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I am slightly in shock, and definitely sad. Last night there was a staff meeting at Stir Fry and we found out that the owners have decided to close our location, and 1 other in 2 weeks. I have worked there for 5 1/2 years and I just can't imagine what I am going to do. I never believed I would work their for the rest of my life, believe me that was never my plan. But I never thought it would come to this, I always thought I would leave when I was ready. And I admit I have always been afraid to leave, I love this place. I work with great people and they have always treated me well. I have made some great friends and several of them have I have worked at since the beginning, I was 16!!!! And I don't know what I am going to do. So please please pray for me, and the rest of the employees, as I try to find a job, especially as Travis gets ready to deploy.

Practicing

So when training for a marathon a runner must work for a long time to build up to where they want to be. Well, I have begun training! Ok, ok not for a marathon... me running that's funny! But for deployment. I am spending the weekend alone, and I am using this to get into the habit of Travis being gone! There are so many things that I want to do that I just don't know where to begin. I mean there are chick flicks, shopping, good wine, good chocolate, decorating, oh man the list goes on and on!!! But of course there are the normal everyday things to, but those are to boring to list! So let's see tonight, I went to work and now I am posting this and then I have the food pantry and church tonight and then I am thinking American idol and then whatever other girl shows that I can find on TV that Travis' won't watch with me!! And I can't wait! Well all right that's really all I have for now, I was just excited and wanted to share!

Getting ready

I have been keeping busy lately. With what you ask? Getting ready for Travis' upcoming deployment. Well, kind of. I am a family readiness assistant for his unit and we have been busy trying to get things together and started for all the families. We are already starting to plan events and fun things to do while they are gone. I like this, I hate deployments, but volunteering gives me something to do to make me feel productive and to keep me occupied!

I have designed t-shirts and gotten cards made so that everyone can have the right information to contact me! I have also decided to try and start a program (i guess thats what you would call it) called I ran to Afghanistan. Actually, I didn't start it. One of Brandi's friends, Carolyn, started it back in 2008 when her husband was deployed to Afghanistan. But I recently contacted her and she said that I could start/continue it all the way over here in good old Tennessee! It is such a great way to stay healthy and be supportive in a fun way while the guys are gone. See now you are interested and want to know more don't you!!?? Well, I will tell you more so that you can sign up to help!

There are 40 something guys deploying with Delta Company. And what is going to happen is:Any spouse, parent, sibling, or friend can sign up to help us get to Afghanistan. That is walk the distance there. It is 7,268 miles from Knoxville to Kabul, Afghanistan and we plan to walk that many miles while they are gone. At the end of every month everyone who is participating will send in how many miles they walked in that month and we will add them up! See?

Well, as you can see I am super excited about the things that are going on. I am not, however, excited about what my house is looking like. Travis decided he need to get out all his Marine Corps stuff, and it looks like I re-decorated in camouflage! I hate this part of any drill weekend/deployment/AT. All his stuff stinks and it just doesn't match the red and orange of my living room! Oh well, guess there isn't much I can do about that now is there!?

I hope everyone is having a great week, it's almost the weekend so start getting excited!

Snow Snow Snow!

I just can't believe it. It has snowed again! If you have ever lived here you know that we don't usually get much snow. I mean occasionally we will get 1 maybe 2 good snows which allow schools to get be cancelled for the day. And by good I mean maybe an inch. I know for you northern people are like "an inch isn't that just a dusting" well here for that the entire town shuts down. Well, already since the beginning of December we have had 5 snows. Count them 5!!!! And this last one brought us around 3 inches! I recently said that I don't think that I have ever seen a season that brought snow this many times. I love it!!! Don't get me wrong it is freezing and I hate being cold, but it is pretty to look at! Pictures to come!

The End

WOW! Can you believe it? It is just a few hours till 2011 arrives! As we have been getting closer I have been thinking alot about this past year. Although nothing special really happened the last months werethe best ones. Brandi and the boys were home for almost 4 months. And to top it all out Kyle was home for the last couple of weeks. This was the first time that all 9 of us had been together for the holidays. It was such a wonderful thing to see Zach and Wyatt opening presents Christmas morning. It was the best Christmas ever! We were so sad to see them go. We love them so much and hate not getting to see them grow up.

I am not sure rather or not I am looking forward to the new year. It just doesn't seem like it's going to be the best year we have had. After all, I will be gaining a neice (which is soooo exciting) but I won't get to meet her, I won't be seeing my sister and nephews and Travis is leaving before the middle of the year for a deployment. I love my family so much, and I don't want to be with out them. I am trying to stay positive though and remember that starting 2011 means I can zoom through it and look forward to all my favorite things like Thanksgiving and Christmas! I know I know I am rushing just a bit! But come on this years was so great I can't wait to see what happens next year! But even if it isn't I have decided that I am going to do everything that I can to make it great and to keep a positive mind! (I may be calling on some of you all to help with this task)

This year we have become so much stronger in our faith which is something that is so wonderful. I am looking forward to starting another bible in January. And I know that because I have such a stronger faith this time around I am going to be able to make it through this deployment so much better! As I am sure you can tell I am worried about this deployment. After having lost a friend in Afghanistan, it always seems to be on my mind. But I know that God is going to watch over my husband and protect him!

As the 2o11 rings in I sincerely hope that you and your family are very happy and that it becomes the best year yet! We love you all!!!!!

Praising God!!

Just wanted to share a large praise today. Last night the 34 men of Delta Company arrived safely back in America!! They will soon be reunited with their families. I know how exciting this is for all of them, and I said a prayer of thanks to God for watching over them while they were there and bringing them home safely. I do also continue to pray for Stacy and Ethan during this time cause I know how much they miss Daniel. But she is handling it amazingly. I hope that you all will send up a prayer of thanks and also a prayer for their continued travel!!

GOD IS GOOD!!!

I know I know

It has been forever. and I blame it all on Brandi. Yes, that's right my sister. You see she has been in town pretty much since the last time I posted. And her and those cute nephews of mine keep me going doing all sorts of fun things! Blogging has feel to the wayside, after all when some one as cute as those to wants your attention you give it to them!

Since the last time I posted much has changed! Travis has found out that he will be deploying next year. Not till mid year probably, but things have already begun to be discussed. But that is still aways off, so stay tuned for more later. Also, we bought a new car, well new to us anyway. We had it almost a month before some one hit me. Yep, hit me on the back passenger side. So we are now in the process of working with the insurance companies to get it fixed. Which really really stinks. But we are very thankful to God that no one was hurt. It could have been ALOT worse, and he watched over me!

Also, we went to the Marine Corps ball this past Saturday to celebrate their 235th Birthday! Of course it was fun! And this week we will be celebrating Veterans Day, and going on what we are going to call a "mini vacation". Which is really a weekend get away! We are really excited! And then not long is Thanksgiving! And Brandi and the boys are going to be here. This will be the first time in several years that she will get to spend it with us. And that also means.......Black Friday shopping together!!!!!!

As you can imagine things have been crazy, and things are probably going to only get worse. But I am going to try and post more often. So we will see, so till next time..............................