It's my birthday and I'll do what I want

Happy Saturday!

You read that right! Today is my birthday!

Spent the day at my coworkers house with my acquired family. We hung out at Mike November's house, used his kitchen, and made dinner for everyone. We made steak, chicken flavored rice, and LOTS of garlic parmesan knots.

94 garlic parmesean knots to be exact. Haha. 

They were a hit, and I joked that they were the only reason that people were there in the first place.

MN's wife announced that she is pregnant! Another new baby for the Tower family! We're all pretty excited.

The guys all hung out and played Madden 15. They got super excited, which made everyone laugh. Vette jumped around in circles when he beat EY. We were dying with laughter. Lots of beer, good food, and candy to be shared and good memories made.

6 Things I have learned in the last year (that I can remember):

1. This time last year I was in Fort Polk, Louisiana for a month long training exercise called JRTC. It was an utter nightmare, and not how I wanted to spend my 22nd birthday. My only birthday present was a knife I bought myself closer to December upon my return from training. I don't usually care for my birthday (last year and this year was no different) but my ex didn't even suggest taking me to dinner, and didn't even acknowledge my birthday in any shape or form until I said something. That bothered me a little bit.

2. Although this is something that I already knew, it really hit home how much people can fool you. They can tell you one thing and mean something different.... again- this is something that I already knew but it really hit home throughout this past year. Especially in my relationship at Bragg... you think you can know and trust someone with your heart, believe the plans that they spout... and come to find out that it was all a lie.

3. Moving is a serious pain in my rear end and something I really dispise.... again... something I already knew. Moving to another country, makes it a dozen times worse. Especially when it's a language you don't speak. I didn't find out that I was PCS'ing to Germany until after Thanksgiving once I got home from JRTC. Germany is a different place then anything I am used too, and that includes my year in Afghanistan. I spend most of my time on base, and if it wasn't for two of my coworkers who are German born, its almost like I am in the States. We use American prices for gas on base (german prices on the economy). The big difference on base (other then the Germans who hold jobs here) are the road signs. You even start to pick up a little bit of the language. 

4. One thing that won't ever change- how much I miss home! I miss my friends and people that I know. I miss my freedom of doing what I want, I miss stores, and just the familiarity of home. Where I am just Jenn and not SPC McClure. Where I am just girl, not an Air Traffic Control Specialist or soldier. 

5. My distaste for cold weather hasn't changed, but my tolerance for it has increased. I am forcing myself to hold off on the wearing of winter clothes to help acclimatize myself as much as possible. I am pretty excited though that I get to spend Christmas at home with my family and Mo in the Florida winter (where it's still pretty warm)

6. Distance really changes people. You learn who has will stick around and who will leave you in the dust as soon as you're gone. A lot of people who promised to keep in touch have dropped off upon my arrival to Germany. It makes it a little difficult to trust people.... makes you wonder who will really stick around.

Hope you all had a happy Saturday!

Love,

Jenn