Summer, the last pieces

I found out what operational unit I'm going to this summer, as well as which phases will be what. For the first phase (half-ish) of my summer I'll be going to Guam and will be attached to our unit there, and then I'll go to Sandia National Lab in NM. I was bummed with the news that Sandia was second phase, as that means I will be missing Shane's wedding. Perhaps if the operational unit had been one closer to Texas I could have made it, but with it being on the other side of the world it is not a possibility. The silver lining, though, is that if I'm going to be forced to miss his wedding I may as well be somewhere awesome instead, and I think Guam, if for no other reason than it is extremely isolated and rather exotic, fits the bill. Overall, I was stoked about this upcoming summer before I was assigned to Guam, but now even more than before I am excited to get this summer started!

In other news, we sign for our career stater loans tomorrow, a very large sum of money that I will owe (albeit at almost negligible interest). So crazy, the time has truly flown by. I can't believe that I will most likely be purchasing my own truck this summer. Absolute madness.

Also of interest, Ring Dance is coming up in about a month and a half. For those of you unfamiliar with service academy tradition, Ring Dance is a formal event where cadets are all dressed up in their best dinner formal attire, traditionally accompanied by dates, and are presented with their class rings during the course of an exquisite meal. After the meal there is dancing and "hanging out" in a very formal sort of way.Unfortunately, I don't know anyone outside of the Academy up here that I would like to ask as a date, and being 2200 miles from home eliminates the possibility of going with any of my good friends from home, which leaves me with two choices. Either ask someone who goes to this school or go on a blind date set up by a friend from here. The first option is almost not an option at all, there's only one person I would even consider going with (it's a long story), and I'm really hoping to exhaust all other possibilities before that. Besides, I am thinking she might already have a date. Anyway, this leaves me with the option of going on a blind date, which is also highly risky and just not something I've ever subjected myself to. It's all quite unfortunate - I really wish my school was closer to home and the people I know I can trust! Oh well, I'll get over it and figure something out. The prospect of Ring Dance in and of itself is too exciting to let this be the aspect which clouds the memory of the occasion!

Until next time
-Storm

RIP Charmaine Cherry

Yesterday a close family friend passed away as a result of pancreatic cancer. Charmaine Cherry, a native Hawaiian, was one of the most exuberant individuals I have ever met. She wasn't much older than my mom, yet had four grown children and many grandchildren, many of whom I have met. It's hard to describe just how much someone like Charmaine can impact one's life. I'll always have many memories of our family's time with hers, but the one I always remember first is from the last time I saw her.

Being a friend of my moms and just an extraordinary person in general, she volunteered to assist my mom in the preparations for my high school graduation. I was homeschooled, so graduation meant a 45 minute piano concert followed by speeches, farewells (since I was leaving for the military), blessings, shared memories, and then a large reception for all of the guests. Needless to say, the entire operation is a huge undertaking. Charmaine, out of the goodness of her heart, stayed up with my mother through the entire night before my graduation. They made fruit dish after fruit dish, deli platters, cracker bowls, everything you can imagine. She stayed up all night before the graduation and didn't think a thing about it - that's just who she was.

After the piano and speeches part of my graduation, she came up to me excited as usual, completely blown away by the performance (or so she said), gave me a huge hug which she swore was the best she had ever had, and draped a Hawaiian style wreath around my head! It was made from plastic wrap, candies, and $1 bills crinkled up into small fans, and I know it had to have taken a long time to make. She was so energetic that I had no idea she stayed up all night helping my mom. In fact, it wasn't until yesterday that I even heard that story.

Charmaine Cherry, you were an example and inspiration to us all, you are already missed! I'm thankful you are in a better place now but the selfishness of my heart wishes you had stuck around for a while longer.

Please keep the Cherry family in your prayers.

-Storm