Christmas Card

Merry Christmas all!

College, Career, Marriage and a Family

With the end of my last class of my Masters being a week from today it got me to thinking. I remembered one of my professors at Pt Loma say that the right order of life was college, career, marriage and then a family. When I heard that I smiled thinking that I was currently doing the college aspect, but that I didn’t really care about a career, so the marriage and family next was fine by me.

Backing up a little more, I remember in high school when it was time to decide what major I was going to have in college to determine what job I was going to do for the rest of my life and I thought I wanted to be a counselor. Funny how I went into college with a psychology major, changed it to nursing, and then finally to social work which is what I graduated with my BA in.

It wasn’t until I had college done, I got married, and then started a career, that I finally started that psychology degree that I thought I wanted way back in high school. And now 3 years later I am finished with that. So I guess all I have left in that list my professor told me about is the family part. Not sure when that is going to happen, but between now and then I am going to enjoy time with Thomas WITHOUT school! There has been a very small span of time when we have lived together and I have not been in school. And career. I am inadvertently made a little career here at Boeing and hey, I guess I will enjoy my corporate years, cause who knows what God has next in life for me!

But hooray! 1 week, 7 days, 168 hrs, or 10080 minutes from now I will be done with school! Big {sigh} of relief.

(I did get contacted about a PhD and started stressing out about the thought of it. Don’t think that is on my plate in the near future or possibly ever!)

Thanksgiving Thankful's 2

Thomas and I had a wonderful thanksgiving together just the two of us. It was incredibly relaxing with only enough leftovers for about 4 days! Minus the turkey… we will be having that for weeks! It was a very nice 4 day weekend though.

Here is the second half of our November Thankful’s
16. T – good food; M – our families
17. T – time spend with Mica; M – creativity
18. T – for Fridays; M – positive people
19. T – Thanksgiving; M – Beautiful WA
20. T – friends; M – an awesome church
21. T – short work weeks; M – athleticism
22. T – that Mica loves him when he is sick; M – education and learning
23. T – 3 ply toilet paper; M – for God always providing what you need even before you know you need it
24. T – open face turkey sandwiches; M – photo memories
25. T – sunshine; M – electronics
26. T – Christmas trees; M – quality time
27. T – healthy bodies enough to stretch every day; M – warm clothes
28. T – our church; M – prayer
29. T – a good night’s sleep; M – opportunities
30. T – our fun family; M – our blessed, blessed life

I love how much we have to be thankful for and this was only for a month! Our lives are so richly blessed.

Now we are on to the Christmas season. Our tree is up, the house is decorated, and all we have to do is the outside lights! There are so many Christmas activities we are looking forward to including a tree lighting tonight, the Victorian Country Christmas Friday, as well as making Christmas goodies and looking at lights up at Warm Beach!

We have multiple advent calendars to count down including a magnetic nativity and chocolates, but my favorite is our activity advent. It is a combination of Christmas type activities and giving to others activities. Like thanksgiving I will give you a mid December and a post Christmas list!
Here is to 25 days until Christmas!!!

Thanksgiving time

Happy November!!!
Can you believe that Thanksgiving is a mere 2 ½ weeks away? So far Thomas and I don’t have any major plans other then cooking up a feast for just the two of us and any other stranglers who want a place to eat. Any takers? No seriously, we would love the company.

Over the past few weeks we have had quite a few dinners with friends. We are so grateful for all the great friends God has placed up here in WA for us.

This year was also decided to do a daily thankful and here is what we have so far…
1. T – a job; M – our home
2. T – for Mica; M –God and Thomas’ grace
3. T – for his health; M – a strong marriage
4. T – our home; M – our bible study
5. T – our small group; M – great in-laws
6. T – comfy beds; M – our health
7. T – someone to take care of him; M – a great job
8. T – car pool lane; M – Joy in Jesus
9. T – yummy food; M – good food
10. T – tea that is warm and yummy; M – good dental insurance
11. T – comfy blankets; M – freedom
12. T - soap; M – great friends
13. T - scarfs; M – good sleep
14. T - wool; M – the internet (how it makes my life easier and more creative)
15. T – soft toilet paper; M – clear skies

We will keep you posted at the end of the month with what we come up with for the last 15 thankful items.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The Love of Husbands

Wednesday morning I dropped Thomas off at the airport so he could embark on a mini adventure with his guy friends John and Dave in Tahoe. With Thomas being home for over a year now since his last deployment, I have come to realize a few things. Thomas is an incredible man. I mean really? He puts up with me every day and with a smile on his face!

But in reality, with the past 2 days alone under my belt I recognize what I cherish the most about him. The little things.

• I love that he always turns off the fan before I get out of bed in the morning so I am not too cold.


• His very presence in our home makes it just that, our home.


• I love that I get greeted after work with him running to open the front door for me.


• He does the laundry and the dishes, but times it so that I always get a hot shower.


• I love that he chats with me on the way home from work so I am not bored, when I can't get ahold of other people to talk to.

These are all things that I forget how special they are when I see him every day. And as you all know there have been very few little days for us together until recently. I love that I am getting to know the joy of married life and the reminders of how special Thomas is to me.

Can't wait to hear all about his Tahoe trip when I pick him up from the airport tonight, right after I give him a huge hug for being great.

Soaking up the Sun

These last few days of summer have been great! We have had a little more sun thankfully, but it is definitely fall with the leaves changing colors and windy days. We have had the opportunity to stay very busy and yet play outside too! We went blackberry, apple, and blue berry picking! The last was with our friend Grace who we have had the pleasure of spending tons of quality time with. And of course I baked a ton from all the good fruit.

We then took a day and went to Bainbridge Island where we stayed at a cute little B&B called Holly Lane Gardens. Thomas loved chasing the geese! Exploring downtown Bainbridge as well as downtown Poulsbo was a great time away from life too.

We also were able to go on a steam train also, which was a blast!

And then today we were able to go to the Cranberrian Fest in Ilwaco, WA with Grace (again!). A quaint little town with many cranberry treats to try. We even got to tour a wet bog being harvested. And with the fresh cranberries I can't wait to make treats!

And then we went to the coast where you can drive on the beach! Only twice in the four years we have been here.

And now no more fun... My final class starts tomorrow and it will be all studying for me! And then of course Thomas started his first day of work yesterday. I am sure with this first full week, Thomas will be exhausted, so prayers are appreciated!

Taken the Plunge

Well, I have given in. Might as well place all my updates in one spot instead of in a folder in my email. So I started a blog. I know, I am one of those people. But think of this... You can always go back and read my old blogs all in one place when you are bored! And look at the pictures too :) Ok, not likely, but I will still be sending out the emails because I know a few of you won't read a blog. Not that I blame you. And I still love you anyways!

Now for the stuff you actually care about. Our lives :) Thomas is still plugging away at his class while, I am happy as a clam because my two classes are finished as of last friday. Between both I wrote 40 pages! A little crazy if you ask me, but I survived. And Thomas survived. He is loving his last 2.5 weeks of freedom until he starts his job Oct 7th.

On another note we had 6 weeks of sun and no rain, but the rain has graced us with its presence again. So here we are headed back into the rainy season with only 6 weeks of sun under our belts. I may need a sunny rescue a little earlier then normal. Next month perhaps? Another 10 months of dark is a little sad to me. However on the upside, it is FALL!!! I already decorated and love to watch the leaves change even if I am already wearing gloves and 2 coats. I know I could not possibly survive in a truly cold place.

Welcome to the start of my life in a blog.