Aw, here we go!

First of all, let me share that I have been raised to be a strong, independent woman by my mother. She has taught me to never let people walk over me, and that I can do whatever I put my mind to. These characteristics I have adopted have led me to where I am today. I am here at my mobilization training. We have been here for four full days and already stresses are high. Mostly because of all the lack of communication and confusion in relation to our training and what we are doing here. We have received new gear, painful shots, tons of paperwork and WAY better food than in Salina ;) it's always about the food. Most of our time is spent at this appointment or that one, listening to this brief or getting this box checked off for these people whose job it is to get us out of the country.
The other night, I was finally given an opportunity to do some physical training (PT) by way of playing 5 games of basketball. Boy, was I tired! ----but it felt SO good to get some stress out on the court, let me tell you!! I have so many little stories to tell; like the one where we were walking to the gym in the dark and a drunk soldier in civilian clothes came up to us (it was one of his last nights before heading off to Iraq) with his sober buddies to talk to us. Or how there is a minimal security prison/jail on post that we have to walk past everyday in order to get to the chow hall and how I walked past today semi alone (my pals were up ahead of my about 20 feet) and one of the males bee lined to me at the fence and yelled out 'Hey girl! Why are you all by yourself?' and I just yelled out 'MOFFETT!!!!!!' real loud (Moffett is the name of one of the guys who was walking ahead of me) to let the guy know that I was NOT by myself. Haha! Or how some of these females need to leave me alone or I'm going to snap!
Like I said, stresses are high--and sleep is short lived, so I'm going to hit the rack for the night. I just thought it was time for a more regular update.

I miss all of you, and dream of home daily.

Title 10

Things are coming to a close. I am officially an active duty soldier as of today. I report tomorrow evening and will begin my journey to our mobilization site. As I sit here, contemplating my life, I wonder about how I got here. Nothing in my recent, or even distant past hints to this change of events that has me on my way to a deployment in a little over a month. High school was rough, as it is for every teenager--but it was still an amazing experience. I was all-academic, swim team captain, varsity letter all four years. I was in honors courses and participated in a plethora of extra curricular activities including but not limited to science club, flag squad, and choir. I graduated with National Honor Society GPA and went off to find myself at college..instead I found friends, all nighters, and a boy named Casey.
I thought my life was complete. I transferred to the University of Kansas where I was going to finish my degree as Casey finished his--we were going to get married and start a wonderful life together, until we ended up pregnant.
One surprise event and a year can change so much....
A year later, I was single, without child, and enlisting in the Army National Guard. It is amazing how life can change in one year. I was on a path, a planned, chosen path. I loved my path, I walked my path with joy and happiness--but all of a sudden in on year--my path took an unexpected turn. The environment around me on the path turned cold, there was snow and ice. I had been dressed for summer and the beach--I wasn't prepared for this unexpected change. People ask me about my life during the time when the path turned and I honestly can't speak on it very well. I don't even know what happened myself. All I know is that I was headed off to the Army. I am just now thawing from the flash winter that I experienced.
Just in time.
I have learned to embrace whatever comes my way. Live moment by moment, because I never know when something--some unexpected event is going to change my life forever. So, I live it. Every smile. Every tear. Every upset stomach and anxiety attack. Every laugh. Every embarrassment. I live it.