Chapter 11: Are you RAD?

Last Saturday I ran in the Color Me Rad 5K with a bunch of wives/friends from my husband's ship. We formed a team of 13 called the "Wardog Wives" & we had a blast! It was my first time running a 5K & I'm pretty proud of myself for running the whole time—especially considering the fact that I didn't really "train" for it. I ran a total of 3 times before this 5K to prepare myself =P For those of you who remember reading my past post about how I was going to start running with my husband at 4AM.... well, that only happened once. We could never go to sleep early enough to want to wake up & run so early in the morning the next day [aka: we chose to have longer cuddle time] Lol ♥

The t-shirt I made using parts of my husband's old uniform :)

I then ran 2.1 miles on Tuesday, 2.6 miles on Wednesday, & the 5K was on Saturday. That was the extent of my "training". I surprised myself by running the whole 5K without stopping & without feeling like I was dying! Once I crossed the finish line I knew that I probably could've pushed myself a little harder. Now I've got the 5K bug! My husband is looking to do a mud run next month & we're both registered for the Color In Motion run in December. I also found out that there will be a 5K held on base in a couple of weeks for Domestic Violence Awareness Month & I'll most likely be running that one by myself—unless my friends join me, because my husband will be at work since it's happening during the week.

We're a legit RAD couple. Like... for reals ;)

There are soo many 5K's/Mud runs/obstacle courses etc... coming up that I want to do, but I'm limiting myself to 1 a month =P Those registration fees can be quite pricey! I had so much fun though & my husband & I keep talking about how excited we are to start running these together! :) We're preparing ourselves to run half marathons/marathons/triathlons etc... in the future ;) We'll see! The Color Me Rad 5K was definitely a good introduction into the world of running 5K's! It was fun, memorable, & good exercise! Lol. I also have a lot of souvenirs/keepsakes now too! I made my shirt (that I still have yet to soak in vinegar so the colors stay on it) & all registrants received a t-shirt, sunglasses, 1 color pack, & a "RAD" tattoo. On the day of the event I received 5 more color packs for free since we bought a teal tank top & bracelet for myself, a teal shirt for my husband, & a t-shirt for our future kid(s) [this is a bit of a long story, so I'll explain it some time if anyone actually asks & cares to know] :)

I DID IT!

FYI: For anyone who is interested in adding some "color" to your life but aren't sure if you can handle a 5K, you don't HAVE to run the whole time! You set your own pace :) That is what's so great about this 5K. Just because you're not a runner doesn't mean you can't join in on all the colorful fun! You can run the whole time, walk the whole time, or do a combination of running & walking. JUST DON'T STOP MOVING! Otherwise someone will come along in a golf cart & pick you up ;P That's cheating! Unless you're injured of course... there were kids running with their parents (I thought this was so cute! & I got  jealous every time these kids would pass me! Lol. Kids have so much energy!) & there were even some old folk amongst the crowd of runners! Those must be the "cool" grandma's & grandpa's. Haha! Aside from driving me to the 5K & being there to support me & cheer me on, my husband also took most of these great photographs that are in this blog post [thanks honey!]. There were also professional photographers taking pictures of runners who didn't want to get their camera dirty or who didn't have anyone to photograph them. We were able to search for the pictures online by using the bib # we pinned to our shirts.

Wooh!!!

"WW" Wardog Wives style ;)

 After taking numerous pictures, we went out to eat at Cracker Barrel with our friends. It was our 1st time eating there (we don't have that restaurant in California) & I've got to say, they have some pretty dang good food! We'll definitely come again! I was glad that I took the day off of work because after an exhausting day like that, there was NO WAY I would've wanted to go to work at night! Nope! I enjoyed the rest of the day hanging out with my husband & relaxing ♥

More pictures below........

The breakfast of champions! I've
always wanted a reason to eat one of
these! Lol!

I love my husband :)
He makes me laugh
♥

Our adrenaline was still pumping!
So we decided to do cartwheels =P

Look how happy she is to get colored?! Lol!

They color bombed us! We were tricked!

Yup. They got me.

Chapter 10: 4 days till the 5K!

I finally used our apartment's gym for the first time & ran a little over 2 miles this morning on the treadmill! I was going to continue on to run 3 miles, but then I decided not to push myself. I haven't ran for a little while & my 5K is coming up soon, so I didn't want to over work my body. I'm so excited for Saturday! I made certain to take the day off from work because I'm sure that after such an eventful morning running with some of my Navy Wives [& a thousand or so other strangers], I'll probably want to relax for the rest of the day with my husband, all while feeling victorious over having completed my 1st 5K :) Lol. After all, who wants to ruin such a fun & exciting day by having to go to work at night? Not me! =P

Anybody curious about which 5K I'm running?

I'll be doing the Color Me Rad 5K!

A bunch of wives from my husband's ship decided to form a team a few months ago. We even made shirts to wear ;) Unfortunately, I was working during the night of the "T-Shirt Decorating Party", so that was a bummer—but I'll still be decorating my shirt! A bunch of the wives will be wearing matching (or similarly designed) shirts. Mine may not match theirs exactly, but it will say basically the same thing so that everyone knows we're all a team :) Can I just say one more time how excited I am? Because I'M SO EXCITED!

What is the Color Me Rad 5K run, you may ask? It's a whole bunch of amazingly-fabulous-awesomeness! It's an event that everyone should partake in at least once in their lifetime!

For more information & race locations, visit their websites:

www.colormerad.com

www.facebook.com/colormerad5k

I'm RAD.

You're RAD.

Let's hug.

♥ Robert & Darlene ♥

;)

Chapter 9: Dear Diary...

[An entry from my personal diary. Thought I'd share in hopes that it may help someone.] 

8.27.12 

Things were much simpler when I was younger.

So children of the world, cherish your years of innocence.

Don't grow up too fast because you don't know what you're in for.

Yes, LIFE is a beautiful thing & there are many things to look forward to as you grow up.

You'll experience great things, 

but you'll also experience heartbreak that comes in many different forms.

You'll experience things you're going to wish you hadn't.

You'll want to change the past but realize that you can't.

This realization might shatter your world completely if you let it.

Pain can be relentless.

Open your mind & your heart to LIFE, but learn when to keep guarded & stand watch.

I have memories I wish I could relive

& memories I wish I could erase.

Unfortunately, we don't get that choice.

We don't have that power.

However, we do have the power to move forward.

To move on.

To let go.

To live.

Let your lemons lead the way to happiness.

LIFE can be hard.

LOVE can hurt.

PEOPLE can be mean.

...but don't let any of that get the best of you.

We only get one life to live, so don't waste it by not living it to the fullest.

When you're down on your luck never forget your blessings,

because hard times are the perfect times to count them.

Always be grateful.

Both the good & bad in life benefit you.

You learn from both.

You grow from everything.

Chapter 8: Training for a 5K!

Went for a run with my husband at 4:00AM this morning! I finally got new running shoes & put them to use :) I only have 2 1/2 more weeks to get myself ready for this 5K that I've been looking forward to for months! It will be my first time running a 5K, so I'm really excited about it! The run this morning kicked my butt, but it sure felt good! The best part about it was running with my husband & spending that time together before he had to head to work :) We plan to go for a run every morning, at least until my 5K. After that we'll take it easier, but for now I'm really going to have to step up my game! Glad I have my husband to help me! Off to bed.. Gotta wake up at 4:00AM again tomorrow for running/training day #2! Bring it on! Motivation & perseverance is a GO!

Chapter 7: The M.I.A. Newlyweds

Do you want to hear something that will blow your mind? It's pretty crazy. You ready? Well, my husband & I have been living together since July 19th & we've only spent 10 days completely alone together/in our home!!! True story. We did the math & the realization blew our minds as well! We've been living together for 1 1/2 months & have spent such little time together. Talk about M.I.A. newlyweds, huh? The reason we've had such little time together is because of house guests, 2 underways, & duty days. Although, I'm not complaining too much because it's a lot better than the 5 years of a long distance relationship that we did. Thank God those days are over & that chapter of our lives has ended! We've officially turned a new page & it's such a blessing & dream come true. Even though we haven't gotten to spend much time together, we've still managed to do some pretty awesome things since I moved here :)

To name a few::

-We took a day trip to Savannah, Georgia w/my eldest sister!

-We attended our first wedding (besides our own) together & signed as witnesses

-We found a church to attend mass at

-My husband is teaching me how to drive a stick shift

-I'm teaching him how to cook

-We celebrated his birthday when he came home from his underway

-We attended a fun Polynesian Dance event w/free food

-We went to Disney World for my birthday/our 2nd honeymoon!

Although, we still haven't spent a day at the beach yet & it's only 10 minutes away from us =P We must do this before summer is over! I'm mostly looking forward to attending Disney World's Food & Wine Festival at Epcot during the Fall & the Navy Day Ball (or Winter Ball) =D I can't wait! CHEERS! Here's to many more amazing days to be had & wonderful memories to be made! 

Teaching my hubby how to cook chicken adobo (a Filipino dish) Yum! :) 

End result of the chicken adobo! We had it over rice, of course :) SO GOOD!

Chapter 6: Conversations with Strangers.

7.19.12—My husband surprised me w/decorations, stickers (for scrapbooking), & red roses when I moved in :) 

If you know me, then you know that I can strike up a conversation with just about anyone because I enjoy talking to people & making friends. That's just the way I am. My parents tell me that I used to say hello & wave to people as a kid while sitting in my stroller...That sounds about right. Lol. I'm just a really friendly person & sometimes my husband thinks I'm too friendly. Anyway... I was talking to a USAA customer service rep yesterday & after she helped me we ended up talking about marriage & the newlywed life etc...
I told her how we only have 3 pieces of "furniture":
Air bed, computer chair, & an entertainment system.

I still have a lot of things I need shipped from Cali. We eat our meals on plastic bins & use those same plastic bins as night stands =P She laughed & told me that we don't need to have all the stuff our parents ended up with now, because those things accumulate over a lifetime of marriage. She said we should cherish these times because they'll probably be some of the best memories we'll have to look back on when we're old & laugh about it. I told her that we're already laughing about it now & enjoying our little empty home :) After saying, "Oh, well that's good!" she shared with me that she was married for 28 years before losing her husband to heart cancer or something (I didn't hear what she said, but I didn't want to ask her to repeat herself). She said it was the best 28 years of her life & how they loved each other so much & had a very happy marriage & life together. Then she added, "Well I believe that after talking to you, from what I hear, it sounds like you'll have a very happy marriage & life too!" I smiled a big smile & thanked her.... sometimes conversations with strangers are the best conversations to have.

Chapter 5: So this is love.

Yesterday while I was tuning my husband's violin, I accidentally broke one of the strings. I told him what happened & apologized. Instead of being upset with me, he was only concerned about how the string snapped & hurt the back of my hand... with a response like that, all I can think of to say (or sing) is:

"So this is love

Mmmmm

So this is love

So this is what makes life divine....

So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of....

Mmmmm

So this is love"

—Cinderella

I'm feeling pretty blessed right about now to have the best friend & husband that I do. Too often people can get so caught up with all the materialistic things in this world that we forget about the things that really matter—like family, friends, health, compassion, humanity, kindness, love.... Not petty things such as a broken violin string. What's the point in wasting energy & getting upset over something so minuscule when your energy could be directed elsewhere? Somewhere more useful, positive, & loving.... With this violin mishap, my husband helped me remember that. Always love.

Chapter 4: My new found courage.

This is my husband's manual/standard car AKA my latest challenge. 

1 year older & 1 notch more courageous. I'm barely 23 & I'm already noticing a change in myself! =P Alright, maybe it's just a coincidence—either way, I'm not complaining. I still have yet to document about my wonderful Disney World birthday yesterday, but first I want to talk about our drive home from Disney World :) My husband & I didn't end up leaving Downtown Disney until just a little before midnight. We had a 3 hour drive ahead of us & I knew my husband would be tired because:

1. I was tired! We had a lot of fun, but it was a long day in the blazing sun & evening in the pouring rain.

2. He got less sleep than I did the night before & we left for Disney World at 7am in the morning.

We tried many things to keep him AWAKE. We blasted the AC, started singing at the top of our lungs, drank water & ate snacks, I'd pinch his arm if he asked me to, & he'd ocassionally slap himself in the face to try to stay awake =P Well, none of these methods would work for very long. All of a sudden I found myself telling him that I'd drive if he wanted me to. [Did I really just say that?] For a few times he'd respond with, "No, that's ok honey. I'm awake. Thank you though." After offering to drive a couple more times, his response turned into, "Are you sure you want to? Do you feel ready?" Oddly enough, I did feel ready. He gave me such an amazing birthday celebration, the least I could do to say "thank you" was take over the wheel & let him catch a few zzZ's. Out of nowhere I gained some new found courage in conquering the intimidating stick shift! I knew that the drive would be pretty easy because we just had to stay on the freeway for a long time, so there isn't any shifting of gears involved when you're just cruising. The only hard part was getting onto the freeway & getting off of the freeway, which I did last night for the very 1st time! I had already practiced upshifting a few times, but I hadn't practiced downshifting yet, & Robert said I did a good job! As you may already be able to tell, I'm pretty proud of myself :) 

The original plan: Drive the long stretch of freeway & exit before getting close to home so we could switch seats again & I wouldn't have to drive on the streets... However, once I was in the driver seat I kept pep talking myself, going over in my head everything I've read & everything Robert had taught me.

The new plan: I was determined to drive us all the way home! 

The plan was set. My husband was getting some rest & I was getting more confident in my driving by the minute. Everything was panning out just right... until I started getting sleepy =X [Bah humbug! That wasn't supposed to happen!] Robert woke up & I told him about how my sleepy mind started playing tricks on me & made the lines in the road look funny. I'm not even going to try to explain this. Lol. That's when we decided to switch seats again. Darn! But safety first! Right? I told Robert about  how I planned to drive us all the way home because I was confident that I could do it! I swear I would've done it if I hadn't have gotten so sleepy. He smiled & said he believed me :) Good! I just hope this new found courage of mine sticks around so I can hurry up & join the ranks of the those who know how to drive a manual car. Only a small percentage of the population under the age of 50 can drive a stick shift (the percentage is higher for those over the age of 50) & I can't wait to be one of those cool cats! =P

Chapter 3: Learning to drive a stick shift [Success or Fail?]

Driving Lesson #2: A picture of us after I stopped crying & Robert said he'd take over driving.

"WHAT?!! No! I don't want to drive there! No, please! I don't want to! I'm not ready!"—Me

 My husband is a very patient teacher & I am a very nervous driver when it comes to learning how to drive a stick shift. Today was my second time driving his car. It started out fine (I cruised around our apartment complex like  pro! Lol) until he told me that I was the one that would be driving us to Costco. Husband say what?!! The thought of driving out on the street with other cars scared me to the core! It scared me so much that I started crying ='/ Yep. True story. I just got sooo nervous! I'm not one of those people that likes "diving into the water". No.... I'm the type of person that likes slowly stepping into the water & getting used to it before going all the way in. All my husband did was laugh & smile at me while constantly saying things like, "Yes honey! You're going to drive us there! You can do it! I know you can. I believe in you! You're just scared but this is what you need to do to practice. Don't worry sweetheart, I'm right here! You can do it!" I tried to convince myself that it was going to be ok if I did drive there, but in the end I just couldn't do it. I was at the gate to leave our apartment complex & just stopped. I couldn't leave! I freaked out... I couldn't stop crying & telling him that I didn't want to do it because I wasn't ready yet. Looking back on it, I'll admit that it is kind of funny & I understand why my husband was laughing. I was just already so embarrassed for crying about this that I kept saying, "It's not funny, Robert. I really don't want to! I'm not ready yet. I'm really scared!.... No, please. " as tears flowed down my face. *sigh* It was pretty emotional! =P After quite a while of us doing this back & forth—me crying & my husband encouraging me—he finally backed down & said that I didn't have to drive us there today & that we could switch seats. *PHEW* I was about to have a mini heart attack! I'm also very glad that I didn't end up tackling the challenge because shortly after we switched seats & were on our way to Costco, it started raining again really hard. The road in front of us was barely visible—that's how hard it was raining. Hopefully driving lesson #3 will go a lot better than today & that I'll be a little more brave! I'm planning on reading up about how to drive a stick shift so I can be more prepared next time. My husband claims that it won't really make a difference because he's there to teach me, but I beg to differ! I don't like having to ask him what to do next every 10 seconds. I feel so clueless when I'm in that drivers seat & completely forget what to do. I'd rather have the book knowledge engraved in my head as best as I can so that I can be ready to apply it to the real thing & put what I read into action! I guess we'll see if it works... Time to start studying! WISH ME LUCK!

Driving Lesson #1: The very 1st time I drove my husband's car! This photo was taken in June & I was so excited about learning how to drive a stick shift! This was a good day because all I had to do was practice how to 'stop & go' around the hotel parking lot. Lol =P  I did stall a few times & every time I did I'd get scared, pout at Robert, & take my hands off of the steering wheel completely forgetting what to do next. My husband of course would just laugh & say, "It's ok, sweetheart! All you have to do is start the car again. Remember that." Thank God he's so patient with me!

Chapter 2: A gift for YOU is a gift for ME!

... So go ahead & treat yourself to a gift! ;D 

BIRTHDAY COUNTDOWN: There's only 10 days left until I turn 23! What do I want for my birthday, you ask? Well, there are many things I can name....I started a "permanent" wish list of things I can never have enough of such as polaroid film, photo paper, printer ink, stickers for scrapbooking etc... These things may not seem like "real" gifts, but they truly are to me!

However, there is one gift in particular that I want to point out. If you're a book worm & appreciate a good love story, then you'll LOVE this gift for yourself/gift for me :) Last year I read a book called ----->
by the author of "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". I instantly felt in love with this book! I'm a hopeless romantic. So sue me! It is one of my favorite books because I feel I can really connect to the love story. I haven't read a love story this captivating since, "The Time Traveler's Wife" [another one of my favorite books]. I found out that the book was originally meant to be a trilogy—no wonder why the ending left me hanging! After finding this out, my fingers anxiously googled when the sequel would be coming out.... "Roger, we have a problem!". Much to my disappointment, I found out that the sequel may not be released anytime soon—in fact, it may not be released at all! This obviously brought my spirits down a little, as I was looking forward to finding out what happens next in the lives of the main characters Lucy & Daniel. I found a source online explaining why the book may not be getting a sequel:

"I went to a book signing with Ann Brashares last month and this question was asked.  Her answer was not encouraging.  She basically intended for My Name is Memory to be a trilogy.  However, all her books were bestsellers EXCEPT this one. Therefore, her publishers aren't pushing for another one.  She basically told the audience if you want to see the sequel come out, then encourage more people to go out and buy the book.  She finished by saying that she believes the other books will eventually get published, but it's not looking like it will be soon.

However, she did say that out of all of her books, this one has received the most movie interest.  So if book sales don't force the other books to get published, hopefully a movie deal will. " —[article source]

Now, I'm sure you're all very bright people... Are the puzzle pieces coming together? Does the title of my blog post make sense now? :) If you love a good book &/or just want to be a SUPER COOL person, then PLEASE buy this book! Buy it for yourself, a friend or donate it to a local library!

THE SOONER BOOK SALES GO UP,

THE SOONER THE SEQUEL WILL BE RELEASED!

So what do you say?! Are you in? By buying this book & feeding your romantic side, you'll in turn be giving me a wonderful birthday gift! So for those of you who are seriously considering going out & buying this book..... THANK YOU in advance! Please leave me a comment & left me know if you actually do! :)

Keep reading for a summary/description of the book:

From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and The Last Summer (of You and Me) comes an imaginative, inspired, magical book-a love story that lasts more than a lifetime. 

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.

Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.

A magical, suspenseful, heartbreaking story of true love, My Name is Memory proves the power and endurance of a union that was meant to be.

Chapter 1: The day I became Mrs. Montgomery [+video]

A month ago today I married my best friend :) I walked down the church aisle & felt like the happiest woman in the world because after 5 years of a long distance relationship, I was finally marrying the man of my dreams. As my dad gave me away, I couldn't help but smile. While my husband & I exchanged vows I had to hold back my tears.... tears of joy, tears of relief, tears of love. When he asked me to marry him on September 18th, 2010, saying "Yes" was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my entire life. It's quite overwhelming to look back on our relationship & see the journey that we took to get to where we are today. All the trials & tribulations have helped mold us as a couple. We've had to say more "goodbyes" than the average couple because of our long distance relationship. We've faced many challenges & obstacles that most couples don't have to deal with. When my husband joined the Navy a little over 3 years ago, even more challenges were presented to us, but somehow we managed to roll with the ever-changing tide & we've come out stronger because of those experiences.

Today was an extremely good day because besides the fact that it marks our 1 month of being married, it's also the day that my husband came home from being underway for about 1 1/2 weeks. After spending time with him a week before our wedding, during our honeymoon, & me moving out here to Florida just 3 days after he left, I got a little spoiled, so him having to leave so soon after I just moved here was pretty torturous! How was I to enjoy "The Newlywed Life" without my husband? As he went out to sea I was left to try & make our new place a home as best as I could with what little we had. There's a lot of things we still need shipped here from California & I'm looking forward to having more than 3 pieces of furniture =P But I digress...

I know I can speak for both of us when I say that our wedding day was one of the happiest days of our lives! It was the day when we were finally joined by God as husband & wife. We were able to celebrate our love with as many family & friends that were able to attend. I cannot describe how special it was to have our family & friends together under one roof, because a wedding is the ultimate "welcoming" into each others' family. That is when everything becomes official! I had family & friends travel from Hawaii, Southern California, & 2+ hours away just to make it to our wedding & it truly meant to world to me that they traveled so far just to witness 1 special day in my life. Although we had 150+ guests at our wedding, unfortunately a lot of family & friends couldn't make it. However, only some seemed to have a good reason for not attending. My wedding was not only a day for celebrating me & Robert's new chapter as husband & wife, but also a day for me to realize who my true friends are. I am forever grateful to God for bringing these special people into my life because they were there for me, no ifs, ands, or buts :)

Besides saying, "I do", one of my favorite moments of our wedding was surprising my groom with an original song that I wrote :) One of my best friends accompanied me on guitar while I sang. My cousin/our MC did a great job at improving! He called us both to the dance floor & sat us down in two chairs for a "surprise". He pretended that there was a singer out back that was going to perform for us. While Robert, sitting to my right, was all wide-eyed with curiosity waiting to find out who this "surprise singer" was, I couldn't help but grin as I stood up from my chair & grabbed the microphone from my cousin. I explained how I wrote this song for him & the only time I sang it to him was the day before he deployed. It's one of my most favorite songs that I have ever written because of the subject that it was written about.... my husband. It's a very special song to me that I hold dear to my heart & I wanted to share it with our family & friends, as well as surprise my husband by serenading him. I can't wait to get the DVD from our wedding videographer because I'm anxious to once again see the loving look on his face as I sang to him :) It was priceless.

Our wedding was a dream come true.... literally. Who knew I'd end up marrying my 3rd grade crush? Well, actually.... I did. You can even read my old diaries ;) Lol. Ok, ok, no I couldn't predict that we'd get married—I'm no psychic! But I did hope that we would. What can I say? I'm a true hopeless romantic & I know what I like. Or perhaps... who to like? My crush on Robert stuck with me & I just couldn't shake him. I couldn't get rid of him & I'm glad I didn't, because I can't picture myself with any other man but him. I suppose that's where the term "soulmates" comes in. Destined to be together. & you know what?! I wouldn't have it any other way... We're still young, so we have a lot to learn & a lot of growing up to do, but we're looking forward to doing it together. We're excited to finally start our lives together & see what God has in store for our future ♥

Credit: Major Diamond Productions

Credit: Onelove Photography