2012

When I look back at 2012, I absolutely can not believe everything that was jammed packed into the 12 short months that we get.

Our year started off crappy with Nick leaving for Afghanistan in early January.

Then it got better cause he came home four months early just in time for my long awaited knee surgery.

Then it got crappy again when he had to pack up his stuff and leave our family for Virginia after only being home a month after Afghanistan.

It got even crappier when we found out that his permanent duty station was in Boston (while I was still stationed in California).

I went through a extremely slow medical discharge process in the Marine Corps.

We basically spent the entire year on separate coasts or different countries. 

crappy, right?

But you know what?

By November 29, I was officially honorably discharged from the Marine Corps.

I got to take a TON of terminal leave and finally got to move from one coast to the other and FINALLY be a family under one roof again.

And as much kicking and screaming that I did about coming to the freezing temperatures of New England, I have enjoyed being here a lot more than I thought I would.

So I guess 2012 started crappy, but it ended on such an amazing note that I do not have much to complain about.

Bring on 2013 :-)

Here's my 2012 in photos.

I became a SSgt on Jan 1st!

Nick spent a few months in Afghanistan....again.

D and I started our deployment routine. Isn't it sad that as a military family, we have "deployment routines"? It's like our entire life changes completely for that moment in time when our significant other deploys.

Then he came home SUPER early

Nick got promoted to GySgt on April 1st. 10 1/2 year Gunny!

We adopted a psycho very playful dog with a huge appetite for anything that wasn't food. Ole Monsieur Dozer is what we call him. We're still learning to love him on some days ;-)

Nick got to come home for 3 or 4 days in between his OCS cycles this summer in VA, so when he came home, we took advantage of what little time we had together.

I FINALLY was honorably discharged from the old gun club :-)

 

We finally made it to New England, experienced the most gorgeous Autumn we have ever seen, and experienced our first snow (to include a white Christmas!)

2012 may not have been perfect, but perfect is boring.

Most importantly, this is the year I was baptized and accepted Jesus fully "back" into my life.

I'd say that's a pretty darn good year. 

Happy New Year!