Back in Good Ole' Georgia

Well I have been home almost three weeks now and its defiantly nice to be back in the states.

I have enjoyed eating wonderful American food, catching up with friends and family, attending my college classes back on campus, and my OB here. I am looking forward to spending the holidays at home and getting settled into our new location: Ft. Campbell, Kentucky before Miss. Paisley makes her way into the world.

Since I have been home I got to witness mine and my husband’s dear friends give birth to their handsome baby boy, Peyton, this week. WOW...what an experience to say the least. I have to say being at the hospital, holding him minutes after he was born, watching them going through the first few days of parenting, settling back into their home, and recovering from the delivery has been an EYE OPENER for me. I cannot believe we are going to be experiencing those things in just 3 short months.

My friend has been such a champ and after a hard delivery she is recovering bravely! I have enjoyed spending so much time with them these past few days and watching what we will soon be experiencing. The whole process has been a wonderful learning opportunity for me and makes me excited, yet very nervous at the same time. I am so excited for them and proud of how well they are adapting to this new lifestyle of parenting.

I am officially 6 months (24 weeks) pregnant this week and feel great! I am working out with a personal trainer, going to school full-time, and enjoying time with family before we are off again. So far I have had zero complications in my pregnancy and I am praying hard that things continue to stay that way.

I couldn’t be more thankful that God has protected Paisley and I through this pregnancy so far and I am in awe of his wonderful grace. I honestly never in a million years thought I would have such an easy pregnancy (due to my previous health conditions), let alone get pregnant so easily. The whole experience has really really moved me and has allowed me to realize (even more) how powerful, wonderful and faithful God truly is. He has not only healed me from thyroid cancer and cervical cancer, but also blessed me with a child and allowed me to have an easier pregnancy than I could of ever wished for. He amazes me every day of my life and I continue to thank Him daily for these amazing blessings.

Now that I am settled in and the shock of being home has faded away I am beginning to miss my husband a lot. Spending the last seven months together in a foreign country with no family has truly brought us closer than we have ever been before. He truly is my best friend and he makes me smile in ways that no one else can. I cannot wait to have him home so he can also enjoy time with family and friends and continue to enjoy this pregnancy with me.

I cannot believe that October is almost over, Halloween is next week, and that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. WOW-where did the time go? This year has flown by and my husband and I have been through so many amazing changes. I am ready to enjoy these last two months of 2011 and welcome in 2012 with our precious baby girl-Paisley!

Let baby showers, turkey eating, family visiting, marshmallow roasting, hot chocolate drinking, moving, nursery designing, Christmas trees, and holiday shopping begin! =)

20 Weeks Down, 20 Weeks To Go!

Well I officially made it to the "half way point" in pregnancy. Last week Colt and I celebrated 20 weeks of pregnancy with weight gain, ultrasound pictures, and experiencing the "first kick" that he actually had the privilege of feeling! This made me so excited because I have been praying hard that he would get to feel Paisley kick before I moved back to the states. We are so thankful to have made it this far and I cannot believe I only have 5 months to go!

I feel like yesterday I found out I was pregnant and couldn’t wait until I started showing and knew what we were having. Now, I am starting to look like a pumpkin, her name is Paisley, her room colors are pink & green, my In-Laws are buying the crib, Mom is buying the $300 super safe and adjustable car seat, Dad/Jean are buying a 6 month supply of diapers, we already have more clothes than you can imagine, and the baby showers are only 2 months away-WHEW!!! And all of that is ONLY the beginning...time sure does FLY!!

In the past few weeks Paisley has truly started to amaze me. She is becoming more active, moving more, kicking some, and almost weighs 1 pound! As far as my body goes I am showing full fledge signs of pregnancy! My stomach is getting bigger every day, I have pee'd my pants more times than I can count, I walk slower, I finally got my appetite back, I can’t get comfortable to go to sleep at night, and so many more INAPPROPRIATE things that I can’t even begin to mention on here. Man-oh-man the joy of pregnancy! ;)

I must say though it truly is a J.O.Y to be the nurturing home of a tiny little child growing safely inside of me. I am more amazed everyday at what the body can do and endure. I have to say that I think making it through pregnancy and delivering a child will probably be one of my greatest accomplishments throughout my life. Why? Well because any mom or mom-to-be can tell you that it's tough work! As hard as it is I defiantly have to say that this experience is TOTALLY WORTH it and I couldn’t be more thankful to have the opportunity to be a mom, carry, and birth a precious child!

Here are some 20 week ultrasound pictures...Enjoy!

Ultrasound #1

Ultrasound #2

Ultraound #3

5 Month Belly Picture

It's Fall Yall!

Well fall is defiantly in the air here in Korea and it makes me even more excited about going home in 29 days!

Korea's fall is very short lived and it pretty much goes straight from summer to winter here. Knowing I will be back in Buford, Georgia in just a few short weeks brings joy to my heart for so many reasons. Fall is my FAVORITE time of year and I am so glad that I will get to enjoy it just a little bit longer once I get home. I love fall for so many reasons: cool breezes, colors of the leaves, Starbuck's, enjoying Holiday festivities with friends and family, boots and coats, snuggling on the couch, pumpkin patches, hay rides, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and now to add to the list FOOTBALL. Yes, I said it. Those who know me well know that I love to go to football games, tail gate, gather with friends, but I truly DONT KNOW the game of football...until now!

My husband and I go on breakfast dates every Saturday morning at the golf course. We love doing this and now our breakfast date has turned into breakfast and watching football dates! Considering the time difference here in Korea is 13 hours, when everyone is watching football at home at night we are watching it in the mornings! Colt has been coaching me at the breakfast tables by laying out sugar packets and explaining the whole game to me in detail. I am really starting to catch on and LOVE that I am beginning to truly understand the game. So this fall I am excited about football for more than just tailgating and hanging out with friends, but actually knowing what the heck I'm watching. Colt strongly desires for me to be his awesome sidekick wife that is shouting at the TV with him while drinking beers-HA! I don’t know if I will ever get that far Honey, but I am trying. ;)

Paisley is growing fast! I can feel a ton of differences in my stomach. Stretching, movements, heaviness, etc. that I have never felt before. My stomach is popping more and more everyday and I'm still waiting to feel that first real kick. Considering I am flying back to the states October 6th I truly desire for Colt to feel her kick before I leave. We will be a part for 2-3 months and he won’t see me again until I am 8 or 9 months pregnant and about to pop! We have a few more doctors’ appointments and ultrasounds together before I leave so we are trying to soak up every moment. Here is the most recent baby bump picture. I am 18 weeks pregnant here:

Here is Paisley at her last ultrasound. She is 16 weeks here and I am amazed at how clearly you can see everything. Her nose, mouth, ribs, heart, etc.:

My Prayer for You...

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

Paisley Maddox Ours

16 Week Ultrasound

4 Months Belly

I can't explain the excitement I felt when I heard the ultrasound tech say "Well I defiantly think you are having a little girl." I threw my arms up in the arm and screamed "yay!" with a huge smile on my face.

Moments before my husband looked at me before we walked into the doctor’s office and said, "Are you ready?" with a big smile on his face and grabbed my hand. We walked into the doctor’s office together anticipating the news we were soon to find out in the next few minutes. The whole experience was so exciting.

What mom wouldn’t be excited? A little girl to dress up, shop for, get your nails done with, prom dress shop one day, wedding dress shop for one day, and all the other fun things that come with having a girl. Soon after the TRUE reality set in: I now had the responsibility of raising a precious girl as a bride of Christ. I guess every parent has their own opinion on which is harder: raising a boy to love the Lord or raising a girl to Love the lord? I guess I would have to say that both would probably be difficult, but teaching a little girl to treasure herself and respect herself I believe will be a challenge.

I want Paisley to know that God loves her so very much and that he made her perfectly. I want her to know that he treasures her and desires for her to have a full life of abundance and grace. I also want her to know that God wants her to one day to find someone special who looks at her the exact same way and who will treasure her in every way.

It's scary because Colt & I are not stupid and have made plenty of our own mistakes throughout life and have seen some things that we defiantly wished we wouldn’t have. We aren't ignorant of all the temptations out there and the way teenagers and kids experiment and get into things. I think more than anything is that we are aware that she will make mistakes and have to learn some lessons on her own and that we will be there to guide and teach her according to God's will along the way. You don’t want to be too strict yet you don’t want to be to lenient. So many decisions and so many things to figure out...

This is why I have been praying for her since before I ever knew I was pregnant. I have been praying for our future children since Colt and I got engaged. My daily prayer is that God will protect her physically, mentally, and emotionally all the days of her life. I pray she will come to know God at an early age and that He will guide her everyday of her life. I pray that when she does stagger, fall, and fail that God will pick her up and she will find her way back to the righteous path He has for her. Finally, I pray that God guides Colt and I on making decisions, teaching our children, and being the best parents we possibly can be. Because not only will she fail but we will fail to...

I know that God is faithful and in the times that Colt and I have no control over a situation or when her life is no longer in our hands that God will guide her and will be in control. We trust in Him.

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me,O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" -Psalm 139:13-18

The Last 16 Weeks!

I cannot believe how fast the last 4 months have flown by. In just the last few weeks I have popped out like a balloon, felt those little flutters of the baby moving, received our first pair of baby clothes and accessories, and in just 3 short days we will find out the sex of our baby!

This month is the first time in my pregnancy I TRULY feel pregnant. I’m sure all moms or moms-to-be know what I am talking about. You know you are pregnant...you see the ultrasounds, read all the books, feel awful, talk about the baby, dream about the baby, and know that there will one day be a baby! BUT it wasn’t until this month that it all finally feels like a reality to me and not just something I talk about. Actually being able to see my stomach grow and feel my baby inside of me (even though the movements are so tiny and faint) is indescribable and surreal. Then to top it all off to know that in just a few short days I will FINALLY be calling my child by name is so exciting!

I was talking to my husband the other night in total panic mode saying, "This is real. I am having a baby. There really is a baby inside of me. I don't even know this person, but I know that I already love this child more than anything in this world." My husband just calmly says (like he always does just so calm without a care in the world) "Well yes honey, our child is defiantly inside of you and we are having a baby." Ha! Men they just crack me up. I think more than anything I just finally had one of those days where everything truly sank in and hit me like a ton of bricks. My pregnancy finally feels real and I am LOVING every second of it.

6 weeks

6 weeks 4 days

8 weeks 5 days

13 weeks

13 weeks 4 days

Baby On Board

I have been behind on updating my blog and haven't even had the time to blog about our newest addition and most wonderful blessing....a baby! Yes, we are 13 weeks pregnant with a precious child. I cannot even begin to explain the joy in my heart as well astonishment of the whole situation. I say astonishment for many reasons.

First, I never ever thought I could get pregnant so easily or quickly considering all of the health issues I have faced over the past five years. Thyroid cancer in 2007, abnormal cells followed by biopsy in 2008, and then more abnormal cells followed by actual surgery on my cervix only a short year ago in July 2011. I must say God truly had is hand in this and has amazed me as usual. Second, due to my health Colt and I decided we would leave things in Gods hands and just enjoy our time together. We never imagined just a short month after I arrived in Korea we would find out I was pregnant! Third, because we are going to be PARENTS! What is not astonishing and scary about that?Your first baby, first miracle, first life that you made, first biggest responsibility you will ever have, first everything!

Never the less God amazed us both and we quickly became parents a lot sooner than we could of ever imagined. JOY is all I feel when I think about our baby. BLESSED is all I say when people ask about our child and when I pray over our baby daily. Some couples try for years to have kids and go through tons of heart ache, doctors bills, and operations to try and have kids everyday. Because God granted us this blessing I remind myself everyday that I want to honor Him and raise this child to the best of my ability and with my eyes set on Him as I do it. Sure I will fail, sure I will struggle, sure some days I wont know the answers but I trust in Him. I cannot wait to experience the biggest yet most rewarding challenge I have ever faced.

Busy Busy Bee

Life has been super busy over here in the ROK. We have been spending our weekends traveling, hanging out with friends, cooking out, and just plain ole’ relaxing!

Last weekend Colt completed the Manchu Mile. This is an annual march that all guys in Manchu 2-9 participate in. The guys started Thursday afternoon between 4pm-5pm and marched until 5am Friday morning. The march is a total of 25 miles. Colts Company (Baker Company) was the only company to complete the march with NO GUYS falling out. I was very proud of my husband and his company.

Now that we are coming up on our six month mark of being in Korea we received a list of all the available duty stations we could go to next. We had to make a decision over the weekend of which duty station we wanted to try and get on the list. We couldn't decide between Ft. Campbell, KY and Ft. Stewart, GA so we emailed the guy back and told him we would go with either or. Both are very close to home and both have equal pros and cons. So, in the next couple of months we should know where we will be stationed next! I'm very nervous/excited to find out.

I can’t believe July 3rd we will only have six months left in Korea! Time is flying by and I am so thankful for the changes God has been doing in my life. Throughout my time in Korea God has been revealing to me things about my life, past, and future. I have done tons of self-observation and God is slowly starting to refine me even more than He already has. God also answered our prayers by finally allowing us to find a church home here in Korea that we truly love. I couldn’t be more thankful.

I am truly amazed at the way God works. He puts the puzzle pieces of life together in perfectly. In only 3 short months He has put wonderful people in our lives and allowed us to cross paths with other believers. Also, God has opened up amazing opportunities and learning experiences for me here in Korea.

Two of these opportunists include jobs! About a month after I arrived in Korea I found a wonderful full-time nanny job for a dual military couple. I watch their son, Jackson, Monday-Friday from 5:30am-5:30pm. I am so thankful for the job and love the family I nanny for. I was so thankful for this job and didn’t realize that God was going to bless me yet again. A couple of weeks ago I got my hair done by an amazing hair dresser here in Korea. She has an adorable salon, wonderful personality, tons of experience and we just clicked! She was so impressed by my previous salon experience and apprenticeship that she offered me a job as her Salon Coordinator. So now I not only nanny Mon-Friday but I also work Tuesday and Thursdays and Grey's Hair Studio.

I cannot explain how amazing it feels to be back in the salon. I LOVE planning, scheduling, organizing, interacting with the clients, being creative, brow waxing, and having my arms elbow deep in color. I have missed the atmosphere, fun, and people so much! Not only did God bless me with this second job, but the opportunity to meet wonderful people at the salon.

An example of how God fits the pieces together perfectly: When I first meet Grey I went to her Salon to get my hair done. Not only did she offer me a job, but her husband is the chaplain at Camp Hoovey. Through her and her husband we found our new church home here in Korea and I joined the bible study she leads on Wednesdays! So man doors opened up that day when I sat in her chair and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Overall, life is great here in Korea! I am excited about the next six months, but I am defiantly excited about getting back to the states as well!

We Put in a Pass!

Two weekends ago Colt put in a pass (a pass is where Colt can go wherever he would like without worrying about getting a re-call and having to rush back to post) so we took full advantage!

Saturday morning we went White Water Rafting Tubing (Ha!) in Korea. They call it white water rafting but compared to what we have in the states we decided they should call the trip "tubing" instead. Although we were disappointed about the rapids we still had an awesome time. I didn’t realize South Korea actually had beautiful scenery until that day. The mountains, flowers, and water were beautiful. Half way through our tour we stopped and they allowed everyone to get out and jump off a rock into the river. Chrissy, Niki, and I decided we would take on the challenge. Although I am happy I can look back and say "I did it!” I didn’t enjoy the experience at the time. I never knew that water could literally take your breath AWAY! When I came up out of the water I was gasping for breath and couldn’t breath for a GOOD 10-15 seconds. I have never felt water so cold! Good thing I had on a life jacket or a seriously think I would have drowned, but it was F.U.N-ha!

Saturday night we took the train down to City Hall (a couple stops before Seoul) and the Boyer's introduced us to a little spot where they have ALL AMERICAN RESTURANTS. Now to most of you this might not sound very exciting, but when the only American food you see or eat is the food you cook in your house an American Restaurant is heaven! After the hard decision between Outback, TGIF, and California Pizza Kitchen we decided to go with TGIF. Needless to say I ate my hamburger and French fries in fewer than five minutes, had two strawberry daiquiris, and then decided to treat myself to 4 Krispy Kreme doughnuts after dinner. It was a good night. =)

Cool Building in City Hall

Korean's are obsessed with Hello Kitty so much that they even have Hello Kitty doughnuts! Seriously?

We spent the night at Dragon Hill Lodge (a hotel on another American base called Yongsan in Seoul) Saturday night. We enjoy staying at this hotel because it’s very in expensive, all military, on an American post, and it's very nice. Here is the landscape behind the hotel.

Sunday morning we woke up and enjoyed MORE AMERICAN FOOD! I had pancakes, biscuits & gravy, sausage, and more! After that we headed to Seoul Land (aka Korea's six flags) and we had a blast! Although there were only 3 big roller coasters we still had fun enjoying all the kids’ rides and obstacle courses once we got done with all the "big kid" rides.

Front of Seoul Land

The Boys

 HaHa-This picture of Colt is priceless. He wasn't very happy about this ride!

The Girls

So STRONG!

After a very LONG and FUN day!



As you are walking into Seoul Land there are vendors lined up on both sides of the street selling different types of foods. One thing I can defiantly say about Korea is they eat some CRAZY and NASTY foods. Jones and Chrissy decided to be daring and try the nasty bugs:

This is not a joke....they literally have bowls of bugs (not sure what kind) soaking in some sort of boiling hot liquid being sold on the side of the street. Jones and Chrissy said they were disgusting and almost threw up, yet the Koreans were walking around with them in cups eating them like candy! Nasty!

Overall I would say it was almost a perfect weekend...why almost? Well because this is what I had to use the restroom in all weekend:

Public restrooms in Korea are a bowl in the floor! You have to straddle the bowl and squat to use the restroom...all without touching the nasty wall or falling over.

What can I say: "You gotta love Korea!" =)

Korean BBQ

Recently some friends took Colt and I to Korean BBQ. We had a blast!

You walk into the restaurant and take your shoes off at the door. Then, you sit on pillows on the floor at a really short table. You order the type of meet you want and they put coals into small fires that are inside the table. Once the fire is ready to go and you have your drinks the server brings out TONS of food. You literally cannot sit anything on the table because of all the sides, vegetables, and sauces. You take your meat and cook it in the middle of the table over the fire. The food was awesome and there were also some very interesting sides we tried.

Cooking the meat.

All of the sides, veggies, and sauces! This is only HALF of the table. SO much food.

This was a really neat experience. I loved how authentic the food was and experience of sitting on the floor. I have to admit sitting at the table with no shoes was pretty awkward at first. Defiantly not what we are used to in the USA! The word "BBQ" is very deceiving in Korea and not the BBQ we are used to back at home.



Soyo-san Mountain

One of our first Adventures in South Korea was climbing Soyo-san Mountain with friends. Soyo Mountain is the large ridgeline of peaks that tower over Camp Casey located adjacent to the Korean city of Dongducheon. The mountain is approximately 11 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Although Soyo Mountain is relatively small, only standing 587m tall, it is covered by a lush forest, and dotted by waterfalls and peaks.

This is all of us at one of the first check points.

At the next check point you could literally see all of Camp Casey. It was really cool, yet scary that the whole base can be seen from this mountain.

Colt & I once we reached the top!

Being adventurous and brave! Ha! Sitting on the edge of the mountain!

Blessed Beyond Measure

God has really been revealing a lot to me lately. He reminds me in little ways every day how blessed I am. I am blessed to have a wonderful Father in Heaven, husband, family, and friends. I am blessed to almost be done with my college education. I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to move around and experience the world.

Most people would say moving around the world is not a blessing, but I strongly disagree. Yes, culture is very different in Korea. Yes, we don’t have a car to drive and spend AT LEAST $10 a day on a taxi. Yes, we're millions of miles away from our family and friends. Yes, regaining strong friendships can be tough. There are tons of setbacks and things that aren’t exactly the way we would like them, but we have been given an opportunity that most people dream of.

In my opinion you learn more about education and life through traveling and experiencing the world then you could ever learn sitting in a class room. I believe there is something authentic about actually being somewhere in the moment and seeing life through your own eyes, hearing a new language through your own ears, and tasting new foods with your own mouth. The knowledge and wisdom I feel that I am gaining through being in a different country is inspiring.

Sure, at some point down the road Colt and I will desire to settle down in one place, enjoy family and friends every day, and raise our kids in one central location, but for now I think we should soak up all the experience we can get. I have lived in the same place my whole life and I have been lucky enough to spend time with my family and best friends everyday all day, and although I miss them so very much I am content with where I am. I am content and feel blessed beyond measure to have been given this opportunity and to experience it with my best friend and love of my life.

The way I look at it is Korea is just a season. These nine months are a short season to experience culture, art, life, food, scenery, and so much more! Although nine months might seem like forever the truth is this time will fly by. So, I accept this situation whole heartedly and instead of frowning upon it I see this season as a blessing full of opportunity, soul searching, and growth. Those three things make me thankful!

God amazes me every single day! When situations arise and times get tough Colt and I will just look at each other and say a simple prayer and ask God to provide. Over the past couple of months and weeks he has truly provided for our every need. He has answered every single prayer and once again I just feel blessed. I am thankful we have that faith to just remember that our life and needs are in greater hands!

Update on Korea:

Things are great so far. I am truly enjoying my time here with my husband and in this new place. I truly believe we make the best out of Korea every day. We get out a lot and explore and do fun things. If we aren’t out and about we usually have friends over or just wind down and relax for awhile.

We love our apartment and it's FINALLY starting to feel like a home. We recently got a flat screen TV, mattress pad (Korean beds are really hard), extra bedroom set, kitchen appliances, and more! Things are starting to come together.

Over the last two weeks we have been to Korean BBQ, out with friends in the Ville, rode the train to Uijongbu for some shopping, and went to the underground mall.

In the next few months we plan on visiting the zoo, visiting a couple of beach's in Korea, doing some more hiking, skiing, white water rafting, city tours, FINALLY taking our honeymoon, and more...

I have to admit we are sad about spending Easter this Sunday without our amazing church and family, but of course we are making the best out of it. We plan on trying out a new church and then having some of the families, single soldiers, and soldiers that don’t have their families here over for dinner! One thing we strive to do is put a smile on our friend’s faces who don’t have family here.

Overall, we are blessed and couldn’t be more thankful!

Week One in the ROK

Here is the detailed schedule my friends at home have been requesting. Enjoy!

Well I am here in the ROK (Republic of Korea) and things are great so far. I arrived Saturday afternoon and was greeted by Colt and his friends at the airport.

Colt came with two of his friends and a Katusa-a Katusa is a Korean translator that is in the Army. We rode a bus to another base in Seoul, Korea that was halfway between the airport and Camp Casey. The hotel was called Dragon Lodge and was very nice.

Saturday night the guys took me out into Seoul and we went to different bars. I had a great time and it was awesome getting to see the city. One of the bars was called "Monkey Beach" and was down in the basement of a building. They mainly played techno music, but also played popular rap as well.

Saturday morning we woke up and took the bus to Camp Casey. Colt and I got a hotel Sunday night about 5 minutes from base. The technology so far in Korea is crazy. Everything in the hotel was remote controlled operated or motion censored.

Sunday afternoon the guys took me to the Ville. The Ville is a place in-between Camp Casey and New City. There are different bars, shops, and restaurants in the Ville. The train station is also very close to the Ville as well. We ate at a restaurant in the Ville and I ordered a dish called "Spicy Bagogi" with white rice. Well, I thought I was getting chicken but it ended up being beef and to make a long story short I couldn’t eat it. The way it looked was weird and freaked me out-ha! So thankfully my awesome husband switched with me and I ate his seafood pasta which was great!

Sunday night Colt and I just relaxed at the hotel, watched movies, and went to bed. The shower in the hotel was awesome because it had 3 settings: 1-water only came out of the retractable hose, 2-water only came out from your neck down (this is so smart because you no longer have to wear a cap over your hair not to get it wet), 3-water came out of the top of the shower. I loved it. We will defiantly invest in one of those in our home back in the states. I thought I was smart and had beat jet lag but 4am rolled around and I was WIDE awake. I could not go back to sleep so I played on the computer in the hotel for a little bit, bothered Colt and tried to get him to wake up (it didn’t work), and laid in bed until I finally feel back asleep around 7am. It was awful. Besides that one night I have been perfectly fine and haven’t really experienced jet lag at all.

Monday morning I was up and ready to go. I was bound and determined not to sit in that hotel room all day so I called an on-post taxi (taxis that are authorized to go onto base and are safer to travel alone in) and off to Camp Casey I went! I met up with Amanda, another military wife, and we started working on my paper work and packets. After that I went up to Colts company and meet some of the other wives at the bake sale. Colt got off early that day and we went to our apartment inspection and found out we could move in that day! So we went to the gym, packed up our things at the hotel, and moved into our apartment! Skaggs and Jones helped us move everything in and things are great so far. Monday night Colt and I ate pizza with Jones at a restaurant on base.

I love our apartment! I will post a video and pictures soon.

Tuesday, I ran around all day with Amanda and Tanya filling out paper work for the FRG, registering for Tri-Care overseas, filled out my NEO packet, got information for our SOFA cards, etc. A NEO packet is all the information about me that the Army would need to evacuate the wives from the country in an emergency situation. At lunch Colt and I went and ate with some guys in his company and their wives at a BBQ place on post.  

Yesterday, I meet with a man on post who helps with volunteer work and job searching. The appointment went great and I immediately headed over to the school on post and filled out my application for subbing and all position available at the school. I am still currently job searching at other places on post as well.

After that Tanya and I went into New City and shopped for pet stuff. Tanya and her husband adopted a new dog yesterday so we had to buy him a bed, food, leash, etc. We went to this awesome Korean Dollar Store that was two stories. They had everything you could imagine over there and nothing was more than $5! It was great. We also went to a Pet Store that had this Korean dog for sale called a "Spitz". It was a little white dog that was really fluffy! 

 I went to Zumba last night and then came home with Colt and unloaded all my boxes that came into the mail. The gym on post is great because they offer a TON of classes. Zumba, cycle, aerboics, abs, etc. So my mission is to defiantly get in shape. Colt and I go to the gym together almost every day.

So far I am really enjoying Korea. Everyone has been so kind and helpful in Colts company and on base. The other wives have helped me get everything I need together. There are a ton of tours offered through Camp Casey that I am planning on attending. I can already tell that if you get out and explore Korea can be a wonderful experience. You cannot just sit inside the walls of your apartment all day every day or you will hate it here. So my mission is to do everything Colt and I can possibly afford and take advantage of the time we have here. As long as Colt isn’t working I will be dragging him along with me whether he likes it or not-ha!

Here is a list of all the cool/bizarre things I have noticed in Korea so far:

• There is no heat in Korea. Only heated floors.
• I swear they don’t believe in air conditioning because every place I go into I am burning up.
• We have a keypad in our room where you can set an alarm to wake up. In the morning the alarm will not only go off but it will ALSO turn the light in your room on! This is awesome for me because it actually makes me get up!
• Everything is remote control or keypad operated. I can see who is at my door from the TV in my kitchen or the touch screen on the wall. I can also let them in and talk to them through the keypad and TV as well.
• The taxi drivers are crazy. If you say "bali bali" they go crazy fast. One of our taxi drivers was going almost 120mph!!! It was insane!
• Korean drivers are nuts. They don’t stop at red lights and they don’t stop for pedestrians. When I say they will run you slap over I am not joking.
• They honk the horn A LOT in Korea.
• Korea has won not dollars. So 1,000 won=1 dollar. 10,000 won=10 dollars.
• Korean has their own types of dogs that we don’t have in the USA.
• There is workout equipment on the side of the roads everywhere. You can be driving down the street and see someone working out under a bridge haha its hilarious.
• Weapons are not allowed in Korea, not even a knife! So the crime rate is very low.

This is all I can think of for now...I will post more later!

The week is finally here...

This week is the week. I cannot believe it is finally here. In just four short days I will be on a flight heading to Seoul, South Korea to finally be with my husband. I haven’t seen him in three months and I miss him more than words can say. The thought of finally being able to hug him, kiss him, and simply have a face to face conversation with him is indescribable.

One positive thing about a long distance engagement/marriage is you truly learn to appreciate the little things. Most couples and people in general, forget how special being able to hug someone or just simply sit on the couch and laugh with your best friend or family is. I am looking forward to those things the most, and of course not having to worry about the service going out on Skype when we’re trying to have a five minute conversation-HA!

So I am sure you are wondering the same question everyone has been asking me, "Are you nervous? Are you scared? I could never move to a different country!"  So the answer is, of course I am a little nervous but not so much about living in another country.

I am more nervous about flying on a plane for 17 hours straight then actually living in a new place. Most of all, the fact that Colt and I will be facing our first big test of marriage is scary. We will be in a different country, just him and I, no family, and a little apartment. Although I am nervous about those small things I am so excited to finally be with my husband. I am excited to finally tackle and conquer the speed bumps that the first year of marriage always brings. I am excited to finally develop a life and marriage that we call our own. I am so ready to finally experience my marriage that I can’t even consider being nervous about living in a new country. The bottom line is I will be with my husband and that makes everything worth it.

So, my bags are packed, our townhome is empty, storage unit is full and I’m ready to go! South Korea here I come! Colt here I come! Life, here I come! =)

Army Wife Prayer

A dear friend of mine sent me this ad that she found while searching for designs for a cake. This brought tears to my eyes because this is very similar to a prayer that I pray every night for my husband and I. It was very touching to me and is so true.



My Bucket List!

My Bucket List

Even now, I can't claim to understand the measure of a life, but I can tell you this: I know that when he died, his eyes were closed and his heart was open, and I'm pretty sure he was happy with his final resting place because he was buried on the mountain, and that was against the law.

-Carter Chambers "The Bucket List"

He Graciously Reveals

I am amazed by God more and more everyday. I am going to be blatantly honest...it has been emotionally an extremely rough week/weekend for me. I don't know if everything has finally just hit me, or if I put on such a "strong" face that I hide from myself how I really am feeling, or maybe I just finally became weak.

 Marriage is hard and challenging regardless, but when you add being a military wife to the picture things become even more challenging. Being thousands of miles away from your spouse and living your marriage through a text message, computer screen (where you have a bad Internet connection that cuts out all of the time), or through short phone calls once a week it can take a major toll on you. I began praying last night for strength, and while taking a shower this morning I just started talking to God like a commonly do. I asked him to please give me strength. I told him I was so grateful that I was getting to move to Korea, and I wasn't sure why I was becoming so weak now. I asked him to allow me to pull through this month and to allow me to remember the love my husband and I have for one another. Thankfully, as He always does, He graciously revealed to me exactly what I needed to hear.

Everybody keeps telling me I'm such a lucky man,
Looking at you standing there I know I am.
Barefooted beauty with eyes that blue, sunshine sure looks good on you, I swear.

Oh I can't believe I finally found ya baby,
Happy ever after after all this time.
Oh there's gonna be some ups and downs,
But with you to wrap my arms around, I'm fine.
Chorus:
So baby hold on tight, and don't let go.
Hold on to the love we're making,
Cause baby when the ground starts shaking you gotta know,
When you got a good thing.
Verse 2:
You know you keep on bringing out the best in me,
And I need you now even more than the air I breathe.

You can make me laugh when I wanna cry,
This will last forever I just know. I know.

Chorus:
So baby hold on tight, and don't let go.
Hold on to the love we're making,
Cause baby when the ground starts shaking you gotta know,
When you got a good thing.
Bridge:
We got a good thing baby, woah.

So hold on tight, baby don't let go.
Hold on to the love we're making,
Cause baby when the ground starts shaking you gotta know,
Oh you gotta know, oh you gotta know, you gotta know,
When you got a good thing.

As soon as I got out the shower mine and Colts first dance, When You Got A Good Thing, came on my iPod. God quickly began to reveal to me that He never promised it would be easy, He just promised that He will be by my side and lead the way. I quickly remembered that no matter how draining it can be living your marriage through a text message that the love my husband and I share is rare and wonderful. I quickly remembered that our memories and our amazing love is what makes the hard times worth it.

Then, I went to church and God continued to speak straight to me. He reminded me that although I am in charge of my life  He is  ultimately in control of my life. Although I know I will be moving to Korea on April 1st I still get fearful that something awful might happen. Maybe the Army will change their mind at the last minute or some crazy incident will happen where they tell me I cant come. God spoke to me so clearly and reminded me that all I can do is pack boxes, hire movers, put my stuff into storage, collect all my important documents, pack my bags, go to the airport and trust in Him that I will actually get on that plane and fly away. He reminded me that all I can do is be in charge of the current situation and get things accomplished, but ultimately He is in control of my life and the outcome.

I remember that although I am so trusting in God and His promise for my life that I was still sinning by being "fearful". God makes it clear that I should not fear but trust in Him. Finally, at church I was reminded that I should NEVER underestimate God's favor. Favor is when God fights for you. Favor is when God does for you what you could never do for yourself. I was reminded that God wants to fight for my husband and I. I know God wants to fight for our marriage. I was once again reminded that He has everything planned out perfectly and I needed to QUIT worrying (which anyone who knows me well knows that is something I have a hard time doing).

It does not matter how strong you may be or how positive you are, life can still take a toll on you. Thankfully, I have a wonderful Heavenly Father that so graciously reveals to me during those moments of weakness that He is still in control and is here for me.

No matter how disconnected thousands of miles might make you feel from someone, what truly matters is the love that you share and knowing that amazing love will never fail you...and neither will an amazing God who is fighting for your marriage every step of the way. Because of that I am thankful and confident that I will sure enough get on that plane.

The Power of God's Favor

Yesterday during my devotion I read this:

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."

 -Psalm 23:6

Joel Osteen wrote, "David continued to live favor minded, expecting goodness and mercy all the days of his life. This morning instead of expecting to get the short end of the stick in life, why not start expecting God's blessings to chase after you? Instead of expecting to barley get by in life, start expecting the goodness of God to overtake you."

I was overwhelmed by this devotion because of God's favor in mine and Colts marriage. Colt and I have been praying for almost 2 months now, begging God for his favor, expecting goodness, and asking him to give us mercy and somehow allow us to be together.

Last week Colt and I received the amazing news. The Army has approved for me to move to Korea non sponsored. We were ecstatic! Since then there has not been a day that has gone by that I haven't said out loud, "Thank you God! Thank you so much for allowing this to happen. Thank you for protecting mine and Colts marriage. Thank you for allowing everything to work out perfectly."

I have been so fearful that we would hear the word "No" and that things wouldn't work out for us. After reading this devotion I was reminded that God wants all things to work together for our good. I was reminded that I should expect nothing less than for our Heavenly Father to take care of us. I was reminded that if possible, God wants married couples to be together because that is how it should be.

Like David, Colt and I have been living favor minded. Trusting that God would allow us to be together and would give us goodness and mercy in our marriage. We could not be more thankful for the amazing work that our Lord and Savior is doing in our life and marriage right now.

Through this experience I have also gotten a glimpse of what the "Army Family" truly consist of. Colt meet an amazing couple in Korea that have opened their arms to us. They have went above and beyond what we could of ever imagined or expected to help us out, and make this process as smooth as possible. From paper work, visas, shots, immunization records, medical records, housing, packing, what to bring, what not to bring, do's, dont's, schedules, jobs, and even picking me up from the airport when I arrive...they have helped us with it all! Their kindness and generosity meas so much to Colt and I! We only hope that one day soon we will have the opportunity to help other couples the way this couple has helped us.

Also, my teachers at Brenau University have been extremley helpful. Thanks to my wonderful advisor, who has so graciously offered to help me through the process, I will be able to continue taking classes and going to school while living in Korea! I will be taking online classes over the Summer and independent study classes in the Fall.

We are so fully of joy and excited about this new journey and opportunity that God has brought to our lives. We just want to thank everyone who has helped us out and made this possible. Most of all we thank our Heavenly Father for his wonderful favor and blessing on our lives. So, here it goes! Soon, I will be South Korea bound!

Outside the gates of Camp Casey

I recently found this YouTube Video that two Army Wives posted one year ago. I enjoyed watching this video because it allowed me to visualize a picture of where my husband is currently living. Having your husband in a different country and having no idea what kind of lifestyle he is living or what South Korea looks like is hard. This video helped give me a small picture of his life right now.

More Information on Camp Casey

    My husband Colt left January 3, 2011 for Camp Casey in South Korea. He is there for a 1 year hardship tour.

    Camp Casey is located forty miles North of Seoul, Korea in Tongduchon. Camp Casey has 3, 500 acres and is 1 of thirty eight U.S. Army posts in South Korea. Click here to find out more information about Camp Casey.

Frustrations

Colt has been doing field training at different bases throughout Korea over the last week. He will continue to train at a Korean base until the end of the month. Beginning in March he will do other forms of training and finally have a break around March 11th. He has yet to be able to leave the base and is ready to go experience the country and culture.

This has been the hardest part of our experience so far. Although I am thankful we are still able to text message throughout the day, we no longer are able to Skype. The most frustrating part is not being able to hold a conversation more than five minutes at a time. Colt is either exhausted from being up hours at a time, moving onto his next orders, or on a short break which causes our conversations to be very short. I understand that us communicating less is not his fault or his desire, but it still makes me frustrated. I am not frustrated because it is his fault, but I am frustrated because I miss his voice. I miss us laughing together and talking about anything and everything. Honestly, I miss everything. The most we get to talk about these days is "how was your day", "i love you", "i miss you", or rushing to get out important, exciting, or financial information before he is gone again. I know I need to be less selfish and more appreciative that I am even able to talk to my husband every day. I know there are so many other wives that rarely ever speak to their husbands when they are overseas.

I guess I am just having a moment. A moment of weakness. A moment of frustration. A moment of loneliness. I believe as human beings and army wives we are allowed to have these moments. I believe it is normal for everyone to have bad days every now and then. Unfortunately for me I have a hard time allowing myself to feel or express those emotions. I feel that if I allow those emotions to even remotely slip out I will never get back to the "positive state" I am in. Most people say occasionally you need to let the negative emotions come out because it is therapeutic, healthy, and relieves stress. Even though I agree, I guess part of you me is so scared to allow that to happen because I am afraid I won’t come back to my "happy place". So instead I hide behind my blanket of courage, strength, and peace because it is the only safe place I know. Even though I am scared to let the sad, negative, and lonely emotions out, I know there is a day where it will come. When that day arrives I am thankful to know that I have a Heavenly Father that I can trust to bring me back to the place of courage, strength, and peace...

Colt's Life in Korea

I recently asked my husband several questions about his new life in Korea. He explained that adjusting to the climate as well as being away from home have been hard, but he knows that living in Korea will be a memory he will never forget. The most interesting thing he has noticed about the culture so far is how nice all of the people are. He explained the Koreans are willing to help you out in any way possible. So far he has learned nothing significantly new about the Korean culture because they have not been able to leave the base and do much touring of the country yet. The biggest adjustment he has faced in Korea is being away from his wife and family. The hardest part about moving to a new country has been adjusting to the extremely cold climate. The relationships he has made with other people is what he likes most about Korea. The cold weather and being distant from his wife and family is what he likes least about living in Korea.

Peace & Quiet

Since Colt left for Korea I have been having to face one of my biggest fears, living alone. I had the option to stay with my mom once Colt left, but I knew that it was time for me to have a place of my own. To some people this may seem so silly but it truly is something that has always made me extremely uncomfortable. When I was searching for a place for Colt and I to live while he was in basic it was quite a challenge. I searched and searched day in and day out for several weeks. When I found the town home we now live in I just knew it was right. I felt safe, comfortable, and "at home" as soon as drove in the neighborhood and walked in the place. It was the perfect location between school, family, friends, and the mall. Having a place for Colt and I to spend our first month of marriage together was one of the best decisions we ever made. Many people ask why I didn't just stay with my mom and save our money, but there was just something inside me saying it was time to step forward in this chapter of my life. Not only was I ready to face my fears, but I also wanted a place to display and use all of our new wedding gifts and house decor. I am so glad that I listened to my gut feeling and decided to get our own place. Not only was it amazing having a place of our own while Colt was home, but I have also learned to love being by myself in our town home. I have learned to not be scared of the silence and instead enjoy the quiet peaceful time I have when I am here. I love being able to come home and relax on my own couch, with my own blanket, and my own move at my own timing. I am able to concentrate on my school work and business without any interruptions.

Although I would rather have my husband here with me to spend time with, help out, fix things, and do the "manly duties" like taking out the trash (lol), I have come to appreciate this independence. It is interesting because most would think during such a lonely, sad, period in our lives I would hate being alone. Honestly, I have come to enjoy the quietness and just snuggling with my dogs. It is nice to know that I can go to school, work, visit with  family, and go out with my friends and still come home to my own quiet little place.

It will be so nice when Colt and I get to experience this together with one another and our own family.

Expert Shooter

I am very proud of my husband today. I got a message from him earlier saying that he shot 38 out of 40 today and is now officially an Expert Shooter! I am so proud of him for achieving this goal because I know it was something he really wanted. Here is a picture of him (when he was home) practicing shooting.

Interruptions

I would have to say one of the hardest things my husband and I have experienced since he as been gone is life's interruptions. Not bad interruptions, but the normal things you experience on a daily basis that get in the way of trying to live life as normal as possible. It is hard enough finding time to talk when there is a fourteen hour time difference, but then you add in life's interruptions which make it almost impossible to communicate. For example, this week I have been in Las Vegas for the company I work for, Arbonne International, annual Global Training Conference. Although this training and trip is a positive interruption in my life, it also brought forth its challenges. I went from having a fourteen hour time difference between my husband and I to having an eighteen hour time difference between us this week. Juggling walking to conferences, attending conferences, eating, communicating with other teams, getting dressed up, AND making sure you talk to your husband all at the same time was quite a challenge. Honestly more then anything the greater time difference was the hardest part. It went from talking at 6 am in the morning in Georgia which was equivalent to 2 am Las Vegas time...which obviously was not possible. It went from talking at 11 pm at night in Georgia which was equivalent to 7pm Las Vegas time....which I was in meetings or at dinner. I had to choose investing in my business and personal growth over talking with my husband as much as I do at home. I know to some this may seem so small, but when you never get to see the one you love the times you have to talk are priceless.

Although it was a challenge and barely talking once a day was heart breaking, I can defiantly say I have counted my blessings. I am now so thankful that there is only a fourteen hour time difference at home, if I lived in Las Vegas I don't know how we would do it. I am thankful that I have a wonderful, understanding, and supportive husband that understood the sacrifice we had to make this week for my business. I am thankful for the time we do have to talk when I am home.

More than anything, I think this has been so hard because I know these are the last couple of days I have to talk to my husband before he leaves for the field. Next week he will leave to be out in the field for one month, and we may not be able to talk at all. Although some parts of me have guilt that I wasn't able to take advantage of the last week I had to talk to him, I have to remind myself that I have to keep on living my life to. I have to remind myself that I have a husband that also wants that for me. I have to remind myself that I cant always be at a million places at the same time. Most importantly I remind myself that God is in control, that God is protecting our marriage, and that God will work all things together for our good.

Snowy Days

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."
-St. Augustine

 

It is days like these that make me miss him so much. Days when relaxing at the house, eating, laughing, playing in the snow, keeping one another company, and being cuddled up by the fire is all you have. No work. No school. No commitments. Days like these I miss him the most because it is days like these that you get to spend quality time with the people you love the most. Yes you can get sick of one another, get on each others nerves, and develop cabin fever....but in my mind it is days like these that we rarely ever get to enjoy. The only other days that I get to sit around and truly enjoy my family is the holidays which as we know don't come around very often. I guess more than anything it makes me miss him the most because quality time is all I wish for right now with him. I would give anything to have my husband stuck in the house with our family and friends just enjoying time together. Although I miss him so bad it hurts this snow brings me a sense of peace, because I know that I am not the only one looking at the window at this beautiful white wonderland, but he is too. It brings me a sense of comfort to know that he is looking out his window seeing the same beautiful snow and thinking of me to.

 

I have come to realize over the past ten months that it doesn't matter who you choose to settle your life down with it will always be hard and bring challenges.This is why when I read this quote by St. Augustine I thought to myself, "He understands it. He gets the real truth". Whether you are struggling because you are a million miles away from one another or in bed right next to one another and just cant get along, we all struggle. I believe St. Augustine says it perfectly when he states, "Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident." The true test of a marriage comes when the "in love" isn't there anymore and the "real love" appears at the surface. I can truly say I am grateful to have learned at an earlier age then most that being "in love" is easy, but it is when reality sneaks its way to the surface (and it will) that continuing to always love is what is hard. The Bible states that in marriage two become one which I believe is such a beautiful thing. I love how St. Augustine takes this analogy and uses it in his quote. "Real love" shines through when you have fought the fought, won the battles, worked through the disagreements, persevered through the hard times, took on the unexpected, forgave when you didn't want to, respected when it wasn't easy, and choose to love when you didn't feel like it. This to me is when the "pretty blossoms" have fallen off the tree and you can still look at one another and say, "We made a promise to ourselves and God and we have conquered the tough times. We understood that we became one when we said "i do" and we have continued to stay one no matter what life through at us". My prayer today is that God will continue to always give my husband and I this mind set and clarity. My prayer is that we will continue to stay one and fight even when the "promises of eternal passion" is gone. My prayer is that although some days we may fall "out of love" we will continue to choose to love one another because we are one. My prayer is that as St. Augustine put it, our roots will continue to always grow towards one another even when the pretty blossoms have fallen off.

 

So in my opinion St. Augustine is right, but another thing we have to remember about love is what do we do when it gets hard? Where do we turn? What do we do even though we don't want to? What helps our branches grow together no matter what? So I leave you with this....

 

^"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. "

-1 Corinthians 13:4-7

 

I believe that although these qualities help grow our branches together, they are always the most difficult things to remember in a marriage and when times get tough. So my final prayer is that although we will have bad days, tough years, and unexpected seasons, that by God's grace and sweet mercy He will fill my husband and I with these qualities in our marriage. I pray these things for you as well.