Re-Born on the Bayou

Keesler  AFB- Biloxi, MS

 I arrived at Keesler on 4JUL2012. I got to watch the most amazing firework show I’ve ever seen (with the exception of the fireworks at the Dunn’s) while standing on a sandbar about 50 ft out into the Gulf of Mexico. loved Keesler and I loved the area. Base was one mile (if that) away from the beach, and we had amazing sunsets every night. I was at Keesler for my Phase II of training so I rotated throughout the hospital in different wards and sections. Such as ER, Labor and Delivery, Pediatrics, Immunizations, Impatient, Surgical, Dermatology, and so on. I can honestly say that there was NEVER a dull moment in the 6 weeks that I was assigned to Keesler. While I was there, I had the opportunity to participate in a study that took me to the University of Alabama and I had some visitors as well...
My Moms (Doty AND Connie) came down for a few days and they were kind enough to trade fabric shopping for car shopping and I bought myself a new vehicle for my new (supposed 3 yr) assignment to Colorado!

Andygator (Andy)

Connie went on to say hi to Casey in Tampa… Hi Casey!... and my Mama and I went to New Orleans for the weekend. We had a blast.  Who knew that drinking hard liquor and running through the streets at 8:00AM was socially acceptable haha. Just Kidding… Turns out it was Bastille’s Day and they had a “Running of the Bulls” which was 5,000 people dressed in red and white being chased by 500 roller derby girls dressed up like bulls… needless to say, it was a blast. We also went on a culinary bike tour that was absolutely delicious! After, we went to Oak Alley Plantation and also just drove around New Orleans more. We just had fun! Totally worth while and I will most definitely be going back to New Orleans, so glad my mom was able to come down for a long weekend to share in such a great time.

Other weekends while I was there I went to Covington, LA which is a tad more than an hour away from base. “What the heck is in Covington, LA?” You say? Well, it is just a town like any other, really… but the town next to it is Abita Springs. Abita Springs, LA is the home of my favorite brewery in the whole entire world (so far)… and after visiting there I have found that it is simply just an amazing town. For those of you that have seen the movie Big Fish, it is the town of Proctor minus the creepiness; just all the good parts. For those of you that have not: Picture in your head field of the softest, greenest, perfectly trimmed grass, the field is surrounded by different kinds of trees. There is a white gazebo on the front corner of the field and an old yellow railroad car about 100 ft away from it. The gazebo has lights at night and the people are friendly. In fact, the Abita Opry practices every Sunday in the railroad car… that is also a museum… (it is a small town, haha). Anyway, Abita is my favorite brewery and I toured the brewery. The brew house is separate but just down the road. It also serves food and that is where I had the best shrimp po-boy I have ever had to date. Just saying.

At the end of my time at Keesler, I was blessed to have more friends come for my graduation. Mandy and Jen! You know us girls, we were completely well behaved and had absolutely no mishaps whatsoever stopping by the beach, and the shrimpin’ boats, and New Orleans, and GRACELAND… yep, no stops on the way back to Nebraska… Love you ladies!!

Overall, I will miss Keesler. I will be back to the South, maybe to visit, maybe to stay, time will tell. Two things for certain are that I do miss it there and I do love Abita.