Happy New Year everyone! 2017 has been both good and bad, but I am not too sad to say goodbye to it. It was a super slow year on the blog, with only TEN new posts. TEN! I guess I dropped the ball a little on the blog, but honestly I just needed to spend more time on other things this year.
Nick was home for about 3 and a half months total in 2017, and a lot of the time he was home he was working nights and long hours. He spent the first 6 months of the year on deployment, came home, turned around and left again for a few month-long trips.
It wasn’t a very fun year, in this respect. He missed so much of Molly growing up, not to mention his share of the diapers and predawn wake ups. But somehow we survived, and even though it was rough single-parenting so much, it was a great first full year of parenthood.
In between deployments and detachments, we spent a lot of quality time as a family and were able to travel to Utah and Massachusetts to see family, as well as checking off another state with a fun trip to Seattle!
Molly is a full-out kid now. In 2017 I said goodbye to my little baby and hello to a super smart, hilarious, adorable and CRAZY toddler. She’s definitely taking after Mom in the personality department– she’s a timid little people-pleaser with a bit of a stubborn streak. She loved Halloween and Christmas this year and has 10 million new toys to play with after the holidays.
2018 is bringing a lot of new changes for our family!
For one, we are MOVING! Across the country again! Five years ago, we packed up and drove from Mississippi to California, and at the beginning of next month we will head back east to start a new chapter in Virginia.
The last five years have gone by in a flash, but we are definitely ready to move on. I won’t miss the summer heat or the dirt and dust and brown. I’m very much looking forward to green trees and living two miles from the beach.
We’ve been lucky to have lived close to some of Nick’s family here in CA, and made many memories with them. I will definitely miss our west coast friends and family (oh, and not having to deal with snow). Not to mention Molly’s amazing daycare and babysitters, who have taught her so much and helped save my sanity through deployment. They say the people make a place, and it’s true. We are leaving behind so many great friends. And many more are about to embark on their own new journeys to other states. It’s Navy life, and we’re used to it, but it’s still sad. Hopefully we will end up near each other again one day!
Another great thing about this year’s move is that along with moving to Virginia, we are moving to a “shore tour” with the Navy. Which means three years of no deployments, minimal detachments, and much more “normal” work hours. We are definitely excited that we’ll be able to have Dad home more!
Aside from deployment and Nick’s work schedule, I don’t have much to complain about in 2017. I’m thankful for our health, our family and friends, and all the experiences we have had this year. But I am definitely looking forward to 2018 and all the new changes it will bring. It’s been almost eight years since I have lived at the beach, which I left kicking and screaming. I can’t even begin to put into words how happy it makes my heart to get back to it. And to be able to share that love with Molly!
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Cheers to 2018 and a new chapter!
Blessings in your new location.
Wonderful wonderful news!! Molly is ADORABLE and I am soooo happy for you that so much GOOD is in store for you in 2018!