Changes: Good and/or Bad?? Remembering. (***Warning It's Long***)

As I sit here starting to write a new entry, I am watching KING 5 news about a gun man that is on the loose and that I-5 is closed down by Everett (while typing this novel, the man was caught and the drama is over). We have lived in so many places in Mark's 23.5 years in the Coast Guard. 1. Novato, CA 2. Vancouver, WA 3. Port Angeles, WA 4. Novato, CA (again) 5. Astoria, OR 6. Ketchikan, AK 7. Kodiak, AK. I think the scariest was when we lived in Alameda, not that Alameda was bad we had a few things stolen and this was on an active Naval Base with Mil Pol. What I am referring to is Oakland. Mark, back in the day, had a police scanner and we would hear about the same "black male, wearing blue jeans and Raiders jacket" causing hate and discontent on E 14th St. almost on a daily basis. Driving through Oakland was just plain scary. That was when Patrick was just a newborn.

Vancouver Washington wasn't as bad. We lived in an apartment and there were thugs that lived there but if you kept your mouth shut and didn't antagonize them, they pretty much left you alone. I think that these instances helped me decided that smaller towns were more to my liking.

As you all know, we are not in a small town. We are in a fast growing metropolis compared to Port Angeles, Astoria, Ketchikan and even Kodiak. How does one adjust to the sudden changes, for example, gun shots in the middle of the night, noises in the parking lot in the middle of the night, a strange guy at 6 am looking as if he is trying to break into a car?? It helps to have a larger dog with a even larger bark and a nice can of pepper spray. Don't get me wrong, I am actually enjoying the change of "going places" like Seattle's Pike Place Market, the waterfront and eating Ivar's clam chowder for lunch. We just have to remember that we have to now lock the car doors and the front door to the apartment. I know that people just don't watch the news because there is so too many "bad" things happening out there. I guess I would rather know what I am up against rather than be ignorant to reality of what is actually happening out there. You can not put yourself into a cocoon with blinders on and hope that these "bad" things really won't touch you. It is always that person who says "that happens to other people, I never thought it would happen to me".

As far as "good" changes, I would have to say that being with family is by far the best thing. We have been to several family gatherings. We were fortunate to be able to go to my nephews wedding and to be able to see my family more in the past two months than we had in three years. Other good things that are happening is Matthew and I will be starting college. I am scared and excited all at once.

It is so hard to believe that my boys are getting older. Matthew first year in college and Patrick a junior in high school. The next two years will be full of excitement for both I am sure.

In all of our years throughout Mark's career we have met so many different people and would never change that for the world. The friends we have made are such treasures to me. The places we have been and the amazing/fun things and scary things we have seen and been through. For example, the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, the Oakland firestorm of 1991, Matthew's first ride at six weeks old on a 41' Coast Guard Utility Boat on the San Francisco Bay even though it was overcast  and couldn't actually see the fireworks in 1991, watching the Blue Angels take off from Naval Air Station Alameda during Fleet Week in 1995 at the END of the runway, spending 4th of July's in Portland on the CGC Bluebell for three years in a row and even sharing that experience with Ruth, Darryl and even my dad. Our second time in Novato and the fun times we shared on almost a nightly basis of BBQ's and volleyball games. I honestly don't think I have ever laughed as much as I did during those games. Watching the amazing storms in Astoria Oregon and seeing the devastation of the November 2006 storm which took off the gutters of our house and left tons of debris on our favorite beaches, seeing my son, Patrick make All-Stars in his first year of baseball. I have to say that our most amazing and adventurous time was in Alaska. Seeing the wild animals up close and personal is something I will never forget. The eagles and bears (both black and brown). That is truly God's Country. The mountains were just unbelievable and the fact that we could climb them and see as far as the eye can see was beyond cool. Climbing Old Woman in the early summer and Pyramid (in the snow) and being eye level with a small plane was awesome!!!!  So those are some of the amazing/fun & scary events we have been through.

Now a new adventure begins and I am embracing it with everything in me. I know we have the support of our families and that means a lot to us. I am so proud of Mark for his service in the Coast Guard. He served his country well for 23.5 years. He changed many people's lives through his leadership, friendship and knowledge. I love him with everything in me and I guess that is why we have been married for as long as we have, through the easy times and the tough times. It is hard to believe we have been married almost 22 years on the 3rd of September.

So I guess I have been rattling on and I should sign out. Keep smiling and keep us in your thoughts as we embark on our new adventure.