Just wanted to say that I am still here and alive...just busy, busy, busy! Following is a short recap of the last 6 weeks of our lives!
But first things first!
THANK YOU VETERANS FOR YOUR SELFLESS SERVICE!!!
"A veteran is someone, who at one point in his life wrote a blank check payable to 'The United States of America' for the amount of 'up to and including my life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it."
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR VETERANS!
1) Got mostly packed up and moved out of Junction. Got me moved in with my parents for the duration of Matt's deployment.
2) Celebrated the hubs 26th birthday with a trip to the Deer Lease in Mertzon. He shot a doe with his bow and we made jerky and some dried sausage to send him while he is deployed.
3) Visited family and friends
4) The Army required the presence of the hubs in Indiana for a week - so he went...and I had a girls night after dropping him off at the airport. (Regina - we need to learn to be more decisive!) :)
5) While the hubs was gone I helped Mom and Dad prepare for a going away party for the hubs at the house - painting the garage, mowing the yard, weedeating, edging, trimming hedges, etc, but it was worth it. 6) After picking him up at the week's end (Friday) we stopped by the 'old' house and made sure that we had everything and had cleaned up after ourselves.
Commence the journey of the Nomadic Machaceks!
7) On Saturday we had a going away party for Matt and enjoyed really great food, family, friends, and weather. The party was great and I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone that came to the party. Matt really enjoyed visiting with you all! (as well as I) Thanks Mom, Dad, Granny, Popo, and everyone else who brought something or helped in any way!
8) The next few days we spent visiting with family and friends around the area before heading to Shiner.
9) Travel day to Shiner and a WONDERFUL supper with Matt's Uncle Butch and Aunt Sandy who were great hosts! Which reminds me - I need to get her recipe for the roasted tenderloin we had that night as well as the chocolate pie with toffee bits on top and the pumpkin bread pudding!
10) LOTS of visiting with each of his brothers and sisters and their families over the next few days (expect for Rebecca and Josh because they live in Florida...we missed you guys but can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving!)
11) Celebrated the birthday of Matt's nephew by taking all the nephews to the Corn Maize in Moulton and had a wonderful day! Thanks for letting tag-a-long Nellie!
12) Enjoyed supper and a family get together at Tony and Crissy's house (Matt's brother and Sister-in-law). Thanks for getting everyone together Crissy!
13) Had another little gathering at Matt's parents house on Sunday after church and were fortunate to have Matt's Uncle Foster and Aunt Judy travel in for the afternoon.
14) That afternoon we were surprised by a few people with a night at the Shiner Bed and Breakfast in the Honeymoon Suite to spend some time alone before saying our good-byes to each other a fews days later. We really enjoyed the relaxing time together alone! (and another To Do - find out what kind of jacuzzi tub they had because I LOVED it and want one in my own house!)
15) We got up Monday morning and headed back to Matt's parents house. We gathered our things and headed into town to tell his parents good-bye and head into San Antonio for the ADT-3 Deployment Ceremony (ADT-3 is the unit that Matt is deploying to Afghanistan with)
16) Enjoyed Monday and Tuesday nights alone in a hotel room while making sure that Matt had everything he was going to need and then some! (better safe than sorry!)
17) My wonderful Mom made arrangements to be in San Antonio the day that I told Matt bye so I didn't have to drive 5 hours by myself! Thank you Mom!!
End the journey of the Nomadic Machaceks!
So this brings us to the beginning of November and me being back at my parent's house. One of my favorite times of the year around St. Lawrence is harvest time (late Oct. - Nov. usually). As soon as I got home I received a quick lesson on some farm equipment and have been my Dad's right-hand-woman since! We've been putting in long days of driving up and down rows and rows and rows of cotton. I think something about this year's harvest will stick out in my mind forever! ;) (can't imagine why...) I definitely appreciate all the work and long (sometimes lonely) hours that farmers put into their fields a little more now that I've been on the other end of it!
To update everyone on Matt - he left San Antonio and headed to Indiana for a month for some more training before actually leaving the country. The latest news is that he gets a 3 day leave pass and will be home for Thanksgiving!!!!!! Super excited and ready for the next two weeks to hurry up and get here and then those three days to C R A W L by!
Again, Please pray for us as we get ready to embark on the next year of our lives apart from each other as well as all the troops that are overseas and the families that they left behind. Please pray for strength, courage, and protection.
'Til next time...
