Before and After

Well I thought I would update you and then give you some pictures. Jonathan and I arrived safely at the airport at about 9:15 Saturday morning here. Cash did splendid, which is more than I can say for his impatience with me as I type this blog. He pretty much slept the whole plane ride and only got a little whiny at the very end. We got our bags and all that jazz and headed towards the USO. When we arrived at the USO in the airport there was a sergeant there that helped us get everything squared away to stay in a hotel across the street from the airport for the weekend. So the rest of Saturday and Sunday was spent in a hotel room, because we were told we couldn't really go anywhere. So for meals we were reduced to whatever we could find in the airport which for the longest time was not a lot! Finally Saturday night when we headed over to try to find something to suffice for dinner we saw a plastic Ronald McDonald in the main part of one of the terminals so we went over to investigate. Good old Ronald was there to give directions to where his food was located!! YAY!!!! So after a quick-paced search of the said area we rounded a corner and there it was!!! It was a defining moment because being the picky person I was I had not had a decent meal since our farewell lunch at Red Lobster before heading to the airport. Some not so great beef was served on the plane. We were in the back of the plane and my mind flashed to Brian Reagan days in high school as the stewardess said, "What would you like? All we have is beef." I was thinking, then why ask?!?!?!

Anyhow, we also managed to find a few other food places including a Hooters in another part of the hidden restaurants at the airport! Yes, folks! Jonathan ate our Sunday dinner at Hooters! Hahaha! Monday morning we got our bags ready and checked out of the hotel to head over to the airport to meet at the meeting point. We got put on a bus and were headed to Mannheim. When we arrived at the base, we met up with Jonathan's platoon sgt. He was a really nice guy. He helped us get our names on the housing list, set us up in a hotel for the night, and all the other stuff you have to go through. So eventually we got some down time in which Jonathan managed to go ahead and blow his first appliance which led us back to the Px to plead for Paul, salesman, to help us out before Jonathan lost his mind! :) Today we are supposed to move into temporary housing for the next month until our permanent housing is available and ready. Anyways, to the good stuff, here are some pictures to make your reading worthwhile.

Jonathan and I at the airport in Atlanta about to board the plane.

Cash and I letting the jet lag get the best of us.

Cash slipped under the covers to get some R&R with daddy too.

One of the gorgeous hillside shots we saw from the bus on our way to Mannheim.

Another hillside, we are pretty sure that is a castle on the right hillside there. So cool!

Saying Goodbye

Well this past week has been really rough and we have not even gotten to the worst of it yet. Sunday morning Jonathan and I went to church with his mom's family and had to say goodbye to some of the people there. Those people are some of the most caring people you will ever meet. After church we headed down to Winterville to catch the tail end of a family reunion where I had to bid numerous sweet cousins goodbye as well as my 90 year old grandfather. That one was difficult because I sincerely hope and pray that is not the last time I give that great man a hug here on earth.

Monday, Jonathan and I were at the apartment all day cleaning, packing, and trashing. Tuesday we had some help from his grandparents loading things to go to Rena's house. We decided since we were headed that way to meet up with my sister, Josh, and the boys for lunch and a little time to hang out. We met up at Zaxby's and enjoyed lunch before heading back to their house to play with Jack and Sam one last time as a 2 year old and a sweet baby less than a year old. Jack enjoyed running from Umple Jonafin and it made me sad that Jonathan has missed so much of them already. Jonathan just met Sam on Sunday and is already telling him bye. It breaks my heart knowing I have been so priviledged to see these sweet boys grow up and laugh with them and play with them but not I can't. I am going to miss so much of them and that makes me so sad. It was so hard to feel that sweet boy give me a hug and a kiss and know that next time I see him he might have grown out of that. He will be a big 3 year old boy the next time I see him! :( Hugging my sister felt like letting go of a best friend. Ever since the boys have been born and she lived less than an hour away we have grown so much closer as sisters and as best friends. She is an amazing mommy to those boys and a great example. I love her so much and it hurt saying goodbye. I did pretty well until we pulled out of the driveway and waved goodbye from the car, I lost it. I boo hoo'd all the way to his mom's house. Thank you to my sister for making so much time for me this summer and I will forever be thankful!!! I love you so much!
Later Tuesday night Jonathan and I went to dinner with his aunt and uncle and their 3 children. We had a great time laughing and cutting up at dinner. After dinner more tears came as we had to bid them goodbye. Jonathan found it difficult to say bye to Kristina, the oldest of those 3. She is not much younger than Jonathan and they have a close bond. She is such a sweet girl who will be loved and missed.


Well Wednesday was a little bit less tearful. We headed back to the apartment in the morning to wait on the movers to come. They came a little after 12 to begin packing up the things we are taking with us to Germany. In the midst of them packing some others guys showed up to work on the air conditioner, washer, and dryer. Then my dad came to take a few things for us in his truck. Our apartment was pack full of people moving all around and trying to get stuff done. It was crazy there for a little while. Once they were all gone Jonathan's dad, stepmom, and stepsisters came up to hang out for a lil while. The girls loved it because Jonathan and I were giving away stuff left and right. Even Karen took home a few prizes! lol. ;) Thanks girls for taking those off our hands. They helped us clean up a little and get things closer to being ready to go and we enjoyed spending time with them. We will be seeing Tim again but we did have to say goodbye to the girls. I know they will have grown up so much next time we see them. Well Jonathan has yet to meet the friends I made in Hartwell while he was gone. These said friends, mainly Kaitlyn, has been dying to meet him. So we managed to work it out to where we could squeeze in a dinner Wednesday night at our usual Mexican location in Hartwell. Well, Kaitlyn managed to gather so many sweet people to have dinner with us. A lot of my past volleyball players and tennis players showed up to say goodbye and eat and laugh with us. It was such a sweet time that we enjoyed so much. We walked away that night with flowers, candy, cake, frosting on the car, and cream in the face! I will post pictures soon for those of you curious about that!

Well here we are at Thursday, our last whole day here and I got to get out of bed and get going because my mom is on her way here to help us get the last of things! It all seems surreal but I guess we are as ready as we will ever be. Germany here we come!

Picture Post!!!!!! Finally!

This is Jonathan and me Sunday after church at his dad's house. He wore his class A's to go to church with his dad's family. He looked so handsome!!!! I thought this picture turned out really well. Since I was late on my promise for a picture I decided I would upload two in hopes of forgiveness! ;)

This is Jonathan and I at dinner at The Flight Machine at the Gwinett Airport. We ate here one night with his dad's family.

Home Sweet Home

Well I know I promised a picture with this next blog and I hate to disappoint but I am afraid I am going to have to! :( I have taken a few pictures but I have done everything I know how to do to get Jonathan's laptop to recognize my card for my camera and it refuses so...boo!!! As soon as I can gain access to a computer that will recognize it we are in good shape.

So, Jonathan arrived back around 4:30 safely. We were safe back in each other's arms again a little after 5. It was wonderful to be in his arms again. We drove part of the way back Saturday night stopping and staying the night at a hotel in Perry, Ga. We then got up early and drove the remainder of the way to Loganville Sunday morning in order to go to church with his dad and other family members. We had a wonderful lunch with his family and spent the rest of the day listening to some of Jonathan's crazy stories and looking at pictures and relaxing.

Jonathan and I spent the majority of this morning up at Fort McPherson in Atlanta trying to get all our moving stuff worked out. We also met up with one of Jonathan's good friends, Jay, for lunch at The Varsity. We are back at his dad's house now enjoying a little bit of downtime. We are going out to eat tonight with Tim, Karen, the girls, and Ben (his cousin). Like I said, I will get a picture up as soon as I can.

Chaos and Excitement!!!

Well the past few days have been a bit chaotic but of course filled with a lot of excitement! I have been busy here at the apartment trying to get those last minute things packed up and done. I feel like I am finally getting things done to where I can notice them too, which is always exciting!!!

Well, I leave Saturday morning to go pick up Jonathan and I am soooo excited!!! Soo, that being said, I promise the next post will have a picture of me and my handsome hubby!!!

Bye Bye Double Digits

Today marks ten more days, our last day in double digits!!! YAY!!! I have managed to stay fairly busy the past week and have therefore not posted, I have also not posted until I knew I had pictures to put on here for fear of the wrath of my sister. ;) Last week I got to eat dinner with my lifelong friend, Ashley. She is expecting a baby and sadly that sweet little girl will not get here until after I leave but I am sooo looking forward to seeing lots of pictures and meeting her someday. We had a good time catching each other up on what has been going on in our lives.

Last week I also got the chance to play competitive volleyball for the first time in a while. It was so much fun. My team lost mainly because we had some boys that refused to stay where they were supposed to be so they always got burnt and then they got in everybody else's way. They were quite frustrating to play with but its kind of like whatever, typical egos. It was still fun.

Monday mom and I went up to Laura's to spend the day with her and the boys. It was definitely a less "drama" filled Monday as Jack was having a much better day than last Monday. Tuesday I ventured back up to Laura's to go to splash zone one last time with her and the boys. It was not very crowded when we got there so Jack had a lot of fun swimming with Laura in the lazy river. He was doing "my by self." Later in the afternoon some of the camps started rolling in and it got a little too crowded for Jack so we headed out for lunch at Chik-fil-A. We made a stop by Target where we all split a giant cookie. YUMMM!!!

Today I have to head into Athens to take my engagement ring to Zales because I noticed Sunday that one of the small diamonds on the side is missing. I am just hoping that they can get it fixed and done by the time we leave. I dont want to have to go too long without it either. The sooner I can get it back the better. It is kind of crazy because I JUST had it checked last Wednesday. But it is ok because it is covered by the insurance we have on both rings. So hopefully it won't be a big deal. Well I have to go get Cash up so we can eat breakfast.