2009: A year in review

2009 was a huge year for us! Let's review, shall we?

January

I started really worrying about my comprehensive exams...

but then I passed! (so did Kat and Kari, the most awesome study partners ever.) Austin started class at Supply School and met some great guys who would be our groomsmen a few months later. Annnd, one of my best friends, Diana, had her beautiful baby girl - Emma Grace - who I got to meet in...

February

What a cutie.

March

We got 6 inches of snow in Athens! Craziness abounded as people in cars such as Honda Civics tried to drive through 6 inches of snow on unplowed and unsalted/sanded roads. Two days later it was 76 degrees, all the snow melted and the drought was almost cured!

April

April was crazy. We found out that Austin would be stationed on the Arleigh Burke, and that we would be headed back to Norfolk, VA. Grad school and supply school were wrapping up and wedding plans were right on track...until the last day of the month, when all went awry.

We found out that Austin would be deploying and all of a sudden our lives were really accelerated.

May

I graduated.

Ashley graduated.

And Austin graduated. and I went to Wisconsin to re-plan our wedding in one month as we decided to move it from July 17 to June 12.

June

We got married. People came. It was awesome.

Then, from June 12-30 we:  left Wisconsin, and left Athens, and arrived in Norfolk. And then we house shopped, and found one, and put in an offer, and it was accepted. And then Austin went to Helo School and then we waited to find out when he would go. And then...

July

Austin left for deployment and to see the world. He went all over the place. The Seychelles, Kenya, all sorts of little islands, South Africa, Spain, etc, etc, etc.

I pretty much hung out with friends in Norfolk and started job searching...and counted down to our end of August closing on the house.

August

Ash, Bings and I moved into the house, with plenty of help from friends and family.

Ashley started grad school.

September

Was filled with house projects. It was my goal to have the whole house as done as possible before Austin came home. Painting, installing ceiling fans (with help from Justin and Haley), mowing my first lawn, unpacking, getting rid of boxes...whew.

October

Austin came home! Best day in a long time.

We carved, pumpkins, celebrated Halloween and had an awesome week off together.

Oh yeah and I got a job!

November

We started work and caught up with life. Thanksgiving came and we spent it with family - I baked pies.

December

First Christmas in our new home.

So, 2009 was intense. To think that a year ago I was worrying about comps is a crazy realization of how much has happened this year! We are excited about 2010 though - a honeymoon (finally), a trip to Europe with our best friends, Harry Potter World!, maybe a new puppy and no deployments! (knock on wood).

Happy New Year!

Georgia on My Mind...

I have been feeling pretty nostalgic lately for the good ol' state of Georgia, more specifically for Athens. Maybe it is the cold here (it never seemed this cold in Georgia...at least in my memories). Or maybe it is the fact that friends that I used to get to see every day by default are now flung about the country, but today has been especially winsome.

So, I bring you "Things I miss about Athens":

• All the cute boutiques with all the cute dresses a girl could ever want
• Getting to wear dresses all the time because it never got really cold
• Barberitos, Taqueria del Sol, and Agua Linda. I could rotate Mexican restaurants every day and still feel like I was eating different food.
• Cookies and Co. Chocolate Chip Cookies. Yum.
• Walking the campus of UGA and knowing that so much history had happened there
• My students, friends and colleagues!
• Wait for it - class. I know, I never thought I would miss class either, but I do! If I could sit around and talk all day with people that diverse and smart and awesome again, my life would be awesome. If we got paid. I still don't miss homework though.

Ok, whew. Just had to get that out of my system. I do love being back here in Hampton Roads and more specifically in Norfolk, (being back here with more financial assets than I had in college is awesome...it's like a whole new city!) but Athens will always hold a super special place in my our hearts.

Photos of the Navy Bungalow: Holiday Edition

Since there is clamoring among the troops, and let's face it because I am so excited about Christmas decorations - here are some photos of our little Navy Bungalow, all decorated for the holidays (even without my new camera).

Left side of the living room:

Before

(read: at the home inspection - this is not our stuff)

Hey Dennis!

After

We have refinished the mantle and finally broke down and painted the fireplace. Don't get me wrong, I love brick, but this brick was flat...and red. So red. So, we painted.

It is not the end of our fireplace adventures. We have grand plans for it, but decided to hold off until after Christmas since the fireplace takes a central role around this time of year.

Happy Holidays everyone!

If you have the time...

read this somewhat lengthy article. Interesting.

http://chronicle.com/article/Faux-Friendship/49308/