I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home.

Monday, July 30, 2012

August 2012 Will Go Down in History

August 2012 will be a fantastic month! We're looking forward to it for many wonderful reasons.

#1 My best friend Jenna will be finding out the gender of baby #2!



#2 We finally find out where we'll be spending the next 3 years!



#3 My SIL Bethany will be finding out the gender of her first baby!

Follow her story here!
http://airforcewife-wifelife.blogspot.com/

#4 Our best friend Brie will be starting an amazing job in Seattle!



We are so excited for all our loved ones. Safe to say this month is the highlight month of the year thus far!!! 

Sunday, July 29, 2012

In-laws, puppies and hiking...OH MY!

Sulphur, OK is definitely our second home (my third) because of the fact that we lived there for almost a year. This was further evident as we pulled into town Friday night and that warm, fuzzy feeling came over us. Zeus even jumped up with the smells of the Chickasaw National Park filtering in through the open windows!

We can now look back on that time of our lives and really appreciate it all. The AF delayed us for almost a year, so my VERY amazing in-laws took us in AND our dog AND our snake! It was a time of lake days, fishing, hiking, reading nights, working out, eating healthy and working a very low stress job. During that time we had moments of frustration due to the feeling of being stalled and stagnant....but now we look back and just smile. We wouldn't have traded that time for anything. Personally, I had the opportunity to really become close with my in-laws (best in-laws a girl could EVER deserve) which I value a lot. Instead of seeing it as stagnant, we both see it as a wonderful transition period of relaxation and family time before embarking on the "adult" chapters of our lives. Here are some pictures of our much needed visit!

Got in some lake time


Rip was hot

The pups loved Zeus

Nom Nom Nom

Kit, Craig and Darla on Bromide Hill


Thursday, July 26, 2012

The List Has Arrived

We have been waiting for this day for a LONG time. We finally received the list of potential places we'll be stationed to for the next 2-3 years. We will submit our top 20 preferences, and then wait to find out where our first (semi) permanent home will be! This next move means many things to us. It's where we can finally decorate and nest (haven't really had the chance since we've been married), where hopefully we'll have our first child at :-) , and a place we can finally call "home". We've been married almost 3 years, and lived in 4 different locations. We feel like we have just started the "adult" phase of our marriage, so moving into a home where we'll be at for more than 12 months will be a new experience all on it's own. Bring on the decorating, furniture buying, and memory-making. We're beyond excited for this next adventure! Here's our preference list ranked first choice to last choice:

1. Florida
2. Korea
3. Hawaii
4. California
5. Virginia
6. Colorado
7. Texas
8. Germany
9. Germany
10. Korea
11. Florida
12. Overseas Deployment
13. North Carolina
14. Ohio
15. Louisiana
16. Illinois
17. Montana
18. South Dakota
19. Arizona
20. Nebraska

I know you may look at these and think "What were they thinking!?" BUT we made our best decision based on the job, NOT just location. I will be doing this job for 2-3 years and that's a long time to be unhappy and stressed out. Thankfully I have a wonderfully understanding husband who AGAIN put his wants aside and based it off of job duties (not which cities have MLB teams....) , and not just location. Overall, what good is an amazing place if you're working 6 days a week/12 hours a day and always upset? Not a good situation....

We find out the evening of Friday, August 3! Wish The McVays luck!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Rents in Town

My parents came to visit us for the first time since we've moved away from OklaHOMEa!



Dad at the old time ice cream shop

Downtown shopping fun

She loved the lily garden


The parents got to meet my class!

I had to take them shooting.... 


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Birthday Boy

Today is my fuzzy four-legged child's 3rd birthday! Let me tell you how he came into our lives three years ago....

Three years ago, I was flying back to Oklahoma from Alabama. I hadn't seen my husband in five weeks, and this was the first time we were apart for that long. I was at my Air Force "boot camp" or field training. We had only been allowed to write letters, so I was so excited to see my fiance! I head down to baggage claim at Will Roger's Airport to collect my gear. Then around the corner comes my sweet fiance, with this ball of golden fur in his arms....

Previously before I had left, we had lightly discussed buying our first pet together. He was pretty hesitant due to our hectic school/work schedules, but I was totally game. Apparently that first weekend that I was gone he and his best friend Brie went to a Golden Retriever puppy breeder and picked out our baby Zeus. Lucky for me by the time I was surprised with the little guy, he was already potty trained and into a sleep schedule!

Zeus is by FAR my most treasured gift my husband has ever given me. To say that I love my dog is a giant understatement. He goes where we go, lives where we live, and is very much a member of our little family. He's the first living creature we ever raised as a couple, and that is truly "golden". Happy 3rd Birthday Zeus August Bear McVay!



Zeus enjoying his tasty birthday treat!

Friday, July 6, 2012

Doesn't Get Easier

When I was growing up, my parents rarely went on business trips or such things where they couldn't go together. I was raised in a family where if one goes, we all go. When I started dating my husband (almost 4 years ago), it brought new challenges. He had drill and various other military training to go to throughout the year that I couldn't come to. I could handle it. A weekend out of the month was nice, because absence makes the heart grow fonder! We embraced it and always celebrated the Sunday nights when he would return.

I am very independent, almost to a fault. I can go into self-operate mode with ease, but this doesn't mean that I don't need my husband in my life every moment that I can get. He's my best friend, secret-keeper, and other half of my soul. When he's not here with me the house just feels wrong and empty. I'm writing this because over the next couple of months, he will be gone for various weeks at a time. I always thought over time I would acclimate. Hoped that I would get used to seeing the bags packed and the prepped uniform hanging on the door. I haven't and it doesn't. I'm beginning to understand that maybe it's always meant to hurt. If it didn't, then maybe things aren't working properly in a marriage like they should. Luckily, I have really great friends here to keep me busy and a work schedule that a workaholic would envy. On a positive note, Zeus always gets more attention during these times and coincidentally so does the laundry! Even though I find myself swallowing that dreaded lump in my throat every time, it feels better to have someone to love and to be loved in return. Also, numerous homecomings just give us more excuses to celebrate!