HOME AT LAST!

I'm home! It's such a great feeling!
I'd tell you the whole horrible process of coming home, but... I don't feel like reliving the horrible details. I guess you could say it is comparable to child birth. The process is painful, long, and at time annoying and you become impatient, but the END IS SO WORTH IT!!!

I'm so happy to be with my man.
And yes. I DID highlight my hair. It's a big orangey, but I'll fix it later today.

GOODBYE KUWAIT!! (for...ev...er)

This is Jen & Joy.
SIGNING OFF AND OUT OF KUWAIT!!
Goodbye.
We didn't really like you anyway.

Last Friday.

Well, Today was fun. Woke up, stood in the FREEZING COLD to hear the turn over ceremony that SUCKED from 8-830. Then from 9-945 was the award ceremony. At which point I went inside. I slept til lunch, then slept til muster at 1600. Marks told me I did a good job as a third class, stepping up. But then I realized that I was the ONLY third class. HaHa.

Later Jen and I hung out, I ironed my uniform, and then we went to KFC. We shared a meal and we shared a dessert. It was so much fun. We took pictures of us in front of silly things. And I pretended I'm a gangster. It was good times.

Last Thursday.

So, I wake up at 7am to go to breakfast with Jen, but I realize that I honestly don't feel like it. I talk to Sean for a bit and then take a quick nap til 845 and walk over with my 100 lb. storm case to the barracks where they were picking all of them up.

I get in trouble for just standing around and not helping put them all on the truck even though I'm the only girl and they had about 20 guys doing it. They honestly didn't need me and I would have just taken forever anyway. So, I walk away because I wasn't required to be there.

I go to OS1 Marks' barracks and ask him what all the fuss was about with being there for muster at 9am since it was now 920 and he was still in his PJ's in his rack. He tells me nothing. Just that we had to meet at 1pm for inspection of our storm cases and at 2pm we had a muster for watch.

I was relieved that I didn't have anything to do, so I went to my rack and slept until 1200, ate lunch, and then walked over to where we were having our storm cases inspected. Jen was bored so she joined me. I had to clean it, inside and out, and then have the box inventoried. After I was done, Jen went to help me carry the box to the loading area. I picked up the box and started to walk backwards with it while Jen grabbed the other end and I didn't take two steps backward when I fell back over a 2x4 that was sticking out about a foot off the ground about 3 feet across from the table/shelf thing that the case had been on.

I DROPPED THE CASE ON MY SHIN!

Oh it hurt. It STILL hurts. It bled a little. I fell back on my hand and I must have fallen on a big rock because my hand hurts almost as bad as my leg and 100 lb. box fell on it. As I was falling, I was thinking, "OH NO! I'm going to break my ankle only a few days before I get home?!" But, God's angels must have been around me, because I'm fine. In a bit of pain, but I'm fine.

So, Jen and I went to medical where they argued over how to clean the wound, and then since I was feeling dizzy he made me lay down when all I wanted to do was go to my bed and sleep. Then, a coast guard dude made me laugh by sticking non-stick gauze to the door.

I went to my rack and Jen and I hung out. We started doing this thing where we sit in my rack and chill on our computers together. We watched some 30 Rock, and part of StepBrothers (AMAZING MOVIE!). Went to supper. Then I had to type up a recall sheet for Chief Stolebarger.

Since then, we've been back here, sitting on my bed with some hot chocolate and white chocolate mocoa and watched the rest of StepBrothers.

I'm tired now.

Tomorrow is our Award Ceremony/Turn Over Ceremony. Basically the last big thing before we leave. I'm so friggin excited. You have NO IDEA!!

Last Wednesday.

Today, I had nothing really.

Warrior Transition was at noon. That's where they tell us what to expect when we get back to the U.S. And how to act. And how to treat ourselves and our families. That anger, depression, and alcohol abuse are the three top problems with military returning to America after deployment. It was basic and pretty much everything I already knew.

At 2pm, we had to muster because we still have watches. Some of our new reliefs put our weapons in the ready to fire position, which is NOT okay. And another almost shot someone in the face with a flare gun... THEREFORE, we must still stand watches. We should be done, but we're not.

Our Watch Supervisor told us today at muster that tomorrow we turn in our storm cases. That has all of our tactical gear in it, and our attack gear. Meaning we SHOULDN'T be standing more watches because you're supposed to bring your gear with you to watch. But apparently that doesn't mean much.

Jen and I went to the beauty parlor and got our legs waxed. Then, we showered to get all the goo off our legs. Then we went to go eat supper.

I got told that I was beautiful by some guy. I'd never seen him before, but he said he'd seen me "around". Then, he followed us after supper with his buddy and said "You wanna go watch a movie?" Jen and I were like "No Thanks." I freaked out. I didn't leave my room the rest of the night. It was CREEPY! And the funny thing is, Jen and I were talking about it, Jen gets hit on by good looking, normal guys. I get hit on by creepy weird guys. It's horrible.

Anyway, so then, Jen and I spent the next 3-4 hours on my bed interneting it up.

I miss Sean. I just want to go home.

Last Tuesday

Today was alright. I'm just glad it's over.

I studied. I ironed my uniform. I studied. I ate breakfast. I studied. I went to the hadji mart with Jen. I studied. I ate lunch. I studied. I took my board. I failed. So... that was that. I went to my watch muster, and I had the day off. It was a good thing too, because I totally felt like crying. It was awful. I just hate failing. Plus the two guys that I took the board with passed and I didn't.

I went back and talked to Jen and she said she felt just as bad as I did because she felt she should have helped me study more. So, all my friends said they'd help me when we got back to America to help me study more.

So, Jen and Angie and I had a little pow wow afterward and we spent some quality girl time talking about stuff and things. Girl things. It was fun to have girl talk! I'm so glad I have girl friends to spend time with!

I talked to Sean online pretty much all day. But he was in a bad mood due to people being stupid, which is everywhere in the Navy, but some days it's more apparent than others. I wanted to make him feel better but you really can't do much from so far away. And I really didn't have too many updates because I talk to him so much that when I have something to say, I say it right away, so when we just sit around talking, sometimes I'm pretty quiet. (I KNOW, imagine. Me quiet? Ha ha.)

I went to "Coffee Night" with the boat people. It was Rhian, Jen, Angie, Maxwell, Norris, and two other guys I forget their names, and ME! I didn't drink any because the coffee here makes me sick, maybe it's the water they use or something because Jen and Angie don't feel very well afterward either. I sat with them for probably about 15-20 minutes before I started getting bored. All those guys work in the boats, so I don't know them well, and I feel awkward sitting around with them for too long because I don't get their jokes and they talk about people I don't know, with inside jokes I don't know. But it's nice to feel included. I'm not included with anything the guys I work with do. So maybe I'll just transfer to the boats! jk :)

Last Monday.

I'm in bed.
I have to do laundry.
I have to study.

MY EXW BOARD IS TOMORROW @ 1300!!
I'm so nervous!

I got today and tomorrow off... I just hope I pass! I'm going to study tonight and tomorrow morning and hopefully I'll pass. I'm supposed to be at the laundry room right now, but we did this drill, so I think I might not be allowed to leave my room until they make an announcement.

Blerg. I'm hungry. Supper isn't for another hour and 15 min.

Last Sunday.

OH WHEN WILL THE TORTURED SOUL REST?!

I'm not necessarily a tortured soul but I just feel so crazy here! I really don't want to be here ANY LONGER.

Today we had a Safety Standdown. That's where we sit in a room, while people tell us to be safe. (Hence the name.) We "learned" about Driving in Winter, Drinking and Driving, Hunting Safety, Suicide Prevention, and Motorcycle Safety. All very exciting topics, I must say. (sarcasm.)

Then, I came back to my little cubicle area and cleaned, moved, packed, and sorted my things. I moved my bed around, I packed the things I don't think I will use before the week is up, and I sorted the things I want to keep, I want to give away, and throw away.

My room looks like this (picture time!):

The Outside.
I had gotten a "Happy Halloween" poster from a Soldiers' Angel and put it up. I never took it down. It's like every holiday in here anyway, Christmas ornaments hang from the ceiling, Mardi Gras beads are hung up too! :)

My Lockers.
Boring... Just the Lockers. The rugs were there when we got here. The floor is concrete, so it's nice to have rugs. The red one I wish I could keep.

My Bed
Nothing too exciting there either, just the bed.

That's about it.

Last Saturday.

Last Saturday in Kuwait.

Seriously. Today wasn't all that bad. I was awakened by a loud knocking/pounding on the door. I thought to myself that it must have been part of my dream so I rolled over. After hearing it a second time, I realized that it was real and probably for me. I found out that we had to go to a brief at 9am about watch standing back at the building. The brief was fine except when the soon-to-be, new CO said that as far as uniforms go, when we're sitting on the quarterdeck (for our 4 hour watches) when have to wear the same thing. Therefore, if I'm sitting with a big ol' fat dude who NEVER gets cold, but I'm freezing, I have to freeze and NOT wear my coat because the big guy is sweating. I was NOT okay with this, but oh well. I'll figure something out.

Afterward, Jen and I went and got ourselves a couple White Chocolate Mochas. I don't know why I get coffee; it always makes me sick. But it tastes so good, that I get them anyway.

We walked around until lunch time, after which I showed her the miracle of blogspot.com! She made a couple and we put some together. So now we both update a couple new blogs! LOL! (You can find them on my profile.)

I found out I don't have watch today around 2pm. So we went back and worked on our blogs some more. Then, we decided to get our fleece's embroidered. We walked on over to the Hadji Shop and looked at the patches. Since we couldn't decide on anything, we moved on to the purse shop. Good thing I hadn't brought my Visa, or I might have bought YET ANOTHER PURSE! I don't know what it is about cheap/fake brand name purses. They are my weakness. We walked around a bit more and then went back to PCB 123.

On the way back, we decided that for my welcome home party on the 20th, we're going to have PIMP Cups. So we made one for all 4 of us!

Jen - Lil Jen
Brad - B-Rad
Sean - Mac
Joy - J-Reezy

We are so excited! I can't wait.

We ate dinner and we've been spending all day on the internet in my bed, reading over each others shoulders, chit chatting, talking about going home. I got my hair trimmed after my shower because the back was starting to look mullet-ish.

Around 8:10pm, we got a phone call about karaoke. We showed up and ROCKED THE HOUSE! We sang Pat Benetar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Madonna - Like A Prayer, and Guns 'N' Roses - Sweet Child Of Mine. We got a 98 on the last one. That was the highest score of the night, so I left and came back to my computer to find that my man had set up our new TV Entertaiment stand! It looks fabulous!

Check out http://soontobemcnamara.blogspot.com to see pictures. I love it! And I honestly can't wait to get home and decorate! That place needs a woman's touch!

RELIEF!

Our Reliefs are here. They were checking out our berthing to see if they could stay in here. I would TOTALLY take 2 extra people in our little cubicle as long as I get to leave as planned!

I CAN'T WAIT!

I was looking through wedding rental stuff... there's some really awesome stuff there too! I can't wait to go home and start helping planning my wedding!