Holy smokes its been a while

In my defense it has been a crazy year. Promotion, new responsibilities, gettin hitched...

Well in case anybody still checks this old thing and don't already know...

No we are not pregnant, sheesh.

But I did re-enlist in the Marines and we have orders to go back to 29 Palms, CA in October.

I am very excited to get back to a real base and a real Unit. I am looking forward to never doing a Marine Funeral again(hopefully). It was a great honor but it really has worn on me.

No more Drill weekends, no more reservists!!! No offense brothers of mine.

No more filling FIVE billets, when I should have only one! No more trying to spread my time between driving my giant forklift, managing the Publications, Modifications, Supply management and Float account, missing my weekends doing Color Guards, while trying to become PME complete, upgrade my MCMAP belt and somehow...do my ACTUAL job.

Sorry if none of that makes sense, it was mostly a rant about how slammed I have been.

Oh ya and did I mention that I am a newlywed. Some time with my hot new wife would be nice:)

All in all It has been a great year. Nothing really good to complain about, I really do love my job!

So heres hoping that this little bit of inspiration keeps me going on my terrible blogging streak.

Oh and did I mention that the NFL kicked off the opening game today...Brees and Farve are both looking great!

Small Chance

So this is our new puppy Chance. He is a real bundle of energy and loves his big brother. He is about 10 weeks old and a whopping 6 lbs. He already loves going outside for walks and he can already jump off of the couch.

Home and stuff...

so this is our apartment. It has been perfect for just the two of us( and that spoiled mutt we call Bogie)! This is our living room and tv.

This is me trying to strangle Bogie...oh I mean giving him loves:)

This is our balcony as of this morning. The snow has been busted down but it was so high that Audi couldn't see over it when she went outside.

This was our flower about two months ago before the cursed cold came to visit.

This is our bathroom. you cant see but we have his and her sinks so I dont have any girly hairs in my sink! Yuck:)

This is our bedroom with our little tv and my Iraq Rug!

This is our stinking awesome bed!

This is our little office space right off the front door.

This is living room/hall. You can see our kitchen and our laundry, we got lucky and got a washer and dryer for free from Audi's Brother.

This is our couch and our lazy puppy! Love this couch!

Here is my small but adequate bookshelf. One of these days I am going to hide Audi's silly basket so I can use that middle shelf!

This is our kitchen! Love the fake hardwood in the morning!

This is our lviving room!

And that is, as they say, how the cookie crumbles!

See how good I am doing

Another post...

This can all be accredited to Audi. She is keeping on me to blog...and lets just she say she usually gets what she wants:)

So these are our engagement pictures...for those of you who havent seen them already.

this one is one of my favorites
I like this one with the line...just looks really cool to me!
RARRR!!!
so there is a preview, she actually took about 300 pictures and then sent us a cd with the best 70 or so...these are some of our more favorites. As you can see from all the pictures above I have got myself quite a catch:)

The lady even liked our pictures so much that she has even used 1 or 2 of our pictures to advertise on her website.

So there you have it...you little brother is gonna marry a super sweet super hot hunny named Audi:)

Im backkkkk

for those of you missing me...

i have no excuses, we havent really been busier than usual I have just been laxier(that letter has stopped working on my laptop so i have to substitute it with x) than usual.

for those of you not missing me....

well lets not be ridiculous:)

okay okay where to start

July,

I proposed to my sweet Audi. you all were there but I like to think about it. Up until that point the Marine Corps had been the best, and arguably the ONLY good, decision of my life. It now takes second, a second that doesnt even come close to the first.

After getting back to Denver we tried to arrange a visit to go see her parents in Wyoming because we both wanted her Dads approval, and since I was sure that was impossible, approval that is, I would have been content with consent. Well read on readers.

This proved to be very difficult because as soon as I got home I had to take a week trip to Burrlington. the place not the coat factory. It is in an old post of mine so you can look back for pictures if your heart desires. it wasnt winter this time but it was an adventure. Rain, A broken radar, a second radar to get and set up, long nights that turned into early mornings and about half a doxen tornado warnings. It was a test of my ability to keep my sanity against all odds.

After returning we finally made it up to Wyoming, spent a day out on the lake, and later that night I asked Audi's dad the big question. Weird how you plan things out but then your mouth seems to take all control, I didnt ask for permission like I had planned but rather for his blessing as I had already asked her.

He said a lot of really nice and flattering things but in my attempt to be more humble I will just say that he said yes. After that i got lots of hugs and "welcome to the family"s and an awesome turkey dinner

that is my favorite part so I will pause on that and try to make one giant post, a few short posts.

Somewher in all this we bought a new bed, which rocks. We also got engagement pictures, which are gorgeous, thanks to Audi and the photographer which will be on my next post.

Can I just add that even with such an awesome girl it is really a strain on a realationship to be gone almost as much as you are home. Most of you know this Im sure and most of you have told me this, but as always I learn the hard way. however we are doing great due to Audi's level of sweetness and a pair of 20 dollar webcams.

I love you all and I will be better on my posting

ah what a month!

I know I am terrible...its been a while...

Well the biggest thing that has happened this month is Jump School.

I always made fun of the Army before but now i really know...they are...different to put it nicely!

The first week is spent practicing jumping out of an airplane door, learning PLF's( Parachute Landing Falls) and jumping out of a 34 ft tower. Pretty rough all the way around... The PLFs hurt a lot and we had to do them over and over and over...

Week 2 moves on to mass exit over the mock plane doors...thats 15 jumpers out of both sides of the plane, the Swing Landing Trainer and being dropped from a 250 ft Tower. The SLT was a serious pain. I was dropped about 25 times, each time leaving bruises on my ribs and a rather severe headache...
The Tower was amazing! They hook you up in a parachute and then drag you to the top of the Tower...and then drop you to the ground... You could see the whole base and it was pretty sweet!

Week three is the serious gut check...five jumps out of an airplane moving at about 200 MPH. You spend hours in the Harness Shed waiting for your turn...and then they call your number. You realize as you are walking on the C-130 the this is the point of no return.

Once you get on the bird you are given a ten minute warning...then you stand up, hook your static line to a wire in the bird, and then wait. You hear the wind rushing past the plane, you can feel the adrenaline in your stomach, tasting the bitterness in you mouth, your eyes dialate...classic fight or flight stuff. You soon realize that Flight is the only way:)

Once you start moving you are out of the door before you know it...your whole body goes horizontal in a wind that feels like a freight train. This last for an intense 3 seconds that feel like forever...and then you are floating. It takes about a minute to hit the ground but it feels like 5 seconds.

Anyway if you go to youtube.com they have plenty of airborne videos.

I got my wings pinned on on Thursday and felt the pride inside me swell even more:) There are about 100 Radar Marines in the Fleet and only two currently have jump wings, SSGT Ashby and myself so you can understand my feelings of Awesomeness!!!

This was a good and fun(which means really terrible!) and the best part of this month was by far...getting home to My Sweet Audi! Three weeks felt like an eternity without seeing her. We got to talk at night but usually only had an hour or two...mix that with the time difference and it got tricky to communicate. What's important is that we made it and I am so happy to be home!

This is all!

Ah Mason...mason mason mason

The time has come, my little friends, to speak of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings...

Don't know why that has been in my head all day or what is has to do with anything, but thats how the wheels turn in the head of John

GREAT STINKIN NEWS!

For all you George R R Martin fans, Winter is coming...to HBO. The Song of Fire and Ice has been picked up by HBO and is in full swing. Filming begins in October(I think) and it is being filmed in Ireland.

So far it has been tight lips on cast and anything else that I would want to know...but this is progress and progress is good! I can't wait!

Once again I have to put a disclaimer on this as it is FAR from PG...but all you fans obviously know this and will know what to expect.

In other news...

My new RADAR is kicking my butt! It has been one thing after another and I have been busy busy busy.

My car is making progress slowly but surely...I now have a working speedometer, turn signals, windshield wipers(very important) and even a heater that works semi good!

Jump school is a definite go, barring any crazy injuries or nonsense, and I am getting super pumped. It will be a little hard because I won't see Audi for the three weeks followed by 2 more weeks of AT. So almost all of June will be Audi-less, which is very sad indeed, but I think we both can manage...this will be a good test to see how she could handle a deployment...I think she will pass with flying colors;)

Just so nobody says "I would have come if I had known" the invitation is extended...I will graduate from Jump school June 19th. It is a ceremony open to all guests and it would be neat to see. It is in Georgia so I understand, especially with the current economy, if nobody can make it. No pressure of course just an open invitation...I am trying to get Audi out there so it will be an early introduction to any that come...

if any of you are interested give me a call and I will get you all the necessary info.