Our Beautiful Nation

 

The DUBAI-The time I spent abroad was very captivating getting to know our Nation of many change faces. There are so many different religions, languages, and Nationalities. The time I spent in Dubai I saw the state of Washington is a lot like Dubai so many different Nationalities there. Dubai the country that grew on me and became a part of my life it's so much to see, to do, you'll never be bored. I learned one thing while being there you need to bring plenty of money with you. I was going in and out of Dubai for the past four years and I never got to really site see Dubai like I wanted to. The time I spent in Dubai I knew I wanted to see more of this beautiful country. They use to say the Empire state building was the tallest building in the world and before I went abroad I think I would have kept saying the Empire State Building but now that I know better the tallest building in the world lies within Dubai  Burj Khalifa coming in just before we'd land I would always see the tip of the Burj Khalifa and the Palm Island BEAUTIFUL!!!!!. Something I think everyone must-see. Before you leave make sure you dress warm but yet very conservative. Living in a Country that's Muslim you can’t just do whatever you want, above everything Dubai is a must-see country. It was one other thing I had to get use to while being in this beautiful country was the Fajr pray coming from the Al Wahab mosque loudspeaker they placed it all over and in the airport. But it's their way of performing their most important duty in life, which is salaah, or prayer.

RUSSIA- It's nothing like you've seen on TV. Beautiful country, maybe I didn't get to see all but the places I've seen it was all beautiful I know that there places around the world that has the bad side of town that's nothing new. When I got there I really didn't look at what money this country went by. I just started spending inside the airport still remember like it was yesterday I brought a bag of chips, a can soda, and a sandwich. Now everyone knows here in the US that'll cost you about no more than $5.00. The chips us to be $.25 but now it's $.50 and the can soda here no more than $.60 and the sandwich $2.50-$2.99. When the young lady wrung me up it came to $27.00 us dollars. When I asked what this country goes by I looked at the register and it said Euro's that's when I knew this country is worth more than the US. I don't know who comes first Dubai or Russia. The older generation there didn't speak English so they brought out the younger adults to talk with us. For me it was a good experience when I talk and they respond back you had to really listen they spoke broken English and when I'd respond back they would ask'' how do you say it"....it was the funniest thing there trying to get answers to these questions but there learning in the process, I guess that's the best way to learn.

Monterrey Mexico- I've traveled there three times and I could never get enough of this country see I'm from the south Savannah GA we don't have mountains so I was fascinated by their mountains. How it smothered the city as I come into land I immediately look for the mountains that cover this city it's so beautiful and at night it's even more Beautiful Monterrey is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the base of many significant international corporations. It is Mexico's second richest city. Monterrey is one of Mexico's most developed cities, with the highest per capita income in the nation, and is regarded as a highly developed city. Rich in history and culture, Monterrey is often regarded as the most "Americanized" city in the entire country, even above the cities along the U.S-Mexico border. And if you’re looking to get a Lap-Band done this is the place to be Dr. Roberto Rumbaut is an excellent Doctor. And it didn't cost me my home....just a joke I got to have a little sense of humor.

IRAQ- I know you're tired of hearing about this beautiful country but some of you must understand that going to church you're still learning about Iraq and the history of it all and as much as we learn about this country back in the biblical days we still won't understand how it becomes of this the way it is today. You know when we go to another whole country from the US what they always tell us don't drink the water. So the US military had bottled water delivered throughout Iraq for everyone but the water that we bath with was made by civilians from the ROW-PU. Here in TQ/Al Taquddum, our water was sucked out of a manmade lake(so I've been told) that was from the west of the Camp don't know if this linked up to the Tigris river or not but TQ was unique in it on way. There was nothing to do there the other camps had Burger King, Sub-Way, Popeye's and a pizza place guess that's why our Marines had those hard rock bodies.....Oorah. But TQ was my home for 2 years

 As you see here in my pictures the hoses coming from the water into the ROW-PU to have the water treated so that they would able to transport the water out to the tanks. There was time we had to bathe with bottled water because the pumps would go out sometimes. There were plenty of times we had cut off times to take shower and if you didn't make it you wouldn't be able that day but hopefully, you made it in that night before they cut it off for that night, sometimes I wouldn't make it...lol. They did that because some of the guys would Leave their water faucet on and before that day was over with the tanks would be empty....lol. So nights when I would come in from work I make sure I'd bring in bottled water. It makes you wonder about the Iraqi people and how they do it....who knows I'm just glad I got the opportunity to see this wonderful place that was once called Babylon

My mind and my heart have been twisted for the past few weeks of losing Friends that I grew up with. Life is so precious, how it is that one day everything is fine and then you wake up the next day to facebook to see your friends or relatives posting Rest in Peace Tonya Pough or April Jenkins, this is not real.... so soon. These young ladies are mothers we grew up together, playing, walking home from school, talking about boys and what we wanted to become, I'd always say I wanted to be a teacher.....lol, I'm only a few years older and they've already been called home to our father. Is it true as you get older you're more emotional about a lot of things?

 I know one day we all will be called home and that God promised us eternity. I find it hard each night before I lay my head down to sleep wondering will this be my last night on earth. Seeing a post on Face book about someone that has made an impact on my life pass away, not even that it could be me.  I find it hard to get adjusted after losing someone even if they've only been in my life for a day, a week, a month even if they've only been in your life for a few hours. Someone was put in my path by a co-worker even though he was put in my life for a little over a month. I still see myself crying for someone I barely knew. He'd call and we would talk but nothing ever happened. Tuesday, April 9th he called, we talk for a while, he calls the next day we decided to meet each other Wednesday. I was surprised by our conversation that he decided to take a day off. While talking he made a joke-telling someone in the background that he was talking to his future wife Mrs. Dempsey.

We finally decided to meet each other this past Sunday 4/14/13. Before I went to bed early 12:30am Thursday morning 4/11/13, I received a phone call from his sister my co-worker telling me that he was gone. I'd ask her gone was she repeated his gone and I'm just sitting there asking her were from the tone of her voice I finally realize that he was no longer here on earth with us and that he was joined by our Father. It hurts me so bad to have not really stayed on him about his health. God is good all the time but sometimes he takes the ones that he needs the most even when they have made such an impact on our lives. So today my late dear friend CHARLES DEMPSEY. Even though we didn't get to walk down that matrimony.......smiling, you are and will always be my Eternal husband

When Tomorrow Starts Without Me                          
                           

When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see,

If the sun should rise and find your eyes,
all filled with tears for me,

I wish so much you wouldn't cry, the way you did today,

While thinking of the many things we didn't get to say.


I know how much you love me, as much as I love you,

And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,

That an angel came and called my name and
took me by the hand.


And said my place was ready in Heaven far above,

And that I'd have to leave behind, all those
things I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye,

For all my life, I'd always thought, I didn't want to die.


I had so much to live for, so much yet to do,

It seemed almost impossible, that I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad,

I thought of all the love we shared, and all the fun we had.


If I could relive yesterday, Just even for a while,

I'd say goodbye and kiss you, and maybe
see you smile.

But then I fully realized, that could never be,

For emptiness and memories, would take
the place of me.


And when I thought of worldly things, I might
miss come tomorrow,

I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was
filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through Heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.

When God looked down and smiled at me,
from his great golden throne.


He said, "This is eternity and all I've
promised you.

Today your life on Earth is past, and
here it starts anew".

"I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last,

And since each day's the same day, there's
no longing for the past".


"But you have been so faithful, So trusting and so true,

Though there were times you did some things,
you know you shouldn't do".

"But you have been forgiven, and now at
last you're free,

So won't you take my hand now and share
My life with Me".


So when tomorrow starts without me, don't
think we're far apart,

For every time you think of me, I'm right here
in your heart.
          

RIP Charles Dempsey 4/11/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

               

Obstacles & Sacrifice

My motivators are my Mom and Dad and even though they're not with me today. Seeing what they both went through on their health issues. My motivation became my health. Weighing in at 390lbs 5'8 1/2 made me want to have better health and lifestyle. I decided to make a doctor’s appointment just for a checkup, wanting to know about

my health, being that I was overweight. The Doctor took one look at me and asks me'' how long have I been like this'' my eyes opened up so wide I couldn't believe she'd ask me something like this I couldn't do anything but cry. I then ask her '' can you help me" as if I was lost. She said "yes I can'' Believe it or not she helped me more ways than one. This weight thing is NO joke; it took forever and some days to see some results. There was a lot of confusion, frustrations and crying on my part. My weight was unbearable.

The Doctor begins telling me how much calories and sugar I should eat in a day and my cut off eating time. I started walking; eating right and most of all water became my best friend. I had some setbacks a relapse. I had to have a pizza... I'm crying, started going through with drawls. Brokedown and ate the pizza. After eating the pizza I felt guilty, that was the last day I ever had a relapse I was determined. It was all about me and my health. I was wearing 30/32 shirts, pants, and 26/28 underwear. Weeks later still not seeing any changes but I felt different. I wasn't giving out of breath or feeling tired so fast. I learned you lose water first, the inches and then the weight starts to come off. Month’s later people started seeing results even when I only lost 20lbs. I started seeing changes, seeing scars I haven’t seen since I was a teenager.

Wal-Mart, Kmart or the mall didn’t have my size. It was the big girl's store for me, I remember the first day I found a pair of jeans my size, and my eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Taking pictures was out of the question the last picture I took, was in the 12th grade. After that my weight was getting out of control. After my mother was diagnosed with Lymphoma, with no insurance. I felt they could have done better and gave her other options; with no insurance, your options are very limited. At that time I didn't see where this was going but now I realize after losing my mother, that if I didn't take control of my life, my weight, my health, that I wouldn't be here long to enjoy life. I fought like hell trying to find a job with health insurance. I didn't want to go through what my Mom experienced.

After losing my mother and my grandmother less than a year my life was useless it was like I didn’t have anything to live for my best friend, my mother is gone. My heart was shattered I just couldn’t stop crying, asking myself what I’m I going to do now, she's gone, she left me. I know everyone goes through a great ordeal in life. When she was diagnosed with lymphoma I started going through something of my own that set me in depression, I gained 34lbs. of what I had lost. I went from 300 to 334 all less than a year. There's so much I wanted to ask my mother, I didn’t know how to ask questions about dying without her feeling bad enough, this Cancer is taking our loved ones and there nothing we can do about it.

In 1996 my Dad died from Hepatocellular Carcinoma (liver cancer) cancer showed up again 11 years later. This is what drove me to leave for overseas. I made up my mind to do something about my health, doing a lot of studies. I found a Doctor that does weight-loss surgeries. I decided to go abroad to Mexico and have a LAP-BAND. They explained that I would need a fill every six weeks. I didn’t know how I was going to make this work, we only get vacations every four months but I knew that I wanted this done. Trying to make a change not even two years later Lymphoma came back in the family but this time we won. My obstacles kept on coming.

When I left for Iraq the weight was not the issue until two years later. Coming back from a vacation stopped in Dubai as always and got wind that there are weight requirements now. They wanted everyone at a certain weight, they gave us a time limit to lose the weight if the requirement wasn’t met when they did a recheck you would be sent home. My heart pounding fast, I didn’t believe what I was hearing. Two weeks later I was weighed in at 272lbs, with the LAP-BAND I’d lost 62lbs, by the weight and height but wait a minute the height they gave me was not my height another obstacle there was no reason arguing about the situation they gave me a month to lose 30 pounds. I'd call my family being disappointed and depressed with what I was going through, I’d only lost 12lbs but I was at a weight loss plateau. I'd call home upset telling the kids I’m coming home I can’t do this my weight is not coming off.  Every time I'd call home my kids would say momma you're going to make it stop crying....we know you can do this.

Going to the gym and barely eating, the food there was made to accommodate the military that worked out 3 to 4 times a day. I met a guy in the gym that told me he was going on a citrus diet. I asked him what was it he replied and said it's just oranges and water all day. My days were narrowing down I decided to give it a try this time they sent me to another camp. At my new camp D5 Stryker, for those of you that don’t know, this Camp was where they kept Saddam Hussein. So now here I am at my new camp, doing my citrus diet once a week after I come off the citrus diet that Monday I would eat real food once that day. The next day for the whole week I would do a water diet at the end of that week on a Monday I would eat real food once that day and water the rest of the day. I wasn’t eating anything after 6pm after not eating I would lie in bed, I couldn’t do anything but sleep from being so hungry. At night time i would take a peppermint and suck on it all night until I fell asleep to make the hunger pain go away. From a whole month of not eating, I made it with a smile on my face this obstacle was complete. Life is what you make it. You know your limitation and I knew that I had my family back at home that depended on me. So I sacrificed and did what I had to do for the love of my family. I've lost 140lbs, 70 more to go.