bald is beautiful...

"Bald is Beautiful"

To all friends and family: The Captain of the USS O'Kane, Commander
Mike Ray, has started a campaign on the ship called "bald is
beautiful," and here's how it works:
Anyone can pledge to "sponsor" a member of O'Kane's crew with a pledge
of x amt of money per mile (for example, .50 a mile or a dollar a
mile).  Anyone who is sponsored is on the honor system to record how
many miles they run faithfully over the next three months.  At the mid
way point of deployment (roughly mid July), the miles will be tallied
up, and whoever has raised the most money gets to shave Commander
Ray's head bald.  All sponsorships/donations will go to St. Jude's
Children's hospital.  That is fantastic, but I am also trying to get
more of an incentive to work out on a regular basis, and hopefully
this will help.  How, you may ask yourself, do we run on the ship?  We
can either run topside (this can be a bit treacherous with heavier
seas) (5 circuits of the ship= 1 mile), we can run on the treadmills,
or on the elliptical.  So far, in the 3+ weeks of deployment, I have
only run a grand total of about 15 miles- I am hoping to improve to at
least 10 miles a week to keep in shape.  To sponsor me, all you have
to do is write me an email at david.haile@ddg77.navy.mil, and let me
know how much you want to sponsor me for per mile.  I will send
regular updates, and then a final tally in mid July on our "halfway
day."  I will then tell you where you can send appropriate checks, etc
(it will be to the ship's OMBUDSMAN, most likely).  Although I have
few illusions about winning (there are some people in the command who
run 6-7 miles a day), it will all be for a good cause and keep me
motivated to run regularly.  So I would be grateful for any support-
every little bit will count.  Today, 15 April is day #1, and I am
about to go do my first run.  Thanks in advance for any support (if we
raise enough money, I might even decide to shave my own head, even
though Michelle would kill me)!
Love,
David


(sidebar...  he can shave his head.  and, he told me that if his guys raise more money that he does, they can shave his head...  as of day two, he had done 10 miles...)

some trip home pics... the kids were wonderfully entertained by the pay phones!!!

calling me...

"talking" to mom-mom...

their set up the other day...  they all wanted to be laying with christopher.  so sweet!  we have been doing well adjusting to island time!  nora was up at 2:30 the first night, but james and i didn't get up until 5, and chris until 7!!  today, we all got up around 5.  so, not bad.  i am hoping the 5am trend doesn't stick forever, but for now, it's okay!  it's good to be home!!!