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.

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Looking Back on 2013

Goodbye 2013, Hola 2014!

This year was definitely the most challenging yet in our married lives together. We were apart for 257/365 days. No happily married couple wants to live separate lives, especially for that long. We did it, conquered it, and came out much stronger and more appreciative than before. It's true when "they" say you both will become different people after a deployment. Sometimes you become a bad different, maybe he's more aggressive and quick tempered, maybe you're less patient...or maybe you're both different for the better. My husband and I both agree that we're different people than we were in 2012, but for the better. We love the new "us" in so many ways. I wish for us to never stop changing, just that it always be together. I believe December is the perfect time to reflect about the old, get excited about the new and appreciate what you have right in the present.

Here's a quick look back on our highlights/holidays of our year 2013. 




Jan 1: My sweet husband chugging along on our 3rd wedding anniversary!


Jan 4: We became official "Aunt and Uncle" to Elise! I've seen her twice, but my husband is still waiting to meet her for the first time. We can't wait to be more in her life!




25th Birthday

 Jan 6: I turned the big 25! It was difficult spending it alone, but I was TDY so it kept my mind busy.



January: I spend TDY and had the opportunity to see old classmates! It made me incredibly happy to be around familiar faces!



Feb 14: Valentine's Day was hard, but I received my first bouquet and had a handsomely hairy date to make up for it!


Then in February came my first trip home since moving to Florida. I got to meet my niece for the first time, experience a snow storm, see my in-laws and meet my best friends newborn!

First meeting


My second first meeting

Bestie time

Visit to the in-laws new crib

February: I started my Master's Degree, while Kit stayed busy with the Army!



March: Next came Spring break. My dad, brother & girlfriend (fiance), and two of his friends crashed at my place for the week! My first visitors!




Zeus was elated!

Glow paint party night
And in the midst of Spring Break, my baby brother proposed to his girlfriend!! So happy witness/capture this event!







April: We made the final payment to my student loans and for the first time ever became completely debt free! Also my amazing other half turned 26 years old!


Happy 26th Birthday!


May: My mom came to visit! It was so nice having her here, and getting in some mother/daughter time.






June: Pretty quickly I lived for the next visitor's, so luckily my best friend Brie stole away from her busy life in Seattle to come see a friend in need. So grateful for that visit!










Meanwhile, my amazing soldier is still doing brave things overseas and continuing to sacrifice...



Hello Guns! 




July: I had the opportunity to meet the wives of the men that were deployed with my husband at a conference in Orlando, Fl. Such a comforting experience just talking to women going through what you were going through at the exact same time. My husband had to send benchmark flowers after I got home, so sweet!




4th of July Weekend:

My long time bestie Alex visited! Poor thing had to survive the monsoon we had, but it was worth seeing her for the long weekend!








Pictures from Kit's Summer!

His view for a year

Care package from Brie!

On one of his missions


His crappy living conditions, poor guy!

He earned this by rucking 15 miles! My stud!




Even now, looking back at these pictures make my heart ache....Ugh.

August - September: TDY to Texas
It was difficult traveling back to that place alone without my husband, but luckily I had Zeus to keep me company, so the trip wasn't unbearable.



Second time to meet her, she'd grown!

Zeus did great around the baby


Weekend trip to Sulphur while we were in TX






September 5: My husband touched down on US soil after 11 months away from home!!

September 14: BEST DAY of 2013....My Husband's Homecoming!! This was SUCH a huge moment for our family. This day felt like the year just started all over again. 






October: Homecoming Trip to Ireland (Galway, Dingle, Kilkenny and Dublin)!










October 26: Promoted to 1st Lt and bought outright our first car together!


First family photo in a year




October 31: Halloween




November 11: Quick Getaway to Seattle WA to visit our dear friends Brie and Shawn!








November: Thanksgiving with the In-Laws







December 25: Christmas all to ourselves at home in Florida




December (After Christmas): The Spencer Family Visit







The McSpencer's!!


Finally, our last picture of 2013!




In January, I first thought this year would be one I'd want to forget, not remember with pictures and probably not be smiling much. It looked as if I had a terribly long road ahead, and I dreaded every step. Looking back has made me rethink that thought. I laughed, smiled, found beauty and happiness around me even when things were pretty lonely and bleak. I still lived even when I felt like I was dying on the inside most of the year. I learned to live in the moment and make the best out of every day. Again, HUGE shout out to all my & our visitors this year, especially while it was just me holding down the fort. I'm forever grateful for your support! Yes this year wasn't one of our favorites, but it was still a damn good year.

2014...

Looking forward we're in for one helluva ride. We've already got one TDY lined up (hello TX again!), waiting to find out if my husband gets accepted into law school, possibly him moving to another state to attend that law school, another backpacking trip to Europe, hopefully my little brother's wedding and maybe a deployment on the horizon ( my turn, no bueno! ). These are just a few things that are already on our back burner. We're VERY excited for this upcoming year! I always tell my husband, the best has yet to come, and I firmly believe this year will hit it's mark. The more we talk about the things to come this year, the more we're convinced it will be completely full of change, excitement, and so much happiness to be had for our family! We. Can't. Wait!!

Cheers to 2014!!!!