A Trip to the Desert (Pt 1)

If you didn't know already, this week is SPRING BREAK for our family! We made plans last year to go to Arizona over the break to visit one of my nearest and dearest best friends! Her and I met through the Marine Corps when her husband was still active duty, and over the years have kept in touch. Her hubby is always gone for work, so I figured it'd be fun to take advantage of spring break with her two boys with her at her new home! I didn't want her to be all alone with two rowdy boys all week, so we joined her with our own two rowdy kids!

When her and her husband got out of the Marine Corps, they chose to settle in a small suburb of Phoenix called Goodyear. I honestly had zero expectations of Arizona. I was going there strictly to visit my friend whom I hadn't seen in three years. However, I was more than pleasantly surprised with just how beautiful Arizona was, and fell in love with it!

REUNITED! These kids haven't seen each other in 3 years! They barely remembered each other! The little boy in the front (we'll call him "L") was born when his dad was in Afghanistan. I was in the delivery room when he was born!! It was SUCH an honor!

I hooked up the boys with Aggie swag, and taught them how to do a proper "Gig 'em"

"hug a cactus" pic...apparently that's a thing.

CHEERS!

These kids spent more time in the pool than out!

The sunrise was absolutely breathtaking.

I woke up early the first morning, and sat on the back porch to watch it!

The boys (Nick and Mattis) showed up a day later, bright and early. It was nice to have the whole day together.

Kim took us on a hike the first day the boys showed up right by her house. 

We saw some really cool cacti, desert wildflowers, lizards, and lots of pretty quartz!

All the boys picked some desert wildflowers for me on the hike

We finished the evening playing pie face of course!

HUGE hit with my kids!

The adults spent the evening sitting by the pool, in front of a fire with some wine and just chatting.

It was SO fun to reconnect with my friend. It made me realize how much I TRULY missed her, and our friendship. We chat regularly via text and social media, but nothing beats being together with your friend. It was as if we were never separated. We literally picked up where we left off at, and continued our friendship as if nothing had changed. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with such amazing friends on our journey through the Marine Corps. The network of Marine wives that have become family in my life is amazing. These women have been through everything with me...the deployments...the wondering if our husbands are safe (or even alive)...the drama (theres always drama)...the promotions...the "hail and bails"....the wine nights...the sleepovers at eachother's homes on lonely nights....I could go on and on. But all the friends I have made throughout this journey have become people that I love dearly, and I am grateful for that. 

Part 2 of our trip coming tomorrow!