My First Half Marathon, Meeting Newt, and Other Happenings...

Hello, all!

Wow, where do I BEGIN with the last week? I guess I'll go in sequential order, starting with last Friday.  I was working in Columbus, so I headed to work early knowing that I hoped to get an early start to New Orleans for my race and also that I would be fitted for my pilgrimage dress over my lunch break...I know that I have mentioned this "pilgrimage" thing, which may sound a little weird, but let me enlighten you.

Some really interesting trivia about Columbus: during the Civil War, when the northern army came though the south, Columbus was one of the few towns that provided medical help to both southern and northern soldiers.  As a bit of a "thank you" gift, Sherman decided not to burn down everyone's homes (how kind of him, haha).  Therefore, Columbus has one of the largest (in fact, I've heard many people say the largest) collection of Antebellum homes in the country.  They truly are fantastic.

So once a year, for two weeks in the Spring (in this case, the last week of March and the first week of April), Columbus hosts the Spring Pilgrimage, where the historic homes are open for visitors and tours.  Many of these homes, if not most, are lived in by people or occupied by bed & breakfasts.  Some of them are open as event venues.  To add to the authenticity of the event, volunteers...such as myself and many of the other women on base...dress up in old-south type dresses, complete with hoop skirts, and give tours.  Oh, I am just so excited...you know this is right up my alley! It's going to be just like Scarlett O' Hara in my favorite book, Gone With the Wind...except no corset...

If anyone is interested in coming, let me know! Here is some more information...there are some other fun things going on during the week, too.
http://www.columbus-ms.info/visitors/spring-pilgrimage/pilgrimage-2012.aspx

So Friday night I began my journey to New Orleans (hearby referred to as "Nola").  It was only about a 4 hour trip the way there, but I had the pedal to the metal the whole time because I was running from some baaaad weather.  Luckily, I got there safely and met Hannah and Sara.  Hannah ran with me in the race, but Sara just came to spectate and hang out.  Here are some pictures from the weekend...

The first couple of days we did some sight-seeing since the race wasn't until Sunday.  Here is a statue in a public park that pays tribute to Hurricane Katrina. 

Hand grenades are a staple on Bourbon St.!

It was nice to have some girl-time.

While we were sight-seeing, we saw some beautiful things...such as this cathedral...

And we saw some not so beautiful things, like New Orleans restrooms.  Can anyone tell me WHY there are two toilets next to eachother?? I mean, I know women are known for going to the restroom in groups, but I feel like STALLS would have been a nice addition!!!!

The race was a COMPLETE blast! I finished the 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 4 minutes, which was about 11 minutes better than my goal time (about an average of 9:30 per mile).  It was so fun, because since it was a "Rock N' Roll Marathon", there were local bands set up at every mile marker and a big concert at the end.  20,000 people ran in the race. I got a medal and a T-shirt for running. I am definitely going to be doing another 1/2 Marathon.  I don't know if I will ever make it up to a full, 26.2 mile marathon...that's not really in my goals right now.  I guess if I ever get bored with 13 miles (doubtful), I might consider it.  Meanwhile, I am wanting to do another Rock N' Roll marathon in Savannah this November, so if anyone wants to join me, let me know!

"Before" picture...when I signed up for the race, I didn't know I'd be waking up at 5:30 am on a Sunday in order to report to the start line at 6:30 so I could be running 13 miles at 7!! But as it turned out, that's exactly what we signed up for.

"After" picture...so glad to have finished!!

Surprise! Race participants got free "baby" (8 oz) beers...beer is actually a good choice to drink after running.  A lot of marathons give their runners beer after the race because beer is predominately made up of water and carbohydrates, both of which are necessary to recover after a long run.  Also, the sugar, salt, and bubbles allow your body to absorb the water more quickly than just drinking water.  A little running trivia for 'ya!

We stayed in Nola for a couple of days extra just to hang out and have some fun.  The only thing I would have changed would be for Chris to have been able to come with me.  I know he would have had fun in Nola, but his schedule just won't allow for him to take weekend trips, at least not for the moment until he gets used to his new schedule.  Also, he definitely wouldn't have been able to take the day off on Monday like the rest of us did.  At least we know that Nola is close enough to go back to together.  Chris says he has absolutely no interest in running 1/2 marathons (can you imagine that? haha)...but maybe next time he can at least come cheer me on!

When I got back on Monday, I was really looking forward to spending some time with Chris, knowing that I would be coming back to Birmingham to work on Wednesday.  Instead of cooking, we decided to try out a Japanese/sushi place that we found in Columbus that we had somehow never been to before.  We got a great deal on this monstrosity (not to mention a 10% military discount!):

YUM!! I think it goes without saying that we will be BACK at Little Tokyo! We have an UMI Japanese Steakhouse moving to Columbus that is supposed to open any day now.  There was one in Starkville when I used to work there, so I know it is going to be very good, and it has been voted "Best Sushi in Mississippi" (take that however you see fit).  However, it's a good bit pricier than Little Tokyo, so I'm glad we found a place where we can get our sushi fix affordably!

Tuesday was the wives social, and we played Bunco.  I'd never played before, but I'm glad I learned how because I know lots of people who play it.  I didn't win anything, but I still had a great time! Chris went over to Jon's while Autumn and I were at the social and worked on their beer, which hopefully will be ready by our St. Patty's Day party.

Wednesday, I came to Birmingham to work and got a surprise invitation to volunteer with some fellow former AU College Republican members for the rally being held for Newt Gingrich supporters in Birmingham.  Without getting too political with all of you, I just want to say that I was undecided about who I would be voting for in the Republican primary, but now I'm going to follow what my head was telling me all along, and that is to vote for Newt, who I believe represents the kind of attitude toward foreign policy and the government's role in the economy that I hope (and pray) our next president has.  I will support whichever Republican candidate wins the primary, but I hope that any of you who are reading this realize how important this election is.  If you don't concern yourself with politics much, then just vote in honor of me...I have always had my political opinions, but being a military wife and and working woman have made me realize how important it is to have a strong leader.  So no matter who you vote for, just make sure you VOTE, and at least educate yourself enough on the issues that you know who will best represent what YOU believe in.

Okay done with my sermon!

ANYWAY, I don't care who you are voting for...a political rally is something everyone really must attend at some point in their lives.  It's so cool to see a presidential candidate (or governor, mayor, whatever) in person, hear their ideas straight from their mouths, and witness politics in action.  And no matter who you vote for, you have to admit...meeting someone who could potentially be the next president is pretty awesome! No matter what you think of them, you have to have respect for someone who doesn't just talk about what they wish would happen in America...they actually set out to try and be the next president! I don't think I would ever have the nerve to do that!
So that's what we got to do...we got to meet Newt, AND have our pictures made with him and his wife, Callista! SO cool!

Heather Whitestone introduced Newt...she is just amazing! For those of you who aren't familiar with her, she was Miss Alabama in 1994, and she won Miss America! Oh, and by the way...she's deaf.  It's so incredible what she has overcome.  She met her husband while working on a campaign for Newt back in the 90's.  



Speaking at the rally.




Me with Newt and his wife, Callista.



Auburn ladies with Newt: Me, Rebecca, and Meredith

Auburn girls again with Callista

For those of you who don't already know this, Chris can't talk negatively about the president or really get into politics since he is in the military.  So don't take any of this as his words.   I think we all know that I personally will not be voting for Barack Obama in the next election, because I believe his policies have weakened America's ability to defend itself, obviously a concern of mine.  There are a lot of other reasons, too.  But to be clear, these are MY opinions, and Chris' opinions are for him to know, and he alone!

We have more excitement ahead for the weekend...Friday night, Autumn and I are putting together a bonfire for the guys' class, so hopefully the weather will be nice.  Saturday, Greg and Tammy are coming to visit (staying til Sunday), and it's Career Day again.  Remember a few months ago when I posted about the last Career Day where we were able to take pictures in all the planes? That is coming up again Saturday, so it should be interesting for Tammy and Greg to get to see the planes in person, I know it is for me.

Chris has been continuing to work hard in the academic phase of his training.  Last week, he had his "Systems 1" test, and today he has his "Systems 2" test.  He has been passing all of his tests so far without a problem, so I am really proud and know he will keep up the good work.  He's had two simulations so far which consist of going over what the cockpit layout looks like and it's basic functions.  Right now he is in what I call the "dinky" simulator, which has no visual effects.  The simulators he will eventually use are really cool (and very, VERY expensive) training tools that basically look and feel...well...for lack of a better word, they simulate the flying experience pretty realistically.  Over the next couple of days he will move on from learning the basic functions of the plane inside the simulator to actually starting and taking off the plane. 

The month of March has so much in store for us, and I can't wait to keep you all updated on what is going on.  Thanks for reading!!

He's Back!!

Well, this has been quite the thrilling week for our little family since Chris returned from Colorado last week! He got a strong finish to his training, and did it just in time to avoid some bad winter weather that set into Colorado just after he returned.  I was working in Birmingham last week when he finished up, so I was able to pick him up from the Birmingham airport and we drove straight down to Panama City to spend a few days together before Chris had to report to training on Monday.  Those few days together were just what we needed, and it was actually the first trip we have taken anywhere, just the two of us, since we went on our honeymoon.  The weather was really nice. Even though it was supposed to rain the whole time, it didn't rain at all.  Here are some pictures:

Mason was so exhausted from traveling and all the excitement of his daddy coming home! Speaking of his daddy...doesn't he look the slightest bit creepy popping up in the top left corner of this picture? hehe :) Unfortunately, we had to board Mason for most of the time, but we boarded him at this great place where we could pick him up during the days to take him out with us, and he was only crated while he slept..the rest of the time he got to play with other dogs!

Mason enjoys the scenery at Tyndall Air Force Base beach...that beach is so gorgeous and undisturbed! We love going there.



At this German place in Pier Park.  I am currently having to wear my glasses because I had an allergic reaction in my eyes (in case anyone is wondering).  I actually had to have some glasses overnighted to me in Panama City because the reaction started while I was in Birmingham...just days after I had ordered a new pair from the doctor that hadn't come in yet! I lost my old glasses in Jamaica.  What awful timing, but at least I had them in time for the beach!



We met up with Scott on Friday night, who is stationed at an AFB nearby.

Singing some good ol' karaoke at the local dive.

Me and wittle Mason at the dog-friendly beach in Pier Park...he met two other Pom friends.  Mason loves the sand, but doesn't love the water.

Beautiful beach sunset on the last night!!

My husband is so sweet...he surprised me with this the morning that we left. It's just like our breakfasts were at Sandals! He went out the night before to rent us a movie from RedBox and took forever while I was cooking dinner.  He said that there was a long line at the RedBox, which was partially true, but he had actually gone into Winn Dixie and bought stuff to make breakfast.  He snuck it in the condo and hid the food inside a beer box we had in the fridge.  Then he asked me what time I wanted to wake up, got up before me, and did this.  Such a lucky girl! :)

Since Chris has been back, he has been going through a routine checklist that includes various physicals and meetings before he can start training next Thursday.   Tomorrow night I am making a fabulous Valentines Day meal (at least, I hope it will be fabulous!).  It's early because we are going out to a new restaurant on actual Valentines Day. We don't have any big plans for the weekend, but I will probably work on some of my Pinterest projects on Saturday.  Saturday night I am going to a girl's get-together at this girls house that I actually got to know through Chris and Jon, because she went to the Academy with them.  I am really excited about Sunday, because I'm having a dinner party for some of the other couples in Chris' pilot training class.  Looking forward to getting to know them! I can't wait to post pictures.

On my last post, I was getting ready to host a "girls night".  It went really well and I really enjoyed meeting some new girls! I hope to see some of them again tonight at the wives' club social, where we are making Valentines Day decorations.  Here are some pictures of two of the things I made from Pinterest recipes (unfortunately, I didn't get any "people" pictures...I didn't want to freak out my new friends by telling them I would be posting all about them on my blog, haha)

Strawberry Mojito...wonderful!!! But just about as hard to make as a strawberry pie...which I have never made, but I'm guessing it takes a while!

Bleu Cheese Guacamole...everyone liked this, even the girls who said they don't normally like bleu cheese. 

I volunteered for the Columbus AFB Fashion Show!  I get to wear three outfits and "model" them on the runway.  I am too excited! It should be fun, and I'll probably get to meet some girls that I have some common interests with.

I am looking forward to my next post so that I will be able to share all the cooking I am planning for the weekend, possibly a couple of Pinterest/Decorating projects, and most exciting of all, I will be able to tell y'all all about Chris' first week or so of pilot training! I can't believe it's finally here! Even though I will miss all the free time I am used to Chris having...what can I say?  We have been here in Columbus waiting for this to start for over 6 months now...by now, we are just ready to get this show on the road!

The Single Life (Not really, but kind of...)

It's been quite a while since I've blogged...what can I say? Life seems less eventful without hubby here, yet I seem to be much more busy from doing everything on my own! I guess I've been a little spoiled by going from college, where I had fewer responsibilities, to immediately being able to share my responsibilities with Chris (such as having Chris proofread this blog, which will probably be filled with errors this week!).  Chris has been gone for three weeks now, and if anything, this time apart has reminded me that I'm actually a pretty independent girl...a girl who likes to get things done and who doesn't like to be bored.   So, as soon as Chris left, I jumped right in to filling my schedule with activities and entertainment so that I wouldn't be sitting around the house, lonely and bored.  And I think I've been pretty successful thus far.

After Chris' grandfather's funeral, which was really very lovely and, of course, quite sad, I returned to Columbus to host three of my very best girlfriends, Hannah, Sara, and Lauren, at our home for the weekend.  I was so excited that they were willing to make the trip to my not-so-glamorous town just to see me and keep me company on Chris' and my first weekend apart.  We had as much fun as expected...actually, probably more.  I was a little worried about whether they would get bored in Columbus, but I should have known better...I think the four of us could entertain ourselves if we were stuck in a cardboard box...or jail, but luckily it hasn't come to that (yet!). 

Getting ready to head out onto the town :)

Taking the girls on a tour of the base

Mason is so excited to cuddle his aunties!!

We basically spent most of our weekend at the house, with field trips out to give them a tour of the base and to go to dinner/downtown on the second night they were in town.  When they left Sunday, I was pretty sad to be alone in the house, but luckily, my favorite show Desperate Housewives was back on TV for the first time in a month...so that helped ease my sorrows!

I took the next Friday off and spent the weekend in Atlanta visiting my friend, Tori, and her boyfriend, Bennett.  I hadn't seen Tori since football season, and even then our visits were short.  Tori lived with me in college...we are just about the same size all over, and sometimes I miss having access to her closet almost as much as I miss her! We went out to a really cool restaurant/brewery that Friday night that I know Chris would love. Saturday morning, Tori had to work, so I took Mason on his very first trip to a dog park.  This dog park was super cute...it doubles as a coffee shop/restaurant/bar/dessert shop and is called "Coffee Unleashed".  At first I felt weird being there all alone with Mason and all these other people who seemed to be there in groups.  Then I realized a little something about "Dog Park Culture"...dog people bond with each other.  At dog parks, apparently.  At first, I stood over to the side while Mason (literally) kept jumping into my arms and shaking because he was so overwhelmed with all the dogs running around.  Eventually, I decided that I would make him walk around the park once, and if he still didn't warm up, that we would leave.  Before I knew it, Mason was running around the park with all his new dog friends, and I was chatting away with all my new human friends.  By the time we left, my boots were dirty, Mason was muddy (and stinky), and he did not want to leave!

This was a spitz  mix that I thought looked just like a giant Mason (except not as cute, of course)

Mason had another adventure once we got back.  The Sweetwater factory is one of my favorite places to go in Atlanta...for $10 (the price recently went up) you get to keep a Sweetwater glass, sample their beers, and hang out in a really cool tasting room/veranda-type setup.  When we got there, it was like an Auburn reunion with all the people I recognized from college.  It really is a popular place for people our age to go on a Saturday afternoon.   Added bonus...dogs are allowed! I've heard Atlanta is one of the most dog-friendly cities (small dogs are even allowed in Lenox mall).  Mason was feeling very sociable by the time we got to Sweetwater, probably because of his successful debut at the dog park, and I wound up holding him because he kept running up to other dogs, getting people tangled up in his leash on the way. 

Luckily Mason's tongue wasn't long enough to reach the beer, because he isn't 21 yet in dog years!

After Sweetwater, Tori and I (sans Mason) went to the mall...you know I can't pass up an opportunity for a little shopping when I go to Atlanta.  We were planning on going out, but we were quite honestly pooped after the days' events, and wound up staying in and going to bed early. Sometimes I look at myself and think, wow...at some point or another, you really did start acting older!

Continuing my constant stream of entertainment, my mom met me in Birmingham on my way home from Atlanta and went back to Columbus with me.  Monday was MLK day, so we did some shopping in Tupelo and went out to eat.    It was nice having some company, especially since I had a whole day off.  She stayed through Wednesday.

And then I was alone.

So, for almost a week, it has been entirely up to me to entertain myself! No worries...I think I've done quite well.  Autumn and I have been doing some cooking for each other and keeping up with my many television shows that I have become addicted to since graduating college and having actual time on my hands to be a "real" American, i.e. couch potato.  I've been keeping up with my training, too, and ran 10 miles last week, so I guess I'm not a total couch potato.  I decorated for winter and am working on getting everything perfect for Valentines day.  Autumn and I visited a coffee shop in Columbus Friday night and listened to a local musician...the coffee shop allowed you to bring your dogs so we brought Dubs and Mason. And, not that I need any new addictions since I already have TV, running, and blogging...but I discovered the most fantastic thing EVER last week....Pinterest!

Winter table setting.  My mom also brought me some cute silver "snowflake" chargers.  Stay tuned for pictures of my Valentines decor. 

People have been telling me about Pinterest, a website where you make virtual "inspiration" boards, for a while, but for some reason it seemed really confusing to me and I didn't ever feel like trying it out.  I don't know why I thought that, because it really isn't confusing.  In fact, Pinterest has become my new "happy" place.  In ways it's like Facebook, but the only things shared on there are ideas with accompanying pictures.  It has really helped me get my creative juices flowing...especially when it comes to the awesome DIY ideas I have found on it! I'm not going to share any of them until I actually get them completed, because some might sound a little weird.  Thanks to Pinterest, I am in a "decorating on a dime" stage, because I have seen so many ideas on how to take every day objects found in thrift stores, antique stores, or even that I may already find around my house, and turning them into unique and beautiful decor! More to come...now that Chris is going to be in pilot training he will be very busy over the next year or so. Time for me to get some hobbies!

Tonight, I decided to host a girls night.  I am pretty excited because I haven't even met half the girls coming and this is a great chance for me to meet some new girls from the base! I am on the welcome committee for the student spouses club, so one of the girls coming is someone I have only met over the phone, when I called her yesterday to welcome her to Columbus.  Two of the girls are friends of Autumns' that I haven't met yet. I will be sure to take some pictures to post.  I'm making Blue Cheese guacamole...I hope it turns out well.  It sounds promising.  I found the recipe on Pinterest!

Enough about me (actually, MORE than enough).  Many of you would probably rather hear about Chris' adventures in Colorado at IFS.  Unfortunately, I feel like I have barely talked to Chris! He has been so busy with academics and 12 hour days, and has really needed his rest too much to talk to me on the phone for hours every night.  I did get to talk to him for quite a while on Saturday and get updated.  His flights have been going really well, and he got called out during one of his classes for having the best call signs (i.e. pilot language).  He's been trying to take some double turns (flying twice in one day), so if all goes well, he should be home around the beginning of next week.  He was actually supposed to have a double turn today, but the weather caused it to be cancelled. Actually, it seems they have been pretty lucky overall with the Colorado winter weather, and haven't experienced that many delays.  He's been spending his weekends in Colorado Springs vising some of his old stomping grounds.  He also decided to "surprise" me by growing a heinous mustache, which I believe he finally got too embarrassed to wear in public, so he sent me a picture of it with a message saying that he had decided to shave it.  I am very glad, because that is NOT the kind of surprise I like to get!  It made him look a little creepy, like someone you wouldn't want to walk by if they were sitting in one of those big vans with no windows.  We are hoping that this week he will do his solo flight, at which point it's time to wrap things up and get ready to come home.  Fingers crossed! Mason and I miss him!

One thing I have learned this month (and these are purely observations from my perspective) is that while living alone isn't the worst thing in the world, it really takes a lot of the joy out of every day life not having that special someone there to share it with---the good, and the bad.  I haven't found my time with Chris being gone being depressing, necessarily.  Like I said, I'm a pretty independent girl.   But coming home to an empty house after working all day just isn't as nice as coming home to the one you love.  Mason can listen to me talk, but he can't talk back...and having a dog alone can be a bit of a handful (especially one that's used to so much attention). Cooking for one isn't as rewarding as cooking for two. And let me tell you, when my to-do list has everything from taking out the trash to spraying for bugs to cleaning the dishes, and I've got it all to myself...things can look really bleak! Yes, I can be independent, and I'm glad to be reassured of that, because as a military wife, there will be times when I have to be.  But I love good company, which is one of the many reasons I fell in love with Chris.  He can talk to me about anything, and he enjoys experiencing the world with me, whether it be a new recipe I'm making or trying a new dish, like escargot, at a fancy restaurant; whether we are traveling to California or Jamaica or just watching the travel channel and talking about places we want to go. Sure, I could travel or try new things on my own...but it's just more fun with my hubby by my side! I'm looking forward to trying some new recipes when he gets home and having a welcome home dinner with some other couples in his class, as well as a romantic dinner for just the two of us...I'm breaking out all the fancy wedding gifts like fine china, crystal, and silver and we are going to celebrate! Because my man is officially on the road to being a pilot..woohoo! ;)

xoxo, Amanda

P.S. Our wedding announcement is online if anyone wants to check it out... you can find it at http://www2.oanow.com/lifestyles/2012/jan/18/wilson-beck-ar-3068895/

A Time for Everything

I have taken another long break from blogging due to the past few weeks containing so many events.  Some have been very joyful, and some have been very sad.  That’s life, and it’s important to put into perspective the fact that no day is guaranteed to us.  Chris and I have always made it a point to take no day for granted. That was put to the test this week when we received some very bad news on short notice.

Before I get into some of the things that we have been up to, I would like to share that someone very special to us passed away this week.  Chris’ grandfather, Martin Beck, has been a huge role model and supporter of Chris throughout his life.  We were very shocked earlier this week when we found that he had come down with a case of pneumonia, which many of us already know can be very serious for older people. 

I have known Martin since I started dating Chris back in the 10^th grade.  He lived right down the road from Chris’ dad, and I always loved how involved he was with his family and how interesting and witty he always was.  He had so many interesting stories to tell, from his days as a Kappa Alpha pledge at Auburn to being a POW during WWII.  He was a very successful man.   He invented several machines related to turf farming and ran his own grass farm business before eventually settling into retirement and never letting a day go wasted.  If he wasn’t travelling to other countries, or even just to other states to visit his many old friends or spend a few days in Panama City, he was on the golf course.  He was also very generous.  He was absolutely the definition of someone I would call a “life-long” learner…he never stopped being interested in learning new things as he got older, and funded a lot of scholarships at Auburn.   He meant a lot to a lot of people, especially Chris and his brother, Warren.  I know everyone who knew him is sad to see him go, but the great thing is that we can look back on his life and see someone who had a lot of accomplishments and, more importantly, never stopped contributing to his family and community.  To me, this is very comforting during a time of grief.

Martin loved reading this blog and even asked about Mason when he was in the hospital and not doing well or talking much.  I heard him say several times that he thought Mason belonged in commercials. I’m glad that Mason got to pay him a visit a couple of weeks ago over the Christmas weekend. I know Martin is glad to have been able to watch his oldest grandson graduate from the Air Force Academy, be appointed as an officer, and get married.  

 I wish I would have found this earlier, but I was poking around online after hearing of his death, and found this copy of his original patent for a grass planter (as well as some other articles about this history of turf farming that mentioned his name for the other invention of his that I mentioned above).  I found it so inspiring and a perfect example of how brilliant he really was:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3159121.pdf

We will always remember Martin fondly and I know we are both so glad that we got to know him and that he was a part of our lives.  Please keep Chris, his brother Warren, dad Chris,Sr., and Martin’s wife, Virginia in your prayers.

Us with Martin and Virginia a couple of nights after we got engaged.

I must say, since Chris left Tuesday for his month of training in Pueblo, Colorado, I already feel the pressures of being military wife since I have been working in Birmingham this week and had to make special arrangements for Mason to stay with our friends Meredith and Ryan King during the day.  Still trying to figure out what I’m going to do with the little guy while I’m at work all day since he’s used to his daddy taking him out to play.  Oh, the trials of single motherhood!  For the first time since I started blogging I admit that I am just too busy this week to gather all the pictures I took together to post...especially since Chris has half of them on his iPhone.  Maybe I can get them up next week!

The last couple of weeks, we have really been busy.  Christmas was a special weekend since it was our first together.  We had the opportunity to spend some quality time with many of our family members that we don’t see as often, although I’m sure we would have spent longer with them if we would have had the time.  The good news is, it’s finally 2012 which means I get some vacation time! So maybe next year’s holidays won’t be so short.

We were especially glad to see Nancileigh and Matt, Chris’ grandparents who live in Florida.  We had not seen them since the wedding.  We also went to Phenix City Christmas evening to see some of my extended family.  We weren’t there for very long since we then came back to spend Christmas night at Chris’ dad’s house, but it was still nice just to pop in and say hello to everyone there. To be honest, I’m sure there were tons of things I was going to share about Christmas, but things have been such a whirlwind since then and so many other things have happened, I’m afraid to share too much because I don’t want to leave anything out J

Last week I took a week off of running to spend more time with Chris since I knew he would be leaving soon.  We packed up Thursday to go to Atlanta for the weekend to go to the bowl game.  Thursday night while we were getting dinner ready, I got a call from someone who is a super-special friend of mine (since the 7^th grade, plus we were roommates for all of undergraduate college at AU) with a surprise announcement…yes you guessed it, but I don’t think anyone was as surprised as she was.  My friend Hannah is engaged to her boyfriend, Chase.  They are another couple a lot like Chris and I who started dating in high school, took a little time apart in college which (apparently) made them realize that they couldn’t do without each other, got back together and, alas, they will be joining the married people club sometime soon. 

The bowl game weekend was awesome.  Friday night, we met up with another of my closest friends, Lauren Emily (I call her Ellie) and her fiancé Matt (they got engaged over Thanksgiving break…yay, another couple for the married people club!)…and also, with Sara and her boyfriend Aaron who spent the weekend in Atlanta with us…we went to this restaurant that I’m a big fan of in Atlanta, called Dante’s Down the Hatch.  If you love fondue and Pirates of the Caribbean, you should be a fan of this place.  There is a big boat in the middle with a real alligator in it (or maybe it’s a crocodile?).  

I am eternally grateful to Ellie for keeping Mason over the weekend! She is from the Atlanta area, and her house was just 20 minutes from our hotel in Buckhead.  We got into a real bind with Mason because all of the boarding facilities we tried to use were full.  Ellie volunteered to keep him and we could tell he had an awesome time because he so tired after the weekend was over! He got to play with her and Matt’s dogs (Mason loves to play!).

Saturday morning, Sara and I did some light shopping before meeting up with the guys to go to lunch in downtown Atlanta.  From there, we tailgated for the game at an RV tailgate that Dusty invited us to.  RV tailgates are so fun, I kind of want one! Anyway, the game was awesome and we won by way more than any of us thought we would!

After the game, the 6 of us (Ellie and Matt met back up with us) went to Gordon Biersh in midtown Atlanta.  This wound up being the most perfect plan, although I wasn’t sure how it would turn out at first.  I was concerned that if we tried to go to any of the Atlanta bar/clubs to ring in New Years that we would get lost in a huge crowd and spend way too much money on the expensive cover that most places had because of New Years.  Plus, I was afraid we would spend the “clock-stroking-midnight” moment waiting in line somewhere.  Plus I knew we would be hungry.  So, even though Chris and I love going out in Atlanta, we decided to take a different approach by making a reservation at Gordon Biersh at 11:30.  I really liked how we could make reservations that late on a website I use called Open Table, so we knew that we would have a guaranteed seat.  When we got there (about 11:45 after taking the Marta from the GA Dome), the restaurant was practically empty and we got served champagne and lots of food very quickly.  The restaurant was quiet enough for us to all talk and have a great time, and there were TVs everywhere where we could keep up with other games.  Did I mention the food? Football makes me hungry! Ellie’s sweet dad even picked us all up from Gordon Biersh and took us back so we didn’t have to wait forever on a cab or take the Marta back. 

Unfortunately, on the way home, that’s where we received notice that Chris’ grandfather was not doing well.  We changed our plans from going back to Columbus Sunday to going to Auburn.  Chris prepared some things that he wanted to tell his grandfather in case this was “it”.  Luckily, he got a chance to say those things and I know that now he is very glad that he got to.  We left Auburn feeling very encouraged that Martin was going to recover, because he looked well and acted positive in the time we spent with him.  However, we all know that it is not God’s will for us to live forever.  I do not claim to be familiar every verse in the Bible the way I probably should, but one that I am familiar with is in Ecclesiastes 3 and it has brought me comfort over the years during sad times. As it says, there is a time to be born and a time to die…a time to weep, and a time to laugh…a time to mourn, and a time to dance.  Chris and I have had many good times in the (almost) 6 months we have spent married.  Right now is a very difficult time because in the wake of Chris’ loss of his grandfather, he is far away in Colorado and will be unable to return for the funeral.  I am deeply saddened by Martin’s death, as well, and the one person I would really like to be able to comfort and to have comfort me cannot be here.  However, I know that the good times will come again and that the family can find comfort in each other and in his memory, and that Chris can have the relief of knowing he got to say goodbye before leaving to train.  Martin will be very much missed.

Giving Thanks...

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, because it’s all about recognizing all the reasons to see the glass “half full”.  I think people spend way too much time thinking about how things could be better…how nice it would be to make more money, live in a bigger house, take more vacations.  Of course, I am guilty of this too, so I really appreciate how Thanksgiving, for one day, pretty much forces us to stop thinking of what we don’t have and be thankful for what we do have.  I sure do have a lot to be thankful for this year.  I graduated college and got my CPA. Chris received his pilot’s slot.  In a matter of weeks I got the wedding of my dreams, the honeymoon of my dreams, and the husband of my dreams…as well as a baby (Mason) and a whole new family, all of whom I absolutely love to death.  For another year I maintained the friendships that have kept me sane through thick and thin, and was lucky enough to have them stand by me through all the changes I’ve been through.  I’ve even managed to make some new friends in the midst of all of it. We were assigned to a base just 4 hours from our hometown. We moved into our first home, and our always-supporting families were there to help us through something that they knew, from experience, would be hard work and a lot of stress.  I got a job in a town where the job market is not great.  Of course we are incredibly thankful for Chris’ job, which will always be secure.  We are healthy and happy, our bills are paid, and we have such a bright future ahead of us.  I think we both are going to accomplish a lot, both together and individually.

I’m not perfect, as I am sure anyone who knows me is fully aware…and sometimes I fall into the trap of dwelling on my life’s “imperfections”.  Instead of thinking about how lucky we are to be close to family and friends, I think about how I miss them and how much harder it is to keep in touch now that we are away.  Instead of thinking about how fortunate we are to have a roof over our heads much nicer than what a lot of newlyweds are privileged to have, I compare our house to the newer neighborhood on the other side of the base, where “luckier” officers of Chris’ same rank live for the same price.  Instead of thanking God that I have a job, I complain that I could make much more money in a bigger city.

So, this week I’m going to try to see the glass as more than just half full…I’m going to try to see it as overflowing.  There are ways that Chris and I have “made” our own luck, but mostly we have our family, our friends, and of course God to thank for living a life this full of love.  All of us have so much to be thankful for, and I bet if you force yourself to sit and write it down like I just did, you will think to yourself, “Why can’t I look at things like this EVERY day? Why does it take a holiday to make me sit down and really count my blessings?”  It shouldn’t, but everyone’s lives are so busy these days, sometimes we need some extra motivation to make us concentrate on anything.  I guess that’s why Thanksgiving is probably the most underrated holiday there is! So this year, take advantage of the one day that we all actually get off of work JUST to sit around and think about how great our lives are! J

Now that I’m done with my sappy little spiel, I’m going to share some of the events that took place in our lives this past week.  Wednesday night we threw a Thanksgiving feast and invited a bunch of other people from the base.  In college, the feast I threw every year with my roommates was one of my favorite traditions.  It got really huge by the end, and we always had lots of food and enjoyed getting everyone together for some good eatin’ and socializing.  I started out this month being bummed because I realized I wouldn’t be able to cook any of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes this year, since a whole turkey and several casseroles would simply be too much food for Chris and I to eat on our own.  I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me sooner, but at some point I realized there was no one stopping me from throwing a feast here in Columbus.  Chris, who has never been able to attend any of the feasts I threw with my roommates, was a little unsure of whether this was too big of an undertaking for the two of us.  Knowing that it would throw a bit of a kink in things that I now have a full time job and could not put off cooking until the day of the event, I went grocery shopping on Saturday and began cooking on Sunday.  I froze or refrigerated everything, and actually found myself stress-free and with extra time to prepare before guests arrived on Wednesday night.  Chris is definitely a "believer" in the Thanksgiving feast now...he thought it went over great and had a really good time. 

Here is our turkey…it was so delicious! I found a website several years ago that explains how to cook a perfectly moist and flavorful turkey that I always use.  It starts by cooking the turkey at 500 degrees for 20 minutes to seal in the flavor and moistness, then lowering the temperature to about 325 and cooking it 20 minutes for each pound.  Also, the green stuff you seen on top is rosemary and thyme.

Here are some more pictures:

Chris wasn't around to take a picture, but I wanted to get a shot of myself cooking in the apron that Warren got me for my birthday this year!



Part one of the buffet...Next year, my every day china will be replaced with the Thanksgiving themed plates that my parents are giving me for Christmas :) Then we really will be festive!




The turkey on the special turkey platter I got for Christmas a few years back...it's really old, and there is an inscription on the back talking about how Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States.  My only complaint about the turkey...a lot less meat than I thought it would be! I think everyone got as much as they wanted, though.  In the trifle dish is a 7-layer salad.  The trifle dish was a wedding gift...funny thing, actually...the original one I got literally exploded out of nowhere.  Not kidding...it's like there was a poltergeist or something.  My mom had it sitting on the dining room table, where she displayed our gifts.  All the sudden, it just exploded into a million pieces.  Well, she got the pieces together, and brought it back to Bed Bath and Beyond for me, where they actually exchanged it for a new one.  They probably thought she was crazy when she told them that it exploded...but nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose!




Here is the rest of the buffet, which included Green Bean/Corn Casserole (recipe courtesy of Gayle Anderson), Vegetable Casserole (Paula Deen), dressing (delicious and very popular with our guests...I got the recipe from allrecipes.com), homemade pecan/chocolate pie and mashed potatoes (contributed by Jess, one of our guests), and homemade cranberry sauce (so much better than the canned! And easy!)  I also put rolls and deviled eggs on the table.




Table full of females... of course we had Autumn and Jon.  Jamie is our neighbor, and her husband Jordan (who went to the Academy) came as well.  Jess is our across the street neighbor. She and her husband both went to Auburn and are both in the Air Force...but unfortunately, their first assignments aren't the same. Her husband, Casey, received an instructor pilot's position, and will be living here for the next three years.  Her next assignment is in Florida. Casey is currently away doing training for his instructor pilot position.  Chris hopes he is lucky enough to have him as an instructor.  The other two girls, Kate and Amanda, are also in the Air Force and were in Chris' squadron at the Academy. It was the first time I met them, but I really liked them a lot and hope we will get to hang out again soon. 




Getting dessert...Kate and Amanda brought pumpkin pie, Autumn brought homemade apple crisp, and Jess brought the chocolate pecan pie.  All of it was so yummy!




There wasn't enough room for all of us at the table, but the guys were more than happy to sit on the couch and watch football.



This weekend was really special because we got to see Dow for the first time since the wedding.  Dow has been a really amazing friend to Chris, and me, for years and years.  He works in Chicago now as an engineer so we don’t get to see him very much.  We went to Atlanta to pick him up from the airport on the way to the wedding of Greg Saunders, one of Chris’ roommates during his years at Auburn, and his (then) fiancee (now, wife) Larke .  The wedding was so beautiful and intimate, and the food was delicious! The wedding was in Highlands, NC…neither of us had ever been there, but I would be very interested in returning for a long weekend.  I usually prefer the beach to the mountains, but it’s fun to mix it up and do a little of everything…next time we are planning a weekend trip, I definitely think North Carolina will be a candidate.

At the W hotel in downtown Atlanta catching up with Dow



The wedding was so pretty and cozy! They got married in front of this fireplace.  There were candles and greenery all over the room. It was beautiful!



The reception had the best buffet ever! It was also decorated with lots of greenery and candlelight.  Very pretty.  My favorite part: either the hot chocolate bar (3 kinds of hot chocolate...like 10 toppings...can't go wrong), or the pound cake favors that were made with the bride's grandmother's recipe. 



The bride and groom joined the younger guests at a local pub after the reception (I knew we weren't the only couple who wanted to continue celebrating after our reception was over!) Greg met Larke in college at Auburn, but she grew up in North Carolina.  Later, we found out that her mom actually worked with Tammy at Gayfers while they were in college.  Is it a small world, or what? Now, they are in St. Lucia honeymooning, then moving to Houston.  Chris and I really enjoyed catching up with a whole bunch of his old high school classmates during and after the reception.



 On the way back, we got to make a special stop to have lunch at Longhorn with Chris’ grandparents (Tammy’s parents, Bob and Lavada). It just so happened that our route from Highlands to Atlanta (to take Dow back) took us right through their neck of the woods.  I could kick myself for not taking a picture. Lunch was great, though, and as always, it was wonderful to visit with family.

Things have been a little hectic for me since we got back after 9pm on Sunday.  I had to pack for a whole week of being gone, since I left yesterday morning to work in Birmingham until Wednesday.  Then we are leaving from here to go home to Auburn on Wednesday night.  Chris and I both faced some changes to our jobs this week…Chris got “fired” from part of his job for doing too good of a job (according to the guy in charge, he was doing a lot of the work that other people were supposed to be doing…so basically, he was told to work less.  He’s not complaining!) Obviously, “fired” isn’t the correct word to use, but we think it’s funny to say it that way. I was told last week that my travels to Birmingham are likely to increase vastly, and that I could be spending up to 40% of my working time here.  I enjoy my actual work day better here in Birmingham, and naturally I prefer the setting since I have always preferred larger cities.  However, I am discouraged that this could mean less flexibility and less time with Chris and Mason.  I am going to have to give it a chance, though.  I know that once Chris starts pilot training in less than two months, our days of watching TV for hours every night and traveling every weekend will be long gone.  Chris will probably need me out of his hair so he can focus on his studies. (Trying to see the glass half full, here).  And I’ve already got elite status with my Marriott points, so maybe once it’s all said and done, we will have some free nights we can spend somewhere cool.  My hotel here is super nice and huge….kitchen, living area, giant TV (and the hotel does your grocery shopping for you if you want).   When Chris is gone for 4-6 weeks in January, I might just stay up here full-time with Mason since the hotel allows pets.  That way I will be closer to Auburn and Atlanta, so weekend trips would be more convenient, too.  I am speaking too far ahead, because who knows how all this will actually turn out, I’ve just been thinking a lot about it since I was told about the change.

We had to board Mason this weekend while we went to the wedding…it makes me sad to board him, even though I know he is in good hands.  What REALLY made me sad is that the boarder doesn’t allow pickups on Sunday (EVERYONE is closed on Sunday in Columbus), so he had to be picked up Monday after I left for Birmingham.  So I haven’t seen my little baby in 5 days! Chris said that when he picked Mason up, that he was so excited to see him.  I tried to talk to Mason last night on FaceTime (the program Chris and I use to video chat on our iPhones), but the iPhone scared him.  Chris sent me this picture of Mason, which made me laugh so hard because it is just amazing how crazy long his tongue is! That is literally just half of how long it is.  He doesn’t let it hang out very often, which is a good thing, because I think he would probably step on it. 

I guess I am looking forward to the game on Saturday (THE game that is, the Iron Bowl), but only because I’ve already kind of prepared myself for the worst…so I figure, I will be either pleasantly surprised, or just not surprised at all, but I doubt it will be any worse than what I have prepared myself for.  I know it sounds bad that I’m not sitting here saying that I just “know” we will pull off the upset, but we all deal with the emotional roller coaster that is football season in our own way, and mine is to always expect the worst but hope for the best.  Every time I stray from that strategy, I wind up ruining my Saturday by being let down, so I’m just going to play it safe :)  Mostly, we are just excited about seeing our families and having a long weekend.  I, for one, am also looking forward to some much-needed girlfriend time that I have planned for Friday night.  We are leaving early on Sunday so that we can get home and spend the afternoon decorating our first Christmas tree…I’m so excited! I am going to get the whole house done next week and I can’t wait.  Pictures to come! Check back next week!