Yeah Honestly!

A minor change.

2011-09-08T22:25:00.003-04:00

I switched to Wordpress!

Same stories, same me. :) Just a little more running stuff.

So here it goes:

Stefanie Runs...

Enjoy!

PS: Could someone please let me know if you get (title unknown) when you add this link to your Google Reader?

Things that make me happy...

2011-08-27T22:38:00.003-04:00

...an upcoming trip to the Pacific Northwest for a little family reunion. Technically, we will be headed to a lake cabin in Northern Idaho but, to me, that's sort of still part of the Pacific NW. I am looking forward towards evenings spent in front of a bonfire with my mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, Collin's aunt and cousins, and days spent kayaking and swimming in the lake.

...emails from my recruiter. I very much appreciate all his updates--even the little ones--on my officer packet. With each passing day, I am feeling more and more nervous and tense. This is such a huge deal--in every possible way!

...decluttering. I hadn't filed any paperwork in months and finally decided, after having noticed that our "paperwork collection container" had been overflowing for weeks, to tackle this rather simple task, in fact. I was done sorting through everything and shredding all the unnecessary things within a mere 30 minutes. I suppose, I WON!

...Friends. Yes, it took me this long to finally jump on the bandwagon and watch this epic sitcom. I am not far into it yet (Season 1 Disc 2) but am planning on watching the whole 10 seasons before I know my fate within the Army. I am so ambitious. ;)

...reviewing my environmental science and engineering course work. It's amazing how much one forgets within just a few months after graduating. I am going through each chapter and its problems. It feels good to be studying again.

What makes you happy these days?

Sprint Triathlon Training - Week 4

2011-08-25T10:33:00.004-04:00

Previous training weeks:

Week 4 of my sprint triathlon training had its ups and downs. My legs felt very heavy throughout the first part of the week, which made for some very crappy and slow runs. On other the hand, I noticed that I have been improving drastically on the bike. I am much more relaxed, faster and am not struggling much with hills anymore. Let's not talk about swimming though. I didn't do a single swim workout during week 4 but am planning on making up for it this week. Hopefully!

Week 4 - Monday through Thursday

Week 4 - Friday through Sunday & Total

My greatest accomplishments during week 4 were completing a 10K race (that wasn't a 10 K) on Saturday and going on a long bike ride with Collin that following Sunday.

We rode to a Starbucks that is 9 miles from our house, had a little iced tea break and rode back home. It was the most perfect way to spend a Sunday morning together.

The shirt I am wearing in this picture is brand new. On Saturday we went down to Austin and stocked up on some road biking gear that was on sale. We both got long sleeved biking jackets (for cooler fall/winter temperatures), Collin got a green biking shirt and I got this super girly orange-pink looking biking top - the most comfortable shirt I have ever owned.

I love the storage pockets for snack foods. It also comes with a zipper pocket for my ID, phone etc. It's the perfect little top, which I wouldn't mind wearing on a daily basis. :) Yes, it's that perfect and comfy. (PS: Remind me to exchange those ugly curtains in our bathroom. Yuck!)

Do you own a piece of clothing that you wouldn't mind wearing every single day?

How does one get selected.

2011-08-22T10:33:00.004-04:00

In the coming weeks I will probably be talking a lot about the upcoming Environmental Science Officer selection board because, after all, it may be the beginning of the rest of my life. Literally.

The board convenes in 57 days. Less than two months! My application is already on the desk of the colonel who is going to select the final candidates. There is not much I can do until then besides wait. Tomorrow I have an appointment for the second part of my physical during which the doctor will go over the lab results with me. I also received the translation of my German university diploma on Friday. It wasn't an evaluation--just a translation--but my degree "Diplom" was, to my surprise, translated into "Bachelor of Engineering" instead of "Diploma" which means I will skip the costly evaluation and send it straight to my recruiter to add to my packet for, hopefully, extra selection points.

As I have mentioned before, the selection board is very competitive. I read and heard about some selection statistics before but this year seems to be one of the most competitive ones. The latest rumor is that only 5 candidates will be selected this time around. This number seems insanely low considering that the Army is in need of Environmental Science Officers. I also know there are 100 applications as of now.

So what are the selection points based on?

Type of degree: If you have a Bachelor's degree, chances of you being selected are pretty slim. With this many applicants, those with a Master's degree will be first in line.
University: A school that's solely online is not going to be a great selling point. The better the school, the more points you will get. Johns Hopkins is up there. Like way up there. There is only a small number of schools that are better and those include Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT and such.
Major: There are a lot of qualifying majors such as chemistry, biology and, of course, environmental science. The more environment related courses you took, the better.
GPA: That's pretty self-explanatory. The higher, the better. Duh!
Prior military experience: Any military experience gives you extra points. I do not have any - except for being a military spouse. Maybe they'll consider that?! ;)

Also, medical, criminal and/or traffic violation waivers will reduce your chances of becoming selected. So far, I am good there too unless my lab results will reveal something I didn't know before. I truly don't think so though.

I know I may not have to worry about anything because I clearly have really, really good chances of becoming selected. But I always need that little pep talk from Collin or my friends or other people to boost my confidence. This whole process is pretty nerve-wracking at times, trust me!

Caliente 10K Killeen Race Recap.

2011-08-21T19:18:00.007-04:00

Collin finally had a weekend off and what did I do? I made him get up at 5:30AM on a Saturday morning to support me at this weekend's 10K race at the Lion's Club in Killeen.

The race started at 7AM. It was hot already (Nothing new this time of year!) but luckily, the sun wasn't quite out yet which made the first part of the race more bearable. There wasn't as many runners as I had expected--we were around 50--a cozy, little group. I even met a few runners from last week's race. It's amazing how many of the same people you meet during these events--after all we are truly just a small community around here.

The course was new to me and I didn't know what to expect from it until I overheard a few people talk about "a few tough hills" during the last few miles. Crap! As it turned out the hills were indeed tough but for some reason I still had an insanely huge amount of energy in me and quickly conquered each and every single one of them while passing about 4-5 other runners. That was a first for me!

The first three miles of the race went by very fast. I ran with another guy who seemed to be aiming for the same time goal: Finish in under one hour. We passed one another several times before he took off after mile three. I later passed him again when I sprinted up the hills.

I grabbed a water at the 4 and 5-mile mark and checked my Garmin more often during the 6th mile when I realized that the course was most likely going to be a little shorter than 10K. Eventually I reached the finish line coming in at 58:08 min. The course, as I expected, was only 6 miles long.

Although I am a little upset that the course wasn't a true 10K course (I wanted to PR so bad!), I am happy with the overall result. The course was fun and challenging. I felt fast (my overall pace may not reflect that but to me it was fast!) and in great shape.

What did you do this weekend?

Striving to be the best.

2011-08-16T13:05:00.004-04:00

Three blog posts in three days? Who is this girl? I guess I have a lot to say these days. :)

This morning has been quite busy - not as in running around and finishing up (house related) chores but as in sitting at my desk going over Army paperwork and making a ton of important phone calls. As I have mentioned before the selection board is on October 18 - only a little over two months away - and I am getting very nervous about everything. No, I am not doubting my decision at all. I am just nervous about not going to be selected. It would be devastating to me to say the least.

If you are a new reader, you can read previous posts about my journey on becoming an officer in the Army here:

April 2010: A calling. - The day I went to the recruiting station.
May 2010: Insights and Explanations. - Why I made the decision to become an officer and what are my options.
July 2011: Three months. - Updates on the application process.
August 2011: The first of two. - On the first part of my Army physical.

With only two more months to go until I will know my fate, things are getting quite intense over here. I am worried about a lot of things: Do I have great recommendation letters? Am I going to pass the second part of my physical? How do I compare to others?

I am currently "fine-tuning" my application packet. Although my qualifying degree is my Master's from The Johns Hopkins University, I was told that submitting my German credentials may be worth it after all to give me extra selection points. My German degree is in environmental engineering, so it does make sense. I sent my transcript and credit evaluations to my recruiter last night and am currently in the process of getting my actual diploma translated and evaluated as well. Hence the many calls.

Additionally I am getting a forth letter of recommendation from a lieutenant colonel who works with Collin. So far I only got my former professor, supervisor at my internship and a captain who works on Capitol Hill. Those are great and plenty of references but they are not good enough for me. I always strive to be the best and a lieutenant colonel, obviously, is better! Plus, I am sort of "best buddies" with him, now that we have called each other about a gazillion times. No kidding!

But still, I am worried, especially ever since this morning, when Collin told me that he met a soldier who is currently putting in a packet for the very same slot as me and who got TWO lieutenant colonel and ONE colonel (or FULL BIRD as they call it) recommendation letters. He also told my husband that there are six other enlisted soldiers from Fort Hood who are applying for the environmental science officer position. But then he said that they are trying to fill a lot of slots this year. So we'll see.

Collin assured me I don't have to worry about anything but I still do. I want this so bad, guys!

Sprint Triathlon Training - Weeks 2 + 3

2011-08-15T11:24:00.003-04:00

Previous training weeks:

Sprint Triathlon Training - Week 1

Today I started week 4 of my sprint triathlon training plan and so far it's been going quite well. I have been adjusting and rearranging workouts here and there to accommodate anything else that has been going on in my life and is not running, cycling or swimming related.

Weeks 2 + 3 - Monday through Thursday

Weeks 2 + 3 - Friday through Sunday & Total

Things I am happy about:

I have been able to keep up with my running and swimming mileages.
Adding races is a great way to break the monotony of training plans.
Keeping my running mileage low has been great for my legs - especially shins - no pain so far!
My but is getting smaller. :)
I am feeling stronger.
I am hungry ALL THE TIME and can eat whatever I want without worrying about gaining weight. Score!

Things I need to work on:

I am still swimming all over the place alternating between breaststroke and front crawling.
I need to keep up with my biking mileage.
I need to add more hills during my biking workouts.
Our car needs a roof bike rack (Those things are EXPENSIVE!). So far I have no idea how to get my bike to the race site.
I need to get tri shorts & water bottle holders for my bike & a tire kit & tools & all sorts of other stuff.

Have you ever been on a road bike?

I remember when I first rode Collin's old road bike with clipless pedals. I crashed and swore to never try road biking again. Funny how times change!

Do you like swimming?

I love swimming but it's a tough sport. I had never thought I would be struggling with front crawling as much as I do these days.

A little week recap.

2011-08-14T11:35:00.003-04:00

We had a lot of fun this past week. During the past months we had been itching to go to baseball game, so that's what we did on Monday. The last time we went to a game was back in 2005, a couple days before Collin went off to Army basic training, when the Texas Rangers played the Mariners in Seattle.

Us back in 2005. Don't we look like babies?

Of course, Seattle lost in 2005 - just like in 2011. Duh!

On Monday we made the 3-hour drive up to Dallas. We left early in the morning since we wanted to check out In-N-Out Burger for lunch. They recently opened several restaurants in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

It was insanely crowded at In-N-Out Burger. But the wait was totally worth it. For only a mere $12 we got two tasty burgers with fries and a soda. However, I wish I didn't have that free pack of Twizzlers that we got with our gas purchase an hour before we had lunch. I love Twizzlers and couldn't resist that red and delicious goodness. :)

After lunch we went to Dick's Sporting Goods, where we purchased a few running clothes for me and a Texas Rangers hat for Collin. Then we were off to the stadium.

Of course the Mariners lost yet again. No surprise there!

On Thursday I had the first part of my physical for the Army. Read about it here! We also welcomed our friend's dog into our house that day. She is visiting family in Germany and we offered to watch her dog during that time.

Meet Chance!

On Saturday I participated in a 5k race on post. The turnout was great. I believe there were roughly 250 people there. Also, the weather was fantastic. It was the first day in months that the sky was overcast and temperatures remained in the upper 70s throughout the morning. Perfect running conditions IN TEXAS!

Unfortunately Collin had to work and I forgot to bring my camera yet again. So here is another ever famous MySpace style picture of me on race day.

My official time was 28:00 min for 3.1 miles (or 5k). I shaved 15 seconds off of last week's 5k. Progress, baby! Progress!

After the race I went on what I thought was going to be a short 10-mile bike ride. I ended up biking almost 20 miles on post and off post (which also included a little pit stop at Starbucks for some much needed refueling!).

What did you do this week/weekend? Anything fun? Have you ever been to a baseball game?

The first of two.

2011-08-11T16:52:00.003-04:00

Today was a very important day for me. I got up at 5AM to get ready for the first part of my Army direct-commissioning physical. My appointment was at 8AM and I was advised to arrive there 15 minutes early - a standard Army procedure. There were already a bunch of soldiers in their PT uniform and aside from being one of the only females there, my wearing regular (PINK!) workout clothes only added to the awkwardness. I pretty much felt like a piece of meat in a cage filled with lions. But I gotta get used to that as a (hopefully future!) female soldier... :)

I had some trouble checking in since I was the first civilian person ever to get a direct-commissioning physical done on post. Luckily my recruiter was right there by my side and explained the whole situation to those that had no idea what was going on. After jumping through some hoops, I was all good to go and joined the rest of the soldiers.

We had a short briefing (The Army loves briefings!) and filled out a bunch of paperwork before we all headed to our stations: vitals, vision, lab, and hearing.

I quickly completed all the stations. My vitals, vision and hearing were fine - just as I expected - although I was a little worried about the hearing test, mainly because I don't remember ever having taken such a test and I didn't know what to expect. I won't find out the results of the lab (blood and urine analyses) until I go to the second part of my physical which is scheduled for the end of August.

In a way, I took a first real peek at the life of a soldier today. It was exciting and also fun. And most importantly, it gave me that extra confidence boost that I have been needing.

Oh yeah, there was a race.

2011-08-09T19:27:00.003-04:00

Guys, I don't know how you all find the time to write new posts every day or even every other day. Time seems to be slipping through my fingers these days with everything that has been going on in my life... AND I am not even working or going to school right now!

This past Saturday I decided to participate in a local run in Harker Heights called the "Fugitive 5k Fun Run" which is part of the CenTex Race series. It was a small (only 140 participants) but fun and amazingly organized little race that led through a - I must say - quite wealthy (in my opinion) neighborhood of the city. The race started at 7AM - the perfect time to run in Central Texas this time of year as we are still suffering through 100+ degree weather.

Sorry I forgot to bring my camera to the race - that's all I have to offer. :)

I felt quite strong as soon as I started running but tried to keep it slow for the first part of the race (at least I thought so). As it turned out, I was running a 8:38 min/mile pace for the first mile. The second mile was a little slower (9:00 min/mile) due to the rolling hills we had to conquer. The best part was running through the sprinkler systems in the neighborhood. So refreshing! The last mile led through the city park along biking/hiking trails. At that point we already hit about 90 degrees which felt like 100. I slowed down but sped up at the end to make up some time.

I came in 5th in my age group (24-29) and 54th overall at 28:15 min (official time).

My Garmin calculated 3.13 miles at 28:08 min, which puts me below the 9:00 min/mile mark. Yay!

I got another race coming up next weekend which I am very much looking forward to since Collin will be able to cheer me on this time (He had to work this past weekend. Boo!).

Did you run a race this weekend?

Sprint Triathlon Training - Week 1.

2011-08-05T18:03:00.003-04:00

This post has been long overdue. While my tri training has been going really well, plenty of other things got in the way of blogging or were more important than being online. At the beginning of the week our AC went out and we had to suffer through two super hot days and nights in our house. It's been insanely hot over here on my side of the world. I mean, we have had 39 consecutive days of above 100 degree weather. I love Texas but this is just too much...

The biggest challenge, by far, during my tri training has been the heat. It's tough when the low of each and every single day is still 80 degrees and you are drenched after every single run - even if you are running for just a single mile.

Alright, so how has my week been going?

Monday

3 Mile Run: This was one of my stronger runs recently. I had been struggling with running after coming back from my injury in April. On top of that we went to Germany for three weeks and although I went there with great intentions, I did not run a single mile. Family time, celebrating and hanging out with friends were simply more important to me. Duh! So yeah, this was a great run for me.

Tuesday

1 Mile Run, 1 Hour of Weights: Tuesdays are my gym days with my friend. We are usually doing guided weights but I am trying to convince her to try free weights with me. Hopefully next time. I ran one mile on the treadmill before we started our weights exercises.

Wednesday

10 Mile Bike Ride, 3 Mile Run: This was my very first brick workout and it was TOUGH! The bike ride was very easy and relaxing but still challenging - thanks to my amazing bike. However, transitioning into the run was hard. Although my legs were very heavy and I felt extremely slow, I still managed to pull a 9:36-min/mile pace.

Thursday

750 Meter Swim, 10 Mile Bike Ride: My second brick workout of the week. Again the bike ride was a breeze. Have I mentioned that I love my bike? I have? Sorry, but I'll probably bring it up plenty more times. The swim was great but I found out that front crawling is not my strength. It's something I truly have to work on to become faster.

Friday

Rest Day.

Saturday

500 Meter Swim, 12 Mile Bike Ride, 2.5 Mile Run: I struggled with front crawling again and switched back to breaststroke. It's mainly the breathing I have to get down. Overall, this brick workout was tough and I was completely and utterly drained by the end of it. I only managed to run 2.5 miles out of the three miles that I had planned due to the excessive heat.

Sunday

Rest Day: I actually wanted to go on a bike ride but we had a little farewell party the night before and I didn't get home until 4AM.

* * *

Total Mileage:

Swim: 1250 meters
Bike: 32.27 miles
Run: 9.5 miles

* * *

How has your week been? Is it hot were you are?

Alright, time to hydrate. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Austria Week

2011-07-29T14:57:00.003-04:00

Before we'll dive into our pictures from Austria, there are a few things I cannot wait to share with you:

Triathlon training is going great. My strength is definitely the bike ride and possibly the swim if I can figure out the correct breathing technique for front crawling. More on that in a different post. :)
I got a date for the Environmental Science Officer selection board. It convenes on October 18. It is going to be an intense October, let me tell you that!
We upgraded our appliances. Stainless steel, baby! I promise there WILL be pictures!

* * *

Let's continue with our vacation pictures! As you may know, we went to Germany to visit my family for three weeks from June through July. I already posted pictures of our wedding celebrations. You can find them here. Right after all the festivities we drove down to Austria, where my sister lives, for a week of hiking.

First day of hiking. The weather was simply gorgeous.

We hiked through a gorge with tons of little waterfalls. So refreshing.

Short break in the shade.

Collin and I with my parents.

The most amazing scenery.

Visiting the "Ötzi the Iceman" village. Unfortunately he wasn't there. Booh!

Farm animals? My weakness!

Having some tea (with a shot of liquor or two) before heading up the mountains.

I may or may not have been a little tipsy after just a single glass.

Collin's favorite thing to do when we visit the Alps.

Yes, that's a snow flake on the camera lens. Crazy, huh!

...to be continued.

My sprint triathlon training plan.

2011-07-27T17:59:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, after reading my regular running/healthy living blogs, I did something completely crazy. I SIGNED UP FOR A TRIATHLON. No, not one of those Ironman triathlons because, clearly, those are way, way out of my reach for a very long time to come. However, it's a modified sprint triathlon which includes a 300-meter swim, a 12-mile bike ride and a 3.1-mile run. It all seems doable, right? But let me get to that topic later.

I have been captivated by Amber's triathlon journey and decided to use her training schedule as well as a variety of other sources on the web as a basis to create my very own training plan. I also threw in a couple of 5K's and one 10K that I had planned to participate in anyways and voilà, this is what I came up with:

You can also access the plan here.

Some key points:

I decided to keep my running mileage low (under 20 miles each week) which will hopefully prevent any injuries.
My focus is on brick workouts (3x a week).
Monday is my long run since I am also training for a half-marathon in November.

Today was my very first brick workout: a 10-mile bike ride followed by a 3-mile run. The night before I laid out my gear and got my bike ready.

I got up early to avoid the majority of the heat which worked out well. My bike ride was very relaxing and much faster than I expected it averaging a speed of 15.4 mph. I give full credit to my bike because this thing is blazing fast and super light. Simply heavenly!

I completed my 10.24-mile ride in a little under 40 minutes.

I got home, switched into my running gear and was off to complete that 3-miler. No biggie, right?

Oh my! My legs were killing me within the first few yards of my run. Transitioning from biking to running is tough. My muscles seemed confused and didn't know how to handle the different running movements (compared to biking). It took me about a mile and a quick water stop at the nearby McDonald's to get into a rhythm. But still: It was tough!

As soon as I got home, I started stretching and icing. Icing? BEST DECISION EVER! I also ate a second breakfast and cut up more water melon and kiwis. For some reason, I was craving tons of fruit during my run - must have been all those calories I had just burnt.

I celebrated my first triathlon training day with a frozen yogurt topped with bad but oh so delicious toppings. Gotta make up for those calories, right?

Diving into cooler temperatures.

2011-07-25T23:51:00.004-04:00

This past weekend I somewhat forced Collin into coming to the pool with me. He is not very big on swimming but those continuous triple digit temperature have been begging us to dive into the much cooler water. So off we went.

We found a shady spot underneath one of the few trees. The picture is very misleading on many levels. It clearly does not look that tropical in Central Texas. Right now, it's a wasteland of burnt grass - EVERYWHERE. Anyways, Fort Hood has a number of different little pools and all of them are free. The one that we went to is only a couple miles from our house. I think we will attempt to take our bikes there next time. Or I could run. I think I am sensing a triathlon?

We tanned a little and talked a little and swam a little. And oh my goodness, the water felt heavenly. Simply heavenly.

I don't know why it took us this long to venture out to the pool. We will definitely be back because according to the weather forecast we won't be seeing any sub 100 temperatures until who knows when.

Afterwards we went to Dairy Queen for some delicious double cookie dough and Reese's blizzards and ended the day in front of our garage watching our sprinkler water the lawn while having a couple of delicious drinks with our friend. I guess that's what life in suburbia is like on a Saturday night, right?!

How was your weekend? What did you do?

Three months.

2011-07-19T17:45:00.004-04:00

In less than three months I will be impatiently awaiting the results of the 72D Environmental Scientist/Sanitary Engineer board. It will hopefully be the beginning of a new and exciting future full of amazing opportunities that will allow me to grow even more as an individual.

At the end of May - one week before I graduated from Johns Hopkins - I met with my recruiter and soon thereafter I already started gathering all my paperwork which, so far, includes two letters of recommendation, a 60-page application (which pretty much lists almost every single person I have talked to in my entire life), my transcripts, and medical paperwork. I am currently working on my essay on "why I want to become an officer" and am on the hunt for my third and last recommendation letter.

And then there will be my physical which was scheduled for last week but was canceled after all since Fort Hood only gives physicals to active duty or reserve military personnel - something they could have told me when I tried to schedule an appointment with them. Oh well. So as soon as my recruiter returns from vacation I will most likely be heading to MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) in Dallas where I will find out if I am healthy and fit enough for the military.

The physical at MEPS is a a huge deal. If I don't pass - for whatever reason - my journey would end right there (unless there are waivers). But I truly believe that won't be the case.

Because I truly want this. It would mean so much to me and Collin. It is time for all my hard work at school to finally pay off. It is time for me to have a career. It is time for us to finally have two incomes. It is time for me to do something I truly enjoy. And I enjoy being a part of the military. I enjoy it now as a dependent (or rather military spouse) and would enjoy it even more as a person who fully committed herself to this country.

In less than three months I will know if I get selected. And so far, it's looking quite good.

Home is where the heart is, they say.

2011-07-14T11:11:00.004-04:00

We got back from Germany Monday evening and during our entire flight(s) I couldn't help but think how much I was looking forward to coming back home to Texas, to sleeping in my very own bed and eating in my very own kitchen. Don't get me wrong, Germany was fun and we had a fabulous time seeing family and friends but there is nothing quite like coming back to the one place that you call home. And this place has been our house in Texas for me (or rather any place where the Army has been sending us).

Visiting Germany made me realize how comfortable I have become with life in the United States. There is not much I miss besides family and friends. I don't miss the food anymore. I don't miss the clothes anymore. I don't miss any German products anymore. I don't miss the German lifestyle anymore. If I want to cook German there are plenty of alternatives here. If I feel like German chocolate, I go to our local grocery store and buy some. If I want to talk in German, I call up my friends here.

Germany has become a place I visit every couple years. It's still 'home' for me in a way (since I was born and raised there) but if someone asked me where I felt home, I would say Texas or whichever state we are currently stationed at at that time. Home to me is where I live with Collin, where we work and where we have our friends.

That's why coming home to Fort Hood felt so special. After our arrival on Monday evening, we went straight to bed, snuggled up and enjoyed our warm blankets and sheets. I just felt completely comfortable and happy. The next day I emptied our fridge and stocked it with fresh groceries, we got our mail, went appliance shopping and ended the day in front of the TV watching our favorite shows.

It feels extremely good to be back home and get on with our life!

Wedding week.

2011-07-07T09:39:00.005-04:00

Hello from good old Germany! We have been here for a little over two weeks now and have had an amazing time. Our visit started out very very busy as we didn't just celebrate our church wedding but most importantly my sister's wedding to her now husband which took place the very same day.

Let me just tell you: There were FOUR full days of partying and celebrating. Lots of food and lots of drinks. Quite honestly, there hasn't been a single day that I did NOT have at least one beer or one glass of champagne since we got here. Yes, that's what Germany is all about!

My sister.

With our cousins.

With our families.

My sister's court house wedding in the morning.

Right before we headed to church.

On our way to the church.

After our church wedding.

With my parents.

Right after all the wedding festivities we headed down to Austria, where my sister lives, for a week of hiking.

...to be continued...

Time to pack.

2011-06-20T08:41:00.007-04:00

I have had a rough night - as in I have only had four hours of sleep. The rest of the night I was lying in bed wide awake thinking of all the things I still have to take care off today. Collin was scheduled to have the day off but he is being trained to take over his floor at the hospital after we get back from our trip - so no extra time off for him.

I had great intentions of getting most of our packing done yesterday but ended up doing all of our laundry instead while watching some Family Guy and Futurama. I definitely need to get my priorities straight!

Oh yeah, I did do some "packing" - I gathered all the shoes we will be taking with us.

Looks like we'll be needing an extra suitcase just for those, huh?

Other than that I realized that we barely own any cold-weather clothes anymore (That's what living in Texas does to you!). Let's hope that the weather will be somewhat decent in Germany. I am, however, looking forward to the somewhat cooler temperatures. I truly miss wearing a cardigan or jacket!

Okay, time to get back to crossing more things off of my to-do list and packing, obviously. I will see you on the other side!

Epic trips.

2011-06-17T16:46:00.004-04:00

Only a few more days until we go on our epic Germany trip. I keep calling it epic but that's exactly what it will be. We have so much planned: our wedding festivities, a trip to Austria, lots of food and lots of get-togethers with friends and family.

It's been almost two years since we have been back and while this might seem like a really really long time for some people, I doesn't seem that long to me at all.We experienced a perfect balance between seeing family, traveling with friends and venturing out on our own during the past two years.

Collin with my family when they visited in December 2009.

On our way to Virginia with friends for a camping adventure on the 4th of July weekend last year.

And our road trip from Washington DC to Florida to Texas last summer.

This afternoon Collin and I will head to Austin for a little shopping spree as we need some last minute items for our trip: some hiking shoes, sandals and maybe another dress for me (if I can get him to agree that this is absolutely necessary!).

Tomorrow my girlfriends will be over for some belated birthday celebrations on my behalf and Sunday will be dedicated towards packing.

Alright, dear friends, time to sign off for today!

Latest shenanigans.

2011-06-15T19:11:00.005-04:00

My dear friends, I am sorry I had been absent from the blogosphere for the past few weeks or should I rather say months. Lots has happened and lots has stayed the same - in summary, life has been great and I have been breathing in every second of it to the fullest.

Okay, I don't want to keep you in the dark any longer, so this is what has been going on:

I graduated! I am now a Master of Science and I finished with a 4.0!

I had a fabulous time in Baltimore and Washington DC and got to meet a lot of old and new friends. Unfortunately Collin couldn't make it as we didn't want to jinx his leave paperwork for Germany by requesting yet another weekend off. Still, I had a lot of fun and am very grateful that I was able to make it to my graduation.

I am officially in touch with a recruiter!

The week before my graduation weekend my recruiter whose office is originally in Dallas came down to Fort Hood for some other recruiting business and decided to stop by my house (Special treatment much?) on the way to talk to me about commissioning in the Army. As of today, I have completed the first leg of my paperwork and am waiting to get my physical screening appointment for after we return from Germany. Which brings me to the next point...

Collin's leave paperwork got approved!

We will officially be staying in Germany for three full weeks. Hurray! Today I picked up my wedding gown from the cleaners, Collin's uniform is all ready to go, and I picked out our wedding Bible verse the other day. Also, my mom is such a rockstar for organizing our entire festivities.

And then there was our friend's wedding we attended this weekend...

...and my 27th birthday this past Monday.

Thanks to my optometrist who kindly reminded me today that my vision should start to improve now that the big 3-0 is not that far off anymore, I am actually starting to feel old (But in a good way!). Here is to embracing my late 20s!

And, it's nice to be back!

Catching up.

2011-04-23T12:27:00.006-04:00

Every single day I think about what I could write about on this little blog. But eventually time seems to slip away and real life completely takes over (which is a good thing, of course!). Since I don't want to leave you hanging and wondering what has been going on on my side of the world, I thought I'd update you on the important stuff.

I have entered the final phase of my studies. Only two more tiny weeks until I will have completed my Master's degree. Last night I submitted a group project my classmate and I had been working on for the past few months. (You can take a peek here if you are interested in seeing what I do and study.) I have to write two more papers for my other two classes and take two finals on top of that. It's going to be a busy two weeks. However, so far I haven't been truly stressed out. It seems like I have been managing my time much better. Which brings me to the next topic...
Collin has been working like crazy - which is the major reason why I am having so much time to catch up on homework. Ever since he got back from training, his workload has quadrupled. Besides doing his usual 40+ hours as a nurse, he also needs to squeeze in his duties as an NCO ("boss of the lower enlisted soldiers") meaning he goes into work on his days off to complete counseling forms and other paperwork. For example: He had to go into work EVERY SINGLE weekday this past week AND has to work his regular nursing hours this weekend. It puts a lot of stress on him but we are trying to make it work by going on more dates when he does have a full day off.
My back to running training program has been going great. I have been increasing my running to walking ratio every other day which has been going quite well. My doctor assured me that I am good to go and that I should be able to add longer distances and speed work in the next few weeks. Sometimes it is hard to stay focused and patient though because all I want is run... 3 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles.
Still no news regarding leave and our trip to Germany. I am truly hoping that we will know for sure next week. This whole process has been such a pain.

What have you been up to these days? Anything you'd like to share? Are you doing anything special for Easter?

In need of some finger crossing.

2011-04-18T18:05:00.003-04:00

So we are supposed to fly to Germany in a little over two months. However, so far we have not purchased any tickets nor has Collin been approved for leave yet. GREAT!

Putting together his leave packet has been a never ending process due to the fact that we are flying out of country and will most likely be staying three whole weeks. The paperwork has been signed by his "boss" already (Thank goodness!) but now has to reach the hands of his "boss's boss", "boss's boss's boss" and so on. I feel like all of Fort Hood will have put in their two cents at the end of this entire process.

My parents keep asking me every single week if I have booked the tickets already and every single time I have to tell them "No, not yet.", which breaks my heart into a million little pieces.

At this point, I can't really look forward to anything as we do not have those precious tickets yet. We also don't know if we will actually be able to stay three weeks or if we will have to drop down to two. I sure do not hope so because we have SO SO SO much planned while visiting.

And my greatest fear is that Collin's leave won't get approved. Although I am 99% sure that this will not happen, it still scares me because there may be a very slim possibility.

I just want some piece of mind and see a $3,000 charge on our credit card statement (I may be the only person in the world, who is actually looking forward to something like that!). Until then, I will have to stay patient, very patient.

Back on track, literally.

2011-04-14T16:03:00.005-04:00

After putting what feels like 10,000 miles on my old pair of Nike Air Max that may or may not have been the cause of my stress fracture two months ago, I finally caved in and bought a new pair of shiny, bright yellow running shoes about a week before I was told by my nurse (also know as my dear husband) and doctor that I had to stop running due to my injury. I even broke off my long lasting relationship with Nike and decided to go with Under Armour since I adore most of their active wear already. Let me tell you: I am so, so glad I went with these shoes. They are extremely light and amazingly comfortable.

However, for the past eight weeks my precious new running shoes had been sitting in the garage waiting to be taken out on a run. Finally, last week after a follow-up appointment with my doctor, I got the green light. He hooked me up with a physical therapy appointment and a "Return to Running Program" and eventually sent me on my sweet and merry way home.

You cannot believe how amazing it felt knowing I would be able to start running again - well, walking, at first, to be exact. My post stress fracture running program is similar to the ever famous Couch-to-5k program. It starts off with walking for two miles and gradually increases the running to walking ratio up until I reach three consecutive miles of running without any walking.

I am now in Phase 2 (2 reps of 0.25 walking and 0.25 running) out of 8 of my program. Although feeling very underwhelmed at times, I keep telling myself that this is all for the best in order to avoid yet another injury. I can't just jump into running 1o miles again or finishing a two-mile run in 16 minutes.

However, I am itching to participate in an upcoming 5k ~~race~~ run/walk. I did walk two miles the other day, so I think I should be fine. :)

Six years.

2011-04-12T12:42:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks ago a friend of mine asked us, "Are you two really that happy? You look so happy in all your photos. All the time."

I responded, slightly puzzled, "Ahem, yes. Why wouldn't we be happy?"

And then it occurred to me, people just don't assume that you are that happy in a marriage anymore after six years. The butterflies have been long gone, so has the newlywed feeling. What's left? Much more than butterflies: Love, trust, support, respect and growth.

During the past six years of our marriage we have seen many relationships fall apart, while we have continued to become stronger. We have been through Army basic training, a 15-month deployment and nursing school - during these times we never or rarely saw each other. But we have never complained and never ever got into arguments while we were away from each other. Not once.

Don't get me wrong, there have been tough times and there always will be tough times. And yes, we have had the occasional argument at home over who does the dishes or why there are still tons of dirty clothes on the bedroom floor but that's about it.

After six years of marriage, we still go grocery shopping together (most of the time), we still go to bed together every night (unless Collin is on night shift), we still go on weekly dates, and I still look forward to Collin coming home from work every night.

It's not about giving each other expensive gifts on anniversaries or birthdays, it's about caring for each other and simply being happy.

And that's why I love my husband so dearly.

A little makeover.

2011-04-05T20:02:00.004-04:00

We have been bitten by the home makeover bug yet again. During the past few months we spent a lot of time outside working on our pergola, finishing up a new flower bed and getting the lawn ready for spring and summer. I couldn't help but realize how we had been neglecting the inside of our house.

Don't get me wrong, there isn't really anything huge we need to remodel. Our house is only a little over 8 years old. We like the paint in most of the rooms, the kitchen is great and the floors are fantastic. However, there are a few things we like to tackle in the coming months.

Everything but the laundry room in our house is either tile or laminate flooring - the laundry room, however, has an ugly linoleum floor. Since we have never done any sort of tiling, we decided that this tiny room would be the perfect starter project. Then there is the master bathroom. It is currently sporting poo brown walls that just need to go. We also want to update the mirrors, faucets, lamps and eventually tile a new border around the tub.

During the past couple days we had been working on our guest bathroom. The previous owners already upgraded it with a new faucet and light fixture (That sounds oh so HGTV!) as well as new tile flooring. This is what it looked like:

To give it an even more upgraded feeling, we added:

a new framed mirror ($50 at Home Depot)
a wooden toilet seat ($20 at Lowe's)
cabinet door knobs ($6 at Hobby Lobby) and
some art (frame plus picture for $15 at Hobby Lobby).

Total cost of this makeover: $91.

Baltimore, we'll meet again.

2011-03-30T15:09:00.004-04:00

At the beginning of the month I ordered my cap and gown for my commencement ceremony in Baltimore in May. A couple of days later my precious black graduation outfit along with a golden hood and the Johns Hopkins tassel arrived in the mail. I ripped open the package and tried everything on. It all fit. (The gown is quite intense: It has floppy sleeve thingies hanging down the actual sleeves. When spreading my arms, I look like batman!)

The last time I wore a cap and gown was back in 2002 when I participated in the graduation ceremony at the one and only high school where I was a foreign exchange student for one year and met my dear husband. It was one of the best moments of my life. And now I get to be a part of such an important event all over again. Only this time around I will have actually earned a degree. (As a foreign exchange student I never received a real high school diploma.)

Classes are going great thus far and I am about two thirds done with everything. I am still en route to a 4.0. However, while two of my classes are very predicable and enforcing a very relaxing learning experience, my third one is quite the opposite. It takes up a lot of my time due to insane amounts of research, project preparation, almost daily discussions and tough weekly problem sets. But the overachiever in me always fights back and although most weeks are sucking up all the energy I got, I feel accomplished, happy and content every single time I can cross off that last item on my weekly to-do list.

However, I am at the point where I am ready to be done with school. I am looking forward to taking that trip to Baltimore this May, walking on that stage, receiving my diploma and showing the campus to Collin. (I am just hoping he will get those days off.)

But I am mostly looking forward to life post graduate school.

On a fantastic weekend.

2011-03-28T15:21:00.004-04:00

This past weekend was full of amazingness and I strongly believe that it was a sign of how great this spring and upcoming summer are going to be overall.

It was the first weekend we didn't do any yard work. Instead we enjoyed our flower beds for the very first time, watched the grass grow (literally) and welcomed home our brand new patio set.
On Saturday we invited two other couples and their dogs (I will be dog-sitting again this upcoming summer!) over to our house for the very first time to have a little BBQ. We munched down on delicious hot dogs and hamburgers and sat outside in 90-degree weather talking about life until late at night. Our first BBQ in Texas? I'd call it a success!
On Sunday Collin and I spontaneously decided to go out to brunch at a local restaurant. It was the cheapest and tastiest breakfast we have had in a very long time. Also, I learned that ordering my hash browns with onions and cheddar cheese is a must from now on. Afterwards we went to see Limitless at the movies. Yet another reason why I love living here: $5 movie tickets - all day, every day.
Later Sunday night I had to cram half a week worth of homework into a few hours. I thought it was going to take me until midnight at least to finish all of my assignments but I was done right after 8PM leaving me a couple more precious hours to veg out on the couch watching the last two episodes of season 2 of Parks & Recreation (Our new favorite show!).

What did you do this weekend? Are you ready for the week ahead?

Strawberry Cupcakes

2011-03-25T13:22:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday I made a dozen strawberry cupcakes for a BBQ we were going to attend (Who bakes cupcakes for a BBQ? I DO!). Unfortunately we had to cancel last minute because of Collin's work schedule. I was a little upset since I was looking forward to meeting yet another bunch of new people, however, having all the cupcakes all to myself quickly turned my mood around.

I followed this recipe and let me tell you: They turned out heavenly! Rich, sweet and simply perfect!

Tomorrow we'll be hosting a little BBQ at our place - in preparation for our big BBQ in a couple weeks. Happy weekend, everyone!

Any new or exciting recipes that you have tried recently? What are your plans for this weekend?

The A-Z's of me.

2011-03-22T16:35:00.003-04:00

I am joining Brittany over at Bohemian Transplant and am going to share my A to Z's with you.

A. Age: 26 3/4.

B. Bed size: King. It's magical!

C. Chore you dislike: Cleaning the shower, hands down. I can clean the toilets, sinks and bathtub all day but cleaning the shower is my weakness.

D. Dogs: None. We dogsitted a Golden Retriever last year and will be dogsitting a lab-chow mix later this summer. This is as far as we have gotten to owning a dog.

E. Essential start to your day: A shower. I step out of bed and turn on the water right away - unless I go to the gym or do any other sort of exercise.

F. Favorite color: Green.

G. Gold or silver: White gold.

H. Height: 5' 10”

I. Instruments you play(ed): The recorder. Doesn't everyone? And the guitar. I haven't played the guitar in a while though but still remember the chords to "Green Eyes" and "The Scientist" by Coldplay.

J. Job title: Environmental science grad student and environmental engineering B.Sc. degree holder. ;) And no, being a military spouse is NOT a job.

K. Kids: None. Let's talk about this in few more years from now.

L. Live: Fort Hood, Texas.

M. Mom’s name: Uta. And no, it's not Utah it's oo-tah.

N. Nicknames: Stef, Steffi and Stefasaurus. :) Yes, we like to add -saurus to everything. If we are sleepy, we are sleepasauruses.

O. Overnight hospital stays: I had my appendix taken out when I was in third grade. That's it as far as I can remember.

P. Pet peeves: (see above J.) People that consider being a military spouse a job. It is NOT. A job is defined as the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money. There you go!

Q. Quote from a movie: I am more into TV shows, so I am going with "That's what she said!" I know, I am lame. ;)

S. Siblings: One younger sister and one older half-sister who I have never talked to.

T. Time you wake up: Depends on the day. Sometimes 4:00am, sometimes 5:25am, sometimes 8:00am (it all depends on Collin's schedule and whether we are sharing the car that day or not). On the weekends I try to be up before 9:00am.

U. Underwear: Nothing fancy. ;)

V. Vegetables you don’t like: Brussel sprouts.

W. What makes you run late: Nothing. I don't have to be anywhere. :)

X. X-rays you’ve had: Teeth, finger (just to make sure my finger wasn't broken from an injury) and thorax (part of the immigration procedure).

Y. Yummy food you make: My gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. I usually add every single type of cheese I can find in the fridge - mozzarella, parmesan, munster, havarti and so on. They are heavenly!

Z. Zoo animal favorites: Turtles.

Backyard transformation.

2011-03-19T07:27:00.003-04:00

It is not even spring yet but we have already been experiencing plenty of summer days with temperatures in the high 70s to mid 80s. I realize, however, that I will have to get used to a slightly different definition of summer - more like "that super hot season" - here in Texas fairly soon once temperatures climb up to the high 90s. Enough with my fascination with the weather though. (I swear, in my next life I'll become a meteorologist.)

Collin had the last few days off of work and we tackled some more yard projects. While he was gone playing Army, I already get the front yard and flowerbeds ready for spring/summer. Now it was finally time for the backyard which we had to decontaminate first by pulling all the crabgrass we could possibly find. Trust me, this stuff is stubborn and a pest here around this time of year.

Everything that is green and taller than all the other grasses is crabgrass - a weed - and not pretty unless you mow the lawn every other day. So, for two days straight we were hanging out in the yard pulling weeds while getting our tan on (I may have gotten slightly sunburned but I'll take it for a nice free tan!). Yesterday we fertilized the lawn and watered it for the very first time this season. I hope that the already green grass will take over and eventually hide the the rougher, slightly brown and much drier patches in the next few weeks.

We also installed a new flowerbed in our backyard and got some hanging flowers for our pergola. Our entire yard transformation (minus the pergola) only cost us about $100 (this includes flowers, shrubs, mulch, potting soil and any other accessories).

All we have to do now is water and maintain everything properly. That Texan sun can be just as much of a pest as that stubborn crabgrass!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend so far!

Currently...

2011-03-14T17:51:00.003-04:00

...I am proud of my husband who graduated WLC (Warrior Leader Course) last week after three weeks of training. On the very same day he was told that he is on stand-by for any missions supporting humanitarian aid operations in Japan. However, I doubt that he will have to go though (although he would love to go and I would love for him to go as well, of course) as the military already has plenty of Airmen and Sailors stationed in Japan.

...I am on spring break and am already missing my weekly assignments. What's wrong with me? Well, I am not missing them quite yet but I am notoriously worried about missing any deadlines and keep checking my online discussion boards only to find that there REALLY are NO assignments.

...I am constantly checking airfares online and was somewhat happy to see that prices have dropped $50 a person shaving off a mere $100 of our total price (Why somewhat? Imagine getting a 10 cent discount on coffee. Yeah, that's exactly what those $100 feel like.). However, since Collin is still in the never-ending leave paperwork process, we will have to wait for another few weeks.

...I am excited for spring and have been finishing up our front and back yards. We already picked weeds, pruned our shrubs, planted annuals and a few perennials and built two new flowerbeds (one in the front and one in the back). Now it's time to finish up our pergola, order patio furniture with our awesome tax return (At least those student loans are good for something!) and plan a spring BBQ.

...I am grateful for new friends. During the past few months I have become friends with a group of German wives here. It's been nice to chitchat about life, meet up for coffee and go to BBQs and birthday parties together with our husbands.

...I am missing running. The weather has been simply gorgeous these past few weeks. I see people running outside on the roads and the track and all I want to do is join them. However, I am still waiting to hear back from my doctor about my bone scan from last week. Still hoping for the best but preparing for the worst as I still feel a little bit of pain sometimes.

What are you up to these days?

Seven months to go.

2011-03-10T00:24:00.003-05:00

Spring break is coming up in a couple of days and this week’s lighter homework load has me already spend less time doing anything productive and more time in front of the TV. Oh the joys of a stay-at-home-wife. But let me tell you, don’t envy more! You really don’t want to! There is nothing worse than being cooped up in the house all day, every day.

At least I am staying busy though. I have been spending most of my mornings at the pool. I have been getting our front yard ready for the warmer weather. I have been completing more homework than necessary (Yay extra credit!). And I have been completing other things I had been putting off like: applying for a U.S. passport, submitting my graduation application, ordering my cap and gown and, who would have thought, cleaning!

I have also been thinking. Yep, that’s right! Don’t we all?! Well, with my graduating with my M.Sc. degree being only a little over two months away, I need to call up my recruiter fairly soon to schedule a meeting with him/her to discuss and lay out a path for me for the upcoming months.

I haven’t talked about the whole Army thing in a while, mainly because it seemed so far away. Last year, in April, Collin and I talked about it all and we both agreed that my becoming an officer would be something I would feel very comfortable with and something he would completely and wholeheartedly support me in.

That was almost a year ago and I remember how impatient I was back then. I wanted it now. Well, it’s March 2011. I am graduating in two months and the Environmental Science Officer board is in seven months. Seven months ago we closed on our house – Wasn’t that just yesterday? – so I know exactly how fast time is going to go by until the board.

So some time next month I am going to pay the recruiter in Dallas a visit. Why Dallas? Well, as I have mentioned before the Environmental Science Officer belongs to the so-called direct-commissioned officers (people with specific skills like medical doctors, dentists, optometrists, environmental scientists/engineers and so on) which are recruited by the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) by special recruiters (each state usually has one or two AMEDD recruiters and mine happens to be in Dallas).

Of course, I am nervous about it all. I keep asking myself whether I am good enough or whether there is anything wrong with me (as in medically) that would prevent me from joining. However, Collin has been reassuring me that I worry too much and that I am going to get selected. Chances are 50% according to last year’s applicant pool and selection rate (20 out of 40 nationwide). So we’ll see.

Until then there is a lot to do. First I need to heal from my running injury so I can train for my two-mile run, two-minute push-ups and two-minute sit-ups. I need to gather recommendation letters, write an essay, and get all my German education properly translated and evaluated. This should keep me fairly busy over the summer.

And soon enough it will be October and I will hopefully be able to start this new chapter of my life.

MilSpouse Friday Fill-in.

2011-03-04T15:35:00.003-05:00

This is my very first time participating in one of these. So here we go!

Do you or your {spouse} ever wish your {spouse} was in a different branch of the military? submitted by The Turner Family

No, definitely not. Everyone always talks about how much nicer Air Force bases are how much shorter and safer a deployment of a Sailor is but if you chose the military as your career like Collin did those things don't really matter. The Army has amazing career opportunities especially in the medical field. You can become an LPN, RN or PA - all while getting paid. You can even get a doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from Baylor University. And the Army even offers a job in my field - environmental engineering/science - something all other branches don't have. So there you go!

What duty station(s) are on your “No Way, Hell No, Not Going, Have Fun Unaccompanied” list and why? submitted by Every Branch

I have to answer this with "none". Of course, there are places that are less desirable. But I like to embrace new places and make the best out of new living situations. There is always something positive about relocating. You just gotta get out there and become acquainted and comfortable with your new surroundings. I dreaded going to Fort Hood at first but now? I love it.

If you could be one age forever, what age would you choose and why? submitted by Three Krakens
I haven't reached that age yet. I'm looking forward towards the age when I'm being surrounded by everything that I am currently wishing for: a career and a little family. Give me a couple more years. I'm hoping 30 or 31 will be that age. :)

If you were a breakfast cereal, which one would you be? submitted by the C.W.
Frosted Mini Spooners by Malt-O-Meal, hands down! I can't do the regular frosted mini wheats by Kellogg's. They are less flavorful, in my opinion.

What is your morning beverage of choice and why? submitted by NH Girl Displaced
Water. Yep, I'm boring like that. I also like to stay hydrated. Coffee in the morning gives me an upset stomach and I usually save orange juice for weekend breakfasts.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Staying hopeful.

2011-03-03T11:26:00.004-05:00

As you may have noticed, I haven't run in a while. To be exact, it has been over a week. Last week, I talked about a possible running injury. Yesterday I was finally able to schedule an appointment and was fortunate enough to see a doctor the very same day.

At the end of my appointment, we, as in the doctor and I, agreed that I may or may not have a stress fracture - something I have been dreading all along because it would mean no running for months. He scheduled me for a bone scan. So, next week I will have isotopes (technetium) injected into my body to determine any areas of inflammation in my leg.

Warning! Nerd Talk! With technetium having a half-life of about 6 hours, I will be a walking nuclear hazard from the time of injection until the isotopes decay. Well, I most likely already am a hazard due to elevated strontium and plutonium levels (which have half-life of 29 years and 24,000 years, respectively) in my body caused by the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Okay, enough now. :)

Anyway, I really hope that the bone scan will come back negative and that I will be able to slowly build up my mileage again. Until then, I will keep on swimming and splashing in the warm water in the pool at the gym.

Confessions.

2011-02-28T09:28:00.004-05:00

Recently San posted her six confessions and I thought I'd jump right in. Here are mine:

I wear the same two pairs of pants over and over again. I also go without washing them for weeks at the time. And no, I'm not gross, I just like to safe water and energy. So if they don't smell or look dirty, I wear them. It's as easy as that. :)
I'm pretty sure that if I hadn't met Collin and had gotten married at age 20, I would have been a Ph.D. student in Mathematics in Germany by now. Sometimes I wish I could still pursue this passion of mine. But I never will most likely.
Candy, chocolate or anything sweet for that matter does not last for very long in our house. I can't just eat one piece of chocolate or one string of Twizzlers. Usually the entire bar and bag, respectively, disappear within an hour, at most.
I like to play SingStar by myself and pretend that I am a successful artist singing in front of a huge crowd.
While Collin is the one bringing home all the money, I am completely in charge of our finances when it comes to paying bills, setting up credit card payments and maintaining an overall perspective of where we are financially. Also, we ALWAYS consult each other when it comes to any purchases other than groceries - even if it's just a DVD.
After almost six years of marriage, we will finally be having our church wedding in Germany this June. I will be wearing the same dress I wore six years ago.

Anything you'd like to confess?

***

Graphic: Courtesy of San at www.theinbetweenismine.com

This week...

2011-02-25T17:42:00.004-05:00

...I sent Collin off to play Army for a little while. Much to my surprise though, he is allowed to come home every night. Yay!

...I haven't cooked a single time. I have been living off of leftovers and my latest salad creation: arugula with sliced strawberries, feta cheese, chopped walnuts and strawberry vinaigrette. Yum!

...I made pumpkin bread which I have been having for breakfast and lunch EVERY DAY. Well, along with an apple and a banana to keep it somewhat healthy.

...I have gotten sucked into yet another reality TV show: American Idol. As if The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser and Teen Mom 2 weren't enough yet.

...I have been spending hours and hours at Starbucks working on my assignments and other homework related stuff for school (or wasting time online).

What reality TV shows do you watch? What did you do this week? Any plans for the weekend?

Being hurt and rediscovering my love for pools.

2011-02-23T17:04:00.003-05:00

Yesterday started out incredible. Little did I know that my high would drop exponentially within just 12 hours.

Let me explain: About three weeks ago I started to feel some pain in my lower left leg. I couldn't quite identity where it was coming from. It may have been shin splints, it may have been tight muscles. With the weather being terribly cold during that time, I figured that a lighter mileage load during that week would help me heal. So I thought.

I pushed through all of my runs. Most of them were short and quite speedy (as in 8:00-8:30 min/mile paces) but all of them were painful. I had been icing and stretching but nothing seemed to help. Eventually Collin gave me strict orders to rest. Not for just a couple days - but for an entire week. So I did.

I had high hopes when looking at this week's running schedule which started out with a three-mile run. A great distance to get into the swing of things again. My leg felt better but not great. I got my gear together and headed out full of energy. I kept a steady pace at 9:30 min/mile and finished feeling accomplished and ready for the week ahead.

However, things turned sour later that evening. I felt a slight pain in my shins that seemed to get worse with every hour. As frustration came upon me, all I could do was cry. Wasn't a week of healing enough? Why am I getting worse instead of better? What is wrong with me? What if it's a stress fracture? What about my half marathon? Why?

So this morning I tried to make a doctor's appointment only to be told to keep calling back since there are no appointments available right this time (I seriously have no idea how the Fort Hood appointment system works, but this seems kind of odd and a little ridiculous.). Oh well, if worse comes to worse, there is always the emergency room.

To make myself feel a little better I headed to the pool. And boy, what a great decision this was. I swam 40 laps (1000 m), felt refreshed and happy again.

If this is what it takes to heal and be able to run again, I'll take it. So as of now, the pool will be my new home. I need to take it slow and combined with some light road biking, I hope to be back to running again soon (I do realize though that it may take a few weeks, maybe even an entire month).

***

Have you ever seen one of these?

Yes, that's a swimsuit water extractor. I used it and all I thought was "Woah! Amazing!" The person who invented this seriously deserves a Noble Prize. It's that genius!

Places I have lived.

2011-02-18T14:43:00.005-05:00

I saw this idea over at San's blog a few months ago and have been wanting to write a similar post. So here it goes, find out where I have lived throughout the years.

Günstedt (Thuringia), Germany: Günstedt is a tiny village in the middle of Germany, literally, surrounded by nothing but fields and other tiny villages. I had lived here from the day I was born until I entered 9th grade. It is part of the former East Germany meaning that, up until 1989, bananas, Barbie dolls, jeans and anything else "Western" was out of my reach and considered exotic and forbidden. My parents and grandparents still live there and I'm looking forward to going back there this summer when we visit Germany. Günstedt is famous for its church...

...and this:

The latter is the village's most famous street and rose to fame during Christmas during the past decade as each homeowner started to decorate their houses with ridiculous amounts of Christmas lights.

Schulpforta (Saxony-Anhalt), Germany: From 1999 through 2001 I lived and studied in a former Cistercian monastery - a boarding school specializing in foreign languages, science and music. Why? As you know: I love math! From 5th to 8th grade I participated in the so-called Mathematical Olympiads and placed first place at the school and district levels several times. Eventually I was invited to attend a top-notch school which would have allowed me to indulge in all things math and science. Being the girly and naive girl that I was back then I declined and started to look into other schools. I thought I liked foreign languages and applied for a spot to study exactly that in Schulpforta. I was accepted and moved there in 1999 to study English, French, Latin and Russian. (As you know I rediscovered my love for science and math later on and abandoned foreign languages all together.)

Boarding school was everything I have ever expected and wished for: It was a time of many firsts, true friendships and figuring out who I was as an individual.

Oak Harbor, WA: In 2001 I moved to Washington State as part of my foreign exchange year. I was the 10th child in a family of 11. It was the year I fell in love with a boy who is my husband now and the year that changed my entire path in life. Oak Harbor will always be my home in the United States. It's where my former host family, Collin's parents and a lot of our friends still live and/or return to.

It's also where I found my love for the Pacific Northwest, Seattle and the great outdoors. :)

Günstedt (Thuringia), Germany: In 2002 I moved back to my hometown. I quit boarding school and started attending a regular High School again which was all part of my big master plan that everyone thought I would fail at. At my former boarding school, we didn't have internet nor regular phone service. With Collin and I being in a long-distance relationship at that time, communication was the key. Therefore I moved back home to have everything that I needed: a computer, internet and a phone. Years later I revealed the truth to my parents and admitted that the only reason I quit boarding school was to be closer to Collin, to have that communication we needed. As you know, we didn't fail, it all worked out!

Oak Harbor, WA: After graduation High School in Germany, I moved back to Oak Harbor, WA. This time I didn't have a return ticket. In fact, I had a fiancee visa in my passport. Soon after my arrival, Collin and I got married on a horse ranch in Eastern Washington and started our life together. I lived with my parents-in-law, worked full-time at a grocery store and pizza place and attended classes at a community college while Collin went through basic training and AIT with the Army.

Puyallup, WA: As soon as we moved to Puyallup, WA as part of Collin's assignment to Fort Lewis, we found out that our time there would only last a mere seven months before his ENTIRE unit would be heading to Vilseck (Bavaria), Germany. The best part about living in Puyallup was seeing the beauty that is Mount Rainier almost every morning.

Amberg (Bavaria), Germany: In August of 2006 Collin's unit made the big move to Germany. We didn't get any on post housing, so we decided to venture out on our own and eventually found a tiny one-bedroom apartment in Amberg where I also started a Bachelor's degree program in Environmental Engineering at a local university.

Grossschönbrunn (Bavaria), Germany: We quickly got tired of our tiny apartment in Amberg and Collin hated the drive to post (30-45 minutes). Right after Collin deployed to Iraq, I found a posting for an apartment for rent that was located about 15 minutes from post and 20 minutes from Amberg where I went to school. The place came with three bedrooms, a balcony, a gigantic kitchen, hardwood floors and a two-car garage. It seemed too good to be true but it wasn't. The place was ours the second I took a look at it and I moved (with the help of my parents and friends) soon thereafter. Grossschönbrunn was our home for two years before we moved back to the United States.

Wheaton, MD: In 2009 we moved from Germany back to the United States - to the Washington DC metro area. Collin started his one-year nursing course at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I started interning at a local environmental protection agency and attending graduate school at the Johns Hopkins University. Living on the East Coast was a great experience and we got to see a lot of different places ranging from the major historical sites in Washington DC to everything New York City has to offer, however, our time there seemed to short to truly develop a lasting connection with the capital and the East Coast, that is.

Killeen, TX: And this is where we live today: The Great Place - Fort Hood!

I truly enjoy being back to small-town living. Texas is not for everyone but so far I have nothing but good things to say. I love the people. I love living in a military town again. I love the weather. I love the desertedness. I love our house. And I'm looking forward to exploring even more of Texas.

With that being said: I wonder where life will take us next?

The great outdoors.

2011-02-16T10:59:00.008-05:00

It's been quite an interesting two weeks on my side of the world. Texas went from arctic coldness to hot and steamy temperatures within just a couple days. My schoolwork load went from "I'll just finish this during the weekend within a couple hours" to "Wow, how do people that work full-time are able to keep up with all these assignments and discussions?". I went from keeping up with my running schedule to skipping a few days here and there to relax my left leg that has been bothering me for a while.

YES! Summer is coming our way or at least that's what I am sincerely hoping because winter in Texas is truly miserable. It's cold, dry and icy and nothing what I am used to. Collin and I have been welcoming the much warmer temperatures by spending a lot more time outside decorating our patio and pergola area and contemplating about future backyard/gardening projects. He wants a turtle pond (No kidding!) and I want endless amounts of flowers, shrubs and trees. We'll see where that will take us.

Speaking of spending time outside, last week we picked up our road bikes in Austin which ended up being an all-day event as our bikes had to get sized and adjusted for our height. We took them out for the very first time this past Sunday and cycled 22 miles from Killeen to the airport all the way to Copperas Cove and back. Let me tell you, these bikes are truly magical and worth every dime we spent on them. Here is to many more miles!

By the way, we went on this ride AFTER I already busted out nine miles of running on the very same day.

I love that I can finally hold a sub 10:00 min/mile pace during my long runs. My pace and overall endurance have improved tremendously during the past few months. An 8:00 min/mile pace during short 2-mile runs seems easy and 9:00 min/mile have become a very comfortable pace these days while I'm considering anything above 9:40 min/mile slow. Back in September I was barely able to run 2 miles in 22 minutes!

What have you been up to these days? Have you ever been road biking? Is it already warm where you are?

No complaints, no complaints.

2011-02-03T17:18:00.005-05:00

Yesterday completely threw me off. On many levels.

Initially I had plans to go to the gym in the morning which means taking Collin to work so I could have the car for that day. For some reason all I managed to accomplish was get up at 5:30AM, make Collin's lunch (Yes, I am a total 50s wife! I do it every day.) and crawl back into bed until 9AM. By then, the power was off and temperatures in the house had reached a whopping 56 degrees already. Thank goodness for my precious iPhone which, yet again, saved the day by informing me that Texas had scheduled rotating power outages lasting 30 minutes at the time throughout the day.

No biggie! So I decided to do some of my homework the traditional way - with paper and a pencil - until the power would be back on.

One hour passed and two hours passed. Still no power. It was getting quite cold (Hey Texas, I didn't sign up for that!) and I bundled up to fight the low temperatures.

The colder I got, the more junk food my body required. No healthy eating today. So I grabbed that box of Oreos and bag of potato chips and vegged out on the couch trying to concentrate on my homework. No run, insane amounts of junk food, no motivation. Definitely not a good combination.

Five hours passed and six hours passed. What else was there to do? Start a fire? YES.

By then my iPhone had died and all I had left was my little iPod. What now? Yes, let's dance in front of the fire to keep warm. So I did.

Eight hours passed and nine hours passed. It started to get dark. So I grabbed my 1000+ tea lights and lit them one by one (Well, I only lit about 10 but you get the point.)

Eventually Collin came home and, just like every day, we talked about our day.

Oh yeah, I started a fire, ate lots, lit some tea lights, danced and sat on the couch. How was your day?

I turned down deployment orders to Afghanistan!

I suppose yesterday wasn't so bad after all. And to top it off: The power came back shortly thereafter.

***

EDIT: Some of you asked how you can turn down deployment orders. YOU CAN'T. The orders hadn't been cut yet and my husband was giving the choice. I simply used his turning down deployment orders as a more dramatic touch to the story.

It's cold. Let's shut down everything.

2011-02-01T19:13:00.005-05:00

Within only two days Central Texas went from 75 degrees, plenty of sunshine, flip flops and shorts to temperatures in the single digits, ice rain, winter boots and cozy coats. Of course, this called for a state of emergency.

Here is how it went.

The night was rough as winds had picked up tremendously leaving me restless and sleepless. Nevertheless I got up at 5:30AM (after 8 hours of tossing and turning) as I had plans to go to the gym after dropping Collin off at work. Just like any other early morning before heading to the gym, I took my time and hung out in the car listening to the radio and playing silly games on my iPhone as I believed that the gym would be crowded due to the cold and icy rain which would result in all the soldiers conducting their PT (physical training) indoors.

On the radio they were announcing school closures. School closures? The streets were fine, it wasn't even raining anymore and the winds were bearable. I thought to myself, suck it up and put on a hat, a scarf and a pair of gloves!

Eventually I drove to the gym. On the way there I noticed that the parking lots of the company areas on Fort Hood were empty. There was no one - not one single soldier. Wait, there might have been tumbleweeds rolling across the lot. Yes, everything looked that abandoned. The gym parking lot didn't look any different. However, there were a few cars and the lights were on. YES!

However, still no soldiers, not a single person. Luckily the staff was there. I grabbed a towel and headed to the treadmill room WHICH I ENDED UP HAVING ALL TO MYSELF!

Although it was nice being able to use whichever treadmill I wanted, the competitive side in me missed trying to beat the pace or mileage of the person right next to me.

I did my workout for the day as planned...

...and went back home at around 8:30AM only to find this outside one of the main gates to Fort Hood...

Looks like everyone had a late start due to the weather (which, again, was NOT bad AT ALL! Just some strong winds and temperatures in the 20s.). This must have been the longest line to the gate ever. It reached all the way to our home which is about two miles out.

And it didn't even snow! Crazy Texans!

To everyone else, who actually lives in an area affected by the blizzard:

Be safe and stay indoors!

Same place, different year.

2011-01-28T18:52:00.003-05:00

SAN ANTONIO, TX - 2005

SAN ANTONIO, TX - 2010

I also could have named this post:

Same place, more wrinkles.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Besides more running, more studying and more working on homework, we'll be heading out to a movie tomorrow night (Collin gets to pick one out this time, so it'll probably be "The Mechanic".) and will hopefully be picking up our road bikes from Austin some time this weekend or early next week.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Current obsessions.

2011-01-26T18:52:00.004-05:00

OATMEAL WITH ALMOND BUTTER

I have been trying to become a bit more creative during the mornings and have been mixing up my breakfast foods. Usually I just eat some Greek yogurt along with a banana or a grapefruit. Last year, however, I was introduced to the amazingness that is almond butter and have rediscovered it during my most recent grocery shopping trip a week ago (The fact that a jar only costs $4.49 here instead of $5.99 in DC may have contributed to my new obsession.). I usually add a tablespoon full of almond butter to some original instant oatmeal and add some sugar to bring out the flavor. And let me tell you: It tastes heavenly!

SCHOOL

I love getting up in the morning knowing I have a purpose again. Don't get me wrong, I loved being on break and being able to do whatever I wanted throughout the day (I may or may not have watched a billion episodes of trashy TV shows.) but it's nice to be in a routine again. Although my classes just started this Monday, I already have a million things to do: discussions, case studies, problem solving activities, reading and listening to lectures (Yes, LISTENING! One of my professors uploaded video lectures. It's the coolest thing ever!). Also, two of my three classes are very Math heavy which will definitely make for an awesome semester. Oh my, I'm such a nerd!

RUNNING

A few days ago I got this cork bulletin board to display all of my running achievements. I know, it's still empty but I have a few races coming up - the Central Texas race series and, of course, the Texas Half Marathon - to fill this baby eventually. This morning I ran 3 miles in 26:49 minutes. Not too shabby. Although I am aware that I won't be able to improve my pace constantly, I always seem to get a little disappointed if my times don't reflect all the training I have been going through. But man, running has been great and I hope I will never lose this drive ever again. My legs and butt have been feeling like a million dollars lately. No kidding!

What is your current obsession?

The first of the last.

2011-01-24T15:54:00.003-05:00

Today is the first day of my final semester of graduate school at the Johns Hopkins University and I have been spending all morning and most of the afternoon organizing my schedules and syllabuses, and posting my introduction to the discussion boards (My favorite assignment! I love getting to know everyone in the class!). Although I'll be taking three classes (which technically makes me a full-time student), I strongly hope that this semester will be a tad less stressful than the previous one. So far everything seems well structured and organized and even my motivation is at the right place (Most likely not for long though! Haha!).

All of my classes this semester are strongly geared towards the duties of an Environmental Science Officer (Or at least I hope so! The Army has a tendency to make everything sound very appealing on paper or when you talk to a recruiter. Reality is different most of the time, however.) and include:

Hydrology and Water Resources
Contaminant Fate and Transport
Drinking Water, Sanitation and Health

At one point during my studies in Germany I started to get obsessed with water and it has stuck with me ever since as you can see looking at my course choices.

Speaking of obsessions, I think I am starting to become obsessed with running. Today was supposed to be a rest/cross training day but I just couldn't resist the treadmill in the gym and logged in 2 miles in 16:17 min (8:08 min/mile). Unfortunately I still have 29 more seconds to go before maxing out the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) of the 27-31 age group (which I will be in June). Don't ask about push-ups and sit-ups. I am still working on those. ;)

Although I'm not a huge fan of the treadmill, it has helped me tremendously in improving my pace. Just a month ago, a 9:30 min/mile pace felt extremely hard and I was struggling during my 6-mile runs. Now, I am very comfortable at a 9:30 min/mile pace and am running my shorter 3/4-mile runs at a faster 9:00 min/mile pace. It's amazing what proper training will do to you!

And last but not least, a little shout-out to my husband:

I love this guy! He has been tremendously supportive of my choices in the past few months and has shown nothing but respect and patience. It's exactly what I have been needing and I'm immensely grateful for that and the relationship we have.

My little meal planning box.

2011-01-19T16:59:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I put a lot of thought and effort into planning our meals. For the past months I have been cooking the same dishes over and over again: spaghetti bolognese, creamy wild mushroom sauce, nachos, potato casserole, fried potatoes, schnitzel with fries and mushrooms, just to name a few. However, these are not the healthiest meals and with all the running I have been doing and am going to do in the future, I need to eat much more well-balanced meals with more veggies, fruits, and protein and less carbs (Occasional carb overloads are permitted though! I need my breads and pasta!).

I have come across some amazing blogs with even more amazing pictures of the tastiest looking foods that I just can't stop drooling over:

Since I've got nothing else to do these days (Hello, unemployed part-time student on Christmas break!), I decided to overhaul my entire stash of recipe books and humongous pile of other various recipes I have printed off of the internet over the past 5+ years. Inspired by the previously mentioned blogs and my recipe collection I started my own little recipe and meal planning box.

I divided the box into different sections: breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, baked goodies and snacks. Each week I will select recipes to be added to my weekly/bi-weekly meal plan. This will not only make it easier to plan meals with a lot less effort, I will also be able to quickly jot down all the different ingredients I need to get from the grocery store.

Much much easier than skimming through a thick and heavy recipe book!

How do you meal plan? Do you have a lot of recipe books or do you browse for new dishes online a lot? What's your favorite dish? Do share!

New running gear.

2011-01-17T19:18:00.004-05:00

Sundays are my long run days. Yesterday morning, however, it was pouring. I did brave the rain and wind last weekend but wasn't up for it for yet another one. Since Collin had to work one of his regular 12-hour shifts in the hospital on post, I dropped him off and decided to head to the gym for my long run on the dreaded treadmill.

This was my second time at the gym on post and I have yet to explore all the different rooms and workout areas there. I ended up running on the same old (from about 1920!) treadmill I ran previously (It faces a brick wall!) and finished my boring 7-mile run in about 1 hour and 6 minutes. Afterward I decided to venture out into the other workout rooms and discovered about 20+ BRAND NEW treadmills facing windows looking out into the parking lot. Why didn't I know about those earlier? I love people watching! Oh well, there will be a next time! :)

Today was a rest day from running for me and Collin's day off. Yay! With him being a nurse, the only thing Army in our life right now is his uniform. He pretty much works a regular civilian nursing schedule.

Anyways, since we are expecting our road bikes to be delivered at the REI store in Austin some time next week, we needed to get some biking shorts, so we could get properly fitted when we pick them up. Well, the store we went to had a huge clearance sale apparently and I decided to finally get some more running clothes (I have been living off of a couple shirts and shorts and two sport bras for the past year.).

I adore anything Under Armour. They truly make the best workout clothes (Way better than Nike and Adidas, in my opinion! I will stick to Nike when it comes to running shoes though.). I picked out one pair of shorts, one cold weather shirt, a regular shirt, a sports bra and some head bands. Additionally, I also got a pair of flip flops. Don't judge! It was 66 degrees here today!

All that for a mere $75. Now I just need to find some new Nike running shoes. My current ones have about 400 miles on them.

Things that make me happy.

2011-01-15T19:53:00.002-05:00

A great 3-mile run with NEGATIVE splits (9:00, 8:58, 8:47).
Collin submitting his leave paperwork, so we can go to Germany to visit my family this summer.
Talking to my parents for 1.5 hours to plan our EPIC Germany trip.
Shiny new road bikes that we will be picking up at REI in a couple weeks.
Considering participating in duathlons and triathlons.
Skyping with my sister and her FIANCE.

Same weight, different size.

2011-01-13T19:15:00.005-05:00

Something I have come to learn throughout the past year:

The number on your scale does not matter when you exercise!

A year ago I complained about my weight. At 5'10" I weighed in at 156 lbs and wore a size 8 (that seemed too snug!). That's a BMI of 22.4. I clearly should not be complaining at all because that's a perfectly normal and healthy weight for my height. However, I felt sluggish. My arms and legs felt like pudding and were lacking strength in every possible way.

You'd think losing a few pounds would do the trick. WRONG!

When I started running last year, my weight went up a pound or two every week. I started questioning myself whether I had to change my eating habits as well because I just wasn't losing any weight at all. Within three months of running, the number on my scale grew to 163 lbs. Nevertheless, I still fit in my size 8 pants, in fact they seemed a little loose on me, and my overall feeling about my body had improved.

Then it clicked: Muscle weight! So I kept on running. The numbers on my scale started to drop - finally! I went from 163 to 156 lbs within just a few months. However, instead of a size 8 I was now a size 6 at 156 lbs. SAME WEIGHT! SAME BMI! DIFFERENT SIZE!

My legs felt strong and I felt my body changing. It was toner. There was less schwabbel (German for fat). And I was a size 6! A size 6, my friends! The last time I wore size 6 pants was in 2008 when Collin was deployed. During that time I almost never ate any dinner (bad, I know!) and ended up weighing 138 lbs (of just bones and skin! Sick!) at one point.

And I kept on running.

Today, I am at a healthy weight of 152 lbs and contemplating buying size 4 pants (my size 6 pants are getting too big!). That's only 4 lbs less than a year ago when I barely fit into my size 8 jeans. However, my body is much healthier.

Collin even noticed that my legs feel much tighter - just like his strong road biking legs.

And that's HUGE! HUGE!

Embracing the cold.

2011-01-11T14:25:00.003-05:00

Look at this picture more closely. Do you see that "severe" weather warning symbol on the bottom right? Yes? That's because it's COLD in Texas today (And it really does feel like 13 degrees or it might just be my imagination because, man, it hasn't been that cold since DC!). I used to be used to much colder weather but having lived in Central Texas for a little more than four months now, temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit truly seem like severe weather conditions these days. Not even a month ago, I was sitting outside in our backyard with shorts and a t-shirt. This weekend it will be close to 70 degrees again. Now that's some crazy weather and I don't blame them for categorizing these insane temperature drops and rises as severe.

I wasn't looking forward to getting my run in this morning. Cold temperatures combined with even colder winds? I do NOT like! However, I pushed myself trying not to walk and hoping my face wouldn't get sliced off by the wind. I finished my four-mile run with a 9:41 min/minute pace. Not too bad, but not impressive either since today was supposed to be a speed training day (The second I hit the road with this icy wind though, it was all about making it through the run rather than focusing on my pace!).

Yesterday Collin and I went to the education center on post to talk about his options regarding going green to gold (going from being an enlisted soldier to becoming an officer). We talked to representatives of Central Texas College (which he is currently enrolled in) and Texas A&M University about becoming an RN. Texas A&M is expanding their degree programs continuously in this area and they are opening a new nursing building not even three miles from our house this week that will be offering Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees come next January. The Army has a very cool program that would allow him to attend nursing school for free (anywhere in the USA) while still receiving full pay and all allowances applicable to his current pay grade. After graduating he would be commissioned into the Army Nursing Corps.

As you can see, no kids for us anytime soon! ;)

Half Marathon Training - Week #1 Wrap-Up

2011-01-09T20:40:00.005-05:00

Running in the rain.

Today I completed my first week of training for the Big D - Texas Half Marathon in Dallas. The week was full of successes:

I ran my fastest 4-mile run ever.
I conquered the rain (And found out that glasses are not cutting it anymore. I desperately need contacts!).
I ran six miles in under one hour.
I didn't skip a single run scheduled for this past week.
I completed four days out of 30 of the 30 Day Shred.

My runs this week (Total: 21 miles):

4 miles: 37:01 min (tempo run)
4 miles: 38:35 min
4 miles: 36:26 min
3 miles: 27:33 min
6 miles: 58:10 min

This afternoon Collin and I decided to try our new coffee maker for the very first time. We only purchased it because of my mother-in-law and sister-in-law who visited us for the holidays and who pretty much live for coffee. We, however, are not big on it and consider it a treat rather than a necessity. It was nice having a little coffee date at home talking about life and the future.

Other than that we had a pretty mellow weekend consisting of late night Subway and Jack in the Box visits, Donkey Kong on the Wii, drinking wine and beer, and eating lots of German-style meals (tomato salad and fried potatoes).

I am looking forward to the week ahead and another great week of running.

PS: As you may have noticed, I have been writing about my running adventures more and more. I hope you will keep sticking around despite all the mileage and pace talk. :)

Running Playlist #1

2011-01-07T19:52:00.003-05:00

The other day, while browsing running blogs, I came across this video:

This man (You can find him on tumblr.) truly is an inspiration to everyone. Not just to someone who wants to lose weight or get in shape but also to someone who has been running for quite some time and just loves to see other people find their strength and dedication to conquer one mile at the time. And look at him, he is HOT! Even my husband was impressed and that means QUITE A BIT! Also, he featured Coldplay in this video which makes him even HOTTER! ;)

Speaking of Coldplay, you might know that I am obsessed with that band and I can't wait for their fifth studio album to come out (possibly some time this year). However, when it comes to workout songs, I usually try to avoid anything alternative rock and rather stick to the good old Top 40 list because I need some great BEATS during my runs. And I am not ashamed to admit that Lady Gaga, Ke$ha and Justin Bieber make their way onto my iPod Shuffle periodically.

My most recent running playlist, however, is a mix of pop, rap/hip hop and alternative rock (the emphasis is on rock here though):

*NSYNC - "I want you back"
Atomic Tom - "Maybe I'm wrong"
Atomic Tom - "Take me out"
Katy Perry - "Firework"
Paramore - "Decode"
Mark Morrison - "Return of the Mack"
The Prodigy - "Smack my Bitch up"
Chris Brown - "Forever"
Moby - "Extreme Ways"
50 Cent - "Hate It or Love It"
30 Seconds to Mars - "Closer to the Edge"
30 Seconds to Mars - "Night of the Hunter"
30 Seconds to Mars - "This is War"
30 Seconds to Mars - "Kings and Queens"
The Lonely Island feat. Akon - "I just had Sex" - The best musical experience you'll ever have!
Lil Wayne and Drake - "Right Above It"
Switchfood - "Dare You to Move"
OneRepublic - "Marchin' on"
Nelly - "Just a Dream"

What would I find on your iPod?

Waiting might be worthwhile after all.

2011-01-06T21:59:00.006-05:00

During the past few weeks I have done a lot of thinking which will most likely continue in the coming weeks and maybe even months. Let me just tell you this: I had an interview for an engineering position right before Christmas, they loved me and told me I could work for them as soon as they move into a bigger building. But when will that be? This month? Next month? Three months from now? Everything is still up in the air and while I love the thought of finally being employed, I can't stop thinking about my dream of joining the Army as an officer.

And to be honest, although I have been highly impatient regarding finding a job in the past few months, the thoughts of putting in my application for the Environmental Science Officer board in October and thus postponing my days of employment even more are starting to sound more and more appealing to me.

Because I am truly asking myself: What do I really want? Is it the Army or is it just any job?

We live very close to post and every day I get excited, stop everything I do and sometimes even get teary-eyed when I hear these tunes:

That should tell me something, right?

On finishing.

2011-01-05T17:14:00.005-05:00

In January of 2010 I started two new adventures: graduate school and running. And I successfully stuck to both of them throughout the year. Although I neglected my running during the summer (when we moved halfway across the country), I never gave up and started back up in the fall reaching new levels, getting faster and running longer distances.

Total mileage: 460 miles
Longest run: 10 miles
Fastest pace: 8:55 min/mile (during my second 5k race)
Pounds lost: 8
Burgers eaten: Too many!

This year my goal is to run a total of 1000 miles, participate in a half marathon (I am registered for the Big D - Texas Half Marathon on April 10th) and train for a full marathon. Yes, I might be getting slightly obsessed with this whole running thing.

As for graduate school, I completed seven classes and am starting my final semester in just a couple weeks. I am taking a full load of three classes this time (partly due to financial aid obligations, partly due to me wanting to graduate early). This past year offered me some of the most interesting and challenging classes I have ever taken and to be honest, I am damn proud of what I have accomplished so far: Pulling straight A's in the midst of our move, dealing with tough professors and writing several 20+ page research papers in a language that is not native to me (after all I am still German even though I am a U.S. citizen now).

I cannot wait to be done with graduate school and I am truly looking forward to wearing that golden hood at the commencement ceremony in Baltimore, MD this May. And yes, my goal is to take that 4.0 GPA home. Three more classes! Three more classes!!!

Little adventures.

2010-11-19T18:16:00.005-05:00

I have been feeling quite content these days which has me complaining less and enjoying life a lot more. We have been living here in beautiful Texas for the past three months and while we still haven't been socializing with a lot of people, there have been ample opportunities in the past few weeks that allowed us to explore and enjoy our new home a little bit more.

My first race (Technically it's my second. But my first one wasn't competitive.): At the beginning of this month and participated in the 5k "Run to Remember" race on Fort Hood. It was a race (and all-day event) honoring and remembering the soldiers that were shot and wounded during the Fort Hood shooting last year. It felt quite amazing to run with hundreds and hundreds of people and boy, did it help my overall pace and time. My goal was to complete the race in 30 minutes or less. According to the official times I came in at 30:03 min. Not too shabby, in my opinion (especially after taking a 5-month break from running).

Free concerts: After the race Collin and I headed home to freshen up only to return back to Fort Hood for the rest of the day for carnival food and a free concert by Puddle of Mudd. What? You don't know Puddle of Mudd? They pretty much define my entire foreign exchange year in Washington State in 2001/2002. Their song "Blurry" is simply amazing and always reminds of the time Collin and I met and started dating. That's why Puddle of Mudd have always had a special place in my heart!

First time shooting: Last weekend a friend of ours (Yes, we have a friend here! He went to nursing school with Collin and got the same duty station.) took us shooting to the skeet range on Fort Hood. This was the first time I have ever held a gun/weapon/whatever-you-want-to-call-it in my life and I have to admit that it was quite thrilling. Yes, there will be a next time! I am hooked now!

Now it's time to get ready for a quiet Friday night with creamy wild mushroom soup, wine, movies and getting ready for an exciting Saturday involving the next stage of our pergola building adventure.

Have a great weekend!

P.S.: Stay tuned for a picture-heavy post on our first construction project!

Shaping up.

2010-11-03T19:11:00.003-04:00

One day I want to run a marathon and next year might just be that year. I have this weird gut feeling that tells me so. So I decided to take baby steps and sign up for a few 5k and 10k races here and there. My very first 5k since 2008 will be this upcoming weekend - a run in memory of the Fort Hood shooting of last year.

In the past few months my running had been slacking. Just five months ago, I was able to run 9:10-minute miles and 6 miles in as little as an hour. When I went out on my first run in weeks or rather months just a little over a month ago, my legs didn't corporate like they used to. I felt tired after 5 minutes, one mile seemed like ten, and my heart rate skyrocketed like I was on drugs during my run. Needless to say, I knew I was in bad shape.

Right now I am okay with my 10:00-10:30-minute miles but I am taking this race as an opportunity to fight and hopefully finish within 30 minutes (which would put me at 9:40 minutes/mile). This might just be wishful thinking but it's a goal and goals are there to be accomplished.

Right? Right!

Today.

2010-11-02T15:46:00.003-04:00

I RAN.

I am loving my new companion a.k.a. my Garmin GPS watch. It is the most convenient gadget I have ever owned. I don't have to map my routes anymore. I don't have to calculate my mileage. I don't have to remember street names. I don't have to freak out anymore when I make the wrong turns. Now I can just go outside and run - whenever I want, wherever I want. It's the best thing ever!

I AM COLD.

We have finally reached temperatures below 70 degree in Texas. And what better way to celebrate this cold but truly wonderful weather by busting out my Pacific Northwest wardrobe. Even Collin got all excited the other night when the temperature dropped from 80 (during the day) to 50 (at night) and he was able to wear his new fleece.

I VOTED.

Being a brand new U.S. citizen, this was, by far, the most memorable moment of today. I am not big on politics but I know what is right for me and my husband and I know where I stand with my opinion. So I made it count! Make your vote count too if you can!

Where I spend most of my time these days.

2010-11-01T19:58:00.003-04:00

Ever since we moved into our house two months ago, we had been itching for "working on something" and "making it our own". The house is 8 years old and everything is in great condition: The bathrooms, the kitchen, the floors, the paint...

However, our two spare bedrooms looked too plain. They were beige from top to bottom and desperately asked for some color. We painted one bedroom (that we decided to make our office) a bright but soothing green color. Look for yourself:

But that's not all. We also splurged on some new furniture. For weeks we had been searching for the perfect desk that would allow us to access it from both sides. After going from furniture store to furniture store, we eventually found "the one" and didn't think twice to purchase it even though it was quite pricey. However, it is great quality and it is something we will keep for a while.

After getting our furniture delivered last week and seeing it in our new office, I am not regretting a single dollar we spent on it all. It's perfect and it works so well in this room (Please disregard the office chairs though. They need to be replaced, stat! I believe the green one is from the golden days of communism in East Germany. No joke!).

These days...

2010-10-26T06:18:00.003-04:00

...I am running again. I just started a new training program that will hopefully keep me going and motivated. Fort Hood is hosting a Run to Remember 5k in two weeks which I am looking forward to participating in.

...I am hopeful again. Yesterday made up for everything I had been worried about in the past few weeks. I found a great job posting at an organization that is very close to my home and which allowed me to turn in my resume personally, and I scheduled a meeting with some important people on Fort Hood to discuss one of my course projects. Needless to say, yesterday turned out heavenly!

...I am creating again. I wish I was talking about knitting (I miss it but I just cannot get into it these days.). We have been working on "beautifying" our backyard and decided to build a pergola. The number nerd in me got all excited about this project, so I designed our very own structure that we will hopefully start building in a few weeks (I just need to call the city to find out if we need a permit and/or if there is building code.).

...I am watching old episodes of "The Office" again. Oh how I have missed the lovey-dovey days between Jim and Pam. It brings so much joy to my life!

...I will be blogging more again. I have been in a little of a funk in the past few weeks (or rather months). Life has been taking over but I miss sharing it with you.

...I am a happier person again.

When all you need is a tiny change.

2010-10-19T21:28:00.003-04:00

Last week (after my somewhat emotional breakdown) I needed to refocus. I needed a change and what better change is there than a brand new hair cut. Being new to Killeen, TX, I didn't know which salons would be decent (The price didn't matter as I wasn't going to get a new color and having lived in Washington DC, I was used to ridiculously expensive salons.).

After some research and coming across an insane amount of barbers (Hello, military town!), I finally found a place (WITH a great website!) in a neighboring town. 10 minutes later I made an appointment for the same day and went from this...

(Yes, that's how insanely unhealthy my hair looked after not getting it cut for 9 months and putting it up in a pony tail on a daily basis.)

...to this...

Although it's just a tiny change, I am feeling like a brand new person!

A realization.

2010-10-16T14:17:00.005-04:00

I am sitting here with a cup of tea on a peaceful Saturday morning looking out into the yard that I just watered (Oh the joys of owning a home in Texas where it almost never rains!). Collin is still in bed because he is working nights these days. It messes up my own schedule a bit but this way I can use the mornings to catch up on homework and other school related tasks.

Speaking of school, have I mentioned that I am over halfway done with my Master's degree? I still can't quite grasp that I got into this phenomenal program. I was able to fulfill more than the minimum residency requirements in Washington DC and Baltimore before moving to Texas and having to take the rest of my courses online. This summer I took a class on water and stream assessment during which we spent one weekend camping near the Appalachian Trail in Maryland to count benthic macroinvertebrates and identify fish. Yes, I can now tell you the difference between a sunfish and a minnow. Exciting, isn't it?! In the past I had been studying the chemical and physical aspect of environmental assessment, now I am finally able to take a better look at the biological part as well. Okay, enough with the nerd talk!

My plan is to finish my degree by the end of August next year. Just in time for the Environmental Science Officer board that only takes place once a year in October. In the past few weeks I have had a lot of time to think about life and everything that is still ahead of me. And I realized something: I want nothing more than to join the Army and get selected to become an Environmental Science Officer - just like last year when I wanted nothing more than to get accepted into Johns Hopkins University.

Let that be a good sign!

"The Social Network" or lack thereof.

2010-10-09T19:28:00.004-04:00

I have been living in a cave with literally no social interaction lately. This whole "being a stay at home wife (not by choice)" is slowly eating me alive. Who else would cry at Subway randomly? Who else would get excited about going out for coffee at Starbucks as if it was Christmas morning? Who else would struggle finding words when talking to strangers (as in the cashier at Subway or the barista at Starbucks)?

I am even struggling writing anything meaningful right now.

There is only one thing that keeps me sane these days and as cheesy as it sounds, it's my husband. He truly is my best friend.

So I am asking you: What do you do to stay socially sane?

From loving to becoming this country.

2010-09-23T09:27:00.007-04:00

It was July 29, Collin had the day off because he was on 12-hour clinical rotations with a very odd work schedule at that time and therefore was able to attend my U.S. citizenship interview with me. And boy was I grateful and happy about that.

All my paperwork seemed to be in order. I had studied the civics questions for the testing portion of the interview. I was ready to devote myself to this country, say the oath, pledge allegiance to the flag and sing the National Anthem. Still, I was nervous and anxious.

Collin and I arrived in Baltimore around 9:30AM. My appointment was scheduled for 10:45AM, so we decided to just wait in front of the building until then. I watched other people with little flags and certificates walk out of the building. They just became U.S. citizens. I was worried that I wouldn't be sworn in that day (To become a U.S. citizen one has to pass an interview and attend an oath ceremony. Both of which may take place on completely different days.). After all we were scheduled to move to Texas in less than two weeks and I just wanted to get it all over with.

At 10:30AM we went inside the building, straight through security into the room for people with appointments. I gave my notice to one of the immigration officers and took a seat just like all the other 100 people already waiting. "This was going to take forever!" I thought to myself.

Surprisingly at 11:00AM I was called into what seemed like an "interrogation room" by another immigration officer. We went over my citizenship paperwork and application, and I was able to take one last glance at that 3-inch thick file right in front of her which contained all the paperwork I had ever submitted to USCIS: my fiancée visa application, my first green card, my second green card... my whole life from 2004 through 2010.

She asked me if I still lived in Wheaton, MD, if I was still a student at Johns Hopkins University and commented on my almost accent-free English. I told her that a lot of people think I am from Canada (True story!) and we talked a bit about my many moves in the past years due to Collin being in the military.

Then we started the testing portion of the interview. She asked me five questions on U.S. history, politics and geography. After I answered all of them correctly, we continued with the writing and reading part of the test. She asked me to read "Who is on the one-dollar bill?" and write "Washington is on the one-dollar bill.". It was rather ridiculous. But I was in and out within 10 minutes.

And just like that I passed my U.S. citizenship interview and was given an appointment letter to the oath ceremony which took place THAT SAME AFTERNOON.

After the interview, Collin and I went to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore and had lunch at an Irish restaurant. We had a few more hours to spare before the oath ceremony and strolled around the shops at the waterfront before it started raining miserably. Luckily the skies cleared up again and we were able to walk back to the immigration building just in time for my 3:00PM oath appointment.

There were about 150 people waiting to be naturalized that day. We were taken upstairs into the ceremony room. With that many people, everything was rather routine and not very personal. We watched a video on what it means to be a U.S. citizen, said the oath and the pledge of allegiance, sang the National Anthem and were welcomed as new citizens of the United States by the President via a video message. Then everyone's name was called out and each person was given their naturalization certificate.

And that was it. Simple as that! This is how I became an American citizen!

Things I have learned in the past month.

2010-09-20T11:36:00.005-04:00

Our new home.

Driving 2,500 miles from Washington D.C. to Fort Hood, Texas was one of the greatest things I have ever done in my life.
Always check the weather report because you really don't want to get up half-naked to put on a rain fly over your tent at 3 in the morning.
Always store your ice chest in your car or some other place safe because raccoons WILL find a way to snatch that bacon that you were saving for your hearty breakfast for the next morning.
Walt Disney World truly is a magical place.
Shady motels are not the greatest experience after 10 hours of driving and needing a shower in a CLEAN bathroom.
Buying a house was one of the easiest things we have ever done in our life.
Yard work and wandering around home improvement stores are our new favorite weekend activities.
Collin will most likely not be deploying for the next three years.
Texas is a great place and a much needed change that has come into our life at the most perfect time.

One last night.

2010-08-09T21:20:00.001-04:00

Usually you can tell if a room "is lived in". There is the normal wear and tear like holes in the walls, paint discolorations or dents from furniture pressed against the walls or floors. But our Washington DC home looks completely different.

We have only lived here for exactly a year and everything looks just like the day we moved in. The walls still have that same off-white paint, the floors still look somewhat shiny and the carpet smells like it was just steam-cleaned.

A year is nothing and that's exactly what living here has felt like. DC was our home but we never truly felt like we belonged here. We tried to fit in but we are looking forward to moving to a new place more than ever.

Tonight is our last night and tomorrow marks the beginning of our vacation and a road trip to our new home.

I hope you will join me along the way!

PS: This is my trying to post from my iPhone which I will be using mostly during the next few weeks. I hope it works!

It's the simple things.

2010-07-20T23:58:00.003-04:00

Nuremberg, Germany - 2009

It has been a while since Collin and I had a day off together. Between my attending evening classes at the Johns Hopkins campus in Baltimore and Collin's final night shifts at the hospital, the only time we get to spend together is either early in the morning when I take him to work or late at night when I come home from class.

Tomorrow, however, will be our day. Although we have nothing planned in particular, I can truly sense that it will be a fabulous day filled with shopping shenanigans for our road trip, coffee at Starbucks and talks about life and our future - with the latter being my favorite part of those days by far.

I love dreaming about all the things that lie ahead of us. May they be obstacles that we have yet to learn how to overcome or all the good things that just perfectly fall into place. So far everything has somehow worked out for us. So far we have had many of our dreams and wishes come true. I mean, life has truly been great to us and days like tomorrow will remind me of just that yet again.

Without Collin I wouldn't be where I am at right now and without me Collin wouldn't be where he is right now. Our life is a resemblance of this relationship which I am incredibly proud of.

The next big step - house hunting.

2010-07-15T22:55:00.004-04:00

When Collin received orders for Texas in April, we knew it would be time for us to buy a house. However, a few weeks later I decided I wanted to join the Army as well - as an officer - which meant that Texas would be just another temporary (as in less than 1-2 years) destination for us.

We looked into other options like moving into on-post housing or renting yet again. Yet having lived in three-bedroom apartments for the past four years has truly spoiled us wherefore on-post housing vanished off of our list instantly because, being childless, we would only qualify for a two-bedroom house.

Then there was the option of moving into an apartment. After checking many different apartment finder website we realized that Killeen, TX and its surrounding areas do not offer a lot of variety and quite honestly, when we did find a complex, it looked rundown and was located in an area I would not even want to set foot on during the day. So moving into an apartment was scratched off of our list as well.

Eventually we looked into renting a house. But there were many things that kept bothering us: Why would we pay someone else's mortgage? What's the point in living in a house that we can't decorate and renovate however we wish to? Moreover the number of nice rental houses on the market was and still is close to 0.

We did some number crunching, talked about the ifs and whens and realized that we will be in Texas for at least two years. Another reason that favored buying a house, although we might only live in it for a very short time, was the fact that Killeen, TX - with the majority of its population being in the Armed Forces or employed by the government - is probably one of the most dynamic cities in all of the United States in regard to moving.

So a house it is! We went to our bank to get pre-qualified for a loan. We have been learning a lot about other financial issues like homeowners insurances and property taxes. We have contacted an amazing real estate company which has been helping us with our wants and needs immensely. Now all we have to do is get to Texas, so we can look at houses and make a decision.

This is a huge step but it's something we have been ready for for a while.

Things that make me happy.

2010-07-13T14:23:00.003-04:00

1. Summer, sun and fruit.

2. My upcoming U.S. citizenship interview.

3. Getting pre-qualified for a home loan.

4. An interview for a job in analytical chemistry.

Just a few weeks ago, I was complaining about this upcoming move and just a few days later, we finally had a date. Things have been moving along quite smoothly since then: The movers are scheduled; our apartment lease is canceled; our trip to Florida and Disney World is booked; our Jeep is sold; and most important we are starting to get an idea what life in Texas will be like once we get there.

And I am excited. Very excited!

I'll show you mine - you show me yours!

2010-07-08T15:10:00.005-04:00

My fellow German blogger San has tagged me in a little handwriting post.

Here are the rules:

Write down the following, snap a picture (or scan the document), post it, and tag others.

Name/Blog Name
Right handed, left handed or both
Favorite letters to write
Least favorite letters to write
Write: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Write in caps: CRAB HUMOR KALEIDOSCOPE PAJAMAS GAZILLION
Favorite song lyrics
Tag 7 people
Any special note or drawing

Here is mine:

I developed this handwriting years ago during 7th or 8th grade and it has stuck with me ever since. Depending on how fast I write I can make each letter look neat and pretty, average looking (see above) or simply unreadable to others. The latter style comes in quite handy during lectures when I have to write fast to capture everything that is being talked about.

Now it's your turn.

What does your handwriting look like? Do you use cursive or print?

For the first time, I am scared.

2010-06-30T10:25:00.002-04:00

There has been a lot of tension in our little apartment lately. Don’t worry it’s no relationship issues – let’s just call it life issues. As I write this, I have tears in my eyes because I have been simply overwhelmed with life recently. There is just too much going on at the same time and all of these issues require an intense amount of responsibility and decision-making skills.

Our move is coming up in a little over five weeks. So far we have nothing scheduled. No movers, no move-in date into a house or apartment, no hotels, no nothing. I have tried to avoid those tasks as much as I could but it’s time to get a grip and start calling people, start making reservations and start building a somewhat manageable plan for our life in Texas.

However, life on this side of the country doesn’t stop either. I have another compressed class at the end of July. Collin is still studying, taking tests and preparing for his final nursing exam. I am looking for jobs, taking care of all the chores in the house, and organizing a camping trip for nine people for this weekend (And don’t ask me why I am always the one ending up planning trips because quite honestly, I am sick and tired of it. Just one time I would like to be the one who sits back and relaxes while other people take on these tasks!).

There hasn’t been a day lately when I came home to just make dinner and watch TV until bedtime. We have spent our nights looking for apartments, houses to rent and even houses to buy. We have spent our nights talking about the move but not actually taking any steps into a certain direction. It is just so hard to commit to something and it’s hard to plan everything from a distance.

Honestly, I am scared about moving this time. Last year we had a plane ticket, we had set up a place to live, we had everything taken care of months before our move but this time it is so different.

It feels like we are quickly running our time. July starts tomorrow and that’s a scary thought!

The half marathon that never happened.

2010-06-22T20:22:00.007-04:00

Let's not talk about last Friday. Or maybe I should because it just didn't go as planned. It all started around 9:15 am when Germany finished their second World Cup game playing Serbia who won 1:0. I was devastated and cried (Yes! Because of a soccer game!) for pretty much the rest of the day.

Later in the day I tried to concentrate on packing all my gear for my upcoming half marathon instead of mourning over Germany's loss. I printed out our hotel confirmation, the traveling route to Pennsylvania where the half marathon took place and eventually headed out to Walter Reed to pick up Collin. He was scheduled to work until 10 pm which would have given us plenty of time to drive up to Pennsylvania. At 10 pm, while I was sitting in the parking lot waiting for him, he called telling me he had to work until 11 pm. I tried to stay calm. However, 11 pm came and went just as quickly. To make a long story short, we ended up leaving Walter Reed around midnight.

That was it. No half marathon for me. I was angry and bitter and didn't calm down until the next morning when we decided to just forget about Friday by taking a day-trip to Ocean City, MD on the Atlantic coast.

And boy, it was simply heavenly and exactly what I needed: playing and swimming in the surprisingly warm ocean water, relaxing on the beach, and spending time with my husband.

While I am over the half marathon and already focusing on signing up for a new one in Texas, I am still slightly sad about Germany losing their game last Friday. However, we have one last chance tomorrow which we need to turn into the greatest celebration ever! So...

GOGERMANY!

Milestones.

2010-06-16T22:14:00.002-04:00

Three days ago I turned 26 and for some reason, I have never felt more content in life. The past few years have not been easy but I wouldn’t trade them for anything else because without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today. And quite honestly, I am feeling pretty damn good about myself.

I believe that everyone has that one moment in life that changed everything. For me, it wasn’t when I met Collin. Rather, it was when I decided to take a big step towards becoming more independent, freeing myself from what I was familiar with and realizing that it is all about opportunities, dreams and goals. That’s why…

At the age of 14, I decided to change schools and applied to be accepted to a boarding school specializing in foreign languages.
At the age of 15, I had fallen in love for the very first time. It was during my time in boarding school and involved sneaking out of my room to hang out with him and my friends in the middle of a school night.
At the age of 16, I applied for a scholarship from the German government to spend one year in the USA as a foreign exchange student. I didn’t get it but my grandpa knew that this was my dream and sponsored part of my upcoming journey.
At the age of 17, I came to the USA for the very first time. It was all I had ever hoped for. This was also when I met Collin.
At the age of 18, after my foreign exchange year, I decided to quit boarding school and go back to a regular public school.
At the age of 19, I was about to graduate with a 4.0 from high school and declined a scholarship to study in Germany.
At the age of 20, Collin and I decided to get married and started the visa process for me to come to the USA to live there permanently.
At the age of 21, Collin joined the Army and we found out we were getting stationed in Germany.
At the age of 22, I started my environmental engineering program at a German university.
At the age of 23, I had to say goodbye to Collin for 15 months because he got deployed to Iraq.
At the age of 24, Collin returned from Iraq and we found out we were getting stationed in Washington DC.
At the age of 25, I graduated early with a B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering and got accepted at Johns Hopkins University where I am currently working on my M.Sc. in Environmental Science.
At the age of 26, I WILL BE JOINING THE ARMY AS AN OFFICER!

I have this feeling that these next few years we be the most amazing ones yet!

I am a runner.

2010-06-07T11:59:00.004-04:00

Running has become a major part of my life ever since I religiously started a training routine at the beginning of this year. I had been a quitter many times before, but this time it just wasn’t an option for me. I really wanted to become a runner and I believe it is finally time to call myself just that.

After months of training and a 4-week semi-break (I still headed out for a couple two- and three-mile runs every now and then) during May because of school and a few injuries that left me hurt with every single step, I started up my half marathon training again. I had four weeks left to increase my mileage from 6 to 12 miles before the race (13.1 miles) on June 19. Now with a mere two weeks left, I don’t feel as prepared as I should have been by now but I know that I can run it even if that means 12-minute miles and coming in last.

Yesterday I went on my second-to-last long training run. I ran 10 miles which is now my longest distance to date (until next Sunday when I will conquer 12 miles). Yet instead of giving you a long recap, here are some visual impressions from before and after my run.

Taking the metro to the trail.

GU Gel - I tried it for the first time but didn't like it very much.

Post-run walk: This is where I hit 10 miles. I love this place!

Post-run walk: I really wanted to just hop in there.

Post-run walk: The Capitol.

Post-run walk: Looking miserable but feeling amazing.

Post-run walk: Segway tour!

Post-run walk: Me and my gear.

Post-run walk: Refueling station.

Post-run walk: My treat.

Post-run walk: Headed back home.

It took me 1 hour 50 min 16 sec to complete 10 miles. That's about a 11:00-min/mile pace which I am completely content with.

Yesterday I truly felt like a runner - for the very first time. It was such an amazing experience! Now I finally get why people are so passionate about running.

Starting the countdown.

2010-06-04T21:06:00.004-04:00

It is that time of year again: moving time! It sure feels like we are moving every single year. Just a year ago, we were welcoming the movers into our house in Germany, canceled contracts, wrapped up our car shipments and flew off to the United States to start yet another exciting chapter of our lives in Washington DC.

We knew that Collin’s training would be a year in length. However, with me changing directions towards graduate school and a possible first job as an engineer, I started to embrace the idea of staying in the District for another few years. How hard could it possibly be for Collin to get stationed here at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as a future nurse? Little did I know that chances were less than slim.

When Collin got orders for Texas, I cried at first. But things started to get better when we talked about buying a house there. Then I made the decision to go Army myself and life seemed this much more exciting all of a sudden. Just two weeks later, I received a call from that job (Remember: The one I talked about all. the. time!). They offered it to me. I could have worked as an engineer making $40,000+ by now but I declined.

I had already made up my mind. Staying behind myself was not an option. When would I have quit? After one year? After two years? And then? More job hunting! More moving! Never settling down!

So here we are. Collin will graduate as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) in exactly two months. This also means that we will be moving in a little over two months. I am in the process of starting to-do lists that include selling our precious Jeep (I am going to cry like a baby when we sell it!), canceling contracts, getting rid of stuff and planning a road trip (The latter is by far the most exciting item on my list!).

We have never done a CONUS (contiguous United States) move but I can tell you all about OCONUS (outside contiguous United States) moves. It seems as if our lists are a lot shorter this time around but I am pretty sure that this move will be just as stressful as all the other moves.

And who knows, if everything works out with the Army for me, we might be moving again later next year. Oh, the joys!

May, oh May.

2010-06-01T20:02:00.003-04:00

You have no idea how extremely amazing it feels to not have to go to a three-hour evening class on a weeknight. These past three weeks were draining in a way that I had never experienced before. There was so much reading, so much writing and so much studying. If you ever think about taking an intensive course in any sort of field, I advise you not to do it unless there is no other way out. You don’t want to listen to the same professor every night. You don’t want to hear the same stories over and over again. You don’t want to spend every day hiding behind books and notes. You don’t want to have nothing but school on your mind every second, every minute, every hour for three weeks.

But I did it. I now have three out of ten classes under my belt. By the end of the summer, I will be half-way done with my Master’s (Because I am a crazy woman who decided to take two more classes this summer instead of enjoying some time off!). But my goal is the Army which means I want and need to graduate by May 2011.

Have I mentioned how amazing this goal feels? How it fulfills me? How happy it makes me? If everything works I could be signing my contract in a little over a year. I could be an officer. I could serve this country and soon MY country. It truly feels incredible.

But for now I need to focus on school. I already laid out my classes for next semester: epidemiology and toxicology – two classes that will help me gain a better understanding of preventive medicine because, after all, becoming a(n) (direct-commissioned) officer in this field is a selection process and I want to submit the best package possible.

Yes, that's the overachiever in me. :)

See you later.

2010-05-13T14:47:00.004-04:00

May is all about school. I finished my first graduate school semester last week and have started my three-week compressed ecology class this week. It has been far more overwhelming, tiring and time-consuming than I had ever imagined.

Have a great May and see you all in June!

Insights and explanations.

2010-05-03T21:26:00.002-04:00

These past few days have been incredible in many ways. The reactions I have received towards my last post have been very mixed: Some people have nothing but supportive things to say, some people are concerned, some people feel indifferent, and some people simply don't understand. I expected that and I respect every single one of your comments, emails, and messages.

Collin and I have a lot going for us and I have no doubt that we will make it work. The Army has given us so much in the last five years and I am looking forward for it to give us even more. Of course, there have been times when I have gotten frustrated with certain things concerning life in the military but never ever have I complained about anything. There are deployments. There is this constant feeling of living in limbo. BUT it is what it is and I have learned to live with it. In fact, I truly enjoy this Army life. That’s why I have been asking myself: Why not take it one step further?

This thought of joining the military, particularly the Army, had crossed my mind months before I made it my goal. I never really did much research nor did I ever mention it to Collin because I thought he would not like it. Plus, the military was his thing – not mine. Then, a couple weekends ago, he was the one who brought it up and just like that it turned into something I truly considered to be an option for me.

Instead of studying for finals or writing my research paper, I started to dig deeper into this whole “becoming an officer in the Army” thing. I tried to figure out what was out there for me, what career fields I could get into that would still allow me to use my degree, what it would mean for me as an individual, foreign-born and foreign-educated (until I finish graduate school).

I have two options.

Option #1

Direct Commission: With a B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering and a future M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences I would be eligible to join as an AMEDD (Army Medical Department) Officer which would allow me to work as an Environmental Science Officer or Sanitary Engineer (both of which require specific degrees) – depending on which one I apply for. These types of officers work for the Medical Service Corps under Preventive Medicine.

Option #2

Officer Candidate School: For this option, any type of degree is acceptable. Most of the time people get put into branches (like Infantry, Engineers, Military Intelligence and so on) depending on the Army’s needs.

Of course, I am shooting for option #1. However, as of now I am not qualified because 1) I am not a US citizen yet and 2) the Army doesn’t accept my German Bachelor’s degree for direct commission (They would accept it for Officer Candidate School though).

That’s why I have been on a mission: I mailed off my U.S. citizenship application last week. With our upcoming move to Texas, I am cutting it very close but according to recent approval times, I have a very good chance to be done with this process by August. Also, I am increasing my class load to be able to finish graduate school in May 2011, so I can make the October 2011 board for Environmental Science Officers (The selection board for this type of officer is only once a year).

Can you tell that I am really excited about all this? Some people might be asking themselves: But why?

I have many reasons. But those deserve another post.

A calling.

2010-04-27T21:53:00.003-04:00

Months ago I was thinking about this:

Last weekend this thought came back to me. So today I went here...

...where we talked about this...

...among many other things regarding my idea or rather future.

I believe this is my calling.

This summer is for...

2010-04-21T21:34:00.003-04:00

Thank you everyone for your kind words on my last post. They mean a lot to me and made me very happy. And don't worry: I will never give up on anything. That just wouldn't be me. I am a fighter. An optimist. An overachiever. But sometimes life just throws big things at you which make my head spin in all different directions. Now one week later, I have calmed down, I am focused and I am more than just excited about moving to Texas.

But before we head out to our new home in less than four months (Wow, that just sounds weird. Didn't we just move here? Oh yes, we did.), life, here, goes on and will be busy but also adventurous.

School: My very first semester of graduate school will be over in a little over two weeks. I am giving a presentation tomorrow and on Tuesday. My research paper is due in two weeks and there will be two finals on top of that. One of my summer classes is a compressed three-week class in May and I am already working on different assignments and reading projects for that one. As you can see, I am quite busy but ahead of schedule so far. Hopefully procrastination won't take over.

Vacation: Our last vacation was about a year ago when we went to Austria with my parents. But Collin and I are all for tropical beach vacations and the last one of those was back in 2007 when we went to Spain for a week. We are definitely ready for some fun-filled weeks near warm waters. That's why Collin and I decided to take a road trip down to Florida first before changing directions for Texas. This road trip may or may not include a trip to Disney World and a cruise to the Bahamas. We are currently in the budgeting and planning process but, so far, it seems very manageable. After all, Collin has about 60+ vacation days saved up (I am not kidding!).

Soccer World Cup: You have no idea how excited I am for this mega super-duper world event. I am already getting into the spirit by watching countless videos on the 2006 World Cup in Germany on YouTube. I am already thinking about how I am going to dress up on game days. I am already planning game day parties (One game is on my birthday even!). And if Germany and the USA play it right, they could even end up in the finale together.

What do you look forward to this summer?

New places, new adventures, new priorities.

2010-04-19T10:02:00.007-04:00

This past week was a mere rollercoaster ride for me. Those of you who have been following me on Twitter or are my Facebook friends know that Collin received orders, which came to a complete surprise to me because I didn’t think he was going to find out about his next duty station until right before he would graduate.

It was Tuesday afternoon and I was sitting at our kitchen table writing my geology research paper on the phosphorus cycle in marine sediments. This was when I received a text message with the following words from Collin:

Got order. Ehhh. Ft. Hood. So maybe another deployment.

Instantly I started crying. I am not quite sure what happened during that moment when I read his words. I don’t know if the words Fort Hood or deployment triggered my tears but I just started bawling for - most likely - lots of reasons.

Just a few minutes later I typed the words “environmental engineer” and “Killeen, TX” (where Fort Hood is located) into several job search engines. And I cried even more. I started questioning myself about why I am actually getting a master’s degree. Maybe I should just quit all together, start making babies, and become the typical military wife (I am sorry if I just offended a few of my readers but please bear with me. You know that many of those stereotypical characteristics of military wives are indeed true.).

It was a bad day. Perhaps I put too much of my hope into staying in the Washington DC area. After all, I hoped that the merging of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital would mean a higher demand of nurses. But why use Army nurses, that should rather deploy and support combat missions, for civilian jobs? Right? Right!

So, Fort Hood it is.

Quite frankly, I am looking forward to moving to Texas. I used this past week to look into all of our options and what it would mean living there. I thought about everything I had hoped for here in Washington DC. I thought about the job that I applied for so long ago, that I put so much hope and patience into and that I will be turning down (in case they ever call me) because I finally realized what is more important to me. And it is not that extra paycheck.

Collin and I agreed that we want nothing more than going on this adventure together. Just like we have done so many other times throughout the past five years. We want to take that road trip to Texas. We want to buy a house there. We want to explore yet another new place in this world. And I will find a job. I will be happy and I will most definitely enjoy life there.

I am ready for you Texas. I hope you are ready for me.

Home Improvement: The Dining Room Edition.

2010-04-14T21:14:00.004-04:00

We are using our dining room every day since we don't have an eat-in kitchen in our apartment. Until last week, it had been a bare room with just a table, chairs, and a flower. Pretty simple and plain. However, I finally decided to put up some shelving to brighten it up. See for yourself:

Bare walls.

The first shelf made it safely onto the wall.

The second shelf is holding up as well.

The end result.

Have you done any home improvements lately?

Five Years!

2010-04-09T20:31:00.001-04:00

And the week has only just begun.

2010-04-07T11:35:00.003-04:00

It is amazing how one week you feel completely lost and everything around you seems like it is going nowhere and the next week everything just falls perfectly into place making your mood take a huge jump from close to zero to eleventy billion on a scale from one to ten. This week is one of those weeks.

Not only will Collin and I celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary (as in: We have been married for HALF A DECADE! WOW!) later this week, I have also been blessed with several little and big news during the past few days. Honestly though, even little news are big to me.

As of now, my graduate program is financed through federal loans. When I applied to this program in the fall of last year, Collin and I discussed how we would be paying for it. While our minds couldn’t seem to understand that we would have to deal with almost $30,000 in the end, we realized that we should just let it happen and deal with everything once I got accepted – once I graduated – once I actually had to pay back all the loans. Perhaps that’s how it works when people crunch numbers when they decide to have children: Sometimes it just seems better to worry later instead of now. And most of the time, those worries just disappear into nowhere because of all the happiness around you. Anyways...

Since I am - obviously - currently enrolled in classes, my student loans are just numbers on a piece of paper that rapidly increase with each semester. However, after registering for next semester’s classes and seeing my loans double from four-digit to five-digit numbers, I almost choked (Of course, this didn’t come as a surprise to me but as they say: Seeing is believing!).

To make a long story short: Those five-digit numbers will go back to four-digit numbers very shortly because I was approved to receive $6,000 from the military as part of their tuition assistance program for spouses. In the end, I will still be stuck with $24,000 but this number seems much more manageable, especially once I start working full-time…

…which leads me to my never-ending story about that one job. YES, THAT ONE! Yesterday was my day off. I spent it decorating our apartment and worrying about homework and classes. As I randomly checked my email account, I found an email from the person that interviewed me back in January in my inbox. It was a reply to one of my emails that I sent out in the beginning of March after my references were contacted.

The email was very personal. It gave me lots of hope. I was also asked if I was still interested in the job. And all I wanted to write back was: OF COURSE, HIRE ME NOW! I sent back a short reply expressing my sincere interest again. Now I am back in the waiting game but I feel so much closer to finally getting that one phone call that I have been patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for for months.

I was never a Mormon but I will always remember living as one.

2010-04-04T20:13:00.006-04:00

Easter - just like Christmas - always reminds me of church or the lack thereof in my life. I was baptized and raised as a protestant but church had never really been a huge focal point in my family. We did attend church for Christmas every year and when I was young, I contributed to many different services in our area by reading scriptures and playing the recorder. However, I have never considered myself truly religious.

In 2001 I came to the United States as a foreign exchange student for one year. My host family were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In other words, they were Mormons. Before meeting them, I researched a little bit about Mormonism as I had never heard of that religion at all. Coming from Germany where people are usually either catholic or protestant and where anything else in between will most likely be considered a cult, I was scared to become a part of a family that practices believes and traditions that seemed strange to me.

To my surprise, my entire previous thoughts and concerns on Mormonism quickly changed as soon as I was thrown into the life of my host family. They were very strict members: Mondays were for Family Home Evenings - a time when the entire family gets together to craft, watch a movie, talk about Christ etc. Thursdays were for Young Women Meetings - a time when all teenage girls from church spend time together. Sundays were for Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School lasting a total of three hours. Additionally, there was Seminary every morning on weekdays before school. Here, everyone read and learned about the Bible and The Book of Mormon.

I took part in all of it. I learned and memorized scriptures and songs. I started saying the family prayer on a regular basis. I went to all church events and my best friends were Mormons. I even went to Utah for General Conferences and saw Gordon B. Hinkley who was the president (and thus, a celebrity sort of) of the church back in 2001/2002. I pretty much fully adapted to the life of a Mormon. And I loved it! It felt great being part of this great community that supported one another in a way I had never seen and experienced before.

Now, almost nine years later, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still has a special place in my heart. Not only because I enjoyed this religious experience so much but also because of where it has led me in life.

It was in a Mormon church - at a Mormon youth dance - where Collin and I met for the very first time on August 11, 2001 - only two days after my arrival in the United States as a foreign exchange student. It was Collin's best friend, a Mormon, that dragged him to the dance that day and it was my host family who introduced me to the Mormon life for the very first time at that same day.

That's why I feel so connected to this church and its people. Because it's where and how I met my amazing husband.

Patience. Oh, patience.

2010-04-01T13:46:00.002-04:00

Lately I have been complaining and whining a lot and I am going to have to warn you in advance but this post might come across as another one of those life-just-sucks-sometimes posts. By no means, am I a pessimistic person. In fact, Collin judges me for being so optimistic all the time. Maybe he is right. Maybe that’s why I am getting hit even harder even when little things go wrong or don’t go the way I want them to.

There has been a lot on my mind lately. From little things to bigger things. From job hunting to moving. I believe that every single one of my readers is wondering about certain subjects that I haven’t necessarily touched yet. So here we go:

“What? You are still holding onto that job you interviewed for back in late January?”

Yes, I am. Let me explain: The job is in the non-private sector meaning that the interview process takes a very long time. Six months from the time you apply to the time you get offered the job is very common. Since they recently contacted my references, there is still hope. I am constantly glued to my phone waiting for that longed for call. The waiting is painful and it has literally been draining most of my energy.

“Have you been applying for any other jobs?”

Yes, I have been and yes, it hasn’t been a pleasure. Sometimes I wish we would just go back to paper resumes that people just mail in the old-fashioned way. It seems like my applications get lost in the millions of bits and bytes that make up the internet. It seems like no one even looks at them unless they pass their screening process. And if you don’t have this or that keyword, you land in yet another virtual trash can.

“But what about moving? I thought you and Collin will be leaving the DC area?”

Yes, we might or yes, we might not. Or let’s put it this way: Yes, he might. There are lots of ifs and whens circling around in our minds and Collin and I have discussed many options. If I get a job, he will do everything he possibly can to get orders for the Washington DC metro area – may it by for Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Fort Belvoir in Virginia or Fort Mead in Maryland. If he gets orders to somewhere else, we decided that it might be a good idea for me to stay behind (again: only if I can get a job in my professional field). We have done a long-distance relationship many times before and it would benefit us both in a certain way: I can concentrate on my career and Collin can concentrate on more school to eventually cross over to becoming an officer. This is not a decision that we came up with in an instant. It took us a while to accept the fact that this might be a good option after all. But then again, these are just thoughts for now until we know more about what will happen to my job situation.

I just realized that this post doesn't sound so pessimistic after all. I have lots of hope. However, sometimes it feels like I am losing the majority of it. Then I (try to) tell myself:

“Stefanie, don’t let yourself down! You are not the only one in this situation. You are not the only one who wants so much but can’t have it just yet. Be patient!”

Maybe I am right. Maybe I just need to be patient.

That one time I talked to my coworker.

2010-03-28T20:45:00.004-04:00

The other day at my part-time minimum wage job (Is there something wrong with me that I am always emphasizing on the minimum wage?):

Coworker (a freshman in college): “So how long are you planning on working here?”

Me: “Until I find a real job. I have a degree in environmental engineering.”

Coworker (probably thinking I was an utter loser): “Mmmh, why are you working here then?”

Me (angrily thinking to myself): Because I have got a ton of reasons. I am applying for jobs but did you know how hard it is to find a job in the Washington DC area that doesn’t require you to be a U.S. citizen. Did you know that we are currently in a recession and that jobs are rare? Did you know that my husband is in the military meaning that we might or might not move in a little over four months from now? Did you know that I am actually hoping to get that one real job that I applied for months ago but that I am still waiting to hear from?

Me (after realizing that I shouldn’t have to justify myself): “Just because.”

So this is adulthood.

2010-03-26T13:50:00.009-04:00

Do you ever experience those days or weeks when things just get in the way of life?

Moving feels like that all the time. Things like phone contracts, internet services, car insurances, and anything else essential that usually involves high bills and headaches need to be canceled in one place and set up again in a new one. Even though those things might sound like little chores to some, it is really annoying, time consuming and just overwhelming when you have to do as many times as we have had to throughout the past five years during which Collin has been in the Army.

I always get very excited when those things are taken care of. As soon as we moved back to the United States, we got our cell phones. Check. A few weeks later Collin set up our insurance policies. Check. When we finally moved into our apartment I took care of our internet, phone and cable service while Collin was training in Texas. Check. It was a smooth and very pleasant and easy process after all (easier than anything we had ever experienced in Germany). Once our furniture arrived and the apartment was somewhat decorated and set up, I finally felt home and simply relieved that I wouldn't have to take care of any of those things anymore. I could just come home, relax, watch TV and live life.

But of course, life just isn't as simple as that. There are those things that get in the way of routine and those are the things that usually throw me off in a very overwhelming way. Like last week, when Collin came home telling me that there was smoke coming from one of our Jeep's brakes. All I could think of was "Great! Life just never gets dull!" After doing some internet research, we realized our dearest truck needed to be towed and taken to the shop where it is sitting right now. I just hate the headaches involved with calling the insurance, getting a quote from the shop, paying a bill that is likely going to be out of the roof and wasting another afternoon picking up the car.

I know that taking care of those things is just something that comes with adulthood and there will never ever be times when they just disappear. There will always be something going on: may it be car issues, moving, losing a job, family related issues... I suppose this is what adulthood is all about.

What throws you off? Are there any life chores you would rather avoid?

What to do after blizzard season.

2010-03-22T21:33:00.007-04:00

We love hosting parties and BBQs. While this gives me a chance to bust out my German salad and party snack making skills (Thanks to my mom who taught me well in this area!), Collin enjoys being the grill and beer master (Or so he thinks! I still believe I know more about brats and beer than he does because after all: I am German!).

The weather was just fabulous this weekend with the highest temperatures hitting at around 75 degrees and sunshine all of Saturday. While I was wearing my favorite summer dress, it was hard to believe that just four weeks ago we were covered in over two feet of snow. I am always mesmerized by sudden weather changes but instead of boring you with stories about how I once memorized all of the different shapes of clouds when I was in elementary school, I much rather tell you about our amazing BBQ.

I spent all of Saturday morning fixing different types of salads, dips, snack foods and baked goods. Collin adores it when I take over the kitchen because he knows how happy it makes me to cook for others. And quite honestly, I love it too!

Since we live in an apartment complex where we don't have a yard, all of the grilling and sizzling took place downstairs right in front of our balcony. While the guys hung out near the BBQ drinking beer and contemplating over how long each sausage should stay on the grill, us girls spent the time until dinner upstairs chatting about.... Army stuff and babies.

Most of the people we invited were classmates of Collin's. Being almost 26 years old, Collin and I are one of the oldest married couples within the group of people we usually get together with. Most of his friends are single soldiers between 19 and 23. It is quite entertaining sometimes - think of it as high school with all the drama, gossip, and relationship issues you can possibly think of.

Although I feel very old around Collin's classmates sometimes, they are the most awesome people to have a great time with. We played Rockband and Singstar. We talked about the Army and all its ups and downs. We ate and we drank.

I was amazed with how great our BBQ turned out. Deep down inside I called it my very own graduation party because as of last week, I am finally a graduate of my German university and an environmental engineer (at least in Germany). However, no one knew about it because after all this BBQ was all about spending time with our friends.

When the Army comes first.

2010-03-16T14:34:00.004-04:00

Last week Collin and his fellow soldiers made it to senior class status, which means that half of the training rotation is completed now. Graduation is a lot closer and soon enough August will be here when (hopefully) everyone will officially become a licensed practical nurse (LPN).

A few days ago, while paying bills and filing paperwork in our office, I found Collin's class and training schedule for the next few months. It's not a final version but I was excited to find out a little more about how many more tests he will have to take before graduation. I had high hopes that perhaps we would have more time for each other to take more little trips along the East coast because, honestly, we haven't had many opportunities to explore the area that we call our home.

But my hopes were shattered when I saw that, again, he will have one test a week almost all the way until August, which also means that our little getaway to Florida will have to be canceled. We haven't booked anything yet but we were looking forward for a change in our daily routine and had everything planned in our minds.

While I am truly happy that Collin has this great opportunity to become a nurse in the Army, it has been a little tough for us as a couple. I do go to school too. I have my internship and I work part-time. However, I don't have nearly as much stress as Collin does although I do feel overwhelmed with being a wife, a student, a housewife and an intern at times.

The last time we spent some quality time with each other was on Tuesday last week, as far as I recall it. As a sergeant and squad leader Collin's workload doubled - and all that besides studying for his weekly tests. He usually wants to be left alone when he takes care of work and school which I understand more than anything. Sometimes I bring him some cookies into the office or I make him his favorite brownies. He loves that and truly appreciates it. It's a nice and simple change during his sometimes boring hours of studying.

But I miss my husband. I miss spending time with Collin in the evenings chilling in front of the TV watching mindless shows about car chases and pregnant teenagers. I miss him having three-day or four-day weekends - something we were constantly blessed with when he was in a regular unit. I miss those times when he didn't have to worry about yet another test score or presentation or clinical exercise.

With him finally reaching senior status, the end is near. According to his current schedule, his graduation date is set for August 4th.

Then I will finally have my husband back.

One hundred and six miles.

2010-03-14T20:38:00.004-04:00

On January 14th I went for my first run of this year, which, at the same time, was my first run after a 4-month break. Now, exactly two months later, I reached a total of 106 miles. For many runners, this is not a lot but for me, a wannabe runner, this is a huge accomplishment. I managed to keep up running and averaged about three to four (sometimes even five) runs per week. I am happy and I am feeling very proud of myself.

What I learned during the past two months:

Weather shouldn't matter: Telling yourself that you couldn't go on a run because it was too cold or too rainy is just a lame excuse. Throw on some long pants, a light jacket, a hat and gloves and just go out for a couple miles. Even it is only two or three.
Try to avoid long breaks between running days: One rest day between running days works best for me. After two rest days, I get antsy and feel bad. Recently I have tried to run at least every other day. If, for some reason, my schedule changes and every other day doesn't work out for me, I try to make it up by running three days in a row.
Setting goals is important: Currently my goals are to increase my weekly mileage and to get faster. Both go hand in hand. Why do I want to do that? Well, I have been thinking about signing up for a race - not just a 5k but perhaps something bigger.
Cross-training is important: For the first six weeks I didn't do anything other than running. Recently I have incorporated weight exercises, toning exercises as well as some walking and elliptical training. It truly does make a difference and my knees are definitely a lot happier.

Something I do need to work on, however, are my eating habits. I still feel like running gives me an excuse to eat more junk food because my dear brain uses this equation:

500 calories burnt during running = Eating 500 calories of ice cream after running.

As I have mentioned before I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds, so I can fit into my awesome pants from two years ago. The ones that are currently rotting in my closet.

Maybe it's just some Wednesday.

2010-03-10T11:21:00.002-05:00

This morning when I was walking to my bus stop to head to my internship, “Yellow” by Coldplay found its way through my headphones. For the first time in months, I suddenly started feeling very calm, relaxed, and completely satisfied with life. The strumming of the guitar and Chris Martin’s soothing voice seemed like the perfect beginning to this Wednesday that, I thought, would be like any other day.

But it is the day after I completed my midterm in geology – my very first midterm during my graduate studies. My studying strategy went surprisingly well, although I felt like I was running out of time in the end. However, when I stepped onto the metro last night to make my way to Johns Hopkins University to take my midterm, all the stress of studying went away all at once. I was very excited about taking this midterm which was highly and most importantly caused by the fact that I planned to visit Krispy Kreme right afterwards (And there went my low sugar diet!).

It is the day after I went for a run in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts for the very first time this year. I waited to head out until after noon because I wanted to take in the warmth of the sun rays all the way. It was the greatest run so far this year and I even got a slight tan (which might be the main reason why I enjoy running on sunny, hot days so much.).

It is also the day on which my supervisor informed me that he was contacted by the job that I interviewed for at the end of January which left me thinking “Wow!” Just last week, I talked to one of my coworkers at my internship about how I have pretty much given up on this job and how I am ready to move on. Now I am back with high hopes even though I am also afraid for them to be crushed again.

After all, today is just some Wednesday but for some reason it feels very, very special today.

Longing for spring.

2010-03-04T16:01:00.009-05:00

As much as I adore cozy winters spent indoors with hot chocolate and a warm blanket, I am ready for spring and everything that comes with it.

I am ready...

...to run outside in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt.

...for warm evenings spent outside walking the streets of Washington DC while sipping on an iced coffee.

...for our 5th wedding anniversary in April which will probably be spent at home studying for finals.

...to go on a little getaway on Memorial Day weekend. Nothing is booked yet but we are currently looking into a 4-day trip to Orlando, Florida and Walt Disney World.

...for my first semester of graduate school to be over and a new semester to start.

...for my 26th birthday in June that will bring me another year close to hitting the big 3-0.

...for BBQs with German sausages, good beer, cocktails and lots of Rockband and Singstar.

...to wear summer dresses and my beloved flip-flops.

...to plan a possible late summer move.

What are you ready for?

Moments that will be remembered forever.

2010-02-28T19:40:00.002-05:00

I remember when I went to Walter Reed Army Medical Center by myself for the very first time. It was August of last year. I wanted to change my Tricare (military health insurance) back to stateside coverage. The process was simple and familiar to me. I was in and out in less than ten minutes.

Since it was right around lunch time, I decided to treat myself to some Subway and an iced coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. Both places were conveniently located inside of the hospital. While standing in line to order a delicious tuna sandwich, I realized for the very first time that there is something special about this hospital.

Right in front of me there was a soldier in a wheelchair. His legs were covered in bandages. His face looked burned but he was smiling and joking around with the person next to him. I looked around and noticed that almost every other patient was an amputee. Some of them lost one leg and others lost both of them. Some of them still needed to get used to their artificial limbs, others were already confidently walking like nothing ever happened to them.

At that moment I realized that a tear was rolling down my cheek. I wasn’t sad. I was happy that they were alive and that they received the care they deserved. I was happy to see them walk and even run. I just wanted to give every single one of those soldiers a hug. But, back then in August, I didn’t.

Last night, however, I did. I hugged a wounded soldier, a soldier who went to basic training with Collin, a soldier who made the most delicious steaks for us when we were having a BBQ in Puyallup, WA back in 2006 before we moved to Germany, a soldier who served in Iraq with Collin, a soldier who got hit by an IED (improvised explosive device), a soldier we hadn’t seen in over four years.

And out of all places in the world, he showed up in the same Irish pub that we hung out in last night. No words can describe the happiness we felt during that moment we recognized each other.

After four years, one deployment, and one injury that changed the life of that soldier forever.

What do I want.

2010-02-25T14:04:00.002-05:00

Now that the mandatory part of my internship (20 weeks) is over, I decided to reduce my hours. Starting this week I will intern twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays for 8 hours each day. Since I don’t have a job right now (Oh wait, I just accepted a part-time minimum wage job. This does embarrass me a little but I am only doing it for the money.), interning is still the only way for me to gain valuable experience in environmental science and engineering. However, at the same time, I felt like I needed more time to myself: to think about the future, to focus on graduate school, to come up with a plan (or better dream since I don’t know where we will actually be in six months from now)…

I have been thinking a lot about our future lately - in particular about my future because as much as I enjoy military life, it sometimes bothers me how limited I am in accomplishing my goals. Collin knows that I have always seen myself as a person who wants more and I am grateful for his endless support in all my decisions. However, moving from one post to another makes it hard for me to do what I want and enjoy. I have mentioned before that environmental engineering was not my dream career but I have learned to live with it and I enjoy what I am doing. Yet, now that I am in graduate school, I am experiencing more and more how much I long for a pure science degree, how much I enjoy researching. I am glad that my current master’s degree takes me away from my engineering background because I believe that my true nature is indeed science and not engineering.

Still, I am not quite sure yet what I want to do with my life. There a lot of options now that I started this master’s degree program: I could get into teaching (which is probably the easiest options for me because moving wouldn’t affect this career path very much). I could also go even further by trying to get into a Ph.D. program (which would be the hardest because of the time-moving-military issue). Those are the two options I would enjoy the most and I know I would be good at it.

Sometimes I get why military wives usually stay home and support their families that way. But I just can’t do that. It wouldn’t make me happy.

So here I am trying to figure out what I want in life.

What do you want?

When certain words make your heart melt.

2010-02-21T20:30:00.002-05:00

I don’t remember the last time Collin and I went out for a fancy dinner. It must have been a while because we both got very giddy on Friday night when we decided to head out to a local restaurant for some good food and drinks. We even dressed up (just casually but enough for us to feel a little more glamorous) which we had never done before.

While snacking on our appetizer and indulging in beer and cocktails, we started talking about life. Specifically about one particular topic. I mentioned to Collin how two of my online friends (Sometimes I feel pathetic talking about online friends with my husband who, then, automatically assumes I don’t have a life.) announced their pregnancies which has triggered my baby fever symptoms yet again. I already expected him to sigh and promptly shake his head. Instead he started smiling and told me excitedly how he just started learning everything prenatal/OB related in class.

I didn’t know where he was going with this comment until he told me that he was sincerely thinking about having a baby ever since he started learning more about them.

These words melted my heart. I actually had tears in my eyes because he has never ever mentioned those words before – well, he has but not as honest and sincere as on Friday night. I still couldn’t believe what he said and kept asking him “Really? Are you serious about what you just said?” And he was.

We started plotting different scenarios discussing the whens and what ifs. What about school? What about work? What about moving? What about a house? What about now? It felt amazing talking about each other’s feelings regarding such a life-changing decision. I kept reminding myself that there are so many people out there who have much less than we do but who still manage life in such a spectacular way that they don’t even think twice about having a child. Honestly, I admire those people and families. But as financially concerned as we are, we, however, do think twice or three times or more.

As much as I would love holding and taking care of a baby, I can’t stop thinking about my career and all the opportunities I would be missing. Or would I? There are so many moms that are able to successfully juggle both, children and work, and why couldn’t I be one of those moms?

However, as of now, I have never brought a real pay check home (besides the ones from my past minimum wage jobs). What is holding me is my longing for financial satisfaction. I want to use my degree first, bring home some money and feel satisfied.

And until then we will probably continue plotting even though we both feel ready right now.

Running it: Week 5 and 6 - Wrap-Up

2010-02-18T10:28:00.003-05:00

With the Washington DC blizzard it has been hard to go running on a regular basis. During the storm it was impossible to even attempt to go outside. After the storm it didn't seem to get better because only a small number of roads were plowed, not to mention the side walks that are still covered with a thick layer of snow.

Luckily the community center of our apartment complex was open on most of the snow days. During this time I have become friends with the treadmill despite my never-ending love for outdoor runs. It was tough getting used to running indoors - especially when I tried to complete my longer-ish runs (4 miles as of now). I was sweating like a race-horse after only 10 min (Mind you, it takes me about 25 min to break a sweat outdoors).

I did manage to squeeze in three runs a week during the past two weeks.

Week 5: Jan 31 - Feb 6, 2010

Week 6: Feb 7 - 13, 2010

Week 7 started on Sunday and I already logged in two runs, one of which was an outdoor run that I completed last night. Honestly, it was my best run in a while. I felt more refreshed and energized than I had ever felt before after a long, boring run on the treadmill. However, I don't want to condemn my dear treadmill because winter is not over yet and DC rain storms are also quite an adventure.

Things I am happy and excited about.

2010-02-15T12:11:00.004-05:00

my brand new permanent resident card

1. A little over a month ago I received my brand new, shiny permanent resident card also known as the green card after a 2.5-year wait (or better fight with immigration regulations). It only took about a bazillion calls and appointments as well as an airplane ticket to Seattle. However, the airplane ticket was totally worth it and thanks to the Seattle immigration office, I was approved via a simple phone call instead of another pointless interview appointment.

2. Which brings me to the U.S. citizenship issue. I am proud to announce that I am going to start the citizenship process this month. Being from Germany, there are two different parts to complete in order to become a dual-citizen. Before I can submit my U.S. citizenship application, I need to fill out an application with the German consulate that will allow me (if approved) to retain my German citizenship. I need to give reasons why I want to stay a German citizen as well as why I want to become an American citizen.

3. We had a very quiet Valentine's Day watching movies and spending time with Brooke - the golden retriever we are currently taking care of. However, yesterday we spontaneously decided to go ahead and invest in a brand new Calphalon pots and pans set (we had been wanting to upgrade our thrift store set for awhile) that was on sale for a ridiculous low price and in addition came with two bonuses (a Calphalon dutch oven and Calphalon utensils). We tested the pans today while making an egg-and-bacon breakfast and boy, they are simply heavenly.

4. A friend of ours asked us if we would take care of her dog for a week. Since we have actually been thinking about getting a dog for ourselves, this was a great opportunity to see if we are ready for one. Brooke, the cutest golden retriever ever, is currently staying in our apartment. She is the perfect dog - however, we are lucky she is housebroken and well-trained which makes taking care of her very easy.

5. While this past week of endless snow days and being stuck at home was a nice change for once, I am ready to start school and work again. But wait, it's supposed to snow again tonight!

6. We filed for taxes this weekend and with the much higher tax return this year, we are planning on taking care of a few minor car issues while spending the rest on my citizenship process and a vacation later this year (hopefully!).

What are you excited and happy about?

While trapped in snow.

2010-02-10T11:57:00.005-05:00

Can you believe that we currently have our third snow day in a row? Collin has been off work/school for the past three days and so have I. This is where my lack of internet and blog-commenting time comes in because instead of wasting our snow days on activities like blog browsing, tweeting and/or video gaming, we have been spending lots of quality time with each other:

1. Watching the snow and taking our Jeep four-wheeling.

2. Spending our days and nights watching Lost, Modern Family (our new favorite) and Weeds (Sometimes I want to be like Nancy, minus the drug dealing part).

3. And indulging in massive amounts of junk food.

I have also engaged in some serious soul-searching in the past few days which has mainly been evolving along the lines of moving, job hunting and that job opportunity that I still need to hear back from. Being in limbo has never been fun but with Collin in the military our life has been nothing but that.

Luckily we have been able to work around this matter in a way I would have never expected us to. We both have been able to fulfill our dreams:

Collin is about to become a LPN (licensed practical nurse) and I am working on my graduate degree.

On the other hand there is so much more for us to accomplish. There are so many more things we want:

Collin wants to become a PA (physician's assistant) and consequently cross over from being an enlisted soldier to an officer.

I have been thinking about applying for Ph.D. programs after graduating with my graduate degree.

We both want kids and a house.

It sounds like a lot right now but even though I feel old sometimes, I can't forget that we are only 25 and isn't 30 the new 20 anyways?

By the way, it snowed.

2010-02-07T14:48:00.006-05:00

If I hadn't studied environmental engineering and if I never thought about teaching or math either, I would have definitely studied meteorology. I am obsessed with the weather. In fact, I could watch the weather channel for hours and hours and not get bored.

And as obsessed as I am, I actually embraced the Washington DC Snowmageddon. There is something entirely fascinating about storms and irregular weather patterns.

Saturday afternoon. It was still snowing.

Two feet of snow.

They didn't even bother plowing some of the side roads.

Walking through the neighborhood.

Walking through the neighborhood.

We had a great snuggly snowy Saturday with lots of movies, hot chocolate, junk food, and a short walk through our neighborhood.

How was your weekend?

The German Army Wife - Part 3.

2010-02-05T10:07:00.002-05:00

This post is not to generalize or describe a stereotypical German Army wife. This is all about me – a young adult who happens to be German and who is married to an Army combat medic. With this series I just want to write about me very own experiences, challenges and dreams as a military wife.

We have lived in the Washington DC area for about six months now which means that Collin is halfway done with his nursing course and we are technically halfway done with his one-year tour in DC (unless we decided to extend due to a job opportunity for me).

The biggest challenge for me has been finding friends. I try to stay open-minded towards everyone but when it comes to having deep discussions about life with someone I am generally very picky.

As to this point I haven’t found that perfect someone who I can call a good friend, who I can share stories about work or school with. It’s not like I am alone on weekends and have nothing to do besides watch TV and work on homework. We do have friends that we go to the bars or movies with. Most of them, however, are either single male or female soldiers or soldier couples.

Every now and then, when someone hosts a dinner, I get introduced to other wives who are not in the military but who, instead, have children. Don’t get me wrong: I adore children and recently I have suffered from baby fever a lot but I don’t want to talk about formula, diapers, or your baby’s progress all night.

I would love to find a friend who has the same goals in life as me, who is career-driven but who also has an open heart for family and who might even be military spouse because sometimes you just gotta vent and gossip about life in the military.

But as I am getting older, it will be harder to find that perfect companion. I mean, there are just not that many spouses in the enlisted (non-officers, for my dear readers who are not used to military talk) military who are 25-year-old graduate students with no children. While this might sound very stereotypical, it is the general truth in my opinion.

However, I am glad I have this internship and classes now. I am glad I get to go out to lunches with coworkers and gossip about class with my fellow students. But those little relationships won’t last. As soon as I make lasting relationships, we will have to move again.

Yes, that’s the military.

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To read more The German Army Wife posts click here.

Losing it: Week 5

2010-02-02T16:09:00.006-05:00

Last week was amazing. Not only did I have a busy schedule with full-time interning and both of my graduate classes that started on Tuesday and Thursday, I also squeezed in my scheduled runs. I didn't exactly follow the plan that I announced last week but that didn't matter because I still got in the mileage I was aiming for:

Monday: REST
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: REST
Thursday: REST
Friday: 2 miles
Saturday: 3 miles
Sunday: 4 miles

Total: 12 miles

Since it was snowing all weekend, I completed the majority of my runs on the treadmill. Two or three miles on the treadmill are fine but four miles? Time seemed to stand still during those last 10 minutes of running. Luckily Lady Gaga was pushing me to the end and I was able to complete my long run in about 39 min. Yay!

This upcoming will will look similar to last week. But I will increase my weekly mileage to 13 miles:

Monday: 2 miles (already completed with a 9:13-minute pace!)
Tuesday: REST
Wednesday: 4 miles
Thursday: REST
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: REST
Sunday: 4 miles

Total: 13 miles

I think I need to rename my project into "running it".

Happy exercising!