The year in review.

Needless to say, 2012 was a big year for AJ and me. We...

Went to Haiti for a week (me)

Got engaged at the Garfield Park Conservatory

Found out AJ's BOLC date and duty station

Decided to get married more than a year sooner than we had planned

Planned a wedding in 2.5 months

Graduated from UIUC with a degree in kinesiology (AJ)

Commissioned as a 2LT in the U.S. Army (AJ)

Got married

Went on a honeymoon to the East Coast

Moved to Fort Lee, Virginia for BOLC

Explored Virginia for a summer and lived in our first place courtesy of the Army

Drove back to Illinois for senior year of college (me)

Moved to Fort Bliss, Texas (AJ)

Found out AJ would not be in Afghanistan before Christmas, contrary to what we were told

Finished exams early and had a thyroidectomy (me)

Celebrated our first married Christmas together

Visited Fort Bliss for the first time (me)

2013 holds some continued excitement and uncertainty for us. I'll start the year in Ecuador, completing my field placement. I'll graduate college and move to a completely new part of the country soon after, not knowing how I'll start my career here. We're both finding our way in the world without living near our families and friends. We need to find a place in El Paso where we feel at home. And of course, when you're in the Army you just never know what's going to happen to you next. I'll keep you posted on all that, and until then, here are a few pictures...

End of an era.

Since you last heard from me, I've finished my last semester of classes and had half an organ cut out of my body. You know, small stuff. But really...it's actually pretty small stuff.

The time after Thanksgiving was like a race to the finish line for me. I was on schedule to finish my semester on December 4, which is about a week and a half early. As I went to my last classes and my last shifts at work, I did my best to keep the sentimentality at bay. It definitely felt a bit surreal to end my days at Trinity after being there for the past 3.5 years of my life, and I think it still feels that way. 

Last Wednesday I had surgery to remove half of my thyroid due to a rather large growth that was in fact growing, not shrinking with treatment. AJ was in town for this, and of course my parents, cousin (and beloved MOH), and grandparents all came to the hospital to see me. In a way, I'm thankful to have had this experience so I can understand what it's like for people who have to stay in a hospital. I was feeling vulnerable and pretty exhausted by the time they discharged me, since the IV, the pain, and the constant parade of nurses and doctors in and out of my room meant I got no sleep! I'm recovering really well though, and at long last we have confirmed that I do not have cancer. Nowadays I just have to get used to putting a little more thought into what I wear, because if I don't hide the incision with a scarf it is pretty darn obvious. Today was the first day I went out without a scarf (on my roomie's graduation day, no less!) and for the most part I felt pretty good. There were times when I felt a little self-conscious, but overall it wasn't too bad. I'm sure my friend's parents have asked her what happened to me, but that's okay. I need to get comfortable with it because I just can't hide it all the time.

AJ's gone now, and for some reason it was harder to say goodbye to him than usual. There are probably a number of reasons--I don't have work and school to distract me, my body is still reeling from surgery, we're running out of time before I leave the country...and who knows what else. I always get restless when he leaves, so I'm constantly moving and trying to distract myself even though I had surgery on my neck ten days ago.

AJ's battalion also deployed on Thursday night, so that was definitely a sobering moment for us. Up until mid-October, he was supposed to deploy to Afghanistan with them. Needless to say, things were rough during that time for us. There is just no way to describe how it feels to be a new wife and to have your husband come home and tell you he's going to war. Especially when you're already facing about nine months apart. Although it is still challenging not to deploy, God has truly worked a miracle for us and we are so grateful. Either way, there was nothing we could do, so I'm trusting that this is best for us. The feelings we have about the deployment are complex, but still I am so, so thrilled to know that he's safe. Leaving Virginia was extremely painful; thankfully I'm not seeing him off to war this year too. It makes me think of the other women I'll meet who saw their husbands off this week. Prayers abound for them. I can only hope to have the opportunity to befriend them and serve them once I move to Fort Bliss. I know AJ feels the same way--if he can't have the honor of serving with most of his battalion, I know he has a heart for doing everything he can for them stateside. 

Thanksgiving.

To my surprise, and happiness, AJ flew back to Illinois on Thanksgiving Day. So what did we do to celebrate another weekend together?

I picked AJ up from the airport around 1:30 and we headed straight to his parents' house, since we missed the festivities at Aunt R's place. We had a good time catching up with his family before heading to my grandparents' farm for Thanksgiving dinner. My grandfather cooked an amazing spread, as always. This year he and my cousin took it upon themselves to cook nine pumpkin pies, including a whole pie for AJ and me to take home. The night included a big game of Apples to Apples for us younger folks, during which AJ and I discovered we're starting to think way too much alike. Towards the end of the night, my maid of honor and I planned out our first tattoo, which will hopefully be happening before I leave the country in January. Yep, this woman is soon to be inked! Like just about everyone else in my generation, of course.

Friday was a pretty chill day for us. Because we had no food aside from Thanksgiving leftovers, AJ treated us to a delicious breakfast at a local restaurant. They have the best black coffee I've ever had, and adding cream or sugar would be a crime. Which my husband did, of course. We came back to Aunt L's house for a little bit while I struggled to finish a paper. Soon enough I had given up, so we headed to my parents' house to recruit my little sister for a game of Scrabble. Which I won, fair and square. ;)

On Friday night we saw my family again at my youngest cousin's birthday party. It was a nice visit before we headed up to the city for a special date, just the two of us. These days when we're together we like to treat ourselves to a stay downtown just to do something special and make some memories. Let me tell you, we're going to be hotel connoisseurs before we know it. Anyway, it was great to get away and feel totally alone in a different place together. All the same, I told AJ that when we actually have our own place again I'm never going to want to leave. 

The next morning we had breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts (yes, we come all the way to the Loop for coffee and breakfast sandwiches available anywhere else) and headed for the aquarium, someplace we love but haven't been to in years. We saw nearly everything there was to see and had a great time. We visited with AJ's parents again that night before returning to Aunt L's place. It's become a habit for us to watch a movie on our last night together, because it's easy to do even if you're feeling sad about saying goodbye to your spouse the next day. Last night we were still feeling inspired from our visit to the aquarium, so we watched our favorite episode of Blue Planet. If there's one thing we've learned by now, it's how to get really good at saying goodbye. When you do it a lot, you learn the tricks of how to make it less painful and how to avoid having expectations of your last few hours together. Believe it or not, there are Army resources out there just giving advice on saying goodbye. But in the end, nothing compares to how it felt when I drove away from our home together alone, knowing I'd never be back. No doubt about it, the Army has a habit of forcing you to be tough when you don't think you can.


So, AJ left again today. We stopped at an oasis close to the airport for a romantic last lunch together--Panda Express, of course. After one last kiss goodbye (no tears!) I was on my way with just the voice of NPR to keep me company. 

Looking Ahead.

A lot has been happening in our little family lately! I'll start with AJ's move to Texas first. He's been there for about a couple weeks now and seems to be settling in nicely, not surprisingly. My husband makes friends wherever he goes and has a gift for being pretty content in what may be challenging circumstances. His first week and a half was spent living in a hotel and going through what's called "in processing", which is what you do every time you PCS (permanent change of station). He killed the physical readiness test apparently--nothing like being the new 2nd lieutenant in town and proving the altitude doesn't stop you from running a 5:30 mile! I wish my body worked that way. 

On the Army side of things, we've learned that AJ's job will be in support operations for the rear detachment. Meaning, he's the lead officer coordinating supplies for the brigade his unit supports in Afghanistan. This is already a big job, and he is filling a position left by a major, which is several levels of rank above him. He has huge shoes to fill, but I know he can do it! I'm so proud, and SO happy that it looks like we're avoiding the war for now. That is truly a miracle. 

Meanwhile, AJ's been making friends in the Army and at the church he's connected with through a friend in college. He's already met some great people there and is in fact staying with a family for the next few months. He's expected to find an apartment on his own, so this will give him time to save money and get acquainted with the city before trying to find us a place to live. He's really impressed with the church thus far, and says that the congregation has in fact been praying for an opportunity to build connections on post. This church is outside of what we're used to, but I trust my husband and try to remain open to where God leads us. Apparently our new home is the newest and largest military installation in the world, and 10,000 more soldiers are scheduled to be transferred there. I guess it's a happening place!

Since AJ moved Texas we've been having conversations about how difficult it is for one of us to settle down and start a life in our future home while the other is gone. It's tougher for me now that I can't picture him in a state I've never visited and don't have any memories of our life there. As a husband and wife, we should be doing things like finding a church and a home together. I'm a little afraid of moving down there next summer and finding out that AJ has already made a life without me. It's a legitimate fear, and it's not uncommon in the military, but at this point I think we both still feel something's missing whenever we're apart. Let's hope it stays that way.

Over here on my end, I'm still working on finishing this darn degree and hoping I can get a job, because there isn't an opportunity for me to go to grad school where we'll be living. I'm trying to stay positive and take things one day at a time, but it's not easy being an Army spouse and trying to start a career. Of course, it's not easy being anybody and trying to start a career, but when you can't control where you live and how long you will be there a whole new dimension of difficulty is added. For instance, my social work license won't carry over from state to state, so that's one hurdle I'll have to tackle.

In other news, just purchased my plane ticket to Ecuador today! And now I'm officially out of money just in time for Christmas ;) I'll be completing my field placement there in the spring. Sooo excited and a little freaked out about learning to do my job in a foreign country! Now to keep accumulating documents to prove I'm an upright citizen so that Ecuador will grant me a visa.... ;)

"It's like we're a real married couple for a day!"

On October 12th, AJ finished BOLC in Virginia and began his trek back to Illinois for a week and a half of leave. He arrived just in time for pizza on my birthday, October 13th. Thus began our short time together as husband and wife, living together in the same state. Now there's an idea!

I'll admit, things had been really tough for me ever since we found out AJ's unit when I was still living in Virginia. Once I came back to Illinois, living without my husband and with the fear of war hanging over my head seemed to become less and less manageable. Eventually, I lost almost all hope and it was all I could do to keep up with my responsibilities at work and school, much less do anything else. I was in a very sad, dark place for months. A place I couldn't imagine being in for the next year.

So that's how it all started, when he came back to see me. As always, it's not exactly easy to start living life together after spending so much time apart. We grow accustomed to being responsible for ourselves and doing our own thing, especially me, since this is my temporary home. Add to that deployment stress and midterms and you have a recipe for some trying times.

Thankfully, all this changed when we got some very unexpected, yet potentially good news from the Army. All of a sudden, my hope was restored and life seemed almost blissful. This set us up for what turned out to be a great week of semi-normal married life. Sure, we were and still are completely homeless as a couple, but we have had the amazing blessing of a finished basement that we usually get all to ourselves in AJ's aunt's and uncle's house. It's been a delight to get to know my in-laws better this way, and I never would have had that opportunity if we lived a more conventional life. It's not always easy moving between my parents' house and Aunt L's basement, especially with everything else in my life, but it's a minor inconvenience when you consider how blessed we are.

During this week of leave we were able to spend some (but as always, not enough) time with family, which is always great when you know you're not staying in your home state. AJ treated me to a fun night in the city just to do something different, and we ended up staying in the fanciest hotel we've ever slept in (which means a lot after sleeping in lots of cheap hotels on road trips so far in our marriage). A couple days later he accompanied me to a pretty important doctor's appointment, where we gained some insight into what's going on with my health these days and made some important decisions. It was a little scary for me to incorporate him into a part of my life that I prefer to keep to myself, but in the end it really strengthened our marriage.

After what seems like a blissful week and a half, AJ had to begin his road trip down to Texas. We decided to go all out and buy some ice cream and orange juice from the grocery store and rented a movie to watch on a Tuesday night. We're getting the hang of this last-night-together thing, so even though it's really sad, we know how to take the pressure off ourselves and just make the most of our time together. It's a talent you learn in the Army, I guess.

Yesterday morning we parted ways again. I drove to class alone while my husband headed the opposite direction for Texas, a state I have never visited but one that will be our new home one day. It was a sad parting, as usual, and I've learned that it's okay to show up to school with my makeup a little smudged from tears. The first night and morning apart is always the worst, because I'm sometimes turning to AJ to tell him something and then realizing I have to text him. In the morning, I'm completely alone instead of having my husband keep me company. I miss him a lot. 

All the same, if this news from the Army holds, I feel genuinely at peace these days. For the first time in a long time I'm not in a constant state of depression and the nightmares have stopped. I'm even happy! And that is not something I have truly felt in a long time. Even my parents were amazed that I was smiling yesterday after AJ left. So, we are back to being apart, but we are good. We have hope for our future and believe in the goodness and mercy of God. I suppose once you have glimpsed the reality of war, anything else we deal with right now seems so much more trivial. Don't get me wrong though--in the Army, it is challenging whether your husband deploys or not. The challenges are just different.

Stay tuned for updates on AJ's life in Texas, our future home!

Three Reasons to Move to Minneapolis.

1.  Food trucks serving everything from sushi to curry to tacos show up downtown for lunch every weekday. Yum!

   

    2. Minneapolis is home to a large refugee population. It has a large Hmong community and a huge Somali presence. We stayed in one of the most diverse neighborhoods, right by the “Somali Towers” and a global market selling food and other merchandise from all over the world. They have delicious, cheap coffee and pumpkin muffins. Mmm. I really want to work with refugees and immigrants, so it would be a great place for me.

   

    3. It’s so clean and quiet! Whenever I walk around downtown Chicago I come back feeling gross, but not so in Minneapolis. And people only honk when it’s necessary! Which is rarely! It was so much more peaceful than Chicago.

CCDA.

Early last Wednesday morning I hopped on a Greyhound to Minneapolis with three social work friends and one professor for the annual Christian Community Development Association conference. Trinity’s social work department sends students to CCDA every year, and this year my professor and a friend presented at the conference. I had heard great things about CCDA over the years and was strongly encouraged by other friends to go, so I decided I had to seize the opportunity for my senior year of college.

I’ll admit, the first evening of the conference was not a happy one for me. I had received some unexpected bad news on Monday night that will make it even more difficult for me to graduate on time. That coupled with the stress of AJ’s impending deployment and being away from him all the time made things really tough for me that night. Sometimes I really do feel as though I am being crushed under my cross and am not sure how much more I can take. As I headed downtown very early in the morning the next day to volunteer for several hours without breakfast or coffee, I was seriously questioning why I had even come (my friends and I chose to volunteer at the conference to save money. I spent a total of about 13.5 hours volunteering in three days. That’s a lot!).

Now before you start to feel sad, I will tell you that things went much better after Thursday morning. Once I really started to spend time exploring the city with friends and hearing amazing speakers talk about their passion for social justice, I was in my element. Being among such a large, diverse group of Christians from all kinds of backgrounds really nourished my spirit. I often feel frustrated or sad about the many divisions between American Christians of different denominations, so it was wonderful to see those barriers transcended this week.

It was so much fun getting to spend time with my classmates and professor outside of Trinity in a more relaxed environment. We all got to know each other better and now share lots of good memories. More than that, I loved having the chance to put my life on hold and do something that makes me happy. Honestly, the demands of AJ’s job on my entire life often cause me to lose my sense of identity. I do find joy in being a wife to AJ, and it is my dream, but being an Army wife consumes a lot of my energy. His responsibilities to the Army seem to almost always come first, so I sometimes forget who I am as just Hannah, not Hannah the Army wife. I love my husband more than anything in this world, but when I’m not able to be with him, it’s refreshing to enjoy other things I’m passionate about. CCDA really nourished my spirit and renewed my sense of who God has created me to be. 

New normal.

Whenever I struggled with a change that seemed unalterable (usually a breakup) my mother would always tell me that it was time for me to find a "new normal". So, considering my interesting circumstances, I have consistently been trying to find this new normal since you last heard from me.

Being a senior student, I obviously spend the vast majority of my time working on school. The drive is too far for me to return to my parents' house when I have a significant break in my day, so I'm getting used to just hanging around the Palos area and using my downtime for homework. By the time I come back south of I-80, I'm ready for dinner, some more homework, a chat with AJ, and bed by ten (and yep, I'm loving that early bedtime, folks). Then I get up at 6:45 to go for a run, read my Bible, and start all over again. As you've probably guessed, my weekdays are pretty jam-packed, which makes me pretty happy. 

When I came back to Illinois I mistakenly thought that all this busyness would take my mind off things, such as  the unsettling (to put it mildly) knowledge that my husband has orders to go to war. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen. I have never spaced out so much in my life. I often find myself sitting in class and unable to recall what my professor had been talking about for the past five minutes. I know, you're probably saying everyone does this, but there are so many times in my day where my mind is 100% somewhere else--usually Virginia. Depending on the day, I'm reliving really happy or really sorrowful memories that I share with AJ, or even imagining what it will be like when we're together again. Or, on really bad days (usually when I hear on the news or the radio that more soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan) I'm trying desperately to squash the temptation to think about my beloved in the war. After spending last semester deciding to get married over a year before we planned, planning a wedding in less than three months, and stressing about the Army, I thought this semester would be a breeze. It is better in some ways, but I'm finding myself really trying hard to concentrate and finish my degree well. 

I long for a lot of things in this new normal. I long to see my first married home again, though I probably never will. I long for a home to share with my husband (actually, at this point I'll just take my husband back--where we live almost doesn't matter anymore). I long for stability, when I'm not always on the move, always worrying about AJ, always feeling unique in my circumstances, always wondering what will become of me, of us, always wondering where I fit into AJ's demanding relationship with the Army. Don't get me wrong--I'm slowly figuring this out, and I'm not depressed. Each day is different, but as time goes on I'm starting to feel more adjusted. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad to some extent most of the time. It's not an acute pain anymore (I don't cry every day!); it's more like this deep, constant ache for the man I love. He leaves a void that cannot be filled by anything else in this world.

So, I'm just trying to take things one day at a time, thankful for the many people here who care about me and who want to help. I'm doing my best to grow in faith and to be the very best wife I can be, no matter what's going on. Still trying to establish my new normal, at least until AJ comes back to Illinois for a visit and turns my life upside down again. Even so, I am continually amazed at the love and support people have for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Learning about sacrifice.

(This was written on September 4).

Yesterday I was sitting in front of my computer, attempting to make a dent in my homework pile yet of course procrastinating. One of my social work professors had told my class about a website that has you take a quiz on the issues in the upcoming election and tells you based on your answers what candidate you would most side with. In my efforts to try to be a more informed voter (and also in my efforts to procrastinate), I took the quiz. And I came to this question:

"Should the U.S. end the war in Afghanistan?"

Wow. I thought long and hard about this one. Having done my own research, spent some time with a soldier, and discussed this issue with my grandfather the Vietnam vet, I personally believed the best answer was "No, not until military leaders have agreed that our mission has been accomplished". However, my heart desperately wanted to say "Yes, bring the majority of the troops home but maintain a strong diplomatic presence".

Whether you believe we should have begun the war in Afghanistan or not (I don't even know for sure what I think about that), I do think it's important to finish our mission to make Afghanistan a safer, more stable place. Lord willing, I will never fathom the suffering that the average Afghan person has endured through the years, and I will never grasp the sacrifice made by the Afghan troops our military works with. Yes, I am aware that a safer Afghanistan will make for a safer world, but for the sake of these people alone--our military should not abandon them to evil people. We now have a responsibility to that nation.

For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm learning what it means to really sacrifice just because it's right--not because it's directly helping me. More than anything, I want my husband to be safe, and I desperately want to have a life with him that is just not possible right now. I do not want to endure more tours than what we are currently looking at in the near future. I just said goodbye to him again yesterday, and it hurts. A lot. If his deployment schedule remains the same, he will miss birthdays, holidays, our first anniversary, and my college graduation in the next year. This is not easy stuff. But I know that God is sovereign and that I support my husband and that this is just the right thing to do, on behalf of a nation I will never visit.

AJ and I are just starting to learn about the sacrifices our soldiers and their families have been making for generations. They are real, and they are sometimes huge. However, even we are so blessed to be provided for in so many other ways and treated with respect because of AJ's service. The rest of the world still does not understand the nature of our privilege, especially those who live in the war zone. When AJ comes home, he will return to the most powerful, wealthiest nation in the world, and we will continue our lives. We'll shop at the commissary, get military discounts, and live in a pretty nice place. So many others only dream of the kind of life we live. So, despite the really tough moments that come with military service, we are blessed that our eyes have been opened to the suffering of this world in a way many of us Americans do not truly understand. And if we can make a sacrifice of at least a year of separation and deployment, then it is right and fitting for us to do so.

Back in the 708.

Well, I've officially been back in Illinois for four full days now, and class started today. 

Since my return I've been focusing on adjusting to being back in my home state and to the major life changes that have taken place. I've realized that I have zero sense of a routine here. I eat meals at strange times and sometimes just sit around wondering what to do next, even though there is plenty for me to do. The biggest killer is not doing devotions at my normal time, because then I forget to make time for it. Also, AJ tries to call me on his lunch break so I try to be available for that as well. Here's a summary of some of the changes I'm working around:

-Obviously, my husband is no longer with me, and that alone is hard.

-I'm a married woman living in my childhood home, sharing a bunk bed with my 12-year-old sister. Back in Virginia, I took care of our little apartment and only had one person around to make a mess. Here, I have four people and two dogs that I have to be flexible with. My mom has graciously offered to hand over the reigns to me, but that's way too much work. ;) Still, I'm so thankful to be living with my parents during this time because I know it's an adjustment for them too.

-I'm commuting to school instead of living there, meaning my school environment has changed a lot.

-Instead of my life revolving around my husband's schedule, I'm on my own and have to create my own routine again around my school, work, and social life. 

-The Midwest is in fact pretty different from the Southeast. 

-I don't have nearly enough Army in my life. I miss the military environment and the support that comes with it. I'm so blessed with amazing family and friends here, but at Fort Lee it was nice to be around people who are in similar situations.

Initially, I felt really out of sorts just from the intensity of leaving Virginia and all that comes with it. As time goes on, though, I am feeling more comfortable and happy here in Illinois. Now that school has started I have a renewed sense of purpose, and I'm really enjoying seeing everyone. I'm content to focus on making the most of my time here, even as I eagerly anticipate being with AJ again. I am a blessed young woman and I don't ever want to forget all that I have in Illinois. :)

Dreams of being somewhat settled.

Last week we decided to find a good place for a nice summer walk, just as something interesting to do on a week night. We're still not really sure if there are any safe parks in Petersburg, so we figured a subdivision on post would be our best bet. We grabbed some iced tea from Starbucks and set off for the on post housing, excited to check it out because it could be a good option for us one day. AJ felt really weird about just parking on the street somewhere, like we didn't belong. I said that we're Army too, so of course we belong in an Army subdivision even if we don't live there. AJ replied that he felt like someone would think we were doing something suspicious. This is how the Army sometimes makes you feel--doing something everyone does in the civilian world is now somehow suspicious on post. Yep, a couple of newlywed kids out for a walk in the park--somebody call in the MPs.

As it turns out, the homes there are nicer than a lot of what we see in our area, and of course it's perfectly safe and well kept. There are little parks scattered around and everything is just so quiet and peaceful, especially because the entire subdivision is enclosed by tall Virginia trees. My only complaint was that the yards are super tiny or even nonexistent, but I suppose if you're going to get orders eventually maybe it's not worth it to keep up a yard. 

As AJ and I sat on a swing watching a group of kids play basketball, we both ended up feeling a little sad, although we didn't say anything to each other at the time. In a way, we were looking at our dream, which isn't attainable at the moment--living together in a peaceful place, eventually having a family, just being somewhat settled at all. We knew when we got married that we'd have to postpone really living like husband and wife, though, so this is not all that much of a surprise. The only thing we didn't know was how long that dream would have to be postponed due to deployment schedules and such. It's also a little ironic that we felt that way because we were completely surrounded by Army families like us who are all too familiar with the challenge of being separated. 

The longer we're in Virginia, the more we also really want a dog. I'm really excited to see my dog in Illinois again, but she's getting pretty old so I'm not sure she'll make it to the time AJ and I are settled somewhere. We're also facing the prospect of both of us living alone at different points in the next year, and so of course we each want a little company. Seeing the dogs on post had my husband telling me that he was inspired to adopt an Afghan dog while he's deployed. I thought he was joking, but he told me that soldiers have been adopting strays and keeping them on the FOB (Forward Operating Base) as pets. Apparently this has prompted the Army to put up lots of signs in Afghanistan saying "Rabies Kills". I thought that was pretty funny. Where he finds this stuff out I have no idea.

In this week's news, we are (more accurately, I am) getting ready for Mom Ullrich's arrival and my departure. I'm hoping to squeeze in a couple more hours with my Army friend tomorrow. We originally planned on yesterday being our last time to hang out, but we both couldn't say goodbye yet. It's disappointing that we probably won't see each other again except for maybe Captain's Career Course in four years, if our husbands both stay active. Before being promoted, all quartermaster captains come back to Fort Lee for TDY (temporary duty). AJ's learning about sling loads this week. I thought most of this would be old news to him because he went to Air Assault School, but apparently he forgot a lot of it. There's no PT this week because they start so early, so I've been getting up earlier to have breakfast with him. I don't mind it because we go to bed early and it's a good way to get ready for school.

This time tomorrow we should be getting ready to pick up the only family member to see our first married home! 

Shenandoah.

We decided to do something pretty big for my last weekend in Virginia, so on Friday we ate a quick early dinner and hit the road for Front Royal, Virginia to visit Shenandoah National Park. It's about a two and a half hour drive from our apartment to the park, so we had plenty of time to talk on the way there. It was a good opportunity to have some tough but needed conversations about the challenges we'll be facing over the next year. Once we got closer to the hotel I thought we needed to have the right atmosphere for driving in the mountains, so I put on our best option for bluegrass music--Nickel Creek. We listened to them right up until we got to our hotel.

On Saturday morning we stopped by Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast, just to feel nostalgic about our honeymoon. After that we picked up some Subway for a picnic lunch and drove to the national park, where we got in for free thanks to AJ's active duty ID! One of the big features of the park is Skyline Drive, which is a scenic road that winds all through the mountains. It takes about three hours to drive the whole thing, and there are about 75 scenic overlooks with beautiful views of the mountains. We only drove about halfway through, but as you can see from our pictures we were not lacking for natural beauty. 


On the way through the park we stopped at a gift shop, where we picked up a postcard and AJ picked out a Sounds of Shenandoah CD. The music is really pretty and was a good alternative to Nickel Creek for our drive.

Just before lunch we finally stopped to do some hiking in search of a creek that we may or may not have found. Basically, we saw some wet rocks. It was hard work coming back up the hill, so we were really ready for lunch when we got to a picnic table.

After lunch we did a little more driving and picture taking, and AJ found us another trail that looked promising, so we tackled that as our last thing for the day. One our way down the trail a man coming up in the opposite direction warned us that there was a bear on the trail. We kept walking. Never saw the bear. The hike was longer than we thought but in the end we were rewarded with a pretty waterfall. We thought the way back uphill would be really tough, but we made it in about an hour and talked the whole way. Satisfied with our accomplishment, we drove back out of the park for a late dinner.

On Sunday we went to Luray Caverns, which is not too far from the national park. AJ had never seen a cave before, so I'm really glad we were able to do that. Touring a cave is always a cool experience, and we were surprised to find out that over 500 weddings have taken place in the cave!

We had another long drive through the Virginia countryside to get back to our apartment, but we had fun by stopping for gas at the same place we had stopped for lunch on our way here back in June. We've come a long way since then! 



Today starts the packing and dividing up our stuff so I can drive back to Illinois. Getting ready for Mom Ullrich to come visit too! So excited for that!

Rainy day fun and the goodbyes begin.

Two month anniversary flowers.

This past weekend was more laid back than the last, but nonetheless good. On Saturday we had plans to go mini golfing with another couple, but a whole lot of rain made that impossible. Instead of having some outdoor fun, we quickly decided to check out a Chinese buffet in a nearby town where we spend a lot of time. I had never been to one before so I was definitely pretty excited. As soon as we got there we saw three men in ACUs walk in, so we knew it had to be good. The Army knows how to find the best food, that's for sure. Dinner was delicious and fun. AJ of course had to go around finding the strangest food to try, which included some mussels and something else in a shell. 

After dinner we weren't really ready to end our night, so AJ and I invited our friends to our apartment to play Settlers of Catan. We didn't have any room in the marshmallow for games, so thankfully our friends helped us out. We treated them to some coffee with our fancy Keurig and set about to teaching me the game. Normally I don't have a lot of patience for strategy games, but I actually had a lot of fun. Now I know why AJ loves that game so much. We played twice and called it a night at 9:30.

Sunday was my last day at the church we go to down here. I really enjoyed the pastor's preaching and Bible study was great as always. There's a whole pew of enlisted soldiers who attend the same service we do, and AJ's goal is to get to know them once I'm gone. We know they're privates because they often come in uniform and look even younger than my little brother. Hard to believe that teenagers fight our country's wars. I still think AJ's too young as it is. Bible study ended with everyone coming around us and praying for me because they knew I was leaving. I've actually seen that done a couple times already in my short time here--this church is definitely used to military coming and going all the time, and each time they're sent off with prayer. 

Homemade Thai red curry. So tasty!

We really wanted to go swimming that afternoon, but it turns out that the pool was actually too cold for the first time ever. Go figure. So we went for a walk around the apartment complex instead, talking about things like who's probably living where and when and how we might be able to see each other for the holidays. We came to the tentative conclusion that AJ will have to spend Thanksgiving alone, but we will definitely work on getting him home for Christmas. Really, we should be buying those plane tickets now so we don't spend a fortune. I don't even want to think about how much money we're spending on plane tickets just to see each other on occasion. 

Skyped with my mom (known to AJ as "Mom 2") that night for the first time. So proud that she figured it out, although my siblings were on call to help her turn it on and off ;)

AJ came home early today, so we're hoping to leave the apartment and go on a small date after dinner. He's running right now since he's now cleared of all possible injury--today the doctor at the Army clinic said all his test results are normal. I'm thankful and glad to see him exercising again. 


Other than that, we're trying to get ready for me to leave next week--physically, emotionally, spiritually...but mostly emotionally. It's not exactly easy. But that's all I have to say about that. 

Weekend at Va Beach.

After a brief hiatus I've decided it's time to come back to this thing, especially because we actually did something interesting this past weekend. On Friday evening we celebrated two months of marriage with a Starbucks date, something we hadn't done since we've been in Virginia. We ended up talking about deployment for the vast majority of our little date, but it was still really good to leave the apartment and be intentional about talking things out together. We got home just in time to watch some of the Olympics on NBC.

On Saturday morning we packed a suitcase and drove two hours to Virginia Beach. We had originally talked about spending two nights there, but we waited until the last minute to book our hotel and lodging is pricey there anyway. Spending just Saturday night there ended up being a good decision I think. Instead of going to the public beach in the more touristy part of the city, we found a beach that is much quieter. There weren't any hotels there, just many private homes built right on the sand. It was really different seeing yards full of sand rather than grass. I can tell that we picked the beach where more of the locals go. And of course with my VA license plate we looked like locals too. We're some sneaky Illinoisans. ;)

I ended up being brave enough to get over the cold ocean, so we went swimming for a little bit until we both got tired. AJ loved riding the waves and got plenty of saltwater up his nose as a result. We spent the rest of the time relaxing because AJ is so busy during the week. I always feel guilty about taking it easy, but thankfully he helps me not to worry about it. We left at about three, which ended up being a good idea because we had both gotten slightly pink. Getting a little sunburned wasn't hard to do since AJ wears nothing but his uniform and I'm way too impatient to lay out by the pool like other women do.

We drove up to our hotel right on the beach, showered, and had dinner at a raw bar AJ found within walking distance of our hotel. He loves seafood and eats it any chance he gets, and I'm happy to indulge him. He had a bunch of steamed shrimp and crab legs, while I went with a safe crab cake sandwich. After dinner I suggested we take a walk on the boardwalk before we headed back to our hotel to work on our wedding album some more.

Sunday was pretty chill as well. I insisted we go for one last walk by the beach before we headed home. After all, who knows when we'll see the ocean again? AJ suggested we have lunch at a local barbecue place just down the road from our apartment. We each had BBQ pork and it was delicious. I hope we go back one more time. The rest of the day was just spent unpacking, doing housework, sorting Army papers, and preparing a brief for Wednesday. 

So, if I were to conduct an AAR (after action review, something the Army does after doing anything interesting) I would say we accomplished our mission for the weekend. 

Field training, ranger school, and puppy foster care.

Some updates from the Ullrich household this week...

AJ just told me on Sunday that he will be in the field for three days and two nights next week. When he first got his schedule I was really excited because the week-long FTX we knew he would have wasn't until September, but I guess they have at least one additional shorter one. It's a little disappointing because I know it will be lonely at night without him, but I'm starting to consider some ideas to keep busy during the day. Who knows, I could maybe visit a smaller museum or downtown Richmond by myself for a day. I'll probably also talk to some of the wives about going out for dinner once too. So hopefully it won't be too bad. I know it's something I'll have to get used to as long as we're in the Army.

AJ is almost certain that he's not going to do pre-ranger PT anymore, which means no Ranger School. He suddenly decided this past weekend that he wasn't up for it due to the amount of time it was taking up. Doing pre-ranger PT meant he left the apartment very early and came home too tired to spend much time with me or reading Scripture. I was surprised that he suddenly made this decision all on his own, but I really appreciate his desire to put our marriage and our faith over a super cool Ranger tab on his uniform. Now he's working out with another soldier to try to bulk up a little bit. Last night he came home with the brilliant idea of bringing me along for his workouts. I said I'm really not interested in being that intense.


Apparently the thing to do here is foster a puppy. Yep, AJ and I could be puppy foster parents! AJ has some friends who are doing that right now, although I'm not sure how because taking care of a puppy is a job in itself. The local Humane Society lets you take a dog for a week at a time while it's waiting to get adopted. This helps save the dog's life and lightens the burden on the kennel. Pretty cool huh? I don't think we'll do it because that would mean a lot of work for me, but it's a neat opportunity.

Going back in time at Colonial Williamsburg.

Our big adventure this weekend was a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum about an hour away from our home. Neither of us has really seen any historical sites that have anything to do with the American Revolution, so we were really excited to discover something new. Although the tickets are a bit pricier (thank goodness for the military discount though!) there is a LOT to do there. Honestly, we easily could have spent an entire weekend just at the museum and I sort of wish we'd had that chance. The entire place is set up to be like a colonial town with many buildings original to the property. The employees are all in costume and talk to you like they really are from the 18th century. Many of the buildings on the museum property are actually private homes, so you have the unique experience of getting to walk around the town and admire the beautiful colonial architecture from the brick sidewalks. There's a historical church that holds services every Sunday and everything. 

While there we were able to visit the apothecary (like a colonial pharmacy), the brickyard (where we learned how to make bricks!), the blacksmith, the cooper, the town powder magazine, some gardens, the coffeehouse, the governor's palace, and more. We had lunch in a restaurant that was set up just like an 18th century tavern with servers in costume and everything. The food was delicious and our server often stopped by to give us a history lesson. We learned that I would be considered a spinster at 21 if I weren't married and that kitchen fires killed more women than childbirth during that time. That's why men wanted to keep their wives "barefoot and pregnant"--if they weren't wearing shoes they'd be able to feel the heat of the fire much easier and stay away from it. We met another military couple at lunch as well. They were so friendly and interested in our story. It's really cool that we can go places and instantly have some sort of connection with people just because we're military. 

Unfortunately, the heavens opened up around 4:30, so we ended our visit a bit sooner than we had anticipated. We did have an umbrella, but it's small and the rain was coming down so hard that it didn't help that much. Nevertheless, we had a great day. We even stopped by the gift shop to pick up more than a postcard, Mom! AJ bought a little cannon for his desk one day and I picked out a little decorative dish in addition to my postcard.

For some reason the GPS wanted to take us home via the back roads, so we enjoyed a beautiful ride through the Virginia countryside while listening to another couple chapters of The Heavenly Man. It was the perfect end to our day.

On Sunday we went to church and Bible study as usual and got to know the Bible study leader and his wife a bit better. He's also a quartermaster, and his wife interprets in ASL for the Deaf man in our study. I enjoy glancing at her occasionally and seeing what words I recognize. She's really talented. She felt really sad for us when I told her we'll have to live apart for about 8 months already, but then she just shrugged and said, "It's the Army life! Even though it stinks." And it is. It's much easier for me to think about the imminent separations when I'm standing before a woman who's endured multiple deployments and will probably be going through another one. I'm so not alone here when it comes to being separated from my husband, and that has helped me so much. It makes me sad to know that I'll lose this unique support system and environment when I have to go back to Illinois, but I know that I'll gain another great one--my civilian friends and family. I only wish AJ had the same, but being with other soldiers will help I'm sure. It's hard to think about leaving next month, but when I think about what other women in my situation have done and I trust that I'll be with my husband again one day, it's not so isolating or sad.

This week's recap.

We haven't done anything too interesting this week, but I thought I'd sum up some of the highlights.


AJ's continuing with pre-ranger PT and seems to be doing really well thus far. They ruck on Fridays, and this morning he came home with a red, raw patch on his back where the ruck rubs against his skin. It looked pretty painful, and we still don't have any first aid supplies in our apartment so I couldn't help patch him up. :/ I guess I'll be making a trip to the PX for a first aid kit or some moleskin so we can prevent that in the future.


AJ's also continuing his efforts to gain weight, which means he eats pretty much nonstop. Really, he probably has to eat that much just to keep up with all the calories he burns in PT and hand-to-hand combat training. This week I've even driven to ALU to drop off more snacks for him on his lunch break. After lunch he always asks me what we have for snacks, and when I tell him he tells me he's already eaten all those things today. I'm definitely busy trying to come up with new snack options and just plain keeping food in our apartment.


It's been kind of a long week for AJ due to extra homework, hand-to-hand combat training (aka combatives), and an unexpected event on post on Wednesday night. On Wednesday we woke up late at night to someone pounding on our door and ringing our doorbell incessantly. It was pretty confusing and we couldn't think of who it would be and why. It turns out that it was AJ's class leader, who had been trying to call AJ but his phone was off (I've been telling him for a long time that he should leave his phone on at night!). The class instructor needed 100% accountability for every soldier immediately, which meant AJ had to personally locate everyone in his squad. I rode with him to a different apartment complex to check on a soldier who doesn't live where everyone else does, and we didn't get to bed again until 12:30am. AJ only got maybe 4.5 hours of sleep that night. That night we found out from the class leader that a suicide had been reported, so apparently the protocol is to locate every single soldier associated with Fort Lee to prevent any other harm. It's clear that the Army is stepping up and taking suicide very seriously, as it's a significant problem in the military. That tragedy has been weighing really heavily on my heart, even though we don't know the person who died. As someone who is not unfamiliar with suicide, I am deeply grieved for the soldier and their family. I don't understand why God continues to allow this issue to be an unusually prevalent part of my life or why he doesn't take away the pain of my personal experiences. I just know that he creates beautiful things out of very ugly tragedies.


As luck would have it, Thursday was a very, very long day. AJ left at 6am and didn't return until 9pm because he had combatives training after class. Of course that was also the one day that I didn't have plans to meet up with someone or go anywhere, so I was really lonely by the time he came home. I haven't seen him all day today either, but thankfully I was able to go out with another wife this afternoon. We had a really good time as always. I'm so thankful to have met her.


No plans for tonight, but hopefully we're going to visit Williamsburg tomorrow. I'm really excited for more sightseeing!

Exploring the local history.

On Friday I explored the closest mall with an Army wife friend of mine for a little while. Truth be told, there's not too much in that mall that interests me except for a couple decent department stores. I've heard that there's a nicer mall somewhere a little farther away, though, so perhaps someday we'll try again. Regardless, it was nice to go somewhere new for a change, and it's not like I do much shopping anyway.


At seven AJ's class leader wanted to take us out to dinner to get to know us a bit, so we went to the Italian restaurant that's very close by. It was a bit more of a business dinner than something to do just for fun, but I still enjoyed getting to know C better and it's always a treat when someone wants to buy you dinner. 


On Saturday the weather was finally decent enough for us to visit Pamplin Historical Park, a museum I had actually visited on a family vacation when I was my sister's age. I remembered loving it when I was about twelve so I was really hoping that it would be just as great the second time. And it was! Brief history lesson: Petersburg was under siege up until the end of the Civil War. The Confederate Army was focused on defending their supply lines in and around the area where we live, which was crucial to continuing the war. The Confederates constructed trenches and earthworks all around the city to keep the Union Army from capturing it. The Union Army eventually decided to try to capture Petersburg in April 1865, and they outnumbered the Confederates defending Petersburg 5 to 1. The Union soldiers charged right over the defenses the Confederates had built and chased them all around the area, eventually raising the American flag over Petersburg. General Lee surrendered at Appomatox Courthouse (very close to us) just a couple days later.


We started our visit to the museum with the inside exhibit, where you learn about different aspects of life as a Civil War soldier through headphones. At the beginning you pick a real soldier to follow throughout the exhibit, and you hear about their experiences in the war until the end, where you learn their fate. Both of our soldiers died of disease during the war. :( After you go through that exhibit you can tour the grounds, which are set up to be like they were during the war. You can visit slave quarters, a farmhouse original to the property, a reproduced Confederate winter camp, and the original earthworks where the battle took place. We also saw a rifle demonstration, where they teach you all the steps it took to fire a Civil War rifle and actually end up firing it for you.


The day was unbelievably humid and periodically rainy, but we still had a great time. AJ the soldier loved learning about the Civil War as much as I did and we got to appreciate the history that happened right where we live. 


That night we went out for sushi with J and R, which was fun as always. R and I laughed about our fears that we're going to end up running or driving into some top secret gate when we're out and about on post by ourselves. That's when J told us that the Army tries really hard to make families feel at home on post, so no one would purposely intimidate us or make us feel uncomfortable. Here's an example: Soldiers aren't allowed to run with headphones on post, but the MPs and other soldiers are very careful not to bother anyone who looks like they might be family. Post doesn't always feel very home-y to me, because it's clearly an Army base, but the more time I spend there by myself the less intimidated I am by the military. I'm learning that people in the Army actually have a lot of respect for us family members and know that without our sacrifice and support we wouldn't have the Army that we do in the U.S. I really appreciate the way the Army acknowledges and respects me as a wife. It's not always overt respect, but I can tell nonetheless.


This morning we went to church and Bible study again, which we like a lot. Our Bible study has a great mix of military and non-military, and it's funny to hear military members use the lingo accidentally or poke fun at themselves. It seems that there are Army people transitioning in and out of the group pretty often, so we're definitely not alone. Last week the JAG commander for Fort Lee was there (AJ knew him because he gave a UCMJ briefing) and today we found out that one of the leaders is a Major and a Quartermaster like AJ. He has been instrumental in making us feel at home and even suggested we have lunch with him and his wife sometime. AJ and I are by far the youngest members of the group, but we actually really appreciate learning from couples who are older and more experienced than we are. We spend so much time with people in their 20s that we think it's healthy to be in a Bible study for more middle-aged couples. People still ask us all the time if we have kids, though! I mean, I know that it's common to have children at our age in the military, but it's really strange to get asked that when we look so young and just got married!




Now we're just hanging around the apartment for a change. AJ has a group project meeting tonight, and I'd really love to just chill today for once, but I'm thinking we need to get started on our wedding album so as not to worry my mother. ;) Peace out from Petersburg.

Just a small update.

Although we haven't done anything super newsworthy yet this week, I thought I'd share a few small tidbits of news for our family members out there. :)


Yesterday I met AJ for lunch at the ALU (Army Logistics University) for the first time. It was his idea for me to come and see where he spends his time every day, and I'm really glad I went. A lot of the soldiers go home for lunch, so it gets pretty busy around there by 11:45. We decided to grab some Subway from the cafeteria and ate with a few of AJ's classmates whom I hadn't met yet. It was definitely a different environment for me--I was one of just three people in civilian clothing in the entire cafeteria and I'm definitely not used to hanging out with a bunch of men, some of whom don't seem quite as motivated to clean up their language around wives (in my experience, most of the soldiers I've met are super polite around me though). One mentioned going to Afghanistan in January; it's crazy to know that he already knows his deployment date. That made things a bit more real to me. 


I could see what AJ means about seeing so many international soldiers around; we spotted uniforms from Croatia, Saudi Arabia, Poland, and more. After lunch he showed me the classrooms he spends time in, and when we stepped outside I got to watch as the enlisted soldiers saluted him and called him "sir". That was pretty cool. The more time I spend here, especially around the enlisted soldiers, the prouder I am to be an officer's wife.


I still spend my days cleaning up the apartment, grocery shopping, running, and crossing other things off my to-do list such as thank you notes, changing the name on my passport, brushing up on my Spanish, etc. I actually keep pretty busy all day so I'm never sitting around bored or lonely.


AJ's been learning about food service so far this week. They went on a small field trip to the field kitchens on post, where the privates are training to cook. He's been all excited and informative about food safety and nutrition since his briefing yesterday, which it seems he was fairly interested in. Each evening I hear about which instructors he liked and which ones talk too much, along with what exactly they lectured about. I'm really proud of him for how seriously he takes his training and how well he leads his squad. I don't think I should say much about what goes on in the squad, but I have been able to see much more of my husband's great heart, leadership skills, and willingness to be an advocate for people. 


Finally, AJ had pre-ranger PT for the first time this morning. He and one other soldier maxed on the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test), so technically they don't need to go to PT at all. However, they both want to challenge themselves so they go to pre-ranger PT together. This PT gets soldiers ready for Ranger School, which is pretty much just one notch below Special Forces with how intense it is. The school lasts two months, and it equips soldiers to be in the Ranger Regiment, which again is very similar to Special Forces. If AJ passes all the different tests, he'll most likely get a spot to Ranger School. Not sure yet if I really want him to go due to its intensity and the time we'd have to spend apart (it would probably use up his leave time after BOLC), but we'll see if he gets a spot and cross that bridge when we get there. I still want to support him in whatever excites him, even if it's not so fun for me at first, so we both agree that Ranger School is a possibility and that we'll pray about it before ruling it out. One of the best parts about being married is making decisions together finally.


Anyway, this form of PT was definitely the challenge he was looking for. He made it through, but he said he felt sick from exhaustion towards the end. He also woke up late and dressed in the dark, which resulted in him wearing two different shoes! Thankfully they get to wear their civvies to Ranger PT so he wasn't out of uniform or anything. Poor guy ;)

There are flying squirrels in Richmond.

The ACUs and PT uniform are all washed and we're gearing up for a new week. The guys had to go to work all day on Friday for a regimental run and training in mortuary affairs (not my favorite), so I got some things done at home before meeting up with J again for some girl time. We decided to go to Starbucks for some iced tea before heading down to the pool to enjoy it. It was the perfect treat for another sweltering sunny day. The quickest way to Starbucks was actually through Fort Lee, so I got the new experience of driving on post and using my Army ID for the first time. They want IDs for everyone in the car, not just the driver, so it felt pretty legit to be a couple of Army wives just driving through post with our shiny IDs. We waved to the ALU (Army Logistics University) where our husbands were as we drove by.


AJ and W came home from training on the early side (they carpool so J can have a car), so we texted them to meet us down by the pool. We had a short double date of just hanging out in the pool before we wives decided it was time to start dinner (they always come home so hungry!). I sent AJ down to grill our dinner of lemon chicken, which turned out delicious. Excited to pass down that great recipe to generations of Ullrichs to come. :)


On Saturday AJ went back on post to take care of some errands, and then we just kind of lounged around inside to escape the heat. At five we met up with W and J again for a Richmond Flying Squirrels minor league baseball game. It's only a 30 minute drive to Richmond, and the tickets for the front section were super cheap. As soon as we walked into the stadium a man pulled our husbands aside and asked them if they'd like to be a part of a game after the first inning. Of course my husband couldn't say no to that and W was just as excited! The point of the game was to compete in making the most baskets in a basketball hoop, and they were connected with a bungee cord so they had to pull on each other to get to their respective basketballs. W is a bit bigger than AJ, so my poor husband was struggling against his weight. But they tied, each with two baskets! J and I were laughing so hard at the sight.


The rest of the game was pretty hot, yet a lot of fun. W and J are a great couple and we're so glad they invited us along on their date night. Oh, and the Flying Squirrels won 6-1. :)


On Sunday we went to church with the same couple we celebrated Fourth of July with. AJ and I agreed right away that this is the church we want to be a part of while we're here. We felt so welcomed there--everyone was super friendly and we were taken under the wing of one man right away. I guess we're obviously not from around here. Al, the man who made it his mission to help us feel welcome, introduced us to the pastor and his wife and immediately connected us with a Bible study, which we stayed for after the service. We were immediately recognized as military by just about everyone (must be our age and the haircuts!). Another Army wife introduced herself to me right away at the Bible study; her husband is on a one-year deployment in Korea right now. The entire church is clearly Gospel-centered and extremely welcoming; you can tell they are used to people like us and care a lot about us even though they know we can't stay very long. I'm so thankful for those people.


Fun fact, courtesy of Al: Supposedly some of the wealthiest people in VA live somewhere in Petersburg. The rest of the town, he says, consists largely of places you shouldn't go at night. I guess we can understand the places you shouldn't go at night (although our apartment complex is very very nice and not one of those places) and are now curious about this fancy part of town. I'd love to hear more about what the locals think about our surroundings. I'm still of the opinion that Petersburg may have fallen on hard times, yet I'm still happy to live here and don't ever feel unsafe when I'm out as long as I don't run anywhere off the main road.




We had lunch at Panera after church, where we actually ran into the two couples we went to church with last week. Since then we've had kind of a lazy day since I was really tired for some reason. We got all four of our packages from Mom Ullrich and are especially excited for our Arby's sauce! Thanks so much!! Now to find a place to store everything...that, along with my first solo trip to the commissary, will be tomorrow's project. :)