On A Good Day

Lyrics to On A Good Day :

Little bit lost and...
A little bit lonely
Little bit cold here
A little bit feared

But I hold on
And I
Feel strong
And I
Know that I can

Getting used to it
Lit the fuse to it
Like to know who I am

Been talking to myself forever, yeah
And how I wish I knew me better, yeah
Still sitting on a shelf and never
Never seen the sun shine brighter
And it feels like me
On a good day

And it feels like me
On a good day

I'm a little bit hemmed in
A little bit isolated
A little bit hopeful
A little bit cold

But I hold on
And I
Feel strong
And I
Know that I can

Getting used to it
Lit the fuse to it
Like to know who I am

Been talking to myself forever, yeah
And how I wish I knew me better, yeah
Still sitting on a shelf and never
Never seen the sun shine brighter...

And it feels like me
On a good day

Been talking to myself forever, yeah
And how I wish I knew me better, yeah
Still sitting on a shelf and never
Never seen the sun shine brighter
And it feels like me
On a good day

True Friends Never Judge You

I received a message from a friend, today, though I have revoked that title from her. She told me that I was stupid for marrying Chris. She mentioned that I had finally found true love with a man who is never going to be here for me, and that I better wake up, because it's obvious my life sucks.

My reply went much as follows: My life does not suck. My life is very hard, yes, but it definitely doesn't suck. There are many blessings I can count in my life.

• One: I have a man by my side who would never allow me to want for anything within his power to give me. 
• Two: True my husband is gone from home a lot, but when he is here, he makes me happier than any man in my life ever has, and they were always home. 
• Three: I have a dream job that I would never have had if I decided to stay in Florida, or go back home during his deployment instead of staying here. 
• Four: My son is living a dream life, one only few have the chance to do, and one many dream of.
• Five: I have a husband I can be proud of. He is out there fighting for my freedom, the freedom of all of America, and the freedom of people's1st amendment right to call me stupid for the choices I made.
• Six: I have a wonderful and supportive extended family with my in-laws. My mother and father-in-law are two very down to earth people, for whom I feel very blessed to know. My sister-in-laws are amazing people, who tell me often how much they appreciate me being here. It feels very good to feel like I belong.
• Seven: I have countless friends and family members who support my decisions, and I am thankful every day that I don't have to hear things like what my "friend" has mentioned. 
• Eight: I have the ability to tell people who want to be negative and cruel to get the hell out of my life. 

I love my life, and though I may complain about things from time to time, I wouldn't be anywhere else, because I am with my soul mate. There is nothing he wouldn't do for me. There is no mountain he wouldn't climb for me. There is no fire he wouldn't walk through for me, and you better believe there is absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for him.

That's Not OK

(Photo Credit: Lindsay Holt)
Photo posted by: Lariah Nicole
 

You asked him to fight.

I said OK.

You asked me to live alone.

I said OK.

You asked me to cry myself to sleep.

I said OK.

You asked him to get shot at.

I said OK,

and now you ask us to do it for free.

That's not OK.

It's a sad day in our country when our men and women who serve, fight for our freedoms and give their lives every day, have our government turn its back on them by taking away their pay, leaving families struggling to pay bills, put food on the table, then tell them it's all for nothing ... literally. In my opinion, conducting this act at such a crucial time in our nation's fight for freedom from terrorism is nothing short of treason, and everyone involved should be impeached. Abraham Lincoln said it best. "Congressmen who willfully take action during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs, and should be arrested, exiled or hanged."

My husband said to me, "I will be looking for another job, because one of the main things they promise us when we sign our lives away is that our families will always be taken care of." This brings me to tears. Here is a man who is living up to his end of the deal, leaving his family behind to do the job the government asked him to do, and now, the government isn't living up their end of the deal. Promises made, promises broken.

Photo of me by Theresa Benedetto: T Photography

It's difficult enough having my husband gone on deployment, not to mention having to constantly worry whether or not I will be able to be here when he gets home. It's scary knowing we can lose everything we worked so hard for. It's upsetting to know the sacrifices we make as a family are not appreciated. I hope Congress and our President sleep well at night, because I know I sure don't.

 

I have kept the amount of stress and hardship this has caused away from my husband. We Americans need his mind sharp and focused on his task at hand out at sea, and his family needs him coming home SAFE to us. That means tackling these issues alone, not with my partner as issues should be dealt with, has become a daily part my of life. We can't afford to have him worry about home when his job is already stressful enough. He has been told, per my request, that I have things completely under control, and everything is fine. Lie? Not really ... I do have things under control as much as I can have them under control. Are they fine? Well, how fine is fine when someone is taking half or all of your income away without notice? Even with notice, that is devastating. I am lucky enough that I have a job, and my income can support us to some extent during a government shutdown. However, I don't receive BAH (housing allowance) to cover our $1800.00 a month rent required to live in Hawaii where he is ordered to be stationed. I have no idea what I would do, but I will cross that bridge if I come to it. Dealing with the stress of not knowing what will happen day to day is aging me quickly.

My husband and sailors of the USS Cheyenne leaving on deployment. I love you, Baby! I am proud of you all, and the American citizens are not turning their backs on you! We all support you and are here fighting for your rights while you are out fighting for ours ... 

Those of you who know me, know that when I get angry, it's the best time for me to get things done. Through the online protest event, every last one of us are able to easily contact congressmen and women all over the nation with the click of a button. As responses from our leaders come in, I will post them here. If you receive a response from congress, please feel free to post it as well. A letter was also sent that informed me of a pledge, which is posted below, that has been taken by several members of Congress to forgo their pay in the event of a government shutdown. I am involved in as many protests as I can find the time to manage. Writing and making phone calls every day has filled my free time. I told Chris I wasn't sure how much one voice could do, but just look at what Hope Bradley has done by forming ONE online protest group with 1.9 MILLION members and growing! If her voice can make a difference, imagine what all of our voices combined can do!

I am posting this blog to urge every American to get involved. If the government can take the pay from our military, who's to say YOUR PAY isn't next? Please join this event and/or write to Congress! It costs you nothing except FIVE MINUTES of your time to support what a lifetime of freedom our military men and women have given to you. This fight is not over. Until the budget is fixed, our military men and women will have to fight for their right to be paid over, and over, and over again. 

Get involved and help get this act passed to ensure our military is always paid! 

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Ensuring Pay for Our Military Act of 2011

Event Details

Write Congress

The letter is already written for you.

You can change it as you like, or leave it as is.

Fill in your information and send it. It's that simple.

Write the White House

Who Signed the Pledge
 

(If If your government leaders haven't signed it, write them, and ask, "WHY?")

Direct Contacts To Congress

Senate

Representatives

Congressional Leaders

Bold & Kreative Photography
This photo came with this caption by Britney McGinnis: 

If you don't want to pay my husband, you can send him home.
He has someone special he hasn't met yet. 

The Walk

The Walk - by Richard Paul Evans

My name is Alan Christoffersen. You don't know me. "Just another book in the library," my father would say. "Unopened and unread." You have no idea how far I've come or what I've lost. More important, you have no idea what I've found.

I'm no one important or famous. No matter. It is better to be loved by one person who knows your soul than millions who don't even know your phone number. I have loved and been loved as deeply as a man can hope for, which makes me a lucky man. It also means I have suffered. Life has taught me that to fly, you must first accept the possibility of falling.

I don't know if anyone will ever read what I'm writing. But if you are holding this book, then you have found my story. You are now my fellow sojourner. If you find something in my journey that will help with yours, keep it.

Some might call this a love story. Those without love will call it a travelogue. To me, it is one man's journey to find hope. There are things that happened to me that you might not believe. There were lessons learned you might not be ready for. No matter. Accept or dismiss what you will. But let me warn you in advance -- which is more than I got -- that what you read won't be easy. But it's a story worth telling. It's the story of my walk. 

This is the first page of a book that Chris bought for me the day before he left on deployment. I hadn't really had time to get into it, as I have been working quite a bit during this orientation period. I was actually supposed to work today as well, but felt my body needed a day to take just to myself. I walked my 6 miles, today. I put my swim suit on and basked in the sun for an hour, and I started this book. I haven't been reading it long, and I am already on chapter 5. So far, it's amazing.

I also copied this same text to Chris, and my plan was to write him a chapter a day. However, I think I will just read it, and pass it to him when we meet for a rendezvous. It will give him something to read on the last legs of his own journey.

The Sunset's Whisper

The Sunset’s Whisper

Every day, she walks down to the ocean's edge

and lets the waves gently roll upon her feet.

The coolness of the water always takes her by surprise at first,

but as the next few sets of waves roll in,

she finds it more and more refreshing.

She gazes upon the horizon wishing her love

back into her arms.

 It is then that each sunset whispers to her,

"You must wait another day."

She thanks God for allowing her heart

to love this much, again,

 turns away from the peaceful sound of the rolling waves,

and heads toward the direction of home.

She gathers strength from her daily visits to the ocean's edge,

knowing one day soon,

 the sunset will whisper unto her,

“Your love has returned.”

Until then, she holds him close to her heart,

loving him more deeply than ever before. 

by: Jen Avakian

Determination

Just a little motivational story for the day.

 DETERMINATON

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before. 

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built. 

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.
 

"We told them so."
"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. 

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment. 

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife. 

 

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal. 

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.

Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.

I Don't Want To Feel

I wanted to go to bed early, tonight, just so I wouldn't have to feel anything more, today.  It's definitely a bad day.

During my routine 6 mile walk, today, I made the usual pit-stop at the exact place on the beach where Chris and I were married. Usually, it makes me feel pretty good to be there. Today, however, I completely lost it. I had a pretty good melt down, and pretty hard cry, and left the spot wishing I had passed it by just this once.

Back on Track

Chris and I spent several months creating memories while he was home to keep close to our hearts when we would be apart. In that time, we went out to dinner A LOT! We even had dessert ... and DRINKS! Quite a few drinks ... cough. :) What does that mean? It means I got fat. It was well worth it, though!

However, I am ready to get back into shape. One of the things I decided to do for myself was to set a personal goal of losing 30 to 40 pounds and toning my body during the time Chris will be gone. I think it's doable if I work really hard.

Today was my first day. I power-walked 6 miles! I am drinking health shakes for breakfast and lunch following the MonaVie RVL weight loss plan. HOLY SMOKES, are those shakes YUMMY!!! I took a MonaVie EMV Lite all natural (yep .. they do exist!) energy drink with me just in case I might need a boost. I did! It allowed me to go an extra mile, as my original plan was only to do five miles. THANK YOU EMV LITE!

During my workout, I stopped on the beach at the spot where Chris and I were married. I sat there for a short break taking it all in. Closing my eyes and remembering his arm around me, and mine around him, remembering our first kiss as husband and wife, and laughing at the site of him carrying me over the threshold of our door when we got back home. :)

I miss him, but having this personal goal as a way to surprise him when he gets home has DEFINITELY given me something to focus on. I already feel better, and the natural endorphins that help boost your mood when you work out is certainly helping me, today.

Anyway ... HOT BODY, HERE WE COME!! Wooohooo!!!

MonaVie RVL Weight Loss Plan

MonaVie EMV Lite Natural Energy Drinks

I Married My Best Friend

March 27th, 2011

Chris and Jen Avakian

 We did it! Somehow, I was able to find someone who would marry us on a minute's notice. A very simple, yet very beautiful, ceremony was performed on the private beach where we live. We had so much fun! There are so many things I will cherish, but being able to just walk down to the beach while Chris is deployed and stand in the spot where we were married will be a great comfort to me.

Our photographer did an amazing job! Big thanks to her for also being able to come help us out last minute. We love you, Theresa!

 Our wedding rings ... symbolizing unity, love, and strength.

One thing that I have always cherished is his heartbeat ...

Hey, look! We even got the right hand! Or ... is it left? :)

Yes, it is definitely the right, left hand. ;)

Off we go to make our own footprints on the world. 

Photography by: Theresa Benedetto