Furlough

Wow! I didn't realize how long it has been since I posted on this blog.
Since then a few things have occurred:

1. PAUL CAME HOME!! It was on November 2 and we have been still getting used to being with each other ever since.  Weird how after almost four months we are just now getting back into a routine.

2. Defended the thesis.  Paul and I flew to Logan so I could defend my thesis a couple days after his return.  It was fun to catch up with close friends and family.  Paul's parents came to meet us and it was the first time they had seen him since he got home.

3. Flew home for Christmas.  We were able to spend some quality time with family in Idaho fro 10 days.  We saw both sides of the family which made the trip even more better (wow, listen to that NC coming out of me...more better...).  We stayed in a cabin up at New Meadows with Paul's family. It was fun to tell stories, play hide and seek (in the dark with just adults), build snow warriors, play games, and just relax.  We were able to get together with my parents at Laura's house; which we hadn't seen before.  It was fun to see where they live and get to know Brian a bit more. Wish we had more time with family - it went by WAY TOO QUICKLY!




4. Pergola.  Paul built a beautiful pergola for me for Valentines/Christmas. It spans the entire length of the house, is stained to match our indoor table, and is totally a custom Paul work of art.  We are excited to use it when it starts warming up a bit.

5. Long weekend getaway.  We snuck away to Charleston, SC for a few days this past month.  It was great to spend time together strolling the historic streets of such a quaint town.  I love Charleston so much.  The atmosphere, the history, the food, and the food.  Did I mention the food?  If you haven't been there, they have the most "hole in the wall" and local only restaurants I have ever experienced.  It is only a 5 hour drive south and well worth it.  

6. The usual.  We have slowly been back to our "normal" tasks.  Helping military meals and making breakfast at church, singing and accompanying at church, working, volunteering with the family readiness unit, advising FFA students, and the usual household duties.

Hopefully I will get better at updating this blog for family this year.  .

September flying away!

I can't believe how fast this month has gone by! I just completed my fourth week teaching at Havelock HS and enjoy it immensely.  The staff and administration are so welcoming and are truly caring about my welfare.  For example, the Principal asked me how I was doing but then after my standard reply he re-asked in a "no, how are you really doing?".  He then proceeded to ask if I had been making friends and was staying active in church.  Such a great guy!  Couldn't have asked for a better school to teach at!

I took my students on their first adventure this past week.  We left to attend a Regional Leadership Conference at a college about two hours away.  It made for a long day since I didn't get home until 10 pm, but it was worth it.  The next morning my students reiterated to their friends and to me how much fun they had.  Those smiling faces and the questions asking about our next trip made it all worth it.

When I am not at school, I can be found doing the random things around the house that need done, preparing lessons, writing my thesis, and sleeping.  Pretty much repeat all those things and that is why September has literally flown away!  The good news is that I have FINALLY set a date to defend my thesis (I know, contribute to the "about time" jokes).  Because of it's approaching deadline, which is only 50 days from today, it has been consuming all my "free" time.

Another bit of good news...I have a timeline for Paul's arrival!! Yay! :) It's a window and I am hoping days before that window is here will continue to fly by like this past month. :)

The past month

This past month I had the opportunity to meet up with this handsome man for two weeks.  They went by much too quickly for both of us.  

 

   

We spent many days looking at this view. 

Now I have spent the past week looking like this:

  I am loving it and it is making the time go by very quickly. From North Dakota to Singapore & Malaysia, then back to Minnesota for a quick drive back to North Carolina to start teaching at a high school.  This month has been crazy but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Playing Dirty

My Dad and I competed in a Mud Run this past weekend.  Part of the proceeds went towards Homes for our Troops, so it was nice knowing some of the funds were going to a good cause. The race was located at Huff Hills Ski Resort.  We thought the hills wouldn't be that bad, since we are in North Dakota after all. However, out of nowhere there are some rather large hills in ND that can get pretty steep in places. :)

The weather was 94 F when we started our heat and the sun was rather warm with no cloud cover. There were thirteen man-made and natural obstacles.  These ranged from 20 foot walls, junk cars, mud pits, steep hills, barbed wire, fire, tires, and garbage dumpsters.  

The Course Map ~ Many Hills

The Before Shot

 This was the Medieval USA Combat Team in full garb.  They were really going to town on each other and I actually thought someone might get sliced with their weapons.

 This was the starting hill.  Trust me, the picture looks flatter than it was. :)

 About 3/4 of the way through the race, the trail reaches the spectators.  Just crawled through mud and under barbed wire here.

 On the last small hill down towards the one ton hay bales that we needed to jump over.

 Yay! Can you see our smiles? We had a blast!

 Dad is just to the left of the sign in blue and I am on the very left about to jump over the fire to cross the finish line.

 The After Shot

 Dad scaled the 20 foot wall like a Ninja Warrior.  However, when he came over the edge, his leg got stuck in a crevice just big enough for his leg.  His body kept going over but his leg stayed there.  Ouch!  He had this giant goose-egg from it.  So thankful he has thick bones and legs or he would have snapped it.

I love my Dad!! The only thing that would have made this race better would have been Paul.  He was with us in spirit though. :) Every time I was climbing, I kept thinking of him in the 120 F heat with gear on, no AC, and MREs to eat. 

 See that hill in the very back?  That was our second obstacle of thirteen.  Hamburger Hill was a very appropriate name. :)

What a fun day! My Dad is an awesome hill climber.  He trains multiple times a week for hills so he was ready for this event.  I, on the other hand, have been running the small hills in our neighborhood and more flat distance running.  I was not prepared for the "on your hands to keep from falling over" hills.  My Dad was so kind to stay with me (he knows I am seriously accident prone) and we completed every obstacle/hill together.  I love my Dad!

They are posting professional photos this week, so if I see any good ones, I may just post again... :)

Family = The Best

I love love love my family.  You always here people talk about "their in-laws" and the relentless jokes.  However, I am so fortunate to have been blessed with a family and "in-law" family that I love. 

My trip to VA was so much fun! The only bad part was that time literally flew by.  We spent time making sushi, playing cards, sitting by the pool, attending graduation celebrations for my cousin Rachel, and just having a great time with one another. 

I just can't wait for the next time!

Grandma made a quilt for cousin Jack out of scrap fabrics that span many many years. We were playing "guess what this originally was".  :)

Cousin Jack.  Love this guy and wish we got more time together before he left for Kenya on a missions trip.

Praying together during the graduation ceremony.

Yay! They are done!

Sweet Rachel is done!!

The ladies in attendance for her big day.

Love her!!

Grandma Ruth and I. :) Love her too.

Trying on fancy tea hats.  Love my Mom in Law!!

Blingin' it out!!

One giant wolf spider.

Memorial Day they light luminaries in a Fredericksburg Cemetery where over 15,000 service members are buried.

This is what Memorial Day is all about.

Sushi we rolled! Yum Yum!

Grandma is always washing, cleaning, and getting her hands dirty.  I needed a picture just in case I ever forget (not likely)!! What a good example of a hard worker!!

Congrats Cousin!

One of my two favorite cousins (her brother is the other one) is graduating from high school this weekend!  I am so excited to fly out at 5:00 am tomorrow (not the 5:00 am part) to be with her and the family for a week.

Rachel and I at her Christmas Story production. 

We love chocolate pudding.  It's a given when we are together.

Easter 2010 with Todd the Easter Bunny at the O' Club.

Thanksgiving 2011 - Bacon wrapped turkey!

Rachel is an amazing girl and I am so thankful for her friendship.  I wish her luck as she em-barques on the next chapter in her life - college! She is such a sweet hearted, caring, and sincere person that loves the Lord; you can't help but enjoy life when you are around her.

Love you, Rachel!

Thankful

Paul's unit has a secure website that features news, video updates, and pictures.  I was looking through some of them today and noticed this picture.  

This is of Paul's Regimental Colonel. 

 I am so thankful that God has brought us under the authority of a praying man!  You may think, "Sara, this guy is just praying over his food." However, I see it as him still making time for God and being thankful even in the little things.  He is in a leadership role over the entire 6th Marine Regiment and that job comes with lots of stress and decisions to be made.  This man has a lot of weight on his shoulders.  It was such an encouragement to me to see this photograph that I had to share.  

To give you perspective on his duties, check out this link: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Marine_Regiment_%28United_States%29