Just a quick note since I haven't posted anything in awhile! Not much is happening around here. We are going to a friend's house, along with 4 other families, for Thanksgiving. Then we are headed to the ball field for a huge game of kickball! I know you are suppose to play football but we have to include all the kids.

No races for Joe this week. He is starting to get busy with Marine things. Hunter is practicing swim 4 days a week, not necessarily liking that but is happy to have qualified for the Tokyo swim meet. Thank you to all the people who have pledged for his swim-a-thon. One more swim meet left then training starts for the Tokyo kids only.

Brody (and Hunter) will be starting flag football on Nov. 30th. We have already told the boys that there is no crying in football. I don't know if Brody really understands football so we told him it was like a big game of tag! If you have the ball, everyone is running after you so don't let them catch you!

Nothing is set in stone yet (and with the Marine Corps, that takes some time) but the beginning of the new year is the first date and then spring starts the year count down. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about call or ask around and you will find out! Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. We are celebrating Hunter's birthday on the 28th (his actual birthday) with a football party! I hope it doesn't rain because Hunter wants to have a pretend war in the house! 12 boys all shooting Nerf guns....pray for sun!! Actually, it would be 13 boys because I know that Joe will be a part of it!!

Happy 234th Birthday Marine Corps!

It is that time again where we celebrate birthdays! November starts off with the Marine Corps birthday on Nov. 10th. The 1st MAW (Marine Air Wing) ball was on Nov.
9th this year and I actually remembered my camera. It was fun to get all dressed up. I do believe this is the only time where I can get ready faster than Joe! My friend, Trina, did my hair for the ball. I had to sleep in sponge rollers and then hide in my house the next day until it was time to get it done. Of course, when she is doing my hair it starts to rain! I had so much hairspray in my hair that it wasn't going anywhere. To give you an idea of how much hairspray I had, she did a trial run of the hair on Sat. She put the curlers in Friday night and took them out Sat. am. I drove with the windows down all day, played outside with the boys and my hair didn't move one bit!! It was a fun evening and look forward to doing it again next year!


"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem." PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN, 1985
Meeghan Ertwine, Joe and Gretchen

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USMC!!! 234th birthday of the MARINE CORP. SEMPER FI .....Do or Die...Holdem' them High in 8th/I! GO DEVIL DOGS!!!
Yes, Joe actually had a drink this evening!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

It was another rainy night in Okinawa but that didn't stop the boys from trick or treating. We went to church at 5, Brody wanted to wear his costume to church, then came home to change and hit the neighborhood. I went down to a friends house to hand out candy while Joe walked with the boys. In the mass rush to get home and changed, we didn't take any pictures. The boys were invited to a Halloween party the week before so that is what the pictures are from.



Hunter had his first swim meet on Sat. and he did very well. These are his results:
25M Backstroke: 29.14
25M Freestyle: 21.92
25M Kick board: 29.88
50M Freestyle: 48.43
Hunter was able to qualify for the Tokyo Swim Meet (in March) with these times. There are 4 kids per age group and he filled one slot in the 8 and under. So the China trip for spring break will have to wait, we are going to Tokyo in March to swim!!


I ran the Marine Corps Marathon Relay on Sat. The race was rescheduled from last weekend. I was able to run the first leg and then get to the swim meet. Each runner had to run 5.2 miles. I was able to do it in 55:14- which is fast from me. At one point on the course, I was the only one around (there were people behind me but farther away.) I came up to a water station and as the Marine was handing me my water, I told him that I was in first place!! He really didn't know what to say, he just kind of smiled and said "Yes, you are ma'am." He probably thought I was so dehydrated that I didn't know what I was talking about. It was fun and now I can say that I have run a Marine Corps Marathon!!