Well I'm nearly through Navy Mobilization Processing. It never ceases to amaze me how easily the military crams 4 hours of work into a week. On Monday we spent an hour or so listening to the basic briefs on where fire exits are, points of contact, basic info. Then we filled out several forms, all with the same basic info, name, address, contact info, etc. The Navy has piles of computer programs, and none of them talk to each other, so you get to enter the same info, over and over again. Then we got fitted for desert cammies. They're the same size as the woodland cammies I was wearing to class, but I guess it was fun to stand in line to try on the desert ones to prove that they were the same size. The next morning we sat in line for 3 hours so they could review my medical record 3 times to verify that I had everything completed and fill out the same health survey I filled out a month ago. I did get the Small Pox vaccine, which I couldn't get when I was in close contact to Kathy and baby Dylan, so at least it didn't feel like an utter waste of time. It's a good thing I'm at the start of the alphabet, the poor X, Y Z folks at the end of the line had to wait until after lunch to even get in line. Wednesday we had an FFSC brief at 1300. "Deployment is hard on families. Make sure your finances are in order. Here's some numbers to call if you want help." Stretched out for an hour or so. Thursday I put on a gas mask and then breathed in a bag. Also included, an hour of standing in line - yeah! We had to sign up for time slots to spread it out over the day, but everyone just showed up at 9 and stood in line. Then today we did our travel claims, and this afternoon we get our uniforms. Tomorrow we get on a bus and go to FT Jackson for 3 weeks of guns, grass, dirt, barracks style housing and fun! When they first started this processing, all of it was combined into a two week sprint, where the fittings and stuff we mixed in with the training. Much more efficient, but some mistakes were made due to the compressed schedule. So in standard Navy zero-defect mentality, two weeks have been drawn out to 4. Oh well, it could be worse, I could be in the Army.
Having the boys call me Monday and ask if I was coming home that night was painful. This deployment will ensure that when I'm job hunting this fall I avoid anything with major travel commitments.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Baby Dylan!!!
Dylan Howard Allen was born at 1044 on Sunday 16 December weighing 8 lbs. 8 ozs, and 19.5 inches long. He's doing great (sitting on my lap trying to poop as I type this).
We've been super busy. I'll try to post our saga soon... before I head out to Africa in two weeks.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
The Trip That Keeps on Giving...
For Memorial Day weekend us, the Monahans and the Woods loaded up our cars and headed to Trapani on the far side of the island, about 3 hours away. After a brief ticketing ordeal we were able to load our cars up onto this ferry boat and head off to Favignana the largest of the Egadi islands.
We found this great little campsite with these perfect little camp huts for peanuts a night. They had just enough room for a shower, a couple of beds and a kitchenette surrounded by gardens and within walking distance to the beach.
We spent most of the days playing in the sand.
Because we realized that it was jellyfish spawning season and the water was full of them! "Look out Logan!"
There was a little cove that the locals swam in, but we had to stand on Jelly patrol with shovels and fling them out of the cove whenever they were washed in. It was enough for the kids to have fun, then it was back to burying people in sand.
And beating them with sticks!!!!
At night we put the boys in their beds, and they were so exhausted that they would fall right asleep. We would then move Logan's bed next to Bruin's, because Bruin moves all over the bed, but Logan is a rock.
In the middle of the we heard Logan say "Ma-ma" in his sleep. We snuck out there and found the two little monkeys curled up with each other. Logan must have mistaken his cuddle partner for Mommy. 
After all the fun in the sun we were headed back, when a combination of exhaustion, carelessness, speeding Sicilians, and a moment of relaxation caught up to us. We had probably used up all of our luck driving into the ferry and then through the tiny streets of Favignana unscathed. When turning across traffic up onto this on ramp, a car hit our right rear tire. A truck had pulled out pretty far, and when I swung around them and scooted up the ramp we got tagged. We were very surprised that no other accidents were caused by the traffic congestion ours caused.
No one was hurt, thank God. Our car barely even looked damaged, a chunk was missing from the rim, so we drove it slowly to a Goodrich tire shop. They told us not to drive it because the A-arms were bent and the wheel could snap right off. So 4 hours and a traffic citation later we were finally back on our way home in a rental car. It was a good thing the Woods were right behind us so that Greg could help translate.
We still don't have our car back. Would you believe that it was $10k in damage? That's what happens when you have to have parts shipped from the States. $9k parts and shipping, $1k actual repair work.
In other news, Bruin built our very own Eiffel Tower.
And Logan fell right onto a Duplo and got the four little dots imprinted into his forehead.
Hopefully we'll get the car back from the Chrysler dealership at the end of the week. It's too stinkin' hot to be without it.
We found this great little campsite with these perfect little camp huts for peanuts a night. They had just enough room for a shower, a couple of beds and a kitchenette surrounded by gardens and within walking distance to the beach.
We spent most of the days playing in the sand.
Because we realized that it was jellyfish spawning season and the water was full of them! "Look out Logan!"
There was a little cove that the locals swam in, but we had to stand on Jelly patrol with shovels and fling them out of the cove whenever they were washed in. It was enough for the kids to have fun, then it was back to burying people in sand.
And beating them with sticks!!!!
At night we put the boys in their beds, and they were so exhausted that they would fall right asleep. We would then move Logan's bed next to Bruin's, because Bruin moves all over the bed, but Logan is a rock.
In the middle of the we heard Logan say "Ma-ma" in his sleep. We snuck out there and found the two little monkeys curled up with each other. Logan must have mistaken his cuddle partner for Mommy. 
After all the fun in the sun we were headed back, when a combination of exhaustion, carelessness, speeding Sicilians, and a moment of relaxation caught up to us. We had probably used up all of our luck driving into the ferry and then through the tiny streets of Favignana unscathed. When turning across traffic up onto this on ramp, a car hit our right rear tire. A truck had pulled out pretty far, and when I swung around them and scooted up the ramp we got tagged. We were very surprised that no other accidents were caused by the traffic congestion ours caused.
No one was hurt, thank God. Our car barely even looked damaged, a chunk was missing from the rim, so we drove it slowly to a Goodrich tire shop. They told us not to drive it because the A-arms were bent and the wheel could snap right off. So 4 hours and a traffic citation later we were finally back on our way home in a rental car. It was a good thing the Woods were right behind us so that Greg could help translate.
We still don't have our car back. Would you believe that it was $10k in damage? That's what happens when you have to have parts shipped from the States. $9k parts and shipping, $1k actual repair work.
In other news, Bruin built our very own Eiffel Tower.
And Logan fell right onto a Duplo and got the four little dots imprinted into his forehead.Hopefully we'll get the car back from the Chrysler dealership at the end of the week. It's too stinkin' hot to be without it.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
XXXXX Howard Allen
We have the gender, middle name and the last name figured out, now we just need the first name. We're thinking we'll follow the pattern of two syllables ending in 'n'. I know which way I'm leaning, and Kathy isn't offering any resistance, but doesn't want to go tell everyone in case she changes our mind...
Monday, July 09, 2007
Our favorite flavor of ice cream!
We went and had an ultrasound today! It's another boy! I'll post the proof tomorrow after I scan the print out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
