14,000 things to be happy about

After reading a few pages of 14,000 things to be happy about by Barbara Kipfer, I have decided to start a list of my own. Although I may not get up to 14,000 like she did in her book, I wanted to list 10 things that make me happy up until Thanksgiving to be in the thanks-giving spirit!

List 1:

Kenny Chesney songs
Steel drum Caribbean music
My 70-pound bundle of pure excitement - Clifford!
Dancing
Palm trees
Surfing
Stars at night
Snapping my fingers
Braiding my hair
Tropical paintings

I feel like I could go on forever and list 100 things that make me happy right now...but I have to leave for class :( I think will write out my list and take it with me so I can read it and smile!

It's been forever!

I know it's been forever since my last post...But I have been so busy lately with school, homework, friends, Clifford the now really big red dog, helping people plan their weddings, figuring out our holiday leave, and trying to figure out everything for when Matt deploys again next year. It's been nothing short of crazy around here, but really good at the same time!

It's hard to believe that last year at this time I was with Cara in Virginia working at the USO and dreaming of the day I would get to hold Matt in my arms again at his homecoming. I am so thankful that I was able to stay with Cara and Shiner for the last 3-4 months of Matt's deployment! It really helped me to get through everyday of missing him and knowing he was in a war zone. We had a ton of fun traveling everywhere, my favorite trip being our trip to New York for Thanksgiving and eating pizza and wine for our Thanksgiving dinner :) It was great to not be alone in experiencing a first deployment, and to have such a sweet friend to share the experience with.

I am SO happy that this year both Matt and Patrick are home and Cara and I get to spend the holidays with them! I just booked our Thanksgiving trip last week, and we have a lot planned! We are going up to Seattle the Saturday before Thanksgiving and will be staying on the Navy base at Whidbey Island for 2 days, and then we have a condo on Puget Sound for the rest of the week. Originally we were going to meet my family at the cabin in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Seattle, but they are so busy with the farm that it ended up being just us two! We are actually really happy that it's just us for Thanksgiving since this will be the first one we've spent together, and can't wait to explore the city and see rain again...Maybe a little too much rain, but that's ok!

I am in the process of figuring out everything for when Mat deploys next year, and the plan so far is for Clifford and I to head up to San Francisco to be with my family on the farm for the 6 month deployment. I always said I would NEVER go back home while Matt was deployed, but this is a great chance for me to hang out with my family and work on the farm without having to go back home! I am excited to work on the farm, spend time with my mom and the family, and explore the city, all while saving 6 months of rent money!!!

When Matt gets back we plan on moving back to the water so we are within walking distance again, and maybe a little more north than we are now. We like our townhouse since it has a yard for Clifford, but we really miss being so close to the ocean and being in more of a laid back beach community. We figure if we get to live in San Diego for a few years, we might as well take advantage of it and live closer to the beach!!!

I am currently finishing up another semester of school and hope to start my internship in the Fall, which means I will be done by the end of the next summer...YAY! I still don't know what I want to do with my degree exactly, but I would like to work with kids or military families and do what I can to help them! This has been a challenging semester since I am now finishing up my upper level classes, but I always like the hardest classes the best...Yes, I know, I'm weird! I have been so fortunate to meet some great friends in my classes, and it's nice to share the whole Master's program experience with some really wonderful people!

We were very happy to welcome home our helicopter squadron friends last week, and are keeping the families who buried their Marines in our prayers. It's been bitter sweet hugging our friends and realizing at the same time that there are wives and children and family members and friends who were not able to do the same, but we are still thankful to have our friends home again!

We were also very happy for our friends James and Stephanie who got engaged last night, and are looking forward to their wedding in February! I am really excited to help Steph with all the wedding plans, and do whatever I can for our sweet friends!

It's just Clifford and I tonight since Matt is out in the desert for work until tomorrow afternoon, but my puppers is keeping me warm here on the couch and I am just happy to have my little family all here in the same country!!!

Farm Thoughts

A Farm Weekend By: Kara Holmes (Tara and Craig’s niece, and Auntie Liz’s daughter)

If you were to ask me a year ago what I thought about all of this farm business, I would have said I didn’t want anything to do with it. I would have said that I am sick of hearing about chickens and pigs and sustainable crops every time I went to visit my aunt and uncle in San Francisco. I would have said that since we are a military family, my husband and I had different plans for our life that would never include taking care of animals and crops on a farm up in Petaluma (which seemed to me to be the middle of nowhere). I would have said I liked the whole sail boat venture WAY better than this new farm idea. That was last year…before I was able to see the dream of owning this farm put into action. I just got home from a weekend trip up to the farm to visit my mom, Auntie Liz, and drop off her dog, who we have been watching for the summertime until she got settled on the farm. I was anticipating a lot of work, which I didn’t really want to do on my little mini-vacation, but what I experienced was more than I would have ever expected. There has never before been a time in my life where my favorite family members have lived all together in one place, and I have never even dreamed of all of them actually eating meals together every day, or working together toward a common goal. That was completely out of the question…until my aunt and uncle decided they wanted more for their lives. Their willingness to risk everything in order to start and build an organic farm hasn’t only benefited them, but has benefited our whole family, and the community around them. The farm is open to all kinds of people from all over the world who share a common goal of wanting to work hard to produce fresh, healthy meat and produce for the community, and people who are willing to open themselves up in order to teach other people how to do it too! Everyone on the farm comes together to take care of something…whether it be people, chickens, pigs, turkeys, cats, dogs, vegetables, or fruit, and each of them gives their all to make sure that everyone and everything has everything they need to grow and thrive. It was wonderful to spend quality time with my mom, Auntie Liz, who is in charge of taking care of the people on the farm by making sure they have a hot meal for breakfast and dinner every day, and gathering the eggs from the laying hens. When you know deep down inside that you are providing healthy food to busy, hungry, hard working people, it just warms your heart. Though everyone on the farm has certain tasks that they are responsible for, it is also amazing to see everyone come together to do whatever needs to be done, and help out wherever they can. If you were to ask me years ago whether my family would be living and working all together in order to improve the lives of others, I would have said no way because they were all in different states, working various jobs, and devoting their lives to their own little families within the family. Today, it is amazing to see that what started out as a little idea has now become the foundation for bringing my family together, and strengthening not only my own family, but the families in the community as well.

A year ago I would have told you that my husband and I were completely devoted to the military, and to his career above all else, but after experiencing our first deployment, we realized that what matters most in life is just spending time with each other. Although we don’t know for sure what our future will hold, we do know that we want to have a close family, and that some time on the farm is somewhere in our future. When Matt leaves for deployment next year, I will be heading up to the farm to stay for 5 months while he is gone. I can’t wait to experience that time on the farm with my family, and to contribute whatever I can in order to provide the food and experiences that will strengthen our family, and the community. I used to think happiness was mostly about having money, and having enough money to go on expensive vacations, or on the sail boat out in the Caribbean, but the more I experience time with my family on the farm, the more I realize it wasn’t the vacations or the boat that made me happy, it was being able to spend quality time with my family. Now that the farm has gone from a dream to a realization, there will always be a place where my family can come together, and spend quality time with one another. What more could I ever ask for? I want to thank Tara and Craig for not being afraid to take a risk in order to bring true abundance into their lives, and my mom and step-dad and everyone else on the farm for supporting them in creating that abundance…abundance of learning, love, family, food, and helping others. It is an abundance that has touched my life and my heart forever, and something that my husband and I want to do all we can to support it in order to bring that same abundance into the lives of our future family.

There are no rules to this thing...

"For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

This quote from the movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is one that will no doubt stay with me forever. I am realizing more and more that things don't just happen by chance...that there is a reason, a plan, and divine intervention.

Over the summer I took a group counseling class as part of my master's degree program. I was enrolled to take the class last summer and ended up dropping it because I didn't have time to work and take 3 classes at the same time. The class came around again this summer and I was truly changed by the professor of the class, and by my classmates. We all took part in our own group therapy-group, and it was truly amazing to bond with each and every member of the group through sharing of our own life experiences. This class led me to see the ways in which I discount myself...Thinking I am always less than I really am, or worse at things than I really am. With encouragement from my group-mates, I promised to give myself a chance, and be willing to take risks in order to continue finding the things I truly love about myself.

The night of our last group meeting was my big break-through, and I left that night open to new opportunities for my own growth. When I got home and checked my e-mail I found the class schedule from our yoga studio, and it listed a class called "The Artist's Way" with a description that the class was an expressive arts therapy class and was meant to help people rediscover their creativity and internal gifts of creating paintings, clay work, drawings, and art through writing. If it weren't for my group class I would have never had the courage to sign up...but I immediately sent out an e-mail to the teacher for the class telling her I wanted to register immediately! After talking to Judy, the teacher, I could hardly wait for our first day of class to start!

My journey through this amazing class has opened up doors in my life that I slammed shut years ago. Doors that closed because people told me I wasn't good at singing, dancing, writing...doors that I closed because I didn't want to get hurt....doors that I closed because people told me "you can't" or "you will never be" or "you're stupid"....

I have rediscovered my love and talent for writing, and for being able to see an entire story like a movie in my mind...scene by scene...and I have opened the doors to the girl I was in my childhood...a girl who loved to play and imagine and dance...and who never cared what other people thought of her.

I have come to the realization that I was given these gifts by God so that I could actually use them in my life...to tell stories, write movies, let people know how much I love and care for them through letters and poetry, and love the person I really am underneath all the fear and shame...the person God has always intended me to be.

I don't think it's a coincidence that I took the group class when I did, or that I found the artist's way, or that I was told by a friend that the government is offering money to spouses who are going back to school and that my current school isn't a part of the program but the screenwriting classes I found at UCLA are all covered under the government money grant....or that I prayed for God to give me a sign that what I am doing is what He wants me to do and then I go to the movie store to get a movie for class that's already rented out and saw the Benjamin Button move, which I have been meaning to see since it came out, and that the movie talked to me through this quote...and through it's message.

I love the quote because it says that we can always start over...that we have control over our own lives...that there are no rules or way it should be done...that we can make the best or the worst of it...that we can be whoever we want to be...and that if we aren't happy, we can choose a different life for ourselves.

I will admit that I am afraid of Introduction to Screenwriting 1...I'm afraid I wont be able to do it, or no one will like my story, or that I will never make a living as a screenwriter, or that all of my family and friends will think I'm just plain crazy...But the passion and curiosity of that little girl I have found within myself again overrides it all...and pushes me to take the first step...to take a risk...to change my life's work and who I am and want to be...and for once in my life...I AM LISTENING TO HER!

When will you take your place?

This semester has been one of the best I have ever had at school, with my group therapy class easily being the best class I have ever taken as a graduate student. Not only am I learning a lot about how to lead groups for clients in the future, but I am also bonding with my classmates and learning about myself and my own strengths and struggles. With only two classes left, I went to class last night feeling a little sad that I wouldn't be seeing my classmates and professor every week anymore, and decided to share a bit of what I have learned about myself over the past 12 weeks. After I shared my own experience and inner life struggles with self-esteem, confidence, and feeling somewhat unworthy, my professor said something to me that I will never forget. He said:

"When will you take your place at the banquet of life?"

The imagery and power behind this one sentence spoke to me, and I immediately knew that until I value and love myself, I will never take my place at the banquet of life. I know that many people, especially women, struggle with feelings of unworthiness because of their past experiences or societal pressures, and I wonder if more people wouldn't benefit from hearing this simple quote about standing up for yourself and making sure you have your own place in life.

That's the reason I am doing what I am doing. I could have gone down a different road, and would have been finishing up law school next year if I would have decided to continue pursuing that field...But I am studying psychology instead and learning to be a therapist because there are too many people in this world who have never been told that they are worthy and valuable, and that they deserve a place in this banquet of life.

My journey toward taking my own place at the banquet of life isn't over yet...and if fact, is just beginning! It's a long road that leads to the undoing of years of letting life pass you bye, but it's a road worth traveling down in order to take control of myself and prepare myself to truly take my place at the banquet of life.

I am so excited to be taking this journey, and I know that self-love and self-value are waiting for me at the other end of the tunnel. I am officially kick-starting my journey by taking an art-yoga-therapy class at our yoga studio! The class focuses on finding your inner self, and the child within you that has been lost to the negative experiences of life through creative art, movement, imagery, and writing. I hope that this class will be a big step in finding the little girl I used to be who was never afraid to speak her mind, dance to her own music, and be her own happy person! I hope to use what I learn in this class to then help others find the love for and confidence in themselves that will lead them directly to their own place at this wonderful banquet of life!!!

Check out this blog!!!!

I know it's been forever since I posted on here...but I do get on to check everyone else's blogs all the time! I have actually been busy working on a blog for my family farm up in San Francisco and I wanted all of you to check it out :) Just go to: tarafirmafarms.com (blogger page)

My aunt and uncle are business geniuses who built their own long term care insurance company from the ground up. They have done and experienced almost everything...and are now setting out on a more family/environment oriented adventure. They began Tara Firma Farms, an all natural, chemical free, cruelty free becoming organic farm that offers fresh produce and meat. The vision for the farm is to bring both my family and other people's families together to experience what it is like to be environmentally conscious in raising animals and growing produce.

My mom and dad have been on the farm for a few months now helping out in any way they can, and believe so much in the vision for the farm that they are going back and forth between there home in Michigan and the farm in order to be a part of this wonderful experience. I was lucky enough to be able to visit the farm back in May, and had an amazing time taking care of the animals and setting up a green house where all the produce begins growing. It's an amazing experience to have all of my family together after being separated by distance for so long, and I am excited about living up on the farm next summer since Matt will be gone. Hopefully I can talk some of my friends into coming out next summer and seeing what the farm is all about!!! (Cara, Natalie, Toni, Taylor, Steph, Becky...This means YOU!)

Please check out their blog and become followers so you can see what's going on up there, and please feel free to give me tips on how I can improve the blog too!

P.S. I am about to fill up Clifford's puppy pool with water and stand back with my camera... so I will be posting pics of that soon!!! :)

Hard to believe...

It's hard to believe that exactly year ago yesterday Matt and I packed up his stuff and made the drive to base so that he could set out on what was one of the hardest things we had ever done so far as a couple...his first deployment. Sometimes it still feels like just yesterday I was hugging him for the last time in 7 months (but what felt like the last time in forever) and then walking away with tears in my eyes, leaving him standing there alone. We found ourselves saying goodbye once again this morning, and, although this time it was just for a few days, I couldn't help the tears from falling. No...I'm not crazy, and I know he will be back by the end of the weekend, but the memory of the last time we said goodbye is still in my heart, and brought up all those emotions of sadness and longing.

As you other pilot's wives know being a new guy in a squadron isn't easy, and on top of everything else he has to do, Matt is coming off of a year break from flying since the Marines needed him to fill another much needed spot in Iraq. He is more busy now then he has ever been, and doing an amazing job working and flying even though he is overwhelmed and exhausted. It would be easy for him to get angry and lose sight of his passion for flying and serving his country amid all of the stress...but he still comes home every night excited about just flying the best he can.

I am so proud of Matt, and proud of the life that we are building together! Sometimes it's hard when I realize that there so many things I want to do and share with him that I will end up doing on my own because of his schedule...and it's easy to feel a little lonely. But then I realize how lucky I am to have Matt in my life at all...and how amazing it is to be able to build a marriage and life with him...and I can't help but be filled with happiness.

You could say that military wives have to go through a lot...and that's true. There's lot that we have to deal with that other wives don't...there are more goodbyes, more missed holidays, more planning our lives around his schedule, more time spent sleeping alone at night...But we also get to experience our lives and marriages with depth that can only be reached through a little suffering. We all know first hand what our daily lives would be like without our husbands in them, so there is no time to take him for granted...we learn to soak up every moment, and let the joy and happiness we feel last as long as possible. Our love is not one that can only last if it is nurtured day in and day out...but a love that reaches over thousands of miles to keep us closer to one another than a couple who spends every day together. It's no ordinary life...and it's no ordinary love.

Although this weekend will include one of those times when Matt and I are not able to share an exciting event in our lives together, (picking up our puppy) it's another opportunity for us both to know just how loved we are...it's an opportunity for us to lean on our friends and share our life experiences with them. Instead of going to pick up Clifford by myself on Sunday, our friend Stephanie will be there with me to take pictures and keep him from eating my car on the ride home. I cannot describe in words how much love and support our friends bring into our life together, or how much I love all of them. The time I spent with our friends here in San Diego, and with Cara in Virginia last year, led to the deepening of my friendships in ways I never knew possible.

The life of a military wife is many things...but for me, it's a life filled with more love than any one person was ever meant to have...and I thank God for this life... through the struggles and triumphs... each and every day.

Puppy Update

After picking out Clifford last weekend, we have been counting down the weeks until we can go back and finally bring him home! Our breeder Cathy sent us some updated pictures of the puppies tonight, and they are SO cute!!! Ugh...it's gonna be so hard to wait another two weeks! We are beginning to get everything Clifford will need, and to puppy proof the house, though, so it's good that we have some time to prepare for the first addition to our family :) We will keep you all updated as we get closer to "P-DAY" (puppy day).

Here are the pics...the only problem is that they all look so much alike, we can't tell for sure which one is Clifford! They are all super cute though ;)

We think he might be the little guy sleeping by the frog in the second pic...

Which one do you think is Clifford?

Pretty sure that's him napping by the frog...we will have to get him one when he comes home! Gosh, lab puppies are the cutest little things in the whole world, aren't they? Can't wait!!!

Summer 2009...so far!

Wow...this summer is starting out busy, but soooo amazing! I feel like a million things have happened since May...Cara's walk in Texas, school starting, a trip to Big Bear, hanging out with friends in San Diego, my friends Toni and Corey getting engaged, my mom's dog coming to visit, and picking out the newest member of the Holmes family!!! Here is a quick summery of each:

Cara's Corps 2009 in Houston, TX: I was honored to join Cara in Texas again this year for her walk...and I am so happy that her and P finally got to hang out in their favorite place together again, and take their honeymoon too! The walk was amazing...there were almost double the people from last year and we raised over $10,000! I know that we all love Cara so much that we just won't sit back and let CF win...we will fight it together until there is cure! I always feel so lucky to be able to go to Texas and spend time with Cara and her family (Shiner too!) and friends...and this trip was wonderful as usual!

P.S. Just a small tip for those of you who ever get the chance to try Cara's step-mom Rosalba's sangria...If you start eating the fruit in the bottom of the pitcher you may not be able to stand afterward! ;) But it's soooooo good!

Cara and I with Warren...It's a tradition!

Out at a bar that ISN"T filled with smoke! I love Cara and her friends!

The team at the walk!

School starting isn't that exciting...I am taking Group Therapy, Maladaptive, and Development. Can't you hear me bursting with excitement? Yeah pry not...But it is nice to be back in school and learning how to help people who really need it. I am setting up a volunteer site at a hospice in San Diego so I can start getting some good experience before I do my internship next year, so I will keep you all updated on how that goes. One of my friends from school, Caroline, is getting married in a few weeks and Matt and I are very excited to go to our first wedding together!

For Memorial Day we decided to head up to Big Bear and rent a cabin for a few days. It was tons of fun but very dry and we had to adjust to that! We had a lot of fun cooking out, hiking, going out on the lake, and watching an outdoor movie with all the neighbors. It is absolutely beautiful up there in the mountains, and we both felt like it was a nice mini-vacation.

On the way up!

Fishing on the lake...we didn't catch anything but we still had fun!

We finally found a "big bear" ;)

I was very excited when my friend Toni called me to let me know that she and her boyfriend Corey got engaged! It was very cute...He had a puzzle made with their picture on it and inside the puzzle box was the ring! Can't wait for their wedding next June! Believe it or not, we are figuring out what I would have to do to be able to legally officiate the ceremony!!! They wanted someone close to them to do it and not a stranger, and I am honored that they asked me :) I will let you know how preparations are going! You can check out pics of Toni and Corey in my blog before this!

We have enjoyed hanging out with our friends here in San Diego too! Most of the time we all make dinner and hang out at one of our houses, or go out to eat, or bbq, or go out downtown. There are so many things to do here in SD...and I am so excited that Matt will be here this summer to experience all of the fun with me :) We do miss our friends who are deployed...James, Tom, and the rest of the guys...and are keeping them in our prayers all the time!

We are just waiting for the ocean to warm up a bit and then we will be going out surfing every weekend...so I am really looking forward to that! We are also planning on going to a lot of baseball games and doing other fun things over the summer where we can get big groups of us to go :)

A few weeks ago my mom sent her dog Buffy out so that we could watch her for the summer, and it has been great! She is great practice for our lab puppy and we have had so much fun playing with her and taking her on walks! She is a sweet girl, poodle-shish tzu mix, and 10 years old, but she still acts and plays like a puppy! She is in love with Matt and is always laying on him, cuddling up to him, and crying when he leaves...haha, it's the cutest thing! We will have Buffy until about September, and are hoping she can teach our puppy lots of good things :)

She looooves her new bed and stuffed duck!

Hey! That used to be my spot!

First, I just have to say that the following pictures are two of our favorite labs Shiner and Tucker's fault...Ever since we met Tucker over a year ago at the Durnin's house we knew we wanted to get a lab someday! Then, to make matters worse...I was able to meet and spend time with Shiner when I stayed with Cara over the winter....and then got to see him again when I went to Texas! Matt and I just couldn't stand it anymore, and even moved to a new townhouse so that we could get a dog...and seeing Shi a few weeks ago and having Buffy just pushed us over the edge! We were in full puppy-fever and couldn't stop looking for breeders online. We were lucky enough to find an amazing breeder with the sweetest dogs...and went "just look" at puppies on Saturday (which was the highlight of our week). Well...this is what happened:

First we met the parents...Pat and Sedona! Pat, who weighs 110lbs, came in and immediately leaned against us and rolled over on his back all flopped out on the floor so we would scratch his belly. Sedona sat quietly and sweetly and just looked up at us with loving eyes that begged for a good petting. They were absolutely perfect and well-behaved, and they are only 2 1/2! We knew immediately that we wanted a dog just like Pat because he is a mixture of Tucker and Shiner and got soooo excited to play with the puppies!

Then we met the puppies! There were 4 male puppies left and we spent 2 hours on the floor playing with each of them and trying to get a feel for their little personalities :) We both agreed that this guy (the biggest of the litter) looked the most like his dad and had a balance of courage, playfulness, and just plain love...

No one could resist that face!!! Not even Matt...who was very careful to not let me get my hopes up too much since this was the first time we went out looking at puppies. But...it was love at first sight ;) He is going to be an amazing daddy!!!

So here he is...our little puppy Clifford! He is 5 weeks old and we get to pick him up in 3 weeks :) We can't wait, and are so excited to officially add the first member to our family!!! We will keep you updated on his growth...he is going to be a big boy, and I know from watching Shi that he will be an adult before we know it!

Well...that's our summer so far, and I can't wait to see what the coming months will bring us! I am overjoyed that I get to spend this summer with Matt and our little family and friends...and plan to force all of our other friends to come and visit! (You all know who you are...Cara and P, Kasey, Erin, Toni and Corey, Natalie and Shane, Taylor and Jon, and everyone else who isn't here on the west coast) .

Congrats to Toni and Corey!!!

My friends Toni and Corey got ENGAGED last Friday!!!! I'm so excited for them :) I have known Toni since I was 2... her grandma watched us both at her house down the street from where I lived...and we have been friends ever since! We were definitely both lucky to be able to grow up together and grow together through all the stages of our lives. Since I moved to San Diego two years ago, we have been far apart distance wise - but I know we will always be best friends no matter how apart we live from one another.

I was lucky enough to be there the night Toni met Corey, and I have liked him ever since! I was so happy when they finally started dating about year ago because I think they are perfect for each other!!! Can't wait for the wedding next summer :) Congrats guys!!!

Toni and Corey

Toni and me

So proud of him!!!

Today Matt had his first solo flight after a year out of the cockpit. Right after he finished the rag last year, he was sent on IA to Iraq and wasn't able to fly while he was there. He is just doing a short refresher course back at the rag before he goes into a squadron in a few weeks, and today was his first flight by himself. We were both really excited and I drove to base and waited at the park at the end of the runway so I could see him.

It was so exciting, and I am SO proud of him for having such an amazing attitude over the past year with everything that has been going on! Next time maybe he can sneak me in his bag...I am so jealous he gets to do this all the time!!! ;)

Here are some pics I took of him taking off:

Gettin' Down on the Farm

I just got back from San Fransisco this Saturday, and had a blast up there on my aunt and uncle's new farm. They bought a 300+ acre farm north of SF in a town called Petaluma, and it is absolutely gorgeous!!! They are business owners who decided that family is very important and wanted to provide a place for our family and other families to come and work together for the greater good. They will also be selling organic produce and meat in order to pay for the farm and keep everything going. Things are just getting started but here is what they have so far:

6 1/2 cows, 1 full grown momma and her baby, two teenage cows, two new borns, and a mentally challenged cow who just hangs out with the others and enjoys turning in left circles...(long story)

94 3 week old chickens

10 pigs

The animals are all sooo cute....well, minus the momma cow who tried to butt the 4-wheeler! I had so much fun taking care of them and just watching them eat, play, and live happy lives. Of course all of the animals are being raised for meat, but I feel good knowing that they are being raised in a happy, healthy environment.

I was lucky enough to be able to see the birth of two cows while I was there and it was AMAZING! (Although it also looked very painful) Sadly, the first cow to be born was not alive upon delivery :( But, the vet reached back in to discover that the mom was pregnant with TWINS and the next cow was small, but healthy, and unbelievably cute! It is very rare for cows to have twins, and it is common for one of the twins to be disfigured, which is what happened to the first cow. Luckily, nature has a way of righting itself, and the cow was stillborn so it didn't have to be put down.

I was also lucky enough to be involved in rescuing another new born from being sold off to become veal! No matter what anyone says, it is still common practice for veal cows to be treated horribly, and lucky for this little guy, he will have a happy and healthy life for a few years to come :)

I got to teach the two new borns how to drink from a bottle...Although I think I got more milk on myself than I did in their tummy's at first! They caught on quickly though and are both thriving in their new environment with a foster mom (my mom, who is feeding them now).

It was so great to spend time in a place that isn't as crowded as San Diego, and to be able to spend time with my family and the animals! I am planning on going up there to live for a few months next time Matt deploys so that I can help out! :) I am working on a blog for the farm right now, so I will keep you all updated so you can see it when it's up!



Here are some pictures of my family and the farm:

Our Wedding

Matt and I have now been married for almost 3 weeks...and I have to say that marriage is the best thing ever!!! It has taken me forever to actually write something about the wedding for a couple of reasons...

1. I knew when I wrote a blog about the wedding it would really hit me that it's already over! Time passed so quickly, and part of me is sad that it's already over :( However, I am beyond excited for the life that Matt and I have in front of us!!!

2. I didn't think I could actually put my feelings on that wonderful day into words, and truly express how amazing every moment of it really was!

3. I have been waiting for our pictures and videos to get all edited and touched up so that I could share them with everyone :)

So, without further delay...Here is a video Matt's dad filmed and edited for us:



I can only add that it was the most amazing day and week of my life. It meant the world to me to have our families there with us, and to be able to spend so much time with them! The ceremony was absolutely perfect...full of love and laughter, which really represents who we are as a couple. All I wanted to do was just freeze time and just soak up every moment of the ceremony...and every moment we spent in Mexico!!!

I have to admit that I cried when we left, and for a few days after just because I truly had the time of my life and didn't want it to ever end. We both agree that we want to take a real honeymoon (more than just a day) whenever we can...and that other than stopping time so that we could linger in those amazing moments forever...we wouldn't have changed a thing!!!

Every time something reminds me of Mexico, the beach, or the ocean I am immediately transported back to the most amazing week of my life, and my heart is filled with happiness and love. I am forever changed by the experiences we shared down in Cabo...and can't wait to see what wonderful adventures await us in our lives together!!!

You can help them breathe easy!!!

It's Spring again, and that means the annual Great Strides walk is coming up again in Houston, Texas! Great Strides is an organization that raises money for research on Cystic Fibrisis, and each and every dollar brings us closer to a cure for this disease. I am passionate about this walk because God sent an angel into my life in the form of an amazing woman named Cara Durnin. I met Cara and her husband Patrick last year at a Christmas party I went to with Matt, and we have been great friends ever since! I think sometimes people come into your life and you know that you will be friends with them forever...No matter what happens! I knew right away that Cara was one of those people, and even though her and her husband were stationed in Virginia last year, we have remained great friends. Cara was nice enough to let me come and stay with her this year while Matt and Patrick were deployed, and I ended up spending 3 months with her and her sweet dog Shiner. While I was staying with Cara I was able to give back by working closely with the USO in Norfolk, and give back to the amazing military men and women who sacrifice for us each and every day. Without Cara's help I would have never been able to have this amazing experience, and my life would not be the same today. On top of working full time, taking care of Shiner, entertaining me, and volunteering her time to help me with the USO, Cara also dealt with the symptoms of her Cystic Fibrosis, which often left her exhausted and sick...And her strength was something that truly inspired me each and every day. Cara has been an amazing support to me from the very first day we met, and has been an amazing friend to those around her all her life.

Last year I was able to join Cara in Texas for the Great Strides walk, and it was one of the most amazing times of my life! Not only was I able to support Cara in finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis, but I was also able to meet all of Cara's friends and family, and see how each of them are truly touched by Cara simply being in their lives. Every time I visit Cara in Virginia or Texas I feel truly at home...because she is the kind of person who makes everyone feel special and loved. I feel so lucky to have been able to spend those 3 months with Cara and Shiner, and I always miss the amazing times we had just sitting on the couch laughing at Shiner or at something on tv, traveling in New York and Texas, and baking cookies and ham for the USO every week....But most of all, I just miss having such an inspiring friend around me every day. Cara inspires me to be a better friend, wife, women of God, mother to a dog (someday soon)...and to appreciate even the small things in life.

I know that you all have someone in your life who has truly changed you for the better, and inspired you to live a better life. When Cara was young, there were many times when the doctors told her parents that their daughter would not make it to see her next birthday because of this horrible disease. When I think about it, I can't even imagine how my life would be different today if those doctors had been right. There are many young children who die every day from Cystic Fibrosis...Children who will never be able to make a difference in people's lives like Cara has.

During my time in Virginia Cara lost a few of her friends to CF...Women who were friends, and wives, and mothers, and fellow angels. These women didn't have to die...I know that we can find a cure for this disease, and save so many amazing people!

In just a few weeks Cara will arrive at the Naval Base as her husband's carrier pulls back in to port, and they will be reunited after an 8 month deployment. They will then travel to Texas for Cara's walk, and head down to Mexico for their honeymoon after 2 years of marriage. Cara has a great life ahead of her...a life full of celebrating a wonderful marriage, welcoming children into the world, and bringing so much love into the lives of her family and friends. The average life expectancy for someone with CF is 37...Cara is 27. Ten more years is just not enough...so please help us give her and her fellow Cf-ers the greatest gift of all...the gift of more time.

The following is a video that will introduce you to Cara and to this horrible disease. Every little gift counts...So please go to the link below, or to the link at the end of this video and give what you can to help us find a cure now!!!

I love you all, and you are all a blessing in my life! Please help me to keep another one of my blessings breathing easy!!! :)

http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/dsp_DonationPage.cfm?walkid=5860&idUser=223697

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltcmLCiO6xs&feature=player_embedded

A love that cannot be earned...

Tonight I went back to my favorite church in San Diego and participated in a gathering of Christians that truly touched my heart. The message tonight was about God's love...and that the only way to reach God is through his son Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, God's love cannot be earned, but is given freely to all of humanity. The sad thing about this free love is that many people don't know about it, or about Jesus' life and love for them. It got me thinking about how many people in my life don't know that I have a relationship with God and see Jesus' love each and every day in my life....And that my belief in God is too powerful to not tell other people about his wonderful love.

Christianity teaches us through the actual events of Jesus' life that there is nothing you can do to earn God's love, but that God's love is freely given, and all our sins are forgiven before we even commit them. There is nothing you have to do to get God to love you and bless you...and if you want to know him all you have to do is seek Him, and you will find Him.

Christianity was meant from the beginning to be the most inclusive religion in the world because Jesus didn't come to the earth and say: "I am dying to forgive the sins of the Jews," or "I am dying to save the people who are perfect," or "I am only dying to save those who are black or white or brown" Jesus came to the earth and died so that He could forgive the sins of EVERYONE, and pave the way for ANYONE to know God's amazing love.

Many times people perceive Christianity to be a religion that tries too hard to convince people to join the religion...But the following may help to explain why Christians are so adamant about spreading the word of Christ to the entire world.

I have known God since I was a very small girl...Almost as far back as I can remember. I went to church and learned about God and Jesus there, but my real relationship with Jesus started because God himself reached out to me and let himself be known to me. I had an understanding of God and what His love meant to me at such a young age, and it was this knowing God and understanding His amazing love that truly saved my life over and over again as I grew up and faced the hardships that came my way. I was the happiest in my life when I felt close to God...and without Him, I know that I would not be living the life I am blessed to live today.

If you were me and you experienced the same life-changing love and happiness that I experienced in knowing Jesus, then you would come to understand why I want to tell people all about Christianity, and why I would want them to be able to experience the same unconditional love that I have experienced. People are passionate about Jesus because He has truly made a difference in their lives...and if you believe in Him and seek a relationship with Him then you will see His love...which has been with you your whole life. Jesus came to die for you...to forgive your sins, and offer His amazing love to YOU.

I first read what is now my favorite bible verse on Cara's blog...and I wanted to share it with you too! It's Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

God has plans for You...wonderful plans that include His amazing, freely given love. There's nothing you can do to make God love you...He loved you before you were even born...and He will love you everyday of your life no matter what!

My hope is that all of you can come to know God, or strengthen the relationship you already have with Him...and always see His amazing love in your life.

It's been forever...

I know that it has been forever since I last posted a blog...It seems like things have just been crazy since Matt got home, and we have been going non-stop! Since he got home 51 days ago we have...

1. Gone to Hawaii
2. Gone to check out our wedding spot
3. Re-organized our little apartment
4. Spent time with all of our friends who are deploying sooner than expected :(
5. Printed and sent out wedding invitations
6. Visited with my parents here in San Diego
7. Planned everything for the wedding...
8. Moved to a new townhouse
9. Got my engagement ring re-sized
10. Bought our wedding bands
11. Planned our bachelor/bachelorette party
12. Packed and un-packed all of our stuff
13. Been working...well, Matt has ;)
14. Taken the test to become a substitute teacher in California (Kara)
15. Gotten to know each other again after a long 7 months!

It has been great and busy at the same time since Matt has been home, and I am thankful to have him back each and every day. Deployments are definitely not easy...not in the beginning or the end...But we have gotten and are getting through it together!

We are very excited about the wedding!!! We checked our mail for the first time last night at the new house and we were attacked by RSVP cards busting out of our little mailbox :) We were very excited to get them...and feel so much love from both the people who are coming and those who can't make it as well. We love all of our friends so much and can't wait to see them all again in the summertime!!!

I couldn't sleep last night because I was up late thinking about all of our friends who are dealing with deployment right now...Cara and Patrick, Erin and John, Jen and Eli, Tania and Doug, Stephanie and James, and all of our single friends too! My heart truly goes out to them, and I am so proud of each and every one of them for making this sacrifice and being so strong. The military can be hard to deal with...But, for me, it's worth it to be a part of something bigger than just myself. I can honestly look at Matt and I, and all of our friends and see people with amazing passion, character, strength, and love. I have looked my whole life for friends like these...and have found a few along the way...but not like I have found within our military family over the past year and a half. I am thinking of all of you...and love you all!!!

Well, Stephanie just dropped off my little buddy Jack the chihuahua, and he is hanging out here for a few hours today while she is at work. Jack is the cutest little dog, and he definitely made me smile every time I saw him even when I was sad that Matt was gone on deployment. He is a little sad at the moment since his mommy just left...so I am going to go play with him for a while.

I am sending out care packages to Cara, Erin, and Jen this week...So keep an eye out girls! :)

Only a month until the wedding....I can't believe it's so soon!!!

Last but not least...I promise to be better about blogging now that we are in our new home and things are calmed down a bit.

He's Home...

I don't have much time to blog...But I just wanted to say that Matt is HOME!!! And I couldn't be happier :) He is my hero and I am so proud of him...I am not letting him go for a LONG time now!!! How lucky am I that I get to be his wife in less than 90 days! I can't wait...

Ok...gotta go! Lots to do ;) Thanks to Cara and Patrick for being such great friends to us both, and we will be thinking of both of them, and praying that time passes quickly. We are proud of both of you and understand how hard this is at times...but we all know that it's worth it!!!

Love you all...Kara and Matt

Photo Tag

Alright...so Cara tagged me in her blog and asked me to find the fourth picture in the fourth folder where my pictures are stored. I had no idea what it would be...but after I found it, I realized it couldn't have been better :)



This is a picture of my very first surfboard the day I picked it up! I was so excited and spent a lot of time just looking at it, taking off the old wax and putting on new wax, and throwing it in the back of my 4-runner, which I had always wanted to do! (It may have even influenced my decision to buy a 4-runner in the first place)

This is a great picture because it sort of represents my new life in San Diego. A little over a year and a half ago I moved to San Diego from Michigan, and only knew one person! My roommate, Desire, taught one of my classes a few years ago, and welcomed me to San Diego with open arms. She definitely was a savior for me because she showed me around and encouraged me to meet people and put myself out there. We had lots of fun in our tiny apartment with all our animals!

I began surfing with people I had met here, and absolutely loved it! It took a lot of courage to try and paddle out into the ocean, and there were a few times I was afraid I might drown!!! But I kept at it, and as my skills at surfing increased, so did my confidence! I surfed a lot with a friend of mine who was also from Michigan, and he lived across the hall from Matt and his roommate Joe. He introduced me to Matt...and the rest is history!!! Surfing taught me to work at what I wanted, and to chase after it even if I was afraid. It also taught me to better communicate my fears, and self-limiting beliefs. It truly helped me to seek out the life I wanted...and the friendships, relationship, and family that I wanted too!

I love to surf with anyone who likes to go out! It has definitely brought me closer to Matt, and my friends James, Stephanie, and Leslie! I couldn't think of anything I would love more than to spend a hot summer day out in the waves with the people who are closest to me! I feel free out there, and independent, and confident. I know I will surf as long as I possibly can, and that I will love every minute of it :)

After a challenging day of surfing with Matt and James, we all decided that my surfboard was a little too big for me because I had a hard time getting it out in bigger waves. So...I sold my beloved board to a friend of ours and now it is his turn to voyage out into the ocean with her. I have since stolen Matt's board, which I named Cali-lilly, and it have been in love with her ever since! I can paddle out with a lot less effort, and have been able to get up on most of the waves I tried to go for. The only problem now is that he is coming home soon and I may not be able to give her back to him very easily! ;)

I can't wait to spend this summer with Matt, and paddle out into the waves with him on all those perfect, blue and golden days!!! Hopefully my experiences this summer have prepared me for him to come back, and I will actually be better than him now ;) Stand by for an update...not long now!!!

Thanks for the tag Cara...I love this picture, and have loved explaining it's meaning to everyone!

My Christmas present...

Well, my Christmas present came a little early this year...No, Matt didn't miraculously show up at my door, unfortunately :( But, besides that, I couldn't have asked for a better gift. I spent Christmas eve traveling from Virginia and Atlanta to see my family, and the people I encountered along the way truly touched my heart!

My first flight from Virginia to Charlotte flew by, since I fell asleep right when we took off and woke up just as we were landing. In Charlotte I had an hour lay over, so I headed to my gate and sat down. I made a stop at the bathroom and a girl started talking to me about how she had just helped a young girl who was diabetic and had low blood sugar. She said that she was nervous about approaching the girl, but that the girl and her boyfriend looked scared and didn't seem to know what to do. She said that she had put a granola bar in her bag earlier that morning, and then had been able to give it to the girl to help her to get her blood sugar up. She was a really nice girl, and I was truly touched by her story! I felt lucky to have been able to talk with her, and was very glad that she approached me.

I headed back to the gate and heard that they were taking volunteers to take a later flight so that the people who had been overbooked could have a seat on the flight. I called my mom to see where they were since her and my step-dad were driving down to Atlanta from Michigan. When my mom told me they were still a ways away, I went up to the counter, but all the spots had already been given up. So, I boarded the plane and found my seat. At the last minute, they called for one more volunteer, and I immediately raised my hand. As I was walking off the plane, there was a Marine standing there, waiting to take my seat. I looked at him and wanted to say Semper Fi!!! But instead, my eyes filled up with tears as I thought about him being able to make it home for Christmas. I smiled through the tears and watched him walk onto the plane. I felt so honored to be able to help another Marine this Christmas...and was truly touched that God gave me the opportunity to give up my seat for someone who really needed it!!! Outside at the desk one of the guys working for the airline thanked me for giving up my seat, and I told him it was a blessing for me to give what I could to help another Marine!

While I was waiting for my next plane, a man was sitting beside me started telling me how the two young boys on the other side of him were his kids and that they lived with their mother in Atlanta. He talked about how he didn't know if he was the best father, but he did know that he was teaching them to love God, and other people. His kind words warmed my heart once again, and I was blessed to be able to hear his story. It's wonderful to know that some dad's are really doing the best they can to raise their children and teach them the important things in life!

Of course when I sat down in my seat on the plane, I sat next to a girl marine!!! She was on her way to see her fiance who was in the Army, and hadn't seen him in over a year. She was so excited, and her and I talked about being away from the person that you love, and then being able to see them again. We talked about how other people really don't understand deployments, and how it's nice to talk with the few people who do. It was great to hear her story, and to talk with her about her concerns and excitement about her upcoming reunion with the love of her life. When I walked off the plane her fiance was there waiting for her, and the tears came again when they hugged and smiled and walked away hand in hand.

Between all the people I met during my trip, and being able to spend a week with my family, this Christmas was one of the best I have ever had! I felt so blessed to have the opportunity to meet so many people, and hear their story. I also felt lucky to have the chance to spend a whole week with my family...especially my mom since this is the last time I will spend with her before I get married. I felt more loved this Christmas than I ever have...and I am so thankful to have Matt, my family, his family, and all of my friends!!!

My New Years this year was great too! I actually got sick on the plane ride back to Virginia on New Years Eve...but I was able to be online with Matt when New Years came in Iraq, and spend him lots of skype kisses!!! Cara and I just stayed in and watched the ball drop in NY on tv...and I was thankful to have her here with me...even though I felt like I ruined her New Years since I couldn't go out...she insisted that she would rather just stay in. I am so blessed with such wonderful friends!!!

This is going to be an amazing year...filled with hope, love, friendship, marriage, celebration, and a million amazing memories!!! I Just want to thank God for loving me enough to bless me this much...His love is more than enough for me!