The Perry Family's Blog of Wonder

Swim Call

perryfamily2007 — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:08:11 +0000

So something that you may not know is that very rarely will an air craft carrier do a swim call. A swim call is when the ship stops completely and all propellers stop spinning so that we (the crew) can jump out of the hangar bay and swim to the fantail (very most stern part of the ship). When I was on West-Pac they promised a swim call but ultimately it was cancelled due to high seas, so when they spread word of a swim call this time around I didn’t get my hopes up. So the day that we were scheduled to actually swim the seas looked low and the sun was out and there appeared to be no reason to not have swim call. However this is the US Navy and untill we’re actually doing what we’re supposed to do I try not to count on it. As they say, “the contract is written in jello until it has already happened.”

The great news is that is actually happened!! I mean lets face it, would I be writing about this if I didn’t go swimming? Not a chance! So long story short I got to jump in and take a swim not only once but three times and I have to say, swimming in the middle of the ocean is really amazing. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures but soon I will and I will certainly post them. Until next time…

Out to sea again!

perryfamily2007 — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:45:05 +0000

Well, I’m sorry to say that Im out to sea again but it’s what I do. To all of those of you who were able to come out and visit thank you so much. Megan, Ava, and I really loved seeing you all, and to those who weren’t able to make it out we will have another chance again in about 4 months. Just a note specifically to the Schapers…all of them, I miss you and love you. Megan and I will have to make a point to come visit the next time I’m home. And Pawpa Schaper, I have a new brain teaser for you from Singapore. Love you all.

Travel the world!

perryfamily2007 — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:42:32 +0000

So as all of you know, I (Stephen) and in the United States Navy and am on a WEST-PAC tour. I have really enjoyed the places I’ve been but it’s time to be home. Come tomorrow I will be on the last leg of the voyage and I can’t wait. I will be flying home from Hawaii when we get there (18 Nov 08) and hoping to be home in time to see my baby girl born (due 19 Nov 08). So far I’ve been to Hong Kong, Guam, Malaysia, Sasebo, Dubai, and Singapore, all of which have been fun but I would have gladly given up all the time in port if it meant I could be home earlier. Some day when I have the time I will sit down and write about all that I did along with attaching photos for all to see. I love and miss all of you. -Stephen

Routines

perryfamily2007 — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:05:30 +0000

It seems we get into little routines without thinking about it sometimes. Take for instance the dogs and I. Every morning when I get up, Trucker gets up. I usually meet him where he’s been on the floor and scratch and pet and tell him I love him and good morning. Sierra stays in bed. I start the computer and walk to the kitchen. He goes out while I make a cup of coffee, and then we turn all the outside lights off. He follows me through every inch of the house. We walk into the living room together. He starts out behind the couch while I check email and do things, but eventually makes it around to join me on the couch. He waits patiently until I move to one extreme side and then one foot, two foot, he clumbers his way up to the cushion. I look at him and talk to him, he smiles at me and listens. We hear a creature stir in the other room. Sierra is ready to make her glorious debut. She meets us in the living room and the two of them go out together and play for a few minutes. They come back in, get water, and then go about their business. Sierra’s business is back to bed, and Trucker’s is right under my feet. The thing is I love every minute of it! All these silly little things we do only make me love my family and my life even more. I seem to have a new appreciation for the tiniest things daily. I think about how much I love all the people and animals in my life. How much I love my husband. Our dogs. Our family. Our friends. How much I wish we could all be together and enjoy eachother’s company. All the while I’m being taught genuine lessons about love and life from two dogs. They really are just the best dogs.

Good Morning

perryfamily2007 — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:00:56 +0000

Hi! We’re so glad it’s September! I love the fall and winter seasons, and just can’t wait every year until we hit them. It’s so nice to have the seasons change and the weather get cooler. There’s something so great about fall and winter where families get together and make great memories.

This year will be full of new memories as our baby gets here! We’ll have so many new experiences and hopefully lots of family can come out and join us. We’re excited it’s September, and we’re pushing through to November! I wish it was here!

That’s it for now…not much else is going on. I hope this finds the readers blessed and having a great day!

August Ends…

perryfamily2007 — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:56:25 +0000

With August 2008 coming to a close, I thought I could share a bit about this month. We finished 28 weeks of pregnancy so far, and just a small amount to go considering how much is behind us! I have been so lucky to have such a great pregnancy…I never felt sick…just the usual soreness of carrying extra weight and the changes that come with that.

On another note, our dogs are too much fun to have around. They just make life so much better! I know we love and spoil them too much in most people’s eyes, but they’re so integral to our family. They have been having a lot of fun at the local dog park, so we try to make it there at least once a week. Our turtles have made it through the huge transition of moving just fine, and now they have their normal 300 gallon pond to swim in and enjoy. They have 5 new fish who have made it past the “small enough to eat” phase, and everyone lives happily together. We also got 2 new algae eaters that don’t ever show their faces. They don’t like the sun, so they hide all day long just eating away! Our house is looking more and more like someone lives there everyday, and we love it so much. God really had it worked out so perfectly for us to get this house! It’s perfect for every being in our family. The backyard is GINORMOUS and our dogs just love being out there. Speaking of, Mr. Houdini himself hasn’t once even tried to escape the clutches and confinement of the backyard. This is not a difinitive statement, because if you know anything about us, you definitely know Trucker is ever-evolving into a supernatural force of escape. He’s made some amazing escapes in his time, defying gravity and the limits of his own anatomy. He’s like the bumblebee-it’s not supposed to be able to fly, but does the bee know that? Sierra, on the other hand, just doesn’t seem to care to leave unless the door or gate were to be open. That’s great for me, because I worry enough having one escapee than two!

Dan and Amy Foster were able to come down and visit for one weekend…that was so great! We went to Studio Diner for dinner on Friday and just got to hang out and enjoy the Saturday morning we had together. I really enjoyed their company, as did the dogs! I am happy to report they are doing REALLY well and things are going so great for them! We are so lucky to have them close…they are very important to us!

Also, Daniel Hall left for Fallujah, Iraq this month. He will be there for 7 months. We pray for his continued safety and guidance as he’s over there. Thanks for all your hard work! He and his brother, Michael, are in the Marine Corps. Uncle Ray, Aunt Myrna, Grandma Helen, and Michael all came over to see him off. Aunt Myrna and Grandma got to come a few days early to stay with me. We had a good few days spending time with Daniel. We are so proud of all our family’s accomplishments…The Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard all have people working hard! Thanks to all those who serve our great nation. It is so important and we don’t thank you enough.

Lilly Perry graduated from Coast Guard boot camp this month. Congratulations, Lilly! We’re proud of you! Someday I’ll get pictures and show them off of her in uniform.

We can’t even wait until November when our baby arrives. The official due date is November 19, and we’re definitely counting the days. Stephen’s just going to be such a great daddy to her! I am so excited to meet her. So many things to think about…what will she look like? What will she act like? This is totally new to me, being an only child, but I am ready for the challenge. I will be glad to meet her and raise her in this loving family of ours.

God is so Great! He guides us through each day so that we experience life. If we can only trust Him, we learn that every encounter and moment is there to teach us and show us how much He loves us! Thank you, God for every day. Thank you for another month of trials and experiences, and show us more new and great things to come! We are so thankful for our family and friends, near and far. Thank you.

Scared of the Camera

The best gift!

perryfamily2007 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:58:29 +0000

There are times in a man’s life where he will do everything in his power to try to please the most important person in his life, his wife! I have found myself time and time again trying to come up with something so original for her that she gasps at the thought, time, and effort I put into it. Of course, this is the goal when proposing to a woman, but the catch is that doing something completely original is that you now have set a standard. A standard that you will always strive to measure up to.

Recently I have been on a WESTPAC deployment where I am working hard to provide for my family. I have tried to think of ways to surprise my wife and let her know that my love reaches beyond the greatest gaps of time and distance. I have thought of hiring a missus to go to the house and give her a massage (something she has told me she misses me doing for her terribly), placing a takeout order from one of her favorite restaurants to surprise her for dinner, and a few others that I won’t discuss because, well, a magician never reveals his secrets! All of this, however well thought out, fell short of what I was feeling would do the trick. Then it came to me, so cliche that I almost didn’t do it for fear of unoriginality, but i did. I sent her flowers and man was I wrong! When she received them she cried with joy! SHE CRIED! So here’s the moral of the story men, no matter how high you’ve set the standard, flowers are a girls best friend.

Hello!

perryfamily2007 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:03:10 +0000

Well, here’s the beginning to another newfangled internet sensation…a blog! I guess it’s not so new anymore but it is to us! Stephen and I are expecting our first baby in November. We are very very excited and are so thankful for our little girl! Our two dogs have been getting ready for the trasition, and I’m proud to say that they’ll be really great doggy siblings! We went to the dog park today, where we’re working on getting Trucker more acclimated to other dogs. He gets kind of nervous around other males, so we work on getting him over that. He does really well. Sierra just plays and runs and sniffs everything. We love our dogs so much! They’re just the greatest and they really make life that much better. We thank God every day for all that He’s given us, and we know there’s more to come! Goodnight, world, talk to you soon.