Our New Pup!! :)

We are welcoming a new member to our family. We had adopted a dog a few weeks ago- Gunnar. He ended up with distemper and we were forced to put him down only a week after getting him. It was definitely difficult and Ryan and I were both very sad. It is amazing how quickly a dog becomes part of your family.

We got another dog yesterday. He is a puppy. Doberman/Rhodesian Ridgeback/German Shepherd mix. He is beautiful and so sweet. He is 4 months old and is already almost 40 lbs. Definitely going to be a big boy!

We named him Rugar. Ryan was adamant on giving him a German name since he is... Doberman and German Shepherd. He is precious!

A time of Mourning.

I don't know how else to start this except by saying... I love you. I'm sorry. You are amazing and I pray for you everyday.

My older brothers best friend's name is Brad. Brad has been around since I was in 5th grade. They played sports together, he was at our house continually through high school and even when my brother would visit while he was in college. Brad is an amazing and cool person. Brad and I were able to develop a close brotherly friendship throughout all of these years. 

He married a beautiful girl named Valerie about a year and a half ago. They were the perfect match and Brad seemed happier than he had ever been. Soon after their marriage they moved to Japan to teach English to kids. They were loving it. I followed their blog on a regular basis. Brad is like another brother to me and I loved hearing all about their life on the other side of the world.

4 months ago Brad called my brother and says that they are back in the states- earlier than expected. Valerie had been diagnosed with Melanoma stage 4. They came back to the states so she could be treated. Soon after they found out she had tumors all in her spine, and in her shoulder- one that literally broke her bone. They removed them. She went through Chemo. I followed her Caringbridge blog along with Ryan, my parents, and brother. I prayed for them everyday. It seemed she was doing better. Then one day- she woke up struggling with normal speech and was going to see the doctor. Brain cancer. Brain cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. They attempted surgery. It was irreversible. 

Valerie and Brad are travelers. They go on road trips, traveled to Japan to teach. The doctors made it clear treatment could only possibly extend her life- not cure her. She would continue to get worse, living in a hospital. Valerie's desire was to be taken off treatment, rent an RV and drive up the northwest coast of the USA. That is how she wished to spend her last days. Brad, Valerie's parents, and Valerie went out west a few weeks ago and made the trip. They were in So.Cal. when she passed.

Valerie was 24- the same age as Ryan and I. It breaks my heart. The odd thing is- I have never met Valerie. I followed their blog and was astonished at her attitude and spirit. She inspired me- without ever meeting her. It makes me question... makes me want to ask God, "Why?". They were Godly and loving people. I wonder what, for lack of a better term, causes some people to stumble upon this path and others to not. Some people stumble into this situation and walk through the struggles and come out a better person. Others don't make it through. I'm struggling with these questions and the answer I know I will never find.

My brother just got back from going to VA for the Funeral. He said it was difficult. He was the only one of Brad's friends that made the trip. They shared tears, and laughter about past memories. Josh was in their wedding. They reminisced. Josh and Brad will be doing a road trip throughout Christmas to spend some time together. Brad said he really needed something like that. My brother and I talked and his emotion was almost impossible to take. My heart hurts.

I have cried... and cried. I love Brad. I have cried FOR Brad. He is hurting... deeply. But is taking it day by day. God bless him. I hope he knows that he is in my prayers everyday. He is loved.

Introducing Gunner Priest!

Ryan and I adopted a dog from the Miami-Dade Humane Society! We went on Sunday to "look" and didn't plan on coming home with anything. That was a joke. How can you go to the Humane Society and not coming home with at least ONE dog. I wanted to rescue all of them.

But we only came home with one. Our lovable, sweet, Gunner. He is a Lab/Bernese Mountain Dog mix. We think he might have some Rotti in him as well. His temperament is amazing and we are totally in love with him already! 

He is very calm and loving. We have not heard him bark once- not even while he was at the shelter. He is already house broken. He is the perfect dog for us!

Transfers, extensions...confusion.

Dream sheets were due today. 

Ryan's Chief, EO and XO have been begging him to extend a year on the Valiant. Ryan and I have been in discussion about the pros and cons of staying in Sunny South Florida until the summer of 2010.

Pros:

He is on a boat still. I have a job here that I feel I will truly enjoy and succeed in. And of course- not moving 8-9 months after getting all of our stuff settled into our new home is always nice. In some aspects Miami isn't too horrible... always something fun to do... I know people here and feel I have at least 1 good friend in the area already. We figure it is only another year and the Captain guaranteed that he will get his "Dream Job" once his time is up aboard Valiant.

Cons:

I hate Miami in most other aspects. It stresses me out... driving here is like a slow and painful death. 

After talking... we realized that traffic is not a valid reason to give up a good career move. So- we put in our dream sheet and here is how it goes.

1. CGC Valiant

2. CGC Eagle

3. CGC Elm

4. CGC Juniper

5. CGC Willow

6. CGC Block Island

7. CGC Anvil

8. CGC Orage

9. CGC Abbie Burgess

10. CGC Kennebeck

11. CGC Grand Isle

12. CGC Bainbridge

13. PATFORSWA

I have mixed feelings. I had totally gotten my hopes up to move up to New England for a few years... do something different... but I am also glad to be a few hours drive from home, friends and families. 

So 2010 it is... or most likely will be. Such is the military life... a life of uncertainty. 

:)

Life So Far In Sunny South Florida.

It has been quite awhile since I have had time to "blog". With the wedding, moving, honeymoon... it has been so crazy. :) But Ryan and I are finishing up getting settled into our new home and are completely happy with it!

I am happy to say that I am officially a Priest. It has been a long time coming!

Our life in Miami is starting to come together. We have gotten our house organized- and we are SO happy with the area we are in! I believe that I got a job at the Huntington Learning Center right down the road from our apartment. I am also finishing up my subbing application process for Miami-Dade and Broward County! We found a church about 4 miles from our house that we went to on Sunday and really enjoyed it- will definitely be going back. :)

This week we plan to go dog shopping- which I am beyond excited about. And we hope to get a dinner room set. 

I am so happy and at peace with our life... as simple as it is- it is great! 

I'll be posting photos from our apartment soon! :) Stay tuned.

Arts & Crafts

My mom and I have been doing a lot of small DIY arts and crafts for the wedding. It has been an blast. And I must say... I am proud of our artistic ability- they turned out pretty damn good if I do say so myself.

We did our own runner. I wanted a 'natural fabric' for the runner and I wanted it personalized. No one did it on burlap or any similar fabric- they were all your run of the mill paper runners. SO mom and I bought a TON of burlap 

and panted our emblem from the invitations on them. And I must say it looks AH-some.  Here's a picture.

 We finished our little M&M favor boxes. I scanned the same emblem into the computer and put it on the front of our programs and printed them. :) I feel astonishingly unstressed. I haven't gotten stressed throughout this whole process at all... really. I felt somewhat overwhelmed off and on- but no stress! 

Now the wedding is 2 weeks from yesterday- I am completely finished with everything for the Big Day. My mom and I are driving down to Miami and Ryan and I and Momma are moving into our townhouse on Tues. We then come back up to M.I. on Thurs. Friday Ryan and I and friends are going out to the street party at the port- should be good times! Saturday- Bachlorette Part-TAY in Orlando with my lady friends. 

Sunday is hopefully a boat day and then that evening the first family members arrive! 

This is such a cool and exciting time... I can't really put into words all the emotions that I have been feeling. 

SO excited!!!!!!

Our adventure.

I have been realizing lately that my journey with Ryan will begin shortly. I can not believe how quickly that time has gone by. I must say that I am estatic and have really enjoyed this time in my life.

Ryan and I were talking last night about all of our memories as kids. I think it is so cool that I am marrying my high school sweetheart. And honestly... I never would have thought that I would marry anyone I dated in High School. But Ryan stole my heart. I know that there is no one better for me. I was fortunate enough to meet my soul mate at the ripe young age of 14 and start dating him at 17. We were laughing at all of the memories we have as kids. Getting in trouble... just... being kids. We'll be laughing at those and many more for years to come!!

I feel blessed beyond words. 

Today we found our apartment. We got a townhouse in Aventura. I am totally in love with the area... or as in love with any area of Miami that I can be. Haha. It is gated. Close to amazing shopping (which could be bad...) and several schools and tutoring centers! The house has a garage for Ryan. It was in our price range. Perfect. So our adventure begins in Aventura... who knows where we will be this time next year- but we will be together! 

We are both so excited to start our lives together. I hope to keep this blog updated as our adventure unfolds... stay tuned. :)

The Conch Republic.

I feel the need to elaborate on how amazing my little vacation was to the one and only Key West. I really feel like Key West is extremely unique and I feel like there is no other town like it in the Sunshine State. It is very cool to live in a state where we can drive to a tropical island in a day... no plane ride... just hop in the car and 6 hours later you are in paradise. :)

This was the first vacation I have had this summer and I enjoyed it immensely. It was a week full of sun, friends, drinking games and quality time with my amazing future husband. Couldn't have asked for anything better. :)

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Ryan coming in on the small boat. :

The absolute best feeling in the world.

All the wives/fiances/girlfriends... waiting... impatiently.

The crew at Irish Kevin's... best bar in Key West.

Lazy Gecko. Super cool bar with 2-4-1's 'til 1am. woop. 

:)

Watching the sunset. 

Parting is such.... sorrow...

I just couldn't put the "sweet" part in this title.

I just went to Key West for an entire 6 days to see my lover at a mid-maintenance port-call. We had... and absolutely AMAZING time. We had some friends come down for a few days and were still able to spend so much quality time together. We were able to rent bikes, swim in the ocean and the pool, go out for drinks on Duval and... talk about how excited we are to spend the rest of our lives together. It was such an amazing time for us both. 

But I still honestly think I am more upset from saying goodbye this morning than I was when I said goodbye at the beginning of this patrol. A little over 3 weeks left and I am dreading it more than the beginning- which started out at 65 days. 

:( I am just... in a perpetually weepy mood and it is bugging me. 

I have SO many things to look forward to in the upcoming months- I don't get why I am so bummed. 

Maybe reminding myself of all the awesome upcoming events will lift my spirits:

- 2 wedding showers in the next 3 weeks.

-The boat pulls in.

-He has until  mid-October off of work and NO DUTY!!!!!

-We will actually be able to spend my birthday together!!!

-We'll be getting our house the first 2 weeks after he gets back in port!!!!!!

-Our wedding will be almost ONE month away when I see him next!!!!!

-Then we get to go on our honeymoon for an entire week.

-Annnd after we get back from wedding/moving/honeymoon... he has almost 2 full months of rolling 96's!!!! We get to spend BOTH major holidays with family and friends this year.

I really can't beat all of the amazing things I have to look forward to in the upcoming months. But still I would do ANYTHING to have him sitting on my couch to snuggle with me at this very moment. :(

I am going to retreat to my bubble bath and wine. 

Tomorrow is a new day... and it will be one day closer to Ryan and I getting to start our life together. I just need to smile. Ugh.

Home.

I have been consumed with the thought of moving lately. I guess because I will be moving in a few months, but more so because my parents will be moving.I'm not concerned with leaving home- I've done it once, I am extremely independent. I look forward to starting my own life, with Ryan. And Ryan and I both really look forward to getting out of Florida in the Summer of '09. It will be an awesome adventure. I do, however, feel strangely nostalgic with the thought of my parents no longer living in this house, in this town. We have not lived here my entire life- 

but for 20 years of it. This is 'home' to me. This is where I met my future husband. 

This is where so many memories are. I guess it is just an odd thought to realize when I go to visit my parents- it won't be coming here anymore. 

While I lived here all my friends and I did was talk about how boring it was, how much we couldn't wait to 'get out'. But it took me 'getting out' to realize how much I love this little beach town. 

I love how I grew up: 

On the water every weekend.

 

Our family and friends all taking our boats out and meeting on 'the island' for every holiday. 

Watching manatees 'mate' in my backyard.

Watching the Shuttles go up- it sounding like my home was going to crumble.

It's really funny how we don't appreciate anything until you have to say goodbye to it. I will definitely miss calling Merritt Island my home. :)

pride.

I can't stand people that are arrogant or prideful- for obvious reasons. But I thoroughly enjoy having pride in someone else who is close to you. 

I just have to take a second and talk about how proud I am of my future husband. I have always been proud of the him because I love him and I guess I just think he is totally awesome. But it is something completely different when you have several, several wives and girlfriends telling you how much their husbands/boyfriends talk about how well he does his job, how much integrity he shows in standing up for what he thinks is right regardless of who he is standing up against, and how up-lifting he is to others on that boat. His job is difficult- many times he works for days on end before getting sleep while underway. But I just think it is so awesome to hear other people tell me that I am "marrying a man of integrity" or a "hard-worker" or "such an encourager".... there are many more that I have been told- but I won't go on. He has always been those things to me- but to hear that he has that same passion and motivation in everything he does is pretty cool. :)

I just feel honored to marry him and get to hang out with my very best friend for the rest of my life. It is truly amazing. 

In the beginning-dating a year.

We look like babies.

 5 years later-the night before he proposed. :)

I love him greatly and am very blessed to have him in my life.

Man's Best Friend.

It is crazy how much a little animal can steal your heart. I think I am absolutely in love with this little man. His name is Cody and he is 9 weeks old. He's an australian shephard. Unfortunately he is my older brothers and not mine, although I steal him on a daily basis.

This is a rather a pointless blog. But I am slightly obsessed with our new family addition. :)