Peace Out Chaba!

Well, yesterday was spent indoors due to Typhoon Chaba! We had been hunkering down for the last day and a half in anticipation of the storm. We woke up to loud, strong winds and side ways rain (You know a Typhoon is coming when the rain goes sideways). By the time Chaba made its way towards the Ryukyu Islands, it was a Category 4 Super Typhoon. This means the winds were between 131-155 mph! We, thank goodness, only felt the outer bands of with wind gusts no more then about 80 mph! Below is a satellite image of Chaba! We are that little tiny island the arrow is pointing to!

We didn't have any damage to our house, because these houses are made of pretty strong concrete and storm windows. We did have some debris in our back yard, however. With the winds so high, palm branches from palm trees and limbs from other trees were whipping around outside. I wanted to get a few photos so everyone could get an idea of what we went through, but the photos don't do the wind or storm justice!

Notice the debris. That was flying around.

More debris. Our yard started to flood, but thankfully it didnt flood more than this.

Weathering the storm.. haha

Today, after the gym, I headed down to the beach, like I always do. The waves were still gigantic (for Oki) so of course, I had to get some photos. There was also a lot more shells on the beach due to the waves pushing them in! Click here to check them out! We are really thankful that there was no real damage. I don't think there was much damage done of base whatsoever! Thank you Lord! All I have to say now is, Peace Out Chaba! Thanks for being gentle on us! 

Just an update

It's been a few days since I have last wrote on here, so I figured it was time! We have a typhoon heading our way, so I'm not sure what the next few days will be like. We could very well be without power for a few days, but I'm hoping that isn't the case. I guess we'll see.


I have been working on something new, however. Lately, I've been inspired when there is a camera in my hands. I'm not sure if it's a calling, or just a phase, but I'm becoming obsessed with photography and taking photos. I'm not very good at it, nor do I know what I am doing. But I hope to get a new SLR camera soon, so maybe by then I will know a thing or two. I figured people were getting tired of me posting photos on Facebook, so I decided to start a website. I had one when we first got here, but I didn't keep up with it, so I just started a new one. It's not completed by any means, but I am totally up for suggestions on how to improve it (Steph, that's your cue!). You guys will have to let me know what you think! :)

This is the day, the Lord hath made

This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Today has been such a good day for me. Lately, I've been feeling kind of down and homesick. I realized that I needed to get out of that rut and get over it. I woke up somewhat early today (well earlier then I usually do). I cleaned the house pretty darn good. I did a few loads of laundry to finish up what I didn't get done last night. And then made my way to the gym. I had an especially good workout today. I did the elliptical for an hour and did 6 miles and burned roughly 700 calories! YEAH! Not to mention I ran a few of those miles in 8.5 minutes.. which is fantastic for me! I'm usually about 9.75 - 10 minutes. So that was awesome. I love going to the gym at Torii Station, not only because it's hardly busy, but because it's right on the beach. I'm so lucky that I get to see the beautiful sight of the ocean every day! I went down to the beach after my workout just to get some sun and take a walk. I just wanted to clear my head of a few things. But the water was glistening so much that I just had to get a few photos! I figured I would share some with y'all!

My favorite place on island

Nothing but blue skies & blue waters

JC <3's MC :)

love love love these gorgeous flowers

I realized that I need to be more grateful and thankful for what I have in my life. I've just been so stuck on being homesick and kind of moody, that I am forgetting how lucky I am. I have an amazing husband who I love dearly, great family, and fantastic friends. And I get to live in this beautiful oasis for the next 2.5 years. I guess the next time I start feeling down, I just need to remember how truly lucky I am to have all those great things in my life! Hope everyone has a blessed day!

101 in 1001

A few days ago, a friend of mine posted on her blog about a project called Day Zero. Basically, you make a list of 101 things you want to do in 1001 days. The list doesn't have to include huge goals. It can simply be painting your toenails. I think this will be fun to do, and might help me keep track of things I really want to get done. So here goes nothing. Hopefully in 1001 days, which is July 18, 2013, I will have my list completed. 


1. Go back to school and actually graduate with a degree.
2. Get a job I enjoy.
3. Move back to the states.
4. Have a baby, or two.
5. Vacation in Hawaii.
6. Get my hair cut and colored.
7. Learn more about photography.
8. Finish unpacking from moving here.
9. Lose 30 more pounds. 
10. Visit family and friends in Ohio.
11. Vacation in Tokyo again.
12. Buy new living room furniture.
13. Get rid of my Facebook.
14. Go deep sea fishing.
15. Go camping.
16. Learn to become a better cook.
17. Get a pedi from CoCoK's.
18. Lay out on the beach.
19. Help someone.
20. Meet a few new friends in Oki.
21. Go back to church.
22. Vacation in New Zealand.
23. Become a vegetarian for a month.
24. Get my next tattoo, a half sleeve.
25. Skype with Stephanie.
26. Skype with Alicia.
27. Skype with my momma.
28. Skype with my brother.
29. Buy new clothes.
30. Start a small business.
31. Visit the Sullivan's in England.
32. Become a better house keeper.
33. Get extensions.
34. Vacation in Australia.
35. Get my tattoo on my foot touched up.
36. Bake chocolate chip cookies.
37. Go to a Halloween party.
38. Get dive certified. 
39. Visit the Largo's in Alaska.
40. Make a scrapbook.
41. Go scuba diving.
42. Drop 3 more jean sizes.
43. Dance with my husband in the rain.
44. Make a wish at 11:11 on November 11, 2011 (Stole that from Steph).
45. Go home for Christmas.
46. Take an undisturbed bubble bath.
47. Deep clean my house.
48. Move off base.
49. Figure out what I want to do with my life.
50. Be a stay at home mom for a bit.
51. Rekindle a relationship with an old friend.
52. Sing Karaoke.
53. Get a boob job.
54. Make my parents and in-laws grandparents.
55. Sell the Yukon, or pay it off.
56. Drink a margarita.
57. Get a California King with new bedding.
58. Have family pictures taken.
59. Learn Japanese.
60. Coach a cheerleading squad. 
61. Run a mile in under 10 minutes.
62. Learn to rock climb.
63. Donate to charity.
64. Learn to try, eat, then love sushimi.
65. Teach myself more about HTML.
66. Make friends with a Japanese person.
67. Order new contacts, and actually wear them.
68. Learn to love yoga.
69. Fly my brother out to Okinawa for a visit.
70. Buy a fence for our backyard.
71. Learn to paint.
72. Plan a wedding. One of my friends needs to get engaged :)
73. Save money for our future.
74. Have a BBQ.
75. Clean out/put away my spare bedroom
76. Become a healthier eater.
77. Run a 5k.
78. Have a candle lit dinner for 2.
79. Clean out my closet.
80. Go to the movies.
81. Go hiking.
82. Prepare a meal using a recipe by Bethenny.
83. Try a Skinny girl Marg.
84. Achieve a 6 pack.
85. Clean out my car.
86. Have a bonfire and eat S'mores.
87. Go to a high school football game.
88. Read a good book.
89. Throw a Halloween party.
90. Conquer the little black dress.
91. Learn more about the reproductive system and infertility.
92. Play in the snow.
93. Visit my great Aunt & Uncle in Cali.
94. Convince my parents to fly to Japan.
95. Play Wii.
96. Make a pumpkin roll.
97. Pass out candy for Halloween.
98. Take a romantic vacation with my hubby.
99. Get a tan.
100. Be happy.

Hi, My name is Jenny

So I haven't blogged in a while, and I'm actually at a loss for words (or interesting things to talk about). I figured since almost everyone has an 'about me' blog, I might as well do one! So here are 100 random facts about me! Enjoy :)

1. My name is Jenny and I'm a Pisces.
2. I'm originally from a small town called Farmersville. It's in the middle of nowhere.
3. I'm married to the most amazing man and love of my life.
4. I became apart of the military the day I starting dating my husband.
5. I'm currently living in Okinawa, Japan. It's such a beautiful island, but I miss home.
6. I love animals. We have a zoo. Two dogs, two cats.
7. I have, hands down, the most amazing and loving friends anyone could ask for. Even though we do not see each other all the time, when we are together it's as if nothing has ever changed.
8. My dream job is to be a storm chaser. Yes, I want to chase tornadoes for a living.
9. I'm obsessed with reality TV, especially anything on Bravo. I can't get enough of all the Housewives series.
10. I desperately want to start a family. Unfortunately, I think God has a different plan for us, and I'm learning to become okay with that.
11. I'm starting to really love photography. Hopefully I'll be getting my own camera soon, and I can start taking more amazing pictures of this island.
12. I really want to start going to church again. It's been a while, and I'm starting to feel disconnected from the Lord.
13. Halloween is my favorite holiday. Although, this year is a little different. I can't even find pumpkins on island.
14. I'm really trying to become a better homemaker. Going from working 40+ hours a week to unemployed takes some getting used to.
15. I have lost over 30 lbs since April. After high school, exercise was not a part of my routine. So needless to say, I'm working my hardest to get these extra pounds off. I have less than 2 months to lose 30 more. 
16. My husband and I are going to Hawaii in December. It's our anniversary/Christmas gift to each other. We just need to get away.
17.  I have an awesome family, most of the time. I miss my mommy like crazy though. 
18. I love baking! I might not be the best at it, but it makes me smile. And it passes the time.
19. My obsession currently is the beach. I've always been more of a "lake/river" girl, but the ocean is simply breathtaking. I can't seem to get enough.
20. I want to go to Australia before I die. It's number one on my list of places to go. Hopefully I can make it happen.
21. Number two on my list is the Maldives. If you have never heard of the Maldives, Google it. Two words: absolutely beautiful.
22. I'm trying to figure out what to do with my life. I need a life plan, at least for my career.
23. I want four kids. At least.
24. I hate spiders. Every time I see one, it gives me the chills and I feel like things are crawling all over me.
25. I'm a military wife. Wherever the military sends my husband, I will follow. No questions asked. 
26. I hate drama. I tend to surround myself with people that like to avoid it. 
27. I miss high school. Most people didn't have a good high school experience. Fortunately for me, my graduating class was more of a family then just classmates. 
28. I've been to college, but failed to graduate. I also changed my major three times. I just have a hard time making up my mind.
29. I love dancing. It doesn't matter what genre, I just love it. But Salsa is definitely my favorite.
30. I think I was forced to grow up too fast. My daddy passed away when I was in the 6th grade, so I didn't have the luxury of living a normal childhood. But these days, I guess no one does. 
31. I dated my husband for two years before we got engaged. One of those years he was only home for 62 days due to a deployment.
32. I love tattoos. I have two now, and hopefully getting a third soon. It's going to be a half sleeve!
33. When my husband and I retire, we want to move to Canada and live on one of the lakes up there. Where the only form of transportation is using your boat to get to town.
34. I love snuggling. Especially when it's with my husband. Or my animals.
35. I have a shopping obsession. Not really for clothes, but for house decor. I guess that's when you know you are an adult.
36. This year will be the first Christmas that I haven't spent with my family. It's going to be hard, but I guess we will have to get used to it, because I'm sure this won't be the only Christmas.
37. I'm obsessed with candles. I find myself buying one at least every two weeks. And I burn them non stop. My candle of choice right now is Autumn Wreath.
38. I starting to fall in love with the gym. I used to hate working out, but I've learned to love it. It's especially good when you start to see results.
39. Ever since I met my husband, I've become more patriotic. I never used to keep up with war and such, but it has a whole new perspective when your husband is in the middle of it.
40. Autumn is my favorite season. Too bad Okinawa doesn't have an Autumn. None of the trees change color and it doesn't get cold. Makes me really miss Ohio.
41. I'm excited for our next adventure. I know we just moved to Okinawa six months ago, but three years goes fast. I keep wondering, where will we go next?
42. I plan on getting dive certified within the next year. This island has so much coral and beautiful fish to see. 
43. I miss having my besties around. I've made some friends here, but none of them compare to my girls back home. 
44. I love getting pedicures. You haven't lived, until you get a CoCok's pedi. So all my girl friends, please come visit so we can get them!
45. I love scrap-booking. I think I'm pretty good at it, except I'm so indecisive. It takes a few months for me to complete one.
46. Pink, black, and gray are my favorite colors. My husband is surprised when I buy clothes that aren't one of those three colors.
47. I secretly want to be a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Most people don't know, but we've had some issues conceiving. I've learned so much from reading and researching different things about the reproductive system. I think it would be great helping other couples conceive.
48. Nothing beats a hot bubble bath and a nice glass of Moscato. It's my "me" time.
49. I was a cheerleader from third grade to eighth grade. Then again my sophomore and junior years of high school. I didn't make it my senior year because I was too "mouthy".. aka my coach didn't like me.
50. I cry all the time. Not because something is wrong all the time, but because it just feels good to cry.
51. I really want to pay off all of our debts while we are over here. It would be fantastic going back to the States debt free.
52. I really want my family to come visit us in Japan. Hopefully it will happen soon.
53. I love singing. I cannot carry a tune, but it is a release for me. Especially if I'm mad or upset, listening to sad/angry songs really make me feel better.
54. I really need to work on my communication skills. When I get mad, I shut down and don't say what's on my mind. It's starting to become an issue.
55. I love the rain. Especially kissing in the rain. 
56. Thinking of 100 things about me is kind of difficult. I hate talking about myself. I'm usually the listener. 
57. I planned my wedding myself, with the help of my mom and bridesmaids. It was definitely stressful, but I could see myself doing it again. Not for myself, but for someone else. One of my friends needs to get engaged! 
58. I love thunderstorms. They always leave me speechless. It's almost like a "what's up" from God. Just to let us know He's watching.
59. I really wish this war would end. I know we are fighting for a better America, but it really depresses me to think of all the troops who have sacrificed for our freedom. And I really wish that others would realize that. As the saying goes, "If you don't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them". 
60. I want to visit Italy one day. I want to drink lots of good wine and take a Gondola ride.
61. I'm a sucker for romance. Good thing I married the man I did!
62. Fishing is a favorite past time. I used to do it with my dad and brothers, and now I do it with my husband. 
63. I hate negative people. Although, I am negative sometimes, it's really a downer.
64. It sickens me to see all the hate in the world today, especially in the U.S. Why can't we all just get along? Life would be so much more simpler. 
65. I'm just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. 
66. I wish I would have kept up with gymnastics. I think things would be different today.
67. I love to laugh. It really is the best medicine.
68. I don't really like the club scene anymore. I'd rather chill at a bar, or at a friends house. 
69. I truly think I found my soul mate. Not everyone does, and I consider myself extremely lucky. 
70. I'm slightly addicted to Facebook. Just sayin'.
71. I love watching the Jersey Shore. It's such a garbage show, but you get sucked in while watching it. It's sad; I feel like these people are my friends.
72. Same goes for Laguna Beach/The Hills. I feel like I've grown up with LC & Kristin. Pathetic, I know.
73. If I won the lottery, I would pay off all our debts and pay back my parents for all the money I've borrowed. Then I would donate a significant amount to all the animal shelters across the country. 
74. I really want a personal stylist. The goes for clothes and hair. I hate doing my hair in the morning.
75. I need to learn to forgive people more. I hold grudges and I hate that.
76. Biscuits and gravy is my favorite breakfast food. Oh Bob Evans, I miss you!
77. I should stop judging people. I know that it's not right to do, but I can't seem to not judge. Only He can judge you.
78. I have a fear of dying. Hopefully going back to church will erase this fear from my head. 
79. I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. If it doesn't happen, there's a reason.
80. I love all kinds of music. It just depends on the day. But Country is probably my favorite. 
81. I still have my blanky from when I was born. I sleep with it every night. I guess it's a security thing.
82. I love the smell of my fabric softener. It reminds me of home.
83. High school football was the best. I have some of my favorite memories from Friday nights.
84. I'm no where near perfect, and I have learned from my mistakes. 
85. I hardly ever take off my wedding rings. The only time is to shower, or when I'm swimming in the ocean/lake.
86. I want extensions in my hair. But I don't want to spend the money. I would love to have short hair one day and long hair the next.
87. I think Americans should live life a little more like the Japanese. They have so much respect for each other. And the children just roam around by themselves without an adult. Children in America could never do that.
88. Someday, I want to actually graduate college. I want to have a degree so I can know what I'm doing with my life.
89. Sometimes I feel lost. I just have days where I have so many questions and no answers. 
90. I sometimes wish I was a kid again. They don't teach you how to be an adult in school.
91. Everybody Loves Raymond is one of the greatest shows ever. I can watch it over and over again.
92. I think one of the things I miss most about Ohio is the food. Sad, because Japan has so much great food.
93. When I have kids, a name I like for a girl is Madilyn Louis. Madilyn because it has both mine and Matt's name in it. Well my middle name anyways. 
94. A name for a boy would be Jacob Allen. 
95. I love pickles. Weird I know. And I'm not pregnant.
96. I love fresh flowers. Whether they are from my flower garden or from my hubby.
97. I'm an 80's baby. Although I wish I was in my twenties during the 80's.
98. The only thing I want out of life is to be happy.
99. I'm somewhat random, but that makes me, me.
100. I've gone through a ton of changes this past year. I've got married, I moved across the world, and now I'm just enjoying life. That's all I can do.