Heading Out

Aaron and I leave tomorrow morning with Pete and Emily to start our drive. Since we got back on Friday from home, we've been packing up the room (which somehow looks like a went off and nothing appears to actually be packed). They come to check it at 8:30 AM, then we're driving by Little Bit of Seattle one last time (which, if you ever talk to us, you know is a coffee shop that we go to daily...) and heading out. Our itinerary (barring any major catastrophes) is as follows:

29th: Albuquerque, NM
30th: Grand Canyon, AZ
31st and 1st: Las Vegas, NV
2nd: Sacramento, CA
3rd: Eugene, OR
4th: Arrive in Tacoma, WA

I tried to upload a map of our route and I'm not sure if it's going to work, but try this:


View Larger Map

Once we get there, Aaron starts in-processing stuff and I have a meeting with our Realtor to find us a house on the 5th. We'll be staying in temporary base housing until we get a place, so our hope is to find something good, not super expensive, and in a good part of town--and to do so quickly.

Hopefully we'll be able to blog some pictures along the way of our adventure, since it looks like we'll be seeing some cool stuff. So far, the weather looks like it has calmed down a little out that way, though so far, the forecast is calling for snow showers in Tacoma on the day of our arrival... nothing like a little baptism by fire into this crazy weather they've been having out there. Wish us safe travels and good luck!!

For now, I'm signing off to go and pack up some more of our things...

IT'S A GIRL!!!

No no... not me. I am not expecting. However, as most of you know, my sister and Adam are and they've found out that baby number 3 is in fact a girl--that's to add to the 2 other little girls they already have and to the total of 5 granddaughters my parents already have... girls girls girls, so many little girls. But girls are fun and sweet and cuddly and say the most tender little things. Like when I was talking to Lucy on the phone the other day and she said "I miss you Aunt Becca"... be still my heart... Anyway, here's a picture of niece number 6, yet to be named--and please notice how she already has her momma's little natural frown--so weird!! And we've got yet another baby on the way from Rod and Betty due in March- perhaps there's a boy in there???

Good Times in Enid

This is just a picture to show you where we have been living for the last month since I'm pretty sure we haven't shown anyone pics of our place yet ("place" aka "dorm"). In the left corner, you see our cute little Christmas tree and on the right hand side, you see a tribute to "our" homestate (since I consider myself an honorary South Carolinian)...



Last weekend was a weekend of celebration- from one friend's last night in town, to another friend's birthday, to a sort of "byebye Pete and Emily/Aaron and Becca" party, there were many reasons to get together. On the left you see Aaron practicing some dance moves, while I don't look so ready to cut a rug. And on the right, Aaron and me with our friend Pete (who is also being stationed at McChord and in Aaron's squadron... and we're driving west with he and his wife, Emily)....


And a celebration is no reason to forget about "artsy" photography. These were pics we cropped and edited a little that would've been deleted, but we salvaged something... they turned out pretty cute...

And here's Emily of the "Pete and Emily" duo...

In the crazy weather that has been this week (snow to ice to sunshine and the 60's--seriously today I'm not wearing a jacket), we took an opportunity to bring the camera around town. We ran into these guys, who were more than eager to run up to the fence to greet us.

They lived on this beautiful street... the one street in Enid that we've found that is surrounded by trees as opposed to fields...

And last night, we took to downtown with Pete and Emily for a little double date. They had the square decorated with Christmas lights so we of course decided to take a family picture. Here it is.

Only 10 days left in Enid... I never thought I'd say it, but it's sort of bittersweet...

Winter Wonderland

I had no idea how cold Oklahoma could get... I knew it was windy, and even though I knew that, I was not prepared for just HOW windy it could get. But on an already cold day--say a day where it's 12 degrees outside, like yesterday--it can make it FEEL like it's -6 degrees outside. Yes. NEGATIVE 6. Last week, it snowed on Tuesday, stuck around Wednesday and by Thursday it was in the 60's again. Yesterday, it was 12, today the high is in the 20's and it's snowing and I think this weekend it will be in the 60's again. I wish it would make up its mind. Anyway... there's more to talk about than just the weather...

Our time at Vance is winding down. In one week, we leave to head home for the holidays. It will be a quick few days but we're excited to get to see everyone one last time since we don't know when we'll be home again--especially Aaron since he'll be working all the time, so we hear. As soon as we get back, we pack up the car for a day or so and then start the drive to Tacoma. We're going with our friends Pete and Emily and we've decided on what should be a pretty neat route, including a swing by the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, Sacramento and Eugene, Oregon before arrive in Tacoma around January 3rd or 4th. We've had a good run in our little dorm room on base here, and we do like the smalltown thing here in Enid, but we're definitely looking forward to having a home to put our own furniture in and just to get settled in Tacoma. It's hard to believe it was 6 months ago that we found out where we were going. Time absolutely flies...
Here are some pictures to update everyone:




A cute shot of the grandgirls that Aaron got when we were home for Thanksgiving...


Aaron and me before heading over to his family's Thanksgiving celebration...



The day after the snow in Enid last week...

Aaron and me playing in the snow...