My Good Deed

Jerica is out of school for Spring Break and Tuesdays happen to be my day off so yesterday we were able to spend the day together and i had a blast. We went to Barnes and Noble (just to look) then to Jamba Juice and to Target. When we walked up to Target, with Jamba Juice in hand, we saw a homeless man in a wheelchair sitting out in the front of the store. My heart sank but i avoided eye contact with him. As we walked through the door we had a feeling of unspoken compassion for what we saw. We didnt go to Target for anything, just for fun. We walked up and down the isles and finally came to the food section. I grabbed and bag of Gold Fish and said told Jerica it was for the man outside, she said, "i'll grab the water". We spent a total of $2.50 on him. Its not a big deal but he was sooo grateful and appreciated our simple selfless gesture. What a great day! I got to spend it with my sister and do an act of service. I love my family sooo much! They are huge examples to me, from my dad all the way down to Elizabeth, they all are and im so glad that they are mine.

Relieved

Since me and Nolen have gotten married i have been worried about my CA cosmetology license since we will be moving to WA once he comes back from his deployment. It has actually been a huge stress, i have searched and searched and have found so many different answers to the questions i have. I finally looked to the military for help and was told that if i worked at the PX then my CA license would be good enough, however, they would take 50% of my earnings and i would be taxed on my half! So basically i would be working for nothing. I immedietly ran to my dad who always knows how to make me feel better (running to Nolen isnt really an option right now) and he was able to calm me down and help me see that for the time it wouldnt be bad, at least i would have a job and i, still semi upset, agreed. Once Nolen called me i told him what i had found out and about how stressful it was. Without asking him to, he went straight to the internet to do some research for me. He found a number to the WA cosmetology department. I was able to call them today and was told that as long as i can prove that i took and passed both a practical and written exam in CA i could recieve a WA license without having to re-examine. I was thrilled. It seems to easy because i have been searching and searching for an answer but i will trust that this is accurate. I have been working with Stephanie Wilde who is a fantastic stylist and who i have learned so much from. It was breaking me to think that once i moved to WA i would be doing military cuts without making much money. I love both my dad and my husband! They are THE most important guys in my life. They know how to handle my stress levels well. haha i guess moving to WA isnt looking soo bad anymore.

getting to it!

Tuesdays are my days off, usually i will wake up later, louge around in my sweats and avoid doing anything, however last nght i decide that today i would be productive! So far i have been. I woke up at 5:30am (ON MY DAY OFF) to go work out. [I want to really get into shap because Nolen tells me how often he goes to the gym and how much time he spends there, so i thought, 'hmmm, maybe i should be doing something too' so i did! I joined CURVES for women and so far i love it.] When my alarm went off at 5:30 am i thought that i would be able to go back to sleep after coming home from the gym, but after looking at my long list of to-dos ive decided that is no longer possible. There is so much that i have to do, oh the joys of being an adult. So...wish me luck in being able to get everything done that i need to!!

What i've got to look forward to...

So...today was fun, i got to practice being a mother AND a wife! On Mondays and Wednesdays i am a nanny for a 3 year old, we were trying to build a train track today which was very difficult to put together. The stupid thing wouldnt work and so the words "what the heck?" came out of my mouth. Immediatly Daniel (the little boy) said "yeah what the heck?" My head shot up and i said "Daniel, we dont say that" "but Lauren you do!" what a classic response. Before i could apologize to him and tell him what i said wasnt nice i first had to stop laughing. I love this little boy so much! he is so fun and i have watched him since he was about 6 months old so he is extra special to me. He made me realize how impressionable and delicate he is. And then when i got home i asked my mom what she had planned for dinner, she asked if i would make it, apparently mom is on a diet and each sister is taking a day to cook dinner. I went to the kitchen and cooked spaghetti and meatballs for 6...however when it was done, i was the only one that came to the table to eat. (everyone was still busy i guess)

Anyway today made me realize how quickly i will have to step up into these 2 roles because Nolen will be home in hopefully 4 months.

Deployment and Leave (R&R)

Nolen was deployed on September 30 2009. Such an emotional rollercoaster it has been, holy cow. Our first year of marriage and its spent apart. Even though we knew this was what we were getting into, I don’t think there was anything that could have prepared me for it!! WOW!! I think I’ve been pretty good about sending him boxes and letters, I’ve probably averaged one a month, which I don’t think is bad but I’m not the one away from home, he hasn’t complained though and when he does want something he just tells me. And...he actually sends me cards, boxes and i've even gottend flowers and then a surprise V-Day gift, i have such a great husband.

He came home for his R&R January 21-Feburary 6th. It was fun because Jan 21 was when I graduated from the GWC cosmetology program. I graduated at 10:30am and he flew in at 12:30pm to John Wayne. So much excitement for one day…after I clocked out we headed to the airport and then went to BJ’s to celebrate the days events. We hung out and visited his and my families before retiring for the night. The 2 weeks I had him was like heaven. We went to Disneyland, Las Vegas, the movies, shopping, a picnic…it was so much fun! It was what normal couples might take for granted, but not us. It was hard sending him back, but it made it easier knowing we were half way through. His deployment has been tough but looking back I guess it wasn’t all bad, we’ve almost made it through.


Cosmso Grad-1600hrs FINALLY!



Seeing Nolen for the first time in about 4 months






Disneyland



DCA



Picnic at Mile Sqaure Park

SURPRISE!!

SURPRISED is a good way to describe the way most were feeling on August 8, 2009. Why?!? It happens to be the day that Nolen and I announced we were getting married. When?!? That night let me tell you, haha more than most didn’t even know we were talking let alone dating. Although many are interested in our wedding day, some still haven’t heard our story, so here it is…the details can be boring and long so ill make it simple!
February 1999 We met (some time during that year we were each others first kiss), we went to middle school together but lost touch in high school. On May 15 2009 Nolen found me and befriended me on facebook and we started to catch up via facebook and then eventually on the phone. Our phone conversations could last through the night, some 4 hrs others were 6 hrs, we had so much to say to one another I guess. He told me of how he joined the military and that in September 2009 he was being deployed to Iraq. He was in WA, stationed at Fort Lewis and was coming home on leave August 1-10th 2009. He made me promise him a date when he was home. I told him I wasn’t interested in dating and I only wanted to be friends, but I would agree to ONE date, he said ok. But somewhere down the road (within about 2 months) that changed. We fell in love and were talking about getting married during his leave. We did however acknowledge the fact that our relationship had grown over the phone and that it was possible when he was home and in person we would not feel the same way about one another. But when August 1, 2009 came that wasn’t the case. I loved him, I loved him. We went ring shopping (still no one knew how serious we were) but couldn’t agree on one. We did find a cheap fake one that we both liked and so he secretly bought it…proposed…and as a joke we went to his dads house and “announced our engagement” (this was after he was home for a few days). By Friday August 7th rumor was that we were either secretly married or engaged. By then we were really neither. We had gone to visit his mother in Covina for the day and she showed her support in our “marriage” so we decided why not…if we know we love each other then this would be the perfect time as any to get married. (don’t worry, we made mental lists of the pros and cons about tieing the knot before he was deployed) SATURDAY AUGUST 8 2009 around 10 am we sat down with my parents and told them the news. They had some questions but were very supportive. We had a wedding to plan and only 9 hours to plan it. Everyone had jobs, mine and Nolens-the marriage license, aunt karens and aunt Getta-food and hotel, dad and sisters-clean up the house, mom and aunt Leasa-the details. Everything went smoothly! We got the license no problem, the place was set and so was the bishop, the food was ordered and the house was clean. My mom went with me and Nolen to Kohls to get something to wear and buy wedding bands. I called my friend Steph to do my hair (which she was able to thank goodness) and we were all set to go J On August 8 2009 Nolen Ryan Alatorre and Lauren Michelle Johnson were married at the Long Beach Institute by Bishop Glen Farnsworth. It was an intimate wedding with close friends and family. After the ceremony and some pictures we went back to my house for food. My aunts had booked us a hotel room for 2 nights at the Island hotel at Fashion Island. Some girls dream of a fairy tale wedding and might think that our quick small wedding was missing out on that opportunity, but it was perfect. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. After all, the purpose of getting married is to make the commitment to your significant other isn’t it?!?! And isn’t that what we did?!?! I love Nolen more than anything and still have the temple to look forward to! However, unlike most brides at the end of the honeymoon I had to say good bye to my hubby. He was returning back to WA to prepare for deployment the next month.

On August 28-30 2009 I was able to go to WA to visit. And then again one last time September 18-20 2009. We had a blast. We went to the Puyallup Fair with another soldier in Nolen’s unit and his wife and had so much fun. Going back home was the hardest thing knowing I would not be able to see Nolen for about 6 months.

2nd visit to WA, i wsa able to try on Nolen's gear

Me and Nolen at the Puyallup fair, WA

Here we go….

Hey it’s never too late for anything right?!? So…I thought that it is better now than never to start a blog. I’m not at all suggesting that our lives are fun and entertaining. I can’t guarantee that posts will be often but I thought it could be more like an online journal if nothing else. So, here we go…