The Words

It's been on my mind a lot lately. Do we really realize what we're singing? Or have the words just become a sequence of good sounding syllables that we string together. There is one experience that sticks in my mind. I was at a youth conference and the worship was playing some great music, and everyone was getting very excited. Then they played "Take it All" by Hillsong. It's a great song, but do we really mean what we're singing? The chorus goes:

Jesus, we're living for name
We'll never be ashamed of you
Our praise and all we are today
Take, take, take it all

There I was in a room full of teenagers who think they know everything they need to know (hey, I was one of them, so I'm not being that harsh :P), and we're all singing a song telling Jesus to take everything we have and declaring that we are going to be living for His name. There is nothing wrong with the song, and there's nothing wrong with making that declaration. But do we realize that's what we're doing when we sing those songs?

 Personally, I know I would not have handled life well if Jesus HAD taken away everything I had just then. I wasn't mature enough as a person and, more importantly, in my faith. I know that I did not mean those words, and I can only think of a few people in that room that might have meant them. There have been so many beautiful songs written about trusting God and giving everything over to Him. But how often do we truly mean it?

 As we go about our day, singing to the radio or at church, don't let the words just become a habit. Let them ring out with truth in your life. If you aren't at a point where you could honestly sing Take it All, be praying while it's playing. Pray for a growth in faith so that one day you would be able to sing that song. I think we all need to be more careful of the words we're saying and the songs we're singing.

 It makes me think of Peter who said "I'll never betray you!" and then went on to deny Christ three times in a row. We need to be careful what we're saying, 'cuz who knows God will take away because we asked Him to take it all. Just some food for thought. Have you had any of the same experiences? What is your take on this?

Simple Dog

A long time ago, I saw this post about the blogger's attempt to prove her dog was not simple minded by performing some tests. I have always thought the post was hilarious...until we got our own dog. =P So, after many frustrating moments of Thor not listening, we decided to do the same tests for him as Allie did for her simple dog.

What we found is that Thor can manage the tests of getting out from under the blanket, and he always knows how to get his treat. So, we were relatively confident that Thor was not a simple minded dog. That is until we saw him do this.

We have been continually entertained by him chasing his tail! He goes for a good while and then stops only because he is dizzy. So he stumbles around for a minute or two and then starts up again. It is so funny.

It's nice to have something to explain some of the difficulties in training our dog. He is slowly getting it, and he is truly learning. I'm just thankful we didn't have as many issues as Allie did. At least Thor does know how to use stairs. :P

Meet Thor!

We got home from Thanksgiving with my family and the next day I was making the rounds on Craigslist when I saw a posting for a free puppy! Gasp! They gave a short description and told us it was a Chin-Pin mix. I'd never heard of Chin-Pins before, so MMM and I sat down, did some research and had some discussions. About 30 minutes later we decided we'd like to meet the little guy and see how it went.

I emailed the woman who put up the posting and set up to meet him the next day! It took forever to get to 6pm the next day, but it finally arrived and we met our little dog! Everything went well and he came home with us that very night. It was quite an adjustment for him and he ran around our house like a crazy little guy.

We have already had some adventures with Thor (that's what he was already named). The first one was this gem.  -->

We've learned to dog-proof the bathroom completely (including blinds) before leaving him in there alone. Coming home to a mess in the bathroom has happened enough for us to get the picture.

It didn't take long at all to figure out that he truly is a lap dog. If you so much as squat, he will be there jumping into your lap. It doesn't matter how difficult you make it, he will find a way.

Isn't his sweater cute? Unfortunately he's already scratching a hole in it. =(

One of the funnier adventures was when MMM was playing with him using this old blanket and Thor managed to find the hole! He was walking around with his "cape" and it was so adorable!

I'm sure I'll have many more Thor adventures to share later on, but that's all for tonight.

Arizona Honeymoon - Part 3

After the dinner with our friends, we made the drive back down to Tucson where we would stay the rest of the week. Our first day in the little house was very relaxing. We went to the library and walked around and honestly didn't do that much.

The next day was great because I got to go to a spa with my grandma and then we went shopping! It was so much fun! I got some really cute heels and an awesome purse. (Awesome = lots of compartments).

I'm having a hard time remember what happened on each night but I can tell you that we ate supper at my grandma's house twice. One night we played games with them and had just tons of fun!! And the other night there was great because I got to play some of my piano pieces for them, and Grandma played the piano for us! I was so glad to be able to record her playing several pieces, including some of her original songs. What a blessing to get to hear her play.

On another night we joined them for supper at a Mexican restaurant. Oh man oh man, it was soooo tasty! They even had a dessert that was like deep fried tortilla apple pie..I can't remember what it was called, but it was amazing!

Our next adventure began here ^^ where we began our trek up the mountain!

We packed a backpack lunch which included 5 bottles of water!

This view really reminded me of the Black Forest. I wish we would have had our picnic there, but we weren't hungry just yet.

 We found this awesome tree that had the core completely burnt away!

This is where we stopped. It was probably about half way to the peak of the mountain. I was already feeling pretty tired, so down we went. The way up was 4 miles, and so we decided to try taking the steeping and shorter (2.2mi) trail back down. It was shorter in time, but only slightly.

It was so hard on my legs and knees that I was sore for probably three days! We did make it down.

The last thing on the to do list was going out for a fancy dinner. It was so amazingly delicious!! I had a Chicken Chowder soup that was divine. And then the main course was Wienerschnitzel! I had been wanting that for weeks and this restaurant had the best! It simply melted in your mouth. The cheesecake for dessert was also quite great!

Those are all the highlights from our honeymoon!

Arizona Honeymoon - Part Two

After going to the Grand Canyon, we drove south about 3 hours to Camp Verde where we crashed at a hotel. The next morning we went to the Out of Africa wildlife park.

Gotta love the bones they carried with them up on top. All the big cats were taking their afternoon nap when we got there.

This is Boom Boom, or rather the statue of him. He was one big boy!

We all got the chance to feed the giraffes. It was slobbery.

This giraffe made himself very comfortable in the bus and began eating treats out of the front! It was quite entertaining. I really wanted to pet its neck, but knew that was a bad idea.

The ostrich was interesting as well! I didn't realize how unintelligent the animals are. Pretty funny actually.

Over all, it was an enjoyable day. The park has been kept pretty simplistic and is not particularly made to cater to people. That actually added to it's unique charm.


After our time there, we made our way back to Phoenix where we spent more time with MMM's grandparents. Then we went out to eat with C and J who are old friends. We really enjoyed our time with them! Too bad I didn't get any pictures of it though!

Arizona Honeymoon - Part One

I've been very absent lately, I know, but I'm back to do a few posts at least! MMM and I weren't able to take time after the wedding for a honeymoon, so we decided to take it in November when he already had some days off.

We drove down to my parents house first on the 9th. We were supposed to fly out from there on the 10th, but we got delayed a day by weather. =( We finally made it to Tucson on the 11th, and straight from the airport we drove the speedway to Phoenix! I have never seen crazier drivers. Seriously. Talk about a stressful drive! We stayed the night with grandparents near Phoenix and really enjoyed spending time with them.

The next morning came our first adventure. We decided to go to the Grand Canyon! It was further up than I expected, so we got an early start to make the trip there. We had heard about Sedona, AZ and so when we saw signs for it, we chose to take the detour.

We drove through the Oak Creek Canyon (I believe), and it was gorgeous! I wish we would have stopped so I could have taken better pictures. All I have are pictures through the car window.

The pictures didn't capture the color of the rocks very well, so I did alter the pictures some to get that rich red/orange color back. It is Red Rock country up there!

Our detour took us on a mountain trail where we literally drove up one side and down the other. This made for an exciting trip! We stopped once to take a short walk and I found this place. I wish I could have captured it better. The trees were so tall, and the sun was streaming through them so beautifully.

In the process of finding the last picture, hubbie and I found our retirement house! It was so cool because it was off the road a ways, and the only ways we could see to get in were this (private!) bridge, and a water covered road. The creek just flows right over the road. It's pretty neat, and having a private bridge is the coolest thing ever!

Finally, we got our first glimpse of the Grand Canyon! I had only been there once when I was very little, so I couldn't remember much of that trip. Seeing it again as an adult was so exciting. MMM had never been there, so it was great for him too!

He took a few more risks that I was willing to take. But he's just like that. =D We did agree that we are never bringing kids here. Maybe if we trust our teenagers we will bring them there. It really is a dangerous place. A lot of areas don't have any railing or fences (as you can see above) and so I'm not surprised that there are a few fatalities there every year.

One of the interesting aspects of the Grand Canyon is just how it pulls you in. If any of you have been there, or to Niagra Falls, maybe you understand what I mean. It just has this magical power on you that makes you want to be part of the beauty. It pulls you in. It draws you to the edge. Whenever I felt that pull get a little stronger, I would run away from the edge. =P

I did enjoy sitting on this precipice. MMM was with me for most the time, except what it took to take this picture. It was a beautiful place to see and take it all in. The only complaint, it was too cold!

The only picture we have of us together at the Grand Canyon. It was a beautiful place, and we really enjoyed our time.  We only spent a day there, and I'm sure we could have done so much more, but we were eager to continue onto a  new adventure. That will come in Part Two!

Our New House!

It's been a few days since I posted, and so much has happened! We stayed Monday night with our aunt and uncle and then I got to spend Tuesday hanging out with our aunt. MMM and I went to lunch at Josie's and it was great to go back there! I'd had so many dreams about the shop while we were gone that it was great to finally see it again and see that it hasn't changed much at all.

My aunt and I worked on looking at houses and then we took a little drive to the park MMM and I got married in. I knew there were going to be so changes to the park so I wanted to check it out and see how different it was. They put in a very nice playground exactly in the spot we had the ceremony. We knew that would happen which is one of the reasons we chose it. We know that we are the only people who will ever get married right there.

We spent two nights with some good friends and really enjoyed the chance to catch up with them. Thank you guys again so much!

On Thursday we got to move into our new house! I'm really excited about living here! We have been crazy busy trying to move all our things inside. Yesterday we even had the help of our friend and MMM's old roommate. We took all three cars and loaded them to the brim! Right as we were loading up it started to snow! It is our first snow this winter, and the first time it's snowed after being married. It was just an unfortunate time for it to snow! Oh well. We got tons of stuff moved in, and now I just have to start unpacking all of them! But for now I am going to relax and stay warm in our cozy bed. It is so nice to have our bed back! Hurray for a new house! I'll try to post pictures soon!

The End and a New Beginning

Friday was our last day in Dayton. It is almost surreal now that we spent three months in Dayton! The time went so quickly. So many things happened. We both have learned so much about ourselves individually and as a couple. We had the opportunity to be blessed by a community of believers. I don't think I could ever forget them! We are so grateful for how God provided that church for us in that season of our marriage.

Saturday was a long day of driving until we finally made it to MMM's parent's house. The only interesting that happened while driving is that a semi pushed me off the road. Of course! I was the one driving when that happened. It shook me up a bit, but I'm proud of how quickly I did get over it.

The night was spent hanging out with his family. Unfortunately, I haven't been feeling well, so that made everything a bit less fun for me. Yesterday was a similar story. We did go out to eat for breakfast at this really quaint restaurant, and my food was perfect! Last night, we were watching tv together and I was messing around on my laptop. I decided to check out Craigslist once again, even though I've had very little luck finding us a place to live. I hadn't check on there for a couple weeks maybe. But I noticed one post right away! It sounded great, and it even had a phone number attached! So I sent them a text and began chatting back and forth with the girl who posted it.

Today was the culmination of our journey. We did the last few hours of our drive back to the Windy City. On our way I got a call from the girl from Craigslist and we chatted about her place and figured out a lot of details. We worked it out that we went straight to her duplex right when we got into town.


Checking out the duplex was really exciting! It was the first time MMM and I got to look at a place together!  It is a quaint little place, and we decided that it is the place that God has for us. It was just too divinely appointed to be otherwise. I already love it and am excited to make it into our home. It even has some of the quirky things I wanted but didn't need. I love how God does that.

We went to pick up hubbies car and had unending problems with it. It kept dying, and we kept having to jump it. We finally made it to our aunt and uncle's place. Now it is time for bed, as I'm still not feeling the best. Looking forward to moving into our new place and getting used to being home again.

Dayton - Day Eighty-Six

It was an early morning for us today. We got everything packed up and checked out by 7:30a,m. We went on base and I went to practice and MMM stayed with his classmates. Practicing went well and I started feeling more relaxed.

We had to wait a while for the graduation to start and it gave me enough time to start freaking out again. This was a big deal for me since it has always been a dream of mine to sing the National  Anthem for an event. I texted my mom to calm my nerves.

The ceremony began and I got up to sing and I was shaking. I took hubbies advice and angled myself to look at the flag instead of the audience. It made a huge difference! I am very pleased with how it went and received many compliments afterward.

It was so great to see all of hubbies class graduate. I am very proud of him. The speeches were entertaining as well. It was a lovely graduation.

We got on the road shortly afterward. The day went quickly! We stopped to eat some supper and then drove a couple more hours. Now we are in a lovely hotel and will buckle down for the night.

Dayton - Day Eighty-Five

Tonight is our last night in Dayton. I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. And so much has happened! The day was very busy for me with all the packing. We brought stuff to Dayton that we knew we'd use regularly, and that being the case, I couldn't pack it up until we wouldn't have time to use it again. 

For a while I just blasted some music and got to packing, and then I took a break to chat with one of the greatest friends! It was absolutely the best being able to chat with her. *waves* I steadily continued on with the packing until another chat with a different friend, which was also fantastic! 

MMM got home a bit early (just when I laid down to take a nap, of course) and got busy packing up his things. The afternoon flew by with all the last minute things. We packed up the car and so far it's looking pretty good. Hopefully the last things that go in tomorrow will fit well. 

We walked to the store for the last time to grab some munchies for the road. It is just so strange to be leaving this place. At first it seemed so foreign, but we've both gotten so comfortable here now. It is sad to be leaving our new friends too. 

Now we are preparing the last of our food for our late night supper! :D Maybe a movie too. Our last night here has arrived. Now we just hope for a good graduation, and safety driving home tomorrow! It will be a long weekend of driving for sure. 

Dayton - Day Eighty-Four

Today began normally. MMM left for work, and I wished I could sleep longer. :P I did get eventually and got going. At the meal with his classmates last night, I was asked if I could bake something for their informal class gathering tonight, and their formal gathering tomorrow. I agreed as long as they knew I'd be experimenting. They were eager to be my taste testers.

I got all ready to bake when I realized that I didn't have any eggs! And since we're leaving in just a couple days, I definitely didn't want to buy a whole dozen. So, I walked to the store and chatted with Grams. The store didn't have cartons of 6 eggs which was a big surprise. So I decided to take my experimenting one step further and bought "egg beaters".

After getting home, I got started on the baking. The egg beaters seemed to do well enough. My next experiment was how to put marshmellows into the cookies. I tried several different ways. I was never quite satisfied. The cookies definitely weren't awful, but I'm hopeful to improve them some day. So, I made one experimental batch of cookies, then I made a normal batch with my left over chocolate/peanut butter chips, and then on top of that, used all the rest of my marshmellows to make a huge batch of rice krispie bars! I was a baking machine! It was great because I got to use up a lot of my ingredients, which means there's less to pack and bring home! Woot.

After baking and eating lunch, I was pooped. So I laid on the foot of our bed, in the direct line of sunlight, and got to take a cozy nap! It was fantastic. MMM got home shortly after and we had a nice couple of hours together. We just chatted about our trip back home and what all we need to do. Then he grabbed all the goodies for tonight and headed out.

I have spent the night working on all the dishes, watching Netflix, and talking with one of my all time favorite families! It was so great to catch up with them, and I'm so excited to see them again in November. Now on to more web surfing for things to do on our honeymoon/vacation in Arizona! Toodles!

Dayton - Day Eighty-Three

One more day in the books here in Dayton. I'm so thankful to be feeling better today. It was a long week of feeling awful, so this is such a relief. I mostly hung out at home except for going on a walk. The weather has been gorgeous here. It's going to be a shock to get back to the Windy City which is currently much colder than Dayton. Brr.

MMM got home from early and so we had enough time to watch the new version of Yours, Mine, and Ours which is funny. Of course, I like the older version better, but it is an entertaining remake.

We went out to eat with his whole class to a Japanese steakhouse where the chef cooks in front of you. It was entertaining! And the food was very tasty. It was nice to get to know his classmates better. I got to talk with some that I'd never really chatted with before, so that was great! It's crazy knowing that pretty soon we'll be gone and not seeing this people every week.

But now it's time to end the day with bed. I'm still tired from last week, so hopefully I'll sleep well tonight.

Dayton - Day Eighty - Two

Well, last night was interesting. I only got about 3 hours of sleep with a 5 hour break in between those measly three hours. I tried to sleep, but it just didn't happen. So, I watched netflix and chatted to my pastor who is currently several hours ahead of us.

I did finally fall asleep for about an hour, but then I had to wake up, which was extremely difficult. I decided to go to the store in order to keep myself awake. I chatted with my sis at the same time, which was nice.

I am starting to feel better! So, I put together I actually got some dishes done and got a start on packing back up for our trip back home. It feels nice to have a head start, and to have a plan for all the food we need to eat. I don't think we'll be able to eat it all.

MMM and I hung out after he got home from work. And soup was the first thing on the menu. We watched some tv, and played some games together. I just enjoyed chatting with my husband. We even watched the Presidential debate...which was less than amusing. But, I enjoyed chatting with a friend from home at the same time.

Now, I desperately need to get some sleep. Goodnight!

Dayton - Day Eighty-One

It is our last Sunday in Dayton. It is amazing how the time has flown. I woke up feeling a little better and even got most of my exercises accomplished before MMM woke up. But, by the time we headed out for church, I was already feeling kinda groggy and off.

We went to Sunday school and it was good. I think we seriously only covered two verses. There was a lot of good discussion. Right after that we headed to the main service where we met a couple for the first time. They were very nice.

The service went well. I was supposed to sing on the team, but because I've been sick that didn't work out. I chose not to sing in the choir either. For me to not be able to sing makes in very hard to get involved in the worship. Today though, I was sitting behind a friend who does sign language for all the songs just in her pew. I watched her during every song and found I could truly worship with the beauty of the words she was signing. It made me feel a lot better.

Before the sermon began, the Pastor had us stand up and he announced to everyone that it was our last Sunday. He said some very kind things and encouraged others to greet us after the service. One thing you should know about me is that it is incredible easy to get me to cry when I don't feel well. So having our friends smiling at us and applauding made me tear up.

After the service the couple we just met today came back up to say they were sorry we only met today. The husband noticed me looking ill (I can't help it you know) and prayed over me. That made me really cry. So many people wished us well on our new journey and asked us to come back some day. It was sad to leave knowing we might not ever be back there. This church has been such a blessing to us. We are forever grateful.

The rest of the day has gone by without anything too exciting. I just continue to rest and try to figure out what's wrong with me. It could be a long lasting flu type thing, or perhaps an ear infection. I'm really not sure not now, but I can say it isn't fun being sick.

Dayton - Day Eighty

We all woke up and had breakfast together which was fun. Shortly after that, our friend headed out yet again. the day went by without much happening because I still am not doing the best. I did have a good chat with a friend. We watched some movies.

Tonight we went to see our favorite blues player in this area. It was really fun, despite my head hurting. We played Monopoly while we listened. It was a really sweet coffee house. I'm glad we went, but I am feeling worse now. So, to bed I go.

Dayton - Day Seventy-Nine

I was feeling a bit better this morning. So, I brought MMM to work and continued on with my day. I met him on base just after lunch to rehearsal their graduation! I'm really excited because I am singing the National Anthem! I've always wanted to sing the National Anthem for some event, and it's even better that it's a military event, and the best part is that it is for my husband!

The rehearsal took a long time, but it was fun. I enjoyed hanging out with some of the guys. By the time we left, it was raining and very cold too. Unfortunately, at this point my head was starting to hurt again. Because of that we spent the afternoon and evening mostly relaxing.

We did run to the store (while it was still raining) to grab supplies to make rice krispy bars which were seriously calling my name. So we worked together to make those tasty snacks and then got to work on supper. We had chicken marinated in Italian dressing with rice and broccoli. I thought it was quite tasty.

We cuddled on the couch to watch a very strange, kinda scary, movie. It was very unique in how it was filmed! The friend who previously visited us called again to say he was coming through again. It was decided that he would spend the night again and we began describing the movie to him bit by bit in order to keep him awake. He did make it safely here, and we are heading right to bed!

Dayton - Day Seventy-Eight

Still not feeling the best today. The good spots were the great talks I had with my mom and my sister! MMM was able to go to a game night with co-workers. I wish I felt up to going to, but maybe in a few days.

Dayton - Day Seventy-Seven

Not feeling well at all today. Didn't even go to choir tonight. MMM has been sweet and taking care of me ever since last night. He is currently sleeping after a stressful day at work, whereas, I can't fall asleep. So I'm watching sermons online until I can fall asleep.

Dayton - Day Seventy-Six

We all woke up bright and early today. I got an eggbake in the oven as soon as possible, but it still wasn't ready for MMM to eat before he had to go to work. So sad. :P I brought him to work and there was a crazy long line of cars to get into the base.

Going home, our friend was kind enough to take out the egg bake for me. We ate some and chatted about life in general. Then we headed to a car parts place to figure out for sure what's going on with our car, and also to get a part for him to fix his own car! We spent the next while taking car of both cars. Well, he was taking care of both cars..I was learning how he was doing it! :D

We ate some lunch and enjoyed more great conversation! Then he needed to head out to continue his journey. I left shortly after to go to my Bible study at church. We've been working through Leviticus and Numbers. It has been very interesting!

Then the ladies gave me directions on how to get to the base a new way. This was important, because they are doing construction that will connect the rec area (library, grocery store, etc) to the other portion of the base. This has resulted in the usual entrance being closed. So not only was I driving through a new place, but I had to find a new gate, and manage my way inside this massive base! I was a bit nervous, but I did make it through just fine.

MMM got home and I made supper. I even got to chat with a good friend of mine! Then we headed to the store to get a treat before sitting down for supper and a movie. That's all for now.

Dayton - Day Seventy-Five

Today started off normally, with my hubbie leaving before 6 and I slept til about 7:30. I got up and started with my day quickly so I'd be ready to leave whenever the cleaning lady came. It just so happened that she came just in time for me to walk to the store in the drizzle. It was a bit chilly. I got a few groceries and headed back with my weights. =P

The day continued on as normal until I got some sad news from back home. I let MMM know and chatted with him a little about it. The afternoon was somber because of that, but I did manage to finally finished one of the books I've been reading.

MMM got home and we just spent time together chatting about the news we got and discussing some of the other somber situations in our life. It was a quiet afternoon to be sure. I practiced guitar while MMM worked on the computer.

The day got increasingly better when a friend from back home arrived for a short visit! We're so happy to have him here for the night. He always has something interesting to say. :) I'm hoping we'll get a few games in yet tonight, which is why I am taking care of this post right now. Night all!

Dayton - Day Seventy-Four

Hurray for Sunday! We woke up early to get ready. I had to be at church early to practice with the sound system. I had the opportunity to do special music at the church, and had been debating back and forth between playing the guitar or piano, while singing. Practice went well. I really enjoyed my chat with the pastor's wife before Sunday school.

Sunday school was great! And then church began, and I was so beyond nervous! I was seriously shaking in the choir loft. It was scary. Worship really calmed me down. I decided to do the guitar, even though I'm still a beginner. It started out a little rough, but it got better towards the end. It was not my best ever, but I really enjoyed myself!

After church we had lunch with the pastor and his wife. It was great! We went to Thai even still. We had a lot of fun chatting with them. And the food was delicious.

We got home and both took a much needed nap! We just hung out for a while before heading back to church for a new study! It was good! I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone at the church. They have been so good to us! Including following us home after we had some concerns with our car. Thanks for your help guys! Now we're watching tv and relaxing for the rest of the night. :)

Dayton - Day Seventy-Three

Another weekend has come! I was so tired from last night that I am so glad to sleep in this morning. The day went by very quickly! I worked on my book some, read some, played some games. MMM went golfing with one of his buddies..and that took a few hours. Now he's home and we're going to watch The Skeleton Key! It should be interesting. That's all for today folks!

Dayton - Day Seventy-Two

MMM had a test this morning, so he didn't have to go in early like he normally would on Friday's. That was nice for me! I got up shortly after he left and got started with my day. My days have consisted mostly in doing research about places to move to once we get back home. It has been a frustrating search, but I see a light at the end of the tunnel!

I had a wonderful chat with my Grammy (*waves* Hi Grammy!) while waiting for MMM to get home for lunch. And I had the food ready to go by the time he arrived home. Lunch was good, and then a walk was very much needed. Mhmm. It was a perfect day today. The weather was gorgeous, and just chilly enough to want a light jacket. I love this weather.

MMM had to go back to school for his physical training (which today meant flag football), so I just hung out at home and worked on baking brownies and cookies!

We were seriously considering the house my friend looked at, but knew there was one thing we needed to negotiate on. We decided that would be the determining factor. So, when MMM got home, we gave the owner a call. It was a nice conversation, but ended up being a dud. Hmph. At first I was pretty frustrated because it was the only good lead we'd had for a place to live. But, in the end, I'm at peace with it. I know if God wanted us there, He would have worked it out the way we needed it. We'll find a place eventually.

We had another game night with the crew. My biggest complaint was that the building was frigid!! I was sooo cold. I'm glad to be back in our cozy room. Now, just hoping for the best in our house search tomorrow.

Dayton - Day Seventy-One

Today was good! I brought MMM to work, and then proceeded to fill the car tank and headed to PT for my final appointment! It's great to be done with PT, but I will miss going there. I really enjoyed getting to know the staff there.

I got back home and immediately set off for the store (with a quick stop at Starbucks) to grab a few things. It was a chilly walk, but not terrible. :) I put together a soup in the crockpot and let it cook on its own (the benefits of a crockpot are so great).

I had small group in the afternoon. It was really great! I felt like God was truly speaking to me about some issues, which is awesome! I enjoyed chatting with the ladies and getting to know them better. It was really fun. I'm glad to have the group of people to interact with.

I decided to explore and go on an adventure on my way home, instead of taking the boring interstate. I drove the back roads and it was very pleasant. I enjoyed my little adventure and found my way home with no trouble at all! I took some very lucky turns (without knowing where I was going) that brought me right where I needed to be.

Once MMM was done with work, we took a walk back to the store! While in the store, an older gentleman approached us and started sharing with us about the ways of life and marriage, and how we should drink pomegranate juice instead of milk. It was interesting, and a pleasure to chat with him.

Supper was tasty! But it was even better after supper because I got some good news about a house a friend looked at for us! It was great to hear her news about the house and potentially our future house. We'll see!

The night got even better with a date night with a blues concert! We got to see the same duo that we saw when we first got to Dayton. They were just as good as always! And this time they even sat down with us and chatted during their break! It was great fun!

Now the night will be ending with MMM studying for his exam tomorrow, and I think I'll help him. :) Ciao!

Dayton - Day Seventy

MMM didn't have to go into work until 10 today, which was awesome! My mom was going to try to make it out here, but unfortunately couldn't make it. So, I thought about going to the Air Force Museum, but I ended up having a headache, so I decided to stay home.

I did my exercises from PT to try to help my headache, and I was so happy and excited that it truly helped! I could actually feel my headache leaving! It was awesome!

The day wasn't that exciting for me, but MMM got to play D&D tonight again. Really nothing new to share though. We're still looking for a place to live back home and that is stressing me out a bit. That's it for now.

Dayton - Day Sixty-Nine

Today was interesting. We slept in, which was glorious. Unfortunately, we slept past breakfast with the co-workers, but to be fair, we both thought it was for tomorrow, not today. We were got off guard by MMM being called to work a bit early, but it gave me the chance to bake some cookies!
The cookies were a bit complicated. I did some improvising, and then when it came to how long to bake them it got very difficult. Basically, they weren't cooked all the way through unless the edges got burnt. A frustrating scenario to be sure. But all in all, they did taste pretty good.
They took a bit longer than expected, so I ended up being a bit late for the Bible study. The study was good! We're going through Numbers now and it is really interesting. There are a lot of stories I didn't remember. I really enjoyed being around the older women. They have a lot wisdom that I can learn from.
After the study, I practiced piano and my special music in the sanctuary. It was excellent fun! By this point I was starving, so I grabbed some food for both of us and headed on base.
I met up with MMM where he was playing D&D and we both ate. We were there for about 4 more hours. While they were playing I got to chat with a few different people, which was nice!
MMM decided to go to dance once we got home, and I stayed behind 'cuz I have another headache. Oh well. Hopefully it'll be gone by tomorrow.

Dayton - Day Sixty-Eight

MMM had the day off for Columbus Day! I never paid much attention to all the national holiday's, but now that I'm married to someone in the military, it makes all the difference to have those holiday's!

We stayed home all day for the most part.  I am not feeling the best today, so I really did stay home all day.

MMM decided to play Dungeons and Dragons with his co-workers, so he met up with one of the them to put the final touches on his character. Then he bought me tea, sweet guy. We played some games, and that's about it!

Dayton - Day Sixty-Seven

We awoke to the lovely sound of the smoke detector chirping right above our bed! I woke up to it gradually enough that it even had a guest appearance in my dreams! Luckily, it was just because the battery was low, not because there was an actual fire. It did become quite annoying though. MMM tried to take care of it, but couldn't figure out how it was supposed to come off.

We got ready for church and called the front desk so they could worry about it. Lately it seems that I'm always late. I don't like it! I need to get back to me 'always be early' mentality. So, I was a couple minutes late to choir practice. Oh well. MMM went off to play on the mini before Sunday school started.

Class went well, and I thought it was very interesting. It definitely gave me a new perspective on some things I've gone through, so that was really cool.
Church was good, but a little more difficult since I was sitting in the choir loft for all the worship time, didn't know the songs, and didn't have good access to the words. It all worked out though.

We left pretty much right away and went to eat Thai food, only this time we sat inside. It is just too chilly to sit outside anymore. I was so hungry that I ate my entire meal (for the first time) while watching the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which just so happened to be on tv at the time.

The afternoon was spent working on my novel which is still in the beginning stages. I started writing that probably 4 years ago, but left it alone for a very long time. Now I have about 11 pages (not so much, I know) and am more excited about it than ever before. I feel like I might be able to really work on it, and hope to finish it as well.

MMM went golfing with a work buddy, even though it was chilly. He said that the whole golf course was empty except for them, and he enjoyed that. :D

We went to watch the movie Courageous at church tonight. We hadn't seen it yet, but both really enjoyed it. I liked how it was emotional, dramatic, moving, and truly funny all at the same time. It took some unexpected turns, which I always appreciate, and it wasn't as predictable as the previous movies from this group have been. Over all, I really did enjoy it, and so did MMM! Hooray! We even got to bring a whole bowl of popcorn home to snack on.

It was truly a great night together, and I'm so grateful for today.

Dayton - Day Sixty-Six

It's the weekend! And it's a very long weekend too! We hung out at home for half the day, watching tv, and doing work on the computer. We went out to one of the local parks to go biking, and what do you know? There was a special event going on! It seems that whenever we go out we are coming across some unexpected event. Thankfully, the event today was really fun!

It was the Outdoor Experience event. It included vendors, competitions in kayaking, dog tricks, slack lining, and they had tree climbing (using belays) and they had a BMX show, which was awesome! I really enjoyed our time there, even though it wasn't what we had planned.

The night concluded with us watching Rain Man while eating our supper of brats and potatoes! I remembered it from all the times I had it in Germany, and I really just wanted to have it again. It didn't turn out quite like I expected, but it was good. :)

Dayton - Day Sixty-Five

Normally I wake up a bit more when MMM is getting ready for work, but I barely noticed anything. I woke up later feeling like I missed out on something. It's amazing how those few moments can be such an important part of the day.

My morning went quickly and so did MMM's. His schedule has become emptier as the three months have progressed, and so today he had a 3 hr lunch break! :P We went out to eat across the street again. It tasted good, but we both just ate way too much. So we got back home and he took a quick nap while I day dreamed about my time in Germany. It seems like forever ago that I was there. I always feel nostalgic when I realize that even if I do go back to Germany, it will never be exactly the same. I've changed a lot, and my life circumstances have changed a lot. I wouldn't want anything else, but it is interesting to see your life in the past and know it'll never happen again.

Anyway, MMM had to go back to work for just a short while before being done for the day. Once he was home for good we just hung out for a while. Wouldn't you know, I fell asleep. I think being at home all the time has caused my body to relax so much that I can sleep a lot more. I'm not sure whether that is a good or bad thing.

The night was capped off with watching Monk on Netflix and giving each other back massages. Then right before bed we re-watched our wedding ceremony! It was so great to see it again and relive the memories.

Dayton - Day Sixty-Four

I have had such a hard time waking up lately..I'm not sure why. I drove MMM to work again, even though I didn't have PT today. I got to work on the lasagna some time before lunch. I am not sure how it will go this time because I didn't use as much sauce as last time.

I knew I was going to a small group over by our church at 1pm, so I went to the church early to play the piano, and practice playing the guitar on stage. MMM and I will be doing special music this Sunday! We still haven't decided whether it will be him playing guitar, myself playing guitar, or I will play piano! Of course, I will be singing as well. Practicing was really fun! And I just barely made it to small group on time!

Small group lasted about two hours, and I really enjoyed getting to know the women there. They had a lot of good things to share. It was so helpful to get some directions from them as well, since they've been here a lot longer than I have. They mentioned many things that would be cool to see with my mom! I'm excited!

I got home just in time to scarf down some lunch before picking up hubbie from work. He told me that he has a lot of free time in the next few days, which we're both excited about! :D We went to a bar with some of the guys for a little while before heading on base for a game night! MMM and I played Pandemic with one other guy while the rest of the crew was playing Dungeons and Dragons (which we might join). It was an interesting experience to watch DnD!

We got home just a little while ago, and now it's time for bed yet again. It seems like the days go way too fast.

Oh, and the lasagna turned out okay, but the top was a little overcooked. :P

Dayton - Day Sixty-Three

It was my day to stay home...well, that's every day isn't it. :P I let MMM have the car today, so the furthest I went was to the store across the street for a few groceries. I decided to remake the Lemon Chicken only this time I made it with oranges. I did like it better than the lemons, but it was still too dry. I forgot from last time that it cooks a lot faster than I expected.

The day was spent journaling, and craigslisting for a house. Neither were incredibly productive. I did leave the house tonight to go to choir, which was fun, as always.

The rest of the night was spent just watching tv with the hubbie and chatting. But we are both very tired, so to bed we go!

Dayton - Day Sixty-Two

Man, I did not want to wake up this morning! But, alas, I had to. I dropped MMM off at work, and on arriving back home, realized I had dropped my military id somewhere. Yipes! That was very bad news indeed! So, I called hubbie and he went out and found it where I'd dropped him off. Thankfully it was still safe and sound, but it did mean that I wouldn't be able to go buy groceries until after he got  home.

I had my PT appointment this morning, and it was good! We worked on my shoulder which was sorely needed (pun intended :P). I have been doing so much better since the accident that now I have just over a week until my last eval appointment, and then if all is well, I'll be done with PT! Woot! It's nice to be getting back to normal, slowly but surely.

After my appointment, I just hung out at home for a while. I had intended to go to a Bible study, but I ended up falling asleep while sitting on the couch! Guess I was tired. :) In fact, I must have been very tired, because I fell asleep again before MMM got home. Oh well! I am appreciating this time that I'm actually able to take a nap pretty much whenever I want. I know that won't always happen. Eventually I'll have a job again, and then someday, I hope to have kids to take care of. I'll enjoy this chance to live a relaxed lifestyle.

We decided to eat on base tonight since we didn't have a ton a food at home, and for the express purpose of getting groceries after all! We enjoyed a nice dinner and then split up to accomplish the shopping a little more quickly. I got to chat with a good friend on the way, and then I got a call from my new aunt with information on a place we'd looked at as perhaps our future home. So that shopping trip was quite the exciting trip!

We still are continuing to look for a place to move to back home, so keep your eyes out folks! :P

Dayton - Day Sixty-One

I'll keep this short. Not feeling the best today, so mostly rested at home. I read, watched netflix, played Mario..the works. :P MMM had a good day at work and even got home a little early. Then we both napped. Can't you see how exciting today was? :D The most interesting part was figuring out what to make for supper, and what to send with him tomorrow for lunch! We did watch a semi-creepy movie called The Lazarus Project. It was weird. And now to bed!

Dayton - Day Sixty

It was an early morning for us after getting to bed so late last night. I got to worship practice just a couple minutes late and so got the day off to a rushed start. The practice went pretty well, but my voice was a little strained. I got to practice on the piano a bit before Sunday school, which was nice. Then we had Sunday school, which was excellent! I was surprised to have one of the leaders ask me to play the piano while people were sitting down. I was positively shaking! I tried my best, and made LOADS of flubs. I just had to realize that I don't need to be perfect, I just needed to keep going.

Immediately, I went from the piano to the microphone to sing. I was still shaking very badly, but singing definitely helped. The service went very well. Afterwards, I really enjoyed chatting with several people and found out there's another Bible study during the week! I am very excited for it..

After church we ate Thai as always. Then MMM went to play golf with some of his co-workers. That took a few hours, and I just stayed home and rested. Then we chatted with my sister for quite a while about the new business she is doing. Then we went to another game night play Pandemic! It was so much fun! I was only sad it couldn't have lasted longer.

The evening finished off with a nice chat with an old friend who will be visiting us here in Dayton, and then finally, a great discussion with my hubbie. It has been a good day indeed.

Dayton - Day Fifty-Nine

It was a great day today! We woke up early, as usual and got our day started. That meant I went over to play Mario and MMM helped me! I was thrilled to finally figure out one of the worlds almost completely on my own. I got a few more stars (with some help) and then that was enough for me.

We had a nice day of mostly relaxing. We watched a movie, read our books, cooked together. It was nice! We both got to chat with family members, which was also great.

In the afternoon I decided to experiment doing Peanut Butter Brownies in my crockpot! Of course, they were gluten-free. One thing I have noticed with that flour is that you need more to make things the same consistency that they are with regular flour. This is a lesson I re-learned yesterday. The brownies got more done than I wanted, but when I tried to get them out, they were so crumbly that the first few pieces came out as mush. (Tasty mush though!) I did get a few good pieces out of it though. MMM thought it wouldn't be enough for the gathering we went to tonight, so I made chocolate cookies (with smilies) as well. They were all great too!

We got together with some of his co-workers to play this game called Pandemic - On the Brink (expansion pack). It was SO much fun! We seriously played for 5 hours and managed to get 4 games in. It is a very difficult game to win, but it's great because everyone to working together to beat the board. I really want to own it now so we can play it with our families too! It was great to hang out with all of them and get to know them better. It was so much fun.

Now we're back home..it's super late, and the last thing on my mind it checking out the music we're singing tomorrow at church. Gotta go practice!

Dayton - Day Fifty-Eight

This morning, MMM and I both woke up early which was really nice. Thank sounds funny, but it was nice because I got the time to chat with him before he had to leave for work.

After he left, I cuddled down to watching more Biggest Loser. I really like that show. Most of the seasons are on Netflix and so I've been watching all the seasons I've missed. And despite MMM's opinion of the show it really is motivating to me. I enjoyed doing some exercising while watching. The only discouraging thing is how I almost always get a headache when I do more strenuous activities. For example, running and biking usually get me a headache, but swimming doesn't.

My hubbie came home for lunch (which ended up meaning 9:30-11:30) today! His schedule is so wacky, I just never know when I'll be seeing him next. :P I managed to get lunch done just in time for him to eat before he had to go back. I was very pleased with the chicken! I was a little concerned that it wasn't quite done, but it was and boy, it was so juicy and moist! It was fantastic!

I have been figuring out what goodies I can make next. I went to the store and got some peanut butter and marshmellows and some fruit! You may be wondering what I'm going to make with those things, but I can assure you that they are not going together. I made rice krispie bars (with some corn flakes added) today for a little snack. And tomorrow I will be making peanut butter brownies! Super stoked for that!

That's it for tonight folks.

Dayton - Day Fifty - Seven

Another rainy day in Dayton! I brought MMM to work so I could have the car. Unfortunately, I didn't sleep well at all last night, and all day I've had a pretty bad headache. So, PT was a little rougher on me, but I can definitely see the result.

After PT, I went and picked up MMM for lunch! It was our first time going to lunch during the week, so that was really fun! It was funny because we had to drive to a restaurant that's just across the street from our hotel...but it was all because I had to pick him up. He took the car from there, so I just walked home in the drizzle.

The rest of the afternoon I just relaxed and iced my neck a lot. Still have a headache, but after a short nap today, it's feeling better. Hoping it will be even better tomorrow!

MMM got home and immediately went to study for his test tomorrow. He definitely is feeling the stress tonight, but I know he'll do great!

The night has been nice with us both just sitting on the couch and doing our own thing. :) Man, I love that guy.

Dayton - Day Fifty-Six

Today I work up when MMM went to work and couldn't fall back asleep. So sad. So I got up and got started on a project! I decided to go back to the very beginning of this blog and copy it into a Word document so I have it offline as well. I would hate to lose it because I'd never made a copy of it. So, I got about half way through. It took quite a while! I am almost through 2010 now.

MMM got to come home early today! We just hung out for the afternoon. He got to chat with a good friend from back home! It was nice for me to even just hear his end of the conversation.

I took a short nap (go figure), and then made supper! We had the fettucine alfredo with chicken and veggies!   I need to remember to put some oil in the water. I think the noodles keep bunching together which makes cooking it all the way through more difficult.

I had choir practice! I was excited because I've missed the last few weeks for various reasons. It was so much fun, as always. We did some new music and boy was it difficult! But after a while it got easier. There's one song that was cool 'cuz it was almost blues!

After choir, hubbie and I went dancing! It was the first time in a long time that I really wanted to go dancing, and it was so much fun! I got to dance with a bunch of people, and I really enjoyed it. MMM really enjoyed it too! So it was a great end to the night!

Dayton - Day Fifty-Five

Being Tuesday, I brought MMM to work this morning. It is super chilly now, here in Dayton! All we can think about is how much worse it'll be once we get back home to the Windy City. 

I woke up feeling very stiff. I did a lot of my exercises from PT and was thrilled to see how much of a difference it made. And so I warmed up my body before actually going to PT again. It was a lot of fun, as usual. I'm so happy to see how much better I feel since the accident. I definitely have a ways still to go, but it's better.

After PT, I ran home and ate a quick lunch. Then I headed to the car shop to get some work done. They said it would take around 1.5 hours. You know that's not gonna happen, right? Well, I left our house at 11:30am and got back at 3:30pm!  It wasn't too bad. I just read my book and watched their tv. 

I was very happy to get home though. It wasn't too long after that I went to pick MMM up. We went to the other base first. I went to the library to bring back my books and find something new to read. I'm a very visual person, so it's better for me to read a scary book than to watch a scary movie. I decided to check out Schindler's List. I know it's a movie I wouldn't be able to watch, but I do want to know the story better.

Then we went to supper on base, and it was good! Next stop was the barber shop. Being in the military means my hubbie has to keep his hair short. He doesn't like that, but I do. So I was happy to see his hair cut.  And after the hair, the next stop was the grocery store! We just needed a few things, so it just took a minute. 

The night continued with MMM doing homework and my watching more Biggest Loser. I love that show. The homework tonight was a bit more frustrating for my hubbie. They asked everyone to answer questions about topics they haven't gone over. I'd say that must be very frustrating. 

Well, he's still working on homework, and I've got to go to bed! Good night all!

Dayton - Day Fifty-Four

Today was an off day for me for sure. I was so cold this morning that I just cuddled up on the couch with a blanket for a long time. When I finally felt I had been lazy long enough, I got up and did laundry, the dishes, and ran to the store!

I really appreciated my phone conversations my grammy and my new aunt! I was having an up and down day, and they were so encouraging. Thank you both so much! I honestly don't have that much to say about today. I'm happy though, that it did end on a good note. =)

That's it for today.

Dayton - Day Fifty-Three

We woke up this morning and could see that it was quite a bit colder. I actually really enjoy the changing of seasons for the most part. I get to use a whole different wardrobe!

We got to church in time for choir practice. I just love being in the choir...it makes me so happy! And I couldn't be happy with the song we sang! It is similar in style to Carol of the Bells, which is...basically..awesome! I definitely want my sisters to learn this song too.

Sunday school was next. I love going to this class. It is so much fun to be looking into the Bible as a group and to get some many different opinions about the passage! The only thing that was different today was that I felt like I did have a lot of good thoughts to put out there, but never had the opportunity. It made me sad, and that made me wonder if maybe I should try not to speak out so much..maybe I'm too proud and didn't realize it.

Church was really good. They had a missionary speak and I really appreciated what he had to say. All in all, this church has been such a blessing to us and I feel like I've really learned a lot.

After church we went to eat our customary lunch at the thai place and as always, it was delicious. We have always eaten outside, and today was no different. The only difference this time was that I was wearing my winter coat! :P It was chilly, but it worked out just fine.

We just hung out at home for a little bit. Then we got a phone call we had previously set up with good friends of mine. We got to chat with some of my best friends in Germany who are missionaries there. We talked for about an hour and I enjoyed it so much! It was the first time they got to meet MMM too, so that was fantastic! It was great to hear about their world over there and to see what God is doing through them. Man, I love you guys! You make me smile a lot.

MMM and I took a long walk and it was so nice to get out! It was fun just to have the time to chat together. I really enjoyed getting to discuss some hard decisions for me. And it was truly a beautiful fall day with just a tinge of winter.

For some reason, I've barely been able to keep my eyes open lately and so lo and behold, I took a nap. It was a deep nap too. I had a really hard time waking up at MMM's insistence. But I did wake up and continued reading my book. It is a fantastic series! The Circle Series by Ted Dekker. I'm on the third book now, and it's great!

The night finished off with watching National Treasure with my hubbie. And that's all folks!

Dayton - Day Fifty-Two

Ah, today was so nice and relaxed! Sadly, I didn't sleep in, but I did get some good reading in! We just stayed home all day and hung out together. We worked together to make our meals. I love it when we get to cook together.

Honestly, I feel the only interesting thing that happened today was my nap! I took a long nap and had a lot of weird dreams. I know I was dreaming that MMM was standing across the room and babbling on and on and seeing if his whispered babbles would wake me up. I was having a hard time not laughing in the dream but I could only smile, and I couldn't wake up for him! When I really did wake up, I asked if he had done that and he just looked at me like I was crazy, which I apparently was. :D

That is it for today! A short post for you guys.

Dayton - Day Fifty-One

It's my birthday! :D I have always loved my birthday and this year is no exception. When MMM left for work, he surrounded me with all the pillows and that helped me sleep a lot longer! I was surprised at how comforting it was!

I enjoyed sleeping in! When I got up and got ready for the day I made a trip to the store for some last minute supplies for our ball! I needed to sew on a button on MMM's formal suit! The day went very quickly, with my only task being to get ready for tonight! I enjoyed doing my hair while chatted with my sister! I also really enjoyed getting tons of birthday wishes. Thanks guys!!

I really was excited for my hubbie to come home. He got to see my new dress for the first time and I'm happy to say it worked well for both of us! We had some time before leaving so it was nice to relax and watch some tv. And I got to enjoy my first birthday treat of Haribo gummy bears! Woot! We met up with some of his classmates before hand so we could go together. I really enjoy hanging out with the guys and girls from his work. It's a lot of fun!

We went to the grand Air Force ball which was held in the Air Force museum! I loved being surrounded by so many military personnel. We all had a great time, and I did learn quite a bit of history, which was cool. One of the coolest things was getting a picture taken with Colonel Bud Day! It was so cool! I'm hoping to get a copy of the picture, and if I do, I'll make sure to post it. The beginning of it too long for my liking 'cuz I was starving!

The food (when we were finally able to eat) was delicious! We had a salad with lettuce, strawberries, blueberries, and parmesan! I was a little worried about it and in fact, it was fantastic! I didn't even want dressing on it. Then came the steak, stuffed chicken, and veggies. Man, was it great! The steak was more rare than I normally like, but it was amazing! I was very pleased with all the food!

They had an AF band play some songs and had some dancers up on stage. I was kinda disappointed in the dancers to be honest...They didn't make it nearly as exciting as they could have! The best was the two songs that MMM and I danced to. I've got to have my birthday dance! It was so much fun, and I was even wearing high heels! I haven't done that in a long time. My feet were un-happy, but that is just fine with me. They'll be fine tomorrow.

After the event was over, we hung out at the museum for a little while because it was downpouring! There was even a short tornado warning! We finally left and chose a good time to do it too! It wasn't raining too hard until 30 seconds before getting to the car! And then the road home was horrific! The rain was truly incredible! Thankfully, as soon as we got home it turned into a light sprinkle! =D

Now we are both tired, so it's a night for both of us. :)

Dayton - Day Fifty

I can't believe we've already been here for 50 days! Today was a busy day. I got up with MMM to take him to work. I came home and just worked on stuff at home. It's amazing how much there is to do at home when you've been gone for a week!

The first appointment for the day was going to PT! This one was a bit more frustrating because I feel like my week away pushed me farther back on the recovery scale. So, unfortunately, this appointment was more difficult and had less encouraging results.

After PT I went shopping! I knew I wanted to have my hair curly for the ball tomorrow night, so I decided to  buy a curling iron! I had looked into getting it down professionally, but it was way too expensive for me to justify that. So instead, I bought an iron for 10 bucks that I'll probably be able to use for years to come! I also found a hair dye on sale! After our wedding I dyed my hair red! It has been growing out and I decided today to go back to brown, and I'm happy.

Then I went grocery shopping on base! I love going on base still. I had fun going down most aisles and finding good deals and thinking up meals! It was fantastic to know I am filling my house with healthy food, and I'm so glad to be back to not eating wheat. It makes such a big difference for me.

I got back to our hotel and was able to pick some of their gorgeous flowers to put in our room! It makes a big difference even have 4 little flowers on our shelf. It makes the room so much more alive. Yay!

On my way upstairs I met another military wife staying in our building! I am so excited to have met her. It's great to have someone who has more experience in the military than I do. We chatted for about 45 minutes and they might be coming to church with us!

The night was very relaxed and the biggest thing was that MMM made tacos while I chatted with my mom! I'm excited that she's going to try and come visit us in Dayton!

Well, it's the night before my birthday, and I am so happy with how much has happened in this last year and I know that I have grown by leaps and bounds. :)

Dayton - Day Forty-Nine

Oh boy, it was a long day! I woke up before 4am and finished packing up my stuff. My brother-in-law woke up to bring me to the airport! It was nice to have time to chat with him before leaving. I got to the airport and through security without any issues. I even had time to text MMM a bit before my flight left!

I had two seats to myself on the first flight. Somehow I wedged myself down and was able to sleep for half the flight! I was a bit sore when I woke up, but I did feel better. My second flight had another two seats empty for me! I read a bunch, and played on my tablet a bit. We flew over one of the great lakes! It is so cool to do that again. It is amazing to see how big it is.

Once I got back to Dayton I had to wait a few hours until MMM got off work and could pick me up. I just hung out and watched Netflix and talked to people. I was SOO excited when MMM came and I saw him the first time since leaving a week ago!

A week didn't ever feel as long as this last week felt. It made me appreciate him all the more. I am so glad to have married him and get to be with him for the rest of my life! So tonight, we just stayed home and enjoyed talking and watching a movie together. It is great to be home.

Dayton - Day Forty-Eight

Today is my last full day with my sister's family! It has been a great day. I just had a great time playing with my oldest niece. She helped me do lots of laundry and cleaning up! She had a frustrating time when it came for her to eat lunch, and I was really proud of how I handled it. I made sure she stayed put until she finished her food, and she got her desert as a reward for being such a big girl.

My sister got home from work and I could tell she was pretty tired. Since the baby was sleeping, I took the oldest out for a walk to give my sister the chance to take a nap. The walk was really fun because I really worked hard to get her engaged and loved hearing all the little things she notices.

It was such a great day. My sister made pork chops and brussel sprouts (I'd never had them before, and they were tasty!). Supper was so nice because we all sat outside, including the baby. It was just fun! I got to watch the eldest do her bedtime routine and it was so adorable. She has a hard time brushing her teeth so her parents introduced the idea of singing while brushing so she'd keep her mouth open. It was SO cute..

The evening concluded with watching the final two episodes of Downton Abbey with my sister. Wowza, it was awesome! It was great to spend the time with my sister before I have to leave. Now, it's really time to get to bed 'cuz I gotta get up early!

Dayton - Day Forty-Seven

The time here has gone quickly! Today I was watching the older daughter again. The biggest thing we did today was bake cookies! We had so much fun doing that. She kept wanting to try the cookie dough, and I just kept saying, "oh, it's not yummy yet, you have to wait!". She is so cute.

It was a rainy day this morning, so making cookies was the best thing I could do to make the day exciting for the little girl. This unfortunately, meant we couldn't go on a walk. One of the many things I have learned being here is that in order to keep everyone happy you need to make each day interesting! I feel like I've learned so much being around my sister's family.

The days are all running together with doing generally the same thing every day. One really sweet thing I did today was take a little nap with the baby sleeping on me! She is such a cuddle bug, and just loves to be held. It was super cute.

I have absolutely loved watching the second season of Downton Abbey! It is pretty dramatic, and has some scandals, but it is SO good!

The only other thing from today was just the frequent texts from MMM which make my day so much happier. I have loved the realization again and again of how lucky I am to have married this guy!

Dayton Day Forty-Six

I woke up and got to talk to my guy right away! It was so great to chat eith him. He is such a sweetheart. We went to church this morning which was nice, but a different style than I'm used to. It was my first week away from our church in Dayton, and I found that I really missed being there with my husband!

After church, my sis and I went shopping for  a new dress! MMM found out that there is an Air Force ball on my birthday!! So, he got the required uniform and told me to get a dresd fit to go to a "black tie event". We found a few dresses for me to try on and I was happy to find that some were too big! There were two that I felt were the best choices one was purple and the other was red. After some debate, I decided on the red one! I don't think I have ever had a red dress before! I am really excited to dress it up with accessories and am hoping to find a nice curling iron at a thrift store or figure out some way to make my short hair look pretty.

The afternoon was spent at my sister's in laws house. It was fun to catch up with them a bit! I really enjoyed skyping with MMM for a long while this afternoon. It was so much fun! The only problem was how tired I was. I ended up falling asleep on skype, poor guy!

The day flew by after that. We hung out at my sister's and I continued reading Mere Christisnity by C. S. Lewis for the first time. I also really enjoyed chatting with them about what it is like to be parents.

The rest of my night has been filled with Netflix. Sadly, I don't feel tired now, so I may be up a while.

Dayton - Day Forty-Five

I'm writing this post early because we're staying home for the rest of the night. This morning I got up early to skype with MMM! It was nice to see him again. We got to chat for probably 45 minutes! It was so good to catch up just on the day to day projects I've been working on, like finding us a place to live back home. It was super nice to have that time before the day officially started.

We all went to my sister's church at 8:30am for a meeting. I ended up staying in a room with a bunch of kids I don't know. I'll admit, it was a bit overwhelming. I was happy when all the parents came back and helped clean up the very messy room!

Then my sis and I stayed at the church with the baby for a Beth Moore event. The actual event was taking place in Pennsylvania and we were tuning into it online. It was a really great seminar! I feel like I did learn quite a bit, and I'm excited to see how God uses it! While we were watching the seminar, I was helping my sister put together programs for her church. It took up most of the time. I was glad to have something to do with my hands 'cuz that helps me concentrate!

Now we're back at the house for the rest of the night. I got to help give the baby a bath! She's such a cutie pie. I'm so sad I couldn't bring my nice camera with me, but my battery is completely dead and I forgot to bring my charger to Dayton. So very sad. So, the rest of the night will be spent at the house trying to help out! That's all for today!

Dayton - Day Forty-Four

It was really nice to have my sister home for the morning today! I love having the time to spend with her and also to see what a great mom she is! Seeing her with 2 kids makes me wonder how my mom ever did it with 4! Way to go, Mom!

When she went into work it was time for our daily walk! It was a hot day for sure! I got to talk with my adopted grandpa back home and I absolutely loved it! He is such a good man and I am blessed to have him as a friend. We are already planning on a lunch date at Josie's when MMM and I get home!

I was so glad to skype with my hubbie this afternoon! The camera wss horrible but it was still wonderful to see him. It was short but so worth it. I am already looking forward to skyping tomorrow morning!

The rest of the day was fine. I am now dealing with general aches all over! Apparently it is because I need to drink lots more water in this area of the country! I am trying to take care of that. I'm just glad it is something I can fix! I took the rest of the day as easy as I could and now it is time for bed!

Dayton - Day Forty-Three

I didn't sleep the best last night and being in a different time zone isn't helping. The day went well for the most part. The only big problem has been this persistent headache.

I spent the day watching my 2 year old niece. It definately had its funny moments! We took a nice long walk and it pretty much knocked me out. I was happy to rest when she took a nap.

It is really fun to see the personality my niece has. I am so excited to see what personality her younger sister has! One thing I'm definately figuring out is just how much work it is to have kids! I will happily enjoy this time just with MMM!

I went to a meeting with my sister tonight. It was interesting, but I did leave the room as soon as I knew my hubbie was free to talk! It was so great to talk to him for longer than 5 minutes.

We got to chat about a lot of things and I appreciated that time so much! I got used to seeing him every day and talking to him lots every day, so to only talk a few minutes the last few days has been hard. The nice thing about missing him this much is being able to appreciate him so much more! I am so so glad I married him!

Anyway, after we left the meeting we had a little adventure finding a Chik-fil-a! We got our little snack and made our way back to her house. Now it is time for bed!

Dayton - Day Forty-Two

It was a very long day! We woke up at 4.15am and got to the airport by 5. My flihht didn't leave until after 7, so I just hung out and read. My flight went well and I even slept for a while. I almost was too late for my second flight. Right as I was boarding I got a call from my sister who had just landed at the same airport! I was sad not to have time to see her.

This flight also went well and I read the whole time. It won't take me long to finish that book now. When I finally made it I knew it was time to eat. My sister wasn't able to get merihht away so I got some food in the airport amd played on my tablet til she arrived.

It is so great to finally meet my new niece and see my older niece as well! We went to the grocery store with an organic emphasis which is awesome! I loved seeing all the fresh produce!

Today was spent just helping out with my nieces and chatting with my sister. It was really nice. They went to a party and I chose to stay home. I was really surprised to find that I did not find the idea of a bunch of people exciting. You would think that after all this time at home by myself in Dayton that I would be beyond thrillef to be around lots of people but I guess I am getting used to being alone.

This is my first time away from my hubbie since we got married so it is definately a new experience. Is it too mushy to say I already miss him? =P Time for bed now!

Dayton- Day Forty-One

Today was crazy busy! I am getting ready to fly to my sister's house early tomorrow. I brought my hubbie to work and then got straight to work. My first goal was to finish the dishes so I could make cookies!  While I was mixing the cookies I was also watching Netflix and searching things online. I love multitasking!  I went out on a limb and made gluten free chocolate chip cookies! I was happily surprised at how tasty they were! It is such a nice feeling knowing that I can still make goodies but can keep it healthier by not using wheat! How great is that?
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Whilethe cookies were baking I was also doing all our laundry so I would have clothes to take with me! By this time I was hungry for lunch so I used a large corn tortilla with cheese and pepperoni to make my pizza substitute which is actually very tasy and definately satisfies my pizza cravings.

 I had pt this afternoon and enoyed it so much! I have considered studying it and I would really appreciate your prayers for me as I make big decisions. Also, if you have any experience in this field, I would love to hear about it!

The afternoon continued with packing for my trip. I would consider myself a light packer. My husband might not agree. =P Packing didn't take long at all so I got working on all my new dishes!  I forgot to mention that I also got a soup started in the crockpot after the cookies. I made enough soup for an army so MMM will probably be sick of it before I get back. I just hope it isn't torture to eat. =P

MMM is currently opperating without a phone which is making life interesting. He called from a different phone when he was ready to leave but forgot to set a meeting place. I checked a few of our regular spots before finally finding him. We made our way to the other base where we went to the library. I got two more books by Beverly Lewis and started immediately while we waited for the dining center to open.

We went to eat supper and it was quite good! My favorite part was eating with My Military Man while he was still in his uniform! A rare treat that is. We went home and relaxed for a while before dance.

Dance was alright. There are a few good dancers. My biggest issue was myself. Physically I'm just not to that point yet apparently. That was discouraging. Oh well.

We are getting up at 4am tomorrow so it is time for bed! Sorry for typos tonight. This was my first full post via the Mini (aka the tablet).