What's been going on!

Josh in a new suit 5-3-08! Another sign of him getting out! This is actually his old suit jacket (new tie & shirt)! Wait till you see the new suit! mmmm mmmmm!!!

What's new with us....

So, it's been crazy here, as usual!!! Some days we feel like we're not busy @ all and then we look back and don't know where the days went!! Over the past few weeks we have:

~Went Whale Watching (again) and (again) we didn't see anything! Not even Dolphins!! After a few hours of sailing in one direction, I got bored and decided to sleep... it really made me consider investing in a nice big hammock!!!! I also got an amazing pink "sunburn" around my sunglasses so I looked pretty funny there for a bit! Ha ha! 6 April 2008

~Josh has had his first duty as a SNCO (staff non commissioned officer)! It was sad though, because he had to stay the night in the duty hut on a Saturday. = ( Yuck!!! He was soooooooo tired the next day too! He didn't want to sleep as soon as he got home though so, we ran around shopping, getting a few odds and ends we needed from Linens-N-Things, the Exchange on base, etc... 19/20 April 2008

~ I had my fist Mess Night!! Honestly, I DID NOT want to go! I had to pay $35 bucks and believe me, I put up a fight! But, the Marine Corps won, like it always does, and I ended up going. It was ok ( I can name 10 things I would rather have been doing, tho) and everyone at my table left early but me and this nice female Sgt; I stayed because I didn't want her to be lonely! She turned out to be super sweet! Say a prayer for her while she goes through OCS, Officer Candidate School! Friday 18 April 2008

~ Josh bought me a Joshua Tree!!!! I've wanted one for about two years now and I was really surprised when one just showed up in the mail for me one day!!!! It was sooooooo sweet of him!!!! It should germinate any day now! Fingers Crossed!!! If you would like one (they are said to be extinct in the wild by 2020!) go to http://www.desertgatherings.com/ save a species!!!

~ the cats... well, I don't remember if I told any of you but, Aspen actually has an skin allergy; we think it is from food. The doctors have all tried a few different things, but, they are really miffed. So, we're going to change their diet and see if that takes away Aspen's crazy welts, without upsetting Pyro's sensitive stomach. But if Aspen doesn't heal, then we are going to be recommended to an animal dermatologist. Expensive!!!! $$$$ So, please pray that the change in diet will help her to get better and stay better!!!!

~ on Thursday, the 24th of April, I organized and ran my first Bone Marrow Drive!!! And my husband was an amazing helper all day long! (I don't know what I would have done without his help!)We didn't end up with nearly as many as I had hoped but, 123 isn't bad either! Maybe @ least 3 of them will be enough of a match to save a life!!! If you would like to consider donating plasma, bone marrow or anything else, go to www.marrow.org and find out how to save a life!!!

~ Went to Julian again, this time with our friends, Rafe & Kyna Beresh! We had sooooo much fun! We ate apple pie (which Julian, CA, is famous for!) and walked around in the trinket shops and drank yummy apple cider!! I can't wait to go back again!! 5 April 2008 Saturday

Anne and I @ Del Mar Fair June 07
Lynne and I @ Point Loma Lighthouse March 08

~ BFF Day!!! 20 April 2008 13 YEARS!!!! ~ So, many of you have know how the twins and I grew up together; we've been friends for a REALLY long time!! Well, this past week was our celebration of our Best Friends Day that we made up as little kids! Over the years it has become a tradition and we will continue to celebrate it for the rest of our lives!! I love you guys!! Happy BFF Day!!!

~3+ mile fun run with josh for the first time!!! Sunday 20 April 2008 <----- ugh! This one took a lot outta me! Josh finally got me to go running with him for the first time! We ran Josh's route that he always does and let's just say that it involved a LOT of up hill! Haha! I was so unbelievably sore for the next week! Whew!!! But, i actually enjoyed sharing in an activity that Josh really enjoys. Even though I am a lot slower than he is, we still enjoyed being together and doing a healthy activity together! Maybe next time I can talk him into going rock climbing with the Beresh's! Another fun and healthy hobby!

~ Josh went to the 2008 West Coast Ordnance Birthday Party! It was from 11am-6pm on Friday the 25th of April! He had a blast hanging out and catching up with old friends. This was his last huge Ordnance function and I know that he enjoyed every minute and will really miss the good times like that! It's harder to let go of the good things than the bad ones.

Jamie and her 5 year old son, Drew.

Kyna and Rafe Beresh @ La Jolla Shores

~ We did our first beach cleanup this past Saturday morning, 26 April 2008! We participated in I Love A Clean San Diego Beach Cleanup!!! It was fun! My boss Jamie and her son Drew went as well as our friends the Beresh's! we cleaned up about a 3 mile stretch of beach (got free tshirts!) and then went out for Gelato afterwards! ( I know you're jealous, Anne!!) =) I really enjoyed getting out there and helping out our community! Josh and I have been recycling EVERYTHING! and we're trying to use as many Eco-friendly things as we can, like: the new clorox earth friendly products, a new toilet paper/ towels called Seventh Generation, we eat more fresh veggies than canned ones (healthier and saves on recycling!) and we try not to purchase things that don't make for good recycling ( never buy styrophome!!!!!!!!). We've decided that we're going to take trash bags with us next time we go hiking and pick up all the trash that we find, this way people can enjoy the outdoors and not all the garbage that stupid people leave behind. We want to try and help slow down the process of our own destruction of the planet. I've had people tell me that recycling and cleaning trails and stuff is for hippies. (seriously.) The thing is, one day, there won't be National Parks left. No trails, no campsites, no glaciers, nothing for the next generation of kids to enjoy. All because people now are just too lazy to toss a plastic bottle into a labled bin. Whats wrong with the world today? What are we going to teach our kids, if we don't teach them to stand up for what's right? What will we be able to teach them @ all, if we don't do it ourselves?

~ Lol, we have honestly been so busy that there is just too much to write! Lol! We went to the bday party of one of our friend's kids (the Aspenson's son, Quinton), we attended a going away party for the Scars this past Saturday (they leave in June so Jason can go to EOD school! Please keep them in your prayers over the next months and years! The field they are entering in for the military is a very dangerous one and we are praying for their safety and for support for them!)... what else!? Haha! SOOOOOOO MCUH STUFFF!!!! But, for the most part, this is the majority of what we have been up to! It's been crazy, stressful, and fun all at the same time! josh and I continue to look for houses and jobs back in Texas! The days are getting closer! I have finally broken 300 days and Josh is at less than 180 days now! Exciting! About 80 days till Kev and Steph come out for a few weeks in July! We plan on doing Disneyland, Sea World, the Zoo & Wild Animal Park, Kev climb Mt. Whitney with Josh, etc! Josh and I also plan to climb Half Dome over the Memorial Day Weekend in the end of May! We just have so much planned and we're excited to do EVERYTHING before we leave San Diego! May as well do it all now! We never know when we'll be back to see it!

We love you all and miss you! We can't wait until we can see you all again! And congratulations to the Twins who just graduated from Indiana Weslyan College this past weekend!!! Good job guys!

Love you all bunches!

Jess and Josh