One day, when D was five years old, he and I were standing in line at a KFC waiting for our turn. Out of nowhere, he wrenched his hand free from my hold and approached the man standing in front of us. He lays his little hand on this man's potbelly and taps it gently, "You don't need any KFC."
I was mortified. Needless to say, we did not have KFC that night, as I dragged him out of there with the speed of lightning.
Now, five years later, we have gone without incident, at least in that matter. UNTIL, two days ago, the girls and I were at Walmart. A woman who was muffin topping, was apparently unaware her skin tight shirt had ridden up. We passed by, girls in cart, when Sophie reached over impulsively and smiled her sweet patronizing smile that she usually reserves for Liv.
I hate to keep you guys hanging, I swear. I don' want to give you the impression this story will gradually develop into some thunderous climax. I've broken it down for the sole purpose of avoiding a ridiculously looooong post. So, here we are again...
The months passed and our relationship blossomed. I was still struggling with the anemia, but I never considered it as anything larger than a pain in the rear, since I had to rely on one of my RN friends to stick me with regular shots to stimulate red blood cell production. One night, while on the phone with L, I had just finished giving a recap of my abnormally exhausting day, I noticed my chest was feeling heavy and I was having a hard time breathing. I swear it was merely a matter of minutes, but my condition seriously deteriorated, the whole time L was on the other end of the line panicking about my wheezing.
I put him on hold, called 911, then in my oxygen-depraved condition, hung up on the emergency dispatcher as I preferred to speak with L instead. (Can anyone say stupid!) L had enough of his wits about him to talk me into going to my front door and unlocking it...right after which I passed out. My guardian angel Anne, a friend from the oncology department, was on her way to visit and found me there just shortly before the paramedics arrived. It was later relayed to me after I had come to that I actually flatlined for a minute in the ambulance. My aplastic anemia had developed into a serious condition that I had to receive a blood transfusion.
Later on, L admitted that this close call made him realize he wanted me in his life. And he wanted me as his wife something fierce. From then on, it evolved from the already complex mechanics of long distance relationships to one that also had to consider sickness and its ultimate result should it not resolve itself. It was frustrating and confusing, not knowing how to revel in the newness of young love and still deal with the darkness that could easily overthrow it all. After some time, I had managed a full recovery.
L and I started our relationship unconventionally. Everything was backwards. We had our first date when he came home for a month-long furlough six months into his tour in Korea. Six months after we spent two nights together, and four months after we discussed everything we could ever think of, there was no awkwardness whatsoever when we met again for the first time since we last said our goodbyes. It sounds cliche, but he and I truly and genuinely clicked. When we were together, it was as if we'd known each other for years. Two weeks into his vacation, we picked up a marriage license at the courthouse and snuck away one morning, pulling a stranger in from the hallway as our witness, and got married.
I had called my friend, Jessi, telling her the news and she laughed so hard, "L was the guy I wanted to set you up with! I knew you two would be great together!"
A short honeymoon and a week later, he departed again to finish out his last six months in Korea. It took a while, and many many phone calls to arrange for the military to agree to station us together. L had a follow-on assignment to Aviano, Italy, but because they didn't have a vacancy for my job there, they changed it to Utah instead. In November of that year, he reported to his new assignment. It wasn't until March of the following year did I get to live with him in a joint household.
Many of our friends doubted how it would turn out, considering our first year and a half together was a marriage by telephone. Distance, statistics, sickness...it seemed everything was put in place to keep it from working. But I suppose we both wanted it bad enough.
We still want it bad enough. And I suppose that's the secret that keeps us going. We've had our share of struggles both petty and catastrophic since then. But because we have started out fighting for our relationship, it never became a choice between fight or flight. We hit an obstacle, we figure out how to get through it together.
So although this isn't the "end" as we are still married after all, this is where I'll leave the story. Thank you for your interest, and thank you for your patience in the whole story installment process. This may not be a Twilight, or The Notebook type of love story, but this is ours. I hope you enjoyed the look into the history of Fam Och.
P.S. We have just received word that L may be returning home on schedule after all. Although he warned me that it is only a "MAYBE," it has just gotten me floating on air right now.
And so we continue from where we left off...(please see Part I for the beginning). L and I had parted ways, he on his one year tour of duty in South Korea, and I finishing up my TDY at Hurlburt Field.
Life fell back into its routine after I returned to Orlando. My ex-fiance, Carl, had a change of heart and begged for me to take him back. Reluctantly, despite my reservations, I left the door open for him and I to patch up the old hurts and try to start anew. My career started to take off as I received recognition for the work I did as an airman. I was officially in remission, but had to deal with a new monster called aplastic anemia, a condition brought on from the chemo. Life wasn't great, but at least it was busy. During the next two months, L didn't cross my mind much.
Meanwhile, it turned out L had spoken with our mutual friend, Jessi, who in turn made it a point to mention I was bummed out about his departure. Our personal Cupid also made sure he had written down my e-mail address.
This is where it gets a little technical...but I insist (it is my story). You see, a typical air force email address consists of first name dot last name @ base dot af dot mil. But since I was stationed at a Department of Defense location, those rules did not apply. Instead, my address was first name dot last name @ dfas dot mil. Got it? Okay, let's continue...
L, unaware of the nature of my assignment, therefore assumed Jessi goofed on the address she gave him and decided to insert an "af" after the "dfas" when addressing his messages to me. Two months of returned messages popping up in his inbox, he decided as a last ditch effort to leave the address as is in the off chance it would actually work. But naturally, after two months of constantly attempting to reach me unsuccessfully, the poor man was at the end of his rope. And so, he impatiently tapped a short little note and sent it on its way.
I had just returned from a TDY from Indianapolis. I had been absent from my Orlando desk for three days, and I was dreading the flood of customer service emails I would have to sift through. I was on a roll, repeatedly tapping a catchy rhythm on the delete button of my Outlook inbox, when one message caught my eye. First off, it was from Osan Air Base, Korea, a site my organization didn't support accounting-wise. Second, I had no idea who L Och was. I clicked on it and the message maximized on my screen:
For those of you wondering how the hub is doing....he's doing alright. He recently sent some pics of his goings on. Enjoy.
Dunno why his legs look chopped off, but I thought the truck was cool. Besides, gotta love a man in uniform, legs attached or not. 
Aaaah, gotta love the scenery during a sandstorm...when the earth and sky are the same yucky tan color.
Cool pic. Not so happy that he was standing OUTSIDE to take it with missiles going through the air, though.
He says when there are detonations like these, his whole office trailer shakes as if it's gonna fall apart.
Just another one of those days. Woke up with a killer migraine...actually, I guess it just didn't fade away as I fell asleep last night with one. And the children. the CHILDREN! Oh, heavens, it took everything in me to keep from imploding. Nothing too eventful. Just downright frustrating. BUT, we're halfway through this ordeal. THREE more months, and I'll have the hubby in my corner. It can't come soon enough.
After a fraud probe was detected on my debit card account (my bank is awesome), my debit card has since been frozen and I am currently relegated to writing checks (as if!) until my new one comes in.
I HATE checks! I would hate to be that person who disrupts the smooth ebb and flow of customers and cashiers (you know that commercial) by pulling out my checkbook instead of quickly swiping my plastic. And so, I am in a self-imposed lockdown. I suppose it is a blessing in disguise....I am not tempted to squander away our money on some sale. But still, this is more than just a tad inconvenient.
BAH! I want to shop!!!!
P.S....Ms. B, I'm getting hits from Portland. What the heck are you doing on the internet when there should be some serious bowchickabowow going on? (Or at least some quality time with our dear friend Tiffany.) Don't make me be disappointed in you!
L has always been the go-to for bedtime with the girls. After the sun sets, my patience has already worn quite thin, and my patient hubster is always more than willing to tuck them in their beds and read stories and sing songs. So you can imagine the disappointment when I am at the helm of bedtime routines while L is away.
Thanks to the USO's United Through Reading Program, the girls get their dose of Daddy's book reading skills even from across the world! The package came in today and all three kids HAD to watch it NOW and not wait 'till bedtime.
L is such a thoughtful father. Instead of just grabbing some random book off the shelf, he carefully picked out one that he knew would appeal to our resident lion (Soph).
The children were absolutely riveted to the screen. I love blogging, oversharing, writing about anything and everything, and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE new readers! I had been expecting the new barrage of hits since I posted an announcement advertising this page to my dear friends in myspace. BUT, as much as an attention whore that I am, I would very much appreciate some type of comment from you guys letting me know who you are. I've been getting a lot of hits from a certain place, and curiousity is killing the cat right now, since I can't quite figure out who it is. So, please, if you're new to this blog, post a little shoutout and say hi!
During a CC call yesterday at the guard base, I was already in the midst of my usual daydreaming stints while the announcer called us to order time and time again to read citations from the base commander awarding medals to individuals assigned to the wing.
In the peripheral of my attention, I heard the voice call out over the mic, "Staff Sergeant OhKoha, please step up to the stage."
I got a nudge from my co-worker, validating my suspicions that it was my name that just got massacred, and it was indeed I who needed to go stand up on the stage.
I stood there next to the presenting commander as my citation of award was read. 'For real? What the heck did I do? That calls for a medal? Really? That was just my job! Take the folder with the left hand, shake with the right, mouth a quiet thank you, salute, left face, walk off the stage.'
Anyway, apparently they hand these things out like candy, but it's a pretty thing to wear with the service dress uniform, so I'll take it. Yeay me!
It seems every time the dreaded drill weekend comes around one or two or all of my kids gets hit with some virus. Against tradition, this time around, my boy is the sick one. He had been complaining everyone in his class was sick last week, and apparently, now is his turn. Poor guy. He never gets sick, but when he does, is he ever. Woke up today with 103.7!!! Totally freaked me out. His temp's been up and down, but my boy is a trooper. He's better and riding it out ok. Hoping tomorrow will be a better day for him.
It is a sign...I need to NOT reenlist when my term is up next year.
Readers, please say hello to the 2009 Bumbleride Indie Twin. Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were. A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall.
When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, it must have stung quite a bit.
The complaint:
'Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:
Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 A.M, a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special?
Any response would be appreciated.. '
The response:
Regarding 'A wake-up call from Luke's jets' On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship fly by of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.
At 9 a. m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's recount of the fly by, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured..
A four-ship fly by is a display of respect the Air Force gives to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects. The letter writer asks, 'Whom do we thank for the morning air show? The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives. Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you....Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr. USAF
Tonight, Livy-lo handed me a Berenstein Bears book titled "Going to the Doctor." She decidedly perched on my lap and waited patiently. Taking her cue, I opened the book and began to read. I didn't get very far because every time I read the word "Doctor" aloud, she would chime in with a "Pepper".
