Blog Award

Julie over at Dutch Being Me nominated me for an award, and I feel thrilled. It's my first.

 

The rules for accepting the Sunshine Award are as follows…

1. Put the logo in my post or within my blog.
2. Pass the award onto 12 fellow bloggers.
3. Link the nominees within my post.
4. Let the nominees know they have received this award by leaving a comment on their blogs.
5. Share the love and link to the person who gave you the award!

I don't really have 12 bloggers, but I have a few I think deserve it!
Ashley Amazing
mcnamara life
Our Three Peas
Pretty Tiaras

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Exhaustion

I'm so exhausted. I really feel like this is one of the longest weeks ever. I feel so slow to keep up with Braden, as well as missing Brendon. He's a pain in my behind, but I do miss him. So does Braden. I keep thinking about how I made it through the last deployment with less exhaustion, and if I'm this exhausted after almost a week of him being gone, how am I going to make it a whole year? I feel whiny about it, but honestly, I don't know how the deployment is going to do. Brendon and I are in a better place than we were, and it feels great. I really feel like we're being the family we should be. He still has moments, but he's working on it.

I'm going to make a doctor's appointment next week. March will be a time for my yearly appointment, so maybe then I can find out some answers as to why my body is so messed up. I've looked up a few things.... it could possibly be PCOS, I hope not, but it's a possibility. It could be pregnancy, but it was too soon to tell, but we'll see. That's why I'm waiting until next week. I can find out all the answers I need at the doctor. It'll be my first time seeing a gyno here at Fort Carson. I'm a little nervous. 

I talked to Wendi, and we talked about how the deployment goes, how the unit does farewells, homecomings, ect... it's SO different than Fort Campbell. She was shocked at how Campbell did things, and I was shocked at how Hood(now Carson for this unit) does things. Of course, I told her about Brendon not being able to come home like he should have the first night since someone left a weapon in another country.

I'm not sure why, but my comment box had disappeared. It should be back now. I don't know what happened. I'm working on my layout, so it's a little messy right now. Though, I am proud of the blend I made.
This post was all over, I apologize.

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What what what

I'm frustrated with my current class. As I said before, with that start of the paper I had to do... the professor said to use our adult development book as a reference on that page, but the TA said if we didn't have to use it, then there was no need for it on the page. Uh... what in the world? One says one, and the other says no. The TA answered me AFTER the assignment was due, so I submitted it with what I had, with a reference page about my textbook. At this point, I'm doing what I can to pass this class, and work myself into the program at Colorado Christian University. This is another reason I'm feeling Ashford isn't for me. I feel the teaching isn't at the point I'd like and I don't feel like it's taking me in the right direction. I need to find our taxes from last year, though... I need to fill out a FAFSA since the MyCaa program was halted. I'm almost positive I can get a Pell grant, though. I really don't want anymore student loans. We'll see, though. If not, I'll wait until the fall and be able to use the new FAFSA, I think.


Brendon and I have decided to full TTC, but it's going to be a work in progress working around his schedule. And we've talked about what happens when he deploys, for him not to come home for the birth(that's if we get pregnant right away) at the beginning of the deployment. We'll be trying to have a HBAC/VBAC... preferably a home birth after cesarean. I've done a lot of research and I know it's the way I want to go. Brendon is fine with it, he even watched The Business of Being Born. I don't want another c-section. Even if I can't get a home birth, a vaginal delivery would be fine for me. I want that experience. If we don't have a home birth, I'll probably be doing Hypnobirthing, or using the Bradley Method.

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A Little About Me

I figure it's best if I give a more in depth description of myself to my readers, or just those just passing by.

Hi! I'm Kena. I'm 22 years old and currently reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I was born and raised in Georgia, so living out here is a definite change for me. I have had a lot to deal with in my life as a teenager, and I look at those and think of them as challenges and help me become who I am today. I went to one high school, even was in marching band/symphonic band all 4 years. My senior year, I transferred after dealing with ex boyfriend stalkings. I graduated high school from West Laurens High School in May 2006. I didn't immediately go off to college, instead, I worked for a few months. I started dating my husband at the beginning of September 2006. He shipped off to basic on Halloween. We wrote continuously to each other. I enjoy fishing, camping, hiking, playing video games, crocheting, reading, making graphics, and other things.

(Sorry for the emo ness of the picture, it was taken during R&R of the last deployment when we were dropping him off to go back)


I married the love of my life, Brendon, December 28, 2006... he was on Christmas exodus during basic training. He was assigned to his first duty station, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where I joined him three weeks after he signed in. We lived off post in Oak Grove for a few months before moving on post. We lived on post for the remainder of our time at Campbell. 2007 - 2009. We went through our first deployment March 2008 - March 2009. I was so thrilled to have him home!

In May 2007, we found our we were expecting a little baby January 22, 2008! I didn't really have much of a difficult pregnancy until the last month. After going through numerous midwives/doctors and so many different opinions and diagnoses, Braden Franklin Simmons was born January 12, 2008 at 10:45pm, via C-section. He was going to be turned by my doctor on January 4th, but she said I didn't have enough fluid, and the next day said I did, and then she went on bed rest, sending me to another doctor, who I met the day before delivery. Scary. His middle name is a family name, mostly named after my grandpa, who passed away a month before he was born. It was difficult for me to deal with his death. Braden is the most amazing person I've ever seen in my life. I love him with all my heart, and every day is a new journey with him.

I could never imagine loving anyone as much as I love him. Brendon was deployed majority of his first year of life. He left when he was 2 months old and returned when he was 14 months old. It's very heart wrenching trying to tell your kids what's going on with daddy, even if they can't understand as a young age. He's changed so much since he's been born and we can't picture him as anything else.

We PCS'd to Fort Carson this past summer and we love it. Though, Brendon trains a lot more than previously, we enjoy having him home and being around. We are getting ready for another deployment, and I'm not looking forward to that.

So there you have it. Long and boring, I guess.

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KILL MEEEEE!!!

I'm so exhausted. I haven't been this tired since Braden was a newborn, and that was 2 years ago. Brendon's in the field, as I've said a million times before. I wish he was home. Braden got up at 3 am. YES, 3 EFFIN AM IN THE MORNING. I tried not to fall asleep, and I did and he ended up watching tv and then came in the room, and cuddled up to me in the bed. I feel horrible for falling asleep.

I kept trying to figure out all day why he was so cranky, come to find out... he has three more teeth coming in. Two on the top and one on the bottom. It's like wow. They're all coming in all at once now. When they are come fully in, he will have a total of 14 teeth. WOW. I remember when he got the first one at 14 months.


The snow finally tapered off, and I'm thrilled. We didn't get as much as most places. Can you believe Wolf Creek Pass got 43 inches of snow over the weekend? Amazing to me. There's a storm system next weekend that is supposed to be more potent. And here we are coming towards Spring when we are supposed to get the bigger snow storms. Not looking forward to it. I think Brendon will need to show me how to light the logs for the fireplace.

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Great Balls of Fire!

I don't even mean that in the sexual sense, either. Ha. Brendon got to come home for the day Saturday. Of course, had to drive in the snow and take him back to work. I won't see him until a week from now. Supposedly, he gets the whole weekend off, but it is the Army we're talking about. When do they ever do things the way it says?

 Yesterday something amazing happened. Braden actually used the bathroom all by himself. Such a proud mama moment for me. I cheered, clapped, and all that. And yes, that's the face that was made in mid pee. Brendon wouldn't wake up since he was exhausted from the training, so I wasn't too terribly upset. I hope when we get to see him again he won't be so dragged out, but I'm sure he will be.I think Braden wants a brother or sister around. He keeps pointing to me and saying baby. And then points at me and says baby, mine. I know he'd made a great big brother. I think we'll try for the next few months, but we'll see how that goes. I don't know, we've been semi trying for a while, and it hasn't worked. I think my weight has something to do with it. So that's why tonight, I started working out. It felt good to get down and work with Bob on the dvd.


I'd also like mother nature to stop being so angry.... and stop making it snow. It's effing freezing here in Colorado and has been snowing for DAYS now.

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Good news!

In good news, I just got a e-mail from CCU and they have provisionally accepted me. Now I just have to somehow get a copy of my high school diploma to them. I really hope I can get more out of this than I am with Ashford.

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Egos are my friends

I'm supposed to be getting a call from back the enrollment counselor from CCU today. He did say Friday... it's Friday isn't it? I'm lost with my days. I get to pick Brendon up at work tonight, most likely late when Braden's asleep. I'll be glad to see him, but having to wake up a 2 year and driving on the icy roads isn't fun. Maybe he can get someone to bring him home, but we'll see. This training is so weird to us. He didn't train this much at Campbell, and being here and not seeing him as much is weird to us. Pretty much until after April, it's constant training it seems like. I won't see him at all in April. May is going to be a slow month since they'll be shipping the stuff off to Afghanistan. I can't believe it's been almost a year since he's been home(March 3rd). And we're talking about another. Yeah, I know, it's the Army, married into it and all that. I was 19 and naive. Brendon was still in basic when we got married, so deployment was not even on my mind. Neither was having a child, but here we are 2 years later. Would I change anything? No. Do I have to like it? Definitely not. I'm just trying to think about how this is going to impact Braden when daddy leaves this summer. I'm pretty much going to have to hog tie him to me, otherwise he's going to chase Brendon onto that bus.


I was also thinking of cooking some chicken tacos tonight for dinner. Sounds good. I did my work for the week, minus four discussion post replies, but that won't even take more than 20 minutes to do tonight when Braden goes down for the night. I feel stupid though. We aren't writing a whole paper, not yet. We were only required to write the title page, outline, and a reference/works cited page. But what's to cite? There isn't any content to cite. I noticed I wasn't the only one having that problem, and confused. It was asked to the professor, and he said ask the TA. So she went to the TA discussion area and asked, and she hasn't replied, and the professor did. Um, you couldn't answer this before? He said to quote our textbook, but for what? We didn't quote or use anything out of it. It's just a psychology text, not a writing text. It's not due until Monday, and I'm pretty much done minus the resource page, I'm waiting for a reply from the TA.

I just read this article, and it's pretty messed up. :(

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Take The Plunge

I have been talking to a enrollment counselor with CCU. It's set up in a better way than Ashford, and I feel I would get a better chance of getting my meteorology degree than transferring environmental science credits. According to Mississippi State's transfer credits website, only three of my credits would transfer with the track I am on with Ashford. Why do I have to make things complicated? I would still finish out my classes and I could start in May with CCU. I will have taken English Comp I and English Comp II by the time I am done before May. I'm just going to take it day by day. With Ashford, I have to hardest time getting a hold of my academic counselor. Never e-mails or calls back, and trust me, I do it constantly if I have a question.

I just want to get on the ball and get my meteorology career going. A start though, is when the summer rolls around, I plan on doing some storm chasing out here in Colorado. Nothing like Reed does on Storm Chasers, going that close to a storm, but close enough. You can ask my mom and anyone who I grew up with, I've never been wrong about a storm and it comes like a 6th sense to me. Hell, I've wanted to have a meteorology career since I was 6 years old. No lie. My mom inspired me. It was 1993 in Georgia, and we were pretty poor, so we didn't have a tv. I asked my mom what snow was since the teacher made a mention of it. I asked why we never see it. She didn't know what to say. I asked her to make it snow. She said ok and snapped her fingers. The next morning? Wouldn't you believe we woke up to the Blizzard of 93 or the actual Storm of the Century. It was so WHITE and cold outside. We weren't prepared so we had to use socks as gloves. It was horrid, but it did make me question... why did this happen? Why does anything weather related happen? Why do tornadoes do some damage or no damage to a mass destruction to a town? Questions to ponder... and for a 6 year old, it made me extremely curious.

I apologize for the biggest nerd post in the world. I leave you with a video, talking about it...

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The Cluck Cluck Pox

It's looking like Braden has the chicken pox. It's not a bad case of it, thankfully. I'm still unsure of how or where he got it from, to be honest. It's like ever since we moved to Colorado... Braden has been sicker than ever before. He had one cold in his entire life, while we lived at Fort Campbell. We moved here and he got two stomach viruses, one of which made him REALLY sick, two colds, and now the chicken pox. I get that kids are going to get sick, but I always took pride in knowing he never had his first cold until 13 - 14 months and hardly ever got sick. I guess it's about time for me to get out of that and realize now that I do go out more he will get sick(er). *sigh*

 

That's his back, but it doesn't look too bad. 

 

Afterall, he looks happy. :)

I've been glad to have Brendon home this weekend, it was a four day. He'll be going to the field tomorrow through the 28th, as I said before. It was kind of told to us at the last minute, but whatever. We're going to order a daddy doll for Braden before Brendon goes to JRTC in April. I'm trying to prepare for the upcoming deployment as best I can. It's hard, even with Brendon home. Braden really freaks out when he gets out of the car or goes to work. I know when D day comes, it's going to break my heart.

I'm waiting for Braden to go down for his nap so I can read chapters 3 - 5 in one of my texts, and chapters 2 - 3 in my other for my class. I really hate psychology. Maybe I should've applied to CCU and just flat out did general studies and transfer those to MS State's meteorology program online. I mean I'm passing my classes, but maybe this wasn't for me. I feel so stupid for not knowing that sooner that CCU was even here.

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Hiking

I have to say it was a workout. We headed up to North Cheyenne Canyon to take a walk/hike. Nothing strenuous. It was a little rough since it was cold, as expected. I had a BLAST, and so did Braden. I am going to consider that my exercise for the day! I shall weigh myself tomorrow and see what happens.

Thank God, Brendon has a 4 day this weekend. He's going to the field for over a week on Tuesday. March should be a calmer month, and then April, he's off to Fort Polk for JRTC.

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New Car

We finally got another car. A 2004 Ford Taurus. I wonder how long this car will last, seriously. Payments are relatively cheap. $215 a month. I wish we didn't spend all of our tax money, but we used it mostly for things needed. Braden has a new bed and we have things in the home that were needed.

I have a eye appointment today. It's been about 2 years since I had my eyes checked, and it's time for it. I do plan on getting a box of contacts. I miss them. Braden knows me as mama with glasses. He walks in the room if I'm still sleeping, gets on the bed, shakes me and says "maaaamaaaaaa up up". He then hands me my glasses. It's good he knows me as that. I love him so much. He had a field day with bath tub crayons this morning.

I'm not sure what it is, but Braden is getting these... peach like bumps on him. There's a big one on his back that resembles a ring worm, but I don't know where he'd get that from. He hasn't been around any animals or anyone with it. I've been giving him a Aveeno baby bath. I'm thinking it could be a reaction. We just changed him from whole to 2% milk recently, not that he's two. That's the only new thing he's had to possibly have a reaction from. We switched him back to whole right now. Though, Brendon thinks it's chicken pox. Again, not been around anyone with it and he isn't scratching them. Since we changed him back to whole milk, he hasn't gotten any new ones. So, it's possible it's just a reaction. Otherwise, he seems normal. I'll wait a few more days and see what happens and if it continues, it could be something else, then I'll call Evans for an appointment.

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She's A Maaaaaniac.

A lot of drama has gone on with my mom lately, and I'm not sure if I feel comfortable talking about ALL of it. Whatever the case, it's done and over with, but I am left with a feeling on betrayal from my mom. I just don't understand it at all.

I started my second class with Ashford University. I'm thrilled. I know I passed my first class, but my grade isn't posted since some students haven't even turned in their final paper. I made a 99 on my paper, so I know that pushed my grade up from what it was. Go me. I have to read chapter 1 and 2 today so I can do my first discussion for the week, but with the drama, I feel lazy. I know I will get it done. Brendon is shockingly getting off work at 2 something, which means I have to go get him. He's still on the driving suspension I applied to him a while ago. We are going car hunting today and hope we can get something, and if we can tomorrow we will put down a payment for it.

We are actually thinking of using the VA Loan to buy a 3 bedroom house here. We will be here for a few years and we love it here. I don't plan on moving home for the deployment or visit as often, the drive from Colorado to Georgia really sucks. My friend Wendi, is a realtor, and she wants to help us. We found a house that is decent and under $100,000. I say that's a awesome catch. We are stuck between two of them. though. This and this one. Same neighborhood. I've seen them in person. Now, this won't happen for a while since we're waiting for the deployment orders to drop and that case we will use that to get out of the apartment lease. Why pay $700+ for a 2 bedroom apartment when you get pay that much towards owning a home? I do love our apartment complex, don't get me wrong. This isn't going to be happening for a few more months, so I think we're okay right now.

Little one is up from his nap, he's less than thrilled. Off I go.

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Picture Post

When we went to the zoo last weekend

 

Braden decided that throwing his arms up would signal a touch down. He also then screamed "toedowwww!"

 

snow from the inside of the rental car

Can it please stop snowing now?

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Proud of myself

I'm about to be done with my first class with Ashford. I'm excited. My next class starts Tuesday. It's a little more difficult than the first, and involved a lot more writing and reading. Makes sense since this was a intro class.I'll know my final grade soon. I'm soo excited and proud of myself.

We're watching the Superbowl. Well, correction, Brendon is, I just cut Bolt on Netflix for Braden. He loves that movie.  Not much going on in our household tonight. Plus, it's snowing and has been off and on all day. Gotta love Colorado. I need to get out more. Friends? I need them. My only good friend is AWOL right now, and I am glad she's okay. Long story. And mostly for Braden's benefit. I'd like him to be around kids his age. We do play group once a week, but he's more of a follower, and we tend to go to places where Braden runs off and hardly listens to me. I'm trying to teach him to listen, but it's hard.

I bought two DVD's the other day, to help me workout. It's a Dancing With the Stars DVD and the Biggest Loser 30 Day Jumpstart. In total, I've lost 8 lbs! I'm also proud of myself for that as well.

I'm off. Braden is getting sleepy, and doesn't want to watch Bolt right now. Bed time he goes, and exercise for me.


P.S - if anyone knows some good blogs to follow, link them here please. :)

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Already?

Hello there February!

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