A Quick Update on the Status Quo

Greetings readers!
  Now, if you're a friend of family member of S, you're probably DYING to hear from him. So here's the skinny - Yes, he's back on land. (Yeah!)
 No, you can't call him and say hi (unless you like talking to voicemail).
 Yes, he will do his best to touch base with ya'll this weekend.
 I am not one for making excuses. In fact, I believe that you if you don't want someone you have to make excuses for - never start! But after living through this side of his schedule,  I'll never complain about my work hours again!
  Let's just take this week as an example -  Monday's shift started around 5:30am and didn't end until about 8pm on Tuesday.
 Wednesday's shift started around 6am and doesn't end until around 10pm on Thursday.
 Friday he'll also be working and maybe Saturday as well.

This is why a vacation has become so pivitol, and we're really glad to be able to take one in a couple weeks! This one won't be touring the country to visit family and friends (sorry!). This one is all about us. Yes, I'm probably a bit selfish, but in honesty, we haven't had more than 1 day together without an obligation or work since August probably. We both work weekends and with his deployments, we're learning to take our time and reconnect. It helps that we have a comfortable tax return this year and are able to put some money towards bills, the trip, and savings.

So your best chance to catch S (awake) will be SUNDAY.
Good luck!  - J.

2012 Recap - Part 2/2

June of 2012 held in store a trip to California for J and lots of work for S.

But luckily, July 4th was a different story. Though the month was still very busy, we did get to spend the special day together, watching both Seattle and Bainbridge Island's fireworks from our spot on the beach. We made a picnic of some sandwiches and dried fruit from a local market and wrapped up in blankets to enjoy the holiday.

July 4th, 2012

August was a BIG deal! The highlight of which was finally getting to do the wedding weekend we've been needing to do. We made some amazing memories that we'll always treasure with friends and family.

Pre wedding park time

Stag night

Wedding Awesomeness

Road Trip Honeymoon

 

 

S and Odin Playing

September flew by pretty quickly, with lots of work filling most of the time. But the highlight of October was probably the Mud Run we did with S's shipmates and the addition of Odin to our little family.

Poulsbo Mud Run

    November flew by as well, but we did get to spend Thanksgiving together, which was fun, very low key, and relaxing, even if we didn't do the feast most are accustomed to when you think of Thanksgiving.

December was packed! S was out "Finding Nemo" for most of the month, but we were able to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together with J's family. After that, it was back to the sea for S and back to the work-a-day world for J.

And thus it brings us to 2013. What we're looking forward to? Well, our first meal together in 2013 would be a great start.

2012 - A Recap part 1/2

Wow - 2012.. What a year it was! So what did 2012 bring? I'll try to sum up!

S making calls to family when he finally was back on land.

Our first HOMECOMING! It was a cold, rainy, night when we finally met up again after skipping every major holiday from October to January. But it snowed on J's birthday (her first real time living in snow) and Clydas got to check it out for the first time too.

J's 32nd birthday dinner - Hot Pot in Tukwilla

February didn't bring any major holidays or outings for us. S went to work on the night shift for a few weeks upon his return, so we saved up for our own "spring break" instead. 

In March, we went to Michigan to visit S's family, hometown, and some friends. A few days just wasn't long enough.

Michigan 2012

And after Michigan came a few days in Disney World (a place where a few days REALLY aren't enough time) with more family -

Disney World Spring 2012

The weekend after we came back from here, we found our house and started the process of buying it. But Easter brought one more little get-away to the Salish Lodge beside the Snoqualmie Falls. It was a great get away. Cashing in a Christmas gift certificate, we had a couples massage by the fire, and enjoyed one night away talking and breathing through the challenges coming our way.

Salish Lodge- Easter 2012

This was also when we learned that J's dad had cancer and we immediately starting making plans for the wedding celebration in California. In May, we moved into our first house!

In June, J took a quick weekend trip to California to solidify arrangements for the wedding. But we were very excited to spend July 4th together two years straight! In 2011, we spent it watching from the deck of a barge. S had to work that night, but the Navy was kind enough to sponsor a little get together for the families of the working guys and let us spend some quality time watching movies and fireworks together. This year, we spent our July 4th on Bainbridge Island, watching the fireworks of Bainbridge and Seattle from our beachy vantage point. I think this beach might just turned into a tradition for us.

To be continued...
 

The Meaning of the 'Fish'

If you've chatted with us at all in the past 2 years, you know that S had to work very hard to get his 'fish'.  "Getting qual'd" has been the name of the game. And since S isn't here to write about it himself, this falls into the "proud wife" category of sharing.

Until you earn your 'Fish', you're considered a newbie - and a liability while underway. Once you qualify, your life stinks a little less (more down time), but there is a never-ending process of learning how the boat works, how a sailor can keep their shipmates safe, and where to go from there.

So I thought I'd direct you all to this blog of a retired submariner- as he gives those who just earned their 'Fish' a run down of what it means.

http://bubbleheads.blogspot.com/2012/12/submarine-officers-earn-their-dolphins.html

Enjoy!

 PS.  S did indeed earn his 'Fish' this year.

It's Begining to Look A Lot Like Christmas

So the Elves (namely, J) have been very busy around these parts lately! Lots more to come, but some of the tricker decorating is in place already!

Going from an 800 square food apartment without room for a tree, to a 2000 sq foot property is quite a change, and more than a little challenging on our little boxes of decorations, but we're getting there.

The goal this holiday season is to "buy local" whenever possible for any decorative needs. To complete the lit garland on the stairwell, I made a trip to our local Goodwill store! It's not exactly the 'craft' type thing, but is locally provided and helps people in the immediate local community, so it's counting.

So I scored about 80 feet of lit brand new lit garland (running about $25/20 feet in Target) for about $15 total.  Pretty proud of our awesome staircase. Odin seems to be okay with it too! Since it's his first Christmas with us, we weren't sure how he'd react, but he seems pretty okay with it. It brings out the Polar Bear in him, don't you think/

Before S left to go Find Nemo, we picked out a few Christmas cards, and it'll be Elf J's duty to write them out and keep them ready to be signed (Power of Attorney does NOT extend to Christmas cards  whenever possible in this house!). They'll be going out late, but what the heck. Who couldn't use a  little holiday cheer all year long, right?

This year, we'll be hosting the Munderloh's! Our first Christmas at our first house with in-laws attending! Should be a fun year. And who knows? We might actually have a little bit of a white christmas this year?

Paid Our Highest Compliment

Sake with Brion and Gen in Japan, World Showcase, Epcot, March 2012

 We've been so busy that my blogging has fallen really far behind! My apologies, you poor little neglected blog!  Most of our "busy-ness" has been formed around hectic work schedules and squeezing in time for life's fun and responsibilities. But it dawned on me (J) yesterday that Sean and I have a pretty unique relationship now-a-days.

While we were having lunch at our favorite local Japanese place, we got to talking with the waitress/owner's niece. A nice enough, well intentioned lady, she asked if we were married. We said yes, and she looked surprised, adding, "I thought you were friends."

I love that.

Extreme Mud Run, Poulsbo, October 2012

That's got to be one of the highest compliments we've ever received - especially from someone who doesn't know us other than seeing us pop in and out of the her eatery a couple times a month (usually with our roommate or other friends in tow).

I answered with, "Well, we are. We really like each other."

To which Sean added, "We more than like each other. We love each other."

The conversation went on briefly to talk about kids, the business, etc. But that moment really stuck with me.

Most people who have met us in Washington believe we've been together forever, and in many ways, they aren't wrong. Once they learn our story,  I've her reactions that range from comparing us to a fairy tale to comparing us to the accusatory, 'whirl wind romance.' Yes, Sean and I are both dead ringer romantics at heart, but I think Brion (my brother in law) got it right when he said, "They just didn't need to wait."

Pre-wedding Disneyland morning, August 2012

Lately, life has shown us just how valuable that deep friendship is. Being as busy (and exhausted) as we usually are, making time for true romance is challenging. And that's where being best friends comes to the rescue.

I've noticed a few commonalities between our relationship and the couples we know married over 40 years and still going strong. Without exception, they are friends come what may. They actually enjoy each other. But it goes a step beyond that. (We all know life doesn't give us wine and roses 24/7.) There is a security that is uncommon with other relationships. Sure, we don't like conflict, but we don't shy away from it when we need it. We know that we're both in this life together. We're on the same team. We're not always perfect, but what we are always is really really really good friends.  Without that, I don't know how we would have had the faith to see us get this far, much less the tools to work through long deployments without either of us losing our minds.

I couldn't be more glad to see that it shows in our everyday life. There's no one else I'd rather walk this path with then my best friend.

- J

Wedding pictures are in!

They will be posted on Shutterfly so you can order which ever ones you like this week! I'll post a slide show up here and some more of our favorites when I get the chance (hopefully this week).