The Adventures of Grace and Abe

Abe Comes Home From Iraq

2011-11-25T21:19:00.001-05:00

Abe and I loved every minute of Hawaii and being together the two weeks he was home for R&R. It was almost torture, though, taking him back to the airport knowing he we would be in Iraq for four more months. Time went fast with the holidays approaching, and after the holidays were over getting everything packed and ready to move down to Colorado. Abe’s dad, Calvin, and cousin, Haley, helped me move down to Colorado at the end of February. This was the third time Calvin had helped me move. The first time was moving from Washington to Georgia back in 2009, then from Colorado to Washington in 2010, then this time moving from Washington to Colorado. It definitely will be a little sad when Calvin’s not there moving me in the future! I was extremely grateful for the help and the company from Calvin and Haley. Abe wasn’t going to be home for another two weeks, so Haley stayed with me and kept me company for a week and helped me settle into mine and Abe’s first home. I LOVED having Haley stay with me. Haley helped me SO much, and while we worked a lot to get the house in order, we also were able to have some great bonding experiences. We had some good times shopping for house décor and groceries to fill my empty pantry, breaking in some of the new dishes Abe and I had received for our wedding that had never been opened and made some scrumptious meals; and since we didn’t have a bed or air mattress we slept on the floor with blankets piled on top of each other for as much comfort as possible. We had a great time together! It was very sad to see Haley leave, but it was comforting knowing Abe would be home in just one more week.

Our first house

Calvin and Jane flew down on March 8, the day before Abe was supposed to get home. We were all so excited anticipating Abe’s arrival. Abe called me when leaving Kuwait and told me his next stop would be in Ireland before returning back the United States. I had my phone by me all day waiting to hear from him again. Abe called (early the morning of the 9th) and said their plane had broken down in Ireland and that it would be another day before they would get home. That was very frustrating news to hear, but I was at least grateful Calvin and Jane were there with me. Abe was anxious to get home, but didn’t mind spending a day in Ireland. He said he enjoyed driving on the wrong side of the road and seeing how green and beautiful Ireland was. I’ll admit, I was a little jealous he got to see Ireland! Ty and Michelle were still here in Colorado Springs at the time and we were able to kill time with them that day. Abe called again before leaving Ireland and said they would be flying in March 10 at 7:30 am. I was able to get some decent sleep that night, as I was very tired from the lack of sleep the night before (since I didn’t know we’d have to wait another day at that point). We were told to be at the Special Events Center (where Abe’s unit would be coming home) two hours prior to the return ceremony. That meant we would have to be there by 5:30 am. I got up around 4-4:30 am to get all ready for Abe. I had butterflies the whole morning (early, early morning that is… maybe night still to some people ) . I couldn’t believe Abe was coming home for good! We got to the Special Events Center, got some good seats and waited and waited to hear of any updates on where the Soldiers were at. At about 7 am, there was a big projecting screen that suddenly came on, and we were able to watch our Soldiers’ plane land at Peterson Air Force Base here in Colorado Springs. Everyone was cheering, and the excitement in the auditorium was growing more and more, especially as we saw the Soldiers exiting the plane. You could hear little groups of people throughout the hundreds of people there cheering as they saw their Soldier came off the plane. Abe was one of the last ones to get off the plane, but we saw him and had our turn to cheer. The announcer got up and told us she would announce when they were on their way to Fort Carson. She said they had to get all their stuff off the plane and that it would take a little while. We waited and waited to hear of any updates. After about 25 minutes and wondering when they would leave the Air Force Base, the announcer got up and asked us how excited we were. Everyone cheered and cheered. She asked us that same question a few times, and the cheers just got louder and louder each time she asked. She then said, “Well, what if I told you that your Soldiers are already here on Fort Carson!” The cheers got even louder after that announcement! My heart was pounding. I can’t even begin to explain the excitement that was there in the auditorium at that moment. About five minutes later, the announcer got up and said the Soldiers were right outside the Special Events Center. I didn’t even know how to prepare myself for this moment. Everyone was going crazy! The commander of the unit first came in by himself as the song “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” by Toby Keith started playing. Immediately fog machines were turned on by the doors the Soldiers would be coming through, and the doors opened and Soldiers burst through the doors and filled up a good portion of the room. There were about 250 Soldiers coming home that morning. I had never been so overwhelmed with excitement. The Soldiers all lined up in front of the crowd of people. A few words were said and then the commander yelled out, “DISMISSED!” And the Soldiers and families ran to each other. I didn’t know if I’d ever find Abe, but luckily he saw me, his mom, and his dad. My favorite part of all was hugging Abe for the first time. I was so proud of him and it felt like such an accomplishment that we had gotten through the last year. I was so happy Calvin and Jane could share that proud moment of their son coming home from war. Abe was so happy to have them there, too. We then went and found Abe’s things in the trucks outside of the Special Events Center, and we took Abe to see his new home.
We spent the rest of that day with Calvin, Jane, Ty and Michelle. Calvin and Jane left the next day. In a lot of ways it felt normal being back together with Abe again. In some ways it felt weird. We had only been married 8 months before Abe deployed, so it was like we were newlyweds again. Since Abe’s homecoming, I think we have gained an even greater appreciation for each other and we look forward to any time we get together. There were definitely some adjustments post-deployment, but those adjustments were a piece of cake to get through. We felt like the deployment was our biggest accomplishment, and that if we could get through that, we can get through almost anything.

Abe and Grace back together again

I just want to say how grateful I am for my life. I love being in the military, and I am so grateful to my husband for all the sacrifices he has made for our country, our family, and most importantly for the freedom that we all enjoy today. I love you, Abe!

A Promise to Do Better

2011-11-12T02:55:00.002-05:00

So, after a long, long, long hiatus on our blog, Abe and I decided we probably needed to update it and let everyone know what we've been up to for the past year or so. So, there will be several longer installments over the next couple days/weeks. We promise that we'll be more regular about posting (not that it would require much of an improvement). Abe hasn’t been much of a contributor to the blog up to this point, so I’ll let him do the honors of writing the first blog post.

Grace and Abe's Hawaiian Vacation

2011-11-12T01:57:00.000-05:00

After getting acclimated to 130+ degree heat in Iraq, I didn’t really feel like hanging out in 30 degree cold in Moses Lake for my mid-tour leave. So, Grace and I decided we would head to Hawaii for some better weather. I came home on 16 October 2010 for two weeks. Grace and I spent the first two days with Ray and Cali. We had a great time eating good food (I especially enjoyed this part) and hanging out with them. On the 18th, we took off for Oahu. Without further ado, here is a summary of our vacation:

18 OCT 2010
Grace and I flew out of Seattle early in the morning, disregarding the strange looks we got from other passengers for wearing shorts and sandals. We watched Taken on the flight over…not the most Hawaiian movie and kind of a buzz kill, but we enjoyed seeing it again. Luckily, Grace didn’t get too nervous flying over the ocean, and by the time we could see the islands, she was pretty excited. As soon as we landed, we grabbed our bags and picked up our rental car. I decided to get a Mustang convertible, and it was one of the best decisions of the trip. We got a little sunburned driving around in it, but loved having it.

I had been to Oahu in 2005, but this was Grace’s first trip, so we decided to drive around the island and see the North Shore before checking into our hotel. We stopped by a little hotdog stand on the North Shore for a quick lunch and then continued driving around the island. Then, we went to our hotel to check in and relax for a bit. We stayed at the Hale Koa on Waikiki for the week. It’s a military-only hotel, and it was amazing…we were right on the beach and in the middle of everything in Waikiki.

The Banyan Tree in the Middle of the Hotel Courtyard

After watching the sunset on Waikiki Beach, we went to Eggs ‘n Things for dinner. We got some macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup, a giant omelet, and some banana waffles. It was delicious, but we were so full we could hardly walk afterward. We waddled down to the International Marketplace and just walked around for a while. We had a fun time looking at trinkets and bought a couple beach towels. Due to jet lag, we were exhausted at about 8:00 pm and decided to head back to the hotel and walked through the pouring rain. We quickly fell asleep and rested up for the next day.

19 OCT 2010
We woke up the next morning about 4:30 in the morning, and while Grace got ready for the day, I took some pictures from the balcony.

View from Our Hotel Looking towards the Mountains

Then, we started off our day with a hike up Diamond Head. It’s a pretty short hike, but a lot of tourists seem to have a lot of problems with it. I must admit, it’s probably the easiest hike that you can do and then buy a t-shirt proclaiming your achievement (although it’s probably a lot harder for the girls we saw doing it in four-inch heels). It provides a great view of Honolulu though, and it’s a pretty fun hike.

View of Honolulu from the top of Diamond Head

View of Diamond Head from Tantalus Drive

After the hike, we went to the Honolulu Zoo and had a good time. We couldn’t ever seem to get the monkeys to do anything cool while we were around, but we did get a couple of the birds to talk with us. After the zoo, we grabbed something to eat and some awesome macadamia nut cookies and walked around Waikiki for a little bit.

Grace Hanging out in Waikiki

Then, we headed over to Waimanalo Beach and swam for a little bit. Then, we went and hiked to Makapuu Lighthouse. It had great views and was a fun little hike.

After the hike, we headed back to Waikiki and got some Puka Dogs (a type of hotdog that was pretty disappointing). Again, we were exhausted, so we went to bed.

20 OCT 2010
We woke up early again, thanks to our jetlag. We went a grabbed some malasadas (Portuguese donuts) from Leonard’s Bakery. My friend Nathaniel had insisted I try these on our trip in 2005, and they were pretty dang good. I was disappointed by them this time…maybe it was just a bad day. We munched away on them anyway on our way over to Pearl Harbor. At Pearl Harbor, we visited the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Bowfin.

USS Bowfin

We also ran into a Pearl Harbor survivor. They are becoming few and far between, so we were glad we were able to talk to Herb Weatherwax for a while and thank him for his service.

Us with Herb Weatherwax

Then we stopped by the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet and bought a bunch of trinkets. Then, we drove to Punchbowl (the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific) and paid our respects there.

We enjoyed seeing the maps of all the Pacific engagements, particularly of the Philippines (because my Grandpa Payne served there in the Navy in WWII and my mission).

Then, we took a drive up Tantalus Drive and saw some great views of all Honolulu.

Then, we went to Waikiki and played in the surf before heading to Duke’s for dinner.

We had a great time at Duke’s and loved the food. Then, we went and picked out Grace’s surprise for the trip before heading back to the hotel.

21 OCT 2010
This morning, we went and saw the Halona Blowhole. We also swam at Halona Beach (usually called From Here to Eternity Beach from its role in the movie) and loved it.

The swells were just big enough to be fun but not too big to scare Grace.

Then we moved over to Sandy beach, which was my favorite beach. It has a great break and is a lot of fun to swim in. However, Grace felt the waves were a little too much for her. After I got slammed into the beach a couple times and we watched a girl lose her top in the wave, I figured Grace probably wouldn’t have liked the waves very much. I had a great time getting thrown around though. After I was tired of getting hit by the waves, we drove over to the western side of the island to Yokohama beach. We didn’t get out here; we just wanted to see the western side of the island. We had a lot fun watching some of the local kids surfing after getting out of school for the day. Then we went to Ko’olina Lagoons and watched the sunset.

After a long day, we spent a night just relaxing at the hotel and got ready for the next day.

22 OCT 2010
We started off today by grabbing some coco puffs from Liliha Bakery…and they were amazing. Then, we drove up to the Laie Temple for the open house.

The temple was beautiful inside and we loved seeing the whole temple. We also ran into some people that had lived in Moses Lake before and knew a lot of the same people as us, so that was pretty cool. Then, we headed over to the Dole Plantation and did the world’s largest maze and got some Dole Whips.

Having Fun with the Pineapples

We also tried some loco moco here and loved it. Then, we went to Schofield Barracks and drove around the post for a while. We checked out the housing on post and tried to figure out if we would want to post there for our next duty station. We also got some great deals on tickets to the Polynesian Cultural Center. Then we hiked the Aiea Loop Trail.

There were a ton of cats all sitting in the parking lot, which reminded Grace of Harry Potter. After the hike, we headed back down to Waikiki and watched the fireworks.

23 OCT 2010
We hiked Moana Falls to start off the day and then tried to go to the Hukilau Café. The café in 50 First Dates is named after this café, and it’s supposed to have the best loco moco on Oahu. Unfortunately, it’s only open in the mornings, and we showed up 10 minutes late. So, we headed over to the Polynesian Cultural Center and ate there…which wasn’t so great. We spent the day touring the different “villages” in the PCC and had a great time. Our favorite villages were Tonga and Samoa. In Tonga, the MC has people come up and help them play the drums. A man from Korea got up and helped out and stole the show. He didn’t understand a word of English, but was absolutely hilarious.

In Samoa, they teach you how to climb coconut trees and husk coconuts.

The MC has been working at the PCC for years and is hilarious. He even taught Grace how to make fire with a coconut...of course, I already knew how.

Then, we watched the riverboat show and went to the luau (and finally got lei’d).

We had fun at the luau, but it wasn’t as great as it could have been since we were sitting with a bunch of strangers. Plus, Grace hated the poi (I wasn’t too much of a fan either). But, we had a great time at the luau and loved the pork.

After that, we went to Ha: The Breath of Life. This show, put on by students from BYU-Hawaii working at the PCC, was amazing. When I visited Oahu in 2005, the PCC had a different show that wasn’t quite as impressive. So on this trip, I wasn’t too excited to go back to the PCC and see the show, but I wanted Grace to see it…so we ended up going. This show ended up being the highlight of the trip. The students did an absolutely amazing job. The fire dancers were awesome, and I loved seeing the haka. Grace and I wished we had done this show probably two or three times on the trip. After the show, we drove back to Honolulu along the eastern coast. There was a full moon, and we had the top down on the convertible. The drive combined with the show was the best part of the whole trip (and of course we didn't get a single picture of it).

24 OCT 2010
We went back towards the North Shore and hiked the Ma’akua Ridge Loop Trail.

We had another great hike and then headed to Ted’s Bakery for lunch. Then we went over to Turtle Beach (Laniakea Beach) and saw a sea turtle named Sapphire.

Grace and Sapphire became quick friends…Sapphire even made our Christmas card for 2010. Then, we went swimming at Waimea Bay and swam with another sea turtle. This one didn’t stop to introduce himself though. Then we went and got some burgers at Kua Aina Burgers and some shave ice at Matsumoto’s in Hale'iwa.

Then, we went for a drive to the far northwest corner of the island and watched some parasail-ers. Then, we headed back to the hotel and relaxed for the night.

25 OCT 2010
We spent the morning on Waikiki Beach before meeting up with Cody and Amanda Tutt (White). Cody and I went to high school and played football together. He’s in the Air Force and was stationed in Hawaii at the time. We just spent the day at the hotel pool with Cody and Amanda and their two kids, Emma and Kingston.

We had a great time catching up with them and eating macadamia nut chocolates. For dinner, we got dressed up and went to dk Steakhouse. I ordered a Kobe steak and it was delicious. The meat literally melted in my mouth. I’m not sure if it was worth the $80, but I’m glad I got it at least once. Grace got a filet mignon and loved it.

26 OCT 2010
We planned on kayaking in Kailua on this day, but the ocean was pretty choppy and it was raining, so we decided not to. Instead, we went to the Nu'uana Pali Lookout and just drove around the island and enjoyed seeing everything again.

Nu'uana Pali Lookout

Nu'uana Pali is the location of one of the bloodiest battles in Hawaiian history. Over 400 warriors were pushed to their death over the 1000-foot cliff. It was also extremely windy, which made it much cooler than the rest of the island. Then, Grace wanted to do a little shopping, so we went to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. That night we went to Cheeseburger in Paradise and enjoyed our last meal in Hawaii. We also stocked up on some last minute food to take home with us and watched our last sunset on Waikiki.

27 OCT 2010
We spent our last morning just walking around Waikiki Beach and soaking up our last few minutes of sun and beach.

Then we drove back to the airport and had to turn in our Mustang and get back on the plane.

That concludes our travelogue. If you're still here, we appreciate you sticking with us. After Hawaii, we spent a couple more days in Moses Lake before I had to fly back to Iraq. We had a great time hanging out with my parents and spending time with Ben and Jamie and Ryan and Heather. It was a great two-week break, and I wasn’t too excited to head back to Iraq. Luckily, I was able to take over a platoon when I went back to Iraq, so that helped with the Hawaii withdrawals. I’m not quite sure how to end this, so I’ll just stop now. The end.

Jewelry

2011-08-25T11:19:00.000-04:00

Some of my friends and I try to get together at least once a month to teach each other different craft ideas. My friend Sasha had us get together at her house last night to make jewelry. Her mom is here visiting from Idaho, and is an expert at making jewelry. She had all her beads, hooks, pliers and things mailed down here to Colorado so she could help us. Sasha even made us dinner and strawberry shortcake for dessert. We had a great time. I couldn't wait to post all that I made last night. Jewelry is so fun to make and so EASY! This was my first time making it, and I know I'll continue to make it now that I know how simple it is.

Christmas for the Soldiers

2011-01-03T17:58:00.005-05:00

In October Abe came home for two weeks for R&R and we were able to get away and go to Hawaii. We had such a good time and are aching to go back already! As soon as Abe got back to Iraq he was given a platoon of 22 guys to be in charge of. Abe's and my cousin, Haley, gave me the wonderful idea of making stockings for each of the guys in the platoon. Haley's husband, Ryan, had been in the Army and has been deployed a few times. She made stockings for Ryan and the other soldiers for Christmas, and put all sorts of fun things in them. Thank you, Haley, for the great idea!

A lot of family put time and effort into making these stockings. I appreciated everyones help so much! We put a lot of cheesy toys, yummy candy and jerky, and Jane (Abe's mom) even put up a blog post and asked people to write comments for the soldiers. She listed each of their names up on her blog and eveyone got to choose who they were writing to. I feel so fortunate to have such a brilliant mother-in-law! We got over 100 comments for the soldiers. It was humbling to see people remembering the soldiers and taking the time to write such wonderful notes. Here are a few of the comments people so kindly wrote:

Dear SPC Jeffrey,

Merry Christmas from Arizona! My son's name is Jeffrey also and I wanted to say thank you for giving of yourself and your time and talents to help others. Please know that when I see my son this Christmas I will also be thinking of you and thanking you.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas and get to be home, safe and sound very soon!

RH

Dear PFC Travis,

I'm an elementary school teacher in Provo, UT and I want you to know how much I appreciate your sacrifice to protect the freedoms that we so much enjoy. When we talk about being thankful in my classroom, I always have students say they are thankful for soldiers that are protecting us. You are a blessing.

I hope you have a happy Christmas time. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

With gratitude,
Carolyn Hirz

SPC Jeffrey,

I am so thankful for all you have done. Please know that it DOES make a difference and I am thankful for all you do!

Why does the bubble gum stick to your shoe?..........................
.................
because it wants to say, "I'm stuck on you"

Thank you,
Dylan West
(age 6)

Dear SPC William,

My Dad's name is William, and he is the one who instilled love of country and freedom in me. He was a career serviceman in the Air Force, serving all over the place, except miraculously enough, not in Vietnam. I grew to love watching our soldiers in uniform carry out their duties, the fighters take off in combat drill, and turning to the flag at the end of the day as Taps played.

You must be very lonely and feel not so Christmasy right now. I remember feeling that way when I would walk into Icelandic shops that had been buzzing with conversation but fell suddenly silent when the Americans walked in.

Please know that you are thought of daily, and prayed for frequently. We pray for your loved ones, that they will receive strength and grace to endure your deployment. We pray for your safety and peace in your heart and mind.

I hope you find joy in your service, and in remembering the reason for this season. May God keep you and bring you home safely.

Merry, merry Christmas!
Viki Anderson
Washington State

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, too! May only wonderful things be in store for you this New Year, 2011.

2010-10-01T20:13:00.007-04:00

Last month, my good friends Jamie Leavett, Heather Williams, and I got together and made some really cute Halloween banners. A big thanks to Jamie for the idea and for supplying so many fun things to make it with!

I came up with so many of my own ideas and made mine just by looking at a picture in a magazine. They are fun and easy to make. I'm usually a scrapbooker, but it was so much fun to branch out and try something new. I'm pretty proud of my banner, if I may say so myself!

Clara Ann Payne

2010-09-19T19:08:00.009-04:00

After not writing for six months, I decided I finally was ready to start blogging again. The last six months have been pretty crazy for us, as most of you probably know. Abe left for Iraq on March 21, which means the deployment is now half over...HOORAY! Time really has gone fast, but Abe and I are so anxious to be back together again. We are excited to live in Colorado, get a new house, and finally settle in after having been married a year and a half. I have to say though, I have thoroughly enjoyed living with Abe's parents, Calvin and Jane, up here in Washington state. They have been so good to me, and it will be hard to say goodbye when the time comes. I couldn't have asked for better in-laws!

Our biggest news... Abe and I had our first little girl, Clara Ann, on Thursday, August 5, 2010. Clara was born eight weeks early, weighing 2 pounds 15 ounces, and 15 1/2 inches long. Clara didn't live with us for very long, but lived longer than we expected her to live. For having no lungs and being eight weeks premature, Clara lived for 50 minutes. Abe wasn't able to be there for the birth, but was able to see Clara for 40 of the minutes she was alive on Skype. Abe was able to take emergency leave and got home three days later. We had a beautiful service for Clara on August 12.

When I was 19 weeks pregnant we found out through ultrasounds, that Clara had some very serious problems. Originally, we thought Clara had Trisomy 18 (a chromosomal problem), come to find out her chromosomes were completely normal through an amniocentesis. Clara had a Diaphragmatic Hernia, where her abdominal organs herniated up into her chest, pushing her heart to the wrong side, and making it so her lungs had no room to develop. She also had Dandy Walker Syndrome, which means connective tissue in her brain was missing. Clara had a very poor prognosis. We had many doctors appointments, which were very draining and hard. It was hard to never hear good news. However, with all the ultrasounds I was able to have I got to see Clara A LOT, which I loved!

As much as we miss our little Clara, we are so happy that she doesn't have to suffer through life. We know she is being taken care of, and Abe and I both know that we will get to be with our little girl again someday. This has been the hardest thing Abe and I have ever gone through, but we have received so many tender mercies from the Lord showing us that He is aware of us. One of the biggest tender mercies, Clara being born at 7:01 pm. Which just so happens to be mine and Abe's anniversary, July 1. I know by this happening, the Lord was confirming to Abe and me that Clara will always be apart of our eternal family. I find so much comfort and peace in knowing this.

Abe will get to take his normal leave around October 20... Which I am SO excited about! We are planning a trip to Hawaii, where we'll be able to get away and spend some good time together. We are very much looking forward to this! Just 4 weeks to go!

Also, Abe and I would like to thank everyone for everything that was done for us as we were going through such a hard time. It is so hard to adequately express how grateful we were for all that was done, but please know that we appreciated everyones willingness to help and comfort us so much.

Abe's Deployment

2010-04-14T19:23:00.004-04:00

Even before Abe graduated last May from West Point, the United States Military Academy, we knew Abe was scheduled to deploy in March 2010. We felt like we had plenty of time to let it sink in and thought we would be prepared for when it finally came. It definitely was nice to have a lot of time to prepare for it, but as time got closer for him to leave, it actually got harder and harder for me. I was excited for Abe to go, but reality started hitting that my husband and best friend was going to be gone for the next year.

Abe and I were blessed to have his family there with us for a couple days before he left. It felt so good to have them there and they helped me pack up our stuff so we could move it back to Washington. It was nice to be with family after Abe left and to know that I would be with them for the next year.

Abe left of March 21, 2010. It was a hard and sad goodbye. I know this is not going to be an easy year having him gone. I just want Abe to know how proud of him I am. I am so thankful to have a husband who is brave, strong, humble, and just simply amazing. I am so honored to have a husband who is willing to serve our counrty, and who is willing to defend the constitution and our rights as Americans. I am so happy to see Abe fulfilling his dream that he's waited so long for. Please be safe and know that I love you so much!

When Abe graduated from BOLC 3, back in Kentucky, a couple of the military wives and I recieved a plaque with this poem on it:

I Am A Military Wife

Author Unknown

I am a military wife - a member of that sisterhood of women who have had the courage to watch their men go into battle, and the strength to survive until their return. Our sorority knows no rank, for we earn our membership with a marriage license, travelling over miles, or over nations to begin a new life with our military husbands. Within days, we turn a barren, echoing building into a home, and though our quarters are inevitably white-walled and unpapered, we decorate with the treasures of our travels, for we shop the markets of the globe.

Using hammer and nail, we tack our pictures to the wall, and our roots to the floor as firmly as if we had lived there for a lifetime. We hold a family together by the bootstraps, and raise the best of 'brats', instilling in them the motto: "Home is togetherness", whether motel, or guest house, apartment or duplex. As military wives we soon realize that the only good in "Good-bye" is the "Hello again". For as salesmen for freedom, our husbands are often on the road, at sea, or in the sky, leaving us behind for a week, a month, an assignment.

During separations we guard the home front, existing until the homecoming. Unlike our civilian counterparts, we measure time, not by years, but by tours - married at Petawawa, a baby born at Gagetown, a special anniversary at Uplands, a promotion in St Jean. We plant trees, and never see them grow tall, work on projects completed long after our departure, and enhance our community for the betterment of those who come after us.

We leave a part of ourselves at every stop. Through experience, we have learned to pack a suitcase, a car or hold baggage, and live indefinitely from the contents within: and though our fingers are sore from the patches we have sewn, and the silver we have shined, our hands are always ready to help those around us. Women of peace, we pray for a world in harmony, for the flag that leads our men into battle, will also blanket them in death.

Yet we are an optimistic group, thinking of the good, and forgetting the bad, cherishing yesterday, while anticipating tomorrow. Never rich by monetary standards, our hearts are overflowing with a wealth of experiences common only to those united by the special tradition of military life. We pass on this legacy to every military bride, welcoming her with outstretched arms, with love and friendship, from one sister to another, sharing in the bounty of our unique, fulfilling military way of life.

Our Baby and Spur Ride

2010-03-12T20:45:00.010-05:00

Grace and I at the Ball

Yesterday was a big day for Grace and I. Grace had a doctor's appointment and this was the first visit where we really could find out what's going on with the baby. Grace was able to hear the heartbeat, and they did an ultrasound. The baby had a heartbeat of 170 bpm, and Grace said it sounds like galloping horses. Our baby is now almost two inches long and has arms and legs. Grace's favorite part of the baby is seeing its newly developed legs/feet. The tail is pretty much gone, which was kind of disappointing for me, as that was going to be my favorite part. Grace and I are so excited...and we found out the due date is now looking like October 1st ish. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to the appointment because I had a Spur Ride.

Our Little Baby Without a Tail

A Spur Ride is a big tradition in Cavalry units. It has its roots in the Old West cavalry days when young cavarlymen weren't given spurs due to their inexperience. Inexperienced riders didn't know how to properly use spurs and would do damage to the horses and couldn't control them properly. To prevent problems, new recruits were not allowed to wear spurs. These new recruits also had their horses' tails cut short so that they were easily identified as novices. They were not allowed to grow their tail hairs out until they had earned their spurs. From this, they received the nickname of "Shavetails". After the recruits had shown their skill with a horse, they were finally given their spurs. This was a big deal for the new recruits, as it identified them as a skilled cavalryman. This tradition has been carried on, and Cavalry units now conduct Spur Rides to build esprit de corps and to make skilled Cavalrymen readily identifiable. Only Non-commissioned Officers and Officers are eligible to participate in Spur Rides, and they don't happen very often. Although the Cavalry no longer uses horses, they have kept the tradition of spurs and Stetson hats in order to make the Cavalry distinct in appearance to match its unique mission. Spur Rides no longer include horses, but are a test of a Cavalryman's ability to use his reconnaissance and scout skills.

Our Spur Ride started with a six-mile run with our body armor, full gear, and rifle. It was a pretty challenging run, as the body armor doesn't allow your body to breathe well, and it's pretty heavy. It was used to wear us all out before we really started. After the run, we broke off into teams of 8, picked up our ruck sacks, and had to march a couple miles to our first test site.

At the first test site, we had a 5-ton truck that had broken down. We had to run up a hill, grab a tow bar for it, carry it down the hill (it took 6 people to carry it and was still heavy), and hook it up to the truck and to another 5-ton truck that would tow it. We also had to disengage the brakes on the truck, which required some mechanical work. There were also Iraqi role players that were moving around the whole time trying to steal parts from the truck and even tried to steal the truck a couple times. We had to keep the Iraqis away from our stuff and keep them still while we were also doing the vehicle maintenance...even though none of us could speak Arabic to try and control them. Then we had to go about a half a mile over a big hill to our next site.

At the second site, we had to link up with some Iraqi Security Force soldiers and go and investigate an IED (improvised explosive device...roadside bomb) explosion. As we were walking out to investigate, another IED went off and injured one of the Iraqis. We then had to perform first aid on him, arrange for a helicopter to come pick him up, and MEDEVAC (medical evacuation) him. We had to carry him on a stretcher up the big hill to a spot where the helicopter could land. Then, we had to walk about 1 1/2 miles to the next site.

At the next site, we had to go in and clear a building with a High Value Target (someone that needs to be captured) inside that had a warrant out for his arrest. When we got in the building, we had to grab four individuals before they could shoot us, handcuff them, and search them and the building they were in. We had to find several pieces of evidence that were hidden throughout the building. After this, we had to hike another 1 1/2 miles up another big hill for our last site.

At the last site, we had to disassemble and assemble an M2 .50 cal machine gun, a MK19 grenade launcher, and a M240B machine gun. After that, we had to deal with some Iraqis and try and find some information on terrorists in the area. While we were interrogating the Iraqis, some of them opened fire on us and we had to capture/kill those individuals. Then we had to walk another 1 1/2 miles to end the Spur Ride.

We were released after everybody was back and after we sang "Fiddler's Green" (the official Cavalry Song). Then, we went and got cleaned up and then went to the Spur Ceremony and we had a ball for all of the 10th Cavalry Regiment (which includes all three Cavalry squadrons on post). At the Spur Ceremony, they called off the names of everyone who had earned their spurs and we were given a certificate. Then, they had us all get down in the front leaning rest position (the position you are in when you do a push-up). They then walked around and put our spurs on all of us and we became official Spur Holders. (Throughout the day, we had to address everyone who had already earned their spurs as "Spur Holder", and they called us "Spur Candidate".) After that, we had the Ball, with all the toasts and stuff that go with it.

Another tradition at the balls is the Grog. (They don't do it at the major West Point functions, but it's done at almost every other Army ball.) The Grog is a collection of alcohol that is poured into a punch. Different alcohols are poured in for different reasons (i.e. Sake and Jagermeister are done for our victory over Japan and Germany. Whiskey is done because it was a popular drink on the plains during the old cavalry days. Coors beer is done for our current home in the Rockies. Maker's Mark bourbon is done because Fort Knox, KY is the home of armor and cavalry...etc.) It's pretty cool to see all the symbolism behind the drinks even though we don't drink.

All in all, Grace and I had a tiring, but fun day.

I've attached some pictures, and I'm writing what was written on my certificate and the lyrics to "Fiddler's Green" below. I've also included a song that I really like about the Cavalry (from YouTube).

My Certificate
THE ORDER OF THE SPUR
To All Who Shall See These Presents, Greetings
Be It Known That
2LT Abe L. Payne
Is Hereby Dubbed a Knight and Entered on the Rolls of the Grand
and Noble Order of the Spur. Having been Elevated to this Lofty
Station by Virtue of a Stalwart Display of Skill, Dash, Tenacity,
Possession of an Air of Superiority and a Demonstrated
Dedication to
The Fourth Squadron, Tenth U.S. Cavalry
That Adventurous Band of Heroes, Who with Sabre in Hand
have Followed That Cavalry Guidon to the Frontier of the Free
World. May You Always Know the Taste of Dust upon Your
Lips, the Weight of Steel in Your Hand, the Jangle of a Spur and
the Gleam of a Buffalo in Your Eye.
Ready and Forward!
To be Worn at all Formal Cavalry Functions
Ordered this 11th day of March, 2010 by
4th Squadron, 10th U.S. Cavalry

(The Cavalry Regiment that I'm assigned to was the original Buffalo Soldiers. That's where the Buffalo comes from.)

Fiddler's Green
(Here's a link to Wikipedia about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler's_Green)

Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green
Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped,
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers' Green.

Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.

Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.

And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
And put your pistol to your head
And go to Fiddlers' Green.

I Wanna Be in the Cavalry

Ryan Peacock and I Getting Ready to Receive Our Spurs

Ryan and I in the Front Leaning Rest

Ryan and I Showing Off Our Spurs

I Think David Fink, Ryan, and John Nikiforakis Look Ridiculous

All of Us With Our Dates Wearing Our Stetsons

Boy or Girl?

2010-03-05T22:03:00.002-05:00

Abe and I would like to announce that around the end of September we will have a new addition to our little family. There is not an exact due date yet, but we do know it is inbetween September 17-October 1. We are SO excited and yet it still doesn't seem real.
Abe will be deploying in a couple weeks, and will most likely be able to take his two week R&R (Rest and Recovery) during the time the baby will be born.
We will eventually find out, but we want to ask you.. What do you think the baby will be, a boy or a girl??

2010-02-18T16:33:00.002-05:00

Last Wednesday, on February 10, my brother Derek and his family were sealed together in the Logan, Utah temple. This has been such a blessing to me. I have always looked up to Derek and his wife Jenny, and have always loved babysitting their kids, Kaitlynd, Ethan, and Dylan. They have worked really hard preparing for this day and I am so proud of them and the decision they made.

I really admire Jenny. Even though she is my sister-in-law, she has only ever felt like an actual sister to me. One thing I really admire about her is her will power. She is always so motivated whether it be working out everyday, eating healthy, taking her kids to church every Sunday, doing such a good job helping me take charge of my wedding and putting it together, as well as many, many more things. She motivates me and makes me want to be a better person. Our family wouldn't be complete without Jenny.

I have always looked up to my older brother, Derek. Coming from a large family of eight children and me being number six of that eight, Derek is my only older brother. Some things I admire about Derek is his desire to learn and accomplish. He has done incredibly well in school, and next year will have his PHD in Electrical Engineering. He never settles for less but always does his very best, and with this makes him a good provider for his family. The other thing I admire about Derek is the love he has for his family. He has done such a good job building a relationship with each one of his kids and I have always admired how well Derek and Jenny work together.

I look up to Derek and Jenny so much. I am so grateful they decided to go through the temple so that they could be an eternal family. I am so grateful I went through the temple with Abe. I love the temple, and love knowing that that families can be together forever.

Mammoth Caves National Park

2010-01-28T20:59:00.007-05:00

Abe and I wanted to make it a point to go to Mammoth Caves before we left Kentucky. We were able to go last weekend.. and we were so happy we made it a point to go. Without researching what it would be like, we had no idea what to expect. We decided to go on two tours, The Historic Tour and the Frozen Niagra Tour, which were both so fascinating!
We learned while going on the Historic Tour that all the caves are dry, as most are usually wet. We went on a two mile tour and went 360 ft. underground. There is actually a river that flows beneath the 360 ft. we were already at. One of the things I found most interesting was that 200 years ago they had slaves working in the caves mining saltpetre out of the dirt for gun powder. It just so happens that they started mining and discovered the saltpetre around 1810 and it made it so we won the war of 1812.
Also, there was a slave, Steven Bishop, who started exploring the caves. He wanted more than anything to be able to go back to Africa and to become a lawyer there. Steven knew the caves very well and was able to record 15 miles of passages by memory. There was one part while Steven was exploring, that he could not get across. It was so deep and he would even through rocks down and couldn't hear them hit the bottom. Steven, and many others, believed there was no bottom to this pit.. and today it is called "The Bottomless Pit." It turned out there was just sand at the bottom of the pit, that's why no one was able to hear anything. Someone was willing to pay Steven enough to but a ladder across the pit and crawl across. Luckily, Steven made it over to the other side. Years later, Steven's owner granted him freedom and he was finally free to go back to Africa. Steven actually decided to stay and explore more of the caves, and after two year died of tuberculosis.
Abe and I learned so much and couldn't believe how massive the caves were. There are 365 miles of caves and there are still more being explored today.
If you are ever looking for a family vaction, Mammoth Caves is DEFINITELY worth traveling to see. There's a lot to do in the area with nature trails, bike trails, canoeing, and more.

Our First Christmas Tree

2009-12-11T17:42:00.005-05:00

A couple weeks ago Abe had a couple of weekdays off. We decided to go into Louisville to go Christmas shopping and to find our first Christmas tree. Christmas shopping was fun. We basically went around trying to "hint" to each other the things we wanted for Christmas. We even decided at one point to split so we could look around by ourselves to see if we could find ideas for each other. We ended up running into each other and decided we would just stay together the rest of the time. We both came out with a few ideas what to get each other.
After five hours of shopping we were ready to go home, but still needed to stop at Wal-Mart to get our Christmas tree. Originally, we were talking about getting a little four foot tree that was only twenty dollars that I had seen on a previous shopping trip. As we were looking around we saw some pre-lit trees that were six footers, and then we wouldn't have to worry about buying additional lights. I thought that was a good idea. Then we saw a six and a half foot tree that was forty dollars and was really full and pretty, but wasn't pre-lit. I told Abe, "I'd still be happy with just the little four foot tree.. even though this one is pretty." We decided on getting the forty dollar tree that was big and pretty. We had to buy a lot of lights, ornaments, and all the other accessories our tree would need. When we checked out we were amazed at how everything added up. Within a couple days Abe had told some people that I was the one who wanted an expensive tree, which wasn't true at all. I had to make it clear to Abe that he wanted it just as much as I did so he would stop telling people that.. and then he finally agreed. Abe gets excited for Christmas too! We are happy with our first Christmas tree, and we are so excited to spend our first Christmas together with our family in Washington.

2LT PAYNE, Tank Commander!

2009-11-05T08:06:00.004-05:00

For the last couple months Abe has been going through tank training school. He has really enjoyed this training so far, and usually has long 10-13 hour days. He has really enjoyed learning about all the different parts of the tanks, experimenting and doing actual hands on projects with the different kinds of vehicles, going out in the fields and shooting all the big guns on the Abrams tanks, and will soon have to go out in the field for a couple weeks, where he will be able to drive the tanks and will really get to know them. Abe thoroughly enjoys what he's doing. It's fun for him to be learning about something he really enjoys. Abe is excited for his upcoming deployment to Iraq this coming March, where he will get to go out after all these years of school and training, to work with the tanks and serve our country. I am so blessed to have Abe. He is very intelligent, knows exactly what he's doing and what he wants, has a good attitude, is brave, and I am so happy to be his wife. He is a blessing to me and is such an amazing man.

Abe's good friend, Nick, took this picture of him while working on the tanks. You can tell he enjoys what he's doing!

2009-11-05T08:00:00.003-05:00

I have met three really good friends out here, and their names are all so similar that I'm always calling them the wrong name. They are, Natasha, Tasha, and Sasha. I do a lot with Tasha and Sasha. We usually all work out together (We've started going to water aerobics classes and really enjoy it!), take trips into Louisville and go to lunch, we have get togethers with our husbands.. they're a lot of fun! I met Natasha at church. She is from New Zealand and met her husband here in America while being a nanny.. Looks like being a nanny is the thing to do if your looking for a husband! Her husband, Jim, is in training with Abe and is actually a captain. Jim use to be in the Air Force but then was transferred over somehow to the Army. They deployed him before he could do his actual training, so he is just now going through it. Jim and Natasha have two kids in elementary school and they are cute kids. One Saturday while Abe and Jim had to work, Natasha invited me to go to the pumpkin patch with her and her kids. We had a lot of fun. We look a hay ride with some Belgian horses attached leading the way. They took us out to the pumpkin patch where I picked out two big pumpkins for Abe and me. They were heavy and carrying them back wasn't easy! But they were good looking pumpkins.
This last Tuesday, Natasha and I went to a Relief Society activity for our church. Everyone was invited to participate in a pumpkin challenge, but you weren't allowed to make pumpkin pie. I wasn't able to participate, but Natasha made a pumpkin soup. It was AMAZING. She later confessed to everyone that she used a butternut squash. She said in New Zealand they call it a butternut pumpkin, so she thought she would be fine using it. I thought that was pretty funny. I'll ask her for the recipe and then post it soon.

A few days after getting the pumpkins, Tasha, Sasha, and I put together a little Halloween party for us and our husbands, so we could all carve our pumpkins. After carving them we put them all together and lit them up.. I don't have a picture of that, so I just put up one of mine and Abe's. Abe's is on the right and mine is on the left. We are so happy to have met good friends out here. It's fun getting together with other couples and doing fun things.

Kirtland, Ohio

2009-10-21T15:23:00.009-04:00

Two weekends ago, Abe and I took a weekend trip up to Ohio. We went to see Abe's Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Jay, and went up to Kirtland, OH to see the historical church sites there. We started the day off by going to breakfast with Uncle Jay and Aunt Charlotte, at an Amish Buffet for breakfast. The food was so amazing! Abe and I loaded our plates a couple times, and weren't hungry again until dinner. After breakfast, we then drove two hours up to Kirtland. The drive was so beautiful. All the leaves on the trees were at their most vibrant stage. We chose the perfect weekend for this trip.

When we first arrived to Kirtland, we went to the temple and the visitors' center there. The Kirtland Temple, which was built by the early saints of the Mormon church, now belongs to the RLDS(Reorganized Latter-Day Saints)church. It was a little sad, knowing of all the hard work and sacrifices that were put into building the temple, and to think we don't even own it anymore. Nevertheless, we were so happy we were able to see the first temple that was built for our church.

After going to the temple, we went to the Visitors' Center for the LDS church. As we sat down to watch a short movie about Kirtland and the early saints, the missionaries got up and announced that a very special guest had been there that same day. They said that President Monson came, and made it a point to stop in Kirtland to see the temple and to see The School of the Prophets. Abe and I both looked at each other and couldn't believe we had missed him. While watching the movie we thought in our heads, "Maybe he's still around somewhere. Maybe we should leave the movie and see if we can find him." We didn't leave, but afterward I went over to a sister missionary and asked when he had been there. She said he was there from 2:15-3:00pm. She said that he was on his way with his daughter and granddaughter, taking the granddaughter back to school in Connecticut. Abe and I were so bummed. We had gotten there at 3:15, just fifteen minutes after he had left.

We still enjoyed walking around with our tour group seeing all the neat sites. One of my favorite parts was going to the Newel K. Whitney store. Upstairs, there's a little room they called "The School of the Prophets." In that room Joseph Smith recieved many different revelations for the Doctrine and Covenants. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ also appeared to Joseph Smith in this room. It is so neat to see actual sites and to be in places where very important things happened.

Even though Abe and I didn't get to see President Monson, it was neat just knowing the prophet had been there that same day as us. We had a good time, learned a lot, and gained an even greater appreciation for the early saints who did so much for us.

Here are some pictures Abe took of the sites:

The Newel K. Whitney Store

Actual table from the Newel K. Whitney Store

The original house of Newel K. Whitney

Happy Fall!

2009-10-07T16:27:00.010-04:00

I love living in a place that has the four seasons, and it is definitely fall here in Kentucky! One of the things I love most about fall is pulling out all of my fall/winter clothes. Another thing I love doing is going shopping to see all the new styles of the season. Luckily, this year I'm not as tempted to go out shopping. Abe and I are planning on going to the Philippines this December, where he served his LDS mission. Abe wants to go there to see all the families and people he met, and to show me all the areas where he served. We are looking forward to going, and I know I'll be happy I didn't spend money on frivolous things I know I don't need.

I have been trying to think of things to do to enjoy the fall season. Last weekend Abe and I enjoyed a nice drive exploring beautiful Kentucky. The leaves are just starting to change color and the air is so fresh and crisp. We can't wait to go on more drives when the leaves on the trees are vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, like they are in the east.

We also were invited to go on a double date last weekend with Abe's best friend, Dick. We went to The Field of Screams, a haunted corn maze, and it cost TWENTY DOLLARS to get in. We both looked at each other and thought the same thing, "This better be worth twenty dollars!" It turned out to be really fun! Before entering the maze I started getting a little nervous. In a past experience with my friends, I got trapped at a dead end with some scary looking creature walking slowly toward me. I was running franticly back and forth not knowing what to do. I finally was able to bolt as fast as I could right past him and got out. I try and find comfort in knowing that they can't touch you, but I couldn't help but be scared.
Actually, the first time Abe and I ever hung out we went on a haunted hay ride in Sleepy Hallow, NY. It was a lot of fun, especially since I sat by Abe and even kind of leaned into him.. I was very happy! We got to a certain point where someone dressed up jumped out and it scared me. Abe told the person dressed up to scare me more, and the guy started grabbing my leg. I started hitting the guy and told him to let go of me. I was scared out of my mind! Abe told me I wasn't suppose to hit him. I told him, "Well, they're not allowed to touch you, so he deserved it!" Don't worry, I didn't hit him too hard!
I did get scared a coulple times on the maze, but it was nothing like getting trapped in a corner, or having anyone grab me. I think the thing that scared me most was a nine or ten foot person dressed up as Satan, who seriously came out of nowhere. I ran right past Abe. Abe thought it was funny to see me scared, so he forced me to get behind him. I thought I'd be safe since we had just entered a very narrow part of the maze. I looked back just to make sure, and saw the creature STILL following me through the maze! I luckily was able to ditch him fairly quickly. There were really cool features they did in the maze. You had to go through a barn, and at certain points we were crawling on our knees in complete darkness. We had a lot of fun.. even Abe got scared a few times. Not near as much as me though!

Saturday night, Abe went with Dick to the Priesthood session of General Conference. I stayed behind and enjoyed listening to Mamma Mia and made Halloween sugar cookies. The cookie cutters were three dollars at Wal-mart, and I found some cute Halloween sprinkles to go with them. They turned out really cute and tasted good. Abe and I practically ate the whole pan in just one night.

Abe and I have already enjoyed a lot of hot cocoa, and bought some apple cider. I am looking forward to making pumpkin and apple pie. I love fall and love the holiday season. I hope all of you are enjoying fall so far, and hope you'll share your traditional and fun fall ideas!

Our Little Home

2009-09-24T14:25:00.000-04:00

FINALLY.. Here are some after pictures. Abe and I had a lot of fun going shopping for things we needed for the house--such as kitchen supplies: A hand mixer, BRITA water filter, little decorations for the house, and lots of food! We don't have any storage space, so we've had to find places to hide things. For example, Abe thought it'd be a good idea to raise our bed up so we can hide a bunch of stuff under there. Luckily we didn't bring all of our stuff to Kentucky.
We have had a good first week here together. Abe has had PT (Physical Training) every morning. Other than that, we've had the whole week to spend together. We even went to dinner with our neighbors Monday night (One of Abe's former football buddies from West Point). It's been nice to spend the week with Abe before he starts his actual tank training on Monday.
We love having our first little home. Even though it's technically a little motel suite, we have made it to feel like a home. We couldn't be happier!

Abe playing a football game on the computer.. and I'm cheering him on!

After running some errands, Abe surprised me by making some brownies by the time I got home!

I only showed pictures of the kitchen and living room. We can't hang pictures, change the bedding on the bed, or anything else.. So everything else basically looks the same. It's nice to have everything organized, and to be able to cook and have meals together. Married life has been so much fun, and it is a nice feeling to be settled!

OUR FIRST POST

2009-09-18T23:23:00.001-04:00

So this is a BIG day for Abe and me. After living out of our suitcases and feeling unsettled the whole summer, Abe and I made our first official move as husband and wife to Fort Knox, KY and also started a BLOG after many people telling us too.. YAY! For a long time we have wondered what kind of a housing situation we'd be in here. Well.. we got an apartment and we are actually very happy with what we got! It is as we thought it would be, a glorified hotel room. It feels like a little apartment and has an oven, fridge, a pretty decent sized living room, and nice tv's and a dvd player. The first thing Abe did after we moved all our stuff in, was set up the computer and printer. We took before and after pictures so you can see how we transform this "hotel" looking place, into our cute little HOME! It feels so good to have our first place together! Abe and I went to Burger King to get some dinner since we don't have food in our fridge yet. As we were leaving Abe put his arm around me and said, "Let's go home." It felt so good to both of us to have a place to go and to officially call "ours."

Here are some before pictures we took of our apartment:

Our messy living room.

Abe getting ready to set up the computer.

The kitchen, and a bar with two stools as our table.

Our bedroom.

A SMALL closet in our room...

..and a bigger one in the living room, most likely for me!

LLOOONNNGG hallway that leads to our small bathroom.

The bathroom.

YAY, again! The after pictures will be up shortly.. hopefully. So, since I am new at this whole blog thing.. PLEASE be patient with me as I am getting the gist of things!