The brotherhood....

Each week that I am here time seems to fly faster. I believe it is because the longer we are here the closer we all have become. Everyone back in the office told us we would be hating each other by this point simply because we are with one another day in and day out. I think the opposite effect has happened. Again I am left realizing that I was sent with an amazing group of men. The only part that gets on my nerves is they have me on a tight leash...13 brothers I never expected to have! I thought Branden was bad with his macho brother attitude wanting to hurt any man who hurts his sisters, but these guys I'm with are at a whole other level. They don't really like it that I'm friendly with everyone who crosses my path. They mean well and I just have to accept it. 

Yesterday I was able to take part in a great event that was sponsored in part by Walmart. I took a little girl around the store with a gift card and went shopping. My little one was 8 and when I asked her what was the most important thing off of her list that she wanted to look for first she said shoes! It was meant to be. She got an adorable pair of black boots, a new bicycle, a pretty dress for church, a few toys, and of course some socks and t-shirts. A woman from the local newspaper was following us taking photos and said they would be in today's paper. I haven't looked for it yet, but when I do I will bring a copy home to share with you all. It was a great way to start my morning. That and a cup of coffee!!

In our remedial PT  this week they combined us with the class that came in a couple of weeks ago. Noticing their form and their ability makes me realize how much my class and I have transformed. The physical things I used to struggle with have now become a workout and not a challenge to maintain proper form in order to do the exercise correct. PT life would be perfect if I was a better runner, but I guess I can't have it all. I have started working out with our class leader who is a former marine and physical trainer. He knows my strengths and weaknesses and has put me on a program tailored to my needs. He continues to be one of my biggest supporters here not only physically, but mentally as well. He won't allow me to show weakness in either aspect. So, to all of my girls out there, I'm going to need some major detoxing from all of this!!! Mani, pedi, massage, day spa....the works!

Well folks, that's it for now. I'm off to get a workout in and then study. We have another big exam this Tuesday. I hope you all are staying dry or dancing in the rain...whichever you choose!! Blog at you soon.

xoxo

Georgia rain=no bugs!

At the end of week 6 I am happier than ever. It marks our half way point and the successful completion of the fitness midterm. You might remember that the day after we arrived in Georgia we had to run through an obstacle course and run a mile and a half. We repeated that on Friday to log our progression and hopefully get a confidence boost. Originally I did the O course in 1 minute and 46 seconds and the run in 16 minutes and 7 seconds. As you can imagine, I was pretty nervous that I had not progressed enough to decrease my numbers drastically. Needless to say I surprised myself when I ran the O course in 1 min and 10 seconds and the mile and a half in 14 min and 34 seconds. The passing run time for the final is 14.30 and the O course is 1.45. I now have no doubt in my mind that in the next 7 weeks I will shave off the necessary 4 seconds from the run to pass the final. This week was huge for me. I can't even begin to tell you how huge my smile was when Mr. K towered over me and said in his Georgia accent, "Ma'am, you did good today, but that doesn't mean you can slack off. 14.34 isn't passing, but nicely done." I love his round about comments and I truly appreciate his dedication to make me better than I think I am. Oh, and I mastered that six foot wall!

I am also doing well with my classes. I did better than expected on our first exam by scoring a 96% which was the highest in the class. I shared that honor with two other classmates. The tough part is trying to stay awake after lunch. At any giving moment I can look around the room and at least one of us has the case of the nods. A lot of the material is very dry and there isn't a cup of coffee or a bottle of 5 hour energy big enough to cure them.

Now for my sad news. My friend Lenin went home this week. He has been sick since we started back in L.A. and just couldn't take it any longer. He wasn't sleeping which made it impossible for him to function. So, he went home to heal and he will be recycled with another group. I miss my friend, but in the end it was better for him not to be here while he was ill. It's stressful enough without an illness. The rest of the guys have been really good about including me in their fun since he has been gone. We took a trip to Target last night and went to 5 Guys for dinner and after I was going to walk across the parking lot to Old Navy to expand my limited wardrobe. I was told that I was not going alone because I have 15 brothers now. Yikes, the independent side of me went nuts and the warm fuzzy side sat and waited. These guys I'm with are wonderful...even when we bump heads.

Well friends and family, it's time for me to study for our exam on Tuesday. I hope you are all enjoying the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. I miss you all!

xoxo

Almost half way there!

I can hardly believe that we just completed week 5. I managed to pass all 3 exams, but do not know my score on the third one just yet. My hours and hours of studying paid off! The physical conditioning continues to be challenging. Monday we did a cross fit workout that consisted of lifting weights, medicine balls, and a row machine. We had to partner up and since there are an odd number of people in our group one of us had to partner up with Mr. K. I was the lucky one! I actually had a great workout and he motivates me very well. I even got a higher score than I could have ever imagined. Three sets in 15 minutes sounds easier than it actually was. The running still stinks, but it is getting better. At least I feel like it is.

The new class from our office came in this week. They are a fun group who makes me appreciate how organized and focused my class is. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that I was meant to be with this group. Our class President has played a huge part in my success here. This week I hit a little mental breakdown after Tuesday's conditioning session. I felt like no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't being recognized for my efforts and Mr. K definitely got in my head.  Our President picked up the pieces and carried me through my low point. He's truly the best!

This weekend is sort of a resting weekend. We don't have a lot of studying to do and will only go for a run today and maybe swim tomorrow. Sounds relaxing, huh? Well, that's as relaxed as it will ever get! Week 6 has 4 physical conditioning days in 35 degree weather. Yay me! All kidding aside, I don't think it will be that bad. I made it this far and I'm only looking forward!

I miss you all and thank you for the encouraging comments!!
xoxo

My Box of Chocolates

If you would have said to me last Thanksgiving that I would be in Savannah taking a trolley tour this weekend I might have thought you were crazy. It continues to amaze me how different my life is every year that passes. This year I am truly grateful for the opportunities that have been put in front of me and have been reminded of the wonderful people in my life that I can lean on in my time of need. Thank you all for being in my life. I love you.


This week was a short one. Three days of instruction, one holiday, and one non-instructional day. On Thanksgiving the chow hall fed us a turkey and prime rib lunch which wasn't bad at all. The cranberries were real and the stuffing was pretty good. That evening I was able to do a group video chat on Skype with my family. What else can I ask for?! Other than the food, it felt like any other day. My good friend Lenin and I set off for Savannah on Saturday morning to do a little sight seeing. The first thing we did was take a 90 minute trolley tour of the historic district. The old buildings and all of its history really was breath taking. Of course one of our stops was to Chippewa Square where the famous Forrest Gump bench was. It's not there anymore, but it was still something we both wanted to see. Now the food....Paula Deen is a rockstar! We ate lunch at her restaurant The Lady & Sons. DELICIOUS!!!! Who knew I like collard greens? I sure didn't, but they, along with everything else on my plate, was better than fantastic. If you're ever in the south I highly recommend seeing Savannah.


This week is going to be a busy one with three days of physical conditioning and three exams. When I say that all my life consists of is studying and exercising, I promise you it's the truth! Most of us feel like after this week things should settle in and get easier, but we'll see what happens. At the very least we won't have to process a months worth of information for the exams.


I hope everyone had a great holiday and I will blog at you soon.


xoxo

My Angry Gorilla

I'm not even sure where to start this one...The four days of physical conditioning was definitely a challenge especially because it ended up being five days. Early in the week we were taught proper body positioning for weightlifting and apparently the proper position for a dead lift is looking like an angry gorilla from the national geographic channel. Our lead instructor, we'll call him K for the blog, looks at me and says, "There you go ma'am, there's your angry gorilla!" I preceeded to start laughing and when he asked why I said that I had never been called an angry gorilla before. He walked away holding back his laughter. The following day we were in the gym actually doing the lifts and I was told I was the model for doing a dead lift. Figure that! K was there a couple of days later when we were and says I have a perfect angry gorilla. Just then the bar hits my knee and I start to bleed. So I said, "Sir, I think my angry gorilla just bit me!" He laughed and walked away. I like him! Then comes the running part. I am truly a horrible runner. K and I both believe it's all mental and I cant quite figure out how to get past that. With that said, I never gave up and finished strong each day. I have at least 3 bruises on each extremity from jumping over that 6 foot wall 20 times and flipping tractor tires about 200 feet. Good times! Needless to say my entire body is sore and got a well deserved break today. Tomorrow it's back to the gym.

As far as Georgia is concerned, it's an interesting place. The people are nice and the bugs are in abundance. Next weekend we are taking a short road trip to Savannah to get away from this compound. I think we are all starting to get a little case of cabin fever. Hopefully I will be able to share a picture or two with you all.

Miss you
xoxo

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving!

Only week 2?

At the end of week 2 it already feels like I have been here a month. My body hurts and my mind is on overload! Our Law classes are pretty tough and some of the material is difficult to understand, but I feel like I am grasping the concept. Wednesday we had our first day of physical conditioning and 100% of us were sore the next day. I'm not going to lie, it was tough! A couple of the guys were not able to finish, but I am happy to report that I made it to the end. The run was by far the hardest for me, but I dug deep into my soul and finished. It was ugly though. The PT instructors gave me some running drills to do on my own so that I can regulate my breathing. I'm sure it will work.

Fingers crossed for week 3 because we have 4 days of physical conditioning! It's been on my mind all weekend, but anything can be accomplished in two hour incriments! Wish me luck!

xoxo

Week 1

We walk into class yesterday and see a stack of books that were gigantic! 4 two inch 3 ring binders full of material to learn one page at a time plus a handful of other books. Our class coordinators are firm, but also make us laugh when the time is right. They definitely keep us in line. The rest of the day we met our instructors, received our uniforms, learned the ways of the program, and what is expected of us.

Today was the big fitness qualifying day. I fell during the obstacle course, but got up, reset myself, and kept going. I was ecstatic when I passed! Then came the run which I finished with less than 30 seconds left on the clock. I'm going to have to work on that one. The big thing is getting my lungs acclimated to the cold air. All in all, I'm pleased that I passed!

Hope all is well with everyone. Miss you!

xoxo