Our Weekend

We had such a nice & relaxing weekend. The weather was gorgeous, so we took full advantage and went to the zoo...along with every other Houstonian and their 12 children. It took half an hour to find a parking spot, but once we were finally in it was a lot of fun!

Ryan's favorite...the rhino!

These tigers were actually playing...something I don't think I've ever seen! Usually, they just lay around and make me mad. Those are some BIG kitty cats!!

This little baby elephant was so cute! It is the largest Asian elephant (FYI: they're the ones with the smaller ears) to ever be born in a United States zoo. He weighed 364 pounds when he was born!!! UGH. His momma was so protective and wouldn't let him out of her sight.

Here's my favorite. Her name is Lucy, and she's an Okapi. She was so adorable! I had never even heard of this animal before, but it's a relative of a giraffe but has zebra striped legs. Don't I sound like an elementary school teacher giving you all of these animal facts that I'm sure you already know??

Ryan and I were like two kids yesterday. After we went through the children's part of the zoo, we paid way too much for some Dippin' Dots because I have to have my banana split! YUM!!!

Cheyenne, the Orangutan. She just hung on that board, chewed on her grass and stared at everybody. We couldn't take our eyes off of her!

OK, we couldn't quit laughing at this crazy giraffe that kept licking the electric fence wire with its enormous tongue. I really hope he didn't find out the hard way that the wire is there for a reason. Ouch! I remember at the Abilene zoo, we used to feed the giraffes animal crackers from the bridge and they'd lick them up. One time, I put my own animal cracker down and licked it up off the same bridge the giraffes lick on all day so that I could "be like the giraffes". It's a wonder I'm still alive...disgusting.

After we saw all we could see at the zoo, we walked around Hermann park for awhile and enjoyed the beautiful afternoon. Then we went and drove through the wealthy older part of Houston and "Oohed and Aahed" over all the mansions that we dream of but never could afford. I wish every weekend could be that relaxing and carefree!

Yao Ming, Mohawks, & Magpies

I was browsing through pictures of things I hadn't posted about, and I had completely forgotten to tell you all that I have had a revelation. I like basketball!! (As long as it's in person, or the Mavs on TV). How did I come to this realization? Well, Ryan got great tickets for FREE to a Houston Rockets game from a guy at work, so we decided to go because normal people don't turn down free tickets to anything. However, I was completely non-enthusiastic about going and begrudgingly gave up my night of watching the American Idol results show to go to a basketball game I cared nothing about. I still don't really care about the Rockets, but can I just tell you that I was on the edge of my seat for that entire game? I caught myself being so nervous and into the game that I had to make myself sit back and pretend I didn't care...after all, I hate basketball. I was so close to Yao Ming, and let me just tell you that seeing the tallest player in the NBA in person was pretty cool...even for a person who cares nothing about basketball. Ever since going to that game, I find myself actually stopping on a basketball game while channel surfing. Very weird.

Here's a picture of Yao Ming ... he would be the one that's 7'6" tall!



When we went to visit the Poe's over Easter, Matt was determined to give Quinn a mohawk with the tiny amount of "fuzz" on his head. You can kindof tell in this picture though...isn't that funny? Oh, and doesn't Uncle Ryan look cute getting him some "Q-Love" as he calls it?!

Here are a couple more pictures from our Easter weekend.

Ryan's parents in Penny's BEAUTIFUL garden. I love going to their house in the Spring because everything is blooming. I wish she'd pass her green thumb to me!!

Anybody wondering what a Magpie is? According to Webster, it is: 1. Any of a genus of birds related to jays , having black and white plumage and a long tail. 2. A chatterbox, a garrulous gossip. 3. Sarah's new workplace.

OK, so the last definition isn't really in the dictionary, but it is the name of the new store I'm working at now! I started my new job today at Magpie's Gifts in Bellaire, and I absolutely love it. It's so nice to be in a work environment that is actually pleasant and a place I enjoy spending my day. For those of you from Abilene, it's similar to Surprises. For those of you not from Abilene, picture a kindof trendy home decor, jewelry, candles, fun gifts, monogrammed bags type of store. Super cute! I'm just working there 3 days a week and every other Saturday, so it's the perfect job for this transitional time in my life...as long as I don't spend my entire paycheck there. UGH!! I prayed and prayed for God to open up a door, and just like he always does, he provided me with an opportunity that I couldn't turn down. His goodness never fails us, and I am constantly being reminded of that.

Fun-Filled Easter Weekend??

I have to laugh when I think about our trip to the metroplex for Easter last weekend. It started off with me at Discount Tire getting a flat fixed the morning we were supposed to leave. Doesn't that always happen when you really NEED your car? Well, I guess Bryan (that was the Discount Tire guy's name) was in a happy mood because it was Good Friday or something because he didn't charge me, so that was nice! Ryan got out of school early, so we actually got an early start, which was a nice surprise. Not that it mattered...we sat in traffic just trying to leave Houston for 2 hours. It only takes us 4 hours to get to Dallas normally. We were both about to go insane, and Harley had already thrown up in the back seat. We had high hopes that the weekend had to get better. After all, we had tickts to the Red Sox vs. Rangers game, and I had bought a new Red Sox hat.

Our first stop was to see the Poes so that Ryan could meet Quinn. It was so much fun to see how much he had already changed. He looked so much more like a little person after just a week and a half! Ryan and I traded off holding him for awhile, then we sadly had to be on our way. I already can't wait to hold him again!! Oh...and of course it was great to see Brittney and Matt too! Brittney...you look SO good. :-)

We got to Ryan's parents house just in time to go out to eat for dinner. While we were getting ready my brother called. I assumed it was about the baseball game we were all going to Saturday night. Like I said, the Red Sox were in town, and sorry for all you Rangers fans, but my family goes to the "Red Sox" games...not the Ranger games. We cheer for the Rangers as long as they aren't playing the Red Sox! Even though the weather promised to be cold, I had come prepared with lots of layers. So back to the phone call...Brad calls and says, "Uh...we have a little problem. Actually, it's a big problem. I bought tickets for the wrong night." I tried not to be upset or laugh, both of which I really wanted to do. He hadn't just bought tickets for the wrong night, he had bought FOURTEEN tickets for the wrong night. It was my Dad's birthday present from my brother to get the whole family together for the game. The company wouldn't let him trade his tickets, so long story short, we didn't go to the game after all. Instead, we all went to Babe's in Burleson, which is a really fun family-style restaurant. Then we went to Kendall's brother & sister-in-law's house for coffee and to watch the rest of the game in the warmth of their home. We gave Brad a pretty hard time about it, but it was all in fun. We felt so bad for him though!! At least we weren't watching the game in the snow. Can you believe we had snow in April?!?

The next morning, Ryan's parents and I got up to go to church. We left extra early because it was Easter and we knew everyone and their dogs would be there. Surprisingly, we found a great parking spot, so we knew that we had gotten there early enough. HA! We got inside and they were closing all the doors to the sanctuary and telling people (very rudely might I add), "This section's closed." I wanted to say "Happy Easter to you too!" but I refrained. They weren't even adding extra chairs or anything, so I was a little annoyed that they weren't trying very hard! Seriously, didn't they know that I hadn't gotten to go to the Red Sox game last night?!? The only seats that were left were single seats scattered all over the room, and none of us really wanted to sit alone on Easter, so we decided to go to the overflow room with everyone else who was being shut out. Trying to keep a good attitude, we found our seats among the screaming babies and badly behaving children (whose parents I wanted to strangle, but again....I refrained). It was Easter Sunday--one of my favorite Sundays of the year--and I found myself getting a really bad attitude about having to watch the service on a TV screen. I mean, all these "once a year Christians" were taking all the seats! Then, I stopped and thought. Maybe someone who had never been to church a day in their life was sitting in "my" seat in the sanctuary. Maybe they were supposed to be there instead of me. Maybe it was more important for them to hear the sermon away from the distractions in the overflow room. So, in the midst of my crazy Easter, I did have a moment where God showed me that it isn't all about me. I think I needed that.

The rest of our trip was uneventful. We had Easter lunch at Ryan's Aunt Julie's house with all of his family, and it was so good to see everyone. Our drive home was traffic-free, and Harley didn't even get sick. It's nice to know that even though our plans didn't quite pan out, we still had a nice weekend. I'll never let Brad forget about those tickets though! :-)

The Poe Family

I think I'm still in awe, but on Tuesday I got to watch "Matt & Brittney" become "Matt & Brittney & QUINN"!! The whole day was just such an amazing miracle to witness, and I was so incredibly proud of my sweet best friend. She was amazing through her entire pregnancy, labor, and now motherhood! It seems almost surreal that Brittney is a MOM, but it totally fits her. And yes, maybe I am admitting more than I should, but Quinn gave me more of a glimpse of baby fever than I have ever experienced...I didn't say a full out case of it, but definitely a glimpse. (I dare anyone who holds him to tell me otherwise! :) I'm already looking forward to seeing him again. I know he will have changed so much in just a couple of weeks. Here are a few pictures of Quinn's arrival day.

One of my favorite moments of the day was seeing Matt come out with the HUGEST smile on his face to tell us that "Q-Dawg/Q-Dizzle" (as Matt refers to Baby Quinn) was finally here!

When Molly, Shannon, and I went back for the first time, all we could do was Ooh and Aah over this precious little boy. He is so sweet!

Baby Quinn with his Aunt Sarah...isn't he cute in his little basketball cap?! I'm sure he will always be the best dressed baby everywhere he goes!

My favorite part about this picture is Quinn's perfect little lips! Aren't they precious??

The proud Poe family...all THREE of them!

On another happy note my last day of work was Friday, so I am officially on Cloud 9...No, I think I'm on Cloud 999! I feel such a weight off my shoulders even though I'm job hunting again. Ryan and I went to celebrate my new found freedom last night by going to dinner at Lupe Tortilla and then to see "Blades of Glory" which provided just the laugh I needed. There is something about watching 2 straight men ice skating together in spandex that just puts you in a good mood.

Sigh of Relief

This is actually kindof old news for a few of you, but I decided I'd finally post about it. Most of you know that I haven't been happy with my job since day one. It looked great on paper, sounded like something I might be interested in, and the interview process made me really excited for the opportunity. But...sometimes things aren't quite what they appear. The leasing industry is definitely not for me, and my work environment was insane. I actually did pretty well and closed several leases, but I just didn't feel good about myself at the end of the day. If anything, I will consider this a 2 month learning experience. First, I've learned that I am NOT a salesman. I've also learned that I don't have to put up with crap from people. I hate to even say that "I quit" because that just isn't like me. However, I feel that I gave it as fair of a shot as I possibly could, and made a wise decision to put in my notice last week. I'm going to finish out the month unless they find someone sooner, and I'm definitely relieved about it. I was worried that I would regret quitting as soon as I did it, but ever since I put in my notice I have felt like myself again, which is a pretty good feeling. So THANKS to all of you who put up with my mood swings the past 2 months. I'm back to the drawing board again and looking for something (probably just part-time) for the next few months until we move.


Speaking of moving...Ryan found out about a dive company in Burleson (just outside of FORT WORTH!!!) I don't want to jinx anything, but we are doing some serious researching and praying about Ryan getting on with this company. Not only would he get to do everything he loves about diving, but we could be in the metroplex, which is something we didn't see happening for at least another 3 years. He graduates in July, so all of this is going to start happening really fast I'm afraid. Just be praying that we make the right decision. If we need to stay in the Houston area with the company he's with now, I will be fine with that too. I just want what's best to work out. It's exciting to think about though!

Anyway, this past weekend, Brad & Kendall came to visit. We always have a lot of fun together, and I couldn't be happier for my newly-wed brother & sister-in-law. I love them so much! We got tickets to the musical "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" because my lifelong friend (and Broadway STAR!) Luke Longacre was playing Caleb in the show. He did such a great job, and I'm always so proud of him! I was mad that I left my camera in the car...stupid me...so I didn't get a picture with him after the show. Here's a picture of the 4 of us though.

Quinn's Shower & Yee Haw!!!

First of all, I was the only one out of Brittney, Thompson, and Molly to not post pictures of Brittney & Quinn's precious baby shower 2 weekends ago (yes, I'm REALLY behind). So, even though it's late, I have to share. It was SO much fun spoiling this sweet baby that we don't even know yet. We can't wait to meet him though! I'm especially fond of our new "tradition picture" that will be taken when each of us is pregnant. I don't know what's going to happen if two of us are pregnant at the same time because the pregnant one is supposed to stand on the end. Hmmm....we'll have to cross that bridge IF & when we get there!


Is she not just the most beautiful mommy-to-be ever?? We should all be so lucky!

OK, so after the weekend of the shower, Ryan and I decided that we needed to take advantage of living back in Texas. So, we got tickets to the Houston rodeo and Pat Green concert last Friday night. It was a lot of fun! I hadn't been to a rodeo since college, and it was the Abilene rodeo, so this was a lot bigger and better. Anyway, we got there in time to see barrel racing, bull riding (YIKES!), the calf chases (which were hilarious), and the chuckwagon races. Pat Green was really good, and Jack Ingram made a guest appearance, so that was fun. It took me back to our college days when we used to country dance at the "Mansion" (Ryan's fraternity house) every Thursday night.

Here's a shot of the bull rider who won. We definitely had "nose bleed" seats, so my pictures are taken from really far away with as much zoom as possible, and they're still horrible! Oh well...we had fun!

I hate to admit it, but I think when Ryan goes with the "redneck look" he is so stinkin' hot! I love when he wears a little bit of scruff on his face and a pearl snap shirt. :) In the picture below, can you see the kid in the middle that is hanging on to the calf's tail and is being drug around the whole arena?! It was freakin hilarious.

Fun Weekend

As boring as my life is lately, it's almost embarassing to post. Seriously...I go to work, come home for lunch to let the dogs out, go back to work until 6, drive home wishing that I had thought of something to fix for dinner because it probably means it's going to be another "take out" night, watch whatever guilty pleasure is on TV that night, iron my "work clothes" for the next day, and go to bed. I've been struggling so much lately with my work situation, and Ryan is an absolute saint to have put up with my drama everyday. Thank goodness for his sake my parents came to town this past weekend! It was so great to see them. It had been since Brad's wedding that I had gotten to spend any time with them, so it was overdue for sure. It's amazing how a little dose of good ole Mom & Dad makes everything better. We shopped, ate good food, the guys played golf, and we went to the Kemah boardwalk on Sunday. The weather was beautiful, and it made me wish I had a Spring Break coming up! I should've taken pictures, but I totally forgot...shame on me! It was a great weekend and a nice way to break up the normal routine.

Taste of the Real World

Well, the first 3 days of my new job have officially given me a taste of the "real world", and I think I've decided that I'd like to go back to the fantasy world I was living in. Never in my life have I been so glad that it's Wednesday...and I still have 2 more days to go! UGH. No, I think once I get the hang of things I'll enjoy my work more, but right now I'm feeling very overwhelmed and helpless. There's so much to grasp so quickly that I feel lost most of the time. I guess that's normal??? Next week, I'll go to Austin for a 4 day company orientation, so hopefully things will start "clicking" more by then. Maybe I'll start recruiting some more piano students soon. I liked my perfect little world from the past 3 years where I was my own boss and I could make my own schedule. Ahhh...those were the days.

2 Checks in the Box

OK, Molly...I'll update. I've had a lot going on...geez. Just kidding...I need you to keep me on my toes.

Okay, in my last post I asked all of you to pray about my job situation, and well...God definitely heard you. Today, I had my 3rd and FINAL interview, which went really well. I felt good about it and drove home knowing that I couldn't have any regrets about my interview process. Then, about 2 hours later, I got a call and they offered me the job!!!!!! There were two positions open, one in Houston and the other in Sugar Land. Obviously, I wanted the one in Sugar Land because of convenience, but I would have gladly accepted the Houston job as well. Turns out I get the Sugar Land property, so it's the best case scenario. I feel like a ton of weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Now, when people ask "Who do you work for??" I can actually answer them! I am officially a leasing consultant for Gables Residential. I'll have to get used to a "big girl job", but I'm excited and ready for it.

On top of that, my amazing and generous husband let me buy a new car last weekend. Finally!!! We have been keeping our eyes out for an SUV, and I had a few in mind that I wanted to test drive. So, on Saturday we went out to "just look". Ha! Famous last words. I drove a few vehicles, and of course fell back in love with my first love...a black Jeep Grand Cherokee. (For those of you who didn't know me in high school and college, I drove a green Jeep for 6 years...until I flipped it 3 times!) I wasn't desperate to get a car right away, but it was too perfect to pass up. I'll post pictures later because she's in the shop getting new tires put on. Her name is "Jazzy" and she's beautiful! :-)

So, that's what's been going on with me. New Job...New Car...2 checks in the box! Lots of new stuff to be excited about. Thanks for all of your encouragement during this job hunt. You're all wonderful, and I love you dearly.

Will Work for Food

Ha ha, just kidding...I'm not that broke yet! Actually, my blog today is to ask anyone who reads this to pray REALLY hard about a job possibility that I have. I interviewed last Friday for a position with Gables Residential. It's a huge company that owns apartments and condos all over the U.S. (my apartment being one of them). It sounds like the perfect job for me, and I would get to do a variety of things rather than being stuck behind a desk. I'd be showing apartments and setting up leases primarily, but there's some other stuff too. Anyway, I felt pretty good about my interview on Friday.

Then, the lady I interviewed with called me and set up a 2nd interview for today at 2:00. It was with a different person this time, so I was nervous... especially since it was a second interview. I found out that they asked 11 people to come back and interview, which is about half of what they started with. And, there will probably be a 3rd interview. Ugh!! So, I just got back and I feel pretty good about it. I'm kindof to the point where if I don't get the job, I'll know that I put my best foot forward, and it'll be okay. BUT, at the same time, it made me want the job even more. There's lots of potential to move around with this job, which is good for Ryan and me. We never know where we're going to be living next!

I have been praying so hard for the Lord to show me what he wants me to do. Lately, I've been content to look for an easy job just to fill up time and make some money while Ryan is in school. But, I feel like I have a degree and haven't really gotten to use it these past 4 years. This job opening fell into my lap out of the blue, and I know that I've been given the opportunity for a reason. It's not even a job I had ever thought about doing, and all of a sudden I feel so strongly that it's something I would enjoy. At this point, it's hard not to get my hopes up, but I know better than that. So, I'll keep you posted. Hopefully I'll hear something in the next couple of days.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun??

I don't know if it's all been FUN, but time sure has flown by since we left our house in North Carolina. It's all been such a blur, but I am finally feeling settled in here in Sugar Land. Here's the long and short of our past 2 months. After spending the night on the floor of our empty house, we drove for 2 days to Tyler to drop our trailer off, then went to Abilene, then went to Flower Mound, then back to Tyler to pick up our stuff because our apartment was ready. We drove down to Sugar Land...nervous the entire way because we had NO idea what to expect from our apartment. We had only seen pictures of it online, and it was pretty crazy to know that we had paid all of our deposits and we were STUCK with it...even if it was horrible. Luckily, it's not horrible. It's not perfect either, but we can definitely handle it for another 7 months. Getting used to apartment life again has been interesting. I miss my yard, and so do the dogs. I miss my garage (not that I parked in it or anything) but there just isn't any storage room here! I miss walking out to my mailbox every day. I guess that missing all these things will make me even more appreciative when we're back in a house again. Hopefully sooner than later.

So, after quickly unpacking boxes for 3 days, we got back in the car to go to Molly and Peter's wedding. I wouldn't have missed it for the world! I was beyond excited that it worked out for Ryan and I to actually get to go to a wedding TOGETHER...that doesn't happen very often. But even more than that, I was completely psyched to see one of my best friends for the past 15 years marry the man of her dreams. As tired as I was from all the chaos of the past 2 weeks, I couldn't have been happier to be a part of her special day. It was all so beautiful!

We came back to Sugar Land the next day and continued unpacking and doing what little Christmas shopping I found time for. We spent another 4 days at the apartment and then packed our bags for 2 weeks. Our first stop for Christmas was Abilene. We celebrated early to give Brad & Kendall time for last minute wedding details in Ft. Worth. It was so much fun to all be together. It makes me even more excited to think about Christmases with the "new" Joneses in the future. On Christmas Eve we drove to Flower Mound and spent Christmas with Ryan's family. Everyone spoiled us more than they should have of course! We spent the next couple of days relaxing, which was just what we needed. Then we switched over to "wedding mode"!

When Brad & Kendall got engaged in Dec. 2005, they said that they would wait to get married until Ryan got back from Iraq. I don't know many people who would schedule their wedding plans around their brother-in-law, but it meant the world to us that they wanted Ryan to be a part of their wedding so much. So, when everyone was rushing around and trying to do Christmas AND wedding in one week, all we could do was blame it on Ryan! Everything about their wedding was so much fun. Even though I was a complete basketcase and could cry at the mention of the words "little brother", the weekend was pretty relaxing. It poured rain the day of the rehearsal dinner, but the weather cleared up perfectly for the big day. My new sister-in-law was absolutely stunning, and my little brother cleaned up pretty well too. I couldn't be happier for them.

On New Year's Eve, we woke up and drove back to Sugar Land...hopefully for the LAST time for awhile! Ryan started the Ocean Corporation on January 2nd and is really enjoying it. I haven't ever seen him be such a good student before, so he must really love what he's studying!
I've spent the past 2 weeks job hunting...something I'm finding out that I don't enjoy too much. A few promising things have popped up, but nothing final yet. Ryan on the other hand just got hired at Deep Marine Technology, Inc. This will be a great job for him to get his foot in the door in the dive industry, so I'm really proud of him!

So, here we are...FINALLY Texans again, and FINALLY caught up on our blog. This teaches me a lesson to NEVER get this far behind again!!

Last Post from North Carolina!

They'll be taking our computer tomorrow, so I figured I better update my blog before our trip home. Yep, the day is almost here. Our movers come tomorrow and pack us up, then they come back on Wednesday to move us out. We'll load our trailer on Thursday, and then start driving on Friday. Did I mention that we'll be doing all of this in the middle of a "noreaster" or some crazy winter storm that's supposed to cause lots of rain and wind the next three days...Perfect. Nothing could rain on our parade though! We can't wait to be home again, although leaving Camp Lejeune has been a little more difficult than we planned. We really have made some great memories and met some wonderful people, and that makes it hard to say goodbye. I had coffee with two of my dearest friends this morning, Jen & Amanda, and it's hard to imagine Starbucks without them!

Ryan wanted to make sure I mentioned that Jack is looking VERY forward to being a Texas dog again, and Harley is excited because she's never been a Texan but has heard lots of great stories. They both can't wait to see all their friends and family!

It'll be awhile before I blog again, so don't get on my case! (You know who you are!!) I'll keep you posted as our journey home continues. Until then, Adios North Carolina...Hola Tejas!

No Time to Blog!

I've been bad...I know. I haven't updated since we sold our house. I guess that's been what's kept me so busy lately because I swear it feels like yesterday that I posted that blog! Goodness. Life around here is officially nuts. There are so many crazy details involved with checking out of the Marine Corps and moving halfway across the country. I'm still teaching piano up until next Tuesday, and praise the Lord I had my last high school concert last night! What a relief. We also made a trip to Texas for Molly's shower, Kendall's shower, and HSU homecoming. It was so great to see everyone, and it made us even more excited to hurry up and move home.

Last weekend, we drove up to Virginia basically to have some closure to this whole Marine Corps experience. Quantico, Virginia is where it all began when Ryan went to Officer Candidates School in 2001. It's crazy to think that we were just dating then! We never could have imagined all that we would go through over the next 5 and a half years...good and bad. After we walked around Ryan's "old stompin' grounds" as he calls it, we drove up to Annapolis to see my friend Joanna. It was so good to see her, and as always she blew me away. Her husband, John, and Ryan were in Infantry Officers Course together. He was killed in Iraq in April 2004. She is one of the most optimistic and inspirational people I know. She has taken what was the lowest point in her life and developed a passion for helping other widows and family members in her situation with an organization called TAPS...Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. It's incredible to see how far she's come in 2 years. After Joanna's, we drove out to Robin & Will's new house in Manassas, VA. I got to go to Robin's baby shower, which was lots of fun. The Gazes' have been friends and "family" to us since we first moved away from Texas, so we didn't say goodbye to them...just "see ya later". Even though we'll be a few states apart now, they're stuck with us for life whether they like it or not! ha ha Before we headed home on Sunday, we knew we had one more stop to make. Unfortunately we know several people buried at Arlington Cemetery, so we went to pay our respects. It is so humbling to even set foot on that place. I can't stomach the fact that gravestone upon gravestone were names we know...my friends' husbands, Marines Ryan served with, Marines who taught him, and Marines he led. All I could do was thank God that I was standing there with my husband who is home SAFE and healthy. I will never take that for granted as long as I live.

So...here we are 5 days before our movers come, and we have offically packed 3 boxes. Yep--that's it. I guess I still can't believe that in one week, we will be sitting in an empty house. Our furniture will be loaded and on its way to Houston, and we'll be following shortly thereafter with the last of our things. We'll technically be "homeless" for 2 weeks because we can't move into our apartment until December 8th. It'll be fun seeing family and enjoying some "us" time though. We are supposed to close on our house on Monday, the 20th, but things don't always work according to plan, so I'm praying daily for patience, sanity, and as little stress as possible. Hope you enjoyed the update...I'm going to go pack now. :-)

SOLD!!!

We've been so busy trying to get ready to move back to Texas that I haven't blogged in awhile, but we got really good news this week that I just have to share. WE SOLD OUR HOUSE!!! I had been so nervous about it because we wanted to sell it ourselves without going through a realtor. But, I just didn't know if it would be too much of a hassle and it we'd have any luck. Well, last week, one of Ryan's platoon commanders came over after work to look at the house. Then, he brought his girlfriend with him on Sunday to look at it. On Monday, he told Ryan that he was pre-approved for a loan and wanted the house!!! So, we sat down on Tuesday night and started all of the paperwork. I didn't even get to put a "For Sale" sign out in the front yard! I can't tell you what a huge load off our shoulders this is. And it's kindof cool that our friends Mike & Amber bought it, so we know that we'll be leaving our first home in good hands! On top of that, we've just about settled on an apartment in Sugar Land that should work for us and our puppies for the 7 months Ryan will be in school. The logistics of moving across the country are just crazy, but thank goodness things are really starting to line up for us. I can't wait until all of this is behind us and we can just be HOME.

Brad's Visit

I know I'm really late posting this, but what's new?! Last week, Brad took a few days off work to come visit us. I'd like to say that he came to see me, but I have a feeling he REALLY wanted to see Ryan. It had been since New Years that they had gotten to hang out, so we were so excited that he decided to spend his vacation days in North Carolina. The weather was beautiful, so we hung out at the beach, played football (despite Ryan's hamstring injury!), and cooked out. It was really relaxing for all of us...I think we all needed it! I'm so lucky that Ryan and Brad are such good friends. It's going to be so much fun when he and Kendall get married, and the 4 of us get to spend even more time together. Here's a picture of Brad with his neice and nephew who LOVE their "Uncle Brad" very much!

A Day at the Beach

Let's just say that Jack is his Daddy's boy, and Harley is her Momma's girl. Jack would chase the waves and swim in the ocean ALL day long just like Ryan would. Everyone on the beach stops and watches him...he's definitely the star of the show. Harley, on the other hand, didn't enjoy the water too much. Maybe she's scared of sharks!! She hates to be dirty, so she spent most of the afternoon licking sand off of her paw and "sunbathing". Jack was devastated when it was time to leave, but I'm sure we'll be back soon enough.

HOME AT LAST!!!

I guess it's about time I post some homecoming pictures! Let's see...on Monday the 4th, everyone started getting into town, so I knew it was really happening...Ryan was coming HOME. Ryan's parents flew in, and Robin, Will, & Jackie drove down from Virginia. We all went to hang his welcome home signs on the highway, ate dinner together, and tried to get to bed early. Ha ha!! The anticipation was literally just as much (if not more) as I felt the night before my wedding, so sleep was the farthest thing from my mind. At 1:30, I finally fell asleep, then popped out of bed at 3:30 to start getting ready.

By 6:45 am, we were all up at the battalion waiting to see him for the first time. It was horrible weather...rainy and humid...but nothing could ruin this day for us! It seemed like FOREVER, but finally at 8:15, we saw the Marines start walking up from the armory. It took me a little while to pick Ryan out, but as soon as I did, you better believe I was running across the parking lot like a crazy person! I could try to describe how amazing it was to see his face and hold him for the first time in 7 months, but words can't do that. It's just the best feeling in the world to know that he's safe and back in my everyday life again. The little things are what I missed most, and now that he's home, I'll never take them for granted. Knowing that this was his last deployment makes it even better!

We spent the next few days unpacking, looking at pictures, eating good food, playing with the dogs, and just spending time with everyone. Then this weekend, we got to celebrate our anniversary at the beach, which was wonderful! I never thought he'd be home in time for that, so it was icing on the cake. I find myself looking at him and pinching myself to see if he's really here. Then, at times, I feel like he never left. Even though Ryan is home, the majority of the battalion is still in Iraq for a couple more weeks, so keep them all in your prayers.
Here are some pictures of the past week.

MORE PICS

My Busy Summer

I know, I know...my last post was over 2 months ago. I don't know where June and July went! I had such a great trip home to Texas. It was wonderful seeing so many of my friends and getting to spend time with my family. My parents were nice enough to drive me back, and my dad spent a lot of time checking things off of my "honey-do" list. I forget how nice it is having a man around! Just going back for a month made me so excited to be moving back to Texas in December. It can't come soon enough!

After I got back from Texas, I went to Virginia to visit Robin, Will, & Jackie. We went to the Kenny Chesney concert on Friday night, which was a blast. Then we pretty much played Trading Spaces in her new house for one LONG day on Saturday. It was so much fun to watch her house begin to look like a HOME. It's really coming along, and it should be perfect by the time their baby comes in January. I miss having her across town, but it's great to be able to go visit.

Early last week, I got probably some of the best news of my life. Ryan is coming home advanced party, which means he should be home shortly after Labor Day rather than at the end of September!!! That means the countdown is really on! In just over a month I will have my husband back for GOOD. Luckily, I have plenty to keep me busy this month until he gets home. I started teaching piano lessons again yesterday, so that puts me on a schedule, which I definitely need. I've also learned that I start losing my mind about 2 weeks before homecoming, and I become this psychotic obsessive compulsive person about making my house perfect, so I'm sure that will take over pretty soon. Watch out everyone!! Until then, I'll try to be better about keeping my blog updated, and I'll post some pictures soon.

My Hottie Husband

Oh goodness, Ryan will TOTALLY kill me for that title, but I just had to say it. Doesn't he look so great?!? I'm posting these pictures to commemorate the fact that he has been gone 3 months now, so time is slowly ticking away. By the time I finish out this school year, make my trip to Texas, and spend a couple of weekends with Robin in Virginia, this deployment will be over before I know it! In the 1st picture, that's the Euphrates River in the background...pretty cool. In the 2nd picture, you'll see a box of girl scout cookies...random, I know. A girl scout troop sent his company cases of cookies to share with all of the Marines, and they also sent a camera requesting pictures of the Marines enjoying the cookies. So, Ryan made sure to take a picture with the cookies and a grenade launcher...what a pair. I'm sure the girls loved it!