For I know the plans I have for you

Little Man

2011-03-29T18:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are having a boy! I have felt almost since the beginning of the pregnancy that there was a little boy in there, so it wasn't such a shock to me when we heard the news. Jarrett couldn't make it to my 20 week ultrasound, so I had the ultrasound tech right the gender in a card to be opened later on with Jarrett. When we opened the card, Jarrett smiled right away and I could sense his relief. I know he was secretly afraid to have two Kate(s) in one house! :)

Little man is quite the active one and was so active that we couldn't get a clear profile picture or picture of his nether region for the baby book. Maybe I drank too much orange juice that morning! But the ultrasound tech said she could definitely tell it was a boy on the ultrasound screen.

I am currently 21 weeks and feeling great other than the expected aches and pains. Baby is kicking up a storm and kicks most after I drink my morning cup of decaf coffee and around 8-9pm at night. Guessing he already has my stubborn nature as every time Jarrett places his hand on my belly to feel the kicking, baby immediately stops kicking. This amuses me greatly.

Here are some belly pics taken yesterday. The belly button has definitely popped out!

Updated Belly Pics

2011-03-10T14:27:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent belly pics taken at 16 and 18 weeks. I'm almost 19 weeks and we will *hopefully* find out whether little Peanut is a boy or girl in only 13 short days! So far, I'm still feeling pretty great. A whole lot less tired and my appetite has returned to normal. Praise the good Lord this pregnancy has been relatively easy so far.
16 weeks
16 weeks
18 weeks
18 weeks
18 weeks

Peanut Boyd

2011-02-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

The title of this blog really is the verse of my life. Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." On December 5, 2010, Jarrett and I were shocked to find out that we were expecting our very own little Boyd. We are both excited for this new journey that the Lord is taking us on. His plans are far greater than our own and we can't wait to see all He has in store for us. As of today I am 14 weeks along and baby is due August 9! Here are just a few pics!
Taken at 13 weeks.
Bitty Peanut belly.
There is our little Peanut at 12 weeks waving hello!
The day we found out. December 5, 2010

It's the little things

2010-11-22T15:29:00.000-08:00

When I think of what I am most thankful for, the thing that usually comes to my mind first, besides coffee of course, is my husband. There are many obvious reasons why I am thankful for my husband, but it is usually the little things that remind me why I am so blessed.

Here are a few examples:

Two nights ago, Jarrett kissed me goodnight just like he always does at 10pm on the dot. I decided to stay in the living room and work on some homework and finish up a program I was watching. A little over an hour later, I decided it was time to get some beauty rest and I began making my way to our bedroom. In the hallway, I noticed a light coming from our room. Funny, Jarrett must have fallen asleep with the light on. I opened the door to find my nerdy husband with his nose buried in his Kindle. He looked up at me with the goofiest grin. And I melted. I love my little bookworm.

Example two was just this morning. Jarrett's alarm started to go off sometime around 6 am. He went back to sleep, while I laid there awake. Why thank you husband for setting your alarm at dawn's crack and then proceeding to go back to sleep. His second alarm began to go off about 10 minutes later. This alarm happens to sound like a telephone ringing. Annoying? Yes. Well then, Jarrett picks up his phone and starts talking in it like someone actually called him. He says "Yes sir. I will be there." When he "hangs up," I ask him who called. He responds seriously, "I have to be at a formation at 6:10." I begin to freak a little and say, "but Jarrett, it is 6:10!" To which he tries to smuggle the grin that begins to appear on his face. I then respond with, "Jarrett John!" It's evil to play jokes on someone half asleep. But I'm more jealous that someone can be so happy and silly at 6:10 in the morning.

Oh, Jarrett. He can drive me mad, but who can resist someone with a goofy grin and a silly sense of humor? Not me, that's for sure.

This photo has nothing to do with this post other than it makes me roll on the floor laughing every time.

Little Ones

2010-11-17T05:04:00.000-08:00

I love this picture. We were such wee little ones. Jarrett was getting ready to graduate high school in just a few short months; long black hair and all. And I was an over achiever in my junior year and hopelessly in love with a skinny rocker boy. Not much has changed. Although now my skinny rocker boy is a buff military man, and cute as ever.

To blog or not to blog?

2010-11-16T04:29:00.001-08:00

Hello. Long time no blog. I've been too busy sipping tropical drinks at the beach with my hunky hubby that I have had little time to spare to blog. Or maybe I'll be honest and just admit, I got bored. Felt like I had little to write about and was generally uninspired. But I am determined to keep this blog going because I really do enjoy sharing our experiences with our family and friends. So here it goes...hope you enjoy my little bloggity.

Seriously Cute Baby

2010-05-19T06:52:00.000-07:00

I photographed a friend's baby the other day. This kid is probably the happiest baby I've ever met. And his big brown eyes, chubby cheeks, and pouty lips are to die for. I could just eat him up!

The Journey God Chose For Me

2010-05-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

This week I have been bombarded with so many mixed emotions. I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to feel. Am I supposed to not feel sad because that could be mistaken for being regretful? I feel jealous, envious, sad, left out. I don't want to feel that way. So I have been doing a lot of thinking, praying, talking it out with my husband. This week I have had to really face the fact that I'm not graduating college with the rest of my fellow class of 2006ers. The past few weeks when I have logged into my facebook account, and I'm sure it will be like this for the next few weeks, my heart hurts a little as I scroll through pictures of friends with their diplomas in hand. The words "One class to go!" or "Finished with college!" written repeatedly in numerous status boxes. I can't help but think "but that's supposed to be me too!"

But before I begin to sound like Debbie Downer, I have worked my thoughts out and this it what I think. I've never been one to follow the crowd and my life is certainly a testimony to that. I didn't think twice about deciding to get married when I was only just beginning my second year of college. Not once did I really consider waiting until after I graduated. That just wasn't really one of the options I would consider. I'm not sure why. Not once did I ever think maybe those people are right. The ones that told me I was seriously setting myself up for disaster by deciding to marry at the ripe age of 19. I just didn't think about those things. I just did. Did what I felt God was leading me to do. And it felt right. It still does.

But that single most defining decision I've made in my life certainly hasn't come without its share of struggles. School being one of the top ones. Four colleges later and I'm still not close to being done. Sometimes I feel like my wheels are just spinning. When will I see the light at the end of the tunnel? This journey to complete my degree may not seem like that big of a deal to some but it has become a huge deal to me because it is something that I have had to work tirelessly at to obtain. And so it has become that much more important to me. Maybe even verging on the side of obsessive. And I know I will appreciate that little piece of paper so much more when I finally get to hold it in my hands.

In the meantime, my educational journey has consisted more of experiences rather than textbooks. Finding my way around a confusing foreign land rather than sitting in a classroom. Learning what it really means to have no control over my life. This journey has really taught me more than any textbook, professor, or lab could ever teach me. So while I may feel sad for the time being, I feel more thankful than anything. Thankful that God has chosen me for this journey. And thankful that God placed Jarrett in my life so early on so that we could enjoy this journey together.

Cameron and Breonna

2010-05-11T02:31:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to take some photos of some dear friends, Cameron and Breonna. Breonna has been in Guam visiting Cameron since February but unfortunately she is returning to the States tomorrow. I'm going to miss her bunches as we have gotten pretty close over the past few months. This was my first time taking some photos of a couple and I think they turned out alright. Obviously, I need a lot more practice but I'm pretty satisfied with the results of this first photoshoot. These two aren't hard on the eyes either so I'm sure that helped my case.

My Little Olive

2010-05-04T00:48:00.000-07:00

When Jarrett got home yesterday, he sat me down and told me that he had received an unfortunate call that our dog Olive had been hit by a car. We adopted Olive from a human society about two weeks after we got married and she quickly became a part of our new little family. Olive was probably the biggest pest I have ever known but she was an even bigger lover. She slept in our bed with us, her head nuzzled against mine on the pillow. She would curl up in a little ball next to me, her head on my lap whenever I sat on the couch. She was overly protective but I didn't mind because she was my companion. When Jarrett and I first got married, I became extremely sad because I was alone all day in a new apartment in a city that I knew nothing about. Olive helped me get through that difficult time by constantly sticking by my side and giving me more puppy kisses than were necessary. When Jarrett and I got our orders to move to Guam, we struggled over what we were going to do with Olive. We didn't want her to have to suffer the long plane ride, we didn't want her to be quarantined for a long period of time (they don't have rabies in Guam), and we didn't know if where we were going to live would be a place she would be happy in. So we made the incredibly difficult decision to leave her with my family. And I'm so happy we made that decision. At my parent's house, Olive got to run around and be free. She had four people instead of two to love on her, and most importantly, she got cookies and treats. Enough treats to make her become a little chub chub. We will miss Olive greatly but I think she accomplished a lot in her short puppy life and it was time for her to go on to puppy heaven.

Life is a funny thing

2010-04-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

Well Jarrett and I are settling in to the fact that he is no longer deploying this summer. For those who were not aware, Jarrett was tasked to deploy this summer with his squadron and I was planning on making the trek back to California for a few months. Well last week, Jarrett received word that the deployment is off. This news is frustrating because it's the third time Jarrett has been tasked to deploy only to be told he isn't going. But despite our frustrations, we are even more overjoyed that he is staying here in Guam with me! So now we moved forward and feel like we can actually really settle in to our home here in Guam. This is the first time that we will be able to settle into our life and home without anticipating a deployment or move. It's actually a strange feeling for me as I have felt afraid to get too attached to a place, home, or current way of living pretty much for our entire marriage. Jarrett and I don't know quite what to do with ourselves but feel excited that we can just be a normal married couple. That is until the Lord decides to spur something else on us! But until then, we will soak this time in.

And because blogs are always more entertaining with pictures, here are a few pictures from the past couple weeks.

Here is my man looking all buff!

Beautiful golden sunset.
Local cuisine. Throw the fish on the grill and serve as is!
Local fire dancer. He then proceeded to accidentally light his skirt on fire. Entertaining none the less.

Pictures

2010-04-04T17:40:00.001-07:00

Here are a few of my recent photographs that I took for a photography class I am taking. The assignment was to capture the environment and welp, since I live on an island, most of my photos were of different beaches.

I'm home!

2010-04-03T00:58:00.000-07:00

Well I have been home for a couple weeks now. I left Florida on a Friday and spent a wonderful weekend with my mom in San Francisco. I then drove back to Travis and planned to catch a flight that was going to Hickham, AFB in Hawaii and then on to Guam. By the grace of God I made it onto the flight to Hickham, and I mean it truly was a miracle. There were probably 100 people trying to get on the flight and only 10 seats. I was considered category 4 and they didn't even make it to category 3. But last minute, they opened up a few more seats and needed passengers who were traveling alone. And I was the only one in my category traveling alone! I made it onto the flight but found out just as we were about to land that they weren't going on to Guam until the following morning, if they were even going to go to Guam at all. Fortunately, I friend of mine in Hawaii found out I got onto the flight and met me at the terminal. I stayed with her for the night only to find out the next morning that the flight was canceled and the next flight to Guam wasn't until Wednesday (it was Sunday). Come Wednesday and the flight was canceled and the flight on Thursday was only carrying active duty passengers. So in the end, I ended up buying a commercial ticket to Guam. All in all, my trip was amazing and I got to see so many great friends and my mom. Most importantly, my time with Katie was priceless and I am happy to say that as of yesterday, Katie was released from the hospital after 51 long days! I wasn't able to take too many pictures but here a few from my trip. I'm not going to include any pictures of Katie because I don't think she would be comfortable with that (she really hated her feeding tube). But I did capture some great pictures of her getting her hair done in the ICU and the moment when I walked in the door of her room; I think she will appreciate those when she looks back on this really difficult time.

This is Natalie holding baby Anna. Natalie is one of my best friends from Travis and Anna is our friends Paul and Leigh Anne's new baby.
Me holding sweet baby Anna.
This is the beach in Waikiki. I tried to enjoy Hawaii as much as possible while I was "stuck" there.
Me and Leigh Anne.
I just so happened to arrive at Travis the weekend of Tate's 2nd birthday party. Tate is Paul and Leigh Anne's first born and probably my most favorite baby, well not so much a baby anymore, ever.

Last Minute Trip

2010-03-10T19:40:00.000-08:00

If you would have asked me last week what I would be doing this week, I would have never guessed I would be in Florida. Yep, I'm in Florida. My friend Katie received her liver and kidney transplant exactly a month ago. Initially, the transplant appeared to be a huge success. Unfortunately, a few days after the transplant, Katie began to experience a tremendous amount of pain and has had about 10 procedures and numerous complications since then. Last Wednesday I spoke with Katie's parents and they informed me of everything that was going on. Everything that happened after that phone call was nothing less than a work of God. I knew in my heart that I had to come see her. Normally, I would worry about how i was going to afford to buy a ticket, or other meaningless worries, but for some reason, I felt a deep sense of peace that the Lord would work everything out and get me there if it was His will. I looked into catching a hop to Travis last Friday (unfortunately it was also Jarrett's birthday) and one blessing after another, I managed to catch a hop straight to Travis that afternoon. I stayed with my dear friend Natalie until I flew out to Florida on Monday. I'm here with Katie until Friday when I will fly back to California and then hopefully catch a hop back to Guam beginning on Sunday.

The only way that I can accurately describe Katie's situation now is that it is a rollercoaster. Instead of taking it one day at a time, we are literally taking it one minute at a time. Her liver is taking very well and her kidney is beginning to wake up. We pray that there will be no more complications so that she can move out of the ICU and not have to deal with so many people poking at her and walking in and out of her room. Fortunately, her sense of humor has managed to pop out in moments when we least expect it which always brings a smile to everyone's face. Despite the struggles and the hardships Katie and her family have had to endure, the Lord has been so present in everything. Whether it's her nurses, the good news that brightens the day, a simple song on the radio, or the fact that she was reading her Bible when she got the phone call about the donor, it is so evident that the Lord is working. Please pray for Katie and that her health would progress. Particular prayer requests would be that she would be able to move out of the ICU onto the regular floor and that her anxiety and pain would decrease. I heard this song on the radio as I was driving back to Katie's house and the lyrics really spoke to me so much that tears began to roll down my face because I'm so faithful that the Lord will see Katie through this desert.

Chamorro Village

2010-02-25T05:26:00.000-08:00

I finally made it to Guam's version of farmer's market the other night. Chamorro Village consists of an array of local cuisine, vendors, and its fair share of characters. There were a couple locals showing off some of Guam's popular animals and it made for some cool photo opportunities. All in all, I had a great time although I did find myself feeling slightly claustrophobic from all the people in a tiny area along with my ever present friend named Humidity. But it's those things that add to the fun and memories, right?

Taking a leap of faith

2010-02-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

I have never been one to take many chances. I like to stick to what I know and what I'm comfortable with. I think the most outrageous and shocking thing I've probably done was marry Jarrett at the ripe ol' age of 19. I don't like taking many chances because I have this incredibly deep fear of failure. The majority of people would say they fear failure too; who wouldn't? But to me, fears of failure often keep me from trying anything at all. Case in point:

I have had this deep love and passion for photography for 5 or 6 years now. Up until now, I have kept this passion hidden for the most part. See in my mind, if I don't even admit that I love photography, then no one will have expectations for my photographs and therefore I will avoid all criticism. But over the past couple years, the Lord has placed photography on my heart and in some not so subtle ways. I have avoided this topic for the most part, hoping maybe the Lord would somehow forget and point me towards something else; something not so personal and open to criticism. But alas, the Lord is a stubborn God too. On top of failure, I'm concerned how I can even support such an expensive passion. But I guess that's where faith comes into play.

Today a friend asked me if I took photographs because she needed a photographer. I politely said, "No, I just enjoy taking pictures for fun." Inside, my heart was screaming something entirely different. Later on at Bible study, I was given the opportunity to finally share my heart and my struggles regarding this issue, and to my surprise it was received with open arms. After less than 24 hours of deciding to open my heart to the idea of taking pictures of others, I managed to set up three different photography gigs. I'm scared/ nervous/ anxious out of my mind. So much so, my blood pressure has been sky high and I even managed to break out in hives. Lovely. Even though I have about a bajillion fears and questions, I'm really excited about this opportunity and hopeful future opportunities to come.

I'll keep you updated... :-)

I will leave you with a few of my recent photographs. Notice most of them are nature or architectural photographs because in my mind it is easier to take pictures of things that don't talk because then they can't judge the photo. I have a weird thought process.

Me+You=Love

2010-02-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

What is there not to like about a day filled with chocolate, love, and lots and lots of pink? As a kid, I loved celebrating Valentines Day for many reasons. I loved creating little gifties for all my classmates and excitedly placing those gifties in everyone's personal "mailboxes" at their desks. I loved that I could draw extra hearts on the card that I would place in the "mailbox" of my interest of the moment, and he would never know I drew more hearts on his card than the other boys. And I loved opening a box of candy hearts and giggling as I read each and every message; eating all the girly colored ones first because "duh" the green ones taste totally gross compared to the delicious pink ones. As I grow older, Valentines Day seems less necessary and slightly silly. Do I really need to be reminded to tell my husband I love him? Or even worse, does he need to be reminded to tell me he loves me? Eek I sure hope not! Regardless, I still tend to have high expectations for Valentines Day. And I also think specifically on this day, the Lord gently, or maybe not so gently, finds ways to bring me back to reality. I will illustrate this belief for you with a few stories of past Valentines Days. And yes, I do laugh when I think about these memories now.

Valentines Day of eighth grade was one for the books. How about a break up to say I like you? Yes, I was dumped on Valentines Day by my first "love." Eighth grade and love probably shouldn't be said in the same sentence but it totally felt like it was love in that hormonal 13 year old brain of mine.

First year of college, my Valentines Day was spent wallowing in my sorrows. Jarrett had left for basic training only a week earlier. Walking back from my classes, I grew angrier and angrier with every sight of a kiss or bouquet of flowers being delivered to lucky girls. I walked with a mission back to my room with a frown so nasty I could hear my mom saying, "You better turn that frown upside down otherwise it may stick like that forever!" Tears were welling up in my eyes as I opened the door to my lonely jail cell of a dorm room. There sitting on my desk was a single pink rose. A sweet gift courtesy of my wonderful roommate. "You are loved," she wrote. I immediately felt so loved despite the absence of my sweetheart. I also felt like a complete imbecile and drama queen...but that I was not foreign to.

My first Valentines Day as a wife; boy did I have high expectations. I spent most of the morning spinning the wheels in my brain. I hope Jarrett does this and this and oh goodness I will be so heartbroken if Jarrett doesn't do...Oh how I despise the drama queen in me. I hopped into my Taurus aka Rosie and headed towards the local community college where I was taking a few classes. My radio was blaring and so were the thoughts in my head when I suddenly heard another not so lovely sound blaring. "Is that? No it can't be coming from my car...wait, why does it sound like I'm driving a race car when I step on the gas pedal?" Hmmm...interesting. Why is my speedometer slowing going down 70...60...50..40...? Oh ya and did I mention I'm in the far left lane of a FIVE LANE FREEWAY!! To make a long story short, I managed to coast across five lanes of freeway, coast off an offramp, and park safely on the side of the road in a not so good area of town. I called a tow truck and eventually learned that my transmission had taken its last breath. In the end, I got a ride home from the sweet owner of the transmission shop and I walked my disappointed self to the local Walgreens where I managed to spend $40 on ridiculous Valentines Day crap for Jarrett. I think I even managed to buy him a little teddy bear inside a blown up plastic ball...? I had so many expectations but in the end, I was just so happy to get a hug from my husband after such a horrible day. God's not so stealth way of reminding me what was important.

So in honor of Valentines Day, may your day be filled with lots of love with little expectations. It's always more fun that way anyways.

Butterflies

2010-02-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

Jarrett began the long trip back to Guam around 6am PST. He is expected to arrive in Guam sometime tonight. I don't really count on the time stated on the itinerary because delays are quite common. But I am so excited. Can I just say this has been one of the longest weeks of my life? I know Jarrett wasn't gone for long, we've been separated for longer periods of time, but this time of separation has dragged and dragged. Maybe it's because I stopped working this week, and so most of my time has been spent at home. Maybe it's because this house is about two times bigger than our last house, and therefore feels so much emptier when it's just me. Maybe it's because I still feel like a small fish in a big pond on this island, and it's a lot easier swimming with another fish by my side. Either way, I'm so looking forward to picking up my honey from the airport.

As horrible as it is being separated, I try and look on the upside and think of the things I almost look forward to leading up to a separation. One thing I do look forward to, and of course I would look forward to this, is being able to eat whatever my heart desires, whenever my heart desires. I LOVE that I can eat grilled cheese and soup for every meal. I LOVE that I can start cooking dinner whenever I want to, even if that means 9pm. And I also LOVE buying whatever the heck I want at the grocery store (usually this involves a lot of pastas and other non-balanced diet items). Notice how a lot of the things I look forward to revolve around food...

Aside from all things food oriented, the main thing that I look forward to is the butterflies that always swirl around in my stomach leading up to his arrival back home. Honestly, I still feel this way with my husband almost on a daily basis, other than the days when he's being a total dweeb. But the butterflies are always intensified tremendously when I haven't seen my husband for any extended length of time. I love how I still feel like I am dating my husband after over 7 years together. Is it weird to say that I look forward to the butterflies that will fill my tummy when he gets home from his deployment? All though they might just be the death of me...

Anyways, being separated is never a fun experience, but at least there are some things to look forward to to help me make it through the day with the glass half full rather than empty.

Trying to understand.

2010-02-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

I'm having a hard time writing this update; I didn't want to do it. Maybe I'm too scared to face reality. The reality is, the transplant didn't go through. For whatever reasons, the doctors decided an hour before the surgery was to take place that the kidney was not functioning the way that they wanted it to. I spoke with Katie earlier and she was feeling pretty down and rightfully so. I'm trying to understand the Lord's plan in all of this. Why would He put something so precious within reach only to take it away? Maybe I'm not meant to understand and might never understand. All I know is that I'm holding on to the hope that He has something even greater in store for my dear Katie. Please continue to pray for her and thank you for your prayers thus far.

Molding me in His image

2010-02-01T00:32:00.000-08:00

So first I have to admit that I have been majorly lagging on the blogging but for good reason. January has most definitely been a trying month for me but one filled with many blessings as well. I feel like I have been learning a lot spiritually and for that I am thankful. No matter what the Lord throws in my direction, I can never complain when I end up growing from it. January started off with a health scare that almost sent me to the emergency room. I probably should have gone rather than endure what I did, but there goes that stubbornness in me again. In the end, everything turned out ok. A few days later, I began school. Unfortunately, I underestimated the difficulty of online classes, and since then, I have been dedicating hours upon hours with my nose stuck in my textbooks. I don't think I have been in school long enough to critique online learning, but as of right now, I have mixed feelings. While taking 16 units, I have also been working full time. Which in the end has turned out to be a disaster. My last day at work will be Wednesday and I am very at peace with my decision. I was very unhappy at my job, and was forced to deal with difficult co-workers which was draining me emotionally. Last week, Jarrett finally put his foot down and requested I leave my job. He was tired of seeing me unhappy over something that was not necessary. I am so thankful that I have a husband that supports me and feels like I am contributing even when I am not bringing a paycheck home. Also on Saturday, Jarrett left for a conference in the States. Being alone here in Guam is definitely a new experience, and one I'm not so sure I'm fond of. I don't feel particularly safe in my house without my husband. But I guess that is what music and the tv is for because that way I can't hear all the creepy noises.

But even though this month has had its fair share of lows, they were all erased last night when I received a phone call that I have waited for for 3 years now. When I saw her cell phone number pop up on mine late last night, my heart skipped a beat and I knew deep in my gut. The time had finally arrived; God has answered our prayers! Tonight at 7 pm eastern time, Katie K went in for her liver and kidney transplants, and I am so overjoyed that her life is dramatically changing for the better. My heart has felt broken today though because I can't be by her side. But after talking to her, I know she knows that I love her and would love more than anything to be with her during this life altering moment. Please continue to keep her in your prayers as she will need them through this long recovery.

So all in all, I feel like I have been tried and tested but also blessed in ways I can't describe. It has been a painful, emotional month but also one I probably won't ever forget. For the good reasons, rather than the bad.

First post of 2010!

2010-01-09T21:59:00.000-08:00

Well not a whole lot has been going on around here! We are finally getting back to our routine after a wonderful holiday. Jarrett had almost 2 weeks off of work and my boss gifted me with a few days off and it was so nice to be able to sleep in and wake up next to Jarrett for a few days. That NEVER happens! We managed to make it to the beach, do a lot of reading, see some movies, and just relax! It was wonderful! Jarrett went back to work last week and will be starting school next Monday. I'm back at work as well and will be starting school tomorrow! I'm so excited/ anxious. I've never worked full time and gone to school full time at the same time so this should be interesting!

Well we have been in Guam now for almost five months. I can't believe how fast it has flown by. That means only five more months until I get to see my wonderful family and in-laws, my little Olive, and the beautiful Central Coast. Over the past five months, I feel like I have matured more than I ever have. I thought that the day I got married, I would feel like a new mature woman/ wife. But it didn't happen right away. I guess living not far from family, I still felt like a young woman that was living on her own but not quite. I really don't know how to describe it. I was a wife but I still felt so young. Probably because I was still a teenager even though I was a wife too. But now that I'm a few years older and living so far from family, I feel like Jarrett and I really have become our own little family. I still call my parents almost every other day, but I feel like I am more equipped to walk through this life without the constant help and guidance of my parents. Moving somewhere so different and away from anyone or anything i knew spurred this new maturity on. I was forced to figure things out on my own. My parents couldn't tell me where to go get my oil changed, or how to get to this place or that. I have to say that I have enjoyed figuring things out on my own. I feel so proud when I am able to do something all by myself! Along with this maturity, I think I am focusing a lot more on being a more mature wife. One big change I have made is the effort I put forth into maintaining a clean home. I love seeing my husband smile and give me a big hug when he comes home to a clean house. I didn't really care about this a few years ago. I HATE cleaning and for a while, I would leave a lot of the cleaning to Jarrett. But I love a clean home and know now that it takes effort from both sides to keep a house clean. I can't say I like cleaning now, but I enjoy doing it because it makes my husband happy that I am contributing and I feel proud when I sit down and see the results of my hard work! This may seem minor to some of you but trust me, this is a huge accomplishment for me!

Anyways, this has been a really random post. Oh another thing I started on the first of the year is I joined a group/ blog called 365truth. The goal is to read the entire Bible in one year. A part of my faith that I lack in is getting into the Word. I'm hoping that by joining this group, I will be help accountable and encouraged by the other members to get into the Word daily. I can't say that I have read every day, but I know that this change won't come overnight. But I'm excited to learn and see where the Lord takes me!

Christmas in Guam!

2009-12-29T04:45:00.000-08:00

Jarrett and I enjoyed our first Christmas in Guam and our third Christmas together as a married couple! Realizing that we are growing up and won't always be able to spend the holidays with our families, Jarrett and I made every effort to create our own special traditions and memories. During the month of December, we would cuddle up on the couch, eat some dessert, and watch a Christmas movie at least twice a week. We hung lights in the house, adorned the house with decorations that we have accumulated over the past few years, and purchased our first large Christmas tree. We added a few unique ornaments to our collection and lit holiday scented candles through out the house. All in all, this turned out to be a very special and memorable Christmas and I couldn't be more happy. What I think I loved most about this Christmas was that we didn't focus on gifts, even though that never really is a priority to us, but rather on each other and enjoying our time together. Jarrett and I will not be together next Christmas, so we soaked in every moment of this holiday season.

On Christmas eve, Jarrett and I went to church and then went to a nice restaurant for a delicious Christmas eve dinner. Christmas morning, we woke up bright and early. I immediately turned some Christmas music on while Jarrett brewed a pot of coffee. We opened our gifts one by one and recorded videos to share with those who sent us gifts. After gift opening, Jarrett made some mimosas and we spent a few hours calling family and friends. We skyped both our families which was extra special. After that, I began cooking our Christmas meal while we watched the Nativity Story. I baked a ham and prepared lots of fixings such as mashed potatoes and my favorite green bean casserole. And after we stuffed ourselves silly, we decided to go see a movie. After the movie, we came home and curled up together on the couch with some new books we got for Christmas. All in all, we had a wonderful Christmas despite being away from family who we miss dearly!

Also, my dear friend Lindsey sent me this wonderful care package. I can't even describe how nice it was to eat some candy cane joe joe's after our delicious meal. So special.

Favorites

2009-12-13T00:45:00.000-08:00

I've composed a list of my top 5 favorite things as of right now!

#1 Everything Christmas! I was a little worried about the holiday season coming around because I was afraid about how I would feel being so far from family but I feel so blessed by this Christmas season. Jarrett and I are starting our own traditions which include watching Christmas movies almost every night, having a small glass of wine and eating yummy fudge after dinner, and buying a couple new Christmas ornaments to help boost our ornament collection. We have been talking about our plans for Christmas eve and Christmas and I am excited about what we have planned!

#2 Lots of candles! My husband is really getting irritated about my obsession with candles but I just can't help it. If I find a yummy candle, my obsessive behavior takes over and I have to buy it! Yesterday, my husband managed to pry me from a display of candles on sale, but unfortunately he lost the battle today when I found some delicious soy candles for only $4 a pop! I managed to sneak one into our cart. My belief is you can never have enough candles.

#3 Bethany Dillon. I seriously have loved this musical artist since I was like 15. She is amazing! I love everything on her new cd and I think I could listen to it for hours on end. Her lyrics go much deeper and are more honest than any other artist I know.

#4 My new Flip video camera. I asked for a video camera for my birthday and after a bunch of research, I decided on the Flip Ultra. This little camera is not for the serious videographer, but more for the videographer that just wants to take simple videos to share with friends and family. I seriously love this thing. It has a USB thing attached to it, which makes it super easy to upload the videos onto your computer. And the best thing about this camera is that it can be purchased at a super reasonable price! In fact, it's on sale on Amazon for $90. This irritates me slightly since I just purchased mine on Amazon for $120 and it went on sale like a week later, but I still feel like I got it for a good deal compared to the price I almost paid to buy it on the island. I've attached a couple short clips at the bottom.

Video 1 from Kate Boyd on Vimeo.

Video 2 from Kate Boyd on Vimeo.

#5 Speaking of Amazon, I am obsessed with Amazon!! I think I did more than half my Christmas shopping on Amazon because everything is so much cheaper and they offer free shipping on most items over $25. This is really helpful when shipping stuff to Guam because it can get a bit pricey. This website is a Guamanian's dream come true because the selection of items is awesome and the items are much cheaper than I would ever pay on this island!

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

2009-12-08T02:08:00.000-08:00

We set up our Christmas tree last week. We both had such a fun time hanging ornaments on the tree, dancing around to Christmas music, and ending the night with a fun Christmas movie. It's hard being away from family during this time of the year, but we are both trying our best to remember the reason for the season and start a few of our own traditions. Although the temperature outside never dips below 78, it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas inside our home with the help of Christmas lights and cinnamon and Christmas cookie flavored candles. I was telling Jarrett that I think this is the most festive our house has ever been, and I love it. I'm looking forward to many more nights spent watching Christmas movies, sipping a glass of wine, and watching the twinkling lights on the tree with my husband curled up beside me. The only thing better would be to have the rest of our families sitting alongside us. Maybe next year!

My little bee

2009-12-01T00:11:00.000-08:00

It all began over 20 years ago when little Katie moved into the house across the street from me in Florida. An extraordinary friendship began to grow and has bloomed into something neither of our families could have imagined. We did everything together from the moment we met when we were toddlers. Everything from running through the sprinklers, knocking teeth out on the slip and slide, being human tornados that left nothing unturned, riding Thunder Mountain at Disney World, and eating Mimi's mac and cheese until our bellies popped. Katie is the sister that I never had. We often joked and still do that we were born to the wrong mothers. Katie is the wild and crazy one like my mom and i am the more conservative, quiet one like her mom. When my family decided to move to California when I was 7, it was decided that we would continue to see each other. Actually, I don't even know if we discussed visiting each other; it was more like an unspoken understanding that our friendship was more than just a simple friendship and it would continue no matter what. From the time I was 8 years old, I would pack up my bags, hop on a plane by myself, and make the trek out to Florida to see my little Katie. (I say little even though she is older than me. But she is just so cute and petite!) Every summer, we would take trips together whether it was to North Carolina, the Grand Canyon, or New York City. Despite the length of the country between us, Katie and I have managed to be at every important occasion whether it was her high school graduation, my high school graduation, or my wedding. We are there for each other.

I mention our story because I am asking for prayer. Prayer for my little bee, my sister, my hero. See Katie had a kidney transplant when she was two. Unfortunately, her kidney began to fail a little over two years ago and she has been on dialysis for the same duration. Dialysis is an incredibly exhausting procedure but it doesn't stop Katie. About six months ago, the doctors decided that Katie is also in need of a liver transplant. The past few years have been an exhausting, emotional journey for Katie but we are rejoicing that there is almost a light at the end of the tunnel. Katie is currently number 1 on the transplant list. I pray that anyone reading this would pray for Katie. Prayer in numbers is a powerful thing and I have incredible faith that the long awaited phone call will arrive any day now. She has been so patient and faithful. Please help me in praying for my dear Katie. Also, please pray that when we do receive the phone call, that I would be able to make it home to be with her. Not even the distance of half the world will keep me from being there. :-)
I think this picture was from spring '07
Here is Katie dancing with my dad at my wedding.
My two favorite ladies. Katie and my mom.
Katie was my maid of honor.

My transition

2009-11-23T22:30:00.000-08:00

The past week I have been reflecting on our move to Guam and how the transition is going. I know I have talked a lot about our move but I hope you understand how this move has rocked my world and therefore is the topic I am often consumed with and wish to discuss. I feel like so much as happened within this short period that has forever changed my life; my mom says I should write a book about my recent experiences because a large portion of them have been quite entertaining/ odd/ educational. When Jarrett and I got married and I made the 4 hour move to northern California, I soon became consumed with overwhelming sadness. It would be fair to say that I was probably experiencing a mild/ moderate depression. For the first three months at Travis I did not work, go to school, have a solid home church, or friends. My days were spent at home alone where I spent most of my time in front of the tv or sleeping. Those first 3 months culminated into probably the hardest time in my life thus far. The weeks leading up to our move to Guam, I became consumed with the fear that I would again experience what I had in those first 3 months at Travis. From the moment I walked off the plane in Guam, I became obsessed with getting busy, involved in things, finding a job, and friends. I think about it now and that probably wasn't the healthiest thing to do but for me I was in survival mode and nothing could stop me. Now that we are getting settled in, I am reflecting on how the Lord has truly blessed us with an easy transition. Maybe it's the fact that it's not the first time moving away from family, or that I have found a good job and have gotten involved in various activities. Or maybe it's the fact that i am just more mature. Whatever it may be, I feel blessed. I have experienced homesickness but that can only be expected. I have felt overwhelmed and sad at times but I believe that is only healthy and natural.

I feel proud of myself for putting myself out there and being bold. I found a job off base and have made friends with many locals which is something that a lot of military don't do here. I choose not to stick to the base because I have been so blessed by the culture and people here in Guam. It has been tough because of cultural differences but rewarding none the less. I have met senators, radio personalities, and other local figures due to my job and I don't believe that would have happened unless I had put myself out there.

But along with the wonderful things we have experienced, there has been a fair share of discouraging events. I have met people that didn't have my best interest in mind which has been a very hard lesson to learn, especially this week when I was faced with a painful and heartbreaking situation. We are also learning how to celebrate the holidays away from family and how to create our own traditions. This is fun but at the same time a sad thing to learn how to do especially if you are stubborn like me. And we are learning how to accept or at least respect cultural differences that we don't agree with or believe are "right."

Many times in the past few months my heart has felt heavy and I have prayed so many prayers asking the Lord to carry me through this trying period in my life. But also in the past few months I feel I have matured and grown in ways that would not have been possible if it wasn't for this move. I know without a doubt that I will look back on this time and smile no matter how many tears were shed. I'm thankful that I can see that now.

Home Sweet Home or something like it

2009-11-14T22:15:00.000-08:00

How does one make a house into a home? This is the question that I have asked myself countless times over the past few months, but even more so in the past couple weeks. I think it takes at least a year for a house to finally feel like home. A year to work all the kinks out, figure out where everything should go, etc. But I'm impatient. Home and how it feels when you walk into it is so important to me because I am a homebody. My favorite nights are the ones spent at home curled up on the couch with a good book and my husband by my side. I love to be at home. Maybe I'm just really homesick but this house just doesn't feel like home one bit. It feels like a shell still that needs some major TLC. I find myself complaining lately about everything that has to do with this house. The walls are too white, the tile is too white and gets dirty so easily, the house is too big, we don't have enough money for furniture, our furniture is too small, and so on. Never thought I'd find myself complaining about a house being too big but the grass is always greener on the other side isn't it. We moved from a tiny 900 square foot townhouse into a large 1600+ square foot single family home and our furniture just doesn't fill it. So many things that frustrate me that I'm struggling to find the motivation to try and make this house into a home; I don't know where to even begin. At the same time, I'm disgusted with myself that I even have these frustrations because so many people do not have the luxuries that Jarrett and I do. So many do not have a large roof to cover their heads at night. So many people on this island alone would do anything to live in a house like we do. I am so extremely thankful for the blessings that we have and the fact that I have my wonderful husband whose very being fills the space between these walls. I'm just trying to be honest here and open about my frustrations. So anyone have any inexpensive, easy suggestions about how you make a house into a home? And here are some pictures of our living room so far. It's pretty much the only room that we have really put some time and money into thus far.

Life Life Life

2009-11-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

Life is a roller coaster. Boy is it ever. I can't believe we have been in Guam for almost 3 months. It doesn't feel like that long but at the same time it does. We are homesick. Plain and simple. We often lay in bed, unable to fall asleep, just talking about home and the things we miss. It's not that we aren't taking advantage of Guam or that we are just living for what's to come in the future instead of living for today. It's just that the longer we are here, we are learning things that we miss and wish were here, and things about Guam that don't make us so happy. But we are making do. We have each other and because of that, we could live almost anywhere and still be happy.

I know a couple of weeks ago I wrote about my new job. Well I guess just because you like a place doesn't mean you are going to like working there. It's been challenging. So I am currently in limbo as far as the job situation goes. I'm just praying that the Lord would lead me to make the right decisions regarding my job situation. Other happenings...it was my birthday on Monday. The day was pretty relaxing. I could kiss the person who invented manicures and pedicures. But there was also a first for me. I was pulled over for speeding...on my birthday! 54 in a 35...yikes. The thing about driving here in Guam is the speed limit is 35 almost everywhere but people drive 50+. Not that that makes it ok, but it's normal here. Well apparently about once a quarter, the Guam PD sets up speed traps. Well I got caught in one. They pulled everyone over into this empty field and I was there along with about 15 other cars. A lot of military and other spouses. Well the cop saw it was my birthday so he couldn't give me a ticket and also because I like USC football, which happened to be his favorite team. I got very lucky because I do feel I was very deserving of the ticket. I gave myself a slap on the wrist. Ironic thing was that just the day before i was bragging to my father in law on skype about how I had never been pulled over and I was making fun of Jarrett for all the tickets he has gotten. Well I think the Lord was trying to humble me.

Other exciting news is that I was accepted to Penn State! I am so excited to finally finish my degree and through a good school to beat. I'm going to give my diploma a big fat kiss when it is placed into my hands! It's a perfect situation since I will be moving home next summer for quite some time while Jarrett is deployed. I may even be able to finish while i am home so that I can travel to Pennsylvania and walk in the ceremony.

Well that's the update. Now I'm off to go get ready for a military appreciation cocktail party at Louis Vuitton. It's hard to find reasons to get all dressed up these days. No proms or dances to get dolled up for. So I am excited to put on a cute cocktail dress, do my hair, and slip on some heals. Happy Friday!! (Almost Friday for those of you in the states)

I know why I married him...

2009-10-31T00:14:00.000-07:00

This week has been a particularly hard week. I worked 8 hour shifts 6 days straight. That might not sound hard for some people, but I haven't worked in well over a year because of school, so I am not used to the hours or standing on my feet for 8 hours straight. The hours have taken a toll on my body, my emotions, and my sleep (I have to get up at 5:30 am). Well my poor husband has had to listen to my rants about customers and others, my cries, and my complaints about my feet hurting for the past week. I feel bad. But being the wonderful man that he is, he listens, talks to me, and takes care of me in so many ways. My birthday is Monday and I came home today to a gift bag full of goodies. He couldn't wait until Monday for me to open it, so he asked me to open it tonight. I have to say that this present was probably one of my most favorites, if not my most favorite I have ever gotten. Not because it cost a lot of money, or was extravagant, but because it was so deeply thoughtful. Ok so first I unwrapped the last season of Gilmore Girls that he picked up for me at the library today.Yay! Also included in the bag was a to-go mug for my coffee in the morning, a Guam key chain because I have a Harley Davidson key chain on my house keys because that's how the landlord gave them to us, a CD with a bunch of Christian artists on it, a bottle of Victoria's Secret lotion that I used to wear every day when I was a freshman in high school (the year we met), my favorite shortbread cookies, and a book by the same author that wrote The Five Love Languages. My husband knows me well and that was illustrated by all the thoughtful gifts he had picked out for me. My day was brightened immediately and I was reminded exactly why I married my husband. He loves me through and through, listens to my dramatic rants, makes me coffee and draws me a bath before I get home, and he knows me like no one else knows me (except for God of course). So in the midst of one crazy, difficult, conflicting week, I am so thankful I have my husband by my side to help me through it all.

School

2009-10-27T01:56:00.000-07:00

Education has always been a major priority in my life. I worked ridiculously hard in high school, took a number of AP and honors courses, and got a tutor for the SATs so that I could get into a good college and receive a quality college education. I went to all these lengths mainly for myself and because I knew I was capable of doing well, but also because I'm extremely competitive. Well to put it lightly, my college experience has turned out slightly different than expected. It started at Cal Poly and that lasted for one year. Jarrett and I got married at the beginning of what would have been my sophomore year and so I left Cal Poly and moved up north. I took a quarter (or semester) off and then started classes at the local community college that January. This was a very humbling experience for me. I was used to all of the things that the university level offers and I already knew I was capable of succeeding at a university level, so I felt that the community college was a set back for me. In the end, the year I spent at the local community college turned out to be a very rewarding educational experience. After a year at the community college, I finally had enough credits to transfer to UC Davis. I started classes there in January and as you know, that only lasted until June. I think leaving UC Davis has been probably one of the hardest parts of moving to Guam. I was so excited to receive my degree at Davis, I loved all of the professors that I had in those short 6 months, and I loved being surrounded by people that were passionate about school and excited to learn. For months I have researched what the next step in my education will be. I have about a year and a half left until I receive my bachelors. Unfortunately, my major is not offered anywhere on the island or online, so due to a change in major, it might take me an extra semester to receive my degree. Once we arrived here, I visited the university on the island and was sadly disappointed. I was passed around like a hacky sack from person to person because no one knew what to do with me and all my transfer units. They greatly encouraged me to be a home-economics major and when I strongly refused, they were insulted. So I moved on to plan B. Online schools. I have been very picky when it comes to online schools and slightly hesitant, once again due to my competitive nature and the fact that I feel like going to school online is just not at the same level as sitting in a class at UC Davis. Well after much research I stumbled upon a program at Penn State. They have a world campus which offers enough courses online to complete a degree. Students receive the same quality education that they would if they were sitting in the classroom. Graduates walk at the ceremony to receive their diploma with everyone else, and the diploma is the same as those who went to class in person. I am so excited about this opportunity because every aspect of it meets my standards. I am just awaiting word about whether or not I have been accepted, so I am writing this to ask for prayer. And if this doesn't work out, I pray that the Lord would shine light onto other opportunities.

Oh and to add a picture to this boring blog, here is a picture of Jarrett's first day back at school. He is taking an economics class right now and working towards his bachelor's through the University of Maryland. I'm so proud of him.

Random Facts About Guam

2009-10-22T00:08:00.000-07:00

We have hit the two month mark as Guam residents. Over the past couple months I have composed a list of things about Guam that make it unique. Some are cool, some are not so cool, and some are just plain strange.
1. Everyone runs on "Chamorro time" or island time. This means everything is done at a much slower pace whether it be driving, preparing your food, or trying to fix a problem such as a busted dishwasher that is flooding your kitchen.
2. The highest speed limit is 45 although most non-locals drive at least 50. If you get pulled over, you are required to pay something like 5 dollars for every mph over the speed limit you went and that is it.
3. A Guamanian is someone who immigrated to the island. A Chamorro is someone who was born and raised here. Or something along those lines.
4. There are a ton of stray dogs here and they are called "boonie dogs." Some look stray and some look like perfectly cute puppies. They sometimes rome in packs and most are scared of humans. There is no rabies on Guam. As a dog lover this is particularly hard for me. I saw a boonie dog get hit by a car and it traumatized me for life. Jarrett thinks he is going to come home to a house full of boonie dogs.
5. The majority of tourists are from Japan. Hence why mostly everything is written in Japanese and English, at least down in Tumon which is the tourist area.
6. Everyone says "Hafa Adai!" Which is I guess the equivalent to people saying "Aloha" in Hawaii.
7. People like to hike around here, and if you go hiking at a place without a trail it is called "boonie stomping."
8. A crappy, rusted, beat up car is called a "boonie car." We own one!
9. Locals chew some strange tobaccos here. One called betelnut which turns your mouth red.
10. Most locals welcome outsiders but others are very territorial over their land, girls, beaches, certain hang out spots, etc.
11. The south end of the island is where a lot of the old locals live.
12. People complain about driving distances even though the island is only 30 miles long. For instance, someone came into the restaurant that I work at when we had just closed and they complained that they had driven all the way from Navy. A total of about 15 miles.
13. Spam is very popular.
14. Some locals tell me I look like Lindsay Lohan. I'm not sure whether or not to take that as a compliment considering well...many reasons.
16. The AC in most buildings is set at a chilly 65 or below. Making it this cold inside is not necessary regardless of the temperature outside. This causes me to bring a sweatshirt with me wherever I go even if it is 90 outside.
17. Guam is like the melting pot of Pacific Islanders. People come all over from Palau, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Samoa, Saipan, Rota, Tinian just to name a few.
18. Guam thinks the beer of America is Budweiser or Bud Light. They don't even ship Coors to the island.
19. Everything is a day later here even though we are a day ahead in time. TV programs shown on Monday nights in the states come on Tuesday nights here. This can get confusing and I often forget what day it is.
20. The motto is "Where America's day begins."
21. The roads are made of coral and they have a lot of potholes and frogs on them that get squished.
22. The guys I work with like to point out that I am often the only white person in the whole restaurant. And if a white person walks in, they announce that I am no longer the only white person.
23. People don't tip here. In fact, a 10% gratuity is charged to each bill at most restaurants because of this. At first I thought I was a bad waitress but then I figured this out. I had a $67 bill the other day and guess what my tip was? $0.00
24. Nobody uses street names here. All directions are given by landmarks. To illustrate this for you, when we were signing up for our utilities, each place made us draw a map of where our house is located so that they could find our house. When asking for directions the reply often sounds like this "turn right at the Mobil station, go through three stop lights, and then turn left at the dog tied to the tree."
25. The people of Guam live the island life. Reggae is blasted, flip flops are the shoe of choice, fruity drinks are sipped, bars on the beach are popular places to be, and the outdoors are enjoyed.
26. First birthdays are HUGE celebrations. Deaths are honored with rosaries and week long festivities. Cook outs on the beach are very popular. And fiestas are going on every weekend.

Well there you are. I could list more but I will save you. I could write a book. I am falling more in love with Guam, its people, and culture every day.

...and everything nice.

2009-10-18T23:40:00.000-07:00

So I got a job!!! Ok so let me start by telling you how AMAZING our God is! I have been searching for a job ever since we arrived on this island. It is a little difficult for non-locals to find jobs but for understandable reasons such as the fact that military don't live here permanently. I submitted application after application, resume after resume with no such luck. Anyways, I found this cafe the week we arrived called Sugar and Spice and I LOVE it. I fell in love with this cafe for a number of reasons such as the atmosphere (nice and cozy), the coffee, and the fact that the owner is from San Francisco and all the food has a California flair to it. I started going to this cafe at least once a week, more when we were living in the hotel nearby. A couple weeks after we arrived, I asked the owner if they were hiring and he said to bring my resume in. For some reason, I never dropped my resume off. Well last week I had an interview for a retail store and to put it lightly, it didn't go well. I was feeling really down when I left. As I was driving home, I felt the Lord strongly urge me to turn around and go back to Sugar and Spice. I just so happened to have an extra resume in my car, so I walked in and lo and behold, the cafe was completely empty and the owner was there hanging out. He pretty much interviewed me on the spot, said he remembered me, and that he really liked my resume. He recognized that I had gone to Cal Poly and UC Davis and was impressed. The next day he hired me! To make this story even more amazing is the same day I got hired, we got a call that my car had arrived on island and was ready to be picked up. That wouldn't sound too exciting if it wasn't for the fact that my car wasn't supposed to arrive for another 3 weeks! So I am now a full time server at Sugar and Spice and I'm being trained to do inventory and calculate employee cost. The manager knows that my husband is military so he gave me morning shifts so that I can be with Jarrett at night. I have felt so overwhelmed by the Lord this week and how GOOD He is to us. The Lord truly did answer my prayers, and even though it felt like forever, it was in His perfect timing. He knew that I wasn't ready to start working right away, He knew that I would need my car, and He knew that working at my favorite place on the island would make me feel comfortable and happy. I feel so blessed and taken care of by my Heavenly Father.

October 14, 2007

2009-10-13T06:15:00.000-07:00

I remember that beautiful day like it was yesterday. Going to church with my family that sunny and crisp Sunday morning; knowing that in just a few short hours, my life would be forever changed. Arriving at the salon, via my newly licensed brother, proudly sporting a simple tank top with the word "Bride" bedazzled across my chest in blue rhinestones. Yes, I was a bride. Sitting in that chair, my hands nervously clenched together, while my cheeks were brightened with soft pink blush and my lips painted red. I was a blushing bride. I can remember like it was yesterday, my mom delicately fastening my shoes and buttoning each button on the white silk dress I had dreamed about wearing since I was a child.I can remember the look in my dad's eyes when he saw his only daughter get ready to walk down the aisle. A look of pride, sadness, love, and hope all in one gaze. I remember seeing my utterly handsome future husband, and knowing that despite the uncertainty of the future that engulfed us, one thing was certain. We were certain that we were soulmates, best friends, a team, and about to be linked until death do us part. In that moment, I didn't care about anything else. Only YOU. Your smile, your heart, your being. I felt like the luckiest girl on the planet and still feel that way today. Two amazing, happy, crazy, and indescribable at times years later.

As you sleep next to me, the sound of your gentle breathing softly fills the quiet room. I fight to stay awake just to hear the whispered "I love you"s that you always say when you are awakened for just a moment, and then you sweetly close your eyes and drift back to sleep. I live for those simple moments. God blessed me more than I can say when he chose me to be your bride. I love you my honey, my slice of heaven, my gift, my book worm, my forever, my husband. Happy Anniversary.

~Your wife

Missing the Seasons

2009-10-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

I slowly scan the pages of Anthropologie's amazing and inspiring catalogue; the assortment of ruffly scarves and cozy sweaters make my heart melt. I never thought I would yearn for the changing of seasons like I do now. As most people back home are enjoying the fall season and the cool weather, we spent the day at the beach boiling like peanuts. I push the fact that this is what it feels like year round into the back of my mind; maybe then it won't be true. Many would argue that California has no idea what different seasons feel like but I beg to differ. Move to Guam and it will feel like anywhere but here experiences seasons. Warm weather is nice, and I really do enjoy wearing shorts, sundresses, and flip flops on a daily basis, but I find my heart longing for a chilly rainstorm, a snugly blanket, a peppermint mocha, and a fire in the fireplace. It's funny to realize what I miss the most about home. I never thought I would wish for the blistering winds and soggy pant legs that become a common accessory during winter. In the meantime, I'm just going to turn the air conditioning down real low so I am forced to snuggle in a blanket, drink a cup of hot coffee with cinnamon creamer, and listen to songs that remind me of cold weather. That will do for now.

Augustine

2009-10-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

I received an e-mail the other day that broke my heart. I have been sponsoring Augustine since I was 17. Augustine lives in Ghana and is 7 now. The e-mail I received said that Augustine is no longer available for sponsorship and that I would receive a letter in the mail with more details. Well I'm impatient and it takes two weeks for mail to get here, so I called up WorldVision and asked for more details. Fortunately, the reason Augustine is no longer in the program is because he has moved in with relatives that can now provide for him. I am so happy that Augustine is being provided for, but I am sad that I will no longer be able to communicate with him. Even though I have never met Augustine, he was close to my heart. I have sent him birthday cards, Christmas cards, first day of school cards. I have received updates here and there with little pictures he drew for me. My favorite was a picture of a 3d box he drew. So cute. I love Augustine, and though I might not have been the best sponsor, I hope he just might miss me like I am going to miss him. I can't wait to finally meet him one day in heaven. I am in the process of praying for a new child to sponsor. I am leaning towards sponsoring a child from Asia this time around but we will see. I wish I could afford to sponsor more than one, as there are so many children in desperate need of support. This is Augustine. Isn't he so adorable!

Refreshed

2009-10-01T05:24:00.000-07:00

I inhale the salty, refreshing, and pure air; the wind gently tousles my hair. I crinkle my toes up and feel the sand seep into the cracks between my toes. The water gently moving towards and then away from the shore like a calm heartbeat. Life seems so simple standing at the edge of the warm, clear ocean water. Home feels like I could almost touch it across the horizon. The thousands of miles in between this shore and the shores of the Central Coast seem to dissolve. Peace and joy rush over me just like the ocean water rushes over the sand beneath my toes. I love how the Lord can renew my spirit with one glance and touch of His magnificent creation.

I asked Jarrett if we could drive down to the beach last night. Thankfully, living on an island means that the beach is never too far away. I wasn't feeling particularly homesick yesterday, yet at the same time, I wanted to feel close to home. I wanted to feel like it was within reach; separate from the reality that I'm so far from home for a few precious moments. The beach does that. (Thank you Robbin for your encouragement and sweet reminder of the power of the ocean).

So last night we went home in our imaginations. Let go of the stresses of work, moving, unusual weather patterns, and such. We felt the water on our fingertips, documented our emotions, and got back into the car feeling renewed.

The storm that is no more!

2009-09-29T22:33:00.000-07:00

Can you come pick me up on base? This was the call I received from Jarrett earlier this afternoon. What?!?!? I replied. But the tropical storm is supposed to hit in about an hour!! I hurried and grabbed my keys, and jumped into the car to avoid getting stuck on the streets in the peak of the storm. I turned the radio up and cautiously headed down the rain slicked roads. Ladies and gentlemen the storm is no more. We repeat the storm has fallen apart and all tropical storm warnings are canceled. These are the words I hear. I didn't know whether to feel totally ecstatic or slightly let down. Probably a mixture of both.

How does that happen? How does a tropical storm break up and suddenly shift to the north an hour before it's supposed to hit?? As of 12pm today, the local news stations were still reporting the storm would arrive shortly after 1pm. We had the best weather predictors in the pacific monitoring this storm. My only reasoning behind this sudden change is that this was an act of God. Amazing.

But we aren't wiping our brows and saying Wheewww quite yet. Tropical storm Melor is making its way toward the Marianas and is expected to be upgraded to a category 1 typhoon by then. We will just call this a test run for Melor which might arrive Saturday. But as you can see, things can change at any moment, even an hour before its supposed arrival.

Until then, our normal daily routines will continue until we hear more. This has been a crazy day to say the least. With the expectance of the tropical storm, to the tsunami watch we had this morning. What a mixture of emotions everyone has felt today. Thank you Jesus for your blanket of safety and relief cast over the island of Guam today.

Tropical Storm 18W

2009-09-29T06:01:00.001-07:00

We are currently awaiting the arrival of what is currently called tropical storm 18W. We are stocked up on supplies, water, food, and seasons of Gilmore Girls on dvd, so we are ready to spend the next day or two indoors (or at least I am :-) ). Guam in located in typhoon ally, so storms like this are nothing new. We are still required to shut our typhoon shutters, secure our houses, and stock up on supplies no matter the strength of the storm. Right now it is a tropical storm, and signs point to it remaining at that strength. It is expected to hit Wednesday night (currently it is 11:30 pm Tuesday night for me) so until then, Jarrett is going to work tomorrow to finish up securing his jobsite, and I'm going to go to my Bible study and run some errands. Here are some pictures of us closing our typhoon shutters. It was kind of fun, but hopefully we won't have to do it again for awhile.

Home In a 12.5oz Jar

2009-09-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

Yessssss!!!! They have it! I squealed. I opened the jar and closed my eyes as I breathed in the sweet aroma. Jarrett knew. He understood. With loving eyes, he grabbed the candle from me and gently placed it in the cart. A little 12.5oz, highly overpriced, halloween edition candle. Seems silly but this pretty baby is so much more than just a candle to me.

This pumpkin spice flavored candle is more like home in a jar to me. The spicy aroma reminds me of Olive cuddling up next to me as I vigorously studied my Chemistry and Biology notes; her little wet nose nuzzling my blanket. This was her signal to me to let her under the blanket. This smell reminds me of me and Jarrett, our noses burried in the pages of the Twilight series (don't tell him I told you that), and the glances we made at each other every few minutes. The I know I'm a nerd but I don't care and I love you for it glance. This scent reminds me of last Thanksgiving when my family drove to Travis and I successfully attempted to make my first Thanksgiving meal. This tiny candle reminds me of the long, honest, and loving conversations I had with my dear friend Natalie. The conversations that helped us grow from Chemistry lab buddies to lifelong friends. This smell reminds me of the home that Jarrett and I created from the tiny space we were given. A home so filled with love, laughter, and friendship, that I would have been content with a space of any size.

As I burn this candle in our new home, I am beginning to feel like no matter how white our walls are, no matter how loud our voices bounce off the white tile that stretches from wall to wall, no matter how much furniture we have (still waiting on half of our stuff), that this place is becoming our home. I can't wait to create more memories and friendships within these walls.

Birthdays and Weddings

2009-09-26T19:20:00.000-07:00

So I'm feeling a little blue today. I'm missing two very important events going on back home and it makes me sad that I can't be there to share in the memory making. September 26th is my most wonderful mother's birthday. I always love celebrating birthdays with my family. For every birthday up until a couple of years ago, we would go to the Madonna Inn coffee shop for dinner. Then starting a couple years ago, we changed our birthday dinner destination to a little Mexican restaurant called La Palapa. I love our birthday dinners because almost every one was spent recalling memories that make us laugh, usually memories involving the birthday boy or girl. Memories recalled every year on my birthday usually consist of the day I was born and christening my dad, why i was nicknamed "smiley", and what a wonderful princess of a child I was (although my parents might beg to differ). I hope my mom has a wonderful birthday. It amazes me how she seems to look younger with age rather than older. I love you Momma.

The second reason I am feeling blue today, is that I am missing one of my best friend's wedding today. I was so elated when I got the phone call in January that Chris had proposed to beautiful Ashley up in Yosemite. And then I squealed for joy when I received a little card in the mail asking if I would be a bridesmaid. Plans changed, and as you know soon after we got orders to Guam. It was so hard for me to call up Ashley and say that I could no longer be a bridesmaid. But today is the day and I couldn't be more excited. I have been thinking about Ashley so much this week and at this time now she is probably dancing the night away surrounded by her wonderful friends and family and of course he now husband Chris. I love you Ashley and wish more than anything that I could have been there to witness the joining of two wonderful people. Have fun in Jamaica!

I think I can, I think I can

2009-09-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

Me and change are frienemies. Yes, I get some of my vocab words from "The Hills", don't judge. Part of me likes the idea of change. Seeing new places, meeting new people, trying new things. It all sounds nice, and most often, change creates some pretty awesome memories and experiences. But then part of me dreads change. A bigger part of me. I'm stubborn. Plain and simple. Always have been and probably always will be; I'm my father's child. Well you might be thinking, "Hey you sure picked the wrong lifestyle considering you don't like change." Well yes, I think I'm pretty crazy myself for joining the military lifestyle, not for marrying my wonderful husband. That of course was not a crazy decision. Him choosing to marry me well....he might be a little on the loony side. Anyways, if there is anything that I have figured out over the past few years is that the Lord has some specific lessons that He is desperately trying to teach me in this season of my life. The first being something that I already discussed in a previous post, which is letting go of my need to plan, plan, and then oh.. plan. The second lesson I believe the Lord is trying to teach me, is that it is important to step out of my comfort zone. Not just important, more like VITAL for me to step out of my comfort zone.

This is my comfort zone: a soy chai tea latte from Starbucks, only a bean and cheese burrito with guacamole INSIDE the burrito not on the side when eating at Mexican restaurants, being outdoors but usually not joining in on the more adventurous outdoorsy stuff such as hiking, jumping in random bodies of water that are neither an ocean nor a public swimming pool (give me a towel, some sunscreen, and a magazine and I'm one happy lady!) I don't like eating meat at restaurants I'm unsure of for fear of it being undercooked. i wash my hands incessantly and to the chagrin of others, mainly my husband, I often remind those around me to wash their hands too! I talk to my family almost every day, and I need to be able to call up my closest friends at any time and know they would head over to my house in a heartbeat whether it be because I need a simple girl chat, or a shoulder to cry on. And having Jarrett by my side pretty much ALL THE TIME. This is my comfort zone.

At church a couple weeks ago, the pastor asked for praises and prayer requests. I believe God was specifically speaking to me when a young man stood up and talked about being uncomfortable. He said, "God wants us to step out of our comfort zone. He wants us to be uncomfortable because it is in these times, that we reach for Him the most and in turn grow the most spiritually and personally." I feel like I have heard these very words before, but this time it was like the Lord had formed these words into the most beautiful acoustic song (my favorite), and they have stuck with me for the past few weeks. This move has made me soooo incredibly uncomfortable in every way imaginable. The first being the fact that we moved across the WORLD. Oh Lord, please be easy on me... please? No? Ok. I have lived out of a suitcase for almost two months ( we still are actually), a month of that time spent in a hotel room with mold on the ceiling and ants everywhere and no INTERNET (gasp). I had to find my way around this island by myself for the first week, went searching for a job and turned in resumes only to be turned down, went to a ladies dinner and Bible study by myself, jumped into a small water hole and let water from a waterfall rush over my head, hiked down a steep mountain with basically no trail and cut my legs all up in the process (that certainly was uncomfortable), and ordered tuna fish tacos from a Mexican restaurant instead of a bean and cheese burrito with guacamole. Hey, the Lord doesn't discriminate, He loves for me to grow in every aspect of my life, including the foods I eat! :-) And while a lot of this stuff is still uncomfortable, however big or small it may seem, I know I am growing slowwwwly but surely. Although, I do have to channel my inner Thomas the Train Engine from time to time "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." Remember, I'm a stubborn one.

Philippians 4:6

2009-09-22T05:22:00.000-07:00

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

I love this verse. How simple these words are, yet so difficult to remember when I feel so consumed with worry and anxiety. This verse has been placed on my heart on more than one occasion this week. Thank you Lord for reminding me this week that all I need to do is simply give up my worries, fears, and doubts to You.
.

The Caves

2009-09-20T23:15:00.000-07:00

So this weekend, Jarrett and I hiked to some caves with some friends for a Sunday afternoon bbq! It's funny how much we have done outdoors here in Guam compared to California. We never really liked hiking or anything of that nature until we moved here. Maybe it's because most of the hikes end up at a beach or waterfall or in this case a underwater cave, and it's nice to jump in some water after a hike! So on Sunday we went to these underwater caves and went swimming. Jarrett jumped off some rocks, while I relaxed on a floatie. The weather was pretty nasty here this past week because of a lingering typhoon to the north of us, so it was nice to get outside and spend time with some people from Jarrett's shop. And now, unfortunately it's Monday and Jarrett is back at work while I continue searching for a job...without a car. Not sure how that's going to work out. The rest of our furniture still has not arrive (we only received half of it last week), so we are reading lots of books and watching movies on my computer. I've read 3 books in the past week and Jarrett's read 2! Anyways, here are some pictures from our hike. P.S. Notice the lovely bump Jarrett received on his head from hitting his head on a rock.

New house!

2009-09-15T21:32:00.001-07:00

Well we finally moved into our house last week! We are in love with our house! We have so much storage space, especially in the kitchen, that we don't know what to do with it all! We feel really spoiled that we are able to live in a house like this. Just the other day, Jarrett and I were talking and just thinking about how blessed we are to have this opportunity and to live in such a wonderful house at the age of 22. We are truly thankful! I am really coming to love Guam. It's so beautiful here and the weather is a whole new experience in itself. We had a typhoon pass to the north of us yesterday, so the weather has been pretty nasty. Everything would be truly perfect if we had our friends, family, and Olive here to share it with! But until then....we are still happy as clams. We have really done a lot since we have been here and I will write more about our adventures in future posts. I have to make this short, but I wanted to make sure I got more pictures up for family to see!

Settling In

2009-08-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

Well we are getting settled in here in Guam. We are still staying at our hotel and will be until September 9th when we move into our new house! We are so excited about our house and can't wait to move in! We decided on a lovely 3 bedroom 2 bath house. Its got a two car garage, new appliances, and a huge walk in closet! We feel very spoiled! We also purchased a new vehicle this week (I've included a photo). It's a 1995 Buick and we purchased it for $1500 bucks! It's a perfect car to get Jarrett from A to B. We are excited for finally ship our other vehicle after numerous problems, and will hopefully receive that within the next few months! And then I will be able to drive myself around, since Jarrett is going to have to use the Buick to go to work. We are liking it a lot here in Guam. The weather is unpredictable, but you can always count on it being very hot and humid! It's fun experiencing new weather, after living with the always lovely weather in California. No Typhoons to report of yet, and hopefully it will stay that way! Guam is also a huge Japanese tourist location, so that's been another thing we have had to get used to. The language barrier and the fact that everything is written in Japanese is a little frustrating but we are dealing! Jarrett starts work on Monday, so I am looking for a job to keep myself busy. It's really hard for non-locals to find jobs here as I am finding out. It's understandable that the locals want to give all the opportunities to other locals, but it's frustrating non the less. Well I've attached a few pictures to give you a visual idea of our new home!

Guam Pictures

2009-08-21T02:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of our first few days in Guam!!

The Beauty in Losing Control

2009-05-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

So this is something that I have been mulling over in my head for months, and I feel the need to compose my thoughts on "paper." I know I am not the only one that often wonders what my purpose on this earth is and what I believe the Lord wants to teach me in this life. Everyone does this, and if you are like me, you might even stay awake for hours in bed thinking about this. Beginning my freshman year of high school, I began planning what I wanted my life to look like for the next 10 or so years. Sounds silly, but this is me. I met Jarrett at 15 and after dating for only a short while, I had no doubt that he had to be Incorporated into my "life plan." I studied hard in school, maintained over a 4.0 gpa, got into all the colleges I applied to, and decided on majoring in Microbiology at Cal Poly. This was my plan.

August of 2006, Jarrett came to me and asked what I would think about him joining the military. In my head I was screaming "No! This wasn't in the plan!" But in my heart, I felt very strongly that the Lord wanted to use Jarrett in this way. I supported Jarrett with everything in me and was so proud, and still am, to see the things that Jarrett has done. But what about my plan. Jarrett left for 8 months and in those 8 months I experienced incredible confusion, sadness, and questioned God daily about how He wanted to use me. I considered transferring to a couple different schools, considered becoming a missionary, considered going to a Bible school in Europe, attempted to change my major 2 different times, all in my first year of college! It sounds silly and ridiculous now, but at the time, I was desperate to feel like what I was doing was what God wanted me to do. In an instant, the plan that I had built up for years no longer felt right.

I realized that I didn't want to experience life without Jarrett. I wanted to be successful and do amazing things, but I wanted Jarrett right alongside me. We got engaged in May 2007 and I began planning the wedding of our dreams.
I booked the venue, bought my dress, bought the bridesmaids dresses, ordered the flowers, got the photographer, dj, and caterer. And then Jarrett called with the news that he was deploying a few days before we were scheduled to get married. We canceled everything and got married 3 weeks later. We moved to Travis and enjoyed being newlyweds while at the same time preparing for his deployment. I planned to move home and finish my 2nd year at Cal Poly. And then we found out they had canceled his deployment. This was great news, but a piece of me was angry because this wasn't the plan!
Forward to February of this year. I had just started school at UC Davis. We received news that Jarrett would be deploying in June. I began preparing for the deployment, figuring out what I was going to do over the summer. Would I move home? Would i stay up here and take classes? And then to my surprise, which by now I guess I shouldn't be surprised, Jarrett came home to tell me that we received orders to Guam. Once again I was angry because what about my plan? What would I do about school? What would I do about the wedding I was supposed to be in? What about the trip I was supposed to take to see a friend this summer?

And this is where I sit down and realize that I am beginning to see a pattern. I am a planner, a worrier, and a control freak to the max. And I realize that I leave little or almost no room for God's input. I see my life and how I want it to be or how I think it should be and it's hard for me to let that go and put it into our Lord's hands. God is continually crumpling up my to do list and shouting in his megaphone "I'm in control, just trust me!" I believe that this is the lesson that God really wants to teach me in this season of my life. The art of letting go, releasing my tightly clenched hands that hold so tightly to my plan. Sometimes I act like a two year old and scream "But I don't want to share!" But repeatedly the Lord whispers "Just trust me."
And so I've wiped my to-do list clean. I don't know where I'm going to go to school, don't know what I'm going to do in Guam, don't know where we are going to live, etc. Basically, all the things I would have tried to plan months ago. I know the Lord will show me His plan for me and for me and Jarrett in His perfect time and until then, I am going to sit back and enjoy this exciting time in my life without worrying about what the next step will be or should be.

Back on the blog train!

2009-05-15T00:19:00.000-07:00

Well as you might have noticed, I haven't blogged in well over a year. There is no good reason as to why I stopped blogging other than I just simply lost interest. But I have decided to restart my blog because of some exciting adventures that me and Jarrett are about to embark on. No, I'm not pregnant. I feel this is a great tool to keep friends and family updated, and so here I am!

Back in February, Jarrett had just gotten home from a three week TDY in Mississippi. Once his TDY was over, we began planning for his deployment that was scheduled for June. You would think by now that I would learn that planning of any sort should never be in the same category as the military. I walked through the door after a long day of school and was slightly confused when Jarrett told me to sit down; he had something to tell me. He then preceded to spit out the news that we received orders to move....to Guam. "Guam? By the way, where the heck is Guam?" I answered. For some reason, I always thought Guam was in the Caribean. I was slightly shocked when I learned it was actually south of Japan or north of Australia, however you want to view it. So now, instead of preparing for his deployment, we are preparing for the trek to the little 30 mile long island of Guam.

Now that the shock has subsided, Jarrett and I are excited for the this new adventure...although it is taking me a little longer to get used to the idea. I am sad to leave all the wonderful friends I have made and the university that I have settled in to. I am sad to leave my family, and the beautiful little town of San Luis Obispo. But life is about adventure, and moving to Guam is certainly going to be an adventure if I ever saw one. So please pray us as we prepare and actually make the move in August.

And since all blogs are better with pictures... here is my spoiled baby.

Time flies when you're having fun!

2008-01-22T19:42:00.000-08:00

That's our motto for the past few weeks, and it obviously reflects in my blogging. I can't believe I haven't posted in a few weeks but Jarrett and I have been busy, busy, busy. Last weekend, Jarrett's grandparents were so kind to let us have a bit of their timeshare up in Lake Tahoe. Since Jarrett and I had originally planned on getting married on January 5th, we were going to spend a week in Tahoe for our honeymoon. Well, obviously plans changed but Jarrett's grandparents still offered to let us use the cabin for a few days. We drove up late on the 11th and settled into the cute little cabin with fireplace and all. The next morning, Jarrett and I awoke to lots of snow falling. We were like little kids on Christmas morning because the weather report hadn't indicated any snow. We quickly put our boots on and ran outside and down towards the lake (our cabin was right next to the lake.) We had decided early on that we didn't want to go snowboarding and that we just wanted to hang out and do other things that we normally don't get to do because we are snowboarding. We found the cutest little cafe and enjoyed a very tasty breakfast and then hopped in the car and drove about 10 miles to Squaw Valley. We rode up the gondola (we love when there are military discounts...Jarrett got to go up for free!) and once on top of the mountain, we went ice skating at the Olympic rink. After ice skating, we headed back to the cabin, got all snuggly, and watched Little Miss Sunshine, which Jarrett and I hadn't seen yet...it was a great movie! We had such a blast in Tahoe and thanks again Grandpa Ron and Grandma Pat for allowing us to go!

Other than Tahoe, Jarrett and I just returned a few days ago from SLO. We drove down late last Tuesday and left Sunday afternoon. I had the best time catching up with some of my wonderful friends. I was able to have breakfast with Lindsey Iunker, coffee with Katie my wonderful Bible study leader, go shopping with wonderful Heatherdoo, and have lunch with my roommate from last year Holly to name a few. I was also able to spend some much needed time with my wonderful family...it's so hard living away from them! On Friday, Jarrett and I were able to go watch Jarrett's brother, Aaron, perform with his band in Grover Beach. He did a great job and we were so excited to finally make it to one of his shows!

And now that we're home, real life has begun...at least for me. I started my new job at Hollister yesterday and then started school today. Work was fun, and I've already met some cool people. School is good too. I am taking calculus, chemistry, and English...let's just hope I'm not diving in too quickly, remember I haven't been in school since June. Geez...it doesn't seem that long. But as much as I dread nightly readings, multiple math problems, and English essays, I do have to say that I am sooo happy to be back in school!

Well American Idol is on so that means it's time for me to wrap this up but I will leave you with a few pictures from our trip to Tahoe.

End of '07 and beginning of '08

2008-01-04T23:09:00.000-08:00

It's been a little bit since I last blogged and that's because I have been spending a ton of much needed time with my hunky hubby. Jarrett has had all of New Year's week off and it feels just like the old days being able to spend all day together watching movies and doing a whole lot of nothing. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in my last blog, I started to come down with a bit of a cold which turned into over a week of gagging down dayquil and nyquil, piling up tissues, and laying bundled up on the couch watching America's Next Top Model reruns much to my husbands dismay. And sadly the hubby has joined my sickie club and is now knocked out on a home made bed on the floor, couging, and attempting to breathe through his nose which just results in a whole lot of snoring. But despite our sicknesses, we have still managed to accomplish a lot this past week and have a whole lot of fun.
Last weekend, the Boyd's make the long trek up to Vacaville and joined us for a little after Christmas celebration. We had planned on going to San Francisco but the weather didn't agree, so instead we decided to go to the big mall in Sacramento. We also enjoyed many meals together, of course one of those meals was at our favorite Olive Garden, went bowling, which by the way I kicked butt at...just the way I like it, and just had fun spending time together.

After the Boyd's left, New Year's Eve was right around the corner. Jarrett and me being the homebodies that we are, stayed in and had our friend Paul over. We barbequed and watching a movie and then when midnight rolled around we watched the humongous illegal fireworks going off right by our apartment complex...an odd sight to see in the middle of a residential area. Then we bid our friend Paul farewell, as he was unfortunately getting ready to deploy the next day. Jarrett and I had planned to go snowboarding on New Years day, but when we woke up that morning I realized when I couldn't even breathe, that snowboarding was just simply not going to happen. The hubby was a little bummed, although he didn't show it, so I promised we would do something fun later on in the day and go snowboarding the next day. Jarrett has really got into golfing, after he went golfing with my brothers on Christmas day, so we decided to head over to the local driving range and hit some balls. I can't say I'm the most graceful golfer, but I managed. I always laugh when I go golfing now, because when I was in elementary school, my dad so badly wanted me to golf. I would say I was pretty good at the time but I just didn't apply myself enough and frankly I just didn't have the patience for the sport. My dad tried everything from buying me cute golfing outfits, to getting me women's golfing magazines, but being the stubborn person that I am (obviously my father's child) golfing just never became a passion. So when I called my dad on New Years and told him Jarrett and I were going golfing, I was once again reminded of those days when I heard my dad's voice on the other line immediately brighten up. It's funny because as I gripped that club tightly in my hands, swung, and sent the golf ball flying, I thought what might have been if I had taken my dad's advice and applied myself to the game of golf. But swing after swing and hit after hit, I soon became bored and realized once again that some things are just never meant to be. But Jarrett and I still managed to have some fun.

The next day, I woke up feeling slightly better but knew that I wasn't going to spend the day in bed again and disappoint my poor husband who had been dying to go snowboarding. So we loaded up the car, Olive and all, and drove up to Sierra at Tahoe. The weather was beautiful and we had a blast like we always do when we go snowboarding. And the most fun part was that Jarrett and I both go to try out our new snowboards, which were our Christmas presents to eachother.

Jarrett and I have had a great start to '08 and are excited to see what this year holds. I know that this year will contain it's set of joys and heartaches but I'm so excited and lucky to be able to experience whatever may come with the person I love most as my husband. I have no resolutions because I never keep them, but my one goal for this year is to live with more passion. Passion for my Lord and Savior, passion for my slice of heaven that is my husband, and passion for the things I enjoy most in life such as helping others and furthering my education. Here's to a great '08!

Christmas time happenings!

2007-12-26T22:02:00.000-08:00

So there has been an obvious lack of blog updates but I've been keeping myself busy. I will post lots of pictures so you get a taste of what I've been up to. Jarrett and I went to his squadron's Christmas party a few weeks back. We had a great time and I finally got to meet most of the guys that Jarrett works with everyday.
Last week some friends from Cal Poly and I went to San Francisco for the day. I had such a wonderful time catching up with my lovely friends and getting some good ol' shopping in. San Francisco was absolutely beautiful and Union Square was a sight to be seen with it's humongous Christmas tree and all the surrounding buildings lit up with twinkling Christmas lights. I love my girlfriends and only wish I could see them more often.

On Saturday, Jarrett and I finally got the opportunity to explore little downtown Vacaville. We had lunch at a nice Mexican restaurant and then walked around, although not for long because it was a chilly 29 degrees.

On Sunday, Jarrett and I packed up and drove to Modesto where my aunt livesto spend Christmas. My family drove up and brought along with them their new puppy, Dewey. We spent a lot of time playing with the puppies and just chatting and hanging out. Jarrett got to spend a lot of time with my brothers going to a movie with them, playing monopoly, and golfing. Christmas Eve we went to Church and then enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by my mom. And on Christmas, we woke up early and opened presents and just enjoyed spending time with eachother. Jarrett and I had a wonderful first Christmas as a married couple. Unfortunately, my cousins both had bad colds, and then my family started to come down with something and then this morning I woke up with a bad sore throat. Jarrett's family is coming up for the weekend, so I've spent the day drinking airborne, drinking tea, and just taking it easy with the hope that it will subside by the time the Boyd's arrive. Also on Friday, Leighanne, Paul's wife is leaving California to move back home while Paul is gone on deployment for the next 6 months. Paul leaves on the 2nd. Jarrett and I are both really bummed because the Wheeler's have become good friends and the couple that we spend a lot of our time with. I can't wait for them to be back in 6 months! Well I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and hopefully a wonderful new years!

Mmmm the good things in life.

2007-12-13T13:50:00.000-08:00

One of my most favorite things to do is to go to a good coffee shop, sit down with either my favorite soy chai or hot chocolate and enjoy a good book or just think about life. I could do this every day if I had the time or money. But today is one of those days where snuggling up at a coffee shop is a must for me. It's cold here, try 30 degrees this morning at like 10 and it doesn't get much warmer than 55 degrees. I mean that really isn't that cold compared to the freezing weather that most people in the country are experiencing right now but it's still chilly. My favorite coffee shop that I've found so far up here has got to be the Starbucks on base. I know I know it's a Starbucks, Heather would be mad at me, but the atmosphere is the best with a ton of big comfy chairs and not to many people during the day. Today, I decided on the peppermint hot chocolate which is a winter favorite of mine. Unfortunately, I guess Starbucks has started setting out brochures with all the nutritional content of their drinks and I happened to stumble upon it today. Way to go Starbucks... now I feel even more guilty about this delicious hot chocolate I am enjoying so much. I guess that's why they call some things guilty pleasures because this is definitely one of them.

For all you music lovers, I came upon this amazing band recently but just bought her cd yesterday. A Fine Frenzy is I feel like a girl version of Coldplay which I think is like the hot chocolate of music. Sweet, smooth, rich, and warm. Her lyrics and melodies just make me smile. That's what music should do... that's when you know it's good music.

And for book lovers, I have started reading a good book...I love a good book. I haven't strayed far from authors such as Karen Kingsbury and Francine Rivers lately, but I stumbled upon this book at Borders recently and I knew I had to read it. It's called "What is the What" by Dave Eggers. "What is the What" is a novel based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng, who was a so-called Lost Boy, who was forced from his village in Sudan. Eventually he settles in the United States and the novel follows his experiences, heart aches, and challenges. This book is about the life of Valentino but it couldn't be called a memoir due to the fact that Valentino couldn't remember exact words said in conversations and such but all of the experiences and challenges, Valentino did actually go through which I find fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time. Anyways, you should check it out.

Well I'm going to get back to my book. Tonight Jarrett and I are going to the Christmas party for his squadron so that should be fun. I'll post pics soon.

Accomplishments...church, school, and Christmas tree!

2007-12-08T21:16:00.000-08:00

The wind is howling so loud right now it sounds like I'm inside a tornado or something, not the most comfortable and relaxing sound. But life is good as I sit here with my puppy on my lap next to my Charlie Brown Christmas tree and my old man of a husband who is already asleep at 9:15 on a Saturday night :-) So perfect time to get a little blogging in. This week has flown by and I survived this week a heck of a lot better than last week. I'm still a little homesick but I'm starting to really get attached to my little Olive and I really do enjoy having her around now as opposed to last week when I was about ready to hand her over to my mom as an early Christmas present. She is a really great puppy and sure does love to cuddle. Olive loves everyone. This is our friend, Paul.
Olive was chilly so she climbed in Paul's jacket.
Here she is playing dead.

This week Jarrett and I decided it was time to get a tree. We were set on getting a real tree but when we thought about little Olive and the possibility of her trying to eat the tree and also because of our lack of space in the apartment we decided on a little 4 foot pre-lit fake tree that we just set on one of our end tables. It's pretty pathetic but it works. I tried to spruce it up by adding some ornaments which helped. Here's our little tree. Here are my socks my Grandma gave me. Gotta love festive reindeer socks, bells and all.

Last Sunday, Jarrett and I tried out a church that a friend suggested and we ended up really liking it. So on Thursday, Jarrett and I met with the associate pastor and his wife over coffee and chatted and learned more about the church. It sounds like it's going to be a good fit and Jarrett and I are excited to go back tomorrow. Tonight, the women's ministry at the church was putting on their annual Women's Christmas dinner, so last Sunday, with a lot of pushing from Jarrett, I purchased a ticket so I could go. I have to admit that I am pretty proud of myself for deciding to go because as a pretty shy person, i really don't enjoy going places where I don't know anyone, especially places where everyone knows everyone else. But I'm so anxious and well I'll be honest pretty desperate to meet people, that I got up the guts and went by myself. It was a little awkward and at times very uncomfortable but I really enjoyed being surrounded by a bunch of other women who just wanted to have fun and worship the Lord. And I came away with a sense of confidence, yes cheesy but true, and also some new friends. I met a few other military wives around my age which I was really excited about because I haven't met anyone my age here yet, only women who are older, and most of them with children. So all around, it was a successful night.

Update on school. After a few stressful weeks of overnighting transcripts, making phone calls, and meeting with counselors a few times, I am set and ready to register for classes on Tuesday at the local junior college. I find it odd that it was a lot more difficult to get everything ready at this college than it was for Cal Poly. I'm thankful that I have gotten to know a really wonderful counselor who actually called me personally to help me with everything and then gave me her cell number in case I had problems or questions. She also helped to get me cleared to sign up for a few classes that I needed my high school transcript for, but I didn't have, but she cleared them based on my gpa at Cal Poly which they don't normally do. This whole school situation has really been stressing me out but the Lord has really worked things out, like He always does... I should know this by now you would think. I also have a meeting with a guy from Davis on Monday to discuss what else I need to do in order to get into Davis in the next few semesters.

So no word yet about getting a house on base and no words yet about Jarrett deploying. Hopefully we will hear a yay about housing soon and a definite nay on the deployment! As for Christmas, since Jarrett can't travel more than 3 hours away from base, my family is coming up to my aunt's house in Modesto and Jarrett and I will drive down there to meet them for Christmas. Modesto is only an hour and a half away so we're good to go. And then after Christmas, Jarrett's parents are going to drive up for a weekend which I am excited about. I'm thankful that I will still be able to see family even if it's not at home in beautiful SLO. Sidenote...a lady at the church dinner asked where I was from. I said San Luis Obispo. The lady next to her said "Oh is it nice there?" and the other lady went "oh yes, it's beautiful, very posh." I thought that was funny. I just think of it as home! And what does posh mean? I just know it's a spice girl.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures and for all my wonderful friends from Cal Poly who are going home to their homes up by me, Call me!!

~Kate

Crying mess...

2007-11-29T23:05:00.000-08:00

This week has just been one of those weeks. The kind of week when everyone and everything seems to cause me to tear up and turn into a blubbery mess. But today, finally, after about oh noon, the skies opened up and halleluja my eyes are tear free. Jarrett and I drove home on Sunday and since then I've been battling homesickness. After spending an amazing week with my family, friends, and Jarrett in my favorite place in the world, SLO, coming back to Vacaville just didn't seem right. And did I forget to mention Jarrett and I brought home a friend? Yes, well Saturday for the first time in a long time I made a decision without thinking about it thoroughly over many hours or days. Jarrett and I adopted a little puppy from Woods Humane Society and we call her Olive...Olive the Other Reindeer, the name courtesy of my mom. Jarrett and I weren't too fond of the name, but after trying to call her other ones, they just didn't seem to fit and Olive just seemed right and not to mention that she looks a lot like the cartoon dog from 'Olive the Other Reindeer.'

Olive, Olive, Olive. Where to start. She's an amazing puppy...when she's not peeing on our carpet. No, I'm kidding. She's great but I just didn't realize how tough training a puppy was going to be. If it's anything like having a kid, I can say right now that I am not having kids for a very very very long time. Well, Jarrett and I realized that our apartment is just way to small to have a puppy and we've been wanting to move on base anyways, so Jarrett finally filled out the paper work to put us on the list for on base housing. I know Jarrett has reservations about living on base, but he realizes that it will be really good for me. I will feel a lot safer living on base and not so isolated. So they say the longest we will be waiting to get on base is 3 months, so please pray that the Lord will work everything out.

In other news, Jarrett was informed today that he can't travel more than 3 hours away from base incase they call him up to deploy with short notice. We are really bummed because this obviously means that we can't go home for Christmas. I was really looking forward to going back to SLO to spend the holidays at home with family and friends, but I know the Lord will make this holiday special even if it's just the two of us. First Christmas as a married couple. Cute.

Jarrett and I are getting prepped for the holidays and boy is it fun. We went to Wal Mart today and spent a little more than we should on Christmas cd's, lights, ornaments, cards, and why the heck is a Christmas tree skirt $25? Maybe I'm cheap but that just seems silly. Tomorrow we are going to go get our tree. We haven't figured out where a tree is even going to fit in our apartment but even if it means throwing our dining room table out on the balcony for a few weeks, we are getting a tree! I'll post pics of it soon! In the mean time, here are a few pics from our time at home and Olive! Enjoy!
(Lance is Amazing)
(Holiday Tradition. Heather is crazy)
(Soaking in sun in Avila) (My attempt at baking. It had to be documented.)
(Meet Olive.)
(She's cute)(She loves her Momma. Momma's starting to love her now that she's not peeing on the carpet 6 times a day.)
(Olive is festive)
(We love being married.)

Busy Week

2007-11-23T12:52:00.001-08:00

I seriously apologize for the lack of blog updates. The past few weeks have been very busy with lots of driving to SLO, a trip to the emergency room (I'm ok!), and lots of time spent with family and good friends. Unfortunately, I can't post pictures yet because I don't have my lap top with me but I will post some as soon as I get home.

My mom drove up to Vacaville and picked me up last Saturday so that I could come home early to see my friends that were coming home from school. Jarrett wasn't able to drive home until Wednesday afternoon. In the past few days I've spent time roaming the beautiful streets of downtown SLO with my wonderful friend Heather, which I miss so much, I went to Sundae Sunday at my Bible study leader, Tracy's house and got to catch up with a lot of the girls from my Bible study who I miss more than words can say. Tuesday night, a bunch of my high school friends got together and went to Klondikes for the all you can eat pizza night. My whole day/ week/month/year was made when I got to see my dear friend Lance. I'm particularly thankful this Thanksgiving season that I got to see Lance and give him a big/gentle hug considering what he's been through in the last year. For those of you who aren't familiar with Lance and his story, Lance who is in the army, was seriously injured on September 10 in a horrible accident in Iraq that claimed the lives of 7 of his buddies and seriously injured the rest of the guys in his platoon. Lance had many severe injuries, the worst being a broken back, but is doing well and recovering in a hospital in Georgia. I look up to Lance for more reasons than I can list but mostly for his strength, courage, and unshakeable faith in the Lord.

On Wednesday, I got to relax and breath in the sweet ocean air in Avila Beach with Heather. Going to the beach with Heather is a must do every time she comes home from school but I can't say it's the most comfortable experience. Heather who goes to school in Colorado, comes home to SLO and thinks it's like 100 degrees here compared to Colorado. So because of this, she insists that we have to lay out at the beach and attempt to tan. All of my attempts to convince her that 65 degrees is not ideal laying out conditions failed, so there I was with goose bumps and my towel rapped around me tightly, my sweatshirt zipped up to the top, with a smile on my face because although it was freezing, I wouldn't give up that time spent with Heather for the world!

Thursday was Turkey day, and my first holiday with Jarrett as a married couple. We spent most of the day with Jarrett's dads side of the family. Shout out to Grandpa Ron. And then later on we went to my house and enjoyed dessert with our good friends,the Maguires. So I feel 5 pounds heavier, and I'm sitting here pondering how I managed to eat so much. Oh well enjoying massive amounts of mashed potatos, green bean casserole, and stuffing is worth every calorie and guilty feeling.

Jarrett and I are leaving for home tomorrow. I hope everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm truly thankful for all the wonderful people in my life, good health, my amazing families, and of course for my better half, which Jarrett is, and for the fact that I get to have him home instead of overseas, at least for now!

Joshua Caine!

2007-11-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

Jarrett and I received a very special package in the mail today. Our wonderful, amazing, incredible, fabulous photographer Joshua Caine sent us our wedding pictures! So, I am just going to take a moment to rant and rave about Josh and try to convince every girl/future bride to hire him the second you get engaged!

The minute that I found out that Jarrett and I were going to have to move up the wedding, I called Josh to see if there was any way we could still have him take pictures with such a short notice. Josh was so accomodating and I feel went more than out of his way to help make our day special. I was so excited today when I went to the mailbox and saw a UPS note saying that I had a package in the office at our apartment complex. There are 3 women that work in the office and they are all incredibly hilarious. One woman hands me the package and says "Oh girl, is there wine in there or something?" And I replied "why no, those are my WEDDING PICTURES! EEK!" And then all the women in the office start screaming, and one hands me a pair of scissors, as all the others quickly gather around. I cut open the box and pulled out the album and opened to the first page and awwwww they are soooo wonderful!!! And Josh if you read this, all the women in the office said the day they get engaged they are calling YOU! So, I've already got you like 3 more future clients!
I might be a little biased, but I think our pictures are the most wonderful wedding pictures I've ever seen!! :-) So if anyone needs a photographer check out Josh's website which is joshuacaine.com or visit his blog which is joshuacaine.blogspot.com.

To everyone in SLO...

2007-11-07T18:18:00.000-08:00

We're coming home this weekend!!!! Yay, I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. Yesterday, I realized that Jarrett doesn't have work on Monday because of Veteran's day, so I immediately called him up and said, "you don't have work on Monday, can we pleeeeeeeaaaaassseee go home this weekend?" and of course he couldn't say no to my pleading so he agreed that we can leave Friday right after he gets off work. I'm hoping to get on the road and arrive in SLO by 7:30 because my brother, Jimmy, got pulled up again to play on the varsity football team against SLO's all time rival, Arroyo Grande! This weekend is also the annual Straight Down golf tournament, and my parents always have a big get together, so I'm excited we will be able to go to that on Sunday.

When I go home I will also be able to meet the new addition to our family, little Spock. Our good friends up the street have this very rare cat that has these ears that lay permanently flat. Apparently these cats are very expensive and rare. This cat of theres is an indoor cat and for some reason wasn't neutered. After a quick escapade outdoors one day, it came home knocked up and soon after gave birth to some kittens. A few of the kittens have normal ears, one kitten has the flat ears, and the last kitten has ears that were half up and half down which they named Spock. My family was interested in adopting Spock before Carlos ever got sick, but when he did last week we decided to pass on bringing Spock home for fear that it would stress Carlos out. Well, Carlos unfortunately passed away last week and so when my mom got home from Modesto this weekend, my dad surprised her with little Spock. My mom was referring to Spock as a he last week and then when I called this week she was referring to Spock as a her. I got a little confused and asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?" and my silly mother responds, "I'm not really sure, I have to take her to the vet to find out." Oh goodness. Well, my mom has already spoiled this little kitty with a leopard print bed and other accessories and when I call home I can always hear Spock meowing in the backround. I just can't wait to meet him...or her.

Well, whoever is in SLO this weekend and wants to get together, call me up! Jarrett and I don't really have any plans other than soaking in the goodness of SLO....mmmm can't wait!

Birthdays, hello's, and goodbye's.

2007-11-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

Jarrett and I have had a busy past few days, but busy is good for me considering I spend my days during the week just hanging out. My birthday was on Friday and I can say that turning 20 does make me feel a little older as I am no longer a teenager. I didn't get to spend much of my birthday with Jarrett since he had to work, so I made sure I kept myself busy. I decided to drive to Sacramento to go walk around the big mall there. After almost having a heartattack like 20 times, I finally made it there safely. I'm still getting used to the busy 4 lane freeways compared to the relatively traffic free two lane freeways back home. My gift from Jarrett was a new pair of jeans so I picked out a nice pair along with a couple t-shirts and a cute pair of shoes. I can't remember the last time I went shopping so it did feel good to treat myself to a little something. For lunch I had my favorite grilled cheese and then also some french fries and a milkshake! That night, Jarrett and I along with the Wheeler family all went to BJ's for dinner which was delicious. My birthday was good, but I was a little sad that I didn't get to celebrate with my family and continue our tradition of dinner at the Madonna Inn Coffee Shop.

Early Saturday morning, Jarrett and I packed up and drove to Modesto to my aunt's house. My mom and brother Jimmy were also driving up to meet us there. I haven't seen my family since Jarrett and I got married, which is a long time for me, so I loved that I was able to see my wonderful Momma and brother. Unfortunately, a few minutes after my mom arrived, she pulled me aside and informed me that my little Carlos had passed away from a heartattack.
I then understood why my parents had only briefly talked to me on my birthday, they didn't want me to receive the news and have it ruin my birthday. My family and I are heartbroken as Carlos was such a part of our family and going home with be a little weird without the familiar yapping and scratching at my legs to pick him up.

The rest of the weekend was great. I enjoyed a nice lunch with my mom and aunt at a beautiful vineyard/ b&b. Then later on we played "Are You Smarter Than a 5th grader?" with my cousins. Let me tell you, whoever made up the questions for that game must have been going to some expensive private school because as far as I know a 1st grader shouldn't know what the less than < and greater than > symbol means. On Sunday morning, we all went through all the boxes that were moved from my Grandma's house to my aunt's after she passed away two months ago. Jarrett and I received her old dining room table as well as a cute side table and a few other things. Last night I opened the drawer to the side table and found it full with all of her playing cards, which her favorite hobby was playing bridge, and a few trinkets of my mom's from when she was little. It was a sad moment for me, but I'm so happy that I get to have a few things of hers to help make this apartment into a home.

Well, Jarrett and I are just relaxing tonight. Jarrett's getting ready for his day tomorrow by ironing his uniform and polishing his boots.
This time change is really killing us, so I just might go to bed tonight at the same time as Jarrett. Married life is great and we are both really getting used to living together and learning eachother's little habits. Jarrett's favorite quote this week is "I love being married...I do! It's just so fun!" And it's the most wonderful feeling to hear that coming from my husband and of course I agree! Well, I hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend and thank you to everyone who sent me cards and messages, I'll be getting formal thank you's out real soon!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T21:20:00.000-07:00

Well Halloween is coming to an end but I hope that everyone had a fun one! And unfortunately the pumpkins in the picture were not carved by us but I was tired of posting without pics. Anyways, our Halloween consisted of eating some good cheeseburgers, trying out a new church, and then finishing off the night with some delicious caramel apples! Our friends the Wheelers wanted to take us to the church that they have been attending for the past few weeks, so Jarrett and I agreed since we haven't found a church to call home yet. It was fun to try out a new church and we met some really kind people, but Jarrett and I both agreed that we don't think it's the chuch for us. They were super super traditional and we went through about 6 chapters of Isaiah and then we sang a hymn. I don't know if I'm just being stubborn, but I felt so spoiled having such a wondeful church at home and I'm hoping that I can really find a church like Grace up here. Nothing to get discouraged about we just have to keep trying out more churches until we find the one we want to call home.

Well in other news, Jarrett's good friend Wheeler, well his name is Paul but I still call him by his last name because that's how I was introduced to him, well he was pulled aside today and told that he is being tasked, which means he is deploying. This came as a shock since Paul is on Jarrett's team and we were told last week that his team wasn't getting deployed. This is unfortunate too because Wheeler's wife is due with their first child in February. So Jarrett and I are a little nervous right now because this all means that there is still a big chance Jarrett can be deployed. As someone that desperately tries to plan plan plan, the Lord is truly testing me because planning is just not an option right now. All this back and forth business is beginning to drive me a little crazy but the Lord is teaching me a lot such as patience and that the Lord's plans always prevail.

Well hopefully by this weekend I will have my charger for my camera so I can post some pictures of my birthday and our trip to Modesto again this weekend to see my mom and brother who are coming up for my birthday. I can't wait to see family!! God bless!

Wonderful Weekend and some news

2007-10-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm so sad that I don't have any pictures to post, my camera is dead and I left the charger in SLO. But, my mom is coming up here for my birthday next weekend so she will bring my charger and then I'll be able to post lots of fun pictures! This weekend was a blast and totally refreshing. Jarrett and I decided on Friday to drive down to my cousin's house in Modesto. We left Vacaville at around 6 and drove the hour and a half drive to Modesto. Once we got there we made a bunch of popcorn and sat down and watched "The Princess Bride" with my cousins Nora who is 11 and Emma who is 5. Then, yesterday we went to Emma's soccer game and then went to this huge pumpkin patch. This pumpkin patch wasn't just any pumpkin patch! There was a maze that was in a huge corn field and then a haunted house in the cornfield as well. There were also these huge guns that you could shoot little pumpkins out of to try and hit targets; Jarrett enjoyed that part. Last night, my uncle took Jarrett and me to this wonderful Mexican restaurant. It was great to finally have some good Mexican food because Jarrett and I have searched and failed so far to find that special Mexican restaurant. This morning, my uncle, cousins, and Jarrett and I went to the country club in Modesto for breakfast and then Jarrett and I hit the road and drove back to Vacaville. Now I'm getting some blog updating in while Jarrett is studying.

This past week was a pretty tough one for me. It's my first time living away from home and it's not like going away to college where there are tons of people to meet and hang out with. So I've been pretty homesick since I'm basically by myself from 6 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. I'm so thankful that I do have Jarrett's friend Paul and his wife here, we have had fun eating dinner together and watching movies. I did drive around Vacaville a bit this week, walked around a Borders Books for about an hour and sat and drank coffee at a Peet's Coffee, which I was very excited to find. This week, I'm hoping to get my license, social security, and military ID and insurance taken care of. I tried to get it done last week but realized that I didn't have my birth certificate on hand, so my mom had to Fed Ex it to me.

I also have some exciting news to share. On Wednesday, Jarrett called me from work informing me that the tasking came down for the deployment and they have decided to only send the primary team. There are two teams with 4 guys on each team, the primary team and the secondary team. Jarrett is on the secondary team. So as of this moment, Jarrett isn't being deployed. This is very exciting news, but I have been very hesitant to tell people because of how back and forth everything has been. If something happens to a guy on the primary team, Jarrett would be the first to be pulled up. And you never know, they could decide to send the secondary team after all. I'm very excited that my husband won't be leaving, but this has also been hard for me because of all the changes that we have had to make, I'm just very interested to know what the Lord's plan is in all of this and I find courage in remembering that His plans are always good, although they may be hard. Right now, I'm just trying to figure out what I am going to do about school and stuff like that, since I was planning on returning to SLO and Cal Poly in the winter.

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend as well. Please keep Jarrett and me in your prayers.

Some Wedding Pictures!

2007-10-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

So sorry for the delay in posting some pictures. They weren't finished yet and so that is the reason. But I'm super excited because our photographer, Joshua Caine, just posted some pictures on his blog www.joshuacaine.blogspot.com. But, I will also post a few on my blog.

In updates, this past weekend was filled with relaxing, mainly due to Jarrett's foot and the fact that he can barely walk on it. He is doing ok, trying to keep his foot elevated and unfortunately the pain is so bad, he has been on a few painkillers. Today, he went to work, but he can't do his job so they have him doing paperwork and computer work. Target called today to follow up on the accident but they had to talk to Jarrett, so I wasn't able to find out what they were going to do. Yesterday, Jarrett and I were pretty upset when we went back to Target to purchase the stuff that was in our cart during the accident, and we were disappointed to find that they hadn't even held our stuff, and they left me to dig through a bin of returned items to find our stuff. They didn't even say anything to us about the accident and didn't appologize for not holding our items. Jarrett and I aren't very confrontational people, but this is just unexceptable. So with that said, I'll keep you updated after Jarrett speaks with Target.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend!! I gotta run to go put our laundry in the dryer. It's taking me a little while, but I am starting to become a little more domesticated. My mother would be proud.

Nothing like spending the day at the ER!

2007-10-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today started out as an ordinary day, woke up late, ate breakfast and enjoyed a wonderful cup of coffee, got ready, and headed out to explore the town of Vacaville. First we drove through the outlets, and let me tell you, I am soooo excited. The outlet mall here is HUGE. Well, then Jarrett and I wanted to go to Target again to pick up a few more things that we needed for our apartment. Jarrett and I love Target, so going there is like a day at the park. We roamed the aisle and Jarrett found like 7 pieces of clothing that he "couldn't live without." Which I agreed he could get them first because he looked so darn cute and second because he only owns 1 pair of jeans and like 5 black t-shirts. We were both super excited about the deals that we had discovered! Then we decided to go shop for the stuff that we needed for the apartment. We really wanted to find some kind of shelf to put some pictures on and Jarrett's collection of DVD's. We finally came upon the perfect piece, only $20 dollars for a 3 shelf bookcase, not good quality but it would work. We chatted and thought it would look cute to buy two of the bookcases and put them on each side of our entertainment stand. This is when the real fun began.

Jarrett lifted the first box into the cart, joking about how heavy it was, of course I shrieked and said "BE CAREFUL HONEY!" as he started giggling. Then, Jarrett went to go lift the second box, well this box decided to be mean and the whole bottom of the box opened, sending all of it's wooden contents out of the bottom, and directly on to Jarrett's poor little foot. Well, I didn't really see where the wood had fallen so when he stood there with his eyes bugging out, I thought maybe he was exagerrating a little bit (which he sometimes tends to do haha). Well, I guess it hurt so bad that he couldn't even breathe/ talk. So here I go scrambling through the aisles of Target trying to find someone to come help us and after running through pretty much the whole store with no luck, I finally find a group of employees just chilling. I say "umm...can you help a box just broke and everything fell on my husband's foot." Well that gets them freaking out and they start running and yelling for people over the little headphone thingy for "backup." Well, I guess nothing exciting happens at Target because within 1 minute the whole staff of Target was surrounding us, you would have thought somebody had keeled over in the aisle. Jarrett takes off his sock and everyone shrieks at the look of his bloody, swollen, disgusting foot. The manager comes over and takes a full report, saying they will pay for all the medical bills. Well that sucks since we get all of our medical covered, and I'm thinking "hey, maybe you can just give us all of those cute clothes in our cart." After finally getting out of the store, which took a good 20 minutes because everyone was giving us advice and trying to help, we rush Jarrett over to the ER on base. And a good 3 hours later (don't you love hospitals) we find out his big toe is broken, although we think he broke his the two toes next to his big toe too because they are huge and black and blue.

So, I guess I'm taking care of my hubby for the next few weeks; they said he couldn't do physical training at work for 6 weeks or so. Knowing Jarrett he will start working out before that, because even now he can't sit still for 5 minutes, he was just cleaning the kitchen! I was thinking about putting a pic up, but opted not to for fear it might really gross people out. Please pray that Jarrett's foot would heal quickly and we're giving thanks that it wasn't worse. And Target our love affair with you is still strong!

Relaxing

2007-10-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

So, today Jarrett and I woke up bright and early because the internet and cable guy was supposed to be here in between the hours of 8 and 12. Jarrett and I got up and got ready and of course the guy didn't show up until close to 11. But that was ok because we just toasted some bagels and vegged for a little while. Jarrett wasn't feeling to good last night because we both have been running around non-stop, but him especially and I think it finally caught up with him. So, today it has been nice to just hang out and be lazy.
I think later on we are going to run to Bed Bath and Beyond to pick up some cookie sheets because we bought that wondeful tub of cookie dough at Costco yesterday and I can't wait to bake some. But that doesn't mean that we can't dig into the cookie dough now....mmmm yum! Later on tonight we are going to make mexican food for dinner and then we might go see a movie or something. I feel like I really want to explore this town, but so far all I've seen is huge shopping centers. I'm starting to miss the small town feeling of SLO and I've only been gone for 3 days...sad. Anyone who lives up near here, do you know if there is a little downtown anywhere with little boutiques? Let me know!
Well, I took some pics of our apartment, it's a little bare because we don't have much furniture so don't laugh at the bachelor pad look of the living room.

Moved in!

2007-10-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

So we have officially moved in to our new apartment in Vacaville, California, which is just a few minutes from base. Our apartment is super cute and I am so excited to make it into a home. We don't have much furniture but we're making it work for now. We packed up our cars yesterday and borrowed a huge truck from Jarrett's uncle and made the 4 1/2 hour drive up here. It was a pretty smooth drive, no traffic but it did start to rain as we got closer to Vacaville. When we arrived, Jarrett and I met with the lady at the apartment and got all of our paperwork filled out and our keys to our place! Then we unloaded the truck and spent the rest of the day putting stuff away and setting up. Moving has got to be one of the biggest pains, but thankfully the Lord was looking down on us and opened the clouds for the hour that we were moving everything from our car, up the stairs and into the apartment. But it was pouring for most of the day. Jarrett and I went to Target and got some stuff we needed and then we went over to Jarrett's friend, Wheelers place. Their apartment is just a few doors down from us, it's so fun! Jarrett had invited Wheeler and his wife Leigh Anne over for dinner so he cooked up some yummy fettucini alfredo, garlic bread, and vegetables. A perfect meal for a very long day! And then we watched Transformers with Wheeler and Leigh Anne on the new tv that Jarrett and I picked out yesterday.
Today, Jarrett and I slept in until about 10:30 which was wonderful, and then went to Costco and got some groceries! And tonight, Jarrett has to go pick up everything from his dorm on base and move it into our apartment. Ahh more stuff to organize! All in all, the past few days have been a dream come true. I married my best friend and we finally get to live in our own little place together. I'm really liking the city of Vacaville so far, pretty much the whole town is new and has all the neccesities such as Costco, Target, and more. Besides the colder weather, it's great! I really want to upload some pictures, but I will do that when we get our official internet set up tomorrow. And also I should go because Jarrett is bossing me around and telling me to have my clothes put away by the time he gets back. Haha, aw the joys of married life. Well I love all of you and miss everyone back in SLO but thank goodness it's only a some what short drive away!

Married!

2007-10-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Well, Jarrett and I finally got married yesterday, October 14, 2007 in a beautiful and perfect ceremony in Morro Bay, California. Everything went wonderfully; I couldn't have asked for it to be any better! I really want to spend time writing about everything, but I don't really have time right now, but I wanted to make sure I got at least one picture up. There will be more to come once Jarrett and I get internet in our apartment up north! Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive and loving, Jarrett and I can't thank you enough. We love you!