my favorite veterans.

are these men.  i'm being biased since these are my brothers (by marriage).  actually, all veterans rock.  because of them, we're free.  we're free to vote- or not vote.  free to talk openly about religion, criticize the government, read anything we desire & have unlimited access to tons and tons of information.  and that's totally cool.

i didn't grow up in a military house, so while we appreciated and admired the dedication of the service members, we didn't live with the day-to-day commitments that are part of the job.  as matter of fact, when a. decided to join the army, i was less than thrilled.  we were dating at the time and deep down, i knew he was the one.  but committing to him & the military?  now that was asking way too much.  but love conquered all and as the stories have told, a. & i began our life in the military.  it's been a wonderful and rocky road.  full of adventures and challenges, deployments and togetherness.  it's opened many doors for us and for that, we'll always be thankful.  


veterans day hits very close to home for us and our families.  as you can see, there's a few fantastic men serving & sacrificing for us from this family.  but it's something they love doing and a job they're happy to have.  they're part of a united group of people working together with a similar mission: to keep this country safe, to keep this country free, and to do their part in making the world a better place.  without all the veterans and those still serving, these seemingly simple ideas that we so often take for granted, wouldn't be possible.  

so for every veteran out there, past & present- thank you.  seriously.  thank YOU.

big news.

in case you haven't picked up on it in this post or even here, we're moving!

from syracuse to san diego.  we're packing up our home and our life and returning to our roots.  after eight years, a.'s time with the army is up & after much thought, we decided it was time to head home.  we've lived in new york for six years and while our first year here required much adjustment, we've fallen head-over-heels for the empire state.

there's no doubt about it, moving's rough.  and there are so many mixed emotions about this new chapter in our lives.  between the six years, two deployments, countless adventures and multiple jobs, we've made stellar friends & created such an awesome home and life here.

that's the hardest part of military life.  you move to a new city and after awhile, start meeting people, get involved in the community, secure a fantastic job and get comfortable.  then, in usually 3 to 5 years, new orders are cut and word's out that you're moving.  and this little life you worked so hard to create is left behind.

luckily for us, this tour hasn't been typically military.  we've had lot's of time to settle in and make some wonderful memories.  and while we're leaving, much as it is when you leave any home for any reason, the friendships we've worked so hard to build will come with us.  no doubt about it.  however, i'm still not ready to leave our ny family.

by moving to san diego, we'll be surrounded by family and friends- so we know it's the right step for us.  eventually, we'd like to start a little fam of our own and it will be so rad to have our hypothetical children surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

but knowing there's happiness waiting for us on the sandy shores of san diego doesn't make saying goodbye any easier.  at all.

september is our last full month in new york & there's so much we have to do before we move (selling the house is check box numero uno).  there's also tons left to see and so many people to spend time with.  and there's only six weeks to do it all.  crazy.

so in these next six weeks, a. and i have a few adventures planned between the packing, dinner dates and game nights.  inevitably, it'll feel like a whirlwind- but once we're in san diego, we can settle down and relax.  right now, there's no time.

a weekday wedding?

why not?!?
these past two days, a. & i had a fantastic time celebrating as our good friends tied the knot this last tuesday.  we took advantage of the opportunity for a little stay-cation & after an evening of dancing and fun, we spent the night in a quaint motel in clayton, ny.

the wedding was spectacular.  we were among many friends, most of which had been stationed with a. during his last two deployments.  the camaraderie among these men and women is so strong and their experience fostered lifelong friendships.  so needless to say, we were among great company.

the bride & groom arrived by boat and had an intimate dock-side ceremony.

after the ceremony, they offered rides through the bay in antique boats, had a slew of lawn games, and an awesome sunset.  the wedding took place on the patio of the clayton antique boat museum.  this was such a rad venue and the perfect backdrop for a unique tuesday wedding.

we spent the entire next day on the water.  after brunching with the happy couple we borrowed paddle boards and took to the bay.  it was fantastic.  if you've never had the chance to paddle board, hop to it.  the first time we sup'ed was in costa rica.  we aren't able to do it often, but when we do, we fall in love all over again!

all said & done, this was a great excuse for a brief getaway and the perfect day to celebrate a new life of love and adventure.

thanks be to skype.

isn't it amazing how easily we can chat with someone (and see their face if we're lucky enough) across the world?  not just afghanistan- but italy, australia or brazil...all from the comfort of your home, airport, office or car.  seriously, where would we be without skype?


let me say this: it makes deployment so much easier...and anything that makes a year-long deployment easier, is something to be thankful for in my book.  i often wonder how couples stayed connected during those long, long stretches in world war 1 or 2.  Not knowing when they would hear from one another or even go home.  a. and i are able to chat almost everyday and i'm so grateful for that connection.  while most of the time we spend typing, there are the rare occasions that we can actually talk or video conference.  and those days are amazing!


so thank you skype.  thank you for brightening our days and keeping it possible to chat often...especially during the holidays!