Deployment Update

We are well into the downhill slope of this deployment and I am counting down the days until Mike returns to Okinawa... Although I don't know the specific number of days until he returns, I am still marking them off the calendar. He has been gone for 4 months and 18 days now.

To pass the time I had set goals for myself. Let's see how I've done!

Goal #1: Try a new recipe ever week.

Well, ok, so this one petered out in December. But I have been cooking most of my meals at home. Lately, I've been enjoying sautéed veggies, especially squash and spinach. I also made my first carrot cake a few weeks ago!! It was phenomenal, if I do say so myself. I didn't take a picture and for that, I'm really bummed. But check out this link for the recipe.

Goal #2: Learn a new skill.

In the last deployment post, I talked about taking a few classes at the arts and craft center. In the end, I took 2 pottery classes and a glass fusing class! In the first pottery class, I made hanging Shisa faces. You can watch my progress and see the faces come to life. The teacher fired the faces and the final products are now hanging on my wall!

Shortly after, I made a dragon vase. I didn't get to throw the vase, but I did add all the details on it.

Finally, I took a glass fusing class with a few friends. Mike's grandfather was Jewish and so the rest of the squadron tends to highlight his Hebrew heritage. I thought it would be nice to support that as well by making him a menorah ornament (an oxymoron, I know). I was pretty impressed with the final product! I did learn that glass cutting was not as easy as it would seams!

Though I would not say that I've mastered any of these skills, it was very nice to release some creative energy and make some fun keepsakes. Not everything that comes from this deployment has to be sad, difficult, or ugly!

Goal #3: Create and manage a baby registry.

This one deservers a big ole check mark! Here are the links to prove it!!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/baby/ref=gno_listpop_br

Buy Buy Baby: https://www.buybuybaby.com/regGiftRegistry.asp?wrn=%2D482037129&

Goal #4: Complete Half Pint's nursery.

Check out one of my more recent posts to see some of the updates made to her new room. Since then, I've started to add a few details, unpack some gifts and make it all come together. The next few projects I have for her room is to organize all of her clothing and to make curtains and crib skirt! We are getting closer to welcoming her home!!

I found the vase and picture frame bookends at a local store. The toy basket is also from Thailand.

The pink painting is an original from her Aunt Laura Koke.

The table and hangers are also from Thailand. Her cute little robe looks great hanging there!

The last major decoration project will be to make curtains and a crib skirt. These are the fabrics I will use. Wish me luck!

I think I've done pretty well at meeting my goals. Some of them continue but all in all, I'm pretty proud of myself!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Hope you all had a chance to spend some time with the ones you love most on Valentine's Day! Half Pint and I hung out all day and then stuffed ourselves with chocolate later that night. I think that might just have to become a mother/daughter tradition!! We missed Mike but we are very lucky to have someone who loves us as much as he does! Wishing you all feel loved this Valentine's Day!!

~Lynn and Half Pint

Home for the Holidays

I was lucky enough to make the long trip from Okinawa to Indiana to spend the whole month of December with my friends and family!! It was SO nice to be home for the holidays! There was much to do, people to see, places to go, and memories to make. This is just a quick overview of it all.

Early on in the month I spent most of my time registering for baby goods and "test driving" strollers, etc. Thank the good Lord for my sister Julie and all of her help!! She went with me to help me get started and offered her expert mommy opinions on countless items from breast pumps to crib sheets!!

I also had several baby showers while I was home! It was so nice to be able to see all the wonderful women in my life and celebrate this new little girl joining our ranks!! My bestest friends from high school all got together to shower me with love one evening. It was a very nice, laid back evening of reminiscing, story telling, laughing, and memory making. This was the first time that all of us have been together in about 4 years!! I am so very lucky to have friends like these lovely ladies.

My sisters and Mom also threw an AWESOME shower and included all of our family and family friends! It was a wonderful day spent with so many lovely ladies!!

And my mother-in-law Michele and sister-in-law Mallory threw a shower in Cincinnati for Michael's side of the family. It was a classy event with wonderful food, great company, and beautiful decorations in an Irish theme. She is due to arrive on St. Patrick's Day after all! It was really nice, again, to spend some time with the wonderful women who mean the most to me and will love Half Pint just as much!

Michele, Mallory, Aunt Denise, me, Emily, Maggie

I also got the chance to visit some of Michael's family in Dayton, OH. Cousins Andy and Emily and their beautiful children Maggie and Will opened their home and entertained me for the weekend! Uncle Larry, Aunt Denise, and Michele and Al also came over for lunch. It was so much fun to spend time with them. It's difficult to go for so long between visits. I miss so much of the changing and growing that happens with the kids. I will say, however, that we are blessed to have family like the Jenkins and Denlingers, because we all seem to pick up right where we left off. Thanks for a great visit guys!!

Cousin Emily and Maggie reading their Christmas gifts!

My godson Will! Isn't he so handsome!?!?!

The month was also filled with its fair share of sporting events too!! One Sunday, Doc (Mike's dad) came up to Indy to go to a Colts game with me and my parents. We had some AWESOME seats!! 15th row in the end zone! It also just so happened to be the Colts first victory of the season. (Let's not mention that they were 0 - 14 at the time.) They scored 2 of their 3 TD's and 1 field goal right in front of us!! It was a great game and a great time spent with Doc. Thanks, Doc for making the trip up to see us!

Pretty awesome seats, huh?

Die hard Horse fans.

Merry Christmas, Doc! Thanks for joining us for the game!

The folks at Lucas Oil sure do know how to put on a show. The National Anthem made my cry. The musician was a violinist so there were no vocals. You could hear the crowd sing every word! It still makes me tear up just thinking about it.

The following night, Dad and I made our way down to Bloomington, IN to watch the Hoosiers beat up on some poor team. I haven't been to Assembly Hall since I was in high school, and it was nice to see that some things don't change!! They still have the same 3rd quarter cheer that I remember from childhood and the banners still hang proudly from the ceiling. They've added their own flare, cheers, and changed the uniforms (thank goodness.) But some traditions remain, like going to an IU game with your dad!

Indiana! Oh Indiana! Indiana, we're all for you!

Thanks for the quality time spent with you at the game, Dad!!!

Of course, let's not forget Christmas!! Christmas Eve was spent at Mom and Dad's house with all the siblings. We opened gifts together as a family, ate an amazing meal, and went to Christmas Eve Mass. We even got to Skype with Mike!! There are no words to describe how wonderful it is to spend Christmas with family!! I can truly appreciate how special this day really was.

We miss you, Shot!

And let's not forget how different Christmas becomes when there is a little one around. It was so fun to shower Henry with love and watch him open his presents. It makes me look forward to next Christmas with Half Pint!!

Of course, amidst all the official events, parties, games, and shopping, I had plenty of time to spend with my family just hanging out. Some of the best times were spent with my little nephew, Henry!! He was cruising around on all the furniture, standing on his own and smiling the ENTIRE time!! I really miss seeing how he grows and changes, so getting some quality time with him was priceless!

Isn't he the cutest thing in the world!!

Henry says "Go Irish!"

Henry and I had a date night.

We had dinner, cuddled on the couch, and conversed about life.

He was a perfect gentleman!

My sister Katie and I are due one one week apart. How special it is to share this every exciting time in life with someone as special as Katie!!

Of course Mom loved every minute of her time with her pregnant daughters!!

And speaking for pregnant sisters, my sister Laura announced her big news while I was home too!! We will have another Taylor cousin in July!!

Congrats to Laura and Kevin on your big news and exciting times ahead!

I'm very honored to share this pregnant time with you girls!

So, as you can see, my month in the States was filled with lots of fun, family, friends, and memories. Thank you to all who spent their time with me, let me borrow a car, met me for meals, celebrated the anticipated arrival of our little Half Pint, and made this holiday season so special. It was difficult to be away from Mike, especially during the holidays, but you all made the load a little lighter. Love you!!