So... I didn't mean I don't blog anymore, I just meant I don't use Blogger's service anymore. I've discovered that some of you have tried to get into this blog since I switched to WordPress. Sorry for the confusion and I hope you will find us at our other blog, Evolutionarily. Oh, and in case you didn't know, we started our massage therapy business. Check out our website for Custom Comfort Massage Therapy, LLC.
We've moved our blogging to WordPress. Here's the new address: http://evolutionarily.wordpress.com.
I've used Blogger for 3 years so it's been hard for me to change, but I've been using WordPress for quite some time now for another blog and I like it so much better. I won't bore you with the details as to why I'm switching, just update your Blogroll/Links to our new address.
See your comments there!
I don't know if it's just me, but this year seems to have drawn an above average number of people who say, "Not Christmas music already!" I think it's pretty interesting how controversial the subject of radio stations playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving is. What I find to be humorous is that this holly-jolly-ness starting the day after Halloween has been going on for years and yet people still seem surprised when it comes along.
Okay, so it may be obvious that I'm one of those people...the kind who soak in everything about the Holidays, including getting a new Christmas music album each year. Because of this, I ask people every year why they don't like Christmas music before Thanksgiving. The number one answer? They feel like we're just skipping right over Thanksgiving. And then my response to this is "Why do you let it do that to you?" Every new version of "O Holy Night" I hear only adds to the greatness of my Thanksgivings.
Speaking of adding to Thanksgiving, I have a whole-lotta things to be thankful for this year. I won't bore you with my big LONG list of blessings, but I will dwell on a couple of them. I'm sure you can guess what I'm most thankful for, but I'll say it just so you know you were correct. I am most thankful for finally getting to go to see Coldplay in concert after years of waiting for the opportunity!
Not what you guessed? But of course, yes, it is unquestionably my Alan I am most thankful for. This is our first Holiday season together due to the fact that he was in Iraq last year. We both feel so grateful for all that is good in our lives. About our lives, I will borrow my favorite Thanksgiving quote by Abraham Lincoln, "No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things." (Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1863)
This Holiday season will be a memorable one for us as we hope it is for you.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Aside from the friends I left behind, there are two things I miss the most from living in Las Vegas. The first one is the restaurants--Viva Zapats and Memphis Barbeque, to name a few. The other thing I miss the most is watching the constant change in landscape. Not only did some new construction project pop up weekly, they were fast at getting it done. It was awesome. Hey, when you live in the land of desolation, you gotta look on the bright side...and wonder how anyone ever thought of living there in the first place.
But being the fanatic I am about going to the movie theater, I'm okay with this change. This new Cinemark, right next door to the dollar theater/Pirate Island Pizza (by University Mall in Orem), had their grand opening on Friday. Even though they didn't have anything playing that was on my "must see" list, Alan was good to humor me in being a small part of breaking in the new place. My friend Charlene would be proud. She's to blame for encouraging my movie feasting and I was wishing she was around to join in (and truly appreciate) my indulgence.
We saw Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. The funny factor and creativity made it worth seeing. Oh that King Julien! The bummer of the grand opening was that the theater furnace kicked on during the last 30 minutes and didn't turn off, making it feel like a convection oven. I guess the new Cinemark has some kinks to iron out. And--bringing my blah blah blah full circle--the layout of the theater is just like the one closest to where I lived Vegas including self-serve popcorn butter and all. Ahhh, home sweet home! (Tagged by Edith, only revised a little to combine questions from others I've seen.)
1. What is your husband's name? Richard Alan
2. Where did you meet your husband? On LDS Mingle.com, but we really count the official meeting 5 months later at a singles dance on a cold winter's day in January. Here's how it goes...
Alan: "I've been going to these dances for 10 years and she went twice!"
Lynsie: "He was just waiting for me to show up."
3. How long did you date before you got married?
Met (in person) - 1/19/07
First date - 1/20/07... and five weeks later...
Engaged - 2/24/07
Married - 4/28/07
I call it an arranged marriage.
4. How long have you been married? 18 months
5. What does he do that surprises you? Oh so many things. He's always surprising me with little acts of kindness like putting my clean laundry in the closet and drawers after folding it all or preparing my lunch or scraping the snow off my car this morning.
6. What is your favorite feature of his? His eyes, or maybe his broad shoulders. No, it's his voice. Hmmm... do I have to choose?
7. What is your favorite quality about him? His uncanny intuitiveness.
8. Does he have a nickname for you? He's not too fond of nicknames; he prefers to call people by their given name. On a rare occasion it's Lala.
9. What is his favorite sport? Football to watch. Dancing to perform.
10. When and where did you first kiss? At my apartment in Orem on our 3rd date.
11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Wow, that's a really hard question. Perhaps it is lying in bed talking and laughing in the dark just before we go to sleep. Aside from that I would have to say we enjoy trying new restaurants and ballroom dancing.
12. Do you have children? Not yet, but plans are still on for adopting Alan's niece Samantha sometime next year.
13. Does he have any hidden talents? I bet you didn't know he can move his hips on the dance floor like a Latino. Trust me, it's a coveted trait.
14. How old is he? 43
15. Who said "I love you" first? He did, but he said he knew I wanted to say it but was too scared, which is true.
16. What is his favorite music? I would have to say anything he knows. He station flips in his car until he finds something he can sing along with or tap his fingers to on the steering wheel.
17. What do you admire most about him? His consideration for others (not just me) in an every day, consistent way.
18. What is his favorite color? He gravitates toward earthy, rich colors, but he says it's purple.
19. Does he do laundry? Laundry, dishes, home maintenance, lawn mowing, organizing, cooking, grocery shopping... He came very well trained.
20. Will he read this? Yes.
I tag Corie, Trin, and Kacie.
The above statement is often said at our school by my favorite (of oh-so-many great) instructors, Jake Jarman. He's been known to exclaim this phrase after a student asks something like, "Massage Therapy can really do that!?"
Through our schooling instruction, responses from our clients, and being recipients of body work, Alan and I are constantly amazed by the complexity and the benefits of massage therapy.
It's not just about pampering and working out knots. Oh no, my friends, it's much more! Since this is National Massage Therapy Awareness Week, I thought I would share a few quick facts.
On to less trivial things. 
(allrecipes.com)
Week before last, we went to CA to visit Alan's family, to help clean out his parents' garage, and to spend time with Samantha. It was a really quick trip because of work and school, but we made some great memories.
A momentous occasion was getting the whole family out to dinner at Alan's dad's favorite steak house. Alan's dad is not able to get out of the house much because of his health so this was a rare treat. We were proud of Dad for mustering the strength to get out.
While Alan helped with the garage that day, Sam and I got to spend some time together. We went to lunch and then shopping for clothes. We had a great time. I had a nice chat with her about life and the future. It was a wonderful thing. We got back in time to go to dinner with the family.
We both miss Sam, but are happy with the leaps she seems to have made in bonding with us (as you'll see from the photos below). We're excited for our future with her--sometime in the Spring.
I left out the part of the story saying Alan didn't go with me to Les Miserables. He was going to, but then 2 things happened.
I have been tagged by Corie. I have to list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current goals, 3 current obsessions, and 3 random facts about myself. Then I tag 5 more people.
3 JOYS
1. Feeling that magnetic pull to my husband whenever he's near. Yes, it's true. I know we're still newlyweds, but I'm determined to be conscious of this effect often-- even when we are old and feeble.
2. Music
3. Learning about body work (aka. massage therapy, et al)
3 FEARS
1. Just the big stuff. Spiders, snakes, heights-- I'll deal. SO losing my child at Disneyland scares me.
2. Losing my husband (not at Disneyland).
3. Losing my parents before my future kids are old enough to know them.
3 CURRENT GOALS
1. Drink 64 oz. of water every day. It's not so much the drinking more water that is hard to get used to, it's the having to go to the bathroom every hour. Annoying! Does the body adapt? I haven't beeing drinking consistently enough to know yet.
2. Get straight A's in school.
3. Complement my husband every day.
3 CURRENT OBSESSIONS
1. Making sure I have some "down" time in my long days. Or else I feel crazy.
2. Studying the human body and it's ability to correct itself.
3. Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 read by Ron Pearlman, The Beast from TV's Beauty and the Beast series. "Let me not to the marriage of true minds..." Even 16 years after I thought it could be my favorite it's still my favorite.
3 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT MYSELF
1. I can fall asleep in less than 30 seconds, even if I'm only slightly tired. I'm learning to embrace this instead of be concerned.
2. One of my frivolous dreams is to own an endless supply of silver dangly earings.
3. I'm an expectant mother of a 9 year-old.
The people I tag are Amber, Elesa, Emilie, Katie, and Parker (possible people who may happen to read my blog from time to time). Have Fun!
If you haven't had a chance to go to the Tuacahn amphitheater for any production, you're really missing out. When you drive through those red cliffs near the entrance for the first time, don't be surprised if you have to remind yourself to breathe.
I went to Tuacahn for the first time this Spring to see Colbie Caillat in concert with my sister Emilie and her daughter Sydnie. Then two weeks ago Alan and I went down and met some friends for a double musical hitter of Big River and Les Miserables. The first night was Big River. The three hours in stadium seats and 90+ degree heat wouldn't have been quite so miserable had the play been enjoyable. (I know... that's what we get for going in late August.) Big River is a musical based on Huckleberry Finn adventures. I just was not impressed with the play itself. Neither the story nor the music was very memorable. On the high note (no pun intended), the actors portraying the slaves were fabulous and the real river flowing onto the stage was incredibly cool.
The next night was a whole different story-- in a lot of ways. The temperature dropped considerably and the play was fantastic. The actor portraying Jean Valjean was not the best of the bunch when he should be (his vibrato was a little flat), but his talent didn't detract from the rest of the performances. When Fantine started to sing "I Dreamed a Dream" her microphone went out and the orchestra compensated by turning their mics off as well. This resulted in the audience stopping whatever little noise we were creating. That silence was palpable and Fantine's performance was a wowser. The Thenardier's and Marius were the best imaginable.
I highly recommend the play and the theater. Les Mis runs through October 18th if you're interested.
A few weeks ago we were treated, once again, to a weekend getaway by the Army. As part of their Yellow Ribbon program to reintegrate the soldiers back into civilian life, they put on another seminar to go over information we've heard too many times to count. Fortunately the classes were optional. They mean well, but after hearing something so many times it starts to sound like gibberish.
That aside, all 450 soldiers and their families (not just their wives this time) were invited to stay at a hotel in Snow Bird for the weekend. What a beautiful drive!! I don't remember having ever been up Little Cottonwood canyon. Those rocky mountains are incredible! The Cliff Lodge is quite nice.
Checked in Friday evening and then Saturday was about classes and such. We went to the first one, but skipped the rest and opted instead for a nap and adventures in the beautiful surroundings, including a gander and a purchase at Oktoberfest. Then we rode the tram up to the top of the mountain and went on a four-wheeler tour seeing countryside you couldn't see otherwise. It was beautiful.
The Army also gave us Salt Lake Bees tickets for Saturday night. The Bees won against the Arizona Sidewinders. After the game we went home. We could have stayed another night at Snowbird, but we had some friends bunking down at our place for the weekend and we wanted to see them.
Then on Sunday, the official welcome home "Freedom Salute" was held at Abravanel Hall with Gov. Huntsman and the military commanders. They had a slide show from pictures of the deployment set to music and some speakers. Each soldier was presented with several items: an American flag folded in a triangle, set in a wooden case, as well as some medals, some lapel pins, and a kid's Army game. It was really a very nice way to put a cap on the deployment and honor the soldiers.
Here are a few photos of the weekend.
From here it looked like we were higher than any other peak in Northern Utah. It was amazing!
Coming down the mountain on the tram heading toward Snowbird.
I felt like singing "The hills are alive,..." Especially after hearing the yodelers at Oktoberfest.
Alan is to the far left, shaking the governor's hand before getting his awards. 
Checking out the goods.Hung out with all the fam a few weeks ago at Gooseberry Creek and an ATV adventure. Much fun!
I love this picture of my odlest nephews and niece Weston, Isabella, and McKay. 
Beautiful fun!
See these clouds? We journeyed right into this as they dumped on us which only made the fun more adventurous. Rain, slippery mud, and puddles oh my!
You should have seen us before the mud dried.
Mary's Lake on our ATV journey. Watching one fish jump after another.
My brother Sam and his wife Trin. I love this picture also.
Joe's Valley Marina.
That person above my head is going down the Extreme Zipline. Not as scary as I thought it would be. It was very fun!
I want to share an experience relating to pepper spray that a very inspired Army Chaplin shared in sacrament meeting while I was in Iraq.
Let me start by filling in some details. I was flown along with 449 other Utah National Guard soldiers to Fort Bliss which is in El Paso, TX. This is where I would spend the first three months of my 12 month deployment training. Actually, we did all of our physical training in New Mexico just north of El Paso at a place called Camp McGregor.
Some of the things we were trained on were self defense techniques; convoy maneuvers while being shot at, reacting to IED's (improvised explosive devices, aka road side bombs); becoming familiar with and qualifying with different weapons such as M16's, machine guns, and grenade launchers; how to guard detainees and react to riots; exposure to tear gas, and pepper spray, and many other life saving disciplines the Army thought was good for us to learn and know.
The Military has the mind set of preparing for the worse possible situation, so that is what we are trained for. And unfortunately because of that mentality it causes many of the soldiers to view life that way. I have been taught that if you expect the worst you will get the worst because that is what you are thinking the most about. So, if we can think the worst and it comes to pass, think about what you want the most and see what happens.
Okay, back to the pepper spray. At the beginning of a three day self defense class, we were informed that we wold be sprayed with the highest level of pepper spray. This was so that if ever we were in a situation where we had to engage the detainees physically where pepper spray had been used or would be used, we would have the advantage because of already being exposed to it. Yeah right! What we didn't know was that we would have to use five of the self defense techniques after we were sprayed and we wouldn't be able to wash the spray off until we did all five in a satisfactory manner. A week or so before we were sprayed we were in the area where the spraying would be taking place. We saw other soldiers being sprayed and having to use the same techniques that we would have to use. Needless to say there was a lot of anticipation and nervous laughter. I added some pictures so you can get an idea what it was like for us.
We are told to close our eyes and pull our lips in so we don't get any in our mouths. Then the instructor stands four feet away and sprays the pepper spray across our eyes. We are told not to rub our eyes because it will make it worse. The first thing we all wanted to do was rub our eyes but no one did. Then we are told we can't leave to begin the exercise until we open our eyes so they can see them. The last thing we wanted to do was open our eyes. Some guys even tried to pry their eyes open because they couldn't just open them.
I put this picture in just so you can see what the first reaction looks like. For one man it literally knocked him on his butt. We are lead from here to our first task. To get to the first exercise we had to follow the man's voice that was leading us because we coun't see.
This is me. The first thing we have to do is take this man down using one if the self defense techniques. Then we yelled certain commands to him like, "Turn your head away from my voice. Extend your free arm and put it in the small of your back. Cross your legs and bend them". Then you say "Cuff. Cuff" to simulate putting cuffs on him. If these commands aren't said right we had to stay there until we got them right.
The nest task is to use our weapon and whack this pad while yelling "Uhrga", which means "back" in Arabic. If you don't yell loud enough, like I didn't, you have to stay there until the instructor could hear you.
We are then lead here where we stand in the middle of these guys holding pads. We then had to yell again "get back" as these guys turned in a circle and we had to turn with them and hit the pads from side to side. By this time some of the guys were able open our eyes, but it still hurt badly.
We then come to this guy who is swinging his stick at us and we have to defend ourselves. He isn't swinging hard and he is being careful that he doesn't hit our fingers. That is a good thing.
The last task is to once again take a person down, but this time we use our stick by first striking him in the gut. One man missed his mid section and hit him in the throat and dropped him like a brick. He was okay.
After going though all of those exercises we came to the end where someone is waiting to take us to the water to wash off. For some they still can't see. It is quite an emotional experience.
We are given baby shampoo and told to put in our eyes and wash them as well as we can. It is hard to put shampoo directly into your eyes when all of your life you avoid that because it burns. As if anything could really burn as bad as pepper spray! The hard part from here is leaving to make room for others to come. The water feels so good!
The last feel good station is in front of these fans. Again, it is hard to move on so others can benefit.
When I was finished I put my sunglasses on and found a place to sit with my eyes closed for about 15 minutes. After that I was able to squint for a while before I could finally open my eyes completely. The discomfort for me lasted the rest of the day. For others it was a day or two before the burning went away. Dispite all of this, most of us were able to laugh and share how hard it was. We were ALL grateful it was over with.
This is where the inspired Chaplin shared what he learned from this. (By the way, the Chaplin didn't have to go through this because as a Chaplin in the military they are nonviolent and don't have to fight or carry a weapon.) He said the pepper spray is like sin. We know what we are going to do isn't right and goes against what we believe, and eventually will us cause pain, but we do it anyway. We close our eyes to truth and we are left to ourselves to wander. But there is always a voice calling us and if we will listen it will direct us off the path we have chosen to a path that will lead us to light. As we choose to get off the path there is Someone waiting to take us in His arms and carry us to be cleansed. He will lead us to what is required of us to fully repent. But sometimes the effects of sin can take a while to overcome. The pain still lingers but as time passes on we come to our self again and can see and are healed.
I am sure we have all experienced this at some time in our lives and can all relate. I am grateful for a Loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and all of my friends and new family members that love me and accept me.
After thinking of little else, we have decided to bring Samantha out permanently next Spring or Summer, after we are a little more prepared for her all the way around. Alan and I will both be done with school and available for her, we will have time to let her adjust to the idea by bringing her out to visit, and... it just feels right.
We always felt good about adopting Samantha, but having it happen immediately felt very unsettling. We don't really know how serious Jean's health is because she hasn't gone to a doctor, but she agreed that we should be more prepared for her and that she would be fine to keep doing as she has done. We didn't want to bring Sam here and then not be home with her. Sure we could quit school, but that has all fallen into place so perfectly we don't feel like we can ignore that. The great thing about her current situation is that she is in a home where she knows she is loved.
In the mean time we'll keep praying for Alan's parents and keep in touch with Samantha to make sure she knows we're serious. Alan just got a bunch of photos printed of our trip and we'll put those in a little album and mail it to her. We are really looking forward to the day when we have Samantha. I find myself plugging her into everything we do, especially family events (like going to the rodeo last night), and get excited to share those experiences with her. There will be plenty of those to come. It'll all work out as it should.
We had a great time with Samantha at Disneyland and the beach. She's an affectionate, well mannered, smart, sweet girl with a beautiful smile and striking blue eyes. After we took her back to her grandparents, we all sat down with her to ask her what she thought about our adopting her. She was very pleased with the idea. She had some questions and we did our best to answer those.
Alan and I have begun taking the steps to make the adoption happen. This is a big change for all of us and will take some time to work everything out, but we are honored, humbled, and excited at the opportunity to have Samantha be a part of our family. We'll let you know how it goes.
I didn't intend to get wet just yet. The wave caught me before I changed into my swimsuit.
In case you're wondering, our shirts say "Charity: Water." - an organization we supported. Of course Alan's shirt message "Water." was just asking for Grizzly River to dump on him.
I'm mooching off of Elesa again for a brain break of a quiz.
1. How do you feel about Country Music? I have a select selection of it.
2. How many curlers do you wear in your hair at night? Who does that anymore? No headache for me, thanks.
3. What is the last book you read or are reading? Text books are my companions these days. Fiction is sorely neglected!
4. What 3 movies would you take to a Desert Island (this is of course assuming that you could watch them there)? Oh goodness, my worst nightmare! Umm, off the top of my head: Sabrina (1995) for the love story; On Moonlight Bay for the music and my childhood favorite, Doris Day; and Meet Joe Black for the wisdom in the words, spectacular set design, and especially the acting.
5. What 3 TV shows on disc would you take to a Desert Island? Gilmore Girls Season 3 for laughs; X-Files for its awesomeness; Man vs. Wild. I've never seen it, but it might have some good tips.
6. Does this quiz stink? I can't smell it.
7. Name your 3 Favorite Fruits. Peaches, grapes, and strawberries.
8. What is in the Back Seat of your car right now? A package of pretzels and a package of Triscuits (emergency lunch).
9. When was the last time you threw up? About a year and half ago. It got me out of a date and that's a good thing.
10. What is your favorite curse (not cuss) word? The keyboard symbols @#$#.
11. Name one thing you are really good at. Being stubborn.
12. Name one thing you are really bad at. Missing corners of walls, desks, tables, beds,...all of them! Just ask my legs.
13. What 3 books would you take to a desert island? Aside from the obvious, The Power of Positive Thinking, Jane Eyre, and The Hero and the Crown.
14. Name your 3 favorite drinks. Coke, Crystal Geyser's sparkling Key Lime, and Stephen's French Vanilla Cocoa with a dollup of Postum.
15. When you were a kid, how did you get your candy fix? My mom tells me I stole it from the store.
16. Name your 3 Favorite Vegetables. Brussel Sprouts, asparagus, collard greens.
17. Which Bear is Best? J Bear, she's a beautiful girl, inside and out (a.k.a. Jerika Morgan).
18. What is your favorite Ice Cream Flavor? Homemade Chocolate.
19. What was the last thing you ate? Naan, yogurt, and fruit for lunch.
20. What is the last sporting event you watched? Diving Olympic Trials. We may have to get TiVo just for the Olympics.
21. What are you doing tomorrow? Work and anatomy cadaver lab at UofU.
22. Are you free on Saturday night? No, never again and happy to say so.
23. How much liquid can your belly button hold? 1/4 tsp
24. What is your first thought when you hear "Australia"? I want to sing about a Vegemite Sandwich.
25. How many states have you been to? 27 - Wow, I'm going to have to do something about that. 26. What is the biggest annoyance in your life right now (besides this quiz)? That I can't be home and at school at the same time.
27. How did you get one of your scars? The only not-so-unique scar story is tripping over a sprinkler at age 6 and gashing my head open. Mom's green scarf came in real handy to convert my head into a pumkin stem for Halloween.
28. What did you learn from Encyclopedia Brown? I'm getting an image of my 4-H days. Don't know why.
29. Do you really want to answer 2 more questions? Bring it on.
30. Didn't think so! Wait! I'm not done. I'll add my own quiz question.
31. If you could (or wanted to) change your name, what would you choose? (Somebody at work asked that and I thought it fit the profile of this quiz.) I would choose Sartorius. Ask me class mates about that one.
Your turn. Post yours on your blog.
We live in Spanish Fork, where there is still that great small town feel. We love it here and these are examples of reasons why.
After Alan arrived on Wednesday, we were originally going to stay at a hotel close to Camp Williams because we needed to be there early the following morning for the soldier's last official reporting for their tour of duty. If we went home we would have to wake up extra early. When the troops arrived two hours earlier and it was mid afternoon, Alan decided he would rather just go home. There were, however, some little elves preparing to carry out some well laid plans.
As we were watching a movie that night, Alan heard some talking near the front door and I hurried and covered his eyes telling him he couldn't look. Then we heard some pounding that went on for quite a while. He did well at keeping his attention on the movie, but after the movie was over he said, "Can I go look now?"
(Lens cover didn't open completely.)
People were coming out of homes, businesses, and stores to waive, clap, or give the thumbs up. People in their cars driving by were waiving, taking video with their cell phone, honking, and all the above gestures. One group of guys at the tire shop came out and all pointed to their sign that said, "Welcome Home Troops". As we turned the corner by the city center, there was a crowd of kids and adults on the corner and one man even got out of his car at the stop light to stand and waive his flag.
A perfect day!
Thank you to all who called, emailed, posted messages wishing us well and sharing in our excitement. It means so much to us.
Reporters were at every turn. Here's the event captured in photo and video by ABC 4 News. Alan appears, coming out of the plane, at approximately 1:39 into the footage.
Alan had his camera, I had mine and my dad had his. My dad's photos will come soon, but here are moments from the other cameras. Several of these are taken about the same moment, from my view and then Alan's view.
His view
His view 1
His view 2
His view
His view
His view
My nieces and nephew made this poster.
To be continued...Alan arrives tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at the Salt Lake City National Guard air base. They originally were scheduled to come in at 3:00 p.m., but Air Force One being at the air base caused some rearranging. At least we still get to go to the air base. There was a rumor that we would have to wait for them at Camp Williams which would mean we wouldn't get to see their plane land, which means we would be crammed in a gymnasium waiting, which means we would miss the anticipation of watching them come off the plane, which means we'd still be excited. Two hours earlier and at the hangar, however, is better than the original plan. No complaining here.
Here we go, embarking on our new adventure!
I'm really enjoying this "earlier than expected" stuff, as in getting an exact day of arrival earlier than 24 hours before it happens. Alan said today that they are for-sure arriving on Wednesday. They are not sure on a time yet, but it is looking like around 2:00 or 3:00. I will probably know more by tomorrow.
Let me know if you are coming to the airport and I can email you directions.
The Open House will be on Saturday, from 11:00 to 1:00 at our house. We'll gather out in the yard where there will be warmer weather than of late, plenty of crowd space, good food, pictures of Alan's adventures, and -best of all- Alan.
I posted an entry stating Alan had arrived in the U.S. and two minutes later things changed with more progress.
It was so great to hear Alan's ring tone on my cell phone a few moments ago. They arrived in Texas around 2:30 this afternoon. There was a band and officers there to welcome them.
I hadn't heard from him all day yesterday so I wondered if he might already be on his way out of Kuwait, but talked myself out of that one thinking it was WAY too early. But then he called from Germany last night and again from Maine this morning. He spent less than 24 hours in Kuwait and was happy about that. I was so excited to hear the news that he was on his way last night that I walked back into school and announced it to my whole class. Of course there were many cheers.
The Open House is tentatively scheduled for next Saturday, the 31st. Yes, it could be that early! Again, I won't know until maybe 24 hours before he's set to arrive.
I will post more details here very soon, including a time for next Saturday's shabang. Hopefully I will know an exact arrival date by mid-week.
Let the celebration plans begin!
This just in:
At 6:45 p.m. Utah time, Alan called from his very own cell phone and left me a message saying he had arrived at Camp Buehring around 4:30 a.m. Kuwait time. I was headed to school in taking-finals mode and didn't know he called until I was on my way home a few hours later. Sad to have missed his call, but so happy to hear the excitement in his voice to be at this stage in the process. He is safe and well. I'm looking forward to being able to talk to and text him since he has cell service now.
Phase 2 is arriving in Texas. Phase 3 is boots on home soil.
They pulled the guys out of Camp Bucca alphabetically which meant that Alan was one of the last in his company to leave. He said the building they live in is the size of a double wide trailer and is divided into quarter sections, each section holding 8-10 people. He spent the last day and a half "home alone" as he called it.
They'll be in Kuwait a few days and then fly to the States where they will do the Out Processing which will take a while. Some of your guesses on a for-sure arrival date are as good as mine, others are... well, we won't even go there.
Did I mention that I'm excited?!
Thanksgiving at Camp Bucca 
Men offering to let the soldiers ride their camels.
Convoy Team
On the job II.
On the job.
Ziggurat near Tallil:This city, which is mentioned several times in the Bible as Ur of the Chaldees (referring to the Chaldeans, whom settled in the area about 900 BC) as the birthplace of Prophet Abraham "Ibrahim Al-Khalil" (pbuh), was one of the most important cities of the Sumerians in the 4th and the 1st half of the 3rd millennium BC. It was also considered as one of the most active and full of life cities in southern Mesopotamia during the following centuries. In former days it stood on the banks of the Euphrates, until the river changed its course.
Ur was the principal center of worship of the Sumerian moon god Nanna and of his Babylonian equivalent Sin. The massive and impressive ziggurat of this deity, one of the best preserved in Iraq, and one of the most famous historical monuments in the World, stands about 21 m above the desert."
(http://www.atlastours.net/iraq/ur.html)
One of many convoys.
"The Vehicle"
Alan's nook and cranny.
Kuwait 2007
The Departure: June 12, 2007That's the million dollar quesiton. And we appreciate all the asking. Anyone want to make a guess at the time and date? I'll give a prize to the person with the closest guess. Sorry, we don't have a million dollars to give, but we might consider naming our first child after you. Better yet, how does this sound? The winner will be the first one I call to let them know Alan is on his way.
We decided this blog is going to be a good way to give a play by play that the questioning seems to be driving at. Please check back here, at least by the end of May, to see how close your guess was.
While we are waiting for news of an exact date, I thought I would let you all know what we have planned for his homecoming. (I'm so happy to finally be writing this kind of stuff!)
All of our family and friends are welcome to come to the airport when Alan arrives and/or to the Open House, which will be held the Saturday after he gets home. The Open House will be an afternoon barbecue at our place in Spanish Fork. I've already warned my neighbors and landlord. We will not know an exact date for the Open House until Alan is on his way.
Here's the scoop on the actual arrival (as explained in our little meeting two weeks ago): Since they are such a large group of guys, they can't all come home on the same flight. We might not know which plane Alan is on either. I will either get a phone call from Alan or from our Family Readiness Group leader about 24 hours before, telling us a time they should be arriving. They ask that we come one hour early because sometimes the planes arrive earlier than planned. That means we could be at the airport waiting in the hangar for a few hours. Be prepared to wait (a fold up chair is a great idea). They ask that we don't bring balloons for safety reasons, but signs and flags are acceptable.
Please email me if you want to come to the airport (lynsiepentico@gmail.com) and I will send you directions to the hangar.
Soldier Pentico's report as of today: They are testing the soldier's blood at Camp Buehring for chickenpox and releasing those with a negative result to Camp Bucca as they go. Replacement soldiers have started to arrive at Camp Bucca- Alan saw some of them being shown around the facility. That means they're making progress. Wahoo!
Today was one of those blessed days I got to talk to Alan on the phone. It was his day off. He said the flights and the replacements are on hold due to an outbreak of the chickenpox at Camp Buehring in Kuwait. No one is flying in or out of Buehring until further notice. I didn't think to ask Alan, but didn't they get a chickenpox vaccination amidst all the other inoculations prior to deployment? Alan is well; that's the most important thing.
In order for Alan and the guys to pull out of Iraq (hopefully in the next few weeks), the weather has to cooperate so helicopters can fly in. They typically only fly two days a week as it is. The latest news from Alan is that the winds have calmed so the replacement troops should be arriving at any moment. Please pray for the winds to remain calm so the boys can come home soon.
My guess is it looked something like this:4/30: We are all hoping the helicopters start flying our replacements in today. The weather hasn't been the best which is why we haven't heard any come in yet. And speaking of weather. We had the worst sand storm here that I have ever experienced. It was cool! It was like living on Mars. I noticed that it was
getting a bit darker around 1500 but didn't think much about it until one of my
roommates came in and closed the window. When I turned to look why he was doing that I saw that it was orange outside. My roomie asked if I wanted to see what a real sand storm was like. I got my camera and went out and took pictures and some footage. The visibility was about 100 yards. It lasted about an hour and then it was gone. I talked with some of the guys that saw it coming and they said it was a big orange wall coming from the south. I feel sorry for the guys and anyone that was stuck in it.5/1: The weather is wonderful today which means the flights will be going
on this evening. We are all happy to hear that. A lot of us have been
hearing phantom helicopters. The Chaplin thought he heard one today
and it was just a humvee driving on the gravel. I think that is a sign
that we are all ready to get outa here!
CNN was at Camp Bucca a few weeks ago. As the reporter says, they were the first camera crew allowed into the facility.
The cat walks and small buildings overlooking the facility you will see in the videos below are where Alan was working as a guard for a few months. He said he was working that day, but he's not on camera. It's great to have something more concrete to picture in my mind after hearing Alan's experiences. It's also interesting to learn more about what goes on there.
Video 1: Inside Iraq's Main Prison
Video 2: Inside Camp Bucca
So at about 2:30 this afternoon, Brittany, the receptionist at work, walks up to me at my desk with this lovely floral arrangement.
Behind her, in walks my mom and my nephew, Gavin. Apparently Mom was recruited by Alan to carry out a plan for our anniversary and have 7 vases of flowers delivered to me at work--one vase for each room in our house and one for my desk. I know Alan didn't expect my mom to deliver them, but being the mother she is, she personally picked out the flowers, put them in an arrangement, and delivered them to me herself. She had just come from Cedar City (3 hours South) to pick up Gavin so she could tend him for the week while my brother Parker is out of town and my sis-in-law, Jennie, has work on top of work. I work in Provo and it is NOT on the way home to Elmo from Cedar City.
Mom, thanks a million for your sacrifice and efforts. (We all try to hold her back--for her own sake--but it just doesn't work.)
(Work Desk)
(Living Room coffee table)
(Yeah, that's my laundry these days. On the bed in the spare room.)
(Master Bedroom)
(Dining Room)
(Bathroom)
(Home Office/Library)Tomorrow is our 1 year anniversary. I can't believe it's been a year already. And it's time to get this blog updated. I've tried to revamp this blog for some time, redoing the photos so that our web albums are not available online to the general public and put back some of Alan's pictures from Iraq. I've discovered that task is far, far too time consuming for my recently limited time available so I'm just going to start from here and move forward.
This is the place to find the happenings of our lives, our own little planet. I feel bad that I haven't kept this up as a way of informing you all about Alan and his deployment, but I think he has checked in with all of you... like I said, we're moving onward and upward!
Alan's down to a month or so left in Iraq. If you haven't read my other blog entry yet, my excitement overfloweth and you can read it here. I am, however, always willing to express it again. Yippee! Wahoo! It's about time! Bring it on!
Please check back here for the latest on his homecoming.
Alan News: SPC Pentico started a new job yesterday. He's no longer guarding the detainees. He is now filling in as the Assistant to Chaplin Anstead. He has worked some with the Chaplin in his position as the LDS Service Member Group Leader, coordinating church services, and has been impressed with him. This Assistant position could turn into a permanent thing once he takes the training. That will probably happen after he gets home. Either way, he's excited for the opportunity and it sounds like the Chaplin is happy to have him. I'm sure it will be a great experience for them both.
Alan said yesterday that he worked on getting blisters on his thumb from blowing up yellow balls for the families of the detainees at the facility to visit their sons/husbands/fathers. Other than that, his responsibilities consist of a little body guarding for the Chaplin and going with him to visit the soldiers. I will fill you in on the details I can as they come. Stay tuned...
Lynsie News: In addition to counting down the days, I have gone back to school. I started at Utah College of Massage Therapy on March 17th and absolutely love it. I am in the night class/year long program. Between working and school, the biggest challenge is accepting the fact that I can't get everything done that I used to. But it's all good.
I'll be back when I have more news to share. Love to all!
Dancing the waltz to "Under the Bridges of Paris" from the movie Shall We Dance.
I chose my wedding dress in large part for it's flowing material, but it still made the dancing twice as hard. We had only practiced once with the dress and it didn't fair well. Alan was patient with amateur me.
Video taken and narrated by sister-in-law, Jennie. Getting the setting before the party is started.
Yes, we decided to swap hair hues. And we're Elfaba's relations now. Alan's the shirtless cool guy growing a goatee; I'm the... speckled chick longing for the 80's pony tail days.
