Post-Christmas Wrap-up and Beginning of our NM Trip

Happy Holidays! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. 

Zac and I were so fortunate to be able to travel to Dallas for Christmas. We were able to see friends and family, and we had a wonderful time. I wish we could have been there longer. We miss DFW!

The day we arrived (on separate flights) Zac beat me to DFW, and was able to join the Cockrum side of his family for a post-wedding reception dinner. Zac's cousin Karen was married that afternoon - a beautiful ceremony in Carrollton - CONGRATULATIONS Karen and Brian! We are so blessed to have such a fun family. 

On Christmas Day Zac and I both traveled - Zac back to NH, and I headed up to Amarillo, and then drove to the VanZandt ranch for Christmas dinner. I hadn't realized how much I missed the prairie and seeing so much of the sky. Home sweet home.

After Christmas dinner at the VanZandts and some relaxing, my family drove back to Pampa. There, I was enthusiastically greeted by the one, the only, Aidan! He jumped on me for a while and we were both so happy to be reunited. He has been at Mom and Dad's since the second week of October. Mom, Dad, MA and I then exchanged gifts and stories. Mary Alice and I both got pinkish purple Leathermans - be jealous. 

And now I am sitting with family at our home in New Mexico, and I wish that Zac was here with us! But, I am excited about being here for the next few days.

Until next time, love to all.

-RAWE

My last night in New Hampshire...

Setting the scene: Snow, and LOTS of it. A drive that would normally take me about 20-25 min took me over an hour to get home after work today (even without the quick J.Crew stop I had to make - ps, I totally suggest shopping in horrible snow storms - as long as you have 4x4). The plows couldn't seem to keep up with the inches that kept falling. I will have to say that I absolutely love 4 wheel drive! Luckily, the snow has now started to slow down, and I am still constantly checking our flights.

I will definitely miss this place. As much as I complain about the snow, cold, and how long it takes to get from here to home, New Hampshire has been a fun place to live. The area is beautiful - even snow covered. It was quite a contrast coming from the land of only 2 seasons - summer and winter! Here, they have all 4 seasons. It was incredible to watch each one of them and see the progression from one to another. But, enough about the seasons.

Today was my last day at work, and it was definitely a hard one. I have learned and absorbed so much in the past year +. I am really going to miss everyone there - and I wish them all the best, especially in this busy holiday gift giving season (pssst - it's almost over - there is a light at the end of the tunnel)! I am so thankful for the opportunity to have worked with the Lindt retail team. 

And now I must stop procrastinating and finish trying to fit my 3 suitcases worth of stuff into my 2 suitcases. Or, I could just have Z check a bag for me. :)

Some interesting facts about the place I've been calling "home" for 2 weeks

In case you were wondering where I've been sleeping recently, I decided I would give everyone a little history of the place I've been calling "home".

• The shipyard is actually on an island - Seavey Island - at the mouth of the Piscataqua River (Piss-cat-i-qwah) 
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was established in 1800 and is the oldest continuously operating shipyard in the US Navy
• PNS hosted the Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War in 1905
• The shipyard began constructing (and overhauling) submarines during World War I
• This is the Naval prison on the shipyard - such a cool building (esp in person)

It is crazy to think about all of the history that has taken place where I am right now. How in the world did the pilgrims and first Americans survive here without modern day heating, structures and vehicles? I have NO idea. Thank goodness I was born in the 80s. :)

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

Thanks for reading the blog! You know that you wanted to. Hehehehe.

So, to answer some questions that you might be asking...

Where are we going?
We are going back to the USS Louisville's home port in Honolulu, Hawaii! Zac and the rest of the amazing crew have almost completed the repairs to the boat here at the shipyard in NH/ME, and they are scheduled to leave the shipyard (permanently) soon.

Why will we be homeless?

Because we are moving, of course! Today (Dec. 2nd) is day 2 that the movers have been here packing everything up and loading it into crates. I am staying to work until Dec. 19th - and until the 20th I will be living with friends or at the inn on the shipyard. We won't know where we are living until we (I) arrive in Hawaii.

When will we have a new address?

We hope to be living in Naval housing somewhere around Pearl Harbor. So, when I arrive I will register with the housing office, which will begin our house finding process. I'm not really sure what that is going to entail (or how long it will take), but I will be staying at the Navy Lodge until they find a house that is right for us. I hope to arrive in Honolulu on Jan. 5th - but I don't have my final flight reservations as of this very moment.

So, mele kalikimaka, and more information to follow!

Love, 

R & Z