Moving Again

July 2010  -->  Erinn moves to Texas

August 2010 -->  Michael deploys to Iraq

August 2010 -->  Erinn moves back to Oregon

July 2011  -->  Erinn moves back to Texas

August 2011 -->  Michael Returns to Texas

Friends, I am happy to announce that in less than three weeks Michael and I will be moving together to Hawaii.  The best part about this move is that we should be stabilized for 1-3 years.  I cannot express how exciting this is to both of us.  Our household goods and car have all ready been shipped to Oahu and hopefully should be there soon after we are.  Michael is working hard to finish clearing Ft Hood so that we can set up travel arrangements and hopefully we will be in our new home the first week of December :)

Michael and I have been together for over five years and it feels so good to finally be able to be in the same place at the same time without any separations planned n the future!

I'm Home

The past thirteen months has been a time of celebration, love, joy, heartache, and moments of uncertainty.  Just over a year ago I was blessed to marry my best friend, move across the country, and get a sample of what newly wed life could be like.  The time was wonderful but short. 

I am amazed to think of all that has happened in the past year.  I finished my last year of school and was able to participate in an eye-opening research project.  Michael has thrived under his new leadership responsibilities and nearly completed a second deployment.  So much has happened I am just overwelmed to think of it all.

This year has been a long journey but today I can say that I feel at home.  I don't feel like I am traveling any more, just trying to get through the next hurdle.  I am excited to be setting up our new home and eagerly waiting a phone call telling me when my love will be home.  After thirteen months we will finally be able to be newly weds.  After thirteen months we will be able to be a couple. 



I am so thankful for the support of all those who have encouraged us through this trying journey.  I am excited to celebrate the end of this chapter with you all!

Two weeks of Bliss

What can I say?  R&R is suppose to be amazing and it was.  I felt so blessed to have Michael here for my graduation and also to spend time with family and friends.  The cherry on top of the trip was being surprised with an extra day on the end!  I love my man and can't wait for him to be permanently home in the fall!

The Grand Finally!

What a crazy four years it has been!  I was thinking back upon it all today and thinking about how grateful I am to be completing my undergrad in four years!  

I could not have made it to this point without the unconditional support of my husband, family, friends, and professors.  These years have stretched me and forced me to grow in so many ways.  I am looking forward to all the opportunities in the future, all the opportunities that this education has opened for me.  Thank you all for your support through this incredible journey!

Broken

There comes a point when God takes your own little picture of what life and reality are like and he shatters it.  I have thought that has happened in my life before.  Little did I know that every glimpse of the bigger world was only preparing me for something more.

Over the past nine months I have been working with street-dependent youth.  What does this mean?  I thought this meant I was learning how to help a population in need, how to rally the community into action, and how to make a mark on social injustice.  However, I am learning something much greater.  I am learning that the face behind the sign on the corner is an individual with a story.  An individual with pain, needs, and desires.  Who am I to judge that person without knowing their story? 

The past months I have heard stories of trauma and survival.  Stories I had read about in books, but now can match with a face.  Many of these are victims of horrible crimes and the sad part is they often don't realize it. 

Today was different.  Today I heard the story, not of a victim, but of a survivor!

I cannot think of his story without tears in my eyes and the realization that I have had a blessed life.  My heart breaks for this 21-year-old brilliant individual with only a 3rd grade education.  At 8-years-old his father made him kill his loved dog with his bear hands and then sold him to a Russian mob for a months worth of meth.  He was then placed in a cage to fight other children for entertainment.  He had to do unimaginable things simply to survive.  At night he was chained in a basement until one day he took a marble statue and crushed the chains around his wrists in order to escape.  He tells me this as he shows me his bent and scarred hands.  He story goes on to tell of selling drugs for a place to sleep, being kicked out by his mother for simply looking like his dad, and then his dad driving him into the middle of the desert only to leave him to die. 

I cannot believe the many stories this one individual told me through the tears.  How can one life suffer so much?  He tells me he is unlovable and everyone that should have been there for him has never cared.  He tells me he forgives them because the hate will only "rot me from the inside out."  With a smile on his tear streaked face he tells me he knows what his purpose is.  To help people like him.  To help them avoid the pain, stay off the drugs, and not sever relationships with the ones they love. 

I am unable to give this story justice and to express the emotion that it deserves.   This one individual has opened awareness on so many different levels for me today.  Don't forget to say I love you today, don't forget to thank the Lord for all He has provided and especially the lack of pain!  I urge you to think twice next time you see an individual asking for food on the side of the road.  Remember, each of us has a story and most of all, each of us are children of God!

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.  Proverbs 21:13

Senior Presentation

One of the things that has been taking so much of my time lately has been my capstone presentation research.  It is very exciting but a ton of work.  If you are interested in knowing what I am looking at, here is a copy of the abstract for the presentation.

Needing a Place to Call Home: A Emic Perspective of Homeless Youth

                Teens and young adults who are living without a permanent or adequate residence often face struggles regarding social norms, fitting in with the larger society, and even issues regarding their own identity.  Youth without a permanent home often adopt street habits and lifestyle as a way of survival and may internalize this as part of their identity.  This can make it difficult for staff at resource centers who wish to help the homeless youth “better” their situation.  For homeless youth, giving up part of their street lifestyle for a more conventional one, may feel like losing part of their identity and the security they have found in it.  This presentation encourages case managers and mentors to learn the emic importance of street lifestyle before suggesting change to more mainstream ideas and action.

How to burn 1,700 calories in a day!

Bike. Bike hard.  For 3.5 hours.  Uphill.

Warning:  Following day one might feel sore, stiff, and virtually immobile.  Emotional behaviors may include and are not limited to crankiness, irrational, moody, and neurotic. 

Consult your doctor before performing this strenuous activity.

Orders, Races, and Awards!

How many things can happen in a day?  I think this was a challenge to me this weekend and let me say, my head was spinning.

Saturday morning I got a call from my husband saying the re-enlistment ceremony had happened and all the papers had been signed.  It is official people we are heading to Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii!  When we got married nine months ago, I never would have thought that we would finally get to be newly weds on an island in the Pacific!  I am so very excited.  Excited to be together, excited for new adventures, excited for new opportunities!  I am still planning on moving down to Texas in July and it probably wont be until winter or spring for the big move.

Another thing that happened Saturday morning was the 10 mile race I have been half-way training for.  Now I decided that the worst part about this whole idea is that I am not a morning person.  Who would have thought that half the city would be downtown at 6:30 AM and they are all so energetic.  Needless to say, there were so many cameras out that I almost freaked out!  Well that is just pre-race.  I must say the running part went much better than planned.  I did not walk for the first 6 miles and for the last 4 I did a run/walk deal because I had some pretty bad leg cramps.  I impressed myself with my time, though.  My goal was to be under 2:10 and I crushed it by finishing at 1:39 at 9.58 pace!  Who would have thought?  Three days later and I am still sore but who cares :)  Guess it is time for my to set a new goal!

That is not all that happened this weekend either!  Sunday night ended on a very happy note when I got a phone call.  I was informed that I had been voted SOU Outstanding Cultural Anthropologist of the year and nominated for the National United Society for Outstanding University Women!  Kinda made my night.

Anyway, these things have really motivated me to finish my undergrad well, but it has also put a lot of pressure on me knowing that all my profs are expecting so much. 

So much to do, so little time!

Action Anthropology

The big old world of Anthropology can be dangerous and confusing to try to navigate through.  Most people I talk to don't even know what it is, so maybe because I have dedicated so much of my life to this discipline, maybe I should explain it... At least from my point of view. 

Anthropology in it's most basic of terms is the study of cultures.  It is the study of how groups of people act, talk, express and feel.  At this point, most people I talk to say something along the lines of, "I get it, you are a people watcher!"  Yes and no.  See we anthropologists do so much more than observe, we try to interpret the meanings behind cultural acts.  In reality this is a day in the life of an anthropologist... Participant observation, analyze, interview, analyze, observe, analyze, survey, analyze, research, analyze, re-interview, analyze, report.  Needless to say, there is a lot of analyzing and interpretating.

Now there are many branches of anthropology that I wont try to get into but I should let you know that I am an action anthropologist.  The name it itself is a contradiction but I kinda like that.  I believe as an anthropologist I have the skills and ability to see the world from many points of view, see how people come together, where they clash, and assist in developing a plan of action to better the situation.  I believe in advocacy, policy change, and simply taking an active role in making this world a better place. 

Anyway, this post is getting long and most likely boring to most of you.  I wanted to let you in on the project I have dedicated the past 7 months to...

Since the fall I have been working as a volunteer at a local goal oriented research center for homeless youth.  It has been amazing learning the stories of many of these individuals including where they are originally from, how they ended up on the streets, and how difficult it is to move out of homelessness.  One of the biggest things I have noticed though is the lack of awareness community members have about the situation.  Many look at homeless people in a very negative light, as if they deserve it or asked for it.  My activist side has come out and I want to help people understand the complexity of the situation.  I am currently working on a research project to learn migration patterns of homeless youth and some of the difficulties they face when they try to move out of their situations.  I'm letting you all know about this because I will probably be talking much more about it because I tend to get pretty passionate about my research.  I have a lot of work to do in a few short weeks with a due date of May 31, but I am excited that I should be finished just in time for RnR!

PCS

So Michael and I are quickly approaching his first reenlistment which means we are also looking at our first PCS.  Ft. Hood has been fun but picking where in the world we would like to start our new lives has been more exciting.  I am bursting inside to let everyone know where we probably be heading but I am trying not to get too excited and we are waiting tell everything is official.  Needless to say, I am so excited it all.  Excited to see and live in a new place, excited about new opportunities, excited about meeting new people, and most of all, I am excited to be newly weds again!

Seven weeks 'til R&R!

sfAA in Seattle!

The Society for Applied Anthropology annual meeting this year was great.  Went to some awesome lectures and did some networking.  Rethinking the focus of my capstone paper and even some of my career goals.  It re-sparked my interest in working with domestic refugees, and even working to bridge some of the gap between military families and civilians. 

Some good things to think about but don't worry, the trip was not all educational.  Here are some pictures from some of the play time :)

 The SOU students.

 Megan and I loving girls nights!

 Jordan wines!

Alishia and I out shopping :)

Back to School

First week of my last term... Happiness!  What does my week look like?  Well here it is...

Monday - I don't have school on Mondays so I decided to spend some quality time in the gym seeing that my 'race' is coming up quick.  A little sweaty and 7.5 miles later I called it a workout, or so I thought.  Heather and I have been talking about biking to some classes this term so we decided to give it a trial run.  22 miles later we were both a little sore. 

Tuesday - Today I had my first capstone class.  Lot of work to do in just a few short weeks.  I will need to finish putting together all my research from my practicum project as well as write an analytical research paper on the struggles of being a homeless teen.  The paper I will have to present at the end of the term as well.  Lots to do!

Wednesday-Saturday - I am heading to Seattle for a few days with some classmates and professors for a national applied anthropology conference.  Should be pretty fun and hopefully I will get to listen to some pretty amazing anthropologists!

Talk about an exciting week back!

My Last Spring Break!

Wow, how fast can two weeks go by?  Trip to WSU, hikes, time with friends, and some much needed me time!  Here are a few pictures from the happy days...

 Drew and I... We don't believe in growing up!

 Lance and I on the top of Table Rock.

 Kinda wet at the top.

Dasha and I hiking down in the cold, dark, beautiful night!

Love, Sweet Love

I am so blessed to be married to such a wonderful man.  Someone who, though thousands of miles away, can still comfort me when deployment days get to long or when life simply gets to be too much.  Seven months into our second deployment and let me say, some days are hard.  I love that we can be on the phone for all of five seconds and Michael can tell when something is wrong and everything stops until he knows I feel better.  I feel blessed!

Oh Happiness!

So friends, I can officially say it... I am done with this darn term!  I must say it was busy and with the stress of Michael being gone to, I think I reached my limit.  I am excited for the next two weeks to rejuvenate myself and work on some person goals.  For today that means I got an extra hour of sleep, now I am off to spend some quality time on the treadmill, taking the kids swimming this afternoon, and this evening I plan on going out with a group of friends to celebrate another term down!  Yeah, spring break is never really calmer for me but I hope it will be encouraging.

The last two weeks of school really killed my workout schedule and my eating healthy goals.  I am really going to try to get back into this system.  Less than a month 'til the Pear Blossom run so I got to get moving!

Sex Traffickers and the Craziest Day… Ever

I had to share this story with you.  It is a post found at SheIsPriceless.com.

Today, we meet a psychologist to girls who have been rescued from the sex-trade.
As we walk down the street, she tells us she has a “surprise” waiting at our destination. I’m up for surprises. In fact, I kind of flow with them. The day is clear, a slight breeze is blowing, and for the first time I don’t even need my Northface jacket. We sit down in an outdoor cafe with green umbrellas and Ahmad tea signs all around. Reminds me of Kiev and the sun feels good
“Do you want to know why I brought you here?” Nothing to fear, no need to worry. Of course we do. The black stuff in my cup isn’t real good so it’s not the best espresso in the city. “Why are we here?”
“One of the girls you will meet was trafficked from this restaurant.”
What…did…you…say? At that moment, my world changed. The crowded city street was a different place. A man from the Middle East appeared over Anne Jackson’s right shoulder. Something about him, it wasn’t right.
“In fact, they’re here right now. And so are the girls who are being trafficked. They lure girls here for a job. Then they are sent to Turkey, Israel, and Russia.”

I saw them. Teenagers draped with blond and brunette curls. You’ve got to be kidding me. And I’ve brought Anne here? I mean Simon and Brad are one thing, but a girl? Someone I’m responsible for, and I’ve brought her into the midst of a den filled with sex-traffickers? I looked to the right and saw two more men emerge out of the restaurant. They weren’t Moldovan. Simon’s camera didn’t help things. He was shooting pictures and video faster than Usain Bolt runs the hundred yard dash.
Now we’re the center of attention. We tried to play it cool, acting like we belonged there and were just shooting a plain ‘ol video about life in the big city. My chest got a little bigger, my sixth sense a little stronger. If there was ever a time I longed to be a CIA agent.
An overweight, middle aged man sits down with a young girl at a table ten feet from us. She might be seventeen. We captured the photo. She bats her eyes and tries to impress her. He hands her a wad of cash for last nights exploits.

I’m sickened beyond explanation. And then I realize, this happens every single day. What am I suppose to do? Turn a blind eye? Pretend this evil doesn’t exist? Go back to my comfortable life and wish that young girls aren’t trafficked like this right in front of my eyes?
Something inside tells me I can’t. I’ve been exposed and I’ll never be the same.
At least ten traffickers sniff us out. They’re behind us, in front, to the right and left. We’re absolutely surrounded. But were not in prison like the young girls who fill the chairs. We have a choice. Their choice had already been made for them.
This place has the heavy-weight title of the highest rate of trafficked women in the world. Tens of thousands simply disappear. Our psychologist friend pulls out a local newspaper.
“This is how they trap them. Local ads promising well paying jobs abroad. Everyone wants to leave so all young girls are potential victims.”

I look to the left and to my utter shock, see two girls reading the same kind of newspaper. Once your eyes are opened, it’s everywhere in this place.
“I brought you here so you can see the realities in our country. It doesn’t do you any good if I only show you what most people want to see. This is the reality.“
Tomorrow, we will be with five of the girls who have been rescued from this nightmare. I want to be a real presence in their live and fight back the evil that had control over their life. Thank God there are people here who go to the front lines every day.
I have to do something, I can’t sit on the sidelines and hope this goes away.
We’re in Moldova. Who would like to join us?  We stood up from our table and walked out of that hell hole. The beautiful blonde girl didn’t have that choice.

By Tom Davis

Ma Vie

Lacey over at Guinn and Bare It is a fellow army wife who I have met through this wonderful world of blogging.  She is hosting a get to know each other so here are a few things about me!

1.What chore do you absolutely hate doing?

The one chore that I avoid doing if at all possible is cleaning the bathroom!  I think I have all my years working at city pools to thank for this one!

2.What is your favorite body part?

My butt most definitely.  It took me a while but I have learned to embrace my curvyness and appreciate how good it can look in a little black dress :)

3. Which celebrity do you get mistaken for?

The only celeb I have been mistaken for is Zeva from NCIS.  Not sure how much of a look-a-like I am but I guess I will leave that one up to you!

4.What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?

I watched Black Hawk Down yesterday.  Always cry during that one.

5. What story does your family always tell about you?

Only one?!  Probably how I hated hiking when I was growing up and would always walk ten steps behind the rest of the family.  What can I say?  I wasn't a super athletic girl...

6. What do you love about blogging?

I am enjoying meeting new people and finding a support group online!

7. What are your passions?

Oh I have so many right now.  I am passionate about helping people in my own community.  I am currently working with homeless youth and see more case management and therapy work in my future.  One thing that really gets to me is human trafficking especially within my own country.  I would love to continue to work with victims to help them reintegrate into mainstream society.

Difficult Days

Every once in a while deployments get to just get to me, and I think it is ok to admit when it happens.  You would think after 18 months of collective deployments I would have this down. 

Tonight in class I had to watch Black Hawk Down and analyze it from an anti-war perspective.  It was harsh.  I guess it was just a reminder of how far apart we are and how much I miss him.

I am so thankful that my man is in a "safe" area, calls me every chance he gets, and is so supportive and understanding with all my ups and downs. 

<3 Praying every day for my loves safe return and my sanity while he is away <3

Right about 3 months!

Now we all know about army time, right?  The fact that you are given a date and know that it will be sometime around that date but it definitely wont be that exact date... :)  Well that is how R&R is going to be.  So for me, I am planning on my husband getting his short two week leave at the end of may or beginning of June.  That means we are right about three months away!  Three months sounds so much better than four months right?!?  So, today I can't help but be thankful for February being a short month, the distraction of school, and the ability to check days of my calendar.  I so can't wait to give my man a hug!

Michael and I got some great plans for R&R which include my graduation, car shopping, and running away for a week together to see the Oregon places we love so much!  I am not normally a big counter of the days when he gets back just because I know from experience that the dates are always flexible and also it can just get so downright depressing seeing how many days left.  Instead I count the months and obstacles in between us.  This is what I have come up with...

1. Finals next week
2. Spring break trip to see Drew
3. My first 10 mile run
4. My final term at SOU

Of course my list changes and grows but these are the big things I get to look forward to before we are reunited.  I have to look forward to the small things, even if they aren't much fun like finals, in order to better appreciate the big things in life!

No pain, no gain. Right...

So as you have probably observed, I have been training to run/walk a ten mile race at the beginning of April.  However, the past few weeks I have had really bad pain in my knees.  Apparently you are not suppose to go from doing very little exercise to putting in 1-2 hours a day.  I took a week off from the gym, swallowed some Advil, and excessively used ice packs but my darn knees are still yelling at me.  I decided today to head back to the gym and see how they felt.  I think I discovered the source of my pain!  All those dreaded lunges, squats, and reclining sit-ups, yeah, I don't think I shall be doing much more of those in the future.  Guess I'll have to find some new ways to work out the legs, ways which wont cause immobilizing pain!

I am still going to shoot to run the ten mile race and hopefully my knees wont bother me too much.  I have discovered that it is good for me to set small goals for myself.  It helps keep me positive and working towards a better me :)  As long as I don't pass out in the middle of the race, I think I will be good!

I found this necklace on etsy and I must say it is perfect for me!

Girl's Nights and Birthdays!

In the midst of chaos with school, work, and deployments one of my favorite and only times to breathe are girls nights.  This past week Heather and I sat aside our books for a few hours and went on a cupcake craze.  Thank you Brooke for having a birthday and letting us indulge on sweets!

Spring Break Projects

One of the things that I am super excited about spring break for is being able to pull out my sewing machine again and work on some new projects.  My only problem now is that I picked up some dress patterns the other day and don't know which one I should do over break because I doubt I will have time for all of them :)  So here are the pictures, let me know which one you think I should do!

Senior Year

Have I mentioned that I am taking nineteen credits this term?  Yeah, it is too much.  So I am wrapping up dead week right now and something like three presentations and five papers in four days... did I mention that it is too much?

Trying to keep my head above water here and have observed that I have no social life outside of school.  This makes me realize how thankful I am for some of my school friends, namely Heather and Brooke, who keep me smiling and getting assignments in on time.  Can't wait to start my final term with these guys!

Oh, and I can't wait til spring break!  I am going to be house sitting most of the time which will be so nice to have my own space.  Also, going to make a quick trip up to see my little brother at WSU.  Going to make some good memories.  

Chocolate Milk

There are things that remind me of him.  Tonight it was seeing chocolate milk in the store :)  In Texas we use to go on date nights and just go driving or stargazing.  Michael would get his Mt. Dew and I would get a chocolate milk.  Seeing it in the store just sent me back there.  

Long days without the love of your life teach you to appreciate the simple things in life.  Seeing couples holding hands, eating lunch together, even just texting remind me of him and to appreciate all the moments together.  The Army separates us for months at a time, but it also teaches us how to love.

Only about 14 weeks separates me from my baby!