Thursday, May 20, 2010

Youth Center Running Club

I hate to upstage my birthday goats, but check out what just hit the base paper!
I really do love this group!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Birthday Goats

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

How to Have a Great Birthday Without Your Hubby


I know some military spouses who whine when their husbands are away for occasions. And I have non-military friends that feel bad for me when Chris is away for important days. To the first group I want to say toughen up! For the second group I want to reassure you all that I'm just fine celebrating on my own. For those of you who want to know how to have a great birthday when your husband is 9000 miles away, here are some pointers:
1. Wake up to tons of awesome Facebook birthday wishes!
2. When you return from walking the dog have voicemails from your parents and hubby singing you Happy Birthday!
3. Have awesome friends that will go for a long run with you!
Tiffany took a personal day off work to run with me! I love these ladies!
Plus, I got to pet this cutie:
Today summer came to Okinawa - the humidity was brutal! At the end we joked that "the Galloway Method saved our run!"

5. After the run spot a license plate with A for Amy and your birthday!
6. Hit up Starbucks with your ladies and spend the next couple hours cooling down and chatting. Bonus, one of your running partners gives you a Starbuck's gift card! Woohoo!
7. Go home and shower so you can go to lunch with another awesome lady!
Jessica is adorable and the sushi was delicious!!
8. Go to work and get a gift certificate from your boss.
9. And while at work, pick up the flowers your hubby sent you!
10. Run with your favorite kids' running club.
11. On your drive home spot one of your favorite Okinawan treasures AND finally capture them on camera!

12. Open awesome presents from friends and family.
One of my favorites is definitely a copy of Andrew's journal that he kept while visiting Japan - great memories and fantastic illustrations!
13. Get overly excited about the Baked Cheetos your mom sent you.
14. Eat some leftover angelfood roll cake.
(Yes, that's a match. I didn't have any candles and I don't mind being a little ghetto.)
15. Go to bed early so you can get up at 4:30 to go swim Master's.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...what a perfect day.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

The Career That Wasn't

Every week we receive an email with our base bulletin. It lists things like upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, job openings, etc. Well, this week's had an advertisement from the Red Cross offering a free 6 month training course to be a dental assistant. You get hands-on training and at the end of the 6 months you're ready to be hired into a relatively good paying job. I'm constantly thinking about having a job that is more portable to fit this military lifestyle than my fisheries training provides. So I saved that email and headed to work at the Youth Center.
Later that afternoon a kid named Bryce came up to me and said, "look Ms. Amy, I've got 2 loose teeth!". He then proceeded to open his mouth and rotate his teeth with both his tongue and his fingers. That totally triggered my gag reflex and made me want to vomit. So I'm guessing dental assistant isn't for me and I'm back to square one.
In other Youth Center news my running club kids completed their second 5K yesterday!
I was especially proud of the kids because it was rainy, cool, and windy! Besides a few chattering teeth before the race started I didn't hear any complaints.
I absolutely LOVE how supportive the parents are! Plus, I got a huge bonus that 2 of my WOOT (Women On Okinawa Trails) friends came out to support the team and run as well. Another WOOT lady was there taking pictures of the club for the base paper. We're going to be celebrities.
No really, if you're in Japan you might see us some day on a billboard. There was a Japanese sports drink company there and they want to sponsor us. They're willing to provide t-shirts for the club and shoes for the top boy and girl in exchange for us having their logo on our sleeve and possibly taking some photos. I am so excited about this!
Here's my group including the volunteers:
The running club is definitely my favorite part of the week and I'm glad the weather isn't so hot that we have to cancel it yet. I should be able to get in 4 more runs with them before I take leave in June. Woohoo! Kids Run the World!

Monday, May 3, 2010

7 Years Down, 77 to go



Nothing has changed, but the spots.
Happy Anniversary!

Squid-Go-Round

Calamari anyone?