The Need for Apple Pie

Some have a need for speed, some for cocktails and happy hours. Not I. I have an innate need for southern comfort food, specifically meatloaf, mashed-potatoes, green beans, and homemade from-scratch apple pie (a la mode of course). Pregnancy cravings haven't gotten the best of me thus far, but this one I think goes beyond the occasional desire for something yummy. Let's back up a little and I'll see if I can set the scene for you.

About 2 weeks ago, the leaves in northern Virginia began to turn ever so slightly. The usual grocery store commute is illuminated with reds, oranges, and yellows. Such a scenic 3 minute drive! With this change in leaf color came cool gusts of wind and cloudless days. Magnificent beauty! The sun shines brightly most days, making a light sweater the perfect midday accessory. The start of Fall is such a beautiful time of year. This change outside of my home begs for a few inner home changes, starting with a fresh Fall cleaning. Some only do it in the Spring. Not I. I collect plenty of junk! Trust me. :) I need to do it every season. After a purge of all things to donate, it's time to set the tone in our home. Cozy pumpkin spice candles and fresh cinnamon on the table waft by my nose each morning. Couple these scents with a cracked window, cozy blanket, and good book. That's what Fall is all about.

Now let's take this a little further. I hope you're feeling nice and cozy thus far. There's one more key change we must engineer during this wonderful change in seasons, our menu! When I think of southern comfort I think of food that has 3 key qualities: 1) warm; 2) filling; and 3) puts you to sleep! Any item on the cracker barrel menu would also qualify! In a traditional southern comfort fashion, I prepared these yummy put-you-to-sleep dishes on Sunday afternoon. So so yummy. I wanted to top it off with homemade apple pie. That's an understatement! I was DETERMINED to make apple pie. Now, let me preface this by saying that though I've been blessed with the cooking gene, God has left me to fend for myself in the baking arena. (I just don't get the measuring part of it. I mean why so precise?!) So, I sought out my dear friend, Marian, who's collection of southern comfort recipes puts mine to shame! She had a "simple" (in her words) apple pie recipe I just couldn't mess up.

Simple, she says. Well if it's simple and since I HAVE TO HAVE IT, there's no reason I cannot go to the store at 10p.m. to buy ingredients and make it right now, right?! And we're off to the grocery for sugar, butter, and apples. Mmmmmm. Self check-out is my best friend during these late night rendezvous. I gathered my items quickly, along with French vanilla ice cream. Upon getting to the check-out counter, I set all my items down and began to scan. The bag of apples were oh so heavy, so I set them on the side of the register. And Ladies and Gents...that's where they stayed! That's right, I forgot to purchase the apples and didn't realize it until I was home unloading my bags. Boy was I unhappy. Oh well! The next morning, after Bible study with the ladies, I ventured back to the store for apples. I came home and baked like a mad woman! For the first time in my life I made homemade...from scratch...yes even the crust...apple pie! And it was delish!

So Loved & So Blessed...

My mornings begin around 5 a.m. now. That's 4 in Texas and a whopping 2 a.m. in Cali. Just to clarify! I've been spending a lot more time focusing on being in tune with what's going on with my body. I find such joy and excitement in observing the subtle changes I see over time. My stomach moves on its own now. So beautiful.

I've been missing from my blog since June. It's been 3 1/2 months and I promise I have good reason! Soon after finding out that we were moving, God decided to let us know it's time for us to be parents. An exciting discovery! Within the same weekend an opportunity to remain in Virginia 6 more months presented itself. We decided to take a little bit more time to stay here to ensure dad-to-be can attend doctor appointments, et cetera.

What a long 3 1/2 months it has been! For a good 6 weeks I literally fell of the face of the earth. I spent more hours in bed than out. I spent more time sick to my stomach than nourishing my body. Then, I awoke one day and ALAS, it was all gone. Normal. I felt normal! My immediate reaction was panic of course. Something must be wrong with sweet thing in my tum tum. Why am I not feeling terrible? Is she ok? Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh the paranoia of a new parent. It's called...the 2nd trimester.

I welcomed the glow of pregnancy in trimester two about 8 weeks ago. It's been a wonderful breeze. Now in these 8 weeks, aside from my body growing in very odd but beautiful ways, I've made some shifts in my life in preparation for mommie-hood.

For starters, I resigned at my school. I began to find (during summer / 1st trimester) that the stress and work load were much more difficult to balance. I also found it really tough to prioritize my body's needs such as, rest and food in the fast-paced environment at work. I actually lost weight during my first trimester! I didn't eat very much and slept often. I felt sick every single day all day long!

The 2nd change I made was devoting myself to completing my graduate program as soon as possible. I want to wrap things up quickly so that I am not juggling a 2-wk old and an essay. I'm happy to say that this is my last full semester in my graduate program.

The 3rd and final change I made, most recently, has been to better devote myself to understanding how to prepare myself spiritually for the challenges of parenthood. I've spent a lot of time in prayer, both for my child, and for our family. I am also beginning a stay-at-home mom Bible study group on Monday, Oct 25. We are studying "Sheparding A Child's Heart" by Tedd Tripp.

So my days look very different now. I've been able to rededicate myself to some of my favorite hobbies such as, reading and blogging! I've started a book blog, please check it out. I have also been collecting baby items. My dear friends hosted a baby shower for me a few weeks ago. It was a tea party style shower! How neat!!! We've also journeyed into the world of cloth diapers. Super excited. Seems to be a huge money saver and great for the environment. (They're also super cute!) We plan to use FuzziBunz. I've truly enjoyed preparing for baby. We are also, of course, preparing for the move to Florida. We'll have finished our 6 months here very soon so the housing search is on! That's always fun. We're in a condo now, so stretching out to a house with a yard sounds very appealing. We'll likely move around the beginning of December.

My sleep schedule has been the most interesting and enjoyable change. I wake up to a violent kick in my tummy around 4:30 a.m. These kicks are relentless and non-negotiable, she's hungry! I get up for a snack (typically cereal or peanut butter on a slice of bread). Then I'm awake for about an hour or so. After my husband leaves for work, I fall back asleep for another few hours. It's truly nice to sleep when my body needs it. I feel like I've been blessed with the opportunity to be a mom and to not have to work. So, I'm taking my role very seriously and seeking God's guidance in assuring that I'm handling this new role with the utmost humility and gratitude.

I feel so loved and so blessed. Updates soon. Promise!

NOTE on the PHOTO: I know you all want to see my belly. I don't have a good one yet. So the photo included is from the shower. SMOOCHES.

We're moving. Wait! No we're not. Oh! We are! Just kidding, we're not?!?!?

Married to the military, specifically the Marine Corps. It actually has legitimate job qualifications, description, hire date, benefits package, and salary. It looks something like this:

JOB QUALIFICATIONS & DESCRIPTION
- Capable and willing to not commit to finalize any life plans.
- Responsible for the sanity and upkeep of morale and MOTO (i.e motivation/eagerness) when relocating your family.
- Responsible for ensuring you have adequate tools and supplies to keep at least 63 copies of all important documents the Marine Corps may need at any given time.
- Demonstrated ability to make friends quickly in new places as they are only home for a short period of time.
- Demonstrated ability to use the same living room decor in 7 different ways in 7 different living rooms over the course of 7 years.
- Reasonable aptitude for the art of packing boxes.
- Understanding that 48 hours notice to move across the country is reasonable notice.
- Fervent desire to learn a new language and learn to drive on the opposite side of the road.
- Possess a resilient ability to be patient.
- Understand the art of waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and waiting.
- Possess a deep unyielding love of men in green silkies also know as "skivis."
- Understand the art of rolling sleeves so that they almost restrict blood flow.
- Willing and able to conceptualize and create "high and tights" when required.
- Understand that a head has nothing to do with a hat.
- Understand that to tell time, you must do math.


HIRE DATE: Upon signing oath with USMC or signing legally binding marital paperwork.

BENEFITS PACKAGE:
- Free travel on a space available basis.
- Free movers and shipping.
- Ability to see (and often, live in) various parts of the world.
- Guaranteed time apart from your spouse to ensure "absence makes the heart grow fonder."
- Sense of pride knowing your spouse serves his country.
- Competitive retirement options.
- Free healthy insurance for you and your family.
- Competitive interest rates.
- Incredibly in-shape and ultra-motivated spouse.

SALARY: None. Well, your husbands, unless you have a "mobile-career."


Well needless to say I took the job! Who wouldn't?!?!?!?! Yes folks, The Basic School is coming to a close. Only July 1, Michael will be done with his 6-month leadership school. On to flight school, or so we thought! There are so many pilots in the USMC system, that the wait list to start is up to about a year. So, it looks like we'll be hanging out here in the DC/Virginia area for at least another 6 months to soak up some of that wait time. Who knows where we will be in 6 months...wherever it is, we'll at least be together.

Semper Fi

I'm sitting on my couch under a cozy plush blue blanket. The house is filled with the crackling sound of hot grease on the stove. French toast is in the works! High-pitch voices are giggling to my right. My little sisters find Styrofoam plates so entertaining. A lady of about 5'9" stature is near breaking a sweat in the kitchen area. She's tirelessly labored around these quarters since her arrival late Tuesday night. Though she's well above 40, her clear smooth caramel skin, green eyes, and go-go-go attitude speak of such youthful energy. Her nose resembles mine a bit, though mine is much wider. Her hair, curly like mine, but so much more fine. Her eyes though similar in shape, much lighter than mine. She's my mom.

She's in town visiting for 8-days to spend time with her daughter and son-in-law. She brought my two little sisters, Paige and Naomi, ages 4 and 3, for some much desired bonding time with big sister Jessica. Since she's arrived, she's dedicated every second to ensuring her girls are taken care of. It's actually quite strange. I mean how am I supposed to let her go back home after all of this special treatment!?!?! We've compiled quite the agenda of things to see and places to go. Despite our lengthy list of DC attractions, nothing is nearly as appealing as curling up on the couch, tickling each other's toes, watching Finding Nemo, Cars, and The Incredibles until we all pass out from exhaustion. They are quite the blessing and my biggest prayer is that I can serve as a light in their lives to motivate them to live their lives loving God as they grow older. Their smiles warm my heart in a way I didn't realize was possible. Their laughter makes me smile, even when I missed the joke. Observing their peaceful slumber brings to me my knees thanking God for my big sister role.

I'm so grateful. So very grateful. I look forward to our 3 p.m. pedicures and family photos this weekend. I look forward to taking them to the IMAX for the first time next week, and reading them tonight's bedtime story.

Rain Rain Go Away...Or Not.

It's rainy today. Beautifully rainy. There's something so incredibly peaceful about watching the rain nourish life on the ground. The grass, flowers, and trees drink in the rainy day. To them, it's eagerly anticipated. What's the rain to us? Sometimes we see the rain as a means to block out the sunshine. Perhaps we frown because we were looking forward to a warm bright sunny day. It isn't though, until the last rain drop falls and the sun peaks through the gray clouds, over the rainbow and across our green lawn, that we realize just how beautiful this moment is. Not only are the flowers and foliage fully nourished, but now the sun comes out to shine upon all, illuminating the recently-watered beauty. Such a refreshing feeling.

Let's step back. When that first rain drop falls or the gray clouds form overhead, how disappointing that must feel. It's at that moment that we think through our plans to picnic in the park or peruse the zoo and realize we'll have to reschedule; find a better time. How often do we, in that very moment, smile? How often do we see the rain beginning to pour and smile at the thought of all the beauty and nourishment brought to the Earth through precipitation? How readily do we think about that warm feeling of watching the sunshine peek through the clouds after the rainfall? Do we imagine how beautiful that rainbow will be? Do we immediately realize our rescheduled trip to the zoo or park will be just as fun at a later date? Hmmm.

Let's parallel. When life starts to rain...or pour, how do we respond? I find myself in this very spot at work lately. We are getting to a tough time at the end of the year. Re-offering contracts is tough business. It can be mentally and physically exhausting! My previous post was about perspective. I wrote about perspective on our blessings. I know that God is working in my life for my own good. [(Romans 8:28) <-- look it up now! He's working for the good in YOUR life too!] But, when that first raindrop falls, it becomes so hard to hold on to the vision of that rainbow. Rain is falling my friends. In fact, it's pouring. Work is stressful. My job has challenges that I feel intellectually prepared to handle. But, I'm tired. Frankly, I'm tired of having the answers and making the decisions. Despite my fatigue, I'm pushing through. I'm pushing through because I'm committed to seeing through the challenges at our school. I'm pushing through because I believe in the change that is being implemented at our school. I'm pushing through because God has delivered these challenges to my doorstep. He has put this job and all its baggage in my lap. I know that I can't push through this alone. Through this process, He has shown me that I have to rely on Him to push through the struggles of ending this school year.

He has shown me, through this very blog, that rain is a beautiful reality. Despite it's stigma for ruining picnics and parades. It actually nourishes and renews. It brings about a rejuvenated brighter day. I'm holding on for my rainbow. Evaluate the rain pouring in your life...do you see the rainbow?!

How'd we get here?!

I wake up everyday to the sun shining through my sheer mocha-colored curtains. I look around my room and often wonder, where am I?! How'd I get here? I think it is so interesting to think that 2 years ago, I had no clue that I'd be here now! I quickly realize that the path my life has taken was both purposeful and intentional. God led me to this place in my life for a specific reason. That purpose has been so clearly illuminated in the past 7 months. I've moved to a community surrounded by Christian married women. Each of these 4 ladies have directly impacted my experience as a spiritually growing Christian military wife.

For starters, Michael's typical day starts 430 a.m. with a 45-minute drive to work, full day of classes, physical activities, and leadership praxis. He usually leaves work around 730p. There's no traffic to or from work, so he has a good 45-minutes to race down the highway and clear his head. Once he's home, he hops in the shower, eats dinner, and completes any assignments for work, then he's off to bed! This leaves little room for conversation, recreation, or house "to-do" things.

Essentially this means, my job (while in TBS) is to balance it all. From paying bills, preparing dinner, cleaning the house, handling things that come in the mail, working as a Principal of a small private school, completing my Master's degree, spending time in personal devotion, caring for the animals, nurturing friendships, keeping in touch with family, ANDDDDD blogging...I have to do it all....or at least MOST of it! I graciously accept this job. Why? Because God has given Michael and I a HUGE blessing! He's laid it RIGHT smack dab into our laps. He's given my husband an opportunity to work toward his childhood dream, flying jets. He's also given me an opportunity to earn my Master's degree in Educational Administration while working as an administrator! HOLD ON....NOT DONE! Blessing #3 --> He's surrounded me by a community of friends to support my spiritual development and growth.

I firmly believe that God will always work to the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). I firmly believe that God will never put more on me than I can bear. I can do this. Not only can I do this, but I'm EXCITED to do this. I realize more and more each day that the journey I've agreed to take with my husband, through Officer Candidate School (last summer) and The Basic School (TBS), and whatever's next, can be a challenging lifestyle. However, our perspective on the paths our lives take defines the manner in which we interpret and respond. If we truly count our blessings. Truly. Then, we can see God working through us, for our own good. That supreme fact is comforting enough to me to guide me through the restless nights, one-person meals, endless task-lists, deployment tours, multiple trainings, and exhausting schedules. Along this journey, when I feel doubt or loneliness set in, God has equipped me with His Word and committed friends to keep me fulfilled and sustained.

I'm so grateful for where Michael and I are in life. So incredibly grateful. :)

I'd Have It No Other Way

This poem was shared with me by another military wife. It's so very true, in case you were ever wondering what THIS life is really like. : )

Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house; Moving curtains that won't fit; Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.

Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner...AGAIN!

They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.

She can balance a checkbook;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...

She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
.....all with ONE Power of Attorney.

She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS; Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed; the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband, She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.

The Wild Cat - Ms. Penelope

My husband and I have always liked animals. We’re not like those 20-cat families. But, we do enjoy our share of 4-legged cuddly furries. My husband in particular is really fond of cats. I like them as well, but the litter box maintenance drives me insane. (I learned this in college.) So, I was pretty certain that we’d never adopt a pet cat. My dear friend Marian, has a sweet and slightly crazy cat named Oswald. I spent several days babysitting Oswald over Thanksgiving break (2009) because she was out of town. I love my dear Marian, so I was happy to do the favor, but I was dreading the litter box smell. The first day to change came and I was greeted so delightfully by Os. He is such a sweet and playful (i.e. crazy) cat that I couldn’t help but play with him for awhile before changing his litter and leaving. When I proceeded to change his box, I noticed that it looked different than any other litter box I’d seen. It also smelled, like… fresh linen. What?!?!? This litter box was a large deep plastic bin with about 10 to 12 lbs of litter in it. The large amount of litter masked the smell of any bodily fluids concealed within. I also noticed that the high walls of the box helped prevent Os from kicking around excess litter on the floor. I was so relieved. Cleaning his box was surprisingly pleasant and so easy! From that moment forward, I pushed myself to think outside the box (lol) about getting a cat.

Days turned into weeks and my husband and I spent more and more time together in front of the TV. We watched a special on Animal Planet on the top breeds of cats. We fell in love with the idea of getting a cat after watching that show. Since I had experienced a change of heart on the litter box issue, we began looking into breeds. Fast forward a month to Friday, January 29, 2010. Our gorgeous Bengal cat, Penelope arrived via Continental Airlines at Reagan National airport.

She is quite the cat. Bengals are known for being very feisty and active. Their ancestors are the Wild African Serval cat and the Asian Leopard. So, I was prepared for a rambunctious pet. My dear husband went out in the snow and ice to grab us BBQ to go yesterday. As I dug into my BBQ chicken salad, my dear Penelope decided she wanted a bite. She walked toward me and of course I pushed her back. She tried again and I pushed her back again. This continued quite a few times. I realized she wasn’t going to let me eat in peace, so I closed the Styrofoam container and went back to reading. Penelope proceeded to chew off the top layer of the Styrofoam container. I was shocked!! I then put the Styrofoam container under my thick winter comforter hoping that’d deter her. She seemed to have let it go for the moment because she began walking to the edge of the bed. She then sunk her teeth into the comforter and began to walk backwards pulling the comforter OFF the bed! Oh my goodness. I was shocked at her strength and persistence. She’s so tiny! As I cracked up at how hilarious this situation was, I also decided the kitchen was a better place for my Styrofoam container. We have a wild cat on our hands! Who’d have thought, she likes BBQ!

She is truly a beautiful cat with a very loving disposition. We’re so excited to have her! Who knows what she’ll show us next!

Tardy Christmas Abduction Story

Yes, this story comes about 30 days late. But, I’m sure you all are wondering how Christmas went with the grandparents. Traditionally, holiday dinners are held at Grandma and Grandpa’s! That’s the way its always been, and always would be (so I thought as a child.) As I got older, I realized that sooner or later, the children and grandchildren would get married and begin to sprout roots in different areas. What I didn’t realize is how this process happens FASTER than you realize. As a newlywed, I was thrilled to learn that my grandparents, after a good 30 minute guilt trip, were willing to push tradition aside, and have Christmas dinner in the DC area with their eldest (and most loved, I’m sure) grandchild…Me.

As Christmas approached I was certain the nervousness would settle in. I didn’t realize just how anxious I’d be! The weeks leading up to my grandparents arrival, I’d made an entire list of all the things I “needed” to be ready for Grandma. This included: a spare blanket, a few more decorative pillows, lots of dust rags, liner for the guest RR shower curtain, a top of the line mixing bowl and roasting pan, as well as a camera to capture all the greatness. With the list prepared, I felt all ready for my beloved granfolk.

A few days before their incoming flight, our area was hit with the largest blizzard this area has seen since 1922. We were buried in snow. It was definitely a winter wonderland, realized. But, it didn’t make for running errands. The city shut down for awhile. Church was even cancelled, and that NEVER happens. Grandma and I were so nervous that their flights were going to be cancelled. Fortunately, by the 22^nd, flights were coming in from most areas as scheduled. Their flight came in slightly late, but with the holiday and weather traffic, it took my grandparents literally ALL day to board, fly, and take a $90 taxi ride to get to our home. They left their home in Houston around 6 a.m. and arrived to my home around 8 p.m. (It’s only a 3 hr flight folks with a 1 hr time difference. Come on!) Very slow indeed, but at least they arrived, safely….without luggage. Yup, that’s right. After all that traveling, their luggage didn’t make it. *Sigh* No worries, it was the Christmas holidays; nothing could get our spirits down!

My grandparents were wiped out and slept well. The 12 hours I spent dusting and cleaning every centimeter of my house paid off, because Grandma’s first words were: “You guys sure have a really nice place!” SCORE! (It makes me very happy to know that my Grandma is pleased with my homemaking skills, because her standards are very high, let me tell you!) We started cooking the very next day. The tree was lined with presents, my Grandpa spent the day chatting it up with my husband. We baked cookies on Christmas Eve, and enjoyed them over hot chocolate while opening a few gifts. It was such a joyous visit. I was so terribly sad to see them go! We took lots of photos because with such a great Christmas with the elders, you just never know which Christmas holiday together will be your last. Sadly though, the camera was abducted from my job a few weeks later. So, I’ll have these memories etched in my memory for years and years to come. Even sweeter.

Next Christmas, who knows…maybe we’ll break tradition again….hmmm, maybe this is the beginning of something new.

Game Night officially a success!

I'm so happy that I'm able to communicate through typing because I don't have much of a voice right now. No, I'm not coming down with a cold. Actually, I'm hoarse from screaming and yelling during our game night extravaganza. It literally just ended about 20 minutes ago and I had so much fun I wanted to share about it right away. Let's rewind and recap...

This morning I was determined to let myself wake up without using an alarm. I always hope that means my body will sleep until Noon like it did in college. But, instead I typically start becoming aware of sounds, the temperature in the room, the birds chirping outside, and my need to use the restroom by 930am. This morning I actually slept until about 1015am. Once up, I made a list of ALL the things I needed to do to be ready for guests at 5pm. I had several errands to run before cleaning the house. You're probably wondering why I didn't do some of this before today. Well, yesterday was our last day of school for the semester. So, I wanted to have a 100% restful day without any chores (NOT something I have often, if ever!). Anywho, I realized that this would be my first time showing our new home to some of our friends, so I wanted to finish hanging all the pictures and curtains and fill out a few of the empty spaces. With that in mind, I needed a few odds and ends from a variety of stores. After 3 hours of driving all over the DC metro area, I'd acquired picture hanging hooks, nice sheer curtain panels, a suede armless chair for our bedroom, a few frames for hanging our degrees, and I even managed to put my Christmas cards in the mail.

(Can I just say that my trip to get this beautiful armless chair for our bedroom from a Craiglist seller led me on a 1 hour trip to downtown DC, including a trip down a dead end alley way in which I was sure I'd get mugged, several wrong turns, bumper to bumper traffic, and being honked at very rudely for not driving fast enough!) Although, it was quite a scenic trip as it was my first time driving in the city.

Once I arrived back home I realized that I had more things on my list and very little time to get it done. I decided to take off manicure and just allow my nails to exist in desperate need of a refill! I began hanging frames in the office, adding the sheer panels to our bedroom and putting the new chair in place. Finally, my house feels complete! (For the most part. There are still some spaces I'd like to better fill.) I breathed a sigh of relief. My husband vacuumed and took out the trash as I hung photos, so we were all ready for company. Then, I realized it was 15 minutes until guests were to arrive and I hadn't showered, tweezed my eyebrows, or done my hair. YIKES! (I feel like this happens to me a lot.) As the first few guests trickled in, I snuck into our bathroom to shower and wash my hair. No time to style it so I let it flow naturally. Now my hair is a HUGE curly mess. (still cute, though.) I greeted guests for about the first hour. Things were a little odd at first because there weren't enough chairs for anyone. However, when we jumped into games, that no longer mattered. We spread out, as hoped, in 3 different rooms. Cranium in the sun room (on a coffee table); Clue and Fact-or-Crap in the living room; and Monopoly and Texas Hold 'Em in the dining room. Worked beautifully. All in all there were 17 human beings + 1 very cute dog at our party. We fit well.

I played Cranium with Carrie (fellow Marine wife), Danielle (friend from college), Nikki (friend from college), Deborah (teacher at my school), and Deb's husband Nick. There were 5 folks on the Clue / Fact-or-Crap station and the Marines gravitated to the monopoly / poker area. (Imagine that!) Let me just say if you haven't ever played Cranium, go buy and play it with friends asap. Its a hilarious good time and the single reason I am voiceless right now! First of all, it's very competitive and you play on teams. So, my partner and I were trying to beat the other teams. There's a race against the timer involved which heightens the excitement. We did it all: from dancing like James Brown, imitating Martha Stewart and, drawing pictures blindfolded to pondering the Berlin Wall, humming the words to Michael Jackson jams, and acting out Scuba Steve (so I thought)...we truly did it all!

After Cranium, people began to leave but a good number stayed and we played a round of Battle of the Sexes (girls against guys). We learned a lot: from the year that Porsche's stopped using air intake to cool their engine, to the official name of a hammer (claw hammer)...we covered it all! Now, we did stump the guys a few times with questions such as, how you stop a run in pantyhose and naming a film Audrey Hepburn played in. In the end, the girls won! (It was close though. The guys did well.)

Such a blast. We cannot wait to host another game night. I neglected to take photos! So so sorry. It was so incredibly fun. : ) Michael and I enjoyed playing host.

I'm a social creature...

If you've known me for 5 minutes, you know that I'm a social creature. I enjoy chatting for hours on end. I love inviting people to our home to hang out and have fun! Since Michael and I are so blessed with this condo in a great safe neighborhood near my job, I feel that it's my duty to share it with everyone. I try to host get together's at my house often. Anytime someone's not sure where to have a meeting, I try to volunteer my space. It's our blessing, but we should definitely share it. In fact, in my small women's Bible study group we are reading a great book by Max Lucado. It's called "It's Not About Me." It has truly shed light on my purpose in life and it reaffirms my desire to share my blessings with others. One of the chapters we reviewed last night was entitled: "My Success Is About Him." It's based on the idea that so often "the man (or woman) who begged for help in medical school ten years ago is too busy to worship today," (Lucado 135). It made me reflect on the many blessings Michael and I have received and how we utilize those blessings (or "successes") to glorify God. Inviting others into our home is one way that I try to do this.

Well, this Saturday we have orchestrated a Game Night. I absolutely LOVE to play board games. In fact, I collect different editions of Monopoly. With this night of socializing and fun, I hope to bring together folks from different areas of my life in hopes that they can enjoy one another as I have enjoyed them. A little over zealously, I put together the invite list....and 35 folks later, I realized I live in a condo....not a mansion! Not all guests invited can attend of course, however we have a solid list of...hmm...oh geez, I haven't tallied a total number yet. Let's see, there's Marian, Kim, Kenny, Carrie +1, Tim, Heather, Trineka + 1, Hang, Deborah +1, Lindsay +1, Sarah, Danielle, Nikki, Elaine, Marquet, Alex, Michael and I. So basically, I need to clear out the living room of furniture and we can sit in rows wall to wall and THEN we'll all fit. LOL. I'm so excited to host but BOY OH BOY how are we all going to fit?!?!?!?!?!?

Okay... I must think outside the box! Clearly 20 + people cannot play ONE game. So I've selected 4 of my favorite games (Fact or Crap; Monopoly; Cranium; Battle of the Sexes) and I'm going to setup different games in different rooms. 1 game in the sunroom, 1 in the dining room, and 2 in the living room. Sounds like a great plan! I hope it all works out the way I envision it. I'm very very very excited to see it all come together. I promise to report back with details and photos!

PS: The Max Lucado books is an easy read and so incredibly enlightening. It wasn't expensive either. Seriously, it's like $5 from Amazon. Here's a link if you want more info on getting it: BOOK.

Typical Newlyweds!

We spent Saturday exploring Annapolis, Maryland. We started with a tour by a colonial era tour guide. She was great! She dressed the part. She explained everything from the origin of "putting your best foot forward" to the desperate desire of women from that era to take a little arsenic to appear more pale. We explored houses built in the 1700 and 1800s. We toured the Maryland State House. (It was TINY compared to the Texas State Capitol building!) We then headed over to the US Naval Academy and took a tour. It was very beautiful. The Academy sits right on the harbor and we arrived right as the sun was setting. Nothing more beautiful than a pink and orange sky. : ) As we headed back to the car, we popped into Starbucks for hot cocoa before heading off to dinner at Medieval Times restaurant. That's right, a reenactment of a medieval tournament, complete with horses, goblets, and jousting. It was so much fun! (I know, we're dorks.) We enjoyed our Saturday, it was so incredibly beautiful outside.

1st Thanksgiving as MRS = A Success!

Oh the nerves as Thanksgiving approached! I was so incredibly stressed and I didn't even realize it. Let's rewind to the week prior to Thanksgiving.

Word spreads fast. My dear husband, in his desire to look out for some of his fellow Marines on the "comfort food" holiday, invited a few Marines over to eat. Now please understand, each Marine eats the portion of at least 2 normal people. 2 RSVP equaled 4 folks in my head. My good friends were also planning to stay in town, so I invited them over as well. With a party of 6 to cook for, I began planning my menu. I've heard the horror stories about baking a whole turkey and the inside NOT being completely cook. So, I decided to modernize the process a bit, and cook the breast of the turkey only (with homemade gravy of course). I found some great recipes for cider glazed stuffed turkey breast, so I thought I'd try that out. Great. Now, let's see... what else sounds yummy? Grandma's stuffing. Oh yes yes yes! And... yams, of course. Green beans and cranberry sauce. And um, pumpkin pie. Yes...the PERFECT menu for my 1st Thanksgiving dinner as a MRS. I started my grocery shopping and $200 later, I felt 100% prepared to start cooking.

So as Saturday came, Thanksgiving felt closer than ever! The natural next step was to figure out what to cook first. As I began thinking through the dishes, I realized that it was physically impossible to cook my entire menu in one day. (Then I recalled my grandmother cooking days before Thanksgiving in years past. I finally understood.) When I finished backtracking time, I realized I'd need to start cooking on Tuesday for dinner on Thursday. WOW! I had no idea this was going take that long. Well, with cleaning the house and picking up a few last minute items, I may as well start setting the table 4 days beforehand. Geezz. In an effort to not over stress and cut down on the work, I decided to take out Grandma's stuffing and substitute bag stuffing. (Love Grandma's stuffing but it is a 2 day process by itself!) We'll talk about why that was a terrible idea later!

Fast forward to the day before Thanksgiving: Bright and early, I awoke...cooking and cleaning. I began by unwrapping my turkey breasts. I felt the cold mushy flesh of an animal for the first time. (Yuck! I usually get boneless skinless chicken, so this was very new to me.) I almost lost my stomach as I put them in the apple cider brine. After 17 hours of absorbing the sage, thyme, and apple cider mixture I was ready to manually de-bone and divide up my turkey breasts to prepare them for being stuffed. All in all, the turkey process was not only long...but incredibly...uneasy on the stomach. I ended the night with my hair all over my head. I'd worked up a decent sweat just getting the house in order. I spent the remainder of the day preparing a few dishes so Thanksgiving day was dedicated to finishing the turkey, making the gravy, and reheating other dishes. The table was set, the beautiful bouquet was on the table, and the cranberry was chilling, stuffing ready to be baked, green beans ready to boil, yams all done, and pumpkin pie ready to be devoured. I finally fell into bed around 1:30a.m. (On my way to bed, I noticed, my dear husband had cleaned the guest room and vacuumed the carpet. So sweet.)

Bright and early, my alarm woke me around 8:30a.m. I knew my dear friend Kim (and her husband) were coming over around 9 to help me finish cooking. Michael got up and finished cleaning up the house as I finished cooking. Kim and Kenny showed up (with their beautiful snuggly 3 mo. old daughter, Addison). Cooking commenced. Throughout the process, I realized I didn't have a roasted turkey wing to make my gravy. (It wouldn't be memorable if I didn't forget something!) So, Kenny and Michael went to the grocery store to hunt down a roasted turkey wing. Well, the closest thing they came up with was a raw turkey leg. : ( So, homemade turkey gravy left the menu as fast as it had come. No worries, that shaved an hour off our cooking time. Finally we were down to putting the turkey in the oven. The final step, such an awesome feeling. Kim and I excitedly stuck the turkey in the oven and then realized we had NO idea how to tell if it was done. Trip #2 to the store. Kim and I went this time to get a meat thermometer. Sold out you say? Almost. We found the last few. (So we bought 2 just in case!) Back home, thermometer's in and meat was cooking! I smiled a sigh of relief as the work was finally done! I even had a few extra minutes to video chat (SKYPE) with my family back home in Texas.

Time for me to get myself together. As I walked toward my room, it dawned on me that I'd been staring at those same pants for at least the past 2 days. I looked in the mirror and realized I hadn't slept but a few hours over the past 3 days. I'd gotten so lost in getting ready for the holidays that I completely forgot to put myself back together. I took a little time to myself, and thanks to Bobbi Brown, MAC, Olive Oil (the brand), and Victoria Secret... I was back to my fabulous self.

That night, I slept for almost 14 hours. Clearly, I was worn out. The dinner was great. Truly truly great. (Seriously, Kim's husband, Kenny ate like 10 slices of stuffed turkey!) My husband enjoyed the food. Our friends hung out after dinner and we spent the evening with pumpkin pie, cool whip, a snuggle doggy, a cuddly 3 mo. old, and Transformers 2. What a blast!

PS: Bag stuffing is a NO GO in the future. It was bad, but it WAS NOT GRANDMA's stuffing!

Married To A Marine Officer Means....

Some wonder. Some will never know. Well, I'm hear to tell you all about being married to a Marine Officer. Here are my top 6 observations of this very unique lifestyle...

1) For starters their haircut's will never be what they were before. If you haven't heard of a HIGH-N-TIGHT, then Google it. Don't worry, I'm more a tapered-fade girl myself too. However, I warmed up to a "medium-red" (which is a less dramatic version of a high-n-tight) pretty quickly. If you still don't know what

I'm talking about, the next time you see a Marine, ask him. : )

2) The color olive green begins to permeate every part of your life. [As I write this I'm wearing olive green sweat pants.] You'll find that everything from water bottles to boot foot cushions come in olive green! AND, that the Marine Corps will REQUIRE Marines to have 10 of everything! If green is not your color and you plan to join the Marine family, Id encourage you to find a room (or closet) to dedicate to all things green your Marine will collect and just throw it in and CLOSE the door. : ) I personally like green, so it's been quite nice. **wink**

3) The amount of food a Marine Officer can consume is quite impressive. I mean, I was raised in Texas where the men pile their plates a few inches high but, soon after you can typically see exactly where this food sticks to their body. The Marine Officer can put away thousands of calories easily and stay in perfect trim shape! They burn so many calories everyday with all of the PT (working out) that they need to eat hearty and hefty meals. This past Friday, Michael and I entertained (and fed) 5 of his fellow Officers. I don't believe I have ever cooked that much food in my life. Within an hour, it was all gone. Leftovers? Please!

4) Random outbursts. Umm, I'm not sure how else to describe it. Whether he is singing cadences to himself as he cleans his boots, or reciting motto's while he takes out the trash, the Marine Corps spirit, as they call it, lives in him! This spirit is contagious...I admit, I've caught it. Anytime one of those Marine Corps commercials with the men in uniform twirling their rifles comes on, I get chills up my arm and a big goofy smile on my face. I love it. "Ooh-rah!" may also be randomly shouted at very exciting moments." It is an expression of camaraderie an

d pride. I love seeing my Officer so motivated and driven by his passion for the Corps. What can I say?! There is no man happier, than one who loves God AND loves his job. : )

5) Marine Officers have a high standard of cleanliness and order. Something about OCS (Officer Candidate School) transforms them into men (and women) that crave order, obsess about planning, and maintain impeccable cleanliness. This can create quite the list of tasks for the wife that isn't a fan of housework. However, my grandmother raised me well...and I happily maintain our home. (The fancy dishwasher, extra large washer/dryer, frequent house guests, and my

natural OCD desire to clean also help motivate me to get the job done!) ***Now if I could only get him to buy me a Dyson. Hmmmm....

6) The odd hours begin to seem normal after a few days. I mean who would think it's strange to get up at 3:45 a.m. to travel to work, only to return 16 hours later...if you're lucky. And I thought a 40-hour

work week was demanding. Boy oh boy! Although, there's nothing more appealing than a man in uniform coming home from a hard days work ready for one of his wife's yummy meals. Ahhh... I love it! (If you're wondering if I get up to make him breakfast as well in the mornings...the answer is YES!) <-- We'll see how long I can keep that up. **wink**

All in all, married life is great. I'm married to a man that loves his job. Work isn't work to him and that makes me very very happy.

Such A Fulfilling Line of Work

Education is very dear to my heart. I enjoy all of it! I spend the majority of my day surrounded by 3-foot tall bodies with permanent smiles and a desire to hug you every 5 to 7 seconds (depending on the child). Despite the chocolate smeared all over their face, the snot running down their upper lip, and the fact that you know they just go over the flu 2 days prior, you decide to hug them lovingly anyway! I find that working in a school is the most rewarding job I've ever experienced. My role at my school presents it's challenges, but all in all, school administration is where I see myself staying for awhile. The most interesting aspect of working at a school is the 'where'd the time go?' moment that you have at the end of each day. When the kids depart and the teachers empty the parking lot, I'm left sitting there thinking: "Wasn't it just 9 o'clock?!" The day is so fast-paced. I mean hours will literally pass and feel like just a few minutes! One of my teachers best explained this phenomenon during our first week back to school: "The day was so fast Jessica. I mean one minute I'm helping a kid go to the bathroom and then next minute I realize I'm eating my lunch without having washed my hands!" While I haven't had an experience quite like that, I do understand the experience!

Where can my career in education take me? On an endless journey I hope. I find providing quality education to children is such a great way to pour positivity into their lives. It gives children a foundation to work and grow from. I love being a part of that development. I sincerely hope I am blessed to spend the rest of my life working in education in some way.

Many updates to come on my experience at school. It's ever-evolving. **SMILE**