Welcome Home

First of all, I must apologize! It has been forever since I updated this blog. In my defense, we did not have internet in our apartment in California, so I wasn't able to update regularly. However, we are finally settled! And when I say settled I mean settled! After a long year of living out of a suitcase and living all over the country, we finally have a a place to call home.

This is our pretty new house that unbelievably, sits on the Potomac. Just as a reminder, we live in Washington, DC. Andy works at a Naval Intelligence base, right on the DC-Maryland border, called Suitland. We live on a base in the District called, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. We were not sure how we would like living on base, but so far so good! The base sits right on the Potomac River and our house almost backs right up to the river. So we have a great view out on our deck! It is a tri-level house and has taken some getting used to but we are so grateful to have a home again! The stairs help us keep Zeus in good shape! Words cannot even begin to express how great it is to have a place to call home again!

As I look back on this year I am humbled and amazed at God's goodness. This time last year, I had quit my job, packed up my classroom, we had packed up our house, moved in with my parents, and we were preparing for Andy to go to OCS for 3 months. We have lived in 5 different places in the past 12 months! Most of our stuff has been in storage, but our lucky parents held on to somethings as well, and we took what we needed in suitcases. My parents were kind enough to take care of Zeus for about 6 months while we were in transit. We went down to one salary and there were a couple of times this year I was not sure how we were going to make it, but we always did. This year has been challenging, but God provided every step of the way. Andy and I learned what it meant to truly rely on each other and our faith. A year later and we made it! I know life will always throw its punches at us, but this year has taught us a lot about dealing with those punches. We are so excited about what God has planned for us here in DC. And I promise to do a better job of sharing it with you all!

Much Love! Andy, Amanda, and Zeus

Our first visitors!

Ok... I know that I have not published in a long time! In my defense our apartment in Port Hueneme, CA (where we are now) does not have internet, so I have to go different places to get internet.  So to get all my stuff together and blog is more difficult than it seems! But nonetheless I finally have my act together and can update everyone.

We are in California right now for CECOS (school of the CEC). We will be here until May and then we will finally make our "official move" to D.C. and we are so excited! This whole no house and not having any of your stuff thing is starting to get old! We are being good sports but excited to be settled again. However, while we are in California we want to enjoy it!

So we had our first visitors ever! Living next to all of our family and friends we didn't have visitors before. But now we love that people can come visit us! The first to do so were Andy's sisters Alyse and Aubry. It was so nice to have them here, it felt a bit like home.

On Sunday we took them to Santa Barbara! Santa Barbara is only about 40 minutes away from us and it is gorgeous! We had a blast!

While we were walking around we ran into a bike shop and... that meant we needed to rent a bike! So we rented a 4 person bike that we could all ride in together!

After biking the coast we decided that we had to take a walk on the beach! The sand between your toes is one of life's little pleasures!

Finally on Monday before they left we took them on a hike that I am in love with. You can see the ocean for most of the hike and the view at the top is worth all of the work to get up there!

We had so much fun with the girls! We are "stuck" here right now, so we would love to have more visitors. Its not a bad place to be "stuck"! : )

Two Years!!!!

WOW!!! 2 years! I can't believe that it was two years ago that Andy and I said "I do"! Where have these 2 years gone! And HOLY COW we have been all over the place in the past two years! Life is so amazing! It takes you so many different places and you experience so many different things. I am so blessed to get to do this thing called life with Andy.  He is an amazing man and I love being his wife.

January 9, 2010 was beautiful. It was a gorgeous day in Arizona and we had so many friends and family there to celebrate with us. It could not of been more perfect! Being the sappy girl that I am I looked through all of our wedding photos and wanted to share a few of my favorites!

Beautiful Bridesmaids

What a handsome guy!

 Thank you Andy for the past two years! May God bless us with many more precious years! I will follow you anywhere! Being married to you is the best ever! Love you!