Niiiiiiiiiiice

It has been a busy/exciting couple of days here at The Deid. Our DV visit went very well...it was Lt Gen Newton, who is a very important player in the Air Force world. While we prepped for two days for his visit and even did a dry run of the tour/briefing (which I was more nervous for than the real thing), he just came in and chit chatted with Kehinde and I about being deployed as civilians and was the biggest sweetheart. He gave us both a coin (which is an honor in the military world) and we giggled like schoolgirls. So that went well, and I think leadership was impressed with me at the end of it all. It is so hard to explain, but in the deployed location, every move you make is watched so much more than at home. The commanders are more scrutinizing, the processes are constantly watched and improved, the people are so much more focused. So you're always wondering "how am I doing??" Which, honestly, is how it should be back at home station, too, but it often isn't.

Anyway, so that was good. Last night I sat out under the Bra and had a couple of beers and got a chance to catch up with some friends and finally get pictures uploaded! I have been having the tougest time getting pics uploaded on this site, so I just put them on Facebook. After a couple of days, I will make that a private album (because I really shouldn't have those pictures on a public site) so if you get a chance, go take a look. I am still trying to work out the kinks with this site.

I taught my first financial class this morning and it felt good to be back behind the wheel of the subject I love most. Hopefully I will get a chance to do a lot more of those while I'm here. People can really accomplish so many of their financial goals while they are deployed because they are making a great deal of money, tax free, and nowhere to spend it. Hopefully with a little education and a lot of word-of-mouth, we can continue to expand the program until everyone takes advantage of our classes while they are here. I have big goals, but I am confident I can get close to them with a little bit of motivation and dedication.

It has been so refreshing to be in a position of authority here. It really suits me and I feel like I am a sensible and fair leader, who has her eyes on the situation as a whole as opposed to the details (although the details are important to me, too). I think it is going to be very hard for me to go back to being a pawn in someone else's game after this, knowing how much I am capable of and how successfully I have accomplished this mission. I struggle with this thought daily, and don't know what the future holds for me when I get home.

Only two days until my day off. Woo! It is amazing, one day here feels like two. Some evenings I will be like "I talked to him yesterday and he said..." and then someone will say "no that was this morning." Strange. But I have officially completed two weeks here as of 8:00 last night. So that's half a month. Only 7 more of those little buggers to go (half-months, that is). Somehow, two week time periods seem much less eternal than one week time periods.

The CENTAF band is playing tonight at the Bra. I am going to go check them out since I don't have to be in until later tonight. They are really good!

Our water is potable now on this side of the base! Yeah!!!

xoxox