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.