Standby

Paul found out yesterday that he may have to leave right after TBS graduation on May 13 to go to California for six weeks instead of the planned four. We still aren't sure if he is going, as we haven't got official orders, but we are planning on it. Looks like our vacation between TBS and IOC might be on standby. Either way is fine for us. He will be receiving great training in CA but it would also be nice to spend some time with him here in VA. The rest of the year we really won't be seeing eachother a whole lot so it would be nice to have that time. But whatever happens happens.

"...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Phil 4:11

A little clearer now!

In the past few weeks Paul has been receiving more information about his future in the Marine Corps and where/what we will be doing. As of two weeks ago, we didn't know where we would be living after May 13.

Paul is officially an 0302 - a Ground Intelligence Officer! This was his first choice and we were thrilled that he received it. Out of 300 other TBS students and MOS (Military Occupation Specialty) slots, there were only 9 Ground Intelligence positions. His exact job for the next four years isn't set in stone yet. There is a possibility he could be a sniper platoon commander, reconnaissance platoon commander, or an infantry platoon commander. There are some other options in there as well, but he won't receive his official billet until probably December. I can sum it up as his job is Jason Bourne + James Bond (minus the women) + the guy off of Shooter. :)

Here is what our forecasted schedule entails as far as we can see:

May 13 - TBS graduation

After six months of school, which is equivalent to a Masters degree program, he is finally done! Well, at least with this section!

May 14 - 23 LEAVE!!! :D

We are spending time with family in DC and then going on a vacation to PA and NY.

May 24 - June 27 Pre-Infantry Officer Course (IOC)

There is a rumor that they will be in 29 Palms, CA for this entire time for pre-training. This is one of those things not set in stone yet. We are just planning on him being there for that.

June 28 - Sept ? Infantry Officer Course (IOC)

Training 1/3 of the time in class so he will be able to come home in the evenings. The rest of the time will be spent in the field. He will also be in 29 Palms, CA for about three weeks. This is kind of a mystery school because they don't want anyone selling information to Korea - you know us...

Oct ? - Feb ? 2011 Ground Intelligence Officer Course (GIOC)

This is in Damneck, VA which is really close to Virginia Beach. We are supposed to find out where our Duty Station will be and Paul's billet 2/3 of the way through this school. So Paul and I have been joking that this Christmas all we want is to know where we will be living! :D

Paul found out that this is a top secret school to the point that you cannot take any materials out of the building with you! And we thought Infantry School was mysterious...

This course is unaccompanied and Paul will be living in the Bachelor Officer Quarters (BOQ). I guess he has the room to himself and it has a kitchenette so we got told by some instructors last night at a informative meeting that he can have "guests" in there. No one checks how long the guests stay so technically I could be there the entire time if I wanted to. One problem, they don't allow dogs! We are still mulling over what we are going to do...

Feb ? - ? Sniper Platoon Commanders School

This is back in Quantico for just a few weeks. A short one! :D

??? After this we have no idea as he could go to Jump School, Dive School, SEARS School, Language School...they are all schools that Ground Intel Officers go to but are entirely dependent on their MOS.

So recap:

*Paul goes to a lot of schools

*I don't know where I am living after August

*Paul is pretty much awesome!

*We are praying and seeking God's will for our future

Spring Break = COOKIES!!

Today my new found friends came over and we made cookies. 236 cookies to be exact. Chocolate chip, Double Peanut butter, Cinnamon Snaps, and Oatmeal Craisin.

We had two Kitchenaides and one hand held mixer going to produce these sugar laden treats.

Yes, we made a mess, but it cleaned up fine!

Where do you ask are all these cookies going? Well just about all of them are going with our husbands, minus the messed up ones we had to "dispose of", to be shared with the guys in their Bachelor Officer Quarters (BOQ). Our husbands room with these guys during the day and become very close with them - these guys don't get to come home at night though so I (now we) have provided cookies to them.

I am so thankful for true Christian friends that God brought in our path in the last few weeks. They are both wives of the new company of officers at TBS and attend our church (which is how we met).

I am already looking forward to our next adventure!

rěd'něk'

Redneck - a derogatory slang term to refer to poor white Southern farmers in the United States.^[1] It is similar in meaning to Cracker (especially in Georgia), Hillbilly (especially in Appalachia) and White trash(especially among blacks).

It might be just be me out here, but why would anyone want to be termed as a "Redneck". There are so many people out here that endear that term and hold it with pride. I will forever be baffled. If you want to get in on some of the redneck atmosphere, please visit us at your convenience. I would like to say that you would agree it is definitely a derogatory term that should not be revered.

Before I post pictures, let me just say that we passed a church that was called "Big Bottom Missionary Baptist Church" and did not stop in. Somehow the name said a lot...

Here are some pictures to wet your appetite for your future visit to Virginia

This picture should say it all...

Horseshoes, redneck style.

I give this family kudos for being creative. Notice the gut pile! :)

Way to incorporate that into your churches sign statement.

Can't believe this one...

Redneck special forces. No, Paul has not trained with these guys yet. :)

Redneck haircut

I am really not surprised with this one...

And the worst one...

This is sick and wrong on so many levels. Nascar...

Now you get a feel for our "neck" of the woods!!

My life in a Snowpocalypse, Snowmegaddon, Snownami, Flurricane...

Paul and I have officially survived the Blizzard of 2009 and now what many are calling Snowpocalypse here in Virginia. We live about thirty miles south of Washington DC and they were the eye of the storm these last couple of storms. To put into perspective the magnitude of the Flurricane, Virginia's annual average snowfall is 15". This season we have received...drumroll please....

54.9 Inches!

This is a new all time record for the DC area! Within just two weeks we have received 3 storms that dumped around three feet of snow between them. In ten days of school, they declared Snow Days for nine of them at Spotsylvania High School. Even Paul was given time off Monday through Thursday because the base was completely buried. You see, for a place that averages 15" a year, they really aren't prepared for snow in large quantities. Washington DC, Schools, Businesses, and Governmental agencies in the area were closed. People were told to stay indoors and not drive - so that is what we did!! At one point we lost power and ate PB&J sandwiches by candlelight all bundled up! Fortunately, we were not one of the people who lost power for days as it was only eight hours. What a snowstorm to remember!

Here are a few pictures from last Sunday after the first storm. I never got any Wednesday after our third and final bash.

Outside of our apartment complex.

This is the sidewalk - notice the guard rails barely sticking up on the left.

Our Honda Fit in the snow - hard to believe another foot flew after this!

From the back of the Honda Fit

Paul scooping out the Saturn - good thing we had our shovel from Utah, they sold out in VA!

Little Lucy enjoying the snow!

Retrieving her play toy in the snow - she was bounding like a deer! Love her ears in this pic!

Finally enjoying some sun and a break in the flurries!

Snow Days!

It snowed here from 3 AM Saturday morning to 3 AM Sunday morning and left about six to eight inches of snow here in Stafford. I awoke Monday at the usual time and was heading out the door at 6 am when I thought I better check the school website to make sure we didn't have a delayed opening with all the weekend flurries. Good thing I did! We had a snow day! So I had a day to get a much needed deep cleaning of the house and more work done on my Graduate School Admission letter (did I mention that is really hard to write?). After getting some things accomplished, Lucy and I headed over to Paul's Aunt and Uncle's house in Fredericksburg.

Here are a couple pictures of how we enjoyed our snow day...

Pretty nice snow bear if I do say so myself! :D

Oh! I forgot to say that today we have another snow day!

One of those days...

I started student teaching last week and have found it rather exhausting! Every morning I am up before 5:30 just so I can get out the door in time to drive forty five minutes to Spotsylvania High School. I find myself thinking about my lessons, activities, and students constantly and all at the most random times. When I wake up, in the shower, when I am driving (which is a lot), before I go to bed, when I lie awake at night, etc.

So yesterday on my way to class, I was drinking my breakfast shake made from our Magic Bullet at home. I got all the way to the bottom of the glass when I realized the reason it was so hard to get through the straw was because the rubber gasket got sucked into the blade and chopped up into my drink. I know this because there was a half inch section that didn’t get fully mutilated right next to the strawberry at the bottom. Hope rubber gets out okay!

I taught my classes and then stayed for their eighth grade recruitment night until 8:00 pm. We had a table set up with some displays of class work and what we do within our classes trying to encourage them to enroll. Lucy even was on exhibit and, if I do say so myself, was the crowd pleaser. It made for a long day and those of you who know me understand that I get frequent migraines – yesterday was one of those days… I got home and gave Lucy a bath and have to admit I went to bed – yes, it was 9:30 but I went to bed! Paul made it home a little after 10 pm and he pretty much crashed as soon as he got home too.

This morning I awoke at my lovely 5:30 and still with a migraine. I drove to school thinking once again about my classes for today and how to connect certain students to the material. I was just thinking away, and came up with a good idea, when all of a sudden I look up and see that I JUST missed my exit. For those of you who know about VA, you know that to travel anywhere you have to take the Interstate and then take a highway to your destination. Not at all like the west coast! The next exit was 8 miles away and there was no way that I could take that exit and back track to the school – even my GPS in the car said so! So that cost me 16 miles of unwanted driving this morning and made me just a little late (not for my class, just for the teacher contract time).

Yes, I cried and then I realized that I needed to slow down. These last few weeks have been so hectic and I haven’t had the best relationship with my savior. I am not saying that God gave me one of those days just to make me stop and realize that I was forgetting about Him (I don’t know His plans), but it definitely made slow down and think about what other things I need to be thinking about.