Fair Square Exchanges

Here are all of the squares that I have sent and received in the Fair Square exchange in the last four months. I had a great time participating while I was deployed. Most of my stitching during deployment was for the exchange. I hope you enjoy! I loved all of the squares that I received from everyone. Thanks to Karen R., Melissa P, Nancy and Cyndi H!

"Italian Ice" - Just Nan
Stitched by Karen R (Australia)

"April Blocks" - Lizzie Kate
Stitched by Melissa P (MA)

"Egg Ornaments"
Designer: Linda Culp Calhoun (Leisure Arts: Holidays Remembered)
Fabric: 32 count Ivory Jobelan
Threads: DMC

"Snowy Night"
Designer: The Prairie Schooler, Inc. (2008 JCS Ornament Issue)
Fabric: 32 count Ivory Jobelan
Thread: DMC

"The Many Faces of Santa"
Designer: Leisure Arts Christmas Portraits
Fabric: 32 count Ivory Jobelan
Threads: DMC

Christmas Squares (I don't remember the name of the design right now)
Stitched by Cyndi H (CA)

Thanksgiving Squares (I think the main square was a Lizzie Kate design)
Stitched by Nancy

"Give Thanks"
Designer: Joan Elliot (Cross-Stitch & Needlework Nov 08)
Fabric: 32 count Ivory Jobelan
Threads: DMC

Home Again!

I'm home again! We pulled in two weeks ago in the midst of a lot of fog and rain. My sister was able to come out for our tiger cruise and spend the last day on board with me to see what we did. My husband and mom were waiting for us on the pier. It's great to be back stateside. I have a lot of stitching to update you all on, but that will have to wait for a massive picture post. I just wanted to do a quick post to say that I'm home and should be getting back into regular posting again soon. Happy Stitching!

DC Olympics and other updates

Well, first I need to share what's been going on for the last month. Around the time of my last posts I was at home (yes ... in the middle of deployment) waiting for my dear husband to return home from his deployment. My command allowed me to take leave to fly back home for a short period of time to see Justin. On the other side of the coin, he was allowed to get off the boat two days early since their homecoming date got pushed back four days (leaving us with about a day and a half together). So between the two commands we got to have four days together :). I had to fly out again on Christmas Day but we got to do our presents and hang out and even go to church together on Christmas Eve (you can probably count the number of times we went to church together in 2008 on two hands). Justin is enjoying his stand down and only having to be at the boat on duty days (for the most part). I'm enjoying the fact that communications are not hampered by XX ft of water.

Since I've been back to the ship, the major event that we have had is a change of command. (For you non-military types ... it's exactly what it sounds like ... a new Captain has assumed command of the ship and our old Captain headed back home). Of course this is somewhat unusual to do in the middle of deployment, but if that's when they rotate, that's when they rotate. It was definitely a laid back change of command. The uniform was coveralls or flight suits (typically it's at least a dress uniform such as summer whites or service dress blues). One benefit of being underway for the change of command. In addition, we will be getting a new executive officer (the second in command) shortly. So the command environment will be different when we return from when we left.

We have been keeping busy with various exercises. For the most part, it's somewhat boring and really turns into Groundhog's Day. So to break things up we do things like the "Arabian Gulf Games" which is a chance for the departments to compete against each other in various physical activities such as volleyball, soccer, dodgeball, tug-o-war, kickball and basketball. Yes, there is enough room to do some version of these activities on my ship. Most of the events were held in the well deck (where the LCACs (landing craft air cushion) and other amphibious vehicles are kept when embarked).

Today we had a DC (Damage Control) Olympics. It was a competition between the repair lockers (and a team from the staff) at various DC events. Repair lockers are a GQ (general quarters) station. When there is a fire, flooding, or other emergency, the equipment to fight the casualty can be found in the repair lockers. General quarters is a condition we go to in case of emergency (whether a main space (propulsion spaces) fire or an imminent attack). The repair lockers allow for damage control efforts to be organized. There are ten lockers on board my ship (due to its size). We competed in races to done FFE (fire fighting ensemble) and SCBA (the breathing apparatus), pipe patching, finding a fallen shipmate in an area that was dark and smoky and various other events. Each of the lockers was well represented. I believe my locker ended up right in the middle of the pack, which made me happy since during most of our drills, we aren't really involved. My locker provides the 5th or 6th relief team in case of a main space. Hopefully I have explained everything well, I know a lot of the terms will not be familiar to those not in the Navy.

We are past the halfway point and on the downward slope. I am looking forward to being home again. I hope the new year is treating everyone well. God Bless!

Fair Square Exchange Pictures

Here are the promised pictures from the Fair Square exchanges I have done:


The squares I stitched for Melissa for the Halloween exchange


The squares Melissa stitched for me for Halloween


The squares that Jayne stitched for me for the Autumn round


The squares I stitched for Jayne

Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the squares I stitched for Cyndi for the Christmas round, and the squares I stitched for Nancy for the Thanksgiving round haven't arrived yet. I have received squares from both Cyndi and Nancy but didn't take pictures before I left for home so I will post them later. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday! Some more pictures coming soon!

New Header

A big thank you to Becca for the awesome header she created for me. Now I have even more motivation to finally stitch up a SWO pin for myself (her original design used my pictures of the dolphins I stitched for the hubby ... though not quite appropriate for my blog). She was working on developing a portfolio to possibly start a shop for headers on etsy. She is just super talented in both photoshop type things and ink and paint artwork. I still need to get with her about the crest.

Stop by again soon ... I promise there will be a large picture update coming. Have a great day!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving ... a time of family, friends and a reminder every year to give thanks. However, thanks is something we should be giving each and every day. God has blessed us so much in our lives. There is always something to be thankful for, not matter what situation you are currently in.

Right now is a tough time for me in many ways, but in many ways it is actually quite easy. It is tough to be away from those I love for such an extended period of time. It is tough to not always have the communication I would like with others (especially my husband). It is tough to spend days in the confines of a vessel that's about 100ft by 900ft and about 3 stories that I actually spend time on. It is tough to not really be able to walk away from work ... to separate the various parts of my life.

However, it is easy because I am at most 15 min from anywhere I need to be. It is easy because I don't have to worry about cooking meals, or a place to rest my head. It is easy because I don't have to think about what to wear in the morning. It is easy because I have the priviledge of seeing an amazing amount of stars at night. It is easy because I am not going through this alone.

Thanksgiving is tough away from your family and friends. However, I am thankful for a command that cares and puts the effort into making it close to what it may be like at home. I am thankful for all the hard work that the CS's and FSA (culinary specialists and food service attendents) put in for the past week or so preparing the feast that we had yesterday. It was truly a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings.

I am thankful for so many things each and every day. I am thankful for:
- my husband first and foremost
- our family, immediate and extended
- the friends we have made along the way, that are there when we need them
- a home to return to at the end of this deployment
- a wonderful church home
- the advances in technology, that communications are a little easier now than they were 10 years ago
- a steady job
- each and every day I can enjoy God's creation

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. God Bless you all!

Time for another Update

I know it's been awhile since I've updated. First off, it was really exciting since I won Becca's giveaway on her blog. I'm looking forward to see what we come up with together for a family crest.

The main thing I have been working on are my squares for the Fair and Square exchange. I have received both my Thanksgiving and Christmas squares ... thank you Nancy and Cyndi! The squares I have stitched are on their way to their new owners. So I think I may be done with squares until I return home (depending on what seasonal and/or holiday rounds are coming up).

I am also almost done with the music piece that I started back in August. I'm just working on the detail work right now. I think when I finish that I will work on DH's stocking for awhile though I might start something else small ... who knows.

As for what I've been up to, it's been the same old, same old. It has definitely turned into ground hogs day around here. We are getting ready for our Thanksgiving celebration on Thursday.

Have a great day!