Our Farewell Evening..

Cynthia Rowley dress, Charlotte Russe pumps.

Jason and my friends from DC threw us a fabulous going-away at Murphy's. It was, as always, awesome food and music. And, tonight, wonderful friends as well.

Rocky, our favorite musician and friend at Murphy's was there with his wife as well, and even played songs that Jason and I love.

Lester, Murphy's chef, made a dessert especially for us and our guests, per our request. Irish whiskey cake. It was delicious.

And, Dave, our favorite server was able to wait on us.

And, we said our good-byes to Murphy's staff as well.

I am really going to miss that place and all the wonderful people there..

We feel so blessed to have made so many wonderful friends here and though it is so hard to say good-bye, it's a part of the life that we have chosen.

Thank you to everyone who came to wish us well and we missed all of you would couldn't make it!

xoxo,
Heather

You Scream, I Scream..

This is my new kitchen gadget! And, I cannot wait to get to Texas and use it!

Wanna know the best part? It is automatic! No ice or salt needed! Yay!

We bought it and shipped it with all my stuff to Texas this past week, so we haven't even gotten to open it up and test it out yet.

I have some great ideas for this little baby, already! I'll be sure to share them all with you when the time comes..

Until then, I'll be screaming for ICE CREAM!

xoxo,
Heather

Virginia Beach.

Ah. I wish I was back at the beach. Jason and I took a little trip to visit some of our wonderful family in Virginia Beach this weekend.

We played lots of cards, had great conversation, had entirely too much food (most of it being seafood), we visited the Outer Banks, shopped, hung out at the beach, scoped out the Boardwalk Art Festival at Virginia Beach.

I had Ben and Jerry's for the first time from one of their stores. I opted for their Coconut Seven Layer Bar, that is only available in their 'Scoop Shops.' It was fantastic. It was a coconut ice cream with coconuts and fudge flakes, walnuts, and swirls of graham crackers and butterscotch. [description via.]

Jason and I spent a day at the beach and ate at our favorite restaurant on the beach. I got their amazing open faced grilled tuna sandwich that is topped with brie (my favorite!) and pickled cucumbers. I also tried their carrot soup. It was really tasty, as well.

Connie took us to the Outer Banks. Jason and I are now planning to take a trip there sometime. However, for now, we are planning and laying out our trip to Ireland during his mid-tour. We are so excited! Jason has found a castle for us to stay in while we are there. More on that later.

While in the Outer Banks, we had breakfast at Jolly Roger's, which was insane! And, then lunch at Mulligan's. We saw the dunes, shopped, walked to the beach, and just enjoyed the area for the day, then drove back over to Virginia Beach for dinner and farewell's to everyone.

It was a wonderful weekend with wonderful people and we can't wait until we can get back again.

xoxo,
Heather

Reflections of this day..

Today was pretty eventful.

The squadron summer picnic was today and we said good-bye to some wonderful people. It definitely hit close to home for me. I was fighting back tears, knowing in a very short time, we will be saying our good-byes. The closer we get to leaving day, I get a little more sad. I know that it's a part of the life Jason and I have chosen, but it is still hard to do the things being a part of the military requires of you. I do know that for the next year, I am really going to miss being in a place where I am surrounded by our Air Force family. I am very nervous and anxious about going back to a place that hasn't been my home in a while. Though I love it, I have changed, and I am a different person than I used to be. And, I am afraid I don't 'fit,' anymore.

I have gotten so used to certain things, it is definitely going to take some getting used to not having those things. I also know, though, my moving to Texas will bring me nearer to wonderful friends and family, that will be there for me this year. And, many of those people have already been such a help and blessing.


I also have tons to look forward to this year.


Jason and I are planning a trip to Ireland during his mid-tour.

I am going to go back to work! Yay!

Quality time with friends and family.

Women of Faith conference.

And, I am really excited to move into and decorate a new house.

I am very thankful that I have a wonderful husband that is supportive and that helps me make decisions that are best for our family. Even when we are apart, we know that God knows what he is doing and we trust in that and in Him. We know He will take care of us. Please pray for each of us in the next few weeks to have the strength to say good-byes and for everything to go smoothly with our transition and move. And, pray for each of us in the next year.

Be watching your mail, as well. We sent out moving announcements with our new contact information. Let us know if you need that and for some reason, your announcement doesn't get to ya.

xoxo,
Heather

New York State of Mind..

My love affair with New York began with two of my all time favorite movies, 'Serendipity' and my favorite Christmas movie, 'Home Alone 2, Lost in New York.'

I experienced all that New York City is for the first time, two winters ago. Amid the cold, windy weather, I was mesmerized. (It was snowing and well below freezing.) Husband and I did not let the weather slow us down.

We enjoyed dim sum in Chinatown.

We had cannoli and pasta in Little Italy.

We took the elevator (almost) to the top of the Empire State Building.

We learned about rent-controlled apartments, how Brooke Astor and Jackie Kennedy saved many historic New York City buildings, including Grand Central Terminal, and about the original Macy's and Gimbels's buildings.

We stared in awe at the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and it's Swarovski star tree topper.

We loved trying to take in every single detail in the Holiday windows of the department stores.

We took the Staten Island Ferry in and out of the city each day and still were amazed by the sight of the city skyline each morning and night.

We consumed two Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, EACH, for breakfast one morning.

We toured NBC studios and sat in the SNL studio.

We watched the New Year's Eve fireworks from Staten Island, in the car, instead of in Times Square with no restrooms, seats or warmth. We liked our plan better. :) Then, we went back to our room for New York pizza, antipasto salad, and our Chinese baked goodies we brought from Chinatown.

We visited Tiffany & Co and I got a lovely souvenir from the famous jeweler.

We watched the Yankees play in 'the house that Babe built,' one September before the Yankees moved into their new stadium.'

Then, this March, we experienced our first Broadway show, on Broadway, 'The Lion King.' Words cannot express how cool that was!

We walked the Brooklyn Bridge.

Our cabbie took us into Harlem, instead of to Kate Spade. All's well that ends well, I still got a new bag, when we finally made it there.

We had cupcakes for breakfast again, this time from Crumbs.

We had frrrozen hot chocolate at Serendipity3. Ah-mazing.

And, best of all, we shared our last trip with our friend, Chris.

New York, I love you! You inspire me. You make me want to remember that everyday is a day to dress up and face the day.

New York City Map poster.
(This poster is also going to be front and center in my new living room, pulling my blacks, whites, pinks and greens together. Photos to follow, when I get settled in, of course.)

xoxo,
Heather

Sundaes and Sundays.

Friday night was the last Spouses' group get together for myself and Natalie. We had everyone over to Jason and I's house (for a little while longer, anyway), and I baked some little box cupcakes (I know, gasp! I am trying to get rid of some of this stuff, though. I haven't baked from a box in probably 2 years!) and made some almond tea to sip on. When the girls arrived, we played a little Scattergories, which made for lots of laughs and then made sundaes. It was so nice to relax and be kids for a little while! I am really going to miss this wonderful group of ladies. It took a while to get to know everyone and now that I have, I get sad thinking of leaving. I know that it is better to have met people so wonderful that you are sad to leave, instead of not. I feel blessed to have made some really sweet friends.

Jason's Mom, Donna, came in Friday, during the wee hours to spend the weekend with us.

Jason and I had a little moving sale this weekend. We planned to have a two-day sale. We advertised in the Post online and in print. We made about a hundred dollars the first day, and decided to donate what all was left. I don't like sitting around waiting, it drives me crazy (which explains so much!) I am sure, since I haven't gone through the office yet, there will be much more to go. I have been holding on to too much stuff and I don't want it moving to our next base or cluttering my small, but very cute home for the next year, either. :)

So, instead, on Sunday, we got to go to church and spend the day at IKEA, buying things for my new place. We also ate at the little cafe there. I enjoyed the Swedish meatballs. I think I will write a separate post about my buys. ;)

xoxo,
Heather

MOVING.

Today, as I took Dublin for his daily walk, I looked up to see an Air Force jet fly overhead. I am going to miss that. It is such an amazing thing to live so close to a base where Air Force One flies overhead. Or the Air Force helicopters. Or, like today, the jets.

3 years ago, we moved to DC, and I didn't want to come. I cried. I was convinced I would be miserable and it was 'too dangerous' here. In fact, I also cried the entire first week we lived here. If I could have made an almost 24 drive back home by myself, there are many times I might have done just that.

What a blessing coming here turned out to be. One day I will learn to stop being Heather and thinking and trying to rationalize and plan everything and just realize God knows exactly what he is doing.

This summer, Jason and I are PCSing from Andrews. From our first home together as a married couple. A place where we have loved and lost, made so many memories and made friends who became family. We leave here within the month and I move back to Texas for a while. Jason will be there helping me settle in and spending more time with me, before he boards a plane bound for South Korea.

I haven't yet written about any of this, because to be honest, until a couple of weeks ago, I was unsure of where I was going to be. His tour is unaccompanied. Yes, I could have gone and we could have afforded to pay out of pocket for me to do that, however, we weren't comfortable with all the what-ifs and me having to be solely dependent on him, which we both felt would put too much stress on each of us. So, we made the decision that was best for US, which was for me to go back to Texas, get a place there and prepare for our next assignment. (Crossing our fingers for Europe. We are okay with pretty much anywhere, though. I can't believe I finally actually feel that way! It's what you make it.) I wasn't sure if I would just stay here and avoid the hassle of moving and prolong the inevitable, which is saying good-bye to one family in particular that I just can't imagine not being able to see and spend time with. A family who have become our family. That is the hardest part. However, being an Air Force family requires sacrifice and doing things that you aren't particularly fond of doing, or going to a place you didn't choose.

I have lost sleep. I have tossed and turned. I have fretted. I was sure I wouldn't have a place to live. The funny thing is, even when I don't see what God's working on, it always works out. I almost settled so many times with a place without a backyard, which was my biggest hope for wherever I lived in Texas, so that Dublin would still have a place to play. I called about places I didn't really want, because I thought something would be better than nothing. Wouldn't you know, every time, something happened and it didn't come through.

I prayed that we would know we had a place before we went down to Texas this May, so we could see it in person, when we visited and enjoy the rest of our visit. We found a place with everything we wanted and called about it a DAY before we left to go down South. A DAY! I think God laughs at me and my fretting. It always ends up working out. And, usually, better than I 'planned.' I have a place. AND, I have a backyard. I have 2 bedrooms, so I can have guests. I have a lovely living room that I have already bought decor for at IKEA.

No, the situation is not ideal. And, yes, I will miss husband. But, we knew what we signed on for and we are happy to do what needs to be done. Life is what you make it, and we choose to make it work. :)

xoxo,
Heather