The MCPON and Prized Charge Books

I am posting greetings on behalf of DH CPO Select, who is VERY busy (and getting very skinny) during his induction to Chief Petty Officer. September 16 is the pinning ceremony and how we wish we could be there. He sends his best and thanks for the good thoughts (and goodies)!

I have some totally awesome pictures to share of DH and his CPO Select roommate Tim presenting their charge books to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON), Joe Campa Jr., who is the senior enlisted person in the Navy. What is a charge book? As far as I know, it has words of wisdom, advice, and congratulations from other chiefs. Note the fancy smancy wooden box within which the charge book is kept.

You've got a lot going on now, DH CPO Select; know that we are back here supporting you and cheering you on!

Day 7 of 7 Days of "I am thankful for..."

I am thankful for

VACATION in Rodanthe, NC

which starts Saturday!

We will all miss Chris and the others who can't make it this year! But we will send postcards... and sip wine coolers... and eat seafood... and splash in the ocean - ALL FOR YOU!

Day 6 of 7 Days of "I am thankful for..."

I am thankful that the

7 Days of "I am thankful for..." is almost over

cuz just look at what my frozen pizza looked like tonight!

But really, I am thankful it was easy to "reassemble" the pizza.

Day 5 of 7 Days of "I am thankful for..."

I am thankful for

Happy Things and Happy Thoughts

sent our way by friends & family.

This box of happy things contained artwork by the Lordos girls,

cherry tomatoes, a toy for Max, sticky notes and pens in my favorite

colors, Hello Kitty containers, more snacks, and bubble wrap to pop!

Day 4 of 7 Days of "I am thankful for..."

I am thankful for

our 4 year-old great-niece

who leans towards the Webcam,

and asks DH, who is deployed nearly 7000 miles away,

"What time are you coming home?"

and ...

for our 7 month-old great-nephew

who is nothing but smiles and giggles!

Day 3 of 7 Days of "I am thankful for..."

I am super-duper thankful for

having a loving AND brilliant dear husband (DH).

Here he is with the other Chief Selects

and Command Sergeant Major in Afghanistan.

Day 2 of 7 Days of "I am thankful for..."

I am thankful for being able to

laugh at paying $28 for a breakfast sandwich.

After all, I could have taken a moment to put a dime

in the parking meter while I ran into the deli

to get an egg and bacon sandwich

thereby avoiding the parking ticket!

Day 1 of 7 Days of "I am thankful for..."

I am thankful for the few friends who are willing to try out

the RADISH RECIPE.

And those delightful resealable bags the radishes come in!

Adoption Status Update

This past month (July) the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) matched babies with families whose applications were received up to and including January 31, 2006. It has taken the CCAA six months to match babies with applications received in January 2006.

We all hope they will get through February applications quicker because there appears to have been fewer applications logged in during February, and, heck, February has fewer days!

Farewell Good Girl Sammy

Many of you knew that Sammy, one of our mangy curs, had been very sick off and on for the past two weeks. The vet, who was absolutely wonderful to both Sammy and me, believes it was a tumor that was causing her to be anemic and that today the bleeding took another turn for the worse. I stayed with Sammy through the euthanasia, comforting her and her comforting me.

The meds she was on gave me an extra wonderful week with her; I got to see her play with her toys once more and she even went down the stairs last weekend to say Hi to Chris via Skype.

She was 11 years old and had a wonderful and silly life with us. She would sniff Chris and then sneeze on him. She would growl ferociously (but never mean it) when you tried to take away her toy. She hogged our king size bed and snored worse than Chris. She would roll around in the grass with her squeaky ball in her mouth. So very many very good memories.

My DH, Chief Select

It is with both great pleasure and honor that I announce DH's advancement to Chief Petty Officer (E7). I echo the Navy's words, "STRONG COMPETITION BETWEEN QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS IS ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF OUR NAVY AND YOUR SELECTION SPEAKS HIGHLY OF YOUR ABILITIES." He was the 9th out of 117 E6 Yeomans in the WHOLE Navy to be advanced this year. Well done, baby! Good show! We are all so proud of you!

Below are Chris's Dada's (grandfather) Chief Petty Officer pins that Chris will have pinned on him during the advancement ceremony in mid-September. Granny, get yourself a plane ticket to Afghanistan because you know Chris wanted you to pin them on him!

In closing, the following excerpt is from the Navy Chief Petty Officer's Creed and best captures what it means to advance to Chief Petty Officer (CPO) in the U.S. Navy.

"In the United States Navy -- and only in the United States Navy -- the rank of E7 carries with it unique responsibilities and privileges you are now bound to observe and expected to fulfill. Your entire way of life is now changed. More will be expected of you; more will be demanded of you. Not because you are a E7 but because you are now a Chief Petty Officer. You have not merely been promoted one pay grade, you have joined an exclusive fellowship and, as in all fellowships, you have a special responsibility to your comrades, even as they have a special responsibility to you. This is why we in the United States Navy may maintain with pride our feelings of accomplishment once we have attained the position of Chief Petty Officer."