauty of your face
I hold you very close
in a very special place

So when the day comes
when we can be together
We will hold each other
and be together forever

Until next time...

The Promotion Ceremony of a Life Time...

I just realized today how many freakin hills there are in Korea. We drove down to Seoul for like the eighth time since I have been here. The difference this time was the person driving. This dude was driving so FAST (probably 120 MPH) I thought I was going to be sick. Thank God we made it there alive, lol.

Anyway when we got down south I finished up my in processing that I was about a week overdue on and then went to take my driving test (which I failed BTW). We stopped by chow to get some food and I picked up my uniforms from alterations. On our way back my supervisor called and asked me if I wanted to have a promotion ceremony and for once I was really excited and said yes. I even get to pick where it is going to be. Sooo...I picked the building that is on the Korean border (we call it the T-2 building).

That's right, I am going to be one of like two or three people ever to be promoted in North Korea, in a building where 60 years ago the peace treaty was signed that ended the North Korean War. How freakin cool is that? Once more whats cool (other than just pictures) is I can record the whole thing on the security camera and have it forever. Sorry to be all over the place but I am just super excited about it! So when that happens (Friday I think) I will be sure to get pictures up on here.

Until next time...

Goodnight Moon

"Time passes. Even when it seems impossible. Even when each tick of the second hand aches like the pulse of blood behind a bruise. It passes unevenly, in strange lurches and dragging lulls, but pass it does. Even for me." ~ Isabella Swan (New Moon by Stephenie Meyer)

Saturday night was the first night I can remember since I have been here when the sky was clear enough to see the moon and all the stars. Before I left Gabriel, Amanda, and I sat down to watch an Elmo video about deployments. From it, we got the idea to say goodnight to the moon every night before bed. Not too long after I left, Gabriel started doing so, in return so did I. Only until last night it was just me saying goodnight to a black sky.

Sunday morning when I woke up I was extremely happy to be getting off of my first work rotation and heading back down to the closest thing I can call home here. I actually got to drive for the first time as well, which was nice even if it was only three miles on a military base. I took my time so I could soak up as much of it as possible.

It's funny how people always tell you that life is too short, don't take anything for granted. Most people when they hear that they immediately think of family, time, meaning of life. Well being in a place like this, makes you think about things even smaller than that. I think we take things for granted like a clear night sky or just being able to get in the car and drive, no matter where you are going.

I think even sex is taken for granted. And no I don't mean everyone should go and have sex all the time just because they can. I mean the actual act of making love to the person you care about most in the world. It seems like now a days, people are just doing it because they have to. Whatever happened to, because you love them. Because you need them. The feeling you have when you hold them, making every moment special and exciting because lets face it, you never know when you are going to be able to have that feeling again. The world is a mystery and no one knows what will happen tomorrow.

I am not really sure how I got on that subject, I guess maybe its just me missing Amanda. I think when I get back home I will do things a lot differently than I did when I left. More kisses, hugs, holding hands. The longer your with someone things like that seem to start fading. Not that you do it on purpose it just kind of happens. I guess just another one of those little things that people take for granted. Well not me, not anymore.

Not much else going on to report. Amanda got the kids pictures taken yesterday so I soon as I get to see those I will put some up here.

Until next time...

R-E-D...RED! R-E-D...RED!

Picture of the Day!

This picture was taken two days ago from a Helo flying back and forth from Camp Bonifas to the DMZ. Every month they make this flight 4 times to make sure everything in the chopper is working the way it should. In case of an emergency the chopper has a 3 minute response time to head up to the DMZ to evacuate all US and ROK personnel in the event of an attack. The flag that you see is the tallest standing flag in South Korea to date. The flag stands in the center of a rice patty farm just minutes away from the DMZ.

Today is my last day working before a nice 4 day break. Although one of my 4 days off will be spent down in Yong San, taking my driving test, completing my inprocessing, and buying new uniforms to put my new Staff stripes on! That's right people. You are looking at SSgt Martinez now :)

But enough about me, I want to tell you about my babies. So this week is pretty special as far as the kids go because both of the kids have learned how to do something new. Lily has finally rolled over completely on her own. Granted Amanda has to set her up just right and she can only go from her stomach to her back, but still, she did it. Gabriel (who just started half day pre-school a few weeks ago) can spell his first word, RED! They taught him this little song in school and O-M-G is it the cutest thing I have EVER heard! I am so glad that we can at least keep in touch the way we have been. It helps keep my mind off the fact that they aren't here.

I finished watching season 1 of Heroes last night and HOLY SHIT! I can't beleive how awesome that series is. I can't wait until season 2 comes out on DVD so I can catch up. I have a feeling a lot of my money over here is going to be spent on buying series of TV shows I have never seen and watching them. It's actually a really cheap way to keep myself busy. I also made the mistake of watching the movie "For love of the game". I have seen it before but never really realized how much of love story it really was rather than being about baseball. It made me miss Amanda so much that I had to turn it off. So I have a new rule. No more movies that involve kids or love while I am over here. From here on out if shit isn't blowing up or I am not laughing my ass off, then I am not watching it. I made this same mistake when I was deployed. I watched the "Notebook" all by myself, first time away from Amanda, and it took days to get it out of my head. I have been doing really good so far and I don't need some stupid movie messing it up for me.

Anyway it looks like that is it for now. Until next time...

I think I got it...

So I think I have this blog figured out so I am just going to get right into it.

If you don't know me or know anything about my current "situation" then head over to my about me profile. It should give you a little information and the rest you should be able to figure out based on the information I write in here.

I have been in Korea two weeks tomorrow. I have to admit that it has gone pretty well. I still have my moments where I miss my family so much that it hurts my stomach and I feel like I am going to be sick. I hope that will pass.

I started my job yesterday. Blah, I hate it. My schedule right now is 3 days on, 3 days stand-by, and 3 days off. To most of you that may seem pretty easy, but its not. When I am on duty, I am on duty for a full 72 hrs. That means I have to eat, sleep, and work in the same building without a break. Imagine being stuck in a hospital room for three days with out being able to leave, only you are completely by yourself with nothing to do and no one to talk to. That's my life for the next year.

The good news, if its even considered good news, is that on my stand-by days and my off days I get to live down at Camp Bonifas (about three miles south of the DMZ). The only thing I am on stand-by for is to take pictures for very important tours that come through. That only seems to happen around once or twice a month so it will be 6 days off most of the time.

My first night here (last night), I spent about 4 hours making a Twilight Music Video for my wife Amanda. I think it turned out really good. There are some spots I am going to have to have to touch up but I am going to wait a little while until more movie content comes out. I already posted it on Facebook, and I am sure I will post it on YouTube but I think I am going to post it here too.

Its getting pretty late so I will call it a night. I will write again when I can, although I am going to try and write everyday. Until next time...

New Blog to Talk about my new life...

I will be the first one to admit that there is probably no one out there that will read this. The thought of that bothered meat first, but for some reason it doesn't anymore. I have thought many times about keeping a journal, I even bought a composition notebook for that reason, but decided the blog seemed like the way to go.

So here we go, on to the blog writing. So where do I begin. I could tell you all about me, but there is an about me section for that. I guess I will have to fill that out when I get done with this.

I wonder if this blog lets me add pictures and videos. I will have to check that out too. Holy crap I just realized I know nothing about this site. Alright well I am done for now. Let me go and check out this website and I will get back to you...