The Moving Adventures....#1

Living room all boxed up.....it's crazy realizing how much stuff you really have once you start packing everything up.
I love this kitchen......but not all boxed up :(
24 foot moving truck......completely full. Wow, that's a lot of stuff.

St. Patrick's Day

Here are some pictures of the fun we had in Savannah, GA from St. Patrick's Day. E and I watched the parade and spent a little time at my office party.....


Shane, this one's for you.....you make me a proud sister!
Me and E, he's home for our first St. Pat's ever being married!
HUGE horses....

Lollipops and Rainbows

So, yeah.....I've been really discouraged lately. It's called STRESS. House, move, relationships, work. The list goes on. And you know what doesn't help.....when the weather is so so bad. I'm praying that God will take me out of this storm, because I'm screaming on the inside. It's starting to blur my view of the "lollipops and rainbows".

So, yes....we are moving....in two weeks. "When did you find out?" Glad you asked.....exactly two weeks ago. Our house is on the market. We don't know where we will be living/staying in two weeks. We don't know the exact day we are moving out. We don't know how long we will be at the next post. I don't have time to hang out with all of my girlfriends before I leave....I barely see E. We just bought moving boxes two days ago. I'm quitting my job and remaining jobless for the time being. And....for the first time ever, I'm moving farther than 8 hours away from my precious mom and dad.

All of these things have me stressed....but then I think about how things could be MUCH worse. I have a great and happy life. Not only that, but God has been faithfully opening and closing doors for us so smoothly. I am a blessed woman and promise you I'm learning some things in this storm-it's called patience (something I don't think I'll ever learn enough of)......but God forgive me for blurring my own view of how good I actually have it.

Jumping ahead.....Military Ball 3/3/3011

Hi Everyone!

It's been months since I've posted. I will get better......I've just been super busy with getting situated again since E's been home, weekend traveling, working, working out, socializing.......whew.

Last night was our first Military Ball together as a married couple. Here are some pictures......we had fun!


Eli getting some cake.......hah.
Me and my hubs!
Again.....love him!

Muah!

Househusband update (guest post)

So, everyone knows what a housewife is - well, I've been playing at househusband lately. Yup, I got to take a whole month off of work (Meghan got two of the four weeks off, during which we traveled) and even now, I've been "working" this past week but am only working 4-day weeks and workdays are over at around 3pm. My first off week that Meghan was working I spent cleaning up around the house, organizing, running errands to Wal-Mart and Krogers, cooking dinner and cleaning up after - yes, a genuine househusband! This past week, and continuing into my first week back at work and this weekend - I've been working on building a fence for our backyard, a 6' tall privacy/security fence both for our use and for future resalability, that I've been nailing together board by board. I'm still home more than Meghan is, which is a bit weird, but good. I have other to-do list type things to work on after the fence is complete.

Block leave was busy - we always seem to schedule more traveling than we can quite handle - but it seems so worth it, once we've recovered and stabilized at home again. For the Christmas-New Years week we road tripped! Packed the car and drove from Savannah to New Orleans, LA (Meghan's parents and extended family; 3 days), then to Memphis, TN (my grandparents and extended family, and where I grew up for 18 yrs but Meghan had never seen; 5 days), to Birmingham, AL (my sis, bro-in-law, and their newborn son Little T; 2 days), then home. Pictures to follow, I suppose... it was a long trip but good, seeing new (to me, her, or us) family members, especially Little T...

After a transition week at home (Meghan working full time that week, she sacrificed a lot for us to travel during my month off), we flew to Colorado for 10 days of family, fun, snow, snowboarding, 2nd-Honeymoon, fun! Spent time with my parents, spent time just the two of us snowboarding and staying in a little mountain town B&B, spent time with my brother and his family (wife/3 kids) who sacrificed a lot to travel from Missouri to visit us (and Momo and Papa).... what a trip! I learned to snowboard quickly, which was good/fun, my parents were/are so generous with gifts and turning a 4-day trip to Frisco into our mini-second-Honeymoon, and Meghan made friends with our niece ("twins!" with braids in their hair). I, on the other hand, got more attention/time with our nephew, so-called Two Forks. We have a lot in common, he and I...

Well, we are a little more stabilized in Savannah now, a little more into life routines and less of the traveling craziness. We are trying to be good friends, having people over for dinner and being social with work-related friends/events; trying to coax people to come visit us in Savannah (it was 65 and sunny yesterday! in January! we almost went to the beach but ran out of time). I'm finishing the fence (pictures to follow), we're talking about upcoming trips (Charlotte in 3 weeks!) and starting to lean towards a new local church commitment.

So, God is good, Meghan & I are both happy and healthy and working out what a daily/weekly routine looks like, now that I'm back from Iraq (and back at work after a month off) and she's still working almost-full-time (proud of her). We're thankful for our family and friends and God's bountiful provision for us. He is good and is the touchstone and foundation of our marriage. I have an amazing wife whom I love and am so proud of and impressed by all that she does for me/us. All of life isn't always rainbows and lollipops, but today, I am happy.

-E

My heart is pounding....

as I walk towards the field at 11:25pm on Thursday, December 9th. Just minutes earlier, I spoke with E.....on the telephone for the first time since May!!!!

I hesitantly sit down by this kid who is hyped up on rather warm-looking hot chocolate. He (or she) could not sit still.....nor was this little person's parent paying attention to the quick blows to my face. I didn't care.....my husband was finally minutes away from coming home!!! I was shivering uncontrollably but still smiled.

After watching about 10 minutes of over-dressed spouses trying to contain their wild animals (I mean children :)), the crowd was prompted to stand while the buses rode in by police escort. What a peaceful moment. My heart felt lighter knowing he was home safe. Home safe, finally. Little did I know that I still had 15 minutes of wait time before the ceremony started.

15 minutes passed.....and the music started to play. All of sudden there is out pour of around 270 soldiers flooding out of the trees from afar. Not to mention they were all in formation. I'm watching......looking for an extra tall man (love that about E!)....and my phone vibrates. It's E! "I'm on the far right- on the end." Exactly what usually happens .....I put myself in the most inconvenient spot to get to E when there is at least 500 people around. Anyways, I figured this text was sent minutes before the soldiers walked out because not one of those soldiers flinched in formation. The ceremony was a blur......all I could think about was how to get from the left side of the bleachers to the right without making a scene. Part of me wanted to run through the tight crowd before anyone noticed, part of me wanted to walk behind the bleachers quietly, and part of me wanted to scream, "move it or lose it! I'm trying to get to my honey!" Ultimately, I stayed put (and quiet I might add) until everyone was released. By that time, people were pushed so close to the soldiers anyways.......I mean, it's been a year and they expect everyone to wait. It's a torturous thing, ya know. I can say that because I was there.

So......finally! I seriously jump off the bleachers and dash to the other side as soon as everyone is let go. You all would be proud because I was wearing healed boots. So, another "blurry" moment was the time between looking, standing, walking, and then.......THERE HE IS, 10 yards away.....still searching for me until about 5 yards. We run to each other and embrace and......well, it was gooooooodd.

E is home!!!!! I love you E!

Extreme Home Makeover!!!

Hi everyone!
It's a few weeks until my prince returns home!!!!! In the meantime, I have some pictures to share!!!

Me and Tiffani Taylor in action!!!! Tiffani Taylor is a local artist who painted the entire mural for the 4 yr. old little girl, Caitlyn. With 4 energy drinks and 17 hours straight, it was complete.

The family! See the little girl? She was soooo cute!

Move that bus~!

Shaun White.....he surprised the 11yr. old boy from the Simpson family.

Paul! He designed Caitlyn's room.

Tiffani with Ty......Tiffani was in the house until literally 2 minutes before the bus was moved. She got a picture! So glad! This was Tiffani and I at the beginning of the day....so fresh and ready to go!!!

More pictures to come! I ended up getting to go to a secret event that EHME did after the house was finished...it was so much fun! We got lots of pictures and I also have pictures with more of the cast!