Our first Air Force move sent us to Maxwell AFB, Alabama at the end of May 2007. We spent 6 weeks there for ASBC training. It was a great way to begin our life in the Air Force. Matt and I got our official military cards and took care of LOTS of paperwork. While most of Matt's days were spent being trained and playing Icarus, mine were spent writing my thank you cards from our wedding (I was done in a matter of days: that has to be a record right?!) and spending time with the other spouses, usually at the pool. Matt and I used the weekends to take in the surrounding area. We went to the Biscuits baseball game, kayaking at a near by river, the officers club on base with the couples, and Exit 9 where the movie theater and mall were located. Our last trip we took during ASBC was to Destin, Florida where we spent the days on the beach and visited near by bases. When it came time to leave we had to part from a great couple who we spent many nights hanging out with, Steve and Sonni. However, we had another friend, Jeff who followed us on the road to Vandenberg AFB, making our next adventure not so stressful since we were all in it together!
On our way to Vandenberg AFB, California we were reunited with Sallie in Arkansas. Several long days later crossing the United States we drove in to VAFB and lucked out as we were offered a house on base! As Matt waited for his Missile IQT to begin in late 2007, we added a new addition to our family, Samantha, a yorkie/bischon frise mix. With some training and time (for Sallie to adjust) we lucked out yet again by having another wonderful, obedient pet.
A short time after we got Sam, our fantastic friends, Christine and Nate, came to see us in California. While they were there we had the opportunity, thanks to Nate, to get into Disneyland for FREE! It was a great little vacation to a place Matt and I had never been. Plus, you get to act like a kid again! Who doesn't like a carefree, fun vacation?!? We spent our short time together with them driving all over California, squeezing in everything we could. As well as much needed time catching up and playing with our new puppy!
The rest of our time in California went by too quickly even though we were lucky to be there until May of 2008. We tried to take in all we could, money willing, and I think we did a good job! We were lucky enough to have beach access on the base and took Sam with us there several times, one in particular being Christmas day! Never have Matt and I had a beach Christmas and we took full advantage of it, decorating our palm tree out front of our house even! We had a wonderful start to the New Year in 2008 when my parents came to visit. Again we tried to squeeze all we could in while they were there. This time with guests we knew much more about the area and traveled all over showing them Arroyo Grande where we went to Doc Burnstein's for some AMAZING ice cream, Pismo Beach to the Cracked Crab for a feast of crab legs, down to Santa Barbara to State Street where all the best shopping is done, and over to Solvang (a wonderful little dutch community for Paula's Pancakes) and Honeywood wine tasting! Our last big trip while in Vandenberg was driving with 3 of our friends to Universal Studios for a weekend and splitting a room, all 5 of us! In May 2008 we got our orders to relocate to Minot AFB, ND and drove up with the "soon to be" Matt and Katherine McPherson. We split hotel rooms along our way as well as making a spot of 2 days in Las Vegas. Just a few short months after we "pcs"ed to Minot, our friend Jeff, who followed us to VAFB also, was assigned to Minot! Being stationed so many times back to back with a friend is unheard of but we were happy to hear he was going to be with us for our next notch in our Air Force time line.
After several LONG days spent on the road in 3 vehicles, (Matt, Katherine, Matthew, and I with Sallie and Sam) we made it to Minot AFB, ND. The first thing that stuck out in our minds was the the fact that the Canadian flag was flying everywhere here. Today, however, it is a normal thing to see the Canadian flag everywhere as well as all the Canadian tour buses and vehicles that come down for the weekends to shop! When we got to Minot AFB, ND we lucked out again and were offered another house on base. This one was newly built (VAFB was a 1950s ranch) located in the Captains housing area. The only downfall was there wasn't a fence installed yet!
The fall of 2008 was busy with visitors, trips home, and a wedding. Our first visitors yet again were our amazing friends, Christine and Nate. Unlike the fun-filled, busy schedule with them (and my parents) in California this one was much more relaxed. Matt had started UQT training so most of their trip up here was spent with just the 3 of us. Just weeks after Christine and Nate left my parents came up, in September. While they were here we installed a fence for Ms. Sam, went to the zoo, the Scandinavian heritage park, and just caught up on life. Next was a trip home for me on the Amtrak to go to Elise's "baby shower", pick up the blazer for our crazy winters to come, and go to NKOTB with my best bud Christine in Minneapolis! The last trip before the snowing winter came was to Chicago with my parents to be a bridesmaid for Christine and Nate's wedding.
2009 was a much slower year for trips and visits though my parents and grandparents made it out! Matt started his masters as most missileers do during there first tour, and I hopped from job to job. Minot will be known for us as a time of building savings, doing a masters, and SNOW, SNOW, SNOW! We have spent many nights up until now with our friends up here playing games, bowling, being outdoors during the nice, long, sunny summer days, and keeping us all from getting cabin fever in the cloudy winter season.
Our start to 2010 went well. The weather started to show signs of spring in early March which was not expected since the year before we drove back to Minot on ice covered roads! Matt and I were given a free Adirondack set from the Youth Center and began to rebuild and paint the chairs and table, as they needed lots of TLC. In April, my best friend, Christine came up for the weekend to celebrate my 25th birthday. It was nice for Matt and I to see her and help to get us out of the winter "funk" we caught from over 6 months from having the same daily routine. I then turned my focus to our dining room table which is a family heirloom and refurbished the chairs, waiting to do the table until we got back from leave in July.
As if that weren't enough, there were many more great times in between. This gets us caught up to July 2010 and the next important milestone in our Air Force life!
.Mandy.
yes 3 mentions! We rock!
ReplyDeleteNate
Yes, yes, you do rock! Your truly are some amazing friends and we are so grateful that you two understand all the challenges of military life... and yet, it's like there are none by the amount of times we get to see you! :)
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