Valentine's Day

Seven years ago on Valentine's Day, Andrew proposed to me in a freezing park in Columbia, South Carolina. This year, I woke up to a sparkly-eyed little boy, asking, "Mom, where is my Valentine's surprise?" I'm used to waking up like this. My early bird (Maddox) rarely sleeps past 6 am. He is always the first one up. But on this special day, I popped out of the bed (instead of dragging), excited too.

The boys followed my treasure map and clues to find their candy. And guess what they had for breakfast? Candy! They also are pretty lucky when it comes to grandparents. They got a total of six adorable cards and racked up $70 altogether. 

Maddox got even more candy at school. It was almost Halloween-worthy.

Andrew got me some chocolate and I got him some chocolate and an iron skillet he's been wanting. No rings this year (like seven years ago), but I'm pretty sure we love each other more now than we did then. 

That evening, we celebrated at McGuire's Irish Pub and stuffed our faces with spinach dip, bread, our main course, and then a giant brownie topped with ice cream. 

It's been a fun February and I hope the trend continues through the rest of the month (and hopefully year). 

Oh! Back home in Carolina, they have had two days of snow! I'm pretty jealous, but I guess the view of the freezing cold water will have to do. 

A Look at 2013...According to January

January was split between Florida and South Carolina. It's a blur, but here are some snapshots to keep the moments a little more clear.

It was a month of hope, grief, sickness, and yet joy. No matter what, the old saying is true: life goes on. The hardest part for me is processing the tough times and appreciating the past while moving forward and savoring the present. 2013 has already forced me to look deeper, invest deeper and grow.... 

Andrew graduates ALS

Andrew finished ALS (Airman Leadership School) and we celebrated his graduation on Thursday. I'm thankful that the long days of him being gone, then coming home to eat and disappear again (to study all night and write essays) are over. I know he's thankful too!

Congratulations Andrew! It's another step  in our ever-changing adventure.