Happy Birthday, USA!

Ahhh, 4th of July! One of my favorite holidays of the year, today holds a special place in my heart. You may remember back in March that I made brief mention of my previous military service. Though I usually don't reveal much about the experience, today it seems appropriate to give you a glimpse of that piece of me.

I don't know how or where I developed my deep love of America, but that desire propelled me to wear a uniform for the first 12 formative years of my adult life.

college graduation, c/o 1999

My college experience was offbeat for sure. Instead of going to Ohio State or Duke, I accepted an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. I majored in political science, joined the cheerleading squad, and was voted captain of the gymnastics team. If it weren't for all those uniforms and alarm bells sounding each hour of the day, it'd be just like real college. At least, that's what I tell myself!

plebe summer

hanging with the girls

gymnastics team national competition

yes, the girls are all midshipmen!

road trip to Army/Navy football game

From Annapolis, I went on to Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. This was my chance to decompress and have a more normal college experience. No class on Fridays, taking coursework that only focused on your major...and unlike Annapolis, there were thankfully no physics, calculus, chemistry, or engineering requirements for this humanities grad! We were on an accelerated program and after a one-year thesis curriculum I earned my M.A. in National Security Affairs in Middle Eastern Studies.

old school photo, before there was digital - LOL

The time I spent in the military was richly rewarding, with life experiences and opportunities unmatched in my civilian life. I've lived on both coasts and made 10 military household moves, road tripping back and forth across the country from Maryland... to California... to Florida... to California... to Viriginia... to Florida... to Washington state... to D.C.

In 2003 and again in 2004, I deployed to the Middle East.

naval intelligence officer, P3 squadron

Captain's airwing staff

Although I did not last a 20-year career, I'm proud of the time I served. All of the patriotic holidays remind me of the brave men and women who volunteer to go to the front lines and defend the freedom we enjoy as Americans.

Take a moment today and say thanks to those you know still serving in uniform. I asked my friends via Facebook why they thought America was great. I'll leave you with their thoughts, and feel free to add a comment and keep the list growing. Happy birthday, USA!

Courtney - bonfires and communities

Bella - possibly the best BBQ places in the world, large foodie population, awesome regional personalities and cultures


Mike - grassroots anything, hamburgers, national parks


Bev - freedom!


Yo - choices, diversity, and bleeding hearts


Mike (round 2!) - innovation, baseball, rock and roll


Bella (round 2!) - some of the coolest architecture/monuments in North America [ed. Hoover Dam and Mount Rushmore]

Amanda - Ben & Jerry's, Steve Jobs, interstate highway system, whole foods, sesame street, ansel adams, emily dickinson, the daily show, glee, groupon, disney world, calories on the starbucks menu, the bill of rights, and duct tape


Mike (round 3!) - Bob Dylan, Mark Twain, Woody Guthrie, CBGB's and OMFUG, Saturday Night Live, Max's Kansas City, Caddyshack, Hollywood

Rule of 2: Cheap - Fast - Good

So by now you've met my new friend, Groucho...

personal photo

At least some'one' was there to greet us. Upon calling and finding our church contact was at a BBQ, we waited for the grower to come in from the fields to meet us. For our 10am appointment.  * SIGH *  Our flower idea was quickly costing me more in time and sanity that I cared to invest to get blooms done well at minimum cost.

AHA! I recalled a customer service lesson learned as an intelligence officer at the Pentagon:

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The philosophy succinctly captures the interaction of cost, quality, and speed. And the challenge is that you can only have 2 aspects, not all 3. By applying this "Rule of 2" to wedding planning, I can decide what a task or project is worth. Here's how it works:

If it's GOOD and FAST, it can't be CHEAP.

If it's CHEAP and GOOD, you won't get it FAST.

If it's FAST and CHEAP, it won't be GOOD.

I wasn't getting anywhere close to 2 of these elements with the current approach to sourcing our ceremony flowers.  What a headache! So I did what any naturally introverted analytical would -- spend two hours scouring google images for floral inspiration.

Here's some of the loveliness I found:

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Pretty, but not perfect. My tragic flaw is that my mind's eye has blurry vision. I have a fuzzy idea in my head like a Magic Eye 3-D picture. Remember those? You simultaneously squint and de-focus while holding it close to your face to make the image pop like a turkey thermometer.  In my world, I am unable to articulate what I want and can't figure it out without a lot of stress and strain. Sounds fun, huh? Unfortunately for those who love me, this trait is maddening to experience until I finally 'get' it. Like this:

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Do you see what I see? Welcome to my world!

Can you relate to my struggle or are you able to easily translate your ideas into reality?! Add a comment and show me some love! Bonus points if you can tell me what 'pops' out of the 3-D image...

Meet the Sequins

Hello internet, I’d first like to introduce you to my amazing fiancé. A self-proclaimed surf junkie, Mr. PS feels most at home in the water. While on vacay, locals and tourists alike are impressed with his ability. Check him out at his favorite surf spot, Cabo:

He’s been surfing for almost 25 years and has at least 50 more in him! That would put him over 90 years old, and I know he'll get there because longevity runs in his family.  When he’s not on a surfboard or planning his next warm water trip, Mr. PS loves Cowboys football, poker with the boys and a good round of golf. Fun facts: 1) he’s never made the pilgrimage to Hawaii and 2) although he’s never owned a dog, he has a strange affinity for all things beagle.  He says it’s because a beagle won ‘Best in Show’ and I say it’s a little weird. We all have our quirks, I guess.

This one’s for Mr. PS:

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The next member of our family is our fuzzy feline friend Ollie the Cat. He loves to sleep, eat breakfast at 6am, and snuggle. We have thousands of photos of this looker, and it goes without saying that he is VERY spoiled. He also is a very terrible at hiding...

Last but not least, there’s me, pink sequins. I’m learning to embrace my true spirit as girly girl after previous careers in the Navy and consulting for the federal government. 

My favorite hobby is sleep, which makes me an obvious choice as Ollie’s snuggle buddy.  I grew up an introvert in extrovert clothing and now allow myself to prefer a good read on the Kindle over a social night out. I’m over-analytical, which is great for researching and compiling information but less so for decision making -- hence the reason wedding planning is such an overwhelming task for me. Thank goodness for Mr. S! He makes decisions when I cannot and takes wedding tasks off my list with a cheerful heart.  I’m a lucky girl! He also has the patience of a saint...teaching me to surf is no picnic, but at least I look the part :)

Now that you’ve gotten to know us a little better, let’s get to know you. Who do you regard as your “family” and what makes them especially dear to you? 


* all photos personal unless otherwise attributed *