I Like Texas?

So now that we are 1 week away from having the movers here and just under 2 weeks before we begin the big move, I am realizing that I will actually miss living here. It will be really nice to get out of here, but it will be a big pain to have to figure out where everything is and get acquainted with a new town and post and all that. I kind of have a routine here and it will be sad to leave that. These feelings were prompted by the "For Rent" sign that went up in our front yard seemingly overnight last night.

The reason this feeling of sadness is so weird is because I have spent the 13.5 months we have lived in Texas hating it at the worst and tolerating it at the best. I have always looked forward to the moment we would get to leave here, especially during the deployment. All I could think about was D getting home and us moving out of this god-forsaken hell-hole to somewhere with cooler temperatures and vegetation. My wish has come true!

I have to admit that I am even kind of nervous to move to Ft. Lewis/Tacoma. Ft. Hood was kind of our first real duty station in the Army and it will be weird to be living somewhere else and have to make new friends all over again. BLAH. I was telling D the other night how it seems like we finally are getting invitations to parties and dinner with friends and now everyone is moving.

On another related note, since the move is now so close, I feel like there is more I should be doing to prepare, but when it comes right down to it, I can't think of anything I could do now that won't have to be done all over again in a week or two. My laziness prevails, and I am able to stockpile my energy for more important things, like watching TV, reading books, and attempting to make babies. ;)

Weekend Plans

Here are some pictures from Thursday night. There was a crazy thunderstorm that night too, so it was way cool.

This weekend is shaping up to be busier than Memorial Day weekend was for us. Yesterday D was off work because it was the Army's birthday, so we got to hang out and just spend some time together, which was really nice.

Thursday night we had Sam and Nick over for dinner and we got to enjoying some alcoholic beverages. D says that when Sam and I get together and consume alcohol we should not be allowed to be in the same room. I think its because we are too much alike! He mentioned something about us being loud and talking shit! Haha!

We were out on the back porch, Nick had brought his hookah over and we were smoking that and cigars when we realized that our neighbors were out smoking their cigars. We like our neighbors, so we invited them to hop the fence and join us. Pretty soon 3 CPTs from D's unit and his BN XO walk over. We ended up bull-shitting and just hanging out for a long while with them. It was super fun because all those guys are hilarious! It was kind of sad because everyone is getting ready to leave now, it is so close!

The really good news about having a 3-day weekend is that D has Staff Duty today, so he really only gets a regular length weekend. I am bummed for him. He always seems to get screwed by his dates for Staff Duty. I guess someone has to do it. Either way, I am meeting him for lunch and most likely bringing him dinner and a snack way later on since he has to be there all night.

At least he gets to look forward to our BBQ on Sunday at the Dell's. Rachel called way earlier this week to invite us over on Sunday for a cookout at their place. We have realized that out of all the people in the BN, they are most like us, so now we try to hang out on the weekends. LOL. They went deep-sea fishing last weekend and it sounded interesting, but Rachel definitely did not sell me on it!

Monday is the Co. party and I am in charge of going to Walmart to pick up all the food that was ordered. It is fried chicken with salads and bread for 200! Thankfully I have D to come along with me and help me get it all from the store to my car. I am looking forward to the party because I actually really like some of the people D works with, even if he hates them in a professional setting. He has agreed with me that outside work, they are not that bad!

The countdown continues, we have 17 days until we leave for WA and even less than that (12 days) until the movers come and take all of our stuff! CRAZY! I am trying to think of cool (cheap-ish) things that we can do here to mark the end of our time in TX. I am thinking maybe a trip down to San Antonio to go to Sea World (free!) or something like that, but who knows what I will be able to talk D into...

Until next time!

The Stagecoach Inn

So today we are going to a marriage retreat that is being put on by the BN. It is being held at the historic Stagecoach Inn in Salado. I have never been there, but everyone I've talked to says that it is really cool. We are excited about staying in a hotel and getting away from home for a few days, but unsure about the whole "marriage retreat" part of it. We decided that our best course of action is to bring wine in case we find ourselves bored with the regularly scheduled activities.

This weekend will be especially fun because Sunday is our official First Wedding Anniversary! I can't believe that it has already been a year since our wedding. I feel like the deployment flew by and now the time state-side is flying too! Pretty soon we will be up at Fort Lewis, enjoying the rain! We are really excited about moving up there, both to live there and experience something new, but also for the move itself. SLS, WPT and JAG are coming down here to make the 2,500 mile drive with us, our dog and both of our cars. It should be an interesting 4th of July!

I'm off to Salado now!