Communication is such a beautiful thing....

My day yesterday was very interesting. I learned the advantages and disadvantages on communication all with hours of each other. I woke up this morning thinking gees, well that was an interesting day.

Chaz got a call first thing yesterday morning. His First Sargent wanted to see me. I thought awesome what did I do now? I haven't raised any type of hell within the last week or even longer, hmm...

I got Chaz dropped off for his appointments and I headed toward 1SGT's office. He had a big smile on his face and I thought uh-oh. I sat down and asked what did my big mouth get me in trouble with now? He told me I was there because of my big mouth, but because he needs my big mouth's help. I was shocked. I thought for sure I was in trouble. He then informed me he had an idea and he said you are the right person for it. So I listened to his plan.

Let me back up and explain. The Warrior Transition Brigade (WTB) has been going through a lot of changes. To me they are all good ones. This new 1SGT is part of all of that. He is like Chaz and I we are see a problem and try to make it better.

The 1SGT sees a lot a of problems with the NMA being lost in the Army world and now we've combined them into the Navy world too. Many of the people are so incredibly lost. We have parents who have no understanding of the military system and then they drop everything to help their kids heal. It's just too much to handle. So we talked about what I did to handle everything. He asked me if I thought I could break it all down for others and I said yes. So now that's what I will be doing. I will be the person the NMAs come to for help in navigating the system. We have a lot of work to do, but we can do it. So my first adventure of the day was a lesson in communication success.

We then decided to take my mom to Arlington to see the Cemetery and the changing of the guard. Turns out I went the wrong way on a one way road. I've been driving for 16 years. I have a college education so I can read signs. I am telling you right now there was not a one way sign there on that road. Well I got pulled over by a cop. And I can safely say he was the rudest cop I have ever met in my life. I love cops. My dad was a cop, my best friend was a cop. I have a very positive opinion of cops. I have only had positive experiences with our law enforcement personal. This guy was belittling and condescending and he even yelled at me. He told me I was endangering the lives of hundreds of people by going the wrong way. FYI it was a two lane road and not one single person was walking on it. Then I explained (when he actually let me talk) that I had parked on the right side of the amphitheater so Chaz (where it was marked for the handicapped) could have the access to the area. Rather than busting a u-turn right there I simply followed out the right side of the road. He then asked if I saw the signs "the same signs that would have been on my driving exam." I said no I did not see them because I was talking to my family. He looked at Chaz and you could see the oh he's wounded thing smacked him in the face and he disappeared to his car.

My gut wanted me to get out and punch him in the face. I wanted him to give me a ticket so I could report his rude ass. I have never ever wanted a ticket so bad in my life. But no he goes back and runs my info and then comes back and like a total jerk again and reminds me again what I did wrong. He then says don't forget it's 20 in the cemetery here. I smiled and told him to have a nice day, just to make him mad.

We left and went to join our wounded friends and family and the Aleethia Foundation for another great dinner. There we met some new families, but dined with the ones we've known for a long time. We got to go to Dave and Buster's. We had a blast!

So you can say I had another roller coaster day. Started off kind of scary to find out it was great, then a dip for a dip (the cop) only to end on a great high! Thank goodness for all of the positive that comes to trump the bad!