Safe, Sound and So far away...

Merry (belated) Christmas to all! I hope this post finds you all happy, healthy and geared up for the new year. Christmas was obviously not the same this year with Turner's absence, but we made the best of our current situation and had a peaceful and blessed couple of days. I spent Christmas Eve and day with my immediate family and four dogs...typical Burke gathering full of food, drink, laughing, and of course euchre. We decided to continue on with our annual tradition of eating Christmas morning breakfast at Waffle House, a tradition started way back in 1993, a tradition started on accident...breakfast that fateful morning was burned to a crisp so we had no choice but to venture out in our new surroundings and find the one restaurant open on Christmas day...flash forward 16 years later and it happens to be the one tradition we have kept constant all these years! This was the one thing Turner was really bummed about missing this year :(

Everyone got to skype with Turner for 3 minutes and 34 seconds on Christmas day, you've gotta love the internet connection in Iraq! I feel pretty fortunate that we were able to see his smiling face and wish him a Merry Christmas. He was also able to skype with his family in Richmond which I know made his day! Unfortunately with his new location, communication with Turner will be scarce. I ALSO got to skype the family in Richmond and was schooled by my nephew Grayson on all of the cars and their names he received for Christmas...I go up there in three weeks for a visit so let's hope I retained some of that knowledge!

I'm sure everyone knows by now but if you don't here is the update on Turner. He and a handful of others from India Co. were chosen to re-deploy from Iraq to Afghanistan. When he told me a few weeks ago my heart sank, but I know there is a reason my husband had to go and I know he is happy to do so...although I did pout for a good 24 hours ;) The move has already taken place and I received an email yesterday morning confirming he had arrived safely and was settling into his new, less accomodating surroundings. Turner is now living in a tent in a remote area of Afghanistan...the lows at night are in the 20's and he is now very thankful we sent warm blankets and a snuggie (hehe) before he left. He has posted his new address on facebook and I will send an email soon for those who want to send him packages...the need for items will be much more now that he has moved.

The rest of India Co. will be headed home to the states in just a few short weeks and any prayers for their safe travel home would be very much appreciated.

I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year and may 2010 be the best you've ever had!

Love to all,

Shannon

Ooops...It's been a while!

Hello family and friends! So sorry to have fallen behind on my 'blogging duties'. Things, as you can imagine, have been a bit hectic for the Kazmerowski household. The past few months at work have been very busy, but all good things. My plan of attack when Turner left was to keep myself as busy as possible and I can confidently say...mission accomplished! Between Junior League, OSDN, work and committee meetings I barely have time to take a breath and pet my sweet dog...but I'm not complaining, I feel very blessed to be a part of it all!

Turner's mom came over a few Sunday's ago and helped me drag a tree in the house and decorate for Christmas. I appreciated the help of course and had fun but it just didn't feel the same without Turner there trying to untangle lights and me going behind him and re-decorating the tree after he had put the ornaments on :) I realized recently we have been together for four Christmas' and spent two of them apart! For the holidays Gunny and I will be traveling all the way to my parent's house in Franklin to spend the time with my family, always a great time!

Gunny is experiencing her first Christmas and all that comes with it! She is constantly intrigued by the pumpkin spice candles burning, the smell of the tree and all of the shiney objects on it and it REALLY freaks her out when I wrap presents! So far, we've only lost one glass ornament to her wrath...I thought I would test her and leave her alone for a few hours out of the crate with the tree, not the best idea I've ever toyed with. I came home to find glass strewn up the stairs and leading under my bed where I found her and proceeded to scrape glass bits out of her mouth...better luck next year?

Turner Update: Turner is still in Al Asad (Iraq) for the time being. Changes are coming, however it is too soon to post them but I will be sure to update this thing when we can talk about them. He is doing very well, working hard and finishing up a semester in school! He has received several packages for Christmas from Harding Academy an enjoying the contents I'm sure :) He is still set to come home in the spring, but as you know anything can change! He has become an expert in skyping so if anyone has the program you can search for him and try to set up a 'skype' date! If you would like to send him any mail please hold off until after the new year. We will update you with a different address and then you can send him all the goodies you want!

I apologize again for my lack of commitment to the blog, I'll do better in the future...new years resolution??

Love to all,

Shan

Fall is here...wish you were too!

Aaahhh my favorite season is upon us and despite missing out on carving pumpkins with T and lazy football weekends with him, I'm enjoying it. I could do without the rainy weather that seems to never leave us, but I do love the fact that I can bust out my favorite boots and turn the air completely off in the house (yay electric bill!!). I went to Oktoberfest in the Germantown area of Nashville the weekend before last with family and friends to celebrate my and Daniel's birthdays...another year older and none the wiser! It was a blast, the music was great, the beer was cold and it was a perfect day! (Tera, Caroline, Blair and Me...cold but having fun!)

I've been fortunate enough to talk to Turner quite a bit (compared to last time) the past few weeks. He's finally settled in, if you can call it that, to his room and has spotty internet so feel free to email/facebook him and hopefully he'll be able to correspond with everyone much more this go around! We got to 'skype' (I know it sounds painful doesn't it?) the other day for the first time which was interesting, at the beginning of the convo Turner waved and then the screen froze mid-wave and stayed that way for the next 20 minutes! I guess complaining about a frozen screen really wouldn't be appropriate considering it hands down beats the satellite phones we had to use last time that came with a 30 second delay! Just an FYI, I sent Turner his first package the other day and it cost me an arm and a leg...I had no idea that you could go onto http://www.usps.com/ and they will send you boxes and packing materials and you can ship them at a flat rate for overseas military! So, if anyone wants to send him a package (email me if you need ideas!) use this method not UPS or FedEx!

It wouldn't be a Kazmerowski post without our latest Gunny story. Saturday morning I was sitting sipping coffee and listening to her run frantically back and forth upstairs and under the bed (she's almost too big for that now thank goodness!). I thought she was doing her normal 'psycho' phase for the morning and playing with her toys...WRONG! I walked upstair to make the bed and pick up the bedroom when I came across what was left of a hanger (see picture below) sitting on the carpet. I freaked out and started searching all over the upstairs for any trace of the missing arms of the hanger and of course they were nowhere to be found...THATS RIGHT, Gunny ate a hanger folks. We spent the next 24 hours watching her to make sure she didn't get sick and she seems fine, well physically she's fine but I'm convinced there is something mentally wrong with a dog that eats door frames, mulch, rocks and now hangers :)

Love to All,

Shan

Safe and Sound

Hello all! I know...lucky you two posts in a row :) I couldn't resist posting this news...just received my first official email from Iraq...sweet Turner has arrived safely and is getting settled into his new digs as we speak. He has finally found the internet over there but is still looking for the phones, you gotta love that...imagine having to search for a place to use a phone? He has posted his address on Facebook if anyone wants to send him a card, letter, etc..

And this wouldn't be the Kazmerowski Blog without another stinkin Gunny story...lately she's been waking up at about 2:30am and wanting to play, bark, etc. and this morning was one of those mornings. I finally got her outside for about ten minutes while I ran around frantically getting myself ready for work. When I opened the back door the little monster had dug about five new holes in the back yard and proceeded to bolt into the house and of course before I could catch her she had run up the carpeted stairs and through all three bedrooms with black, muddy paws...needless to say Chem Dry is coming on Monday to clean the carpets :(

P.S. 205 Days!

And he's off...

The bad news is...the day we've been dreading finally came yesterday as Turner and his fellow Marines from India Co. said goodbye to the comforts of home and took off for Iraq. I last heard from him as he was boarding the plane in New Hampshire to take them over to Germany (they had to take three flights in total) and even though he said he would call me from Germany I kind of knew in my heart it was the last time I would hear from him until he gets settled in his new digs.

The good news is...Turner sounded prepared, he sounded calm and ready to go, a vast difference from his tone in 2006. He assured me that this time around is different, the anxiety and fear is not what it used to be and while I know he was being the best husband in the world and saying those things to put my fears at ease I aslo think he said them because he truly meant them, at least that is what I am choosing to believe :)

And so the countdown begins, only 206 days to go...too early to start some may say but every day we count down is one day closer to seeing that gorgeous smile and those bright blue eyes come home! It's almost ridiculous how much more I miss him now that he is actually gone but I know this will make us stronger, not only as individuals but together and in our faith.

The funny news...Gunny is afraid of SCARECROWS! You heard me right, scarecrows :) We were taking our usual stroll at lunch on Monday and all of a sudden we start to approach a neighbors home with a life-size scarecrow and Gunny went NUTS! Barking, fur raised and retreating towards my legs...I couldn't help but chuckle while I was yelling at her to calm down, my big bad lab is afraid of straw...it's the little things :)

I hope this entry finds you all well and Turner if you get a chance to read this I LOVE YOU!

Love to all,
Shan

Soooo...It's been a while!

So sorry to fall behind on my blogging duties! So much has happened since I last updated this thing :) Turner came home for his pre-deployment leave on Labor Day...it was incredible to see him come down those stairs at the airport! He got into Nashville pretty late at night so we didn't have much time to visit and hang out that night because I had to go to work the next morning :( The first few days were rough on him as he was trying to catch up on some much needed rest and all the while he had a wife pulling at his sleeve to go to things...but after about three days he acclimated back to his old self and off we went! Gunny was a bit apprehensive when she first laid eyes on Turner, but you have to remember she was only 4 months old or so when he left....but not to worry she was back to her old self as his ever-present shaddow in no time!

We stayed in town the whole time in order to be able to see everyone we wanted to and get things done before he left. We had a small gathering at the house on the only Saturday he was home to try and get as many of his friends/family together all in one place to make it easier on him and it was a success! The visit home was awesome but I have to say ten days FLEW by. The last night we went to our favorite restaurant in Nashville and if you haven't been before it is a MUST! We dined at Chappy's on Church and had an amazing meal and celebrated the following...Turner's birthday, my birthday, the Marine Corps birthday, Veterans Day, Christmas, New years, Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day and Easter (whew!)...because those are all of the special days/holidays we are spending apart again :(

Regretfully I forgot to take a single picture! I still can't believe I did that but I was a little distracted :) Unfortunately Thursday came and I had to take our sweet T to the airport mid-day. I did great until we got out of the car in the parking garage and then I just lost it...you can think you are the strongest woman in the world but when your husband hugs you and starts to walk away for eight months even the strongest woman will turn to mush! Turner did a great job of assuring me we would get through this again and be better for it after it was all over.

I got a phone call from Turner this morning letting me know that he was heading to swim qual (whatever the heck that means!). We don't know when he will be leaving to go overseas but as soon as I know I will be sure to give everyone the details and an address if I have one!

Thank you to everyone who has poured support and love over us the past few months. Your continued support is very much appreciated.

So Love,

Shan

The Phantom Pooper...

Good morning all, and what an interesting morning it was in our house this morning! I was blowdrying my hair and all of a sudden I hear Blair screaming for me from across the hall. I swiftly ran to the hall thinking maybe there was a fire or she was hurt? Nope...she pointed in disgust to her duvet cover and my eyes shifted and then focused on an enormous piece of poo! Yep...our little sweet angel (more like devil dog) had jumped up on her bed and pooped. You have to understand, Gunny has not pooped or peed in the house in over 3 months! I ran downstairs and grabbed about half a roll of paper towels and came back up to retreive this foul thing from her bed only to discover there were two more huge pieces up by her pillow! I don't know what we did to make her mad, maybe she didn't get enough love this morning? Gunny's new nickname around town...the phantom pooper!

I hope everyone had a great day and this gave you a little chuckle (especially you Turner, XO).

Love to all,

Shan