Marcus, Julie and Dakota Moyer

5 weeks!!

2010-06-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

Well Mommy and Daddy are ready for this little man to be here!! The room is ready, the clothes are bought, the carseat is installed in the car and the diaper bag is packed. Daddy is ready to take the time off work, Grandpa and Nana Batton are looking at plane tickets to come meet the newest little grandbaby and Grandma Moyer will be coming sometime in Sept to get her spoiling time in. The Dr said that everything is going perfect and things are on track. Looks like we will have this little man before or right at 5 weeks from now. I can't believe how fast time has flown by but now that I have said that time will slow way down....that is just my luck! :)
Dakota is truly a little miracle and we are so thankful that God chose us to have this special little boy. We can't wait to hold him and see what he looks like....Daddy is always saying that he is afraid that he won't be cute but as the mommy I think that he will be beautiful and we won't care what he looks like!!
I will try to start keeping this a little more updated and will let you know when he gets here!!

Maternity Potos!

2010-05-10T10:41:00.001-07:00

This past weekend was so much fun. My friend Megan is a photographer and took my maternity photos this and she did a awesome job. I love every single one that I have seen so far. She took a ton and I know that she has her plate full trying to edit them all and pick and choose which ones are the best. These are just a few of the ones she took.
If you are ever in the NC area and would like some great pictures then make sure you look her up!!

28 weeks!!

2010-05-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

Dakota is doing so good! We had an ultrasound today and he is getting so big. He now weighs 2lbs and 7ounces and is about 15 inches long. We are getting ready for a big boy! =)
Pregnancy is going so well....I have loved every single minute of it. He is a busy little boy and I am getting punched and kicked non stop but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Catching up

2010-02-13T08:27:00.000-08:00

Well it has been awhile again....hopefully I can get better at this stuff. I trust all of you had a wonderful Christmas season and a very Happy New Year. It is hard to believe that it is Valentines Day already....where has the time gone?! We had a great time in CO with my family and then New Years in SC with his family. We came home and got right back into the swing of everyday life here in NC.

Baby Moyer is doing great!! I am now 16 wks along and have been feeling great. I guess I have been one of the lucky ladies and haven't had morning sickness at all!! I have been very thankful for that! We have had a couple of scares but all in all everything has been going great. I can't believe that I am almost half way. We have so much to do before this baby arrives that it makes me dizzy just thinking about it!! SOOOO....I guess the big news is.....IT'S A BOY!!! We had a ultrasound on monday of this week and the little munchkin say on his little hiney and kept his legs crossed. Mommy wasn't so happy because I have been itching to buy things but haven't wanted to because I frankly didn't want to stand in line at customer service to return things. They scheduled me for another ultrasound for next month and that had to satisfy me and I was already praying that he would cooperate with me because I didn't know how many more chances I would get to find out. Wednesday morning my phone rang and it was the Dr's office and I knew they only called if something was wrong....so I cautiously answered the phone only to be told that my blood work had come back positive for down syndrome. This news hit this mommy like a ton of bricks and to be honest I freaked out and started bawling my eyes out. They said that the chances of the baby having downs was 1-164. So they scheduled me for a level 2 ultrasound the next day at a fetal specialist in Wilmington. Marcus got off work early on thursday and we made our way to the dr. That morning I had just felt like the Lord had told me not to worry that everything was going to be ok and that song was going through my head..."He never has failed me yet." Neither one of us was nervous, maybe a little anxious, the whole way down there and we talked and laughed and enjoyed each others company. Well to make a long story short.....the Dr came in after the ultrasound and said that there was nothing on there that would make her think or worry about his baby having down syndrome, she said that everything looked really good. Mommy and Daddy were so relieved and so happy. During the ultrasound they were able to see that it was a boy and let me tell you if you could have seen the smile on Marcus's face and heard him laugh and clap...it was priceless!! He is over the moon to be having a little boy!!! I think I have my hands full tho....this little man was a busy little bee in there. The tech just sat there and laughed at him and she turned it on 4D and we watched him for about 5 minutes just play with his hands an put them in his mouth and wave and scratch his knee...it was the cutest little thing. I was a little dizzy from them having to lay me almost on my head to get him to cooperate with us but it was totally worth it!! We can't wait to see little Dakota Bowdrie and to hold him and tell him what a miracle he is!!

Ok~so enough of this mommy bragging.
Happy Valentines Day to the love of my life!! Marcus, I love you with all my heart!! God blessed me so much when he allowed you to come into my life and for us to fall in love! I can't believe that we have been together almost 9 1/2 years and married almost 6! You are a great husband and take such good care of me. I know that you are going to be the best Dad and I can't wait to watch you with our son!! I love you!!

Well last night it started snowing here and we woke up this morning to 6 inches of snow. It hardly ever snows in NC and so this is big!! HA I looked out my window this morning and saw a bunch of snowmen around our neighborhood and saw a snowball fight in progress. My yard is beautiful because no one has stepped in it and I love it that way!!

So I'm shutting up now!! I hope that you all have a very Happy Valentines Day and a wonderful weekend!

The Best Christmas Present Ever!!!

2009-12-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

After 3 years of trying and many many prayers and tears and doctor appointments and fertility treatments Marcus and I are expecting a baby!!! We are so excited and so thankful that God has blessed us with this precious miracle and especially at Christmas time. We have both said that we dont' need anything for Christmas because we have already got the best gift ever!!! Thank you to everyone who helped us pray and were there for us.....we really appreciate it. We truly have the best friends ever.
Stay Tuned for more baby news!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Marine Corps Marathon

2009-10-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

It all started at 5:30 on a cold Sunday morning in Washington DC with the sound of the alarm buzzing. We get out of bed with mixed emotions...Marcus was excited and I wanted to crawl back into bed. We got ready, checked out of the motel, loaded the car and then walked to the metro. By 6 in the morning the place was packed out with standing room only, if that, on the train. We took the short ride into the city and got off at Arlington National Cemetary where the race was to begin at 8. We hugged the guys goodbye and wished them luck and then went to the starting line to wait for the race to begin. The wheelchair group started first, I have a lot of respect for those people, most of them were military servicemen who had lost limbs in the war, it was awesome to see them ride in this race. Then at 8 sharp the cannon went off and all 30,000 of the runners took off for a 26.2 mile run around DC. Jenny and I jumped on the metro again and went to starbucks and enjoyed a nice warm drink and something to eat. Mile marker 18 wasn't too far from where starbucks was so we walked down there and waited on the guys to cheer them on. We got to see the first wheelchair people and then the first runner as they crossed the 18 mile marker......after looking at some of them I was so happy to be standing on the side lines cheering and not running! The first runner hit mile 18 in 1 hour 38 minutes. After a while we saw our men and started screaming and hollering and it was good to see them still smiling....although one of the first words out of Marcus's mouth was "Where is the ibuprofen?" HAHA Who could blame him and Travis for wanting some relief after pounding the pavement for that long. We then ran to down the street to see them run between mile 19 and 20 and again we were met with smiling faces. We decided it would be best to just go to the finish line instead of trying to go and meet them at mile 23 and that was probably the best idea we had all day! Seriously the metro was a nightmare and I thought we were never going to get on. For some reason they decided to shut down the escalators....stupid idea but I wasn't in charge. HA We finally got on the metro and had to stand in a small corner squished together with everyone else....you would think there would be a limit to how many people they could get on that thing. OH...the smells that you smell on those things are horrid...you can tell those who take showers and those who don't....it was disgusting just take my word for it! Anyway~we got to the finish line and waited and finally we saw them coming in with their little space blankets around them to keep them warm after sweating for so long. They did awesome and crossed the finish line in 4 hours and 10 minutes and were still smiling and laughing. Good Job Marcus, Travis, Matt and Conner...ya'll did a great job!! All in all it was a great weekend and we had a blast. Marcus is planning on doing it again next year.....ya'll should come and join him. He is trying to get me to run it with him....HAHAHA that is a huge laugh!!!!

HAZARDOUS TO YOUR WAIST

2009-09-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This could be dangerous to your diet. There may be a chance that you will go over your calorie count for the day. This may cause dissapointment when you step on the scale the next time.
Ok Ok....so I'm just being a little funny but seriously you have got to try this recipe. I have felt for awhile that I have gotten in a rut with my cooking and decided to do something about it. I promptly went to the nearest bookstore which happens to be Barnes and Noble and started looking for something that would help me out. I found it!! The book is called "America's Most Wanted Recipes". It is full of recipes from resturants. I have had a great time experimenting with some of them. Some we didn't like so well and others, like this one, we have loved!! I just thought I would share. (I tried to find a picture of it but the resturant didn't have one on their site and I forgot to take one)

Blue Mountain Grilled Chicken Sandwich

4 hamburger buns
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon plus one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (I used Tony's)
Teriyaki sauce
Bacon
Swiss Cheese
Lettuce
Safari sauce (I will give the recipe for this at the end of this one)

Rub the chicken with the seasoning and then pour some teriyaki sauce on top and marinade them for 30 minutes. Place them on the grill and grill them till they are nice and done. (I made sure that I kept putting more sauce on them while they were on the grill)
Assemble your sandwich with the chicken, bacon and cheese and the safari sauce. You can put lettuce, tomatoes, pickles or whatever your little heart desires.

Safari Sauce
One 8 ounce jar of Mango Chutney
1 cup of mayo
1/2 cup of yellow mustard
1/2 cup of honey
2 teaspoons of curry powder
Dash of Tabasco sauce
I couldn't fin the Chutney anywhere in this town so I used Orange Marmalade and it was yummy! The sauce has a little zing to it but it taste like honey mustard.

I hope that you enjoy this as much as we did!!! Let me know if you tried it and what you thought!!

Wow!!

2009-08-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

Ok~so I looked at the date that this was last updated and I'm so ashamed of myself!! It has been WAY too long!! I have made myself a promise that I will keep up with it better.
So where do I begin to catch up??
Well in June Marcus' niece Diane graduated from high school. It is so hard to believe that she is that old already....makes me feel really old. She is attending Penn View Bible College this fall. We drove to PA to attend her graduation and enjoyed spending time with all of Marcus's family. We decided to take a vacation while we were out there so we drove to Lancaster and visited the Amish community. I have a great appreciation for those people....they are better then I am because there is no way I could do without electricity and air conditioning and my internet...gotta get on facebook! (or crackbook as Marcus likes to call it) Marcus's brother and family and his Mom went with us and we spent a whole day touring Lancaster. The next day we drove to Hershey PA and enjoyed touring the chocolate factory there. I was in Heaven with all the chocolate surrounding me...it took all I had not to buy lots of it!! While we were in PA we drove to Penn View and picked Janae up and took her out to dinner. She had just gotten back from her trip to London and Ireland and it was good to catch up with her. At the end of June Marcus started school to learn how to fly a new helicopter. The one he was flying was old and the Marine Corps decided to do away with it and the V-22 Osprey is taking its place. The Osprey is a tilt rotor aircraft...meaning it can be an airplane or helicopter. It is a pretty cool aircraft! So needless to say we are back to all the studying and feeling like we are in flight school all over again. I can't wait until the school is over with in Nov. Keep praying for him that he will learn this and that God will keep him safe.
Well in July it was just busy busy with Marcus studying and Jill coming to stay with us for a few weeks. We went to the beach (ask Jill sometime about her first experiance there) and went swimming and just had a good time. It rained alot in the afternoons so we weren't able to go to the beach or swimming pool as much as we wanted.
In August I got a HUGE surprise!! My WHOLE family came and visited us for a week. I knew that Brent, Jalynn and Zack were coming and Jill was still here but I didn't know that my parents and Janae were coming. It was the best surprise ever!! We had a great time while they were here. Let me just say this....Thank God for 3 bathrooms!!! Except that sometimes that wasn't enough!! =) When you have five women in the same house you need alot of bathrooms. We went to the beach several times, drove to Wilmington to shop, played games, grilled out and just had a blast with them here!! It was the first time that Marcus and I had met Zack and let's just say that we fell in love with that little boy. In fact Uncle Marcus talks about him all the time and spoiled him rotten along with Grandpa and Nana!! He did not lack attention that is for sure. He barely touched the ground while he was here. After everyone left it was so lonely around here....we are getting used to it being quiet and just us again. I can't wait until Christmas so we can be together again.
Well I think that about catches up with everything so far. I will do better from now on because this was just a long long post! =) I do enjoy reading all of yours and am trying to become inspired from all of Brittanys spray painting.
Hope everyone has a great weekend! If you have a chance swing by this website and look at our pictures that we had taken while the whole family was here.......http://www.abeautifulmoment-bymegan.com/moyer.html

Homey

2009-05-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

I am having a hard time coming up with titles for things...so I'm sorry for the cheesy title for this.
This week Marcus and I have been working on the yard and the flower beds. We found these rocking chairs at Wal-mart and promptly bought them, brought them home and put them to good use!! =) The chairs and the hanging flowers make the front porch look so inviting and homey. We have really enjoyed sitting on the front porch in the cool evenings listening to the crickets and big ole bull frogs. The flower beds are almost finished and I will post pictures of them when they are done.
Hope you all have a good week!!

Little Toy Car

2009-05-17T18:46:00.001-07:00

I got a new car!!! It has been over a year since we have had two cars and so I'm enjoying buzzing around town in my little bug. It is so funny to see it sitting beside the truck....polar opposites.

Fun in SC

2009-05-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

We drove down to SC for Mother's day weekend to spend time with Marcus' family. We had alot of fun spending time with everyone there. Friday night we all went out to eat at Outback and we got to see one of Marcus' cousins, Jack and his girlfriend, that he hasn't seen in years. They had a good time catching up on what the other has been doing. Then on saturday we had a great time hanging out with Matt and Susan, Clark, Dalton and Duncan and Loretta. We had brunch at Cracker Barrell and then went shopping!! Thanks ya'll for the good time and hope we can do it again soon.

Lovin' on Uncle Marcus

Duncan riding high.

Enjoying Uncle Marcus' monster truck!!

~Happy Easter~

2009-04-11T22:27:00.001-07:00

I just want to wish each and every one of you a very Happy Easter!!! I'm so humbled on this day for everything that HE did for me and for you. When I sit and think about it it brings tears to my eyes knowing what Jesus went through just for me.

I thought I would share this story of my Mam-ma Bullocks story about when she got saved. I'm blessed beyond measure for the heritage that I have!!!

During my lifetime I have forgotten a lot of things, but time can never erase from my memory the great change that was wrought in my heart and life the day I came to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. As I reminisce today it is still fresh in my mind. That day was February 13, 1949--a little more than 60 years ago.
There were a number of things that led to this change. My husband and I were raised in a small town in East Texas and were nominal church members; however we knew nothing of real salvation. We were doing the things the world did and were headed in the wrong direction. I had lived for the day when I would be grown and could go to all the places and do the things that those who were just a little older than I were doing. It looked like such fun!
Well, I reached that age and started doing those things, but they didn't satisfy! It seemed so vain and hollow, and left such an empty void in my life. I would go home at night thinking, "Is this all there is to life?" "I've lived for this and now it seems so empty." There was the feeling of disappointment as tears would drop on my pillow before I went to sleep. There was a deep longing for something better, but I didn't know where to find it.
During my senior year in high school I started dating Foy Bullock shortly before he went into service during World War II. Because Foy was from a broken home I only knew a part of his family when we were growing up. Little did I know that his mother was a praying christian lady.
In 1944 we were married and my husband went overseas. He made the landing at Utah Beach during the invasion of France, and after the war was over he returned home
in December, 1945. We moved to Dallas where we secured employment and my husband attended the University of Dallas. In 1947 our home was blessed with our first son, Rex. When he was about a year old I went back to work and my husband's mother came to live with us and take care of Rex while I worked.
On Friday nights we took Mrs. Bullock across Dallas to the home of a friend who lived near her church. She was a part of a prayer band that had Friday night prayer meetings at the church. We didn't know it but our names were on their prayer list.
My husband and my youngest brother were attending a new church near our home where they taught Sunday School classes. By this time I was feeling conviction for sin and was searching my heart. After they left for church I hooked the screens so Rex could play around the house as I prayed. I began to tithe, sending it one Sunday with my husband and the next with his mother to her church.
In a few weeks I prevailed on my husband and brother to go with me to Mrs. Bullock's church. After they consented to go, I called my best friend, with whom I had grown up in East Texas, and asked her and her husband to go with us. The service was wonderful--God was everywhere and I cried all during the service. When the altar call was given I asked my husband to go with me, but he said, "No." I thought I wouldn't go either, but the Holy Spirit was dealing in such a way that I suddenly felt I wanted God and the forgiveness of sins more than I wanted anything in this world. I quietly made my way down that long aisle and knelt at the altar. My mother-in-law came and knelt beside me and as I lifted my heart to the Lord, asking him to forgive my sins and make me His own, He came. I knew in a moment that Jesus was the one I'd been searching for all the time. He slaked my thirst! Jesus was real to my soul! That load of guilt and condemnation that I had carried for so long was lifted from my shoulders and I became a new creature in Christ Jesus. That night my husband was saved! It was wonderful! It literally changed the course of our lives. Our love for one another deepened and took on new meaning as we started on this path with the Lord as the center of our little world.
Soon we heard preaching on sanctification and we were candidates for all God had for us.
We committed our lives to Him for time and eternity. No turning back! We had entered this race to win.
Shortly thereafter my husband was called to preach and the next step was a move to Bethany, Oklahoma, where he entered Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University). From graduation in 1953 came our first pastorate, and in time God gave us another son and a daughter. Life was sweet as the Lord led us a step at a time.
Were there no battles? No mountains to climb? No rivers to cross? No valleys? No sorrows? No heartaches? Yes, they were many! Were we perfect? No, never! Did we make mistakes? Yes, numerous mistakes and blunders! But as we walked in the light, read His Word and claimed His promises, one victory led to another and it became a romance to walk with the Lord! He gave us strength to climb the mountains and cross the rivers. He whispered words of encouragement in the valleys, dried our tears, came and blessed us in our souls, and when we made mistakes He picked us up, dusted us off and said, "This is the way, walk ye in it."
When my husband went home to be with the Lord in 1983 I felt that my world had come to an end, but as I leaned on the Lord and sought His face, He comforted my heart and brought me through! He has given me the grace to go on, and has been my Comforter, Counsellor, and Leader over this uneven journey of life. My sins are forgiven, my heart is clean and by His HELP and GRACE I mean to keep the fire burning in my soul. "Too many sunsets lie behind the mountains, too many valleys my feet have passed through, too many loved ones are waiting over yonder. There's too much to gain to lose." My heart is fixed! I HAVE ENTERED THIS RACE TO WIN!

~Tomorrow is the day~

2009-03-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I go to pick up Marcus!!! I can't believe this day is here.....it has seemed like a long time coming! I will post some pictures when he gets back of the homecoming.
Thank you all for your prayers and encouragment!!!

Almost Home!!!

2009-03-12T16:49:00.001-07:00

We are almost done with this deployment!! I remember the day he left just like it was yesterday! It was a nasty rainy day for saying goodbye to the man you love and sending him away for 7 months. It has been a long 7 months but we have come to the end of it and I'm so happy!!! It seemed like this day would never get here. They are on their way home and should be here in about 12 days! I'm scrabbling around trying to get the house finished up and going shopping looking for a new dress and shoes. I'm SO excited!! It seems like these last two weeks have been dragging by and I just want to fast forward to the day that he comes home. I will have someone there taking pictures for me so I will post them for you all to see!
I just want to say thank you for all your prayers for us while he has been away. We have felt every single one of them. It is great to know that you have friends scattered around the world praying for you. I also want to say thank you to my husband for what he is doing for our country and for us! Thank you Marcus...you are truly my hero!!

New House!

2009-03-12T16:39:00.001-07:00

If you have been wondering where I have been....well take a look at the pictures below and you will see!!! I have been moving these last couple of weeks!! We hadn't been planning on buying a house until the realtor of the house we were renting told me that they were selling the house.....so I went looking and this is what I found!! It was still being built and I was able to have just a little say about what I wanted. I LOVE IT!!! I have the kitchen of my dreams and I love the wide openness of it all. We live further out in the country and it is so quiet here. At night you can hear the big ole bullfrogs croaking in the pond not far from the house!! Now to have the man of the house home to share it with me!!! I'm still setting everything up but when it is all done I will post more pictures!!

~John Zachary~

2009-01-28T16:18:00.001-08:00

I am a proud aunt once again!! Brent and Jalynn had their baby this afternoon!
John Zachary weighed in at 7lbs 11 ounces and was 21 inches long.
Mommy and Baby are doing good. He has lots of black hair.
Of course you all know that Grandpa and Grandma Batton are
on cloud nine right now. I don't know if we will ever be able to get
them down. They are going to call him Zach.
Welcome little Zach....Aunt Julie can't wait to meet you!!!
Congrats Brent and Jalynn!

~SNOW~

2009-01-20T20:42:00.001-08:00

We actually had snow here today!! By the time it was all said and done we had about 3 inches!! (it snowed more after these pictures were taken) They haven't had snow here since 2004. Schools were cancelled and store were out of bread, milk and eggs!! It is hilarious how the people here in the south react to snow!! The roads were clear and they still cancelled schools for tomorrow!! HAHA
This was Gunners first time seeing snow so it was fun to be out playing with him in it. He ran around the yard and I threw snowballs at him and he was having a blast. We just wish that Marcus could have been here to enjoy it all with us.

Happy Birthday!

2009-01-04T17:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Marcus!! God has truly blessed me with the best husband ever!! He is the sweetest, kindest person that I know and would do anything for me. I wish he was here so we could celebrate together....I would have fixed him his favorite dinner....steak, potatoes, corn on the cobb and a chocolate cake!!! :) I'm planning on doing that for him when he gets home. We have less then three months left!!
Happy Birthday Babe I love you with all my heart!!!

~From the Adults~

2008-12-19T11:10:00.001-08:00

Marcus and I would like to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas. We hope that you all enjoy your families and all the good food. Thank you for all your prayers for us this year as we have gone through half of the deployment so far. You'll never know how much that means to us to know that we have friends out there scattered across the country praying for us. Yes, it is hard to be apart on Christmas but we are going to make the best of it and enjoy ourselves here and clear across the world. I sent him 3 boxes for Christmas and in one of them was a tree and some lights and ornaments. He is enjoying that and says it makes it feel just a little bit like home and a little like Christmas. I also sent him some Hickory Farms and he has been chowing down on that. Said that is by far his favorite thing he has gotten in a box!! Doesn't take much to make him happy! =) We are over half way and have just about 3 months to go!
I will be going to my parents for Christmas this year and will be there for about 8 days. I'm looking forward to seeing them and spending time in CO. I hope to see some snow and then leave it all behind and come back to a little warmer place!
We could never forget the reason for the season! Jesus!! He has been so good to us this year and we can't thank him enough for all his blessings!!
Merry Christmas!
Love,
Marcus and Julie

From the Dog!

2008-12-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from Gunner!!! HAHA He is not a very happy reindeer in this picture. I had to bribe him with food to get this picture. I have tried since then to get another one that is better but he is now scared of the antlers!! I know I'm so cruel but I thought it was so funny. I sent it to Marcus and he said he had his laugh for the day!

~Projects~

2008-12-15T19:25:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of the cards that I have been working on. I'm trying my best to get them out before Christmas!! I hope that each and everyone of you have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-11-26T07:32:00.000-08:00

I hope that each and every one of you have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!! My sister Janae is coming here to spend it with me. I have been shopping to get groceries for the "big" dinner and then I got some of her favorite snacks. I know...pat myself on the back for being such an awesome big sis! HAHA Thank you Janae for coming to keep me company this weekend!! I love you!!
I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!! God has truly blessed me and I have nothing to complain about. I have a wonderful husband who I'm very proud of!! Marcus I love you with all my heart! Thank you for loving me and taking care of me. Thank you for serving this country so I can live free. I wish that you were here with me on this holiday but since you aren't I hope that you have a good day and that they feed you some half way descent food. When you get home I will make sure that I fix you a big turkey dinner because I know that you are really missing it this year, if I could I would have fixed it and shipped it to you!! I love you Marcus!!
I have great parents!! They have been through a living nightmare this past year and a half but have been true examples of what a Christian should be through it all. We have had ups and very low downs and at times thought we saw the light at the end of the tunnel only for it to go dark again and we take several steps backwards!! But last week God worked a huge miracle and the nightmare is over!! Thank you Mom and Dad for being great examples to your family. Thank you for caring for and loving us and accepting Marcus and Brent into the family and loving them as if they were your own. We love you!!!
I have four cool sisters and one cool brother in law!! We don't always get along but hey what siblings ALWAYS get along. Jalynn is going to be giving me another nephew in January and we are excited for that. Brent you are an awesome brother in law and alot of fun to be around. Janae, you are a blast to be around and we have so much fun when we are together. Jill I don't get to see you much but I still think you are the best little sister and I wish that we could live closer and go shopping!!
God has been so good to Marcus and I this year. We have a beautiful home, a car to drive, food to eat, a beast of a dog and last but not at all least....we have each other. What more can you ask for!! We serve an awesome God!!
I hope that you all have a great holiday and that you eat lots of turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie!! Think of all our service men and women this holiday season...I know that they all miss home and wish that they were sitting at the table loaded with food. We miss you Marcus and can't wait until the day you come home!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVNG ALL!!!

Tag!

2008-11-26T07:25:00.001-08:00

I was tagged by Lisa! Here is how it works....You take your fourth picture from your #4 album and post it. Here is my picture! Made me pretty happy to put this up! =)

Marcus on deployment!

I tag Melissa and Kristi!

It's been a long time!!

2008-11-20T20:27:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry it has been so long! I will make sure that I update it really soon!!
Hope that you all are having a good week!!

Photo Shoot!

2008-10-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

My friend is trying to expand her portfolio and so took these pictures of me and Gunner! I wanted some to send to Marcus! It was alot of fun but Gunner wanted to play more then take pictures!! Oh well!

Happy Fall!!

2008-10-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

I thought this was really good and thought I would share. I think that it would be a good object lesson for a juniors class or something!! I hope that you are all enjoying the fall weather and falling leaves!!

A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?" The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin." God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Tears

2008-10-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

This week has been a little rough for me. I have really been missing Marcus alot. I went to the Christian bookstore this week and bought a new CD and put it in on the way home and heard this song and I cried all the way home. It has really been a blessing to me and I wanted to share it with you and I hope that it will be a blessing to you too. I hope that you all have a good weekend!

Tears are a language
Often you've wondered why tears come into your eyes
And burdens seem to be much more than you can stand.
But God is standing near, He sees your falling tears.
Tears are a language God understands.

When grief has left you low, it causes tears to flow.
When things have not turned out the way that you had planned.
But God won't forget you, His promises are true.
Tears are a language God understands.

God sees the tears of a broken-hearted soul.
He sees your tears and hears them when they fall.
God weeps along with man and takes him by the hand.
Tears are a language God understands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCU-UtO7Ke8

Yummy!!

2008-09-23T21:37:00.001-07:00

How would you like to see this appear on your table? This is one of the meals that Marcus had on one of his stops! I can't believe that he ate it! I think that I would have sent it back and asked for a grilled cheese sandwich or something! UGH!

Beautiful!!

2008-09-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share a few pictures of a sunset that Marcus saw one night. I thought they were beautiful and I wish that I had been there with him. I think that sunset are romantic!!

2008-09-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

I'm posting a picture and letter that Marcus sent out in a mass email yesterday. I hear from him several times a day and I have talked to him on the phone three times!! It helps so much that we are able to email back and forth and that he is able to call me. It is different talking on the phone on the boat because he has to hold down a little button to talk and there is a delay, but I don't care because at least I'm talking to him!!! Hope you enjoy and I will post more when he sends more out. When he sent out the email yesterday morning he was five hours ahead and then when I talked to him last night on the phone he said they are now six hours ahead.
Well, we are well out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean. Obviously, for the sake of operational security (which, as you might imagine, is constantly stressed), I cannot say exactly where, but it is safe to say that America is not the closest land or even the closest continent at the moment. We are five hours ahead of Eastern Time, and have been crossing a time zone every few days, so my biological clock is getting a work out and everyone’s body is a bit confused. For pilots, and all aircrew for that matter, regulations outline a very strict crew day/crew rest cycle to ensure that we get the appropriate amount of rest before we launch a multi-million dollar hunk of metal equipped with machine guns and a squad or motivated killers into the air and careen around the skies of foreign territory in search of our nation’s enemies (probably a good idea). However, when you’re crossing time zones at the rapid rate, trying to adjust your body’s clock and normalize your circadian rhythm becomes challenging.

Sleep becomes even more precarious due to the mode of transportation. There are several ships in our ESG (Expeditionary Strike Group), and I am stationed aboard the largest one. However, even on a ship as large as this there is good deal of rocking and rolling. We have experienced some fairly heavy seas over the last few days with some large swells. It is nice being rocked to sleep at night, however there are disadvantages as well. As the ship rolls to starboard, every unsecured door on the decks above and below the birthing area can be heard as they bang open, and then as the ship rolls hard to port all of those doors slam shut. I have been on several forays in an attempt to find all of these doors and secure them, but I can never seem to find them all. The best remedy is a set of ear plugs and a mental ability to block out the noise.

There has been only minimal flight operations so far during the trans-Atlantic. Obviously, the main goal right now is to get into the theater of operations, everything else is secondary. This presents some conflicting interests between the Marines and our chauffeurs (the U.S. Navy). They want to make a bee-line for our destination, and we want to fly. The problem is that all aircraft that fly on and off of ships have strict wind limitations or envelopes for take-off and landing. Since the runway is a ship, it can be maneuvered to give you any winds you want, but the Navy doesn’t always want to play. It is always preferable, and sometimes essential, for aircraft to take off into the wind (headwind) for purpose aerodynamics and increased lift capability. So, for example, if the winds are out of the west and the boat is heading east, we have a direct tailwind and so are out of our wind limits. If they Navy won’t turn the ship to give us proper winds, we can’t take off. So we have to work out drug deals with the Navy to get our flight time, but sometimes they just say no. That is probably more than any of you wanted to know about flight operations aboard ship.

So, in the spare time we do a lot of drills (i.e. man overboard, abandon ship, general quarters, etc.). Not very exciting. Once we get where we’re going things will become more interesting. We won’t be staying any one place for more than a few weeks unless something breaks out that requires our unique skills and abilities. We can be used in a variety of missions ranging from long range raids, prisoner snatches, humanitarian assistance, non-combatant extraction operations, casualty evacuation, etc. We will be going ashore in several locations to conduct operations from expeditionary land bases for short periods of time. As we are cleared to release information I will pass along whatever I can about where we have been and what we have done. I will send pictures from time as well. The picture attached to this email was taken a few days ago at sunset at the stern of the ship. No, it wasn’t photo-shopped. I didn’t superimpose my picture on a brochure from Carnival Cruise lines. It really is that beautiful out here.

Thanks for taking time to stop by and chat. I look forward to hearing from anyone that chooses to reply. Ya’ll take care.

Marcus

A Marine Corps Wifes Prayer

2008-08-31T10:52:00.000-07:00

I found this today when I was reading Chicken Soup for the Military Wife's Soul. The original title was A Navy Wifes Prayer but I changed it to fit me. It brought tears to my eyes and I decided to share it with you. We are now on day 5 of this deployment and I'm not going to lie it has been very very rough. This being our first deployment you kinda go into it not knowing what to really expect, but God has been helping me. I have cried many a tear and I miss him so much but I know that God is going to give me the strength to make it through this time. Marcus is doing good...I have gotten quite a few emails from him since he has been gone. He is taking some classes right now and getting some night qualifications done in the helicopter. I'm not sure when his first port call is or where they are going because it has changed so much and he can't really tell me where they are or where they are going until after they have already been there. But God is keeping him strong and safe. Thank you all for your prayers we really appreciate them.
Ok here is that poem/prayer:
A Marine Corps Wife's Prayer
How often we've stood on the dark flight lines and piers....
"I love you," "I'll miss you," whispered through tears.
During long seperations, in peacetime, at war
my night filled with dreams of this man I adore.
With only my memories to hold close at night
I live for the day God returns my sunlight.
Yes, life goes on when your loved one's at sea
but the ache never leaves, the fear stays with me.

Dear Lord, I need your guidance, your love

help me be brave, keep your watch from above.
Hold my dear one so safe in your heart and your hand
bring him home to his family...this hero...my man.
Of us, Lord, I pray he'll be filled with such pride
of how we carried on without him by our side.
Please, help time to fly quickly and soon I will hold
the hand of the man whose eyes chase the cold.
Whose voice brings delight, whose touch eases the pain.
How will I ever say "Farewell" again?
With your help, dear God, I'll try to stay strong
and pray that his time here at home will be long.
Still, "I know that the Marine Corps will need him," I sigh
but we'll face it together, Dear Lord, you and I.
Sue Ellen Groseclose-Combs

2008-08-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend we had some friends from FL come to see Marcus before he left and we had a great time!!! Thanks Jason and Marci for making that long trip. While they were here we drove to VA to drop a bunch of Marcus' things off at the boat and he gave us a tour of the boat while we were there. It is pretty interesting but I'm SO glad that I don't have to live on that thing for 7 months!! :) We also enjoyed a great meal at the Cheesecake Factory and it was so YUMMY!!! I think that I gained 10 pounds this weekend! :)
Marcus is leaving in a couple of days so we are trying to spend alot of time together now. I have been an emotional wreck so far but I know that God is going to help me be strong and get through this. Thank you all for you prayers....Marcus said that he appreciates them all.
Hope that you all had a great weekend!

~Here~

2008-08-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Just letting you know that I'm still here......just busy getting Marcus ready for his deployment. We are trying to spend as much time together as we can before he leaves. He is supposed to be leaving sometime next week..we don't have an exact date yet. Please pray for us as it is going to be a LONG seven months for both of us. Hope that you all had a wonderful weekend and that this is a good week for everyone.

~So Cute!!~

2008-08-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

We had a great oppotunity to feed and pet a 14 week old baby tiger!!! I was so excited....I love cats and this was awesome for me. He was a little vocal about things until I put the bottle in his mouth and then he was content. He was so adorable and I'm glad that we got this chance to do it.

~Our Cabin~

2008-08-11T11:26:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures of the cabin that we stayed in while we were on vacation. It was so pretty and peaceful up there in the mountains. We really enjoyed our vacation and just being with each other.

~Horseback Riding~

2008-08-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

Today we went on a 2 hour horseback ride through the mountains. We had a blast. If you know anything about Marcus you know that he loves western movies and books and this was right down his alley. He loved it!! He decided that if he was going horseback riding he needed to look like a cowboy so we bought him a hat, shirt and some boots. He wanted everyone to know that this was just for fun and that he wasn't trying to be some redneck cowboy. =) He tried to get me to be a cowgirl and I politely declined. We are enjoying our time up here in the mountains and I will post more pictures later on. We are sitting in our cabin relaxing for the day and enjoying the peacefulness.

~Fun with Clark~

2008-08-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

We were in South Carolina for the weekend and we had fun with our niece Clark. She loves Uncle Marcus and Aunt Julie and they love her just as much!!!

Congratulations!

2008-08-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

Friday morning 1st Lt Marcus Moyer became Capt. Marcus Moyer. Congrats on making it this far Babe!!!! I know that it always hasn't been easy and there are many more hard times to come but through it all you have shown that you are a great Marine. I'm so proud of you and your service to our country.
Marcus will be deploying this month and will be gone for about 7 or 8 months. Please keep him in your prayers that God will keep his safe while he is over there. I'm not looking forward to this at all!! It isn't easy saying goodbye to your husband and not being able to see him for months at a time. He will be gone over all the holidays and that will be hard for both of us, but I know that God will give us the strength to make it through it all.

Swearing to uphold the constitution and the responsibilities that come with the promotion.
Lt.Col Synder and I pinned his Capt. bars on him (I'm on the other side)

My Father-in-law....

2008-07-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today we lost a great man. Dave was the kind of person that would give you the shirt off his back if he knew that you needed it. He loved spending time with family. I think that his favorite time of the year was Christmas when all the kids came home. He was the BEST stocking stuffer there ever was. We always ended up with more things then could ever fit into the stocking. I remember one time when they came to visit us he overheard me telling Marcus that I needed some kitchen utensils and when we went there for Christmas that year what was in my stocking but the kitchen utensils that I had asked for. Another time they were visiting I told Marcus that while we were out we needed to run by walmart to get a few things and while we were there I needed to get some more towels and washclothes. Well we went to walmart and left them in the car, or at least we thought we had, we got the things from the grocery side and went over to household goods and there was Dave getting us some towels and washclothes. He was a giver and loved doing it. He loved talking to Marcus about trains, planes and history. They would stay up until all hours of the night talking. When they talked on the phone he wanted to know all about the plane or helicopter that Marcus was flying and how it was put together and how it ran. I never understood how they could talk for hours about an engine of a plane but they could. They would take it apart and put it back together piece by piece. Marcus loved talking to his Dad!!! We were talking the other day about Dave and Marcus was telling me that you never wanted to go into a museum about trains, history or planes with his Dad. He said that you had to get up at the break of dawn to get ready to go and then you were there when the doors opened and left when they closed. I'm so happy that Marcus has such great memories of his Dad.
Marcus and I miss him so much! We don't understand why God took him so soon, but know that he is in a better place and that we will see him someday! We love you Dave!!!

Sour Cream Chicken

2008-07-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

This one's for you Lisa!! =)
This recipe is from my Mom and has become one of Marcus' favorite dishes. It is very easy to make!!
Sour Cream Chicken:
Boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenders~put them in a pot and cover with water and boil until tender. (don't drain the water when they are done, you will need some of it later) Cut into bite size pieces and put in the bottom of a 9x9 pan.
Mix together 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of sour cream and 1 can of the water that you boiled the chicken in. Pour on top of the chicken and the bake at 350 until bubbly on top. Then top with the topping and bake until nice and brown.
Topping:
1 pkg of Ritz crackers
melted butter
French fried onions (optional) I do the crackers and onions

Before
After

Fourth of July

2008-07-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

"And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free and I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me." I'm a proud American!! I enjoy my freedom and appreciate all the men and women who are all over the world fighting for it right now. I'm also proud of my husband who is serving our country! Thanks Babe...I love you!!
This fourth of July we went with our friends Travis and Jenny to Wilmington. We ate at a seafood place along the riverwalk and it was yummy!! Then we pushed and shoved our way through the crowds to find a nice spot to watch the fireworks. I'm not sure if we found the perfect spot, with the screaming kids and the drunk guy behind us yelling "we love you america", but at least we had a nice view of the fireworks.

Marcus and Julie
Julie and Jenny
Travis and Jenny
Little too much to drink??

I'm here...

2008-07-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

...I haven't gone away. I will post here in a couple of days.
I hope that ya'll have a good week!!

A great website!

2008-06-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

I found this really cute website. It has alot of REALLY cute purses!!! I'm trying to talk Marcus into letting me get a few of them.....still working on it!! =)
Hope that you enjoy it.

www.etsy.com

Excited

2008-06-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

Marcus is coming home after three weeks being gone. YAY!! I hate hate him being gone. Oh well~that is part of being a military wife.
That is about all that I have to blog about right now. I'm sure that when Marcus comes home I will have more pictures.
Hope that you all have a wonderful evening.

The Tornado

2008-06-12T10:13:00.002-07:00

The pictures below are of the tornado that went through the base where Marcus is training right now. He said that it was pretty scarey to watch it coming straight towards you. The noise is deafening! No one was hurt and all the helicopters are ok. The path of the tornado went right between the barracks where he was staying and the helicopters. It is a miracle that none of them were hurt and that none of the helicopters were damaged. Thank the Lord for keeping his protecting hand on them.

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-06-12T10:13:00.001-07:00

Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding

2008-06-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

This is Paula Deen's recipe and the best banana pudding that you will ever put in your mouth!! You won't go back to your old recipe after you eat this. Hope that you enjoy!!

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream
Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Playing in the mud.....

2008-06-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

....is fun when you are a dog and have a friend to do it with. Gunner and Zoe had a blast!! I dog sat for a friend the other day, it was a rainy day and the dogs were tired of being inside and were getting really hyper. I didn't want them in my house so I opened the door and let them out. When I looked out the door a little later this is what I found!! YUCK!! I was wishing that I hadn't let them out. They were so dirty!! I had to give them both baths and then had to come in and take a shower myself because both of them thought that I needed to be muddy too. :)

Gunner and Zoe
Isn't your face supposed to be black?
Look at the muddy nose!!

All clean!!

Happy Anniversary

2008-06-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!! Congratulations on this your 30th anniversary!! Thanks for being great parents to four great girls!! HA Seriously ya'll have been the best parents that I could have ever asked for. In the past little while you have gone through alot of testing and trials, but I have seen you fight and come out on top of it all. You haven't gotten bitter but your faith and trust in God has gone deeper. You have been great Christian examples to not only us girls but many of other young people as well. Thank you so much for everything that you have done for me. I love ya'll more then words could ever express. I wish that I lived closer to where I could help you celebrate. Hope that you have a wonderful day!!

Friends

2008-05-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

I have the best friends in the world!! Thanks girls for sending me the flowers. It meant alot! You guys truly are great friends. I wish that I was closer so we could go and celebrate together. We would have a blast!!! Thanks again!!

My Flowers

2008-05-29T10:21:00.000-07:00

Here are the flowers that my sweetheart sent me for our anniversary. Aren't they pretty!! I love them! Thanks Babe!!

Four Wonderful Years

2008-05-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

May 29th, 2004 I married my best friend!! What a day that was. Seeing him graduate from West Point and get commisioned into the United State Marine Corps was awesome!! Then at 2:00 that afternoon I walked down the aisle to become Mrs. Marcus Moyer. I wasn't nervous until I started the walk down the 250 foot aisle and looked all the way to the front and did not see my groom, the best man or the preachers. I looked at my Dad and said, "Where are they?" My Dad started snapping his fingers at the cordinator (for the chapel) and asking where they were and she said, "keep walking they will come out." Well, meanwhile back in the little room where they were Marcus hears the music and starts to realize what is going on. He pushes his brother into the wall thinking it was the door and finally they find the door (it was all paneling) and walk out. My heart settles down and we keep walking. My Dad kept saying that he wasn't going to cry, but I looked at him while we were walking and he had tears in his eyes and that made me cry!! It was beautiful and everything that I had hoped for. It was also my 24th birthday and I got the best present anyone could ever give me!!
Happy Anniversary Babe!! Thanks for being the best husband a girl could ever ask for. You have always been there for me whenever I needed you. You have been a shoulder to cry on and a jokster when I needed a laugh. We have such a great time together and some memories come to mind. Like running from the police or advoiding them as you like to say, climbing up Table Rock, going to Gatlinburg and getting 3rd degree burns laying out in Aruba on our honeymoon. I hope that we have many many more memories together. I love you so much and thank God everyday that he has blessed me with a wonderful husband. Thank you for serving in the military and risking your life that I might live free in this country. You are my hero!! I love you Marcus, Happy Anniversary!!

I love this picture!!

The sword arch.

Yes we can do that, we have a license!!

2nd Lt and Mrs Marcus Moyer
Running across the plain. The building on the hill is the Chapel where we got married.

My Two "Boys"

2008-05-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

Marcus and Gunner are best buddies!! Gunner loves Marcus and cannot wait until he comes home. He knows the ringer that I have set for when Marcus calls, and when he hears that ring he grabs a toy and heads for the door. He sits down and looks out the window until he sees the truck pull up into the driveway, and then he goes crazy. Marcus loves him just as much!! Gunner follows him everywhere he goes. They go on long walks and hikes together, and Gunner goes everywhere with Marcus in the truck. This dog is truly a man's best friend. I love them both and don't know what I would do without them.

The Best Potato Soup...............

2008-05-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in one of the many Gooseberry Patch cookbooks that I have. Marcus and I have decided that this is the best potato soup that we have ever eaten!!

~Creamy Bacon Potato Soup~
4 bacon slices, crisply cooked and crumbled (4 is not enough) save the drippings~ 1 onion chopped~ 1 t. garlic minced~ 1/2 t. dried oregano~ Salt and Pepper to taste~ 6 potatoes peeled and cubed~ 2 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth~ 2 T all purpose flour~ 3 cups milk divided~ 1 cup smoked cheese grated~ (I used more then that) 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated~ (again I used more) Garnish with fresh chives chopped.
In saucepan, place one tablespoon bacon drippings, onion, garlic and oregano. Saute until onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper, add potatoes and chicken broth. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes. Blend flour with 1/4 cup of milk, stir into potato mixture. Stir in remaining milk and cheeses until smooth. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with bacon and chives.I put some of the bacon in it with the cheeses and let it cook. It made it taste really good.Hope that you enjoy!! We did!!

Pictures of the Boat

2008-05-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

Ok here are the promised pictures. I'm so glad that it is not me having to live on this boat, I would be so sick!! He is in a really small room with 3 other guys. They have to share the one sink, and the bathroom that all the male officers share was around the corner from his room. His room was right under where the planes and helicopters land and it was SO noisey and hard to get some sleep after a certain time in the morning. The food was pretty good, but it is hard to eat healthy on there, at least it's hard to eat healthy and not be hungry all the time. He said that he really enjoyed the snacks that I sent him (the ones that didn't get ruined by the hairspray that leaked all over his bag).
It is a very fun yet challenging experience flying around the boat, especially at night. This becomes even more difficult when there is a full deck of aircraft working the pattern and you have to land between two other spinning aircraft. One of the challenges of flying with NVDs (night vision devices) is the decreased ability to pick up drift tendencies while hovering over the spot, and there is very little room for error when there are spinning rotors in front and behind you. That's why they practice and are trained by and become the best pilots in the world.
Like I said I'm glad that it is him and not me!!! :o)

Marcus' bunk (the bottom)
The sink and other set of bunks
The chow hall where all the officers eat
The ready room where all the flights are planned
Marcus getting ready to take off
Lift Off

There he goes
The ocean looking from the helicopter (if you look real hard you can see the boat) The boat looking from the helicopter

Happy!!

2008-05-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy right now because Marcus is home!! For a few weeks anyway.
Two weeks was a long time and I know that seven months will be forever.
But I know that I will make it and that the Lord will help me through it.
Nothing much is going on here. If Marcus will let me I will post some pictures
from the boat that he was on. We will have to see.

Cloud Nine!

2008-05-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

I got the news last night that it looks like the guys will be home sooner then what we expected. They were supposed to be home on friday and now it looks like monday or tuesday!! I'm so excited!! I can't wait to see Marcus again. He has only been gone for a little over 2 weeks but if feels like 2 years!! Now I know what I have to look forward to later this year when he leaves for 7 months. That is the life of a military spouse!!'
Hope that you are having a great weekend!! It is beautiful here and I am enjoying the sun.

Lookin' Pretty!

2008-05-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Well since Marcus has been gone I have been trying to keep myself busy. I had a friend from FL come in to visit me this week so that has helped me with the lonliness. Her husband is graduating from Boot Camp next week and so she came to see me and then is going to see her husband in OK next week. Of course we have been shopping, gone out to eat, gone to the beach and then were just lazy here at home. Thanks Marci for coming to see me this week. I have really enjoyed it.
Here is one of the projects that we took on this week. The flower bed in front of our house needed alot of work. We dug up three bushes and then planted flowers and put down some mulch. We also decided that the mailbox needed some sprucing up. I love the way that it looks now. Marcus needs to come home now and see all the improvments we did.
Hope that you have a good weekend!!

Makin it...

2008-05-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Well it has been five days since Marcus has left. He is somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. He said that they are doing okay. His room is small and he has three roommates. He said that the food on there is alot better then what he expected it to be. He is having a hard time walking on the ship. The rolling and pitching of the ship makes you feel like you are drunk. He said that one minute you are walking down and then the next you are walking up. He said it is almost like learning how to walk all over again.
I got an unexpected call from him on sunday. It was so nice to hear from him and then that night I was able to get an email from him. They finally got their internet hooked up in their room. Then yesterday I was able to get two emails from him. It makes the day so much better when I hear from him.
My friend Marci from Florida came in on saturday and will be here until this saturday. We have been having a good time shopping and going out to eat. Her husband is graduating from boot camp next week. She is so excited to be able to see him, it has been two and a half months.
Well that is about all I have right now. Thanks for stopping by. I hope that you have a good day.

Not much going on here!

2008-05-06T09:20:00.000-07:00

There isn't much going on here. Marcus is away for the month on some training exercises. I hate him being gone, but know that he is doing his part to protect our country and I am proud of him for that. He is getting ready for deployment later on this year. Please keep him in your prayers that God will keep him safe.
Gunner and I are just chilling here at home enjoying the beautiful weather.
Sorry there is not much to post right now. I will let you know how Marcus is doing when I hear from him.
Hope that you have a great week!!!

Our New Ride!

2008-04-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

Here is our new ride!! Marcus found this truck and fell in love with it and now it is ours to keep. :-) Needless to say I will be driving it more then him because he is going to be gone for about 9 or 1o months. So I am now a truck driving woman!!! WOOHOO!!

New Purse

2008-04-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

My friend Angela gave me this new purse. She had it in her garage with the price tag still on it. I love it. Pink and Brown is becoming my favorite colors. Thanks Angela!!

A great recipe!

2008-04-19T16:18:00.001-07:00

Now that it is becoming spring and we will be getting some good fruit in the stores I thought that I would share a really good fruit dip recipe with you. You may already have it, but if you don't here it is.

1~13oz jar of marshmellow creme
3/4 stick of cream cheese.

Mix together and chill. Serve with fruit. Apples, strawberries and pinapple are great with this.
ENJOY!!

I've been tagged!

2008-04-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

My List
I was tagged by Ellen and Sheila
What I was doing 10 years ago:
Well i was finishing up my school work so I could graduate in May and then I started my first semester at BMI
Five things on my to do list today:
1. Straighten up the house
2. Make baked beans to take to a friends house for dinner tonight
3. Put a load of towels in the washer
4. Wash Marcus' flight suit
5. Go to a friends house and have dinner and play games
Snacks that I enjoy:
1. Chips
2. Cashews
3. Anything chocolate
What would I do if I were a billionaire:
1. Pay off all of our bills
2. Buy Marcus a new truck
3. Buy a new washer and dryer the front loader kind
4. Help my parents
5. Go on a LONG vacation
6. Go to school to become a x-ray tech
7. Help people in need
Three of my bad habits:
1. Lack of exercise
2. Leaving the clothes in the dryer
3. Not wanting to wash the dishes
Places I have lived:
1. Rock Island, IL
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. Greenleaf, ID
5. Homedale, ID
6. Kansas
7. Salem, OR
8. Greenville, SC
9. Lima, OH
10. Quantico, VA
11. Milton, FL
12. Camp Pendelton, CA
13. Jacksonville, NC
Several of those places were lived at more then once.
Jobs I have had:
1. McDonalds
2. Chick-fil-a
3. Ben Franklin Crafts
4. H & R Block
5. Teletech (call center for UPS)
6. Michaels arts and crafts
7. West Florida Hospital as a outpatient registrar
8. Renees Bridal and Special Occansion
9. Christopher and Banks
People that I want to know more about
1. Karen Bork
2. Trisha Dodd
3. Jonathan Bullock
4. Lisa Patrick

Our new bedroom things

2008-04-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

Here is our new comforter that we got. I love it!! Also the Thomas Kincade that my mother-in-law gave to us for our anniversary early.

A few pictures

2008-04-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a few pictures of our house. We really love it here!

New to this

2008-04-17T09:38:00.001-07:00

I am new to this, but am going to try it out and keep you updated on the things happening in our life. Thanks for stopping by I hope that you will come back.