Home?

I am sitting in "my bed" at "home" ie. my parent's house, and it is a really strange feeling. It has been a long time since I have slept in this bed, and the last time I did, I wasn't alone.
Having Karsten gone sinks in in new ways every now and then...
The window is open, with the fan blowing in cool September air. I'm sleeping in one of Karsten's shirts that smells like our home--a smell I can't describe. Have you ever tried to describe the smell of home? It is just something familiar...
And now I feel slightly torn between what is more familiar, what seems more like home?
Home is a process. For those who grew up in the military, home is not a geographical place. For me, it is, I think.
Home is the river.
The smell of the Virginia woods.
Creeks.
Christmas brunch with sisters.
It is mix-matched sheets.
The garden.
Drinking wine before dinner...


But now, we are developing a new home. Home with Karsten is...
homemade dinners.
praying before meals and forgetting to bless the food
road trips
our screened porch
and long hugs.

I wish I could gather my thoughts tonight and... describe this feeling of disconnect. I am so happy to be here with family, but the most important part of my family, isn't here. I long for him. And I worry about him. I wish we were here together.

Life at Moody

So, I realize that I kind of fell off the face of the earth for the past few months. But, I'm back!
SO much has happened since April and my last post.
I got married. Moved to Montgomery Georgia. Met lots of great Air Force friends there. Moved to Valdosta Georiga, where we are now stationed for the next several years. Karsten and I had about a month together to get settled into our new house--see Facebook for pictures, and I'll try and post some more on here soon.
Karsten is now in Texas for the next 2 months for his first training school in the Combat Rescue Pipeline (called Indoc) If you're interested in what it is like, watch "Surviving the Cut" on Discovery 10pm Wednesday nights.

Oh there is so much to say, but I should really just post pictures and tell our stories that way.

I'm thankful for:
~Christian wives in Karsten's unit !
~A job in the ER starting in October
~Going home to Virginia in under a week
~Supportive family and friends, and prayers for me and Karsten during this time
~A great home!

Moody here we come

We just got official orders today for Moody Air Force base! I'm so glad to finally have something on paper--and just 3 weeks off from the wedding!
We'll be reporting June 7th, so that gives us an extra week after we're married to pack and get down there.

Moody is in south Georgia, near Valdosta. I'm excited to be going somewhere warm and not terribly far from home.

The military is all new to me, so anyone out there with advice for newcomers, military wives, etc. it is always welcome!

A lot of change is happening at once, but I'm ready for the adventure to begin and am going to take on these challenges with God's strength! (Philippians 4:13)

~

Quality Time

I realize that I am a terrible blogger. Or, perhaps it is because I am getting married in a month, and have been keeping so busy with wedding plans on top of work and spending time with my future husband!

One thing Karsten and I learned in one of our marriage counseling sessions with our Pastor is that our primary love language (same for both of us!) is Quality Time. Which means, whenever we are given the chance to spend time together--we need to take it. It also means that we have to fight for this quality time when it is in short supply. Sometimes all that we are able to do is have a nightly phone call. Most of the time we spend about 30 minutes talking to each other on the phone, but we have to fight to make sure that is actually quality time, and not just talking about wedding plans or logistics--it is easy to spend 30 minutes talking logistics and not getting into deep, intimate, relationship-strengthening conversation.

So, with this new found knowledge of how one of the main ways we express love to each other, Karsten and I have since made it a point to have dates. Our first "date" was a couple weekends ago. We went down to Maymont Park in Richmond and played Frisbee, walked around the gardens, and sat on the edge of a pond and people watched. After that we went to Carytown and shared some Sushi. It was awesome taking this time to do something special with Karsten, and get away from the business of life. I love that we can be happy together doing most anything--whether it is a high-energy activity, sitting in a park watching people, or enjoying a meal together. Karsten is undoubtedly my best friend, and the best friend I've ever had.

This past weekend went out and hiked together on the Appalachian trail. We hiked over 26 miles. It was awesome. I love that we love doing the same types of things! It was probably the most fun I've had with him in a long time. I can't wait for the next adventure we will have together, and a life full of fun trips and memories. I realize that it will take an extra effort on our part, because we will be away from each other so much with his job in the Air Force (especially in the first 2 years) but, I think it will make all the time we do have together all the more special.

So, I may have the chance to ride a horse tomorrow.
The photographer I work for (my neighbor) is taking pictures of Karsten and I tomorrow morning, and when he heard I'd never ridden a horse before, his response was, "we'll have to change that" so, we'll see :)

May be pictures to come...

Blog Parade

I'm joining in on this "blog parade" along with some other big-time bloggers. I don't know all the ins and outs of things like this, but it sounded like fun so.... here we go. :)
1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why?I love late afternoon. I like the color of this sky on a clear sunny day at this time. I like the warmth of the light. I love to watch the sun set. Some of my favorite places to watch the sun set: the roof, a mountain top, the beach (which isn't often cus I live on the east coast). 

2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of?Bacon. It is already basically a staple in my life. 
3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be?Well, I would love to solve all the world's problems, but that would probably take more than just one wish. So, I'll go the selfish route and I'd wish for gills so that I could breathe underwater. And then maybe I could find a cool way to use gills to solve the world's problems. 

4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot?My younger sister likes to call me "Jerry" because I have curly hair. (think michael jackson in the 80s) 

5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? What type of character would you be?This takes a little too much imagination for me...I prefer reality. And besides, I read/watch mostly non-fiction. I'm pretty happy with my life, i have plenty of adventure! 
6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be?I would be more creative...and this would carry into lots of things, like coming with up creative solutions to problems, cooking, and inventing things. 
7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation?I would take a world tour and hit up New Zealand, Tahiti, Japan, Hawaii, Italy, Morroco, Peru, and Mexico. 
8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing?Humm maybe some acoustic blues. That would mean I'd have to play an acoustic instrument too I guess. 
9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be?REI or another outdoor store. 
10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be?Right now is just fine. 
11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be?Blue, I guess. That would really stink.
12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be?(Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, or Dopey)Doc? 
13. What's the last album you listened to?Album? How about pandora. Phil Wickham radio. 
14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you?I've never ridden a horse. I would love to race motocross. 

One year ago...

Today Karsten and I have known each other 1 year.

We met last March 1st on a very cold snow day and headed up to Massanutten with some friends for some skiing/snowboarding.
Neither of us could ever have imagined that this is where we would be just one year later...

About to be married!


Karsten has gone from being an acquaintance, to a cycling buddy, a good friend, boyfriend, and now the man I love and will spend my life with! God has been at work all this time in incredible ways. The adventure has already begun, and I can't wait to see more of how it will unfold in the years to come!