The day that changed it all...

Sheila Elle

1965-2008

I was getting excited to get back on track with my blog when I was completely blindsided with the news that one of my BFFs here in Okinawa passed away last Sunday. Sheila Elle is my friend and someone I would consider a geographical sister. We spent many a days chatting it up, taking a lunch date, brainstorming about how to build up our FRG, drinking beer and wine, shopping, playing truth or dare (don't ask), and exploring the reefs along Oki's beaches. She made me laugh and made me think at the same time. She never would play with her words...she always told you what she thought of you or the situation. And I can't believe she is gone. I spent the past few days trying to come to grips with this shocking news. I think I am still in a daze and not 100% sold on this being the reality. Steve and Jordan (her husband and son) are amazing and I pray for them as they join their family in South Dakota. I wish there was something I could do...that's all I keep thinking! It has been a confusing week and one that I have never experienced. It's weird that I just posted a picture of all my girls and talked about how crazy we all were. I miss her voice right now and wish I could hear her tell me to "Suck it up sister". That was my favorite one-liner...along with when she would use the same phrase for her son..."Suck it up Brutha" :o) I am gonna miss her smile which was so genuine and comforting. I will miss her motherly ways of always trying to get to the bottom of my feelings. She is truly a gift and someone that has changed my life. I will never forget her....May she lay in peace for all the days ahead!!! I love you Sheila....

This was when we went to Yokota and she picked up this dress and we all laughed at how hideous it was...

This was a must...it was Sheila with her new "Colonel"...

Group shot of us at breakfast in Yokota...Wish Farrah was there!

This was the Holiday Ball last Xmas...

This is how I will remember her the most...Always having a good time and always with a slew of people around her. She was our rock!!!

I am trying my best to keep the girls together and show them that I am here for them. We are all mourning the loss of someone that touched our lives. I got your backs Farrah, Julie, Amanda and April...we will get through this.

The Week Belongs to Me

See.....this was what I was afraid of when I so reluctantly created my first baby blog. It has now been like a week and I haven't posted CRAP!! So here I am doing damage control in the hopes that the people I harassed to read will still care LOL! Anyway, we have had an interesting week in the Isla Household and a lazy one at that. Monday night, George had one of his usual softball games for the unit team and it was one for the history books. I'm talking protests, finger-waving, and words like a$$hole thrown around. Needless to say, there will be a makeup of the last inning (George and his softball connections...). I have recently started getting back out to the ball field. I have spent many a day being the personal cheerleader of ICE (I just want to put it on record that I do not like "Ice", I do not know why this happened, and since he likes it so damn much I am going to personalize it and start calling him Slushie). But I had to take a break from that for a few years because I was too busy raising the little Slushies at home...check out Saige Slushie...

LIL JD Slushie...and even T-Slushie is being groomed!!!

Either way, I am back at the bleachers and the games are still as drama-fied as ever. And nevermind that I slid right back in as all-time scorekeeper, so I was told! So we'll see how long this softball crew can keep me coming back.

Tuesday I got back in the saddle again with my girls. Lunch at Chili's and an umbrella assistant later, I was all caught up from being gone on vacation. These ladies are my buds here and I am so glad I could find some peeps that would accept my smart a$$ self and my keepin it real. As you can see, they have some disfunctionality of their own...

Gotta love em!!! I just realized going through some of those albums that I hold some serious balckmail evidence.

I used another day of the week to hang with my newbie friend Brooke. She reminds me a lot of myself about 10 years ago. She is really sweet and also keeps it real...something hard to find over here!

I took the lazy week opportunity to let the Davenport kids, Dee and Devonte, sleep over and took them to Wago Land Thursday. It was fun just as it was the first time we stumbled upon this place. They have 3 floors of fun and something for every age group. Looks like they had a great time...

Well, hopefully I will get my butt back on here and post before I have to write a novel next time. Next week is jammed pack with FRG tasks back to back. There should be some pics I can post to give you the idea of what this FRG business is all about. Until then, I hope everyone has a great weekend and we will catch you later!...lo and behold there's another softball tourney this weekend.

Recouping from Vacation

OK so as everyone already knows, we made it back safe from our Tokyo adventure. I think I caught a little bug on the plane ride home because my head is sorta stuffy and my throat feels lumpy. So I have been relaxing all day with some sporadic movements here and there. George has been getting all the laundry done for me (what a nice guy). I know it has a lot to do with the fact that he just cannot stand still for more than 5 seconds. Maybe I should have him checked for ADHD. Adults can have that now right? Isn't it insane how many medical conditions a person can have these days?? Whatever happened to the "Lay down and take a nap" remedy. My kids know that one all too well. Home remedies are where it's at people!! Just look at them now....the cure for jet lag:

OK so maybe a little Wii action helps it along!! Either way, it's a lazy day in the Isla household and we are going to top it off by going to one of George and I's favorite restaurants...The Garlic House (Arin Krin). I love it there. And for those who don't know about it...it is family style dining where you order several things ala carte and share with everyone in your party. Everything is made with garlic: Garlic Pizza, Garlic Potatoes, Garlic Pasta, Garlic Rice...you get the idea! It is heaven and something I wish I could package up and take to the states with me once I get back there. This will be the kids first time going (the place is small and half the restaurant is seating on the floor) so it is hard to get a table there as you can imagine. So they are excited to be getting the real deal rather than the leftovers from our dinners. Speaking of...here is a pic from our last visit:

I am looking forward to the garlic seeping out of all our orifices on the car ride home.

Let's hope that this wanna be sickness gets my drift and travels onto some other helpless host. And when I say that I am NOT talking about one of my kids or George. Lord knows that is why I am willing it to be gone...I as well as all the other mothers out there can't afford to be sick, we're too busy taking care of our sick brood, whether it be mental or physical :o) !!

Man, coming back from vacation really jacks up your schedule. Who knows what I have going on this week!! Catch you next time...

Thanks to Tara

So I have always contemplated starting and writing a family blog but hadn't gotten around to it due to my hectic schedule with three needy children to boot. Then I started reading Tara Howes' blog (who by the way has four children) and realized I could actually do this thing!! I guess I had a different idea of what kind of work went into creating a blog. So thank you, Tara, for showing me a great blog is only a few moments out of my day and some awesome photos here and there away, all of which I enjoy doing. Looking forward to posting all our family happenings for all the peeps I love and miss. Catch you on the next posting!!!