Texans Gone Alaskans: A Weekends Worth of Celebrations!

And that it was! First, we've officially made it to the half way point of this deployment...and it's all downhill from here! It's really hard to believe it's been 6 months since I have seen B, other than a about 3 Skype sessions and few pictures. I'm more than ready to keep watching the time tick down and be in his arms again.

Our last embrace, 6 months ago.

With the 6 months that have passed in this deployment, B and I have been able to reach several goals...some together...and some personally. At about month 2 of deployment we officially became DEBT FREE when we made the last payment ever to his West Point Cow Loan. It's an awesome feeling to know with every dollar we earn, we owe no body anything, and it is our money to do with it what we want. B was also able to max out his IRA and we're in the process of doing my paperwork to get me all set up. We love money, can you tell? ;) I also reached my 30 pound R&R weight loss goal. To be honest, when B left, I had no intentions of "trying" to lose weight. Yes, I needed to, but never thought about using this time to myself to actually do it. Over the summer I did a lot of pretty hard core manual labor at work and always ended my day with taking Duke for a walk. Slowly I realized I had lost about 15 pounds. It was at this point that I realized it was time to get my butt back into gear. It was also at this time that I received my job that I am detailed into right now, which has much more consistent working hours. This means I was getting home at "normal" hours every night. I decided to start packing my gym bag every morning and to head straight to the gym after work every day. And that is what I did. I've really got back into my running again and I realized how much I had actually missed it. I mean, of course, I don't eat nearly as much since I don't have the big guy around, but I am by no means "on a diet". We'll have to see what the next 6 months of this deployment has in store!

This weekend was also MY BIRTHDAY! The birthday weekend started off on Friday night with a "Wining Women" night. Yes, we drank wine (...and some of us margaritas too!), but it was indeed for a good cause. My friend that had set this night up had asked us all to bring donations for the Fairbanks Rescue Mission and in return, she would provide her home to gather in, the deliverance of all of the donations, lots of yummy food, and WINE.

WINE!

The hostess and I :)

All of the "Wining Women"

Saturday morning I woke up to gorgeous Birthday flowers from none other than B! :) LOVE THEM!

Saturday night some friends and I headed to the Pub at the local university in town where the band Romany Rye was going to be playing. Once we arrived another one of my friends whose husband had been in town for R&R happened to be there so we all linked up, played some pool, and listened to the band, which ended up to be really good!

After the pub we ended up hanging out at a few more local bars. As much fun as I had this night, it was hard to be with my friend and her husband who was going to be leaving the very next morning. It killed me to think that they had just had 2 awesome weeks together and just like that, they were over. Hardest part? Knowing that it will soon be my turn. Of course I'm beyond stoked to be back together again, but 2 weeks? Really? 2 weeks in a whole freaking year? No one, other than all of the Army family, will ever understand or know the feeling.

Sunday morning, MY BIRTHDAY!! Duke and I woke up to the first real snow fall and it is here to stay for about the next 6 months! But we all know what happens in 6 months, so I think I'm okay with it. Because this means by time the snow starts to think about melting, it will be time for B to come home...just in time for a beautiful Alaska summer!

I then started the morning with friends gathering for a delicious home-made Brunch! We enjoyed Crepes, hash browns, sausage, and what brunch would be complete without Mimosas?!

MIMOSAS!

My personal chefs! ;)

Birthday flowers from friends!

Let Brunch begin!

Part of the Brunch crew!

And our own personal dish washer! :)

We spent the rest of the day on a photo shoot, you wouldn't understand, ;) And then ended the day with a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant here in town. I even had a piece of Pumpkin Cheesecake...with a candle to blow out for my birthday!

It's weekends like these that make me realize how much I truly do miss B, yet how truly beyond thankful I am for such loving, caring, and understanding friends. I would not have made it through the past 6 months without them.

And of course, for B's sake, we can't leave without any shots of the Dukester!