Navigating the Storm

Last week a friend of mine and I went to the park and took the pups for a long walk while we chatted and caught up on each others lives.  This girl friend is someone I've known for the last few years, our husband's have known each other their whole Army career, we were at each others weddings, and so far we have PCSed to the same places.  Even though I've known her for three years, I realized I didn't really know her very much at all.  As we got to know each other, I realized just how much we have in common and all the interests we share.  Thank you Lord for showing me the quality friend I had right under my nose!

Home Is Where the Army Sends Us

Home is where the Army sends us.  Or at least that is the way I am supposed to feel as an Army wife.  We moved in October from our life in Texas where we had spent the last three and a half years building friendships, connections, and careers.  Our small town of Temple, Texas was our first hometown as a couple.  We got engaged there.  We got married there.  We adopted Delilah there.  I graduated with my bachelor's degree there.  We found our first church home as a couple there.  We bought our first house there.  We made our life there.

I know, I know, I know.  My husband is an officer in the United States Army.  What was I thinking making a life somewhere?  But I did, and my heart broke to drive away from that small town.

5 Best Christmas Gifts for the Pup

Since our family is only a family of 3 (Aaron, myself, and Delilah the Dog), I am creating a gift list for her....OF COURSE!  She is actually incredibly excited to be blogged about.  She is laying under my desk loving every second of our "Momma/Baby" time together.

Anyway...we try not to spoil our little girl too much at the holidays for a few reasons.  First, being that she is the only grandchild (human or otherwise) on either side of our family, she does get more than a little spoiled by our family.  Secondly, she is our baby.  She gets spoiled 365 days of the year so I don't feel overly obligated to get her a lot of Christmas presents.

This year I helped Delilah write a letter to Santa (my mother in law) which included her Christmas list.  Below are the things that were both Momma and puppy approved.

 

25 Christmas Gifts for the Women in Your Life (part 2)

Never fear!  Part 2 of my 25 Christmas Gifts for the Women in Your Life is finally here!  If you missed numbers 25-10 check out part 1.  Keep scrolling for numbers 1-9 on the list!

25 Christmas Gifts for the Men in Your Life (part 2)

As promised, the second part to 25 Christmas Gifts for the Men in Your Life is here!  The top 10 gifts are listed below.  For the first 15, check out part 1.

25 Christmas Gifts for the Men in Your Life (part 1)

Ok to go along with my Gift List for Women, this year I am also doing a gift list for men, and coming later this week, one for the pups in your life.  Now, I don't claim to be an expert on what men want for the holidays, but thankfully I have a trusty husband to help me navigate that issue.  These presents have been husband approved.  Disclaimer: he is 27 and we don't have kids so I'm not sure if he perspective is different than the man you're buying for or not.

25 Christmas Gifts for the Women in Your Life (Part 1)

Last year I made a Holiday Season Gift Guide with the 10 best gifts for women.  However, I published it on December 18th.  My husband, the sweet procrastinator that he is was very grateful for the list for ideas, but pointed out that some of those ideas take more time than he had left until Christmas.  So this year I am getting a jump on it!  I know its not even Thanksgiving yet, but my goal this year is to have all our presents at least picked out, if not ordered, by December 1st so I can just enjoy the holiday season with my family.

Speaking of family, my mother-in-law should be given some credit for this post as my in laws have requested Christmas lists for each of us (Aaron, myself, and Delilah the Dog).  So I have decided to create gift lists for each category: husband, wife, pup.  We don't have kiddos yet so sorry, I have no insight for that demographic :/