We started off January 2011 with news that I got a job! My first big girl job after graduating with my Master's and it was exactly where I wanted to work...the VA hospital! We were both ecstatic! It was sad to leave all of my great coworkers at NPSP on Fort Hood, but it was a very exciting adventure ahead! We also had Marty and Marilyn in town visiting for New Years but Trevor and I both got the stomach virus and our trip was cut short :( They visited again later in the year though! The last week before I started at the VA, Trevor and I took a road trip to Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS! It was a blast...we visited Bourbon Street in New Orleans and Trevor gave me a tour of Keelser AFB, hopefully where we will be stationed next (more on that later :P)!
In March 2011, Trevor and I were anxiously preparing for him to deploy in June and decided to make a surprise visit to his parents in Cali! We book flights and flew into San Diego, California and surprised his ENTIRE family at his uncle's wedding! I thought his mom was going to have a heart attack as she began screaming "my son is home and he's in the military" and dragging us through the restaurant! It was an amazing trip! We were able to spend a ton of time with family and celebrate his birthday in Cali. We also spent 3 days alone in San Diego and we were on the beach where he proposed, exactly one year after the date he proposed on March 11, 2010! Obviously, Trevor found out that he was not deploying until September but we LOVED this "pre-deployment" trip!
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| Coronado Island, San Diego California! |
In April 2011, our AMAZING small group multiplied and Trevor and I along with two other couples started a Grace Bible Church small group for young married military couples! These couples have become our family here and we are so thankful for each of them!!
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| Our small group couples on Easter Sunday at our house! :) |
In May 2011, Trevor and I decided to take a trip to Galveston for Memorial Day and had a blast! Trevor was a bit disappointed in the Texas beaches, but he would be as a CALI guy! ;)
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| By the bay! |
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| Our resort in Galveston! |
August 2011 was a whirwind of a month! It was the month before Trevor deployed and the month Dale and Quinn welcomed their precious baby girl, Lilianna Rose Walker, into the world on the 12th! I posted a blog about Lily in September so you can find it to read more about her precious story and God's goodness to the Walker family or you can read her mama's blog at http://liliannarose.blogspot.com. We are so very blessed by Dale and Quinn and their family and their friendship is one of our greatest blessings of 2012! Trevor and I spent most of the month getting ready for him to deploy...it was an emotional month to say the least but we had been preparing for him to deploy for over a year at that point!
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| Lily's birthday! :) |
At the end of August 2011, Trevor and I took our one year anniversary trip to Guanacaste Costa Rica and it was perfect! When we got married we agreed to go on a trip once a year just the two of us and this was our second annual trip! We loved CR, it was beautiful and sooo much fun! We visited the arenal Volcano, went ziplining through the rainforest, toured the country side and relaxed at our resort! It was the perfect trip to take right before he deployed and I am so thankful for that time and the memories we made together!
Costa Rica with my love! :)
So many babies were born this year and I wish that I could post about ALL of them, but this would be a super long blog if I did because our friends were blessed with so many this year...whether they were blessed with the opportunity to solely carry them, meet them, or blessed with a fully healthy baby. Hudson Ray Timmons was born to my best friend and Tanner on September 20, 2011 happy and healthy! Praise the Lord! This was such an emotional day too,Trevor and I drove down to Austin to see Hudson right after he was born and I just remember crying my eyes out before we left the hospital to head home.... My best friend just had a BABY and I knew that was going to be the last time they saw Trevor and Trevor saw Hudson for the next 7 months. Hudson would be 7 months old when Trevor saw him again, I couldn't even fathom that in the moment! I have loved getting to see my best friend become a mommy though :) Love you both Chels & Tanner!
Here's a couple of pics of my first visit to see Hudson since he had been born:
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| Sweet mama moment :) |
Sweet Gracen Faith Saltzgaber was born on September 29, 2011 to our dear friends Ryan and Dayna and went to be with Jesus that day. Trevor and I had the priviledge of walking alongside Ryan and Dayna while they prepared to welcome Gracen into this world and prepared to also say goodbye to her on this side of Eternity. She was born and was absolutely beautiful and we are forever grateful for her story and the glory that it gives to God. Gracen girl's story has touched so many people and each time it points back to our Lord's goodness. To hear more about Gracen's story, follow her mama's blog at: www.rydaysalt.blogspot.com.
This picture was from Gracen girl's DAY! Her and her story have been SUCH a blessing in our lives this year!
Trevor deployed on September 28, 2011 and it was one of the hardest days of my life. Saying "see you later" to your husband as you send him off to war is heartwrenching and the first month was for sure the hardest.
In November 2011, Trevor had been gone for about a month and I was finally getting into a routine with him being gone. I had 3 of my closest friends over for Thanksgiving and cooked my first turkey and full meal! It was DEF intimidating but so much fun, it almost felt like I was in college again, just as a wife :) I loved it! Here are a few pics:
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| My first ever Turkey!! :) |
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| A toast with some amazing friends on Thanksgiving! |
December 2011 was an emotional month! The holidays have been very emotional for me for the past 3 years since my mom passed away already and with having my hubby gone as well, I was pretty much a mess for a month! Among the mess, it was a great month! We had a ladies night at the Melting Pot for all of the girls in our small group who's hubby's are deployed and it was such a fun night!
Here are a couple pics from the melting pot:
Hubby also became NCOIC (non-commissioned officer in charge) at his base in Afghanistan! This was so exciting and I am so proud of him! He is so good at his job and this is a wonderful opportunity!
Here's a pic of my handsome man in Afghanistan:
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| Trevor on Thanksgiving :) |
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Hiking with my wonderful in laws!
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| Christmas with the kiddos before I went to Cali :) |
Trevor and I aren't big on New Years resolutions but we do have some things that we are are committing to! We are committing to continue to love the Lord and keep him at the center of our marriage as well as strive to have a biblical marriage that glorifies Him! We will continue to do our best to serve those in our military community as He has called us to and continue to make life long friends here at Fort Hood. Here comes the typical resolution though...we've made a deal that we each want to lose 5 lbs per month between now in April when he gets home, wohooo! Of course we wanna look GREAT for each other, but one of the main reasons we want to focus on eating well and working out is for my immune system because I was sick so much this fall/winter... thankfully I can say I have been sickness free for the last month! :)
We are sooo thankful for everything that happened in 2011 and are excited for the new year!! AND...we are officially 1/2 way done with this deployment! Thank you Jesus for keeping my husband safe! We have so many weddings and trips we are looking forward to in 2012 but most of all we are just thrilled to be doing life together again soon :)
