12 Steps to Being a Leader

In my current MBA course, which is called Organizational Behavior, we are studying leadership this week. In the "module," which is essentially the online version of a class (where the professor, through notes/slideshows/graphs/videos, essentially gives a lecture), there were great tips on becoming a "forward leader." A "forward leader" is defined as someone who believes that 1) the old, top-down approach is out, 2) the rate of change is very fast, and 3) this generation won't listen to you anyway

I thought I'd share them with you, because everyone wants to be a leader, right?

These are all so great, and I love 1 & 4 especially, but my absolute favorite is #3!!! Leaders (really, everyone) need to LISTEN!!! This is something that has always been my pet peeve. I can't stand it when people ask me questions multiple times because they didn't listen to the answer the first time. Or, when I can see that someone is trying to push me along when I'm talking because they are too focused on making their point. It happens EVERYWHERE, in fact, in my experience it happens more outside of the office among friends and family than it does in work. The worst part about bad listeners is that they always say "I know I'm a bad listener, I need to work on that..." and then they never do. So, here's the proof that you actually need to be a good listener in order to be an effective leader!

Enjoy...

Twelve Steps to Forward Leadership

1. Leaders are both confident and modest.
   You need a healthy ego to lead, but you also need to be strong enough to check it at the door. It is not about making yourself more powerful. It is about making the people around you more powerful!
   
2. Leaders are authentic.
   You earn the trust and respect of the people you work with when you know who you are and you walk your talk. Who believes in leaders who don't believe in themselves?
   
3. Leaders are listeners.
   Great listening is fueled by curiosity; it's hard to be a great listener if you are not curious about what other people have to say. The enemy of curiosity is grandiosity - the belief that you have all the answers.
   
4. Leaders give encouragement.
   You are also never satisfied and are always raising the stakes for yourself and others; you are always testing and building courage and stamina throughout the organization.
   
5. Leaders make unexpected connections.
   You organize and lead conversations among people who don't normally interact. You see patterns that allow for small innovations and breakthrough ideas.
   
6. Leaders provide direction.
   You do not necessarily provide answers!
   You know how to pose revealing questions. You are not in control or in charge. You are in touch and out front!
   
7. Leaders protect and expose.
   You protect your people from danger and expose them to reality. Most people want their boss to insulate them from change rather than mobilize them to face it. That is why leadership is so dangerous!
   
8. Leaders make change but not in their values.
   You identify habits and assumptions that must be changed while at the same time keeping dear those values and operations that are central, or at the core, of who we are.
   
9. Leaders lead by example.
   You use small gestures to send big messages. You feel an obligation to live your life according to the principles you espouse and realize you are always under a microscope.
   
10. Leaders don't blame; they learn.
    Even the smartest managers make mistakes. Bill Gates said the Internet would not have a big impact on Microsoft's business. The experimental mind-set is critical: try, fail, learn . . . and try again!
    
11. Leaders look for and network with other leaders.
    Stop playing the Lone Ranger. Find allies, network with like-minded colleagues, and help them become better leaders.
    It is lonely at the top only if you place yourself on a pedestal.
    
12. Leaders make more leaders. IMPORTANT
    Look around the typical organization. Are there enough leaders in every function at every level? Are there enough leaders to take that organization charging into the unknown and challenging future? If not, then go make some more!! For a great example of this, look at Jack Welch!
    

Pants on the Ground

For those of you who mildly follow pop culture, you may know that the latest viral video floating around the internet is "Pants on the Ground," a song sung by a man named "General" Larry Platt during an American Idol audition. This audition, which took place in Atlanta (Platt's hometown), was aired on national television two weeks ago. Platt was way too old for American Idol's age limits (max age: 28, Platt is 62); consequently, any chance of him continuing to the show in Hollywood was nonexistant. However, the video of his hilarious song (which he wrote himself) has immediately become a source of entertainment for the millions of people who have seen it."Pants on the Ground" is a quick song with only a few lines - its story? Telling all of the young people of the world to pull their pants up and turn their hats straight, because it looks ridiculous to have baggy pants purposely pulled down so low!

What many people may not realize (unless they have really researched this or read the USA Today article about Platt that came out soon after the audition), is that Platt is not some crazy random man off the streets of Atlanta. He is actually an active citizen of Atlanta, and a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement. He was part of the Bloody Sunday march in Selma, AL, and was an active member of the SCLC and SNCC. Before his now-famous audition, if you googled "General Larry Platt," you would see this picture:

 

That boy on the left, looking straight at the camera, is Gen. Larry Platt. This was taken during a 1963 march that was cancelled, and instead the protesters began singing church hymns.  After the C.R. Movement ended, Platt continued to be involved in community activism in Atlanta, and was given attention by the state government, who declared September 4, 2001 "Larry Platt Day." 

The USA Today article that pieced all of this together (though you can also find this info online) made the point that Platt's song "Pants on the Ground" puts into words the thoughts of so many members of his generation - particularly African Americans who fought directly for Civil Rights. I found this point interesting,  because I had already heard these exact thoughts during my extensive interviewing and researching during the Winter and Spring of 2007, when I was writing my senior thesis on the Cambridge, MD Civil Rights Movement. I interviewed nearly ten of the leaders of this movement, most of whom still live in the same neighborhood in Cambridge where a strong, nationally-recognized (at least at the time) movement happened. And every single one of them, without being prompted, expressed disappointment at the younger generations, who have been given the hard-earned opportunity to eat at the same restaurants and go to the same schools as their white counterparts, but who disrespect the progress that has been made by turning to drugs, not performing in schools, and, frankly, having their "pants on the ground." 

I guess my point is, as funny as Platt's song is (and it really is funny), it's brought to light once again a trend that I've heard through my own personal research before. It's a bit unfortunate that more attention hasn't been brought on the deeper message behind the song, and not just the silliness of it all. 

And, if you're interested in what all of my boring History major talk is about, I've embedded the video right here:

3/4's New Mascot

When C was born, I received a goody bag filled with baby stuff from 3/4, Greg's unit. In it were two 3/4 (aka "The Darkside") onesies, which at the time were huge for Caroline. Now the first one fits, and she seems to like it!

Oh, and I also think her feet are cute. Since both Greg's and my feet are the most ugly things ever, I thought I'd capture this moment before hers inevitable turn that way, too. The genes are against her on that front....

 

Who Killed Miss America?

Interesting article....I used to always watch Miss America when I was younger, with Ann and Katherine. We would stay up SO late to see who won, every year! And even then, in the early-mid '90s, my grandparents used to talk about how Miss America wasn't as big of a deal when it was when they were younger, and everyone would gather around the TV set on Labor Day weekend to watch it. This article examines why, and I think it may be on to something...I don't think it's necessarily because we don't like pageants any more (because I LOVE them!).

Who Killed Miss America?

Also, in case you were wondering, I plan on being one of the viewers who is watching it live tonight on TLC!

Seriously?!?

For those skeptics who think that Rocky may be neglected now that there is a baby and his favorite playmate is in the Middle East, check this pic out. What a prima donna - this is how I found him sleeping when I came home from errands today. I'm half expecting him to recruit Dakota, his girlfriend Sheltie next door, to be feeding him grapes next time I come home!

Great Video

A friend of mine told me a couple of months ago that she cried (in a good way) when she saw this music video...and her husband isn't even deployed! (even though he's a Marine, and is actually gearing up to replace Greg's unit). Anyway, I thought to look it up tonight, and started BAWLING at the end. A little less than 3 more months!

I think you all will like this video just as much as I did. I've always liked the song and have actually thought many times that I feel like the words speak so much to Greg and what is really on his mind over there. So go ahead, "make a pot of tea and kick your feet up," as my Organizational Behavior prof says whenever she posts a podcast up (yes, she's British). Watch this video and just imagine what April will be like for me and Baby C, Rocky and Greg.

Check it out! Trace Adkins' "All I Ask For Anymore"

Looking like her Uncle Alex

I took this picture yesterday, while at my friend Crissy's house (the other girl in the pic is Kaelyn, Crissy's awesome daughter). It's so funny because I think Caroline looks so similar to her Uncle Alex (Greg's brother) in this picture. Alex was often called "sneaky" by his teacher growing up, and in all of his baby pics he looks so mischievous. Caroline has a little bit of the same glint in her eye that her Uncle Alex has here....

Marie Claire: 10 Things I've Learned from Living Alone

Marie Claire recently had an article online (as a part of their "Cool Girl's Guide to Living Alone") that was entitled, "10 Things We've Learned From Living Alone." Some of them are pretty brilliant, so I thought I'd share...

  - It's amazing how quickly one person can go through a roll of toilet paper.
  - OMG, the hair in the drain is all yours.
  -  Alone time makes you philosophical: If I eat this wedge of cheesecake and no one is here to see it, did I really eat it?
  - It's easy to go 48 hours without speaking.

There are other things they put on there that I don't necessarily agree with (for example, that a slimfast shake and pudding cup make a pretty good meal), but I thought these four were interesting, because I've admittedly thought each of them before.


Since I had a (wonderful, amazing) roommate right out of college and moved straight from that apartment into married life in Yucca Valley, this deployment really is the first time I've "lived alone" (aside from the myriad weeks that Greg was gone training before the deployment, which in total probably add up to another 4-5 months). So, inspired by Marie Claire, I thought I'd go over the 10 things I've learned during my 4+ months so far of "living alone":


1) If I drop a Goldfish on the floor and then accidentally crunch it with my flip flop, it doesn't need to be cleaned up immediately....Rocky will eat every last drop as soon as he comes inside!

2) Laundry doesn't need to be folded in the same day. Or even in three days after it's washed. In fact, the only person you're inconveniencing by not folding it is yourself.

3) Making dinner for one is miserable. Prepared food from the grocery store/microwave meals are amazing. In particular, Healthy Choice Healthy Steamers - they are new, and taste like a real, fresh meal! In fact, I'm pretty sure they were created by military spouses.

4)  You have omplete control over Netflix. Throw out all war movies and action hero summer blockbusters and load up with chick flicks.

5) You save lots of money not buying beer or wine. Which brings me to my next point:

6) No matter how confident you are, there's something sad and pathetic about drinking wine alone. So even if it's a glass, be prepared to notice that you're alone more than you would if you were drinking a Diet Coke.

7) Create something every single day to look forward to. Even if it's a new episode of The Bachelor, it will actually create companionship and make you feel less lonely.

8) Write good emails to your friends. And write them back when they write you (even if it's very, very delayed). This will keep others in the loop and will remind you that you still possess the same social skills that got you through high school, college, and the "real world" (ie, anywhere but the Mojave Desert)

9) Weekend TV is usually very pathetic. This, combined with the lack of emails that you will receive on the weekends, will actually make weekends your least favorite time of the week, not the most favorite. That being said, weekend TV (specifically, Sunday night TV) is great in January - February. Think about it: Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Grammys, Super Bowl, and Oscars all in a six week period. Pretty amazing!

10) Get a dog. Or better yet, have a baby. They both will keep you on your toes, and even though they don't speak English, they will diminish the loneliness quite a bit!

Caught on Camera

How many people can say that in between reading chapters for homework they get to do this? I can!

Animal Crackers and Cocoa

I have a wonderful poetry book that I read to Caroline, called "Eloise Wilkins' Poems for the Very Young." It was given to me by my friend Caroline Hamilton's parents, who said it was her favorite book growing up. Caroline H. is now the best creative writer I know, and I live each day hoping I get a story in my inbox from her. So, in my efforts to make this creativity and skill rub off on Caroline, I've been reading her this poetry book. She loves it, and so do I! My favorite poem is called "Animal Crackers and Cocoa," by Christopher Morley. He pretty much hits the nail on the head. I think  animal crackers and cocoa are my meal of choice, too!

If you're like me (or at least me pre-Caroline) poetry is probably no longer a huge part of your every day life, even though you enjoy it. So I thought I'd share this with you on a cold, wintry Sunday morning....

Animal crackers and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers I think;
When I'm grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these.
What do YOU choose when you're offered a treat?
When Mother says, "What would you like best to eat?"
Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?
It's cocoa and animals that I love most!

The kitchen's the cosiest place that I know;
The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,
And there in the twilight, how jolly to see
The cocoa and animals waiting for me.

Dogs at War

Today the Marine Corps Times had an interesting article about the surge in dogs that will accompany the surge in troops in Afghanistan. Greg's unit has a number of these dogs, whose job it is to sniff bombs. It is, in my opinion, an extremely valiant job, and shows once again just how amazing dogs are. All of the dogs in Greg's unit are black labs, and apparently their work ethic puts Rocky's to shame (don't even say what you're thinking...I know, that's not saying much). That's not to say they don't have weaknesses - the dog who travels on convoys with Greg used to be afraid of any person in a helmet, which it was obviously a problem. Needless to say, this became a priority and the issue was solved:)

Anyway, these dogs work in crazy conditions, putting their lives on the line for the people who put their lives on the line for all of us. They work in freezing temps in the winter, and 120+ temps in the winter. The most amazing thing, which I read in this article, was that only two military dogs have been lost in Southern Afghanistan (where Greg is) in the past five years, which is great.


Check it out:
Dogs in Afghanistan - Article

Sites I Follow

Happy Friday everyone,

I hope you all are enjoying the start to your weekend, and end to the short week. I am writing from a rainy/snowy (God can't decide what to give us right now) Yucca Valley.

I wanted to bring attention to a new part of my blog: on the left and column, you will see that I've added what sites I follow. I added this because I continually go on these sites in my spare time (read: when Caroline's asleep, and I am procrastinating from MBA work), but also because not all of them are mainstream, and I think most of you would like them. So here's a quick summary of each:

Freakonomics Blog - This is a blog that goes along with the Freakonomics books. I've not read the books (although I want to, in part because my dad loves to make references to it), but the concept is that lots of basic things in life can be explained by economics. I am no Econ guru, in fact I barely squeaked out a B- in the one Econ course I took in college (a huge class of 1,000, and I, cocky freshman out of "elite" boarding school, was appalled at the time that I couldn't manage to be in the top 500 of the class. Shame on me). Anyway, this is my kind of economics...not dwelling on price ceilings or cartels, just teaching it in every day terms...I think you'd like it.

Forbes Woman - This is a website for Forbes' new quarterly magazine, Forbes Woman, that goes out to female Forbes subscribers. I'm not a subscriber of Forbes myself, but I saw this magazine while waiting in an office a few months ago. It was great - really hits on interesting and relevant points on women in business, without being obnoxiously feminist (something that I personally think sets women back within the workplace...if we are supposed to be equals to men, why constantly talk about feminism? But just my opinion...). Really cool articles on there, like the top social networking sites and blogs run by women, or 12 business points every woman should know. Again, even if you don't work in an office (says Louisa, as she types in sweats on a Friday morning right next to her sleeping daughter), you'll pick up some great tips that you can apply to everyday life, like persuading your boyfriend/husband to watch that chick flick that he really doesn't want to watch. (Side note: this is how I persuaded Greg to watch "The Notebook": "there's a war scene in it! Part of the movie is about WWII!". No need to mention 1 minute of the movie is about the war...)

Mrs. O - I found out about this site from my friend, Caroline Batchelor. I think I have the same views of Mrs. O (that's Obama) that my Dad has. Without getting too political, I voted for the Navy grad in the last election, and still think he's pretty awesome, along with being semi-ancient. However, I think Mrs. O's fashion ROCKS. My Dad thinks this too, as she helped boost J. Crew's stock last year, which he owned. This site is purely dedicated to all of the fabulous outfits she wears, which I wish I owned. I also wish I had her arms. But so does every other woman in America.

Marine Corps Times  - This is exactly what it sounds like: a newspaper devoted to USMC news. This is very helpful when I want up to date info on (public) war strategy, news about pay raises/new benefits, and general news related to the USMC. It's updated all the time, and is really interesting....sometimes I even find out stuff before Greg does!

Test Kitchen Secrets - Cooking Light - I found this site after I got into America's Test Kitchen, which my sister Katherine introduced to me. She made the most fabulous gazpacho for my baby shower this summer from America's Test Kitchen, so I've gotten into looking for the best recipe from test kitchens before I cook now. This blog goes through some of these recipes.

Sunset Traveler - For all of you non-West Coasters, Sunset is pretty much the best magazine ever. Think Southern Living for the West Coast (that's exactly what it is....it's owned by the same company). Sunset Traveler is even better, because everyone knows that the best part of these mags are the travel reviews. And, living in Southern California, a lot of their travel reviews are right in my backyard (or, in Cali terms, less than 3 hours away). Mostly the blog covers off the beaten path places that are really good in touristy areas (Tahoe, Big Sur, Half Moon Bay, and Santa Barbara are some recent posts).

I hope this has given you an insight into what my favorite "places" on the internet are (besides the obvious two...the first begins with T and ends with Z, the second begins with F and ends in Book).

Enjoy exploring!

My Day

Today my day was so bad, that really, it became funny after awhile. Just a bunch of really small not devastating things but annoying things happening that all added up to the kind of day you see in sitcoms. I'm about to go hide under the covers and go to bed early to hope it goes away. Anyway, I just sent this email to Greg, and realized that actually it's a pretty good description of just how crazy my day was. And so, just for this one time, I thought I'd share an email from me to Greg with you....

*            *          *


Today I had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. As you know, I woke up to round #2 of Mr. Poop in his crate and leave it for Ma to pick up. Then I realized that it also got on the rug, and all over the bars of the crate, so I had to extensively clean it. Not happy. Then I went outside to take out the trash, lost my balance and stepped off the sidewalk into the River Gehring, which continues to grow for the third straight day. Freezing cold water in my flip flops. Not happy. Then I realized that the trash bins were FILLED with water, so I lugged them to their spots, before realizing that wait, it's not Thursday, it's Wednesday, and I didn't have to go through this misery until tomorrow.

Then, as you know, the yard guy came and left the door open. Rocky promptly went to the front of the house, where he was hanging out when I came outside to get him (I had a feeling this would happen when I saw the yard guy), and he sprinted away. I didn't have a leash on me, so I had to grab him by his collar and drag him back, but it took a good 10 minutes and a bunch of construction workers watching me awkwardly as I tried to do this. Kind of funny, but then listen to how the rest of my day went....

I spent the whole morning depressed because I miss you and it's raining for the third straight day. Finally I decided to watch something trashy, anything trashy on the TV, so I go to turn it on and I get an error signal on the screen that says to reboot the receiver, and if that doesn't work then "a critical error" has occurred. Of course it didn't work. So I call Directv, and wouldn't you know it, the hard drive for our DVR has crashed, and is unable to be fixed. So, we've lost all 4 hours of 24 that I've taped as well as the Office. Yes, we can get those on the internet, but still. So I figure I could get a man to come out today to give me a new one, but of course that's not possible because they mail the new receiver to me. So I'm not getting it until at best Friday, and if I don't get it then I won't get it until Monday. UGH. And, when the new receiver comes, I have to plug it in and do all that stuff to set it up, and that's a Greg job. Moving on...

Finally the time comes to go down to the gym, and I tell myself, I'm going to celebrate my awful day so far and achieving my final, pre-pregnancy weight by going to Jensens and getting a ton of really good prepared food and eating it for dinner. And something really good for dessert, like a brownie. So I get to the gym, feel around in my bag, and of course, my wallet isn't there. I left it in the Prius from yesterday (I always leave it in the car when I go to the gym) and I decided to take the Tahoe today because it was raining so hard (this was my ONLY good decision of the day). So, no Jensen's for me.

I come home from the gym, look in the freezer, and see that there is still some spaghetti sauce that Ann made when she was here that is frozen. I figured that was a good second choice if I couldn't have Jensen's, so I stuck it in the microwave while I fed Rocky. I took it out of the microwave and went to go change Baby C, and before you know it I hear a kerSPLAT and our pal Rocky had jumped up and gotten the ENTIRE tupperware of spaghetti sauce. It's all over the floor and he's lapping it up and I'm so mad at this point. I through him outside in the rain, and he knew he deserved it too (to be fair, he's not in the rain, he was in the covered part right next to the kitchen door).

And so, in conclusion, I had plain pasta tonight for dinner. I want to just go to bed and hope that tomorrow won't be so crazy. It's been such a bad day it's almost comical, really. But not. How was your day? I love you so much and miss you and hate deployments.

Cutie Patootie

Here is Caroline this morning all bundled up in the big girl chair, while wearing a sweater that her Auntie Ann gave her....sometimes I just want to hug her all day long, she is so much fun!

Update

A lot has happened since my last update. The biggest thing was that I went to MBA orientation (which I was dreading) at ASU. I was expecting to find a lot of people who just spent the week bragging about their accomplishments (Legally Blonde orientation), while I bragged about my awesome daughter, but had nothing to show for in the business world (at least, currently). I was pleasantly surprised. Everyone I met was really nice, humble, and impressive at the same time. I think that part of this may be because it's an online program - it's designed for people who are still working full-time, so they aren't just a bunch of former frat boys who are looking to revisit their college glory days for a couple more years. Everyone really wanted to be there, and was willing to make extra time in their already busy schedules to take on this course.

Most of the time during orientation was spent with my team, who I'll be working with for the first year (at which point we choose concentrations, and the teams are regrouped to reflect each concentration). My team is great. I'm the only girl on it, and actually only one of about 15 girls in the whole class of 115, which surprised me. The guys are really cool though. One is the Director of Admissions for a small college in Wisconsin, one works in Logistics for Honda, one works in Budget Analysis for US Airways, and one works designing programs and General Dynamics. They are all really nice, and two of them are within 5 years of my age, one's probably in his mid 30s and the other in his late 40s-early 50s. That's my initial guess. But all great. We worked really well as a team, and had fun outside of the schedule, going out to dinners and just hanging out. We even ended up winning the big case competition that took up two whole days of the orientation, which was neat. We all really bring something different to the table (my contributions being just a good old fashioned girl perspective, a ridiculous love of schedules and organization, and the ability to write, which is actually less common than you'd think, especially among numbers people).

The program is laid out in a great way. You only take one course at a time intensively for 5 weeks. The 6th week is exam week, and then you get a week off before starting the next course. Textbooks are sent to your house before each course, and they register you for your classes, so you don't have to deal with that. Also, the capabilities online really are amazing. Through video chat, ichat, online discussion boards, and online "modules" (combo of lectures/notes that basically summarize what's important in the reading), it is actually very similar to a full-time class. Also, I like that everything is open note/book. This is obviously to combat the inevitable cheating that would happen if it wasn't, but also it makes sure you really learn the topics and aren't just memorizing and cramming and then forgetting.

My first course is Organizational Behavior and Theory, followed by Statistics and then Accounting. The second and third courses will be interesting - don't expect too many blog posts during that time :).

After orientation I went back to Yucca Valley with Caroline and Rocky, and let me tell you just how GOOD it is to be home!! Back in Marine Corps country, where I don't have to explain to every single person I see that my husband is deployed. They kind of know by the look on my face ;). Also great to just be in our own rooms and be back in our routine.

So that's the update. I went to another monthly coffee with 3/4 wives this morning, which I always look forward to. As I've explained before, it's so nice being with people who are going through the exact same chaos of a deployment!

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and is enjoying the holiday today.

Always a buzzkill

Sometimes I can't stand the news. I feel like such a huge part of whether a news outlet is legit or not is how quickly they break a story; however, I think that many times those who are breaking the story aren't thinking about the negative impact on innocent people reading it. 

Specifically, I'm referring to the breaking news every single time there is a casualty overseas. Immediately, there is a race for all of the websites and newspapers to report that someone has been killed, and many of these sources are anti-war, tinging the report with just a hint of "we told you so" attitude. 

The DoD prohibits releasing the name of those killed or wounded until the next of kin has been identified. Most people know this, and I think it's an obvious sign of courtesy and respect to that family. However, what most people don't know is that when anyone is killed or wounded in country, communication lines are shut down - regardless of whether the casualty was in your unit or not - until the casualty's next of kin has been notified. So naturally, whenever I read articles of this nature (such as today's big news about a British reporter who was killed in Afghanistan along with a U.S. Marine while on patrol), I am paralyzed in fear until I hear from Greg. But, because of the frozen communication lines over there, I usually don't hear from him for several days. It's so horrible, and completely ruins my day(s) when this happens.

 I just wish that newspapers, news channels, and websites would think about this before broadcasting big stories with nothing but sketchy, unclear details before publishing. So what if it may hurt their reputation just a little bit - it will also help a lot of spouses whose husbands are deployed get through yet another day.

Big Day

Caroline rolled over! From her tummy to her back. And she did it more than once yesterday, and again today, so I'm calling this official that she can roll over.

That is all.

And, she loves her new Bumbo chair :)

Friends are the best

I know I say it all the time, but it really is true - friends are the best. A few months ago, my good friends Caroline Batchelor (heretoforth referred to as "Caroline the Elder") and Anna Brown called me up and said they wanted to come visit me in California, and that right after New Years worked the best for both of them. Because I'm staying in AZ until my business school orientation starts, I suggested they come out to Wickenburg instead. I was so excited, because I haven't seen Caroline the Elder since this summer, at my baby shower, and haven't seen Anna since early June, when I ate dinner with her and my other friend Sara in DC.

We had a blast. It was a quick visit, but we made every moment of it worthwhile and really explored the area. The first day we went for walks with Rocky and Caroline, went to the spa at the Ranch, and enjoyed the 70 degree, sunny weather (quite a contrast to the East Coast right now, I hear). As we were settling in for a dinner of quesadillas, Anna - who had been feeling a bit under the weather all day - told us she thought she might have appendicitis. We called my mom, who listened to her symptoms and suggested we go to the ER just to be safe, and thus, that's how Caroline the Elder and I took turns spending the next 6 hours with Anna at the ER. Thank goodness she didn't have appendicitis, but it was yet another lovely exercise in the incredible inefficiency of hospitals, despite being completely empty and overstaffed.

The next day Anna was feeling much better, so the three of us embarked on a 4 mile hike. It was another perfect day, and Caroline the Younger was a champ. We saw lots of "desert flora and fauna" (as promised by our guidebook, and managed not to get lost, though it truly took all three of us to achieve this. After the hike we got margaritas to go from the Ranch, and enjoyed the jacuzzi at my parents' house while watching the sunset. It was a lovely day.

My hiking buddies

Caroline and I, enjoying our margaritas

Caroline the Elder left on day three, so we went to Scottsdale and had lunch at the Camelback Inn. It was a beautiful resort, and we were able to eat outside. I had gazpacho and a salad, and both were terrific. After dropping Caroline the Elder off at the airport, Anna, Baby C and I went to Borders, where we had coffee, indulged in magazines, and chatted some more.

At the Camelback Inn - the point of this pic was literally so Anna and Caroline could "make the blog"

Anna's last day here was Roll Tide day. The entire day was planned around the BCS Championship, which Anna had informed me we would watch in entirety about a month ago. We took it easy most of the day, save for a trip to the western store and the grocery store. When the game came on, we had an awesome dinner of chicken fingers, cornbread, and green beans while Anna rooted for Alabama. The game was a pretty good game, considering Colt McCoy couldn't play, and it was refreshing watching sports again (I've been completely out of it this fall, with Greg gone and Caroline keeping me busy).

This morning I dropped Anna off at the airport, and couldn't stop thinking about how much those two lifted my spirits. I have not hung out with friends from college for more than a quick meal or catch up in almost three years, and it was great to see that we can still talk for hours, but at the same time do our own thing and not feel pressure to constantly entertain. They know how to make me laugh, keep me from being bogged down in the sluggish mid-deployment funk, and always have great stories to tell. I've had so many times this deployment where I've felt that God has spent my life preparing me and giving me the tools to survive this time, and my awesome friends have definitely proven to be a huge part of helping me get through this!