Year in Review

If I could think of one word to describe this year, it would be..... Change!

The past five months have been the longest we've lived in one place this year. All the dogs have lived in at least four different homes, and some have been in five. This year I have filled out three differnet change of address forms (the mailmen just love us). So here's a quick flashback of the months of 2009

JANUARY: Lived in our home in Goldsboro. Dan had cross-training orders which we were super excited about. Projects around the house that we procrastinated on were being finished so we could list our home. All the dogs lived with us, but not for much longer....

FEBRUARY: Home projects were still being worked on (what can I say, we're slow movers). Me and the new floor had it out when it didn't want to go in properly but I won. Dan was wrapping up any loose ends before his cross-training. The very end of the month he left to drive Zeus up to Cincinnati. This was the last month all six of us we lived in that house together.

MARCH: The first few days of march I drove up to Cincinnati with the other three dogs. We were able to have a few days of seeing family before Dan and I drove back to Goldsboro so he could fly out to California. We spent our last few days together in the first home we've owned together. I sadly dropped him off at the airport, and then  I proceded to drive back to Cincinnati, where I would live for the next four months (address change #1). George would go to live with my younger sister, while Zeus was with my in-laws. I had Onyx and Zelda. Our home was now officially on the market. 

APRIL: Missed my hubby. BUT- I was enjoying getting to spend so much time with my family. It was nice not to be alone while Dan was away this time. Plus I was able to keep my nieces while my sister and my brother in law went on their anniversary trip to Europe. I would have never had gotten to spend so much quality time with them if I was in North Carolina. It was nice it worked out that way

MAY: After 9 weeks of being apart, I was able to take a trip out to California to see Dan. He took me to Disneyland and driving down the highway the hugs the coast. It was so great to see him and celebrate our 5th anniversary while I was there. Of course my trip was over far to quickly and before I knew it I was back on a plane to Ohio.

JUNE: The beginning of this month I was able to travel with my sister, Karen to her in-laws house in Tennessee. I enjoyed seeing old friends. This month also brought a new member to the family. My baby sister had a little boy and I was thrilled to be around for the birth. He was also born during the week of VBS (which incidently is one of my favorite weeks). Since I was once again a member of my old church, I was able to teach a class during VBS. I had the second grade girls, which lucky for me, included one of my neices (hey- they needed a teacher and I was available). Purely coincidental ;) Oh, and after Fen was born, George also came to live with me. Good thing he adapts so well cause this year was putting that to the test. And of course, thanks to my parents for putting up with me and three of my dogs. 

JULY: Loving every second with my new nephew. Enjoyed getting to spend time with him, rather than just hearing from everybody else how great he was. I was able to go with my church to be a counselor at teen camp. I hadn't been a part of camp in years so I was soaking up every minute of it. Good times. I was also getting more excited everyday to have Dan be done with school and come back for our big move. Although his plans changed a few times and he had to stay a few weeks longer dues to the movers, he finally made it back to Cincinnati.  After just a few days we packed up the dogs and headed for Las Vegas. Road trip, anyone?

AUGUST: We got into Vegas on August first. We started living with people we had been stationed with previously (address change #2). Dan started his new job and loved it. After six years of night shifts it was great to have him on a regular schedule. With our home in NC still for sale, we moved onto our third (and hopefully final) realtor. I started job hunting. We sold our old friend, the truck, and Dan got a new grown-up car that makes him very happy.  

SEPTEMBER: Still had our house in Goldsboro (although we now call it our vacation home to make us feel better. Still job hunting. We did have a nice change of pace when Dan's sister and brother in-law came to Vegas around Labor day. We had a great time with them, and I can't wait until they get to come back. This next time will be with a new addition.......hurry up and come baby Caleb! :)

OCTOBER: Finally got a job on base which allowed us to finally move into an apartment (address change #3). Unfourtunately we could only bring two dogs with us so George and Onyx stayed at the other house. That was so hard to do. I missed them everyday. We quickly got into a routine and could enjoy our new jobs and the new city we were living in. At the end of the month Dan celebrated turning the big 2-5.

NOVEMBER: Adjusting to life in our new town, our new place, and our new jobs. Spending more time with new friends. This Thanksgiving was the first year we didn't have any family come, so we just ate out and went to movies. Oh, and we were still waiting for our house to sell.

DECEMBER: My birthday was at the beginning of the month. Most Decembers fly by and this one was no exception. Dan was working more and more hours getting ready for an inspection on base. They changed his shift constantly (some time while he was at work), and I was offered a different postion at work and started training for that. Still wanting to get George and Onyx into different homes we asked family to take them again and they (graciously) agreed. The hard part was getting them to Cincy but after many failed attempts to make arrangments I decieded to drive them myself. Luckily my work was closed for almost two weeks. So on Christmas Eve I started the second great road trip of 09 driving back to Cincy. Zeus went back to live with the in-laws, and Onyx is trying out a new home with my neices. So far I've only heard good things, but they should be used to living anywhere by now. I started driving back on new years eve and on January 1st 2010, I made it safely back to Vegas. And thus began 2010.....