What a weekend!  I am so thankful for the sunshine God bestowed upon us this past weekend!  

Friday was a beautiful day full of 'shoe organization'.  Sure, some of you are thinking 'is she serious?'.  Yes, I am absolutely am!  For the past two weeks I have lived in my brown and black flip flops - enough is enough! It was time to break out my summer sandals, wedges, and heels!  Mom and I headed off to the movies to see The Heat.  It was more hilarious than the previews let on.  Great comedic comedy team between the two lead actresses!

Saturday we attended the Braves game at Turner Field!  We left around noon to head down early and catch the Alumni game of Team Smoltz v. Team Bream!  Naturally mom was on cloud nine as she got to see MANY great names she remembers from years past.  I was very excited to watch some returning champs of the 95 World Series!  Team Smoltz won!  Following the alumni's = the 2013 Braves!  They played the Diamondbacks!  What an amazing game!!! There were too many clenched fists for 7 innings straight but the 8th inning proved to be the BEST!  The Braves took the game with 11 runs to the Diamondbacks 5!

Sunday we woke up a little late and headed to the one o'clock service at 12 Stone.  The sermon was led by a young gentleman who is involved in the student ministry.  He preached on the book of Daniel and the boundaries we should live within created by God: Financial, relationship, and parenting.  "Faith is God.  Favor is Faith."  Daniel chapter 1.

Top left final Braves score, bottom left Haley and I at the game, top right corner alumni players before the softball game started, center right McCann's shirt worn by a fan, bottom right corner an amazing view of Atlanta from Turner Field.

God Bless RachJ

A Whirlwind of a Week

This past week has proved to be challenging, daring, exciting, angering, longing, loving and the list of 'ings' could go on and on .....

Two weeks ago I was gearing up for my last meeting with some of the most A-mazing ladies I have had the pleasure of becoming friends with while at Fort Meade!  The Enlisted Spouses' Club hosted the first business meeting of the new Club year and kicked it off with the annual Luau.  Unfortunately, I lost ALL of the words I wanted to say as my final goodbye, but I think and hope everyone knows how much they really mean to me and what the Club has meant to me over the past few years.

ESC Luau - Last Business Meeting at Meade

Tuesday was a VERY busy day for Papa and me.  While he was in town we traveled to D.C. and took a private tour of the Capitol (a good 3 hour tour - don't tell Gilligan he might get jealous)!  I really think he enjoyed his time while in Maryland.  Later that evening we attended a 'farewell' dinner for Tracy and myself at Long Horn Steakhouse (our fave restaurant) - it was wonderful to see all of our ESC friends and a few friends we have made during our time here!  Truly a wonderful last outing together.  Wednesday mom joined us and we feverishly continued to pack up the house!  As dinner time arrived mom and I left for Owings Mills for my last event with my Cedarmere family.  I will cherish every memory I have made with my wonderful fourth graders this year, the experience Joe and Jess gave and the amazing friendship I formed with Megan.

Papa and I at the Capitol in The Old Supreme Court Chamber

Farewell Dinner with ESC Ladies

Cedarmere End-of-Year Cookout

We left Maryland after packing my life away, at least for a few months, headed for Georgia (after only enduring about 3 hours of zzz's)!  Since Ronnie and I have arrived it's been non-stop since.  We had a few days of re-acclimating ourselves with the city we used to know but we packed up again on Friday and headed to Winnsboro South Carolina to spend some time with Rebecca, Marion, and Rupert!  What a weekend .... full of fun and family!

Meme, Connie, Ronnie, and Myself (while mom grabbed Arby's)

God Bless RachJ

The Time Has Come:

Let's see here - it has been roughly 2 years and almost 9 months since our last post.  A lot has happened in that (what seems brief, but not entirely) time.   About half a year following the last post Blake received orders to Germany.  Yes folks, you guessed right, we were not even living here a year and then BAM!  We had some tough decisions to make because I was in the tail end of school and we knew that if I moved I may never get my degree.  So as many military couples debate, I know we are not alone, we made the choice to have me remain in Maryland while Blake moved to Germany.  I can say after one year, a brief few weeks of Blake being home, and now 4 months later - I'm OVER this separation.  I know that many other couples face these same trials and tribulations, and if I had to do it all over again I am sure that I would.  Neither one of us regret this decision, but I'm sure as you can imagine, it is very difficult to spend such a lengthy amount of time away from your significant other.

Now that June is a week away I am in the process of packing up our house and getting ready to head to Georgia for a few months.  Blake is currently living life deployed and I must await his return to Germany.  I am very eager to head home for a bit as there are new adventures coming our way, as well as new adventures for friends!  I very much look forward to seeing family and friends and cannot wait to share our Maryland endeavors with all!

Leaving you with this note: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VZmYvldCyM

God Bless RachJ

The Big Kid In Class

Back to School....Back to School.....To prove to the younger kids that I'm so cool!

I have finally decided to work up the nerve to apply to schools! GUESS WHAT?! I got accepted! I will be attending Stevenson University in the Spring 2011! Two years after receiving my Associates degree....I seem to be on a slow path of achieving success...but 2 more years from now I will have a Bachelor's degree--that means a more stable job!  Well for me, it really means that I finally earned what I worked so hard for 4 years ago but never got the chance to finish, at the time!

How weird is this?! 26...starting my "Junior" year of college?! Most of the students in the classroom will be younger than me!  It's such an outright weird feeling, but I couldn't be more thrilled about finally getting started again and finishing! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time!  I can't wait to post more as my journey goes along!  Be on the lookout for my new blog as the path unfolds! I'm so thankful for everyone who gave me support in the past and who continues to support me as I go on!
God Bless RachJ

Could This Be......?

Did a year go by already?! I said to myself when Blake was handed his orders about a month ago....No a year didn't go by BUT if it's one thing I've learned the Army always has different plans for you. I know I'm posting a little bit late but it's reality. Sometimes you get so busy you feel like you're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Blake was handed orders on the 25th of June for us to report to Maryland on the 10th of July! 2 weeks?!!! Yes my reaction exactly. The only other words I dreaded hearing was that we had to move ourselves....well what do ya know?! We did! I'm such a pro at this now that nothing can get in my way of moving....except the husband who's never done it himself! We promised to NEVER move ourselves again after this one! Haha We made it to Maryland on the 8th and got a good nights sleep because the next day promised a temperature of 92 degrees and unloading the moving truck. Thankfully we got it all unloaded with the help of my family and a friend who had already moved there. We really couldn't have done it without any of them! I spent 2 days unpacking as many boxes as possible and trying to set the house up so that I didn't come back to a mess! I dreaded leaving my husband in Maryland all by himself for 2 weeks! It feels like deployment all over again!

Here I was back on the 10 hour trip again....Georgia bound! Arghh I thought I just got out of there. There were good times and HOT times to be had! My return to Georgia rendered me little time to squeeze in moments with family and friends....but I DID make it work! I headed to Dallas on the 13th for Premier's National Rally. My first time ever going to National Rally. I can't describe the feeling of truly how amazing it is! I never wanna leave this company. Every time I go I'm reminded of how great it is to be part of the bigger picture and how God has an amazing path/journey etched out just for me! Unfortunately we did have to come home...hahaha couldn't stay forever! Although, I would have loved it! When I arrived home on Sunday morning the restful feeling was cut short by "don't forget we have to go clean the townhome today"! The one thing that I had dreaded doing since we loaded the moving truck that hot Wednesday afternoon! Never-the-less, mom, Rebecca, and myself loaded up and headed down to Augusta to fight mold and mildew! Ewww gross. 3 hours later the place looked a million times cleaner than the day we moved in! Ok so got that checked off! What next?! One last week left in Georgia. Thursday night was dedicated to the BEST jewelers a girl could ever ask to have as a team and friends! We celebrated our Jewels Sparkle dinner at O'Charley's(yes my favorite restaurant) and just had a great time! It makes me so sad to know that I'm out of here in 2 days! Well that brings me to today....have to swing by to see dad in a bit but tonight is dedicated to ALL of the best friends I could ever ask for....Missy, Katee, Bryan, Santi, Leo, Cassie, Caleb...hopefully others....I'm so excited and sad at the same time! Who knows what Monday will bring and the path that God has laid out for me in Maryland, the new mother state!

Big Congrats to Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Watkins Whitfield IV--B-ry and Kate! So happy for you guys and excited about the journey that you're starting together!

Also congrats to my wonderful hubby who was told when we first arrived that he wouldn't be allowed his 10 days of leave, but through many prayers and faith he IS getting his leave just in time for when I arrive!
God Bless RachJ

Looking FORWARD into twenty10

Is it twenty10 already?!

Gosh that past year brought so many great things and so many sad things!

It was sad to say goodbye to Fort Bliss, leaving behind all of our wonderful friends and loved ones!! I sure do miss ALL of them, every day! But it brought great things as well, we are back in Georgia, although it's going to be short lived, we're still able to be closer to our families! I can't believe how much time has actually flown by since we've moved here. Blake started back to school on Monday and it won't be too much longer before he graduates! I can't wait!! New beginnings this year!!

We'll be kicking off February with our 3rd anniversary(first one spent together)! Then heading to Maryland in May for a "new start"! I have also decided to put education on the back burner, at least for a while. I've decided that I might like to try the Dental Hygiene field...so we'll see if I like this "new beginning", or not?! Hootie will be 3 in April! I can't believe we've had him that long....He grows way too fast everyday! What will I say about our kids, when we actually have one? :(

Look forward to our "new beginnings"....we sure are!
God Bless
RachJ

It's time to Fall Back!

Hello everyone! Once again, it's been a few months since I've posted, but we have been a little busy! We have FINALLY moved back to Georgia, atleast only for the time being! No idea currently how long we will be here! As long as Blake is happy with what he is doing then all is well! It is so nice to be back on the east coast. Seeing all of the beautiful trees and smelling that good ol fall smell! Mmm mmm nothing like it! However, we could do without this rain! BUT thank you Lord for this rain. You know how much it was needed here and you are seeing that we get it back! Halloween is on Saturday and it will be time to fall back then! DON'T forget to set your clocks! So many things have happened in the past two months, its unreal! I'm not going to blabber about everything but God is truly blessing us in ways we never imagined! Just pray for us and all the trials that Uncle Sam throws our way! Thank you to everyone who made our move from Texas to Georgia complete and easy:

Angie and Chad
Anna and Austin
Char
Robin, Owen, and Brit
Mom, Becca, and Haley
Meme and Papa
Connie(for watching Hoot ;))
Donna Johnson

We really couldn't have made the move and got the house without all of y'alls help! Very much appreciated and we love you all!!

I hope everyone has a happy turkey day, and remember to give thanks for all the many blessings bestowed upon your life!

I will try to stay posted before then, if not....maybe later!

God Bless
RachJ