Our X-mas letter

The (Mr and Mrs SW) have decided to join the Holiday letter club and write one of their own. So here it goes…

The years started out in a very cold setting with snow that lasted a week longer than the regular 2-3 days. Neither SW nor B enjoyed the white festivities other then sliding around on the ice while sitting in traffic to and from work. Once it all melted they regained their place within society.
February was long and lonely. SW left for NTC in California at the beginning and didn’t return till March. While there he played war games with his friends and prepared for his upcoming vacation. It was an awful experience filled with steak and lobster dinner. B on the other hand was left to look for houses and her pay off debt and become a home owner journey had finally come to its “fun part”. Just a day after Valentine’s Day offer #1 was made. The house was in need of much work and was the first of many short sales to be viewed.
Once SW returned to civilization house hunting continued with both parties eager to find something to move into as soon as possible. Offer on house #2 was made a weekend later. This was sure to be the house, also deemed short sale it was a very promising…more on that bad boy later…Another pressing issue following SW's return was shopping, but not any kind of shopping, ring shopping. Everyday B would ask him what he had done with no change in answer, always ring shopping. As the rental house filled with jewelry catalogs and B was about crazy waiting for the bank to come back with an approval on offer #2 (or really offer #1 for that matter), March ended and April began.
April was a month to remember. Knowing that offer #2 HAD to be approved in 45 days (or so we were told) notice was given to the landlord and SW and B planned to move in with Aunt Eileen (just for at MOST 2 weeks). When asked what SW did that day at work, B was give the traditional answer of “shopped”, still no ring was purchase. So, Keeley was enlisted to help with a date to pick out rings. With proposal’s in her future, B awaited the Friday of this shopping trip. Friday came and went with no proposal, only a sad tale of not having any luck after “searching every flipping store in the greater Seattle area”. Let’s just say, B went to bed upset that night. Saturday was no better, however SW and B did go out to dance and be merry with Keely, Ryan and Tricia. Although B wasn’t quite over her upset from the day before she knew something had to be “up” when Keeley asked if she was “engaged yet”. As a good time was had by all, SW consuming a few encouraging drinks, they decided to leave. Encouraged as he was Sunday came and no ring was to be found. Per their normal routine Sunday was spent window shopping to fill the home that they had not yet found. At Best Buy while they dreamed of owning a large TV and surround sound system SW asked B, “what if I just proposed right now?” This was followed by B’s response; “uh, why don’t you just wait”, and wait he did. On Monday after work and grocery shopping while doing what they do best eat pizza and watching TV, SW asked what B would do if he proposed. B growing tired said “look if you are gonna ask then just ask”, so he did.


May started with a move with from the house of mold to Eileen’s. Wedding plans were made easy with the help of Keeley and the internet. Mid May with the hype of offer on house #2 down the tubes, house hunting resumed. Before work on Friday B met the realtor and looked at a house, way above her purchase price, twenty minutes and a fax/email latter an offer was made on house #4 (there was a #3 in there but that’s not even worth mentioning). Luckily this house wasn’t a short sale, but rather a bank owned and was accepted by the Bank after a short negotiation. With the home loan in process SW and B sure to have the house before they were married and before SW 's “vacation” they set out to visit family in the Middle states. A hop, skip, two planes and a very difficult GPS induced car ride later, SW met B' family and vice versa.
Upon their return, B and SW prepared for their wedding weekend in Las Vegas. Four days later they entered Sin City with great friends and family in close proximity. Landing at 10:30 pm Friday they rushed to get a marriage license followed by a night out SW with Ryan and a pocket full of Cash, B with Keeley and Tricia. Waking bright and Early the next morning, B prepared by watching Law and Order and getting a surprisingly nice makeup/hair styling by the internet beautician, SW on the other hand slept in. At about 4pm on June 6, 2009 the two were married. Returning home B got in to name change/military wife/buy house mode and SW into deployment mode. Finally on June 30th the made on house #4 was closed and B became a home owner. June was a very good month for SW and B.
July although incredibly sunny was not so “hot” SW left for ACSOTN on the 10th, B cried. The only good that came in July was B's mystery illness was “cured” by a new prescription of contacts. Months of motion sickness was resolved and the world became clear again.
August came and went as did the end of the sun. September did the same and brought rain.
October brought a very happy delivery for B the memory card from SW's camera along with this: and all was well in the world again.
Although Thanksgiving was spent apart for the two it was a
time for thanks. B was in California with family and SW with 15 boxes of baked goods and games sent by many family members. The 10lbs of muscle gained will soon be met by another 10 from cookies.
The year is coming to an end and although half has been spent apart from one another SW and B wouldn’t have wished the events any other way.