Day 5

A great day from beginning to end. I took the opportunity to ride along with a couple of the ladies from my division today while they did work in the field. I met some amazing people, not to mention I got to witness a 2 piece band play on a sandy storm wall as a thunderstorm approached. It was beautiful and dramatic! They played beautiful dixie, ragtime and jazz. I loved it! After this we went out to lunch at the Half Shell and had the most amazing food! We shared charbroiled oysters, I had seafood linguini with artichokes and capers, and then we all shared a bananas fosters cheesecake with vanilla wafer crust! WHEW!! Delicious!!

Then we got to hang out with the most innovative and well organize team I've met. They were so professional and the atmosphere in there work area was creative and open. We ended up having pizza with all of them at the end of the night, sharing stories and laughs. I met one guy who had an amazing story! He was mostly deaf as a kid, joined the military, retired after 21 years, and is now the CEO of a huge multi-business agency, speaks more than 5 languages, owns 7 or 8 houses, and is writing or working on 7 screen plays! How amazing. I could get used to this. Unfortunately I don't think I will have much time in the field after this week.

Day 4

Whew! We are into it now. I am in Mobile, AL. I checked into the command center, and I've started making my way around with the guy I am relieving. He will be here until next week, so I've got a few days to learn the ropes before I have all the responsibility. I prayed about meeting my division and that we would all make a good team and I really feel like my prayers were answered. We have some great people, all very personable and fun. They all seem very capable as well. A few minor personality conflicts exist, but that just keeps things interesting. I feel very blessed to have such a cool opportunity to be apart of history with such a fun job that interests me! Plus it keeps me busy. Hey, if you're gonna be away from home and not on your own terms, you might as well keep busy!
And I have finally moved into a nice hotel with a mini fridge and microwave! It feels good to unpack, stretch out and know that I am going to be in one place for a while.
I was challenged by my mom to try to keep up with my recipe theme on the blog by doing innovative, healthy recipes you can make while staying at a hotel. I am up for the challenge! I don't have any ideas yet, and I don't know how much time I'll have to do it, but the gears are turning.
It is getting a little bit harder to be away from my husband. I miss him! I find my mind drifting to him whenever I see a couple together or when getting ready for bed.
Now that I am here I am trying to establish a routine for meals, bible study and exercise. Oh yeah.. and school work and doula certification and knitting! All while working 12hrs a day. Easy, right?

Day 3

I'm too tired to fully blog right now. I will catch up on day 2 another day... maybe.
However, I went out on an HC-44 flight today to fly over the NOLA area, and see the Deepwater Horizon site from the sky. It was pretty interesting. It's so clean. I was expecting to see tons of oil. I didn't see any! That doesn't mean that there isn't any, but it is pretty clean out there. On the surface any way. Then I met with my bosses and co workers to go over expectations for my new job. following this I went to a knitting store with a friend and spent $44 dollars on knitting stuff! I have high hopes for making a baby outfit for a friend. and then I went to a grocery story to stock up on some healthy delicious foods. then i bgein my drive to mobile alabama. Bye bye NOLA! I hope I get to come back and snag a post card and see some more of your fun shops on magazine st!
I was soooo exhausted driving today. But it was nice driving in my sexy white jetta! When I finally arrive in mobile at 8pm I had to go through a small run around to get to the ICP and get my hotel reservation. I'm at the fairfield inn now.. which is so, so. I dont have a fridge in my room though and I have all these groceries! Hopefully I can switch hotels tomorrow. I really want to unpack and get settled in a nice comfortable room.
I am exhausted. I was thinking about trying to knit tonight, but i think trying to remember how to knit at this level of exhaustion is a bad idea.
good night readers!
wish my luck tomorrow!

Day 1

Day 1;

So, I knew I was going to be sent to the Gulf. I had been planning on it for a while. I just didn't know exactly when or what I would be doing. I put in for a Public Affairs job because I love doing Public Affairs AND I would only have to go for 30 days. So, last weekend my husband, M, and I went for a camping trip out in Deception Pass State Park. I recommend this to every one! It was beautiful. Anyway, the next day after our trip I get my orders and for some reason I decide to fly out right away. Maybe it was because M had already left for a 4 days business trip so I would have been sleeping alone anyway. So within 3 hours of getting my orders I was on a plane to New Orleans (N'awlins). I arrived at 11:30pm, and was picked up by a shuttle driver. I made small talk with him to get a feel for the environment down here

T: "Much change since the oil spill?"

Driver: "Not really"

T: "Cool.....what's a good place to eat?"

I checked in to the hotel and as I arrived in my room and looked at my bed, everything that had happened finally caught up to me. I was in a girl in a foreign city and alone. Why am I here? What am I doing here? Why did I rush out here? Why was I so excited to come?

After settling in and talking to M on the phone, I snuggled up to an old M tshirt and fell asleep.

The next morning I didn't have to show up for work until noon, so I got up, worked out (ran for a petty 1.5 miles), and had a whopping $27 room service breakfast! What a heavy ordeal! A huge plate of scrambled eggs, hash browns, and two massive sauages with a thick slice of cinnamon-grilled granny smith apple. De-lish! Then I had a brief devotional. I am currently reading Acts.

I read Acts Ch 9 today. I was struck by Philip's confidence and fearless ability to run up to the Eunuch after the Holy Spirit told him to. How many times have I felt like the Holy Spirit was telling me to do something but I responded by doing nothing out of fear? Even when it's something as simple as saying something to someone about God, or approaching someone and saying Hi. After all the evidence of God's goodness and graciousness, I still hesitate.

I went to work to discover that in two days I am being sent to Mobile, AL to take over as the leader of a division at the Command Post. Crazy! What do I know? I pray that God will be able to guide me!

After spending the day hanging out at the Command Post, I headed back to the hotel room and a bunch of us headed out to Acme Oyster House for dinner. I has grilled oysters and seafood gumbo. All of it was great. Very yummy. A few of us went down Bourbon Street to Cat's Meow for some karaoke. Bourbon Street is just what I imagined. Dirty, music flowing from buildings like a flood from all directions, and neon lights hanging above numerous sad businesses that perpetuate the worst form of slavery and degradation. I feel a deep sense of sadness and pity for both the costumers and the employees. Why does this even have to be a part of our world? I am so glad my husband makes the extra effort to avoid these places and seeing those things. He's such a strong, wonderful, respectful man.

Anyway, we ended up not being patient enough to sing karaoke and headed home. Now I am tired, and not sure if I am going to work out tomorrow morning. I hesitate to realize my empty bed...

But I look forward to tomorrow!

a new capter in life + travel = update blog!

I am still working out the kinks, but I wanted to re-vamp the site because I am doing some new things. A quick update:
-I am changing careers
-I was sent to the Gulf of Mexico for Deepwater Horizon Response