Wonderland

I've been feeling a bit like Alice in Wonderland recently.

As though I've fallen down a rabbit hole and things are passing by me very quickly. I'm also quite sure to see and experience some rather fantastical things once I land.



We're moving... fairly soon (at least Josh is). He's been accepted to the program for flight nursing and must report to his new base by July 15.

His new base being Ramstein AFB in Germany.



I'm excited, most certainly, but I'm not entirely sure what we're getting into. I feel as though I have all the time in the world (I won't be permanently joining him until early October), yet at the same time it's as though I just got to DC and I'm not quite sure where the time is going.

I need to learn German. In between packing. And seeing all the places we were supposed to see while stationed in the national capital region. And doing all the things that I want to do in the district. And working. And job hunting. And all of the million other things that are going into this.



I'm absolutely positive that I am simply seeing a curve in the road of this rather extraordinary adventure that I find myself on. So it's definitely good.

Simply a little like Wonderland.

Urban S'Mores

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Sometimes I have cravings for random things... generally desserts. The other night, all I wanted was a s'more. 

One graham cracker, some Hershey's mini morsels, a handful of baby marshmallows and a couple minutes under the broiler later... I had a lovely urban s'more. It lacked that special camp fire flavor... but it definitely hit the spot.

The next day, I made one with Nutella instead of mini chips. I will never be able to go back to just Hershey's again.

Look, there's a Colonial!

Last Friday after work, I jumped in a car with five lovely ladies (ok, we had two cars) for a weekend full of awesome.



We got a really great rate on a fantastic condo just outside Williamsburg



Saturday morning was spent in Colonial Williamsburg followed by a relaxing afternoon and an awesome dinner.




There were many photographs taken between the six of us, and tons of laughter.

 

It was definitely a fantastic breath of fresh air before the holiday madness begins :)

I Heart Faces Contest // Silhouettes

This past weekend, I hopped in a car with my friends, and we took off for Williamsburg. While there, I just so happened to shoot this silhouette photo...

just in time for this week's I Heart Faces challenge. Hop on over there and check out the rest of this week's awesome entries :)

Crab Cakes and Boogie Boards

To get out of the city for a bit, to shake things up, to enjoy the end of the summer, to check somewhere off of our list of places to go, and to celebrate our impending 3rd anniversary, Josh and I took off early on Friday afternoon and hit the beach this weekend.

We stayed Friday and Saturday, and headed back after lunch and a movie on Sunday.

Between the awesome food and the gorgeous weather, it was a fantastic weekend.

We whipped out Yelp for every meal, and I for one was never disappointed.

Our hotel was situated right on the boardwalk. We could literally walk out of the lobby and onto the beach. It was WONDERFUL.

I think that we both needed a weekend away.

With Josh on a rotating night schedule, we often end up missing each other, and it's tough for us to spend real time together.

I'm pretty sure the only downside was the traffic... but it's definitely a price that I'm willing to pay ;)

Spiced Tea and Scarves

It's almost August. To me, that means it's almost autumn.

Almost time for school to start.
Almost time for scarves and hats.
Almost time for candles that smell like cinnamon and sugar cookies.
Almost time for blustery days.
Almost time for apple picking and pumpkin patches.
Almost time for spiced tea.

I always feel so refreshed and invigorated when fall comes. Something about the combination of it all makes September feel like a much more appropriate time for new beginnings than January. Autumn gives me a fresh start. I suppose it all comes from so many years of starting school in the fall. New teachers, new books, new classes, new clothes. Fall was the season of beginnings. This year, more than any other, I've been longing for fall. I'm pretty sure I started wishing for autumn in February. It's been a long and weird year so far in many ways, and I'm so ready for the coziness of fall. I finally feel like I'm in a good rhythm with the job that I started in December. Josh and I celebrate our 3 year anniversary next week. I'm pretty sure that I'm happier now than I've ever been in my marriage. I've also started working out again on a regular basis (which always makes me feel better about life). I know I've let a lot of things slide, though.

I don't want to waste time and energy bemoaning all of the balls that I've dropped in recent months, but I do want to publicly remind myself to step it up. My schedule doesn't always make it easy, but my slacker attitude certainly isn't helping either.
So here's to autumn. I'm so ready for this.

Part Four, The Rest of the Trip

Josh arrived in Lubbock that evening. We spent the night with *D* and *E*, trying to catch up, trying to let go and allow the healing to slowly begin.
The next day was Thursday, Christmas Eve, and my niece *C*’s 11th birthday. As per tradition, all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc… gathered for brunch at Golden Corral (*C*’s request). It was such an amazing experience to be able to laugh and celebrate following the emotions of the day before. It was important to everyone that the day be about celebrating *C*. To add to the magic of that day, the city received the biggest snowstorm in anybody’s memory. For kids from a West Texas town, a foot of snow offered healing, comfort and joy like little else could. Throughout the day, *A*’s siblings told anyone who would listen that they were positive that *A* had snuck into the control room in Heaven and caused the miracle snow. *C* also informed me that *A* had gotten her Christmas wishes. All she had wanted for Christmas this year was snow and for Josh and I to be there.
That afternoon, we made a pilgrimage back to where *A* is buried. Josh wanted to see her. On the way home, we stopped at an awesome wooden play village to enjoy the snow. When we walked in the gate, we were all amazed to see that the snow was completely untouched. It was a wonderful day for snowballs, snow angels, and general joy. That day galvanized in all of us the resolve and assurance that we would survive. We would feel joy again. We would laugh again, and we would get through it.
The next few days passed peacefully. Christmas, tamales, presents, movies, games… Odd though it is, I can honestly say that it was one of the most wonderful, stress-free visits home that I’ve ever had. In that moment, in those hours, we were content to simply be with each other. The frustrations and drama that so easily enters most of my trips home were not there, and it was beautiful.
Josh and I left Sunday afternoon for the long drive back (he flew in, but skipped his return flight so that he could drive back with me). We drove through the night and made it back home Monday evening, just in time to go to sleep and wake up bright and early the next morning for work.