Lisa,

This just figures:

You Are Ernie

Playful and childlike, you are everyone's favorite friend - even if your goofy antics get annoying at times. You are usually feeling: Amused - you are very easily entertained You are famous for: Always making people smile. From your silly songs to your wild pranks, you keep things fun. How you life your life: With ease. Life is only difficult when your friends won't play with you!

I celebrated another birthday in the Middle East. I am now 25. I am now in my mid-twenties. It's a little hard to swallow. I'm allowed to do whatever I want to do within reason and now that I'm 25 I'm looked at more as an adult than I was at 18-24. It's like a huge cosmo shift. Mid-twenties = You have got to be mature by now. This age also equates to the "When are you going to settle down?" Hmmm.... Someday, maybe, but right now I am enjoying being in my shoes. I am happy for all the things I have and the goals I have and am waiting to accomplish.

Why do people want 20-30 year olds to rush in their lives with marriage and children? These two steps are much bigger than what they appear to be. First off, all I've met so far in my life is Mr. Wrong. As far as children go, I'm not ready yet or am I in any rush. Sure, kids are great and I do love kids, but I am not ready to take care of something bugger than myself yet. I'm not prepared to let my heart walk around outside my body yet. When I am I'll be sure to let the "rushers in life" know. Marriage and kids can wait for 10 more years. Right now it's college and career time. My time!

As selfish as that sounds, I'm not changing my mind. These rushers are the reason why teenage girls get knocked up. If I offended anyone who has had a teenage pregnancy I apologize, but it's true. When us girls are young it is drilled over and over again in our heads, marriage and kids and don't end up like your aunt. Why does every family have a aunt that isn't married? Is this a conspiracy?

Anyway, I'm still young and happy with my life. And, as long as I'm happy with the person looking back at me in the mirror, well then that's all that counts!

Here are some b-day pics.

Me with b-day balloons

Me, Karen, and Chilli-Pepper

DST Team 1 - the balloon represents our commander who had left that day

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen

You Are a Life Blogger!

Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary. If it happens, you blog it. And make it as entertaining as possible.

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen

Buffy was the greatest dog we ever owned.  She was a huge sweetheart and loved everyone!  Buffy was a very happy dog and also stubborn!  When we first got her we had to hand feed her her dog food, but she could eat snacks just fine.  Also, Buffy would beg for food she didn't like and continue to beg until you gave it to her, and she would take it and spit it out and beg again! 

My whole family loved Buffy.  She was my brother's and mine kid sister and my parents youngest child.  She acted more like human than dog.  Buffy really fitted in our family, she loved sleep as much as we did.  She slept with my mom, and when mom would wake up she would sleep with me, and when I woke up, she would sleep with my brother.  She was a fantastic dog.

Buffy was put down on 19 September by "Loving Paws" and then buried in their pet cemetary.  She was 15yrs old.  She lived a great life and will be greatly missed.  She is survived by her parents JJ and Rosemary, brother Jason, sister Jennifer, stepmother Donna, and stepsisters Ginger and Tasha.   

I dedicate today's blog to Buffy the Wonder Dog.

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen

Well the PT test has been rescheduled.  I am sick.  I have been sick since Saturday.  Here's how everything started.

(Flash Back Sequence Please....)

Saturday

I came to work and everything thing seemed to be going fine, until after lunch.  BAM!!!  I am hit with a sore throat.  I start feeling miserable and my ears begin to hurt.  I decide to go to Role 1 Medical which is British for TMC.  I figured why pay my money for over the counter meds when I can get them for free.  The medic sees me and sends me on my way empty handed.  He tells me, "There's nothing wrong with you."  Is it all in my head?  Am I faking myself out?  My NCOIC allows me to leave work at 1600.  I go right to bed without eating supper.  No full night's sleep.  I am up at 2230.  At this point my throat hurts so bad I want to cry, I have significant sinus pressure, headache, and ear pain.  I don't want to scream so I'm kicking the bed.  It hurts to breathe and think.  I put my DVD player on and watch "Strong Medicine," until I can no longer keep my eyes open.

Sunday

  I go back to sleep around 0100 and am up again at 0530.  Still in pain.  I try to go back to sleep and finally give up at 0630. 

I go to work and suffer through the day.  I forego breakfast and lunch as I am unable to even drink water than to think I'm going to swallow food.  My only upside is popsicles that cool my throat.  I secretly wish the ice will get lodged in my throat to provide me with relief.  I go back to Role 1 Medical and tell the medic my throat has gotten worse.  I leave with throat lozenges (don't work worth nothing), and am told again there is nothing wrong with me.  At this point I am beginning to think I should go to mental health for being a hypochondriac and get out of this hell I am. 

My NCOIC allows me to leave work at 1500.  I put "Strong Medicine," on again.  I go to sleep around 1900, and skip dinner again. 

Monday

I awake at 0100.  I want to scream.  I'm in so much pain!!!  I now have a migraine, severe sinus pressure, I can feel my top wisdom teeth(I DON'T HAVE TOP WISDOM TEETH), and my throat is on fire!!!  I kick my bed violently, to keep myself from screaming and waking up my roommate.  I think I'm dying!  I feel like I'm dying.  I try to settle myself down again and go back to sleep around 0300.  I sleep until 0500.  I can't take anymore.  I go outside and sit and try to calm myself with a cold bottle of water.  It hurts to swallow but it feels so good.  I go back inside and try to go back sleep around 0530.  I awake with the alarm at 0730.

I go into work and my throat isn't hurting as much.  It still hurts, but it's not burning.  My nose is a running faucet.  I go through a box and half throughout the course of the day.  I still have sinus pressure and a slight headache.  I forego again breakfast and lunch.  I just don't feel like food right now.  I actually make it through a whole day. 

I go to my room at 1730 and lie down on my bed and fall asleep.  I am up again at 1900.  I decide to eat a little something after going on just popsicles and cold water for 54 hours.  I eat potatoes and carrots.  Something easy to get to down and easy to digest. 

I go to sleep at 2300.

Tuesday

I am up again at 0330!  My head feels like it's going to rocket off.  My runny nose has now clogged.  At least my throat is still okay.  I take some Ibriprofen and go back to sleep.  I wake up at 0600.  My head no longer hurts, but the sinus congestion is still there. 

I go to work.  I forego breakfast and lunch again.  I decide to go back to Role 1 Medical.  This time the doctor sees me.  I leave with Amoxcilican, Codeine, and a bacterial infection.  I'm not crazy!  I just didn't dream this hell up out of the blue.  I begin taking the meds.  I go to dinner and can't finish it.  I feel nauseas.  I end up working until 2030. 

I go to my room and play my Nintendo DS.  I go to bed at 2200. 

Wednesday

I SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!  I feel so much better.  I start coughing today and phlegm is finally coming out of my system.  I never thought I'd be happy to see phlegm!!! 

I go to work.  I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I work for the whole day.  I'm almost feeling like me.  Dinner made nauseas again and I felt for sure I was going to blow chunks, but didn't.

I play my DS and watch "Stick It," and then go to bed at 2300.

Thursday

I sleep the whole night.  Each day is getting a little better.  I still can't eat much without getting nauseas, but at least I'm eating.  I am now 12 pounds thinner and am still coughing phlegm.  I've had a low grade fever since Monday, but as long as my sinuses and throat don't hurt, then I'm happy.  Maybe I'll be back to my old self before I leave here.

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen

The flash disk that I have had since Iraq is now at rest.  The worse thing about it is my re-up pics from last month were on there and some memos I had to retype again!  I really liked my flash disk, and it was only 3 yrs old.  I guess it wanted to leave Afghanistan sooner than later.  Man, will I miss it.  After all it was my very first one!

Things are going along here.  I bought a lot of stuff here.  I think because, when I was in Iraq I didn't have an amazon account yet.  But, now that I do, I use it constantly.  Amazon is fantastic with I believe the world's best customer service.

In other news, I have a PT test in 2wks.  Yay!  I'm only a month overdue for the thing.  Running here is reminicent of Colorado.  Afghanistan has a high altitude too!  The gym is really nice though.  I know I'll pass it.  Speaking of which, in October I will be able to weigh 152lbs compared to 137 the Army wants me to weigh now, and still keep the same body fat percentage.  This is great!  I know my body can get down to the 150s easily.  So, now I can get on the scale and then get right off and not be taped.  This is a dream come true.  I'll no longer be in the "chunky monkey" group.  Will I miss it?  No! 

Well that's all for now. 

God bless and take care,

Jen

Yesterday, I was checking my e-mail, and my Commander spoke aloud that Steve Irwin is dead.  I looked up at him with a questioning look and thought to myself is this some kind of hoax?  When my Commander then proceeded to tell us that Steve was killed by a sting-ray, I then thought for sure that this had to be a hoax.  Come on now, he's wrestled crocodiles, alligators, played with venemous and non-venemous snakes and spiders, and not to mention he had a run in with a hippo!  He was even in a cage while Great White Sharks swam around him and were trying to get him in that cage.  How possibly could a sting-ray take Steve from this world?  But, as we all know it happened.  The Crocodile Hunter like us is not immortal, and he was pierced in the chest by a sting-ray's barb. 

Steve Irwin was different than most celeberties.  He was the same on camera as he was off.  His love for animals and his family were evident.  He died doing what he loved doing, and that was showing the world animals and their habitats and telling people to not be afraid and kill them all off.  If it wasn't for him, how many of us would have seen the beauty of reptiles and other animals that society deems dangerous? 

I didn't watch the Crocodile Hunter until the end of my Freshman year to the begining of my Sophmore year.  All the kids in school were talking about this Austrailian that wrestles with crocodiles.  I knew I had to see this.  I began watching the show and was amazed.  Soon, specials were premiering, one of which was Steve Irwin's "Deadliest Snakes".  I jumped so many times during that show, because I thought for sure he was going to be bitten.  Of course he wasn't.  All his shows were like that.  They were all exciting to watch as well as educational. 

Steve Irwin paved the way for other wildlife conservationists.  I watched a show last year with the host saying that majority of snakes will not strike unless they are handled.  This dude stood on a Copperhead with both feet and Copperhead didn't do a thing.  But, when the host took a protestic hand and tried to pick the snake up, it then struck.  Steve's message rang through loud and clear in this program, "Don't muck with it."

Steve Irwin had child-like energy and enthusiasm.  Many people around the world will miss Steve Irwin and I am one of those people.  Steve Irwin is survived by his wife Terri (born in Oregon, USA), and two children Bindi Sue (8) and Robert "Bob" (2 1/2).  My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. 

In Memory of Steve Irwin

22 February 1962 - 04 September 2006

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen

Addict No More

It called me from across the lot

I could see the red ember burning with anger and yet filled with desire

I smelt the aroma of its lust fullness

It was luring me toward it

In my ears I could hear those ill-fated words, "It's just one."

It talked so sweetly to me until I turned my back on it

I remember it scorning me as I went inside my room

Sneering at me and calling me names like weak

But I just laughed  and shook my head

I can't be weak, I'm not the one with the dependency.

I have been really tempted lately.  Everywhere I go I see people smoking or I'm sitting down at a bench and people sit down and smoke around me.  Since I'm deployed with NATO there is no such thing as smoking and non-smoking considering the majority of places in Europe are smoking zones.  So, today I went on a mission and we had some time to ourselves so a friend and I sat inside an air-conditioned cafe/mwr center and drank some cappuccinos.  Well, the table we were at soon became full of smokers.  Now my uniform from the day is a mixture of love spell, sweat, and cigarette smoke.  Progress as of today:

Quit Smoking Date: 17 August 2006 @ 2400hrs

Time Passed: 6 days, 21 hours, 54 minutes, 3 seconds 

Cigarettes Not Smoked: 138

Money Saved Buying Cigarettes in Afghanistan: $15.18

Money Saved Buying Cigarettes in Germany: $26.22

Money Saved Buying Cigarettes in Pennsylvania: $34.50

In lighter news I'm happy to report that I will be re-enlisting.  Oh, boy!  This time I'm going for the full six so I can take advantage of all the bonus money.  Time flies when your having fun.

My friend and I got another roommate today.  I don't know how long she's staying in our room for, since I haven't seen her yet.  Normally billeting uses our room as a "I'm going on R&R in three days." room.  But, it appears this roommate may be a permanent fixture.  She brought her laundry bag with clean clothes in it!  And, she asked for a wall locker!  This could be serious!

I've picked up my DS again and am now playing Mario and Luigi Partners in Time.  It is so much fun!  You get to play with four characters at a time.  Click on the Amazon link, I'm afraid I may spoil the game if I continue on.

Well Gotta Go.

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen

Thank-you Jesus for Helping Me Stop Smoking

The Lord has been with me all my life, and now that I have dedicated my life to Him, I love my life.  My life is so blessed and everyday I learn something new either about myself, the Bible, or my friends.  Jesus Saves!!!  Three things that asking Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Personal Savior will bring to you:

1.  Insurance of Heaven of being your eternal resting place (The Gift of Eternal Life)

2.  Peace

3.  Burden-Free (Jesus takes all your burdens and frees you from them)

Remember: "For God so loved the world (you) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever (you)  believeth in Him should not perish (go to hell) but have Everlasting Life (Heaven)."  John 3:16.

Day Three

I am now on day three.  Day three for a smoker is usually the toughest.  Day three is nicotine's last day in your system.  So, I'm just a tad on edge today.  The herbs I'm taking are working excellently.  I'm not as moody as I normally am, and cigarette smoke isn't that alluring.  In fact it makes me nauseated, and I lose my breath.  It feels like someone knocked the wind out of me.  I start gasping for air and I move quickly to an area without smoke.  Sometimes, when I think about smoking I start to get short of breath.  I guess it's my body telling me "Oh, no you don't!"  Here is my progress report so far.

Quit Smoking Date: 17 August 2006 @ 2400

Time Passed: 2 days, 14 hours, 35 minutes, 34 seconds

Cigarettes Not Smoked: 51

Money Saved: $5.61

What Makes it so Hard to Quit?

1.  Admitting that smoking is an addiction that you enjoy doing

2.  Stress

3.  Not wanting to gain weight

4.  Having to take a laxative for one to two days because the bowels are programmed to go after a cigarette

5.  Losing office breaks

6.  Having friends that smoke and they don't care about smoking around you

7.  Trouble sleeping

8.  Spasmodic cough-the lungs are cleaning themselves and these coughing fits really hurt

9. Being reminded about smoking no matter where you go

10.  Replacing cigarettes with life

*This list of set backs is based upon my own experience and the experiences of others that I know. 

What Do Smokers Crave?

Many smokers in quitting including myself crave sugar.  For some odd reason we want something sweet.  Hard candy is the most popular, because we can play around with it.  Gum isn't so good, because after a while our jaws hurt.  Also, some chewed gum while they smoked, so, gum is often a trigger. 

This sugar problem is sometimes the root in weight gain that smokers in quitting complain about.  I myself have tried to go the sugarless candy route, but sugarless candy doesn't have enough choices.  I have to have my Jolly Ranchers and Life Savers.

Another thing smokers in quitting crave is water.  We become like fishes.  We cannot get enough water.  Pop doesn't do it for us, because after we down a pop we are still thirsty.  So, it's water, water, and more water. 

Finally smokers in quitting crave citrus.  Citrus for some reason does something for us.  Everyday I drink 1000 ml of Red Orange Juice.  Oh, and it is good.  Citrus also helps fight off cravings.  You would be surprised what a orange can do.

*This list of cravings is based upon my own experience and the experiences of others that I know. 

What are the Triggers

1.  Waking up in the morning

2.  Before Meals

3.  After Meals

4.  Drinking

5.  Playing Cards

6.  Boredom

7.  Stress

8.  Lack of bowel movement

9.  After physical activity

10.  Socializing

The Herbs

I am taking the Boiron Homeopathic Care Kit for quitting smoking.  Boiron uses herbs and then puts them in granule form and coats them with sugar (there's that sweet thing).  You let them dissolve under your tongue and they make you feel great.  This is my easiest time quitting smoking.  I'm less irritated and less hungry.  Above everything else I am not giving in to wanting to smoke.  Cool.  Learn more at www.boiron.com.

New News on Combating the Smoking Addiction

Be sides patches, gum, and my new favorite herbs, an Anti-Smoking Vaccine is under way.  The vaccine makes that "high" you get from the nicotine when inhaling a cigarette to block it.  No high-no smoke is the philosophy.  Now that "high" they are talking about only happens when you haven't smoked for 12 hours or more.  If you are a chain smoker as I was this probably would not work for you. 

Now if I had a cigarette right now I most definitely would get a high.  I would have to sit down before I fell.  This vaccine should be marketable in 5yrs.  Advice to smokers everywhere-quit now.  In 90 days your lungs will have healed up to 90%.  Your life is more important than a cigarette.  Your family is more important than a cigarette.  Quit today.  Goggle search to see what would be right for you.

Can't resist posting this picture.  This sign gives directions as well as I do.

Well that's about all for this entry.

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen

The following journal entries will track my progress with this obstacle in my life.  Here's how I got on the wrong track.  I started smoking when I was 14, and would take a couple of drags off a cigarette my friends were smoking.  At the age of 17 I became a full fledge smoker.  A carton would last me for almost two weeks and at that time I only smoked 7 a day.  So, a pack could last me almost 3 days if my friends did not bum any cigarettes from me.

When I joined the Army and went through BCT 2000-2000 we were not allowed to smoke so, my lungs cleared themselves and I discovered I was a pretty good runner.  Later in my first week of AIT 2000-2001, we all got to go off post for Thanksgiving Holiday, and a couple of my buddies were smoking.  All it took was one whiff of that smoke and I went down to the market and got myself a pack of Marlboro Reds.  I lit the cig, took a drag, and almost choked to death.  My body was screaming at me!  Hey, dumb dumb didn't we decide we weren't going to smoke anymore?  The lungs are finally starting to get along with the rest of the body. 

I didn't quit smoking though.  I just switched to Marlboro Lights. 

When I went to supply school 2001-2001 none of my buddies smoked so I didn't smoke.  I was clean for 7 weeks and 8 days, then went home on leave.  All my friends back home smoke.  Not surprisingly I started back up. 

Now I am at my first duty station, Fort Carson, CO 2001-2004.  The Mile High Club.  The place where the air is so thin that non-smokers have a hard time breathing.  Did I quit?  No.  Did I try?  Yes.  How long did it last?  About a week to two weeks at most.  I even tried doing 100 push-ups for every cig I smoked and ended up doing very well on PT test, but I still kept smoking.

I PCSed to Germany in 2004 I quit smoking on patches and took the smoke-away lung healer lozenges.  I stayed smoke free from Feb-Jul 2005 during that quit.  This was my longest quit.  I didn't want to smoke or even craved cigarettes.  About the 2nd week of July I started up again and kept smoking until Christmas break.  I quit again 28 December 2005-March.  I have now been smoking non-stop for 5 months.  I am now up to a pack a day.

Today I quit.  I am trying Homeopathic Meds Quit Smoking Kit.  Inside thay give the herb Lobelia Inflata which is for tobacco cravings and the herb Nux Vomica which is for irratibility and food cravings.  So far so good.  I started at 2400 and slept until 0650.  It is now 1030 and here is the info I can provide:

Stopped smoking: 17 August 2006 @ 2400

Hours Passed: 10 hours, 30 minutes, 23 seconds 

Cigarettes not smoked: 8

Money Saved: $0.88

Well that's all I have for now. 

God Bless and Take Care,

Jen