Saying Good Bye to a Great Friend

Well my time here in AZ is coming to an end... I am sad and very happy all at the same time. One sad point is I am leaving a great friend behind and moving across the country from here.

Here is our story...

I was in my second year at NAU and Karisa was in her first year at NAU. It was the first Sunday back at the institute ward and all the new girls were introducing themselves to us. Karisa had stood and said her parents just moved to Apache Junction, which is were my biological father lives and what do you know I was headed that way the very next weekend. So I went and introduced my self and asked if she wanted to ride down for the weekend, She wanted to go see her family and decided to come with me.

Well after a three hour drive you can talk about a lot of things and we found out quickly that we had a lot in common.

So after our weekend we spent a lot of time together and met other girls to join in our fun. We had multiple trips to Phoenix with so much laughter involved that our cheeks hurt for days afterwards.

There are many times we laughed the whole way home, or the time her and I and another friend got stuck in my sun roof. New Years eve when we laughed the whole night and into the next day. We can talk for hours and never get bored. We talk about everything and share so many secrets.

Well weeks turned into a year and she moved back to phoenix, we still visited each other as often as possible, went on a few trips to California and discussed ways to be close all through out life.

She has been a great companion through lonely times before our husbands came along and after.

We were at each others weddings and luckily our husbands enjoy each others company as well.

Even now we still go and visit each other and we WILL stay in touch.

I love you Karisa and I know we will stay Friends forever!

Pass In Review

This past weekend was CJ's Pass In Review. It was a great trip and we had tons of fun!

It all started Thursday morning at 2am when I could not sleep so I decided to get up and get dressed, we had to leave at 3am for the plane any ways...

So my mom and I flew out of Sky Harbor at 6am and landed at O'Hare airport at 11:30.

We rented a car and headed in to down town Chicago looking for the train station, the gentleman at the rent a car place said there were signs on the freeway telling us how to get there, well we found out the hard way there was no such thing!!

So my mom and I asked for directions and finally found it...

We had some time to kill so we walked around the station looking at all the buildings and

waisting time.

Thursday was just a traveling day and it was a long day, but I was so exited I barely slept that night.

Friday!!! We woke up early again and had to catch a shuttle over to the base, we were in our seats by 7am, and the Review didn't start till 9am... To say the least I was starting to get restless.

It took another hour till the guys actually walked in. They had the performing divisions go first and then the others.

When CJ's division marched in he was the last row and walked right by the bleachers, bummer part the woman in front of my mother-in-law was up and down and pointing and had her hands in the photo. Oh CJ looked so different, he lost about 20 lbs and of course he had no hair any more. It was so great to see him, I just wanted to run to him.After the ceremony we had to wait till they were put on Liberty, I then ran to him!! It was so great to see him. He had to be formal with me on base, rules while in uniform, but when we were back at the hotel I got my husband back.

The next day we went into Chicago and went to Willis Tower (Sears Tower). We went all the way to 103 floor, it was really cool to see all the amazing buildings.

Then we went and had a REALLY good stuffed pizza. Our day was cut short because CJ had to get back for watch and I hated watching him walk back alone...

CJ then flew to South Carolina on the second to start getting us a house and make sure paperwork was ready. It was a great trip and even though being without him was hard, we grew closer as a couple and we are thankful for this opportunity!

South Carolina here we come!

I HAVE NINE DAYS!

I only have, well now, 8 and a half days left! I am getting really excited to go and see him. We have so much to do, but I could care less what I have to do! I will have to say that time has gone by so quick and I really didn't think it would.

We have a lot of plans. My In laws will be taking a train from Flagstaff and will be meeting us in Chicago. My mom and I fly out EARLY Thursday morning and get into Chicago where we will rent a car and the four of us will drive to Great Lakes, IL.

On Thursday night someone is throwing a meet and greet at a hotel for the families of the Sailors.

Finally on Friday we will get on a shuttle at 6:45 and head to the base and sit for about an hour and a half, then the Performance In Review begins. My mother-in-law and I just made these cute ribbons to wear to the graduation.

After graduation we get to spend a couple hours with CJ and then he has to go back to base. On Saturday we will be headed into Chicago with CJ to see some sights. We have the whole day with him. Then it is back to base for Cinderfella. On Sunday we will go to church with him and then I will fly back home.

It is a short weekend and full of time with hubby, then the real fun begins. Moving!!!

Details to follow at a later post!! Just let me say I don't like it at all!

I only have Two weeks and 3 Days!

In two weeks and 3 days I will be meeting my husband at hi Performance In Review at Great Lakes IL. This has been the longest two months in my life! I love you baby and I am so proud to be your WIFE!!
Can't wait to see you!

Projects while CJ is gone

While CJ is at Navy Boot Camp I have to keep myself busy. So to start I packed our house and moved into my parents house. Then Thanks to a good friend I made a ribbon wreath. It is very tedious work and took randomness to place the ribbons (which I can't do). It turned out really cute though and I hung it on my parents front door.

Then I decided my mom needed a new key hook, Yes my projects all help my mom, because I can't take anything else with me!
Next, this week the Young womens president wanted to make magnet boards for all the Young women. So I went to her house and she had the boards pre-made and then i took Modge podge and glued the scrape book paper to the boards. They turned out really cute and she is going to make one for me too!

Chapter Two: Moving Forward

A chapter in our lives is coming to an end and I new one is beginning.

Here is a quick refresher for those of you who missed the last chapter: In April 2009 CJ and I bought a house, four bedroom two bath with a nice fenced in yard. I taught Second Grade ELD for a year and CJ decided in October he no longer wanted to be a nursing student. Then in November he joined the Navy. In December we added an adorable puppy to our family.

Now the start of our new chapter:

Soon our three years of living in Prescott Valley as a married couple will end. CJ has been waiting for this day to come and finally it has. Since November of 2009 CJ has been waiting to leave for Naval Recruit Training. On September 1^st of 2010 CJ flew out to Great Lakes IL for two months of rigorous training and learning Navy life. For two months I have to resort to living out of a storage unit

and my parents home. As of September 15^th 2010 I officially reside in a small bedroom with a twin mattress at a home I thought I would never live in again.

My mom and my In-Laws and I will go to Chicago on October 29^th to watch CJ graduate from basic training. At that point we will find out when we move to South Carolina for two years, where CJ will do schooling for Nuclear Propulsion. There is so much to be done between now and then and I have a great friend whose husband is in the Airforce who is really helping with information.

I write to him everyday and so far only one phone call has come through. All I have received from him is a box with his clothes he wore to boot camp, so hopefully in the next few days I should be receiving his information about graduation and how to get my military ID.

I am so grateful to have a husband that is willing to serve his country and be strong enough to be away for two months. He is going to be a great Navy Sailor (and very Handsome too!). I can't wait for the next section of our chapter to start!

Going to Boot Camp

Yesterday was our big day. CJ left for BOOT CAMP!

CJ had to be transported down to a Sheraton hotel where he checked into his hotel room, and we checked in about an hour behind him. Then we met our family at Old Country Buffet where my sister-in-law brought two cakes for us. The first cake is obvious for my birthday, she did an amazing job! The cake tasted great!
This cake Meghan (sister-in-law) and her sister-in-law made for CJ. If you notice in the bottom left you might be able to see where they put CJ in a life ring surrounded by sharks. It is really cute.
The next day My mother-in-law, grandma and I went down town Phoenix to the MEPS station.

Then we met him over at the airport. I did so well with not crying until I had to leave him behind. I lost all control!
Now it has been one day and I am realizing I miss a lot of little things he does for me. Just reaching over to touch his leg when we sleep, or waking up to him and a kiss.
I love you CJ with all my heart, you are going to be the best Naval Sailor ever!