....And the Journey Begins.....

The next few days are going to be blogs about our journey across the country…..Starting tonight you can check the blog nightly and I will update it on anything excited we have done, seen, etc. I just want to say first that I am miss my friends in CT like crazy….I cry and laugh each time I think of you or listen to the songs on the CDs you have all made for us. PS that was the BEST idea EVER! I love you all so much….that is all that I can say about that at this time without crying! I just hope that each and every one of you know how much you each individually mean to me. Thank you for all the prayers and the texts and the calls as we have been driving now for 2 days! It has been very emotional…..and thankfully it has gone pretty good.

Here is the adventure so far:

Day 1—Monday June 2, 2008

• Josh and I left CT on our 18mth anniversary to move to California for 18mths…CRAZY! Rachel stop laughing…I know I’m a dork!
• We left CT at 11:00am after saying our goodbyes and getting the car weighed
• We had 550miles to go the first day to reach our first resting point of Newton Falls, Ohio
• The cats got their drugs and it was kinda sad seeing them that way…but they did great…not one peep the whole way
• We went through 5 states the first day and decided at the beginning that we were going to try and figure out what each state that we went throughs moto was without having to look it up online so here goes day one: Connecticut-Constitution State, New York- Empire State, New Jersey- Garden State, Pennsylvania- State of Independence, and finally Ohio- The birth place of aviation.
• It took us 2.5 hrs to get out of CT, 30min to get out of NY, 1.10hrs to get out of NJ, 5 hrs (to the min.) to get out of PA, and we stopped 30min into Ohio.
• This is a 47 hr trip and at the end of day 1 after driving for about 8 hrs we have 39hrs. to go.
• We have paid $1.25 in tolls so far
• Gas is averaging around $3.89 in most states (besides CT)
• The only exciting thing on day one was that a deer ran across the highway 100yards in front of us.
  

Day 2—Tuesday June 3, 2008

• We left Newton Falls, Ohio at 6:17am(Eastern time) with 700 miles ahead of us for day 2 to reach our next resting place of Des Moines, Iowa
• We checked the weather and saw that we were in for a treat….bad storms all across the mid west heading straight toward us…so the cats got more medicine
• It rained through most of Ohio and pretty bad off and on in Indiana and Illinios
• We traveled through 4 states today: Ohio-birth place of aviation, Indiana-Crossroads of America, Illinios-The land of Lincoln, and Iowa-Fields of Opportunity
• It took us 3.45hrs to get through Ohio, 3hrs to get through Indiana, 3hrs to get through Illinios, and2.45hrs through Iowa to Des Moines
• We have paid $16.10 in tolls today
• Gas has been from $3.79 in Iowa to $4.25 in Illinios (and every amt in between)
• We passed into Central time Zone in New Carlisle, Indiana at 11:23am Eastern time = 10:23am Central
• Interesting things we learned/saw today: Avery, Ohio is Thomas Edison’s birthplace; Ohio has a Holiday Inn with an indoor water park; I spotted and took a picture of a giant giraffe(thanks to Rachel I see them everywhere); Indiana had signs every ½ mile on the highway that flash when and animal is near the area; Norte Dame and the College Football hall of Fame are in Indiana and we got to drive by them; Princeton , Illinois is the home town of President Ronald Reagan and his birth place is Peoria, Illinois(both of which we drove through); drove over the Mississippi River; and got to stop at the World’s Largest Truck Stop- the Iowa 80…it has over 800 truck parking spaces….and yes Rachel it was exciting!
• We made it to and past 1,000 miles of driving……we have to make it to a little over 3,000 to be done!
• 20hrs behind us total and only 27hrs to go! Almost half way there! SHOOT ME!
  
  FOR THE RECORD I HAVE BEEN THE BEST PASSANGER EVER! I FEED MY DRIVER AND CATER TO HIS EVERY WISH AND COMMAND….AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT I HAVE NOT COMPLAINED ONCE….JUST ASK JOSH YOURSELF IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME!
  PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR US….I HAVE A FEELING THE EASY DAYS ARE BEHIND US AND WE ARE GOING TO START TO GET TIRED AND FRUSTRATED. PLEASE PRAY THAT WE ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE. WE WILL BE TRAVELING THROUGH NEBRASKA AND ½ OF WYOMING TOMORROW. I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES TOMORROW. FEEL FREE TO CALL US OR TEXT US ALONG THE WAY!
  
  LOVE & HUGS
  AMANDA AND JOSH

The Big day....well...not quite

Tomorrow is the big day! The packers are coming to pack up all of our things. I must admit....I'm NERVOUS! I like to look at everything as though the worst thing possible is going to happen....that way I'm not disappointed if something happens because I'm expecting the worst! I know....I know...it is a horrible way to look at things.....but thats the way it is....at least for this situation. I'm not they way with my entire life.....but this moving thing....I am. Josh is not home tonight....he is spending his last day/night on the boat standing duty! It kinda stinks that he couldn't be home for the holiday festivities....but we are super excited that he is DONE! Today I took a break from the cleaning and organizing and packing.....me christie eric val karen rachel kyle kathryn and emily all went out to the beach and had a cook out and then layed out in the sun...in the sand and got a little color....well a little for me but a lot for christie. I forgot my camera in the car so I will have to get pictures from christie....but here are a few funny ones of val and I that I got from her........


Here is an adorable little girl we watched on the beach as she twirled around the pole with a wedgy!
Here is Val and I being silly.......or bored......not sure!


I let you know how the packing goes tomorrow! Happy Memorial Day!

Military Spouse Day

A few weeks ago was Military Spouse Day....I recieved a certificate in the mail from the commanding officer of the Alexandria with this poem on it:

The Military Spouse

I wear no uniforms,

no blues or army greens.

But I am in the military

in the ranks rarely seen.

I have no rank upon my shoulders,

salutes I do not give.

But the military world

is the place where I live.

I'm not in the chain of command,

orders I do not get.

But my spouse is the one who does,

this I cannot forget.

I'm not the one who deploys,

who puts my life on the line.

But my job is just as tough,

I'm the one that's left behind.

My spouse is a patriot,

a brave and loyal soul.

With the call to serve out country

and freedom as our goal.

Behind the lines I see the things

needed to keep this country free.

My spouse makes the sacrifice,

but so do our kids and me.

I love the person I married,

as you can see.

I stand among the silent ranks

a military spouse, that's me.

--Author Unknown

I just thought I would share.....

Visitors....Home...showers....and celebrating.....

This past Thursday my friends Ashley and Austin from college that live in Boston came to visit. Ashley graduates with her masters this coming Sunday and they are moving back to Texas....so her and Austin came for one last visit before hitting the road back to Texas. Its kinda sad b/c Ashley and I moved up to this area at the same time and now we are both leaving....but not both going back to Texas. I've really enjoyed being able to have her up here and being able to go and visit when Josh has been out to sea. We had a lot of fun while they were here....we went to both of the casinos....Jonathan Edwards winery.....and we went to this great local, hole in the wall restruant for breakfast( Kitchen Little). They even got to watch Josh drive the boat in for the LAST time! Thats right....he is back and doesn't have to go out again for at least 2 years! That is the most exciting thing EVER! He is so happy to be back and to not have to go out to sea for a long time. Although he is having to work a lot....and late. Since he is the only guy on the boat that will not be going on deployment....he is having to stand duty everyday while all the guys go to training during the day. Needless to say I am really excited to have him home!

On Saturday I went to a baby shower for a friend of ours here. Jessica and Chris....they were actually at/in the wedding. They are expecting their first baby...a little baby girl....and so we had a baby shower for her on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and it was really good to see everyone...b/c that is the last tiem I will see most of them before moving to California. We were going to go to NY with Ashley and Austin on Saturday but Josh wasn't not feeling to good after getting home the day before.

Saturday night we went out to eat with Rachel, Kyle, Christie and Eric to Johnny Rockets at Mohegan Sun. That is not the restraunt that we had planned on going to but with Saturday crowds...that is what we ended up doing.....but it was good and fun to go out with them and hang out. They actually paid for Josh and I as congrats on being done/goodbye thing. It was really sweet of them!

That is all for us for now.....we are just waiting now for the movers to come the last week of May. Josh is having to do a lot of checking out with the base and things here. We are dropping his car off to be shipped this coming weekend. I am taking Ollie to the vet to get his 1 year shots and to get him and Izzy weighed so that we can get them some medicine that will relax them so that they don't care what is going on when we in the car for 4 days straight. It is not going to knock them out though. I will try and post some pictures later of Josh pulling in for the last time and the shower...going out and friends visiting.

Have a good week1