Big Weekend

It is a big weekend for My hubby and I for a few reasons:

 

1. My mom is coming in town for the weekend (I am not very patiently waiting at work to leave to go get her right now!)
2. We have our first Beer/Stable Call tonight for hubby's work now that he is the Platoon Sergeant we have more fun functions to attend
3. We are running in our 1st 1/2 Marathon Sunday morning so wish me luck!
4. It's my BIRTHDAY weekend(yikes i am going to be 26!!) :) In my house (parents) we get a whole Birthday week and mine is starting this weekend seems how my Mom will be here! I might even do a little something later too but we shall see...hubby is leaving for the field on Wednesday March 10-19th!

 

Well I am off to do some work and make the time pass before I leave for the airport to get my Momma!!!

 

  

Getting to Know Us

I have not yet done any of these little surveys on my blog and was reading a long time friends Learning as We go and thought it is about to time to get into this fun blogging stuff with things like Ten on Tuesday, I want it Wednesday so here is my first one!

30 questions and answers to learn about my amazing Husband and myself.

1. What are your middle names? Karissa and William

2. How long have you been together? We met and started dating the end of the summer 2008

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating? Well we meet on a Saturday and went on our first "real" date on Monday and have been together ever since!!

4. Who asked who out? I don't think either of us asked we just were inseparable from day one

5. How old are each of you? He is now 28 and I will turn 26 next Tuesday!

6. Did you go to the same school? Nope

7. Are you from the same home town? Nope, we meat in Columbia, SC but he is from Reed, KY

8. Who is the smartest? We are both smart in our own ways :) that why we work so great together

9. Who majored in what? I majored in Graphic Design and well he is in the Army!

10. Who is the most sensitive? That would be ME, for sure! He can be every now and then though.

11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? El Paso, TX our first duty station together and our home.

12. Who has the worst temper? I think we both have a temper but I would say his is probably worse than mine.

13. How many children do you want? ummm....1 maybe 2, not so sure.

14. Who does the cooking? We both cook but most of the time it is me only because I was not work up until January and now I get home before him most days.

15. Who is more social? Well that would be me for sure :) I love to go out, entertain and be social. He enjoys it as well when I break him out of his norm shell.

16. Who is the neat freak? I am a neat freak about everything except my room/clothes but he is a neat freak about that so it works...sometimes!

17. Who is the most stubborn? I can't choose on this one. We're both pretty stubborn.

18. Who wakes up earlier? That would be my hubby but I do try and get up and make his lunch for the day before he leaves at 4:30 AM!!

19. Where was your first date? Olive Garden

20. Who has the bigger family? Me...And we are very close :)

21. Do you get flowers often? Yes :)

22. How do you spend the holidays? It all depends; we live the Army life so we do what works best of that time.

23. Who is more jealous? I think we both have a little in us but I think he is more than I am.

24. How long did it take to get serious? Honestly, just a few days!

25. Who eats more? He wins this one with flying colors!!

26. What do you do for a living? Well I work at Texas Tech School of Medicine in the Office of Curriculum, Evaluation and Accreditation for the 3rd and 4th year Medical students; well he is in the Army :)

27. Who does the laundry? We both do it.

28. Who's better with the computer? Definitely me.

29. Who drives when you are together? Most of the time, him.

30. What is your song? We have a few :)

Military Wives Prayer

I am a very proud Army Wife and Marine Daughter and today I found this little prayer that I would like to share with my many other Military friends :)

Dear Lord,

Give me the greatness of heart to see the difference between duty and his love for me. Give me understanding that I may know; when duty calls him he must go. Give me a task to do each day, to fill the time when he's away. And Lord, when he's in a foreign land, keep him safe in your loving hand. And Lord, when duty is in the field, please protect him and be his shield. And Lord, when deployment is so long, please stay with me and keep me strong.
Amen.

I am surrounded by and was raised by an amazingly STRONG military women, my Mother and I want to say THANK YOU for all of your support and guidance.

Since I got married in September and moved to El Paso, TX,  I realized very fast that the only way to be happy when you move away from ALL of your friends and family is to make new ones! But...the only way I have found to do this is to get involved and step outside of my comfort box/zone. I have become very involved in our FRG (Family Readiness Group) and I LOVE it. Without these people, I would really be having a very hard time right now living in El Paso, so Thank you! So if you are a new military wife or even been a military wife for years, try finding out about your local FRG or Military Wives Group and give it a try, you might just find out that it is a lot more fun than you expected and there are MANY people in the same boat as you!

I want to give a special wish to a few of my friends, stay strong and you can do it! The McKenna Family, The Russell Family, The Venable Family, The Blanchard Family, The Calloway Family and The A'etonus Family along with all of the rest that are currently or in the process of being separated from your loved ones for countless hours, days, weeks and months for a deployment, duty, or training and we know the list goes on!

Race for the Cure & Fight against Breast Cancer

As I wrote in my last post 'Training'; we did the Race for the Cure on Sunday and it was amazing to see all of the supporters and survivors participating. Saturday morning I went to our mall: Cielo Vista to volunteer with a new group I am now working with called; Volunteers with Energy. They are partnered with Texas Gas which helps out our FRG. Myself and 3 other wives went to help sign people up to do the Race for the Cure on Sunday; it was a very exciting and emotional day. Many of the other women helping sign people up for the walk were Survivors. It is a great feeling to be around women who have truly fought for their life and made it!

Friday night was very windy (as in 65 MPH winds) and Saturday ended up being very chilly and windy as well (but only about 20 MPH). This was very disappointing seens how Friday was about 75 degrees and I had pulled out some spring clothes. There were about 16,000 people at the walk, it took us 30 minutes to get from where we were in the starting line after the gun was shot! But we had a fabulous team of 13 people from Apache Troop (Hubby's work). Here are a few pictures.

Our team name "Taking the GIRLS for a Walk"

My supporter & I 

All of the awesome Hubby's

All of the wives :)

TONS of supporters!!

We all know I LOVE my ZTA's

After the walk on Sunday we came home and took a little nap before going out for our 99 min run seems how the big event is just around the corner! But this is nothing compared to my Mom and Sisters who took part in The National Fight against Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville, Florida.

 

My Mom after 26.2

 

Emily after 13.1

 

Laruen after 6.2

Just a few facts:

1. 
   
   Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer
2. 
   
   You are NEVER too YOUNG to develop breast cancer
3. 
   
   One in eight women or 12.6% of all women will get breast cancer in her lifetime
4. 
   
   Diet and exercise make a difference
5. 
   
   For more information go to Susan G. Komen website

Training...

Training for what you might ask?

The El Paso Spira 1/2 Marathon and yes my first running race EVER! My Husband is and has always been a runner and since the day we met has been getting me into running. He did a great job of it when we lived in Columbia, SC but getting back into it here in El Paso, TX has been challenging to say the least.

I have always enjoyed taking part in such things as Breast Cancer Walks and Walks that help raise awareness. A dear friend of the family has been going through a very hard time dealing with and overcoming  Breast Cancer. In October I found out information for the El Paso Breast Cancer Walk and got a team together and we walked as did my Mom in Columbia in honor of Deneen. My Amazing Mother found out about the only Breast Cancer Marathon, it's in Jacksonville, FL. That will be happening on Sunday, February 21st and she has taken on the challenge herself to run her first ever Marathon as. She has definitely inspired me to set a goal such as running a 1/2 marathon and going for it. The one that I will be taking part in with the support of my Husband running by my side is sponsored by Michelob Ultra on March 7th. I am doing it for me and for my Birthday! There are a few people in my life also taking on such challenges, it is great to push yourself (and eachother) to try new things!

My upcoming run/walks:

1. February 21st Race for the Cure 5k

2. March 7th El Paso 1/2 Marathon

3. April 30th Relay for Life

I challenge all of my followers to find something in your area to participate in that you have never done before! You will be surprised at the number of walks/runs that happen all around you each weekend. It is also a great way to find out more about yourself and the things you enjoy outside of your norm.

Visit with Mom

My Mom finally came to see where we live in El Paso, Texas on January 29th -February 1st....I mean we have only be living here for 6 months now :) I wish the whole family could have come but I will take what I can get! We tried to do and see everything in just 2 1/2 days. I had so many places that I have told her about and wanted to take her to that when it was time and she was here I could not even think where to start. But I will give you a rundown of the trip: Friday I left work early to pick her up at the airport and of course her flight was the only one behind schedule due to the weather(snow), but I finally got her and we got home about the same time as my sweet husband you showed up with a bouquet of roses for me and flowers for my Mom as well. We let Fritz get showered and changed and we went to Carlos Y Mickey's for dinner....they have the Texas size (bigger than your head) Margarita's that are SO GOOD!

Saturday we got up and got ready to go for a hike in the mountains, it was kind of chilly when we left but not too bad. We climbing all the way up to snow and ice on the ground...but it did not stop us!

This hike only took us about an hour and half so we decided we would go to the Mckelligon Canyon to walk and run. It is about 5 miles round trip but the fist 2.5 is up hill. At the top, you are at 4,780 feet elevation so it is butt kicker for sure! I love going there because it is one the few places that has a start and end point. My Mom and I ran the whole way back just in case we did not burn enough calories on the way up :)

When we got home we were hungry and wore out, we needed some rest before we got going again to the Outlet Mall to SHOP.  Then we went out to dinner to another one of our favorite restaurants; BJ's. Mom loved it!

Sunday we went sightseeing around downtown El Paso. Places that I had not yet been to,  we ended up driving the wrong way down a one way street, thank goodness everything was closed and there was no traffic! We also went the National Cemetery, to my work then just my Mom and I went to do more shopping while waiting for my oil to be changed. When Fritz's parents were here at Christmas they were very generous and bought us our first complete bedroom set. We still needed to pick out a bedspread and all of that jazz, so my Mom and I went searching,  and found something that I loved and knew would not be too 'girly' for Fritz!

Thanks MOM :)

At the National Cemetery

Outside of my office

And our Master Bedroom almost complete!

I cannot wait for the next visit with my Mom and ANYONE else that would like to please come see me/us!!

Texas Tech School of Medicine

Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

TTU-HSC EL Paso

Finally! After a applying to Texas Tech School of Medicine for a job similar to what I did at USC SOM hearing back from them a month later, getting an interview in November (the week of Thanksgiving) and getting offered the job December 16th (the day I flew back to El Paso) I have finally started my NEW JOB on January 11, 2010. What a great way to start the New Year with a new job! Everything has been going great so far. I love the people that I work with and the job that I am doing. My title is Unit Coordinator but what I actully am doing is working in the Office of Curriculum, Evaluation and Accreditation as the 3rd and 4th year coordinator. Texas Tech was originally just a 3rd and 4th year medical school. This past year they were accredited to be a full 1-4 year medical school, so they created a new curriculum for the 1st and 2nd year students. So my job now is to help make the new curriculum for the 3rd and 4th year students to follow the 1st and 2nd year students, I will not have any students for another year. So at times things are slow but I am truly enjoying every bit of it.

Below is a little bit of history on our campus and a view from my office in the Medical Education Building looking over to the Health Science Center.

El Intercambio (The Interchange) is the central campus pedestrian  mall and public art centerpiece of the Paul L. Foster SOM located at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center campus in El Paso, TX. Hodges collaborated with artist Larry Kirkland in the design of the mall.

The central green space links research and academic facilities, providing a unique experience at the core of the new campus.

On either side of the mall large sunken gardens offer ample green space for frisbee, lounging outdoors and serve as stormwater detention ponds. Rainwater is directed from the buildings and parking lots into these areas where it ponds temporarily before infiltrating into the sandy soils of the Rio Grande valley. This project was selected for the "Award of Excellence" by Public Art Network - Year in Review 2009.

I am also right on the boarder of Mexico so from the kitchen 4 offices down the hall this is what I see....