Missed Call

My husband is leaving today to go somewhere in Northern AFG... He tried to call me but I didn't hear my phone because I left my cellphone downstairs in the kitchen table.  By the time I checked my phone I already missed 2 calls from him and a voicemail.  When I listened to it, I felt worried and nervous. This isn't his first time to go elsewhere in AFG but it's the first time I felt this way.  I am sad that I will not be able to talk to him on his Birthday on Sunday but what can I do?  All I can do is pray, hope and wait. Pray for his safety, Hope he is okay and will be okay and Wait for his return home. 

There isn't just enough words to describe how much I miss him.  :(

Recipe: Lemon-Garlic Roasted Chicken with Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/2 lemon
4 to 6 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
5 to 6 sprigs fresh rosemary Garlic Sauce (recipe follows)
Additional rosemary sprigs and lemon wedges for garnish


Directions:

Rinse Chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, and rub the skin with butter. Place lemons, garlic and rosemary in cavity of chicken. Tuck wings under back and tie legs together with cotton string.

Arrange medium-low charcoal on each side of a rectangular metal or foil drip pan. Pour in hot tap water to fill pan half full. Place chicken, breast side up, on grid, directly above the drip pan. Grill chicken, on a covered grill, about 1 hour until meat thermometer inserted in thigh registers 175 degrees to 180 degrees. For until the joints move easily and juices run clear when chicken is pierced.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare Garlic Sauce. When chicken is done, carefully lift it from the grill to wide shallow bowl so that all the juices from the cavity run into the bowl.

Garlic Sauce:

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large head or garlic, cloves separated and peeled
2 (1 inch wide) strips lemon peel
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) low salt chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 sprig each sage and oregano or 2 to 3 sprigs parsley
1/4 cup butter softened

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan; add garlic clove and lemon peel; saute over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until garlic juice starts to brown in a few spots. Add broth, water and herbs;

 simmer to reduce mixture to blender or food processor; process until smooth. Return garlic puree to the saucepan and whisk in butter over very low heat until smooth. Sauce can be re-warmed.

Finally Carve your chicken; serve with Garlic Sauce and cooking juices. Garnish with additional rosemary sprigs and lemon wedges.


** sorry was not able to take a pic of the chicken after the sauce was mixed with it :)

Places to see in Chicago

1. The Silver Bean - You got to have a pic taken here if you are visiting Chi-town. Like I told my husband, You ain't been to Chicago if you got no pic with the bean lol

The Bean @ Mellenium Park

2. Old Town - I can imagine myself living here. It's so beautiful to walk around old town during the fall season. The colors of the flowers, trees, houses etc is soo breath taking... words arent enough to describe it..

3. Museum of Trade and Industry -  They have planes, submarines, trains, cars etc inside the museum. It will take a whole day to see the entire place.

Inside the Museum of Science of Trade and Industry

4. The Shedd Aquarium - I've been to HongKong's Ocean Park and Manila Ocean Park, and what makes the Shedd Aquarium different is that everything is indoors.  They also have an entire floor of Philippine's Marine life section. There's always alot of people wanting to go here so it's best you come early. We had to wait in line for 30 minutes before we can get into the Aquarium.

TO BE CONTINUED...

the story of the Lump on the Roof of my Mouth

Two months ago while I was vacationing in Pi, I noticed a lump on the roof of my mouth.  Right away after noticing it I went to check in mirror by tilting my head so I can see it (trust me it's not as easy as it sounds).  What I saw was a lump that wasn't sore and it only showed as something thats protruding on the skin... so yeah it is a lump!... It doesn't hurt when I touch it and it's hard. I told my husband of course and he told me not to worry and it will go away in a few days... But 2 weeks later I still got the lump. So I decided to see a doctor when I got back here in Chicago.  I first went to see my Primary Care Manager. He's a family doctor so when he saw the lump he thought it's sort of a cysts. So he referred me to see an ENT doctor. The day before of my appointment, I had all these crazy thoughts running through my head. What if this, what if that... all sorts of crazy scenarios. On the day of my appointment, my mother in law had to drive me to the doctor's office because of my amateur driving skills (if you know me you'll know what I'm talking about) .  To make the long story short, after the ENT doctor checked the lump all he said was "You were born this way", with a huge grin on his face. He explained to me that it is indeed a bone like I earlier suspected, and most people do have it and this is called a "Torus". I walked out from the clinic feeling kinda stupid for worrying about it too much.. but at the same time I felt like a huge burden has been lifted off my chest... I couldn't wait to tell my husband the good news!

Back from Hiatus

I haven't found the urge to write since I got back from my vacation in Pi. So many things has happened since I got back I don't even know where to start...  But let me give you some of the highlights in a not-so chronological order... So I was able to finally change my name in my passport to my married name, had myself checked with an ENT doctor, got approved for my ever first US credit card and celebrated my first birthday here in the US...

Here are some pictures taken on my birthday!

Birthday cake with a pic of hubby

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sis in law, I and Cousin in law

Military Wife

I got this post from my Key Spouse and I thought this would describe exactly what I am going through as a military wife...

What is a military wife?

Each one may look different and each is wonderfully unique,
But this they have in common:

Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house;
Moving curtains that won't fit;
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.

Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner...AGAIN!

They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.

She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...

She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
...all with ONE Power of Attorney.(Sometimes even without one!)

She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS;
Locates a house in the desert,
The Arctic,
Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
ACC
BDU
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart .
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband,
She will remain his military wife.

*** Sigh I miss my husband...